Social and biological implications of using conservation drones in the field

Conservation drones are increasingly being deployed by biologists and managers in conservation. Drones are great tools that gives us new perspectives unimaginable a few years back. From the comforts of my tent in the field or from my office, I can get information on my laptop in real time.  I have used a borrowed drone for a short period  and has been bowled over by the innumerable way that I can use it. Conservation drones are going to open new vista in conservation.

As drones becomes a hot favourite with researchers and managers, it also time to think about social and political implications involved in the use of drones. It could very well  be perceived as an invasion in to their privacy by the local communities and indigenous peoples. It is here that stakeholder involvement assumes great significance. Talk to the people and allay their fears and prejudices. The political implications also have to be tackled right at the beginning. A proper interface has to be established between wildlife researchers social scientists and local stakeholders. Over to you conservationists managers and social scientists.

6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES

First Announcement

The Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, Frederick University, and the IUCN Caprinae Specialist Group, invites you to attend the:  6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES and  5th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MOUFLON

AUGUST 29 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2016, NICOSIA, CYPRUS,Under the Auspices of the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Socrates Hasikos.

Congress Chairman:Dr Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis

The website is under construction. We will keep you updated about latest announcements.

The failure of High Range landscape project to take off in Kerala

The failure of High Range landscape project to take off in Kerala should act as an eye opener to planners in Kerala. It was a grandiose project conceived with very good intentions. But, in a thickly populated and highly literate state like Kerala the planners should have taken much more care before even thinking of implementing it.
The project funded by UNDP was planned in near secrecy with deliberations limited to few individuals. The interaction with local administrators lacked the urgency and empathy that was obviously needed. The local administrators were treated with disdain and supercilious attitude.
The attitude of UNDP officials also came in for criticism when they visited areas like Munnar. They had the know all attitude. Disdain and insouciance was written large in their demeanour. A furious estate manager rang me up and said" Who the bloody hell the UNDP officials think they are. They were trying to lord it over us. We do not like the attitude"
Even the wording of the project document had lot of lacunae. Sentences like an increase in protected area is expected was thrown out of context by the politicians and the bogey of taking away peoples' rights was spread by the politicians with ulterior motives. The officials concerned failed to read the danger signals in time or may be they took it lightly in their stride.
The church which has sizable followers in High Ranges also took a negative attitude. The mix of politicos and church was potent. Emotions were whipped up by interested elements with ulterior motives and their own agendas.
The failure of proper dialogue spelt the death knell of the project. Even within the departments proper dialogue was not initiated. Forest department which was the nodal agency failed miserably in this respect. When the newly appointed chief of forest forces Dr B.S Correy was asked about his comments on the project by a journalist he was frank enough to admit that he does not know anything much about the project. "It was conceived by a coterie within the forest department and they tried to implement it according to their will and pleasure". That in a nut shell explains the reasons for the failure of the project.

LID (Low impact development) may help in controlling urban storm water runoff

University of California researchers contend that LID (Low impact development) may help in controlling urban storm water runoff. LID mimic pre-urban stream functions. The researchers give the examples of green roofs that absorb and evapotranspire rainfall, rainwater harvesting tanks in homes and other buildings, use of permeable pavement for roads and parking lots. We need to capture the runoff as close to where it's generated says the researchers. Rainwater could be effectively used in homes for toilet flushing and laundry.  Using drinking water to flush toilets is literally washing our future down the drain exhorts the researchers.

Journal Reference:

Asal Askarizadeh, Megan A. Rippy, Tim D. Fletcher, David L. Feldman, Jian Peng, Peter Bowler, Andrew S. Mehring, Brandon K. Winfrey, Jasper A. Vrugt, Amir AghaKouchak, Sunny C. Jiang, Brett F. Sanders, Lisa A. Levin, Scott Taylor, Stanley B. Grant. From Rain Tanks to Catchments: Use of Low-Impact Development To Address Hydrologic Symptoms of the Urban Stream Syndrome. Environmental Science & Technology

Surreptitious move to open up more areas in Eravikulam National Park for Tourism

There is a Surreptitious move to open up more areas in Eravikulam National Park for Tourism. This move is spearheaded by Tourism department with the blessings of some ignoramus bigwigs of the forest department.
Eravikulam National Park is a very sensitive area in terms of ecology. The area harbours some unique flora and fauna endemic to the area and found nowhere else in the world. Some of them have distribution of a few Km only. An example is the newly discovered frog species with a distribution of couple of square Km only
Imagine a scenario where tourists merrily go up and down the slopes of the hills of Eravikulam. They are going to wipe out some flora for sure. It has been amply demonstrated by research in US that vegetation trampled by tourists in hills take at least two decades to recoup even when the area is closed.
Unfortunately some photographers and self proclaimed environmentalists have also joined the band wagon seeing the money offered by tourism department. They are hand in glove with the tourism department. The tourism department is coming out with a colourful book on Eravikulam depicting its breath taking landscape. This will spell doom for Eravikulam as there will be increasing clamour for opening new areas. It is easy to get patronage and blessing of the ruling politicians for such moves. An area zealously guarded by Britishers and a couple of generations of committed forest officers is going to the dogs. Environmentalists now is the time to put a break. Speak out. The tourists should remain in tourism zone Rajmalai. Rest of the area is for denizens of the wild

Motorola Service is Horible

Motorola service obviously has taken a dip. I have a Moto G 3rd generation less than two months old which developed touch problems. It gets stuck and refuses to budge. As per the policy of Motorola, after one month, customers are not eligible for an immediate replacement. It has to go to the service station.The service centre people say it will take at least one month for the spares to arrive. Nice scenario, isn't it?  I wrote to Motorola directly. All I get is "We are looking in to it". If they have no spares they should willingly replace the instrument instead of taking the consumer in circles. I am waiting for the call from service centre. I will never again buy a Motorola Phone

New trout species from Turkey

Researchers from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Faculty of Fisheries in Turkey have discovered a new trout species. The new species gets the name, Salmo kottelati and is named after Maurice Kottelat, who contributed significantly to the knowledge of the fish fauna of Europe and Asia.

                                             Natural habitat of the new trout species

Pic Credits: Prof. Dr. Davut Turan

Taking annual break

Hi guys,
             I am taking my annual break. I am going on a trip filled with hiking, Microlight flying and skydiving.
I will be back on blogging scene first week of December.
             Have a great time

Inger Andersen named IUCN Director General

 Inger Andersen has been appointed as the new Director General of IUCN starting in January 2015. A Danish national, Ms Andersen began her career working on desertification and dryland issues in Sudan, and with the UN Sudano-Sahelian Office in New York. With the establishment of the Global Environment Facility(GEF) in 1992, she moved in  as the Arab Region Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a position she held until 1999 when she moved to the World Bank. She is Currently Vice President for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the World Bank. At the World Bank, Ms Andersen worked primarily on water, environment and sustainable development, with special focus on the Africa and MENA Regions.

Biodiversity conservation - We need better metrics rigorously tested

The different t metrics, that we use, such as species abundance and extinction risk, paints different impressions of conservation success. Collen and Nicholson argue that to be successful, conservation efforts require an agreed set of metrics of biodiversity change. These metrics may include existing as well as new ones and must undergo rigorous testing to ensure that they are suitable for our conservation aims

Science 10 October 2014: Vol. 346 no. 6206 pp. 166-167

The 50th anniversary of IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,

As part of communications and fundraising campaign to support the 50^th anniversary of   IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN have released a stunning video explaining the importance of The IUCN Red List as a powerful tool that drives action for nature conservation. The video was produced by the photographer and filmmaker Mattius Klum, who is also an IUCN Goodwill Ambassador.

A beautifully written book

It is not every day that you read a good book. I was delighted to read this very interesting book by Christopher Uhl during my sojourn and it gave me tremendous satisfaction.

Christopher Uhl explores the path to living in harmony with Earth. He believes it begins - not with fixing the environment - but with fixing ourselves, vis-à-vis, our perceptions about Earth. The book gives us enough reasons to ponder the road we are taking and what the future holds in store for us and the corrections that are long overdue.

According to Uhl, economism is the driving force of life stories of people today. Everything is seen in terms of money, without understanding the consequences of their actions on the Earth and on others. Uhl describes economism as a pseudo religion and believes that the present time is an "age of separation”.

Activities and discussion questions follow each chapter, making it a highly useful book for students. It makes them aware of what it means to be alive and to be surrounded by life.

Go ahead and read this wonderful book

No update for next five days

Hi Guys,
               I am travelling to areas with no internet connectivity. Consequently there won't be any update for the next five days. Have a great time.Cheers

Parents of all children should use ventilation while using a gas stove.

This post has nothing to do with wildlife conservation, but I thought what I am going to write has great relevance for parents with children.

A new study by Oregon State University specifically recommends that parents with children at home should use ventilation when cooking with a gas stove. The study showed an association between gas kitchen stove ventilation and asthma, asthma symptoms and chronic bronchitis.

Homes that used ventilation while cooking with gas stoves were 32%less likely to have asthma than in homes where ventilation was not used.  Asthma and bronchitis are common chronic problem in children.

The findings were published recently in the journal Environmental Health.

Social science and conservation

A Guide to Understanding Social Science Research for Natural Scientists

KATIE MOON and DEBORAH BLACKMAN

Conservation Biology, Volume 28, Issue 5, pages 1167–1177, October 2014

Conservationists are increasingly depending on social research to study and find solutions to conservation problems.  Conservation problems are commonly social problems.  To get maximum advantage conservationists should have an understanding of the philosophical principles and theoretical assumptions of the discipline, which are embedded in the design of social research. Here the researchers have developed a guide to assist natural scientists in understanding the philosophical basis of social science to support the meaningful interpretation of social research outcomes. The 3 fundamental elements of research are ontology, what exists in the human world that researchers can acquire knowledge about; epistemology, how knowledge is created; and philosophical perspective, the philosophical orientation of the researcher that guides her or his action.  The researchers’ sign off saying the use of their guide can also support and promote the effective integration of the natural and social sciences to generate more insightful and relevant conservation research outcomes.

We should develop awareness and even people's pride in the concept of corridor conservation

Moving Beyond Science to Protect a Mammalian Migration Corridor

JOEL BERGER and STEVEN L. CAIN

Conservation Biology

Volume 28, Issue 5, pages 1142–1150, October 2014

It was with great fascination that I read this paper on corridor conservation in the journal conservation biology.  The scientists  argue that conservation scientists can and should step beyond traditional research roles to assist with on-the-ground conservation by engaging in aspects of conservation that involve local communities and public policy.

The focus of research is on a North American endemic mammal that relies on long distance migration as an adaptive strategy, the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) of the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The researchers found that the role of science in realizing policy change, while critical as a first step, was surprisingly small relative to the role of other human dimensions. The researchers built partnership between government and private interests and then enhanced interest in migratory phenomena across the landscape with divergent political ideologies and economic bases. By developing awareness and even people's pride in the concept of corridor conservation, they  achieved local, state, and federal acceptance for protection of a 70 km long, 2 km wide pathway for the longest terrestrial migrant in the contiguous United States. The paper holds good lessons for conservationists round the world. Go ahead and read it.

Fossils and the way to restoring lost island biodiversity

University of Florida scientists have discovered how fossils can be used to restore lost biodiversity. The scientist hit on organic materials found in fossil bones, which contain evidence for how ancient ecosystems functioned. The clues gave vital inputs for saving endangered island species and re-establishing native species.

The scientists say “A better understanding of species' natural roles in ecosystems untouched by people might improve their prospects for survival."

The details of the study appear in the September issue of Journal of Herpetology.

Road in Kutch sanctuary Okayed. Is it the right thing to do?

The wildlife board has Okayed, a road through Kutch sanctuary. The road was opposed by environmentalists and the previous board. The main arguments against the road was that it would, in all probability, result in the abandonment of the breeding site of flamingos and India would lose the only breeding site of flamingoes. There is also an argument that an alternate alignment which is feasible, cost-effective and easy to build is available. The environmentalists also say the proposed road would also eliminate the sacred grove of "Shravan Kavadia'', a unique mangrove system, found nowhere else in the world.

Tahrcountry makes a fervent plea to the Prime Minister and the Environment Minister, to look in to all aspects before giving a final clearance to the project. The misgivings of the environmentalists have to be allayed. The common man should feel that tax payer’s money has been spent on a project that would take the country forward without compromising on environment. If more studies are needed it should be done. Development is the need of the hour for the country, but it should not be at the cost of destroying what is irreplaceable.

World's first microbe-powered, self-sustaining wastewater treatment system

Researchers from Washington State University have developed a unique method to use microbes buried in pond sediment for waste cleanup in rural areas.

The newly invented Microbial fuel cells use biological reactions from microbes in water to create electricity. The fuel cell does the work of an aerator and uses only the power of microbes in the sewage lagoons to generate electricity. In the lab the microbes were able to successfully power aerators for more than a year. The researchers hope to test a full-scale plant shortly for eventual commercialization.

The researchers claim that the technology could be used in underdeveloped countries to clean polluted water effectively at a cheap rate.

Details of the research appears in the latest issue of journal “Journal of Power Sources”

Newly constituted wildlife board of India – Now a signature campaign is on

As mentioned in my previous post, some of the frustrated men who have been left out from the new wildlife board had already started a whisper campaign against the new members. Now, if my Delhi contacts are to be believed, they have started a signature campaign against the new members. I am aghast by the puerile mentality of the guys. These old guys had usurped membership by their political clout for years. For them it was an easy way to flaunt themselves as champions of wildlife conservation and earn junkets to wildlife reserves. One of my friends invited a couple of years back, one of the aggrieved guys from Delhi for a conference. His first question was “Where am I going to be accommodated. I stay only in 5 star hotels. These guys are out of sync with reality in the field. They never bother to stay deep in the forest with the frontline staff and find out their problems. They want cushy accommodation in forest rest houses. I am delighted to see that the new Government under Narenrdra Modiji has broken the vicious nexus. The new sets of guys are dedicated and aware of problems in the field. They are never shy of getting their hands dirty. Tax payers money should not be squandered away to pander to the whims and fancies of the elite.