Madagascar community leader gets Paul Getty conservation award

Here is something that is sure to fire your enthusiasm about nature conservation. You need not have degrees in conservation to espouse the cause of nature conservation. Ordinary folks can very well do it. What is needed is will and commitment. The prestigious Paul Getty award for 2008 has gone to dedicated Madagascar community leader Roger Samba, with no formal training in conservation. The award honours outstanding contributions to international conservation and carries a $200,000 prize. The award recognizes today's leaders in conservation and also helps develop conservation leadership for tomorrow by establishing graduate fellowships in the name of the winner and J. Paul Getty. Samba was responsible for organizing the world's first community run no-take zone for octopus, a local species of critical economic importance to the community.
For generations, the indigenous semi-nomadic Vezo people of Andavadoaka, Madagascar (Samba's hometown) have depended on artisanal fishing activities for their livelihoods. Their culture and tradition was intimately interwoven with it. In recent years unsustainable tourism and an increase in international fishing vessels and burgeoning population was creating a resource crunch.
Samba created a plan for empowering local communities to take up management of coral reefs and the region's fragile marine biodiversity. Alternative livelihood and environmental education initiatives were simultaneously launched. The project was so successful that eight neighbouring villages formed their own protected areas for octopus in order to reap similar benefits. Here is a shining example of how economic development can inspire and benefit from the conservation of natural resources.
Samba will use his award to establish fellowships for students pursuing masters, doctoral, and post-doctoral degrees in conservation-related fields at a university of his choice in Madagascar.
Well done Samba. You are indeed a shining example for the whole world.

Sound pollution affecting wildlife

I was disturbed to read some of the latest findings on how sound pollution is threatening the existence of wildlife.
Have you tried to hail someone amidst the cacophony of blaring sounds? It is pretty tough on your vocal cord. Exactly the same thing is happening to birds calling out for its mates. Biologist Henrik Brumm of the Free University of Berlin has found that male territorial nightingales in Berlin had to sing five times as loud in an area of heavy traffic. Henrik is sure that this could be affecting their vocal musculature and he wonders what is going to happen in future if the noise levels keep going up.
Bernie Krause, a bioacoustics expert has collected over 3,500 hours of sound recordings from the wild. Bernie calls it Soundscapes. In the early recordings each animal had its own niche, its own acoustic territory, akin to an orchestra. Noise from airplanes, automobiles and other blaring sounds produced by man has affected this perfect scenario. At least 40 percent of those natural symphonies have become radically altered.
Extraneous sounds can mask some of the quieter yet important sounds of nature like footfalls and breathing. It is these sounds that that predators latch on to, to catch prey. The prey uses it to escape predators.
So the whole equation of nature is undergoing changes due to man’s inexorable drive for progress. We have the danger signals. It is time to do something about it at least in areas near wildlife reserves.

Indigenous people demand say in conservation schemes.

Gone are the days when you could ride roughshod over the indigenous people. They are slowly becoming vociferous.
Indigenous rights groups are meeting in Oslo this week to voice their demands. They say discussions on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) is doomed for failure unless they are based on respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and forest communities. In places where indigenous land rights have not been clearly defined, the whole process could be used to evict forest people from lands upon which they have been living for generations. The apprehension is that this would open floodgates of land grabs and evictions by parties seeking to capitalize on carbon payments. Indigenous peoples are concerned about how these new investments could affect their access to the forests, but here is an opportunity to create sustainable livelihoods for forest people and safeguarding biodiversity if the whole process is handled with sang-froid.
The meeting in Oslo will come up with ideas of how the rights of indigenous people can be respected under "forest carbon" schemes. The choice of Oslo for the meeting is deliberate. Norwegian government has pledged to spend up to 3 billion Norwegian kroner ($500 million) annually to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in tropical countries. Participants of Oslo conference have proposed the formation of independent bodies to advise and monitor the UN Convention on Climate Change to ensure that the rights forest people are put in place. They demand that Indigenous peoples must be accepted as full and fair participants in all parleys.

Internet use good for the brain of the elderly

This blog usually concentrates on matters relating to wildlife and environment affairs. Here is something of great interest that goes beyond my usual realm. I thought this piece of news about the good effects of use of internet on elderly persons is a germane bit of information. It is sure to bring cheer to senior citizens.

A University of California team led by Professor Gary Small has found that searching the web stimulated centres in the brain that controlled decision-making and complex reasoning. Professor Gary Small says that browsing the internet may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults improving brain function. This also enhances brain circuitry in older adults. The study was based on volunteers aged between 55 and 76. The study appears in the latest issue of American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Happy surfing senior citizens.

Sumatran Muntjac rediscovered

When a lost species is rediscovered it sends waves of joy to the conservationists. Here is a piece of news from Indonesia that will warm the cockles of your heart. Sumatran muntjac (Muntiacus montanus) a species thought to have been extinct and not seen in the wild since 1930 has been rediscovered. A team working for Fauna & Flora International and the Kerinci-Seblat National Park Tiger Protection rescued it from a hunter's snare on an anti-poaching patrol in Sumatra's Kerinci-Seblat National Park.The team also managed to take photographic proof of the rescued deer; the first ever photographs of a live specimen. The species was first discovered in 1914. IUCN has listed the species in its Red List as "data deficient".

Mammal species are at risk of extinction

World’s denizens of the wild are disappearing at a faster rate than previously calculated. Nearly a quarter of the world's land mammal species are at risk of extinction according to an extensive survey of global wildlife, conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 1,700 experts in 130 countries took part in this massive exercise. At least 1,141 of the 5,487 known species of mammal are threatened. 188 have been listed in the "critically endangered" category. Among the critically endangered species is the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), with only 84 to 143 adults remaining. One in three marine mammals is also threatened. The survey, has been published by the journal Science

Critical health risks from plastic

Latest research is throwing fresh light on Critical health risks from plastic. A special section in the October 2008 issue of Environmental Research, "A Plastic World" provides startling new information. Plastic has "endocrine disrupting chemicals" that can block the production of the male sex hormone testosterone (The villain is phthalates used in PVC plastic), mimic the action of the sex hormone estrogen (Here the villain is bisphenol A or BPA used in polycarbonate plastic), and interfere with thyroid hormone (The villain brominated flame retardants or PBDEs used in many types of plastic). The chemicals are also contaminating the oceans and causing considerable harm to aquatic wildlife. It is now imperative that new products with less impact on environment and human health have to be developed. The dangers signals have been broadcast.

Brazilian Air force comes to the rescue of penguins

I was fascinated to hear the news about Brazilian Air force coming to the rescue of stranded penguins.
Every year penguins fly towards north from the colder waters near Patagonia in search of food. This year they have traversed distances hitherto unreported. The birds are thought to have made a journey of more than 3,000km. Hundreds of birds have been washed up on the coast of Brazil. This has puzzled the scientists. Penguin migration is closely linked to their need for food, and the altered pattern of journey suggests that something has gone awry with their normal fish supply. There has also been evidence that they are eating fish that are not part of their usual diet. Reasons could be changes in water temperatures and ocean currents or man-made pollution. Scientists are raking their brains to find out the exact cause.
Hundreds of birds were completely exhausted by their long journey. It is here that the air force came to the rescue. They were flown this week in a Hercules plane down to the southern tip of Brazil, where they are being released into the ocean

All is not lost for Amphibians

All recent reports about amphibians worldwide had projected a bleak future for them. One in three amphibians worldwide are threatened with extinction.200 species have already been lost since the 1980s.Last week Zoological Society of London stated that 50 percent of Europe’s amphibians will go extinct by 2050. Against this backdrop discovery of three new frog species and the rediscovery of one thought to be extinct provide a whiff of respite. Conservationists worldwide are elated.
The new species were discovered in the Upper Pastaza Watershed in Ecuador. The region harbours 28 orchids and 190 plant species that are found no-where else. Other rare inhabitants include mountain tapir, the red-brocket deer, and the spectacled bear.

Suicidal defense by Ants

The mysterious ways in which nature operates leaves me spellbound at times. New researches makes me realize that we have only touched the tip of the ice-berg. Here is another piece of news that makes you wonder. Ants are well-known for their willingness to die for their colonies. This usually occurs when enemies are present. New research by Adam Tofilski of the Agricultural University of Krakow, Poland, et al shows that the Brazilian ant Forelius pusillus goes for self-sacrifice to defend the colony. This is the first known example of a suicidal defense that is preemptive rather than a response to danger posed. At sunset the ants seal off entrances with sand, and a few ants remain outside to complete the job. These ants that remain outside are unable to reenter the colony. They die by the next morning. A short report appears in the latest issue of science magazine and the full paper appears in the in the November issue of the journal American Naturalist.

Prehistoric ant discovered in Amazon rainforest

An ancient ancestor of ants has been discovered living in the Amazon rainforest. The discovery was made by evolutionary biologist Christian Rabeling of the University of Texas at Austin, USA. The new ant is named Martialis heureka, which translates in to "ant from Mars," .This is to highlight the ant’s characteristics never before recorded. Ants evolved 120m years ago from wasp-like ancestors and quickly adapted to living in soil, trees and leaf litter. This is the first time that a new subfamily of ants with living species has been discovered since 1923. The discovery will help biologists better understand the biodiversity and evolution of ants. Tabeling says "This discovery hints at a wealth of species, possibly of great evolutionary importance, still hidden in the soils of the remaining rainforests,” The study appears in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Live and let live - Predator species help each other while competing for a single prey

All of us are familiar with apportionment and rationing when there is a resource crunch. Nature resorting to this ploy might sound a wee bit farfetched. But this is exactly what scientists from Sweden and Netherlands have found out in their pursuit of intricacies of predator prey relationships. I was fascinated to read the paper “Stage-specific predator species help each other to persist while competing for a single prey” by A. M. De Roos et al. It gave me insights in to the myriad and mysterious ways in which nature works. In the wild state prey are usually shared by many predator species. One of the fundamental questions in ecology is how predators coexist while competing for the same prey. De Roos and associates with their research show that competing predator species may not only coexist on a single prey but even help each other to persist if they specialize on different life history stages of the prey. The research comes up with the finding that a predator may not be able to persist at all unless its competitor is also present. Net result is asymmetric increases in the rate of prey maturation and reproduction when predation relaxes competition among prey. This interdependence suggests that the network of feeding interactions in a community is, in fact, an emergent property of the system, which to a large extent arises through self-organization. Part and parcel of this self-organized character of the food web is an inherent fragility whereby the loss of a facilitating predator species may lead to subsequent extinction of some of its guild members, making the community collapse like a house of cards.

Stage-specific predator species help each other to persist while competing for a single prey
A. M. De Roos,T. Schellekens, T. Van Kooten and L. Persson
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94084, 1090 GB Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden

DNA bar-coding hitches

The ambitious project to DNA barcode all species (International Barcode of Life) has run in to a bit of rough weather. Scientists use a portion of the gene found in an organism's mitochondria for bar-coding. A new study by Brigham Young University has shown that the current techniques can mistakenly record the "broken" copy of the gene found in the nucleus of the organism's cells. This lapse will make present bar-coding technique to call it another unique species by mistake. This could lead to overestimating the number of species. To overcome this hitch, Brigham Young University has recommended specific quality control procedures to ensure that correct genes are captured. The day is not far off when a handheld device like a supermarket scanner is used to identify species. All that needs to be done is to compare the DNA marker from an organism with the known encyclopedia of life and immediately come out the species' name. 400,000 species have already been bar-coded to date. Exciting times are ahead for field biology scientists.

Why flies are so hard to swat? Caltech scientists unravel the mystery.

I have been at times flabbergasted by the alacrity with which the flies avoid the swat. If you have tried to swat flies you know how difficult it is to get a proper swat that delivers. You must have wondered why flies are so hard to swat. Here is the answer for that. Scientists of Caltech in US have come up with an explanation for the riddle. Using high-resolution, high-speed digital imaging of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) Professor Michael Dickinson and graduate student Gwyneth Card of Caltech (California Institute of Technology) have unravelled the secret to a fly's evasive maneuvering. Long before the fly leaps, its tiny brain calculates the location of the impending threat and comes up with an escape plan. It places its legs in an optimal position to hop out in the opposite direction. All of this takes place in less than100 milliseconds after the fly first spots the swatter. The rapidity with which the fly's brain processes sensory information into an appropriate motor response is incredible. This means that the fly must integrate visual information from its eyes with mechanosensory information from its legs at an amazing speed. Here is a piece of advice from the researchers. Dickinson says "It is best not to swat at the fly's starting position, but rather to aim a bit forward of that to anticipate where the fly is going to jump when it first sees your swatter,” The study has been published in the journal Current Biology dated August 28.

From poachers to protectors: IUCN honours young Rwandan conservationist

It has become a routine to hear news about depredation of nature from developing countries. Any news that runs counter to this trend is welcome relief. Here is a whiff of fresh air from Africa brought in by the dedicated effort of a young conservationist. Edwin Sabuhoro, 35, from Rwanda has been selected as the winner of the 2008 Young Conservationist Award, by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and the International Ranger Federation. The award is bestowed for outstanding achievements by young people in protected areas.
Rwanda was resigned to a bleak future for Gorillas with the poachers ruling the roost in forest areas. One of the main contributing factors for poaching was poverty. To wean away poachers from their nefarious activities Edwin developed incentives for local people by founding the Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village, a community-based tourism initiative. Proceeds from tourism have acted as an incentive for communities to protect gorillas and develop small-scale businesses. Living standards have showna marked improvement.The project is 100% of owned by Local people. Tourist arrivals have been shooting up as news about the community initiative in conservation is spreading abroad. Conservationists around the world are delighted with this effort from a young conservationist to protect nature. Edwin Sabuhoro will be presented with the award at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona this October. To cap the honour Edwin has been be invited to become a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and its Young Professionals Working Group.

Earth's magnetic fields and animal behavior

Mysteries of nature are a source of constant wonder for me. Here is something that shows that our behavior is influenced by heavenly bodies. Dr Sabine Begall, from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany using Google earth map has come to the firm conclusion that earth’s magnetic fields have profound influence on animal’s behavior. Cattle and Wild deer tend to align their bodies in a north-south direction. In Africa and South America, the cattle were shifted slightly to a more north-eastern-south-western direction. The researchers recorded the body positions of 2,974 wild deer in 277 locations across the Czech Republic and 8,510 grazing and resting cattle in 308 pasture plains across the globe before coming to firm conclusions. The details appear in the Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences.

Surprise - Magpies recognise their own reflections

I have seen Magpies preening before my motorbike mirror and pecking at their images several times. I had never given it any serious thought. Today I was surprised to read in the journal Plos Biology that the latest research indicates the ability of Magpies to recognize themselves in the mirror. Till recently only humans were thought to have this ability. Then came chimps and orangutans. and a host of other mammals. The research was led by German psychologist Dr Helmut Prior, from the Goethe University in Frankfurt. The researchers placed yellow and red stickers on the birds in positions where they could only be seen in a mirror. The magpies focused on the marks and tried to reach the stickers with their beaks and claws. On a number of occasions they succeeded in scratching the stickers’ off. This put an end to their mark-orientated behavior. When no mirror was present, the birds took no notice of the coloured marks. The scientist say magpies are capable of understanding that a mirror image belongs to their own body. If you are keen to read the entire paper click here

Environmental pollutant has sex-skewing effect

I was reading this paper “A cohort study of in utero polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposures in relation to secondary sex ratio” in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health, and it disturbed me. The article clearly depicts that women exposed to high levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls – a group of banned environmental pollutants) are less likely to have male children. PCBs are persistent organic pollutants identified worldwide as human blood and breast milk contaminants. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, the lead author of the study says "The women most exposed to PCBs were 33% less likely to give birth to male children than the women least exposed". Even though PCBs were banned in the 1970s it is believed that they find their way in developing and underdeveloped countries. Chemicals with a similar structure to PCBs, such as the flame-retardants PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), are still widely used in plastic casings and foam products.People consuming fish from contaminated lakes and those who live near former manufacturing facilities face high risk. The risk is not restricted to human beings alone. Wildlife also face a threat of equal magnitude.
Environmental Health 2008, 7:37 (15 July 2008)
If you want to read the full article click here

BlogCamp Kerala a runaway success

The first ever blog camp held in Kerala on 16th in a house boat cruising along the placid backwaters of Alappuzha, was a smashing success. The attendees got a chance to get to know the fellow bloggers from across the country. The presence of Guillaume Marceau from Quebec, Canada gave the proceedings an international flavor. The lively discussion centered on the future of blogging with the experts chipping in with their dose of distilled wisdom. For the budding bloggers it was a dream come true. The typical Kerala style non vegetarian lunch tickled the palate. The breathtaking scenery added that extra punch to the lunch. Full marks to the organizers of the conference. I eagerly look forward to the second edition of the meet next year.

Red Alert – African elephants facing uncertain future

RED ALERT
According to a new paper by Dr Samuel Wasser and associates, which has appeared in August Issue of Conservation Biology the elephants in Africa are being slaughtered at an unprecedented rate. If things go at this rate Elephants in wild state in Africa will be wiped out by 2020. What a shame!!
The death rate from poaching throughout Africa is about 8 percent a year. This is higher than the 7.4 percent annual death rate that led to the international ivory trade ban nearly 20 years ago. The poaching death rate in the late 1980s was based on a population that numbered more than 1 million. Today’s population is less than 470,000. The ban is not in force today.
Dr Wasser says "The elephants keep habitats open so other species that depend on such ecosystems can use them. Without elephants, there will be major habitat changes, with negative effects on the many species"
The major threat comes from growing markets in China and Japan, where ivory is in demand for carvings and signature stamps called hankos. Surprisingly Unites States is fast emerging as a major consumer of ivory where it is used to make knife handles and gun grips.
According to Dr Wasser public support stopped the illegal ivory trade back in 1989 and we need to do it again to save the species. Guys wake up and do your mite to save the African elephants. Use your blog posts to pressurize US, China and Japan to stop this senseless massacre of the elephants.

US decision on wildlife draws flak from conservationists

Environmentalists world wide hold the view that the Bush administration is not a green administration. Moves like going for oil in Alaska threatening the wildlife of the area have been very severely opposed by conservationists. The administration is now planning a back door method to by pass some of the imbroglios that have been created. Till now all decisions had to be endorsed by independent scientists. The administration has decided to give this practice a short shrift. The environmentalists have condemned the move by Bush administration to do away with the practice of consulting independent scientists before decisions are taken about projects such as highways, dams or mines that might harm endangered animals and plants. Federal agencies have been given full powers to decide for themselves. The administration is not required to consult with Congress before approving the changes. Environmentalists apprehend that political appointees will do irreparable damage to the ecosystem if this practice is not nipped in the bud itself.

USA – California Condor reintroduction programme running in to rough weather

The reintroduction of California Condors is one of the most ambitious reintroduction programme attempted in USA. The project is running in to rough weather after initial success. The culprit behind the decline is lead. The birds ingest the lead while feeding on wild pigs and other animals killed by hunters. According to scientists commissioned by American Ornithologists' Union (AOU), removing the poisonous metal from bullets and shotgun pellets is the only way to save the highly endangered California Condor.
Condors are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. Condors belong to the family Cathartidae, and are closely related to Eagles. There are two monotypic c genuses. The Andeann Condor (Vultur gryphus) and California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). The California Condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area and western coastal mountains of California and northern Baja California. The California Condor is one of the world's rarest bird species. They usually live up to 50 years, and mate for life. California Condors finds a place in many Native American cultures. The condor is a scavenger and eats large amounts of carrion. Condor numbers started declining in the 19th century due to poaching, lead poisoning, and habitat destruction. When the population came down to 22 birds conservation plan was put in place by the United States government that led to the capture of all the remaining wild condors in 1987. These 22 birds were bred at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo. The numbers rose through captive breeding and from 1991 condors, have been reintroduced into the wild. The project is the most expensive species conservation project ever undertaken in the United States. As on May 2008, there were 332 condors known to be living, including 152 in the wild.
The scientific community is working overtime to overcome the setback and put the project on an even keel
For more information on California Condor click here

The power of blogging in Conservation – An African Ranger shows the way

Masai Mara is one Kenya’s best known wildlife reserves. People used to throng the park to have a glimpse of its magnificent wildlife. But continuing violence after the election changed all that. Tourists stopped coming to Masai Mara. Mara Conservancy a not-for-profit organization which manages the North-Western part of the Masai Mara Game Reserve, on behalf of the Trans-Mara County Council was in dire straights. Conservation of the Mara Triangle was completely dependent upon tourism revenue. There was no money to pay the salaries of the protection staff and poaching was taking a heavy toll of the animals. It was at this juncture that Mr Joseph Kimojino, a Ranger in the park hit up on the ides of starting a blog and let the whole world know about what is happening. Till last November he had never used a computer. A determined Kimojino was not willing to be deterred. He learned the ropes of using a computer and grappled with nuances of internet. He started his blog in January with the help of Wildlifedirect, a British-registered charity set up by Richard Leakey, Kenya's leading paleontologist and the former head of the Kenya Wildlife Service. ( http://maratriangle.wildlifedirect.org). It struck an immediate chord of empathy. Surfers who saw the frenetic appeal from Kimojino started chipping in with help. He is receiving 100s of hits a day.
Harnessing the soaring popularity of blogging and social networking sites is indeed a great way to spread the message of conservation. Oxford university researchers Alison Ashlin and Richard Ladle in an article in science magazine says “blogs provide a communication platform of incredible power and they should be used to engage the public, even to the extent of including blogging as part of a researcher's job specification."

Good news about Western lowland Gorillas

A census of critically endangered western lowland gorillas by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has come up with good news for conservationists. The census found 125,000 of the apes in two adjacent areas in the northern part of the Republic of Congo covering 47,000 sq km. A total of 73,000 came from the Ntokou-Pikounda region and another 52,000 from the Ndoki-Likouala area. Even though 1980s census had estimated a population of about 100,000 hunting and the ebola virus was thought to have slashed the population by half. So this is indeed good news. Gorillas build nests each night from leaves and branches for sleeping. Western lowland gorillas are one of four recognized gorilla sub-species. The others are mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and Cross River gorillas. For more information about western lowland gorillas click here

Orangutans facing uncertain future

The adorable Orangutans (Pongo spp.) are facing an uncertain future. According to new findings published this month by Great Ape Trust of Iowa scientist Dr. Serge Wich and associates in Oryx – The International Journal of Conservation, Orangutan populations have fallen sharply on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The revised estimates put the number of Sumatran orangutans (P. abelii) around 6,600 in 2004. This is lower than previous estimates of 7,501. "It is clear that the Sumatran orangutan is in rapid decline and unless extraordinary efforts are made soon, it could become the first great ape species to go extinct," Wich et al. wrote. The authors blamed logging and the expansion of oil palm plantations for the drop. The 2004 estimate of about 54,000 Bornean orangutans (P. pygmaeus) is probably also higher than the actual number today as there has been a 10 percent orangutan habitat loss in the Indonesian part of Borneo during that period. 75 percent of all orangutans live outside of national parks, which have been severely degraded by illegal logging, mining, and encroachment by palm oil plantations. So the the future conservation efforts will need to be focused beyond the boundaries of protected areas. The authors have made some sweeping recommendations for future conservation initiatives.

Wich et al. (2008). Distribution and conservation status of the orangutan (Pongo spp.) on Borneo and Sumatra: How many remain?. Oryx
Click here for more details about orangutans from Wikipedia

Bloggers camp Kerala

The first bloggers camp on a houseboat will be held on 16th August at Alappuzha in Kerala. The brain behind the meet is Kenny Jacob, a software engineer from Trivandrum. Tourism department of Kerala will be the main sponsor of the meet For details click here

Extinction threat for mankind’s closest relatives

50 percent of man’s close relatives (monkeys, apes and other primates) are in danger of extinction according to a report of IUCN issued at the 22nd International Primatological Society Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland. The comprehensive list covers world’s 634 kinds of primates. The report is part of an examination of the state of the world’s mammals to be released at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October. In Asia, more than 70 percent of primates are classified on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered. Habitat destruction is the major threat to primates. Other threats include the hunting of primates for food and an illegal wildlife trade.
For a list of the assessments of all primate species and subspecies as they will appear on the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (www.iucnredlist.org) in October, please visit the website of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group (www.primate-sg.org)

5th World Congress on Mounatin Ungulates - 1st announcement full text

The Caprinae are a Subfamily that mainly consist of wild sheep and goats. This group of mammals has a very high economical and biological value. From a zoological point of view they achieve their adaptive peak in mountainous environments and are part of the diverse MAMMAL FAUNA in various ecosystems. From an economical point of view they are considered very appealing in sport hunting, as a resource for medicine and safari wildlife photography.
Mostly found in mountainous areas, they are also present in steppes. Their natural geographic distribution covers the 3 continents of the Northern Hemisphere as well as some tropical forests, deserts, Alpine and Artic tundra of over 70 countries.
Over 71% of the members of this group which are found in the previously mentioned regions are exposed to a variety of risks (loss of habitat, diseases from domestic livestock, genetic isolation and tourism). Considering their whole population, 8% are listed as being critically endangered, 23% as endangered, 40% vulnerable, 28% are of less concern while there is not enough data concerning the remaining 1%.
The main reason for such a wide distribution of the previously mentioned figures lies within the general lack of information there is concerning the members of this group. In order to gather all the available information there is about these species, several international conferences have been organised. The first one was held in Camerino (Italy) in 1989 and it is where the groundwork was set, by the UICN, for developing a World Capreine Action Plan. The second conference was held in 1997, in San Vicente d'Aosta (Italy), and it is when all the information concerning this mammal group was put together. The third and fourth conferences, 2002 in Zaragoza (Spain) and 2006 in Munar (India), both focused on relevant aspects concerning the biology and ecology of these species as well as conservation and management proposals.
The fifth World Conference of Mountain Ungulates will be held in Andalusia during autumn 2009. Andalusia is a Spanish region which accounts for more than 50% of the wild goat species in the world. The Andalusian Government had banked on its conservation and organised the first and second European International Capra Genus Congress in 1992 and 2007 and has implemented ambitious management programmes for the Andalusian Wild Goat populations.
We believe it is a great opportunity in confronting the impact global change has on the Mountain Ungulate population and on ecosystems which are highly sensitive to climate change conditions, all of which are responsibility of man.
The commitment between the Andalusian Environmental Administration and the UICN has been very positive, supporting the organisation of this Fifth World meeting. This Congress aims to encourage participants to share and put in common scientific and technical advances which have been achieved in the conservation and management of Mountain Ungulates. It will allow for an update on all the information concerning taxonomic, demographic and health management programmes and methods (capture, tracking, etc.)
This event will take place in Granada, a cosmopolitan city with a fascinating cultural and artistic heritage. It is a landmark famous for it's Arab, Jewish and Christian legacy.
In order to contribute to the existing knowledge on Mountain Ungulates, Granada will share it's historical legacy contextualising it within the Mountains of Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada was declared Natural Park 20 years ago and has also been a National Park for the past 10 years.
This Congress will account for five working sessions, four of which will take place at the "Palacio de Congresos de Granada" and a fifth which will be carried out in Sierra Nevada.
The programme will mainly consist in oral presentations, posters and workshops. Some key topics and subjects to be dealt are: Abundant Estimation Methods, Capture and Tracking Methods, Healthcare situation, Genetics, Reproduction, Phisiology, Conservation.
Working sessions:
•Population management: population estimation, capture methods, tracking, etc.
•Healthcare status: parasites, contagious diseases, epidemiology, treatments, etc.
•Conservation, management and hunting promotion: management experiences, etc.
•Biology and Ecology: Taxonomy, reproduction, physiology, genetics, etc.
Workshops:
•Global change and Caprine Populations
•Density estimations
•Caprines and the CIC
•New Diseases emerging from changes on a global scale
•Caprine Management Strategy in Protected Areas

Provisional Timetable

First week of July'08 1st Circular and website publication: information on conference objective, call for symposium proposal, information about price, date, place, etc.
First week of November ‘08 2nd Circular: Draft program, opening period to registration, communications, symposium proposal, workshop or communications and posters. Rest of the information.
30/03/09 Ending of symposium and workshop proposals
30/06/09 Communication and posters presentations and Registration for the Scientific Committee’s analysis
30/08/09 Ending of communications and posters approval deadline.
11/09/09 Program's ultimate publication
10 -14 November 2009 V World Conference of Mountain Ungulates

Big time boozer tree shrew

The latest issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences features interesting things about Malaysia's pen-tailed tree-shrew’s (Ptilocercus lowii) heavy drinking. The researchers are Frank Wiens, and his colleagues from the University of Bayreuth in Germany.The tree shrew feeds on fermented nectar from the Bertam Palm (Eugeissona tristis) daily at nightfall. The nectar is fermented by yeast community into a frothy beer-like beverage. The animals' high alcohol consumption was verified by analysing their hair. Surprisingly they do not seem to get drunk.This suggests its body must have an effective mechanism for breaking down alcohol.The researchers’ hypothesise that the humans may even preserve a relic of the shrews' love of alcohol through millions of years of evolution and that moderate to high alcohol intake was present early on in the evolution of these closely related lineages. The scientists hope to get insights into how humans' alcohol tolerance first evolved.

“Chronic intake of fermented floral nectar by wild treeshrews” by Frank Wiens, Annette Zitzmann, Marc-André Lachance, Michel Yegles, Fritz Pragst, Friedrich M. Wurst, Dietrich von Holst, Saw Leng Guan, and Rainer Spanagel (see pages 10426–10431)

UK scientists’ call to put plants in the garden that are of beneficial to bees

Weird things are happening to the bumblebees of UK. Scientists have apprehensions that a lack of suitable flowers may be forcing bumblebees to seek out aphids in search of their sugary secretions. The secretions offer a substitute for nectar, but do not contain the protein the insects need. The assumption is that that there are fewer of the right sorts of flowers in gardens and countryside. As bees are important pollinators of flowers and crops the scientists have urged the people to put more plants in the garden that are beneficial to bees. According to the scientists flowers from the pea and mint families seem to be particularly beneficial. The relationship between ants and aphids is well known. Ants protect the aphids from other predators such as ladybirds and in return they take the honey secreted by the aphids. The fine balance of nature seems to have been put in disarray by humanity.

Reuse of water bottles- Venice shows the way

A used plastic water bottle thrown away carelessly is a big headache in tourist centres. I came across this new scheme launched in Italy recently. It impressed me with its simplicity and inherent great potential. If implemented properly it is going to be blessing.
Italy has the largest consumption of bottled water in the world. For tourist centers like Venice discarded water bottles is a big bother. Venice has come out with this innovative scheme called 100%public whereby tourists are given an empty water bottle and a map showing 122 fountains that have been installed in the city. The authorities hope that this will solve a major problem for them
Tahrcountry congratulates the civic authorities of Venice for this innovative scheme.

World Bank criticized for environmental goofs

Environmental campaigners had always criticized the way World Bank doled out aid to developing countries. They have been consistently arguing that it has led to deforestation in the tropics. Here is proof that they were right in voicing their concern. World banks bank’s Independent Evaluation Group has criticized the bank for failures to grasp fully the environmental impacts of its programmes in poor countries. The 181-page report is a severe indictment. The group examined some of the $400 billion in investments spanning 7,000 projects from 1990 to 2007. The report says when dollars were turned into dams, pipelines, and palm plantations it led to deforestation in the tropics and environmental sustainability took a back seat. Environmentalists are hoping that this report will put some sense in the thinking of the higher ups in the world Bank

New Population of critically endangered Greater Bamboo Lemurs discovered in Madagascar

A team of researchers led by Edward Louis of Henry Doorly Zoo, have discovered a new Population of critically endangered greater bamboo lemurs (Prolemur simus), in Torotorofotsy wetlands of east central Madagascar, an area more than 400 kilometers away from its only known habitat in Ranomafana. Scientists have estimated a population of 30-40 in the area. Greater bamboo lemur is considered to be the most endangered primate genus in the world. The greater bamboo lemur is one of three species of bamboo lemur in Madagascar the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureus) and the gentle bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus) are the others. All the three species feeds mainly on bamboos.

Restoring lost mangroves – Lessons from Philippines

One of the world's most intensive efforts to restore coastal mangrove forests was in Philippines where extensive tracts of mangroves were converted to fish farms. The restoration efforts are failing in many places. Biologists Maricar Samson and Rene Rollon of the University of the Philippines in Quezon City have come out with a paper titled “Growth Performance of Planted Mangroves in the Philippines: Revisiting Forest Management Strategies” in the latest issue of journal Ambio, outlining the reasons for this failure. It has relevance for other areas also. According to the researchers there was a widespread tendency to plant mangroves in areas that are not the natural habitat of mangroves, converting mudflats, sandflats, and seagrass meadows into often monospecific Rhizophora mangrove forests. Of the few that survived, the young Rhizophora individuals planted in these nonmangroves and often in low intertidal zones had dismally stunted growth relative to the corresponding growth performance of individuals thriving at the high intertidal position and natural mangrove sites. Unsound practices in some areas disturbed or damaged otherwise healthy habitats. The researchers argue that a more rational focus of the restoration effort should be the replanting of mangroves in the brackish-water aquaculture pond environments, the original habitat of mangroves preferably in gently sloping hill bottoms that are above mean sea level and flooded by the tides less than one-third of the time. The paper underscores the need for understanding the ecological needs and biology of the mangrove trees before plunging in to extensive planting activities.

New Primate Species Discovered in Madagascar

A previously unknown species of mouse lemur has been discovered on the island of Madagascar. It was a joint effort of Senior Lecturer Dr. Ute Radespiel from the Institute of Zoology of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (TiHo), and Malagasy scientists and students of the GERP organisation (Groupe d`Étude et de Recherche sur les Primates de Madagascar). The discovery was made in the tropical rainforests of Makira, a newly protected area in Northwestern Madagascar. The lemur has been named Microcebus macarthurii, after the MacArthur Foundation, which provided funding for the research. The new species not only differs genetically but also in its body size from the sister species, the Mittermeier`s mouse lemur. Madagascar is home to more than 100 types of lemurs, all of which are endemic to the island. Madagascar lost its largest lemur species when humans arrived some 1500 years ago. The results of the study have been published on the internet page of the American Journal of Primatology. (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/ajp).

6 of 7 hornbill species wiped out in Malaysia's Lambir Hills National Park

Conversion of forests for oil palm, Logging, and hunting has spelled doom for 6 of 7 species of hornbills in Malaysia's Lambir Hills National Park. 11 mammal species and 23 bird species have been lost from Lambir so far. The main reason is the ecological impacts of tree felling affecting the reproductive capacities of trees dependent on animal dispersal of their seeds, particularly figs. The disclosure came from Dr Rhett Harrison, a Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) associate researcher and Secretary for the Asia-Pacific Chapter of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) speaking at the 53rd Annual Scientific meeting held at the Torarica Hotel, Paramaribo, Suriname.

5th World Congress on Mountain Ungulates

The world congress on Mountain Ungulates is an event eagerly awaited by Caprinae wildlife biologists and wildlife mangers. Here is good news. The 1st announcement regarding the 5th conference is out. It will be held in Andalucia, Spain, from November 10th to 13th 2009, with a full-day excursion on the 14th.Details will be posted on CSG website soon.

New National Park for Reunion Island

Reunion Island’s first National Park, which covers nearly 50 per cent of the islands interior was formally declared open yesterday. Set amidst awe inspiring craters of now dormant volcanoes the scenic beauty is unparallel. The area is currently under consideration to become a World Heritage Site. Around 300 participants attending top level summit on Strategies to Counter Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss in EU Overseas Entities and Small Island States had a first hand experience of the Park . They joined local guides to walk through the magnificent forests that lie between 800 and 1300 meters above sea level.
Réunion is an island located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, about 200 km south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.

Grassland ecosystems resistant to climate change?

According to a new study by scientists from Syracuse University and the University of Sheffield published online in the July 7 issue of the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), grasslands in Western Europe may be resistant to climate change. This is in sharp contrast to research in North America that suggests mountain wildflowers will all but disappear in a warming world. The experiment is one of the longest-running studies of climate change impacts on natural vegetation and may give new pointers into the effects of global warming on plant ecosystems. 13 years of data collected at the Buxton Climate Change Impacts Laboratory (BCCIL) in the United Kingdom by Emeritus Professor J. Philip Grime and colleagues at the University of Sheffield went in to the analysis. 30 small grassland plots of 9-square-meter with microclimate manipulation were used. Each plot was trimmed to simulate continued grazing but was kept 3 degrees Celsius warmer than nearby outside temperatures. Droughts and deluges were also mimicked. New questions that are now being asked are why are some plants resistant to climate change, while others die, become extinct or migrate to other places?.

Eight new natural sites added to the World Heritage List

Eight new natural sites have been added to the World Heritage List. This follows IUCN’s recommendations. The new sites are Socotra Archipelago in Yemen, Canada’s Joggins Fossil Cliffs, the French Lagoons of New Caledonia, Saryarka in Northern Kazakhstan, Mount Sanqingshan National Park in China, Surtsey in Iceland, the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona, and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.
The Socotra Archipelago is rich in flora and fauna. 37 percent of Socotra’s plant species, 90 percent of its reptile species and 95 percent of its land snail species cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Canada’s Joggins Fossil Cliffs have been termed the “coal age Galápagos” and are the world reference site for the Coal Age. The site bears witness to the first reptiles in Earth’s history, which are the earliest representatives of the amniotes, a group of animals that includes reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals. The tropical lagoons and coral reefs of New Caledonia form one of the three most extensive reef systems in the world. Saryarka is a largely undisturbed area of Central Asian steppe and lakes in the Korgalzhyn and Naurzum State Nature Reserves. Mount Sanqingshan National Park was recommended for its outstanding natural beauty. Surtsey is a new island and was formed by volcanic eruptions in 1963-67. The Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona, which includes the Glarus Overthrust, shows how mountains were formed through continental collisions. The three core zones of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve protect eight overwintering colonies of the monarch butterfly in the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico.
Posted with inputs from IUCN
Photos on each site are available Here
Fact sheets on each site are available here

New Study – Funding by Global Environment Facility (GEF) for conservation brings benefit to local people but hurts biodiversity conservation.

The latest issue of journal science has some important info for the park managers. An analysis of 306 protected areas in 45 countries in Africa and Latin America by George Wittemyer and colleagues came up with the finding that the rate of human population growth along the borders of reserves was nearly twice that of neighboring rural areas. If the protected areas are a detriment to local livelihoods, we should see little or negative population growth at their borders. Instead the study found that people consistently moved closer to them. This runs counter to the criticism that protected areas cause misery to the people and creates a class of conservation refugees. The authors report a correlation between population growth near protected areas and the amount of funding countries received from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for conservation-related projects. This study highlights that conservation activities can and do have positive impacts for the local communities where they take place. The study suggests that parks today are perceived by local people as areas of opportunity. But paradoxically the research also suggests that the success of conservation areas in attracting human settlers may be detrimental to the biodiversity the reserves aim to protect. The pressure on wildlife, agricultural land, and timber and other forest products goes up exponentially. The direct conclusion is that deforestation rates were higher near protected areas where human population growth was the highest. It is time for wildlife reserve mangers to take stock of the situation and come up with newer models of growth.

G. Wittemyer, J.S. Brashares, P. Elsen, W.T. Bean, A. Coleman and O. Burton (2008). Accelerated Human Population Growth at Protected Area Edges. 4 JULY 2008 VOL 321 journal Science.

Tiger population plummets in Nepal

The news about tigers is not at all rosy in India. Conservationists are worried about the decline in population and are working overtime to reverse this trend. Now comes a shocker from Nepal. The census of tiger using camera trap in Suklaphanta Wildlife Conservation Park in western Nepal, has come out with disturbing results. Present estimate is 14 tigers, down from 25 during the 2004-2005 survey. The worst scenario estimates it at 5 tigers. It is feared that Chitwan National Park in south Nepal and in Bardiya National Park in the west will also show a similar decline. WWF says declining tiger population is due to rising demand for tiger products from China. WWF estimate is fewer than 150 tigers in Nepal, down from 360-370 in 2000.

Amazing diversity of life – Discoveries and extinctions

We are still in the process of making an inventory of the species of the earth .Innumerable species are lost for ever without going through our scanner as civilization advances. Roughly 1.8 million Species have been described to date, but scientists estimate there are between 2 million and 100 million species on Earth. I was startled to hear the number of species discovered per year. 16,969 species were discovered in 2006 according to a report published by Arizona State University's International Institute for Species Exploration, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, the International Plant Names Index, and Thompson Scientific. An average of nearly 50 species per day. But as species are discovered, others are lost to extinction.
The report is titled State of Observed Species. Scientists warn that the rate of extinction is likely to increase as climate change intensifies. Earth is presently in the midst of a sixth great extinction, the Holocene. The previous mass extinctions in the past were the Ordovician, the Devonian, the Permian, the Triassic and the Cretaceous. Holocene is driven by human activities like habitat destruction, overexploitation, and the introduction of alien species. A revamp of Conservation efforts world wide is needed

Climate change and plant distribution

Climate change is a hotly debated topic round the globe. We have already started feeling its effect in our daily life. Worse is yet to come warns scientist. Here comes solid evidence that it is affecting the plant community. According to researchers climate change is changing the distribution pattern of plants. They are increasingly going up hill in a search for cooler conditions. A study of 171 forest species in mountain ranges of Western Europe revealed startling fact that many plants had climbed on an average of 29 metres each decade. Smaller species such as ferns, with shorter reproduction cycles, were the quickest to move. Prof: Jonathan Lenoir an ecologist at AgroParisTech, France led the research. The research team compared the distribution of forest species between 1905 and 1985 with their distribution between 1986 and 2005 to arrive at their conclusions. The findings have been published in the latest issue of Science journal.

‘whales-eat-fish’ claims debunked

Whales are fascinating animals. The acrobatics of the amiable whales in the sea have always fascinated me. Every time the whaling nations go out on merciless killing of whales I am deeply pained. I share my agony with millions around the world. One of the reasons touted by whaling nations is the argument “whales-eat-fish”. Well, this argument has been totally debunked by scientists. Humane Society International, WWF and the Lenfest Ocean Program have come out with three new reports debunking the science behind the ‘whales-eat-fish’ claims of Japan, Norway and Iceland. The reports conclusively prove that it is over-fishing and excess fishing capacity that are responsible for diminishing supplies of fish in developing countries. Marine mammals consume mainly smaller fish and organisms. It is high time international community woke up to the facts and come out with measures for regulating untrammeled fisheries operations. The major chunk of the catch goes to developed countries and they have a moral responsibility to do something. Do not blame the whales. Protect the whales please

The wonder of bird songs

I have always been fascinated by bird songs. During my hikes in the wilderness of Western Ghats, melodious calls like the ones produced by Malabar whistling thrush, has enthralled me and at the same time I have wondered about the meaning of all that calls. I always had this feeling that there is obviously more than that meets the eye.

The latest issue of journal Proceedings of the Royal Society has some interesting facts about song birds which could be true for other birds also. A new study reveals that young song birds make their choices of building nests after eavesdropping on the songs of their elders. Matthew Betts, a landscape ecologist at Oregon State University, Corvallis led the study on black-throated blue warblers (Dendroica caerulescens), who arrive in the United States from Jamaica. Betts and his colleagues recorded male birds’ songs at nests with fledglings in a good 90-year-old forest in New Hampshire's White Mountains. They then played the recordings at 18 other sites. Young male warblers flying nearby heard the calls and apparently memorized the exact locations. They chose these sites for building nests next spring, after migrating to the Caribbean for the winter. This is the first experimental study to show that the information can override what a bird sees.

I will be away from my desk

Hi guys,
Till June 19th I am out in the wilderness with no access to internet. There won't be any updates during this period. The New York times science headlines and animal of the day will get updated automatically.

Shocking news about Tigers

EIA (Environmental Investigation Agency) has come out with some shocking news about tigers in China. I nearly puked when I heard about it.EIA investigators were offered tiger bone wine in two Chinese Tiger farms. Chinese farms are believed to house about 5,000 captive tigers. The wine was made from carcasses soaked in rice wine. The wine advertised as a sure fire treatment for arthritis and rheumatism was being openly sold in the farms. The staff claimed that wine was made from tigers that had died after fighting with other big cats at the farms. Debbie Banks, head of the EIA's tiger campaign has made a fervent plea to Chinese authorities to stop this barbaric practice. With just 2,500 breeding adults left in the wild things are not rosy for this wonderful animal. Chinese have all along campaigned for farming of tigers saying it would satisfy the demand from traditional medicine practitioners without threatening the wild tiger population. But according to EIA It would be far too easy to launder poached skins, bones and parts among those from legalized tiger farms. This would open the flood gates of poaching.

Courtship and mating sequence of Giant Panda filmed in the wild

I have always been fascinated by Giant Pandas. An adorable animal, that strikes a chord in your heart. They seem such gentle creatures. I was surprised to hear that their love life is full of loud throaty calls and aggression.

A BBC Natural History team has recorded in the wild, the courtship and mating sequences of giant panda. The recording was done in the bamboo forests of Qinling Mountains in China. Even though mating of pandas has been filmed earlier this is the most complete courtship sequences ever caught on camera. The mating is preceded by loud calls and fending off of other males. Pandas which are solitary animals come together during mating season. Months of research and careful location reconnaissance was needed to film these exclusive shots. The film Land of the Panda is broadcast by BBC on Sunday 8 June at 2100 BST. It is a co-production with Chinese state television.

Emergency aid for Pandas

Wolong Nature Reserve in China which harbours Pandas was devastated in the recent earthquake. Five staff at the reserve were killed and several pandas have been reported missing Conservationists the world over are a worried lot. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns Edinburgh Zoo, is sending emergency aid to help Chinese authorities. The society is sending money and satellite communications equipment. Edinburgh Zoo is slated to get breeding-aged Pandas from Wolong Nature Reserve and has a special interest in its welfare. Offers of help are coming from other sources also.

Indian Forest Rights Act – An interesting observation

The recently passed Indian forest rights act is mired in controversy with protagonists of wildlife and tribals taking diametrically opposite stands in their respective fields. This benefits neither the wildlife nor the tribals. What is needed is pragmatism. I found the following piece from Mr P.N Unnikrishnan very interesting. Browse through this piece. It is food for thought

The Forest Rights Act is often misinterpreted as an Act for the tribals to counter the over emphasis on wildlife. This is an illusion. The Act must be understood as a document emphasizing the point that the forest belongs to primarily the wildlife and then to the tribal. It is an Act to refute the interests of the mainstream society on forestland.

The Act says that the right holders have the fundamental duty and authority to protect and conserve the forest and its biodiversity. The right of people over forests can be withdrawn if it is irrefutably (scientifically) proved that an area is critical to the existence of wildlife and cohabitation is positively harmful to wildlife interests. The Act does not speak of sacrificing wildlife interests to favour tribal interests. It is but against forceful relocation (eviction) without necessary compensation and that too before verifying whether an area is critical for wildlife

Many a P A has been declared, not based on the criticality of that area for wildlife. There have been other considerations such as that of catchment area of dams, for instance. The Act says that the primary lookout in this regard must be the significance of the area for survival of wildlife.

The Act does not say that all important wildlife areas have been covered by PAs. More PAs can be constituted, provided they are critically important for wildlife, but relocation from there needs to be actively pursued only if cohabitation is found to be positively harmful to wildlife.

The Act is a statement expressing solidarity of tribal and wildlife interests and stiffly opposes the intrusion of mainstream people on forestland. See it in the right spirit and the confusion will disappear.

Dogs help in conserving endangered animals

Dogs have always been man’s best friends from time immemorial. They have been used in hunting. But now they are chipping in with help in wildlife conservation

Dogs trained to detect animal faeces by scent are helping researchers monitor rare and threatened wildlife in and around Emas National Park, in Brazil. When the dogs find the faeces, the accompanying researcher marks the location with a GPS and collects the samples. With the aid of satellite images, the sample data are correlated to the local environments where the samples were found. This helps the researchers to identify numbers, range, diet, hormonal stress, parasites and genetic identity without resorting to any sophisticated equipments. Identifying and establishing key areas for corridors has been made easier. The levels of stress hormones in the animals' faeces are important indicators in the evaluation of their capacity to reproduce in a given environment. Carly Vynne of the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington leads the project.

The world’s oldest recorded tree - Interesting press release from Umeå University

Here is an interesting press release that I came across while surfing.

Umeå University
Press Release

The world’s oldest recorded tree is a 9,550-year-old spruce in the Dalarna province of Sweden. The spruce tree has shown to be a tenacious survivor that has endured by growing between erect trees and smaller bushes in pace with the dramatic climate changes over time.

For many years the spruce tree has been regarded as a relative newcomer in the Swedish mountain region. ”Our results have shown the complete opposite, that the spruce is one of the oldest known trees in the mountain range,” says Leif Kullman, Professor of Physical Geography at Umeå University.
A fascinating discovery was made under the crown of a spruce in Fulu Mountain in Dalarna. Scientists found four “generations” of spruce remains in the form of cones and wood produced from the highest grounds. The discovery showed trees of 375, 5,660, 9,000 and 9,550 years old and everything displayed clear signs that they have the same genetic makeup as the trees above them. Since spruce trees can multiply with root penetrating braches, they can produce exact copies, or clones. The tree now growing above the finding place and the wood pieces dating 9,550 years have the same genetic material. The actual has been tested by carbon-14 dating at a laboratory in Miami, Florida, USA. Previously, pine trees in North America have been cited as the oldest at 4,000 to 5,000 years old.

In the Swedish mountains, from Lapland in the North to Dalarna in the South, scientists have found a cluster of around 20 spruces that are over 8,000 years old. Although summers have been colder over the past 10,000 years, these trees have survived harsh weather conditions due to their ability to push out another trunk as the other one died. ”The average increase in temperature during the summers over the past hundred years has risen one degree in the mountain areas,” explains Leif Kullman. Therefore, we can now see that these spruces have begun to straighten themselves out. There is also evidence that spruces are the species that can best give us insight about climate change.

The ability of spruces to survive harsh conditions also presents other questions for researchers. Have the spruces actually migrated here during the Ice Age as seeds from the east 1,000 kilometres over the inland ice that that then covered Scandinavia? Do they really originate from the east, as taught in schools? “My research indicates that spruces have spent winters in places west or southwest of Norway where the climate was not as harsh in order to later quickly spread northerly along the ice-free coastal strip,” says Leif Kullman. “In some way they have also successfully found their way to the Swedish mountains.”

The study has been carried out in cooperation with the County Administrative Boards in Jämtland and Dalarna.

For more information contact:
Leif Kullman, Professor of Physical Geography at Umeå University
Phone: +46 90-786 68 93, 070-5641848
E-mail: leif.kullman@emg.umu.se

Microbes capable of sophisticated reasoning?

It is a known fact that microbes can come up with simple responses to changes in their environment, such as acidity fluctuations, by altering their internal workings. But sophisticated reasoning? Systems biologist Saeed Tavazoie of Princeton University wanted to know if microbes were capable of more sophisticated reasoning. He along with his colleagues created an environment inhabited by evolving virtual bugs. The organisms "learnd" that certain signals preceded the arrival of food and came up with pre-emptive metabolic responses. Even when the signal combinations grew more complex, the population was able to evolve the correct responses. Extensive work was done on bacterium Escherichia coli. When the researchers turned up the heat in a dish of E. coli, the bugs narrowed down activity in genes that normally operate in high-oxygen conditions. The true test came when the team reversed the normal association, growing the bacteria in conditions in which high oxygen levels followed temperature increases. Less than 100 generations later, the bacteria stopped turning on their low-oxygen response after exposure to high temperatures, giving a clue that they had evolved to break the association. The work opens up exciting possibilities to explain puzzling behaviour of microbial pathogens, which could be using predictive signals to change their cell surfaces and avoid a host's impending immune attack.

More details can be had from the latest issue of Science magazine

Predictive Behavior Within Microbial Genetic Networks

Ilias Tagkopoulos ¹, Yir-Chung Liu ², Saeed Tavazoie ^2*

¹ Department of Electrical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
² Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.; Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.

Good news about the Amur Leopard

There is good news about Amur Leopard. 8 photos taken in Kedrovaya Pad reserve in the Primorisky Region of Russia by a camera trap during a census operation has brought cheer to the conservationists. Amur leopards, considered critically endangered by the IUCN, have been brought to the brink by habitat loss and poaching. An estimated twenty-five to forty Amur leopards survive in the wild in the northern forests, the taiga, of Russia. Only six have been identified as females. Hunters shot dead a female in April 2007. Curbing habitat loss, forest fires and poaching is of paramount importance in the conservation plans of this critically endangered animal.

Here is reason to save ponds

Professor John Downing, the lake scientist from US has come up with interesting facts about lakes. His research has established that ponds around the globe could absorb as much carbon as the world's oceans. Professor Downing found that constructed ponds and lakes on farmland in the United States bury carbon at 20-50 times the rate at which trees trap carbon. Ponds also take up carbon at a higher rate than larger lakes. In US 90 percent of these water bodies are one hectare or less in area.

Ponds are fast disappearing in many parts if the world as development advances. This new research gives a clear-cut reason for conserving ponds. With deleterious effects of global warming at our doorsteps here is a definite reason to conserve ponds. So go ahead spread the news around. Full details appear in Feb. 15 issue of the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles in a paper titled, "Sediment organic carbon burial in agriculturally eutrophic impoundments over the last century.”

Spider sex using ultraviolet B (UVB) rays

Professor Daiqin Li, from the National University of Singapore and his team have discovered that male jumping spiders (Phintella vittata) are using ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to communicate with females. The researchers found that females were more likely to mate with males that could "talk" to them with UVB compared with spiders sitting in chambers. The full details appear in Current science
Li, J., Z. Zhang, F. Liu, Q. Liu, W. Gan, J. Chen, Matthew L.M. Lim, Daiqin Li, 2008. UVB-Based Mate-Choice Cues Used by Females of the Jumping Spider Phintella vittata. Current Biology, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.04.020