Cause for alarm- Disturbing increase in Thai ivory trade

A survey by TRAFFIC has revealed a near trebling of the number of ivory items for sale in the past 18 months and a sharp rise in the number of outlets selling ivory in Bangkok. The quantity of ivory found far exceeds the limited supply available. Thailand permits legal trade in ivory from domesticated Asian Elephants in Thailand. This is the loophole used by unscrupulous elements.

“As TRAFFIC’s latest market research demonstrates, Thailand’s efforts to regulate local ivory markets have failed: it is time for the authorities to face the facts—their nation’s ivory markets continue to be out of control and fuel the current African Elephant poaching crisis. Without swift and decisive action to address glaring legal loopholes, this unacceptable situation will continue,” said Naomi Doak, TRAFFIC’s Co-ordinator for the Greater Mekong region.

The findings are published in TRAFFIC report:  Polishing off the ivory: Surveys of Thailand’s ivory market

If you are interested in reading the report click HERE

World's protected areas are not doing enough

 Scientists from James Cook University, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Queensland, Stanford University, BirdLife International, the International Union for Nature Conservation, and other organizations have come up with the disturbing finding that the world's protected areas are not doing enough to protect the world's threatened  biodiversity. 85 percent of world's 4,118 threatened mammals, birds, and amphibian species are not adequately protected in existing protected areas.  Dr. Oscar Venter is the lead author of the study.

Dr James Watson, WCS’s Climate Change Program Director and a Principle Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, and senior author on the study said "The problem is that countries tend to favour land that is cheap to protect when establishing new parks, instead of focusing on land that is important for wildlife.”

Professor Hugh Possingham of the University of Queensland adds “By formalizing the interdependence of protecting both wild terrestrial areas and threatened species, we can greatly increase the chances of maintaining Earth’s biological diversity for future generations. When these goals are combined, countries are much more likely to create new parks in biologically threatened areas, which will lead to long-term dividends for global conservation.”

The authors of the study are: Oscar Venter of James Cook University and the University of Queensland; Richard Fuller of the University of Queensland; Daniel B. Segan of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Queensland; Josie Carwardine of CSIRO Ecosystem Science; Thomas Brooks of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Tasmania; Stuart H.M. Butchart of BirdLife International; Moreno Di Marco of the Global Mammal Assessment Program, Sapienza Universitá di Roma; Takuya Iwamura of Stanford University; Liana Joseph of the University of Queensland and the Wildlife Conservation Society; Damien O’Grady of James Cook University; Hugh P. Possingham of the University of Queensland and Imperial College London; Carlo Rondinini of Global Mammal Assessment Program, Sapienza Universitá di Roma; Robert J. Smith of the University of Kent; Michelle Venter of James Cook University; and James E.M. Watson of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Queensland.

The details of the study appears in the latest issue of journal PLOS Biology

World's first fully recyclable paper cup

                                               Pic credit: Jane Mingay/Green Your Cup

 British entrepreneur and engineer Martin Myerscough, has come up with world's first fully recyclable paper cup. The innovation has the potential to divert millions of cups away from landfill.

Conventional paper cups are made from paper laminated with plastic. This aspect makes them difficult to recycle. The plastic layer is intended to keep the drink warm and stop the paper from getting wet.  Since separating the lining from the cup is very cumbersome, most companies do not bother about it. They send them straight to land fillings instead.

The new cup has a thin film liner that is designed to separate easily from the paper in the recycling process. The left over paper can be easily recycled. It can come back to us in the form of newsprint.

The innovator Myerscough said: "I always thought it was such a waste that disposable coffee cups couldn't be easily recycled. In these times of limited resources and diminishing landfill space, a single-use cup that can't be recycled is an indulgence we just cannot afford. I hope Green Your Cup will make a difference to how people think about the wastefulness of some of our everyday habits “.

Discarded android phones and conservation

Here is another use of technology to keep poachers at bay. Rainforest Connection (RFCx), a San Francisco-based non-profit startup, in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has developed a technology using old Android phones to monitor audio signals associated with logging and poaching. The system automatically alerts authorities who can rush in to stop the crime. Initially this will be deployed in the endangered rainforests of Central Africa. The system was field-tested last year in Indonesia's West Sumatra and gave very encouraging results.

The bullet man bites the bullet

This blog usually does not deviate from wildlife affairs. Today I am going to make a departure. This is to eulogize the Prime Minister of India Shri: Narendra Modi, who is a no nonsense man and a go-getter

In government circles Mr Modi is known as, the bullet man. While dealing with government secretaries he wants them to come up with bullet points portraying succinctly the targets, what has been achieved, what remains to be done and what are the constraints. He has a penchant for power point presentations that puts the points across without any ambiguity. He frowns at secretaries coming up with voluminous files and trying to access the details from them. He is also stickler for timing. He comes to his office well in advance and wants the others to report in time. He gives lot of leeway to officers in their functioning and encourages original thinking. He has ensured that officers with proven mettle remain in their post for at least five years. For him there is no sweeping of problems under the carpet. They have to be dealt with head on. I am sure it is going to be a carrot and stick policy. All these augurs well for the future of India.

The bullet man recently bit the bullet nonchalantly by hiking railway fares. The railway is in shambles. Successive governments pandered to the vote bank and did not have the will to raise the fares, which in turn landed the railway in its pathetic state now. The only way forward is to raise the fares and ensure good governance.

As a former government officer, I am impressed by the actions of a dynamic leader. No wonder right thinking men in the opposition like Shashi Tharoor and Jayram Ramesh recently acknowledged the good fall outs of Narendra Modi’s style of working, even though they have sharp differences with him from ideological points of view.

I wish the Prime Minister the very best in his endeavour to build a dynamic and prosperous India.

A writing competition for budding conservationists

Pete Bethune, founder of marine conservation organization, Earthrace, is a well known figure in international conservation circles. Pete is a world-record holder for the fastest trip around the world in a powerboat and is an avid supporter of marine life conservation. He is also the author of two best-selling books. The book Whale Warrior covers his time in Antarctica and is a treat to read.

Pete believes that youngsters are the key to future success of conservation. He founded the Earthrace Junior Activists Club in 2008. This club is run by Earthrace volunteers Alison Banks, Natalie Borghardt and Junior Activist Captain, 17-year-old Zach Affolter. The club has over 1,200 young members.

In an effort to encourage a growing network of children and young people from around the world who care about preserving and protecting the oceans Pete is launching a writing competition. Anyone up to the age of 18 can submit an essay or short story of no more than 500 words based on the theme ‘what the oceans mean to me’.  There are four age categories for the ocean writing challenge:  Under 10; 10-12 years, 13-15 years; and 16-18 years. The first prize is Earthrace remote control boat. Other prizes include a remote control shark, signed copies of Pete’s book Whale Warrior, Junior Activist t-shirts, caps, bumper stickers, signed posters, plush Maui’s dolphin toys and wristbands.

Entries should be sent by email to alison@earthrace.net by the closing date of 31 August 2014. 

Bumblebee hummingbird

Here is a beautiful recording of Bumblebee hummingbird (Atthis heloisa) captured by by Roberto Pedraza Ruiz at the Sierra Gorda Mexico

Rare video capture of Siberian tiger by Chinese fishermen

While fishing in the Ussuri River, which acts as a border between Russia and China, two Chinese fishermen got a prize catch on their mobile - A Siberian tiger swimming. Have a look at this rare video

Yet another break

Man proposes, God disposes. I had planned to be back on blogging scene on 15th, but one of my close friends from Calicut is in dire straits and needs immediate help. I am heading to Calicut to give him a helping hand.  I will be back on the blogging scene on 26th only.

Out travelling

I am out, travelling for the next four days. Consequently there will not be any update for the next five days. If you are a new visitor and a nature enthusiast have a look at the older posts. Have a wonderful time folks.

Is biodiversity offsetting a boon or a licence to trash?

Conservationists are divided when it comes to biodiversity offsetting. Replacing nature lost in one area by planting in another area looks enticing, but it can never be a full- fledged nature restoration. It should be adopted only as a last resort.

A recent conference in London Zoo saw heated exchanges.

Jonathan Baillie, conservation director at the Zoological Society of London, said: “Biodiversity offsetting is controversial. It polarises the conservation community. (We must accept) there is going to be development and changes as world population increases from seven billion to 9.2 billion by 2050. It may be appropriate to do offsets but that should be as a last resort.”

Baillie brought in the example of world heritage-classified Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo where plans are afoot for oil exploration. “For this there should not be offsets. There are many other examples where offsets are just not applicable,”

Julia Martin-Lefevre, director-general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said “We cannot compensate for loss in world heritage sites like Virunga. Nor can projects go ahead if it means the extinction of a species. We have to take a precautionary approach.”

Hannah Mowat, of Fern, which tracks EU forest policies, was very severe in her criticism. She said “Destruction of complex and site-specific biodiversity cannot be offset. It is time to be clear that offsetting will not tackle biodiversity loss but may impoverish communities.” “Developers are already gearing up to use biodiversity offsetting to bulldoze some of our most precious wildlife sites. There is no clear evidence that biodiversity offsetting works. Attempts abroad have frequently ended in failure,”

FIFA world cup and the conservation of three-banded armadillo

The Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) is an armadillo species endemic to Brazil, where it is known as tatu-bola. This is the official mascot of 2014 FIFA world cup.

A plea by Brazilian scientists to protect the endangered mascot of the 2014 World Cup has produced desired results.  The plea was made by the scientists in an article published on 22 April in the Biotropica journal. Brazilian government is pushing ahead with an action plan to conserve this armadillo, which is unique to Brazil. It is good to see sports playing a role in conservation.

Bravo scientists and Brazilian Government

Saving the most threatened group of fish in the world

When it comes to most threatened group of fish in the world, the slot unfortunately goes to Sawfish. Sharks and rays regularly hog lime light in international media but there is nothing much on Sawfish.

Now Shark Specialist Group of the IUCN has come to the forefront of rescue of this fish. They have launched a global strategy to save the fish.

 Dr. Nick Dulvy, who serves as IUCN SSG Co-Chair and Canada Research Chair at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia says  “The sawfishes, revered for millennia by coastal cultures around the world, now face greater extinction risk than any other family of marine fish,” said strategy co-author, “With this comprehensive strategy, we aim to reignite sawfish reverence and spark conservation action in time to bring these iconic species back from the brink.”

The scientist are exhorting the following points as part of the conservation strategy

National and regional actions to prohibit intentional killing of sawfish,

Minimize mortality of accidental catches,

Protect sawfish habitats,

Improve effectiveness of communications,

Capacity building,

Strategic research,

Responsible husbandry and

Fundraising to ensure implementation

Wandering Oregon Wolf finally has pups

                                             Pic credit;USFWS

This is indeed heartwarming. This spring conservationists were delighted when famous radio collared wolf OR-7 was found to be in company of a female wolf, after years of wandering over thousands of kilometers from NE Oregon. Now comes this delightful piece of news that the couple has pups. The new wolf pack is now in Cascade Mountains, the first confirmed wolf pack in those mountains since the 1940s.

French sculptor Pascal Chesneau wins David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation 2014 Wildlife Artist of the Year award

French sculptor Pascal Chesneau has won the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation 2014 Wildlife Artist of the Year award for his creation Transparence Elephant. The award carries £10,000 as prize money. Chesneau accepted the £10,000 prize at an event in London on Monday night.

The famed artist uses recycled metals for his pieces. Bravo  Pascal Chesneau 

Alarming ivory trade in Europe

Although the EU trumpets a lot about elephant conservation, recent figures show that the ivory trade is thriving. In 2012, ivory stood second among smuggled wildlife goods in the EU. This was 14 per cent of all wildlife seizures. Lot of clandestine trade is occurring in the name of   “pre-Convention ivory” fuelled by EU documents certifying it as ivory acquired before trade rules of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) came in to force. More than 20,000 carvings and 564 tusks were exported with official EU documents during the period 2003 and 2012.

Mary Rice, of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) recently said: “We are calling on EU countries to halt all ivory trade within, to and from the EU and strengthen enforcement. This includes measures to destroy their stockpiled ivory – both carvings and raw tusks – irrespective of its source and alleged age. We will only be able to end the elephant poaching crisis when the trade fuelling it is banned and demand curbed.”

$1million wildlife watching trip

Sounds weird, but it is true. Natural World Safaris have launched a 111-day trip, for millionaires, for a cool $1million.

 The package is for two people travelling together. The itinerary includes 18 endangered species in 12 destinations covering Africa, Antarctica, Asia and North and South America. 

A percentage of the cost of this trip is donated to each conservation project visited along the way. According to organizers this is mainly a philanthropic venture.

 Let’s wait and see how many millionaires are willing to loosen the purse strings for wildlife.

An app that enables users to identify bird species through uploaded photos

Researchers at Columbia Engineering, led by Computer Science Professor Peter Belhumeur have developed Birdsnap, a new iPhone app which enables users to identify bird species through uploaded photos. It is an electronic field guide featuring 500 of the most common North American bird species. The researchers used computer vision and machine learning techniques to develop the app.

Birdsnap not only identify species, but can also identify which parts of the bird the algorithm uses to identify each species.  Next on the agenda of the researchers is to add ability to recognize bird songs, bringing audio and visual recognition together.

This is indeed great news for birders. If researchers from other parts of the world work on these lines, in another 10 years time we will have a wonderful compendium from across the world. Technology can certainly come in handy in our pursuit of better tools for managing wildlife.

App: https://itunes.apple.com/app/birdsnap/id880461148

The unending mysteries of nature

                                          Pic Credit:: WWF-US / Steve Morello

Nature throws up surprises at unexpected places. Look at migration. Scientists thought they knew everything about migration of animals in Africa till this info about Zebra migration came like a bolt from the blues.

 The latest study using GPS has come up with the startling discovery that it is the Zebras that does the longest migration.They travel between Namibia and Botswana and cover a distance of more than 500 kilometers.  

Till now scientists had believed that Serengeti is the site of the longest and most spectacular migration withmillions of animals—some 750,000 zebras and 1.2 million wildebeests as well as gazelles and elands traveling from the Ngorongoro area in southern Tanzania to the Masai Mara in lower Kenya and returning depending on the rain

The credit for the discovery goes to Robin Naidoo and other scientists from the World Wildlife Fund and Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism, in collaboration with Elephants Without Borders and Botswana’s Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

Robin Naidoo says “"Nobody knew that something of this scale, with this much ground covered, was occurring.”

Tribute to a great conservationist

                                                  Pic Credit: African Parks

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Anthony Hall-Martin, conservation director of African Parks, on21 May 2014. He was 68 years old and was ailing from cancer.

Dr Hall-Martin’s conservation career spanned nearly 50 years. During this period he championed the cause of wildlife conservation in Africa and raised millions of dollars for its benefit. He was a world authority on the African elephant and black rhinoceros and has authored more than ten books and 80 scientific papers. He was directly responsible for establishing six new national parks, including Table Mountain, Agulhas, Namaqua and Mapungubwe.

African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead described Dr Hall-Martin as “a true gentleman, always dignified, tactful and charming, rarely forceful about his views and self-effacing about hisachievements“.

“Anthony’s life was too short-lived but his achievements were worthy of many lifetimes. He has left behind a giant legacy for the benefit of the world.”

The newly discovered colourful shade lizards from the cloud forests of Ecuador.

                                               Photo Credit: Torres-Carvajal

The species, named Alopoglossus viridiceps, is described in the recent issue of the journal ZooKeys. 

Is protection in Eravikulam National Park slipping down?

I am quite dismayed by the happenings in Eravikulam National Park. There have been reports of unauthorized trekking inside the park. To give substance to this allegation, there was a post in the tripAdvisor by a foreigner claiming to have scaled the Anamudi peak inside the park, and that too, immediately after the birth season of endangered Nilgiri tahr. The link to the post was sent to me by James Zachariah, the former warden of the park. I immediately sent the link to the present warden. The reply I received was that trekking in Anamudi area is prohibited as it is in the core area of the park. I forthwith drew his attention to the fact that a foreigner and several others have claimed to have scaled the peak. I am yet to receive a reply from the warden

I had suggested in a discussion with some forest officials and environmentalists that the warden should immediately write to the tripAdvisor people. An advisory from the warden should have found a place on their website. This is the first thing that I would have done and if there was a delay I would have hauled them over the coals for their lapses. I would have made this news about lapse go viral severely impacting the image of tripAdvisor.

I had also suggested that the warden should put an advisory on the website of Eravikulam National Park. This is yet to materialize. Copy of this advisory should have gone to the tourism department website also.

Times have indeed changed with the newgen people taking over the reins of administration.  Eravikulam had always been managed by men keen about wildlife, men who did not see the job as something that rakes in salary at the end of the month. It was an avocation for them, men who put the welfare of Eravikulam above their personal needs and desires. The postings were invariably done by the chief and the warden was given a free hand. This is how the name of Eravikulam spread worldwide. Even before the rest of the country had even thought about it Eravikulam National Park was a plastic free litter free park. A close link was maintained with High Range Wildlife and Environment Association (HRWEPA). This has also gone in to limbo now.  During the days of men like Mr MRP Lappin, the link between the department and the association was very strong. HRWEPA used to keep hawks eye over Eravikualm, and if they found anything amiss word was immediately passed on to the wildlife warden. I pine for the good old days when there was no political interference in the postings and administration of Eravikulam National Park. All the interferences were very effectively stonewalled. HRWEPA also should take part of the blame. They should not rest on past laurels. I have grave misgivings about the future of Eravikulam National Park

Guys, have you got a solution for this? The dilemma of killing one type of Owl to save another

This post is an afterthought of reading an article by Elizabeth Cook in Sanfrancisco.cbslocal

Killing one species to save other sounds weird, but this is exactly what is happening in Northern California.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to protect the Spotted Owl from the marauding Barred Owl, by shooting them.   Barred Owls are taking over the nesting territory of the native spotted owl, a threatened species. Spotted owl numbers have dropped by 80-percent in the last 20 years.  The plan is to kill 3,600 barred owls over the next four years. The think tanks of USFWS think that this is the only viable solution to the vexed problem.

So, guys, mull over this. If you have any out of the box ideas, that will work, please pass it on to USFWS.

Urban Bird Ecology and Conservation

Here is a great book for professional exologists and casual birders. Edited by Christopher A. Lepczyk and Paige S. Warren this compendium address the present state of this diverse field and examines classic questions while proposing new directions for further study.

The book is highly recommended for scientists, planners, and managers of urban spaces.

Hardcover: 360 pages

Publisher: University of California Press (6 November 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0520273095

ISBN-13: 978-0520273092

Christopher A. Lepczyk is Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Paige S. Warren is Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

A must read book for wildlife professionals and airport managers

Wildlife in Airport Environments

Preventing Animal–Aircraft Collisions through Science-Based Management

Edited by Travis L. DeVault, Bradley F. Blackwell, and Jerrold L. Belant

Hardback, 200 pages, 53 b&w illus.

Published by Johns Hopkins University Press

ISBN: 9781421410821

October 2013, $75.00

As a past aviator, I am very conscious about the danger posed to aircrafts by birds and other wildlife in the vicinity of airports. I have fascination for flying along with my deep rooted interest in wildlife as a wildlife professional. One of my friends had the windshield of his small aircraft damaged by bird during the course of his first solo flight. He got the fright of his life. Luckily he got back safely.

The other day I finished reading this wonderful book on Wildlife in Airport Environments, borrowed from my pilot friend Jacob. I found the book very fascinating and feel that it should be read by all pilots, airport managers and wildlife professionals. The book is written with inputs from USA, but it has relevance worldwide.

I am reproducing below the blurb

The pilot watches the instrument panel and prepares for touchdown—a routine landing until a burst of birds, a coyote, or a herd of deer crosses the runway! Every year, pilots experience this tension and many aircraft come into direct contact with birds and other wildlife, resulting in more than one billion dollars in damage annually. The United States Federal Aviation Administration has recorded a rise in these incidents over the past decade due to the combined effects of more reporting, rebounding wildlife populations, and an increased number of flights. Wildlife in Airport Environments tackles the issue of what to do about encounters with wildlife in and around airports—from rural, small-craft airparks to major international hubs.

Whether the problem is birds or bats in the flight path or a moose on the runway, the authors provide a thorough overview of the science behind wildlife management at airports.

 This well-written, carefully documented volume presents a clear synthesis for researchers, wildlife managers, and airport professionals. The book belongs in the hands of all those charged with minimizing the risks that wildlife pose to air travel.

Meet Christopher Golden 2014 National Geographic “Emerging Explorer”

                                                   Pic Credit: Harvard University

Dr. Christopher Golden an ecologist and epidemiologist interested in the interface of ecosystem service provisioning and human health has been named a 2014 National Geographic Emerging Explorer. For more than a decade he has been conducting groundbreaking research on ecology and public health in Madagascar. The prestigious award recognizes and supports uniquely gifted and inspiring adventurers, scientists and innovators who are at the forefront of discovery, exploration and global problem-solving while still early in their careers.

Dr Golden received an A.B. in Environmental Conservation (Special Concentrations) from Harvard College in 2005. In 2010, he received an MPH in Epidemiology and in 2011 his Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Golden joined Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in January as the organization’s Health & Ecosystems: Analysis of Linkages (HEAL) Program Director. He also has a research appointment with the Harvard School of Public Health, with which he has been conducting ecological and epidemiological research in Madagascar since 2011.

In his most recent published study that appeared in the journal Conservation Biology, Chris and his co-authors looked at the consumption of protected wildlife in northeastern Madagascar and found that diminished access to wildlife, resulting from unsustainable hunting and/or the enforcement of conservation policies, may disproportionately impact the area’s rural poor who depend on this resource. The study demonstrated the importance of developing approaches for offsetting these negative impacts on local communities while simultaneously securing a future for one of the world’s most biodiverse places.

Posted with inputs from WCS

Latest conservation drone model achieve 100KM flight distance

                                            Pic Credit: Conservation Drones.org

I believe that conservation drones will play an increasing role in the coming years.  So I glue my ears to the scene to find out what is happening. I was delighted to learn that a model developed by Keeyen Pang, ConservationDrones’ Director for Asia Operations has achieved a total flight distance of 109 km, over a period of one hour and 57 minutes. According to Keeyen this means that conservation drones are now able to cover significantly more ground when deployed for forest patrols, wildlife surveys, and land cover mapping, among other applications.

A Zeta Science FX 79 airframe with following specifications were used for the flight

Airframe: Zeta Science FX79

Autopilot: 3DRobotics APM 2.6 with external compass and airspeed sensor (3.02 firmware)

Power: 2 pieces 6S 5000 mah battery in parallel

Motor: T motor 3110-470

Propeller: APC 12 x 8

ESC: CC Edge 50 A

Radio system: Futaba 10C radio system

All up weight: 3.4 KG

Six natural treasures of Africa's Virunga park

Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has the most biodiversity in all of Africa. Dark clouds are looming on the horizon. The park is threatened by oil prospectors.  Andy Coghlan shows us some of the unique wonders within its borders. Click HERE 

Meet Carol Ruckdeschel the wildest woman in America

The book Untamed introduces Carol Ruckdeschel, the wildest woman in America. The blurb describes her as Henry David Thoreau and Jane Goodall rolled in to one. It is the story of an American original standing her ground and fighting for what she believes in, against heavy odds

Carol is a self-taught scientist who has become a tireless defender of sea turtles on Cumberland Island, a national park off the coast of Georgia and lives in a ramshackle cabin that she built herself. Cumberland is the country's largest and most biologically diverse barrier island

The fight between a dirt-poor naturalist and the wealthiest families in America is graphically described.

·         Hardcover: 320 pages

·         Publisher: Grove Press (May 6, 2014)

·         Language: English

·         ISBN-10: 0802122582

·         ISBN-13: 978-0802122582

A plant that eats up nickel

                                          Photo Credit: Dr. Edwino S. Fernando; CC-BY 4.0

My friend from Wayand, Ramesh, is an aficionado of rare plants. Whenever we meet, he talks about plants only. The other day we met and the talk veered towards newly discovered Rinorea niccolifera that eats up nickel

It is the Scientists from the University of the Philippines, led by DR Edwino Fernando, who have discovered the new plant species that consumes nickel, up to 18,000 ppm of the metal in its leaves without itself being poisoned. Such an amount is a hundred to a thousand times higher than in most other plants.

The new species is called Rinorea niccolifera, alluding to its ability to absorb nickel in very high amounts. Nickel hyperaccumulation is a rare phenomenon.  The species was discovered on the western part of Luzon Island in the Philippines, an area known for soils rich in heavy metals.

Across the world, only about 450 species are known with this unusual trait. Juxtapose this against estimated 300,000 species of vascular plants and we get a clear picture of the rarity.

Dr Augustine Doronila of the School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, a co-author of the report says "Hyperacccumulator plants have great potentials for the development of green technologies, for example, 'phytoremediation' and 'phytomining'

There is difference between the terms 'phytoremediation' and 'phytomining. Phytoremediation refers to the use of hyperacccumulator plants to remove heavy metals in contaminated soils. Phytomining, on the other hand, is the use of hyperacccumulator plants to grow and harvest in order to recover commercially valuable metals in plant shoots from metal-rich sites.

Details of the study in the latest issue of open access journal PhytoKeys

       

The Future of Conservation

Trading charges have become routine in the conservation scenario of India. This is very evident in the recent reactions to Gadgil report and the Kasthurirangan report. Government also keeps shifting priorities and the efforts sometimes look whimsical in nature. Look at Gadgil report. Sure, it had its plus and minus points but it had this inherent corrective mechanism, under consultation clauses, incorporated in the report. This phase was never highlighted and presented before the populace by the Government. They chose the soft option of appointing another committee when the accusations and allegations came in a barrage. What was the need of wasting the tax payers’ money in this futile exercise? It is high time we took a pragmatic view of conservation instead of being burdened by past prejudices and beliefs.

The chief grouse of those nescient in the nuances of conservation is that Conservation emphasizes protection of biodiversity without paying attention to human welfare. Conservation biologists and wildlife managers have long held the view that if they can convince and get the support of people, right decisions will be made automatically under the triage they proffer for protected areas. This was all right in a situation where there was not much pressure from burgeoning population. Against the scenario of leapfrogging population and a world of millions of people demanding water, food and energy, protected areas are not going to be the panacea for the ills afflicting conservation. The designs for conservation have to be part and parcel of large, resilient ecosystems on a landscape level. How do we go about needs of breaking new grounds and reshaping long held views on conservation? The path certainly is not strewn with roses. What we need is not a reactive mode of conservation and ipso facto, should not be crisis-driven.  It should be based on perceptions and beliefs of the people that keep changing with times. Our efforts should not be one-shot efforts. It should be representative of the entire constituency (not just the vocal lobby groups). The power of belief systems and self-reinforcing social groups has to be taken in to reckoning. We may need to draft in social scientists and integrate lessons from behavioral psychology, to better understand how people change their mindset. Attempts have to focus on engineering changes rather than build barricades.  Even though conservation should take peoples apprehensions in to decision making it should not be seen as a means of increasing human well-being.

Human dimensions in wildlife research (HDWR) have not got the kind of importance it deserves in our scheme of things in India. HDWR is defined as that research which "focuses on the public's knowledge levels, expectations, attitudes and activities concerning wildlife resources and associated habitats. HDWR research looks in to the public attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge towards conservation. After identifying weaknesses in knowledge, relationships between certain beliefs and attitudes can be put under the scanner. It then becomes easy to address specific weaknesses in knowledge that are most likely to impinge on attitude. Just as the wildlife biologist assesses whether a wildlife population is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same through a longitudinal study, HDWR research can identify, document and analyse attitudes and beliefs of the local people as wildlife populations’ increase or decrease.  Regular assessment of public attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, issues, and concerns will certainly help managers understand the effect of their actions. An effort like this would have certainly helped to avert tragedies like the one we had witnessed in Wayand. Such longitudinal HDWR research should become an integral part of of our conservation measures. As I had mentioned in one of my recent papers on Nilgiri tahr, public should be involved at the normative stage of planning (what ought to be done), strategic stage (what could be done), and the operational stage (what will be done).

Trying to thrust reports and implement it on hapless populace will not work in the years to come. Conservation has come to a cross road. This is the ripe time to forge new strategies and take level headed decisions. Science-based conservation with peoples’ participation along with poverty alleviation looks like a winning combination, but it takes lot of effort and dedication to get the right mix.

Court comes to the rescue of Canada lynx

The following is a press release from The Western Environmental Law Center.

Wildlife advocates’ win forces federal government to prepare long overdue recovery plan for threatened Canada Lynx.

Missoula, MT – In a critical win for the rare and elusive Canada lynx, a federal court in Montana found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 14-year delay in preparing a recovery plan for this threatened species was “unreasonable” and ordered a firm deadline for completing the federally mandated roadmap for recovery.

A coalition of wildlife advocates, represented by the Western Environmental Law Center, filed a lawsuit in March 2013 to spur the FWS to complete the required recovery plan for the cat, which was listed as threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in March 2000. By the FWS’ own admission, recovery plans are “one of the most important tools to ensure sound scientific and logistical decision-making throughout the recovery process.”

Yesterday, the Court ruled in the wildlife advocates favor, finding that “The history of this case causes a certain skepticism about the agency’s self declared deadlines for initiating recovery planning.” The agency has 30 days to submit a proposed schedule for completion of the recovery plan.

“It’s long overdue,” said Matthew Bishop, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center who represents the coalition. “A delay of a year, two or even three might be reasonable given other priorities or a heavy workload, but not 14. At some point in time, the court has to step in and say enough is enough. Fortunately, that’s what they did in this case,” Bishop added.

“We are pleased that the court recognized how important these plans are to prevent the extinction of lynx,” said Arlene Montgomery, Program Director for Friends of the Wild Swan. “Finally the Fish and Wildlife Service can get down to identifying and reducing threats to the cats’ long term survival.”

The Western Environmental Law Center is representing Friends of the Wild Swan, Rocky Mountain Wild, San Juan Citizens Alliance, and the Biodiversity Conservation Alliance.

Want to have a look at the court order? Click HERE

Amazing rock climbing feat by Mexican black bears

Cascading effects of loss of large mammals

A study by Scientists from Bard College and the University of California, Davis, has come up with the finding that the loss of large mammals has cryptic consequences for African savannas and the people and animals that depend on them.

The scientists experimentally removed large grazing mammals from plots of savanna land in Kenya. The results were very disturbing. Populations of a small mammal, the pouched mouse, doubled. The mice attracted venomous snakes like the olive hissing snake. It also caused extensive damage to tree seedlings.  The flea and tick populations exponentially increased which in turn potentially increased the risk of transmission of flea- and tick-borne pathogens.

Details of the study appears in the latest issue of journal Bioscience

Pine martens makes a comeback in south of Scotland

                                          Pic credit: SNH &VWT

A Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) study, with The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT), has reported that pine martens have starting to re-colonise the south of Scotland after being absent there for nearly 200 years.

Pine martens were once abundant in UK, but suffered a collapse in the 19th century due to woodland clearance, trapping for fur, and predator control measures by gamekeepers.

VWT survey coordinator Lizzie Croose described the discovery of the rare animals as "significant".

SOS Freedom

 SOS (Save Our Species) has established a collaborative programme with Jacques Olivier of FREEDOM films and events. The association will work for species conservation and aims at inspiring people of all ages to reconnect with nature. 

Jacques Olivier is an inspirational person. A falconer since an early age he has developed “Les aigles du Léman” in Haute-Savoie, France. Here he perfects a technique to teach adult captive eagles how to fly and hunt for themselves.   A stunning film of his project to reintroduce the white tailed eagle to the Alps is due to be released later this year. Here is a remarkable film footage

Posted with inputs from IUCN SSC