A better conservation drone

Keeyen Pam from Conservation Drones Asia team has tweaked his drone for better performance.. It can now fly 100 KM, approximately 3 hours. That is a big boost for conservation biologists and managers.The basic equipment remains the sturdy Skywalker air frame. The major breakthrough comes in the form of new Lithium ion battery pack. Large mapping is now possible with a single flight. 

Planning a genetic rescue ? Take a cue from this

Dr Richard Frankham after extensive studies has found that genetic rescue benefits persist to at least the F3 generation. A meta - analysis was carefully done by him to arrive at the conclusion.

 Many species with inbred populations facing high risk of extinction stand a reversal in fortune with outcrossing. Doubts have been voiced whether the benefits persist across generations. Dr Frankham found that outcrossing was beneficial inF1, F2 and F3 generations.

 Read the details in the journal Biological Conservation,March 2016,Vol195:33-36

Publishing scientific papers? Soon 16 digit ORCID Id might become mandatory

For researchers getting noted for their work is an absolute must for the advancement of their career. This becomes difficult when you have a common surname compounded if the first name also happens to be equally popular. World's leading academic publishers recently got together to resolve this dilemma. They have recommended that researchers apply for an ORCID 16 digit identifier and attach it to their papers in future. The publishers will soon make it a mandatory requirement in the immediate future.

ORCID is a non-profit organisation identified by the publishers for issuing the 16 digit id

A global assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas

There is good paper on global assessment of the social and conservation outcomes of protected areas in the latest issue of journal Conservation Biology .The paper is authored by j A Oldekop, G. Holmes, WmE.Harris and K.E Evans. 165 PAs were put under scanner based on171 published papers. They assessed how PAs affect the well being of people, the factors associated with these impacts, and the relationship between PAs conservation and socioeconomic outcomes. Wherever PAs adopted comanagement regimes , empowered local people ,reduced economic inequalities and maintained cultural and livelihood benefits positive socioeconomic outcomes were noted.. The analysis amply demonstrates that conservation and development objectives can be synergistic
.
 Conservation Biology
 Volume 30,Issue 1,Pages 133_141,February 2016

What has gone wrong with administration in Kerala Forest Department

The administration in Kerala Forest Department is adrift like a ship that has busted its engine in midsea.
when Mr Brandon S Corey a comparatively young officer was appointed to the post of Head of Forest Forces lot of high hopes were reposed on him. He had no ghosts of the past chasing him and the coast was clear to make some sea changes. But alas things have not gone  the right way.The department is now split vertically with a pro and anti corey groups baring  fangs ready to pounce
 I know Mr Corey personally.. He is good at heart and both he and his wife are excellent hosts. I have experienced the warmth.

How did this vertical split occur.?How can an officer under you show open defiance? .There can never be smoke without fire. There must be something in the style of working of Mr Corey that irritates the offcers under him..Mr Corey should come out of he ivory tower and should be willing to do an introspection. He should start administering with an iron hand but with a marshmallow heart.There is still time to make amends.

Mr Corey is also accused of being acting as a lackey of the minister. You may have to listen to politicians but an IFS officer need not bend over backwards to please the politicians. When asked to bend there is absolutely no need to crawl if your hands are clean.,
I earnestly request Mr Corey Saab to put the house in order at the earliest. It would also be worthwhile to put your hands on latest wildlife  papers and get a grip of what exactly is happening in the wildlife scenario.

How people who pretends at being friends can screw up your life

This blog usually does not veer away from wildlife and gets into personal affairs.Today I am making an exception and writing about some of my bad experiences. I have changed names deliberately.
Bhaskar is a guy I met widway through life. It was too late before I realised his skills at machinations. This guy always puts up a facade of oozing friendship. But it all depends on how much money he can make short time or long time. Many have rued the day they befriended him. Santhanam is another guy who I have befriended for long time. We shared many happy moments.I had told Santhanam in glowing terms about Bhaskar. Santhanam who had excellent contacts with higher ups introduced him to some VIPs. Soon Bhaskar started his machinations and money alone was the criterion. I defended Bhaskar like a fool without realising the full implications. This in turn created bad blood between me and Snthnom who happens to be good at heart but easily gets hurt. A series of incidents made the situation even worse and it reached a stage beyond recovery. Now Santhanam is not in talking terms with me. Attempts by friends to patch up did not succed.Santhanam started spreading canards about me which naturally infuriated me. I started giving tit for tat for every canard. Thus ended a beautiful friendship. One weaknesses I have is that I am brutally frank. This has antagonised many guys. Surprising fact is that I have absolutely no problems with guys from Europe and America. They love my frankness and there has not been even a single case of rubbing them the wrong way.

AirAsia on a downswing?

On 4th night when I walked in to the Kochi Bangalore flight I was in for a shock. Below and right in front of my seat there was litter. As it was the last flight to Bangalore and I had walked in at the last moment I did not create a scene. The landing at Bangalore airport was most probably done by a trainee first officer. It was an atrocious landing. May be the crew wanted to land and rush off to home. The affair was a far cry from my experience with Airasia a few months back. The aircraft was spick and span and the landing was perfect. It was what a pilot would describe as butter landing. I can speak authoritatively as I hold a Pilots licence.
The very next morning I wrote a email letter to AirAsia describing my experience. I had expressed my distress at the litter found on the aircraft. AirAsia did not bother even to acknowledge the email. Indigo immediately responds  to customers emails.
I had expressed my apprehension that AirAsia is cutting corners in an effort to save money

 I have enough of AirAsia. I will now stick to my favourite airline Indigo.

Social and biological implications of using conservation drones in the field

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

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

6th WORLD CONGRESS ON MOUNTAIN UNGULATES

First Announcement

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

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

Congress Chairman:Dr Eleftherios Hadjisterkotis

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

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

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

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

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

Journal Reference:

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

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

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

Motorola Service is Horible

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

New trout species from Turkey

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

                                             Natural habitat of the new trout species

Pic Credits: Prof. Dr. Davut Turan

Taking annual break

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

Inger Andersen named IUCN Director General

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

Biodiversity conservation - We need better metrics rigorously tested

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

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

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

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

A beautifully written book

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

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

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

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

Go ahead and read this wonderful book

No update for next five days

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

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

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

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

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

The findings were published recently in the journal Environmental Health.

Social science and conservation

A Guide to Understanding Social Science Research for Natural Scientists

KATIE MOON and DEBORAH BLACKMAN

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

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

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

Moving Beyond Science to Protect a Mammalian Migration Corridor

JOEL BERGER and STEVEN L. CAIN

Conservation Biology

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

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

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

Fossils and the way to restoring lost island biodiversity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In praise of reconstituted National Board for Wildlife, India

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar have delivered a coup de grace to arm chair conservationists, while they reconstituted National Board for Wildlife, India. For far too long, arm chair conservationists from Delhi and Mumbai have been calling the shots entrenching themselves in successive boards, with their political clout.

The names of the members of the newly constituted board, reads like who is who of India’s best field men. They know the heart throb of India’s wildlife. An even better aspect is their thorough knowledge of the problems relating to protection and the hardships experienced by the frontline soldiers of conservation. I am sure all these augurs well for India’s wildlife. I have no hesitation in rating this as the best board India has seen to this date.

I wish the new members the very best in their endeavours to promote the welfare of India’s wildlife. I salute Narendra Modiji and Prakash Javadekarji for the excellent work they have done

Whoa! 46 Centimeter Shrimp

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have posted several photos of a 46 Centimetre  Shrimp on Facebook.  The photo was taken by fisherman Steve Bargeron, who watched a fellow fisherman hook a massive crustacean at a dock in Fort Pierce, Florida.

                                                          

                                                                 Pic from MyFWC's post | Facebook

                                                   

Essential Readings in Wildlife Management and Conservation

There are certain papers which any aspiring or practicing wildlife professional should read. I read a few days back a wonderful book, titled Essential Readings in Wildlife Management and Conservation which is a compendium of forty-two such papers carefully selected, by two leading authorities in the fields of wildlife management and conservation, Dr Paul R. Krausman and Dr Bruce D. Leopold.

The book  is divided into four sections: the philosophical roots of wildlife management, biology, habitat, and human dimensions and contains the classic publications of  K. T. Adair, R. A. Baer, L. C. Birch, W. H. Burt, L. H. Carpenter, G. Caughley, T. C. Chamberlin, E. L. Charnov, L. C. Chase, F. E. Clements, L. C. Cole, J. H. Connell, R. N. Conner, Z. J. Cornett, P. D. Dalke, D. J. Decker, L. R. Dice, J. G. Dickson, D. F. Doak, P. R. Ehrlich, R. Y. Edwards, C. S. Elton, P. L. Errington, D. Esler, C. D. Fowle, T. A. Gavin, V. Geist, M. Gilpin, H. A. Gleason, J. Grinnell, J. P. Hailman, G. Hardin, N. T. Hobbs, C. S. Holling, S. S. Hutchings, D. H. Johnson, S. R. Kellert, R. H. Klopfer, B. A. Knuth, C. C. Kreuger, A. Leopold, R. L. Lindeman, C. A. Loker, R. H. MacArthur, J. Macnab, S. P. Mahoney, G. F. Mattfield, D. R. McCullough, S. L. Mills, A. J. Nicholson, J. F. Organ, R. T. Paine, G. Parsons, M. E. Richmond, S. J. Riley, S. J. Schwager, V. E. Shelford, W. F. Siemer, D. S. Simberloff, M. E. Soulé, G. Stewart, J. W. Thomas, B. Van Horne, S. C. Wecker, E. O. Wilson

I recommend the book unreservedly.

Dr Paul R. Krausman is the Boone and Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Montana and past president of The Wildlife Society. Dr Bruce D. Leopold is a professor and head of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University.

Tree frogs speed up life cycle when there is threat of being preyed on

We believe that events in the life cycle of animals happen consistently, with a set pattern. This view is going to be turned on its head with the latest findings on tree frogs. Researchers  Sinlan Poo and David Bickford of the National University of Singapore, Singapore, have  discovered that Hansen's tree frog (Chiromantis hansenae) speeds up its life cycle to hatch earlier once its eggs are preyed upon. 

Hansen's tree frog is found in Thailand and parts of Cambodia.

Details of the study appears in the latest issue of journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Bringing plants into offices can improve well-being and make people feel happier at work.

Researchers from University of Exeter, University of Groningen in The Netherlands, and the University of Queensland, Australia, have come up with the finding that ‘Green’ offices with plants make staff happier and more productive than ‘lean’ designs stripped of greenery. The researchers monitored productivity levels over several months in two large commercial offices in the UK and The Netherlands.

Lead researcher Marlon Nieuwenhuis, from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology, said:  “Our research suggests that investing in landscaping the office with plants will pay off through an increase in office workers’ quality of life and productivity.

“Although previous laboratory research pointed in this direction, our research is, to our knowledge, the first to examine this in real offices, showing benefits over the long term. It directly challenges the widely accepted business philosophy that a lean office with clean desks is more productive.”

Co-author Dr Craig Knight, of Psychology at the University of Exeter, said: “Psychologically manipulating real workplaces and real jobs adds new depth to our understanding of what is right and what is wrong with existing workspace design and management.  We are now developing a template for a genuinely smart office.”

Professor Alex Haslam, from The University of Queensland’s School of Psychology, who also co-authored the study added: "The 'lean' philosophy has been influential across a wide range of organizational domains. Our research questions this widespread conviction that less is more. Sometimes less is just less".

Posted with inputs from University of Exeter

A stark reminder - The death of the world's last passenger pigeon

I wanted to post this yesterday, but was tied up with lot of chores

On September 1, 1914, one hundred years ago, the last member of what was perhaps the most numerous bird species on the planet died in a cage in the Cincinnati zoo. 

                                                           Painting by John James Audubon

Lee Acaster - The overall British Wildlife Photography award winner – 2014

                                          Pic credit: BWPA
The Tourist: by Lee Acaster

The winning picture is by Lee Acaster, for his image of a Greylag Goose in London

Judge Mark Ward, Editor-in-Chief, at RSPB Nature’s Home Magazine commented “The winning photograph shows a familiar bird in a familiar setting, but the visual impact is extraordinary. The stormy, brooding backdrop sets a dramatic scene, while the orange and pink from the bird bring vibrancy to the monochromatic cityscape. Lee’s stunning photograph proves you do not have to travel far from home to capture the very best of Britain’s wildlife images.”

It is uncharitable to paint Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ant-wildlife

Lot of recriminations is doing the rounds, after the recent reconstitution of Indian Board for Wild Life. Lot of apprehensions have been voiced by conservationists regarding the manner in which reconstitution has been done. Many see is it as an attempt to plant guys who are “yes men” for giving clearances to development projects. I think it is carrying things a wee bit too far. The Prime Minister may be a pro-development man and a go getter if he makes a decision, but it is uncharitable to paint him as anti-wildlife. You don’t have to look beyond Gujarat, to see what I am driving at.

The infamous lions poaching case of 2007 in Gujarat hogged the headlines in press across India. Between February and March 2007, organized poachers from Madhya Pradesh had killed eight Asiatic lions in and around the Gir National Park. Narendra Modiji, who was the chief minister of Gujarat, at that time, visited the area twice. Know of any other Chief Minister, who has visited a poaching spot even once? He gave full support to the team of investigators. He was not in the denial mood which is the wont of politicians. He sought help from outside sources also. WPSI Executive Director Belinda Wright chipped in with help for scientific forensic investigation.  Chief Minister himself was monitoring the progress of the case regularly. The Gujarat government appointed special prosecutors at all levels up to the Supreme Court to pursue the case. All these resulted in conviction of all 39 accused, a rare occurrence in India.

Yes, I think, you can put Narendra Modiji on the right track if you convince him. That is your job, environmentalists. Look at the bright side of things and work with a positive attitude. You cannot blame the Prime Minister for toeing the development line, in his effort to build a dynamic and prosperous India.

PMO will look at your concerns, if it is genuine. A few days back I sent a representation to the Prime Minister, regarding the plight of wildlife trained forest officers in India. They are given the short shrift, and incompetent, untrained officers posted in wildlife reserves across India, at the behest of politicians, who look for pliant officers. It is a shame that after spending huge amounts of taxpayers’ money, the trained officers have to sit in office as pen pushers. Others are doing jobs that have nothing to doing with wildlife. This does not augur well for India’s wildlife. PMO has forwarded my representation to ministry of environment for follow-up. They immediately informed me about what is going on. I am sure something positive will come out of this.

Chinese traffickers spell doom for African elephants

A new  report, called Out of Africa; Criminalisation of the African Ivory Trade, commissioned by Born Free USA and C4ADS (a nonprofit organisation that is dedicated to data-driven analysis and evidence-based reporting of conflict and security issues worldwide), has come up with some disturbing findings about role of Chinese gangs in the criminalization of African ivory trade.

The report points out that the majority of the illegal ivory trade is dominated by a small number of gangs spearheaded by Chinese and that the majority of the ivory is shipped via just 100 large annual consignments that make up 70-80 per cent of the trade. Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar are the ports of exit while the top three airports in the chain are Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Johannesburg.

Adam M Roberts, CEO of The Born Free Foundation and Born Free USA said, approximately 229,729 elephants were killed and trafficked in fewer than six years.

Read the full report HERE

A worldwide assessment of where roads should be built and should not be built

It was with great fascination that I read a new paper on roads that appeared in journal Nature.The researchers William F. Laurance, Gopalasamy Reuben Clements, Sean Sloan, Christine S. O’Connell, Nathan D. Mueller, Miriam Goosem, Oscar Venter, David P. Edwards, Ben Phalan, Andrew Balmford, Rodney Van Der Ree and Irene Burgues Arrea have come up with a 'global roadmap' for prioritising road building across the world. The study will help planners to balance the competing demands of development and environmental protection. It will also help to limit the environmental costs of road building while maximizing its benefits for human race. Read this against the fact that More than 25 million kilometres of new roads will be built worldwide by 2050.

Professor William Laurance of James Cook University in Australia, the study's lead author says "Roads often open a Pandora's Box of environmental problems, but we need roads for our societies and economies, so the challenge is to decide where to put new roads and where to avoid them."

Professor Andrew Balmford from the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology who is a co-author says “"For particular regions the approach can be improved by adding detailed local information but we think our overall framework is a powerful one."

Journal Reference:

William F. Laurance, Gopalasamy Reuben Clements, Sean Sloan, Christine S. O’Connell, Nathan D. Mueller, Miriam Goosem, Oscar Venter, David P. Edwards, Ben Phalan, Andrew Balmford, Rodney Van Der Ree, Irene Burgues Arrea. A global strategy for road building. Nature, 2014, Published online27 August 2014

A model that explains how geckos move and cling on to walls and ceiling

                                            Pic credit: Oregon State University

Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a model that explains how geckos move and cling on to walls and ceiling. Geckos, spiders and some other insects have branched hairs called “seta” that can instantly turn their stickiness on and off, and even “unstick” their feet without using any energy.

The “smart” adhesion system allows the geckos to run at 20 body-lengths per second. The scientist added that the forces provided by the seta could actually support 50 times the body weight of the gecko.

Details appear in the latest issue of Journal of Applied Physics

We are facing a “biological holocaust” warns Dr E.O. Wilson

Dr E.O. Wilson, 85-year old Harvard University scientist considered as world’s foremost authority on biodiversity has warned that we are staring at the face of a “biological holocaust”. The renowned scientist was talking to the interviewers of journal of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. He had a prescription in mind.

“I see a chain of uninterrupted corridors forming, with twists and turns, some of them opening up to become wide enough to accommodate national biodiversity parks, a new kind of park that won’t let species vanish,” said Dr Wilson. Dr Wilson’s dream is to see humans essentially withdraw from half of the Earth. Giving an exposition of his “Half Earth” theory, he said: “It’s been in my mind for years that people haven’t been thinking big enough – even conservationists.

Dr Wilson added that these “corridors” he had in mind running vertically down continents will let species move north as temperatures rise, for example, while those going horizontally will enable species to move east as rainfall declines in the west. We need large corridors at the landscape levels as “islandisation” can have a disastrous impact on wildlife,

Elan Filler, a 7th grader cracks the mystery of fungus infections

A fungus called Cryptococcus gattii is causing untold misery to lot of patients in Southern California. This has been going on for years. No one had a clue to where it came from. The suspects were trees.

Elan Filler, a 7th grader was looking for a science fair project. Her dad Dr. Scott Filler who is an infectious disease specialist at the University of California ran in to Springer's advisor Dr Heitman at a conference, and told him about Elan and her project. Dr Heitman took it up with Springer. Soon Elan was swabbing tree trunks and growing out the fungus in Petri dishes as per plans chalked out. Springer analyzed the genetic fingerprints of fungi in the samples. To the delight of scientists C. gattii from three trees, Canary Island pine, New Zealand pohutukawa and American sweet gum, matched almost exactly with C. gattii from infected patients.

Details are published in the latest issue of PLOS Pathogens. Elan Filler has been named as an author on the study

What a shame - Zambia has lifted the 2013 ban on hunting

Zambia has lifted the 2013 ban on hunting.  Hunting wildlife, with the exception of big cats, is now legal. Disturbing fact is that hunting of elephants will be allowed.  Read it against the report from scientists that an estimated 100,000 elephants in Africa were killed for their ivory between 2010 and 2012 and their numbers are declining by two per cent to three per cent every year. More animals are being killed than their recruitment. It is a real shame

Genetic proof of new variety of tarsier

                                           Pic credit: University of Kansas

Researchers at the University of Kansas' Biodiversity Institute have established the presence of a new variety of tarsier. Pronounced as (tar-SEER). Tarsiers are completely carnivorous, a unique phenomenon among primates.

Details appear in the latest issue of journal the journal PLOS ONE

Never buy a Dell computer- Their service sucks

Guys, if you are planning to buy a computer never go for Dell. I had unpleasant experience with their third rate service.

Last week for no apparent reason, my computer failed to hook on to internet. I attached the modem to another laptop and it worked flawlessly. Just to make make doubly sure I took the modem to the provider BSNL and they hooked it on to their computer. Again there was seamless connectivity.

I rang up Dell service and explained my predicament. The guys took me through the whole gamut of trouble shooting over the phone. As the need was mine I stuck to it even though I had other pressing affairs on hand. After lot of seesaw activity, the guy told me that there was no problem with hardware and the problem could be software related. They made me re install Windows 7 which had come preinstalled. It took some more of my precious time. Even after reinstalling there was no connectivity. BSNL guys were absolutely sure that the problem was with the computer. After further round of tinkering the DEll guy told me that the problem is software and they do not attend to software problems. What utter nonsense. The computer came with windows 7 preinstalled by Dell as operating system and the system was covered under warranty. Thy have a moral responsibility to look at the problems. I got a wee bit wild and asked the guy whether I am supposed to throw away the computer which is still under warranty. I could hear him talk to another  guy and after some deliberation the Dell guy told me that a technician will come to my place and attend to the problems. Another 24 hours have elapsed and the technician is still to come and do the repairs.

So, guys, give a wide berth to Dell computers. You have better options with better service.

Undercover operation foils wildlife trafficking in Canada

The Fish and Wildlife Enforcement officials in Alberta, Canada have smashed a wildlife trafficking gang after a two-year undercover operation. Officers seized 322 packages of moose and elk meat, worth about $6,500 on the black market.  $1,105 in cash and a 2013 Ford F-150 truck was also seized. The officers added that unregulated trade in wildlife fuels black market demand which could in turn lead to more poaching.

Yes, little drops of water make the mighty ocean. If all the countries of the world join together in covert and overt actions we can certainly nip the menace of poaching.

Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management, 3rd Edition

Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management, 3rd Edition

John M. Fryxell, Anthony R. E. Sinclair, Graeme Caughley

ISBN: 978-1-118-29106-1

528 pages

June 2014, Wiley-Blackwell

The third edition of the magnificent book, Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management is out and I had a chance to glance through it. Several improvements have been incorporated in this edition.

The authors have introduced a series of modules introducing R to readers and set up a server link to Wildlife Ecology, Conservation, and Management software examples.Worked examples enable readers to practice calculations explained in the text and to develop a thorough understanding of key statistical procedures and population models commonly used in wildlife ecology and management.

 Four new chapters have been introduced. The four new chapters cover: habitat use and selection; habitat fragmentation, movement and corridors; climate change, and; evolutionary response to disturbance. A thorough updating of all chapters has been done to present important areas of wildlife research and management with examples of recent advances.

I recommend the book unreservedly to wildlife managers, park rangers, biological resource managers, and those working in ecotourism.

All ivory market must close down, new study recommends

Legal Ivory Trade in a Corrupt World and its Impact on African Elephant Populations

ELIZABETH L. BENNETT

Article first published online: 7 AUG 2014, Conservation Biology

Elephant poaching is at an all time high in Africa. Against the backdrop of this disturbing trend, the contents of this paper assume great significance.

To save elephants, all ivory markets must close and all ivory stockpiles must be destroyed, according to this paper by Elizabeth Bennet published in Conservation Biology. Illegal hunting of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) for ivory is causing rapid decline in their populations. Since 2007, illegal ivory trade has more than doubled. Bennett says corruption enables the laundering of illegal ivory into legal or potentially legal markets. Poachers and traffickers can rapidly pay their way out of trouble, so the financial incentives to break the law heavily outweigh those of abiding by it. Maintaining reliable permitting systems and leak-proof chains of custody in this context is challenging, and effective management breaks down. Once illegal ivory has entered the legal trade, it is difficult or impossible for enforcement officers to know what is legal and illegal. Bennett signs off saying “If we are to conserve remaining wild populations, we must close all markets because, under current levels of corruption, they cannot be controlled in a way that does not provide opportunities for illegal ivory being laundered into legal markets.”

Conservation – Facing the uncertain future

I read yesterday, a very good report prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), titled Considering Multiple Futures: Scenario Planning to Address Uncertainty in Natural Resource Conservation. The report includes 12 case studies representing a range of scenario planning approaches for natural resource and conservation issues.

 The report is intended as a guide to natural resource managers’ to plan for a variety of long-term threats to America’s wildlife and habitats. Even though the report is meant for USA, it has inputs that have relevance the world over.

Service Director Dan Ashe said “Scenario planning helps environmental professionals prepare for the future in the midst of uncertainty, and provides conservation leaders with the tools they need to respond to these threats.”

If you are interested in having a look at the report, download it HERE

New frog species from Malaysia

The newly discovered frog from Malaysia named Hylorana centropeninsularis

                                          Pic credit:Chan et al. 

Read the details in Herpetologica

Kin Onn Chan, Rafe M. Brown, Kelvin K.P. Lim, Norhayati Ahmad and Lee Grismer. 2014. A New Species Of Frog (Amphiba: Anura: Ranidae) of the Hylarana Signata Complex from Peninsular Malaysia. Herpetologica, 70(2), 2014, 228–240 

A peep in to community managed forests of the world

To bait or not to bait

To bait or not to bait: A comparison of camera-trapping methods for estimating leopard (Panthera pardus) density

Byron D. du Preez, Andrew J. Loveridge , David W. Macdonald

Biological Conservation

Volume 176, August 2014, Pages 153–161

Leopards have lost a third of their historical range, and their current CITES status is ‘Near Threatened’ even though they have the largest natural distribution among felids. In this paper the authors describe the pros and cons of normal camera trapping versus baited camera trapping in getting accurate data on leopard populations

unbaited camera-trapping has the disadvantage of low capture rates which in turn affects the accuracy of the resultant density calculations. Another disadvantage is that dependent cubs are underrepresented in the data skewing demographic structure.

In their research the scientists found that baited camera-trapping significantly increased leopard capture rates, as well as recording dependent cubs. To boot it was also cost effective. It has the potential to accurately survey unmonitored populations; including where their density is too low to determine accurately via other means.