Prince of Wales Receives British Environmental Award

WWF has presented His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales with an Awareness Award. The award is given in recognition of achieving an outstanding impact on public consciousness on the subject on the environment. " The determination of the prince not only to highlight the issues threatening the environment as well as proposing possible solutions, but also to act as a catalyst for change" was highlighted by the WWF. The prince said, “What we need now is a set of positive actions that will really engage human ingenuity and determination and create some solutions, matched by the political and personal will to carry them through."

Italian Celebrities Join Hands With WWF To Protect Biodiversity

Italian football star Gianfranco Zola has teamed up with WWF-Italy to promote environmental education programmes in Italian schools. Zola is one of several celebrities being recruited by WWF to help spread the message of biodiversity protection in Italy. “We have asked celebrities to come back to their primary schools and explain to young children the importance of protecting nature and biodiversity,” said Alessandra Vivarelli, WWF-Italy's Head of Public Relations. Other celebrities include the singer Elisa Toffoli, television presenter Paola Saluzzi, and soap opera Actor Marzio Honorato.

This is wonderful. Tahrcountry call up on celebreties, particularly sports celebreties all over the world to emulate this wonderful experiment. You can ceratainly play a great role here. Our children are our future.

Bleak future for global biodiversity.

The just published Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) holds bleak future for the biodiversity. The GBO says "unprecedented efforts" will be needed to achieve to slow the decline in the richness of living systems. Forests continue to be lost at a rate of six million hectares a year and similar trends are noted for marine and coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, kelp beds and mangrove forests. The report stresses that despite the gloomy trends, the target set by the Convention - involving a stabilisation, not a reversal of these losses is still within reach.

Protecting endangered species improves the lives of local communities

A new WWF report based on studies in Nepal, Uganda, India, Namibia, Costa Rica and China indicates that protecting endangered species improves the lives of local communities. Conservation and sustainable management of species and their habitats means better protection of forests, freshwater and marine areas. As a result, the rural poor who depend on these areas will have more access to goods and services they provide. This not only increases incomes, but access to freshwater, health, education and women’s rights often also improves. Ecotourism projects based on the observation of species in the wild generate significant amounts of money to communities. A prime example, is Tortuguero (Costa Rica), where live turtles are worth more to the local economy than turtle meat and eggs ever were. The community strongly supports conservation measures to promote ecotourism, and both turtle and tourist numbers have been climbing over the past 30 years.

Poaching reduces Borneo’s population of Sumatran rhinos

A field survey in the Malaysian State of Sabah and analysis of data on historical rhino habitat has come up with disturbing news that poaching has significantly reduced Borneo’s population of Sumatran rhinos. Field staff from WWF ,Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Parks, the Sabah Foundation,the Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project, SOS Rhino, Universiti Malaysia Sabah and Operation Raleigh participated in the survey. Evidence of at least 13 rhinos in the interior of Sabah is the only silver lining. Populations on the Indonesian side of the island and in the Malaysian State of Sarawak are believed to be extinct. There are believed to be fewer than 300 Sumatran rhinos left in the world.

Achim Steiner Nominated as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme

UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has Nominated Achim Steiner as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. He will succeed Klaus Töpfer, who finishes his second term on 31 March 2006. Achim Steiner is currently the Director General of IUCN - The World Conservation Union. Mr. Steiner serves on a number of international advisory boards including the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) and the Environmental Advisory Council (ENVAC) of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

Chinese Frog and Ultrasonic Communication

The first non-mammalian species known to use the ultra-high frequencies that humans cannot hear has been discovered. The pride of place goes to a rare Chinese frog, Amolops tormotus. In the mammalian world Bats, whales and dolphins use it to communicate. Kraig Adler, a biologist at Cornell University in New York, first noticed the frog with no external eardrums while surveying amphibians in China. Detailed study and confirmation regarding use of ultrasonic waves was done by Professor Albert Feng of the University of Illinois

Brazil's Plans To Dam Two Rivers Angers Environmentalists

Brazil's plans to dam two rivers in the Amazon basin are threatening some of the rarest wildlife Environmentalists say. World Commission on Dams (WCD had advised that dams should be avoided in areas rich in species. Thirty-three endangered mammal species live in the region to be flooded. Several species of large catfish that migrate some 4,500 km to breed in the upper Madeira will disappear with the dam.

Environmentalist Opposes Elephant Capture In Sumatra

Environmentalists are opposing Elephant Capture and translocation in Riau Province of Sumatra. The Government has initiated this move in an effort to put an end to elephant – man conflict. Sumatran elephants are highly endangered. Many of the endangered Sumatran elephants die during and immediately after the capture process. Environmentalists accuse that the Government is not dealing with the underlying problem, which is the uncontrolled conversion of forests that are home to some of Sumatra’s last wildlife populations. Riau has lost 57 per cent of its forests over the past 23 years. Half of the elephant population has been lost in the last seven years, with the remaining population numbering only about 350.

Leatherback Turtle Project Begins In Gabon

Leatherback Turtle is an endangered species. Gabon, West Africa, is believed to be the species last major ‘stronghold’. A conservation project designed to help protect the endangered leatherback turtle has just been launched in Gabon. In order to understand their migratory habits the turtles will be tagged and tracked. Dr. Brendan Godley of the University of Exeter leads the study. The leatherback is the largest living turtle and is so distinctive that it is placed in its own separate family, Dermochelys. It travels the farthest and dives the deepest The largest leatherback on record was a male stranded on the West Coast of Wales in 1988. He weighed 916 kg.

Rat Squirrel Rediscovered

Researchers of the New York-based conservation society were intrigued last year by the bodies of one animal brought for sale at a meat market in Laos. They thought this was a new species to science. It had the face of a rat and the tail of a skinny squirrel. Careful analysis has thrown up the fact that it's a species believed to have been extinct for 11 million years. a member of a family until now known only from fossils. The species is called Diatomyidae. Details appear in the latest issue of journal Science

Germany Pledges €5 Million For Caucasus Transboundary Nature Conservation

Germany has pledged €5 million to support the establishment of a transboundary nature conservation fund in the southern Caucasus region. The Caucasus region, covering some 50 million hectares belongs to the 200 most important ecoregions on this planet. Its most prominent species are the Caucasus leopard, lynx and the brown bear. The conservation fund aims to cover half the operational costs for the most important conservation areas in this biodiversity-rich region. The governments of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are expected to cover the other half. Only the interest will be used for project work, leaving the capital stock intact.

123 Taxa of East Africa Threatened

A Plant Red Listing Workshop for the Eastern Arc mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania has assessed 123 taxa as Threatened, and an additional 12 as Near Threatened. The region hold at least 1,800 endemic or near endemic plant species. Among the Threatened taxa are a number of spectacular Annonaceae including Sanrafaelia ruffonammari Verd., a recently described genus and species endemic to the foothills of the East Usambara Mts., assessed as Critically Endangered. Another Usambara endemic Annonaceae, Anonidium usambarense R.E. Fr., has not been seen since the Type collection in 1910 despite extensive searches, and was therefore assessed as Extinct. Organized and led by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Workshop was supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

Dalai Lama’s Appeal Brings About Exciting Turn Of Events

In January this year at a prayer meeting, Dalai Lama had appealed to his people to do away with animal skins and artifacts. The Supremo had said he was "ashamed" to see images of Tibetans decorating themselves with skins and furs. Now reports are pouring in from Tibet that people have started burning wild animal furs. India's dwindling tiger population is an immediate beneficiary. There has been a sharp rise in the poaching of tigers and leopards in India in recent years to feed demand from Tibet. Since December, 1999, 18 out of 19 major seizures of wildlife parts or skins in India either involved Tibetans or were strongly linked to Tibet.

TRAFFIC receives Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime Award

This years’ Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime award has gone to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring agency. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN, the world conservation union and WWF. UK’s Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight presented the Award to Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC International at a function held in London Zoo on Tuesday. TRAFFIC's focus is both local as well as global. The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) was set up ten years ago to bring together policymakers, enforcers and non-government organisations with an interest in this field.

BBC Unveils Spectacular New Series – “Planet Earth”

BBC ‘s new series “Planet Earth”, promises to be a veritable feast for the eyes. Planet Earth, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, took four years to make. New technology has helped the producers in depicting what would have been unthinkable 5 years back.
The series includes

• A complete hunt by wolves filmed from the air.

• Grizzly bears in the Rockies tending newborn cubs and feeding on moths.

• Displaying birds of paradise captured with a low light camera, including the blue bird of paradise which has never been filmed in the wild before.

• Footage of a new species of blind cave fish in Thailand.

• Pink river dolphins presenting stones as gifts during courtship - the only known use of tools by wild dolphins.

India and US sign wildlife agreement

India is the newest member of the US-led Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT), a coalition that collaborates in the fight against illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife parts. India and the US also agreed to exchanges of park and customs officials for better implementation of the agreement. Launched in September 2005, the Coalition against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) focuses political and public attention on growing threats to wildlife from poaching and illegal trade. The agreement is a sequel to the increased poaching of tigers and concerted efforts to stem the tide.

World’s most endangered cat species threatened by EU funds

Despite the EU's commitment to halt biodiversity loss by 2010, vast sums of European Union money are being spent on roads, dams and irrigation schemes which threaten critically endangered species and key habitats in Europe. Habitat of the Iberian lynx(lynx pardinus) the world’s most endangered cat species is being destroyed in the process. In Spain, the remaining Iberian lynx population,with around 100 individuals left, including just 25 breeding females is under major threat due to loss and fragmentation of habitat. EU funds are used here for infrastructure, such as 20 dams and 16 roads, including the new highway Toledo-Ciudad Real-Puertollano-Cordoba, which will have a detrimental impact on lynx habitat.Other major threats to the Iberian lynx's survival include plummeting numbers of wild rabbits (the lynx's principal prey), and illegal hunting.

New Shark Species Discovered in Mexico

Mexican marine biologist Juan Carlos Perez has discovered a new shark species in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Perez and his team have named the new shark "Mustelus hacat," after the word for shark in a local Indian dialect. Worldwide, marine biologists tend to discover two or three new shark species in any given year. But Perez's discovery is the first shark discovery in the Sea of Cortez since the tiny Mexican Horn Shark (Heterodontus mexicanus) was identified in 1972.

Chimps As Team Players

Till now altruism has been considered to be a human trait. But latest research on Chimps is turning this view topsy-turvy. In a controlled experiment chimps were seen helping each other. In the experiment there was no reward, and they still helped. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany conducted the study. Researchers also found that chimpanzees recognised when collaboration was necessary and chose effective partners. Details appear in latest issue of journal Science

New Paraguay reserve for giant otters, armadillos and anteaters

A new nature reserve in Paraguay will protect some of the world's rarest mammals,the Giant Otter, Giant Anteater and Giant Armadillo. The new reserve is being set up by the legacy in memory of Sid Templar a British Businessman based in Halesworth. The acquisition is handled by England's Suffolk-based conservation organisation World Land Trust (WLT) and the reserve will be owned and managed by Guyra Paraguay, a non-government organisation working in partnership with the World Land Trust. The reserve will also protect a healthy numbers of jaguars, which feed mostly on capybaras (a giant aquatic relative of the Guinea Pig) and caiman (South American crocodiles). There is also spectacular array of birds including the Hyacinth Macaw.

Great stuff. Here is an example for other corporate houses to follow. Many developing countries are strapped for cash when it comes to conservation of wildlife.

Sumatra Rhino Population Reduced by 50 Percent

The population of the Sumatran Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) ,the most endangered of all rhinoceros species in the world, has dropped by around 50 percent over the last 10 years due poaching and deforestation. Sumatran Rhino, the only two-horned rhino in the Asian region, is found in Leuser, Kerinci Seblat, South Bukit Barisan and Way Kambas National Parks. In the past, their habitats were connected to each other. But now, they are totally fragmented due to the opening of forest areas for plantations and human settlements, he said. Environmentalists are desperately seeking ways to stem the tide.

International Year Of The Turtle 2006

2006 is the Year of the Marine Turtle. March 1 marks the official start of the Year of the Marine Turtle within the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region. Six of the seven species of marine turtle — Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Kemp's Ridley, Leatherback, Loggerhead and Green — are classified as “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered”. Many species migrate for thousands of kilometers between feeding and nesting grounds. Regional cooperation is absolutely essential to ensure that turtles are protected at different stages in their life cycles. They suffer from poaching and over-exploitation, as well as from capture in fishing gear and habitat loss. International Year of the Turtles will pool international effort and expertise to ensure the well being of this magnificent creatures of the ocean.

Frogs Gives Key to New Drugs

A University of Adelaide team has discovered that the secretions of the dumpy tree frog are very effective at warding off mosquitoes. Mice given the secretions remained bite-free for four times longer. The secretions can also act as powerful painkillers and hallucinogens. The researchers say "The discovery highlights the potential of the unsung properties of amphibian skin. Details appear in the latest issue of Biology Letters journal

Seychelles Bans Shark Finning

The Seychelles has banned the cutting off of sharks' fins by foreign fishermen. 100 million sharks are killed every year worldwide, mostly for their fins. Shark finning often involves slicing off the highly valuable fins, often from living sharks, and dumping the rest of the creatures back into the sea. Owing to the shark finning trade 65 out of 373 known shark species are globally threatened.

I am back in Cochin

I am back in Kochi.

No Update for A Week

I am out of station for a week, mostly travelling. During this period I won't be having access to the internet. Consequently the next update will be on 27th. Sorry guys.

Convention On Biological Biodiversity Needs Your Input

The Virtual Curitiba Biodiversity Conference, launched almost a month ago is asking for more contributions. Join the Conference and express your opinion on how to achieve the 2010 biodiversity target. Log on to (http://2010.biodiv.org). Click on "Join the conference" to create your user account. Click on "Go to the discussions" to start posting your views by answering one of the 4 questions or to complement a previous comment posted by someone else.

Two New National Parks Created in Amazon

Brazil has created two new national parks in the Amazon. Total area of the parks is 1.5 million hectares .The Brazilian Amazon sprawling over 4.1 million square kilometers has seen lot of controversial logging operations in the recent past. Last year the forest lost 26,130 square kilometers to logging, development works and farming. The creation of 2 new National Parks brings fresh hopes for the environmentalists of Brazil.

New Fish and Seaweeds Discovered

Scientists of Netherlands Antilles government, the US Smithsonian Institution and Conservation International have discovered new species of fish and seaweed in a two-week study of the Saba Bank Atoll in the Dutch Windward Islands, 250 kilometres southeast of Puerto Rico. 165 new species of fish has been discovered. Saba Bank now leaves far behind places such as the Straits of Florida and the northern coast of Venezuela. The mighty ocean still remains a vast unexplored territory. According to scientists of conservation international an average of 6-7 new species of marine fish was discovered every month last year.

Kenya's Worst Drought Threatens Wildlife

Kenya's worst drought in years is threatening Tsavo West National Park. Maasai who have trekked long distances to escape drought are driving cattle into Tsavo West National Park in search of water and pasture. Cattle would harm natural habitats, and spread disease. Maasai, who depend on cattle and often live on just milk and fresh blood, say they have no choice but to feed their starving cows wherever they can. It is a tricky situation out there.

UK Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology urges research on marine sounds

With speculation running rife that that the whale found in the Thames last month had been disorientated by sounds, UK’s Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology has urged that research into the effect of sound in the oceans on marine mammals should be commissioned by the UK Government post-haste. The committee says mammals are affected by many sounds, including sonar, oil exploration and ship. The report points accusing fingers at 13 cases of strandings of whales and dolphins which appear to have been linked to specific sources of noise by naval vessels. The committee has suggested inter alia that it would be a good idea to expose marine mammals to sound mimicking the noise of sonar, oil drilling and other activities to get first hand confirmation of these speculations.

UK Government should forthwith initiate research in to this very serious isssue. This path breaking reserch will help dispel forever the denials by Navys and oil exploration firms.

Whale Meat Ends Up as Dog Food

The shocking news that meat from Japanese “Whaling for scientific reasons” ends up as dog food has been brought to the attention of international community by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS). Ads describe whale meat as "organic" and fished "freshly out of the water”. Mark Simmonds, director of science at WDCS, said: "Whaling is a cruel activity and the fact that Japan is killing these amazing animals to produce dog food is shocking. A global moratorium on commercial whaling has been in place since the 1980s, but hunting for scientific research is permitted under the rules of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Animals Freeze to Death in Macedonia Zoo

A 25-year-old lion and a baby llama died of cold in a zoo in the southern city of Bitola, Macedonia, near the border with Greece. Temperature had plummeted overnight to minus 28 degree celcius. Both animals lived in open bar cages with no heating. Macedonia gives very low priority to animal welfare.
This tragic case should make us rethink about the welfare of caged animals. Macedonia is not a rich country but that is not an excuse for treating animals like this. Poor creatures must have gone through agonizing moments. Imagine the plight of lion coming from a warm country. This should not happen again. Wake up animal lovers in and around Macedonia.

Oldest Tyrannosaurus rex relative unveiled

The fossil remains of the oldest Tyrannosaurus rex relative has been uncovered in the Junggar Basin, an area rich in dinosaur fossils, in the far north-west corner of China. The fossil is estimated to be 160 million year-old. The international team under Professor James Clark, a paleontologist at George Washington University, US, has named the dinosaur, which hails from the Late Jurassic period, Guanlong wucaii. Details appear in the latest issue of journal Nature

Alternative drug won't kill India's vultures

The drug Diclofenac has accidentally poisoned a majority of the critically endangered vultures in India and neighbouring countries and has been found to be the chief culprit in the decline of Vulture population. Vultures are exposed to Diclofenac when scavenging on livestock treated with it. Diclofenac causes kidney damage. Scientist have discovered that the drug Meloxicam, equally effective as Diclofenac in cattle, does not cause any harm to Vultures. Use of Meloxicam would definitely reduce vulture mortality in the Indian subcontinent. Meloxicam is already available for veterinary use in India.
Details of the research are available at
Swan, G., et al. 2006. Removing the threat of diclofenac to critically endangered Asian vultures. PLoS Biology 4(March):e66. Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040066.

Direct Human Link to Orangutan Decline

A three year study by Sumatran Orangutan Society shows that a drastic reduction of population of Orangutans has occurred within the past century and it coincides with massive deforestation of orangutan habitat. Professor Michael Bruford of the Cardiff School of Biosciences, led the study. Professor Bruford believes that the animals still possess enough genetic diversity to stabilize if immediate action is taken. DNA information was used to simulate population history and to detect evidence of a population decline. Details appear in the journal "PLoS Biology.

International Policy to Fight Biopiracy

Misappropriation of genetic resources is a serious issue confronting many nations. Even though treaties and conventions do exist implementation has faced roadblocks. Now IUCN the world Conservation Union is taking imitative to address this serious issue. At the request of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) secretariat the union’s Canada office in conjunction with its Environmental Law center has published results of an investigation in to claims of misappropriation of genetic resources. It will attempt to provide concrete info about what kinds of international policy decisions are needed to eliminate biopiracy.
Full info can be had from
http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meetings/abs/abswg-04/information/abswg-04-inf-06-en.pdf

Pigeons with Backpacks for Pollution Monitoring

An idea mooted by researcher Beatriz da Costa, of the University of California at Irvine, and two of her students to use pigeons for monitoring air quality is taking shape in real life. 20 pigeons fitted with GPS satellite tracking receiver, air pollution sensors and a basic mobile phone are be used to monitor air pollution, New Scientist magazine reported on Wednesday. The release will be into the skies over San Jose, California. A special pigeon "blog", a journal accessible on the Internet will host text messages on air quality beamed back in real time. An interactive map also will be in place.

Indonesian Turtle On The Brink of Extinction

Roti Island snake-necked turtles, found only in the wetlands of eastern Indonesia is on the brink of extinction. According to a report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, the species is often exported illegally under a similar species, the New Guinea snake-necked turtle. Government controls have been very lax. In 2000, the IUCN Red List categorized the Roti Island snake-necked turtle (Chelodina mccordi) as “critically endangered’. The species is also listed in Appendix II of CITES, which requires any international trade to be carried out under a permit system. The continuing international demand for the turtle from collectors in Europe, North America and East Asia is pushing this endemic species towards extinction. TRAFFIC — a joint programme of WWF and IUCN is organising awareness building workshops for local enforcement agencies in an effort to stem the tide.

Australian Wollemi Pine Trees Endangered

The Australian Wollemi pine, a species dating back to Jurassic times has been endangered by a deadly disease probably introduced by an unauthorized hiker. The Wollemi pine, described as a living fossil, was thought to be extinct until 1994, when a park ranger stumbled upon a stand in a remote gorge in Wollemi National Park. Entry was very restricted to this place. Those authorized to visit had to undergo strict infection control procedures that involve sterilizing their footwear and equipment. A fungus-like disease has now endangered the wild stand. Despite the threat, the species is not at risk of extinction. Australian authorities had propagated thousands of trees in plantations from the wild stand.

Trapped Dolphin is Finally Free

A dolphin which had been trapped in Maryport Marina,England for almost a month has been freed by rescuers. Tony Woodley, of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue group spearheaded the rescue. The Dolphin that usually lives in saltwater was suffering in the freshwater of the marina, which was bleaching its skin due to lack of salt. Immediately after the release it met up with another dolphin and they swam away together.

World Experts Adcocates Judicious Utilization of Groundwater

The International Symposium on Groundwater Sustainability, which has just been concluded in Alicante, Spain has advocated greater care of groundwater reserves, increasingly threatened by overconsumption. Underground water constitutes about 94% of all accessible fresh water. Two billion people depend directly upon water stored underground for drinking water. Overuse is having detrimental impacts for people, livelihoods and ecosystems. Ground water also provides a critical supply for many ecosystems,ecosystems dependent on groundwater. The upcoming 4th World Water Forum (Mexico, March 2006), will be a forum to discuss the modalities for judicious utilization of groundwater.

WWF and Honda join forces to save Sumatran rhinos

WWF and Honda Motors have decided to work together to protect the endangered Sumatran rhino, the most endangered of all the rhino species found only in Malaysia and Indonesia. Fewer than 300 Sumatran rhinos exist in the world. The project will focus mainly on increasing efforts to protect the Sumatran rhino’s habitat and reduce poaching through close cooperation with local communities and organizations. Honda Malaysia has pledged to contribute about US$1 million to the Rhino Rescue project. The other partners in this noble venture are Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Perak State Park Corporation, the Sabah Wildlife Department.

Chimp Antibodies For Fight Against Smallpox

Chimps are helping human beings in the development of new vaccines against small pox. The current vaccine against smallpox blocks infection by the smallpox virus variola by targeting it with another virus, vaccinia. vaccinia can produce severe side effects in a small minority of people and couls even be fatal. A team led by Dr Robert Purcell, at the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been working on those taken from the bone marrow of chimpanzees because of their close similarity to human forms. Chimps produced particularly powerful antibodies in response. A hybrid human/chimp version that is powerful has been developed. These potent antibodies can also provide instant protection after exposure to the virus. This vaccine also carried a lower risk of complications.
Protecting wildlife has myriad spin-offs, which we are frittering away by failing to protect wildlife and its habitat. We are foreclosing the future benefits in our mad race for development.

Nations with wild populations of Asian elephants back elephant action plan

The three-day gathering of Nations with wild populations of Asian elephants convened by the Malaysian government, and facilitated by IUCN, the World Conservation Union, has come up with agreement on the best way to protect the remaining elephant populations. The consensus was that transboundary cooperation was necessary to protect the creatures' dwindling habitat. It is the first time that all the 13 countries are coming together. Elephants are found in 13 countries, from Bangladesh to Vietnam.The wild population of Asian elephants is estimated at 30,000 to 50,000.There are about 100 in Vietnam and more than 20,000 in India. The need of the hour is to strike a balance between the needs of elephants and burgeoning human population.

Ethiopian Red Fox in Trouble

An endangered species of red fox found only in Ethiopia is in trouble. Dogs accompanying livestock are bringing rabies which is endangering the Fox. Over the past two months five out of a population of 200 red foxes have died in Bale Mountains National Park. There are fewer than 500 red foxes left in Ethipia.

Environmental performance - New Zealand Ranks First

New Zealand ranks first in the world in environmental performance according to the pilot 2006 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) produced by a team of environmental experts at the environment school at Yale University and the Earth Institute at Columbia University. The 16 indicators used to rank nations are: child mortality, indoor air pollution, drinking water, adequate sanitation, urban particulates, regional ozone, nitrogen loading, water consumption, wilderness protection, ecoregion protection, timber harvest rate, agricultural subsidies, overfishing, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and CO2 per Gross Domestic Product. Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom are ranked two to five respectively. The lowest-ranked countries are Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger. Full report is available at http://www.yale.edu/epi

Benefits of Coral Reef Protection

A report, produced by UNEP with the International Coral Reef Action Network and the World Conservation Union says costs of safeguarding the world's fast-disappearing coral reefs and mangroves are small compared to the benefits they provide to humanity. The report estimated that intact coral reefs were worth $100,000-$600,000 per sq km a year and a sq km of mangroves $200,000-$900,000 a year. Benefits from coral reefs and mangroves arise from fisheries, timber and fuelwood, tourism and shore protection. By contrast, the cost of protecting a sq km of coral reef or mangroves in a marine park was just $775 a year. The survey indicated that costs of building a concrete breakwater in the Maldives to replace a damaged reef had been $10 million per km. Time to think about coral reef and mangrove conservation seriously.

World’s Smallest Fish

Maurice Kottelat and Tan Heok Hui, who are researchers at the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at the National University of Singapore, have discovered the world's tiniest fish. The fish lives in peat wetlands on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra and in the Malaysian part of Borneo.When fully grown, it is the size of a large mosquito. The fish distant cousin of the carp has been given the name Paedocypris progenetica. The previous record holder was a marine fish of the Western Pacific called the dwarf goby (Trimmatom nanus), which comes in at 8mm at sexual maturity. The habitat of this fish is disappearing very fast, and the fate of the species hangs in balance.

Decline of Orangutan populations linked to human activity

New genetic evidence indicates that the collapse of Orangutan populations is linked to human activity. The crash during the past 200 years, coincides with deforestation in the area. The study was conducted in the forests of Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary in Malaysia. By collecting the Orangutans' hair and faeces, the researchers were able to extract DNA to create genetic profiles.Professor Bruford a conservation biologist at Cardiff University says it may even be necessary to move Orangutans around to prevent inbreeding.

UK- Massive Culling of Grey Squirrels Planned

A massive cull of grey squirrels has been planned across Britain in an attempt to halt declining numbers of the endangered native red population. Grey squirrels were introduced to Britain from North America in the 19th Century. Grey squirrels seriously threaten woodland management through damage to trees and by squeezing out red squirrels. Biodiversity minister Jim Knight said the aim was not to completely eradicate the greys, which have a population estimated at more than two million - outnumbering red squirrels by 66 to one, but to reduce numbers over the next three years.

Sad News - Thames Whale Does Not Survive Rescue Attempt

All attempts to save the Thames whale failed. It died as marine specialists escorted it on a barge down the Thames toward the sea. The mammal suffered breathing problems and muscle spasms when it convulsed and died. Tony Woodley, a director of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) group said that despite the sad outcome, the decision to move the whale - costing the group about £100,000 - was correct and they had given it their "best shot".

Whale spotted in central London

A Northern Bottle-nosed Whale(Hyperoodon ampullatus),which is usually found in deep-sea waters, has been seen in upstream Thames. The Whale has crashed into an empty boat causing slight bleeding. Rescuers have been trying to keep the seven-tonne whale away from the riverbanks. Specialist equipments like inflatable tubes are in place to help the stranded animal. All efforts are concentrated on to persuade it to swim back in to the sea.

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment publishes full technical reports

The four “foundation” reports of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) have been released. These 500-800 page reports examine Current State and Trends; Scenarios; Policy Responses; and Multi-Scale Assessments. A summary report was also released. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was a four-year long global assessment of the consequences of ecosystem change for human well being and the options for responding to those changes, which involved 1,300 leading international scientists from 95 nations.

Greenpeace Leaves Dead Whale At Embassy

The Japanese embassy in Berlin has received a 20-ton dead fin whale, compliments of Greenpeace. Greenpeace was protesting against whale hunting by Japan in the name of animal research. "We want to show Japan how nonsensical whale-hunting is, and show them they must stop killing whales", said a Greenpeace spokesman. Environmentalists have been blocking Japanese whale hunters in the Antarctic since December.

New Animal Species Found in California Caves

Twenty-seven new species of spiders, centipedes and scorpion-like creatures have been discovered in the dark, damp Cavesin Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks of California. The species are yet to be named. While it is extremely rare to find new mammal or bird species on the surface, caves still have a bonanza for the scientists. Jean Krejca, a consulting biologist with Austin, Texas-based Zara Environmental led the three-year exploration. Park officials are framing appropriate conservation policies.

Canada Forges Ahead to Protect its Rich Natural Heritage

Canada’s protected area agenda had three major achievements this past three months. The protection of the world’s largest freshwater lake, the doubling in size of Canada’s smallest national park, and the creation of a new national park, supported by the Inuit people. Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, will be the first area protected under Canada’s 2002 National Marine Conservation Areas Act. St. Lawrence Island National Park, Canada’s smallest national park will be doubling in size, through the acquisition of new lands. The third major achievement is the creation of Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve. - The first national park to be established in Labrador (Eastern Canada).

Drought - Kenya’s Wildlife at Risk

A severe drought is threatening Kenya's wildlife, which is straying out of protected areas in search of water, risking conflict with villagers. Kenya has 59 sanctuaries, reserves and national parks. The worst affected parks were Tsavo National Park in the southeast and the popular Maasai Mara National Reserve in the southwest. According to the United Nations lack of rains in many parts of East Africa, including Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia has left around 6 million people on the brink of starvation.

Kenya - British environmentalist shot dead in Rift Valley

Well-known British environmentalist and wildlife photographer Joan Wenn Root was shot and killed on Friday at her home in Kenya's central Rift Valley.Nothing has been stolen and the motive for the killing is not yet known. She made several acclaimed films in the 1960s, 70s and 80s documenting Kenya's stunning wildlife and landscape. She was also very active in trying to preserve Lake Naivasha, the Rift Valley's only freshwater lake.

World's biggest fish getting smaller

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), the world's largest fish are getting smaller according to researchers of Australian Institute of Marine Science. Whale sharks are caught for food in some East Asian countries and Australian researchers suspect the unbridled fishing is causing a decline. In the last decade the average size of shark is down from seven metres to five metres. Under the IUCN Red List of threatened species, Whale sharks are categorised as "vulnerable" to extinction and they have been added to CITES list of species threatened by international trade. Efforts are on to ensure better protection to this threatened species.

Periyar Tiger Reserve

I had a wonderful time in Periyar Tiger Reserve. Park - people interface through Ecodevelopment Committees is working wonders for the overall development of the Park. People residing on the periphery who once used to view the park authorities with Suspicions are now partners in the management of the Park. Periyar Foundation the apex body of the Ecodevelopment Committees is taking deep roots after the initial hiccups. The entire scenario is emerging as a worthwhile model worth emulating for other parks in India.

Out of Station

I will be out in the field in Periyar Tiger Reserve from 14th to 16th where I have no access to the internet. Consequently the next update will be on 17th.

New Caledonia - Forest Fires Ravaging endangered forests and wildlife

Forest fires, which have been blazing for nearly two weeks, have engulfed more than 4000 ha in New Caledonia. Several rare plant species have been wiped out. New Caledonia represents a fragment of the ancient super-continent Gondwana. Isolated for approximately 80 million of years, New Caledonian's tropical forest ecosystems are among the most unique on earth. 80 per cent of the 3000 plant species are found nowhere else. French disaster teams had to be rushed in to quell the fire.

China – New Clues to the Evolution of Mammals

Discovery of a small fossilised animal that walked like a platypus but looked like a shrew is providing important new clues to the evolution of early mammals. The discovery was made by paleontologists Gang Li and Zhe-Xi Luo in the province of Liaoning in northeast China. The insect-eating mammal lived alongside dinosaurs some 125 million years ago. Measuring 10 to12 centimetres long and weighing 15 to 20 grams, the shrew like creature had a thick coat of fur. The animal has been given the name Akidolestes. Akidolestes strengthens the case of Asia being the place where the main mammal groups first originated. Details appear in the latest issue of the journal Nature.

Ants Offer First Example of Formal Teaching in Non-human Animals

Professor Nigel Franks and Tom Richardson from Bristol University have come up with the first proof of teaching in non-human animals - ants showing each other the way to food. The findings appear in the latest issue journal Nature. According to the researchers the ant leaders slowed down if the follower got too far behind. If the gap got smaller, they then speeded up. Professor Frank added, “teaching involves the teacher modifying its behaviour in the presence of a naive observer at some initial cost to itself. This is to our knowledge the first example of formal teaching in non-human animals"

Pain killer endangering the survival of vultures

There is disturbing news for vultures in India. A study, led by Dr Deborah Pain on behalf of the British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, published in Biology Letters, is pointing accusing finger at the drug Diclofenac. Diclofenac used to treat inflammation in cattle has been blamed, for the rapid decline of Indian vulture populations. The drug is destroying the kidneys of birds feeding off carcasses of dead, treated animals. The researchers fear that more distantly related birds may be equally endangered, and that substitutes for diclofenac might be similarly toxic. Disappearance of vultures, the scavengers, could damage the quality of the environment.

Surprising - In Bacterial Diversity, Amazon is a 'Desert'; Desert is an 'Amazon’

The first ever-continental scale genetic survey of soil bacteria has come up with surprising results. The diversity of soil bacteria in the otherwise species-rich Amazon is a more like a desert, while the arid desert is teeming with bacteria. The reason for this is the fact that the primary factor that seems to govern the diversity of soil bacteria is soil pH. Thus, the acidic soils of topical forests harbour fewer bacterial species than the neutral soils of deserts. The reserchers are Noah Fierer from the University of Colorado, and Robert Jackson from the Duke University. According to the researchers "The number of bacterial species in a spoonful of soil is likely to exceed the total number of plant species in all of the United States.". The findings appear in the Early Online Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Finland Develops New Fully Recyclable Paper

VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland and the universities of Helsinki and Joensuu have developed a new fully recyclable paper from potato starch. The paper is 20 to 30 per cent lighter. The new process will reduce the environmental impacts of paper products. However, the production costs of the new raw materials are high at the moment.

2008 declared as International Year of Planet Earth

The United Nations General Assembly, meeting in New York, has proclaimed the year 2008 to be the United Nations International Year of Planet Earth. The activities will span 2007-2009.
Thrust areas will be
• Reduce risks for society caused by natural and human-induced hazards
• Reduce health problems by improving understanding of the medical aspects of Earth science
• Discover new natural resources and make them available in a sustainable manner
• Build safer structures and expand urban areas, utilizing natural subsurface conditions
• Determine the non-human factor in climatic change
• Enhance understanding of the occurrence of natural resources so as to contribute to efforts to reduce political tension
• Detect deep and poorly accessible groundwater resources
• Improve understanding of the evolution of life
• Increase interest in the Earth sciences in society at large
• Encourage more young people to study Earth science in university

Africa Lions in Peril

African Lions are in dire straits. Lions have lost 80 percent of their historic range in the last century. Threatened everywhere in Africa, they are in real bad situation in the densely populated west. The predator is doing far better in the east and south of the continent than elsewhere. The estimates are that there are between 23,000 to 40,000 lions in Africa. Of that, only 2,000 to 4,000 are in west and central Africa and the rest in East and Southern Africa. In West most of the lion populations were small and isolated. Small numbers meant that the populations were vulnerable to disease outbreaks and other sudden impacts.

Madagascar on way to Triple its Nature Reserves

Madagascar, world's fourth largest island, is known to have at least 10,000 plant species, 316 reptiles and 109 bird species. Three quarters of Madagascar's plant and animal species are found nowhere else. At a World Parks Congress in South Africa, September 2003, President Marc Ravalomanana had pledged to boost the island's protected forests and wetlands to 6.0 million hectares from its then 1.7 million hectares. The plans are cruising along promised lines. The newly established Makira Protected Area - one of the country's five new protected areas,now forms along with existing Masoala National Park the largest contiguous tract of rain forest under protection on the island. Involvement of local communities is a key feature in all the newly established protected areas.

Five Species of Deepwater Fishes Assessed as Critically Endangered

Using the criteria of the World Conservation Union’s Red List, Jennifer A. Devine of Memorial University Newfoundland in Canada, has assessed the status of the roundnose grenadier ( Coryphaenoides rupestris); the onion-eye grenadier ( Macrourus berglax); the blue hake ( Antimora rostrata), the spiny eel ( Notacanthus chemnitzi) and the spinytail skate ( Bathyraja spinicauda) as critically endangered. The relative abundance has plummeted. Over fishing and highly destructive fishing methods, particularly bottom trawling, have been the main cause of this decline. Human use of the high and deep seas will be on the political agenda at the United Nations from 13-17 February and at the Eighth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP8) in Curitiba, Brazil from March 20-31.

Return Of The Predator Fish and the Effect On The Coral Reef

The return of a top predator in a Bahamas marine reserve is proving beneficial to coral reefs there. The finding is the result of a study by Peter Mumby, a marine biologist and
Dan Brumbaugh, a senior conservation scientist with the American Museum of Natural History in New York.The study area was the Bahamas' Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park..
They found that while the reserve has allowed Nassau grouper to flourish, large species of parrotfish have thrived as well. Parrotfish are crucial to the health of coral reefs, because they are one of the few creatures that graze on seaweed. Left uneaten, the seaweed suffocates the corals and prevents reef growth. The sea urchins were the only other species known to eat the seaweed

DNA Analysis Offers New Insight In To Cat Evolution

The latest issue of journal Science has interesting info about cat evolution. The study by Warren E. Johnson and Stephen J. O'Brien is based on DNA analysis of the 37 living species. Their new family tree is based solely on changes in DNA, with the fossil record. Johnson-O'Brien team has been able to reconstruct a series of at least 10 intercontinental migrations by which cats colonised the world. Chris Wozencraft, an authority on the classification of carnivorous mammals, says the new cat family tree generally agreed with one that he had just published in Mammal Species of the World.

Brazil Honours British Botanist

Jimmy Ratter who has worked with Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden for more than 45 years, has been awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Brazil.The award is in recognition of the work he has done to preserve the Brazilian Cerrado. He is the first from the UK to be awarded this prestigious title. The Cerrado is a type of tree savanna with more than 5000 species of plants, many of which are unique to Brazil. Mr Ratter has published more than 80 works, half of them about the Brazilian Cerrado

Carpathian Mountain Protection Plan off the block

The seven-nation environmental plan to protect the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe came into force on Wednesday. The plan aim to protect wildlife in the Carpathians from Romania to the Czech Republic, preserve the cultures of about 18 million people in the region and promote forestry, mining and tourism without spoiling the environment. The Carpathian region is a refuge for brown bears, wolves, bison, lynx, eagles and some 200 unique plant species. Slovakia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro are the participant states.

Forest Fires Threaten Rare Species in New Caledonia

Forest fires raging through rainforests in New Caledonia are wiping out rare plant species. Several plant species are being wiped out. A species of palm exclusive to New Caledonia is under threat. The damage to the rainforests also brings danger to the fauna. cagou, a bird native to New Caledonia is under threat.

International caviar trade banned

CITES the convention for trade in endangered species, which represents 169 countries, has banned International caviar trade. The ban was imposed for scientific reasons and to stop poaching in Caspian Sea. Sturgeon is suffering serious population decline.

New Mammal Named After Chocolate Giant Cadbury

Tom Rich, now curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, led a dig at Dinosaur Cove from 1984 to 1994 in an effort to find dino fossils. Rich promised a Kilo of chocolate for every dino jaw dug up. Lot of chocolate was distributed. Quite certain that a mammal bone wouldn't be found, Rich promised a cubic meter of chocolate to anyone who came up with a specimen. By 1994 Dinosaur Cove the work was over. But there remained lot of specimens to be identified. One of the fossils turned out to be a mammal bone, from an early echidna. This was a specimen new to science. Tom Rich had to make good his promise. A cubic meter is lot of chocolate.Cadbury factory in Melbourne came to his rescue. Because there was no way of knowing who had actually found the bone, Rich invited all of the volunteers who had participated in the Dinosaur Cove dig to the presentation of chocolate. It was a chocolate galore. Naming a newfound animal species is largely the prerogative of the scientist who discovered the creature. Presto the species was named Kryoryctes cadburyi . Details appear in the December issue of the Journal of Mammalian Evolution.

"Bigfoot" Fever Grips Malaysia

The whole of Malaysia is agog with news of “Bigfoot” the mysterious ape in Johar. An indigenous man claimed he saw a 10-feet-tall ape standing on two legs beside a river in the heavy rainforest in Johor State. One newspaper has published a picture of a large but vague impression of a big footprint in mud. Park Rangers are scouting the area to spot the mystery creature.Sceptics however say it is a publicity stunt meant to lure more visitors to the area. The latest remake of the movie "King Kong" has added fuel to the news circulating Malaysia.

UN launches International Year of Deserts and Desertification

The United Nations has launched its International Year of Deserts and desertification programme.The aim of this programme is to raise global public awareness of the advancing deserts, of ways to safeguard the biological diversity of arid lands covering one-third of the planet and protecting the knowledge and traditions of the 2 billion people affected by the phenomenon. Launching the programme UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said: "I look forward to working with Governments, civil society, the private sector, international organizations and others to focus attention on this crucial issue, and to make every day one on which we work to reverse the trend of desertification and set the world on a safer, more sustainable path of development."

USA - Species Rediscovered in Protected Areas and Wildlife Refuges

Seven species thought to have been extinct or extirpated in the United States were rediscovered in Protected Areas and Wildlife Refuges in 2005. The most prominent of these was the ivory-billed woodpecker, sighted for the first time in 60 years in Arkansas' Cache River National Wildlife Refuge. Others in the list are The least Bell's vireo, The Cahaba pebblesnail, cobble elimia and Nodulose Coosa River snail, The Mount Diablo buckwheat, and The California dissanthelium.

Happy New Year

Tahrcountry Wishes All Readers A Very Happy 2006

Sports and Wildlife Conservation – Project Worthy of Emulation

The project launched by Wildaid, the conservation organization, in association with Ecuador´s premier soccer team Seleccion Nacional and Norlop JWT is proving to be a tremendous success. Sports is directly helping the cause of conservation. Soccer celebrities Alex Aguinaga, Johny Baldeon, Ivan Hurtado, Ulises de la Cruz, Edwin Villafuerte, and Técnico Luis Fernando Suarez have agreed to act as spokespersons. The immediate aim is Shark Conservation. Over-fishing, over-consumption of shark products and wasteful practices such as finning and needless bycatch are threatening Sharks in Ecuador.

At the fag end of 2005 Tahrcountry call up on Sportspersons worldwide to contribute their mite for conservation of endangered species.

Monkeys Have Accents

Research by Japanese scientists over an eight-year period has thrown up fascinating facts about monkeys. It has revealed that Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), can acquire different accents based on where they live. Until now humans were considered to be the only primates able to mimic each other's vocalizations.Groups living far apart had acquired distinct accents.The finding, the first of its kind, will appear in the January 2006 edition of the German scientific journal Ethology

Female Gorillas and Menopause

A new study of gorillas at 17 U.S. zoos has thrown up surprising facts about Gorillas. Female gorillas reach menopause just like human women do. The researchers are quite excited by the significant parallels found between gorillas and human females in their life stages. The findings could aid our understanding of the physiological changes that occur at menopause, including diseases linked to the onset of menopause.

WWF Wildfinder study creates world's most comprehensive database of of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Scientists have long debated whether it is more effective to focus on areas with endemic species or on areas with many species overall. A paper published in the latest issue of journal Nature, sheds new light on this debate. The paper authored by scientists from WWF and the University of Virginia comes to the conclusion that conserving places with many endemic species will also conserve overall species richness. As part of the study titled Wildfinder,
the authors created the world's most comprehensive database of the distributions of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. For the first time, geographic information for 26,000 species can be found in one place.

Gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey remembered

Rwandans are commemorating the 20th death anniversary of Dian Fossey. The ceremonies were held in the Volcanoes National Park, where she had had her research base. It has never been established who killed her in her jungle cabin in 1985.She spent two decades working among Rwanda's rare mountain gorillas. Only about 700 gorillas survive in the remote range of volcanoes spanning the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A third of them live in Rwanda.

Russia's Indigenous People Fear the Worst

Nanai, Russia's Indigenous People in the Far East village of Dzhari are a worried lot. Potentially cancer-causing nitrobenzene and other poisons spewed into their river by a chemical plant explosion in China last month is expected to arrive in the village any time now. A shamanic legend holds that when fish disappear from the Amur River, so will the Nanai from the face of the earth. The Nanai eats fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Top Environment Award for Ecosystem Assessment

The 2005 Zayed International Prize for the Environment, awarded for 'scientific and or technological achievement in environment' went to 1,300 biodiversity experts from 95 countries for their work on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA), whose final report was completed earlier this year. The award was set up in 1999 by the crown prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in memory of the environmental commitments of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The international jury that awarded the prizes described the MEA as a "landmark study on the condition of the world's ecosystem services from fisheries and freshwaters up to the carbon capture of the world’s forests". The prizes will be presented in Dubai on 6 February 2006.

Thousands of Miles across Asia in search of baby food

A Frigate bird named Lydia has made a record, by flying non-stop for 26 days and covering nearly 2,500 miles - across Indonesian volcanoes and some of Asia's busiest shipping lanes, in search of food for her baby. Scientists at Christmas Island National Park tracked the trip with a global positioning device. Though the journey was a record for a frigate bird, it falls short of the top trip among birds monitored by scientists. The record is a 46-day round-the-world trip by a Grey-headed Albatross.

Scientists discover well preserved bones of dodos

A team of Dutch and Mauritian scientists led by Dutch geologist Kenneth Rijsdijk has discovered well-preserved bones of about 20 dodos at a dig site in Mauritius. Researchers believe the bones are at least 2,000 years old. The discovery has been hailed as a breakthrough by the scientific world. DNA samples from the dodo bones could revolutionize understanding of how the birds lived. Dodo took its name from the Portuguese word for "fool" for its apparent lack of fear of armed hunters. The bird was hunted to extinction within 200 years of Europeans landing on Mauritius.

Merry Christmas

Tahrcountry wish all readers a Merry Christmas

Journal Science proclaims evolution the breakthrough of 2005.

The journal Science on Thursday proclaimed evolution the breakthrough of 2005. According to the editors 2005 stands out as a banner year for uncovering the intricacies of how evolution actually proceeds. Path breaking research has shown that there is a mere 4 percent difference between human and chimpanzee DNA. Other breakthroughs in the journal's Top 10 include research in planetary exploration, the molecular biology of flowers, the violent ways of neutron stars, the relationship between genetics and abnormal human behavior, the new field of cosmochemistry, a protein that controls the flow of potassium ions to cells, fresh evidence of global warming, an engineering approach to molecular biology and superconductivity.

Panama - Environmentalists Oppose Jungle Power Plan

A plan by Panama and Colombia to link power grids via Panama’s Darien Gap have the environmentalists and indigenous groups worried. The project will require cutting a path of at least 40 meters wide through virgin rainforests. The Darien Gap hosts more than 900 different species of mammals and birds, and over 2,000 plant species. It is also one of the world's most unspoiled wildernesses. Kuna Indians who inhabit the area has the apprehension that this will also impact their livelihood. The environmentalists have urged the Government to abandon this project, which will have serious impacts on this delicate environment.

A Quarter-Century of Giant Panda Protection

WWF and Chinese researchers are celebrating 25 years of giant panda conservation. 25 years of work has moved giant pandas from the brink of extinction to a solid foundation for survival. According to the results of a survey conducted by WWF and China's State Forestry Administration, there are nearly 1,600 pandas in the wild now.

Stranded Whales Rescued off New Zealand

Volunteers and conservation officials refloated more than 100 pilot whales stranded on a beach near New Zealand’s South Island on Wednesday. Conservation officials washed them with water to keep them cool and prevent their skin from drying and then herded the whales out to sea. New Zealand, which has 41 whale species in its waters, has a high rate of strandings because of its long coastline and sometimes shallow waters.

South Asian experts meet to protect endangered Elephants

75 elephant experts from five South Asian countries have met in a two-day meeting in southern Bangladesh in an effort to Protect Endangered Elephants. The conference was jointly sponsored by the Washington-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Nairobi-based organisation for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants. The meeting adopted policies and programmes for the conservation of endangered elephants. Asian elephant numbers across Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Combodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, are now 60,000, down from 150,000 two decades ago.

Tracking Pygmy Elephants in Borneo

Five Pygmy elephants collared by WWF and Malaysia's Wildlife Department in Sabah, with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service are being tracked by the same satellite system used by the US military to track vehicle convoys in Iraq. The pygmy elephants were determined by WWF in 2003 to be a likely new subspecies of Asian elephant but very little is known about them, including how many there are. They are found only on the Northeast tip of Borneo, mainly in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Since elephants live in matriarchal societies, WWF collared only adult female elephants so that each elephant collared represents a whole herd’s movements. The Sabah Wildlife Department described the study as very important and the results could be used to assist the department in preparing Sabah’s elephant conservation plan.