Javan Rhino Conservation
Although the Javan rhinoceros was once the most widespread of any Asian rhino breed, today it is the most endangered. The Javan rhinos were decimated in 1883 when a 120 foot tsunami, caused by the Krakatau volcano eruption, forced its way through the Ujong Kulon National Park where the rhinos lived. The Associated Press reports that the greatest threats to the rhinos today include poaching, habitat destruction and competition for food with other species. The rhinos share the park with leopards, silvery gibbons, crab-eating macaques, mouse deer and several hundred species of birds and snakes, accounts the WWF.
The Javan rhino population dipped in the 1960’s to just 20 individuals living in Ujung Kulon. The World Wildlife Fund stepped in, and boosted the population to 50 rhinos in the 1990’s. While I’m not sure what this means for their genetic health, I still think it’s great news.
Then in recent weeks 3 Javan rhinos have been found dead. Two apparently died from natural causes, and one from poaching. This has raised the alarm bells, because a population as small as 50 individuals can’t afford to lose any members.
It’s time for more good news, and ProPrint brings us some. The Asia Pulp & Paper company and the Indonesian Rhino Foundation have agreed to undertaking a joint venture to protect the Javan rhino and its habitat. The endeavor will involve making the Javan Rhino Sanctuary in Ujung Kulon National Park safer for the rhinos. This includes widening its habitat and keeping it safe from domestic animals and nearby population growth.
Also, a 7 mile (12 km.) long electric fence is now being built around a new 10,000 acre sanctuary and breeding ground beside Ujung Kulon. The plan is to herd some rhinos into the area after the fence is completed, later this year.
As well, conservation groups and the Indonesian government are planning to relocate some rhinos to a safer area. The new area has to keep the rhinos happy – thus, pools and wallows are on the shopping list. Happy rhinos breed, which suits the bottom line that their population needs to grow. The target growth rate is 3 percent a year.
Good Luck to the conservationists and the Javan (and other) rhinos. These positive actions are what all endangered species need.
Tags: Asia Pulp & Paper, Asian rhino, Conservation, Indonesian Rhino Foundation, Javan rhino, Krakatau, poaching, Ujong Kulon, WWF
Vanishing Birds
The Alaotra Grebe of Madagascar is the latest addition to a growing list of extinct bird species. According to The Guardian, the Wetland bird was driven to extinction primarily due to the introduction of non-native carnivorous fish into their waters. Fishermen also played a role in the extinction, as nylon gill-nets have drowned countless Grebes. The Guardian suggests that there is a downward trend in wildlife protection, as the total number of extinct bird species since the year 1600 has now reached 132, with 1,240 bird species currently facing the threat of extinction. Introduced species, pollution, and drainage of coastal wetlands are among the leading causes.
BirdLife International is behind the Alaotra Grebe announcement in the 2010 IUCN Red List update for birds. They suggest that the extinction of the Grebe “is another example of how human actions can have unforeseen consequences.” Fragile wetlands are in a dangerous position as human development has caused the migration of invasive plant/animal species away from polluted habitats and dangerous environments.
One wetland bird species that’s suffering is Cuba’s Zapata Rail, which is being threatened by introduced mongooses and exotic fish. The only nest of this bird that has ever been found was discovered by a Caribbean ornithologist named James Bond, who reputedly was the source for Ian Fleming’s famous spy’s name.
The good news is that human practices can be made positive, and a strong commitment to conservation can save endangered species. The proof is in the Red List update, which shows that species such as the yellow-eared parrot have been helped through programs that educate local communities on proper conservation practices.
Photo Courtesy of National Zoo
Moreover, the birth of two rare White-Naped Cranes last month at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute marked a ray of hope for endangered birds. Once again, the National Zoo shows that it is committed to saving endangered species through science and conservation efforts such as captive breeding which increases the genetic viability of bird populations that would otherwise have been lost forever. Captive breeding can be a valuable key to saving endangered species.
It is imperative that people reform their actions and take responsibility through conservation efforts, for constructive human actions can make for positive outcomes.
Tags: Alaotra Grebe, Birdlife International, birds, IUCN, National Zoo, Red List, White-Naped Crane, Zapata Rail
10 Reasons for Hope
Achieving success in protecting rare species and their habitats takes the efforts of trained experts working collaboratively, often on limited funds and against a ticking clock. When combined with the support of people and governments who believe that saving wild animals and spaces is important, hard won triumphs can occur.
On Endangered Species Day, May 21st this year, the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research celebrated by launching its new initiative, “10 Reasons for Hope.”
The 10 Reasons for Hope are success stories, worth celebrating as they brighten the landscape for endangered animals. Both wild and captive populations have benefitted from the Zoo’s efforts, from Kangaroo Rats and California Condors in the Zoo’s backyard to the Ebo Forest in Central Africa.
Kangaroo Rats, reputed to have such efficient kidneys that they never have to drink, are enjoying their sixth generation managed by the Zoo. They live in the native bunch grass and chaparral habitat the animals need for food and cover, in southern California. Diminutive may be a good description for them, however they play an important role in their ecosystem by helping to distribute seeds.
The San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park produced the first condor chick from among the 22 birds that the population had been reduced to 20 years ago. Today there are 180 condors in the wild and 169 in breeding centers.
San Diego Zoo’s Native Seed Bank has collected and stored almost 23% of the area’s native plant species, which will help preserve the area’s 1,500 native plant species, the most endangered of any county in the continental United States.
Internationally, the Zoo is successfully managing projects that are helping to research endangered primates and upgrade the Ebo Forest in northern central Africa to a national park.
They are also helping restore Giant Panda, frog, and elephant populations. As well, they are helping to connect American children to nature, rather than letting the trend continue unabated of children spending most of their time inertly parked in front of an indoor computer.
Great photos and details of the 10 Reasons for Hope are on the San Diego Zoo’s website.
Tags: 10 Reasons for Hope, condor, Ebo Forest, Endangered Species, Institute for Conservation Research, kangaroo rat, San Diego Zoo, seed bank, Wild Animal Park
Conserving Turtles
It seems that conservation plans for endangered species should always have a Plan B. It’s not safe to rely on the ecosystem area remaining intact. Looking at the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, having a Plan B to put into motion as soon as the oil spill started, would have been great.
News reports the other day mentioned finding 20 dead endangered turtles along the shoreline. These included some Kemp’s Ridley Turtles, which the World Wildlife Fund says are the most endangered turtles/tortoises. The species has a restricted range and lives only in the Gulf of Mexico.
The WWF website mentions the threat of shrimp trawling. Then they ominously add that the “juvenile population of the Kemp’s Ridley is also threatened by pollution in the Gulf of Mexico around the mouths of the Alabama and Mississippi rivers, important development habitats for these animals”. The shallow sand and mud in the estuaries are the turtle’s favorite habitat.
The US and Mexico have been conserving the Kemp’s Ridley Turtles since the nesting beach of Rancho Nuevo was declared a National Reserve. They’ve had some success, and recently there were as many as 1,000 turtles.
Apart from sporadic nesting elsewhere, nesting takes place only on one 20 km beach at Rancho Nuevo in Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico. Luckily, that’s not where the oil is heading.
Nesting season is from April through July. So the females are probably there now, hopefully safely. However, WWF reports that an unusual feature of this species is that the males appear to be non-migratory. So they are likely to be where the oil is expanding. A worst case scenario is that the adult males will be wiped out – and all the male Kemp’s Ridley turtles of the next few years are currently being born on the beach in Mexico. This leads me to ask if maybe some of the baby turtles should be captured and held until it’s safe for them to go to the Mississippi area. That would be a good Plan B.
Tags: Conservation, Gulf of Mexico, Kemp's Ridley, Mississippi, oil spill, Rancho Nuevo, turtles, World Wildlife Fund, WWF
State of the Birds
Nearly a third of the United States’ 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several leading conservation organizations.
The organizations recently released a report (The State of the Birds: 2010 Report on Climate Change) showing that climate changes will increasingly disrupt bird species in all habitats. The report, as with many like it, was the outcome of inter-organization collaboration – which in science and in conservation is so often one key to success.
Hundreds of species of birds, already in trouble from habitat loss, invasive species and other environmental concerns, now are finding their habitat and food supply threatened. Oceanic and Hawaiian birds are likely to suffer the most. Migratory birds are also likely to be negatively impacted. Can you imagine driving or bussing home from work tomorrow and finding your street has been significantly flooded or destroyed?
Just as Rachel Carson forecast in her classic book Silent Spring, birds are excellent indicators of the health of our environment, and right now they are giving us an alarming message about the health of our planet.
The report goes beyond the problem and offers a few solutions. One key, as usual, is that organizations and individuals can positively influence this situation by working together. When lands are managed in such a way that it’s good for the wildlife, including birds, it can help ease the pressures that climate change is causing. One example of this is establishing incentives to preserve forests and wetlands, which both reduces carbon emissions and provides good habitat for animals.
Also, the U.S. Department of the Interior is planning to open eight regional Climate Science Centers that will help scientists learn more about the effects and implications of global warming. Land, natural, and cultural resource managers will examine impacts and design adaptation strategies, and deliver public education. The first Climate Science Center is being established in Anchorage, linked to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
To access the report on line and for more information visit www.stateofthebirds.org.
Tags: Climate Change, Climate Science Center, Conservation, Hawaiian birds, migratory birds, Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, State of the Birds, US Department of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife
Research for Endangered Species Reintroductions
The Center for Conservation Research at the Calgary Zoo focuses on conducting research to re-introduce endangered species back into the wild. I had the pleasure of speaking with Tian Everest, Conservation Research Program Coordinator for the Calgary Zoo, earlier this week about the work they do.
She is part of the recovery team for black footed ferrets (also see my blog article below). The team was established in 2004, when a group of Canadian and American prairie species experts decided it was feasible to try to reintroduce the ferrets in the Grasslands National Park. The first joint species (black footed ferret and black tailed prairie dog) recovery team in Canada was formed, led by Parks Canada who held jurisdiction on the land targeted for the reintroduction. The team included a range of stakeholders including some American experts who had experience reintroducing ferrets in the US.
Much of the research to date has focused on the black tailed prairie dogs because they form around 90% of the black footed ferrets diet. The research included prairie dog colony density and distribution, and the information was used to guide where the ferrets were released, Tian explained. Researchers continue to monitor the do prairie dogs and the black footed ferrets. The prairie dogs are a species of special concern in Canada, but it has been found in the US the reintroductions of black footed ferrets have not had negative impacts on the prairie dog population. However, the American and Canadian prairie dogs differ in such features as the Canadian ones hibernate but the American ones typically don’t. Saskatchewan winters are famous for being particularly cold!
Tian also works with a reintroduction team for burrowing owls in BC, with the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC. Burrowing owls are endangered across Canada and were extinct in BC. A recovery effort in the Kamloops area has been ongoing since the early 1990’s, but has faced some challenges. Burrowing owls don’t dig their own burrows – they rely on prairie dogs and other animals to dig burrows for them. But the natural burrowing animals have become extinct in that area as well. So artificially constructed burrows are being used, which are made by a group of dedicated volunteers who perform the back breaking work of building burrows. But no one had considered what type of burrow most appealed to the owls. So Tian studied the burrows and the land to gather information to support a successful reintroduction of burrowing owls into the area.
All the research that Tian and her Calgary Zoo colleagues do is to support their focus of applying science to solve problems. They do science based, academic quality research which then is used in working closely with stakeholders such as government agencies, industries, landowners and local communities so their work can have a positive impact for wildlife. “We’re very focused on transferring the science into action,” Tian told me.
The kind of action that results in being part of the team responsible for the most successful reintroduction of a nationally extirpated carnivore in the world. The Zoo has been working with a reintroduction program launched in the early ‘80’s. They recently had the pleasure of announcing that swift foxes have been downgraded from endangered to threatened. The swift foxes team’s success is based on good science including “over 10 years of census data on swift fox numbers and where they are in the landscape, and overlaying that with GIS habitat maps and running it through models so we can look at all the different layers in the landscape whether it’s soil type, moisture, road locations, structures, vegetation types” and other information, Tian informed me. They run that through population modeling computer programs that tell them “what elements in the landscape are really key to the swift fox at different stages of their life cycle. That information is now being used by the recovery team to assign critical habitat which then becomes a legal designation” that protects the land.
Most of the research the Calgary Zoo’s team does places the researchers out in the field. The Zoo has an offsite captive breeding facility at which they have breeding programs for whooping cranes and Vancouver Island marmots as well as other species. Even these captive breeding programs have the focus of being useful in the field. Their main goal is to reintroduce species back into the wilderness.
Tian and her colleagues are making a positive difference in our world. She feels fortunate to be doing so. They “work for many years on a species, […] attend so many meetings, things being hashed back and forth between all the different stakeholders, there are certainly so many highs and lows with that, but it’s such an amazing feeling when you actually get to open the crate and the ferret touches its feet on Canadian soil and goes down into its burrow,” Tian reflected.
Overall, the Calgary Zoo is an excellent example of the positive contributions to wildlife conservation that zoos can make. It’s also a great zoo, and anyone who enjoys animals will have fun visiting it when you’re in Calgary.
Tags: black footed ferrets, burrowing owls, Calgary Zoo, Conservation Research, critical habitat, endangered wildlife, Grasslands National Park, Parks Canada, prairie dogs, swift fox, Vancouver Island marmot, wildlife reintroductions
How Science Helps Protect Endangered Species
Just as good business management helps non-profits save endangered animals, integrally- sound science is also essential for saving the animals.
Legally, the decision of whether or not to add a threatened species to the Endangered Species Act list requires the use of “the best available science in a couple of key areas,” Jon Hunter, Policy Director of the Endangered Species Coalition, told me on Monday. So the integrity of the science is very important.
“The polar bear is a great example in the last couple of years, [–] the best science we have indicates that they are on a very bad path,” Jon explained. The science that was needed pushed the boundaries of what has been traditionally considered good science. “It looked further out and relies more on modeling and other predictions rather than a more traditional head count of how many exist and how many there were ten years ago.”
The US Geological Survey had to consider what the best climate models indicate will happen to the ice around the Arctic and Alaska. The models told the USGS that “this is what will happen to the ice” and “from the ice, this is what will happen to the polar bears,” Jon explained. “As a result, they could indicate that the polar bears were at serious risk, losing a lot of what they depend on for survival.” This leads to the conclusion that there “clearly is a threat to the polar bear population being able to survive as a species.”
“The definition of a threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future,” Jon continued. “So they clearly said, ‘the best science we have, the models, indicate that there will be a risk at some point in the foreseeable future’.” This is a fundamentally different use of science from the traditional approach which examines how “this species is being killed today by this cause.” But Jon indicates that science is changing towards this model, and adds that “it’s important that we really look at science in this form to say ‘what can we expect with this species?’ ” Good wildlife conservation considers the future of a species.
Sometimes politics enters into the field and politicians question scientific findings. For this reason, agencies are doing more peer reviews. That way, the science has a higher likelihood of standing up in court, which is where debates or challenges often go. If the science is not solid, cases can be thrown out of court, which can sometimes allow threats to endangered species. Most often, court cases examine “whether or not all of the science was used, if conclusions are actually founded in other determinations, and also how a decision or a delisting decision prescribes exactly as the law requires,” Jon explained.
While not all endangered species decisions go through courts, there are a large number of challenges. While details of challenges vary with species, the challenges are launched by members of two major groups. “Oftentimes if a species isn’t listed, environmental groups look at it to closely to see if it would make a good court challenge. If it does get listed, opponents to endangered species protection may challenge it,” such as a logging or a mining company. And regardless of what side the court challenge comes from, the integrity and quality of the science used to make the decision can make a large difference for or against a threatened species.
Tags: Arctic, Conservation, endangered, Endangered Species, global warming, polar bear, science, spotted owl, wild animals
Saving Our World’s Tigers
Credit: John Goodrich, WCS
Into a world with just less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild, Tigers Forever was born in 2006 with the goal of increasing key tiger populations by 50% over the next ten years. They knew it would take more than money alone, since tigers were getting more funding than most endangered species and yet were still declining. But in the darkness were two lights – Wildlife Conservation Society had two long term field sites where tigers were actually doing well. Panthera and Wildlife Conservation Society leaders studied these two sites and found that their success was due to how the sites were being managed. The sites held the lessons of how to save and increase the number of tigers. Tigers Forever is based on those success stories, matched with business sense and streamlined and focused efforts.
Intrigued by how Tigers Forever had set a strategic goal and was being so well managed, I enjoyed having a personal interview with Andrea Heydlauff, Managing Director of Panthera, who filled me in.
New York entrepreneur and Panthera board member Michael Cline committed to contributing $5 million over ten years to Tigers Forever, with Panthera contributing the same amount (so together it’s $10 million over 10 years) . Wildlife Conservation Society matches those funds, and the groups collaborate. As well, Cline understood the power of strategic planning and management, and led the way in setting the goal of increasing tiger numbers at key sites by 50%, collectively. Of the 13 tiger countries, WCS had field scientists in 9 of them, and Panthera had a presence through their commitment and program management.
Credit: WCS Myanmar
The eight sites selected for management all had known tiger and prey populations, conservation manpower and efforts, and buy-in from government and local partnerships. Engaging all factions is key to successfully accomplishing conservation goals. “It wasn’t just random,” Andrea explained, “it’s where is it that we are going to have the most impact.”
Aside from poaching and hunting of both tigers and their prey, another of the biggest threats facing tigers is connectivity where they are suffering “from fragmentation and isolation”. In places such as India, “with human population pressure you’re getting these postage stamp, isolated, almost little Disney parks of tigers”, Andrea commented. Different populations of tigers need connectivity to keep the animals healthy and genetically strong and ensure their long term future.
It’s also important to ease conflicts between humans and tigers. Too often, people living in or around core-protected areas allow their livestock to graze openly in tiger habitat, and run the risk of losing their livestock to hungry tigers – especially where there is little to no wild prey. This affects human livelihoods. Sometimes the solution is as simple as having local authorities enforce a ban against livestock in core areas and having patrols make sure that domestic animals graze in selected areas. “We are the NGO, we can’t necessarily do the enforcement, but we can train and support the enforcement teams”, Andrea mentioned. Other solutions involve teaching local people good animal husbandry techniques, such as bringing livestock into fenced areas at night rather than letting them roam free. “What’s good for cats is good for people”.
Tigers Forever is committed to achieving their annual goals. Good site monitoring information about tigers and their prey, about the hunting of tigers and their prey, and habitat loss/fragmentation, is essential. Through camera traps and density estimates, the field research provides important information that tells managers how the program is doing, the impact and effectiveness of the patrol teams, and what may need changing. These measurements are presented in an annual meeting which brings together key people from each site as well as the managing organizations. “We conduct a rigorous analysis each year, by looking at data and looking at human efforts,” Andrea continued. By looking at the data and comparing benchmarks, those involved evaluate whether the efforts are working. If they’re not, they look at it again and change things – a perfect example of adaptive management.
This business management approach to saving tigers is producing success. In a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand, signs are being seen of a growing tiger population. The reasons? Tremendous government buy-in, and hundreds of patrol park officers with high morale, good equipment, and uniforms. Unlike too many places, these park guards have pride in their jobs, excellent training including refresher courses, and individual accountability and successes. “It’s a good job to have, so the people want to keep their jobs”.
I asked Andrea if this business-like approach is the wave of the future for conservation NGOs. “Donors are smarter now – they want accountability,” she answered. How can non profits know if they’re saving animals when they lack the monitoring and annual reviews that sometimes highlight what just isn’t working? “So this is going to shift non profits to being more accountable regarding where their money is going and if targets are being met.”
With Tigers Forever, 100% of donations is put directly into the field where it’s needed. Their overhead is covered by seed funds, so donations can go to conducting the research on the ground, developing and setting up camera trap, and training park guards, “giving them the tools to be effective in working to save the tigers”, Andrea told me . Funds are needed in the field to accomplish their goals.
You can learn more about Tigers Forever by visiting their website.
Tags: Conservation, endangered, Panthera, tiger, Tigers Forever, wild animals, Wildlife Conservation Society
