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
100 Heartbeats
The name “Hundred Heartbeat Club” was first used by E.O. Wilson in “Vanishing Before Our Eyes”, and refers to species that “literally have fewer than 100 hearts beating on our planet”. Jeff Corwin’s new book, entitled “100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth’s Most Endangered Species”, is their story. It’s an important book and I highly recommend it.
Personal encounters with endangered animals are told with the skill of a polished story teller. Vivid descriptions of the dangers facing wildlife are interspersed with stories of the heroes and actions that are trying to save the animals.
The book must have taken thousands of hours of research. Among my favorite tidbits is the description of a condor flying – “the beating of those wings, like the sound of sheets flapping on a clothesline in an angry gale” – is why “Native Americans nicknamed the condor ‘thunderbird’ ”.
Corwin’s passion for wild animals is clear and he’s not afraid of making readers feel emotions. His account of the evacuation of condors from the path of a fire approaching Ventana (California) is high drama, capturing the feelings of carrying endangered birds out through smoke in a US Navy helicopter.
Corwin gets it right on, such as his discussion of the bushmeat crisis. He writes about the local people: “And like everyone else in the world, they want three things: jobs, education for their children, and good medical care”. He adds, “That’s why partnerships with human development agencies and local communities are essential. It is possible if there’s a global commitment to conserve biodiversity.”
The stories behind the conservation headlines also include details about the dreadfully polluted and dammed up Yangtze River, the global disappearance of amphibians which he calls “the canaries in the coalmine”, and the determined fight to save rhinos, among others. Stories such as the comeback of the black footed ferret – which was thought to be extinct till a farmer’s dog dragged a dead one into their house, revealing a nearby living population – are amazing and give hope that similar events will occur.
It is hoped that this book will “serve as a catalyst, educating people about the state of our natural world and compelling them to help protect it for future generations”. Our challenges require the efforts of everyone – “everybody from the leader of a nation to somebody who’s just learning about this for the first time”. “Perhaps the most important component of any possible solution is having the will to find one,” Corwin quotes Richard G. Ruggiero, PhD, of the USFWS Division of International Conservation.
“It’s true that for endangered species, every day presents a challenge. But it’s also true that every day presents opportunities for us to make resounding strides,” writes Corwin. “We have the chance to do it, and we can succeed. Every heartbeat matters.”
Tags: 100 Hearbeats, bushmeat, condor, Conservation, E O Wilson, endangered, Jeff Corwin, rhino, wild animals
