Conservation Today

Discussing conservation projects happening around the globe, and how YOU can get involved.

[currentconservation]

Forest Conservation in the Alto Mayo Region

Alto Mayo Region? Never heard of it. 

Well lucky for all of us, Conservation International (CI) has. Spanning 182,000 hectares (HA), this Peruvian forest is twice the size of New York City. This green space is disappearing at an alarming rate. Under massive deforestation pressures, more and more green space is being demolished to put up roadways, farms, and communities. With all of this interference, it is surprising to learn that this forest is a protected area, but one that is not very well protected. There is where CI steps in. Their goals are to simply protected this forested area, and help it recuperate the trees and plants that have been lost.  

But how to take on such a massive and expensive project? Well with Project REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation 'plus' conservation), which is currently being funded by Disney with a generous endowment of 3.5 billion USD. With this funding, CI is able to address the deforestation issue, and to make strides to halt and reverse using incentive based conservation agreements. The incentives that are offered to the people surround these forests are not monetary, but rather those that will benefit their well being, such as access to medicine, educational assistance, and technology to assist in farming. These incentive programs have shown excellent results, with over 200 families in the Alto Mayo region pledging not to cut down trees in this fragile protected area.

But why protect this particular forest? Why should Conservation International focus on this area over a different forest? Because the amount of deforestation that had been happening in this region lead to a massive increase of carbon emission. Since 2012 when the deforestation pressure was reduced, almost 3 million tons of emission reduction has occurred. That is the equivalent of taking half a MILLION cars off of the roads for one year. If the deforestation pressure can remain low in this area, the reduction of carbon emission will have an indescribable benefit on the global environment. 

With new results from 2015, there has been a 75% reduction of deforestation in the Alto Mayo region. A massive success for CI, and a step towards better living for the people of this region. Reduced carbon emission and reduced deforestation will also promote better living conditions for the communities down river of the Alto Mayo region. These towns use the water sources flowing through the area as a source of power, and with the loss of thousands of trees, the water sources have begun to fail, similar to the land. 

Although so far this conservation story has been a huge success on many levels, there is always more work that can be done to continue on and promote the project. Conservation International is always looking for national and international volunteers, and more information can be found on their website: www.conservation.org. Tips for greener living, and easy ways to get involved can also be found for those who are not able to make a full commitment to a volunteer position! Just remember, every little bit helps!

Go green!

[americasgreatoutdoors]

Cool video of endangered bighorn sheep getting released into Yosemite National Park this week. In 2000, there were as few as 100 Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, but since then conservation efforts have helped increase the number to over 600 sheep. The return of this long-absent wilderness icon to the heart of Yosemite will restore the alpine ecosystem and give backcountry hikers a chance to view bighorn sheep in their native habitat. This is the first time in more than 100 years that bighorn sheep are in the Cathedral Range.

[rhamphotheca]

Good News For Endangered Turtle:

With fewer than 50 adults in the wild and captivity, news of females dominating the conservation colony means a brighter future for Northern River Terrapins.

by Heather Lowe

We’ve received good news regarding the future of the Critically Endangered Northern River Terrapin, Batagur baska. Dr. Gerald Kuchling, renowned turtle reproductive physiologist from Chelonia Enterprise, recently supervised the laproscopic sexing of captive juvenile turtles at TSA’s program site in India.

Dr. Kuchling’s finding, that the majority of the animals are female, is significant for the future of the species. As with any small population of animals, it is imperative that the group consist of primarily females to ensure the production of offspring and increase genetic diversity. Information regarding sex-ratio is also extremely useful in the planning of future reintroduction, translocation and captive breeding initiatives.

Dr. Kuchling identified 25 males among the 145 juvenile turtles which hatched and are currently being reared at the facility. The turtles are from three separate groups housed at Sajnekhali Forest Station in the Sunderban Tiger Reserve…

(read more: Turtle Survival Alliance)

[nubbsgalore]

when michael nichols first photographed forest elephants in the lowland forests of the central african republic in 1991, he only caught fleeting moments of them, and at great peril. these sensitive giants were so afraid of ivory poachers hunting them down that they thundered off at the slightest hint of human activity.

it took him 16 years to encounter a heard of 600 savannah elephants who were not fearful of humans. he would end up living with them for two years in kenya’s samburu national reserve, where he came to understand their complex relationships and the depth of their intelligence and compassion (click pics for more).

he recounts, for example, a family mourning the death of a female and other matriarchs approaching and surround the corpse, touching it with their trunks and swaying back and forth. “they go to the corpse and they won’t leave it,” he said. “even when it’s just bones. once a year they’ll visit the bones and hold them with their trunk. i would call that mourning” (sixth photo).

“these are the most caring and sentient creatures on earth, yet they suffer so horribly at the hand of man,” he adds.  while in chad, nichols witnessed the massacre of forest elephants, the smaller and more elusive cousins of the better known savanna elephants, whose denser, pinker tusks fetch 90,000 dollars a pair on the black market.

forest elephant numbers have declined by two thirds in the last decade due to poaching, leaving only 20,000 left. ivory poachers are now killing a total of 22,000 african elephants a year, which means they are on course to be extinct within the decade.

says nichols, elephants “cannot be terrorized and massacred by a world that calls itself civilized. we have to forget about the absurd indulgence of ivory and put our focus and resources into the far more complex problem of how elephants and humans can share land in an overtaxed continent.” 

[currentconservation]

Thresher Shark Project

The Tresher Shark research and conservation project is focused on protecting the three species of Thresher Sharks, all that are now listed as vulnerable on the endangered species list. They also spend much of there time researching this fairly unknown genus, particularly their ecology. The three species are common thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus , bigeye thresher shark, Alopias superciliosus and the pelagic thresher shark, Alopias supercilious.

These sharks are hunted due to their prized meat, livers, which are used for vitamin extraction, and their hide, which is used in the protection of leather goods. These sharks are hunted all over the world, and since their migration patterns drive them to travel through the waters of multiple countries, management of their protection is one the most complicated components to finding safety for these creatures. With this constant migration, national, and international understanding and cooperation is needed in order to make sure that protection laws that have been instated are upheld. These sharks also have a low fecundity, and mature late in life,  allowing them to be defined as a k-selected species. With this label, it is commonly known that those species have a harder time recuperating after severe population impacts.

While these sharks to have a particularly large range across the globe, being found off the western coast of the United States, and the South America and African coasts, they have a particularly large population found around the Philippines. This region of their distribution is where a great amount of sharking hunting, and finning occur, since the meat can often catch a very good price in the Asian Markets. Because of these facts, the legislation that created is focusing on that particular region. The recently passed legislation protected Threshers from fisheries, and aids to protect their habitat in the Philippine area. 

The Thresher Shark Project also dedicated much of their time and resources to educating the public on what they can do to help not only Thresher Sharks, but other marine species in their environment. They work to teach people about the biology, life history, and the vulnerabilities that marine organisms face, and what the public can do to help diminish the threats that are occurring at an alarming rate. With all of the public efforts they have been making, conservation groups and politicians alike have begun to see the benefits of protecting these sharks, particularly in the Philippines. Research has shown that the visiting of SCUBA divers coming to observe the Threshers brings in more money for the economy than their flesh will bring in on the fish market. With this knowledge, making the decision to protect sharks has a clear benefit to the economy and the people of the Philippines.

The Thresher Shark Project is currently looking for volunteers and permanent team members in their Science, Education and Community Liaison Office. More information can be found on their website: http://www.threshersharkproject.org/TSRCP/Jobs.html, along with more information on their research, and conservation efforts for these magnificent citizens of the sea. 

Live long Thresher Sharks!

[mypubliclands]

BLM California and Partner Celebrate Restoration at the Headwaters Forest Reserve

When the Headwaters Forest on California’s North Coast came into public ownership more than a decade ago, there were high expectations that its ancient redwoods would be protected, its already-logged forests would be nurtured toward old-growth status and threatened wildlife species would find refuge in protected habitat.

Today, that forest is known as the Headwaters Forest Reserve. Those early expectations are being realized and in many cases, exceeded.

After 15 years of restoration work, the BLM and its managing partner, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, are seeing improvements in salmon spawning habitat, a retreat of habitat-threatening invasive plants, improving conditions in forest stands and vastly improved recreational and education opportunities for the public.

For more information on Headwater Forest Reserve: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/arcata/headwaters.html

Photos and story by Jeff Fontana, BLM California

[currentconservation]

Pitcairn Island Marine Reserve

Pitcairn Island is a small, 47km², with a seemingly non existent population of approximately 50 individuals. If that isn’t unique enough to put this island on the map, it is also in the middle of the world’s largest fully protected marine environment. This small UK territory in the South Pacific ocean is now a 834,334-square-kilometre marine sanctuary for the species that live there. This area alone is home to well over one thousand species of fish, coral, marine mammals and sea birds, all dealing with the threat of human impact. But the new laws invoked  help protect these species from the negative results human interference can bring.

The goal of this protected area is to keep some of the most pristine ocean environments safe from the harm of illegal fishing activity. Across the globe, over fishing and illegal fishing practices have become a issue of great importance, and government actions are happening in order buckle down on the impacts they are having on hundreds of species. The vast majority of the sea surround the Pitcairn Island and it’s three closest, uninhabited island, are completely void of fishing, a small passage between the main Pitcairn Island and the closest reef (Adams Seamount) has been opened to non commercial sustainable fishing, so the inhabitants of this island have access to food. The ocean outside of that zone is strictly off limits to all finish, recreational or commercial.These newly instated laws have the goal of allowing the native species time to recuperate from the fishing pressures they have been dealing with.

With this marine reserve, the hope is that the species that call this area home will have the chance to thrive, reproduce, and live without the threat of constant human interference. Especially the new species that were discovered in this area during the initial exploration. Multiple shark species were also found in the area, and protecting them is a key part of this marine reserve, since shark hunting have resulted in placing many species on the endangered list. But how do you make sure that people are following the rules of no fishing do you ask? Well with a Virtual Watchroom of course.

This Virtual Watchroom technology allows virtually real time viewing of the areas surrounding not only the Pitcairn Islands, but other marine protected areas. Using a satellite monitoring system, keeping an eye on the water surrounding the island has never been easier, which will hopefully lead towards a success story in terms of the protection of the thousands of species that call this area a save haven. The real time viewing allows for quick action to be taken if law breaking is suspected, hopefully quick enough to stop any damaged from being caused.

But why only protect one area? Why not protect a bunch of smaller areas all over the world, doesn’t give you a greater chance of protecting more species? Well that question is something that conservation biologist have grappled with for many years, and is an ongoing debate to this day. But the research is starting to lean in the favor of having a single large conservation area, since they have been shown to have larger populations (with more genetic variability) and have lower extinction rates. Having larger populations with high genetic diversity is extremely important, especially with endangered species, since high variability means a lowered rate of inbreeding, which can have some very negative side effects for all species. Now this doesn’t mean that conservation should just focus on one area, but it does mean, that when working to establish a new protected area, it is of enormous benefit to make that area as large as possible.

While there aren’t any marine conservation volunteer experiences happening on the Pitcairn Islands right now, that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in other ways! Something as simple as cleaning up coast lines in your area is a huge help to reducing the amount of trash that ends up in the ocean. If you are interested in getting involved outside of your hometown however, there are hundreds of organizations looking for volunteers. http://blueventures.org, has multiple opportunities all over the world. http://coralreef.noaa.gov, is another great resources, with opportunities all over the United States! Getting involved is easy, picking just one project to work on is that hard part!

Just keep swimming Pitcairn Island Species!

[currentconservation]

Elephants without Borders

Elephants without Borders is a conservation group advocating for the safe migration of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) through the war and poverty torn area of Botswana and it’s surrounding lands. These elephants spend the majority of the dry season traveling thousands of kilometers to find water sources. With the success of the previous conservation of this species, populations have started to boom, leaving large congregations of elephants locked in place by warring countries that surround Botswana, and man made barriers.

In history, before man began to establish themselves in these lands, the herds were able to roam with no blockades, but in more recent history, this is no longer the case. With the creation of farms, towns, and war, many of the passages these now blocked. With this blockage comes increased stress in the herds, since their natural instincts to follow hundred year old passages are now impossible to follow. With the increased numbers of elephants locked in one place, foraging has become more difficult, and the impact these animals are having on the land is being noticed by not only the locals, but the government. With the negative impact that the elephants are having on the land, drastic solutions, such as culling, have been suggested in order to lessen their impact. 

One of massive issues that these elephants have to overcome are the obstacles that humans have set out for them. Including towns they must travel through, and fences they must pass over. Adult African Elephants are often able to concur these fences with ease, but their young are not as successful, stopping the herd in it’s tracks and causing them to look for another way to continue on their migration paths. Elephants without Borders looks for a way to relieve the stress, and find safe passage ways for the elephants through these man made barriers. Much of the research that EWB is conducting is trying to find the ancient migration paths that these elephant herds use to move from one water source to another. They do this by placing tracking collars on various elephants, of both sexes, and many ages, in order to gain an accurate image of how they travel.

This this research the men and women of Elephants Without Borders are working diligently to find a way for these magnificent animals to travel safely throughout their homeland, without interfering with the daily life of the people who share the same homeland. They spend much of their time educating the people of Botswana and surrounding lands to explain to them the habits these elephants partake in, and attempt to find solutions to help elephants and humans live in harmony. The main goal of EWB is to have the public support and understand the purpose of corridors, which allows the elephants safe passage through the areas that cause much of their turmoil. 

If you are interested in supporting Elephants Without Borders, donations can be made on their website: http://www.elephantswithoutborders.org/donate.php

If you are interested in getting involved with EWB, inquires about volunteering can be sent to: [email protected].

If you are interested in learning more about Elephants Without Borders, the BBC documentary has excellent explanations and coverage on all research being done. 

If you are interested in supporting Elephants Without Borders, donations can be made on their website: http://www.elephantswithoutborders.org/donate.php

If you are interested in getting involved with EWB, inquires about volunteering can be sent to: [email protected].

Live long and travel far Loxondata africana!