Archives for November 2015

UK Wildlife Crime Stoppers Awarded

November 30, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

30 November 2015 | World Wildlife Fund UK News Release

Samantha Trackman, (Border Force) and Helen Bulmer, (NWCU) were commended for their outstanding contribution towards an operation which specifically targets the illegal wildlife trade. The award was presented by Sarah Goddard, WWF-UK’s Species Policy Officer, at a ceremony during the National Wildlife Enforcers Conference on Saturday 28th November.

The innovative inter-agency collaboration undertaken by Bulmer and Trackman contributed significantly to the success of Operation Cobra III. Bulmer and Trackman now continue to share their knowledge to develop future operations, ensuring their work has a continuing legacy.

WWF and the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime (PAW) presented the award at the 27th Annual UK National Wildlife Crime Conference on Saturday 28th November, where law enforcers, statutory agencies and NGOs gather at the conference to hear the latest views, approaches, successes and challenges of combating wildlife crime in the UK.

Sarah Goddard, Species Policy Officer at WWF-UK, said:

“I commend Helen and Sam on their excellent work, which exemplifies successful partnership working between two very important enforcement bodies in tackling the illegal wildlife trade. As this Operation shows, it is crucial that efforts to stop the illegal trade in wildlife in the UK are maintained. The UK Government should continue to resource both Border Force and the NWCU – the alternative would be to face devastating blows for the fight against the illegal wildlife trade”.

Dan O’Mahoney, Deputy Director, Border Force Heathrow said:

“Border Force officers play a crucial role in the fight against the illegal trafficking of endangered species. The significant number of seizures made during Operation Cobra dealt a serious blow to criminals involved in this despicable trade.

Joint operations maximise our impact, often leading us to uncover serious organised crime networks in the UK and overseas. Those illegally trading in wildlife products should be in no doubt – we will target you at the UK border and beyond. Sam and Helen are experts in their field and fully deserve this award, recognising the outstanding contribution they made to this operation.”

Martin Sims, Head of National Wildlife Crime Unit commented:

“I am delighted that the work Helen and Sam put into the success of operation Cobra III has been formally recognised. Their contribution was hugely significant and I believe leaves a legacy for the future. This operation has also identified how significant the United Kingdom is in the illegal wildlife trade. Now this has been exposed, it is for us within the UK Border Force and UK Policing to continue the battle in combating this type of crime.”

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For further information, please contact:

Lianne Mason, Media Relations Officer WWF-UK
lmason@wwf.org.uk
Tel: 44 (0)1483 412206 / +44 (0)777818699

For more information about endangered species go to Bagheera.com
Find organizations saving endangered species at Saving Endangered Species.com
For more information about endangered tigers go to Tigers In Crisis.com
Find organizations saving endangered tigers at Saving Endangered Tigers.com

Mozambique Completes Elephant Collaring Effort

November 26, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

26 November 2015 | Wildlife Conservation Society News Release

MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE – A team of conservationists from WCS, the Government of Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and other partners, completed a five-day effort to fit tracking collars on 20 elephants in the Niassa Reserve, the most important protected area in the country.

A total of 17 females and 3 males were collared. The focus was on females in order to track the movements of family groups. The elephants are now being tracked by conservationists in an effort to protect wildlife from poaching.

Elephant collaring is a very useful tool in establishing and managing Intensive Protection Zones – special areas being established to conserve key elephant sub-populations that represent a critical reproductive nucleus for the survival and recovery of the Reserve’s elephants. The collars are fitted with satellite GPS transmitters to better understand elephant behavior and use of the landscape. In addition, they provide real-time position data for the elephant herds, which facilitates close monitoring. This location data in combination with aerial surveillance and ground patrols will enable targeted protection efforts and facilitates effective and rapid responses.

Niassa staff are developing intelligence gathering capacity on poaching and trafficking networks, which targets major elephant poachers and traffickers operating in the landscape. In addition, the Reserve will use the elephant collaring data to inform multi-sectoral land use planning, which will help to secure sufficient habitat and connectivity to protect elephants in the long-term.

Niassa National Reserve is co-managed by the Government of Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), working in partnership with the Reserve’s tourist operators and communities. The Reserve hosts Mozambique’s biggest elephant population, with an estimated population in late 2014 of 4,441, which represents 43 percent of the national total.

Alastair Nelson, WCS Country Director, Mozambique, said: “Niassa Reserve is the size of Denmark, so we have to focus our efforts if we are to address elephant poaching, artisanal mining and logging that are threatening this pristine wilderness. Collaring these elephants provides one focus for our protection efforts; aerial surveillance supports this and also helps us address illegal mining and logging.”

Dr. Bartolomeu Soto, Director-General of Mozambique’s National Authority for Conservation Areas (ANAC) said: “This collaring operation is a critical part of our protection strategy to address poaching in Niassa Reserve. ANAC and the Government of Mozambique are committed to this battle and we will work with WCS and all other partners to secure our wildlife.”

During the operation fifteen elephants carcasses from two family groups were counted, which had recently been killed for their ivory. At one location, the ivory remained on one elephant, indicating that the arrival of the helicopter in the area led the poachers to flee the scene before they had time to complete the laborious task of removing the ivory. This further stresses the need for the collaring to provide real-time information on elephant groups so that authorities can respond quickly and stop these killings happening.

The current elephant-poaching crisis has had a major impact, with an estimated 63 percent of Niassa National Reserve’s elephants killed in the three-year period between the aerial counts of October 2011 and October 2014. In response, the Reserve management is in the process of establishing Intensive Protection Zones (IPZ) to protect key elephant sub-populations that represent a critical reproductive nucleus for the survival and recovery of Niassa’s elephants.

The collaring team consisted of wildlife vets Dr. Carlos Lopes Pereira and Dr. Mike Kock who had responsibility for darting and collaring the elephants from a helicopter flown by Benjamin Osmers. Falk Grossmann, Niassa Reserve’s Aviation Manager and Elephant Protection Coordinator, flew the Reserve’s Cessna 182 with NNR scouts onboard as observers to help locate the elephant groups. Carlos Lopes Pereira, who led the veterinary and helicopter team, is Mozambique’s most experienced wildlife vet and works as both Head of Law Enforcement at ANAC and as Technical Director for the WCS Mozambique Program. Mike Kock, an experienced wildlife vet has worked for many years with WCS on wildlife-human health interventions across Africa.

The collaring is supported by WCS, USAID, Wildcat Foundation and USFWS. This work is additionally supported through the Alliance for Ecosystem Conservation Systems, Markets and Tourism (ECO-SMART) launched earlier in the year. A key component of this USAID/Mozambique funded initiative is to provide core support to the Niassa Reserve management in partnership with three of Niassa Reserve’s tourism operators and potential new partners in future to be a model for promoting sustainable development for local communities, regional economies, and overall governance in Mozambique through biodiversity conservation.

The ECO-SMART initiative seeks to develop a strong platform for effective protected area management, which this year has established Reserve-wide communication systems, a conservation aviation unit, strategic development of protection infrastructure, procurement of vehicles and other equipment for ground operations, building the Reserve team, and strengthening partnerships with the Reserve operators and other law enforcement bodies in the Reserve, including the newly deployed environmental police force.

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CONTACT:
MARY DIXON: (1-347-840-1242; mdixon@wcs.org)
STEPHEN SAUTNER: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org

Another Smuggled Orangutan Returned Home

November 24, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

24 November 2015 | Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation News Release

Jakarta, 23 November 2015. In July 2015, the Kuwait International Airport successfully intercepted an attempt to illegally smuggle two baby orangutans into Kuwait from Jakarta. The Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait quickly collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in order to repatriate these two orangutans. Initial health checks revealed that both were female and aged 2 years and 6 months old respectively.

On 13 September 2015, the 2-year-old who we named MOZA, was safely repatriated to Indonesia and is currently in the care of Taman Safari Indonesia, Cisarua, Bogor, West Java. The other baby, now 10-months-old, remained in the care of Kuwait Zoo as was deemed too young to travel.

The Indonesian government, represented by the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait in collaboration with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS Foundation), has now repatriated the second orangutan baby who we have named Puspa. The baby was transported by Kuwait Airways flight number KU415 and landed in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang on 23 November 2015 at 15:40 local time.

During the process of repatriating Puspa, the BOS Foundation contributed by providing funds for transportation of 1 (one) individual orangutan, a set of detailed Standard Operating Procedures to ensure safe transportation of the baby orangutan, as well as an experienced veterinarian to accompany Puspa during her flight from Kuwait to Jakarta.

A physical examination by the accompanying vet has revealed that Puspa is in very good health even after a 10-hour long flight.

From the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Puspa was transported directly to Quarantine installation of Taman Safari Indonesia, Cisarua, Bogor, West Java, under the care of a joint team of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the BOS Foundation. Puspa is now undergoing a quarantine process.

The quarantine process consists of thorough health and DNA tests to determine where she will be rehabilitated. Puspa joins other baby orangutans, Moza and Junior, who were already in quarantine and their test results conclude that both are Bornean orangutans from Central Kalimantan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). A thorough rehabilitation process is critical to give these three orangutans a chance to someday return to their true habitat, the forest.

Ahmad Fachmi S, Head of Social and Culture Information of the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait, says, “The Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait has been working in collaboration with the Kuwait Zoo, the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the BOS Foundation in order to return these two orangutans. This particular repatriation has occurred due to a strong commitment from both the Kuwait and Indonesian governments, to preserve this endangered species as stated in Appendix 1 CITES.”

Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Dr. Ir. Tachrir Fathoni, M.Sc. says, “Within the past few months, the government has demonstrated positive results in the fight against illegal animal trade to foreign countries, and succeeded in returning a number of animals. The government is in the process of collecting data on orangutans smuggled abroad with the intention of returning them immediately. As regulated by international law, all illegally transported orangutans must be returned to Indonesia. The Indonesian government wishes to release orangutans back to natural habitat when possible, therefore the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, through the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation, has requested the BOS Foundation to assist in the repatriation of two orangutan babies cared for at the Kuwait Zoo, and if the DNA test results deem, to place them in BOS Foundation’s Orangutan Rehabilitation Centers.”

Dr. Ir. Jamartin Sihite, CEO of BOS Foundation says, “Behind our success of returning these two orangutans from Kuwait, there is still a huge remaining problem. Failed wild animal smuggling and trade cases indicate weak field monitoring and law enforcement. This is like the tip of an iceberg. What you see is nothing compare to what the real deal uderneath. Our field teams frequently encounter hunters, poachers, even illegal loggers. We continually report these findings to the local authorities, with so far no satisfying follow up. If you are committed to eradicate smuggling and illegal animal trade, field monitoring and and law enforcement must be done at the highest standard. You simply can not go half way.”

In the past few weeks, the government has been intensifying the fight against illegal animal trade. This includes the arrest of a local animal trade syndicate with ties to an international network by the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the Jakarta Police Force several days ago. Not only should we be working nationwide, the government should also be actively pursuing collaboration with other governments to create an international worldwide monitoring system. We also need to appoint honest, disciplined and professional officers at our international border points.

Orangutans are legally protected by Government Regulation number 7/1999. Their conservation has also been highlighted in the 2007-2017 Indonesian Orangutan Conservation Action Plan and Strategy launched personally by the former President Yudhoyono, during the Climate Change Conference in Bali, December 2007. However the success of orangutan conservation actions will heavily rely on the support and commitment from all parties, the government and people of Indonesia.

The Indonesian government expresses high appreciation towards all the parties involved in this repatriation. The Kuwait International Airport for their interception, the Kuwait Zoo for the care given to Moza and Puspa, as well as the Kuwait Embassy for the prompt coordination and strong commitment to bring home these poor young orangutans.

Orangutans are an umbrella species with a very significant role in forest regeneration and one of Indonesia’s iconic species. It is time for all parties to put more emphasis on orangutan conservation. Because apart from protecting them from extinction, to conserve their habitat also means to create a better quality of life and mutual wellbeing.

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Contact:

Paulina Laurensia Ela

Communication Specialist

Email: pauline@orangutan.or.id

Bambang Dahono Adji

Director of Biodiversity Conservation

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World’s Most Endangered Primates Revealed

November 24, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

24 November 2015 | International Union for Conservation of Nature News Release

The latest edition of ‘Primates in Peril: The world’s 25 most endangered primates’ has been revealed today. Compiled by the Primate Specialist Group of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC), Bristol Zoological Society, the International Primatological Society (IPS), and Conservation International (CI), new additions to the list include Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) and Lavasoa Mountains dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus lavasoensis), both of which are threatened by habitat loss.

The report, which is updated every two years, highlights the plight of 25 species including the Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), of which there are thought to be just 25 individuals left in the wild, and the Northern sportive lemurs (Lepilemur septentrionalis) of which just around 50 remain in their native Madagascar.

The main threats to primates are habitat destruction, particularly from the burning and clearing of tropical forests – which results in the release of greenhouse gases causing climate change – the hunting of primates for food, and the illegal wildlife trade.

“The world’s primate species are at great risk with more than half of the species threatened with extinction on The IUCN Red List,” says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. “We are currently re-assessing all primates and there is great concern that the situation may be getting even worse for many of these iconic and important species. Locally implemented projects to protect the Northern sportive lemur and Alaotra gentle lemur were announced in October by SOS – Save Our Species – an initiative managed by IUCN, yet much remains to be done for other species.”

The list, which has been drawn up by primatologists working in the field who have first-hand knowledge of the causes of threats to primates, includes five primate species from Madagascar, five from Africa, 10 from Asia, and five from Central and South America, all of which are in need of most urgent conservation action.

“This research highlights the extent of the danger facing many of the world’s primates,” says Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Director of Conservation at Bristol Zoological Society and a world-leading primatologist. “We hope it will focus people’s attention on these lesser known primate species, some of which most people will probably have never heard of, such as the Lavasoa Mountains dwarf lemur from Madagascar – a species only discovered two years ago – or the Roloway monkey from Ghana and Ivory Coast, which we believe is on the very verge of extinction.

“Some of these animals have tiny populations remaining in the wild and support and action to help save them is vital if we are to avoid losing these wonderful animals forever.”

Madagascar and Vietnam both have large numbers of highly threatened primate species. In Africa, the genus of the red colobus monkeys is under particular threat, as are some of the howler monkeys and spider monkeys of South America. All of these species are relatively large and conspicuous, making them prime targets for bushmeat hunting.

“The purpose of our Top 25 list is to highlight those primates most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately needed conservation measures,” says Dr Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Executive Vice Chair of Conservation International. “In particular, we want to encourage governments to commit to desperately needed biodiversity conservation measures.

“What is more, beyond the great scientific interest of primates, there is increasing evidence that certain species may play a key role in dispersing the seeds of tropical forest tree species that have a critically important role in mitigating climate change – a particularly noteworthy consideration given the upcoming conference of the parties of the climate convention in Paris.”

“This report makes scary reading for primatologists and the public alike, and highlights where we as conservationists must focus our attention over the coming years,” says Dr Schwitzer. “However, it also demonstrates the growing importance of collaboration between the international conservation, research and zoo communities in the protection of species and habitats.”

“At Bristol Zoological Society we will continue our conservation and research with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the conservation activities, as well as increasing our understanding of these and other Critically Endangered species.”

Compiled by 63 experts from across the world, the report of the world’s 25 most endangered primates was launched at Singapore Zoo today, November 24, with guests from national and international conservation and research organisations.

For more information please contact:
Lynne Labanne, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer, email: lynne.labanne@iucn.org

Global Alliance Celebrates Combating Wildlife Crime

November 23, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

23 November 2015 | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species News Release

Geneva – The increased involvement of organized crime groups and on some occasions rebel militia, has changed the dynamics of combating wildlife and forest crime. The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) was formed to ensure a formidable and coordinated response to such crimes and to assist law enforcement authorities around the world with the increasingly difficult and complex situations they face in their fight against this highly destructive criminal activity.

Five years after the signature of a Letter of Understanding on 23 November 2010, the five inter-governmental organizations that form ICCWC, namely the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank and the World Customs Organization (WCO), celebrate the 5^th anniversary of the launch of the Consortium.

Globally, there is strong recognition of the need for increased international collaboration and coordination to combat illicit trafficking in wildlife. United under ICCWC, the five organizations have a unique pool of thematically relevant technical and programming expertise, that present the opportunity for a novel approach to the multi-facetted challenges posed by wildlife crime. Since its creation, the important role of ICCWC has been widely recognized, most recently by the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution on Tackling Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife, which includes a recognition of ICCWC and acknowledges the valuable technical assistance ICCWC can provide to support member states efforts to tackle illicit trade in wildlife.

Mr John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General, said: “ICCWC is developing the tools and providing the coordinated support and services that countries need to enable them to confront the organised criminal groups that are driving industrial scale poaching and smuggling. It is giving front line officers combating wildlife crime the ability to deploy the same tools and techniques used to combat other serious crimes, which is essential if we are to win this fight”.

“The Consortium has benefited from the strong support of the executive heads of each of the five partner organisations, and generous financial support from multiple donors, including the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the World Bank Development Grant Facility, for which we are most grateful. This has enabled the Consortium to deliver a wide range of activities to date” added Scanlon.

Based on the Consortium’s Strategic Mission, ICCWC partners are providing coordinated law enforcement support in many different countries and regions across the world, to enhance the capacity and compliment the efforts of national wildlife law enforcement agencies and sub-regional and regional networks that on a daily basis act to combat the illegal trafficking in wild fauna and flora.

Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit:

Key activities delivered under the auspices of ICCWC include the development and implementation of the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit. To date Toolkit implementation has been successfully completed in 6 countries and is at different stages of implementation in an additional 11 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Further requests for toolkit implementation continue to be received.

An ICCWC indicator framework for wildlife and forest crime, designed to be completed as a self-assessment of national capacity for law enforcement authorities has also been developed. This indicator framework will complement the Toolkit, and will be launched at the 66th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in January 2016.

Wildlife Incident Support Teams and specialized training:

To support countries that have been affected by significant poaching, or that have made a large-scale seizure of CITES specimens, ICCWC has, upon request, deployed Wildlife Incident Support Teams (WISTs), to assist these countries and guide and facilitate appropriate follow-up actions. Such WISTs have been deployed at the request of Sri Lanka and the U.A.E. to assist national authorities to collect DNA samples from a large-scale ivory seizure for forensic analysis. A WIST was also deployed to Madagascar to provide analysis and support on the government’s efforts to deal with illegal logging and trafficking in rosewood and other precious timber species.

In addition, through its global network of regional and country offices, ICCWC has continued to provide specialized training for wildlife law enforcement officers, including specialized training in support of operations and the organization of a number of activities to support the implementation of the recommendations of the ICCWC Toolkit, such as delivering targeted training on CITES and special investigative techniques (Bangladesh, October 2015).

Coordinated enforcement efforts:

ICCWC continues to support and enhance the capacity of national agencies responsible for wildlife law enforcement to use specialized techniques such as controlled deliveries to combat wildlife crime. This has been done and is ongoing through a number of workshops and projects (China, 2011; Prague, 2015, and related activities of Projects WAYLAY and INAMA).

In addition, ICCWC has coordinated a number of operations such as INFRA TERRA, PAWS and URSA, and supported network-led operations such as COBRA II and III.

Following the convening of the First global meeting of wildlife enforcement networks at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in Bangkok, Thailand, and to further enhance cooperation and coordination among networks, a second global meeting is planned alongside the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in September 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Forensics and anti-money laundering:

As part of ICCWC’s portfolio of activities on wildlife forensics, ICCWC developed practical tools and guidelines such as the ICCWC guidelines for forensic methods and procedures of ivory sampling and analysis, and is currently developing similar guidelines for timber.

ICCWC is also developing an anti-money laundering learning programme with a specific focus on wildlife crime, which is expected to be ready by mid-2016, for the training of investigators, prosecutors, judges, and other relevant stakeholders involved in the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime cases.

High level events:

ICCWC has contributed to generate high level support to combat illegal trade in wildlife by supporting and organizing a number of high level conferences and events such as a seminar for Heads of police and Customs on tiger crime, the ICCWC Ministerial roundtable on combating wildlife and forest crime, and a Ministerial-level and Senior Officials meeting on combating poaching and the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn.

Strategic Programme for 2016-2020:

The Consortium uses a light administrative model, with ICCWC partners leading on key initiatives.

Building on its current Strategic Mission, ICCWC will be launching in coming months its Strategic Programme for 2016-2020, the Consortium’s targeted strategy to combat illegal trade in wildlife in a comprehensive and coordinated manner for coming years.

Funding and donor support:

The Consortium would like to thank the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the World Bank Development Grant Facility for their generous support to ICCWC.

For more information, please visit the ICCWC website.

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New Study for Understanding Leopards

November 23, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

23 November 2015 | Wildlife Conservation Society News Release

In a novel study that relied on newspaper reports of “leopard conflict incidents,” scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s India Program and Centre for Wildlife Studies carried out the first-ever regional scale assessment of leopard populations in human-use areas in Karnataka.

When humans and large carnivores occupy the same areas, conflict between the two can occur, resulting in negative interactions and outcomes for both. Lack of knowledge on leopard ecology in human-use areas leads to ill-informed interventions that can cause more harm than good. This new study looked to obtain facts on leopard ecology to inform decision-making with regard to management.

The authors gathered reports covering a 14-month study period (March 2013 to April 2014). Using an advanced statistical method known as occupancy modelling, they were able to map such indicators as leopard distribution patterns and hotspots for interactions with humans and livestock.

During the study period, 245 cases of human-leopard interactions in Karnataka’s 175 taluks (sub-districts) were reported. There were 32 instances of attacks on humans, including three fatalities. Also documented were the capture and translocation of 56 leopards; 91percent of them were in response to attacks on livestock or mere sightings of leopards.

The authors noted that some translocations appeared to disregard the government’s own guidelines on human-leopard conflict management issued in 2011. Alarmingly, leopard translocations were found to be associated with increased probabilities of leopard attacks on livestock/humans.

The study highlights the fact that resurgence of large carnivores in human landscapes, thanks to increasing human acceptance, now needs to be buttressed by management actions based on research that generates knowledge about their ecology,” said Dr. Ullas Karanth, Director for Science-Asia, for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

An advantage of the methodology used in the study was that is enables scientists to obtain information from human-use landscapes across a large geographic area, where other methods such as camera-trap surveys would not be feasible.

Results indicated that leopards were distributed over 84,000 square kilometers of area (in Karnataka), excluding designated national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Presence of free-ranging dogs, cover, rocky escarpments and irrigated crop fields emerged as the environmental factors most likely influence leopard presence. According to the scientists, the correlation between livestock density to leopard presence was not as strong.

Contrary to the popular notion that leopards in human-dominated areas are “straying animals,” the study recorded 19 reports of cubs born in agricultural fields, indicating the presence of breeding resident females. Also, poaching and road-kills account for the highest number of leopard mortalities in the region.

Based on these findings, the authors suggest a shift in management approach from reactive conflict redressal involving capture and translocation to proactive community based interventions that ensure safety of people and livestock. They recommend prompt and fair compensation for losses caused by leopards to prevent retaliations and awareness drives to enhance people’s understanding and acceptance of these adaptable cats in human landscapes.

“Spotted in the news: Using media reports to examine leopard distribution, depredation, and management practices outside protected areas in southern India” occurs in the current version of the international scientific journal PLoS One [10(11): e0142647]. Co-authors include Vidya Athreya, Arjun Srivathsa, Mahi Puri, Krithi Karanth, Samba Kumar and Ullas Karanth of the Wildlife Conservation Society and Centre for Wildlife Studies.

Delmarva Fox Squirrel No Longer Endangered

November 13, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

13 November 2015 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service News Release

MILTON, Del. – The U.S. Department of the Interior today announced that due to concerted conservation efforts by states, landowners and others working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel, one of the animals included on the first list of endangered species nearly a half century ago, is no longer at risk of extinction.

FWS will officially remove the squirrel from the list of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in December 2015. The recovery was announced by Interior’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Michael Bean today at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton, Delaware, along with FWS Northeast Regional Director Wendi Weber, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (Delaware), Deputy Secretary Kara Coats of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and other local officials.

“The fox squirrel’s return to this area, rich with farmland and forest, marks not only a major win for conservationists and landowners, but also represents the latest in a string of success stories that demonstrate the Endangered Species Act’s effectiveness,” Bean said. “The Act provides flexibility and incentives to build partnerships with states and private landowners to help recover species while supporting local economic activity. I applaud the states of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, and the many partners who came together over the years to make this day possible.”

The ESA has been successful in conserving imperiled wildlife, preventing the extinction of more than 99 percent of the species listed as threatened or endangered since 1973. In addition, more than 30 species have been delisted due to recovery, including the bald eagle, American alligator, peregrine falcon and now Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel. Others, such as the whooping crane and the California condor, have been pulled back from the edge of extinction.

“We are truly blessed in Delaware to have a beautiful bayshore with farmland, marshes and landscapes like Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper. “These lands are crucial habitats for a number of species, including the Delmarva fox squirrel. The Endangered Species Act brought this squirrel back from the brink, and I’m excited we can celebrate this victory here in one of its habitats today.”

“This is a major conservation success story that is the result of strong partnerships and good stewardship of our land and wildlife,” said U.S. Senator Chris Coons. “I am so proud of the peninsula’s landowners, conservation organizations, and state officials for their work to bring the Delmarva fox squirrel back from the brink of extinction.”

“The natural world is amazingly resilient, especially when a broad collection of partners works together to help it,” said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee. “Today’s announcement is a major victory for the Endangered Species Act and the Delmarva fox squirrel itself, and much credit is due to the federal biologists who have worked for decades to rebuild the squirrel’s populations. But we could not have reached this point without the many citizen-conservationists who changed the way they managed their forest lands to make this victory possible, and I am deeply appreciative of their efforts. I will continue to champion the work that the Fish and Wildlife Service does to protect endangered species in the future.”

Larger than other squirrel species and generally not found in suburban or urban areas, the Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel ranged throughout the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia before experiencing a sharp decline in the mid-20^th century due to forest clearing for agriculture and development, short-rotation timber harvest and over-hunting. With its range reduced more than 90 percent, the squirrel was one of 78 species listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1967, the predecessor of the ESA enacted six years later.

“We are proud to be a major partner in the recovery of the Delmarva fox squirrel after 40 years of conservation efforts,” Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “This success story would not have happened without the cooperation of federal and state agencies and conservation groups, as well as the private property owners of Maryland and Delaware who provided habitat for the endangered species on their own land.”

“The federal delisting of the Delmarva fox squirrel as an endangered species is an exciting milestone in the progress of wildlife conservation in Delaware and throughout the region,” said Deputy Secretary Kara Coats of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “Although this unique species is secure on the federal level, it is still rare in Delaware. Through our Delmarva Fox Squirrel Conservation Plan, we have a path forward to further enhancing and restoring Delaware’s population of Delmarva fox squirrels as part of our state’s ecological diversity and landscape.”

With more than 80 percent of the squirrel’s home on private land, the squirrel has thrived on the rural, working landscapes of the peninsula where mature forests mix with agricultural fields.

Since listing, the squirrel’s range has increased from four to 10 counties, and a population of up to 20,000 squirrels now covers 28 percent of the Delmarva Peninsula, primarily in Maryland.

Efforts contributing to recovery include translocation of animals to establish new populations, closing of the targeted hunting season, growth and dispersal of the population, and protection of large forested areas for habitat.

The Blackwater (Maryland), Chincoteague (Virginia) and Prime Hook (Delaware) national wildlife refuges provide unique opportunities to see this animal.

Prior to its 2014 proposal to remove the squirrel from the endangered species list, FWS followed a rigorous and detailed process to assess the Delmarva fox squirrel’s extinction risk. The agency’s 2012 five-year review analyzed the status of populations, habitat and threats, considered the delisting criteria from the 1993 recovery plan (PDF), and ultimately recommended to delist the species because it is no longer in danger of extinction. A post-delisting monitoring plan will ensure the squirrel remains secure from extinction.

More information on the Delmarva fox squirrel can be found through the following resources:

Questions and answers (PDF)
Recovery fact sheet (PDF)
Delmarva fox squirrel website (includes links to rule, post-delisting monitoring plan, status reviews, video, photos and other information)

Contact(s):

Jessica Kershaw (Interior), interior_press@ios.doi.gov
Meagan Racey (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), meagan_racey@fws.gov

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Navy to Reassess Training Endangering Marine Mammals

November 12, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

12 November 2015 | Center for Biological Diversity News Release

HONOLULU— The U.S. Navy today said it plans to prepare a new environmental impact statement for training and testing exercises occurring in the Pacific Ocean from December 2018 onward, including the use of sonar and explosives that threaten widespread harm to whales, dolphins, other marine mammals and imperiled sea turtles. The move follows a March 31 federal court ruling that the Navy illegally failed to consider restricting military exercises in biologically important areas within the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing Study Area to reduce harm to marine mammals.

“The Navy doesn’t need to blow up breeding areas or blast migrating whales with sonar, so we’re glad they’re taking a closer look at this critical issue,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Navy doesn’t need continuous access to every square inch of the Pacific. It’s a big ocean, and we need protections for the places that are important to the survival of whales and dolphins.”

The Navy’s current five-year training plan was overturned after a legal challenge in federal court by Earthjustice, representing Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Ocean Mammal Institute. In a September 2015 settlement, the Navy agreed to put important habitat for numerous marine mammal populations off-limits to dangerous, mid-frequency sonar training and testing and the use of powerful explosives during the remainder of the five-year plan, which expires in December 2018.

“The science is clear. To avoid permanent injuries and death to whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, it is vital to keep Navy sonar and explosives out of the areas these animals need for essential activities like feeding, resting and caring for their young,” explained Earthjustice attorney David Henkin, who represented the conservation groups in the federal court case. “When it voluntarily agreed to the settlement, the Navy made clear that it can both perform its mission and stay out of important marine mammal habitat.”

“We urge the public to get involved and tell the Navy its new study needs to examine ways to keep destructive training out of vital marine mammal habitat,” said Marjorie Ziegler, executive director of Conservation Council for Hawai‘i.

The public comment period on the new environmental impact statement ends Jan. 16, 2016. The public can submit comments online at http://www.hstteis.com. People can also attend one of three scoping meetings: Dec. 1 in San Diego, Calif.; Dec. 3 on Kauai, Hawaii; and Dec. 5 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Despite the March ruling and September settlement, the Navy continues to conduct military exercises that can injure and kill marine wildlife. On Nov. 4 the National Marine Fisheries Service said it is investigating the death of two dolphins that washed ashore near San Diego after Navy ships were using sonar in the area.

“The bottlenose dolphins that died last month off San Diego likely came from a population that numbers less than 400,” said Susan Millward, executive director at the Animal Welfare Institute. “We need to keep up the pressure on the Navy to do more to protect these highly intelligent and vulnerable animals.”

Background
Ocean mammals depend on hearing for navigation, feeding and reproduction. Scientists have linked military sonar and live-fire activities to mass whale beaching, exploded eardrums and even death. In 2004, during war games near Hawaii, the Navy’s sonar was implicated in a mass stranding of up to 200 melon-headed whales in Hanalei Bay, Kauai.

The Navy and Fisheries Service estimate that, over the current plan’s five-year period, training and testing activities will result in thousands of animals suffering permanent hearing loss, lung injuries or death. Millions of animals will be exposed to temporary injuries and disturbances, with many subjected to multiple harmful exposures.

A video on the effects of Navy sonar training on marine mammals is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9gDk29Y_YY

Contact:
Miyoko Sakashita, (510) 844-7108, miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org
David Henkin, (808) 599-2436 x 6614, dhenkin@earthjustice.org
Amey Owen, Animal Welfare Institute, (202) 446-2128, amey@awionline.org
Marsha Green, Ocean Mammal Institute, (610) 670-7386, mlgreen@pacifier.com

Mongolia Takes SMART Approach to Catch Poachers

November 12, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

12 November 2015 | Wildlife Conservation Society News Release

Efforts to recover wildlife and plants impacted by overharvest and illegal trade in Mongolia’s Gobi and Eastern Steppes regions have taken a great leap forward.

An intensive four-day training in Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) technology took place in Khanbogd, Mongolia. The training— made possible through a unique collaborative anti-poaching pilot project between WCS and Oyu Tolgoi—was attended by park rangers, specialists and park administrators from Small Gobi, Mongol Daguur, Dornod Mongol and Nomrog Strictly Protected Areas, and Dariganga National Park managed by the Ministry of Environment, Green Development and Tourism (MNEGDT). The project was made possible through a funding agreement from Oyu Tolgoi LLC under the Core Biodiversity Monitoring Program – Anti-Poachng project, a joint venture with Sustainability LLC and WCS.

The Gobi region is home to a range of endangered wildlife species – khulan (Mongolian wild ass), Siberian ibex, argali, goitered gazelle, and plants – red goyo and saxaul. All have suffered population decline in the last few decades due to demand for wild meat and the burgeoning cross-border trade with China. Similar declines have been documented across the neighboring Eastern Steppe region causing alarm in the conservation community. New approaches are needed to manage the remaining populations and stave off extinction.

SMART technology helps make anti-poaching operations more efficient. The tool turns data collected by field teams into information that identifies poaching hotspots and important wildlife areas, thus informing decisions on how to allocate resources for protection and monitoring.

The Khanbogd training included classroom and practical instruction in use of the SMART software and a field patrol exercise.

Dashzeveg Tserendeleg, Acting Country Program Director for WCS and one of Mongolia’s leading conservationists believes that applying the SMART system will help make protection efforts more efficient. “We have seen our wildlife populations drop in recent years,“ says Tserendeleg. “Part of the reason for this is that poachers know the movements of park staff and can plan illegal operations around this. SMART turns the tables on poachers by empowering rangers, and providing park managers with up-to-date information on wildlife crimes that help thwart the poaching threat.”

The SMART Approach employs state of the art software, global standards for patrol data collection and management, and staff training. It helps turn observations of poaching and other wildlife crime into useful information for managers by creating maps, data summaries and reports about the protected area and the locations of threats. This will allow park officials to use sophisticated analyses for improved patrol planning and evaluate if patrols are successfully protecting wildlife. SMART empowers managers to plan a strategic response to wildlife crime and protected area enforcement.

Tuvshinbat Tsedendash, a Specialist from the MNEGDT’s Department of Protected Area Management attended the training and said he sees value in the system. “The SMART approach definitely has potential, ”says Tsedendash. “We will be looking closely at how the pilot project to implement SMART at Small Gobi SPA turns out. If it is successful we will consider expanding to other protected areas in the country.”

The SMART approach is now being employed at over 140 conservation areas across more than 30 countries. Some of these countries – Belize, Columbia, Peru, Gabon, Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Thailand– have decided to employ SMART across their entire park systems. SMART is made possible through a unique collaboration among eight conservation agencies (WCS, CITES-MIKE, FZS, NCZ, Panthera, PPF, WWF, and ZSL) concerned with the effective management of wildlife and wildlands, and has already proven to be a successful tool when employed by motivated protected area managers.

Dr Antony Lynam, Regional Advisor for WCS in Asia, and the lead trainer in the Gobi training exercise, has helped train park rangers and border guards in Mongolia since 2005. “We know that protected areas are essential for preserving wildlife and biodiversity around the world,” says Lynam.”In the future, protected areas will be critical for saving Mongolia’s endangered khulan and other iconic species. The key thing is that they must be well-managed to be effective. SMART is a set of tools that can help to guide management, promote accountability and good governance, and help to strengthen the defenses of protected areas like Small Gobi SPA.”

Mega-dams Jeopardize Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin

November 10, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff

10 November 2015 | World Wildlife Fund UK News Release

Whilst years of effective conservation work has slowed the rapid rate of decline of the critically endangered Mekong River Irrawaddy Dolphin, their future is threatened by the 11 proposed hydropower dams along the Mekong.

The proposed mega-dams could deal a crushing blow to the Mekong’s dolphins. The Don Sahong Dam site is less than two kilometres upstream from a deep river pool, which contains Laos’ last four Irrawaddy dolphins. Blasting alone could seriously damage their sensitive hearing. Further downstream in Kratie, a much larger population of dolphins is also threatened by the dam that could drastically reduce its food supply.

A new population survey by WWF and the Cambodian government found that the annual rate of decline has slowed from approximately seven per cent per year in 2007 to less than two per cent in 2015. This is the result of years of work by the government and WWF to protect their habitat and remove illegal gill nets, a major cause of dolphin mortality.

The dams have the potential to irrevocably disrupt fish migration, which would also endanger the world’s largest inland fishery and the main source of protein for the region’s 60 million people.

One of these – the Xayaburi Dam in northern Laos – is almost complete, while construction on another mega dam on the Don Sahong channel in southern Laos is expected to begin before the end of the year by Malaysia’s Mega First Corporation Berhad.

John Barker, Head of Programmes at WWF-UK commented,

“We still have a long journey ahead of us before being able to celebrate thriving populations of the iconic Irrawaddy dolphin in the Mekong. These dams will hugely damage years of conservation work and could have irreversible effects on this national treasure as well as threatening the food security of millions of people.”

Sam Ath Chhith, Country Director of WWF-Cambodia said,

“We need to re-double our efforts to reduce the mortality rate by protecting the dolphins from illegal gill net fishing and by ensuring that the destructive Don Sahong Dam and others like it are not built. The dam will have negative impacts on the entire Mekong River ecosystem all the way to the delta in Vietnam: it cannot proceed.”

The latest results also showed that the number of juvenile dolphins reaching adulthood has vastly improved giving further hope for the survival of species.

-Ends-

For further information:

Lianne Mason, Media Relations Officer, WWF-UK
Tel: +44 7771818699 / +44 1483 412206
Email: lmason@wwf.org.uk

Mr. UN Chakrey, Communications Manager of WWF-Cambodia
Tel: (855) 17 234 555
Email: chakrey.un@wwfgreatermekong.org

Mr. Lee Poston, Communications Director, WWF-Greater Mekong
Tel: (+66) 91 88 32290
Email: lee.poston@wwfgreatermekong.org