NatureNews
NatureNews - A WWF digest of environment news on the Internet
NatureNews for the week ending May 30, 2008. To subscribe to NatureNews, please write to Library.
Environment - General
The Kanchenjunga conservation area
It was 10 years ago when the staffs of DNPWC and WWF Nepal who had gone for feasibility study in KCA were chased away by locals fearing that they would be removed from their land and restricted from using the natural resources which they had being doing for ages. Over the years, despite the various adversity and challenges, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) has managed to fulfill its objectives but even as we appreciate and applaud the effort the one of a kind protected area management practice and its impact on such conservation practice is yet to be evaluated. Declared as "A Gift to the Earth (1997)",the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) is known for its rich biodiversity, its spectacular scenery of Mt Kanchenjunga (8,586m), and rich cultural heritage represented by the 5,254 inhabitants living within the four Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Lelep, Olangchungola, Tapethok and Yamphudin. For more: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/05/26/news0731.htm
A mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws
The religio-political controversy and public debate surrounding the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) have overshadowed the original arguments raised against this project, namely its environmental, economic and social impacts. Part of the project area, specifically Adam’s Bridge, falls within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR). It is India’s largest biosphere reserve and has an area of 10,500 sq km, covering the “Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka.” It is one of India’s major coral reef ecosystems with 3,600 species of flora and fauna, of which 377 are endemic. It is famous for its chanks (conches and other shells) which make Rameswaram one of the world’s largest shell trade and craft centres. The 21 islands that constitute the core zone of the GOMBR form the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which is India’s second marine national park. UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve concept is based on the idea of oneness of humanity transcending national frontiers and recognises the need for conservation of vanishing species and habitats. The canal at Adam’s Bridge is a mere 20 km from Shingle Island, one of these 21 islands. With the completion of the SSCP, ships will be navigating through the biosphere reserve and close to the park. The other part where most of the capital dredging is planned is the Palk Bay, which is also ecologically sensitive and has extensive sea grass meadows. Sea grasses serve as nurseries for fish stocks, and are essential grazing areas for turtles and dugongs (also known as the sea cow: a highly endangered species on the verge of extinction). Rohan Arthur, an ecologist and a leading expert on sea grasses and corals with the Nature Conservation Foundation, is of the view that “the importance of the sea grass meadows of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar cannot be overstated, as they are a conservation hotspot of regional and global relevance.” (from Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project, by Sudarshan Rodriguez, Jacob John, Rohan Arthur, Kartik Shanker and Aarthi Sridhar.) For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051951091100.htm
Climate Change & Energy
Japan keen to work with India to fight climate change
Agreeing that developed nations need to take a lead in cutting down greenhouse gas emissions, Japan is keen to work with India in addressing the problem of climate change despite the differences of view. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda sent his special envoy Matsuyoshi Nishimura to hold talks with the Indian government on ways in which the two sides could cooperate on the climate change issue. Nishimura held talks with Shyam Saran, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change, to discuss ways in which the two countries can cooperate on the issue which is set to dominate the agenda of the upcoming G-8 Summit in Tokyo in July. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200805291659.htm
Marine & Oceans
The Coral Sea must be declared a protected zone to save sharks and some other marine species from rapid extinction, says WWF
The organisation says two separate reports show many Coral Sea marine species are isolated and vulnerable to overfishing. It is home to populations of whitetip and grey reef sharks, nautilus, maori wrasse and other fish species, which WWF says have been decimated in similar habitats around the world. "For this reason alone, we are renewing our calls to the federal government to declare the entire Coral Sea a marine protected area," WWF spokeswoman Gilly Llewellyn said. For more: http://news.smh.com.au/national/coral-sea-species-facing-extinction-wwf-20080522-2gyr.html
Wildlife & Endangered Species
World Bank offers India loan to save tigers
Every agency wants to jump on to the 'tiger crisis' bandwagon. Now the World Bank has 'asked' the Indian government to put in a 'formal request' to it for a loan to save the tigers. It believes that announcing the news of Indian government's proposal could be used to increase the 'visibility' of the "Signature Tiger Event" it is organizing in Washington on June 9, where it plans to rope in celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood. The Bank wants to use the event to launch its own programme with tiger-bearing countries to save the striped cat in tandem with governments, corporates and NGOs. But the proposal from the World Bank has drawn flak from prominent Indian conservationists and scientists. Valmik Thapar, the prominent tiger conservationist, and Ullas Karanth, world's foremost tiger scientist, have slammed the proposal demanding that the Bank should first admit to the damage caused by development and wildlife conservation projects it has supported before offering India money. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/World_Bank_offers_loan_to_save
_tigers/articleshow/3084014.cms
Rarest rhinoceros wrecks camera
The world's rarest rhinoceros has been captured on film by a specially installed camera in the jungles of Java, Indonesia. But the female rhino, which was accompanied by a calf, promptly charged the camera, sending it flying. The animals are at severe risk of extinction, with only 60-70 animals left in the wild. A spokesperson for WWF said the footage provided an unusual glimpse of the rare beasts in their natural habitat. Rachmat Hariyadi, who leads WWF-Indonesia's project in Java's Ujung Kulon National Park, said the motion-triggered camera "traps" were a useful way to observe the ways in which animals used their habitats, aiding conservation efforts. But Stephen Hogg, also from WWF, who designed the hidden cameras, said he was puzzled by the rhino's attack. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7424918.stm
Scientists announce top 10 new species, issue SOS
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists — scientists responsible for species exploration and classification — announce the top 10 new species described in 2007. On the list are an ornate sleeper ray, with a name that sucks: Electrolux; a 75-million-year-old giant duck-billed dinosaur; a shocking pink millipede; a rare, off-the-shelf frog; one of the most venomous snakes in the world; a fruit bat; a mushroom; a jellyfish named after its victim; a life-imitates-art “Dim” : rhinoceros beetle; and the “Michelin Man”: plant. The taxonomists are also issuing a SOS — State of Observed Species report card on human knowledge of Earth’s species. In it, they report that 16,969 species new to science were discovered and described in 2006. The SOS report was compiled by ASU’s International Institute for Species Exploration in partnership with the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, the International Plant Names Index, and Thompson Scientific, publisher of Zoological Record. For more: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/asu-sat052208.php
Rhinos poaching is getting worse in India
Poachers are hitting hard on rhinos in Indian national parks as three of them were killed in Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, and two in Kaziranga during the last week of April. No later than April 28, a calf and his mother were poached again in Kaziranga National Park. In 2007, 16 rhinos were killed and four more till February this year. Rhinos in Nepal are also victims, making the total of poached one-horned rhino rise to six specimens since January. Until recently, an average of five to ten rhinos were killed each year, but a rise in the number has been recorded recently. For more: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/36735
Nepal army in dock over poaching of rhinos
Nepal's army, partly responsible for conserving National Parks, is facing tough questions over poaching of at least eight Asian rhinos in their habitat with the suspected involvement of their "custodians". At least eight one-horned Asian rhinos were killed over the past one year -- four each in Chitawan and Bardiya National Parks -- and nine others are missing from Bardiya, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Matrika Yadav told reporters. The Forest Ministry allocates 30 per cent of its funds to the army for conserving National Parks, he said. Apprehensions about the involvement of army officials in poaching were confirmed when Bardiya National Park officials arrested one serving army man and three run-away army personnel in a case on May nine. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805162221.htm
Man-leopard conflicts need urgent redressal
Two back-to-back incidents of leopards straying into human habitations around protected areas, attacking and killing men, have fuelled serious thoughts on the possible moves to put a check on ever-increasing man-leopard conflict. Building a five-kilometre sugarcane-less fallow stretch between Dudhwa and traditional Tharu habitations surrounding it on all sides, is one such idea which has often been taken up. "It has been proposed on several occasions but nothing has been seriously done on that," said GC Mishra, former field director, Dudhwa. A man-eating leopard was killed by villagers near Belapara village in North Kheri forest division on Thursday. The beast, which had been on the prowl since December, was escaping into the dense sugarcane fields every time it was hounded by the villagers. In a similar incident, man-attacking leopard was tranquillised by forest officials in Gadariyanpurwa village around Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary. The animal has been lodged at Lucknow zoo. Dudhwa national park, Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary and Kishenpur sanctuary that form approximately 1,500 sq km of protected area in the state has sugarcane fields on all sides. The crop stands dense and thick and the animal mistakes it for the thickets inside the forest area. Venturing outside, in such a case, is not a conscious act on the part of the animal. Once stationed amidst tall crops, the animal finds no shelter after the crops are cut. "The animals run for cover and in the act enter human villages as well," said a forest official. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Man-leopard_conflicts_need_urgent_redressal/articleshow/3031008.cms
Nokia, WWF Join Forces to Save the Tiger
Nokia has announced a partnership with the WWF India for the conservation of tigers in the country. Enunciating on the partnership, heads of both organizations expressed concern over the declining tiger population in the country, and elaborated on the role the partnership could play in curbing this decline. The tiger conservation project will address issues such as alternative livelihood for local communities, environmental awareness, and communication. It will also address critical issues that face the Southwestern Ghats today, including the loss of bio-diversity and the conflict between human beings and wildlife. Nokia and the WWF India will work towards providing education and alternative livelihood programs to villages around tiger reserves and National Protected Areas such as Ranthambore in Rajasthan. For more: http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nokia_WWF_Join_Forces_to_Save_the_Tiger/551-89540-549.html
Extinction threatens Viet Nam tigers
The number of wild tigers in Viet Nam has dropped to around 100, half the figure less than a decade ago, a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has revealed. In 1999, the Big Cat Specialist Group reported an estimated 200-300 tigers were living in the country. The animals have already been added to the Viet Nam Red Book of endangered species. According to MARD, the major reason for their dramatic decline is poaching. Selling wild animals such as tigers is a hugely lucrative business, raking in illegal profits only topped by weapons and heroin dealing, director of the Asian Animal Fund (AAF) Tuan Bedixen says. For more: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02SUN250508
Conflict of Man and Beasts: Armenian wildlife in danger of extinction
According to data of the Research Center for Zoology and Hydro-Ecology, about 60 percent of wild animal life in Armenia is threatened. “The major threats to biodiversity are directly or indirectly connected with human influence. The major processes threatening it are the loss of living environment and its change, overuse of biological resources, pollution, etc. All these threats minimize the population of the flora and the fauna, and cause loss of species, degradation of landscapes and ecosystems,” the annual report of the Ministry of Environmental Protection says. The “Red Book” of endangered plants and animals puts 387 species of plants and 99 species of vertebrates of Armenia in danger. The international “Red Data List” puts only 1 and 28 respectively. (It is possible that one animal species disappears in Armenia, but survives in large quantity in other countries of the world, and vice versa. Consequently, the discrepancy in numbers.) Mher Sharoyan, coordinator of public relations of the Armenian Forests NGO says: “Detailed zoological studies show about 40 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish have either vanished or are on the verge of disappearing within the last 2-3 decades.” For more: http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=3061&CID=2972&IID=1188&lng=eng
'Safe passage' for wildlife traffickers
For many years, Nepal has been widely regarded as a conservation success. But now it is emerging as an international transit point for illegal wildlife goods, particularly those being moved between India and China. Sandwiched between the two Asian giants, Nepal has devoted nearly 20% of its land to national parks and protected areas that have conserved endangered animal and plant species. But outside such preserved areas, highways and mountain trails are increasingly becoming transit routes for wildlife traffickers, conservationists and officials say. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7412294.stm
Bhutan tigers reach new high
Bhutan is the only country to have tigers at incredibly high altitudes, where their habitat is overlapping those of the elusive snow leopards, conservationists in the Himalayan country have claimed. Fresh pictures and pugmarks from the Jigme Dorji National Park show that Royal Bengal tigers in Bhutan are being found at altitudes never seen before. Authorities say the tigers are being found at heights overlapping the habitat of the snow leopard. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051951442000.htm
Pilibhit to have tiger reserve
There's some good news at the ecological front in the state. The high biotic pressure within Dudhwa tiger reserve might be reduced after a new reserve comes up at Pilibhit. The reserve was sanctioned in this year's budget and forest department is over with the exercise of delineating its stretch and extent. The massive deforestation in the only existing forest tract of Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur-Katarniaghat Tarai belt has reduced the forest cover. The depleted swathes of forest land have increased the pressure on survival of wild animals within the protected area. The new tiger reserve was sanctioned in keeping with this problem. The outline for the reserve, as identified by the Critical Tiger Habitat Committee, was sent to the Central government in January this year. Dudhwa tiger reserve might also have it's boundary re-worked. The committee has also sent the proposal for funds. The officials are not willing to comment on the proposal other than mentioning the fact that department is now awaiting the response from the higher echelons. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Pilibhit_to_have_tiger_reserve/
articleshow/3048091.cms
Count tigers in Palmau at your own risk
The latest tiger census report has bad news for the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand. It says that with Naxalites taking over the area, it was not possible to estimate the tiger population in the reserve. A team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India could not find any sign of tigers in the single phase of survey they carried out in the region. And phase-II and phase-III surveys could not be carried out because of the Naxal presence in the area. “The reserve did not report any tiger signs during the phase I survey. However, a questionnaire survey of phase-I data indicates tiger presence, which requires field verification for evaluating the status of the population. Due to this limitation, it was not possible to estimate the population size of tigers of this state,” says the census, a joint exercise by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India. For more: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/308738.html
Wetlands, Rivers & Water
The Other Footprint: The Water Footprint
By now, you’ve all heard of the Carbon Footprint — the measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. Today, KGG sheds light on the other foot; Your Water Footprint. The Water footprint of an individual is defined as the total water used for the production of the goods and services consumed by the individual. It can be estimated by multiplying all goods and services consumed by their respective virtual-water content. The water footprint of a nation shows the total volume of water that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the inhabitants of the nation. The water footprint consists of two parts: Use of domestic water resources and use of water outside the borders of the country. The water footprint includes water withdrawn from surface and groundwater and the use of soil water (in agricultural production). For more: http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/36808
Birds
The vultures are circling again
In the last 15 years 95 percent of South Asia’s vulture population has vanished. The fall in their population has been linked to an anti-inflammatory drug used by farmers to treat livestock. Residues of the drug in animal carcasses poisoned the vultures in large numbers. From Pakistan to Bangladesh, the sight of vultures circling overhead or feasting on animal carcasses by river banks became rare. With the scavengers gone, disease spread and dogs proliferated. But a ban on the veterinary drug, diclofenac, and the setting up of safe feeding centres for vultures has revived populations. In Nepal, the district of Nawalparasi has seen a dramatic increase in vultures thanks to the opening of a feeding centre in Pithauli in 2006. Many travellers on the East-West Highway have seen a large billboard here that says ‘Jatayu Restaurant’ and have mistaken it for a roadside diner and driven in for lunch. It is only later that they realise ‘jatayu’ means vulture and the restaurant is not for humans but for vultures. For more: http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/398/Conservation/14763
Reptiles & Amphibians
Ghariyal nests in Chambal rekindle hopes
The ghariyal conservation programme in the country, which was almost undone by 35 years after the death of over 100 reptiles in the Chambal sanctuary, is on road to "natural" recovery. Even as the cause of the deaths is yet to be established, gharial nests spotted along the river have rekindled hopes. The hatchlings are expected to emerge around June and expected to compensate the loss up to some extent, according to forest officials and members of crisis management group. The focus is on ensuring a high survival rate though it seems difficult. "The activity is a natural phenomenon and all that could be done here is a regular monitoring which we are already doing", said Parikshit Gautam, director, freshwater and wetlands programme, WWF-India. The crisis management group, formed by the government to look into the cause of the deaths, has located nests at several sites along the 400 km stretch of the river that feeds the sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Female gharials first prepare trial nests and then lay eggs there, 25 to 35 at a time. The nesting activity began around the fag-end of March and is almost to be over now. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Ghariyal_nests_in_Chambal
_rekindle_hopes/articleshow/3010644.cms
Gharial deaths traced to Chambal fish toxin
A WWF report has concluded that 100 gharials died in the Chambal river because of a toxin in a type of fish that the animals consumed. The report submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government said the toxin was found in the tilapia fish, also consumed by people in Bengal and other states in the east. The reptiles died in three districts in south-western Uttar Pradesh and two districts of Madhya Pradesh — the Chambal wildlife sanctuary spans both states and the river, too, criss-crosses them. “We have received a report submitted by the WWF that says a toxin found in an African fish, tilapia, which is now bred in India, had caused the deaths as the gharials ate them,” D.N.S. Suman, the chief wildlife warden in the Uttar Pradesh government’s forest department, said. For more: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080505/jsp/nation/story_9227129.jsp
EVENTS
Workshop On Biodiversity And Climate Change; 29 June 2008 - 4 July 2008; Kushiro, Japan; http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/programmes/kushiro08/
International Conference On “Financing For Climate Change - Challenges And Way Forward”; 15 - 17 August 2008; Dhaka, Bangladesh; http://www.unnayan.org
2nd International Sustainability Conference: Creating Values for Sustainable Development ; 21 - 22 August 2008; Basel, Switzerland; http://www.isc2008.ch
World Conservation Congress; 5 - 14 October 2008; Barcelona, Spain; http://www.iucn.org/congress
International Conference On Environmental Ethics Education; 16 - 17 November 2008; Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India; http://www.aaebhu.com
The Kanchenjunga conservation area
It was 10 years ago when the staffs of DNPWC and WWF Nepal who had gone for feasibility study in KCA were chased away by locals fearing that they would be removed from their land and restricted from using the natural resources which they had being doing for ages. Over the years, despite the various adversity and challenges, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) has managed to fulfill its objectives but even as we appreciate and applaud the effort the one of a kind protected area management practice and its impact on such conservation practice is yet to be evaluated. Declared as "A Gift to the Earth (1997)",the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) is known for its rich biodiversity, its spectacular scenery of Mt Kanchenjunga (8,586m), and rich cultural heritage represented by the 5,254 inhabitants living within the four Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Lelep, Olangchungola, Tapethok and Yamphudin. For more: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/05/26/news0731.htm
A mockery of science, conservation and environmental laws
The religio-political controversy and public debate surrounding the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) have overshadowed the original arguments raised against this project, namely its environmental, economic and social impacts. Part of the project area, specifically Adam’s Bridge, falls within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GOMBR). It is India’s largest biosphere reserve and has an area of 10,500 sq km, covering the “Indian part of Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka.” It is one of India’s major coral reef ecosystems with 3,600 species of flora and fauna, of which 377 are endemic. It is famous for its chanks (conches and other shells) which make Rameswaram one of the world’s largest shell trade and craft centres. The 21 islands that constitute the core zone of the GOMBR form the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, which is India’s second marine national park. UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve concept is based on the idea of oneness of humanity transcending national frontiers and recognises the need for conservation of vanishing species and habitats. The canal at Adam’s Bridge is a mere 20 km from Shingle Island, one of these 21 islands. With the completion of the SSCP, ships will be navigating through the biosphere reserve and close to the park. The other part where most of the capital dredging is planned is the Palk Bay, which is also ecologically sensitive and has extensive sea grass meadows. Sea grasses serve as nurseries for fish stocks, and are essential grazing areas for turtles and dugongs (also known as the sea cow: a highly endangered species on the verge of extinction). Rohan Arthur, an ecologist and a leading expert on sea grasses and corals with the Nature Conservation Foundation, is of the view that “the importance of the sea grass meadows of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar cannot be overstated, as they are a conservation hotspot of regional and global relevance.” (from Review of the Environmental and Economic Aspects of the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project, by Sudarshan Rodriguez, Jacob John, Rohan Arthur, Kartik Shanker and Aarthi Sridhar.) For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051951091100.htm
Climate Change & Energy
Japan keen to work with India to fight climate change
Agreeing that developed nations need to take a lead in cutting down greenhouse gas emissions, Japan is keen to work with India in addressing the problem of climate change despite the differences of view. Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda sent his special envoy Matsuyoshi Nishimura to hold talks with the Indian government on ways in which the two sides could cooperate on the climate change issue. Nishimura held talks with Shyam Saran, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change, to discuss ways in which the two countries can cooperate on the issue which is set to dominate the agenda of the upcoming G-8 Summit in Tokyo in July. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200805291659.htm
Marine & Oceans
The Coral Sea must be declared a protected zone to save sharks and some other marine species from rapid extinction, says WWF
The organisation says two separate reports show many Coral Sea marine species are isolated and vulnerable to overfishing. It is home to populations of whitetip and grey reef sharks, nautilus, maori wrasse and other fish species, which WWF says have been decimated in similar habitats around the world. "For this reason alone, we are renewing our calls to the federal government to declare the entire Coral Sea a marine protected area," WWF spokeswoman Gilly Llewellyn said. For more: http://news.smh.com.au/national/coral-sea-species-facing-extinction-wwf-20080522-2gyr.html
Wildlife & Endangered Species
World Bank offers India loan to save tigers
Every agency wants to jump on to the 'tiger crisis' bandwagon. Now the World Bank has 'asked' the Indian government to put in a 'formal request' to it for a loan to save the tigers. It believes that announcing the news of Indian government's proposal could be used to increase the 'visibility' of the "Signature Tiger Event" it is organizing in Washington on June 9, where it plans to rope in celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood. The Bank wants to use the event to launch its own programme with tiger-bearing countries to save the striped cat in tandem with governments, corporates and NGOs. But the proposal from the World Bank has drawn flak from prominent Indian conservationists and scientists. Valmik Thapar, the prominent tiger conservationist, and Ullas Karanth, world's foremost tiger scientist, have slammed the proposal demanding that the Bank should first admit to the damage caused by development and wildlife conservation projects it has supported before offering India money. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Earth/World_Bank_offers_loan_to_save
_tigers/articleshow/3084014.cms
Rarest rhinoceros wrecks camera
The world's rarest rhinoceros has been captured on film by a specially installed camera in the jungles of Java, Indonesia. But the female rhino, which was accompanied by a calf, promptly charged the camera, sending it flying. The animals are at severe risk of extinction, with only 60-70 animals left in the wild. A spokesperson for WWF said the footage provided an unusual glimpse of the rare beasts in their natural habitat. Rachmat Hariyadi, who leads WWF-Indonesia's project in Java's Ujung Kulon National Park, said the motion-triggered camera "traps" were a useful way to observe the ways in which animals used their habitats, aiding conservation efforts. But Stephen Hogg, also from WWF, who designed the hidden cameras, said he was puzzled by the rhino's attack. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7424918.stm
Scientists announce top 10 new species, issue SOS
The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and an international committee of taxonomists — scientists responsible for species exploration and classification — announce the top 10 new species described in 2007. On the list are an ornate sleeper ray, with a name that sucks: Electrolux; a 75-million-year-old giant duck-billed dinosaur; a shocking pink millipede; a rare, off-the-shelf frog; one of the most venomous snakes in the world; a fruit bat; a mushroom; a jellyfish named after its victim; a life-imitates-art “Dim” : rhinoceros beetle; and the “Michelin Man”: plant. The taxonomists are also issuing a SOS — State of Observed Species report card on human knowledge of Earth’s species. In it, they report that 16,969 species new to science were discovered and described in 2006. The SOS report was compiled by ASU’s International Institute for Species Exploration in partnership with the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, the International Plant Names Index, and Thompson Scientific, publisher of Zoological Record. For more: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/asu-sat052208.php
Rhinos poaching is getting worse in India
Poachers are hitting hard on rhinos in Indian national parks as three of them were killed in Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, and two in Kaziranga during the last week of April. No later than April 28, a calf and his mother were poached again in Kaziranga National Park. In 2007, 16 rhinos were killed and four more till February this year. Rhinos in Nepal are also victims, making the total of poached one-horned rhino rise to six specimens since January. Until recently, an average of five to ten rhinos were killed each year, but a rise in the number has been recorded recently. For more: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/36735
Nepal army in dock over poaching of rhinos
Nepal's army, partly responsible for conserving National Parks, is facing tough questions over poaching of at least eight Asian rhinos in their habitat with the suspected involvement of their "custodians". At least eight one-horned Asian rhinos were killed over the past one year -- four each in Chitawan and Bardiya National Parks -- and nine others are missing from Bardiya, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Matrika Yadav told reporters. The Forest Ministry allocates 30 per cent of its funds to the army for conserving National Parks, he said. Apprehensions about the involvement of army officials in poaching were confirmed when Bardiya National Park officials arrested one serving army man and three run-away army personnel in a case on May nine. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805162221.htm
Man-leopard conflicts need urgent redressal
Two back-to-back incidents of leopards straying into human habitations around protected areas, attacking and killing men, have fuelled serious thoughts on the possible moves to put a check on ever-increasing man-leopard conflict. Building a five-kilometre sugarcane-less fallow stretch between Dudhwa and traditional Tharu habitations surrounding it on all sides, is one such idea which has often been taken up. "It has been proposed on several occasions but nothing has been seriously done on that," said GC Mishra, former field director, Dudhwa. A man-eating leopard was killed by villagers near Belapara village in North Kheri forest division on Thursday. The beast, which had been on the prowl since December, was escaping into the dense sugarcane fields every time it was hounded by the villagers. In a similar incident, man-attacking leopard was tranquillised by forest officials in Gadariyanpurwa village around Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary. The animal has been lodged at Lucknow zoo. Dudhwa national park, Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary and Kishenpur sanctuary that form approximately 1,500 sq km of protected area in the state has sugarcane fields on all sides. The crop stands dense and thick and the animal mistakes it for the thickets inside the forest area. Venturing outside, in such a case, is not a conscious act on the part of the animal. Once stationed amidst tall crops, the animal finds no shelter after the crops are cut. "The animals run for cover and in the act enter human villages as well," said a forest official. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Man-leopard_conflicts_need_urgent_redressal/articleshow/3031008.cms
Nokia, WWF Join Forces to Save the Tiger
Nokia has announced a partnership with the WWF India for the conservation of tigers in the country. Enunciating on the partnership, heads of both organizations expressed concern over the declining tiger population in the country, and elaborated on the role the partnership could play in curbing this decline. The tiger conservation project will address issues such as alternative livelihood for local communities, environmental awareness, and communication. It will also address critical issues that face the Southwestern Ghats today, including the loss of bio-diversity and the conflict between human beings and wildlife. Nokia and the WWF India will work towards providing education and alternative livelihood programs to villages around tiger reserves and National Protected Areas such as Ranthambore in Rajasthan. For more: http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nokia_WWF_Join_Forces_to_Save_the_Tiger/551-89540-549.html
Extinction threatens Viet Nam tigers
The number of wild tigers in Viet Nam has dropped to around 100, half the figure less than a decade ago, a report released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has revealed. In 1999, the Big Cat Specialist Group reported an estimated 200-300 tigers were living in the country. The animals have already been added to the Viet Nam Red Book of endangered species. According to MARD, the major reason for their dramatic decline is poaching. Selling wild animals such as tigers is a hugely lucrative business, raking in illegal profits only topped by weapons and heroin dealing, director of the Asian Animal Fund (AAF) Tuan Bedixen says. For more: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=02SUN250508
Conflict of Man and Beasts: Armenian wildlife in danger of extinction
According to data of the Research Center for Zoology and Hydro-Ecology, about 60 percent of wild animal life in Armenia is threatened. “The major threats to biodiversity are directly or indirectly connected with human influence. The major processes threatening it are the loss of living environment and its change, overuse of biological resources, pollution, etc. All these threats minimize the population of the flora and the fauna, and cause loss of species, degradation of landscapes and ecosystems,” the annual report of the Ministry of Environmental Protection says. The “Red Book” of endangered plants and animals puts 387 species of plants and 99 species of vertebrates of Armenia in danger. The international “Red Data List” puts only 1 and 28 respectively. (It is possible that one animal species disappears in Armenia, but survives in large quantity in other countries of the world, and vice versa. Consequently, the discrepancy in numbers.) Mher Sharoyan, coordinator of public relations of the Armenian Forests NGO says: “Detailed zoological studies show about 40 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish have either vanished or are on the verge of disappearing within the last 2-3 decades.” For more: http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=3061&CID=2972&IID=1188&lng=eng
'Safe passage' for wildlife traffickers
For many years, Nepal has been widely regarded as a conservation success. But now it is emerging as an international transit point for illegal wildlife goods, particularly those being moved between India and China. Sandwiched between the two Asian giants, Nepal has devoted nearly 20% of its land to national parks and protected areas that have conserved endangered animal and plant species. But outside such preserved areas, highways and mountain trails are increasingly becoming transit routes for wildlife traffickers, conservationists and officials say. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7412294.stm
Bhutan tigers reach new high
Bhutan is the only country to have tigers at incredibly high altitudes, where their habitat is overlapping those of the elusive snow leopards, conservationists in the Himalayan country have claimed. Fresh pictures and pugmarks from the Jigme Dorji National Park show that Royal Bengal tigers in Bhutan are being found at altitudes never seen before. Authorities say the tigers are being found at heights overlapping the habitat of the snow leopard. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/19/stories/2008051951442000.htm
Pilibhit to have tiger reserve
There's some good news at the ecological front in the state. The high biotic pressure within Dudhwa tiger reserve might be reduced after a new reserve comes up at Pilibhit. The reserve was sanctioned in this year's budget and forest department is over with the exercise of delineating its stretch and extent. The massive deforestation in the only existing forest tract of Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur-Katarniaghat Tarai belt has reduced the forest cover. The depleted swathes of forest land have increased the pressure on survival of wild animals within the protected area. The new tiger reserve was sanctioned in keeping with this problem. The outline for the reserve, as identified by the Critical Tiger Habitat Committee, was sent to the Central government in January this year. Dudhwa tiger reserve might also have it's boundary re-worked. The committee has also sent the proposal for funds. The officials are not willing to comment on the proposal other than mentioning the fact that department is now awaiting the response from the higher echelons. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Pilibhit_to_have_tiger_reserve/
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Count tigers in Palmau at your own risk
The latest tiger census report has bad news for the Palamau Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand. It says that with Naxalites taking over the area, it was not possible to estimate the tiger population in the reserve. A team of scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India could not find any sign of tigers in the single phase of survey they carried out in the region. And phase-II and phase-III surveys could not be carried out because of the Naxal presence in the area. “The reserve did not report any tiger signs during the phase I survey. However, a questionnaire survey of phase-I data indicates tiger presence, which requires field verification for evaluating the status of the population. Due to this limitation, it was not possible to estimate the population size of tigers of this state,” says the census, a joint exercise by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India. For more: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/308738.html
Wetlands, Rivers & Water
The Other Footprint: The Water Footprint
By now, you’ve all heard of the Carbon Footprint — the measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. Today, KGG sheds light on the other foot; Your Water Footprint. The Water footprint of an individual is defined as the total water used for the production of the goods and services consumed by the individual. It can be estimated by multiplying all goods and services consumed by their respective virtual-water content. The water footprint of a nation shows the total volume of water that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the inhabitants of the nation. The water footprint consists of two parts: Use of domestic water resources and use of water outside the borders of the country. The water footprint includes water withdrawn from surface and groundwater and the use of soil water (in agricultural production). For more: http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/36808
Birds
The vultures are circling again
In the last 15 years 95 percent of South Asia’s vulture population has vanished. The fall in their population has been linked to an anti-inflammatory drug used by farmers to treat livestock. Residues of the drug in animal carcasses poisoned the vultures in large numbers. From Pakistan to Bangladesh, the sight of vultures circling overhead or feasting on animal carcasses by river banks became rare. With the scavengers gone, disease spread and dogs proliferated. But a ban on the veterinary drug, diclofenac, and the setting up of safe feeding centres for vultures has revived populations. In Nepal, the district of Nawalparasi has seen a dramatic increase in vultures thanks to the opening of a feeding centre in Pithauli in 2006. Many travellers on the East-West Highway have seen a large billboard here that says ‘Jatayu Restaurant’ and have mistaken it for a roadside diner and driven in for lunch. It is only later that they realise ‘jatayu’ means vulture and the restaurant is not for humans but for vultures. For more: http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/398/Conservation/14763
Reptiles & Amphibians
Ghariyal nests in Chambal rekindle hopes
The ghariyal conservation programme in the country, which was almost undone by 35 years after the death of over 100 reptiles in the Chambal sanctuary, is on road to "natural" recovery. Even as the cause of the deaths is yet to be established, gharial nests spotted along the river have rekindled hopes. The hatchlings are expected to emerge around June and expected to compensate the loss up to some extent, according to forest officials and members of crisis management group. The focus is on ensuring a high survival rate though it seems difficult. "The activity is a natural phenomenon and all that could be done here is a regular monitoring which we are already doing", said Parikshit Gautam, director, freshwater and wetlands programme, WWF-India. The crisis management group, formed by the government to look into the cause of the deaths, has located nests at several sites along the 400 km stretch of the river that feeds the sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Female gharials first prepare trial nests and then lay eggs there, 25 to 35 at a time. The nesting activity began around the fag-end of March and is almost to be over now. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Ghariyal_nests_in_Chambal
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Gharial deaths traced to Chambal fish toxin
A WWF report has concluded that 100 gharials died in the Chambal river because of a toxin in a type of fish that the animals consumed. The report submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government said the toxin was found in the tilapia fish, also consumed by people in Bengal and other states in the east. The reptiles died in three districts in south-western Uttar Pradesh and two districts of Madhya Pradesh — the Chambal wildlife sanctuary spans both states and the river, too, criss-crosses them. “We have received a report submitted by the WWF that says a toxin found in an African fish, tilapia, which is now bred in India, had caused the deaths as the gharials ate them,” D.N.S. Suman, the chief wildlife warden in the Uttar Pradesh government’s forest department, said. For more: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080505/jsp/nation/story_9227129.jsp
EVENTS
Workshop On Biodiversity And Climate Change; 29 June 2008 - 4 July 2008; Kushiro, Japan; http://www.unitar.org/hiroshima/programmes/kushiro08/
International Conference On “Financing For Climate Change - Challenges And Way Forward”; 15 - 17 August 2008; Dhaka, Bangladesh; http://www.unnayan.org
2nd International Sustainability Conference: Creating Values for Sustainable Development ; 21 - 22 August 2008; Basel, Switzerland; http://www.isc2008.ch
World Conservation Congress; 5 - 14 October 2008; Barcelona, Spain; http://www.iucn.org/congress
International Conference On Environmental Ethics Education; 16 - 17 November 2008; Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India; http://www.aaebhu.com
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