Another Chance To See

Kakapo Sirocco To Go On Tour?

2009-06-25T06:56:00.003-04:00

More New Zealanders may get the opportunity to meet Sirocco the Kakapo, as the Department of Conservation is considering a nationwide tour for the bird, star of several years of Kakapo Encounters on Ulva Island. The Southland Times has the story.

Kakapo Recovery Team leader Diedre Vercoe said Sirocco had his last chance in the programme in spring but had failed to impress. "We thought because he was quite friendly ... we thought `here's a really good opportunity and he would be quite a frequent donator' but he's all talk."

Sirocco would remain on Codfish Island until August, when he would move to Ulva island for a month for this year's encounter. After that his role would probably change, with several ideas being discussed, including a national trip.

"We've decided his main purpose from this point on is going to be for advocacy ... one idea that's been mooted is that he ... visits a few places around the country so different people can see him."

Baby Aye-Aye Lemur at Denver Zoo

2009-06-13T13:03:00.007-04:00

Denver Zoo has been celebrating the birth of a baby Aye-Aye Lemur, only the second to be born in the USA. ZooBorns.com has the news and pictures, along with this YouTube video.

Denver Zoo is proud to announce the birth of a new aye-aye, a rare endangered primate found in Madagascar. The male infant was born Saturday, April 18, but still does not have a name. The infant’s birth is significant as it is only the second aye-aye to be born at a North American zoo as well as the first to be conceived at a North American zoo. The new aye-aye is currently in a nest box in Denver Zoo’s Emerald Forest building inside the Primate Panorama exhibit. Visitors will be able to see the youngster as he grows and becomes more self sufficient.

The newborn had a low birth weight, but Denver Zoo veterinary and primate staff diligently provided supplemental care and intense management of mom and infant. Eventually this resulted in appropriate weight gains and successful maternal care by the infant’s mother. His weight at birth was 82 grams, but he soon doubled that in roughly two week’s time to 164 grams as of May 4, 2009.

If anyone visits and gets any more pictures, do let me know as I'd be delighted to post them on the site.

Following the comments on the ZooBorns site led me to this article on the previous birth at San Fransisco Zoo, and this super video.

TV Series Launch Event at Royal Geographical Society

2009-06-05T11:19:00.003-04:00

From this month's Save The Rhino newsletter, is exciting news of a special event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Tuesday October 27th. Presented by Save The Rhino, join Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine as they update us on their quest to follow up the story of the Northern white rhino from Last Chance To See. The event starts at 7.30pm, and doors open at 6.30pm.

In autumn 2009, BBC2 will be airing the Last Chance to See series showing Mark and Stephen on their journey to find species on the edge of extinction. These species are the:

Komodo Dragon
Blue Whale
Kakapo Parrot
Aye-aye
White Rhino
Manatee

On Tuesday 27 October Stephen and Mark will update us on their quest to find the Northern white rhino; the Northern white rhino lived, until recently, in Uganda, southern Chad, south-western Sudan, the eastern part of Central African Republic, and north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. However this has all changed and the Northern white rhino is unfortunately right on the brink of extinction due to poaching, civil unrest and corruption. Four individuals were seen in Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006, but none have been seen there since, and no where else in the wild. There are 11 in captivity, in the Czech Republic and California, but they're not breeding. It is a desperate situation for the Northern white rhino so join us at the Royal Geographical Society in October to hear more about Stephen and Mark's journey.

To find out more about the Last Chance to See series and the Northern white rhino please follow the links.

Tickets will go on sale at the beginning of July but please e-mail fiona_AT_savetherhino.org to be notified when they do.

Clive Anderson's Save the Rhino Appeal UPDATED

2009-05-26T10:43:00.001-04:00

Clive Anderson appeals on behalf of Save the Rhino. Save the Rhino works to conserve viable populations of critically endangered rhinos in Africa and Asia.

Listen now on the BBC Radio 4 website

1300 Enchanted by Kakapo Chicks

2009-05-26T06:24:00.000-04:00

Six of 2009's Kakapo chicks proved a popular attraction over the weekend, with as many as 1300 people filing through the Invercargill Workingmen's Club to see them. The Southland Times has the story.

As each group entered the darkened room the smiles quickly spread on the faces in the crowd with oohs and aahs and plenty of finger pointing.

"They're much bigger than I thought they would be," seven-year-old Luke Holland said, while eight-year-old Callum Taylor was enchanted by two of the chicks playing clumsily in the enclosure.
[...]
One observer, Colin Winter, said that seeing the kakapo first hand reinforced his view they must be protected. "They're unique, there's nothing like them in the world and today shows what great work DOC are doing to save them."

Towel Day 2009

2009-05-25T01:10:00.002-04:00

Towel Day Tomorrow - Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?

2009-05-24T10:59:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, May 25, is Towel Day 2009. Towel Day is an annual celebration, and tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001), when fans around the universe proudly carry a towel in his honour.

Fry Records TV Series Commentaries

2009-05-21T09:22:00.002-04:00

Despite a lingering dicky tummy, Stephen Fry recorded commentaries for three episodes of the Last Chance To See TV series yesterday. From Twitter...

Tummy seems to be improving. Commentary tracks for three of the Last Chance To See films to be done this morning. About to walk in to town.

Another Chance To See Kakapo Chicks

2009-05-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

New Zealand's Southland Times has the news that visitors to Invercargill will have the opportunity to view some of this season's 33 surviving Kakapo chicks (3 more died), who will be on display at the Invercargill Workingmen's Club from 10am to 4pm on Saturday May 23rd.

Conservation Department Kakapo Recovery Team leader Diedre Vercoe said being able to share the special birds with the public was a wonderful way to celebrate what has been an incredible breeding season.
[...]
They hoped to have three chicks on display in the morning and two in the afternoon. Exact numbers would depend on how well the birds coped with the attention, she said.

Of the 33 [surviving] chicks hatched this season, 20 were male and 13 female. The recovery team had hoped for more females but was still pleased with the results, she said.

Clive Anderson's Save the Rhino Appeal: BBC Radio 4, May 24th

2009-05-19T12:01:00.004-04:00

From Save The Rhino's monthly newsletter...

BBC Radio 4 Appeal in aid of Save the Rhino International’s environmental education programmes in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

Barrister, broadcaster, comedian and author Clive Anderson is to make an appeal on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 24 May in aid of three environmental education programmes supported by Save the Rhino International. Clive was inspired by the late, great Douglas Adams, who spoke and wrote about the plight of one of the rhino species in his radio series and book, “Last Chance to See.”

Tune in to hear the appeal which will be broadcast on Sunday 24 May at 7.55am and repeated at 9.26pm and again on Thursday 28 May at 3.27pm at 92-95 FM & 198 LW. To learn more about the appeal please click here. Please tell friends and family to tune in too! Thank you.

Kakapo Cold Storage

2009-05-18T11:45:00.000-04:00

Here's another Kakapo Ranger Diary, direct from Invercargill in New Zealand. It's currently a "hive of activity" as they are hand-rearing 26 of this year's Kakapo chicks.

Hand rearing on this scale is the kind of madness not even Daryl would dream of. The chicks here have all come off the island due to the fact that they were either ill or not putting on weight at the required rate, a sure sign mum isn't coping with her precious young charges.

It's a far cry from those long summer days out and about on Codfish Island finding mating sign and nests, then later on racing around those nests at night checking on eggs and chicks but it really is the business end of the season now. The goal of fully fledged juvenile kakapo is almost in sight now and getting closer with every new green feather that grows.

Continues...

Excess Baggage: Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

2009-05-17T11:50:00.003-04:00

In this week's episode of BBC Radio 4's Excess Baggage...

John McCarthy talks to two winners of the Whitley Awards for International Nature Conservation who have been tackling the problems of human beings and wild animals living side by side. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is a wildlife vet working with mountain gorillas in Uganda and has started a project to prevent the spread of diseases between people and gorillas. Jittin Ritthirat works in Thailand trying to reconcile the needs of the wild elephants with the interests of the human residents of and visitors to the monsoon forest.

The episode is available for streaming online or as an MP3 podcast. To subscribe to the show's weekly MP3, here's the RSS feed.

Kakapo Encounter 2009

2009-05-16T16:48:00.004-04:00

I'm delighted to tell you that the Kakapo Encounter with Sirocco is back for 2009, with nightly departures to Ulva Island running September 26 to October 26.

Wildlife Extra has more news on this event, and there's an early bird special if you book your tickets by 30th June ($85 per adult, $45 per child).

Today, there are just 125 kakapo alive, though this is a major achievement for a bird that was down to just 51 in 1995. Once prevalent throughout New Zealand, kakapo now reside on the predator-free Codfish Island under the care of the Kakapo Recovery Programme. Typically only scientists involved in the programme have had the opportunity to behold this rare and mysterious bird. That changed three years ago with the inception of Kakapo Encounter. In the Spring of 2006, the Ulva Island Charitable Trust hosted Kakapo Encounter on the predator-free bird sanctuary Ulva Island and invited the public to come observe a kakapo.

Here's the location of Ulva Island. The full Google Maps and Google Earth versions links to this location are available below.

View Larger Map - Google Earth Version

Huge Population of Rare Dolphins Discovered

2009-05-15T17:16:00.000-04:00

Here's some news from a few weeks ago. A large population of some 6000 Irrawaddy dolphins were recently found living in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest and the Bay of Bengal. Full story at Newswise.com.

“With all the news about freshwater environments and state of the Oceans, WCS’s discovery that a thriving population of Irrawaddy dolphins exists in Bangladesh gives us hope for protecting this and other endangered species and their important habitats,” said Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, President and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society. “WCS is committed to conservation of these iconic marine species from dolphins, sea turtles, sharks to the largest whales.”

“This discovery gives us great hope that there is a future for Irrawaddy dolphins,” said Brian D. Smith, the study’s lead author. “Bangladesh clearly serves as an important sanctuary for Irrawaddy dolphins, and conservation in this region should be a top priority.”

Eighth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture - Marcus du Sautoy on "42"

2009-05-14T16:01:00.005-04:00

According to their website and the latest issue of Save The Rhino's "The Horn" newsletter, The Eighth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture will take place on Thursday, March 11th, 2010. (Douglas Adams' birthday)

The lecture will be given by Oxford Professor of Mathematics Marcus du Sautoy on the very Douglas Adams-ie subject of "42". Proceeds will go towards Save the Rhino International and the Environmental Investigation Agency.

For tickets (which cost £15) please contact Fiona Macleod for tickets, phone +44 (0)20 7357 7474.

Marcus du Sautoy is the Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of New College. He has been named by the Independent on Sunday as one of the UK's leading scientists. In 2001 he won the prestigious Berwick Prize of the London Mathematical Society awarded every two years to reward the best mathematical research made by a mathematician under 40. In 2004 Esquire Magazine chose him as one of the 100 most influential people under 40 in Britain and in 2008 he was included in the prestigious directory Who’s Who.

Marcus du Sautoy writes for the Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent and the Guardian and is frequently asked for comment on BBC radio and television. He has a regular column in the Times called Sexy Maths.

Photo Credit: Niall McDiarmid

TV - "Wild Vets" featuring Kakapo vets

2009-05-05T21:06:00.003-04:00

Starting Sunday May 17 at 7pm on TV One in New Zealand, a new series called "Wild Vets" follows vets working in the wild and in zoos throughout New Zealand.

Wild Vets won't tell you the truth about cats and dogs.

But it will profile a group of wildlife vets whose work ranges from the recently publicised kakapo recovery on Codfish Island (just south of Stewart Island) to the importation of gibbons bound for Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch and serval cats and cheetahs for Wellington Zoo.

In other news, Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson had a hands-on inspection of the Kakapo Recovery Programme on Codfish Island last weekend.

“It’s a real treat to get the opportunity to see how the programme is working and observe the kakapo in their habitat,” Ms Wilkinson says.

“Those involved in the recovery programme are doing an amazing job, particularly the huge number of volunteers who spend countless hours caring for nests and kakapo chicks in the breeding season.

“The new chicks offer a real life-line to the survival of the kakapo, as 40 percent of the population have been in the programme since its founding in 1995 and are now over breeding age.”

Scoop has the full story.

125 Kakapos - Rangers Reserves Winding Down

2009-04-28T12:24:00.003-04:00

With 125 Kakapo Parrots now in existence, and the 2009 breeding season complete, the reserve Kakapo Rangers are heading home, with happy memories of a fantastic year. 34 chicks brought the total up from 91 to 125, a rise of well over 30%! It's been a season we will long remember.

While the kakapo population climbs the 'people' population declines, on the island that is. The current total count for kakapo is 125 while the people on the island have dwindled to 9 and this looks set to decrease to just 6 this week! That said, those of us on the mainland, plus many extra reserves called in, are working almost 24 hours round the clock to hand raise the 26 baby kakapo removed to Invercargill for handrearing. All's not quiet on the island though......

The Kakapo Recovery Programme website has the rest of this latest Ranger Diary.

Back from Vacation

2009-04-22T09:11:00.002-04:00

I've just returned from vacation, so normal service will resume shortly.

Last Chance To See - The Radio Series UPDATED

2009-04-08T12:31:00.003-04:00

The BBC Last Chance To See "Radio" page has been updated again to include the full radio episode "A Man-Eating, Evil-Smelling Dragon". This episode features Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine in their search for the Komodo Dragon, and completes the series on the website.

The radio series episode guide in David Haddock's "The Story of Last Chance To See" has been updated with the link to all of the episodes, but here's the complete list anyway...

Last Chance to See – Radio Episode Guide
Prelude: Natural Selection: In Search of the Aye-Aye [Aye-Aye Lemurs - 01/11/1985]

Ralph, The Fragrant Parrot Of Codfish Island [Kakapo Parrot - 04/10/1989]
Gone Fishing! [Yangtze River Dolphin - 11/10/1989]
Animal, Vegetable Or Mineral? [Amazonian Manatee - 18/10/1989]
The Answer Is Blowing In The Wind [Rodrigues Fruit Bat - 25/10/1989]
A Man-Eating, Evil-Smelling Dragon [Komodo Dragon - 01/11/1989]
The Sultan Of Juan Fernandez [Fur Seal - 08/11/1989]

NOTE: This material is only available to UK users due to copyright restrictions.

Kakapo Breeding Season - Video Report

2009-04-04T11:33:00.001-04:00

Here's a video report from the middle of last month covering the tremendous Kakapo breeding season we've been having.

TV Series Filming Complete

2009-04-04T11:17:00.004-04:00

Well that looks to be that. Stephen Fry has Twittered his final reports from the Komodo Dragon expedition, and the team are on their way back to London. I'm sure Stephen and Mark will have some voice-over work to do, but its now really all down to the producers and editors to whittle the footage down to about six hours worth of TV, ready for the autumn broadcast on BBC2.

Catching flight to Labuhan Bajo - thence a boat to Komodo. Airline not on EC approved list. Heigh ho...

Komodo Dragons seen. Scary drooling monsters of minimal cuteness, but most impressive.

Last day's filming. Labuan Bajo-Denpasar-Singapore tonight. S'pore-London tomorrow.

Back in Labuan Bajo. Mosquito bitten, sunburnt but very happy. Lots of travelling to do.

Sweltering into a flesh soup at Labuan Bajo airport awaiting flight to Denpasar. Can't believe Last Chance To See filming over. 12/07-4/09

Safe trip everyone.

The Silverback Gorilla Who Had One Too Many...

2009-04-01T04:19:00.000-04:00

Here's some pictures from the Daily Mail of a 30 stone Silverback Kwitonda who has too much alcoholic sap from his bamboo shoot dinner. Oh my.

'It was not exactly Gorillas In The Mist, more like gorillas who were p*****,' said [Andy] Rouse, 43, who was on his fourth trip to see the animals in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda, Central Africa.

'I had heard they sometimes get like this, but I had never actually seen it. It was just like any family party when one or two members have a little bit too much to drink.

'The boss of the group, a huge silverback called Kwitonda, and some of the younger males were completely out of it.

Twenty-Eight Kakapo Chicks - Nine More Possible!

2009-03-30T21:56:00.004-04:00

Quite frankly, this success of this year's Kakapo breeding season has blown me away completely. A new Kakapo Ranger Diary from Phil reveals that 28 chicks have successfully hatched, with another 9 close to full-term. That brings us up to 119 Kakapos, with the chance of making it to 128. Extrordinary! Fabulous! How cool is THAT?

Cyndy, Heather, Wendy, Zephyr, Hoki and Ruth are currently rearing 2 chicks each and Margeret-Maree, Ellie, Jean, Bella and Alice are rearing 1 chick each. Over the next few days Fuchsia, Lisa and Sarah will hopefully hatch 2 chicks each.
[...]
The next few weeks will give us more of an idea of how the season will develop. The best that we can now hope for is a grand total of 37 chicks!

Radio New Zealand - Kakapo Audios

2009-03-30T21:43:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the ever dependable Dave Haddock for pointing out that Radio New Zealand has a couple of Kakapo Parrot related episodes of "Our Changing World" available to download as MP3 podcasts through their RSS feed.

OCW 2009-03-12: Kakapo Rediscovery and Frozen Sperm Bank

A kakapo is rediscovered after being missing for 21 years, and the Sperm Team create a frozen sperm bank

25 Kakapo Chicks have hatched with more to come!

OCW 2009-03-26: Science and Kakapo

Science plays an integral role in the Kakapo Recovery Programme, and evolutionary theory has proved a reality on the ground

The first of these programmes refers to the chance re-discovery of Ranji after 21 years. He's pictured on the programme main page here being fitted with a radio transmitter by Alison Ballance, Daryl Eason (centre) and discoverer Chris Birmingham.

How the Pink Pigeon Escaped the Dodo's Fate

2009-03-28T11:22:00.003-04:00

Isobel Shepherd-Smith has a nice article on The Times website about the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation and how it has been working to bring back native creatures from the brink of extinction. The article ticks many of the Last Chance To See boxes with mentions of Carl Jones, Dodos, Mauritius Kestrels, Pink Pigeons, Echo Parakeets, Gerald Durrell, Round Island, and Rodrigues.

In the Seventies the kestrel, the only raptor on the island, was one of the rarest birds in the world – only four lived in the wild. Today there are more than 800.

In 1980 the number of pink pigeons barely made double figures; 27 years later there were 380. In the 1980s the emerald green echo parakeet numbered little more than a dozen; now there are well over 300.
[...]
“At the start of this conservation work in the 1970s the future of the endemic species in Mauritius and Rodrigues seemed bleak and many thought that few could be saved from extinction. Thirty years later the long-term conservation of all the Mascarene [Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues] endemics is within our grasp.”