Rufford Small Grants News and New Projects

Project Update March 2006

rufford — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:36:30 +0000

We have just finished the 2005-2006 Alder Amazon breeding season. We searched 100 ha intensively for Alder Amazon nests from November 2005 to March 2006 in El Rey National Park. We were able to identify nine nests of Alder Amazon: five in Blephalocalyx salicifolius, two in Podocarpus parlatorei, one in Juglans australis, and one in a snag. Nests were found in trees that had a mean DBH of 0.88 m (minimum DBH of 0.6 m and maximum of 1.14 m).

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Ecology, Reproductive Biology and Conservation of Alder Amazon (Amazona tucumana) in the Montane Forests of Argentina

Project Update March 2006

rufford — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 10:43:00 +0000

During 2005 FWFF directly compensated 48 farmers, and indirectly about 200 have received support from the program. 24 sheep, 7 goats and 31 guarding dogs were given as compensation. Thanks to FWFF the "HDI" Insurance Company has sell over 200 insurance policies for livestock with total number of 1341 animals and over 500 livestock owners insured. These facts will reduce the Man/ predator conflict and will reduce the eventual poison baits use. Taking of dead animals by FWFF team is also preventing the poisoning.

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Research into the large birds of prey in FYR Macedonia

Project Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:35:08 +0000

The draft manuscript of the field guide is near completion. We had a discussion with the co-author (Dr. S K Dutta) on 23 March 2006 to discuss on the manuscript, and edit and improve the contents. Photography of 70 species out of 90 species to be covered in the guide. We visited three donors during the last six months to generate some matching fund for the guide so the quiantity of the guide can be increased to 5000 copies or more.
Visited and discussed with two donor agencies in USA (during my visit during October-November 2005) about possibilities of matching grants.

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Amphibians of Kaziranga National Park, India

News Update August to December 2005

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:52:55 +0000

Progress has been achieved during 2005 in the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw in the Caine River valley. Key results include: a population census, behavior studies to see patterns in relation to damage inflicted by the bird on different local crops, and reproduction behavior. Other key activities included environmental education, coordination with other institutions in training in ecotourism and artisan products to promote the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw. A small organization for women was formed for training in protecting the Red-fronted macaw.

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Conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw in the Caine River

News Update January to March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:56:41 +0000

Scientific monitoring of the Red-fronted macaw has continued in this time period along with environmental education activities. 5,000 native trees were planted in efforts to help restore the Red-fronted macaw’s natural habitat. These activities have helped raise awareness with local farmers of how their agricultural activities have impacted the macaws. When the macaws have the native fruits to eat from the trees, they will limit attacks on local peanut crops.

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Conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw in the Caine River

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:09:14 +0000

During the last and first week of November-December 2005 we carried out a survey to identify number of species of soft and hard corals, estimate linear cover and overall condition on two zones designated for use and conservation. This survey completes a second set of observations (first done in july 2005) to establish a baseline for the southern portion of the National Park “arrecifes de Xcalak”. In between the two surveys there were two major hurricanes “Emily” and “Wilma”, that affected the Caribbean region of Mexico.

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Baseline for monitoring changes in corals community structure and nutrients in water at Xcalak, National Marine Park, (Mexican Caribbean)

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:13:00 +0000

The team has been doing the teaching and the propagada to raise the awareness on protect marine resources of the two selected communities. The main groups have been chosen which were fishermen and pupils.

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Evaluating and improving the awareness of the coastal communities in Khanh Hoa province (Vietnam) on natural marine living resources

News Update February 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:16:54 +0000

The distribution of the False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) extends from tropical to temperate waters in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. In Costa Rican waters False killer whales have been reported in the Pacific and the Caribbean territorial waters. False killer whales reports are particularly concentrated in the South Pacific of Costa Rica, specifically along the coast of Drake-Bay, in Golfo Dulce, and Cocos Island. Despite of these observations, there has not been any systematic study to determine the status of these dolphins in Costa Rican waters.

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Distribution, occurrence, and habitat use of three species of large dolphins (Orcinus orca, Pseudorca crassidens and Globicephala macrorhynchus) in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

News Update February 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:18:44 +0000

This Park constitutes a distinct and unique protected area, not only because of the intrinsic value and beauty of its scenario, but also for being one of the biggest and most diverse protected areas in Argentina, that is connected to other protected areas (Urugua-í Provincial Park, located in Misiones Province and Iguaçu National Park in Brazil).

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Conservation and Restoration of Subtropical Atlantic Forests invaded by monocarpic woody bamboo grasses

News Update February 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:23:04 +0000

During two trips in June-July and August 2005 to the Lower Choper Park rare and threatened species were investigated. New habitats for such species as Linum ucrainicum, Silene cretacea, Artemisia hololeuca were discovered. Several northern species were found at floodland of

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Conservation of threatened flora of the Lower Choper Nature Park – Russia

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:34:36 +0000

Since I received RSG last year, I have carried out various project activities that met the original project aims. The working team and linkage contacts have been initiated. Consultative meetings and dialogue with leaders and target groups in the community identified degraded areas in the water source where a pilot nursery for trees was established to carry out re-vegetation and demonstration to locals. However due to prolonged dry period in the country the demonstration nurseries are yet to mature.

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The Strategic Conservation of Threatened Pare Mountains Reserve, Tanzania

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:41:53 +0000

Read the latest news on the project in the attached newsletter.

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An assessment of the traffic disturbance to Tibetan Antelopes in Hoh-Xil National Nature Reserve

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:45:05 +0000

We have produced some data and maps in French in order to facilitate the community-based lectures and meetings which will be conducted in April 2006. Some of the main maps produced are attached here.

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Identifying the focal landscape for hippo conservation in Mono basin, Benin

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:50:36 +0000

The species assessment was started with identifying the threatened plant and animal species in Balea Lake region

Samples were collected in 2005:
1. 28th of August
2. 29th of September
3. 30th of October
4. 30th of November
5. December – winter in region
6. January – winter in region
7. 27 of February
8. 30th of March

However our samples are under processing, we can conclude that the area holds a series of rare and endangered species, some of them were not recorded in Romanian fauna until now.
Threatened plant species identified are:
- Bruckenthalia spiculifolia

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Conserving the Flora and Fauna of Balea Lake Region – Transylvania, Romania

News Update March 2006

rufford — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:57:39 +0000

For the objective no.1: We recruit volunteers both from the local community (kids from the local school and adults, from Mayor office) and from the Iasi city (students in Biology and Geology Departments of the University). During the field work we use the opportunity to teach ecology classes to the kids from local school. We designed and printed diverse informative materials in order to use them for the local information points. These materials were organised as exhibitions presented in three villages (Popricani, Probota, Victoria).

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Living Waters