Not Extinct Yet

What will happen to Peter's chameleon?

2011-12-08T10:30:00.008-05:00

Petter's chameleons (Furcifer petteri), Vulnerable.

Back in the dry season of 2007 on the very northern tip of Madagascar, our favourite nightwalk victim became sleeping Petter's chameleons (Furcifer petteri) {Peter/Petter wasn't asleep the chameleons were).

Attributed as a defense mechanism these chameleon climb to the furthest parts of branches and curl their prehensile tails around branch before they nod off. If predators come along the branch tip is more shook up than the rest and either the chameleon wakes up or falls off to be rudely awakened once it hits the ground.

IUCN classifies them as vulnerable but this is largely due to our lack of knowledge how fragmentation affects this species. We found them in a patch of dry deciduous forest fairly close to the coastline, they have also been found in survey of two national parks - Mt. Ambre (wet montane) and Ankarana (dry and full of limestone karst).

The problem is that we don't know if they can bridge the expanses between these sites and if they have been isolated for too long to provide a healthy population. Most likely, they are severely impacted by deforestation and survive in small pockets of remaining habitat.

Another confounding thing about the Petter's chameleon, true also for other species, is that juveniles are too easily confused with similar looking species. We just don't know enough about them or their lives to make even rough estimates of habitat requirement, sensitivity to human disturbance / cattle disturbance. Species range is also loosely defined for these chameleons.

What I do know is that they are the least stressed out/nasty when being handled, will hold onto a pencil like a security blanky while you weigh them and measure lengths. Sexing adults is easy peasy for the Petter's chameleon - males have you-can't-miss-it nasal protrusions (refer picture). These were also the first chameleons that I saw with PINK on them - they put on trippy color shows.

We definitely need to assess what species remnants of northern Malagasy forests harbor and how best we can connect fragments across the agricultural landscape. Especially now when Madagascan biodiversity is more threatened than ever before (with the last political coup and rampant harvesting of illegal hard wood from pristine primary forests).

Here's a pic of one of them lounging on the camp fence after spending a night on camp with us.

Endangered Eating

2011-09-28T19:48:00.002-05:00

Check out this great blog post from Eating . . . Our Words, a blog hosted by Houston Press. It details ten species of endangered fish that are still commonly eaten, and asks the question "Why are we still eating species that are on the verge of collapse?"

10 Fish You're Eating That Are Endangered Species

Here's a list of different organizations and advisories focusing on sustainable seafood choices.

Responsible Reading

2011-06-22T00:34:00.003-05:00

Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), Endangered

Check out this anthology of 'speculative fiction.' Titled Extinction Doesn't Mean Forever, the stories are themed around extinct or imaginary creatures returning to the modern world. The authors have decided to donate the profits earned between July 1 and July 15, 2011 to help save the Tasmanian Devil.

Download a copy of their book during those two weeks and you can help prevent the extinction of the Tasmanian Devil.

Check out these previous posts on the Tasmanian Devil to learn what's been causing their decline, or check out the Save the Tasmanian Devil website for the latest news and information.

Bluefin Blues

2011-05-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

Northern Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus Thynnus), Critically Endangered

I'm in Japan for my brother's wedding, and I almost cried. Not because of the wedding. Because of the Bluefin Tuna.

The Bluefin Tuna, known in Japan as Hone Maguro, is prized as a delicious morsel of sushi and is extremely popular. I went down to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, the largest wholesale seafood market in the world, two days ago, hoping to get a glimpse of the auction where the Tuna are sold. The Tuna auction (and the entire wholesale portion of the market) was closed to tourists, so my family and I snuck in. Walking past aisle upon aisle of Shellfish, Molluscs, and hundreds of Fish species, I was appalled to see a sign for a booth selling Whale. My mother reminded me that fishing was in my heritage (I'm half Japanese), and I felt ashamed.

Though I only managed to get a few glimpses and blurry photographs of the rows of frozen Tuna bodies as the guards were escorting us out, I was sad and angry that we are still killing and eating a species that is so close to extinction.

The next day, I went to a sushi restaurant with my aunts, grandparents, uncles, brothers, nieces, parents, and sister-in-law. Several of them selected slender cuts of Bluefin as they scrolled by on the moving conveyor belt. They hid their eyes from me in joking half embarrassment as they downed the delicious morsels. That's when I almost cried.

Experts estimate that sometime in 2012 (2012!!!) the Bluefin Tuna will pass the point of no return on the road to extinction, unless something changes.

If you want to help make the change and stop the extinction, support these guys. They're going to make a direct last ditch direct effort to stop illegal fishing, since much of the Tuna sold on the market is caught illegally. They also made the animation at the start of this post and are working on several other campaigns to raise awareness about our impact on the Bluefin Tuna.

For a broader scale impact, support WWF, who are working from a more political angle to stop the unsustainable fisheries practices.

Also, please, stop eating Bluefin Tuna. I don't want to cry.

Numbat Numbers

2011-04-19T20:42:00.001-05:00

Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), Endangered

Having just spent several months living and working in Australia, Australian species are especially interesting to me right now. Koalas, Kookaburras, and Kangaroos all crossed my path, as did Wallabies, Wattles, and Wombats. What didn't cross my path was a small creature known as a Numbat. This is likely because the Numbat is no longer common in the state of Victoria, where I spent almost all of my time.

Numbats used to live all across the southern regions of Australia. Their population was reduced to two tiny pockets in the state of Western Australia after the introduction of foxes. Since then, it has been reintroduced to a few small conservation areas, but still numbers less than a 1 000 animals in the wild.

The Numbat diet is a little bit monotonous, consisting of nothing but termites. Each individual can eat between 10 000 and 20 000 termites in a day! Unlike many other termite eating animals, however, Numbats are small, and lack claws or any other method to open up termite nests. This means that they have to forage for termites when the termites themselves are out of the nest foraging--that is, during the day--making it one of the very few marsupials active during the day. Being active during the day like this is thought to make them more susceptible to predation.

In the evening, when they aren't foraging, these rare marsupials retire to their burrows, which are very often inside of hollowed out logs. It is thought that an abundance of hollow logs to hide in may have saved the two groups of Numbats that survived in Western Australia, as they provided protected hiding places from predators.

These stripy furry animals are cute, no doubt about it. They're one of Western Australia's State Emblem's, and they've also been chosen as the icon for the Conservation Council of Western Australia. A captive breeding and reintroduction program is underway, and Numbats are bred at Perth Zoo and released each year into managed habitat. Here's a great video about hand-rearing baby Numbats at the zoo.

If you want to help Numbats, you can donate to Perth Zoo's Wildlife Conservation Action.

Yaminon

2011-01-22T19:23:00.001-05:00

Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii), Critically Endangered

This cute-ish animal is critically endangered. Endemic to Australia, it's range has steadily decreased, until in the early 80s, there were only 30-40 individuals in tiny Epping National Forest Park, about 800 km northwest of Brisbane. In 1982, Cattle were excluded from their habitat, and their population has risen to over 130.

In May of 2009, a number of Wombats were moved from Epping to a newly created nature reserve, just north of St. George, providing some protection for the species. The biggest threat to the species is a catastrophe such as fire, flood, drought, or disease, that could wipe out the entire population. Having two separate populations is a bit of a disaster insurance policy.

This largest of Wombat species, also sometimes referred to as the Yaminon, is now protected in both locations by predator proof fences to keep out dingos and other predators. Conservationists managing these populations engage in reproductive and behavioural research, as well as controlling invasive species of grass, controlled burns of habitat, DNA studies to estimate population (by collecting hair samples with tape), and much more.

If you want to help out this nearly extinct animal, here's some ideas:

You could of course donate to the Wombat Foundation.

Or you could buy some children's books featuring Willit the Amazing Wombat.

Most importantly and least expensively though, you could learn more about the Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat, and then tell your friends.

Here are some very informative sites:

From the Queensland Government.
From Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE).
From the Wombat Foundation.

Gharials Reclaiming River?

2010-12-13T00:08:00.003-05:00

© Sanjib Chaudhary

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), Critically Endangered

The Gharial, a critically endangered crocodilian, survives only in fragmented habitats throughout India and Nepal. In the past, it also occupied rivers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. It's current population is thought to be a mere 200 individuals.

Good news then, that it has recently been seen in places where it hasn't been for 40 years or more--the Hooghly District (near Kolkata) on the Ganges River in India.

iREBEL, a conservation organization, and Innovative India Tourism Pvt. Ltd, teamed up with other partners to conduct surveys in the area after hearing Gharials had been sighted there. They discovered a viable breeding population in a 170 km stretch of the river.

The group hopes to establish reserves along the river to protect the Gharials, as well as Gangetic Dolphins and other species living in the area, as many threats still face these nearly extinct and beautiful crocodilians.

The main threats to Gharials are outlined in a report published by the group:

1. Fishing – especially with gill nets and set nets. Juvenile gharials often become entangled and die.
2. Destruction of sandbanks for use in brick factories
3. Disturbance by humans while basking in the sun
4. Industrial pollution
5. Perception that gharials are man-eaters like other crocodiles

If you want to help, you can support the gharials through eco-tourism. You can sign up for wildlife tours with iREBEL, Innovative India Tourism Pvt. Ltd, or WWF-India, or even volunteer to help with their work.

You can also support the Gharials through the Gharial Conservation Alliance.

Blogs Galore

2010-11-17T01:45:00.000-05:00

Check out these two great articles over at Vet Tech. NEY made the list at number 4 on the top 101. Also check out some of the other blogs mentioned. Thanks Vet Tech!

Top 101 Blogs to Inspire You to Protect Endangered Species

50 Inspiring Blogs Fighting for Endangered Species

Orange Bellied (Yellow Breasted Green Headed Blue Winged) Parrot

2010-11-14T13:18:00.001-05:00

Orange Bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster), Critically Endangered

Photo copyright Dave Watts

The Orange Bellied Parrot is sick, and this is a really bad time to be sick.

With a mere 50 or so individuals surviving in the wild, this species is edging closer to extinction every day. For the past few years, the wild population has been estimated between 140 and 180 birds--a steep decline from 'common, or locally abundant' in the 1920s. Only in the past year have the numbers dropped even lower as sightings of wild birds have grown fewer.

Three captive breeding populations exist in zoos around Australia, and it's these unfortunate Orange Bellies that are sick. An unknown virus has infected birds in the captive breeding program, causing some of them to lose their feathers and weakening their immune systems. Scientists believe that the virus may spread more easily in the captive population because they are so close to each other. The program has had some success annually releasing captive-bred birds to help sustain the wild population--so if the captive breeding program suffers, so will the wild population.

Orange Bellies are a migratory species, breeding and nesting in southwestern Tasmania, and spending the rest of the year in coastal areas in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. This month is migration month, and all wild Orange Bellies are making their way south to Tasmania, where mated pairs will build nests and lay 2-6 eggs.

Of course, these parrots also face the usual threats of habitat loss and invasive species. You can learn more about their food, habitat, life cycle, and what's being done to help them here. If you live in Australia and want to help, you could volunteer with Birds Australia.

3000 Frogs Isn't Very Many

2010-09-28T02:46:00.001-05:00

Photos courtesy of Frogwatch.

White-bellied Frog (Geocrinia Alba), Critically Endangered

Sixty White-bellied Frogs are now exploring their native habitat for the first time, after being released into the wild last week. These glossy bellied frogs live only in the province of Western Australia, where they have the dubious distinction of being this region's only critically endangered frog species.

The total population of all White-bellied Frogs is estimated at less than 3000. This might be an impressive number if you were talking about Facebook friends or gigabytes of data, but when you're talking about the entire population of a species, 3000 equals hanging by a thread.

They are mostly being affected by habitat loss, and a related problem, habitat fragmentation. As humans encroach on their living space, they also divide it. These frogs are known to exist in 56 subpopulations, with no movement between any of the groups.

This latest release is the first time young frogs (aka froglets) have been introduced to the wild from the captive breeding program run by the Department of Environment and Conservation. Transplantations of large numbers of eggs have occurred, but the results of this new approach will help scientists determine the best methods of helping boost the population of this unique amphibian.

Check out the Amphibian Ark--an organization dedicated to helping endangered frogs all around the world.
Read more details here or some technical data here.

It's a Big Problem

2010-02-12T08:03:00.014-05:00

Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
(Photo courtesy www.sharkireland.com)

The Basking Shark is endangered in the Pacific and in trouble in the Atlantic (COSEWIC 2007, listed as vulnerable by the IUCN) and is little known by most humans. A call to our lab to determine which “sea monster” carcass had washed up on a Nova Scotia shore had us discover a Basking Shark that had apparently died at sea.

These gentle giants can grow up to 15 metres in length and have the longest known gestation period of any vertebrate (up to 3.5 years!), so replacement is low. Despite their size, I think Basking Sharks are pretty cute. First, they’re filter feeders, so the fear factor is totally related to being humungous and able to knock your head off with a casual flip of the tail. Second, their rounded noses make them look a bit more like a seal than a shark. Unfortunately, they can become tangled in nets and fishing lines or hit by ships as they cruise near the surface of the water, feeding on the rich biodiversity of plankton there.

I’ve been up close and personal with a lot of Atlantic sharks, and their sheer bulk makes them seem invincible. They aren’t. In the pacific, the situation is even worse.

What can you do to help them out? As with any ocean fish, this is a tough question. Avoiding cruise ships is a good first step, but minimizing your contribution to water pollution (salts, fertilizers, sewage? learn more here) and eating a vegetarian diet (slower global warming and no nets or lines to tangle or maim non-target species) are even better. Finally, tell your friends! We’re the species responsible for their decline, so we can certainly act to change that.

Splash! Puurrrrr.

2010-01-22T02:42:00.000-05:00

Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps), Endangered

An awesome article from New Scientist, about a water-loving cat with webbed feet.

IYOB

2010-01-21T02:11:00.000-05:00

The year has just started, but already one month has already nearly passed. The rest of the year will be gone before we know it, and soon it will be December once again.

Despite how fast this year will go by, there are plenty of opportunities to make a difference. The UN has designated 2010 the Internatial Year of Biodiversity (IYOB), to celebrate all of life of earth, and the ways in which our lives are enriched by it.

In order to promote biodiversity and raise awareness of endangered species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is highlighting a species a day. There's a link to the Species of the Day to the right, so follow along and learn a bit more about some of the threats facing the biodiversity of our planet.

Click here to find a IYOB celebration near you.

'Alalawhat?

2010-01-18T06:03:00.001-05:00

'Alala (Corvus hawaiiensis), Extinct in the Wild

The 'Alala, has been Extinct in the Wild since 2002. What is an 'Alala you ask? 'Alala is the Hawaiian name for a bird that others call the Hawaiian Crow.

The last few wild birds lived out their lives on the island of Hawaii, in the Kona Forest Unit of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Now, the 'Alala no longer exists, except for sixty some birds in two breeding centers, (one on Maui and one on the Big Island of Hawaii), and a single bird at the San Diego Zoo.

The birds declined because of a variety of factors, including habitat alteration by wild cattle, sheep, and pigs. These animals would clear the underbrush of the native plants that the 'Alala depended on for food. The lack of underbrush also made the Hawaiian Crow more susceptible to attacks from it's main predator, the 'Io, aka the Hawaiian Hawk. Logging and the conversion of forested land into agricultural land added to the problem.

Recovery efforts have been underway since at least the 1970s, but with little success. Between 1993 and 1999, 27 captive reared birds were released. Twenty-one of those died in the wild, and the remaining 6 were recaptured to preserve their genetic diversity for the captive breeding program. The captive breeding population has grown over the years, but very slowly.

Currently, a single 19-year old bird is being kept at the San Diego Zoo, where it is hoped that it will be possible to collect his sperm, so that his important genes will not be lost, since he will no longer breed.

In 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service published an update to its recovery plan for the 'Alala, including plans for continued captive breeding and eventual reintroduction into conserved and protected habitats. In order to carry out the recovery plan, an estimated $14 million will need to be found.

You can stay up to date on the latest news and information about the 'Alala at Crows.net.

[January 20, 2010, 9:32 pm, corrected the location of the breeding centers in paragraph 2]

Lost and Found

2010-01-04T09:07:00.014-05:00

Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti), Critically Endangered

Happy new year! 2010 and I write about a species lost and found again!

The Forest Owlet existed for only a decade after it was first described before being rediscovered113 (!) years later in 1997. I had the priveledge to attend a talk by one of the discoverers, rather re-discoverers, a few weeks back here in New Delhi.

Pamela Rasmussen is like an adventure book come to life - filled with a long tale of controversies, mysteries and finally the finding of a SPECIES! A dream all nature explorers and adventurers carry from childhood. So here is the story of the Forest Owlet as I recollect it.

This Owlet was never prolifically observed and a tumbling and twisting tale of specimens follow its course in history. The search only had a few specimens in various museums to follow as a lead. So put on your Detective Cap and follow on - soon these specimens were studied and a tangled web of specimen fraud was unraveled starring in the lead role a Colonel Richard Henry Meinertzhagen a British soldier, an intelligence officer and an ornithologist. Once the truth slipped out and after many a long and hard survey a few tiny patches of forest in India in the Satpuras were found to house these beautiful birds. Its habitat is largely protected in Melghat Tiger Reserve, Taloda Reserve Forest and Toranmal Reserve forest. The key differentiation between notified reserves and reserve forest is the level of actual protection. All 3 places are however under the IBAs of India, broadly strewn across the country and under surveillance by hawk-eyed (or should I say Owlet-eyed) IBCN members. Critically endangered and with ever increasing habitat reduction the Forest Owlet is as closer than ever to vanishing once more than it was a hundred years back!

If you see any Owlet near your garden sunning itself you'll realize the joy of seeing an intelligent predator at their most relaxed... I saw Spotted Owlets (not in danger of becoming extinct) in my garden the other day and it made me think of the Forest Owlet once more.

It would indeed be a shame to lose this bird again after so painstakingly finding it. After all, this time round we may not be as lucky as a hundred years back to see it re-surface again!

You can even adopt this and a few other birds here! This photograph is by Nikhil Devasar.

Collector's Item

2009-12-17T23:58:00.010-05:00

Gooty Sapphire (Poecilotheria metallica), Critically Endangered

The first thing I learned about this tree dwelling tarantula, was that it has to be seen to be believed. When I saw a picture, I understood why. The rare beauty of this spider's color may be its salvation or its doom.

Native to a tiny, tiny, tiny, patch of India, this entire species occupies less than 100 km squared--and that's a generous estimate. Sounds big, but look at this map, and you'll see just how tiny it is.

With it's habitat being degraded as humans cut trees for timber and firewood, it's up for debate whether the smugglers who have spirited some of these spiders out of the country will ultimately help the spiders or cause their demise.

Coveted among spider and insect collectors and hobbyists for their colour, these spiders are being bred in captivity by specialist pet shops. A young Sapphire Gooty spiderling can fetch more than US$150. Although they are fairly rare right now, as hobbyists continue to breed them, they may become more common.

I don't generally support taking wild animals out of their native habitat for use as pets, but perhaps this time it might save them, or at least ensure that some remain if they can no longer survive in the wild.

What do you think? Is this biopiracy or conservation in disguise?

Viva Vaquita

2009-12-11T20:53:00.004-05:00

Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), Critically Endangered

A new taskforce has been formed to prevent the extinction of the Vaquita, the world's rarest marine mammal. Check out the Viva Vaquita website for more information.

Here's a recent article about the latest happenings in the world of the Vaquita.

Vultures in Vain

2009-12-10T18:49:00.010-05:00

Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Critically Endangered
Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus), Critically Endangered
Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), Critically Endangered

In the 1980s, millions of somewhat ugly but still majestic vultures congregated around the carcasses of dead and decaying animals throughout India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, disposing of them in less than an hour. Today, with their population a mere 0.01% of its former size, carcasses of livestock sit for days or weeks, rotting in the sun.

What happened to the other 99.9%? Poisoned.

Diclofenac is a drug that was commonly used to treat inflammation and arthritis in livestock. When animals receiving the drug died, vultures would come to feast. A few days later, their kidneys would fail and death would follow shortly. Diclofenac is, as far as anyone can tell, the sole culprit for the decline of these useful birds.

Diclofenac has been banned for veterinary use in India, Nepal, and Pakistan since 2006, but is still available for human use--and some farmers still use it for their livestock.

Now, another drug commonly used to treat livestock, ketoprofen, has been shown to have similar effects to diclofenac. Ketoprofen is not used as widely, but it's becoming more popular. Although it's not as toxic as diclofenac, studies and modeling have shown that even with very small numbers of poisoned carcasses, massive declines in vulture populations would occur.

Conservation organizations, including the Bombay Natural History Society, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and Birdlife International, are advocating the use of meloxicam. Though this drug is more expensive, it is the only drug known to be safe for vultures. Other drugs exist, but their effect on vultures is unknown.

Captive breeding centers for Vultures have been established, as well as Vulture restaurants, where undrugged carcasses are left out for the birds. There have been some successes with captive breeding, but the birds will probably not be released until harmful drugs are no longer a threat.

Endangered Eating: The End of Tuna

2009-12-02T10:56:00.007-05:00

Atlantic and Southern Bluefin Tuna, (Thunnus thynnus and maccoyii), Critically Endangered

So much has been written about the plight of Bluefin Tuna that I feel it's pointless to add another article to the mix. However, if you aren't aware of what's happening to our Tuna, you should read one or two of the articles below. Our fish are being used up at a ridiculously unsustainable rate. If you can't be bothered to read any of the articles, the main gist is this--stop eating Bluefin Tuna for a while, or in a few years, there won't be any left.

Check out Tuna can stay on the menu... for now, to get an idea of which Tuna species are sustainably harvested if you're a Tuna lover, or become a sustainable seafood consumer.

Articles:

Tuna can stay on the menu... for now

Tagging the tigers of the sea

Are lower catch limits enough to save the bluefin tuna from extinction?

ICCAT fails to protect critically endangered tuna—again

Atlantic bluefin trade ban now vital as tuna commission fails to take action again

Mediterranean bluefin catches continue to mock quotas and science

Top French chefs take bluefin tuna off the menu

Don't Order the Tuna -- Endangered Fish Served as Sushi

Monaco seeks global bluefin tuna trade ban

Bluefin quota to cost Australian fisheries millions

Southern Bluefin Tuna crashing toward extinction to feed sushi & sushimi market

Latest Statistics

2009-11-29T11:05:00.006-05:00

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has recently issued an updated version of its well-known IUCN Redlist, the most comprehensive and authoritative measure of the endangered-ness of species around the world. According to the latest information, 17,291 species are threatened with extinction out of a total of 47,677 assessed species. "The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting,” according to Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group.

Below are some graphs, illustrating the most recent statistics. Red areas represent species that are threatened. One thing to keep in mind while looking at these charts--these graphics represent only species that are assessed by the IUCN. So, although just about all of the known mammal, amphibian, and bird species have been described and assessed, only small percentages of the world's known plants, invertebrates, fish, and reptiles, have been assessed. Which of course means that there are a lot of species out there whose status is unknown. They may be threatened or not--we just don't know. If you're interested in more details, check out the Summary Statistics published by the IUCN.

More Than We Thought

2009-10-22T06:38:00.008-05:00

Gurney's Pitta (Pitta gurneyi), Endangered

Some good news, from BirdLife International.

"A recent paper published online in BirdLife's journal Bird Conservation International, provides strong evidence that the global population of Gurney's Pitta . . . once believed to be one of the rarest birds in the world, is much greater than was previously estimated."

Back to Canada!

2009-10-04T19:50:00.006-05:00

Black-footed Ferret (Mustela Nigripes), Endangered

The Black-footed Ferret is being reintroduced to Canada! Thirty-four endangered ferrets were released into Saskatchewan's Grassland National Park on Friday. They were released near a colony of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, their main prey, as well as their architects, since the Ferrets live in abandoned Prairie Dog burrows.

All of the Ferrets released had a few things in common. They all were born in captivity, and therefore had to spend some time in a special facility in Colorado, where they learned which predators to fear, and how to hunt and survive in the wild. They also all have a small electronic chip implanted under their skin, which will help conservationists keep track of and study them.

For each of the next few years, 30-40 Black-footed Ferrets will be released into the park, with the eventual aim of having wild populations across North America. Conservationists warn, however, that time is still a long ways off. Although Black-footed Ferrets have been reintroduced to 19 sites across North America, only three of these are self-sustaining. The rest require new captive-bred ferrets each year to maintain their populations.

The only ferret native to North America, it looks like a cross between a raccoon and a weasel, with distinctive dark markings across its face and feet. It disappeared from north of the 49th Parallel around 1937 and was thought to have gone extinct across its range throughout Mexico and the United States sometime in the 1970s. Then came 1981, and a tiny population of 18 Black-footed ferrets was discovered in Wyoming. They were trapped, and taken into captivity, effectively making the species extinct in the wild.

With those original 18 animals though, a successful captive breeding program was begun, and Black-footed Ferrets have been reintroduced to the prairies of the United States and Mexico since 1991. The current wild population stands at around 750, with 250 more still in captivity.

The reason for the Black-footed Ferrets decline in the 20th century was tied to its main source of food--Prairie Dogs. As farmers and ranchers cultivated the land, they tended to see the Prairie Dogs as pests and a hindrance to agriculture. This view led to widespread poisoning and trapping, and huge reductions in population size, which were exacerbated by outbreaks of sylvatic plague. They continue to be threatened by the extreme fragmentation of their primary habitat, which has been occupied by humans for food production and living space.

You can learn more at the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program.

Or you can adopt one. As the adoption website notes: This is a sponsorship program. You will NOT receive a black-footed ferret.

See if there's a zoo near you that has Black-footed Ferrets on display.

Farewell, Tiny Friends

2009-10-03T19:44:00.010-05:00

Christmas Island Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus murrayi), Critically Endangered

Sometimes, saying goodbye is hard. It's not hard to say goodbye to your friend, when you're leaving the coffee shop, because you know you'll see each other tomorrow. It's a different story though, when you're saying goodbye to your friend, because they're getting on a plane to Peru and you don't know if you'll ever see them again.

That's kind of how I feel right now about the Christmas Island Pipistrelle. This tiny bat, weighing about the same as three paperclips, has been saying farewell for the past 14 years. For more than a decade, the CI Pipistrelle has declined at least 10% percent every year. Now, in 2009, the total number of CI Pipistrelles likely stands at less than twenty.

Without a last minute miracle, this bat is headed straight for extinction. In fact, it may already be extinct. With the hope of starting a captive breeding program, eight scientists have spent an entire month in an unsuccessful last ditch effort to trap any surviving bats.

The reasons for the relatively rapid decline of this bat are unclear. Most scientists involved seem to believe that it's demise is linked to one of the numerous non-native species introduced to Christmas Island--the small Australian island which is the sole habitat of the CI Pipistrelle. Whether it was the Common Wolf Snake, the Black Rat, the Yellow Crazy Ant, or some other species that resulted in its decline, the point is now almost moot.

Although there is a small chance that scientists may succeed in trapping a few bats to start a breeding program, as long as the non-native species remain, the Christmas Island Pipistrelle will not be living happily on Christmas Island.

And so, to the CI Pipistrelle, I bid a very sad farewell. I hope this isn't goodbye forever.

Call of Life

2009-09-27T11:52:00.006-05:00

The Species Alliance has created a documentary exploring the mass extinction currently taking place. You can watch a 10 minute preview on their site, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the full version.

From the Species Alliance Website:

CALL OF LIFE is a documentary film that explores the mass extinction, its six main causes, the cultural myths and values that drive it, the psychology that underpins it, and the latest insights into natural systems that could help us turn back the tide. The mass extinction is the cumulative result of many causes, all of which are related to human activity. In interviews with eminent scientists and field biologists, we present the facts and evidence of the shocking decline as we consider the six primary drivers of extinction.

In interviews with leading psychologists, historians and anthropologists we examine the inextricable links between the extinction crisis and our social and economic problems, and explore the ways in which culture and psychology have conspired to determine our collective and individual response to this situation.

The film bridges disciplines to weave science, psychology, and cultural history into a clear and accessible story of our changing world. The audience is taken into the depths of the human psyche, through the toughest problems of our times and into the cutting edge of what nature has to teach us. The mass extinction is possibly the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced, and it is those of us alive today who have been given the responsibility - and great opportunity - of stopping it.

Nine

2009-09-20T15:39:00.007-05:00

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), Critically Endangered

100000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1960
65000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1973
14000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1980
2300 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1993
4240 - The number of Black Rhinos alive today
9 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in a secret location

Nine Black Rhinos have recently been airlifted to a secret location in an effort to increase the range and numbers of these critically endangered African mammals. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), selected individuals from different areas and parks to help establish the new population.

The final destination of the nine founders is being kept a secret because of illegal poaching--the main factor in the rhinos' steep decline since the 1960s. Rhino horn is used illegally in traditional Asian medicine, as well as being highly coveted for ornamental use.

In Yemen, rhino horns are used for the handles of curved daggers called jambiyas, which are given to young men as symbols of manhood and religious devotion. Not all jambiyas use rhino horn--only the most prized and expensive.

The use of Rhino horn in traditional Asian medicine, however, is by far the greater threat. Rhino horn is used to treat a variety of ailments, including fever, rheumatism, and gout. The horn is usually shaved or ground into a powder and dissolved in boiling water. As more and more Chinese people accumulate wealth and the ability to pay for expensive treatments, the market for poached Rhino horn will only grow.

Sign a petition to stop illegal Rhino horn trade.

Learn more from Save the Rhinos, The International Rhino Foundation, or Saving Rhinos.