Kenya Wildlife Service to relocate 100+ elephants...

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) will move about 50 elephants from Narok North to the world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, about 80 km southwest of Nairobi to mitigate escalating human wildlife conflict in the area, said a statement from KWS on Wednesday. KWS said the 10-day exercise to be officially launched on September 22 will be the first phase of an exercise whose total cost is expected to reach USD328,000. The first phase will cost USD74,000.

The organization said the whole exercise seeks to relocate a total of 200 elephants from Narok North to Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok South through funding by the Kenyan Government as part of drought mitigation and livelihood support. According to KWS, the area where the elephants are being moved from can no longer hold 200 elephants in view of the increasing habitat loss due to increased human activities.

KWS said local communities and their leaders, especially lawmakers and local leaders have also been sensitized about the exercise and are supportive of the translocation as the long-term solution to the current problem. Rapid change in lifestyle of local communities from pastoralism to crop farming and other incompatible land-use practices has tremendously led to increased human wildlife conflict in the Narok County.

Such conflict in many areas is mainly attributed to increased human population and loss of elephant habitat due to uncontrolled human activities, especially crop farming, charcoal burning and human settlements. Long-term monitoring of elephant movements in the affected area through satellite tracking has established that about 200 elephants have been cut off from the greater Mara ecosystem and are currently considered a sub-population of the Mara.

“For the last couple of weeks, KWS scientists have been conducting pre-translocation aerial and ground surveys to determine elephant numbers and their distribution. They have also surveyed the appropriate capture and release sites as well as the 150km route to be used,” - Kenya Wildlife Service

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE

New species of dolphin discovered in the heart of urban Australia!

(from National Geographic)

An entirely new species of dolphin has been discovered in Australia, and not in some isolated lagoon but in the shadows of skyscrapers, scientists say. One of only three new dolphin species found since the 1800s, the Burrunan dolphin - named after an Aboriginal phrase that means "large sea fish of the porpoise kind" - is known from only two populations so far, both in the state of Victoria.

About a hundred Burrunan dolphins have been found in Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne, Australia's second most populous city. Another 50 are known to frequent the saltwater coastal lakes of the Gippsland region, a couple hundred miles or so away. It's long been known that distinct dolphin populations roam off south-eastern Australia. But now DNA tests have shown that the creatures dolphins are genetically very different from the two recognized bottlenose dolphin species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose.

The results were so surprising that the team initially thought there was a mistake and reran the tests, said study leader Kate Charlton-Robb, a marine biologist at Australia's Monash University. The team also examined dolphin skulls, collected and maintained by Australian museums over the last century, and determined that Burrunan dolphins have slight cranial differences that set the species apart. Compared to the other bottlenoses, Burrunan dolphins have a more curved dorsal fin, a stubbier beak, and a unique "tri-coloration"—including dark gray, mid-gray, and white.

Because so few of the new dolphin species are known, the Burrunan research team has petitioned the Australian government to list the animals as endangered.

"Given the small size of the population, it's really crucial that we make an effort to protect them." - Kate Charlton-Robb, Marine Biologist (AMU)

MONASH UNIVERSITY - SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Loggerhead Turtles declared Endangered today!

The Obama administration designated the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle as endangered under the Endangered Species Act today. Populations of this rare and ancient turtle, which spends much of its time off the coasts of Mexico and Southern California, have declined by at least 80 percent over the past decade. Although loggerhead sea turtles have been listed as threatened since 1978, today’s rule recognizes that some populations are nearing extinction from fisheries bycatch, climate change and marine pollution, including oil spills.

Today’s decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service comes in response to two 2007 legal petitions by the Centre for Biological Diversity, Turtle Island Restoration Network and Oceana for additional protections for the North Pacific and Northwest Atlantic loggerheads. The rule separates loggerheads into nine populations; five are now considered endangered.

The government did not list as endangered Northwest Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles despite the fact that Florida beaches, which host the largest nesting population of loggerheads in the Northwest Atlantic, have seen an almost 40 percent decline in nesting since 1998 (before minor rebounds in recent years).

“The failure to recognize that Northwest Atlantic loggerheads are endangered ignores the massive impacts of the BP oil spill and increasing threats from shrimp-trawl fisheries on this imperilled population,” said Pincetich. “NMFS ignored thousands of coastal residents who cherish these imperiled sea turtles and wanted more protections for them.”

Now that Pacific loggerheads are endangered, significant threats such as longline and gillnet fisheries will be subject to increased scrutiny and may need restrictions to reduce their deadly impacts. North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles nest in Japan, but spend most of their lives along the coast of Mexico and Southern California. Swordfish boats from Hawaii regularly hook and drown loggerhead sea turtles on millions of longline hooks.

While critical habitat is not currently designated for loggerheads, this rule triggers its identification — an important step toward achieving improved protections for key nesting beaches and migratory and feeding habitat in the ocean. Species with protected critical habitat are twice as likely to recover as those without.

NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

FULL REPORT

One of the biggest illegal animal busts in Thailand this year!!!

Officials in Thailand have seized a shipment of nearly 3000 rare animals in one of the biggest wildlife trafficking busts in Thailand this year. Including various endangered monitor lizards and turtles, considered delicacies in China.

The illegal wildlife trade is said to be rife in Thailand and generates billions of dollars worldwide. Among the animals are some protected by international conventions on endangered species.

World's largest crocodile's fate...who decides?

If you read my blog about a week ago, you will have read about Lolong, the world's largest crocodile that was captured and relocated to a secure enclosure after being suspected of killing at least one human being, a some-what more humane reaction to the attacks as to previous croc killing sprees that used to occur in the Philippines. Now there has arisen a debate as to what to do with Lolong, the crocodile estimated to be 20-21 feet long that was recently captured in the Philippines? The question is weighing on the mind of local officials and environmentalists alike.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were quick to step forward and suggest the croc should be set free. They claim that "if it remains in captivity it is likely to develop abnormal behavior and endanger its caretakers and visitors to a proposed park."

But others are saying not so fast. Local officials in the Philippines warn that the crocodile could pose a threat to the 1,300 residents of the fishing village near where Lolong was caught. The crocodile, which weights 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms), is suspected of killing a local fisherman and a water buffalo in the past two months, and a child two years ago. But officials believe an even larger crocodile, which may be responsible for the deaths, is still on the loose.

With Lolong in captivity, locals plan on making the crocodile the star of a new ecotourism destination. Until a permanent enclosure is built, the Associated Press reports that Lolong is living "in a 8,610-square foot (800-square meter) pen with 4-foot (1.2-meter) -high concrete walls topped by welded wire."

PETA

Pangolin being smuggled to extinction...

A story in the Sun newspaper reports that smuggling and illegal trade in Pangolin's could be driving the species towards extinction. If it isn't bad enough that first pangolins were being hunted toward extinction, but now the "scaly anteaters" are being smuggled, adding to to their demise. Pangolins are the most illegally trafficked mammals in Asia, according to the Associated Press. It's been against the law to hunt them since 2002, but the ban is now leading to more and more incidents of smuggling -- and punishment for doing so is mild, with no offenders having faced jail time.

Some Chinese citizens have been eating pangolin meat for years, and now since the population has diminished in the country, the animals are being smuggled in from parts of Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao PDR, where the mammal's population has hence also decreased, according to National Geographic. Officials recently discovered 20 boxes full of pangolins at an airport in Jarkarta, Indonesia. The packages were thought to have contained fresh fish, the Associated Press reports.

Their scales are thought to have medicinal healing powers, and some are bringing the animals into China because they're worth big bucks. AP estimates that ten tons of meat are worth about $269,000. The nocturnal animals tend to keep to themselves, spending most of their time in trees. They move slowly, have no teeth, and their only defense mechanism is to curl up into a ball.

Naturally, pangolins are hunted by animals such as hyenas and leopards, but today, their biggest threat is humans, the San Diego Zoo states. The animals are a protected species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an organization which strives to ensure that "international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival."

The animals used to be available for purchase for roughly $4 each, but now the scales are worth about $276,

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

AWF - PANGOLIN

Protected hawks poisoned in the UK...

Devon and Cornwall Police and the RSPB are appealing for information after four goshawks and one buzzard were found dead in woodland to the west of Exeter. The RSPB is offering a reward of £1000 for information leading to a conviction. The RSPB was informed of the incident by a member of the public and recovered the birds in liaison with the police and the Forestry Commission who own the land.

The birds, that showed no signs of being shot, were sent for toxicological analysis where it was discovered they had been poisoned with the banned pesticide carbofuran. This substance has been identified in a number of other bird of prey poisoning incidents. In the UK there are only 410 pairs of nesting goshawks. In Devon the most recent surveys suggest no more than 20 pairs breeding in the county.

All birds of prey are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). In addition, goshawks are specially protected and listed under Schedule 1 of the Act. 

If members of the public have information about this crime they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or email PC Josh Marshall directly on Joshua.MARSHALL2@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk . This will be handled in strictest confidence.

“We rely on the public to be our eyes and ears in wildlife crimes such as this so if anyone knows anything about this, please get in touch.” - PC Josh Marshall

RSPB

FORESTRY COMMISSION

Poachers walk free, whilst rhinos die!!!

Poaching for ivory and rhino horn is on the increase throughout Africa and the lenient punishment for poachers has failed to stop them. In Kenya, many elephants and rhinos have been killed by repeat poachers, often within weeks of their arrest and paying the meager fines that are defined by the law.

In July, six elephants were killed in the Siana Group Ranch just outside the world famous Maasai Mara. The poacher was arrested by patrol scouts from Predator Aware – a conservation programme in the Mara – and handed over to rangers from the Narok County Council and the Kenya Wildlife Service. He was charged in court and was released after paying the paltry fine that Kenyan law has set for such crimes. The poacher, who was arrested for the first time some 20 months earlier, is free to kill again after his recent arrest and release in July.

In Laikipia in the northern Kenyan rangelands, five rhinos were killed in July. Two were killed inside Ol Pejeta Conservancy in one week and a third was seriously injured and it is not known if he will survive. One of the two killed was Max, a tame Southern White rhino, who was shot 17 times. Ironically, Max had been dehorned six months ago but the poachers still hacked off his face and took the stumps that had been left after de-horning. The neighboring Solio Ranch, according to independent sources, has lost four rhinos in just three weeks. Mount Kenya National Park has also lost a rhino, though there is no official communication of this.

The Kenya Wildlife Service and various conservancies and wildlife ranches have stepped up efforts to arrest the situation. Recently, a notorious poacher believed to have been masterminding the poaching in Laikipa was killed by KWS rangers as he and two accomplices attempted to enter Ol Pejeta. So far, 13 people have been arrested by KWS including one dealer who operated from Nairobi’s South C suburb.

Whereas this is a marked increase in arrests and is evidence of stepping up of the fight against poaching, the prevailing law on poaching is still too lenient and is an impediment to the fight. A poacher caught with rhino horn could pay a fine of as little as $200 whereas a kilo of the same horn will fetch thousands of dollars on the Asian market. The KWS is now appealing to Parliament to pass the Wildlife Bill ,which has stiffer penalties including jailing poachers without the option of fines. 

“The Bill has been lying there and it is high time our legislators passed it if we have to protect our endangered species,” 

- Robert Njue, KWS officer

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE

Truck-stop Tiger ruling overturned,,,

Activists have been fighting for Tony the Siberian-Bengal tiger who’s been living in a concrete cell as nothing more than an attraction for his owner Michael Sandlin at the Tiger Truck Stop in Gross Tete, La., since 2001. In May, it looked like Tony would see certain freedom when the East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), preventing them from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin to keep Tony as of this December.

Sandlin tried to have the case dismissed in mid-August, but his request was denied by Judge R. Michael Caldwell. Unfortunately, on August 29, the Louisiana Court of Appeals overturned the ruling on the basis that Sandlin and the truck stop should have been part of the lawsuit, which will lead to a new trial.

The ALDF is also now asking Louisiana State University, the state’s flagship school, to join the cause after Sandlin painted pretty much everything at the truck stop purple and gold, the school’s official colors.

While the ALDF is working to free Tony, they’re also campaigning for other captive tigers with similar plights. They estimate that there are 5,000 to 10,000 more captive tigers in the U.S. who are classified as “generic,” not pure-bred, and are therefore not protected as endangered. A USFWS rule exempts these tigers from the permit and reporting requirements that are required for endangered species.

The USFWS just published a proposed rule that would get rid of the “generic” exemption, which would require anyone owning a tiger, regardless of whether or not it’s a purebred, to report how many they have and what type of activities they’re engaged in that involve tigers.

Please submit a comment to the USFWS supporting their proposal to do away with the generic exemption.

“We are confident that the trial court got the law right the first time around and will rule the same way when we go through it again with Mr. Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop as parties,” 

- Matthew Liebman, ALDF attorney

ALDF

USFWS

Human's all-time low, wiping out an entire eco-system?!

Well this is the way we are heading, according to a new book called OUR DYING PLANET, environmentalists are always looking for allies who can blast away tree-hugger stereotypes. They should consider reaching out to the community of anyone who's ever gone snorkeling in a coral reef. (You remember that part of your Cancun vacation, don't you? It happened sometime between the margaritas and the … margaritas.) According to the new book called Our Dying Planet, humanity is on track to wipe out all coral reefs. No more bright, awesome fish and crazy plants. Ever.

The book, written by Peter Sale, a former professor at the University of Sydney who’s now at the United Nations University, says that this will be "a new first for mankind — the 'extinction' of an entire ecosystem."  ...more like a new all-time low.

OUR DYING PLANET

World leaders to restore 150 Million hectares of lost forest...

A core commitment to restore 150 million hectares of lost forests and degraded lands worldwide by 2020 has been launched at a ministerial conference in Bonn. New analysis by IUCN estimates that restoring 150 million hectares would be worth £53billion per year to national and global economies. At the Bonn Challenge Ministeral Roundtable, a select group of ministers and chief executives of international and non-governmental organisations and companies discussed how to benefit biodiversity and the fight against climate change through concrete restoration activities.

The landmark commitment in Bonn comes as new analysis shows that more than two billion hectares of the world's deforested and degraded landscapes - equivalent to half the size of Asia - offer opportunities for restoration. This new global estimate is almost double the area previously considered restorable, thanks to improvements in the precision of mapping zones where climate and soils allow forests to grow.

The 150 million hectare restoration target directly relates to existing international commitments on climate change and biodiversity. It will contribute to the biodiversity convention target calling for restoration of 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems by 2020, and the climate change convention goal on REDD-Plus, which calls for countries to slow, halt and reverse the loss and degradation of forests. With preliminary analysis showing the value of restoring 150 million hectares to be £53 billion per year, forest landscape restoration can be seen as offering the world a highly cost effective way to combat climate change, create new jobs and contribute to rural development and livelihoods. 

Earlier this year, IUCN expressed its support of Rwanda's historic announcement to restore the country's degraded landscapes border-to-border, predicting that it could be the beginning of the biggest restoration initiative the world has ever seen. With similar bold commitments expected to be announced at the Bonn event, co-chaired by IUCN and the German government, an unprecedented global initiative is clearly gathering momentum.

‘The restoration of lost forests will increase carbon stocks and result in healthy and resilient ecosystems, which will provide the multiple goods and services people need, and lead to an increase in biodiversity,' - Ashok Khoshla, President of IUCN

IUCN

S.Carolina Aquarium receives financial support for education...

The South Carolina Aquarium has been approved nearly $400,000 in grants for education and conservation programs. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that the aquarium said Monday it is getting $380,000 from the Samuel Freeman Charitable Trust of New York. The aquarium says it also is getting $10,000 from TD Bank’s Charitable Foundation.

The Aquarium has put out a statement informing the $380,000 grant will be used as support funding for conservation and education programs, with the $10,000 grant to be used for a program to help children from across the state visit the aquarium for free.

SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM

Cane Toads proving highly adaptable...

Scaling cliffs, swimming extraordinary distances and negotiating cave systems - no wonder the cane toads' colonisation of Australia has been so fast. Kimberley Toad Busters (KTB), a volunteer organisation working to stop the relentless spread of the super-toads which have a negative impact on native wildlife, say it is the toad's hardy nature that has seen such an unprecedented rate of colonisation.

Toads, long thought not to have the ability to climb, to hibernate, to swim well and to remain immersed in water for long periods of time have been shown to do just these things. Lee Scott-Virtue, who founded KTB, said the unique adaptability of the cane toad posed a question - 'Is the cane toad evolving at a rate far ahead of what science has deemed probable and do scientists appointed by the Federal government really understand the full impact of the cane toad and the work undertaken by community volunteers to mitigate this impact?' KTB have been recording cane toads breeding and they are well established in areas that defy measures such as ‘fencing'.

'This animal will adapt to any climatic conditions. With the toad still holding the record for being the most fertile animal found in the world, it takes no great leap of faith, nor any in depth understanding of biological evolution to realise that this animal will adapt to any of the climatic conditions found in Australia, it really is only a matter of time.' - Dean Goodgame, KTB volunteer

KIMBERLEY TOADBUSTERS

Elephant severely injured on land mine...

Thai veterinarians say a 22-year-old elephant was wounded when he wandered into neighboring Myanmar and stepped on a land mine. Soraida Salwala of the Friends of the Asian Elephant conservation group in northern Thailand says the pachyderm's left foot was severely hurt in Sunday's blast in Myanmar's Kayin state.

Salwala said Tuesday that the elephant named Pa Hae Po was taken by truck to the group's hospital in the Thai city of Lampang and is expected to recover. The elephant is the 14th such injury to be treated at the hospital since it began operating in 1993. He joins three other land mine victims that remain hospitalized at the facility.

Rights groups say both the Myanmar army and rebels have laid mines during decades of conflict.

FRIENDS OF THE ASIAN ELEPHANT

Hawaiian Monk seal heading towards extinction...

(from ARKive)

Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, the Hawaiian monk seals in a marine protected area are heading towards extinction, while those in a nearby unprotected area are thriving, according to new research, and its populations continue to decline as a result of human disturbance, low food availability and entanglement in marine debris.

New research, published in the journal Conservation Letters, reports that the Hawaiian monk seal population in Hawaii’s Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, home to 85% of the Hawaiian monk seal population, is declining by about 4% a year. In contrast, a population in the main Hawaiian Islands is increasing by 7% a year, despite fishing, development and boat activity all being permitted in the area.

Suggested causes of the decline include increased shark predation within the reserve. Fishing was banned in the area in 2006, but fishing discards prior to this may have boosted shark numbers, and these sharks could now be wreaking havoc on seal pups. Some locals have even started a shark-culling programme to control ‘problem sharks’. Other possible explanations include changes in the seal’s food supply due to warming waters, and competition for food from large fish known as jacks. Both could be contributing to the low pup survival which is driving the monk seal’s decline. Alternatively, the reserve may simply be too new for its ecosystem to have settled down.

Officials have been looking at ways to boost the Hawaiian monk seal’s population in the marine reserve. Suggested measures include moving weaned pups from the reserve to areas with higher survival rates, and then returning them to the reserve when they are older and less vulnerable. According to the researchers, moving the pups may be a good idea for now, but they should not be moved back until things change in the reserve. However, conservationists have yet to determine what might need to change.

“It depends how you define success. Is it about saving endangered species, or preserving a functioning ecosystem? It’s worth taking a step back. Marine preservation areas may not be the solution in all situations.” - Leah Gerber, Professor ASU School Of Life Sciences

ASU SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES

PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT

ANOTHER pet store takes a stand against the puppy mill...

The tide is slowing changing in the world of pet stores and pet sales - changing in a beautiful way. Another pet store change has decided to stop selling puppies and kittens. 

Petland, one of Canada's oldest pet-store chains, is making the monumental shift from pet sales, to pet adoption. According to the Winnipeg Free Press, Petland will be teaming up with animal welfare organizations in an effort to promote adoptions. Petland cited a decrease in puppy and kitten sales as one of the reasons for the change.

People are starting to listen - the era of the puppy mill is dying. Raise your glass!

PETLAND

India honours Tiger conservation heroes...

(From WWF)

On 10 September 2011, India honored two courageous men who fought all odds to revive and protect tiger populations in the country. Shri R. Sreenivasa Murthy, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh and Shri Tana Tapi, Divisional Forest Officer, Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary Assam received WWF-PATA’s Bagh Mitra Awards 2011 at a function hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi. 

WWF-PATA Bagh Mitra Awards, jointly instituted by WWF-India and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), aim to acknowledge individuals and institutions/community groups for their leadership and transformative contribution to conserve India’s wild Tigers and their habitats. 

Shri R. Sreenivasa Murthy was acknowledged for his enduring efforts to reintroduce and revive the tiger population at Panna Tiger Reserve. At a time when Panna had lost all its tigers and the staff morale was low, Shri Murthy took on the challenge to bring tigers back to the Reserve. Two tigresses had already been introduced to Panna and Shri Murthy helped translocate another tigress and a male tiger. By ensuring proper monitoring and protection, Panna Tiger Reserve soon achieved breeding success. Shri Murthy not only helped Panna restore its pride but also helped rekindle the lost spirit of this forest.

Shri Tana Tapi received this prestigious award for his exemplary work to restore and secure the Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary. Despite numerous challenges including armed militancy, poachers and other criminal elements, Shri Tapi was successful in upscaling anti-poaching efforts in this area. Such personal threats and limitations of human resources and other infrastructure never deterred him from working hard to protect tigers of Pakke as also their habitat and other associated species. During the last two years, he has constructed 40 anti-poaching camps and arrested several poachers. 

“WWF-PATA Bagh Mitra Awards are a medium for us to recognize the Tiger heroes of our country as well as an opportunity to celebrate India’s wild tigers and acknowledge the incredible efforts involved in protecting and conserving them for future generations”.

- Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India

WWF INDIA

Illegal Orangutan skulls found on plantation in Indonesia...

An article in yesterday’s Jakarta Post identifies the role of palm oil plantations in the illegal souvenir trade of the skulls of endangered orangutans. Indonesia-based Center for Orangutan Protection (COP) has reported four orangutan skulls found on a palm oil plantation in Central Kalimantan and another orangutan corpse buried on a palm oil plantation in East Kalimantan.

As Indonesia’s biodiverse rainforests are destroyed and fragmented, leading to the rapid decimation of critical habitat to make way for corporate agribusiness operations, orangutan populations become more vulnerable to poachers. And the fact that many palm oil plantations pay their workers wages so low that they’re on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Red List for Slave Labor is only exacerbating the problem of illegal poaching of nearby apes for the lucrative souvenir trade of orangutan skull (even as these plantations nose up to the last bits of orangutan habitat, no less).

As the Jakarta Post article states, effective government enforcement of existing anti-poaching and animal trade laws is needed urgently. It is also the responsibility of the palm oil plantations creating this nightmarish situation to not house or promote these illegal operations. Similarly, major U.S.  importers of this bloodied palm oil, like Cargill Inc., should have policies for their palm oil imports that specific creates safeguards against both the human exploitation and animal cruelty from entering this commodity’s supply chain.

This is a situation where fast action is needed. Fortunately, there are activists, researchers, scientists, and communities taking a stand. Together, we can accumulate knowledge and solutions. You can read a first-hand account of Sean Whyte, an inspiring orangutan activist, and his network of Ape Crusaders (the title of his newest book) on his website below.

NATURE ALERT

Rare dolphin beached in Devon...

A RARE dolphin which washed up dead on Saunton Sands had starved to death, according to a post mortem. The female striped dolphin was discovered by Bill Hibbs, who was walking along the beach during the bank holiday weekend when he saw the animal lying motionless on the sand. The Swansea Coastguard was alerted and a team moved the dolphin above the high water mark, so it would not be dragged away by the sea. 

The animal has since been transported by marine biologist Rob Deaville to the Institute of Zoology where he carried out a post mortem in London. Mr Deaville, the project manager for the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which is funded by Defra, said the juvenile female, measuring only 1.6m long, was in a moderate to poor state with parasites in her stomach and externally on her fin and body,  quite similar to barnacles. 

Mr Deaville said it was difficult to determine whether the parasites were the cause of the dolphin's starvation or whether the parasites increased after little food was being eaten. The carcass of the dolphin has now been incinerated, while some of its bones have been kept for further analysis. UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme has dealt with 20,000 strandings in its 20-year existence.

"A Striped Dolphin is a relatively rare sighting with them usually being found in warmer waters such as the Mediterranean. Seven have been found in the UK over the last 12 months with most being in the South West." - Rob Deaville, UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme

UK STRANDINGS PROGRAM

Future Cannibalism - would you eat Human based products???

Well this could be the way of the future, to eradicate animal Gelatin in food products for good! A report in the Daily Telegraph states that scientists have completed a study that illustrates Gelatin derived from humans could be used as an ingredient in snacks. 

The new research, by scientists at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, claims to have found a new way to make gelatin from human DNA and they say their discovery is attracting "increasing interest from research and industrial circles". Researchers say they have developed a way to insert human genes into a strain of yeast to grow large amounts of recombinant human gelatin.

As a lot of vegetarians and vegans will be aware, Gelatin is regularly used a gelling agent by the food industry, often in sweets. However, researchers claim the human-derived gelatin could become a substitute for some of the 300,000 tons of animal-based gelatin produced annually for desserts, marshmallows, candy and innumerable other products.

However, others in the science world have admitted the general public might question its use. Dr Gregory Kaebnick, of the US-based Hastings Center For Bioethics and Public Policy, says the idea of human-derived gelatin appears to raise the question of cannibalism.

"There's a very high degree of similarity between gelatin that comes from a cow, a pig, and a human. So due to their similarities, I can't see why there would be a health risk to it. It's a very similar protein to what people have been ingesting for many years." 

- Dr David Olsen, FIBROGEN 

FIBROGEN

Two more Ivory shipments intercepted!

Two massive hauls of ivory bound for China have been seized in the past month on top of the 1000 ivory tusks seized in Tanzania last week. In Hong Kong, customs officers seized 794 pieces of ivory, weighing 1.9 tonnes - while the Royal Malaysian Customs has seized two containers filled with 695 elephant tusks in the country's largest port. At least 750 elephants must have been butchered to provide such a huge quantity of ivory. This comes just 1 week after more than 1000 ivory tusks were seized in Tanzania. 

The Hong Kong consignment was in a shipping container that had come from Malaysia. It was declared as non-ferrous products for factory use, but upon examination by officers of the Ports and Maritime Command was found to contain African elephant ivory, concealed by stones. A 66-year-old man was arrested and follow-up investigations are in progress.

The report came from Tom Milliken, of TRAFFIC, who manages the illegal ivory trade monitoring system ETIS, which holds the details of nearly 17,000 reported ivory and other elephant product seizures that have taken place anywhere in the world since 1989. A total of 164 ivory seizures have occurred in Hong Kong during this 23-year period, collectively representing over 17 tonnes of elephant ivory.

The Malaysian shipment, labelled as ‘recycled craft plastic' originated in Tanzania but was also thought to be headed for China. The tusks, weighing nearly 2 tonnes, were packed in gunny sacks and hidden under the plastic material. The seizure, declared as "used plastics", was made at the Butterworth Port, in the northwest of Peninsular Malaysia. 

‘The authorities in Hong Kong are to be congratulated on this important seizure, but it is now vital to ensure that all leads are followed to track down those responsible along the entire smuggling chain,' - Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC

Florida has declared a new National Reserve near Kissimmee...

As part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has formally proposed the establishment of a new national wildlife refuge and conservation area in the Kissimmee River Valley, south of Orlando, Florida, to preserve one of the last remaining grassland and longleaf pine savanna landscapes in eastern North America.

Two-thirds of the proposed Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, or up to 100,000 acres, would be protected through conservation easements purchased from willing sellers. Private landowners would retain ownership of their land, as well as the right to work the land to raise cattle or crops. The easements would ensure the land could not be developed.

The Service would also purchase up to 50,000 acres outright from willing sellers to create the proposed national wildlife refuge where visitors could hunt, fish and view wildlife. The Service has identified six areas where these refuge lands could potentially be purchased. In some cases, the refuge acquisitions would augment existing conservation lands, such as state parks and wildlife management areas.

Building on the conservation work of private landowners, state and federal conservation agencies, conservation groups, and the public, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal is a strong example of how conservation partners are working to preserve the area's rich ranching heritage and way of life, while protecting the headwaters of the Everglades in the Kissimmee River Basin and connecting valuable habitats benefiting the area's rich fish and wildlife resources.

"The establishment of this refuge promotes one of our key Everglades restoration goals, which is to restore habitat and protect species." - Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior

Two kakapo found dead...

Recognised at one time as probably THE most endangered bird on the planet, I was sad to hear of two young female kakapo that have been found dead - one on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, off Stewart Island, the other on Anchor Island in Fiordland. Kakapo Recovery programme manager Deidre Vercoe Scott said the two birds were discovered by rangers doing transmitter changes during the weekend. 

The first, Purity, hatched during the bumper 2009 breeding season. It was estimated she had been dead around ten days. The other, Monoa, which hatched in 2002, was found Sunday on Anchor Island. She had been dead for quite some time, indicating the two deaths were not linked, after initial basic autopsies there were no obvious causes, and scientists are currently carrying out further examinations to hopefully discover the potential reasons surrounding the fatalities.

Not all news is bad news, as the success of the Kakapo Recovery Centre has displayed, with their work of the past 21 years almost tripling Kakapo numbers from a worldwide population of just 49, up to a healthy breeding population of 131 this year. Making us remember, that with increased breeding and numbers, there will be an undoubtable rise in mortality rates, though the kakapo is still a critically endangered species and very vulnerable.

"While it is such a shame to lose two young females, it's a fact that, as kakapo numbers increase, we can expect a natural increase in mortality rates for a variety of reasons. The good news is more than half the kakapo population is young breeding age birds, so the recovery of kakapo is still in good shape." 

- Deidre Vercoe Scott, Kakapo Recovery Centre Manager

KAKAPO RECOVERY CENTRE

The World's Largest crocodile has been found!

A huge crocodile has been captured and relocated, alive and with-out harm, in Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in the  Philippines. At 21 feet long, he is the biggest crocodile ever caught alive. Weighing in at over a ton, the crocodile was snared near Bunawan Township after a three week hunt, during which bait was taken and the steel cable traps destroyed.  It took over 100 people to participate in the operation of moving the crocodile to a clearing where it was then transported, via crane, to a temporary enclosure. 

Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde plans to create an eco-tourism park with the huge crocodile as the star. Film shows the unharmed crocodile being released into a pool, and it is currently being kept away from the public to reduce stress. The relocation shouts wonders for Crocodiles in the Philippines, who up until now were often persecuted, and regularly killed, with it illustrating that attitudes to crocodiles are changing. No-one wants to kill the beasts any more, with recent law changes stating that killing a crocodile in the Philippines carries a heavy prison sentence, and attitudes leaning more towards conservation, and eco-tourism in the preservation of the reptiles in eco-parks. 

The crocodile will provide an excellent educational and tourist attraction, and may prove to be a valuable breeding animal if provided with females. With a reproduction and re-introduction program a success, the hatchlings can be cared for until large enough, and then released in to the wild, helping to boost the declined numbers in the wild due to poaching and unlawful killings. 

AGUSAN MARSH