bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The increasing isolation of Tarangire National Park
Authors: Borner Markus
Published: April 2009

In Tanzania, in the dry season, Tarangire National Park is second only to Ngorongoro in the concentrations of wildlife to be seen there. But there is a bleak outlook for the species that traditionally migrate to pastures outside the park in the rainy season. Over the last 10 years many of their routes out of the park have been blocked by farms and ranches, and further expansion of agricultural schemes could threaten the remainder. Part of the zebra and wildebeest populations that migrate north have already been lost. The author, who has been carrying out wildlife surveys in Tanzania for the Frankfurt Zoological Society for seven years, proposes some remedies to prevent the park from becoming the domain of only a few resident species.
The status of wildlife in Tonga
Authors: Rinke Dieter
Published: April 2009

When the author visited ’Eua in the Tonga islands to study the red shining parrot, he took the opportunity to collect information on some other aspects of Tonga's wildlife. During his 18-month survey he also visited several other islands in the group. Here he discusses six rare and threatened animals—four birds and two reptiles.
The Black River Lower Morass: a threatened wetland in Jamaica
Authors: Garrick L. D.
Published: April 2009

The Black River Lower Morass is Jamaica's largest wetland, and is a refuge for two endangered species—the American crocodile and the West Indian manatee—as well as for a host of other plants and animals. It is internationally important for many birds and a vital economic resource for 20,000 people. Proposals for peat mining and drainage for agriculture now threaten this valuable area. The author has a long-standing interest in the wetland, having studied the American crocodile there since 1975.
Nubian ibex in the Eastern Desert, Egypt
Authors: Krausman Paul R. , Shaw William W.
Published: April 2009

In 1984, when the authors were working in the central part of Egypt's Eastern Desert, they found some large tracks and followed them. From the top of a sand dune, they had a brief but clear view of an adult male Nubian ibex. This unexpected sighting confirms that there is at least one population in this part of the Eastern Desert; the last report of ibex in the area was in 1927.
The Pyrenean desman—an endangered insectivore
Authors: Poduschka Walter , Richard Bernard
Published: April 2009

The decline of the Pyrenean desman reflects the pollution, degradation and fragmentation of its mountain torrent habitat, but there are other threats too. In some areas of Spain that were once densely populated by desmans, escaped mink from fur farms have established and the desmans have disappeared. In October 1984 Walter Poduschka, Chairman of IUCN/SSC's Insectivore Specialist Group, and Bernard Richard, desman specialist, visited the Sierras north-west of Madrid to investigate the plight of the desman there. Their findings made them raise the matter at the SSC meeting in Madrid in 1984, and they urge that Spanish scientists study the animal and its problems before it is too late.
Red-eared terrapin farms and conservation
Authors: Warwick Clifford
Published: April 2009

Taking animals from the wild to supply the pet trade is often a cause for concern, both on welfare and conservation grounds. The red-eared terrapin Pseudemys scripta elegans is just one subspecies involved, and its survival in certain parts of its range is under threat as a result.
The brow-antlered deer in Burma—its distribution and status
Authors: Salter Richard E. , Sayer Jeffrey A.
Published: April 2009

Two of the three subspecies of brow-antlered deer are endangered and only the Burmese subspecies is still relatively abundant. Even so, it is a species of major concern in Burma. The authors describe the results of their surveys to determine the deer's status, the main threats to its survival and what needs to be done to conserve it.
African elephants: population trends and their causes
Authors: Douglas-Hamilton I.
Published: April 2009

In 1985 many African elephant populations, which had been monitored for a decade or more, were either in rapid decline or down to a fraction of their former size. The author examines regional trends and information on key populations with reference to the critical factors affecting the survival of the African elephant, most significantly poaching and the illegal trade in ivory
The Philippine spotted deer and the Visayan warty pig
Authors: Cox Roger
Published: April 2009

The author conducted a survey in 1985 that revealed dismal prospects for two endangered Philippine mammals. Habitat destruction and hunting pressure have caused local extinction of the spotted deer and the warty pig in the Visayan Islands, and the remaining populations are not expected to survive very much longer if current practices continue. The country's Bureau of Forest Development wants to establish a sanctuary for the deer and has started a captive breeding project, but the depressed state of the economy and political unrest make their work extremely difficult.
The crocodile caves of Ankarana, Madagascar
Authors: Wilson Jane M.
Published: April 2009

In 1981 the FFPS helped fund the Southampton University Expedition to the Ankarana Caves in northern Madagascar. This was the first attempt at any systematic biological work there. Within the longest cave, la Grotte d'Andrafiabé, a striking variety of fauna was found, including several arthropod species that were new to science. This preliminary report, by one of the expedition's members, describes some of the findings. A new 10-man team returned to Ankarana in August 1986 to extend the work.
The reintroduction of the Andean condor into Colombia, South America: 1989–1991
Authors: Lieberman Alan , Rodriguez Jose Vicente , Paez Juan Manuel , Wiley Jim
Published: April 2009

From 1989 to 1991,22 captive-reared Andean condors Vultur gryphus were released into three protected areas in the Andes of Colombia, South America. The goals of this reintroduction programme were to re-establish populations of these birds in protected habitat where the species had been extirpated, and to train local biologists in the conservation techniques necessary to recover their native condor. All birds were hatched, reared and released according to the protocols established by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game for the California condor Gymnogyps californianus. At the time of release, the birds ranged in age from 11 to 26 months. Each bird was fitted with individually numbered wing tags and wing-mounted radio transmitters. Of the 22 released animals, 19 currently survive – a substantial increase to the wild population in Colombia, which had been estimated by Colombian biologists to number only 20 individuals.
Yemen's rhino horn trade increases
Authors: Vigne Lucy , Martin Esmond Bradley
Published: April 2009

The authors visited Yemen on behalf of WWF International in April 1992 to find out what had been happening to the rhino horn trade since their last visit to the country during the Gulf Crisis in November 1990. From 1985 to 1990, Yemen's rhino horn imports had decreased very sharply compared with the 1970s and early 1980s. From August 1990 to March 1992, however, a considerable increase in imports occurred, with just over 750 kg of rhino horn being brought into Yemen. The reason for the increase was not a rise in the wholesale price of rhino horn – this is still half that paid in Taiwan. The main reason for the increase is that new and easier trade routes have opened up, primarily from Tanzania by air to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates and then overland to Yemen.
Conservation of biological diversity in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Schubert Andreas
Published: April 2009

The Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola has the highest degree of biological diversity in the Caribbean. The country's wildlife service (Departamento de Vida Silvestre) carried out investigations at ecosystem and – for the vertebrate fauna – at species level in order to identify gaps in the representation of ecosystems within the nation's protected area system. As a result of this exercise 15 new areas have been proposed for protected status. The information presented here is a summary of the report La Diversidad Biológica de la República Dominicana, published by SEA/Departamento de Vida Silvestre in December 1990.
Game management and cultural survival: the Yuquí Ethnodevelopment Project in lowland Bolivia
Authors: Stearman A. M. , Redford K. H.
Published: April 2009

When the Yuquí Indians of Bolivia adopted a settled life-style in the 1960s, wild animals continued to be their main source of meat. As a result, game species declined in numbers around their settlement and their problems were exacerbated by colonists seeking new lands to farm. Prospects brightened in 1992 when 115,000 ha of land were designated Yuquí Indigenous Territory. This paper describes how a system of satellite camps was developed to enable the Yuquí to exploit game animals sustainably and to defend their land from encroachment.
Hunting large primates and conservation of the Neotropical rain forests
Authors: Ráez-Luna E. F.
Published: April 2009

This paper examines the impact of hunting on the conservation of large Neotropical primates (≥ 6 kg adult body mass) and of the forest they inhabit. A greater emphasis on thein-situconservation of large cebids outside protected areas and close to people is advocated and research priorities are suggested to support the conservation of large primates imperilled by hunting.
Maya subsistence hunters in Quintana Roo, Mexico
Authors: Jorgenson Jeffrey P.
Published: April 2009

Wild animals have played an important role in the lives of Maya Indians but recent evidence from a small Maya community in south-eastern Mexico suggests that their importance as a source of food may be diminishing. The persistence of subsistence hunting despite low kill rates suggests that hunting is still culturally important to the Maya community as a whole. By combining subsistence hunting with other subsistence and commercial activities, such as gardening and the extraction of chicle latex from sapodilla trees Manilkara zapota, contemporary Maya hunters are preserving a culturally important activity while simultaneously adapting to internal and external pressures to modernize their society.
Use and misuse of the seas around the Galápagos Archipelago
Authors: Merlen Godfrey
Published: April 2009

Although the Galapagos Islands were first colonized over 160 years ago, the major impact on the marine resources by local fishermen has occurred only during the last 40–45 years. During this period, and especially more recently, a lack of attention to the largely uncontrolled fishery has led to confusion, a conflict of interests, and a series of inapplicable laws and regulations. Changing markets, exploding human populations, and a new approach to marine resource exploitation, with minimum investment and maximum expectation, has led to a chaotic situation in which neither the fishermen nor the Galapagos National Park will ultimately benefit.
The saola or spindlehorn bovid Pseudoryx nghetinhensis in Laos
Authors: Schaller George B. , Rabinowitz Alan
Published: April 2009

In 1992 the discovery of a new bovid, Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, in Vietnam led to speculation that the species also occurred in adjacent parts of Laos. This paper describes a survey in January 1994, which confirmed the presence of P. ngethinhensis in Laos, although in low densities and with a patchy distribution. The paper also presents new information that helps clarify the phylogenetic position of the species. The low numbers and restricted range of P. ngethinhensis mean that it must be regarded as Endangered. While some admirable moves have been made to protect the new bovid and its habitat, more needs to be done and the authors recommend further conservation action.
The dangers of conservation by rural development – a case-study from the forests of Nigeria
Authors: Oates John F.
Published: April 2009

The Okomu Forest Reserve in south-west Nigeria contains a 114-sq-km wildlife sanctuary that is an important refuge for several threatened species, including the white-throated guenon Cercopithecus erythrogaster. A conservation project that started in Okomu in 1987 focused initially on protection, but the emphasis recently shifted to a programme of agricultural development assistance to migrant farmers in the reserve. This approach, which appears to follow the philosophy espoused in IUCN/UNEP/WWF's Caring for the Earth, may hasten rather than prevent the destruction of this remnant tropical forest and its wildlife.
The Irula Co-operative Venom Centre, India
Authors: Whitaker Romulus , Andrews Harry V.
Published: April 2009

When the Indian Government banned the export of snakeskins in 1976, the Irulas – a tribal people whose traditional skills included snake-catching – lost a major source of income. The authors describe how the Irula Co-operative Venom Centre was established to replace this lost income and at the same time exploit a valuable wildlife resource in a way that is apparently sustainable. More research is needed, however, to ensure that the project is viable in the long term.
Restoration of houbara bustard populations in Saudi Arabia: developments and future directions
Authors: Seddon P. J. , Jalme M. Saint , van Heezik Y. , Paillat P. , Gaucher P. , Combreau O.
Published: April 2009

The National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) was established in 1986 to oversee all wildlife conservation programmes in Saudi Arabia. One of the first species-specific programmes, started in the same year, was a houbara bustard Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii captive-breeding project at the National Wildlife Research Center. With the production in 1992 of a selfsustaining captive houbara flock and the provision of an annual surplus of houbara chicks, attention has shifted to the release of captive-bred houbara into protected areas. Critical review of the houbara programme in 1993 emphasized the need for field studies, public-awareness programmes and international collaboration in addition to captive-rearing and release.
Managing wildlife successfully in Zimbabwe
Authors: Child Graham
Published: April 2009

Zimbabwe's approach to wildlife conservation started to change radically just over 30 years ago. Recognition of the fact that wildlife will only survive outside protected areas if the people who share the habitat are given responsibility for and derive benefits from wildlife has had positive effects for the conservation of the macrofauna. The author, the country's former Director of National Parks and Wild Life Management, describes the history of wildlife management in Zimbabwe and how the new approach is working.
Applications of human behavioural ecology to sustainable wildlife conservation and use programmes in developing nations
Authors: Heinen Joel T.
Published: April 2009

Human behaviour probably evolved within the confines of small social groups whose members were closely related or interacted repeatedly over long periods of time. Patterns of behaviour regarding use of natural resources reflect this. It would appear that humans also tend to perceive as more urgent environmental problems occurring over a relatively short period of time, at relatively local spatial scales, and which affect them directly, rather than those occurring over greater spans of time and space. If so, then conservation strategies may be planned accordingly. This hypothesis is explored in the context of species conservation by the presentation of a country case-study (Nepal) and by a review of selected conservation programmes from several developing nations. There has been a general lack of research efforts that examine the effect of societal scales in this context, and more such efforts are needed to achieve conservation goals.
The Ambangulu Forest, West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania: a threatened Eastern Arc forest
Authors: Goodman Steven M. , Stanley William T. , Newmark William D. , Howell Kim M.
Published: April 2009

Ambangulu Forest is one of the few remaining tracts of natural forest between 800 and 1200 m in the West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. It may be the biologically richest area in the region but it is threatened by illegal felling of timber trees, wind damage, grazing and browsing livestock, and collection of fuel-wood and building poles. A proposed project aims to protect the forest and benefit local people at the same time.
Applications of veterinary medicine toin situconservation efforts
Authors: Karesh William B. , Cook Robert A.
Published: April 2009

Wildlife conservation efforts are increasingly faced with declining, overcrowded or fragmented populations, environmental contamination, and the introduction of new species of either competitors or pathogens. These efforts are coming under increased public scrutiny in their attempt to balance human social and economic needs with those of wildlife. The integration of veterinary medicine as part of a multidisciplinary approach to conservation can assist in the successful planning, implementation and evaluation of conservation projects. Beyond the role of immobilizing animals, veterinarians can contribute to assessing and monitoring the health of wild populations, and can train others in modern approaches to working with and caring for wildlife.
Reintroduction of hand-reared alala Corvus hawaiiensis in Hawaii
Authors: Kuehler C. , Harrity P. , Lieberman A. , Kuhn M.
Published: April 2009

The wild alala Corvus hawaiiensis population has been declining for many years and only three pairs of birds are currently reproductively active on the island of Hawaii. At the recommendation of a committee formed by the National Academy of Sciences, a restoration programme was initiated in 1993 by The Peregrine Fund in collaboration with private land-owners, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Biological Service and the State of Hawaii. The restoration programme includes removing eggs from wild nesting birds for artificial incubation, handrearing and reintroduction. In two breeding seasons (1993, 1994), 17 eggs were removed from alala nests in the wild. Three eggs were infertile, 13 chicks hatched and 12 alala were successfully reared (hatchability: 93 per cent; survivability: 92 per cent). Four of these chicks were sent to the State of Hawaii's Olinda Endangered Species Propagation Facility, while four chicks from this facility were sent to the reintroduction programme. Twelve alala have been released by The Peregrine Fund: five in 1993 and seven in 1994. Three of the five birds released in 1993 and all seven of the birds released in 1994 are currently surviving in the wild.
The impact of selective logging on sympatric civet species in Borneo
Authors: Heydon Matthew J. , Bulloh Pullin
Published: April 2009

Selective logging is the predominant method of commercial timber exploitation in South East Asia. Its effects upon mammalian carnivores have seldom been addressed, despite the vulnerability of these animals at the top of many food chains. The authors investigated the effects of logging by comparing the abundance of sympatric civet species, which display feeding strategies ranging from strict carnivory tofrugivory, in primary and selectively logged rainforest in the Malaysian state ofSabah in northern Borneo. All species occurred in disturbed forest, but the overall density of civets in logged forest (6.4 individuals per sq km) was found to be significantly lower than in primary forest (31.5 individuals per sq km). This reflected a marked reduction in the abundance of civets from the predominantly carnivorous subfamilies Viverrinae and Hemigalinae.
Preliminary assessment of large mammals in the Namcha Barwa region of south-eastern Tibet
Authors: Jiang Qiu Ming , Bleisch William V.
Published: April 2009

In 1994 the authors made two rapid assessments of wildlife in the remote Namcha Barwa region, south-eastern Tibet, China. They conducted interviews, examined and recorded trophies in the possession of local Menba, Luoba and Kangba Tibetans and made opportunistic field observations. Despite the extensive forests in this extremely remote region, wildlife populations appeared to be low except in inaccessible areas along county borders. Frequent reports of tiger predation on cattle, horses and mules in glaciated valleys on the south slope of the Himalayas may indicate a shortage of natural prey. Uncontrolled hunting, human population growth and expedient economic development threaten the survival of large mammals in the region.
Exploitation of megapode eggs in indonesia: the role of traditional methods in the conservation of megapodes
Authors: Argeloo Marc , Dekker René W. R. J.
Published: April 2009

Some megapode populations have already become extinct in parts of Indonesia because of the increasing human population, improved infrastructure and the abandonment of traditions governing the collection of megapode eggs for human consumption. In other areas megapode eggs are being collected unsustainably, while in more remote areas traditions, and megapode populations, are still intact. The authors examine the ways that traditional egg-collecting methods could be incorporated successfully into megapode conservation projects.
Ecotourism in the Tangkoko DuaSudara Nature Reserve: opening Pandora' box?
Authors: Kinnaird Margaret F. , O'Brien Timothy G.
Published: April 2009

Indonesia, like many other developing countries, is turning to ecotourism in an attempt to integrate the goals of development and nature conservation. Although ecotourism may be a valuable tool for preservation of biodiversity, it can have long-term negative effects on reserves, wildlife and local communities if improperly managed. In this study the authors evaluated ecotourism in the Tangkoko DuaSudara Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi, by examining trends in visitor numbers, the tourist experience, the distribution of tourist revenues, and tourist impact on the Sulawesi black macaque Macaca nigra and spectral tarsier Tarsier spectrum. The data collected showed that, although tourism is expanding rapidly, local benefits are not being fully realized, the reserve does not generate enough money to implement management, and primate behaviour is being affected. There is urgent need for a change in legal status of the reserve if ecotourism is to be managed. National park status would accommodate ecotourism planning and development, provide for greater participation by the local community, and allow for increased revenues for management.
New Caledonia – a conservation imperative for an ancient land
Authors: Mittermeier R. A. , Werner T. B. , Lees A.
Published: April 2009

When Myers (1988) published his first overview of threatened hotspots for conservation of biodiversity world-wide, most of the 10 areas he selected (for example, Madagascar, the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, the eastern slope of the Andes) were already known to be critically important. However, one of his hotspots, the small island territory of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, was an unexpected inclusion in the global priority list. Although well known to botanists as a living museum of unique and ancient plants, and to marine biologists as the site of the world's second largest coastal barrier reef, New Caledonia had been largely overlooked by the international conservation community. None the less, it ranks as one of the world's most endangered biodiversity hotspots and requires an immediate and substantial commitment of conservation resources.
Local people and Project Angonoka – conservation of the ploughshare tortoise in north-western Madagascar
Authors: Durbin Joanna , Rajafetra Veloson , Reid Don , Razandrizanakanirina Daurette
Published: April 2009

Project Angonoka, in its aim to conserve the endangered angonoka or ploughshare tortoise Geochelone yniphora in north-western Madagascar, has given a high priority to working with local people. Many of the environmental changes threatening the angonoka also cause difficulties for local people. An environmental awareness campaign has used the angonoka as a main theme, as an animal unique to the region whose near extinction symbolizes the impact of environmental changes occurring in the area. This campaign has stimulated the creation of village environmental associations. The activities undertaken by these associations have demonstrated a local willingness to manage and conserve their environment, and show how promotion of a flagship species can stimulate more general environmental conservation and sustainable development.
The reasons for Red Data Books
Authors: Collar N. J.
Published: April 2009

The late Sir Peter Scott, a former President of Fauna and Flora International, proposed the idea of Red Data Books as conservation tools more than 30 years ago. Today, the international Red Data Book programme appears to be effectively at an end, with priority being given to Action Plans and Conservation Assessment Management Plans for groups oftaxa. These, however, cannot entirely replace Red Data Books, and the author of this paper argues that Red Data Books have many vital roles to play in species conservation and makes a plea for their renascence.
Conservation and sustainable resource use in the Hadejia–Jama'are Valley, Nigeria
Authors: Adams William M. , Thomas David H. L.
Published: April 2009

Sustainable development is increasingly being seen as a legitimate, and locally critical, element in wildlife conservation. However, relatively few studies of projects attempt to combine conservation and development goals. The Hadejia—Nguru Wetland Conservation Project in Nigeria grew out of a concern for wildlife (particularly wetland birds), but has expanded to address issues of environmental sustainability and economic development at both the local and the regional scale. This paper assesses the achievements of the project's approach.
Marine turtles on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea
Authors: Butynski Thomas M.
Published: April 2009

Four endangered species of marine turtle nest on the southern beaches of Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. The turtles and their eggs are an important traditional source of food for the people of the area and turtle populations have apparently declined considerably, probably because of overexploitation. This paper reviews what is known about Bioko's marine turtles, their nesting seasons, population trends, use by humans, conservation status and recent conservation efforts. Recommendations are made for additional research and conservation action.
Changing populations of birds and mammals in North Sulawesi
Authors: O'Brien Timothy G. , Kinnaird Margaret F.
Published: April 2009

The issues of habitat loss and hunting are of paramount importance to wildlife conservation in Asia. In Sulawesi, Indonesia, these problems are having a serious impact on the vertebrate fauna. Using line-transect methods, the densities of 11 species of large birds and mammals were compared between 1979 and 1994 in the Tangkoko-DuaSudara Nature Reserve in North Sulawesi. During those 15 years, populations ofanoaBubalus depressicornis,bear cuscusPhalanger ursinus,crested black macaqueMacaca nigra,maleoMacrocephalon maleoand red junglefowlGallus gallusdeclined by 50–95 per cent while populations of Sulawesi pigSus celebensis,Tabon scrubfowlMegapodius cumingii,Sulawesi tarictic hornbillPenelopides exarhatusand red-knobbed hornbillAceros cassidixincreased by 5–100 per cent. We considered hypotheses for these changes: habitat loss outside the reserve, habitat degradation inside the reserve, and hunting. Only hunting adequately explained the pattern of changing densities observed. Unless protection from hunting is enforced for these species, we may soon witness the demise of these unique animals in North Sulawesi and possibly throughout the island.
Status and distribution of river otters in Kinmen, Taiwan
Authors: Lee Ling-Ling
Published: April 2009

Surveys of river otters Lutra lutra on Kinmen and Little Kinmen islands were carried out in 1992 and 1993. In order to record sightings of otters in the past, 12 Kinmen residents who had seen or caught otters before were interviewed. Interview results indicated that the otter is a resident, breeding species on Kinmen. Survey results indicated presence of otters throughout Kinmen and in many sites on Little Kinmen. However, habitat degradation, including pollution and drought, may pose serious threats to the continued existence of the species on both islands.
A high mountain population of the ring-tailed lemur Lemur catta on the Andringitra Massif, Madagascar
Authors: Goodman Steven M. , Langrand Olivier
Published: April 2009

The ring-tailed lemur Lemur catta is generally considered to be a species of dry deciduous forest, gallery forest and spiny thorn scrub at relatively low altitudes. During a survey of the summit zone of the Andringitra Massif, one of the most climatically extreme areas on Madagascar, we recorded this species above the tree-line at 2520 m in an area composed mostly of exposed rock, low ericoid bush and subalpine vegetation. Information was collected on food plants consumed by this species. This pelage coloration of the local population of L. catta differed from museum specimens and photographs taken from other areas of this species's range. The taxonomic status of the Andringitra population is in need of further study.
The snow leopard in Xinjiang, China
Authors: Schaller George B. , Hong Li , Talipu  , Junrang Ren , Mingjiang Qiu
Published: April 2009

Snow leopards live in the mountains of Central Asia, their range stretching from Afghanistan to Lake Baikal and eastern Tibet. They are endangered throughout their range, being hunted as predators of man's livestock and for their skin. Much of the snow leopard's range lies in China, but not enough is known about its status there for effective conservation. As part of a project to assess China's high-altitude wildlife resources the authors conducted a survey in Xinjiang—a vast arid region of deserts and mountains. Although the snow leopard and other wildlife have declined steeply in Xinjiang in recent decades, the cat still persists and one area has the potential to become one of the best refuges for the species in its entire range. Its future in Xinjiang, however, depends on well-protected reserves, enforcement of regulations against killing the animal, and proper management of the prey species.
Mass extinction—profound problem, splendid opportunity
Authors: Myers Norman
Published: April 2009

A major extinction spasm is under way, threatening to eliminate millions of species. Fortunately we still have time—although only just—to slow and stem the tide of extinctions that is washing over earth's biotas. We cannot stop the mass extinction altogether; the processes of broad-scale habitat depletion have generated too much momentum to be halted overnight. But there is still much we can do to contain the scale of extinctions. In short, the prospect of a broad-scope depletion of earth's biodiversity is all too real: a profound problem. All too real also is the scope for an expansive effort to limit the phenomenon, and to save species in their millions: a splendid opportunity.
Dihaila Jheel—a new candidate for the Ramsar Convention
Authors: Rahmani Asad R.
Published: April 2009

Wetland and waterfowl protection has become a major concern of the Indian Government recently. Among the 300 or so wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India, wetland habitat is under-represented. There are nearly 20 bird sanctuaries, but only two wetlands—Bharatpur and Chilka—are listed under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention). There is certainly great scope to add more sites to the Ramsar list of wetlands. The author has identified one candidate—Dihaila Jheel in Madhya Pradesh state—and exciting new initiatives are now being taken to protect and manage it with a view to recommending it as a Ramsar site.
China's most endangered galliform
Authors: King Ben , Guiyuan Li
Published: April 2009

The few remaining forests where the Sichuan hill-partridge lives are all being logged. This species, with its very restricted range, is one of China's most endangered birds and yet it has no protection at all. The authors say a reserve should be set aside for the partridge before it is too late; such action could save not only this species but others of restricted ranges, which also live in the same broad-leaved forests.
Status of the jaguar—1987
Authors: Swank Wendell G. , Teer James G.
Published: April 2009

The decline of the jaguar in the 1970s reflected the large trade in their skins. Since 1973, when the species was listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the threat from the commercial skin trade has abated. However, habitat destruction and opportunistic killing continue. If the jaguar is to persist into the future, local people must be convinced that conserving jaguars has long-term benefits for them.
Eradication of feral goats from small islands
Authors: Daly Kath
Published: April 2009

Concern about the effects of feral goats on Aldabra atoll—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—led to a search for solutions. The search highlighted the inaccessibility of information on feral goat eradication campaigns. As a result the International Council for Bird Preservation and the FFPS, through its Oryx 100% Fund, commissioned a report to bring together and assess known techniques and potential strategies and to consider their implications for conservation practice. This article is a shortened version of that report.
The bulb trade—a threat to wild plant populations
Authors: Read Mike
Published: April 2009

Every year millions of bulbs, corms and tubers are being dug up in the wild to supply the market for garden plants. In many cases the level of exploitation is so high that it threatens some species with extinction in their natural habitats. Some have already been lost. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which has been so successful in controlling damaging trade in certain species of animals, has yet to address the bulb trade effectively. One of the difficulties to be overcome is assessing its true extent and its effect on wild populations. In 1987 the FFPS contracted its staff botanist, Mike Read, to investigate the trade in wild-collected plants in Turkey. The findings reported here point clearly to the need for further research, more legislation and the promotion of sustainable methods of propagation in the countries of origin.
Chiew Larn Dam Wildlife Rescue Operation
Authors: Nakhasathien Seub
Published: April 2009

The Chiew Larn Dam, Thailand's thirteenth, was completed in 1986 and the resulting flooding will destroy 165 sq km of the country's largest remaining area of lowland evergreen rain forest. For the first time ever in Thailand a rescue operation was carried out to try to save some of the wildlife, which includes threatened and endangered species, stranded on islands as the waters rose. In 18 months 1364 animals of 116 species were captured, but 44 died soon after. The survivors were released into protected areas nearby. The operation can be judged successful in some ways, but there were many shortcomings. The author, who was Field Director of the rescue operation, argues that even if these could be remedied in future similar projects, a wildlife rescue operation cannot compensate in any way for the loss of important wildlife habitat.
Threatened flora and forest in the Azores
Authors: Haggar J. P. , Westgarth-Smith A. R. , Penman D.
Published: April 2009

The authors visited the Azores in September 1986 to investigate the status of the archipelago's natural forests and the rare endemic trees they contain. They carried out intensive investigation only on the island of Pico, although they also worked on Terceira and Sao Miguel. These three are the only islands on which moderately large areas of forest are believed to remain.
Elephant are not beetles: implications of the ivory trade for the survival of the African elephant
Authors: Poole Joyce H. , Thomsen Jorgen B.
Published: April 2009

The scientific community now agrees that, more than anything else, it is the killing of African elephants for the ivory trade that has caused the very dramatic declines in elephant populations witnessed over the past decade. Based on samples of ivory trade data, recent population modelling and field data, the authors discuss the implications of the ivory trade for the future survival of viable populations of African elephants.
The clouded leopard in Nepal
Authors: Dinerstein Eric , Mehta Jai N.
Published: April 2009

Clouded leopards were believed to be extinct in Nepal, the last published record being from 1863, but in 1987–1988 four individuals were found in the country. These findings extend the known range of the species westward and suggest that clouded leopards are able to survive and breed in degraded woodlands and scrub previously supporting moist subtropical semi-deciduous forest. One of the clouded leopards was radio-collared, the first free-ranging individual to be so, and tracked for several days after its release in Royal Chitwan National Park. The translocation was unsuccessful—the leopard rapidly travelled towards the site from which it was captured.
Fifty years of wildlife conservation in Britain—a personal view
Authors: Fitter Richard
Published: April 2009

Although the nature conservation movement had its beginnings a century ago, there was a lull in activity between the two World Wars. Richard Fitter, former FFPS Honorary Secretary and Chairman and now a Vice-President, became involved in the middle of World War II, just as the movement really got off the ground. His account of wildlife conservation in the last 50 years reveals the tremendous changes that have occurred and gives us glimpses of his own deep commitment and contribution to the movement. This paper was originally delivered at a joint meeting of the British Ecological Society and the Society for the History of Natural History in London on 12 November 1988.
Marketing patterns of green and hawksbill turtles in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Authors: Hirth Harold F. , Rohovit Deborah L. H.
Published: April 2009

Of the six species of marine turtle in Papua New Guinea, the green turtle Chelonia mydas and the hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata are the most common and the most utilized in the Port Moresby region. This paper describes a study carried out in 1989, which monitored the trade in green turtles in the country's main market and the sale of tortoiseshell in a major shopping centre. The price of turtle meat was higher than that of some common reef fish, but cost less when fish was abundant. The commercial trade in tortoiseshell appeared to be negligible. As the urban population increases it is likely that demand for turtle meat will also increase. If this food resource is to be managed sustainably the size of the turtle population needs to be determined. The University of Papua New Guinea is supporting marine turtle field studies and a sea turtle education programme, but more needs to be done to ensure the survival of PNG's marine turtles.
The poisoning of rhinos and tigers in Nepal
Authors: Martin Esmond Bradley
Published: April 2009

Although it is a poor country, Nepal has been responsible for one of the greatest rhino conservation success stories. In 1968 its population of greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis was estimated at 81–108 individuals; by 1990 the population had increased to 400, a tremendous achievement for a country with very limited financial resources. However, in 1990 the government collapsed and the enforcement of law and order was not very effective. Rhinos were poached for their horns and tigers for their bones. Poachers started poisoning rhinos, apparently copying the methods used previously for killing nuisance tigers. The author, who visited Nepal in 1991, reports on these new threats and discusses what needs to be done to remedy the situation.
Escalation of threats to marine turtles
Authors: Hutchinson Judith , Simmonds Mark
Published: April 2009

Many, if not all, marine turtle populations world-wide have become seriously depleted by the impact of numerous factors over the years. Populations of marine turtles are now classified as endangered or threatened. National and international legislation designed to protect sea turtles has been unsuccessful and, despite evergrowing interest, there is disturbing evidence of new and increasingly important threats: increased incidence of disease; oil and organochlorine contamination and marine ‘macro-pollution’.
Boabeng–Fiema Monkey Sanctuary – an example of traditional conservation in Ghana
Authors: Fargey Patrick J.
Published: April 2009

Villagers who live in the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary have traditionally had a taboo against killing the black-and-white colobus Colobus polykomos and mona monkey Cercopithecus campbelli, which inhabit the forest around their villages. The sanctuary is an important example of how traditional values in Ghana have resulted in wildlife conservation. The author, partly funded from the Oryx 100% Fund, carried out an assessment of the current status of the forest and monkey populations. He found that the monkeys are not immediately threatened but that some of the forest that the monkeys rely on has become degraded or destroyed. Further erosion of the forest should be minimized by careful planning of future village expansion, constructing fire-breaks and controlling farming activities along the forest perimeter.
A glut of gibbons in Sarawak – is rehabilitation the answer?
Authors: Bennett Jane
Published: April 2009

Bornean gibbons Hylobates muelleri are protected by law in Sarawak, but their habitat is being destroyed, they are illegally hunted, and they are captured for the pet trade. The Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at Semengok Forest Reserve, which is run by the National Parks and Wildlife Office of the Sarawak Forest Department, receives confiscated gibbons and those surrendered by the general public. Between October 1976 and June 1988,122 gibbons were received and 87 were subsequently released. The rate of survival was unknown until the author organized a survey of the forest at Semengok in 1988. It revealed that about 90 per cent of the gibbons did not survive long after release. The author discusses the reasons for this high mortality rate, the shortcomings of rehabilitation as a conservation tool, the problems facing the conservation authorities, and options for dealing with confiscated primates.
The nesting success of green turtles on beaches at Kazanli, Turkey
Authors: Coley Stephanie J. , Smart Andrew C.
Published: April 2009

The green turtle Chelonia mydas is one of two marine turtle species to nest in Turkey. Its three main nesting beaches are in eastern Turkey, with possibly the densest congregation of nesting turtles in the Mediterranean being found at Kazanli. However, beach erosion, hatchling predation, agricultural encroachment and chemical pollution mean that the future of the Kazanli nest site is uncertain. The Turkish Society for the Protection of Nature (Dogal Hayati Koruma Dernegi) is making valiant efforts to protect all the turtle nesting beaches in Turkey but lacks detailed information on the numbers of nesting turtles on many beaches. This paper describes a short study of nesting turtles at Kazanli during 1990 and makes recommendations for the conservation of the nesting beach.
Wildlife massacres in Sudan
Authors: Cloudsley-Thompson J. L.
Published: April 2009

While Saudi Arabia has recognized the dangers of uncontrolled hunting and has introduced conservation measures in its own territory, prominent members of that kingdom are killing large numbers of game, including endangered species, in neighbouring countries. In this report the author presents evidence of the devastation caused by Saudi hunters in the Sudan. While the latter country has outlawed hunting, enforcing the law against Saudi nationals is fraught with difficulties.
Primates in Gabon – current status and distribution
Authors: Blom A. , Alers M. P. T. , Feistner A. T. C. , Barnes R. F. W. , Barnes K. L.
Published: April 2009

This paper examines the current status and distribution of primates in Gabon on the basis of data collected in the field between 1985 and 1988. There are at least 19 and possibly 21 species of primates definitely present in Gabon, making it one of the richest countries in the world for primates. Most of the species are still widespread and one, the sun-tailed guenon, is endemic. Hunting and habitat destruction are the main threats to the country's primates. The major problem at the moment is the opening up of previously inaccessible areas by logging companies and the Trans Gabon railway, which leads to an increase in hunting pressure. Several species are threatened; the mandrill/drill, the black colobus, and the sun-tailed guenon need special conservation measures. Suggestions for action are made and several new reserves have recently been proposed.
Invasive Melastomataceae in Seychelles
Authors: Gerlach Justin
Published: April 2009

The Seychelles are the only high oceanic islands of granitic origin and their native vegetation is thus of considerable botanical interest. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries widespread clearance for coconut and cinnamon plantations resulted in native forest being confined mainly to montane areas. Cinnamon has proved to be very invasive in natural forest and a number of other introduced plant species have also been recognized as problematic for some time. Recent studies have revealed that two more introduced plant species - Memecylon floribunda and Clidemia hirta - are significant new threats to native vegetation on Mahe and Silhouette, respectively.
Lemurs in Bemaraha (World Heritage Landscape, Western Madagascar)
Authors: Rakotoarison Nasolo , Mutschler Thomas , Thalmann Urs
Published: April 2009

A visit to the Tsingy de Bemaraha in Western Madagascar was undertaken in 1991 to survey the lemurs of this little known reserve. Preliminary results of field observations and interviews with local inhabitants are presented together with notes on the forests, the human population and the conservation status of the region.
Conservation of the cherry salmon in Taiwan
Authors: Day Yeong-Tyi , Lin Yao-Sung , Chang Kun-Hsiung
Published: April 2009

The main range of the cherry salmon Oncorhynchus masou is the Sea of Japan and adjacent areas, with most populations migrating to spawn in streams in Korea, Japan, the Kuril Islands and the south-west tip of Kamchatka. Landlocked forms of the cherry salmon also occur, among them a relict population in the mountains of Taiwan. This population has declined in recent years and efforts are being made to save it.
The clouded leopard in Assam
Authors: Choudhury Anwaruddin
Published: April 2009

The elusive and nocturnal clouded leopard is seldom seen but information collected in the course of a 6-year primate survey revealed that it still occurs in the forests of the state of Assam in India. The species has not been recorded in any of the state's protected areas, however, and it is threatened by deforestation.
FPS Mountain Gorilla Project: Progress Report 2
Authors: Harcourt A.H.
Published: April 2009

The success of the FPS Mountain Gorilla Appeal is now assured thanks to many generous donors. FPS now holds £32,168, and the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), £13,000.
Trade in African Rhino Horn
Authors: Parker I. S. C. , Martin Esmond Bradley
Published: April 2009

Between 1969 and 1976 the price of rhino horn in Kenya rose 446 per cent — from K£8.24 per kilogram to K–44.6. Between 1972 and 1976 the average amount exported each year represented the product of 1197 rhinos. Most of it went to Hong Kong, but demand was rising in southern Arabia, especially North Yemen. In March 1979 rhino horn imports were totally banned in Hong Kong, but the authors believe that the price in North Yemen will continue to rise, and with it the demand for rhino horn.