bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges
Authors: Meffe Gary K.
Published: April 2009

The world of the conservation biologist is nothing if not challenging. Continually limited funding, a depressing litany of habitat and species losses, a burgeoning human population that does not seem to grasp the relevance or depth of our problems, and a complex natural world with few easy and clear answers are just a few of the challenges that we face daily. Despite that, we continue on, confident in the knowledge that we are doing the right thing and hopeful that the global situation will improve with our help. We have little choice but to forge ahead if we truly believe that what we are doing is correct and necessary, so we persevere against evermounting odds.
The mandrill in Gabon's rain forest—ecology, distribution and status
Authors: Harrison Michael J. S.
Published: April 2009

Little is known about the mandrill Mandrillus sphinx in the wild. It is an elusive primate and thus difficult to study in its rain-forest habitat in equatorial Africa. As human pressure on its habitat grows it has become increasingly urgent to discover more about the species so that appropriate conservation measures can be planned. The author made a 15-month study of the mandrill in Gabon and discovered that it was not as widely distributed as had been believed. Although it is threatened by hunting pressure and habitat disruption, populations still remain and five reserves protect some of these.
Conservation in Benin with the help of the European Economic Community
Authors: Verschuren Jacques , Heymans Jean-Claude , Delvingt Willy
Published: April 2009

In 1985 the European Economic Community embarked on a major nature conservation project in Benin, the first time that the EEC has become involved in this way in a national park in Africa. The project is centred on Pendjari National Park in the north of the country, whose lands are a vital barrier against the spread of the desert from the north. The park is being reorganized, poaching is being controlled and the future looks brighter, not only for Pendjari but for the neighbouring lands also.
The FFPS Bat Project
Authors: Hutson Tony
Published: April 2009

For more than four years the FFPS's Bat Project has received much publicity and acclaim, but more importantly it has resulted in a heightened awareness of the special problems that bats face. Here, the Bat Conservation Officer describes the history of the project and its activities.
Monte Pascoal—indigenous rights and conservation in conflict
Authors: Redford Kent H.
Published: April 2009

Monte Pascoal National Park contains an important remnant of Brazil's threatened Atlantic forest. It may not survive for much longer, however, because the park's fate is in the hands of two government agencies with conflicting objectives—one concerned with conserving species in the parks and the other concerned with the rights of indigenous people to those resources. Although the Pataxo Indians lived in these forests in the past without destroying their resource base, modern pressures have altered their ability to do so. If nothing is done, the forest as a home for threatened plants and animals and as a source of resources for people, will be lost.
The Taiwanese connection—a New Peril for Rhinos
Authors: Martin Esmond Bradley , Martin Chryssee Bradley
Published: April 2009

In 1985 Taiwan responded to widespread concern about its role in the international rhinoceros trade by banning imports and exports of all rhinoceros products. It is disheartening and alarming that, three years later, the trade still thrives and little has been done to enforce the new law. The authors describe the situation in Taiwan, discuss the implications for the world's last rhinoceros populations and recommend what action should be taken.
Acidic air Pollution and birds in Europe
Authors: Goriup Paul D.
Published: April 2009

Evidence from a survey conducted by the European Continental Section of the International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP-ECS) suggests that birds have not served as such good early warning indicators of ecological damage from acid precipitation as they have for damage from organochlorine pesticide use. Only a few highly specialized species have been badly affected, and then long after the impact was observed in other organisms. Some birds have even benefited from the superabundance of dead and decaying standing timber.
S.O.S. Souss: argan forest destruction in Morocco
Authors: Mellado Jesú
Published: April 2009

The Souss Valley in Morocco still has remnants of forest dominated by the argan tree, which is endemic to the Atlantic coast of north-west Africa. The tree is valued for its edible oil and its timber and the argan forest ecosystem is rich in species. The forest has been exploited sustainably by man tor thousands of years, but modern developments have destroyed or damaged much of it, especiallyin the lowlands. The author, who worked in the region for three years, is alarmed at the rapidly increasing destruction. He makes a plea for effective protection of the remaining argan torest and for a plan for its sustainable exploitation.
A coastal nature reserve of Malaysia
Authors: Davison G. W. H. , Othman M. Akhir , Prentice C. , Howes J.
Published: April 2009

A nature reserve is being developed at Kuala Selangor on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is important as the core area of a major belt of mangrove forest and intertidal mudflats, an ecosystem poorly represented in South East Asian reserves. The concept, as well as its management by a non-governmental organization, are unique in the region.
Threats to the monkeys of The Gambia
Authors: Starin E. D.
Published: April 2009

There are five, perhaps only four, monkey species in The Gambia and all are under threat. The main problems are habitat destruction, hunting of crop raiders and illegal capture for medical research. The information presented here was collected during a long-term study from March 1978 to September 1983 on the socio-ecology of the red colobus monkey in the Abuko Nature Reserve. Further information was collected during brief periods between February 1985 and April 1989 on the presence of monkeys in the forest parks. It is not systematic nor extensive, but it indicates clearly that action is needed if monkeys are to remain as part of the country's wildlife. The most pressing need is for survey work to supply the information needed to work out a conservation plan.
Parks for people—a case study from the Aïr Mountains of Niger
Authors: Newby John E.
Published: April 2009

The Aïr Mountains of north-central Niger are relatively unspoilt and contain some of the last remaining populations of addax Addax nasomaculatus, ostrich Struthio camelus and dama gazella Gazella dama in in West Africa. The Aïr Mountain are also home for some 5000 Twaregs, half of whom are cultivators and the other half herders. The Aïr and Tùnùrù National Nature Reserve, which was gazetted in 1988, covers more than 77,000 sq km. It was inspired by concern for the region's unique and increasingly threatened wildlife, wcology. The Nigerien Wildlife Service and the IUCN/WWF project that supports the reserve are attempting to reconcile conservation with development through a broadly based programme geared to protection, resoration and sustainable use of the area's natural resources.
The status of endangered primates in Gunung Halimun Reserve, Indonesia
Authors: Kool Karen M.
Published: April 2009

The Gunung Halimun Reserve has the largest area of primary rain forest left on Java. The reserve is important for the habitat it provides for two endangered primates, the molochHylobates molochand the grizzled langurPresbytis comata,which are endemic to western Java. The author presents the results of a survey conducted in the reserve in July 1989 and makes suggestions for further survey work and scientific research on the primates there.
Status and distribution of Asian elephants in Central Nepal
Authors: Smith James L. David , Mishra Hemanta R.
Published: April 2009

Wild elephants currently occur in three populations in the lowlands of Nepal. The eastern and western animals are part of larger populations that extend into India; the central population, estimated to be 21 individuals, is geographically isolated from the other two and confined within Nepal's borders. Tracks of young elephants observed in 1979 and 1989 indicate that reproduction occurs on a regular basis. The present reserve system provides good cover and an excellent food base; the potential for population increase is good. Nepal needs to develop policy to handle human/elephant conflicts so that public support for protection of elephant populations can be maintained.
Wildlife conservation problems in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile
Authors: Bourne W. R. P. , de Brooke M. L. , Clark G. S. , Stone T.
Published: April 2009

The rugged islands where the original Robinson Crusoe was marooned in the south-east Pacific are remarkable for the number and variety of endemic plants, some of which are pollinated by a beautiful endemic hummingbird. They are also the main breeding station of a fur seal, which once numbered millions but was later thought to be extinct, and several widespread seabirds. So far the only losses appear to be the endemic sandalwoods and widespread elephant seal, but the other wildlife is now threatened by deforestation, erosion and competition or predation from introduced species. There is a need for more support for local conservation measures, since the islands may soon start to undergo rapid development.
Tanzanian coastal forests – unique, threatened, and overlooked
Authors: Sheil Douglas
Published: April 2009

Tanzania's remaining fragments of coastal forests support rich biological communities, but these are extremely vulnerable to exploitation and land-use pressures because of their very limited size. Until recently little attention has been paid to these areas and and it is probable that all the most important forest areas have not yet even been recognized. Conservation measures are needed urgently and while these have been incorporated into the Tanzanian Forestry Action Plan, funding has not been identified.
Serra Da Capivara National Park and the conservation of north-eastern Brazil's caatinga
Authors: Olmos Fábio
Published: April 2009

Serra da Capivara is the second largest protected area in Brazil's caatinga – a mosaic of dry habitats in the north-east with a diverse flora and fauna, including several threatened and recently discovered taxa. The park is not effectively protected, however, and there is growing pressure from the surrounding human population.
The decline of the Kalahari wildebeest
Authors: Spinage C. A.
Published: April 2009

In the 1980s international publicity was given to the deaths of thousands of wildebeest in southern Botswana. The cause was their drought-induced migrations being prevented by the cordon fences erected to protect cattle from disease. While the mortalities may have accounted for 90 per cent of the wildebeest population since 1979, archive records from the 1920s and 1940s show that the decline started much earlier. Wildebeest were once so numerous in the southern Kalahari that local farmers regarded them as a menace, competing with cattle for grazing and transmitting malignant catarrh. Extermination programmes reduced the wildebeest population to such an extent that by 1961 the Botswana Government classified it as a game animal to be hunted only by licence.
Cloud rats in the Philippines — preliminary report on distribution and status
Authors: Oliver W. L. R. , Cox C. R. , Gonzales P. C. , Heaney L. R.
Published: April 2009

This paper describes a preliminary field survey of bushy-tailed cloud rats Crateromys spp. and slender-tailed cloud rats Phloeomys in the Philippines in April and May 1990. Brief visits were made to all islands/locations known to support these animals and also to neighbouring areas considered likely to do so. Comparing the results with information from previous surveys suggests that both genera, particularly Crateromys, are more widely distributed than formerly believed, but that some forms are threatened. Three of the four known species of Crateromys are known only from their holotype specimens, one of which awaits description. Another is extinct in its type locality on Ilin Island but may survive on neighbouring Mindoro. These preliminary findings indicate that thorough surveys are required to establish the status of certain species, to investigate the possibility that new species remain undiscovered and to develop conservation plans to reduce the likelihood of further extinctions occurring.
Will Poaching Exterminate Kenya's Rhinos?
Authors: Hillman Kes , Martin Esmond
Published: April 2009

These extracts from a memorandum by two scientists resident in Kenya describe the desperate situation to which poaching has brought the black rhino in East Africa. Dr Hillman is Chairman of the IUCN/SSC African Rhino Group.
Is Aid for Developing Countries Destroying their Environment?
Authors: Curry-Lindahl Kai
Published: April 2009

A Vice-President of the FPS, Dr Curry-Lindahl has long experience as a scientist studying wildlife in the field, especially in Africa, as adviser on ecology and conservation to African governments, as a Council member of IUCN and as a staff member of both UNESCO and UNEP. This analysis of the ways in which technical assistance is deployed by the international organisations leads him to answer his title question with a firm ‘yes’. This address was given to the FPS at the Annual General Meeting in London on July 4.
Tahr in a Nepal National Park
Authors: Green Michael J. B.
Published: April 2009

The Himalayan tahr Hemitragus jemlahicus occurs along the southern flanks of the Himalaya, from the Pir Panjal Range in northern India eastwards through Nepal to Sikkim, between 1500m and 5200m. It is also reported as being ‘not uncommon’ at 1500–2100m in southwest Bhutan. It is the only one of the three surviving tahr species that is not endangered. In Nepal its formerly continuous distribution has been disrupted by traditional land-use practices, which are spreading due to the increasing human population, and some hunting. Schaller mapped 14 populations known to occur in Nepal, but many more undoubtedly exist.
Arabian Tahr in Oman
Authors: Munton Paul
Published: April 2009

Arabian tahr are confined to Oman, with a population of under 2000. Unlike other tahr species, which depend on grass, Arabian tahr require also fruits, seeds and young shoots. The areas where these can be found in this arid country are on certain north-facing mountain slopes with a higher rainfall, and it is there that reserves to protect this tahr must be made. The author spent two years in Oman studying the tahr.
Two Bats in the Seychelles
Authors: Racey P.A.
Published: April 2009

Counts of the two endemic bats in the Seychelles in 1977 suggested that the fruit bat Pteropus seychellensis occurred in large numbers on Praslin and La Digue. But the author suggests that the number taken for food, especially for the tourist restaurants on Mahé, is excessive and should be curbed; tree-felling in suitable roosting areas should also be discouraged. The other bat, the small insectivorous Coleura seychellensis, is clearly endangered — only six were found despite an extensive search — and complete protection is called for.
River Turtle in Danger
Authors: Toro Miguel Alvarez del , Mittermeier Russell A. , Iverson John B.
Published: April 2009

A large river turtle Dermatemys mawei, found only in the coastal lowlands of the Gulf of Mexico, is becoming rare throughout most of its restricted range. It is found from central Veracruz, Mexico, eastward through Guatemala and Belize, but not in the Yucatan Peninsula, and it is heavily hunted for its meat. The only living representative of the Dermatemydidae, a turtle family known from as early as the Cretaceous, its closest living relatives are the mud turtles (Kinosternidae), and it is not as closely related to the snapping turtles (Chelydridae) as previously thought.4,5,9,20 In the latest classification of turtles the Dermatemydidae are placed in the Superfamily Trionychoidea of the Infraorder Cryptodira.
Does the Cascade Wolf Survive?
Authors: Pisano Robert
Published: April 2009

The Cascade wolf Cants lupus fuscus is extinct in the USA. But it may survive in Canada, in the coastal forests of British Columbia, the northernmost part of its original range. But British Columbia gives this highly endangered subspecies no special protection. Over-hunting and hybridisation with neighbouring wolf subspecies and domestic dogs are the chief threats. The author reviews wolf management in coastal British Columbia and suggests changes that would improve the Cascade wolf's prospects, including complete protection of all wolves on wilderness islands where it may survive.
Sharing our Planet with Wildlife
Authors: Holt Sidney
Published: April 2009

Man's efforts to manage marine resources have so far proved conspicuously unsuccessful. The prime cause is human greed, which we rationalise as a scientific concept and call achieving ‘maximum sustainable yield’, in the arrogant belief that we know how to achieve it. But, says the author, we do not know; we do not even know how to manage ourselves. He believes that one path man should explore is the scientific study of communication between individuals of a species – he suggests dolphins or whales – as a pointer to the possibility of communication between animals and humans. Such studies might, he thinks, help humans to shed their present arrogance and save us from the consequences of our destructive behaviour.
Bat Problems
Authors: Stebbings R. E.
Published: April 2009

How to protect 950 bat species worldwide is the problem of the Chiroptera Specialist Group of the IUCN's Survival Service Commission (SSC), which was set up in 1976. The Group's Chairman, Dr R.E. Stebbings, has highlighted the sort of problems they face by three examples: the endemic fruit bat Pteropus rodricencis on Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean; the small insectivorous grey bat Myotis grisescens in the USA, and the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus of Latin America.
Conserving Marine Fishes
Authors: Randall Jack
Published: April 2009

Few marine fishes are endangered. But exotic introductions can be a serious threat to native species, especially around isolated islands such as the Hawaii group, where 30 per cent of the world's reef and shore fishes are endemic. Overfishing, pollution, destruction such as dynamiting coral reefs, and collecting for the enormous and expanding trade in aquarium fishes are the other factors. Marine sanctuaries, says the author, who is Chairman of the SSC Marine Fishes Group, are vitally important as both refuges and breeding grounds.
Parks, reserves and primate conservation in Brazilian Amazonia
Authors: Rylands Anthony , Mittermeier Russell
Published: April 2009

In 1979 there was only one national park in the forested Amazon region of Brazil. In that year Brazil adopted a conservation plan for the Amazonian region, proposed in 1976 as part of a system of conservation units for the whole country. Since then a further four national parks and a number of biological reserves and ecological stations have been established. The plan, which gives priority to ecosystem protection, takes the geographic diversity of plant species into consideration but not that of the fauna. The authors examine the effectiveness of the plan in protecting the primate families Callitrichidae, Callimiconidae and Cebidae and suggest how it could be adapted by recognising the importance of rivers, which limit the distributions of many primate species and subspecies as well as those of many other mammals, birds and plants.
Mahoganies: candidates for the Red Data Book
Authors: Knees Sabina G. , Gardner Martin F.
Published: April 2009

Mahogany ranks as one of the world's finest timbers and it will probably be commercially extinct by 1990. The dramatic decrease in trade of true mahogany as well as a switch to previously untapped resources since the early 1970s reflects a general pattern of over-exploitation of tropical rainforests. The lack of mahogany cultivation and a move into other, unrelated mahoganylike, primary rain forest hardwoods, such as meranti and red lauan, emphasises an inevitable and irreversible decline for many hardwood forests. The authors give a summary of historical and current trade patterns in mahogany as part of a pilot study initiated and sponsored by ffPS in 1982.
The invertebrates–a conservation new look at species
Authors: Collins N. Mark , Wells Susan M
Published: April 2009

The series of IUCN Red Data Books on mammals, birds and reptiles is familiar to many people interested in conservation. The latest publication breaks new ground, being the first volume on animals without backbones, the invertebrates. Of all living things, the invertebrates have received least attention from conservationists, perhaps because they are often inconspicuous or poorly known. Governments and international organisations generally take an interest only in those relatively few species considered to be man’s enemies, the pests and disease carriers. The usefulness to man of many invertebrates is rarely emphasised, yet shrimps and lobsters are the bases of important fisheries, many invertebrates have potential medical use, and others, like earthworms and pollinating insects, play vital ecological roles. Conservation organisations also give the group a low priority, perhaps worried that the pandaloving public will withdraw its support if donations are seen to go to spiders, snails and other lowly animals.
The Chinese Alligator: is farming the last hope?
Authors: Watanabe Myma E
Published: April 2009

In Oryx, October 1981, Huang Chuchien described the serious plight of China’s endemic alligator which had disappeared from most of its historic range and had been listed as a First Class Protected Animal. Earlier that year the author had joined him and other scientists to make a more complete study of the animal, to which ffPS contributed £100. The results of the study suggest that the alligator will perhaps only continue to exist in the wild for a few more years. The main hope for their conservation lies in alligator farming.
Further insight into the international ivory trade
Authors: Parker I.S.C. , Martin Esmond Bradley
Published: April 2009

n I 1981 the authors reviewed all the information then available to them on the world ivory trade to determine the number of elephants represented by Africa’s raw ivory exports. Their findings were published in Oryx in February 1982. Since then they have been able to collect and analyse more data, which has permitted a more accurate assessment of the situation up to the end of 1982. Contrary to their earlier conclusions, they expect the output in ivory to remain high throughout the coming decade.
Rain forest in Mexico: research and conservation at Los Tuxtlas
Authors: Estrada Alejandro , Coates-Estrada Rosamond
Published: April 2009

The rain forests of southern Mexico represent the northernmost extent of this ecosystem in the Americas. In the past 30 years half of these forests have been destroyed; only three patches remain where once forest stretched unbroken from Veracruz to Chiapas. But at a university research station set up in 1967 something is being done. The authors, who work at the station, describe the conservation, research and education taking place there and the important role the station has in persuading the community of the necessity of conserving the country’s rain forests.
Butterfly farming in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Hutton Angus F.
Published: April 2009

Papua New Guinea takes insect conservation seriously, and for 10 years now has involved hundreds of villagers in an innovative butterfly farming scheme, which benefits both people and wildlife. Angus Hutton, who was National Co-ordinator for the project at its inception, describes this successful integration of conservation with development.
Rhinos and daggers: a major conservation problem
Authors: Martin Esmond Bradley
Published: April 2009

North Yemen still imports rhino horn to make dagġer handles, despite the government ban in 1982. As rhino numbers continue on their precipitous decline, it is imperative that conservationists act now. Protection of rhinosin Situis failing as poachers take more and more risks for greater financial gain. The author proposes urgent action, which includes exerting pressure on the appropriate governments.
Emas National Park and the plight of the Brazilian cerrados
Authors: Redford Kent H
Published: April 2009

Brazil's Emas National Park protects important populations of the endangered pampas deer, giant anteaters, armadillos, rheas and many other mammals and birds, but its road and river boundaries are not the best that could be provided to protect this valuable cerrado Park. Uncontrolled fires are also a problem, killing giant anteaters and destroying gallery forest. The author spent two years doing research in central Brazil and visited the Park many times.
Mauritania: its wildlife and a coastal park
Authors: Verschuren Jacques
Published: April 2009

Most of Mauritania's populations of large mammals have been exterminated or severely depleted by hunting. The Mauritanians usually do not hunt birds, however, and as a result the avifauna are protected, albeit somewhat passively. The Parc National du Bane d'Arguin is an exceptionally rich coastal area, attracting huge concentrations of waders in the European winter and impressive nesting colonies of birds in the summer, including eastern white pelicans, greater flamingos and royal terns. Although the birds are probably safe, the Park's mammals are not, and the last few dorcas gazelles need urgent protection from poachers.
Species are a measure of man's freedom: reflections after writing a Red Data Book on African birds
Authors: Collar N. J.
Published: April 2009

The broad vision of the new environmentalist, who seeks to conserve the world's ecosystems for the sake of the human species as well as wildlife, has much to commend it. Beside it, the traditional conservationist's approach, aiming to conserve wildlife for its own sake, seems outmoded. The development of the concept of ecosystem management, however, has been accompanied by other shifts in emphasis. Among them is the idea of wildlife as an economic asset, paying for its own conservation by providing, for example, tourist revenue and pharmaceuticals. This development may seem to be the fulfilment of the dream of those who want to ‘sell’ conservation to those with power over the environment. The author, who has recently completed writing the ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book on African birds, offers a personal view of where the new trend may be leading many of the threatened species of the earth.
Conservation in Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Hillman Jesse C.
Published: April 2009

Ethiopia does not often receive publicity for its wildlife conservation work, but there have been a commendable number of achievements over the last 15 years or so. For the last two years the author has been carrying out ecological studies to formulate management plans in the Bale Mountains area, which is in the process of being established as a national park. As a result of the developments and protection already afforded, numbers of the endemic mountain nyala have increased considerably.
Reintroduction of greater Indian rhinoceros into Dudhwa National Park
Authors: Sale John B. , Singh Samar
Published: April 2009

The range of the endangered greater Indian rhinoceros is now restricted to a few isolated pockets. One of the conservation measures recommended for the species is the establishment of additional viable populations in suitable areas. The authors describe an attempt to do this in Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The volcano rabbit—a shrinking distribution and a threatened habitat
Authors: Hoth J. , Velazquez A. , Romero F. J. , Leon L. , Aranda M. , Bell D. J.
Published: April 2009

The first systematic search for the volcano rabbit, a Mexican endemic, found no evidence of the species outside the central region of the transverse neovolcanic axis around Mexico City, and reveals that the rabbit has now disappeared from areas of this central zone where it has been reported in the recent past. It depends for its survival on the pine forest—bunch grass ecosystem, and this is being destroyed by conversion to agriculture, over-grazing, fire-burns, poor forestry management and encroaching property developments. The authors make recommendations for the immediate protection of the remaining areas of core habitat and for further research.
Rarity as a criterion for endangerment in Florida's fauna
Authors: Burke Russell L. , Humphrey Stephen R.
Published: April 2009

It has been argued that the initial rarity of an animal species may be a good indicator of subsequent vulnerability. The usefulness of this argument in the conservation of endangered species has been investigated by the authors, who have compared the apparent vulnerability of certain rare animals with their actual status. The two approaches agreed substantially, but some striking differences occurred. Some rare species seem more prone to extinction than is officially recognized, and their status should be reviewed. Other species are not particularly rare, but are threatened for other biological and economic reasons. Knowledge of rarity is a good starting point, but this sould be followed by a detailed examination of other relevant factors to discern genuine risk.
The clouded leopard in Malaysian Borneo
Authors: Rabinowitz Alan , Andau Patrick , Chai Paul P. K.
Published: April 2009

The clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa has already disappeared from part of its range in southern Asia; it is classified as vulnerable by IUCN and is on Appendix I of CITES. Little is known about this secretive forest-dweller anywhere in its range, and the sparse information needs to be augmented so that effective conservation measures may be taken if necessary. In early 1986 the senior author travelled through the interior of Malaysian Borneo, staying at villages and timber camps, to assess the status of the species in the region and to find out more about its behaviour.
Combatting the illegal trade in rhinoceros products
Authors: Esmond  , Martin Chryssee Bradley
Published: April 2009

Unless the trade in rhino horn is stopped, the survival of the world's rhinos is in jeopardy. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, many countries have now banned exports and imports of rhino products, and most of the trade that occurs is illegal. There is still much to be done, however, as the authors explain.
Railway threat to Kaziranga
Authors: Choudhury Anwaruddin
Published: April 2009

Kaziranga, home of the world's largest population of the greater Indian rhinoceros, is under threat. The author, who is a magistrate in Guwahati, Assam, and who has published about 80 articles and papers, mainly on wildlife, is concerned about its future.
Conservation crisis — the rhinoceros in India
Authors: Martin Esmond Bradley , Martin Chryssee Bradley , Vigne Lucy
Published: April 2009

The greater Indian rhinoceros, on the verge of extinction in India 80 years ago, has recovered dramatically with conservation help. In 1980 there were 1250 in the country. At about that time, however, poaching suddenly started to become a serious problem, and since then over 200 animals have been killed. The authors explain why and suggest how this reverse could be stopped.
Kampuchean wildlife — survival against the odds
Authors: Thouless Chris
Published: April 2009

The continuing war in Kampuchea has made it difficult for zoologists to assess the status of endangered species in the remoter parts of the country. Two of the world's rarest mammals, the kouprey and the Javan rhinoceros, may still survive there. The author visited the area in April 1986 and, in interviews with people in two refugee camps on the Thai border, gained the impression that the effects of the war on wildlife were not as drastic as had been expected.
Primates and protected areas in Suriname
Authors: Baal Ferdinand L. J. , Mittermeier Russell A. , van Roosmalen Marc G. M.
Published: April 2009

Suriname is a small country, but it still has large tracts of undisturbed forests and rich wildlife. The authors discuss Suriname's plans to extend its already excellent network of protected areas and proposals to amend the hunting regulations. They also consider the country's eight monkey species, whose status can be regarded as indicative of that of the rest of the country's wildlife.
Radiological studies on endangered Mascarene fauna
Authors: Cooper J. E. , West C. D.
Published: April 2009

When managing small populations of endangered species, in the wild and in captivity, the premature death of even one individual may give cause for concern. The authors carried out whole-body radiographs (X-rays) on dead specimens of endangered Mascarene fauna—three species of birds, three species of reptiles and one bat species. They found skeletal problems indicating traumatic injuries and nutritional abnormalities. The authors suggest that the technique has a role to play in the investigation of deaths in populations of endangered species, and may provide information that leads to improved management of the species in question.
The Valia-Kalda National Park, Greece
Authors: Tsunis Gregory L.
Published: April 2009

A dam is being built in Valia-Kalda, one of the ten national parks in Greece, despite the fact that this is not permissible under Greek law. Apart from the destruction caused by this activity, the park suffers from illegal hunting and over-grazing by livestock. The author, who was a member of two expeditions to Valia-Kalda in 1985 and 1986, describes the park, highlighting the features of special interest, and urges the Greek Government to safeguard it.
A future for Palawan's forests?
Authors: Quinnell Rupert , Balmford Andrew
Published: April 2009

Palawan is one of the last relatively undeveloped islands in the Philippines. It still has extensive forest cover, and is of considerable conservation importance. However, the remaining forests are disappearing fast in the face of rapid population growth and uncontrolled logging. The authors visited the island to carry out ecological fieldwork in 1984. Here they report on threats to the forests, and discuss the prospects for sustainable development on Palawan.
The clouded leopard in Sumatra
Authors: Santiapillai Charles , Ashby Kenneth R.
Published: April 2009

Few people see the clouded leopard, and its elusiveness makes it a difficult subject for scientific study. In Sumatra, there has been no serious research on the species, and the authors present the scanty information on its distribution there and stress the urgent need for a survey to establish the whereabouts of viable populations.
The clouded leopard in Taiwan
Authors: Rabinowitz Alan
Published: April 2009

There has never been a thorough survey of Taiwan's clouded leopard population, and some believe it may no longer survive there. The author conducted a preliminary survey in 1986 and discovered that the last reported sighting of the species was in 1983.
Proboscis monkeys and their swamp forests in Sarawak
Authors: Bennett Elizabeth L.
Published: April 2009

Proboscis monkeys, endemic to the island of Borneo, are declining in Sarawak. Their mangrove and peat swamp forest habitats are being degraded or destroyed and people continue to hunt them despite their protected status. Surveys between 1984 and 1986 established the status of this monkey and its habitats in this Malaysian state. The author who participated in the surveys, receiving some financial support from theOryx100% Fund, discusses the results and makes recommendations for future conservation action.
The Indian wild ass—wild and captive populations
Authors: Smielowski Jan M. , Raval Praduman P.
Published: April 2009

The ghor-khar is a rare subspecies of onager, or Asiatic wild ass, and its habits are little known. The only known wild population inhabits the Little Rann of Kutch Desert in Gujarat State in western India and, after its numbers fell dramatically in the 1960s, it was declared a protected species. Conservation measures, including the establishment of a Wild Ass Sanctuary in 1973, have been so successful that the most recent census, in 1983, recorded nearly 2000 individuals, compared with 362 in 1967. The authors made four visits to Gujarat to study wild asses between 1984 and 1986.
Mt Apo and other national parks in the Philippines
Authors: Lewis Richard E.
Published: April 2009

In 1984 international attention was focused on Mt Apo National Park in the Philippines when the IUCN declared it one of the world's most threatened protected natural areas. Human settlements had destroyed large areas of the park and in 1983 the Philippine Government reclassified over half of the park for agricultural development, although this was revoked in 1986. The author lived in the park while working on the Philippine Eagle Conservation Programme, witnessing the problems first-hand. He describes the park and the problems it faces, which he believes could be overcome.
Threats to the evergreen forests of southern Malawi
Authors: Dowsett-Lemaire F. , Dowsett R. J.
Published: April 2009

Malawi has a large number of isolated highland forests on either side of the Rift Valley. While those in the north do not at present suffer from serious degradation, in the south several have been much encroached upon for fuel wood and land for cultivation. As a result localized birds, reptiles, butterflies and plant species are threatened. In a two-year exploration of the evergreen forests of the country conducted for the Forestry Department, the authors surveyed the distribution and status of the flora and fauna, and identified threats to the survival of the rarer taxa.
Ankarana—a rediscovered nature reserve in northern Madagascar
Authors: Wilson Jane M. , Stewart Paul D. , Fowler Simon V.
Published: April 2009

Over the centuries the Ankarana Massif has been home to at least 12 lemur species, reflecting the incredible ecological wealth and diversity of this small forest reserve. Yet almost no systematic biological work had been done there, until the Southampton University team (supported by the Oryx 100% Fund) visited Ankarana in 1981. Oryx published a report of this expedition in January 1987. A new team of nine British biologist–cavers, three doctors, two Malagasy palaeontologists, an entomologist and a botanist spent the end of the 1986 dry season (mid–August to mid–October) producing the first catalogue of the fauna and flora. The team rediscovered the rare white-breasted mesite, an endemic bird last seen at Ankarana in 1931 and known from only two other small areas in Madagascar; special efforts were also made to assess the conservation status of lemurs, bats and the Nile crocodiles, which have refuges there.
Threatened primates in southern Vietnam
Authors: Eames Jonathan C. , Robson Craig R.
Published: April 2009

Vietnam's exceptionally rich fauna is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. Although a system of protected areas has recently been developed, many of the sites selected are subject to human encroachment, hunting pressure and other forms of exploitation. Other protected areas may be too small to hold viable populations of primates. Following faunal surveys of existing and proposed protected areas in Vietnam between 1988 and 1991, this paper documents the status of and identifies threats to three species of threatened primate: white-cheeked gibbon Hylobates leucogenys gabriellae, red-shanked douc langur Pygathrix nemaeus and blackshanked douc langur P. nigripes.
Traditional and modern wildlife conservation in Malawi – the need for an integrated approach
Authors: Munthali Simon M.
Published: April 2009

Traditional wildlife conservation has remained effective in Malawi for more than a century despite great cultural changes. The modern approach, based on a system of protected areas controlled by the government, has been less effective. It has failed to gain the support of local people and the result has been much illicit encroachment into protected areas. For the future, a solution needs to be found that integrates modern and traditional conservation with rural economic development.
Khao Sam Roi Yot – one of the world's most threatened parks
Authors: Parr John W. K. , Mahannop Narong , Charoensiri Vatid
Published: April 2009

Thailand has the best protected-area system in South East Asia, comprising 74 national parks and 34 wildlife sanctuaries. However, the integrity of these sites is far from assured: some are ‘paper parks’, which are being subjected to increasing human pressure. One site, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, has suffered some of the most extreme degradation.
Conservation considerations for crowned pigeons, genus Goura
Authors: King Catherine E. , Nijboer Joeke
Published: April 2009

The three species of crowned pigeons are endemic to New Guinea and nearby islands where they are declining in numbers, especially near human settlements where hunting pressure is high. Little is known about their biology and ecology or about the magnitude of the impact of the threats from hunting, capture for trade, and loss of their lowland forest habitat. The authors make recommendations for action needed to secure the future for these large and attractive birds.
Sea turtles of Madagascar – their status, exploitation and conservation
Authors: Rakotonirina Berthin , Cooke Andrew
Published: April 2009

Five species of sea turtles are known from Madagascar's coastal waters. Fishermen on the western and south-western coasts take green turtle Chelonia mydas, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and olive ridley Lepidochelys olivacea for their meat. The hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is taken mainly for its shell and for making stuffed specimens while the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea is seldom caught. Anecdotal evidence of fishermen and dealers in turtle products, measurement of captured animals and personal observations of the authors all point to declines in numbers and average size for green and hawksbill turtles, coupled with marked declines in nesting rates for these and the olive ridley.
Reforming the approach of the Global Environmental Facility to biodiversity conservation
Authors: Mittermeier Russell A. , Bowles Ian A.
Published: April 2009

Biodiversity – a measure of the wealth of species, ecosystems and ecological processes that make up our living planet –received public prominence as a result of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The loss of biodiversity, say the authors, is the greatest environmental problem the world faces but the issue has not been given the attention it deserves. With the emergence of the Global Environmental Facility in 1990 came the chance to fund biodiversity conservation on a unprecedented scale and in 1992 the GEF was adopted as the interim funding mechanism for the Convention on Biological Diversity signed at the Earth Summit. Three years after its foundation, the authors of this paper suggest that the GEF has to be reformed radically if it is to become an effective force in conservation. Their conclusions are based on Conservation International's experience with the GEF over the last 3 years in more than 10 countries.
Conserving Rajaji and Corbett National Parks – the elephant as a flagship species
Authors: Johnsingh A. J. T. , Joshua Justus
Published: April 2009

One of India's five major populations of elephants lives in north-west India, where 90 per cent of the total 750 elephants occur in Rajaji and Corbett National Parks and adjacent reserve forests. This 3000-sq-km habitat is also home to many other endangered species. While the 520-sq-km core area of Corbett National Park is free from human impact, the rest of the range is subject to increasing pressures, both from the pastoral Gujjar community within the forests and villagers outside. The elephant habitat has been fragmented by hydrological development work and human-elephant conflict is increasing. The authors recommend measures that need to be implemented to ensure that the elephants and other wildlife of the area are conserved.
Estimation of land-use changes on Kitulo Plateau, Tanzania, using satellite imagery
Authors: Lovett Jon C. , Prins Erik
Published: April 2009

The Kitulo Plateau of southern Tanzania is a lava plateau covering 273 sq km at an altitude of over 2500 m. The vegetation is predominately grassland with more than 350 taxa of vascular plants, of which nearly 5 per cent are of restricted distribution. Although the plateau is extensive, much of it is now cultivated. Digital analysis of satellite images showed that at least 24 per cent of the plateau was bare soil, modified grassland or cultivation between 1973 and 1989. The botanical importance of the plateau and increase in cultivation make a strong case for the establishment of a nature reserve to protect its rare and threatened plants.
Measuring the sustainability of hunting in tropical forests
Authors: Robinson John G. , Redford Kent H.
Published: April 2009

Wild animals are an important source of protein for the rural peoples living in or near tropical forests. However, the resource can easily be overexploited and game species can become locally depleted, or even extinct. This paper discusses attempts to measure the sustainability of hunting in tropical forests. It examines five indices of sustainability in current use and two models that attempt to model sustainability.
Translocation of pocketed orang-utans in Sabah
Authors: Andau Patrick Mahedi , Hiong Lim Khun , Sale John B.
Published: April 2009

Sabah is faced with a problem of small groups of orang-utans isolated from their parent populations in fragments of secondary forest, mainly on oil-palm plantations. The Wildlife Department has recently captured 84 such animals in three locations and translocated most of them to Tabin Wildlife Reserve, which already has a low-density population of orang-utans. The majority of animals were captured by drug immobilization, using a 5:1 ketamine/xylazine mixture at a mean dosage of 8.47 mg/kg body weight (range 3.76–22.64 mg/kg). This proved an effective and safe method. Others, mainly immatures, were captured manually. Few injuries or other problems were encountered. The cost of the rescue operations was $US175 per animal. A satisfactory way of monitoring the released orangutans is under development.
A preliminary survey of Kounounkan Forest, Guinea, West Africa
Authors: Barnett Adrian , Prangley Madeleine , Hayman Peter V. , Diawara Djiramba , Koman Jeremie
Published: April 2009

Biological studies in Guinea have been very patchy, leaving much of the country almost unsurveyed. In 1992 the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society funded a 10-day field visit to Kounounkan, a relict forest at the northern edge of the Upper Guinea Forest Block. The survey found a variety of habitats and high biodiversity, including two vulnerable and one endangered species. Hunting pressure appears to be low and the site is very well suited for the development of further conservation initiatives.
Discovering the Mermaids
Authors: Janson Thor
Published: April 2009

Appalled by the continuing decline of manatees everywhere and the hunting and killing that is the chief cause, the author started an investigation of his own on an inland lake in Guatemala where he believed he had a good chance of observing them. He hoped to build up a case for their protection that the authorities would listen to and act on. He found that the manatees were so scared of man that when they had to surface to breathe they came up in the surface vegetation, hoping to escape notice. But the high point of his watching was the day when two manatees allowed him to swim with them in the lagoon.
Extinction or Rescue for the Hawksbill?
Authors: Carr Archie , Meylan Anne Barkau
Published: April 2009

The hawksbill turtle is seriously threatened with extinction, due mainly to trade in tortoiseshell. This has sent the price rocketing. Divers hunting for lobsters and snappers find it rewarding to search even the remotest reefs in the hope of getting the odd turtle – worth $200 or more. The authors urge that only by stopping the trade through CITES can the hawksbill be saved.