bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Wildlife of Ethiopia
Authors: Blower John
Published: April 2009

Still relatively rich in the larger African mammals despite the destruction of recent years, Ethiopia is tackling wildlife conservation problems in earnest. In 1965 the Imperial Government set up a Wildlife Conservation Department, and appointed John Blower as Senior Game Warden and adviser on wildlife conservation. Several national parks are now scheduled, and it is hoped that the first, the Awash National Park, will soon be officially opened by the Emperor. This is in the very rich Awash Valley to the east of Addis Ababa, where a wide range of animals includes greater and lesser kudu, beisa oryx, gerenuk, klipspringer, leopard, lion, cheetah, a few Swayne's hartebeest, now on the verge of extinction, and many birds. Two other proposed national parks, in the Siinien Mountains and the Bale Mountains, will protect Ethiopia's four endemic mammals, the rare walia ibex, the Simien fox, gelada baboon and the mountain nyala. A map of Ethiopia is on pages 284–5
Habitat Stress and Arterial Disease in Elephants
Authors: Sikes Sylvia K.
Published: April 2009

Elephant management in East African reserves and national parks has become one of the urgent conservation problems of today. In this study of the African savanna elephant, Dr Sikes shows that two diseases of the heart and arteries, found only in lowland elephants, were directly associated with the degeneration of the habitat when elephant numbers began to build up in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya and the Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks in Uganda. The two diseases thus appear to be natural factors tending to limit the elephant populations in these reserves, and she suggests four lessons to be drawn from this discovery by those concerned with elephant management in national parks.
The Manatee in British Honduras
Authors: Charnock-Wilson John
Published: April 2009

The West Indian manatee Trichechus manatus manatus has declined rapidly in many parts of its range and appears on the IUCN's list of endangered species. But in British Honduras last summer the author found an abundance of manatees all along the coast. Moreover, predation is at a minimum: the people who formerly ate manatee meat now show little interest in it, and the alligator, its only other predator, has been persecuted almost to extinction.
Nile Crocodile Faces Extinction in Uganda
Authors: Cott Hugh B.
Published: April 2009

Dr Cott's report on the status of the Nile crocodile in Murchison Falls National Park, in Uganda, shows a most alarming situation, with poachers gaining the upper hand. At one place where crocodiles were once so numerous that at times it looked as if the whole beach were moving into the river there are now none at all. In the battle against the poachers it is urgent to equip the park rangers with two-way radio sets to replace the present system of signalling by fire (which also warns the poachers), and the FPS has agreed to provide these sets out of the FPS/WWF Revolving Fund (see page 319). Dr Cott's other recommendations include putting a stop to disturbance by tourist and other launches and the reduction of some predators.
Saving the Roan Antelope
Authors: Penzhorn B. L.
Published: April 2009

Because the numbers of roan antelope have dwindled seriously, a study project has been started in the Kruger National Park. Sixteen animals were captured by drug immobilisation and then released in a special enclosure where they can be studied. The author, who is a member of the Board of Trustees, assesses the status of the roan where it is found in Africa and describes the project.
Wildlife in an Ethiopian Valley
Authors: Urban Emil K. , Brown Leslie H.
Published: April 2009

On several flights and safaris in the lower Omo River valley the authors and others recorded the numbers of larger mammals they saw. The results showed no regular general migration pattern, although certain species showed trends, notably eland, zebra, elephant and Lelwel–s hartebeest which moved into the area after the rains and out again when the grass died. Dr Urban is working in the Department of Biology in the Haile Sellassie I University in Addis Ababa. Leslie Brown, well known Kenya naturalist, is a UNESCO wildlife consultant.
African Tour, 1970
Authors: Fitter Maisie
Published: April 2009

The next FPS African tour, planned for January/February 1970, will break new ground, taking in some little-visited reserves in Uganda, notably the beautiful Kidepo Valley National Park in the north, and if possible the newly declared Awash National Park in Ethiopia. This article describes a preliminary tour made by the Hon Secretary and the Editor in February this year to prospect for the tour.
The Otter in Britain
Authors: Clegg John
Published: April 2009

Last year the FPS together with the Council for Nature asked the Mammal Society to investigate the status of the otter in Britain in view of the widespread belief that numbers had declined seriously, especially in the south. This interim report from the Mammal Society, published here in full, confirms these fears, suggests causes, and what action should be taken.
Crisis in Rhodesia
Authors: Savory C. A. R.
Published: April 2009

The author argues that Rhodesia's wildlife is in serious danger owing to poor or inadequate management in the national parks and reserves. He traces the stages leading up to the biological collapse of a habitat, which he says has already happened with the Tuli Circle National Land, and suggests that knowledge gained from game ranching and a new method of domestic stock management on privately owned lands has pointed the way for the future. Mr Savory is a consultant ecologist and his views are controversial, but the FPS believes that they merit serious consideration and should be heard.
Conservation in the Sea: A Survey of Marine Parks
Authors: Randall John E.
Published: April 2009

The idea of national parks and reserves in the sea has developed slowly, but the increasing popularity of underwater swimming, fishing and coral collecting makes it urgently necessary to protect marine life. Like their counterparts on land, marine parks are usually a great tourist attraction – Kenya has recently created two – and a careful balance has to be achieved, with some areas reserved for tourists and others as sanctuaries where also scientific studies can be made.
Pakistan's Progress
Authors: Mountfort Guy
Published: April 2009

In the short space of twelve months Pakistan has laid wide-ranging plans for conserving her wildlife, hitherto completely neglected. On the recommendation of two World Wildlife Fund expeditions, led by Guy Mountfort, an international WWF trustee, two national parks and several reserves are being created which should give Pakistan a last chance to save the tiger, the snow leopard and several other seriously threatened mammals and birds.
Oil Pollution of the Sea
Authors: Boyle C. L.
Published: April 2009

Oil pollution of the sea used to be caused mainly by deliberate dumping of waste oil. Today this problem could be almost mastered by the ‘load on top’ system, but the chief cause remains accidents to tankers such as the Torrey Canyon. In this report on the Rome conference on the subject, held in October 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Boyle, former FPS secretary and a member of the British Advisory Committee on Oil Pollution of the Sea who represented the FPS, describes the working of the ‘load on top’ system and the discussions on the new problem. Lord Jellicoe, Chairman of the British Committee, presided at the conference.
Wildlife v Sheep and Cattle in Africa
Authors: Brown Leslie
Published: April 2009

Giraffes eat gall-bearing acacias which domestic animals never do; elephants will eat some shrubs which, in the same conditions, even goats will not touch. In Africa wildlife is an efficient user of the poorer land, whereas nearly all grazing land is badly managed by man. It does not benefit man to destroy the wildlife in order to spread his inefficient methods over yet more land. The author–agriculturist and well-known naturalist and conservationist–pleads for sound land management based upon research which would allow a place for the wildlife as an efficient user of certain land and a valuable resource.
The Bahaman Hutia: a Rodent Refound
Authors: Clough Garrett C.
Published: April 2009

In 1966, on a small rocky uninhabited island in the Bahamas, the author discovered an abundant population of the Bahaman hutia, a nocturnal rodent the size of a rabbit, which had been reported extinct. In three visits to the islands he has studied the hutias, now strictly protected by the Bahaman government, and is also breeding them in captivity both for study and as a safety precaution – one catastrophe such as an exceptional hurricane could wipe out the whole population. The author is Assistant Professor of Zoology at Rhode Island University.
The New African Conservation Convention
Authors: Curry-Lindahl Kai
Published: April 2009

The new African conservation convention, drawn up by IUCN and signed by the African heads of state in September 1968, is now in force. Kai Curry-Lindahl, who has been involved in its rather chequered history, tells here the story of how two conventions, differing in scope, came to be drawn up and how the matter has been resolved.
Tortoise Drain in Morocco
Authors: Lambert M. R. K.
Published: April 2009

More than 300,000 tortoises are exported every year from Morocco to Britain for pets. To find out the effect of this trade on the populations in the wild, the author, aided by a grant from the FPS/WWF Revolving Fund, searched the known tortoise areas in Morocco, weighing and measuring all he found. In his six weeks in the field he found only 23 tortoises. For the country as a whole he estimates numbers to be of the order of five million, a very thin spread over a large area of ground. But the trade may have a more serious effect than just reducing numbers. Because only tortoises of 4–6 inches (under-shell measurement) are wanted, the collectors concentrate on these, which often leaves small mature males to mate with very large mature females. If they are unable to do so it could seriously affect reproduction rates.
Elephants on the Farm
Authors: Jeffrey Sonia M.
Published: April 2009

The author's experience of the damage done by elephants to farms on the edge of a forest reserve in Western Ghana emphasises the point made by Dr. Kai Curry-Lindahl in his recent report to the Ghana government that human settlement should not be allowed close to forest reserves. But where such settlement exists there seems to be no alternative, Mrs Jeffrey suggests, to keeping elephant numbers down by culling.
Destruction in Sierra Leone
Authors: Lowes R. H. G.
Published: April 2009

The Sierra Leone Government has plans for wildlife protection and conservation. But meanwhile the hunting slaughter and habitat destruction go on. One result of killing off leopards, civet cats and pythons was a plague of the giant cane rat which is doing immense damage to crops.
The Simien—Ethiopia's new National Park
Authors: Blower John
Published: April 2009

Sixty square miles of the Simien Mountains, home of two of Ethiopia's most seriously endangered wild mammals, the walla ibex and Simien fox, both endemics, has at last been declared a national park. The author, who was Wildlife Adviser to the Ethiopian Government from 1965–70 (he has just gone in a similar capacity to Nepal) has worked unceasingly to achieve this as well as other parks and reserves to protect Ethiopia's still remarkably rich wildlife. This is the second national park to be gazetted in Ethiopia; the Awash park, which the FPS African tour visited in February this year, was declared early in 1968.
Turtles and an Iguana in Fiji
Authors: Bustard H. Robert
Published: April 2009

At least four species of sea turtle nest in the Fiji Islands. In January 1970 Dr Bustard, aided by a grant from the FPS, visited the eastern group in order to assess the populations. He found, as had been feared, that the turtles were reduced to very low numbers, largely through killing for food; his main recommendation for restoring them is the enforcement of the very good legislation that already exists but which is openly flouted. He also investigated the status of the unique Fijian iguana and urges the need to establish at least one national park to save it—and that quickly.
The Tsavo and the Elephants
Authors: Glover P. E.
Published: April 2009

In 1966 the Ford Foundation made a grant of £78,000 to finance a three-year research project in the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. The big problem to be investigated was the vast and increasing numbers of elephants which were said to be destroying the park by their wholesale destruction of trees. A research programme was started, involving the killing of large numbers of elephants. This aroused considerable controversy, and in May 1968 the Director and a research ecologist resigned. Research has, however, continued under the direction of the author, who is Botanist Warden, aided by a zoologist, both of whom joined the project later in 1968, and a count of the elephants in 1969 showed that they had not increased at all since 1965. Dr Glover's account of the work that is being done, the findings so far, and the changes in the park itself explains why it is important that the work should continue, and for this new funds must be found.
Pollution and a Million Flamingos
Authors: Thomson Landsborough
Published: April 2009

In the last issue of ORYX we drew attention to the dangers from chemicals for the bird life of the Rift Valley lakes in East Africa (page 283). This is particularly serious in Lake Nakuru where a million flamingos are threatened by both chemicals and the sewage effluent from the town of Nakuru which all goes untreated into the lake. Sir Landsborough points out that only on the basis of facts will the authorities listen to demands that the pollution be stopped—and that means research. The new Baharini Wildlife Sanctuary has been established on the lake shores with the triple purpose of providing facilities for such research, as well as for education and tourism—the last designed eventually to pay for the first two. But money is needed to get the research started now. The originator of the project, John Hopcraft, spoke about it at an FPS meeting on September 22, and a letter from Sir Landsborough was published by The Times on September 21. The World Wildlife Fund is supporting the project and the FPS will be pleased to pass on contributions from any members or others who would like to help save the Nakuru flamingos.
Dugongs in Ceylon
Authors: Bertram Colin , Bertram Kate Ricardo
Published: April 2009

The Ceylon Government, in February 1970, gave the dugong complete protection. Nevertheless, the authors conclude, following their three-month investigation this year, that this valuable and once abundant marine mammal is in grave danger in Ceylon, largely as a result of the intensive fishing with modern equipment, notably the nylon nets in which many dugongs are accidentally drowned. As the dugongs are confined to waters off the northwestern coast of Ceylon, they suggest that these nets be forbidden in the area and that it should become, in effect, a sanctuary for the dugong and a marine extension of the Wilpattu National Park.
Living Space for Lemurs
Authors: Fitter Richard
Published: April 2009

Madagascar has one of the most interesting and scientifically valuable faunas in the world, with many endemic species, notably the lemurs. But forest destruction here as elsewhere threatens its survival. In October 1970 IUCN held a conference in Tananarive to highlight the island's importance and to interest both government and people in conserving this unique wildlife. FPS was represented by the Hon. Secretary, who here describes the situation and reports several hopeful and encouraging aspects.
Polar Bear Research in Spitsbergen
Authors: Larsen Thor
Published: April 2009

Scientists and conservationists in five circumpolar countries are collaborating in a programme of research on the polar bear so that management plans can be evolved to ensure the survival of this endangered ‘Red Book’ animal. The author, who is an ecologist in the Institutt for Matin Biologi in Oslo University, describes the work he has been doing on Svalbard (Spitsbergen).
The Hangul in Dachigam: a Census
Authors: Holloway Colin
Published: April 2009

The object of Dr Holloway's two visits to Kashmir was to draw up a management plan for the Dachigam Sanctuary, the main habitat of the highly endangered hangul, or Kashmir stag. This includes a plan of work for the next five years, and also provision for anti-poaching patrols, the prevention of illegal grazing, wood-cutting and fires, staff training and a research programme. Dr Holloway is staff ecologist with IUCN.
The ‘Wild’ Sheep of Britain
Authors: Greig J. C. , Cooper A. B.
Published: April 2009

Primitive breeds of sheep and goats, such as the Ronaldsay sheep of Orkney, could be in danger of disappearing with the present rapid decline in pastoral farming. The authors, both members of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources in Edinburgh University, point out that, quite apart from their historical and cultural interest, these breeds have an important part to play in modern livestock breeding, which needs a constant infusion of new genes from unimproved breeds to get the benefits of hybrid vigour. Moreover these primitive breeds are able to use the poor land and live in the harsh environment which no modern hybrid sheep can stand.
Training Orang Utans for the Wild
Authors: de Silva G. S.
Published: April 2009

Since 1964 the author, who is Game Warden of Sabah (formerly British North Borneo) has been running a state-supported orang utan rehabilitation project in the Sepilok Forest Reserve. Most are confiscated animals, having been kept illegally, often as pets, and he describes some of the difficulties in getting them to become independent again and able to live in the forest. Some have even been too well treated in captivity, living luxuriously and treated like humans.
New Hope for Wetlands
Authors: Elliott Hugh
Published: April 2009

One should perhaps be a bit more wary of milestones — spotting them too often is a sign of fog or of going round in circles — but there do seem to be grounds for hoping that the international conference on the conservation of wetlands and waterfowl, held at Ramsar on the Caspian Sea, last February, is a genuine milestone on one of conservation's more difficult roads. Certainly this was the view of the half-dozen participants who, eight years ago, attended the MAR Conference at Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in the Camargue, which began the campaign for recognition of the importance of conserving 'marshes, bogs and other wetlands' — hitherto almost universally regarded as wasteful nuisances, or even menaces to health, to be drained at the first possible moment.
The Golden Lion Marmoset
Authors: Perry John
Published: April 2009

‘The most brightly coloured of all living mammals, an intense shimmering golden yellow’, is Osman Hill's description of the golden lion marmoset Leontideus rosalia, one of three closely related species restricted to Brazil (the others are chrysopygus and chrysomelas). Once they were widely distributed in the coastal forests; today they are reduced to small remnants, two of them at least with a very precarious future. John Perry, Chairman of the Survival Service Commission’s Zoo Group and Secretary of WAPT (Wild Animal Propagation Trust) in the USA, reports here on their status following his recent visit to Brazil.
The Tsavo Elephants
Authors: Laws R. M.
Published: April 2009

In the December 1970 Oryx we published an article by Dr Laws on his elephant research in the Tsavo National Park. This was written in 1968, and in this additional note he summarises the findings of later research, both by him and by other research workers, which support its conclusions, and also comments on the article by Dr P. E. Glover, Botanist Warden of the Tsavo Research Project, published in the September 1970 Oryx.
The Gorongoza Reserve
Authors: James Archibald
Published: April 2009

The Gorongoza Game Reserve in Northern Mozambique is among the finest in the world, combining beauty of terrain with large numbers of birds and mammals in astonishing variety. About two miles from the camp is a flat treeless plain, some three miles across, flooded in the rainy season by the sluggish Pungwe river. Here some months ago I estimated well over 1000 animals of twelve species, with elephant, buffalo and wildebeest predominating, but strangely mixed.
Wildlife Trends in Liberia and Sierra Leone
Authors: Robinson P. T.
Published: April 2009

In an eight-month field study of the pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered Red Book species, the author was able to make some assessment of the status of other animals in Liberia and Sierra Leone and shows how the danger is increasing for most of them. Chimpanzees in particular are exported in large numbers, and in order to catch the young animals whole family groups may be eliminated.
Management in the Luangwa Valley
Authors: Astle W. L.
Published: April 2009

A paper in Oryx, May 1970, Elephants or Fire – Which to Blame?, by R.M. Lawton and Mary Gough, may have given a wrong impression of the ecological work being carried out by the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and National Parks in the Luangwa Valley game reserves. The authors of the paper disagree with the policy of culling animals within the game reserves, and consider that the Control of fire should be a primary aim in management.
Bats in Britain – a Status Report
Authors: Racey P. A. , Stebbings R. E.
Published: April 2009

A survey has been carried out on the status of bats in Britain. Of the 14 species, the status of two, the greater horseshoe and mouse-eared bats, is precarious. The survival of these and other cavernicolous species depends on the availability of underground roosts, many of which are being destroyed, or rendered uninhabitable by extensive disturbance during hibernation. Where such disturbance is prevented by a grille at the cave entrance, the number of bats using the roost increases. There is a trade in cave-dwelling bats for museums, schools and research. Large numbers of pipistrelles and other species are killed each year in buildings. In many cases, the slaughter is fruitless because the roost is subsequently reoccupied. Ignorance and fear of bats is widespread among members of the public. With the decrease in deciduous trees, fewer roosts are available for tree-dwelling species.
Bolivia and the Vicuña
Authors: Jungius H.
Published: April 2009

In pre-Columbian times vicuñas ranged in their hundreds of thousands in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador; the Incas harvested their valuable wool by rounding them up and shearing them. Today a mere remnant survives, almost entirely in Peru and Bolivia. Urged by conservationists, notably Sr Felipe Benavides, FPS Vice-president and WWF Trustee, Peru and, later, Bolivia have taken steps to save the vicuña by prohibiting the export of the wool, and creating reserves; last year, in response to their request, the British Government banned all imports of vicuña wool, a move in which the FPS played a considerable part (see Oryx, December 1970, page 343). In 1969 Dr. Jungius with another biologist was sent by UNESCO, following a request for advice and help from the Bolivian Government; in 1971 he went out a second time, supported by the Frankfurt Zoological Society and WWF.
Pudu in a Chilean National Park
Authors: Wetterberg Gary B.
Published: April 2009

The Chilean pudu Pudu pudu, the smallest American deer, is on the world list of endangered species in the IUCN Red Data Book. One of its few remaining refuges is in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. This is in the Lake District of southern Chile, the ‘Switzerland of South America’, between the Puyehue National Park to the north, and the Nahuel Huapi National Park in Argentina on the east. There are very few records on the fauna of this park, which covers 243,000 hectares, and is part of the Patagonian Subdivision of the Neotropical Faunal Region.
Eland in Brazil
Authors: Perry John
Published: April 2009

The dry savannas of southern Brazil are difficult to exploit, being easily overgrazed. This article describes an experiment started in 1969 by a well-known Brazilian conservationist to establish the African eland as a meat-producing animal on this type of land.
Tiger Census—How it was Done
Authors: Waller Richard
Published: April 2009

In April-May this year the Indian Forest Service held the first-ever tiger census. Hitherto all assessments of tiger numbers had been based on estimates from the 17 or 18 States which still hold tigers. The Indian Government and the Forest Service are to be highly commended for setting up this difficult operation, for the task of counting this largely nocturnal, forest-dwelling solitary animal over the vast area of India is a formidable one. To achieve reasonable accuracy there is no substitute for the man living in the tiger's own forest environment, who will have acquired over the years a knowledge of tiger movements in his area (perhaps 10 to 20 square miles) and can distinguish one tiger from another, partly by sighting but more often by the pattern of the pug mark. This pointed to the Indian Forest Service as the men to do the job, and moreover the work could be done in the normal course of duty.
Fifty Years of ICBP
Authors: Delacour Jean
Published: April 2009

Founded in 1922, the International Council for Bird Preservation has this year celebrated its jubilee. The author, distinguished ornithologist and naturalist and the last founder alive today, has been a leading figure in the Council's work throughout the fifty years.
Parks and Problems in Colombia
Authors: Perry Roger
Published: April 2009

Colombia has a wealth of wildlife – including endangered species such as spectacled bear, mountain tapir, pudu and condor – a lot of still unexplored country, an impressive list of national parks and reserves, and an active national parks department. But there are many threats: a rapidly increasing population, haphazard settlement (with shifting ‘slash and burn’ cultivation), the increasing accessibility of formerly remote areas, the profitable trade in wild animals, and the lack of public interest in and support for conservation. Roger Perry has spent much time in South America, especially Colombia, and is a former Director of the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos Islands.
Vicuña in Argentina
Authors: Boswall Jeffery
Published: April 2009

A footnote to the article on vicuna by Dr H. Jungius in the last Oryx, May 1972, reported that Jeffery Boswall had seen numbers of vicuna in Argentina, where Dr Jungius feared they were extinct. In this article Mr Boswall describes the sightings made by his party and his reasons for thinking there may still be several hundreds, perhaps more, in Argentina.
A Parks System for West Malaysia
Authors: Weber Bruce E.
Published: April 2009

West Malaysia has elephants, tapir, seladang, tiger and the Sumatran rhinoceros among its fauna, and a wealth of flowering plants – some 8000. The author spent a year attached to the Federal Game Department, with the task of surveying all likely areas for national parks in order to preserve a representative selection of this remarkable wildlife. His report to the Game Department, of which this is a summary, proposed seven major reserves – one national park (already in existence) and six national monuments.
The Lamai Wedge in Tanzania
Authors: Owen J. S.
Published: April 2009

Following a visit to Tanzania in the autumn of 1972, the author, who, until 1971, was Director of National Parks in Tanzania, reports the good news that the Government's decision to allow grazing of domestic animals in a critical area bordering the Serengeti National Park has in fact been strictly interpreted. The amount of grazing is declining and is likely to do so still more.
Swamp Deer in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Holloway Colin
Published: April 2009

In 1965 there were eleven populations of the already declining northern race of the swamp deer in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India; by 1972 eight of these had disappeared, either through habitat destruction, such as the planting of eucalyptus and cultivation, crop-protection shooting or poaching. Probably only the fact that the meat is tough and the skin poor have saved the deer from disappearing completely in the state. The author describes a brief survey he made in the summer of 1972, estimates numbers and status, describes the threats, and lists the immediate needs for a conservation programme. The author is Staff Ecologist with IUCN.
Developments in the Sudan Parks
Authors: Cloudsley-Thompson J. L.
Published: April 2009

The Sudan today has three National Parks and fifteen game reserves. In addition there are sanctuaries and forest reserves where hunting is forbidden.

Dinder National Park covers 7120 sq. km (2750 sq. miles) and lies 406 km (315 miles) south-east from Khartoum, near the Ethiopian border in Blue Nile Province. Its fine assemblage of game includes elephant (during the rains), hippopotamus, giraffe, buffalo, roan antelope, waterbuck, tiang, greater kudu, red-fronted and Soemmering's gazelle, reedbuck, bushbuck, oribi, duiker, Salt's dikdik, warthog, bush pig, lion, leopard, cheetah, hyaena, wild dog, grivet and red hussar monkeys, and baboon. According to Dr William Dasmann (in litt. August 1972) the status of tora and lelwel hartebeest is uncertain. It has been decided not to reintroduce hippopotamus as poachers would be the only gainers.
Wildlife and Land Use in Highland Scotland
Authors: Lockie James
Published: April 2009

Depopulation of the Scottish Highlands in the seventeenth century was followed by intense exploitation and often misuse of the land, with serious overgrazing, burning and wildlife destruction. Today the main land uses are hill sheep farming, crofting, sport, and, more recently, commercial timber growing, nature conservation, hydroelectric schemes and tourism. The author, who is on the staff of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources in Edinburgh University, examines the effect of these activities on four main wildlife species – golden eagle, red deer, red grouse and red fox – and describes some of the mistaken management practices which damage the wildlife, often without producing the desired results.
Pygmy Hog and Hispid Hare
Authors: Mountfort Guy
Published: April 2009

In Oryx September 1971, (pp 103–107), we described the rediscovery in Assam of two animals that had been feared extinct—the pygmy hog Sus sylvanius and the hispid hare Caprolagus hispidus. Guy Mountfort, who recently returned from a visit to India, Nepal and Sikkim on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund, reports encouraging news of these two Red Book species.
The Persecuted Black Lechwe of Zambia
Authors: Bell R. H. V. , Grimsdell J. J. R.
Published: April 2009

The black lechwe of northern Zambia are today confined entirely to one area, the Bangweulu floodplain. Numbers have shrunk from more than half-a-million as recently as 50 years ago to an estimated 16,000 today. The authors, who have been engaged in a 3½-year research project on these lechwe, are able to show that the numbers today are well below the carrying capacity of the floodplains, and that poaching is the cause. The highly specialised lechwe is the only mammal capable of exploiting the high fertility of the floodplain, which could support ten times the present numbers. Allowed to increase and properly managed on sustained yield principles, the black lechwe could provide a large quantity of badly needed protein in Zambia.
Saving the Hawksbill Turtle
Authors: Bustard Robert
Published: April 2009

The successful breeding of hawksbill turtles on experimental farms on islands in the Torres Strait, north of Australia, has persuaded the islanders to leave the turtle eggs (formerly taken for food) for the farms. The author argues the case for using eggs from the wild in these particular areas, and also urges the importance of allowing a turtle industry that will bring profit to the islanders—and no one else.
Hartebeests in Ethiopia
Authors: Bolton Melvin
Published: April 2009

In this report on his field survey of Ethiopian hartebeests, two of which—Swayne's, now extinct outside Ethiopia, and the tora—are in the Red Data Book, Melvin Bolton describes the known populations and recommends the appropriate conservation measures. His most encouraging discovery was a population—unfortunately in a heavily cultivated area—of at least 500 Swayne's hartebeest, bringing the estimated total for this subspecies to 600—700. His study shows that it is not always easy to ascribe all hartebeests to the three main subspecies or races, and he describes two intergrades with distinctive features. The field work was helped with small grants from the FPS and the WWF.
Leopard and Cheetah in Ethiopia
Authors: Myers Norman
Published: April 2009

Leopards still occur in considerable numbers in Ethiopia, but cheetahs, though widespread, are not numerous and are still declining, according to this report of the author's survey of their status, made in January–February 1973 for IUCN. And the pressures on both species are too great to allow even present numbers to be maintained. The trade in skins flourishes, despite protection, and villagers and city merchants alike boast of their ability to supply skins at any time, often in considerable quantities. More leopard skins are being sold in 1973 than ever before, and the supply cannot keep up with the demand—despite the moratorium recommended by the International Fur Trade Federation.
Destruction in Niger
Authors: Jones D. M.
Published: April 2009

The author went to Niger in August–September 1972 to report and advise on the wildlife situation. This was as a result of a report by two residents, Mr and Mrs Barry Humphrey, describing the serious and continuing decline in Niger's wildlife, especially among the larger desert mammals, and the government's inability to raise the necessary money and manpower to protect it In particular, poaching in the W National Park in the south, and hunting mainly by Europeans in the Aïr Mountains in the north, where a large French mining company has concessions, are seriously depleting wildlife populations, notably addax and scimitar-horned oryx, both vulnerable species in the Red Data Book, and both desert-living species that can survive in the drought-ridden areas where cattle are dying and people starving. This article covers the gist of his report and recommendations.
Orang-utans in Sumatra
Authors: MacKinnon John
Published: April 2009

In 1971 John MacKinnon spent seven months in Sumatra studying orang-utans in the wild. This report compares his findings with those of his earlier and much longer study in Sabah, the report of which was published in Oryx September 1971, and also comments on some other mammals in his study area, including the Sumatran rhino.
Park in the Andes
Authors: Boswall Jeffery
Published: April 2009

Covering more than a million and a half acres, Los Glaciares National Park in Patagonia has great possibilities as a wildlife sanctuary. But fanning, sport and hunting take precedence over wildlife except in the highest parts that are difficult of access. The author spent a month in the park in 1971, making a film for BBC television.
Rhinos—and other Problems—in Nepal
Authors: Blower John
Published: April 2009

Ten million cattle and 4½ million sheep and goats, all increasing by nearly 2 per cent every year, combined with a rapidly increasing human population, pose severe problems for good land management in Nepal. But this small country, not much larger than England but with a dramatic and unique range of habitats, from low-lying swamps to the highest mountains in the world, has now embarked on a conservation programme aided by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Wildlife Fund. Plans have been drawn up for four new national parks, covering over 1000 square miles—one including Everest has been approved by the Government—and four new wildlife reserves. Between them these would ensure the survival of most of Nepal's endangered species, including Indian rhino and elephant, tiger, gaur, and both snow and clouded leopards. The author, well known for his conservation work in Africa, has been since 1970 FAO Adviser to the Nepal Government on national parks and wildlife management, under the UN Technical Assistance Programme.
Most Endangered Mammals: an Action Programme
Authors: Fitter Richard
Published: April 2009

The IUCN's Red Data Book for endangered mammals lists 269 species and forms. Of these 135 are on red sheets indicating that they are in real danger of extinction and that only active measures can save them. The FPS Hon. Secretary has selected 25 of these and suggests what action must be taken for each one immediately. The species are arranged here in systematic order, not in any order of priority.
Brazil's National Parks
Authors: Padua Maria Tereza Jorge , Magnanini Alceo , Mittermeier Russell A.
Published: April 2009

Brazil is the largest country in South America in both population and area, and ranks fifth largest in the world at 8,511,965 km2. Lying mainly in the tropics, its immense variety of habitat types ranges from the vast, luxuriant Amazon rain forests in the north to the Atlantic coastal forests in the east, the savannas of the central plateau and the Brazilian pine forests and flat, almost treeless pampas of the south; its great diversity of animal species includes some found nowhere else in the world.
How to Save the Mermaids
Authors: Sikes Sylvia
Published: April 2009

‘Seriously depleted throughout most of its range; needs to be brought under protective management’, is the Red Data Book's verdict on the West African manatee Trichechus senegalensis. In Nigeria the author, who has worked there for many years, has only managed to see a few with great difficulty. She suggests the ‘mermaid’ is ideal for ‘aquatic ranching’, for the meat is so good—hence the species's depletion—that it is in great demand. The first need is to find out how many are left and where they are. But the manatee has none of the glamour of a tiger or a rhino; who, the author asks, would want to pay for the conservation of this unattractive but harmless and useful grazer of aquatic plants?
The Yeti—some of the Evidence
Authors: Tchernine Odette
Published: April 2009

The author has been studying the evidence for both the yeti, the ‘abominable snowman’ of the Himalayas, and the sasquatch of British Columbia for many years and has written two books on the subject. Are they fact or myth? She suggests that the evidence so far collected, including Russian references hitherto little known in the west, justifies further research to find out.
Agouti and Babassu
Authors: Smith Nigel
Published: April 2009

Both agoutis and the babassu palm thrive in secondary growth where primary rain forest has been removed, as is happening widely in South America, notably in Brazil. The agouti is also a prolific and easily farmed animal that provides good meat. The author suggests that fanning of this native mammal would be much more likely than beef to succeed among the settlers coming in along Brazil's newly bulldozed roads.
Who Cares in Hawaii?
Authors: Pratt Jerome J.
Published: April 2009

More than 95 per cent of Hawaii's original fauna and flora occurs nowhere else in the world. In 1965 the compiler of the Birds Red Data Book, Jack Vincent, listed 25 of Hawaii's original 69 bird species as extinct. With the discovery of a new not yet named Honeycreeper (Drepanidiae) on Maui in 1973, by a National Science Foundation sponsored expedition and the re-discovery of the Maui nukupuu Hemignathus lucidus effinus in 1967, the count changed to 70 known species with 24 extinct. Of Hawaii's remaining 46 endemic birds 27 are threatened with extinction.
Areas to Preserve in Sierra Leone
Authors: Wilkinson A. F.
Published: April 2009

Sierra Leone has no national parks or equivalent reserves. Dr Wilkinson is a geologist who worked first in the north and north-east, the Koinadugu District, where the forest destruction and hunting pressure on the larger mammals combined to endorse the gloomy picture painted by Dr Lowes in Oryx, September 1970, page 309. Later, working further to the east, he found the situation rather better and was able to tot up a list of twenty-nine mammals seen. He suggests, now that diamonds, Sierra Leone's staple earner of foreign exchange, are rapidly giving out, that the tourist industry is bound to burgeon and game parks will be needed. He writes:
Ghana's New Forest National Park
Authors: Jeffrey Sonia M.
Published: April 2009

In May 1974 Ghana created its first high forest national park. This is a forest reserve in the Bia tributaries area of the Western Region, comprising 118 square miles of some of the highest forest in West Africa, including primary unlogged forest, with an annual rainfall of 57 inches spread over ten to eleven months. The area was chosen partly for the large numbers of elephants and monkeys. The possibility of a forest national park in this region has been under consideration for at least five years; success was achieved after lengthy negotiations under the keen direction of the Chief Game and Wildlife Officer, Dr E. O. A. Asibey.
Oryx and Addax in Chad
Authors: Bassett T. H.
Published: April 2009

In December 1974 I was privileged to make a fifteen-day journey in the northern reaches of the vast Ouadi Rimé–Ouadi Achim Faunal Reserve in the sub-saharan belt of the Republic of Chad. In size this reserve is comparable with Scotland and it has received much less attention than is its due. Created in 1969 to protect ostrich Struthio camelus, cheetah Acinonyx jubatus, addax Addax nasomaculatus and scimitar-horned oryx, Oryx dammah, it is of particular significance to the oryx, harbouring one of the few viable wild breeding populations. My guide to the reserve was John E. Newby, a British ecologist who has been studying its wildlife for the past three years; he helped me to appreciate the enormous difficulties involved in protecting its endangered species.
National Parks—their Role in the Modern World
Authors: Curry-Lindahl Kai
Published: April 2009

National parks are no luxury today, but an essential tool in every country, on every continent, and in the sea if man is to understand his environment and avert destruction. The author, who is Senior Adviser to the UN Environmental Programme, explains why the selection of the right areas is important, and what the criteria should be to avoid past mistakes.
Wildlife Count in a Uganda National Park
Authors: Edroma E. L.
Published: April 2009

As a result of a count of elephant, giraffe, zebra and ostrich in the Kidepo Valley National Park, made in February 1975, the author, who is Director of the Uganda Institute of Ecology, concludes that, despite some fluctuations, especially among giraffes, the numbers were fairly typical for the dry season.
Elephant Rescue in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jones David M.
Published: April 2009

At Uda Walawe in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) a group of about thirty elephants have become isolated in a small pocket of jungle as a result of large-scale agricultural development. There is not sufficient food for them and they are completely surrounded by farms. Inevitably they raid the fields at night, and are shot at by the farmers; some are injured, have become dangerous and killed people. Forced to act, the Wildlife Department has been trying to move them. The author, who is resident Veterinary Officer at Whipsnade Park in England, assisted with the second removal, and here describes how it was done and some of the problems.
Threatened Plants – How to Save Them
Authors: Lucas Grenville
Published: April 2009

In May 1974 IUCN set up the Threatened Plants Committee (TPC) of the Survival Service Commission, with Professor J. Heslop-Harrison, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, as Chairman, and Grenville Lucas, also of Kew, as Secretary. The need for a comprehensive survey had been highlighted by Dr Ronald Melville's pioneer work in compiling the Red Data Book for plants. The Committee's task is to prepare a world list of endangered and threatened (flowering) plant species so that action plans can be drawn up. The world's decision-makers must have the facts. The work is centred at Kew. Material is collected and action planned, either through regional groups (the European group has already produced a preliminary draft of rare, threatened and endangered plants), or through specialist groups (a world-wide palm group was the first to be appointed). A third approach is through institutions – most of the world's major botanic gardens sent representatives to a conference at Kew in September 1975. The following is a summary, with extracts, of Grenville Lucas's paper on the work of the TPC read at the IUCN meeting in Kinshasa.
Orang-utans in Captivity
Authors: Perry John
Published: April 2009

The author examines the age structure of captive orang-utans in zoos and institutions. He shows that, unless breeding success can be achieved with captive-born animals – which so far no zoo in the world has done – zoo numbers will continue to decline, with little hope of replacement from the wild now that the International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species is in operation. John Perry is Assistant Director for Conservation at the National Zoo in Washington, and a Vice-Chairman of the IUCN's Survival Service Commission.
Life-Styles and Nature Conservation
Authors: Dasmann Raymond F.
Published: April 2009

One of the key papers at the Technical Meetings that accompanied the IUCN General Assembly in Zaïre was Dr Dasmann's showing how the emphasis in nature conservation has shifted. No longer can the ‘biosphere people’ – the people of the developed nations who draw on the resources of the whole world to maintain their life-style – simply urge developing countries to ‘protect’ wildlife and establish national parks while at the same time pressing them to cut back their population growth. One extra person in the USA will consume more in energy and materials than 20 extra people in Tanzania. What Dr Dasmann calls the ‘ecosystem people’—those who depend for all their resources on supplies within their local ecosystem – lived in balance with nature and, moreover, did not live impoverished lives, Today we can only solve our world problems by getting back to some better balance, ‘the old partnership with nature that existed without people being aware of it’. What we need, he suggests, is ‘conservation as if people mattered’ and ‘development as if nature mattered’. Nature conservation today demands new life-styles.
Hunting a Deer to Extinction
Authors: Grimwood Ian
Published: April 2009

Calamian deer, which are found only in the Philippine Islands, have been so reduced in numbers over the last thirty years that unless hunting can be controlled, they are doomed to extinction. This is Ian Grimwood's conclusion after his 1975 survey which was aided by an Oryx 100% Fund grant. The deer have no enemy but man. There was no hunting during the Japanese occupation, and at the end of the Japanese war numbers were quite high. Since then increased hunting pressure has led to an accelerating decline, with more and more people hunting fewer and fewer deer. Today Ian Grimwood suggests the maximum number cannot be over 900 animals, and is probably much less, and extinction is certain unless action is taken. The following are extracts from the report:
The Dim Future of La Macarena
Authors: Struhsaker Thomas T.
Published: April 2009

One of Colombia’s finest national parks, La Macarena, is being gradually encroached by settlers — the park area has been nearly halved since 1948, and there is no sign of an end to the process. The author, a research zoologist of the New York Zoological Society, describes the situation and appeals to the President and the government to act to save the park.
Hunting Pressure on Orang-utans in Sarawak
Authors: Medway Lord
Published: April 2009

In Sarawak a comparatively new development is that orang-utans are being hunted for food, often with great cruelty. The Government is aware of the threat to the population, and special reserves are being considered. Lord Medway points out that only a change in local sentiment will save the orang-utans even in sanctuaries – they already have full legal protection – and suggests an appeal must be made to people to return to traditional ways.