Conservation (articles and reports)

[Matias]

Hi, Peter

I appreciate your opinion, your vision is at the vertex of the conservation needs of wildlife areas dependent on legal action and effective policing (such as the Tiger Strip in Russia and China). It was also pleasant to hear his opinion of crime and punishment, in a malleable, reflective and correct way, as well as his analysis of the psychological aspects of the human world. The article presents proposals for practical action as well as ideologies in their wake. I'm not in favor of sunk tolerances and victimistic views, and I see that both of us would easily reach common ground, like a good beer so the hours would pass unnoticed. The article elaborates new and other forgotten elements of the “toolbox” that, the broader and more focused on the pressing needs of the place and the people, interweaving the multiple web of human impacts, it is possible to achieve better results. I have no doubt that the strong law in the Amur tiger landscape is fully consistent with local needs and must be maintained, expanded and encouraged, not least because of the tiger being the focus of the intense trade of its parts. However, we must expand measures in line with preventive actions, being an integral part of this immense landscape as well – both are undoubtedly necessary. There is no conservation without taking care of people. Thus, actions aimed at individuals and their families and/or communities, even in the Far East, people are there and are part of the landscape and, when endowed with adequate sources of income for their needs, as well as individual aspirations are reached, the tigers will have better chances of survival. But there are always exceptions where only the iron hand of the Law is able to dissuade some people from practicing their daily crimes. Deterring people from the wild target is far better than fighting crime, that's the message of the article, somewhat conceptual but a message that, in the right hands and in the right places, we can gain some conservation advantage. “As we well know my friend, knowledge requires effort and interest in diverse and long readings”.


The development of conservation themes depends on the interests of the members. This is not easy to do as it depends on one's individual perspectives. Much of the Wildfact – constructed by the interests of its members – is directed towards dynamics that accentuate aspects, say, focused on the species. Your interactions and clashes. Much is discussed about body size, weight, strength, which is part of the process of understanding animals and the natural world. But it shouldn't be a bit hegemonic here. Upon opening the site, we are inundated with topics that go directly to lion coalitions in the Greater Kruger. Pride A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H...


And no one who follows the soap opera life of these groups of lions, discusses the context that led to the formation and survival of these huge groups in this landscape, notably in the private reserves adjacent to the park, after the great Act of 1991 (giving tenure to all wildlife that was in a private fenced environment – property and usufruct rights – the fences were removed and a new landscape, rich in woody vegetation and grasses revealed a new Eden for the animals of Kruger). But this eden for lions may be threatened, in response to the decline in the ecology of natural vegetation in the Sabi Sands reserves and those associated with the APNR, affecting the existential dynamics of a variety of herbivores (grazers and navigators). There is a huge pool of diseases waiting for a natural catastrophe to take hold. Recently I looked at many videos of lions in the Greater Kruger and I saw a huge amount of adults and cubs suffering from serious skin problems, mainly as a result of blood eating flie. It is my personal perspective that this dynamic of life that imposes itself and regulates the prevalence of large groups of male lions here, is not synonymous with stability, but an intensely disputed environment where males and females live with high levels of stress. 

For those interested, I leave here the Kruger Park Management Plan and the three very interesting opinion articles by Dr. Salomon Joubert that discuss the park's plant resources and the impact of elephants on the landscape. 

Park Management plan

Dr. Salomon Joubert 1

Dr. Salomon Joubert 2

Dr. Salomon Joubert 3


It is not about accepting what is being addressed, but understanding that Kruger's ecosystem needs urgent corrective action. The park premisse is to conserve its biodiversity and not just its emblematic animals. 


Each one has its focus Peter, but yes, we can evolve with good content and abundant material, with good articles written by scientists and conservation professionals who have experience and actions supported in the sustainable use of natural resources. Perhaps this is a problem, as conservation of wildlife does not mesh with animal rights and visions based in personal aspirations and preferences. Conservation education requires pragmatism, tolerance, open-mindedness and targeting people. Only in preservationist strongholds can we manage animals and not people – when wildlife is enclosed behind fences.


Associate the forum need to be interested and give their opinion. We must not condition that opinions are strongly supported by scientific study or skilled conservation personnel (biologists, zoologists, geneticists) to be of value. It is necessary to value the opinions that bring good reflections. Work takes me a lot, and there are times when I read almost nothing because of the daily stress. This is part of all of us and so we focus on what we love the most. Me in conservation, others in the world of lions, bears, tigers..., and so, Wildfact revolves around all of us. Reply