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Good News & Success Stories
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Beavers cut flooding and pollution and boost wildlife populations
Beavers have alleviated flooding, reduced pollution and boosted populations of fish, amphibians and other wildlife, according to a five-year study of wild-living animals in Devon. The report, which will help the government decide whether to allow wild beavers to return to England after being hunted to extinction more than 400 years ago, concludes that the species has brought measurable benefits to wildlife and people. The study, by a team of scientists overseen by Prof Richard Brazier of the University of Exeter, concludes that beavers’ quantifiable benefits on the River Otter, including eco-tourism and “ecosystem services” such as flood alleviation, outweigh costs such as the minor flooding of some farmland.  *This image is copyright of its original author The number of beavers on the River Otter has risen from two breeding pairs in 2015 to about eight pairs. Photograph: Mike Symes/Devon Wildlife TrustThe beavers, which escaped from a captive population, were discovered in 2013 living wild on the river. When plans to exterminate the animals were greeted by a popular outcry, the government agreed to a scientific trial, with the funds entirely raised by Devon Wildlife Trust and its supporters. The number of beavers on the Otter has risen from two breeding pairs in 2015 to at least eight pairs today as the herbivorous rodent has expanded along tributaries including the River Tale. The beavers’ positive impact includes one family constructing six dams upstream of the flood-prone village of East Budleigh. The dams have slowed the flow of floodwater through the village, reducing “peak flows” during flood events. The scientists also found that the beavers played a significant role in filtering pollutants including manure, slurry and fertilisers from the river, while new wetlands created by the beavers have benefited water voles, riverine birds such as dippers and wildfowl including teal. There were 37% more fish in pools created by beaver dams than in comparable stretches of river. Trout have been recorded leaping over beaver dams during high river flows. While beavers prevent flooding by slowing floodwater flows, their dams can also flood valuable valley farmland. The study identified an “adverse impact” at just five sites in the 250km2 river catchment over five years. In one case, a small organic potato field was flooded. Riverside orchards were also at risk from beavers gnawing the trees, but negative impacts were mostly solved with active management. Wire guards were provided to protect trees while Devon Wildlife Trust and Clinton Devon Estates – a supportive local landowner – occasionally removed beaver dams or installed “beaver deceivers” to prevent flooding. Beaver deceivers are pipes that carry water through beaver dams without the beavers realising, to lower water levels and stop flooding. “Following five years of detailed research work, the report concludes that the positive impacts of beavers outweighed the negatives,” said Brazier. “However, it also makes clear that those who benefit from beaver reintroduction may not always be the same people as those who bear the costs, highlighting that the reduction of flood risk in communities downstream may come at a cost of water being stored on farmland upstream.” Mark Elliott, who led the River Otter beaver trial for Devon Wildlife Trust, said: “We’ve all been surprised by these amazing animals’ ability to thrive, once again, in our wetland ecosystems. It also shows their unrivalled capacity to breathe new life into our rivers and wetlands, very few of which are in good health. “There are overwhelming reasons why beavers should be reintroduced back into the wider countryside.” According to Elliott, the key to successfully returning the beaver across England will be to provide support for affected landowners, so that those who lose small areas of farmland to flooding will not incur financial losses. In recent months the government has licensed dozens of schemes for wild beavers to be placed in large fenced areas in valleys to help with flood alleviation and restoring wildlife. But Elliott said the next step would be for the government to approve wild releases into particular river catchments. “We’re not zookeepers, we’re conservationists and it’s a native species to Britain so we shouldn’t be having to keep them in with fences in the long-term,” he said. Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England, said: “It is fantastic to see the successful reintroduction of these majestic creatures back into the English countryside, which Natural England has licensed. I commend the work of the Devon Wildlife Trust in helping to show how beavers can have such a transformative impact on the natural world. “This is a massive step towards boosting the richness of wildlife around the River Otter, reducing pollution, mitigating flooding and making this landscape more resilient to climate change.” The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has announced an extension of the Devon trial until September, when it will decide if the Devon beavers can remain. If Defra backs the beavers, it is likely that a new licensing system will enable the release of free-living beavers in other river catchments – with the beaver officially recognised as a native species again
'Astonishing' blue whale numbers at South Georgia
Scientists say they have seen a remarkable collection of blue whales in the coastal waters around the UK sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Their 23-day survey counted 55 animals - a total that is unprecedented in the decades since commercial whaling ended. South Georgia was the epicentre for hunting in the early 20th Century. The territory's boats with their steam-powered harpoons were pivotal in reducing Antarctic blues to just a few hundred individuals. To witness 55 of them now return to what was once a pre-eminent feeding ground for the population has been described as "truly, truly amazing" by cetacean specialist Dr Trevor Branch from the University of Washington, Seattle. "To think that in a period of 40 or 50 years, I only had records for two sightings of blue whales around South Georgia. Since 2007, there have been maybe a couple more isolated sightings. So to go from basically nothing to 55 in one year is astonishing," he told BBC News. "It's such good news to see that they might be further rebounding and coming back to places where they were formerly extremely abundant." Dr Branch was commenting on the survey which was led by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) with the support of the University of Auckland. The institutions put together an expert team that toured the island's near-shore waters in the Research Vessel Braveheart. The scientists identified whales of various species both visually and acoustically through their song repertoires. In a number of cases, they even managed to retrieve skin and breath samples to understand more about the health of the various animals they encountered. Blue whales are the most massive creatures ever to roam the Earth, and the Antarctic sub-species contained the very biggest of the big at over 30m. This population was also the most numerous of the 10 or so discrete populations across the globe, carrying perhaps 239,000 individuals prior to the onset of industrial exploitation. But the marine mammals' physical size made them a profitable catch, and around South Georgia more than 33,000 Antarctic blues were documented to have been caught and butchered, most of them between 1904 and 1925. By the time a ban was introduced in 1966, a sighting anywhere in Southern Ocean waters would have been extremely rare indeed. The last official estimate of abundance was made in 1997 and suggested Antarctic blues could have recovered to about 2,280 individuals. When the next assessment is released, probably at the end of 2021, it should show a further increase - as reflected in the encouraging activity at South Georgia in recent weeks. "This is definitely a pattern," said Dr Branch. "All of the Southern Hemisphere whale species - the populations for which we have data - are increasing. So, for right whales - several populations are going up very consistently every year. Humpback whales - several populations are going up consistently every year. And blue whales - we think they're going up. Which is super-good news "The exception is Antarctic minke whales; we do think they've gone down quite a bit." What is clear however is that the moratorium on commercial whaling is working. And whatever other pressures these whale species may face today, they are gradually edging back from the brink. South Georgia is a place they should congregate. The territory sits in a highly bio-productive zone that is supported by a copious train of krill drifting up from the Antarctic on strong currents. These crustaceans are the favoured diet not just of the big whales but also of the island's many penguins and seals. Some might question whether the growth in numbers of blue, humpback and other whales around South Georgia is simply a bump that's been driven either by a short-term bounty of krill at the island or maybe by a paucity of the prey elsewhere. But survey project leader Dr Jennifer Jackson from BAS doubts this. "The preliminary data does not suggest it has been a particularly unusual krill year. Not this year, nor last year. It seems quite normal," she said. "So, I think this is positive. We know that 100 years ago, South Georgia was a good place for blue whales and now, after decades of protection, it seems the territory's waters are a good place for them once again," she told BBC News. The RV Braveheart voyage this year was funded by the Darwin Plus programme, the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the Friends of South Georgia Island. It was dedicated to the memory of the late Prof Peter Best, an English marine biologist who pioneered whale study in South African waters.
Conservation: New protections for jaguar and Asian elephant
New measures to protect the jaguar have been agreed at a wildlife summit held in India. Six countries put forward plans to strengthen protection for the spotted big cat as it roams across the borders of different countries. The species has lost about 40% of its habitat over the last 100 years. While laws exist to protect jaguars in virtually all the countries where it lives, threats persist, including deforestation and poaching. The Convention on Migratory Species is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species. Including the jaguar in the agreement will help countries preserve crucial habitat. The aim is to enable animals to move along corridors between countries, helping to avoid the isolation that can lead to extinction. Rebecca Regnery, deputy director of wildlife at the animal protection group Humane Society International, said listing the big cat will create an international legal framework. "This will provide increased incentives and funding opportunities for this work, and that is critical for curbing habitat destruction, maintaining key migration corridors and addressing killings for retaliation and trafficking," she said. The jaguar's present range extends from the southern edge of the US and Mexico in North America, across much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES  *This image is copyright of its original author Image captionA female elephant stands on a railway track in Alipurduar, West Bengal, India Other proposals passed on Thursday at the 13th Conference of the Parties include strengthened protection for the Asian elephant. The mammal is endangered due to loss of habitat, poaching, poisoning and obstacles to migration such as railways. India, which is home to 60% of Asian elephants, shares some of these elephants with neighbouring countries, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. For populations outside India, many elephants cross international boundaries where they face a range of threats. Mark Simmonds, also of Humane Society International, said migratory species need the nations that make up their ranges to work together to afford them protection. "The highly migratory Asian elephant for example, is endangered throughout much of its substantial range, trying to survive in continually shrinking, degraded and fragmented habitat," he said. "Its protection would be vastly improved if range countries work together to tackle these challenges as well as the conflict they often face with people as they migrate over long distances in search of food and shelter." Representatives from more than 130 nations also agreed increased conservation status for:
On Tuesday, wildlife groups called for nut-cracking chimp culture to be conserved. The proposal called for Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire to work together to protect the nut-cracking chimpanzee of Western Africa, which gets its name from using tools to open the shells of nuts.
Newborn gazelle represents a milestone for conservation efforts in Saudi's Al Ula
Plans to create an ecosystem that can support endangered Arabian leopards starts with the shaky first steps of a newborn antelope  *This image is copyright of its original author Healthy gazelle populations are key to "potential re-birth of Sharaan as a complete, fully-functioning eco-system". Courtesy Al Ula The first steps of a baby gazelle, taken this week under the watchful eyes of rangers from Al Ula’s Sharaan Nature Reserve, were a milestone for the region in Saudi Arabia. They represented the first successful efforts in the re-wilding of Al Ula, after decades of overgrazing and other human activity destabilised the fragile natural environment. Quote: “We’re delighted with this first generation of native-born gazelles here, signifying very early steps towards the potential rebirth of Sharaan as a complete, fully-functioning ecosystem as it once was hundreds of years ago,” says Frank Rietkerk, captive breeding manager at the Royal Commission for Al Ula. "We’re still in the first stages, but we’ve had some crucial early successes, this new generation of gazelles, of course, but also re-establishing the vegetation they need to survive."  *This image is copyright of its original author Healthy gazelle populations are key to "potential re-birth of Sharaan as a complete, fully-functioning eco-system". Courtesy Al Ula The baby gazelle’s new home, Sharaan, was designated as a nature reserve because of its extensive geological, topographical and environmental features. The aim is to restore a fully functioning ecosystem, with a view to eventually introducing critically endangered Arabian leopards in the area. “We believe that the Arabian leopard was once well-established here as one of Al Ula’s native species and its presence looms large in the area’s ancient history and even persists now in the popular imagination,” Rietkerk explains. “Sadly, both hunting and the damage to the wider environment have caused their numbers to fall precipitously. We are now working to a five to 10 year timescale to reintroduce these majestic big cats.”  *This image is copyright of its original author Sharran Nature Reserve. Courtesy Al Ula As part of its wider conservation plan, the Royal Commission for Al Ula signed an agreement in June 2019 with Panthera, a world leader in wild cat conservation. “Leopards are perhaps not the first animal people think of when they think of Saudi Arabian wildlife,” says Dr. Guy Balme, Panthera leopard programme director and conservation science deputy executive director. “With this new partnership we’re excited to work with RCU in addressing the reason behind that." As part of this process, the team is establishing a network of wildlife detection cameras, in 10 key sites across Saudi Arabia, in an attempt to uncover how many leopards remain in the wild.  *This image is copyright of its original author A ranger on patrol in Sharaan. Courtesy Al Ula Over the next two years, RCU, Panthera, and Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) teams will place up to 80 cameras in each of the 10 sites. Each camera station is capable of storing approximately 6,000 images. A baseline of wild Arabian leopard populations across Saudi Arabia will provide information needed to fine-tune the vision for a reintroduction of Arabian leopards in Al Ula. Quote: But first, the gazelles must thrive. “We’re not looking to have a hands-on approach to supporting the leopards,” Rietkerk. “We want to see this ecosystem function as it did before we humans disrupted it. "That’s why it’s so important to get the whole food-chain rebalanced – from the plant-life, through the herbivores, and up to the leopards and other apex predators. Ultimately, if we can’t make this habitat work for the gazelles, then it won’t work for the leopards.”
Five new wolf pups Confirmed in Lassen Pack Count
LASSEN COUNTY, CALIF. JULY 6, 2020 The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has confirmed the addition of five new pups in the Lassen Pack. This is the fourth consecutive year that the pack has produced pups. “The announcement of five new pups in the Lassen Pack is another positive step forward for wolf recovery in California," said Pamela Flick, California program director for Defenders of Wildlife. "We’ve come a long way from the first wolf spotted in the state almost a decade ago and these pups truly represent the future for the species in the Golden State.” In the summer of 2015, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife shared the news that the state’s first resident wolf family, dubbed the Shasta Pack for the massive dormant volcano near where they were discovered, had settled into eastern Siskiyou County. In summer 2017, CDFW announced the presence of the Lassen Pack, which has had pups each spring since then, and is currently the only known family of wolves in California. Defenders works with USDA Wildlife Services and CDFW to provide conflict reduction tools to landowners and livestock managers and help deploy them in areas where wolves and livestock overlap, which has been incredibly successful in reducing unwanted encounters. 
As of the year 2019's end, several Indian states have now reached "replacement levels" of fertility (total 14 of 21 larger ones) with population growth slowing down, analysis of the latest SRS data shows. But it will be atleast 2050 before the country’s population starts shrinking.
But there are still big outliers such as Bihar & Assam, where progress has been slow.  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
How the anthropause is a conservation benefit
In California, they found, roadkill fell by 21 percent in the four weeks after the state issued its stay-at-home order in March. In Idaho, the reduction was 38 percent; in Maine, it was 44 percent. A year of reduced travel, Shilling estimated, would save perhaps 27,000 large animals in those three states alone. And although state records focus on the hefty mammals that endanger drivers—deer, elk, moose, bears, and the like—they’re mum on smaller critters, such as snakes, frogs, and birds, all of which have likely thrived during COVID-19. “We’re measuring the large animals, but I suspect it’s true for all animals, including insects,” Shilling said. (In Texas, millions of monarch butterflies succumb to grilles and windshields during their migrations to Mexico.) Add up all those less conspicuous casualties and extrapolate globally, and it’s hardly a stretch to say that hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of wild animals will ultimately be spared because of the pandemic. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/07/pandemic-roadkill/613852/  (06-13-2020, 05:41 AM)Sully Wrote: Newborn gazelle represents a milestone for conservation efforts in Saudi's Al Ula Similar story from the UAE: https://wildfact.com/forum/topic-animal-...#pid122148
Saved from poisoning, these rare African vultures take wing again
by Ed Holt on 3 August 2020
Three critically endangered African white-backed vultures saved from poisoning last year have been released back into the wild in Zululand, South Africa. Those involved in local vulture conservation have welcomed the release as a crucial step to helping the species survive. The trio were saved from separate poisoning incidents that claimed the lives of 51 birds in total in northern KwaZulu-Natal province between October and December last year. A specialist poison response team from local conservation group Wildlife ACT, which works closely with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (the provincial government’s conservation agency), farmers and local communities, and other conservation groups to protect three endangered vulture species in KwaZulu-Natal, took them to special facilities where they were treated and slowly nursed back to full strength. The three white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) were released on June 24. Two other birds, a lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) and another white-backed vulture and, which had also been rescued from the poisonings, were released back into the wild a few months earlier. Chris Kelly, director of species conservation at Wildlife ACT, told Mongabay that the birds’ return to the wild was critical to the survival prospects of a species already under serious threat. “These types of poisonings are detrimental to already dwindling vulture populations. Vultures find carcasses quickly and arrive in large numbers which means hundreds of vultures can be poisoned in a matter of minutes,” he said. “Vultures are slow breeders — they only raise one chick a year and the natural survival rate is low, which means these types of mass mortalities have a huge knock-on effect on the existing population. The birds we rescue and rehabilitate are given a second chance, ensuring they can contribute further to the diminishing population.”  *This image is copyright of its original author Each of the vultures released at Manyoni Private Game Reserve are Each bird was equipped with a GPS backpack and tags to monitor the flight the bird’s flight patterns. Image by Casey Pratt.
The birds have been fitted with satellite trackers. “This allows us to monitor these individuals over the next few years to evaluate the success of these releases,” Kelly said. “This fine-scale data also provides detailed information that helps identify their flight corridors, feeding areas, breeding sites and roosting preferences, thereby guiding and improving our conservation management practices.” The rehabilitation and eventual release of the birds has been described by local conservationists as a bright spot in what they warn is an otherwise grim future for vultures in Africa. Vulture populations across Africa have declined rapidly over the last three decades: eight species considered in one survey had declined by an average of 62%. Poisoning has been identified as the biggest threat to the birds. They fall victim either through secondary poisoning, where they eat a carcass poisoned with the aim of killing predators, or through so-called sentinel poisoning by poachers. In one such incident in Botswana last year, 530 vultures were killed when poachers laced elephant carcasses with poison to prevent circling vultures from leading rangers to the scene. Others are poisoned so that vulture parts can be collected for belief-based use. The IUCN Red List currently classes 39% of vulture species as critically endangered. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has significant populations of vultures, including white-headed (Trigonoceps occipitalis), African white-backed and lappet-faced vultures. The white-headed and white-backed are listed as critically endangered, and the lappet-faced as endangered. Last year saw a spike in poisoning incidents in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Wildlife ACT said that between 2010 and 2018, its team responded to one or two incidents per year. But last year there were four separate poisoning events. It is not clear what was behind the sudden rise, but some vulture experts believe the development is not necessarily entirely negative. Andre Botha, Vultures for Africa program manager at Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) told Mongabay: “There is significant demand for vulture parts, and it could be that there is more poisoning going on. Or it could be that awareness is greater. “In years past there would have been poisoning incidents which would have gone unreported. But with greater awareness now, they are getting reported more, which means a chance of more birds being saved. If this poisoning had happened 10 or 15 years ago those birds would not have been saved.” EWT and partner organizations in 10 countries across Africa run programs to train groups such as police, conservationists, rangers and others in poisoning response and raise general awareness of issues connected to use of poison.  *This image is copyright of its original author Three critically endangered African White Backed Vultures have been successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild by Wildlife ACT, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Raptor Rescue; through the Zululand Vulture Project. Image by Casey Pratt.
Botha said this increased awareness has helped in improving responses to poisoning incidents. “It has made a significant difference in the areas where this work has been done,” he said. Wildlife ACT’s Kelly said this awareness helps ensure poisonings are reported quickly to allow for a swift response, which not only helps save poisoned birds but also allows sites to be decontaminated before more vultures are affected. “Responding to these incidents quickly can save hundreds of other vultures,” he said. Swift and effective response to poisonings is critical to protecting vultures, as prevention remains so difficult, conservationists say. “Poisoning mostly takes place outside a legal framework — it’s illegal, sometimes it is accidental. So, trying to stop it within existing legal frameworks is very difficult,” Campbell Murn, head of conservation and research at the U.K.-based Hawk Conservancy Trust, told Mongabay. Ben Hoffman of Raptor Rescue, in the KZN provincial capital Pietermaritzburg, where the birds were treated and rehabilitated, told Mongabay that while investigations into the four poisoning incidents last year were ongoing, in such cases it is “difficult to identify the perpetrators.” “All we can do is respond as quickly as possible to poisoning,” he said. The return of the rescued birds to the wild has given those working with vultures some hope for their future. “When a species is endangered, every single bird that is saved and returned to the wild is hugely important,” Botha said. “When it happens, it is a tremendous morale boost and gives hope to people on the ground who work with these birds. They see a success like this and are optimistic about the future for these vultures.”
0n the eve of 'Five years of Paris Agreement', India is the only G20 country to meet 2°C target
India is on track to comfortably beat 2 of its 3 major Paris Agreement targets — to reduce emissions intensity by 33-35% of its 2005-level & to will achieve 40% of installed power capacity from non-fossil fuels by the year 2030. The third goal of creating a carbon sink of 2.5-3billion tons of CO² equivalent additional forest & tree cover by 2030, requires more work.  *This image is copyright of its original author Presently emitting 6.8% of world's CO², India has already achieved 21% against its target of reducing emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030. Realistically by 2030, India’s emissions intensity is projected to be much lower — in the range of 35% to 50%. India is halfway toward meeting its domestic goal, of 175 GW renewables by 2022 goal & expanded its goal to reaching 450-500GW by 2030.  *This image is copyright of its original author With solar & wind reaching 88 GW—23.5% of India’s 362GW total installed capacity, factoring in large hydro & nuclear, India’s non-fossil power currently tallies 38% of the country’s total installed capacity.
South Africa Sends 30 Wild White Rhinos to Rwanda in Largest-Ever Single Translocation for Conservation
30 wild white rhinos have been successfully translocated from South Africa to Rwanda in the largest ever single translocation effort, aimed at establishing a new stronghold for the species in Akagera National Park KIGALI, RWANDA: In the largest single rhino translocation ever undertaken, 30 white rhinos have been successfully translocated from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa to Akagera National Park in Rwanda. AndBeyond Travel revealed in a post today – 29 Nov – from Rwanda: “30 years ago, when our dream started, there was not a single white rhino on &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve. Now, 30 years later, we were able to take part in the largest ever rhino translocation in partnership with African Parks and Rwanda Development Board (RDB), with funding provided by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. (Howard’s father is billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffett.) In a joint press release, the parties said the historic initiative aims to extend the white rhino range and create a secure new breeding stronghold in Rwanda, supporting population growth to ensure the long-term survival of the species in the wild as high-levels of poaching in South Africa continue to exert unsustainable pressure on current populations. andBeyond Travel said the aim is to create a “new secure breeding stronghold in Rwanda where the population can grow and thrive.” Over the next six weeks, the rhinos will be closely monitored on a daily basis by a dedicated team, and a specialist veterinarian, as they acclimatise to their new home. Each rhino has been fitted with a transmitter to enable constant monitoring, plus a canine anti-poaching unit and helicopter surveillance are also in place to provide further support for their long-term protection. The RDB and African Parks have been partners in the management of Akagera National Park since 2010, transforming by overhauling the law enforcement and putting robust community programmes in place, allowing for wildlife to increase with key reintroductions of lions in 2015 and black rhinos in 2017 and 2019. “Thanks to a significant improvement in security, as well as crucial community programmes, they have ensured that this is a safe and ideal environment for the continual reintroduction of new species,” said andBeyond. “We are incredibly proud to have partnered with these organisations in this historic move to ensure the longevity of an iconic species like the white rhinoceros.” Akagera is poised to become a globally important sanctuary for black and now white rhinoceros, vital for the conservation of these incredibly threatened species. The 30 rhinos – 19 females and 11 males – were flown to Rwanda from South Africa, and transported to Akagera National Park on Saturday (27 Nov). Their journey covered a total distance of over 3,400 km and forms the largest single rhino translocation in history. Link: HERE "Nature dictates its rhythm and exposes formidable events. Prey, habitat and a good level of security is enough for predators to return".
It would be important to identify the origin of this lion. Coming from Limpopo/Banhine or Zimbabwe, which would make it easier to find and strengthen this corridor and make it functional for others to come along. Great news!!! |
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