Tourists heading to the tropics were warned yesterday that their suntan lotion can kill off one of the main attractions of their holiday - the colourful corals that thrive in warmer waters. Residues from sunscreens that wash off in the sea were shown by researchers to cause coral bleaching, a condition that leads to the death of the organism and the collapse of delicate ocean eco-systems.

Chemical compounds that make up the ultra-violet (UV) filters in sunscreens, which are essential to protect the skin against burning, were shown to be harmful to coral reefs, even in small quantities.The researchers called for regulations to limit human contact with reefs where the coral was already suffering from other environmental threats such as rising sea temperatures.

“Different sunscreen brands, protective factors and concentrations were compared, and all treatments caused bleaching of hard corals,” said the researchers, who were led by Roberto Danovaro, at the University of Pisa in Italy, in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

“The coral response to sunscreen exposure was not dose dependent, as the same effects were observed at low and high sunscreen concentrations. The impact of sunscreens would be expected to be crucial in atolls and coastal coral reefs with low water renewal and strong tourist vocation.

"Our results provide strong scientific evidence of the potential impact of these products in tropical habitats and represent a pointer for outlining specific regulations for protecting coral reefs,” the team said.

The researchers added that, of the 10,000 tonnes of UV filters produced every year globally, about 10 per cent would be used by the 78 million tourists who visited the tropics.

A 20-minute dip in the sea could wash off about a quarter of the chemicals in the sun lotion, they said. They concluded: “According to these estimates, we believe that up to 10 per cent of the world's coral reefs would be threatened by sunscreen-induced coral bleaching.”

Coral is already under threat from global warming and one sixth of the world's population of coral was estimated to have been killed off by freak weather conditions in 1998.

John Bythell, a coral expert from the University of Newcastle, said: “Coral bleaching as a worldwide phenomenon is a problem because it kills the coral and the coral is supporting the entire reef, which is the prime coastal defence in the tropical world.

“In most of the developing countries coastal tourism is a major draw and an important source of income. The coral is getting closer and closer to its stress limits for survival.”

The research took place in seawater surrounding coral reefs in Mexico, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt. Even small doses of sunscreen caused large discharges of coral mucous - a clear sign of environmental stress - within 18 to 48 hours. Virus levels in the seawater increased to 15 times the level found in control samples, suggesting that sunscreens might stimulate latent viral infections, the study found.

Sunscreens are made of about 20 compounds acting as UV filters and preservatives. Seven, including parabens, cinnamates, benzophenones and camphor derivatives, had negative effects.

source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 995091.ece

Edinburgh Zoo is in negotiations to bring a pair of giant pandas from China to Scotland.

For a movie see the link below

source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7396394.stm

More than half of the world's ocean-going sharks are at risk of extinction, a new analysis concludes.

Specialists with IUCN (formerly the World Conservation Union) found that 11 species are on the high-risk list, with five more showing signs of decline.

The giant devilray (Mobula mobular) is on the Endangered list. Inhabiting the waters west of Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, the huge fish ("wingspans" of 5m have been recorded) feeds on little more than plankton. They give birth to individual pups weighing up to 35kg.

Sharks are particularly affected by over-fishing as they reproduce slowly.

The scientists are calling for global catch limits, an end to the practice of removing fins, and measures to minimise incidental catches (bycatch).

"There's this idea that because these are widely ranging species, they're more resilient to fishing pressure," said Sonja Fordham, deputy chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group (SSG) and policy director for the Shark Alliance conservation group.

"In fact they're becoming species of serious concern because there are no international catch limits for sharks. There are intense fisheries on the oceans, and they remain pretty much unprotected."

New threats

The SSG assessed data on the 21 species of sharks and their close cousins, the rays, that swim in upper portions of the open ocean where they are exposed to fishing fleets.

Of the 21, one - the giant devilray - is assessed as Endangered, and 10 are Vulnerable.

A further five are listed as Near Threatened, which means the signs of decline are not serious enough yet to merit a full listing.

The classifications are based on a range of criteria that look at past or forecast declines in population size. For example, a population shrinking by 50% in 10 years would usually qualify as Endangered.

Some of these species have been assessed before; but for others, including the three species of thresher sharks with their spectacularly long tails, the dangerlisting is new.

Fin cuts

The main threat to sharks is fishing, both accidental and targeted.

"They used to be taken as bycatch by boats targeting tuna and swordfish," said Ms Fordham. "But now as those species are declining we're seeing more fishermen targeting sharks.

The three thresher species are newly judged as Vulnerable to extinction

"Porbeagle and shortfin mako are targeted for fins and meat; species like blue shark are likely to be finned, but particularly in Europe we're seeing more blue shark being landed."

Several of the bodies that regulate fisheries in international waters - the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) - have set up measures to curb shark finning, but there are different standards in place, a situation that enables fishermen to work around the regulations.

As East Asian economies boom, conservation groups say the market for fins is increasing.

"Fishery managers and regional, national and international officials have a real obligation to improve this situation," commented Nicholas Dulvy from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, the report's lead author.

"But it doesn't have to be like this. With sufficient public support and resulting political will, we can turn the tide."

The report was released at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) meeting in Bonn, and will be published in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.

The new risk assessments will be included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species when it is published later this year.

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7413948.stm

WASHINGTON/OTTAWA - The United States of America recognises the Polar bear as an endangered species.

The American ministry of internal affairs announced this last Wednesday.

The ice is crucial for the survival of the bears according to a spokesperson.
Due to the greenhouse affect the amount of ice in the North pole area is decreasing.
Computer simulations show that the ice will keep melting at a high rate.

There was a court order for the government to make a decision on last Thursday latest.
This decision was supposed to be made this January, but the government said they needed more time to analyse the scientific data.

On estimate there are 20.000 to 25.000, 4700 of them living in the American state Alaska.

American scientists predicted that by 2050 two third of the current polar bear population will be extinct.

The World Wildlife Fund is happy with the decision of the American government. "For the first time the Bush administration is acknowledging the relation between the greenhouse effect and the necessity to protect this species." a Dutch spokesperson said.


Canada, where an estimated 15.000 polar bears live will follow the example of the United States. This is announced by the Canadian ministry of Environment.
A Canadian commission studying endangered species concluded recently that the polar bear currently does not face extinction, but it is an endangered species and need special protection.

source : http://www.nu.nl/news/1567376/89/%27Bro ... er%27.html

Only 32 tigers were reported in the park's last census

Fourteen tiger cubs have been spotted in a reserve in north-western India, forestry officials say. The sightings are a rare piece of good news in the fight to halt the steep decline in tiger numbers in India.

Forestry officials in Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan say the cubs are from several mothers and have been seen regularly in recent months.

Ranthambore had just 32 tigers at the last count. India is thought to have 1,500 tigers, half the world's total. But conservationists say they face extinction unless urgent action is taken to save them.

'Positive development'

Ranthambore has seen tiger numbers fall from 46 in 2004.


The park authorities are currently conducting a new tiger census and up-to-date figures - which will include the new cubs - are expected in June.

RS Shekhawat, deputy field director at Ranthambore, said the sightings of the cubs was "good news for all of us. Credit goes to both governments - state and federal, the forest authorities and also local people for this positive development," he told the BBC.

Ranthambore covers 392 sq.km. of dry deciduous forests sprawling over undulating terrain. The BBC's Narayan Bareth in Jaipur says forest officials want more space for the tigers.

"We are contemplating expanding the habitat area for the tiger population because the population is on the rise," Mr Shekhawat said. Nearly 100 villages surround the park, and the more the tiger population grows the more they are likely to come into conflict with humans.

The Wildlife Trust of India's state co-ordinator, Mahendra Kachhawa, urged the authorities to tighten security at the park. "You know the park is an easy target for the poachers," he told the BBC.

Tiger taskforce

Rajasthan's state government is under pressure from the Indian government to take steps against poachers. In 2005 it was reported that tigers had been wiped out at another park in Rajasthan, the Sariska sanctuary. That prompted the setting up of a tiger taskforce in India.

Wildlife experts welcomed the latest news, saying they also had information about sightings of tiger cubs in other reserves.

"Ranthambore is back to its heyday of the 1980s, and the secret of success is in better management and a lot of protection, which was not there earlier," Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) told Reuters news agency. "We at least know that tigers don't breed when they are disturbed. A lot of hard work has gone into Ranthambore and the results are just starting to show now."

Ranthambhore is a major tourist attraction, drawing about 200,000 people from India and abroad every year.

"We are so happy the 14 tiger cubs were spotted in the park. It will set an example for the other parks. It will boost the local economy," said Arvind Jain, a local hotelier.

source (and photos): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7386191.stm

FOUR of the world’s most endangered feline have been found dead at the Doñana National Park despite the animals being part of an EU-funded scheme.

According to conservation group WWF, the Iberian lynx – three new born cubs and an adult male – died from starvation.

The adult – a male called Clavo which had been introduced to strengthen genetically the population in Doñana in 2006 – was found trapped without food and water inside an enclosure, built to house lynx before their release into the park.

Even though the cat was wearing a collar containing a radio tracking device, WWF officials claim its body had lain undiscovered for days.

Days later, the three cubs were found dead at Coto del Rey inside the park. An autopsy showed these had also died of hunger.

Now officials of the LIFE project – an European Union project to boost the cat’s population – has been slammed by local experts.

“I find it inexplicable how officials did not seek the advice of those who have been working with the animal for more than 20 years,” said Fernando Hiraldo, the director of the Biological Station of Doñana (BSD).

And this has been echoed by the man considered to be the world’s leading expert in the Iberian lynx.

Francisco Palomar, who is a researcher at the BSD, criticised the Junta de Andalucía, which has been charged with overseeing the programme.

“No co-ordination nor management seems to exist on behalf of the regional government. They have never involved the station in this project nor asked us questions about the lynx.”

Brussels has been asked to look into any charges of negligence while the public prosecutor in Huelva has also received a request to investigate.

“What sense is there in bringing the animal from the Sierra Morena if you are going to leave them to die in Doñana?

“These deaths highlight what a delicate situation the lynx population is in” Juan Carlos Olmo of WWF said.

With an estimated 150 in the wild, the animal is extinct from Portugal and is found in pockets of Spain, including Doñana and the Sierra Morena mountain range in northern Andalucía.

Very small colonies exist in Extremadura and Castilla La Mancha.

A spokesman for the Junta defended the running of the project and refuted claims of negligence.

“We received the final transmission from Clavo. This indicated that everything was normal and the animal was a distance from the enclosure. On April 2, we had the first indications that the animal had died inside this area.

“Our autopsy showed he possible perished on March 31,” José Guirado said.

source: http://www.theolivepress.es/2008/04/15/ ... onal-park/

An adult lesser white-fronted goose named Mánnu was found dead at Lake Kerkini, south of the Greek-Bulgarian border, in an area where hunting is prohibited. An autopsy confirmed a poacher killed the bird with a shotgun.



The death represents some 5 per cent of the Fennoscandian (Northern Europe) breeding males, according to Scandinavian partners in a project to protect the birds which breed in northernmost Norway. “This is dramatic, because loss of adult reproductive birds has significant negative impact on the recruitment of the small population”, said Dr. Ingar Jostein Øien from BirdLife Norway.
...


source: http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroo ... sID=131902
image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_White-fronted_Goose

A camera trap in Kedrovaya Pad reserve has captured rare footage of one of the world’s most endangered cats.
Eight Far Eastern Leopards were photographed in the reserve, located in the Primorsky Krai, during a census being conducted by WWF-Russia and the Institute for Sustainable Use of Nature Resources.

For Pavel Fomenko, coordinator of the biodiversity conservation program at the Armur branch of WWF-Russia, “the confirmed stability of the leopard population living in the territories of Kedrovaya Pad biosphere reserve and Barsovyi wildlife refuge warm our hearts and give hopes.”

“But this is only a small part of the leopard’s habitat in the southwest Primorsky. The remaining 70 per cent of leopard’s habitat are in precarious conditions.”

“The goal of utmost importance to create a unified federal protected area for the Far Eastern leopard has not yet been achieved in Primorsky”, said Fomenko.

Over the past years, scientists have been monitoring the rare cat’s plight using camera traps to develop effective measures to its conservation.

As tigers and leopards’ coloration is individual, the pictures are a way to compare and identify specimen. “The information we receive from camera traps can be processed through mathematic methods. So, by comparing the different photographs taken at different intervals, we can estimate the real number of leopards living in a certain area”, said Vladimir Aramilev, Head of the Institute for Sustainable Use of Nature Resources.

source: http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroo ... sID=131901

Brown bears, wolves, lynx, owls and black storks have been given vast new areas to roam in as the European Commission accepted new areas corresponding to two-thirds the size of The Netherlands to its Natura 2000 network of protected natural areas.

Many of the new areas are in central and eastern Europe, including a significant part of the Carpathian Mountains. Slovakia has added a wealth of sites, including for example the traditional farming area of Mala Fatra.

“We are extremely pleased by the European Commission’s decision to extend the Natura 2000 network”, said Andreas Beckmann, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme’s Deputy Director.
.
“This marks another major milestone for nature protection in Europe and is an achievement for WWF, which has been working for several years to support preparations for introducing Natura 2000 to new EU member states.”

Poland has added 18 sites in the Carpathian range, among them the Gory Slonne Mountains, classified as an important bird area.

Other areas in the newly declared 19,000 km2 are in Austria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Malta, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Natura 2000 now covers almost 20% of the continent’s land and 100,000 km2 of its seas.

To address biodiversity loss, European countries decided in 1992 to establish a network of specially protected sites to protect and maintain habitats and species. It is also supporting a healthy environment for EU citizens.

Natura 2000 is seen as a key instrument to achieve the Community’s objectives to stop biodiversity loss until 2010. It is in the process of being extended to its newest members in Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

It also fulfils part of the obligations of the EU and its member states under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The network is expanding in marine areas and even non-EU countries, including those in the Dinaric Arc and Turkey, are starting to follow similar conservation approaches as part of their effort towards EU accession.

WWF and its partners played an important role in identifying and designating future Natura 2000 sites, as well as building capacity for their effective protection and management.

source: http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroo ... sID=131821

The rhinoceros population has grown in West Bengal’s Gorumara National Park. The same trend is thought to have occurred in the adjoining Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife authorities say.

A census earlier this month revealed that the number of rhinos in the Gorumara Park had risen by four since the last count was made two years ago, taking the population to 31. The figure might not look significant, “but is good news” officials said.

“We expect a population increase of between 15 to 20 per cent at the Jaldapara Sanctuary where the number of rhinos was 108 according to a 2006 census,” Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, Ujjal Bhattacharjya, said here on Tuesday. A census is to be done here in two months

The reason for the growth seen in Gorumara is a drop in cases of fights among male rhinos, which could in turn be attributed to the increase in the amount of space available for them to move about. Recently 6 sq km of grassland was added to the park’s area of 79 sq km. The wildlife authorities hope that this will prevent instances of one animal’s home range conflicting with another’s.

“The availability of more space will also prevent the animals straying out of the park and provide them additional grazing ground,” Mr. Bhattacharya said. But there is no immediate plan to increase the size of the Jaldapara Sanctuary that is spread over 216 sq km and where deaths from in-fighting among male rhinos averages two a year.

source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/23/stories ... 842000.htm

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: The Borneo pygmy elephant may not be native to Borneo after all. Instead, the population could be the last survivors of the Javan elephant race – accidentally saved from extinction by the Sultan of Sulu centuries ago, a new publication suggests.

If the Borneo pygmy elephants are in fact elephants from Java, an island more than 1,200 km (800 miles) south of their current range, it could be the first known elephant translocation in history, providing scientists with critical data from a centuries-long experiment.

source: http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroo ... /index.cfm

"When you have radical ideas like this, people think you're a crackpot," says Paul Lister.

The Scottish landowner is a man on a mission. He plans to wind back the clock at his estate in the Highlands by repopulating the land with a raft of animals that have not been seen in Britain for hundreds of years - including brown bears, lynx and wolves.

"What I'm aiming is to create a wilderness and wildlife reserve similar to those that exist in Southern Africa; something that is controlled, managed and fenced," he told BBC News. "It is nothing like Britain or Europe has ever seen before."

"I get quite angry when I think about the fact that when we want to put back just 1% of the Highlands, we get potential resentment from some quarters"

The idea for the proposed project came to Mr Lister years ago.

He explained: "The main problem we have in Scotland is a complete overpopulation of red deer. We probably have triple or quadruple the number of red deer than we can sustain. "When I was 20, I was out shooting deer and I started thinking about why we were having to cull so many of them. And the reason was that we got rid of all the predators years ago. "By bringing large predators back - wolves, lynxes and bears - then we would end up with a more healthy and balanced population of ungulates."

He is keen to point out that he is not trying to reintroduce animals back into the wild, rather he is aiming for a "controlled release" into a 50,000 acre (20,000 hectare) fenced enclosure.

Bringing back moose

A BBC Natural World team has been following Mr Lister set up his multi-million pound scheme.

And it has all started with animals that have not been seen in the wild in Britain for many centuries - a pair of moose (Alces alces, also referred to as elk in Europe). They have recently arrived from Sweden and have been settling into a 450 acre (180 hectare) enclosure within Mr Lister's Alladale Estate. They join some newly introduced wild boar and also 80,000 Caledonian pine, juniper, hazel and birch trees, which have recently been planted to bring back the land that he bought four years ago from its "desert state".

But while a couple of moose and some new flora are unlikely to attract too much debate, the proposed plan to introduce larger predators to his fenced reserve has provoked more controversy. Local farmers are worried about the impact on local livestock should any large predators escape from the Alladale Estate.

On the other hand, the proposed fence to keep animals in is worrying local ramblers who want to safeguard their right to roam.

And while some ecologists are onboard with Mr Lister's idea, others have concerns.

Timothy Coulson, professor of population biology at Imperial College London, says: "In many ways, I think this is a nice idea and I applaud him for investing the time and money to see if this will work. However, the proposed area for the reserve is too small to viably support, in the long run, an ecosystem containing large predators. A single pack of wolves will cover a huge territory, so in 50,000 acres you could probably just have one pack, and for long term survival, the animal population would have to be actively managed."

Mr Lister points out that there is still much to do before larger predators can be brought in.

For a start, he says, he needs to increase the size of his estate from 23,000 acres to 50,000 acres and there is also the need to bring his neighbours on board, as well as to navigate through the reams of red tape the project would involve.

However, he is optimistic, and believes the reserve could be up and running in two to five years.

He told the BBC: "We have covered our countryside with motorways, highways, buildings, golf courses and so on to our own benefit and satisfaction to the detriment of every animal that has ever lived there. "I get quite angry when I think about the fact that when we want to put back just 1% of the Highlands, we get potential resentment from some quarters. When someone wants to come along and do something good for the native flora and fauna, we ought to put our hands up and get on with it."

The BBC Natural World programme Moose in the Glen will be shown on BBC Two on Wednesday 16 April at 2000 BST

source (and photos/videos): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7346733.stm

Researchers from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam — a find that carries great scientific and cultural significance. Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program.

The discovery represents hope for the species, said Doug Hendrie, the Vietnam-based coordinator of the zoo program.

Turtle expert Peter Pritchard, president of the Chelonian Research Institute, confirmed the find based on a photo Hendrie showed him.

Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild before this one was discovered in northern Vietnam.

"It looked like pretty solid evidence. The animal has a pretty distinctive head," Pritchard said.

There have been rumors for years of a mythical creature living deep in the waters of a northern Vietnam lake. Some in a village west of Hanoi claimed to be blessed by catching a glimpse of its concave shell as it crested above the surface of their lake.

A national legend tells of a giant golden turtle that bestowed upon the Vietnamese people a magic sword and victory over Chinese invaders in the 16th century. Whether that sacred turtle has materialized in the 21st century will be a matter of cultural debate among the Vietnamese.

"This is one of those mythical species that people always talked about but no one ever saw," said Geoff Hall, zoo general curator.

Of the other three Swinhoe's soft-shell turtles in captivity, two are in Chinese zoos and the other is cared for in the Hoan Kiem ("Returned Sword") Lake in downtown Hanoi — the lake in which the legendary turtle appeared to reclaim the sword from the emperor.

Pritchard said an amateur photographed a Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle in southern China about six months ago that he believes was legitimate.

"It's on the very brink of extinction, so every one counts," Pritchard said.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo began its effort to preserve and protect Asian turtles in 2003 amid reports of increased killings for food or to make traditional medicine from their bones. Development and pollution also led to loss of nesting habitats along rivers, zoo officials said.

The zoo has put more than $275,000 into Asian turtle conservation efforts since 2000 and has supported Hendrie since 2003, officials said.

source (and photos): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24166011/

IT was an Easter of joy as perhaps the world’s rarest mother and daughter gave birth within days of each other.

Saliega and Brisa, two captive Iberian lynx females, have done their utmost to ensure the survival of this most endangered of felines.

Proud Saliega, who was taken from the wild to begin the Ex Situ lynx conservation programme in 2004, produced three cubs on Easter Saturday – her fourth litter in as many years.

She rejected one, which later died, but her two surviving sons are said to be doing well at the centre in Huelva, Andalucía.

Eldest daughter Brisa, the first lynx ever born in captivity, made Saliega a first-time grandmother when she produced two cubs in the early hours of Maundy Thursday.

Sadly, one was still born while the second was rejected by his mother. As the photograph above shows, the un-named male cub - who quite literally sprang into the world - is being cared for by staff at the centre.

“Before she gave birth, Brisa was very nervous. She produced the first cub, which was born dead. We unsuccessfully tried to revive it, but the mother ate it.

“The second birth was quite unusual. At the last contraction, Brisa must have pushed so hard that the cub flew one metre from his mother,” programme co-ordinator Antonio Rivas told the Olive Press.

Meanwhile, officials from the botanical zoo in Jerez de la Frontera have confirmed that the centre’s two lynx will become proud parents in mid-April.

The female, Azahar, is part-way through her two-month gestation period. If the birth is a success, the cub – or cubs, as Iberian lynx can produce litters of up to three – will be the first to be born at the zoo.

Expectant father Fran is said to be acting like the cat that got the cream.

There are only 150 remaining Iberian lynx in the wild. Living in only a few colonies in Spain, Europe’s last surviving big cat is extinct from Portugal.

source (and photos): http://www.theolivepress.es/2008/03/28/ ... ssing-lynx

Earth Hour is tonight, March 29, from 8 to 9 pm local time! Get ready to make it a great celebration for the planet.


Wondering what to do after you turn the lights out? Here are 10 fun ideas to help you, your family and your friends make a change and make a difference today.

1. Host a Green Party
Get your friends together for an Earth Hour eco-party. Fire up the flashlights and battery lanterns, serve organic food, avoid the disposable utensils, use natural décor (like flowers and hanging plants) and have a friend provide acoustic music. Talk to your guests about how you're each reducing your environmental footprint and share ideas and solutions for saving more energy, money and carbon dioxide.

2. Give Yourself an Energy Makeover
Use Earth Hour to make your home more energy efficient: Replace your old light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; install power strips (so you can turn computers and electronics on and off more easily); and change your air conditioner filters. Or go one step farther and install one new energy-efficient item, like an EnergyStar qualified DVD player. And on Monday, call your local utility and sign up for green power-like wind, hydro or solar.

3. Go Green with Your Kids
Earth Hour is a perfect time to talk to your kids about the environment and why we need to protect our planet from the dangers of climate change. Check out books on the environment from the library and read by flashlight, or head into the yard and have a night picnic. Or how about a night of board games? Check out our downloadable Earth Hour kids' activities.

4. Do a Recyclables Scavenger Hunt
Get your flashlights and scour your cabinets and shelves for cans, bottles and cardboard (like cereal boxes) that you don't normally recycle. Make a list of all the non-recyclable containers you're using now (like plastic shopping bags and butter tubs), and figure out ways to reduce your consumption of items that end up in landfills. One easy tip: get reusable grocery bags... and reuse them!

5. Green That Workspace!
Working the night shift? Even if you can't turn off all the lights at work, look around and see what you can unplug, turn down or use less of (like consuming less paper by printing double-sided). Every day millions of computer screens and speakers are left on overnight--shut 'em off! And talk to your coworkers about what they can do to help make a difference, too.

6. Involve Your Local Leaders
If your city or town isn't hosting an Earth Hour event, ask your local government to set up a community "green" discussion this spring. Help organize attendance by reaching out to local environmental and community groups, and come prepared to ask your leaders what they're doing to make your city greener.

7. Clean Up Your Neighborhood
Grab a flashlight and take a long walk through your neighborhood, picking up trash and recyclables as you go. It's a great chance to do some stargazing, too!

8. Unplug and Chill Out
Most of our daily activities--like watching TV, shopping online and texting friends--require loads of electricity, but do we really need to do so much stuff all the time? Take one hour for yourself to just chill... turn off the screens, put down the handheld devices and just take some "you" time to reflect, read or talk to your family. After all, why do more when you can do less?

9. Take Your Temperature
Your thermostat and your refrigerator are responsible for a huge portion of your carbon footprint. If you lower your thermostat by just 2 degrees and set your fridge to 37 degrees F. and the freezer at 0 degrees F., you'll make a big difference.

10. Make a Pledge for the Planet
Earth Hour shouldn't end at 9:01 pm--it's a chance to take a first step toward lowering your overall impact on the environment. So use part of that hour to make a personal pledge to do more--recycle, drive less often, turn off or unplug electronics, and beyond. The only way we're going to stabilize our climate is if we make real changes in our everyday lives. That change begins with Earth Hour, and ends with a healthy planet.

Of course, there are more than 10 ways to make a difference. Visit WWF's website for additional ideas on things you can do every day to help the Earth and reduce your environmental footprint.

Thank you for being a part of Earth Hour and committing to lowering your impact on the planet.

Switching off,


Richard Moss
Managing Director and Vice President
Climate Change
World Wildlife Fund

source (and photos): WWF Newsletter

On March 29, 2008, millions of people around the world will join together for an hour to make a bold statement about climate change.

Add your name to the Earth Hour movement and take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, by turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on climate change.

source (and photos): WWF Newsletter

Over the last 25 years, Riau Province in Sumatra, Indonesia, has lost 65 percent of its forest cover. As a result, elephant populations have plummeted by 84 percent, with tiger numbers down by 70 percent.

© WWF-Canon/Alain Compost

This deforestation also releases massive amounts of carbon emissions--a major driver of climate change. For the first time, a groundbreaking WWF report analyzes the local-to-global connections between deforestation, climate change and the rapid decline of tigers and elephants. Discover how logging and agriculture in the region is impacting climate change and driving Sumatra's elephants and tigers to extinction.

source (and photos): WWF Newsletter

A senior marine scientist has welcomed European Commission proposals for a shark conservation action plan. Sarah Fowler, co-chairwoman of the IUCN shark specialist group, described the plan as "great news" for the creatures.

About 32% of shark species that are found in the north-eastern Atlantic are said to be "threatened with extinction".

The rising demand for shark products is threatening many species

The main threats to the slow-growing creatures were overfishing and being caught in nets as bycatch, she added.

She told BBC News that species such as the angel shark and common skate were among the species to be assessed as "critically endangered" by the IUCN Red List, which was last updated in 2007. "The structure of the Commission's proposal is great; it makes me very optimistic," Ms Fowler said.

Taking stock

The Community Action Plan for Sharks, which will be presented to the European Parliament and member nations at the end of the year, is designed to reverse the decline of sharks in European waters.

Sharks need protection

It stated that a number of factors were responsible for this trend, including improvements in fishing technology, processing and consumer marketing, expanding human populations and declines in other fish stocks. "All of which have made sharks a more valuable fisheries resource. Thus, shark fisheries have experienced rapid growth since the mid-1980s due to an increased demand for shark products," it said. It added that demand was particularly high for shark fins in Asian markets, but its meat, skin and cartilage were also sought.

Between 1984 and 2004, world catches of sharks grew from 600,000 to more than 810,000 tonnes. Also, thousands of sharks have been accidentally caught every year on fisheries' tuna longlines since their introduction in the 1960s.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization brought forward an international plan of action for the conservation and management of sharks, but the EU did not adopt all of the voluntary measures.

The European Commission said that it did not feel the measures adopted by member states were sufficient to rebuild the depleted populations of sharks.

Shark 'list'

Mrs Fowler told a scientific meeting at the Zoological Society of London that the key to the success of the EU action plan would be the effective management of the waters, which would be underpinned by improved data. She explained that this would include improved investment in catch, biological and trade data. It would also be necessary, she added, to be able to assess threats to populations, and identify and protect critical habitats.

The Shark Alliance, a coalition of conservation, fishing and scientific organisations, says that up to 73 million sharks are killed each year for the global fin trade. The fins, exported to Asia to be made into shark fin soup, are among the most expensive sea food products, reaching up to 500 euros (£380) per kilogramme.

The practice of "finning", which involves cutting the fin off a shark and throwing the rest of the body back into the water to drown, was outlawed by European nations but is still permitted under licence.

The EU, primarily Spain, is a major exporter of shark fins to China and Hong Kong.

The IUCN is set to publish the first global Shark Red List - the most comprehensive taxonomic assessment to date - in October 2008.

source (and photos): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7288315.stm

Pongola Game Reserve, a privately owned reserve in northern KwaZulu Natal province where relocated black rhinos are thriving, was the scene of a rhino survival celebration Friday.

After bringing Africa's black rhinos back from the brink of extinction, the global conservation organization WWF celebrated the first decade of its African Rhino Program by inviting more countries to become involved.

Celebrants included government and wildlife representatives, community representatives and ecotourism operators from South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, all countries that are now participants in the WWF African Rhino Program.

Also on hand were the directors or deputy directors of the national wildlife services of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia - countries where WWF is exploring expansion of the successful conservation program.

"What we have shown is that in partnership with governments and communities and business it is possible to stave off extinction for the rhino in some of its former range," said WWF International's Species program Director Dr. Susan Lieberman.

"The task now," she said, "is to secure a future for the rhino in the rest of its range, where threats from poaching and development urgently need to be addressed."

One of 12 black rhinos relocated to the Pongola Game Reserve in 2006 (Photo courtesy Pongola Game Reserve)

Africa's savannas once were inhabited by more than a million white and black rhinos. But hunting by European settlers wiped out most of the animals, whose horns are valued for ornamental and medicinal purposes.

The southern white rhino was close to extinction by the late 19th century. Trade in rhino horn peaked in the 1970s and 1980s, when huge quantities were shipped to the lucrative markets of the Middle East and Asia.

Responding to the crisis, both species of African rhino were listed in 1977 in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, which prohibits all international trade of rhino parts and products.

Despite this international legal protection, the black rhino population at its lowest point dipped to 2,400 in 1995. In 1997, there were 8,466 white rhinos and 2,599 black rhinos remaining in the wild.

Today, there are 14,500 white rhinos and nearly 4,000 of the more endangered black rhinos.

Populations of white rhino in South Africa and Swaziland have even been moved to CITES Appendix II which allows strictly regulated trade. In these two countries limited sustainable use options have provided economic incentives for further investment in rhino conservation.

"What we know from looking back at the last 10 years is that sustained conservation can and does work," says George Kampamba, WWF International's African Rhino Program coordinator.

According to the African Rhino Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Africa's white and black rhino numbers have shown annual growth rates of 6.8 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively, since 1995.

Most of Africa's black rhinos are found in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe, where the species' decline has been stopped through effective security monitoring, better biological management, and wildlife-based tourism.

Extensive assistance has enabled communities to benefit from the presence of rhinos rather than being in conflict with them.

Wildlife experts ready a sedated rhino for release into Pongola Game Reserve. (Photo courtesy PGR)

The African Rhino Program uses rhinos as a "flagship species" and "part of a process of ecosystem and landscape conservation, wtih a clear understanding that there are people in the landscape as well," explained WWF spokesman Phil Dickie. "The accent has been on growing rhino numbers and spreading rhino populations back into their former range, connecting rhino areas by talking to landowners and taking down fences."

"Rhino conservation in Africa is going from strength to strength," said Dr. Lieberman. "But poaching, illegal trade, and unplanned development remain significant problems across the rhinos' range and there is no room for complacency."

Evidence of ongoing problems surfaced in June 2007 when a report by the WWF wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC showing an increase in the volume of rhino horn entering illegal trade from Africa since 2000 was presented to CITES governments.

Poaching was found to be most severe in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where 12 percent and 60 percent of their rhino populations respectively were illegally killed between 2003 and 2005.

"Rhino poaching and horn trade by organized criminals is an ongoing problem in Africa, requiring better cross-border collaboration between countries situated along smuggling routes, such as South Africa and Zimbabwe," said TRAFFIC's Simon Milledge, author of the report.

"To prevent horns leaking to the illegal market, rhino range states need to ensure secure management of horn stocks, whilst more stringent controls over legally-acquired rhino hunting trophies are needed in South Africa," Milledge said.

Although WWF has worked on rhino conservation throughout its 45 year history, the African Rhino Program has an integrated approach that has been successful. Working through field projects, it has combined action at every level from local communities to global policy.

One striking, if unanticipated, indicator of the success of the program is that land prices immediately increase in areas where rhinos are re-introduced through a range expansion program, WWF has found.

In celebration of a decade of rhino conservation, WWF honored six leaders as "rhino champions" at the Pongola Game Reserve. "These rhino champions have made extraordinary contributions to rhino conservation," Dr. Lieberman said.

The champions are:

* Emmanuel-Cebo Gumbi, known as Nathi Gumbi, director of the Somkhanda Game Reserve and member of the Gumbi royal family

* Kevin John Pretorius, regional director for the Phinda Game Reserve

* Clive Vivier, owner of the Leopold Mountain Game Reserve

* Manfred Kohrs, former chairman of the Pongola Game Reserve Association

* Dr. Jacques Flammand, project leader of the WWF/Ezemvelo KwaZulu Natal Wildlife Black Rhino Range Expansion Project

* Taye Teferi, conservation director of WWF's East Africa Regional Program

* Also honored, but in absentia, was Jackson Kamwi, senior rhino monitor at the Lowveld Conservancy Project in Zimbabwe

source (and photos): http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2008 ... -17-05.asp

Children are being asked to help raise funds to protect one of the UK's fastest declining mammals - the water vole. The RSPB hopes to get enough money to buy more land at its Rainham Marshes reserve, near London, which is home to the nation's largest concentration of water voles.


source (and photos): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/p ... html/1.stm

The world's tiger population may have halved in the past quarter of a century and at least one of the remaining five sub-species is in danger of becoming extinct, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) experts have said.

Sumatran tiger cub: There are thought to be about 400 tigers in Sumatra, Indonesia

Chinese demand for tiger parts used in traditional medicines and habitat destruction are the two greatest perils facing the big cat, scientists and conservationists said.

Speaking in Sweden at a seminar featuring experts from Asia, Africa and Europe, they said the South China tiger could soon be extinct and the Sumatran tiger population was the next most threatened sub-species.

WWF officials also said that with the right measures, tigers could thrive and increase their numbers by thousands, and they believed the species would survive.

"In many ways the tiger stands at a crossroads between extinction and survival, and which path it takes is totally dependent on us," said Sujoy Banerjee, director of WWF India's species programme.

The WWF's tiger coordinator based in Nepal, Bivash Pandav, said he believed there were some 3,500 tigers left in the world. That compared with rough estimates of about 5,000-7,500 in 1982.

Pandav said in Sumatra, Indonesia, the number of tigers had dwindled to about 400 and the situation was now critical as forest areas have been decimated.

In 1982 most of the Indonesian island's forest land was intact. By 2004 less than half of it was left, Pandev said.

He said estimates are that by 2050, based on current trends, more than 90 per cent of its forests may be gone due to the logging industry, a potentially disastrous outcome for Sumatran tigers which depend on the forest for their survival.

Pandav said one way conservationists had combated forest destruction was to buy up land concessions from the government. "There is hope to save animals in this place," he said.

In India, the tiger population has dwindled to about 1,400, down 60 on the 2002 figure. Some 40,000 tigers were thought to be in India at the start of the 20th century, but now an estimated one tiger per day is dying there.

Indian farmers, dependent on livestock for their survival, are one threat to tigers, Banerjee said. "Whenever there is human-tiger conflict, the ultimate loser is the tiger."

But additional pressure on governments to stop poaching, in particular from China, and other conservationist measures such as habitat protection could make a huge difference, he said.

"We can easily have 10,000 tigers, if everything goes as per our wish," said Pandav, adding that could be achieved in as little as 10 years.

"I firmly believe that tigers will continue to survive in certain pockets. They're not going to become extinct," he said.

Sarah Christie, a programme manager for the Zoological Society of London, highlighted work being done by zoos to protect tigers, saying nearly a 10th of the money spent on tiger protection came from zoos. She said in the case of Sumatra, the total was 60 per cent.

Christie said the world's focus on climate change offered a chance to help the tiger.

"Tigers are indicators of eco-system health, they are indicators of forest health. Saving the tiger is a test. If we pass, we get to keep the planet Earth."

source (and photos): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.j ... ger111.xml

Message from photographer, Chris Weston:

Hello!

As many of you know I have returned recently from an assignment in India, photographing tigers for the Animals on the Edge project. And, as I wrote in my online web diary, I left with a heavy sense of despair and pessimism for the future of India's tigers.

For me, the greatest issue facing tigers is not poaching in itself, which is merely a symptom of the problem, instead it is an apparent lack of will at government level to acknowledge the catastrophic decline in the wild tiger population in India and to take the necessary action to implement the solution.

The survival of wild tigers in India is eminently achievable ... it is also entirely dependent on the Indian government. It is time for them to act.

As part of the Animals on the Edge project, I am supporting a new campaign initiative by the ND TV channel, in India, aimed at pressuring the Indian government into action. We have already achieved over 33,000 signatures to a petition and the campaign is supported by a number of high profile Indian personalities. Please join me in signing the petition.

In addition, I will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from our 2008 Big Cat photo shoot - so join us if you can. Together, we can make a difference.

Thanks
Chris

http://www.chrisweston.uk.com

source: by email

The water vole, angel shark, roman snail, two species of seahorse will gain extra protection under the law from April, the Government has announced.

A water vole at the WWT London Wetlands Centre

The water vole, perhaps best known as the water rat from the children's classic Wind in the Willows, did previously enjoy some protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act which made it an offence to disturb its habitat.

Now it becomes an offence from April 6, attracting a fine of £5,000 or six months imprisonment, to kill or injure one.

The Government says it will also produce guidance for developers who might otherwise inadvertently destroy the water vole's bankside habitat.

It also becomes an offence from April 6 to possess or sell a water vole, short-snouted seahorse, spiny seahorse or roman snail.

It becomes an offence to damage or obstruct the short-snouted and spiny seahorses' place of shelter or disturb them in their place of shelter.

Ironically, though, the new protection will do little to interfere with the main reason for the water vole's decline which is predation by introduced American mink.

Alastair Driver, national conservation manager for the Environment Agency and chairman of the UK Water Vole Species Action Plan Group said the announcement would minimise deliberate persecution and accidental poisoning, and clarify the law for planners and developers.

He added: "Water vole populations have declined by 90 per cent since 1990 and this added protection will make a real difference to the work being done to conserve this charismatic species."

Stephanie Hilborne, chief executive for the Wildlife Trusts, said: "We're absolutely delighted water voles have finally been given this life line.

"Water voles have been lost from many parts of the UK, including significant areas such as Cornwall, but this excellent news will undoubtedly help our efforts to bring the water vole back from the brink.

"Full legal protection should ensure remaining water vole populations are not compromised during development works and that incidents of trapping and persecution do not go unpunished."

source (and photos): http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.j ... ole126.xml

Protecting areas rich in wildlife from development may have a significant effect in preventing future disease emergence in humans, new research has found.

In a study published today in the journal Nature, scientists from organisations including ZSL are announcing a major breakthrough in the understanding of what causes diseases to emerge and a recommendation that conservation may be an important means of disease prevention.

The research pinpoints humans coming into overly close proximity with wildlife, through the development of settlements in previously inaccessible areas, as a key factor in disease emergence.

Dr Kate Jones, ZSL Research Fellow, lead author of the paper, commented: “Our analysis highlights the critical importance of conservation work. Conserving areas rich in biodiversity from development may be an important means of preventing the emergence of new diseases.”

Using sophisticated computer models the team analyzed whether the pattern of emerging diseases correlated with global patterns in human population density, changes in population, latitude, rainfall and wildlife biodiversity. The results were plotted against a measure of global effort to identify new diseases to produce the first maps of where the next new diseases are likely to emerge.

Emerging infectious diseases are also a threat to endangered wildlife populations and it is hoped that this research can be developed further to produce a similar model able to predict the emergence of disease in wild animals which would aid the conservation of endangered species.

Dr. Peter Daszak, corresponding author of the paper and Executive Director of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine at Wildlife Trust said: “These maps show that the key threat to public health is where human population growth and wildlife diversity clash.”

Map of Wildlife Zoonoses Hotspots

source (and photos): http://www.zsl.org/science/news/wildlif ... 35,NS.html

Gray wolves in the Northern Rockies will be removed from the endangered species list, following a 13-year restoration effort that helped the animal's population soar, federal officials said Thursday.

AP: A gray wolf pup from the Calder Mountain pack along the Montana and Idaho borders in a 2005 file photo.

An estimated 1,500 wolves now roam Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. That represents a dramatic turnaround for a predator that was largely exterminated in the U.S. outside of Alaska in the early 20th century.

"Gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains are thriving and no longer require the protection of the Endangered Species Act," said Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett. "The wolf's recovery in the Northern Rocky Mountains is a conservation success story." The restoration effort, however, has been unpopular with ranchers and many others in the three states since it began in the mid-1990s, and today some state leaders want the population thinned significantly.

The states are planning to allow hunters to target the animals as soon as this fall. That angers environmental groups, which plan to sue over the delisting and say it's too soon to remove federal protection.

"The enduring hostility to wolves still exists," said Earthjustice attorney Doug Honnold, who is preparing the lawsuit. "We're going to have hundreds of wolves killed under state management. It's a sad day for our wolves."

Plans submitted by Idaho, Montana and Wyoming indicate the states will likely maintain between 900 and 1,250 wolves for the foreseeable future, federal officials said.

Wolves have increasingly preyed on livestock as they expanded into new territories. At the same time, ranchers and wildlife agents have made more wolf kills, which are allowed under the Endangered Species Act in response to livestock conflicts.

Since the late 1980s, 724 wolves have been killed legally, and roughly the same number are estimated to have been killed illegally by poachers. Despite that, the overall population has continued to grow at the rate of 24 percent a year.

"We've been managing wolves pretty aggressively for livestock problems, but there are still a ton of wolves over a big area," said Ed Bangs, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist who led the wolf recovery effort.

The wolf was nearly wiped out in the West through a government eradication program in the 1930s that included widespread poisoning of wolves. In the late 1980s the wolf had just 200 square miles of territory around Glacier National Park, in Montana near the Canadian border.

Wolves were listed as endangered in 1974, and the government has spent more than $27 million on recovery efforts in the Northern Rockies.

Since an initial 66 wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho in the mid-1990s, their population has grown rapidly. The wolf's territory now covers an estimated 113,000 square miles, Bangs said.

The wolf will be formally removed from the endangered species list 30 days after the federal government's decision is published in the Federal Register, which is expected next week.

Meanwhile, wildlife agencies in the three states have already begun crafting rules for wolf hunts. Officials say the hunts will be similar to those for other big game species such as mountain lions and black bears.

In Montana, state wildlife commissioners this week adopted regulations for a hunt to begin this fall. Idaho also is eyeing a fall hunt, and Wyoming plans to complete its plans in the next few months.

Limits on how many wolves could be killed in each state have not been set.

Public hunting could significantly decrease the size of the wolf's range. It could also reduce the chance of wolves spreading to neighboring states such as Utah, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

Environmental groups critical of such hunts say the government should be moving in the opposite direction, restoring wolves to areas where they are not now found.

The only other areas of the lower 48 states where gray wolves live are the western Great Lakes and the Southwest.

A population of about 4,000 wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin was dropped from the endangered list last year, while a reintroduced population of dozens of animals in Arizona and New Mexico has struggled to expand.

In a petition filed Wednesday with the Department of Interior, Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resource Defense Council argued new wolf populations should be established in Maine, New York, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Washington and possibly New Hampshire, Texas and portions of the mid-Atlantic.

Federal officials said Thursday there were no immediate plans to reintroduce wolves into other states or regions.

However, an independent wolf biologist said he would be "shocked" if the animal again ends up on the endangered list.

"The last thing any of the states want is for wolves to be re-listed by the federal government," said Daniel Pletscher, director of the University of Montana's wildlife biology program. He added that tolerance of wolves has grown immensely since the species was nearly wiped out.

source (and photos): http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331 ... ralscience