Baraza

Category: Africa, Lions, big cats, furadan | Date: Oct 13 2009 | By: paula

This article is in today’s Washington Post and is written by a good friend of WildlfeDirect, Dereck Joubert

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Just 50 years ago there were close to a half-million lions in Africa — about 450,000 in all. Today there are between 16,000 and 23,000. And yet, unlike elephants (a far more numerous species), lions have no protection under the international accord governing such matters.

Big cats are in trouble everywhere. The number of tigers has dipped below 3,000. Indeed, as we look at the lion population today, it’s the shadow of the tiger’s history that scares me most. Tiger bones are used extensively in the East for medicines and mythological (read nonsense) cures for ailments or limp libidos, and the demand is increasing. A growing demand and a disappearing supply is a formula for disaster.

The solution we are seeing play out is a switch from tiger bones to lion bones, which can be easily sold off as tiger bones. It’s ironic that the most famous animal in Africa, perhaps in the world, can’t even be poached on its own value but only as a “mock tiger.”

This week the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is meeting to decide whether lions, whose numbers have declined by 50 percent in the past 20 years, are worthy of protection under Appendix I to the convention: the listing of the most endangered animals. The problem is that the safari hunting industry and buyers in Asia are opposing it, because such a decree would limit what they can do with the trophies. Fact: Appendix I does not mean you can’t shoot a lion — it means you can’t import the skin to hang on the wall. And the answer to the question we are asked a thousand times is: Yes, you can still go to Africa to kill a lion.

CITES needs a country to sponsor the motion for lion protection. We can’t, so far, get one to put its hand up first, to take on the issue and save lions. No one will risk offending big safari hunting lobbies. It would seem that many are just not thinking this through. Extinction threatens by the year 2020. Then there will be no lions to hunt, or to protect.

(Meanwhile another ominous development poses a further threat to wildlife. A pesticide is being used by poachers to kill lions and many other animals. Sprinkled on meat, it kills lions, hyenas, vultures and other creatures in minutes).

We don’t have much time. The biggest threat isn’t hunters, poachers or poison makers — it is our own complacency, the lazy hope that someone else is taking care of the great beasts of Africa.

Lions and other large predators are disappearing even as we learn more about the collapse of entire ecosystems. The $200 billion a year reaped from ecotourism will be lost, causing suffering among communities all over Africa that rely on this trade.

As explorers in residence at National Geographic, my wife, Beverly, and I are calling on everyone with even a remote interest in big cats, or in Africa, to make sure that these wild systems keep working well. Scientists, conservationists — everyone — must come together, work together and support this effort now: the Big Cats Initiative. It’s a movement that doesn’t want to exclude a single soul or leave out any idea on how to reduce the conflict. We have a short window of time in which we can remedy this. It is closing very rapidly.

Dereck Joubert and his wife, Beverly Joubert, are National Geographic explorers in residence. They have spent years making films and writing about the big cats of Africa. To view some of their photos and films, visit http://www.wildlifeconservationfilms.com. For more information, visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/bigcats.

Tags: Beverly Joubert, big cats, carbofuran, Dereck Joubert, Lion, Lions, National Geographic, pesticides

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Dec 10 2008 | By: baraza

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Tags: elephants, Gorillas, Masai Mara, National Geographic, Video, wildlifedirect

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Category: Climate change, wildlife trade | Date: Oct 11 2008 | By: Maina

In a previous post in this blog, Paula reminded us that destroying the environment is far worse than the collapse of banking and other financial services that we are witnessing worldwide. But climate change, accelerated by the same factors that are contributing to loss of biodiversity, has an uglier face that could lead to further economic disasters.

A report produced by a team from the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Global Health Program and presented at the ongoing IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain shows that climate change is not just a problem of rising sea level and melting ice-caps. Climate change, according to the report, will also bring with it the plague of emerging infectious diseases such as Lyme disease, yellow fever, plague, avian influenza, Ebola, cholera, and tuberculosis which have crippling economic consequences.

Reportedly, these diseases, which can be transmitted from wildlife to humans, could reach cataclysmic levels as climate change continues to ravage this planet. The WCS has selected 12 out of the 600 ailments that are shared between humans and animals and labeled them the Deadly Dozen because of their immense human health risk. There are 14,000 recorded ailments but the 600 are known to infect both humans and wildlife.

As climate change affects temperature and precipitation patterns and levels, wildlife is being forced to change their migratory patterns, their habitat ranges and other population behaviors. Pathogen carriers, such as ticks and mosquitoes, are also expanding their ranges to areas where the resident animals and humans have not evolved any defense mechanisms against the pathogens attacks. In short, diseases are coming into areas where no one is prepared to deal with them.

Wildlife, in their resident ecosystems, have evolved with their pathogens and therefore have mechanisms to limit disease prevalence such that there are hardly any epidemics. Where the hand of climate change has played havoc to the ecosystem, there may be new pathogens or the old pathogens may be favored by - say - warmer temperatures thus becoming more successful. This could lead to epidemics.

The health experts at WCS believe that programmes to monitor the health of wildlife could act as early warning systems that can help prevent the outbreaks of epidemics among humans. An example is the Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance (GAINS) programme which monitors the movement of bird flu through wild bird populations around the world. Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT3), a champion for the GAINS Program, is quoted in the WCS website saying that “Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to the health and economic stability of the world.” She adds that “What we’ve learned from WCS and the GAINS Program is that monitoring wildlife populations for potential health threats is essential in our preparedness and prevention strategy and expanding monitoring beyond bird flu to other deadly diseases must be our immediate next step.”

Monitoring wildlife thus becomes important. But to monitor wildlife, such wildlife must exist. An article posted at the National Geographic website by Christine Dell’Amore quotes William Karesh, co-author of the report and vice president of Global Health Programs at the New York-based WCS saying “Without the presence of wildlife, we would be clueless about what’s going on in the environment.”

Wildlife, and its role in the propagation of infectious diseases is already aided by nasty unnatural factors such as poaching and illegal wildlife trade supported by the large wildlife products market in Asia. China’s appetite for Civet-meat for instance, according to Dell’Amore’s article, led to a sudden outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which reached epidemic levels in 2002.

Dr Richard Leakey, in his statement against proposals to legalize bushmeat, cited the spread of these dangerous diseases as a good reason not to allow the killing and eating of wild animals. It is now even more imperative not to allow bushmeat hunting and trade given that climate change, a much more complex problem, has reared its ugly head into an already deteriorating situation.

This is a two pronged problem now. When bushmeat and climate change combine forces, then woe betide planet earth. Estimates of how much these disease outbreaks can cost have already been done, and it is pretty obvious that they are costlier than the credit crunch and collapsing banks. For instance, WCS says that “avian influenza and several other livestock diseases that have reemerged since the mid-1990s have caused an estimated $100 billion in losses to the global economy.”

Three things come to my mind right now: one, we have to adopt sustainable living as humans to reduce the severity of climate change and its effects; two, now more than ever, we have to safeguard our wildlife for they are our early warning systems against outbreaks of these deadly diseases; and three, bushmeat trade has to come to an end - and there is no question of whether it is legal or illegal.

What is your take on this matter?

Tags: bushmeat, Climate change, disease, Dr. Richard Leakey, health, IUCN Congress, National Geographic, WCS, wildlife

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Category: Gorillas | Date: Jul 03 2008 | By: admin

After reading the magazine piece, this is what our Chairman, Richard Leakey had to say

“I am delighted that National Geographic has given such prominence to this species. The fate of the mountain gorilla ranks as one of the most important conservation challenges of the current time”.

I thought it was a comment that everyone would appereciate reading, especially the team on the ground in Congo, and everyone at Nat Geo.

Tags: , DR Congo, mountain gorillas, National Geographic, richard leakey

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Category: Gorillas | Date: Jun 28 2008 | By: admin

The premiere screening of Gorilla Murders at the National Geographic Society took place on the 26th of June. The room was filled to capacity. The film examines the threats to this magnificent species in the DR Congo and talks about the conflicting needs of people and gorillas - no points for guessing their conclusion … gorillas are losing. The charcoal trade and armed conflict in this region is too great a challenge for the small force of park rangers. Already more than 110 of them have been killed in the line of duty.

The movie premiers on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday, July 1st at 10:00pm. Don’t miss it!

Mike Fox, a photojournalist who was there said this… “Gorilla Murders looks at the likely cause of the “execution” of seven gorillas in 2007, captured, heartbreakingly, in still images by South African photojournalist Brent Stirton, who answered panel questions after the film had been shown“.

Green Piece was also there and he said “The images from the film are burned on my brain and the story National Geographic tells is unforgettable“

You can watch the Nat Geo video about it here and read more about the story here

We’ve heard a few views to this show already - please send us yours.

Emmanuel was a the function and sat on the panel afterwards. Keep your eye on the gorilla blog for his reaction.

Tags: DR Congo, Gorilla murders, National Geographic, wildlifedirect

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Category: Gorillas | Date: Jun 26 2008 | By: admin

This month seems to be dedicated to Gorillas, the whole world is absorbed with them at the moment. Today the National Geographic screen Gorilla Murders in Washington DC. Everyone is talking about it. I”ll try to watch reactions to it on the news. I was sent these links to more of Ben Stirtons photos and stories which are just adding to the hype. Let us know what you hear!

I am still in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda where internet access is amazingly good. It’s one of those mornings - I know the chaos will hit me (it has been a frantic trip so far) so in these moments of calm I’ve been able to check out the latest online news. I had a wonderful surprise this morning when I read that in USA a man has walked from Seattle to Portland to support the Mountain Gorillas Veterinary Project which is run by Lucy Spelman.

Drew Nichols, a mortgage loan officer did a 10 day, 228-mile walk and raised more than $30,000 in donations and pledges. He is an amazing example of a volunteer who is making a massive contribution. Our own Robert Williams of Ending Charcoal blog is one of our own heros helping gorillas in Congo. In addition we have two other virtual volunteers working with us on specific blogs. It is hugely valuable and we all really appreciate their contribution which is making such a massive difference for us. We encourage any of you to volunteer just sign up here to help, and tell your friends! http://baraza.wildlifedirect.org/virtual-volunteering-for-wildlifedirect/

Some other gorilla news today made me even happier… in Uganda a 38-year-old veterinarian, Dr Gladys Kalema, has just won the prestigious San Diego Zoological Society conservation medal - The 2008 Conservation-In-Action Award. She is recognized for her outstanding conservation work in Uganda, at her organization the Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), a private non-profit organisation, that promotes conservation and public health by improving people and animal primary healthcare in and around protected areas in Africa.

We fly back to Nairobi this morning - it has been absolutely amazing as you will read and hear in coming posts.

Tags: MGVP, mountain gorillas, National Geographic, Rwanda, virtual volunteers, wildlifedirect

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Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 12 2008 | By: admin

A year has passed since the gorilla killings in Congo and two items caught my attention today.

Earthtimes online report “National Geographic have announced that On Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, National Geographic Channel’s “Explorer: Gorilla Murders” reports from eastern DRC, one of the most dangerous places on earth, with the full untold story behind the massacre. Central to the story is Stirton, a South African war photographer with a long history in the region. He was on-location when the murdered gorillas were found and returned to the park for National Geographic to investigate who was behind the killings. In addition to the world television premiere, Stirton’s and writer Mark Jenkins’ reporting is the July cover story for National Geographic magazine. With the first Western journalists to gain access to the gorilla sector of the park since the killings occurred, National Geographic presents exclusive testimonials from eyewitnesses, including Stirton, who discuss the hunt to bring the perpetrators to justice and the desperate efforts to protect the remaining gorillas, including one miraculous infant whose family was among those massacred”.

We followed the gorilla killings on our Gorilla Protection blog on WildlifeDirect and were the first on the ground. For more information about Nat Geo’s Gorilla murders show go to earthtimes online and National Geographic TV shows.

Last week at the fourth China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP) awards ceremony in Shanghai, 78 works by 30 Chinese photographers and 34 from overseas were unveiled. Prizes were presented in 8 categories. Initially attracting 2,456 photojournalists and photographers from 72 countries and regions, the contest received a total of 28,318 entries in its preliminary phase. “Mountain Gorillas Killed in Democratic Republic of Congo,” a photo taken by Brent Stirton from Getty Images, was named the Best Photograph of 2007. In the picture, conservation rangers from a Congo anti-poaching unit work with villagers to evacuate the body of a mountain gorilla killed in mysterious circumstances at the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.

Tags: Congo, Gorilla murders, mountain gorillas, National Geographic, wildlifedirect

6 responses so far

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 07 2008 | By: admin

Has anyone out there heard about the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge? Don’t worry if you haven’t, I just bumped into this great new idea. If you want to make a difference in this wonderful planet, then vote in the Geotourism challenge which is sponsored by big wigs like National Geographic Society who have introduced its first Geotourism Challenge collaborative competition to identify and showcase innovators in tourism development, management and marketing. This rather clever online competition, at www.changemakers.net/geotourismchallenge, raises awareness about how tourism can help sustain, enhance and preserve local culture and environment. Three winners will each receive a cash prize of $5,000 and all finalists will have an opportunity to present their innovations at a Geotourism Challenge Summit this fall.

Nat Geo through their Center for Sustainable Destinations are doing this in partnership with Ashoka’s Changemakers. What’s nice about this is that they want to hear from you - read this blog by Scott Edward Anderson inviting us to participate in debate and discussion.

Vote here or here now, voting closes on the 11th June and winners are announced on 17th June. I supported the snow leopard project in India.

What did you vote for?

Tags: , Ashoka Changemakers, geotourism challenge, National Geographic

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