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1. Success in Manila for the CMS and Migratory Species

   Posted on 9:00pm Friday 3rd Nov 2017

   The effort to protect our wildlife gathered momentum as a result of decisions made in Manila last week at the 12th session of the Conference of the parties to the CMS. The CMS is the Convention on the Conservation of the Migratory Species of Wild Animals. You can find out more about it here and there's a list of countries who are involved here. This week, it reported that 1,000 delegates representing the world governments attending the year’s largest wildlife summit had collectively endorsed actions on the conservation of a variety of migratory species. CMS provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats.  It brings the States together through which these animals pass, and it lays the legal foundation for internationally co-ordinated conservation measures. This is an environmental treaty under the aegis of the UN Environment Programme.  The conference took place in Manila in the Philippines from 23 to 28 October.  The theme was “Their Future is our Future – Sustainable Development for Wildlife and People.” Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania made submissions covering species such as vulture, the endangered Whale Shark, and Africa’s great carnivores. The week of negotiations have resulted to a stronger commitment by countries to conserve the world’s migratory wildlife.  The Convention which took place in Manila has a compliance review mechanism now, and it has adopted species that test the boundaries of international wildlife conservation. There were also agreements to work together to reduce the negative impacts on migratory species  of marine debris noise pollution renewable energy climate change “The Conference has also contributed to a growing global recognition of the importance of nature to our human well-being and the multiple connections between wildlife and people.  It has helped to convey the message that the future of migratory wildlife is integral to our own future and that we all have the responsibility to act.   Agreements made at CMS COP12 have firmly underlined this important message,” said Bradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary of CMS. Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau said, “Migratory animals play a critical role in our planet’s ecosystem.   They act as pollinators, control pests and are a source of food and income.”  Notable outcomes of COP12 included more protection for: Three species of shark and three species of ray Avian species such as the Steppe Eagle, four species of Asian Vulture, 5 Sub-Saharan Vulture Species, the Lappet-faced Vultlure and the Christmas Frigatebird, a subspecies of the Black Noddy, the Yellow Bunding and the Lesser and Great Grey Shrike The Giraffe – less than 90,000 giraffes remain in the wild in Africa The Leopard and the Lion, paving the way for a joint initiative on protecting Africa’s great carnivores The chimpanzee who is facing a 50% drop in numbers over 3 generations and fast habitat loss The near extinct Gobi-Bear – only 45 of the subspecies of the brown bear remain in the wild in Mongolia and China The Caspian Seal, the only marine mammal found in the world’s largest inland sea The Africa Wild Ass, Przewalski’s Horse and 4 species of Lasiurus bat  In all 12 mammals were given greater protection under CMS, 16 birds and 6 species of fish.  Other outcomes of COP12: Consensus on a new inter-governmental task force to curb the illegal killing of birds crossing the east-Asian-Australasian Flyway – that spans 22 countries A conservation roadmap for the African Wild Ass (there are just 70 left in the wild) A Vulture Multi-Species Action plan to better protect 15 species of Old World Vulture in over 120 countries CMS Guidelines on assessment impacts of marine noise activities Expanding the Convention’s work on preventing the poisoning of birds with a special focus on the effects of led Action on aquatic wild meat which is becoming a conservation problem on a scale similar to terrestrial bushmeat Awards were also given in recognition of outstanding commitment and long term conservation efforts to the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi, the EU, Germany, Monaco and the government of the Philippines. Ms Lim said:  We will put in place the necessary national measure to integrate the conservation and protection of migratory wildlife species into our development planning processes and we will engage all sectors of society in crafting these measures.   We can protect only those species within our territory.  Beyond our territory, we urge other countries to also initiate measures to protect these species and to join the Convention.” Find out more here

    

2. Help snow leopards by giving them your voice

   Posted on 10:00am Thursday 3rd Aug 2017

   Snow leopards live high in the mountains of Central Asia. There are only about 4,000 of these wonderful big cats left, due to habitat loss, retaliating killings and poaching.  On average, a snow leopard is killed a day by poachers or local communities trying to protect their livestock.  Much of the big cats' home is at risk because of development and exploitation. Back in 2013, the leaders from all 12 countries in the snow leopard habitat pledged to secure at least 20 snow leopard landscapes of Asia by 2020. And in August 2017, the 12 countries are all meeting for Kyrgyzstan for the International Snow Leopard & Ecosystem Forum.  This high-level event aims to do two things, according to the website: To further strengthen the range countries’ ongoing effort to protect the snow leopard, and To galvanize international support for their ambitious plan of securing 20 snow leopard landscapes by the year 2020. They need to act to save snow leopards before it is too late.  It's vital to secure snow leopard landscapes with the support of local communities, to tackle illegal trade and make sure we build a future in which snow leopards can survive. There is a petition, on Care2.com's Petitions website, urging the snow leopard country leaders to pledge concrete action when they meet in August.   Sign the petition to pledge these leaders to take concrete action to save snow leopards at their August meeting.

3. Big cat tourism in South America can help jaguars

   Posted on 2:00pm Wednesday 19th Jul 2017

   There's some interesting research come from the University of East Anglia about big cat tourism. The overall message is that if we visit to see the jaguars, we will help them. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to the Pantanal, an area which spans Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.  They want to see the big cat - the jaguar, who can be pretty elusive. The Pantanal is widely considered to be the best place to see jaguars in the wild.  Most tourists come to see jaguars, the Giant Otter, Anaconda, Marsh Deer, Giant Anteaters and water birds.   The World Land Trust is based in the UK, and its partner, Guyra Paraguay, manage a 52,000 acre reserve in north-eastern Paraguay.  It runs the Three Giants Biological Station on the reserve.   The reserve, by the way, is named after the Giant Otter, Giant Anteater and the Giant Armadillo who are present around the station, which tourists can visit.  Most tourists want to see jaguars;  animal tracking marks such as footprints are often seen.   Even though Jaguar sightings are rare, they are frequently caught on trail cameras. Responsible Travel list a number of wildlife holidays in Brazil ©Responsible Travel The jaguar is also at odds with local farmers, for killing their livestock and who consequently resent this big cat.  Some farmers even go so far as to hire bounty hunters to kill off problem cats. A research team from UEA, the Federal University of Mato Grosso, and Panthera, the cat conservation group, looked at the human-wildlife conflict.  They studied the area of Porto Jofre.  Here, ecotourism lodges and working cattle ranches work side by side.  Researchers discovered that the annual revenues gained from watching jaguar tour packages were more than US$6.8 million.  However, in the same area, the damage to livestock was US$121,500. Furthermore, the researchers interviewed ecotourists in the area.  98% would be willing to pay an extra fee to compensate ranches for the cattle they lost to jaguars.  A considerable 80% were willing to give 6% of the tour package costs.   Professor Peres said: “The discrepancy between the financial benefits and costs of retaining jaguars provides a huge window of opportunity for the conservation of this flagship cat and many other species of the increasingly embattled Brazilian Pantanal.” In short, there is monetary value in keeping a good number of jaguars in the Pantenal. Best practice in cattle herd management can also help reduce losses to farmers and ranchers. And tourists can help by looking to select tourism operators that work with local people to benefit the community and reduce any human-wildlife conflict.   Interestingly, the Snow Leopard Trust has set up a compensation scheme to help those farmers who livestock are killed by snow leopards, and also to help the farmers better manage their herds.  And it seems to be working.  I just feel sorry for the livestock. Read the full study from the University of East Anglia here