30 Biggest Stories of 2012 in Wildlife Conservation

I'd add that Mongolian Wild Horse numbers have been growing in the wild leading to their status being raised and the reintroduction into the wild of the Kihansi Spray Toad.
 
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She omitted the extinction of the Pinta/Abingdon island Tortoise (ssp. abingdoni). Also Ostracod genus Frambocythere whose lineage was discovered to be alive 40 million years since it was last found in the fossil record. Also the rediscovery of Miller's Grizzled Langur. The declaration of the official extinction of the Japanese otter.Ginkgo biloba being finally been confirmed as surviving in the wild, and not just as ex situ naturalised populations. Rediscovery of the Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat. I could go on...
 
Surroundx said:
She omitted the extinction of the Pinta/Abingdon island Tortoise (ssp. abingdoni). Also Ostracod genus Frambocythere whose lineage was discovered to be alive 40 million years since it was last found in the fossil record. Also the rediscovery of Miller's Grizzled Langur. The declaration of the official extinction of the Japanese otter.Ginkgo biloba being finally been confirmed as surviving in the wild, and not just as ex situ naturalised populations. Rediscovery of the Dinagat Bushy-tailed Cloud Rat. I could go on...
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The Miller Grizzled Langur is in there.

Also Mexican Wolves being successfuly reintroduced and the confirmed extinctions of the Vietnamese and West African Black Rhinoceros.
 
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ThylacineAlive said:
The Miller Grizzled Langur is in there.
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Is too. My bad.

ThylacineAlive said:
the confirmed extinctions of the Vietnamese and West African Black Rhinoceros.
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The Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) was jointly declared officially extinct by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and IRF (International Rhino Foundation) in October of last year.

The West African Black Rhinoceros was declared extinct by the IUCN, also in 2011:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15663982
 
Surroundx- Those other subjects you mentioned, especially Lonesome George's death, probably deserved a spot in there too.
ThylacineAlive- She does mention Przewalski's Wild Horses, but only the aspect of them being very endangered, not the increase in numbers.
I didn't like how on the 15th slide, it said "The extinction of the White Rhino." I mean, is it too hard to specify the extinction of the Northern White Rhinoceros?
 
BeardsleyZooFan said:
I didn't like how on the 15th slide, it said "The extinction of the White Rhino." I mean, is it too hard to specify the extinction of the Northern White Rhinoceros?
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If we disregard the subjective nature of common names for the sake of the argument, she is factually incorrect when she writes that White Rhinos are extinct because Southern White Rhinos still exist and there are also still 7 Northern White Rhinos in captivity. So they are "only" extinct in the wild.
 
Surroundx said:
Is too. My bad.


The Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) was jointly declared officially extinct by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and IRF (International Rhino Foundation) in October of last year.

The West African Black Rhinoceros was declared extinct by the IUCN, also in 2011:

BBC News - Western black rhino declared extinct
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I know that, so was the Mexican Wolf thing but I thought I saw at least one thing that happened towards the end of 2011 so I thought it wouldn't hurt since it's such a big deal (the rhinos more than the wolf but still).

@BeardsleyZooFan- I thought the same thing about the White Rhinos.

@Anyone- I've asked this on three threads already and have failed to find an answer online so can anyone tell me why Northern White Rhinos don't breed very well (and if they've ever breed since they moved them to Africa) while Southern White Rhinos seem to breed so easily?
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I know that, so was the Mexican Wolf thing but I thought I saw at least one thing that happened towards the end of 2011 so I thought it wouldn't hurt since it's such a big deal (the rhinos more than the wolf but still).
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We're strictly talking about stories from 2012 though so I don't think that they should be mentioned.

ThylacineAlive said:
@Anyone- I've asked this on three threads already and have failed to find an answer online so can anyone tell me why Northern White Rhinos don't breed very well (and if they've ever breed since they moved them to Africa) while Southern White Rhinos seem to breed so easily?
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Northern and Southern White Rhinos are likely separated by over a million years of evolutionary divergence according to (Groves et al. 2010). So it would be erroneous to assume that just because Southern White Rhinos breed so well that therefore Northern Whites must too (although it may be the case that they do). Just look at species from other genera within the same genus as each other which exhibit differential breeding success from each other. But exactly why this is is still very much a mystery AFAIK. One could conjecture but without solid facts its pointless in my opinion. Although, the conditions under which the animals are kept (including their diet) is one obvious variable which can influence the desire to mate and perhaps also fertility, though I'm not sure about the latter.

There has been no Northern White Rhino breeding since 2000, although mating has occurred earlier this year, which will hopefully lead to a pregnancy: Hope for the Northern White Rhinos as Suni and Najin Mate; Twice! | Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Reference:

Groves CP, Fernando P, Robovský J (2010) The Sixth Rhino: A Taxonomic Re-Assessment of the Critically Endangered Northern White Rhinoceros. PLoS ONE 5(4): e9703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009703
 
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Surroundx said:
We're strictly talking about stories from 2012 though so I don't think that they should be mentioned.


Northern and Southern White Rhinos are likely separated by over a million years of evolutionary divergence according to (Groves et al. 2010). So it would be erroneous to assume that just because Southern White Rhinos breed so well that therefore Northern Whites must too (although it may be the case that they do). Just look at species from other genera within the same genus as each other which exhibit differential breeding success from each other. But exactly why this is is still very much a mystery AFAIK. One could conjecture but without solid facts its pointless in my opinion. Although, the conditions under which the animals are kept (including their diet) is one obvious variable which can influence the desire to mate and perhaps also fertility, though I'm not sure about the latter.

There has been no Northern White Rhino breeding since 2000, although mating has occurred earlier this year, which will hopefully lead to a pregnancy: Hope for the Northern White Rhinos as Suni and Najin Mate; Twice! | Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Reference:

Groves CP, Fernando P, Robovský J (2010) The Sixth Rhino: A Taxonomic Re-Assessment of the Critically Endangered Northern White Rhinoceros. PLoS ONE 5(4): e9703. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009703
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I forgot Northern White Rhinos are generally regarded as a seperate species now and not a subspecies. Thank you.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
so can anyone tell me why Northern White Rhinos don't breed very well (and if they've ever breed since they moved them to Africa) while Southern White Rhinos seem to breed so easily?
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I would suggest it has to do with the very small numbers of Northern Rhinos in captivity, their ages, relationships and management, rather than the species itself.

At one time Southern White Rhino were also regarded as practically impossible to breed in captivity, particularly when kept in pairs as many were initially. Later it became apparent that wrong management was the main factor.
 
Ok, I just re-read the article about the Northern White Rhinos breeding and it says that Northern Whites are doing great:confused: They haven't had a successful pregancy since 2000 and only about 7 breeding individuals are left so I son't see how they're doing great. Also, I watched a video on YouTube about the mating and it says that they rhinos are kept with two Southern Whites. Are you not worried about possible hybridization!?
 
I´m following already a while the faith of the northern white rhino and as I understand it right they actualy try to breed hybrids ! At a later stage they want to try to out-breed the southern genes ! In mine opinion not the best way to save a species but luckily they also try to breed true northern with rhinos.
 
Another 2012 conservation succes-story ( with zoo-involvement ! ) the release of 2000 Kihansi sray toads in their natural habitat ! The species was extinct in the wild but by captive breeding the species has been saved and now thus returned to the wild. A REAL succes-story.
 
vogelcommando said:
Another 2012 conservation succes-story ( with zoo-involvement ! ) the release of 2000 Kihansi sray toads in their natural habitat ! The species was extinct in the wild but by captive breeding the species has been saved and now thus returned to the wild. A REAL succes-story.
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I was going to post that but forgot. I think this was made before that, though. It is amazing. I had the honor of seeing them several time at the Bronx Zoo.

As for the North White Rhinos, I don't like that idea, especially if they really are two different species. I think they might all be too old to breed now (except for the 2000 calve). I think they're doing the same technique with Suci the Sumatran Rhino and Tam Tam the Borneo Rhino at the Cincinnati Zoo.
NOTE- Tam Tam is not at the zoo, they're just using his sperm. He's in Borneo where they're trying to breed him with a three-legged female (the whole leg issue is one of the reasons the breeding isn't working so well).

~Thylo:cool:
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Ok, I just re-read the article about the Northern White Rhinos breeding and it says that Northern Whites are doing great:confused: They haven't had a successful pregancy since 2000 and only about 7 breeding individuals are left so I son't see how they're doing great.
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I think what they mean is that the Northern Whites that were translocated from Europe are doing well, in terms of adapting to their new African home and improvements to their health, behaviour etc. rather than any actual pregnancies(so far). Because there are only two females involved, Southern Whites are being used in an extra attempt to save the Northern genes.
 
Sorry ThylacineAlive but I fear you have to see the Kihansi Sprey Toad still at Bronx Zoo
( as well as in Toledo Zoo ) because they still have a good number left there as back-up ;)
 
vogelcommando said:
Sorry ThylacineAlive but I fear you have to see the Kihansi Sprey Toad still at Bronx Zoo
( as well as in Toledo Zoo ) because they still have a good number left there as back-up ;)
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I realize that. It wouldn't be very smart to sent the entire population there as no one knows weither the species will survive or not. I honestly have serious doubts about this opporation as it seems that they're using man-made misters to make up for the lack of waterfall mist. If something goes wrong here the species is in serious trouble. Why not relocate them to a new waterfall that can support them naturally?
 
Did anyone else see the footage of the supposed thyclaine sighting?
(30 animals we've recently lost, thyclaine, link at bottom, second video).
 
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