Positive Wildlife News 2022

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Mumbai's leopard population up due to prey availability

Leopards in India have a country-wide distribution and are found from dense forest patches in plains and mountain ranges right up to the Himalayan region.

Easy prey availability — both domestic and wild — has increased the leopard density in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS) in the Mumbai metropolitan region.

https://www-deccanherald-com.cdn.am...tion-up-due-to-prey-availability-1090340.html
 
Water voles return to southern Cornwall after 30 years

A "really important" species of vole is being reintroduced after becoming extinct in Cornwall in the 1990s.

Water voles, which are water-based animals living on the edges of ponds and rivers, declined in the UK due to habitat loss and American mink being released into the wild.

About 150 water voles are being released into southern Cornwall.

Kernow Conservation said mink, which had previously "wiped out" vole populations, would be monitored.

https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-60740346.amp
 
RSPB: Bitterns make booming recovery in UK wetlands

Britain's loudest bird, the "booming" bittern, is making a recovery after almost disappearing from the UK twice.

The RSPB reported the birds had had a "record-breaking year" in 2021, with 228 males counted, up from 209 in 2019.

Ornithologist Dr Alex Lees described it as a "spectacular conservation success story" thanks to the restoration of wetland habitats.

"It shows that conservation does work," the Manchester Metropolitan scientist told BBC News.

https://www-bbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60863563.amp
 
West African Lions Recovering from the Brink

I sit writing this in a hotel overlooking Dakar, Senegal. Africa is so vast that Senegal, on the continent's western tip, feels like a million miles from my home in Harare, Zimbabwe. Because the flight connections are so roundabout, it effectively almost is. But the long haul was totally worth it. The capital city, Dakar, has a totally different feel to southern Africa. Dry and dusty at this time of year, and bustling, the city recalls shades of the Mediterranean and North Africa, while remaining a truly sub-Saharan African city. Though Senegal is a lower middle income country, there are signs of notable development, with an array of glitzy buildings in the capital and swanky restaurants and bars along the coast. A notable landmark is the African Renaissance monument, a spectacular 161 ft. statue commemorating 50 years of independence from France and the rebirth of Africa following the colonial era.

West African Lions Recovering from the Brink | Lion Recovery Fund
 
Mexican Gray Wolf Population Up By 5 Percent

Defenders of Wildlife New Mexico Representative Patricia Estrella issued the following statement in response to new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) data on the Mexican Gray Wolf that shows a 5% increase in the species’ population which now stands at a minimum of 196 in the wild:

“The increase in the number of Mexican gray wolves is encouraging, but there is still significant work to be done to save this critically endangered subspecies. Continuing to improve conservation efforts to reduce illegal mortalities, expand areas where the wolves are allowed to roam and address the genetic problems this species faces will help the population continue to rebound.”

Mexican Gray Wolf Population Up By 5 Percent
 
Queensland's crucifix frog, aka holy cross frog, emerges after good wet season

They are a tiny, chubby frog with a down-turned mouth, a bright cross-shaped pattern on their back, and only the size of a 20 cent piece.
  • When crucifix frogs come out after rain it is a sign of good rain — or good land management
  • The small frog is also known as the holy cross frog or toad
  • The frogs are ground dwellers that come to the surface after good rain
But for landholders and traditional owners alike, the arrival of crucifix frogs, or holy cross frogs, in south-west Queensland is a good indicator the region has had a decent wet season.

"They only come up when we've got good rain," said Ross Mitchell, the chairman of the Jamba Dhandan Duringala Indigenous Protected Area.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100943066
 
Platypus making a comeback after Black Summer bushfires damaged, eroded riverbanks

After the 2020 bushfires destroyed a lot of koala habitat across New South Wales, there were dire concerns about the future of the species.

Key points:
  • Bushfires cause riverbank erosion, making it hard for platypus to nest
  • Ecologists say the platypus is struggling in many parts of Australia after the Black Summer
  • There is hope raising the public profile of platypus will aid in its conservation
But scientists say the platypus, another of Australia's fauna icons, was also heavily impacted.

Tahneal Hawke, an ecologist with the University of New South Wales, said the fires led to erosion of riverbanks, which threatened the species.

"Without the stable banks, it's hard for them to build their burrows," she said.

"A lot of places are suffering due to drought and bushfires, and then on top of this, with all the flooding lately, you get these accumulative impacts."

The Black Summer bushfires tore across eastern and southern Australia, and Dr Hawke said the platypus population in most fire-affected areas, including on Kangaroo Island, was struggling.

"On the mid-north coast, we're seeing quite low numbers, so there are these areas where you could say the bushfires did have a real impact on the population," she said.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100939668
 
Photos: Researchers release tiny fish into Tucson's Santa Cruz River

Reintroduction of longfin dace part of larger effort to renew life along Downtown Tucson stream

Carrying frame backpacks laden with water-filled buckets, Michael Bogan and Besty Grube worked their way along the bottom of the Santa Cruz River on Wednesday morning and settled on a spot just south of the bridge that carries West Starr Pass Boulevard over the once-dry stream bed.

Bogan, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, along with Grube, a top minnow and pup fish specialist with Arizona Game and Fish, shouldered their loads along the sandy river bottom to where a wandering strip of greenery marks the presence of water.

Photos: Researchers release tiny fish into Tucson's Santa Cruz River
 
UngulateNerd92 said:
Platypus making a comeback after Black Summer bushfires damaged, eroded riverbanks

After the 2020 bushfires destroyed a lot of koala habitat across New South Wales, there were dire concerns about the future of the species.

Key points:
  • Bushfires cause riverbank erosion, making it hard for platypus to nest
  • Ecologists say the platypus is struggling in many parts of Australia after the Black Summer
  • There is hope raising the public profile of platypus will aid in its conservation
But scientists say the platypus, another of Australia's fauna icons, was also heavily impacted.

Tahneal Hawke, an ecologist with the University of New South Wales, said the fires led to erosion of riverbanks, which threatened the species.

"Without the stable banks, it's hard for them to build their burrows," she said.

"A lot of places are suffering due to drought and bushfires, and then on top of this, with all the flooding lately, you get these accumulative impacts."

The Black Summer bushfires tore across eastern and southern Australia, and Dr Hawke said the platypus population in most fire-affected areas, including on Kangaroo Island, was struggling.

"On the mid-north coast, we're seeing quite low numbers, so there are these areas where you could say the bushfires did have a real impact on the population," she said.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100939668
Click to expand...
Probably the best piece of news this year.
 
Afro-Colombian community safeguards pristine oceans with new protected area
  • The newly designated Isla Ají marine protected area covers over a total of 24,600 hectares (60,800 acres) of coastal, terrestrial and marine ecosystems on Colombia’s Pacific coast.
  • The Naya River Delta, where the protected area is located, is home to a variety of diverse ecosystems, from tropical forests to beaches, mudflats to mangrove forests.
  • The new marine protected area contributes to Colombia’s goal of conserving 30% of its surface by 2030, part of a larger global commitment made by around 70 countries to promote biodiversity through the creation of protected areas.
  • Many of the communities near Isla Ají hope to transition to ecotourism to fulfill their conservation goals, but investment is still in its early stages.
An Afro-Colombian community on the southwest coast of Colombia has helped establish a new marine protected area that will create more sustainable fishing and hunting practices while ensuring that one of the country’s most undisturbed ecosystems withstands outside threats of deforestation and pollution long into the future.

The Isla Ají marine protected area, which covers 9,425 hectares (23,289 acres) of coastal and terrestrial ecosystems and 15,174 hectares (37,495 acres) of marine ecosystems, was the result of more than two decades of work by regional officials and the Council of Naya River, which represents 19 Afro-Colombian communities concerned about protecting the area’s ecosystems.

“The local communities of the Naya River saw the need to protect a site that they considered to be of great cultural and environmental importance,” said Jorge Parra, chief coordinator of protected areas for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Colombia, which helped designate the marine protected area. “Through the creation and implementation of community projects, residents can improve their harmonious coexistence with their environment.”

https://news-mongabay-com.cdn.amppr...-pristine-oceans-with-new-protected-area/amp/
 
Cockpit Country Protected Area gets legal backing

The Cockpit Country Protected Area has been given legal protection under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act.

The protected area is approximately 3,292 hectares larger than the 74,726 hectares announced in 2017.

This was disclosed in the Jamaican Parliament this afternoon by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Holness declared that there will be no mining in the Cockpit Country Protected Area.

Cockpit Country Protected Area gets legal backing
 
Victoria to restore area five times size of Melbourne with $31m boost to private land conservation

BushBank scheme aims to revegetate parcels of private land to create habitat for endangered wildlife and capture carbon

The Victorian government plans to restore an area five times the size of Melbourne as part of a new scheme to increase conservation on private land.

The state’s energy, environment and climate change minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, has announced the government will spend $31m to revegetate parcels of private land to create habitat for endangered wildlife and capture carbon.

The scheme, known as BushBank, will fund organisations such as Greening Australia, Bush Heritage, Trust for Nature, and traditional owner groups to work with private landowners to restore habitat and increase carbon storage.

The program was included in the state’s 2020-21 budget but the Andrews government has waited until now to formally launch it.

On Monday, it will call for expressions of interest to cover the first 20,000 hectares to be restored through the scheme.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...e-with-31m-boost-to-private-land-conservation
 
Vital Section in Western Maine Conservation Corridor Conserved

The Forest Society of Maine (FSM) and Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT) announce the completion of the Grafton Forest Conservation Project. An area that encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery and finest remote hiking in Maine has been permanently conserved. This result came from several years of working with Wagner Forest Management, the state Bureau of Parks and Lands, and many groups in the Bethel, Maine region. FSM now holds a conservation easement on 15,000 acres of sustainably managed forests, and NEWT now owns 6,045 acres of critical watershed and high elevation habitat to be passively managed as wilderness. The Project is adjacent to the state-owned Mahoosuc Unit, the Appalachian Trail, and Grafton Notch State Park. Together these lands fill what had been an unprotected gap in a conservation corridor and connect hundreds of thousands of acres in the western Maine mountains to New Hampshire conservation lands. Project success protects these lands, which are rated highly for their resiliency to climate change, from conversion to non-forest uses in an area experiencing strong development pressures.

Vital Section of Western Maine Conservation Corridor Conserved
 
Carnaby's cockatoos' best breeding season on record credited to 'perfect' artificial breeding hollow

One of Western Australia's most threatened native birds has had its best breeding season on record thanks to the development of "perfect" artificial nests, according to conservationists.
  • A record 138 nests were observed at a conservation site north of Perth
  • The breeding success is being attributed to artificial nests
  • The hollows replicate the birds' natural breeding habitat
Decades of land clearing across the state's south-west had put the Carnaby's black cockatoo at grave risk of becoming extinct, with their traditional breeding ground wiped out.

But researchers have discovered durable plastic breeding hollows placed high up in trees across the region had encouraged breeding, and they have the data to prove it.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100924278
 
Wildlife corridor in Lake Ontario watershed now protected land, conservation group says

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is now protecting a combined 5,000 hectares of land in Hastings County – known as the Hastings Wildlife Junction. The organization is now setting its sights on an additional 3,000 hectares in the area.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada says a stretch of a major wildlife corridor within the Lake Ontario watershed is now protected land.

https://globalnews-ca.cdn.ampprojec...ildlife-ontario-watershed-protected-land/amp/
 
Biodiversity and Bighorn Sheep saved through habitat purchase in South Okanagan

Today, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, one of the province’s leading non-profit land conservation organizations announced that 29.2 hectares (72 acres) of ecologically important land has been purchased for conservation in the South Okanagan.

The property expands The Nature Trust’s Skaha Lake Eastside conservation complex, south of Penticton. This new property is adjacent to the McTaggart-Cowan/nsək’łniw’t Wildlife Management Area and provides valuable habitat for several species at risk.

Biodiversity and Bighorn Sheep saved through habitat purchase in South Okanagan - The Nature Trust of British Columbia
 
Mediterranean monk seal after 40 years spotted in the waters of NP Mljet!

During the monitoring of Mediterranean shag in the Mljet National Park last weekend, biologist Luka Jurinović and park ranger of Mljet National Park Davor Stražičić spotted and photographed the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered mammals in the world. This is the first confirmed case of its appearance in this area since the early 1980s.

Mediterranean monk seal after 40 years spotted in the waters of NP Mljet! - Javna ustanova Nacionalni park Mljet
 
Fishing net deaths of endangered sea lions drastically reduced in South Australia

South Australia's endangered sea lion population has been given a chance to bounce back after a decade-long marine conservation program substantially reduced their deaths in fishing nets.
  • Australian sea lions are endangered and only live in waters off SA and WA
  • A decade-long program has been underway in SA to prevent gillnet use near sea lion colonies
  • Researchers estimate fishing net deaths in those areas have dropped by 98 per cent
In response, the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Humane Society International worked with federal and state governments, scientists and the fishing industry to develop the Australian Sea Lion Management Strategy.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/100969632
 
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