Positive Wildlife News 2022

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New Mexico zoo sends endangered wolf pack to Mexico

A New Mexico zoo has sent a pair of endangered Mexican gray wolves and their seven pups to Mexico as part of conservation efforts in that country

A pair of endangered Mexican gray wolves and their seven pups have been sent from a zoo in New Mexico's largest city to Mexico as part of conservation efforts in that country.

Officials at the ABQ BioPark in Albuquerque confirmed Tuesday that the wolves were loaded up in separate crates and trucked south last week. The pack of predators will eventually be released into the wild after they learn to hunt and survive on their own.

https://abcnews-go-com.cdn.ampproje...oo-sends-endangered-wolf-pack-mexico-75381167
 
Croatia Declares Mount Dinara 12th Croatian Nature Park!

Today, the Croatian Parliament proclaimed the Mount Dinara Nature Park. The Park will encompass the area of the Dinara massif (Dinara, Troglav, and Kamešnica), the Cetina River's upper course, and the Hrvatačko, Paško, and Vrličko karst fields. The highest peak of Croatia – Sinjal (1831 m), is located in the Park, too. These mountains are part of the Dinaric Alps, also commonly known as Dinarides, a mountain range in Southern and Southeastern Europe.

As the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Ćorić said, the Mount Dinara Nature Park proclamation is an important moment for nature protection in Croatia, reports the Ministry.

"Mount Dinara Nature Park has become the 12th nature park in Croatia. Together with eight national parks, we have completed a set of 20 protected areas in the categories of nature and national parks," said the Minister.

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/news/50393-mount-dinara
 
Captive-bred populations of critically endangered red-finned blue-eye fish released into wild for first time

Australia's smallest and rarest freshwater fish has been on the brink of extinction for decades.

Key points:
  • The red-finned blue-eye grows to the size of a matchstick
  • The only place it is found is in the artesian springs on Edgbaston Reserve in remote western Queensland
  • The species was facing extinction until a never-before-trialled conservation and captive breeding program was conducted
The red-finned blue-eye is an Australian native species found only in the Great Artesian Basin springs on Edgbaston Reserve in remote western Queensland and nowhere else in the world.

At 3 centimetres long when fully grown — the size of a matchstick — the tiny fish did not stand much of a chance against the aggressive, invasive gambusia, or mosquito fish.

But a never-before-trialled conservation and breeding program has given the red-finned blue-eye a fighting chance at survival.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/13158496
 
Protected areas of Brest Oblast expand by 1,200ha in 2020

The territory of specially protected areas in Brest Oblast increased by 1,235 hectares in 2020, BelTA learned from the natural resources and environmental protection committee of Brest Oblast.

Specially protected areas current occupy 15% of the region's territory. In 2020, Brest Oblast made a decision to transform two sanctuaries in Kobrin District, create and transform a natural monument in Lyakhovichi District. Another five natural monuments were transformed in Gantsevichi District.

Protected areas of Brest Oblast expand by 1,200ha in 2020
 
New protected area relieves pressure on primates and pangolins in South Sudan

The future of globally important wildlife – including endangered chimpanzees and pangolins – looks a little brighter after over 17,000 hectares of severely threatened forest habitat in an ecologically unique region of South Sudan were granted formal protection.

The regazettement of Bangangai Game Reserve will ensure that this unhailed haven of biodiversity is brought under more effective management at what is a crucial juncture for the country’s impressive but imperilled natural wonders.


New protected area relieves pressure on primates and pangolins in South Sudan
 
69 Dams Removed in 2020

Nothing restores a river like removing a dam.

Despite the challenges of working through a pandemic, river restoration practitioners continued to pursue dam removal projects in 2020 to revitalize local economies and communities and reconnect 624 upstream river miles for fish, wildlife and river health. Sixty-nine dams were removed in 2020 across 23 states, including: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

69 Dams Removed in 2020 - American Rivers
 
Rock wallaby and endangered orchid making their return in Namadgi

The latest ACT Government five-year implementation progress reports for Canberra’s iconic Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby and the Brindabella Midge Orchid show that recent efforts to restore their habitat are helping to prevent their extinction.

The Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby hasn’t been seen in the wild in the ACT for more than 60 years, while the Brindabella Midge Orchid is only found in a single site located in Namadgi National Park.

Environment Minister Rebecca Vassarotti said the efforts to restore these two species are vital to returning the landscape to its former glory.

Rock wallaby and endangered orchid making their return in Namadgi | Riotact
 
Pangasinan town forest declared critical habitat

A forest located in Mangatarem town, Pangasinan has been declared a "critical habitat" to save and protect several species living there that are at risk of extinction, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said on Thursday.

The 4,422.80-hectare forest, which covers portions of barangays Cacaoiten, Cabaluyan II, Calomboyan Sur, Lawak Langka, Catarataraan, Pacalat, and Malabobo, will now be called Mangatarem Critical Habitat. It is home to threatened wildlife such as the Philippine deer (Rusa marianna), Philippine warty pig (Sus philippensis), Philippine duck (Anas luzonica), Flame-breasted fruit dove (Ptilinopus marchei), Philippine eagle owl (Bubo philippensis), Luzon scops owl (Otus longicornis), and Rufous hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax).

Threatened flora oi-ói (Diospyros philippinensis), kalíngag (Cinnamomum mercadoi) and malabayábas (Tristaniopsis decorticata) are also endemic to the area.

The declaration prohibits dumping of waste, squatting or occupying, mineral exploration and extraction, burning, logging and quarrying as stipulated in the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001. It will also place the area under the jurisdiction of the DENR Ilocos Region Office and subject it to a management plan for its conservation.

Pangasinan town forest declared critical habitat
 
Ecologists buy 1,000-acre blue gum plantation and transform it into wetland it once was

It was 2016, Mark Bachmann was stumped.

He and his team of scientists were three years into transforming a huge tract of agricultural land into the wetland it once was, but had no idea how their small, regional, not-for-profit could negotiate the final step: to buy 1,000 acres of commercial blue gum plantation.

That was when he spotted the platypus.

"I drove out after a big flood to see how our two trial swamps were looking, I'd just taken a few steps off the road and saw a black thing moving up along the bank of a deep drain," Mr Bachmann said.

"I thought it might be a water rat, but then I got a look at the bill and I thought, 'Oh my goodness, it's a platypus!'" he said.

https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/13110128
 
Millions of dollars invested in protecting former Princeton ranch

Approximately 2,600 acres just north of Princeton are being protected as conservation land.

The property – the former Currie Ranch – is home to sensitive grasslands and endangered bird species, according to The Nature Trust of BC.

“This is a spectacular property due to its natural beauty, conservation values and size,” said Julian Zelazny, director of conservation land securement for The Nature Trust of BC.

Millions of dollars invested in protecting former Princeton ranch | Penticton Western News
 
Almany Mires Reserve Expanded

Polesia’s vast Almany Mires Reserve expanded by 10,000 ha, securing habitat for threatened species.

A 10,000 hectare expansion of the Almany Mires Nature Reserve in the Belarusian part of Polesia was announced by the Republic’s Council of Ministries on March 3rd 2021. The reserve now spans over 104,000 hectares (about the size of Hong Kong) – securing Europe’s largest intact transition mire and crucial habitat for globally threatened wildlife. Together with protected areas across the border in Ukraine, it forms the largest complex of bogs and mires on the continent. The area stores huge amounts of carbon and forms part of the Pripyat river basin, playing a vital hydro-regulatory role for one of Europe’s last wild rivers.

Almany Mires Reserve Expanded | Wild Polesia
 
Spain: protection of wolf expanded

Before the 4th of February 2021, hunters were able to legally kill wolves in the north of Spain. However, only above the river Duero. South of the river the Iberian wolf was strictly protected. Now, a months-long process came to an end with good news for the Iberian wolf. The government will include it in the “List of Special Protection Wild Species” for the whole country. The Ministry of Ecological Transition will now start the procedure to approve a new management strategy 2021-2030.

Spain: protection of wolf expanded
 
Biden Administration to Reverse Oil Lease Expansion in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced yesterday that the agency will reverse plans by the previous administration to expand oil leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The agency also said it will include stipulations in any new plans to protect threatened and endangered species.

“The Trump administration opened most of the Reserve’s 22 million acres to oil and gas drilling despite the implications for the climate crisis and for wildlife, including threatened polar bears that den in the Reserve,” said Defenders of Wildlife’s Alaska Program Director, Nicole Whittington-Evans. “This is a welcome rejection of that move and a first step toward fundamentally changing the Reserve’s management from abetting a climate and biodiversity catastrophe to one of responsible stewardship that protects wildlife and local subsistence activities.”

Biden Administration to Reverse Oil Lease Expansion in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
 
Exciting nature recovery project is awarded National Lottery funding

The South Devon AONB Unit is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a £220,900 development grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund as initial support for its multi partner ‘Life on the Edge’ programme to help restore thriving populations of some of the UK’s rarest insects living along the South Devon Coast between Berry Head and Wembury.

The award to the partnership led by the AONB together with Buglife, The National Trust and Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust has been made possible by National Lottery players. It will work with residents, parish councils, schools and landowners to protect and restore precious coastal wildlife and connect communities with nature.

Exciting nature recovery project is awarded National Lottery funding - Buglife latest news
 
Two nature gems in Serbia to become national parks – Stara planina and Kučaj-Beljanica

For the first time in 40 years, Serbia will declare two national parks – Mt. Stara planina and the Kučaj-Beljanica mountains. The Institute for Nature Conservation prepared the studies for protection and started procedures for the areas, both located in the eastern part of the country. The documents are posted on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The measures of protection of the highest degree are already in place.

Minister of Environmental Protection Irena Vujović said Mt. Stara planina had the status of a nature park so far and that by becoming a national park it would receive the maximum degree of protection. The Kučaj-Beljanica area is now under protection for the first time, the minister added.

The Mt. Stara planina national park covers 116,000 hectares, and the Kučaj-Beljanica national park has over 45,000 hectares. Both are located in eastern Serbia.

The government’s decision means a natural area would be declared a national park for the first time since 1981. Serbia now has 7.66 percent of its territory in Serbia under some kind of protection.

Two nature gems to become national parks - Stara planina and Kučaj-Beljanica
 
Endangered wild Asian elephant population in China doubles amid conservation efforts

The population of the Asian elephant in China’s southwestern Yunnan province has doubled from 150 to 300 in the past 30 years. Since 1986, it has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Asian elephants are under threat due to a shrinking habitat as a result of farming and urban growth. Their plight was highlighted in 2021 when a group of wild Asian elephants went on a months-long trek from their forest home across southwest China in search of a new habitat.

Elephant population doubles in Yunnan
 
Nature Conservancy of Canada expands Norfolk County protected wetlands

Protected habitat supports diverse forest and wetland habitat in one of Canada's most biologically diverse areas.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is announcing the protection of 20 hectares of wetland and forest habitat in the Big Creek watershed in Norfolk County. This new property supports swamp forest and sand plain forest habitats, which define the Carolinian Life Zone in Canada, and it has open agricultural fields that will be restored to native habitat. Though this zone only makes up one per cent of Canada’s landmass, its ecosystems support more plant and animal species than anywhere else in Canada.

Nature Conservancy of Canada expands Norfolk County protected wetlands
 
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