Positive Wildlife News 2022

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Good news: Greater one-horned rhino population is on the way up

The massive mammal, also called the Indian rhinoceros, saw its global population reach its highest level since the 1980s, according to the International Rhino Foundation, a Texas-based nonprofit focused on rhino conservation.

There are now a total of 4,014 greater one-horned rhinos in the wild, split between India and Nepal. Assam, the Indian province that hosts 70% of the species' population, just finished its biannual rhino survey and counted 274 more rhinos than the last survey.

The increase is partially due to a "baby boom" during the pandemic, when protected areas were closed to visitors, says the foundation.

Greater one-horned rhino population is on the way up - CNN
 
Environmental Organizations Applaud New York Legislature for Passing Landmark Conservation Bill

Bill sets a statewide goal of conserving 30 percent of New York’s land and water by 2030.

Today, the New York State Senate passed S. 6191-A sponsored by Senator Todd Kaminsky. The companion legislation, A.5390-B sponsored by Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, was passed by the State Assembly on April 27, 2022. If signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, New York will become the fifth (5) state to set a goal to conserve 30 percent of state land and water by 2030, joining national and international efforts to protect the natural systems we depend on for food, water, and work.

Scientific research demonstrates we must protect or restore 30 percent of land and water by 2030 to preserve biodiversity and avoid the worst effects of global warming. A state 30 by 30 goal would preserve important wildlife habitats, increase access to parks and green spaces, and accelerate collaborative conservation efforts that protect the natural resources we all depend on.

New York Passes Landmark Conservation Bill — Wildlands Network
 
Japan to expand national parks for biodiversity conservation

Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to expand the country’s national and quasi-national parks to bolster efforts to conserve biodiversity, officials said.

The move is in line with an international goal of conserving at least 30% of a country’s land and oceans by 2030. The Group of Seven major nations and the Group of 20 advanced economies agreed on the goal in 2021.

Japan to expand national parks for biodiversity conservation
 
Dartford Warbler numbers at record high on RSPB reserves

Dartford Warbler numbers are at a record high on RSPB reserves, recently published statistics have revealed.

According to the RSPB Ecology Report, 183 pairs of the lowland heath specialist were counted in 2021, marking a notable comeback.

Dwindling down to just a handful of pairs in Dorset during a population crash in the 1960s, Dartford Warbler was at real risk of extirpation from the UK. However, thanks to concerted conservation efforts to create and restore heathland, and a series of milder winters, the bird has fared well since then.

Dartford Warbler numbers at record high on RSPB reserves - BirdGuides
 
New protected area to be established in western Georgia’s Imereti region

A new protected area will be created in western Georgia’s Imereti region to protect biodiversity and endangered species in the locality, the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture announced on Tuesday.

Comprising a 14,797-hectare territory in Kvereti, located in the Sachkhere municipality, the area will address the needs of sustainable management of local natural resources.

The creation of a new protected area will ensure the protection and preservation of unique biodiversity, ecosystems, endangered wildlife species and landscapes in the upper Imereti region, as well as sustainable management of natural resources,” the state body said.

The creation of the new area will be facilitated by the Agency of Protected Areas, designated with establishing and developing natural reserves and parks across Georgia in accordance with best international practices.

In the last 10 years, the area of protected territories has increased by 300,000 hectares.

New protected area to be established in western Georgia’s Imereti region#
 
Court Restores Wolverine Protections While Agency Reconsiders Endangered Species Decision

“This decision is a victory for wolverines, paving the way for desperately needed protections. With Endangered Species Act protections, the wolverine might finally have a fighting chance at survival.”

- Jonathan Proctor, Rockies and Plains Program Director at Defenders of Wildlife

The wolverine has regained candidate species status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) following a Montana District Court decision late Thursday. The Court agreed with conservation groups that the wolverine is entitled to additional ESA protections while the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reconsiders its 2020 decision to deny a petition to list the wolverine as threatened or endangered under the ESA.

Court Restores Wolverine Protections While Agency Reconsiders Endangered Species Decision
 
Wild mammals are making a comeback in Europe thanks to conservation efforts

Hunting and habitat loss drove many large mammals in Europe close to extinction. But, the continent’s mammal populations are flourishing again thanks to conservation programs and more productive agriculture.

The European bison is the continent’s largest herbivore. It was once abundant across the region. Archaeological evidence suggests that the bison was widespread, stretching from France to Ukraine, down to the tip of the Black Sea.1 The earliest fossils date back to the Early Holocene period – around 9,000 BC.

Bison populations steadily declined over millennia, but experienced the most dramatic decline over the last 500 years. Deforestation and hunting of this iconic mammal nearly drove it to extinction. Look at old cave paintings and we find that hunters had etched bison next to bison in charcoal. They had gone extinct in Hungary by the 16th century; in Ukraine by the 18th century. And by the early 20th century they had gone completely extinct in the wild, with only tens of individuals kept in captivity.

The overhunting of the bison is no outlier. It’s part of a long history. Look at the size of mammals through millions of years of human history and we find that they get smaller and smaller. Humans preferentially hunted the largest mammals, often to extinction.2

This is still the case today. It is the largest mammals that are most threatened by hunting.

But it doesn’t have to be this way, and the bison shows it. The European bison has made an impressive comeback over the last 50 years. Successful conservation efforts have seen their numbers rebound. Europe is now home to more than 2500 of them.

It’s not the only one. Across the world, we find examples of successful conservation programs that have restored animal populations.

Here I look at the change in mammal populations across Europe. Many species are making a comeback. Once on the brink, iconic animals such as the European bison, Brown bear, and elk are thriving once again.

Wild mammals are making a comeback in Europe thanks to conservation efforts
 
Victory: State of California Rejects Management Plan for Point Reyes National Seashore and it's Rare Tule elk

In a much needed and key move to hold cattle ranchers accountable, state regulators have rejected a National Park Service (NPS) plan for keeping the Point Reyes National Seashore free from water contamination and other environmental impacts from the ranchers’ operations.

VICTORY: State Rejects ‘Management’ Plan for Point Reyes National Seashore and Its Rare Elk
 
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Dazzling undersea array found off Tel Aviv to be protected as marine reserve

Addition of Palmachim Disturbance will double size of Israel's offshore nature reserves, conserving rare corals, squid, sharks, methane springs and other unique flora and fauna.

Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg announced Tuesday that she will soon declare a new marine protected area in the Mediterranean Sea, which will double the size of such areas within Israel’s Exclusive Economic Zone — a band of water stretching 200 miles into the sea.

The Palmachim Disturbance lies 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) west of Tel Aviv and its depth varies from 450 to 1,200 meters (1,500 to 3,900 feet).

https://www-timesofisrael-com.cdn.a...double-environment-minister-tells-confab/amp/
 
Scenic mesas, volcanic cones, and vital habitat: L Bar is a big win for people and wildlife in New Mexico

In a rugged corner of New Mexico on the flank of Mount Taylor, herds of elk migrate along rock ledges through stands of ponderosa pine. Black bears and mountain lions range across grasslands down into dense valleys of pinyon and juniper. Fractured rock ledges, striated cliffs of rose, mauve, and ocher, and towering mesas add to the wild landscape.

This is Trust for Public Land’s L Bar project, a 54,161-acre expanse of culturally and ecologically important land bordered by national forest on one side, a state wildlife area on another, and the Pueblo of Laguna on a third. It is a major acquisition of wild land in New Mexico, according to Greg Hiner, the Colorado and Southwest director of land protection at TPL.

Scenic mesas, volcanic cones, and vital habitat: L Bar is a big win for people and wildlife in New Mexico
 
Green light for return of red-footed tortoises to Argentina

Last seen in the South American country 20 years ago, 40 are being reintroduced to El Impenetrable park in the coming weeks

It may be one of the slowest-moving conservation projects in history, not just because of the red tape, but due to the animals themselves: 40 red-footed tortoises are being released into El Impenetrable national park in Argentina in the coming weeks after being rescued from the illegal pet trade in Paraguay and transported to Argentina.

One of the larger tortoises in South America, the red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius) was once found throughout three provinces of Argentina. But the last live tortoise spotted in the country was in the north-eastern province of Formosa in 2002. A shell was found in the same province, 40 miles (60km) from El Impenetrable, in 2016.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...turn-argentina-gran-chaco-el-impenetrable-aoe
 
Cheetahs return to Malawi: a record of reintroduction success

Once widespread throughout Africa and southwestern Asia, the cheetah has disappeared from most of its historical range, making it Africa’s most threatened big cat. Scenario modelling has suggested the survival of the cheetah is highly dependent on protected areas and woodland habitats. However, the natural recolonization of many of these areas by cheetahs is unlikely. This is mostly because of the high density of human habitation and large distances between the sites where cheetahs still occur. Reintroductions into protected areas within the recoverable range therefore have the potential to assist in the conservation of this iconic species.

Cheetahs return to Malawi: a record of reintroduction success
 
Conservation International Applauds Niue for Comprehensive New Marine Protections

The small island nation has announced plans to protect its entire ocean territory.

Conservation International applauds the government of the South Pacific island nation of Niue, which today announced new protections for all of its sovereign waters. The Niue Ocean Wide (NOW) Project will enact these protections alongside the Blue Nature Alliance, of which Conservation International is a member.

The announcement provides a framework to develop the Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park to cover 100% of Niue’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which distinguishes the island’s national waters from the international high seas. The park will regulate natural resource use within the island’s EEZ and ensure sustainable development and use practices.

Conservation International Applauds Niue for Comprehensive New Marine Protections
 
Uganda Wildlife Authority reports increase in wildlife populations

What you need to know:
  • During the past 25 years, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has registered a significant increment in the wildlife populations of most wildlife species.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) will this year celebrate its silver jubilee. Celebrations will be held on June 24, 2022 and its report shows an increase in wildlife populations in the protected areas that it manages.

During the past 25 years, UWA has registered a significant increment in the wildlife populations of most wildlife species.

UWA reports increase in wildlife populations
 
High hopes for baby boom after release of 50 eastern quolls in New South Wales sanctuary

Largest single release of the endangered animals seeks to grow population that had been completely wiped out from mainland Australia

There are hopes 50 eastern quolls returned to the wilderness in NSW will spark a historic baby boom for the endangered creatures.

It’s the largest single release of the little predators on mainland by conservation organisation Aussie Ark.

The creatures are now roaming free within the confines of the 400 hectare protected Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary in Barrington Tops, part of the Great Dividing Range in NSW.

Introduced feral foxes and cats – the no 1 killers of native wildlife in Australia – have been removed from the sanctuary to create a pristine habitat for species like quolls to survive, thrive and breed.

Released this week ahead of next month’s breeding season, it’s hoped the quolls will breed with an existing population already released into the fenced sanctuary.

For millions of years eastern quolls were plentiful on the mainland but in the early 1900s disease and feral animals wiped them out in the region.

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...release-of-50-eastern-quolls-in-nsw-sanctuary
 
Monarch butterflies saw a resurgence in Mexico

They might be adapting to climate change

Monarch butterflies might be tougher than we give them credit for. The orange beauties made a surprising comeback in Mexico this winter, environmental organizations and Mexico’s commission for natural protected areas announced this week.

Monarch butterflies saw a resurgence in Mexico
 
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi celebrates continued success of world’s largest mammal reintroduction programme

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) continues to progress with the world’s largest mammal reintroduction programme, as it has successfully translocated 20 Scimitar-Horned Oryx (SHO) and 25 Addax to Chad’s Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim Game Reserve during last March.

Due to the programme's efforts, the numbers of Scimitar-Horned Oryx in the wild reached 460, with 15 calves born so far this year, as well as 96 wild Addax, with five calves born to the herd, also this year.

Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi celebrates continued success of world’s largest mammal reintroduction programme
 
A little bit of news from TNC:
1. Sembakkam Lake in India is benefiting from conservation efforts. The lake, which is located in Chennai, was suffering from large amounts of waste in its waters. A project to clean the lake has resulted in the resident species benefiting, and the return of multiple bird species.
2. A partnership between TNC, SDZWS, and Space for Giants has resulted in 25 miles of fencing being installed in Loisaba Conservancy in Kenya. The aim of this project is to help protect the critically endangered Eastern black rhinoceros.
3. Native Hawaiians are restoring ancient traditions and protecting valuable ecosystems that stretch from the mountains to the ocean.
4. TNC is helping to create new green spaces in Berlin.
5. 77,000 acres of land protected in California.
6. TNC is teaming up with 3 other organizations to try to meet global conservation goals by 2030.
 
Minnesota Elk Habitat gets upgrade

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners allocated $85,773 in grant funding for habitat enhancement and hunting heritage projects in Minnesota. RMEF directly granted $20,093 that leveraged an additional $65,680 in partner dollars.

“This work positively impacts habitat for elk, moose, deer and other wildlife across more than 1,000 acres in seven different counties. It also helps youth and adults alike better experience and understand hunting, conservation, recreational shooting and the outdoors.” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer.

There are more than 7,400 RMEF members and 19 chapters in Minnesota.

“We appreciate our volunteers who worked hard to generate this funding so it can go back on the ground in the state they live,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO.

Below is a list of Minnesota projects benefitted by 2021 funding, shown by county (Kittson County, Marshall County, Nicollet County, Scott County)

Minnesota Elk Habitat Gets Upgrade | Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
 
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