Positive Wildlife News 2024

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Landmark Declaration of Rights Safeguards Biobío River in Chile

"A paradigm shift is necessary," said an advocacy group. "Let's recognize now that the Biobío River has value in itself."

Biodiversity and Rights of Nature defenders celebrated a "historic moment" on Wednesday as communities in Chile joined advocacy groups in launching the first Declaration of Rights protecting an ecosystem in the South American country, with the document aiming to safeguard "the rights of Chile's Biobío River against mounting environmental threats."

Communities located along the river—the second-longest in the country—joined environmental advocates, Indigenous tribes including the Pehuenche and Lafkenche people, and scientists in several months of "participatory dialogues" to determine how to protect the Biobío River from industrialization and other threats to the countless species it supports and to the river itself.

International Rivers, a group dedicated to protecting free-flowing rivers around the globe, said that the "cornerstone of the declaration lies in its profound acknowledgment of the intrinsic value held by the Biobío River" and its right to flow unimpeded by hydroelectic projects, disruptions to the riverbed, and other activities.

Landmark Declaration of Rights Safeguards Biobío River in Chile | Common Dreams
 
‘Dream birds’ in the mist: First photo of ‘lost’ bird in DRC mountains
  • The mountainous forests of the eastern DRC are home to a strikingly beautiful bird: the yellow-crested helmetshrike.
  • The species was considered lost to science until late last year, when an expedition of U.S. and DRC scientists spotted flocks of the birds gliding through the forests of the Itombwe mountains and snapped the first photo.
  • Their observations will help to fill in some key knowledge gaps on this little-known species, which faces threats from habitat destruction and climate change.
Michael Harvey recalls the moment he first saw a flock of yellow-crested helmetshrikes flitting through a cloud forest in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: the first confirmed sighting by scientists of the species in 16 years.

“It was more bizarre and exciting than I could have imagined,” says Harvey, an ornithologist and assistant professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

In December 2023, he and a team of U.S. and DRC ornithologists and herpetologists trekked for weeks in cars, on motorbikes and on foot to reach the Itombwe massif, on the western edge of the Albertine Rift, a vast ecoregion of mountains, valleys and forests spanning five countries in East Africa.

Harvey and a DRC assistant had left their camp to hike up a ridge to look for cloud forest birds. When they reached a fern meadow in a natural forest clearing, rain clouds swept in, and thick swirling mist reduced visibility to around 10 meters (33 feet).

‘Dream birds’ in the mist: First photo of ‘lost’ bird in DRC mountains
 
Union govt issues preliminary notification for ESZ around Gir Protected Area in Gujarat

This move from the Union government comes at a time, where the expanding population of Asiatic Lions have been stepping outside the Gir Protected Area

The Union government has issued a preliminary notification declaring more than 1.84 lakh hectares surrounding the Gir Protected Area --- the last remaining natural abode of Asiatic Lions in Gujarat --- as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ), the state government said Wednesday.

Gujarat: Union govt issues preliminary notification for ESZ around Gir Protected Area
 
Birds Sing Anew After Residents of New Orleans Ninth Ward Restore 40-Acre Wetland to Historic Glory

The Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans has recently witnessed an incredible eco-renaissance following decades of damage and neglect.

Led by a local community development group, a 40-acre wetlands park has been restored to glories past with hundreds of local trees that attract over a hundred species of birds, plus joggers, picnickers, and nature lovers besides.

The story begins with Rashida Ferdinand, founder of Sankofa Community Development Corporation (CDC). Growing up in this historic part of New Orleans, where Black homeownership thrived, where Fats Domino was born, and where locals routinely went out into the wetlands to catch fish and crustaceans, she watched as it suffered from years of neglect.

Birds Sing Anew After Residents of New Orleans Ninth Ward Restore 40-Acre Wetland to Historic Glory
 
58 acres protected in Manatee County

A 58-acre parcel in Manatee County will be conserved thanks to a new conservation easement, which officials say will help safeguard water quality in the Braden River.

The newly conserved land is located near Gap Creek, according to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, which acquired the conservation easement from Manatee County landowner Bunny Garst.

It marks the second time Garst worked with the organization in a conservation effort; in 2021, she donated a 14-acre conservation easement on an adjacent parcel in honor of her late husband, Judge Claflin Garst Jr., which was sold following the protection to adjoining landowners James and Mary Parks for limited agricultural use, including grazing, for a working farm.

58 acres protected in Manatee County | Business Observer
 
Pika populations now on the rise in Columbia River Gorge, new data says

Lovers of squeaky potato-sized rodents can rejoice this season, as new data is showing the population of pikas is on the rise in the Columbia River Gorge.

The data comes from Cascades Pika Watch, a program of the Oregon Zoo that began in 2018 after the Eagle Creek Fire destroyed much of the pika’s habitat.

Every summer, volunteers now go out into the field to watch and listen for pikas at specific locations. They then upload their data online for biologists to better track the population.

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/pi...CqqFce567tcLUZIyvs_aem_RZ9HJhtIeB_gWGWb-e3X-Q
 
Small snails make big comeback in French Polynesia
  • Scientists have found Partula snails born in the wild on the French Polynesian island of Moorea, showing that a 40-year effort to save these tiny creatures is working.
  • Partula snails were wiped out from the wild in the late 1980s by an introduced predator, the rosy wolf snail, leading to an international zoo-based breeding program to save the species.
  • Researchers used a special UV-reflective “snail varnish” to mark reintroduced snails, allowing them to identify unmarked individuals as wild-born during recent surveys.
  • The success of this project demonstrates the potential for conservation efforts to bring species back from the brink of extinction and may lead to changing the status of at least one species, Partula tohiveana, from “extinct in the wild” to “critically endangered.”
On the tropical island of Moorea in French Polynesia, a species of snail about the size of a Skittle candy is cause for celebration. On September 2024, researchers found adult Partula tohiveana snails that were born in the wild.

This is the first time in decades these tiny mollusks, measuring just 1-2 centimeters (less than an inch) in length, have reproduced naturally in their native habitat. This finding marks a significant victory in a 40-year conservation effort to save these small but ecologically important creatures.

“Discovering wild-born adult snails was a great moment. Very few animal species have been re-established back in the wild so this is a fantastic achievement … the fruit of a vast amount of work,” Justin Gerlach from the University of Cambridge, one of the scientists involved in the program to breed the snails in captivity before releasing them back into the wild, said in a statement.

Small snails make big comeback in French Polynesia
 
Discovery of Galápagos Petrel Nests on Isabela Island Renews Conservation Hopes

A recent discovery of active nests of Galápagos petrels (Pterodroma phaeopygia) on Isabela Island has sparked renewed optimism for the conservation of this endemic and critically endangered species. This breakthrough represents significant progress in protecting one of the archipelago’s most iconic seabirds, whose breeding habitat has faced numerous ongoing threats for years.

During three expeditions conducted in June and September, (2024), led by experts from Galápagos Conservancy and rangers from Galápagos National Park, the team explored potential petrel nesting sites on the flanks of Sierra Negra volcano, encompassing both protected areas and agricultural lands.

Throughout the expedition, part of a larger project funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to improve nesting habitats for Galápagos petrels, team members thoroughly searched new nesting sites and also explored areas where nests had been previously recorded. The team further assessed the threats facing the petrel population on the island. Petrels dig large, deep burrows into the dense volcanic soils in the upper reaches of the islands where they construct simple nests in which they lay their eggs and rear their young. They are generally well-protected in their burrows but face threats from rats that eat, chicks and sometimes adults themselves, dogs that dig out the nests, and exotic plants that can smother the petrel’s nesting burrows.

Discovery of Galápagos Petrel Nests on Isabela Island Renews Conservation Hopes | Galápagos Conservancy
 
The ‘Mekong ghost’ megafish has resurfaced after an extinction scare

The “Mekong ghost” fish is a ghost no more.

Like the legendary Rip Van Winkle, who wandered into the woods and disappeared for 20 years, the giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus) of Southeast Asia’s Mekong River also seemed to vanish into the depths of myth. The megafish had not been documented since 2005, leading many to believe the species had quietly slipped into extinction.

But scientists have now confirmed the discovery of three individuals, caught from 2020 to 2023 in Cambodian waters. The finds reignite hope for the giant salmon carp’s survival, fish ecologist Bunyeth Chan and colleagues report in the November Biological Conservation.

[...]

The fact that the three newfound giant salmon carp were discovered outside what was suspected to be their historic range suggests the species may be more widespread than previously thought. Cambodia has now officially added the giant salmon carp to its list of protected species. And researchers hope the rediscovery will also spark renewed efforts to safeguard the Mekong’s fragile ecosystem.

“This discovery,” says study coauthor Zeb Hogan, a fish biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, who leads the USAID-funded Wonders of the Mekong project, “is not just about saving the salmon carp, but about protecting one of the greatest biodiversity hot spots on Earth.”

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mekong-ghost-megafish-rediscovered
 
Grassroots Movement Protects 200 km² of Puerto Rico's Ocean Ecosystems
  • New 202.7 km² marine protected area established in Puerto Rico after 16 years of grassroots efforts
  • Local coalition leads the way in safeguarding >14 endangered species and vital coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove ecosystems in the Caribbean Biological Corridor
  • Co-management plan needed to ensure sustainable, long-term protection for the Underwater Gardens of Vega Baja and Manatí
After 16 years of grassroots efforts, local communities in northern Puerto Rico are celebrating the creation of a new marine protected area (MPA) – Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí .

The newly-established MPA encompasses 202.7 km² (77 square miles) of coastal coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds home to more than 14 endangered species, including the Greater Caribbean Manatee. The area also hosts vibrant small-scale fisheries and a local ecotourism industry, and communities hope that new efforts to formally co-manage Jardines as an MPA will allow its waters to remain a source of food and income for local families for generations.

Grassroots Movement Protects 200 km² of Puerto Rico’s Ocean Ecosystems
 
More steps left for Dabob Bay conservation area expansion to deliver ‘big wins’

With the Dabob Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area (NRCA) set to expand by approximately 3,943 acres, those who advocated for the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to implement this expansion are aiming to address what comes next.

After the expansion order was signed by Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz Sept. 23, it received positive comments from county commissioners, heads of industry, state legislators and Peter Bahls, director of the Northwest Watershed Institute.

As Bahls said, “there’s still work to do.”

The Northwest Watershed Institute has focused on the conservation and restoration of Tarboo Creek and Dabob Bay, in partnership with other organizations and citizens, for more than 20 years. This marks the third major expansion of the Natural Area boundaries during that time.

More steps left for Dabob Bay conservation area expansion to deliver ‘big wins’ - Port Townsend Leader
 
Azores create largest marine protected area in North Atlantic

The regional assembly of Portugal's Azores Islands approved the creation of the largest protected marine area in the North Atlantic to reach international conservation goals well ahead of time.
The approval late on Thursday places the archipelago at the forefront of global ocean conservation that aims to achieve the goals set by the United Nations of protecting 30% of the Earth's land and sea by 2030 under a global pact adopted last year.

https://www.reuters.com/business/en...ine-protected-area-north-atlantic-2024-10-18/
 
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Critical Habitat for Golden Lion Tamarins in Brazil

About 60 miles south of Rio de Janeiro, one of the last globally important populations of Endangered Golden Lion Tamarin exists in 13 small, isolated fragments of lowland Atlantic Forest. None of these fragments alone is large enough to sustain a genetically viable population of the species, and large gaps in the tree canopy previously prevented the animals from traveling across the remaining habitat.

Bridging the Gap: Connecting Critical Habitat for Golden Lion Tamarins in Brazil
 
Blanche Peninsula: A Landmark Achievement for Coastal Conservation

Thanks to an incredible outpouring of support for Nova Scotia’s beloved coast, we are proud to announce the success of the most ambitious project in our thirty-year Nature Trust history – and the largest acquisition of privately owned coastline in Nova Scotia.

The Blanche Peninsula is one of the last highly biodiverse and intact coastal lands of its size in Nova Scotia. With your help, we have officially protected a large property covering the majority of the peninsula as well as a large beach section on the southwest coast. Together these lands ensure that 1,772 acres (717 hectares) of this ecological treasure will be protected – forever.

Nova Scotia Nature Trust – Blanche Peninsula: A Landmark Achievement for Coastal Conservation
 
Endangered Saimaa ringed seals continue to flourish as population grows to 500

Finland's population of Saimaa ringed seals — an endangered species native to the Saimaa lake region — has climbed to about 495 individuals, according to the latest estimate by the Finnish Wildlife Agency Metsähallitus.

This means the number of Saimaa ringed seals has almost doubled over the course of the last decade.

A seasonal ban on fishing with nets in parts of the Saimaa lake region, usually imposed from spring until the end of June, has been credited with protecting the species.

[...]

The seals have been considered an endangered species for decades, but their numbers have flourished in recent years due to the success of conservation efforts. The population climbed to about 440 last year, with a record high number of pups being born.

When the Saimaa seal was declared a protected species 40 years ago, there were only about 100 individuals living in Lake Saimaa.

Endangered Saimaa ringed seals continue to flourish as population grows to 500
 
Water vole numbers success at national park

A project to reintroduce water voles to South Downs National Park has been declared a success after new signs of activity were spotted.

More than 2,800 of the creatures have been released along the River Meon in Hampshire since 2013.

Popularised by the character Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, the water vole is the fastest declining mammal in England.

Signs of breeding were seen at 20 areas along the river and its tributaries.

South Downs National Park sees water vole number success
 
McIntyre Ranch and conservation groups set largest conservation easement in Canada

The agreement will conserve 55,000 acres of native grassland in southern Alberta as a working ranch and wildlife habitat.

The McIntyre Ranch, a 55,000-acre ranch in southern Alberta, is one of the largest pieces of unbroken native grassland left in Canada. A conservation easement announced this spring between the owners of the ranch, Nature Conservancy of Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada, means it will remain unchanged forever.

“The easement means it will never be cultivated and we will not have wind farms and solar farms. We are keeping something natural, the way it used to be 10,000 years ago. The grasslands of the McIntyre Ranch have changed very little since the bison were eradicated from these lands,” said Ralph Thrall III, who owns the ranch along with his three siblings.

McIntyre Ranch and conservation groups set largest conservation easement in Canada - Canadian Cattlemen
 
Tiger population census in Bangladesh shows a hopeful upward trend in the Sundarbans
  • The latest tiger population census in Bangladesh, which was done by evaluating camera-trapping data, shows that the country is home to at least 125 adult Bengal tigers.
  • The report shows almost a 10% increase since the last census in 2018 in the Sundarbans mangrove forests, which is considered to be Bangladesh’s only remaining habitat for tigers.
  • Conservationists attribute this success to the efforts made in the region in recent years, including installing fences and increased patrolling against poaching.
Reports show Bangladesh’s Bengal tiger population has grown steadily in the past nine years, owing to the government’s conservation initiatives. The latest published census report about the status of tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans, which is considered to be only remaining habitat for tigers in the country, shows that Bangladesh is home to at least 125 adult tigers.

Tiger population census in Bangladesh shows a hopeful upward trend in the Sundarbans
 
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