Trust closes on Horse Mountain buy between Williamsburg and Hatfield
Horse Mountain’s two peaks have long been recognized as a historic landmark between Williamsburg and Hatfield. Now, 150 acres at the summit of Horse Mountain have been purchased by Kestrel Land Trust, ensuring that the land will remain protected and forested.
Kestrel Land Trust worked with town conservation commissions to permanently conserve 128 acres of the mountain’s forests in 2017. With the addition of these 150 newly acquired acres, even more of the mountain will serve as a space to benefit wildlife, offer outdoor recreation and build climate resilience.
The land was purchased from the Carol K. Longley Family Trust.
Mayala country traditional owners celebrate new Indigenous Protected Area in Western Australia
In short:
Mayala traditional owners in northern WA have received an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) classification, ensuring their country is cared for using traditional knowledge and culture.
The IPA means the west Kimberley coastline, from Kalumburu to the Dampier Peninsula, is protected by IPAs.
What's next?
The Mayala people hope to establish a ranger program and ensure more access to country, which will be guided by the IPA management plan.
Brown bear spotted in Iran’s Oshtorankuh protected area
A brown bear has been photographed in the Oshtorankuh Protected Area and Gahar Lake in central Iran, the acting head of the Lorestan Province’s Department of Environment announced on Sunday.
Kamran Farmanpour said the photograph was captured on Saturday by experienced ranger Habib Qaed Rahmati during his regular patrols of the region.
He highlighted that the sighting adds to the diverse range of wildlife images recorded in Lorestan’s natural habitats, which boasts over 30 percent of the country’s biodiversity.
He emphasized that the observation was made possible amid the ongoing mating season and the consistent patrols by the rangers.
Since the beginning of this year, nine bears have been documented across Lorestan’s natural areas, marking a significant increase in sightings of this important species in the province.
Wolf Pack Spotted In Lassen Volcanic National Park For First Time
Earlier this month, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed there is a pack of gray wolves roaming within Lassen Volcanic National Park. Though gray wolves are known in nearby Lassen National Forest, with a group called the Lassen Pack being the best-known and most established wolf pack in California, this is the first time wolves have been recorded within the boundaries of the national park itself.
The pack is yet unnamed, and though some reports suggest these wolves are composed of individuals birthed into the Lassen Pack, that's yet to be confirmed. It's thought to be a breeding pair and two pups, and the wolves were filmed on a wildlife camera.
There are now about nine known wolf packs in California, spread throughout the Lassen area, the Lake Tahoe Basin, Siskiyou County near Mt. Shasta, and a southern pack in eastern Tulare County.
Rhode Island Secures Largest Land Conservation Deal in a Decade with Acquisition of 942 Acres
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced Monday the conservation of 942.11 acres of forested land in Burrillville, marking the state’s largest single land acquisition since 2014. This move preserves one of Rhode Island’s last large undeveloped parcels, opening it to public recreational use, including hunting.
The $1.61 million purchase was supported by a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) through its Wildlife Restoration Program and $301,250 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) via Walmart’s Acres for America Program.
New Hampshire receives $997,000 grant for Merrimack River watershed conservation
Almost a million dollars is headed to New Hampshire for conservation work in the Merrimack River watershed.
It’s a piece of the $139 million in grants awarded to 31 coastal states and U.S. territories “to support nature-based solutions for coastal resilience,” the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced late last month.
Persian Onager Returns To Saudi Arabia After Over 100 Years: A Major Conservation Achievement
The reintroduction of the Persian onager to Saudi Arabia by Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve marks a monumental step in the Kingdom's conservation efforts. This significant event sees the species return after disappearing for over 100 years.
In a historic move in April 2024, seven Persian onagers journeyed over 935 kilometers from Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature's Shaumari Reserve to the Saudi Reserve, establishing the first wild population in the Kingdom in a century. Their successful adaptation to the new environment was highlighted by the birth of the first foal within the Reserve, heralding a new era in the rewilding initiatives of Saudi Arabia.
With Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh declared India’s latest tiger reserve, all about the protected areas
Tiger reserves were established in India under the Project Tiger initiative of 1973. Here is how they are created and why they matter for wildlife conservation.
On December 2, India got its 57th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, after receiving in-principle approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
Endangered Mount Graham red squirrel population increases substantially
The endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, a subspecies of squirrel found only in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona, has been surveyed at higher population numbers than anticipated.
The annual interagency population survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, resulted in an estimated 233 squirrels. This is an exciting increase from the 144 squirrels estimated in 2023.
“We all knew that we were seeing a lot of squirrels and middens during this last survey,” said Holly Hicks, the AZGFD small mammal project coordinator, “but I don’t think any of us expected such a dramatic increase.”
Are Marine Protected Areas working in Victoria? Southern Rock Lobsters show that they are
Overview
Southern Rock Lobsters are an important indicator species for the health of the Great Southern Reef in Victoria.
Recent analysis of their numbers indicate that Marine Protected Areas are working, and helping to protect many different species, especially in Discovery Bay.
The local extinction of the Southern Rock Lobster in northern Port Phillip Bay underscores their importance, as sea urchin populations are expanding rapidly and are needing immediate management by Parks Victoria.
Hatching out of a fluorescent orange egg, the larval stage of the Southern Rock Lobster looks more like a creature from outer space. Floating through the ocean for up to two years, this tiny planktonic shrimp-like creature (almost impossible to see with the naked eye) will undergo 11 stages of development until they reach a size marginally bigger than a paper clip.
Although each female carries up to a million eggs in every clutch, the odds of survival are slim; on average, only two of these larvae will survive to become adults. Eventually, these diminutive youngsters will settle on the bottom of the seafloor and start to resemble something that looks more like a miniature lobster.
From here, it will take them up to a decade to become sexually mature. They can be 250 times longer than when they first hatched out of the egg, and potentially reach more than half a metre in length.
Smiley Meadow protects a rare type of tallgrass prairie found only in Texas.
Overview
Just west of Paris, Texas lies an expanse of native grassland, where a rare type of prairie found only in the Lone Star State still exists. Behind a carved historical marker, a colorful tapestry of wildflowers bloom, rustling grasses ripple in the wind and birdsongs fill the air. Once slated for development, nearly 1,000 acres of the Smiley Meadow have been protected thanks to persistence and partnership.
Today, The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Smiley Meadow Preserve is one of many critical native prairie remnants we manage in North Texas. The preserve includes 953 acres of Silveus' dropseed prairie donated by renewable energy company Ørsted and 100 acres that TNC has owned and managed since 1972, formerly known as Tridens Prairie Preserve. Together, these protected lands contain over 300 species of grasses and wildflowers.
Positive signs for Critically Endangered Siberian Crane
A drone survey in China of wintering Siberian Cranes has revealed higher numbers of birds than expected.
In 2015, an estimation of the winter population of the Critically Endangered species suggested some 3,500 individuals remained.
However, as reported by Ornithomedia, a count carried out in January 2022 using telescopes and drones recorded more than 5,600 individuals wintering in China.
In order to accurately estimate the number of wintering cranes, counts using telescopes, combined with micro-drone surveillance, were carried out in January 2022 on lakes and in farmland in the provinces of Jiangxi, Shandong, Anhui, Hunan and Hubei.
It is bats: Latvia creates nature reserve for Western barbastelle
A new nature conservation area has been established in Latvia for the rare Western barbastelle. Researchers estimate that the population of these bats in Latvia is only about 200-500 and that there is at least one local population in the Koknese-Pļaviņas area. The species' habitat in this area will be protected over an area of about 18 thousand hectares, Latvian Radio reported on December 9.
It’s A Great Week for Wildlife Conservation in Washington
U.S. House and Senate Pass Bipartisan Legislation: The Groundbreaking U.S. Foundation for International Conservation Act and the WILD Act
Bipartisan Lawmakers Championed This Legislative Effort Which Protects Nature and Advances U.S. Economic and Security Interests Across the Globe:
Senators Chris Coons, Lindsey Graham, Tom Carper, and Shelley Moore Capito; and Representatives Michael McCaul, Gregory W. Meeks, David Joyce and Debbie Dingell.
“Saving nature and advancing conservation measures have long been a bipartisan effort in our country. Passage of the WILD Act and USFICA ensures the U.S. will continue to be a leader in global efforts to advance natural security for people and wildlife.”
Imperial Irrigation District, growers conserve over 1.2 million acre-feet of water in two years
Thanks in part to the efforts of the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) and Imperial Valley growers, Colorado River water users in California together have voluntarily conserved more than 1.2 million acre-feet of water in just two years.
By working together, the conserved water has been left in Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir, to help stabilize and protect critical reservoir elevations after more than two decades of historic drought conditions, according to figures released Wednesday by the Colorado River Board (CRB) of California, the IID said in a press release.
Near-extinct Caribbean reptile makes epic comeback
The Sombrero ground lizard is a critically endangered reptile, endemic to a tiny Caribbean island near Anguilla. In 2018, it was estimated that fewer than 100 individuals of the species were left in the wild – it was on the very brink of extinction.
In 2021, Fauna & Flora and our partners Anguilla National Trust and Re:wild stepped in to help the Sombrero ground lizard and its island habitat to recover. Fast forward three years and results are already promising. A recent survey has revealed the population of the Sombrero ground lizard is now estimated at more than 1,600 – a rapid recovery and an encouraging sign of hope for the future of the rare reptile.
Historic Partnership Secures Nearly 4,000 Acres for Conservation and Future Public Recreation in Southern Indiana
A groundbreaking collaboration has permanently protected 3,950 acres near the Lake Glendora Test Facility (LGTF) in Southern Indiana, creating the new Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area, which will be open to the public in 2025.
The newly protected land will safeguard vital ecosystems and enhance future public recreational opportunities. The Busseron Creek project, spearheaded by the Conservation Law Center (CLC) and its Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL) initiative and powered by a multi-million-dollar investment by The Conservation Fund (TCF), demonstrates the power of partnerships in advancing conservation and community resilience.
Leopard Population Has Nearly Tripled in the World’s Largest Conservation Area
In parts of Zambia’s Kafue National Park, a conservation organization specializing in wildcats has reported that the number of leopards there has nearly tripled.
With an increase of 2.9, there are now 4.4 leopards per 100 square kilometers of terrain, which is much more than it sounds when you consider just how big Kafue is.
At 22,700 square miles, it’s two-and-a-half-times larger than Yellowstone, but exists within the Greater Kafue Ecosystem—a mosaic of landscapes enjoying various levels of protection that’s three times larger than that, and is around the size of Massachusetts.
Tireless advocates stepped up in 2024 to defend the Brooks Range and America’s largest intact park landscape from the Ambler mining road — and they won.
After a long-fought campaign, Alaskans and national park advocates from across the country successfully blocked the proposed 211-mile Ambler mining road — twice this year. This industrial project would have sliced through the country’s largest intact national park landscape, disrupted caribou migration routes and threatened the subsistence lifestyle of 65+ Alaska Native Tribes.
Conservationists Have Successfully Restored Tiger Population in Russia Where Absent for 50 years
Conservationists have succeeded in restoring tiger populations in a region where they were virtually absent for more than 50 years in Russia. This restoration took place from 2012-2021 in the Pri-Amur region of Russia.
The techniques used to restore the tiger population are highlighted in a new study in the Journal of Wildlife Management which can be found HERE.
In addition to highlighting this Russian success story, the study outlines a pathway for the restoration of tigers in many other parts of Asia where they have been lost.
