Black footed ferret denied extra protection

A petition by environmentalists demanding more protection for black-footed ferrets has been dismissed by U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

WildEarth Guardians, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance and Center for Native Ecosystems filed a petition last year to give full federal endangered species protection to black-footed ferrets on public lands.

The groups felt stricter protection was needed as the widespread shooting of prairie dogs is wiping out the ferrets only prey.

Despite this though, Fish and Wildlife said that the current level was "appropriate". The estimated 500 ferrets living in southeast Wyoming's Shirley Basin are currently listed as "nonessential, experimental" populations, allowing private landowners and wildlife managers more flexibility than if the animals had full endangered-species protection.

Cottontails disappearing!

Biologists believe there are fewer than 100 cottontail rabbits left in New England, US.

The sharp decline is being blamed on a loss of habitat. "They're the poster child for the loss of shrub land habitat," said Steven Fuller, a wildlife biologist with the state Fish and Game Department.

Federal grants have been handed out to New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut to encourage them to step efforts and create new habitats to protect these endangered animals.

The Rangewind New England Cottontail Initiative is focusing on areas targeted for conservation and restoration on public and private land.

Giant tortoises make a comeback!

39 giant tortoises are going to be re released on Pinta island where it hasn't been seen since 1972.

According to officials of the Galapagos National Park, the endangered species are being relocation as part of a long-term plan to restore the original ecosystem of the island.

The volcanic island is also home to a 90 year old tortoise called Lonesome George, believed to be the last of his kind.

Four mountain gorillas die unexpectedly in National Park

The deaths of four mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park remain unknown at this time.

On Sunday 16, trackers from a research centre discovered a mother dead and her infant seriously weak. They alerted the Rwandan Development Board and veterinarians were dispatched. Despite desperate attempts the baby died. Two other dead infants were also discovered.

The gorillas were part of an estimated 380 members of highly endangered Virunga mountain gorilla population. There are only around 680 mountain gorillas left in the wild and half of them live around the active and non-active Virunga volcanoes.

"We are all shocked and saddened by the death of these baby gorillas as well as the adult female, and by the grave implications for the mountain gorilla population as a whole," said Eugene Rutagarama, Director of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP).

The gorillas are thought to of died because of the extreme weather conditions due to the high altitude of their habitat. Tests will be run on the bodies to determine the correct cause.

Asiatic lions at risk

Conservationists believe the Indian lions are at risk because their entire population is confined to the forest in Gir, Gujarat, and they wish to move some of the lions to a wildlife sanctuary in Kuno, Madhya Pradesh.

The Government of Gujarat opposes this move and a dispute is brewing between the to areas authorities.

The Asiatic lion, a sub species of the African lion, until 2000 was listed by the UICN Red List s critically endangered. In 1908 the total population was no bigger than 13 individuals but by 1968, 177 animals were accounted for.

Protective measures have resulted in a significant recovery of these endangered species. A count this year brought the total number to 411 which is good news to the people of Gujarat who consider the lion as their "Animal King".

This has also increased their resolve to oppose the intention to relocate some of the lions to the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary.

Nestle pledges to stop using palm oil

International food giant, Nestle, has agreed to stop buying palm oil from suppliers who are contributing to deforestation.
The company said it would identify and exclude suppliers which is said to be a huge victory for campaigners, who accused Nestle of hastening the decline of the orang-utan.
Greenpeace has been running a campaign encouraging consumers to contact Nestle, calling for an end in the use of palm oil.
A statement from the pressure group stated that "we didn't expect Nestle to come up with such a comprehensive 'zero deforestation' policy so quickly."

New species found in 'Lost World' rainforest

A Pinocchio frog with an extendable nose and the world's smallest wallaby are just some of the new species discovered in a mountainous region of Indonesia.

The Foja Mountains, a national wildlife sanctuary, is on the island of New Guinea and encompasses 1,200 sq miles of undisturbed rainforest.

The discoveries were made as part of a survey in the area by Conservation International. A team of 17 scientists were dropped off in the area by helicopter. They were then joined by 30 local naturists and spent four weeks exploring the mountains.

Bruce Beehler, a senior research scientist at Conservation International and a member of the research team that set out in November 2008, said "while animals and plants are being wiped out across the globe at a pace never seen in millions of years, the discovery of these absolutely incredible forms of life is much-needed positive news. Places like these represent a healthy future for all of us, and show that it is not too late to stop the current species extinction crisis."

The mountainous region has been called the "Lost World" due to it's absence of roads and tropical environment which has made it the perfect habitat for diverse species.

Conservation International hopes it's documentation of the wildlife in the Foja Mountains will encourage the Indonesian Government to increase long-term protection of the area.

Rwanda to name baby gorilla's for World Environment Day

The development board of Rwanda will name 11 rare baby gorillas as part of a traditional World Environmental Day.

The ceremony, called kwita izina, will take place on 5 June at the foot of the volcanoes deVirunga mountains in Rwanda's Northern Province.

The event will hopefully raise awareness for the conservation protecting endangered mountain gorillas.

Anette Tamara Mbabazi, Rwanda Development Board's media and events officer, said that the international year of the biodiversity would focus on raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity and its protection from underlying threats as well as the significance of establishing interconnections between biodiversity, conservation and climate change.

Climate change could cause lizards to die out

According to a scientific study, climate change could cause 20% of the worlds lizard species to die out by 2080.

Data was collected from 200 sites in Mexico by international researchers. After comparing with other data from around the world it was proven that Earth's temperature was rising faster than the lizard could adapt. As reptiles and amphibians are cold blooded, temperature is a big issue and is detected fast. It plays an major part in their daily activities and also how long they can search for food.

These results are very different from previous estimates and provides a warning for humans as scientists often consider reptiles to be the indicators of the overall health of our ecosystem.

Barry Sinervo, a researcher from the Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California described how lowland species had moved to higher areas for cooler temperatures. This has also caused existing high land species to go extinct.

The study, which measured carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, concluded that in 2050 6 percent of the worlds lizards will be extinct and it's to late to do anything about that, however, if changes were made now it could save the remaining species.

Sinervo said "if the governments of the world can implement a concerted change to limit our carbon dioxide emissions, then we could bend the curve and hold levels of extinction to the 2050 scenarios, but it has to be a global push."

Open season threatens bluefin tuna

Fishing continues to wreak havoc on the bluefin tuna population.

The WWF has asked all fishing countries to keep their fishery's closed until a scientific plan can be put in place to stop destructive industrial fishing.

Over 150 members of CITES met in Doha, Qatar in March where proposals were rejected to list bluefin tuna in the Appendix I of the convention despite meeting the requirements amply. It was mostly rejected on political grounds and overwhelming lobbying from Japan.

Some major members such as the EU did agree to put in radical measures to protect the species by the next meeting in Paris at the end of this year.

Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean, said "Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks cannot resist for much longer - by all accounts the species is endangered, with current populations dwindling at less than 15 percent of what they once were."

International scientists have said that even an annual catch of 8,000 tonnes would only give at best a 50 percent chance of recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Such a quota would mean the closure of all Mediterranean fisheries and for them to adapt more traditional methods of fishing such as the tuna traps used around the Straits of Gibraltar that have supported many fishing families for over 3,000 years.

"WWF calls in particular on the EU and Japan - the main catchers and consumers of this endangered species - to lead in honouring their Doha commitments to respect science in fisheries management" said Dr Tudela.

High-tech purse seine fishing vessels with vast sack-like nets which encircle the tuna, are causing the most decline. The WWF has welcomed the decision of Italy to impose a moratorium on its large seine fishing fleet this year and scrap most of the vessels. The WWF also urges other Mediterranean countries to keep their fleets in port.

Butterflies face extinction

A new study has suggested a third of European butterflies are in decline with one in ten threatened with extinction.

Britain could face losing two species of butterfly, the Duke of Burgundy (pictured above) and the Lulworth Skipper, if urgent action isn't taken. Both butterflies have declined in recent years and are now at threat of extinction according to the European Red List assessment of species at risk.

The Lulworth Skipper (pictured right) can now only be found along the south coast of Dorset having declined by 87% since 1980. The Duke of Burgundy have dropped from 200 to just 80 colonies in the last 20 years.

The Large Blue is also showing cause for concern. It is endangered throughout the continent and disappeared from the British countryside in 1979. It has since been successfully reintroduced into Somerset and Dorset.

The chief executive of UK charity Butterfly Conservation, Dr Martin Warren, blamed the decline on habitat loss due to intensive farming practices.

He said "we need to see much greater efforts for farmers to adopt environmentally sensitive agriculture."

A study conducted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has highlighted concerns for 22 species of butterfly, 29 species of beetle and 5 types of dragonfly.

Hotels for bees!

Brussels is planning on spending £1 million to build non-pesticide 'hotels' for French bees in an attempt to curb their decline in population.

Scientists believe the project, which has begun in Lyons, will e very helpful for the European bee population and could also save vegetables, fruit, flowers and billions of Euros.

The five-year programme will cost around £2 million and will include building 48 4m by 2m 'hotels' made from earth, brick and plant stalks.

Frederic Vyghen, of Arthropology, an environmental association running the project, said that the bee population has declined mainly due to the large amount of pesticides used in farming areas. In theory bees would be safer living in urban communities such as towns.

France generated sales of £100 million last year thanks to it's 1.3 million hives. My Vyghen says "if they died out, we'd have no vegetables, fruit - nothing."

Poachers could be to blame for rare Javan rhino death

An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of death of one of the world's rarest large mammals after it was found in a Vietnamese national park.

A scientific examination carried out by WWF indicates poachers were at fault as the rhino had been shot and a horn had been removed. Rhino horns are incredibly valuable in the illegal wildlife trade and are allegedly used in medicine.

Under Vietnam law it is illegal to trade, use or consume parts of an endangered animal and if caught offenders could face imprisonment or large fines.

The body was first discovered by local people in Cat Tien National Park on April 29. A patrol team was dispatched to the scene where the body was confirmed to be that of a Javan rhino.

Vietnamese Javan rhinos are one of two populations of the species left on Earth with an estimated fewer than 60 Javan rhino left. The other population can be found in Ujung kuloN National park in Indonesia with an estimated 40-60 left. There are no Javan rhinos in captivity.

National Policy Coordinator off WWF Vietnam Dung Huynh Tien said "the loss of this rhino is symbolic of the grim situation facing endangered species like the rhino and tiger across Vietnam."

He continues "WWF urges the Vietnamese Government to launch an urgent and extensive criminal investigation into this animal's death."

Rhino poaching met a 15 year high last year with Asia's rising demand for rhino horns and an increase in poachers.

Campaign for 'Animal Relief'

A campaign has been launched to urge the BBC to hold an 'Animal Relief' event just like Comic or Sports Relief.

Barbara Nock, a trustee at Willows Animal Sanctuary in Scotland, told me why she decided to launch the campaign and why it is so important to all of us.

"With 10 million UK pet owners, a vast percentage keeping them as companions thus making them family members, as licence payers it would be fair to redress this imbalance by adding a third event in support of our non-human relatives, be it animal sanctuaries or others caring for animals, unwanted or abused pets, ex-race dogs, ex-race horses, unwanted farm animals, injured wildlife and more. We need our country to show we care by supporting this."

Barbara funds the care of around 300 unwanted animals and other charities and believes a country wide campaign was needed to help support the continual assistance given to these vulnerable animals.

The BBC has so far replied that they have to remain biased and cannot distribute funds but Barbara and her supporters are not giving up.

In addition to a successful ongoing campaign on social networking giant Facebook, Nock has also written many letters to companies in support of animal welfare including The Body Shop, Viva and PDSA to raise awareness of the campaign.

If you would like more information contact campaignbbcforanimalrelief@googlemail.com or joing the campaign on facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=108673725833441&v

New additions to Scotland's first wild beaver population

The Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) has been given a major boost after a beaver couple we're introduced into the wild.

The pair have been said to be adapting successfully after being released from their previous enclosure in the Highland Wildlife Park on the 4Th May. Prior to their release, the beavers were given temporary shelter until they could build their own home.

The pair will join three other families (11 other beavers) in the trial area at Knapdale forest, Mid Argyll.

The partnership project between the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Royal Zoology Society of Scotland (RZSS) researches the behaviour of beavers in the wild and what their impact will be on the Scottish environment over a five year trial period.The project has been ongoing since last May and is showing continual signs of success.

Roisin Campbell-Palmer, SBT Project leader, said "Knapdale is ideal for beavers and already we have seen other animals really making it their home. The two beavers are in good health, having passed all the required veterinary health checks and we are confident they should settle in well."

Campbell-Palmer says that the beavers have been in quarantine for six months after their arrival in the UK from Norway. They then lived together for several months at the Highland Wildlife Park to help them adapt to the Scottish environment.

SBT Project Manager, Simon Jones, said that "the Scottish Government permits us to release up to four families and we that by having four breeding pairs in Knapdale our Trial stands the best chance of creating a viable population of beavers."

He continues "Over the course of the Trial, all our beavers will be tracked closely by the project team. The release of a forth pair will provide important additional field data and hopefully show how neighbouring families of beavers interact with one another."

More Canadian species at risk says report

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has released a report that reveals more species are becoming at risk.

The report includes the decline in Atlantic cod (pictured left) and bumble bee numbers and federal committee believes they should now be added to the endangered species list.

COSEWIC, who track hundreds of endangered species in Canada, believe that unsustainable harvesting in some areas has caused a rapid decline of up to 90% since the 1960s for some cod species. Scientists believe the cod population is at it's lowest in Canadian history.

Committee chair Jeff Hutchings said "there are populations that are continuing to decline in the absence of fishing and that's mainly because we had previously knocked the populations down so far that other factors in the ecosystems are taking over."

The committee, which met last month, assessed 51 at risk species including the rusty-patched bumble bee (pictured right). The reason for their rapid decline remains a mystery but pesticides, disease and loss of habitat are thought to be contributing factors.

Other species the committee thought should be listed were 11 species of freshwater mussel, two forms of threespine stickleback fish and the flammulated owl which is being viewed on with special concern.

The report did bring some good news with the whooping crane. In the 1930's only 14 were believed to exist but now numbers are no fewer than 250.