Latest news with #Fauna&Flora
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Experts thrilled as cameras capture newborn creatures high in jungle treetops: 'Seeing it reminded me of my own children'
The critically endangered Cao-vit gibbon is making progress toward recovery, according to Mongabay. A recent report by conservation group Fauna & Flora celebrated two newborns in northern Vietnam in 2024. "It is very rare that we observe baby gibbons," said Tho Duc Nguyen, Fauna & Flora Vietnam program project manager, per Mongabay. "This is a sign that the number of gibbons can increase in the troop and expand the living area, bringing a better future for the Cao-vit gibbon." Cao-vit gibbons produce offspring relatively slowly, with females giving birth every four years. Even then, Fauna & Flora spotted only one to three per year across four different troops in the region from 2020-25. With a population of fewer than 50 mature adults and 74 individuals, this rate of growth is highly precarious. Cao-vit gibbons were thought to have gone extinct because of overhunting until they were rediscovered in 2002. Conservation officers have since monitored the groups they could find, but challenging terrain has been an obstacle. New technology such as drones and thermal cameras has been helpful in producing more accurate data. Hunting remains a threat to such small populations, with demand driven by the fur trade and traditional medicine. The live trade of gibbons is a factor as well. Combined with habitat loss from logging and agriculture, wild species across the board are in trouble. Certain protections are proving useful, however. Cao-vit gibbon hunters face up to 15 years in jail and $78,000 in fines. The folks at Fauna & Flora are hopeful that the return of the Cao-vit gibbon can reinvigorate local ecosystems. "This was the smallest baby gibbon I had ever seen and seeing it reminded me of my own children as babies being cared for by my wife," Nguyen said. "This is amazing and an encouraging sign of hope for the species' population, which is currently very low, and highlights the critical importance of long-term ongoing monitoring and conservation efforts in Cao Bằng." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
What's your favourite wild animal?
Do you have a favourite wild animal? If so, you're not alone!A new survey by nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora, found that the majority of people in Great Britain discovered that the most popular choice of wild animal was the fox, closely followed by hedgehog and want to know what you make of the survey? Do you agree with the results? Or have you got a different favourite wild animal? Let us know in the comments below. What's happened? The survey found that more than six in ten people in Great Britain had a favourite wild animal and many of them could be found in the those, one in ten people (10%) chose a fox as their favourite, with hedgehogs a close runner-up on 9%.Deer came in third place followed by elephants in fourth and other popular entries included tigers and were also some more unusual choices picked out too!These included the komodo dragon, the largest lizard on Earth, the duck-billed platypus - only one of two egg laying mammals in the world - and the leaf sheep, a type of sea slug known by some divers as 'Shaun the Sheep'. The survey was carried out by nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora, who launched their new campaign, Extraordinary Everything, aiming to draw attention to role of all species in the planet's survival and the importance of protecting Teleki, the head of Fauna & Flora, whose favourite animal is the cleaner shrimp, explained: "I love my job because every day I learn more about just how extraordinary nature is." "Like how a hawksbill turtle provides a living hotel to many other creatures such as barnacles and algae. Or how vultures help protect humans from disease by clearing up dead animals from the side of the road."He added: "Every single species plays its own unique role in its habitat, just like every single one of us can help protect nature in our own way too."
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Farmers thrilled after utilizing innovative technique to grow better coffee: 'Planning to expand'
Coffee farmers in Myanmar are seeing major ecosystemic and economic benefits come from engaging in agroforestry practices. With the support of the nonprofit Fauna & Flora, the Asho Chin people of western Myanmar are planting coffee alongside trees. This protects the rapidly shrinking habitat of the hoolock gibbon, an endangered primate. Its population has declined by 90% in the past 40 years, due largely to hunting and habitat loss. By planting within the forest, Asho Chin farmers don't need to clear trees to stay in business, allowing the gibbons to thrive in their natural environment. When applied properly, agroforestry can also improve crop yields. In this case, coffee plants need shade, which can be provided by large, mature trees. Similar programs in the Philippines have also proven successful. And this one demonstrates that protecting a habitat that gibbons and coffee plants can share together to their individual advantages can produce even more benefits. "Coffee agroforestry has had a positive impact on the conservation of threatened species and their forest habitat," said Ngwe Lwin, Fauna & Flora Director for Myanmar. "As coffee plantations require shade, coffee farmers are encouraged to plant trees and conserve the existing trees around their villages, which in turn provides a haven for the gibbons and other wildlife." Protecting forests and their ecosystems helps to maintain delicate natural balances that ultimately benefit human life too. Mature forests sequester carbon, improve air quality, enhance soil health, and prevent erosion. The wildlife supported by these forests can in turn promote forest health. Hoolock gibbons are among the biggest animals in the gibbon family. They are particularly noisy and voracious fruit-eaters that play a vital role in spreading seeds. In terms of economic benefits, Asho Chin farmers have been eager to point out the higher rates they have been able to charge for the higher-quality coffee they're now producing. "Thanks to the project, we are now experiencing increased income from coffee agroforestry and are planning to expand our coffee plantations each year," local farmer Aung Zayya told Fauna & Flora. "By following sustainable agricultural practices, we are ensuring long-term environmental and economic sustainability." Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Khaleej Times
18-03-2025
- General
- Khaleej Times
'We will preserve them': Saving Cambodia's crocodiles
A motorbike rider inches slowly over bumpy terrain deep in Cambodia's Virachey national park, carefully adjusting the basket strapped behind him. Inside is precious cargo -- a critically endangered Siamese crocodile. The reptile is one of 10 being released into the park in Cambodia's northeast for the first time -- part of a years-long effort that has brought the Siamese crocodile back from the brink of extinction in the wild. "Often what we see is species are declining, species are disappearing," said Pablo Sinovas, Cambodia country director for the Fauna & Flora conservation group, which has led the conservation programme. "In this case, we are seeing actually that the species seems to be recovering." The crocodile, which can grow up to four metres long, is distinguished by dragon-like bony crests behind each eye. Just 25 years ago, experts feared that the Siamese crocodile might no longer exist outside zoos and the crocodile farms that helped decimate its population. But in 2000, a biodiversity survey led by Fauna & Flora uncovered a small number in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia, kicking off a conservation effort that has given the species a 400-strong foothold in the country. Discoveries and conservation elsewhere mean there are now up to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild globally, though in just one percent of its former range. Cambodia has been central to that success, said crocodile expert Charlie Manolis, chief scientist at Wildlife Management International in Australia. "There's an opportunity in Cambodia," he said, explaining that, unlike neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, there are still "large tracts" of protected land. - 'Best possible headstart' - Key to Cambodia's effort is a programme to help the species -- which was once found all over Southeast Asia -- breed more successfully. In the wild, fragmented populations might struggle to find a mate, and both eggs and juvenile offspring are vulnerable to predators. For every 50 or so born in the wild, perhaps as few as three survive, said Joe Rose, captive breeding officer at the Phnom Tamao facility outside Phnom Penh. "Breeding within a facility like this, we can ensure a 100 percent survival rate from hatchlings... and healthy young crocodiles to take out and release, to give them the best possible headstart", Rose said. There are around 200 crocodiles at the facility at any one time, including 50 breeding adults, who produced nearly 200 eggs last year. Eggs are taken into incubators, and hatchlings are raised in enclosures with progressive exposure to the fish and frogs they will one day catch in the wild. After several years, they are ready for release. Until now, that has meant heading to the Cardamom Mountains, where last year 60 crocodiles were recorded hatching in the wild -- the highest number in a century. The growing population holds promise not just for the species but for its broader environment too. Crocodiles are top predators which regulate their ecosystems, and there is evidence that fish diversity is higher in the rivers they inhabit. The conservation effort's growing success has bred a need for new habitats, a challenge given that crocodiles need space, prey and enough distance away from humans to minimise conflict. Virachey's rugged, remote terrain makes it ideal, with relatively untouched plant and animal life, and few residents. "It's essentially protected mostly by the remoteness," said Sinovas. - Ultrasound 'pings' - Releasing the crocodiles into a new environment is still risky. They could face predators or struggle to feed themselves -- and tracking their progress can be difficult and expensive. "Often reintroduction programmes with crocodilians, you sort of hurl them all out there, and then everybody sort of walks away and hopes that they live and grow," said Manolis. But Fauna & Flora will keep tabs using acoustic monitors, inspired by lessons from Australian crocodile conservation efforts. In Phnom Tamao, each of the 10 crocodiles is fitted with a thimble-sized transmitter, placed beneath their dappled scaly skin. These send ultrasound "pings" every time the creatures pass receivers placed along a 10-kilometre stretch of their new river home in Virachey. The data will be recorded for several months and then collected and analysed for clues on the programme's success. Reaching their new home was no easy task for the reptiles. First, there was 18 hours of travel in cylindrical bamboo baskets transported by car, motorbike and boat. Next, they acclimatised in a temporary enclosure. Receivers were installed and checked, and then it was time. Electrical tape that had been wound around their snouts to prevent snapping was peeled away, and each creature was gradually lowered into the water. They quickly splashed away, carrying great hopes on their scaly shoulders. Conservationists credit part of their success to cooperation with local communities, who have protected crocodiles in the Cardamoms and helped document new hatchlings. For Chroub Srak Er, a resident and ranger at Virachey, the reptiles offer hope. "These crocodiles disappeared a long time ago," he said. "We are so happy, we will preserve them together."
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'We will preserve them': saving Cambodia's crocodiles
A motorbike rider inches slowly over bumpy terrain deep in Cambodia's Virachey national park, carefully adjusting the basket strapped behind him. Inside is precious cargo -- a critically endangered Siamese crocodile. The reptile is one of 10 being released into the park in Cambodia's northeast for the first time -- part of a years-long effort that has brought the Siamese crocodile back from the brink of extinction in the wild. "Often what we see is species are declining, species are disappearing," said Pablo Sinovas, Cambodia country director for the Fauna & Flora conservation group, which has led the conservation programme. "In this case, we are seeing actually that the species seems to be recovering." The crocodile, which can grow up to four metres (13 feet) long, is distinguished by dragon-like bony crests behind each eye. Just 25 years ago, experts feared that the Siamese crocodile might no longer exist outside zoos and the crocodile farms that helped decimate its population. But in 2000, a biodiversity survey led by Fauna & Flora uncovered a small number in the remote Cardamom Mountains in southwest Cambodia, kicking off a conservation effort that has given the species a 400-strong foothold in the country. Discoveries and conservation elsewhere mean there are now up to 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild globally, though in just one percent of its former range. Cambodia has been central to that success, said crocodile expert Charlie Manolis, chief scientist at Wildlife Management International in Australia. "There's an opportunity in Cambodia," he said, explaining that, unlike neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, there are still "large tracts" of protected land. - 'Best possible headstart' - Key to Cambodia's effort is a programme to help the species -- which was once found all over Southeast Asia -- breed more successfully. In the wild, fragmented populations might struggle to find a mate, and both eggs and juvenile offspring are vulnerable to predators. For every 50 or so born in the wild, perhaps as few as three survive, said Joe Rose, captive breeding officer at the Phnom Tamao facility outside Phnom Penh. "Breeding within a facility like this, we can ensure a 100 percent survival rate from hatchlings... and healthy young crocodiles to take out and release, to give them the best possible headstart", Rose said. There are around 200 crocodiles at the facility at any one time, including 50 breeding adults, who produced nearly 200 eggs last year. Eggs are taken into incubators, and hatchlings are raised in enclosures with progressive exposure to the fish and frogs they will one day catch in the wild. After several years, they are ready for release. Until now, that has meant heading to the Cardamom Mountains, where last year 60 crocodiles were recorded hatching in the wild -- the highest number in a century. The growing population holds promise not just for the species but for its broader environment too. Crocodiles are top predators which regulate their ecosystems, and there is evidence that fish diversity is higher in the rivers they inhabit. The conservation effort's growing success has bred a need for new habitats, a challenge given that crocodiles need space, prey and enough distance away from humans to minimise conflict. Virachey's rugged, remote terrain makes it ideal, with relatively untouched plant and animal life, and few residents. "It's essentially protected mostly by the remoteness," said Sinovas. - Ultrasound 'pings' - Releasing the crocodiles into a new environment is still risky. They could face predators or struggle to feed themselves -- and tracking their progress can be difficult and expensive. "Often reintroduction programmes with crocodilians, you sort of hurl them all out there, and then everybody sort of walks away and hopes that they live and grow," said Manolis. But Fauna & Flora will keep tabs using acoustic monitors, inspired by lessons from Australian crocodile conservation efforts. In Phnom Tamao, each of the 10 crocodiles is fitted with a thimble-sized transmitter, placed beneath their dappled scaly skin. These send ultrasound "pings" every time the creatures pass receivers placed along a 10-kilometre stretch of their new river home in Virachey. The data will be recorded for several months and then collected and analysed for clues on the programme's success. Reaching their new home was no easy task for the reptiles. First, there was 18 hours of travel in cylindrical bamboo baskets transported by car, motorbike and boat. Next, they acclimatised in a temporary enclosure. Receivers were installed and checked, and then it was time. Electrical tape that had been wound around their snouts to prevent snapping was peeled away, and each creature was gradually lowered into the water. They quickly splashed away, carrying great hopes on their scaly shoulders. Conservationists credit part of their success to cooperation with local communities, who have protected crocodiles in the Cardamoms and helped document new hatchlings. For Chroub Srak Er, a resident and ranger at Virachey, the reptiles offer hope. "These crocodiles disappeared a long time ago," he said. "We are so happy, we will preserve them together." suy-sah/pdw/pjm/sn
