Latest news with #Oxalis
Kuwait Times
7 days ago
- General
- Kuwait Times
Dogs on the trail of South Africa's endangered tortoises
Dogs on the trail of South Africa's endangered tortoises Snout pressed to the ground, a border collie named Delta zigzagged through the shrubs on a private nature reserve near Cape Town, frantically sniffing for critically endangered tortoises. The dog stopped abruptly in front of a small bush and lay down, signaling a find as Delta's handler moved in to search the surrounding area. Hidden in the tall grass was a tiny reptile, its shell marked with yellow star-like patterns -- a clear sign it was a geometric tortoise, a species found only at the southern tip of Africa. 'It's an adult female, you can tell by its flat belly,' said Esther Matthew, the dog's handler and a conservation officer for South Africa's Endangered Wildlife Trust. She explained that the organization uses canines to sniff out the endangered species by 'building positive association with the tortoises' odor', throwing Delta a foam frisbee as a reward. Dogs are five times more effective than humans at this type of search and 'also help us find the smaller tortoises which are often overlooked, the hatchlings and the juveniles', Matthew said. 'We've seen a dramatic increase in the number of finds with the dogs.' A critically endangered Geometric tortoise walks through the bush on a private reserve. A conservation official talks about a critically endangered female Geometric tortoise, that they found with specially trained dogs on a private reserve in the Boland district of the Western Cape. A general view of flowers in the genus, Oxalis, growing on a private reserve. A conservation official, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, talks about a critically endangered female Geometric tortoise. Collie dog, Delta, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, works to sniff out critically endangered Geometric tortoises. Dog-handler Esther Matthew, and Collie dog, Delta, working as part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's Dryland Conservation Project, play a short game of frisbee as a reward for locating a critically endangered Geometric tortoise on a private reserve. Shrinking numbers The help has become crucial in studying and protecting the geometric tortoise, found only in South Africa's Western Cape province and on the verge of extinction. The species' population was already as low as 1,500 individuals in the wild in the early 1990s, according to biologist Andrew Turner, who works for the conservation authority Cape Nature. It is now estimated at only several hundred animals with 'declines pretty much across the entire remaining range of this species', he told AFP. On the nature reserve, Delta and Matthew -- helped by colleagues searching the bushes with sticks -- found a dozen of the hardy reptiles. 'We record all the tortoises we can find, all the data, measurements and weight,' Delta's handler explained. 'Creating corridors' With the species' natural habitat shrinking due to agriculture and urban expansion, these surveys have become all the more critical, Turner said. 'There are very few places left in the Western Cape that still support these tortoises. It's really just a couple of nature reserves and pieces of good habitat left on people's private property,' he added. 'The remaining patches of vegetation are not really connected to each other anymore. There are farmlands in between, roads, towns and industries so there is limited ability for the tortoises to disperse and rescue other populations.' This fragmentation makes them all the more vulnerable to droughts, predation and fires, which scientists argue have become more frequent and intense thanks to climate change. Poaching -- of the tortoises and the plants they feed on -- is also a threat, Turner said. 'They are down to such small levels that they actually need as much assistance as they can get,' he said. To save the species, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has looked at building 'partnerships' with landowners and communities living in the animals' habitat. 'The biggest thing is... creating corridors where species can work through,' explained Zanne Brink, who leads the organization's dry lands conservation program. 'Our biggest challenge is to get enough information to prevent critical biodiversity areas from being lost to unsustainable land use.'—AFP
Associated Press
30-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Oxalis Solutions to Help CalPERS Modernize IT and Improve Service Delivery
Oxalis to Streamline Operations and Enhance the Member Experience for Millions of Californians PETALUMA, Calif., Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxalis Solutions, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions for the public sector, today announced that it has been awarded the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) IT Consultants Spring Fed Pool contract. This contract will allow CalPERS and all its departments to procure from a group of qualified and selected professional services firms like Oxalis to provide advanced capabilities to different projects. CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the United States, with more than $469 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2021. The agency provides retirement and health benefits to more than 2 million members and their families. 'This is a significant win for Oxalis and a testament to our team's hard work and dedication,' said Jon Malanche, CEO of Oxalis Solutions. 'We are excited to partner with CalPERS and help them achieve their mission of providing retirement and health security for California's dedicated public servants.' Oxalis brings a wealth of experience to its public sector work, having served a diverse range of clients in industries including aerospace, defense, healthcare, and manufacturing. This broad perspective enables Oxalis to deliver innovative IT solutions tailored to the specific needs of government agencies, consistently exceeding expectations with on-time and on-budget project delivery. 'We are committed to providing CalPERS with the highest quality IT solutions and services,' said Malanche. 'We look forward to working with them to improve their operations and better serve their members and the citizens of California.' ABOUT OXALIS SOLUTIONS Oxalis is a leading technology consultancy that empowers businesses in highly regulated industries to overcome complex challenges and achieve their strategic goals. As an Atlassian Platinum Solutions Partner, we specialize in cloud solutions, IT service management (ITSM), and enterprise strategy and planning, with a deep understanding of the unique needs of the aerospace, defense, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. Our proven expertise in compliance, security, and privacy enables us to help clients navigate regulatory hurdles, unlock new revenue streams, and seize growth opportunities. We believe that empowered teams drive success, and we're passionate about providing those teams with the cutting-edge tools and expert guidance they need to thrive. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, Oxalis delivers impactful solutions that transform businesses and help them make a lasting impact. 410-212-9316
