Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Apr
16

Finally at the field site! By Peter Riger, Vice-president of Conservation reporting form Borneo

Posted by in Uncategorized

Vice-President of Conservation, Peter Riger is visiting Borneo to find out how the Houston Zoo can be of further assistance in the race to save Asian wildlife.

I think my favorite part of Borneo is the river, but first you have to get to the river. The paved roads out of the capital, Kota Kinabalu, literally wind their way out of town towards Mount Kinabalu and then up and around. It is about a 5 1/2  hour drive to the village of Batu Puteh and the boat that will take us 30 minutes downriver to the field site. Half of this is getting up, around and then down the mountain and at no point during this portion of the trip are you driving straight for more than 50 feet. The whole time on a two lane road with trucks in front and cars trying to pass from behind.

Once we get to Batu Puteh, after a lunch stop in the town of Ranau and The Double Luck Restaurant, a place I have eaten at least a dozen times so clearly I am owed 24 lucks, it is time to head down the Kinabatangan River. This always seems to occur around 5pm and it rains on this side of the mountain daily between 4pm and 6pm so our timing is always perfect for rain while in an open top boat.

The river is a good place to see wildlife, especially this part where there are so few people except a few prawn fisherman. On this short trip we watched long-tailed macaque, silvered langurs which can be difficult to see downriver, and a group of Proboscis Monkeys made of one large male, a number of females and their offspring. The latter two species are both folivores which means they eat mostly leaves but will also eat fruit when available. It is a little early for crocodiles which can be seen here at night ranging in size from juveniles to over 12 feet long. We did see a pair of Oriental hornbills and a trio of Black hornbills. Seven of the regions eight hornbill species can be found along this river.

 The trip ends at the jetty for the field centre which houses students (from no less than 6 countries on this trip) working on numerous field projects we will highlight if and when we can get a working Internet signal. These projects include Nocturnal Primates (Slow Loris and Tarsier), Crocodile, Proboscis Monkey, Small Carnivores, Clouded Leopard, Banteng, Sun Bear, Monitor Lizard and of course Elephant.

The field centre opened in 2005 and has come a long way in a few short years to being one of the premier places for Masters and PhD research focusing on assisting the wildlife department in determining potential management plans for a number of regionally important species. The centre also hosts tropical biology workshops for universities, courses on primate field work, volunteers and other students as space is available.

The best part: every room I have stayed in seems equipped with it’s own gecko to eat any insects that find their way in the door or screened windows.Unless of course it is a Tokay Gecko which is really big and they just stare at you all night.  The facility runs on generator, due to it’s isolation, which shuts down around 11pm and is back up by 8am in time for everyone to get ready to head into the field by boat or on foot. Apparently I have a 8am appointment with a number of Bornean Sun Bear “traps” (more like an open baited and enclosed over-sized bear crate) tomorrow to check for signs of interest with the local bears, or possibly a bear in a crate as one of the projects here is to radio collar sun bear and collect data on their use of the forest.

Apr
15

Greetings from Painted Dog Country! By Lisa Marie Avendano, Veterinary Hospital and Animal Nutrition Manager.

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Staff assisting wildlife protection in the wild,Supporting Painted Dog Conservation,Travel,Uncategorized

Lisa Marie Avendano, Veterinary Hospital and Animal Nutrition Manager is in Zimbabwe assisting our wildlife conservation partners at Painted Dog Conservation. 

Day 1

Arrived at Victoria Falls Airport after 1pm and then a two hour drive south to the Hwange National Park area and Painted Dog Conservation. After almost 3 days of travel I needed a good nights’ rest.

 Day 2

Right to work the next morning, after introductions to my new friends and students at the veterinary facility. Check out the solar panels!

The group I am training in the laboratory for parasite procedures is made up of  6 PDC staff members and 3 interns, all eager to learn.

The team has been practicing microscope techniques in anticipation of my arrival and they were ready to get started. We had a disappointing first attempt at finding parasites in a fixed painted dog scat sample but, I assured my pupils that they had nothing to worry about and soon enough we would have positive results as parasites are just a fact of life in wild populations. We spent the rest of the day on reviewing procedures and covering questions.

Even though we found no parasites, this day was still eventful. I visited the rehabilitation center and there, from a distance, I met Aurora a painted dog that will hopefully join a pack in the wild soon.

Looking forward to success on Day 3, so check for new updates soon!

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Mar
29

Guest blogger Mary Kate Kunzinger reporting on how the Ruaha Carnivore Project is saving lions

Posted by in Africa,Carnivores,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Uncategorized

The Ruaha Carnivore Project, based in southern Tanzania, is located around Ruaha National Park where the world’s second largest lion population lives, making it critically important to lion conservation. It is also home to African Painted dogs, cheetahs, leopards, and spotted hyaenas, all of whom’s populations’ are decreasing. Despite the importance of the area to many carnivore species, it has been overlooked in conservation research. This, along wit human-wildlife conflicts in local villages, led to the creation of the Ruaha Carnivore Project in 2009.

Their mission has two main points: to collect data and conduct research on the wildlife in the area to create more effective conservation strategies and to help local communities to reduce human-carnivore conflict through training and support.

The Ruaha Carnivore Project collects data through camera trapping and direct sightings. Carnivore sighting are reported by anyone in the area, such as National Park staff, tourists, are villagers. Camera trappings are a way to not only become aware of what animals are in an area but to see and identify individual animals. Camera traps work through motion sensing. When an animal walks past, the camera is triggered. Camera traps are becoming common in conservation in many areas around the world. They are incredibly interesting and a great way to learn about animals in the wild. They also make for some interesting photography.

The second part of Ruaha Carnivore Project’s mission is to reduce human-carnivore conflict. So what exactly is human-carnivore conflict? The most common type in the area happens when carnivores kill livestock, an important part of the villager’s livelihood, and villagers kill the carnivore in retaliation or to stop it from attacking again.

Ruaha Carnivore Project sought to find a solution to this problem by speaking with villagers about what would work for them. A solution that they have found to reduce these conflicts is twofold: to reduce the costs of carnivores and to help villagers benefit from carnivore presence. To reduce the costs of carnivores, multiple methods have been applied, including dogs to guard livestock, noisemakers to scare carnivores away, and helping to fortify livestock enclosures against carnivore attacks. If carnivores can’t get to the livestock, they are less likely to come near the village.

 

Ruaha Carnivore Project has also developed initiatives to help villagers benefit from the presence of lions. They are working with outside partners to improve education and healthcare in the areas surrounding the project. An interesting project is the Kids 4 Cats, an initiative where schools around the world can partner with a local school to help supply education resources such as textbooks. Just recently, Ruaha Carnivore Project announced their Simba Scholars Class of 2017. This is a group of six students who, through the support of sponsors, have received four year scholarships to a secondary school. This is an amazing opportunity that they probably would not have had without the support of the Ruaha Carnivore Project.

The Ruaha Carnivore Project is incredibly important to both the wildlife and people in the areas surrounding Ruaha National Park. Visit the Lion SSP website here to learn more and find out how you can help this project!

 

 

You can learn even more about the Ruaha Carnivore Project firsthand from the director of the project, Amy Dickman. She will be at the Houston Zoo on Tuesday, April 9 as a part of the Call of the Wild Speaker Series. For more information on this event and to RSVP click here. 

Ending this on an adorable note, here is a picture of an adorable lion drinking, caught by a camera trap

[

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Feb
27

Update on how Rhinos are doing in the wild

Posted by in Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Uncategorized

The following is a news update from IUCN about the status of rhinos in the wild.

Nearly 2,400 rhinos have been poached across Africa since 2006, slowing the population growth of both African rhino species to some of the lowest levels since 1995, according to the latest facts revealed by IUCN experts.

Rhino poaching increased by 43% between 2011 and 2012, representing a loss of almost 3% of the population in 2012, according to IUCN’s Species Survival Commission’s (SSC) African Rhino Specialist Group. Experts predict that if poaching continues to increase at this rate, rhino populations could start to decline in less than two years’ time.

“Well-organized and well-funded crime syndicates are continuing to feed the growing black market with rhino horn,” says Mike Knight, Chairman of the IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group, a group of rhino experts within IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. “Over the past few years, consumer use of rhino horn has shifted from traditional Asian medicine practices to new uses, such as to convey status. High levels of consumption – especially the escalating demand in Viet Nam – threaten to soon reverse the considerable conservation gains achieved over the last two decades.”

There are currently 5,055 Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) and 20,405 White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) in Africa. Although these numbers have increased slightly over the last two years, there is no room for complacency. In 2012, at least 745 rhinos were poached throughout Africa – the highest number in two decades – with a record 668 rhinos killed in South Africa alone. In 2013, one rhino has been lost to poaching every 11 hours since the beginning of the year – a rate that is higher than the average for 2012.

Illegal trade in rhino horn is coordinated by well-organized criminal syndicates which transport the horns primarily to Viet Nam and China. Mozambique has also been identified as a key driver of poaching activities, with poachers making cross-border raids into the South African Kruger National Park, home to the world’s largest rhino population. Mozambique is also a major transit point for illegal horn to Asia.

IUCN experts call upon the international community – especially the key consumer and transit states such as Viet Nam, China and Mozambique – to urgently address the crisis by strengthening and enforcing regional and international trade laws, particularly in relation to rhino horn.

“The rhino community is encouraged by the signing of a recent Memorandum of Understanding between South Africa and Viet Nam to address the rhino poaching epidemic as well as other conservation issues,” says Simon Stuart, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. “However, it needs to be reinforced with tangible government action on both sides. International and regional collaboration needs to be strengthened, as does sharing of information, intelligence and expertise to address wildlife crime issues.”

Updated facts on the rhino crisis come on the eve of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) that will take place from 3 to 14 March in Bangkok, Thailand. Illegal rhino horn trade will be one of the many issues discussed at the meeting.

Tags: , , ,
Jan
23

Houston Zoo Attwater’s Prairie Chickens Thriving in the Wild!

Posted by in Attwater's Prairie Chicken,Birds,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas,Uncategorized

Last week, staff from the Houston Zoo conservation, veterinary and bird departments assisted in Attwater’s prairie chicken field work at the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge.  US Fish and Wildlife staff drove us out into the refuge in the dark of the night.  We stopped and parked the vehicles at the precise location they had tracked birds to earlier in the day.  Never having seen an Attwater’s prairie chicken in the wild before, I was very excited to trek off into the dark prairie with the US Fish and Wildlife staff member, Mike Morrow. He carried his radio telemetry equipment, I carried the net and another Houston Zoo staff member followed ready to carry the captured bird back to the vehicles to be processed.   

Each captive bird that is released into the wild is fitted with a radio collar that is used to track the birds movements.  Radio telemetry equipment is then used to track and capture specific individuals.  Each bird that was captured was examined and blood and fecal samples were taken in an effort to monitor their health.   The birds were then re-released where they were captured in the refuge.

Houston Zoo staff holding wild Attwater’s prairie chicken for examination.

It is beautiful on the prairie at night.  No city lights means a clear starry night sky and the only sounds were our feet making contact with the prairie vegetation, the birds’ wings pounding the air as we flushed them from their roosting spots and the eerie coyote calls in the distance.    We captured the first several birds relatively quickly, but the 5th bird proved to be a bit more of a challenge.   This particular bird would not let Mike get within 6 feet of her, and we made 6 attempts before deciding to give up on her.  As we began to reorient ourselves to get back to the vans, Mike revealed his feeling of defeat over the failed mission to capture this bird.  I told him I felt this was a great example of the will of this species to survive.   This animal has a fighting chance with the many predators it will face if we can’t even sneak up on it.  He whole heartedly agreed with this perspective and enthusiastically carried on with this essential species-saving work.

We assisted with the capture of 15 birds and to our delight 2 of them were raised at the Houston Zoo.  The Houston Zoo has been working with the Attwater’s prairie chicken recovery effort since 2004, so seeing an animal that has been raised at the Houston Zoo, thriving in the wild is a magnificent experience.  This is another wonderful reminder of the important role the Houston Zoo plays in the race to save species.  For more about this awesome local recovery program and others at the Houston Zoo click here.

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Jan
21

Awareness Leads to Action: Reduce, Recycle, Reduce Some More

Posted by in Animal Origins & Fun Facts,community-based conservation,Endangered Species,Going Green,Sea Turtles,Texas,Uncategorized,What You Can Do

Here is a simple fact: If you tell me to do something, I am more than likely not going to do it, even if I wanted to before you told me to. It is not that I am stubborn (I am but will not admit it) but we are constantly bombarded with messages about what we should do. What to buy, what to eat, which mattress to purchase, which car to drive, not to make your chicken wear pants. The list goes on and on.

So, I am not going to tell you what to do (that is an outright lie, you have been warned) but we do want you to see that being Aware leads to Action, good actions that we can do everyday and in doing so, can make a world of difference no matter how small.

Fisherman and Fisherwomen! Please do not cut your fishing line when you get hooked and leave it to float in the ocean because at some point – this will absolutely happen and not only to turtles but to dolphins and birds as well:

Sea Turtle trapped in abandoned monofilament line and debris in Galveston

Instead, look for monofilament recycling bins on the jetties or at least take it home and dispose of properly. More Awareness = More Action.

I am not sure in my lifetime the reduction of plastic waste will ever occur but do you really need to get all your water from these 12 once bottles which are also made from petroleum and do not break down in the landfills? We hope you will at least recycle every bottle you use. We understand it is inevitable in todays society to use plastics but we can all make a small difference by reducing our use of plastic bottles. Our Sea Lions can do it – so can you. More Awareness = More Action.

We all know Styrofoam is bad for the environment but I am not going to tell you it is because then you will think it is not. But someone just told me that it is hazardous for wildlife and even bad for humans so it must be true. Styrene,  which is what Styrofoam is made from, is a known carcinogenic and is made from petroleum – enjoy that Milkshake or cup of coffee! How easy is it to not use Styrofoam? Ridiculously easy, just reach for something else at the store and only go to restaurants, diners, drive-throughs that no longer use Styrofoam cups for your drinks. Did I mention it does not break down in the landfill – ever, and at some point ends up in our waterways? Styrofoam products are the number one source of Marine Debris. More Awareness = More Action.

Each year Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 ‘Styrofoam’ cups. That is equal to how many times I am told to do something, and I ignore it. Do not even think about ignoring me on this one.

I know you are hit with a million messages a day, and at least 12 texts, and you cannot absorb all of them, but we all know right from wrong. I do not want to sound like I am telling you what to do or making an issue bigger than it really is. That is actually the job of the Drama Llama.

We are just asking that you help us pay a little more attention to the products we all use and the waste we are leaving behind as it affects our communities and our wildlife. If you recall I noted earlier I would not be telling you what to do. I lied – I am telling you not to leave your Guinea Pig outside without sunblock no matter how cool he looks in sunglasses. More Awareness = Healthy Guinea Pigs.

Tags: , ,
Aug
15

Doggie Doo and Doggie Dont’s

Posted by in Animal Origins & Fun Facts,Uncategorized,What You Can Do

We are a pet loving society and companies take advantage of our fondness for our furry friends by selling us everything from treats to sweaters, hats and everything in between. But there are a few necessities for the dog walking elite we rarely ever think about. “Doggie Bags” and not the kind leftover Chinese food comes home in.

Please call for help -and tell them someone put a chicken on my head

Not only are we a pet loving society, but also a plastic loving society and that is not good for our environment. Convenient, but dangerous to wildlife as it does not break down in landfills and ends up in our water stream entangling animals. Yes, it seems as though I am blaming your companion for the downfall of civilization but he/she cannot pick up after himself so it is up to you to make a difference and you can do it with this simple product: Biodegradeable doggie bags.

They do not look very exciting, but who wants to draw attention to what is in your little baggie anyway?

That”s right, now your pet can do his or her business and feel better about it in the morning knowing that all those little plastic bags you have been hiding his/her treasures in will break down in the landfill and not harm or entangle wildlife. And while you are at it, you can get similar compostable garbage can liners for your home. Some stores now sell them but check Amazon or other online vendors as they may be less expensive there.

There are a number of products on the market like this one

So next time you look down and think your dog is smiling at you, they are because they are proud you have become a responsible consumer and your dog can take credit for doing something they need to do 2-3x a day anyway.

Tags: ,
Jul
30

War in the Congo: Its impact on people and wildlife

Posted by in Africa,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Featured,Gorilla,Uncategorized

Consider this my one tirade for the week:

We are a zoo and conservation organization and although we realize the terrible toll war and conflict take on human lives, this is not our expertise. So when we post stories on these regions, our focus is wildlfe but we never forget the human part of this tragedy. There are so many positive stories of conservation efforts that incorporate wildlife protection and the development of human communities which are mutually beneficial. But humans will be humans and conflict boils over in regions such as this whether it is over boundaries, mineral rights or long standing conflicts the western world (us) rarely hear about.

From June 24th to early July we spoke about the poaching conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the attack on the Okapi Conservation Project and rangers in the Ituri Forest which took the lives of 6 people and all 14 Okapi housed at the center. Media barely responded to this but our colleagues and members did and reached out in support of the people of the Ituri Forest, funding food supplies and medical aid for those displaced and injured. The attack was a retaliation for breaking up illegal elephant poaching and gold/mineral mining activities. It is not about food and water security, it is about making money by selling these products on the black market to buy better weapons to increase this illegal activity. This is my poorly disguised call for people to recycle their cell phones and pay attention to what we are saying about being a responsible consumer.

 

Mountain Gorilla, Sabinyo Group, Rwanda

In early April in the eastern sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo North Kivu province (there are two Congos, the other being the Republic of Congo), militia groups moved into an area of the Virunga Mountains, home to potentially 1/3rd of all the worlds 800+ Mountain Gorillas. This is not a new conflict, it is a cycle of fighting; rebels are being pushed back by the Congolese Army and then start fighting all over again. With it comes people fleeing their villages to escpe the conflict, reportedly some 250,000 people. And with all these people moving to protect their families, comes the depletion of natural resources for food and firewood, and the insecurity for wildlife in the park. The ongoing conflict also disrupts tourism, a large part of the park, and the areas financial sustainability as well as offering employment to the local population. For example, for the past two years, park authorities have contributed 30% of their gross revenues to projects in the impoverished surrounding villages from tourism revenue.

Young Mountain Gorilla, Rwanda

And for us, it is about wildlife and people. In Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda we support the work of the Gorilla Doctors. Gorilla Doctors is a veterinary team powered by the nonprofit Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Inc. and the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center that is dedicated to saving the lives of Central Africa’s endangered mountain and Grauer’s gorillas through health care. Gorilla Doctors treat wild human-habituated gorillas suffering from life-threatening injury and illness, conduct gorilla disease research, and facilitate preventive health care for the people who work in the national parks who come into close contact with the gorillas. The Virunga mountain gorilla population increased by 26.3% between 2003 and 2010: a 2011 study of the mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Massif showed that the Gorilla Doctors may be responsible for up to 40% of the growth of the habituated population.

Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project wih orphan. Photo by Molly Feltner/MGVP

It is important to understand that the health of mountain gorillas is inextricably linked to the health of the people with whom they share their forest habitat, as well as the health of the people living in the communities surrounding the parks. Our efforts are focused on the employee health program (EHP) where every mountain gorilla tracker, guide, porter, researcher, and veterinarian in Rwanda and DRC and his wife receives a comprehensive annual health evaluation: a physician’s examination, diagnostic blood work, HIV and TB testing, a vision test, and preventive vaccines. Any worker determined to have a health issue is sent to the local referral hospital for further diagnostics and treatment as necessary.

Children in a field in Musanze, Rwanda at the base of Volcanoes National Park, home to the Mountain Gorilla

It is also important to understand that this is an ongoing conflict, one that is based in not only political conflict but fighting over territories with natural resources that can be used for profit – from timber to gold and coltan. This conflict affects the human communities and the wildlife who live in some of the most diverse areas of the planet. Pressuring governments to make better use of these resources, and making people are aware of the ongoing conflicts, is the only way we can protect wildlife and develop long-term community based solutions for the local human populations. There is a balance to these ecosystems for which both wildlife and local people belong if managed sustainably.

For media reports on the current conflict go to MSNBC, The Guardian, CNN or Boston.com

Tags: , , , ,
May
16

Wildlife Heroes Profiles: Okapi

Posted by in Africa,Animal Origins & Fun Facts,community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research,Okapi,Uncategorized

Join us on May 19th and 20th for wildlife Heroes weekend.  On May 20th we welcome Jeff Flocken, co-author of Wildlife Heroes: 40 Leading Conservationists and the Animals they are Committed to Saving for a book-signing and presentations by zoo staff on the focus species of the book. Wildlife Heroes will be available for sale at the zoo on May 20th, quantities are limited!  Books are also available for  pre-order on the Houston Zoo website at: http://www.houstonzoo.org/wildlife-heroes/for a dicounted price until May 17th.

To give you an idea of the projects covered in the book, we thought we would highlight a few of the projects the Houston Zoo supports throughout the week:

Okapi Conservation Project, Democratic Republic of Congo – John Lukas

This not John Lukas but this is an Okapi in Epulu Conservation Station, DRC

John Lukas is the Executive Director of the White Oak Conservation Center in Yule, Florida and the founder of the Okapi Conservation Project.

Striped hindquarters of a OkapiThere is very little that is not amazing about the Okapi. Perfectly colored to blend into the deep forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this distant relative of the Giraffe looks like more like a relative of the Zebra from their striped hindquarters and legs. Currently believed to  exist exclusively in the Ituri Forest of the DRC, a country that is struggling with civil strife, illegal mining operations and illegal logging,  it is a flagship and iconic species for a region which is one of the most biologically diverse in the world.

The species was not discovered by scientists until 1901 which is even more amazing for a mammal the size of a horse

The Okapi is a conservation success story, in a very difficult region, all due to the workd of the Okapi Conservation Project. You can view the Houston Zoo’s Okapi right next to our Elephant exhibit.

John Lukas will be a presenter at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo on October 13, 2012 in San Francisco, CA

Come and visit the Okapi exhibit at the Zoo on May 19th and 20th for our Wildlife Heroes weekend to learn about the alternate protein source effort the Okapi project is attempting to reduce the need for poaching.

 

 

Tags: , ,
Mar
08

Conservation Night with the Houston Aeros March 18!

Posted by in Conservation,Elephant,Endangered Species,Gorilla,Uncategorized,What You Can Do

 

Cell phones have become a permanent fixture in our everyday lives. It’s one of the first things you look at in the morning, and the last thing you look at before sleeping. They keep us connected and help us in almost everything we do, but have you ever wondered about their impact on the environment?  

 Columbite-tantalite, or Coltan for short, is an essential element in the production of cell  phones,laptops, and many other electrical devices. This element is mined in the Congo, rapidly depleting the habitat of endangered gorillas and elephants.

In fact, eighty percent of the world’s known Coltan supply is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But fear not! There is something you can do to help. With technology constantly evolving, it is estimated that there may be around 500 million unused cell phones floating around the United States alone, with as many as 100 million added each year. Bring those outdated cellular devices to the Aeros game on Sunday, March 18 for Conservation Night and participate in our Cell Phone Recycling Program! Find the Houston Zoo table, turn in your old cell phone, and you will receive four tickets to the Aeros game on Sunday, April 15 and a kid’s pass to the Zoo!

Parts of your old devices can be reused to reduce the amount of Coltan that is mined in the Congo, preserving what is left of the depleted habitat of these amazing animals as well as reducing waste that ends up in landfills. You can also recycle old cell phones year-round by dropping them in our Cell Phone Recycling Bins at the front entrance of the Zoo! Not only will you be relieving yourself of some extra clutter, but the proceeds from all devices collected benefit the Houston Zoo’s Wildlife Conservation Fund. So come out and see us at the Aeros game on Sunday, March 18! We’ll see you there!

 

Older Posts »