Owl News

Owls have always been of particular interest for bird lovers; be it because of their exciting larger size or their simple majestic nature. Owls also occur in numerous children's books, movies, and cartoons. We can't seem to get enough of these beautiful creatures. Scientists are the same way; they strive to gain information regarding their "behavior, biology and sensory prowess" that seem to set them apart from all other avian species (Angier, New York Times).

Recently, researchers discovered that young barn owls can be impressively generous toward one another, regularly donating portions of their food to smaller, hungrier siblings — a display of altruism that is thought to be rare among nonhuman animals (Angier, New York Times).

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to see the accompanying video.

Also, if owls are what interest you, check out The Global Owl Project which is "a long-term, worldwide project to advance foundational aspects of science and conservation for the world’s owls."

Join Project FeederWatch with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Have you ever wanted to contribute to bird conservation? If so, did you know you can do just that from the comfort of your own backyard?

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in conjunction with BirdStudies Canada, runs a program called Project FeederWatch which enables regular, everyday birdwatchers to participate in a national bird count. It began in the mid-1970s with 500 participants and now has over 15,000 participants. According to its website, Project FeederWatch is “a winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. FeederWatchers periodically count the birds they see at their feeders from November through early April and send their counts to Project FeederWatch.” The data collected “helps scientists track broadscale movements of winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance.”

Anyone can participate in Project FeederWatch; all that’s required is an interest in birds. People of all birding skill levels participate including children, families, individuals, classrooms, retired persons, youth groups, nature centers, and bird clubs. To join Project FeederWatch, click here. 

There is a small annual participation fee of $15 to join, which helps pay for materials, staff support, web design, data analysis, and a year-end report (Winter Bird Highlights). Project FeederWatch is supported almost entirely by these fees so without the support of its participants, it wouldn't be possible for the project to continue.

Once joined, “participants receive a Research Kit, which contains instructions, a bird identification poster, a wall calendar, a resource guide to bird feeding, and a tally sheet—everything you need to start counting your birds. U.S. participants receive a subscription to the Lab of Ornithology’s newsletter, BirdScope, while Canadian participants receive Bird Studies Canada’s quarterly publication, BirdWatch Canada.” The Research Kits are shipped in the fall unless you sign up during the FeederWatch season, then it is shipped two weeks after you sign up. You must provide your own birdfeeders and birdseed.

Next, you need to designate a “count site” where you’ll consistently observe and count your birds. For your “count site” it’s easiest to choose obvious boundaries like a yard. Once you’ve decided on the “count site,” it’s time to start counting!

To count your birds, you will count birds that appear in your count site due to something you’ve provided such as plantings, food, or water. For each species of bird, only report the highest number of individuals you see in view at one time. By following this procedure, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology trusts that you will be certain to avoid counting the same bird twice. The amount of time you spend collecting data is completely up to you: bird-count days can occur in two consecutive days once every two weeks or once every week; it just depends on your preference. Afterwards, report your data either online on the website or by mail with paper data forms. The counting season runs each winter from the second Saturday in November to the first Friday in April. Sign-ups are accepted until February 28^th for the current counting season and begin on March 1^st for the upcoming counting season.

Project FeederWatch is an excellent way to get involved with bird conservation on the most basic level and have a large impact. The results of the data collected “are regularly published in scientific journals and are shared with ornithologists and bird lovers nationwide.” The data enables scientists to see where birds are as well as where they are not, thereby enabling scientists to generate the most accurate population maps. Furthermore, this data helps scientists track downward trends of birds facing decline and reveal which species may need special protection. So, get outside and get counting!

*All information regarding Project FeederWatch from “About FeederWatch” page. 

The Last Asiatic Cheetahs Of Iran

When we hear Iran mentioned in the news, the images that immediately come to mind are war torn cities and military fighting; however, there is so much more to Iran than we know. Thinking of Iran, the one image that doesn't enter my mind is a cheetah, but there are Asiatic Cheetahs living and surviving in Iran’s “vast central plateau” (Hunter, National Geographic). There are only about 100 individuals left in Iran so they are extreme rarities among the desert landscapes. According to Dr. Luke Hunter, President of Panthera, “Iranian cats are virtually invisible […] intensely shy […] and hovering on the edge of extinction, they are essentially impossible to see” (Hunter, National Geographic).

Recently, National Geographic magazine published amazing photographs of wild Asiatic cheetahs in Iran gathered from those taken by camera-traps.  National Geographic was only able to photograph these rare cats due to an 11-year conservation project by the Iranian Department of Environment. In 2001, the DoE with support from the United Nations Development Programme, began a long-term project to bring the cheetah back from the edge of extinction. The Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah Project (CACP) provided their own help by labeling five landscapes as specially protected cheetah reserves and provided numerous resources to make them remain safe havens—dozen of cheetah guards, new vehicles, motorbikes, and other materials. (Hunter, National Geographic)

Back in 2001, most Iranians had no idea their country harbored some of the Earth’s last Asiatic cheetahs, but now in cooperation with Panthera and local partners, the CACP sets out to protect the last Iranian cheetahs by

mitigating the direct threats facing cheetahs and their prey; gathering ecological data on existing cheetah, other carnivore and prey populations; enhancing and empowering law enforcement officials to protect cheetahs and their prey, including seeking a reduction in the number of annual gun licenses issued in cheetah range; researching the ecology of cheetahs, other predators and their prey using camera traps and radio-collars; studying cheetah rangelands to determine the extent of competition for land between livestock and the cheetah’s wild ungulate prey; establishing environmental educational activities with local communities to improve attitudes towards cheetahs; and engaging with local communities, conservation organizations and government officials to collaboratively protect cheetah habitat. (Hunter, Panthera)

In the past, the Asiatic cheetah’s distribution “extended across the Middle East, Central Asia, north into southern Kazakhstan and southeast into India;” however, today the cheetah has been pushed from almost its entire Asiatic range except for the “small and critically endangered population in the Islamic Republic of Iran” (Hunter, Panthera). The roughly 100 Asiatic cheetahs left in the wild occupy the “arid, central plateau of Iran” and face major threats which include: “overhunting of cheetah prey, habitat degradation and direct poaching” (Hunter, Panthera).

It’s important to get the word out about these elusive cats and to grab the attention of conservation organizations worldwide; that’s why the camera trap photos are so pertinent to the cheetahs’ survival. Currently, “Iranian cheetahs live at the lowest density recorded anywhere for the species, one to two cats per 1,000 square kilometers; the same-size area on East African plains can hold 100 cheetahs” (Hunter, National Geographic). National Geographic magazine’s article provides “evidence of residency and breeding including terrific pictures of young cubs” (Hunter, National Geographic). So, even though the cheetahs are at exceptionally low numbers, the camera trap photographs of the cheetahs and cubs provide hope for future populations.

Dr. Luke Hunter hopes that “National Geographic’s wonderful photographs bring the predicament of this critically endangered cat to a new audience who, like most Iranians a decade ago, had never heard of the cheetah’s existence in the country” (Hunter, National Geographic).

References

Hunter, Luke, Dr. "Finding the Last Cheetahs of Iran." News Watch. National Geographic, 25 Oct. 2012.Web. 30 Oct. 2012. 

Hunter, Luke, Dr. "Finding the Last Cheetahs of Iran." Panthera, 25 Oct. 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.

Aerial Drones and Conservation

When it comes to wildlife conservation, much of it involves scientists searching through exotic forests and jungles collecting population data, setting camera traps, and surveying the ecosystem. As important as all this is, it takes up a lot of time and money. So the newest option for conservationists is to use aerial drones to assist them in surveying specific areas for wildlife and for human encroachment in the habitat.

By putting ‘an eye in the sky’ it’s easier to view large herds of elephants in Africa or the effects of deforestation on a habitat. A team of scientists working in Indonesia created “inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drone airplanes), to study critically endangered Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) from above the treetops” (Platt). This technology is already being used in other conservation projects around the globe.

Serge Wich, a professor at the Research Center in Evolutionary Anthropology and Paleoecology at Liverpool John Moores University, says “autonomous drones can help scientists and conservationists to inexpensively collect timely, high-resolution data” (Platt). Wich and his partner, Lian Pin Koh, assistant professor of applied ecology and conservation at ETH Zurich, “have developed a lightweight drone system that costs about $2,000—including the batteries, software, cameras and flight stabilizers” (Platt). Other available drones are much more expensive and can cost up to $5,000, but Wich and Koh set up a website, ConservationDrones.org, to help others recreate the same technology around the world.

Wich and Koh first used their drones in Sumatra “to capture video and photographs of orangutans and elephants. The drones also came back with striking images of Sumatra’s deforestation, caused by logging and palm oil plantations” (Platt). They also captured “photographs of orangutan nests high in the trees, information that will help inform future conservation activities” (Platt).

In an interview for the Scientific American blog, when asked what he was trying to solve with these drones, Wich replied that “one of the main problems we have is that we’re almost always behind the facts on the ground.” He goes on to describe how the conservation areas are just so huge and difficult to monitor regularly so the need for drones is high. The drones are available whenever they want to send them out, whereas conducting ground surveys takes time for planning and execution and the cost is considerably higher.

The beauty of the drones is that conservation researchers can choose to fly them as often as they like; for example, drones can fly over the forest every month or every week to see what’s going on. Then if there are any illegal activities or encroachment going on they can inform the local authorities. Wich hopes drones will enable conservationists “to react much faster to changes on the ground” than before (Platt).

Photo of deforestation

Eventually, as the drone technology advances, Wich wants to receive “live feedback from the video” instead of how it is now where he does not get access to video or photos until the drone returns from its flight (Platt). The drones currently operate with an autopilot route, much like Google Maps, that the researcher can plot himself. The next step after live video footage would be thermal imaging attached to the drone software.

Another example of aerial drones used in conservation is the research Panthera is currently conducting for the Jaguar Corridor Initiative. According to Panthera’s September newsletter, “one of the greatest resources shaping [Panthera’s] groundwork is aerial surveys carried out within Panthera’s Jaguar Corridor Initiative—a program working to connect and protect jaguar populations from Mexico to Argentina to ensure the species’ genetic diversity and future survival” (Panthera).

The drones offer “a unique perspective of the jaguar’s range, and a level of detail unmatched by satellite imagery, aerial surveys allow Panthera’s scientists to truly view connectivity of the Jaguar Corridor, identify encroachments on the jaguar’s range and pinpoint habitat in which to focus Panthera’s future conservation efforts.” The main threats targeted by these aerial drones are “habitat loss and fragmentation caused by increasing human populations and developments.” They also supply Panthera scientists with images to “visually demonstrate” to political leaders how the Corridor actually connects the jaguars throughout their range (Panthera).

In addition to population data, habitat status, and the health of the ecosystem, researchers hope drones will enable faster response times for antipoaching patrols. Panthera believes “local communities and local violators are recognizing the potential of aerial surveys to uncover otherwise unidentifiable illegal activities, and allow improved enforcements of forest protection laws.” Drones will definitely have a massive impact on the effectiveness of wildlife conservation around the world.

References:

Platt, John R. "Eye in the Sky: Drones Help Conserve Sumatran Orangutans and Other Wildlife,  Extinction Countdown, Scientific American Blog Network." Scientific American Blogs., 27 Sept. 2012. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2012/09/27/drones-help-conserve-sumatran-orangutans-wildlife/>.

"September 2012 Newsletter." Panthera. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.panthera.org/september-2012-newsletter>.

Species Spotlight: Okapi

The Okapi or the “forest giraffe” is one species many people are not too familiar with.  Inhabiting the tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the okapi was not discovered by scientists until 1901 and is found nowhere else in the world. In 1901, Sir Harry Johnston’s watercolor rendition of this elusive animal was done without actually seeing the animal first hand. Instead, he obtained pieces of striped skin and eventually a skull. Johnston first believed he was on the trail of some kind of forest-dwelling horse, but soon discovered the tracks were of some cloven-hoofed beast. As it turned out, the okapi is not a horse but a forest-dwelling relative of the giraffe. Scientists confirmed this in 1901 by studying the skull Johnston acquired. 

At first sight, the okapi resembles a horse but upon closer examination it’s similarities to the giraffe are easily seen. The okapi has a relatively long neck, yet nowhere near that of its giraffe relatives. The okapi’s tongue measures between 14-18 inches long. Like giraffes, they use their tongue to wrap around leaves and branches when eating, as well as to groom themselves and their calves. The forehead, neck, and body are brown, with light tan or grey on the animal’s cheeks, throat, and chest. Okapi hair is short, slightly oily to the touch and has a delicate scent. The hind limbs and upper forelegs have cross-stripes resembling those of a zebra while the lower limbs have white “socks” with brown lines going up the front to the knees, where there’s a brown band around each leg. Males have short hair-covered, rear-facing horns, females are slightly taller than the males, and both sexes have large free moving ears.

The distinguishing zebra-like markings on its backside and legs help camouflage the okapi in the forest. The stripes are meant to resemble streaks of sunlight passing through the trees above.

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the okapi is categorized as “Near Threatened” meaning that based on recent data the species does not currently qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable but is close to qualifying in the near future. Presently, the okapi population trend is stable; there are approximately 10,000 – 20,000 okapi in the wild and 42 in various zoological institutions worldwide as of 2011. Major threats to the okapi include small-scale human occupation of the forest as well as habitat loss from logging and human development.

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, established in 1992, protects the habitat of the okapi and numerous other species, as well as local indigenous people, the Mbuti and Efe pygmies. The Reserve includes 13,700 square kilometers of the Ituri Forest in the northeastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996, representing a global effort to preserve rare plant and animal life and human culture. The Reserve protects the Ituri lowland rainforest of the Congo River Basin and safeguards a healthy population of about 5,000 okapi, 4,000 elephants, 2,000 leopards, 13 primate species including chimpanzees, three species of crocodile, and many others such as forest buffalo, antelope, water chevrotain, and a variety of birds and insects.

The Okapi Conservation Project, including the Okapi Breeding and Research Station, works to provide a safe and stable environment for both the animals and people of the region. And the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), a government agency of the Democratic Republic of Congo, works to protect the flora and fauna of the country. Working together, the conservationists and the government give all rainforest inhabitants of the Congo hope for a better future.

References:

Okapi Species page

IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group 2008. Okapia johnstoni. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 June 2012.

IUCN Near Threatened

Okapi Conservation Project

ARKive Okapi page

Big Cats Roar for Wine

Spring and summer are the seasons to get outdoors and socialize among friends and family; why not also enjoy a nice glass of wine?

The Roar Reserve wine by Big Cat Rescue is a line of certified organic and vegan wines that also help big cats. Big Cat Rescue’s mission “is to provide a permanent home for the wildcats in [their] care and to educate the public in order to eliminate the causes of abandonment and abuse.” A portion of each sale goes directly to Big Cat Rescue’s efforts to save big cats. Depending on the size of your order, you can donate between $6 and $22.99 of the purchase price toward helping big cats in the wild and at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. 

The wines available for purchase include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, a Sampler package, and a Collector’s package. The prices range from $19.99 for one bottle to $117.95 for the Collector’s package of six bottles. Each bottle carries the face of a big cat on the label so feel free to choose your favorite big cat or the wine that appeals to your personal palate.

If you’re not a wine drinker at all, donate directly to Big Cat Rescue where 100% of your donations go straight to saving big cats.

For more information, visit Big Cat Rescue and BenefitWines. 

Wildlife Conservation Stamp Act Becomes Law

As of September 30^th, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 (H.R. 1454) was signed into law. Sponsored by Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC₁) and strongly supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), this Stamp Act “provides for the issuance of a special U.S. Postal Service stamp whose premium price would directly contribute to funding for projects supported by the Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF), which are administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)” (WCS, 2010).

Govtrack.us provides a detailed summary of H.R. 1454:

Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010 - Requires the United States Postal Service to issue and sell, at a premium, a Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp. Requires the use of such a stamp to be voluntary on the part of postal patrons.

Requires proceeds from the sale of such stamp to be: (1) transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to help fund the operations supported by the Multinational Species Conservation Funds; and (2) divided equally among the African Elephant Conservation Fund, the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, the Great Ape Conservation Fund, the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, and other international wildlife conservation funds authorized by Congress after the date of this Act's enactment. Prohibits such proceeds from being taken into account in any decision relating to the level of appropriations or other federal funding to be furnished to the USFWS or such Funds. Requires the stamp to be made available to the public for at least two years. Prohibits such proceeds from being used to fund or support the Wildlife Without Borders Program or to supplement funds made available for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. (2009)

The Wildlife Conservation Society has been a longtime supporter of H.R. 1454 and believes that its passage in both the House and Senate “represents a victory for supporters of wildlife and fiscally responsible governance” (WCS, 2010). John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, says it best when he declares, “I thank Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) for their leadership in helping pass this very important piece of legislation […] The conservation of imperiled species is greatly enhanced by the infusion of more resources, especially through creative funding mechanisms such as sale of semi-postal stamps that have no impact on the U.S. taxpayer" (WCS, 2010).

Granting the public an opportunity to help protect wildlife and fund conservation projects simply by purchasing postal stamps is an inspired idea. There are many people who care very passionately about both the environment and wildlife conservation but do not know how to help. H.R. 1454 gives those people a hassle-free way to give support to the wildlife conservation projects already in progress. These stamps will be sold nationwide at U.S. post offices, as well as zoos and aquariums. I guarantee that once these stamps are available for purchase I will do my part to help. Who’s with me?

Timeline of H.R. 1454:

Introduced                             March 12, 2009

Referred to Committee           Committee Assignments 

Reported by Committee         June 10, 2009

Passed House                        December 7, 2009

Passed Senate                       July 29, 2010

Signed by President               September 30, 2010

*Govtrack.us

Polar Bear Poinsettia Program

To jumpstart the Polar Bear Poinsettia Program, Polar Bears International and Paul Ecke teamed up with the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas to promote Polar Bear conservation. Paul Ecke created a larger than life Polar Bear sculpture of a mother and cub to display in the luxurious Venetian Hotel Palazzo Waterfall Atrium.

The Polar Bear Poinsettia Program is run by Paul Ecke whose family ranch in California spans four generations. The Paul Ecke Ranch is the world’s largest and most successful poinsettia breeder and more than half of all poinsettias purchased around the world have been bred by the Ecke Ranch.

The Paul Ecke Ranch cleverly asks its consumers, “What does conservation look like in full bloom?” Well, it is time we discover the answer. When you purchase a polar bear (white) poinsettia you not only buy a beautiful holiday flower, you also make a donation to Polar Bears International.

Polar Bears International is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Polar Bears and their natural habitats through research and education. With the purchase of every “polar bear” poinsettia, Paul Ecke will make a donation to Polar Bears International. And it is the promise of the Paul Ecke Ranch that one hundred percent of all donations go directly to the projects of Polar Bears International.

In times like these when the ice continues to melt and the polar bears’ habitat continues to disappear it is wonderful to make conscientious holiday purchases. If you can help save the Polar Bears while purchasing holiday flowers, then WHY NOT? The Polar Bear Poinsettia Program makes it easy for the holidays to be a time of giving.

  

To learn more about the amazing work of Polar Bears International, visit here.

To learn more about the Paul Ecke Ranch, visit here.

Happy Big Cat Halloween!

Big Cat Rescue is a nonprofit educational sanctuary devoted to the care and protection of big cats. To give their big cats the Halloween experience, Big Cat Rescue receives donated pumpkins left over after Halloween each year from Wal-Mart and local churches. Then, the big cats are each given a delicious pumpkin to enjoy as they wish; some eat the pumpkins while others simply play with them. Enjoy!

According to Big Cat Rescue, their Mission Statement is as follows:

“Big Cat Rescue, a non profit educational sanctuary, is devoted to rescuing and providing a permanent home for exotic (i.e. wild, not domestic) cats who have been abused, abandoned, bred to be pets, retired from performing acts, or saved from being slaughtered for fur coats, and to educating the public about these animals and the issues facing them in captivity and in the wild. 

The sanctuary is home to the most diverse population of exotic cats in the world, with 16 species and subspecies of wild cat represented among more than 100 residents.  These include tigers, lions, liger, leopards, cougars, bobcats, lynx, ocelots, servals, caracals and others, many of whom are threatened, endangered, or now extinct in the wild.”

To learn more about what you can do to help the big cats you care about, visit Big Cat Rescue and take action. The options are endless; donate either your time or money, become a sponsor, purchase merchandise from the Big Cat Store, or donate materials listed on the Big Cat Rescue Wish List. 

Worldwide Panda Competition

China recently held a worldwide competition for a lucky few to become “Pambassadors” (Panda Ambassadors). 62,000 people from 50 countries submitted online applications for the once in a lifetime chance to both work with Giant Pandas and help promote their cause.

On September 25, China chose 12 semi-finalists to come to Chengdu in South West China for one week of intense training before the 6 winners are chosen. Throughout this first week, the prospective “Pambassadors” will learn about threats to the Panda’s existence, study their habitats, prepare their food, and even clean the Panda’s enclosures. The final test to determine the winners will consist of a question and answer session, building a Panda Ladder (a favorite of those in captivity), and a creative presentation to show the semi-finalists’ personalities.

The six winners will spend one month learning even more skills through the nursing of Panda cubs before returning to their home countries to educate their country on Panda conservation. Furthermore, Bernama.com, the Malaysian National News Agency, writes that “The six ‘pambassadors’ will spend a month working as panda keepers in Chengdu, China and blog about their experiences at pandahome.com in an effort to raise awareness of the endangered animals’ plight.”

This worldwide panda competition is titled “Project Panda” and was “launched by Chengdu research base in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature,” (Bernama.com) also known as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the United States.

According to the WWF, there has been recent success in the fight to save the Panda. For example, WWF highlights three major areas that have seen recent improvement:

• Panda habitat is increasing with the development of new reserves and green corridors.
• Some threats to panda survival such as poaching and illegal logging have been significantly reduced.
• Community development projects to help people sustainably coexist with pandas have been very positive.

However, despite recent success, the Panda remains on the ICUN’s Red List as an endangered species.

Maybe these six chosen Panda Ambassadors can take their love of the species and transform it into education and awareness. As “Pambassadors,” it will be their responsibility to note the various problems facing the Panda and go even further to offer possible solutions to the world audience.

If each “Pambassador” can inspire their own country to fight just a bit harder for the restoration of the Panda then maybe the world can look beyond political agendas in the name of conservation and operate for a united purpose: To Save the Giant Panda!

To view news footage of this story reported by Clarissa Ward, see Good Morning America. 

Shark Fin Soup: Delicacy VS Animal Cruelty

Shark Fin Soup

Shark fin soup is a delicacy most commonly found in Asian countries such as China and others in the Far East.  The soup is made up of shark fin and chicken (or other) stock; the shark fin itself is essentially tasteless so the stock is added to bring flavor, whereas the fin adds only texture. This delicacy costs about $100 per bowl and is usually served at special occasions like weddings to demonstrate one’s wealth. However, weddings alone do not support the shark finning trade; it is the restaurants that have the most to gain from selling such high-end food.

Sharks returned without fins

On the less glamorous side of shark fin soup is the devilish act that allows the soup to exist: shark finning. Shark finning occurs when fishermen hook a shark, brutally chop off all its fins, then dispose of the body since it holds no value. Most of the time, sharks are returned to the ocean alive in this painful condition. Unable to swim, the sharks immediately sink to the bottom and later die of starvation, are eaten by other fish, or drown due to the lack of water flowing through their gills for oxygen.

Shark Finning in action

Even with the alarming consequences of shark finning, shark fin soup remains in high demand. John Platt, on the Scientific American blog Extinction Countdown, writes that shark fin soup is actually “extinction in a bowl.” Evidence of the impending “extinction,” as Platt puts it, is clearly visible in the dissipating shark populations.  

"According to a recent report by the marine conservation organization Oceana, Hong Kong imports up to 10 million kilograms of shark fins, representing up to 73 million sharks, every year. The fins, imported by fishermen from 87 different countries, can fetch more than $1,300 each."

Sharks are beginning to reach emergency status because with all of the overfishing they are not given enough time to even attempt repopulation. Sharks as a species take at least seven years to reach maturity and only raise one or two pups at one time any given year. Moreover, shark extinction will have an adverse effect on the ocean’s ecosystem as a whole; without the presence of such a top predator the entire food chain will suffer.

Ultimately, it does not matter how much fear man has toward a species, no animal deserves to be treated with such malice.  So what is it going to take for shark fin soup to become extinct and for sharks to thrive naturally once more? In order for conservation efforts to succeed, the work can never stop. We need to put more sharks on the Endangered Species List and promote harsher punishments for illegal fishing activities.

Blacktip Reef Shark

After all, the most beautiful sight in the world is an animal living safely in its natural habitat. 

For more information, go to:

Stop Shark Finning

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Humane Society International

Coral Reef Gardening

Coral Gardening from Jonathan Clay on Vimeo.

What started off as an inspired scheme to save the coral reefs has now become a full fledged rescue mission. The organization Corals for Conservation began this amazing project in 1999 in Fiji where effects of over-fishing and coral destruction for tourism and commerce had begun to chase away prospective inhabitants.

It is well known that a coral reef is not simply a beautiful piece of living art on the ocean floor but that it is home to thousands of species of marine life. And without the opportunity for food and shelter that the coral reefs provide, many fish go elsewhere. With the fish gone, the coral reefs that were once teaming with life and color are left barren landscapes of coral skeletons. Coral destruction leaves a previously healthy coral reef dead, turned white as snow. Fish are fickle creatures, just like women, they are attracted to beautiful colors and prefer socialization. Therefore, without the bright color or crowds to attract the fish to the coral, the local community’s fishing industry also suffers due to lack of supplies.

So, to bring help to all, Corals for Conservation began “The Coral Gardening Initiative” to bring back the coral reefs and fish as well as help improve the local economy. This initiative would not be as successful as it is without the dedication of the local community. Ultimately, the Coral Gardening Initiative

“focuses at restoring degraded coral reef ecosystems by working in partnership with marine resource owners to develop community-based marine management plans and to implement strategies to rectify problems such as over-fishing and coral reef decline.”

There are two ways the Coral Gardening Initiative works:

1. Marine scientists trim bits and pieces off of rare or endangered corals and grow them for two years to about one hundred times the size of the trim to create what they call “Mother corals.” Next, small trimmings from the “Mother corals” are used as seeds in dead and dying coral reefs. Over time, those small bits from the “Mother corals” become what scientists refers to as second and third-generation corals that become part of the appropriately named coral gardens. The habitual trimming and re-planting eventually bring corals that were on the brink of destruction back to life. Once the coral begins to grow again, the fish follow almost immediately.
2. If there is an extremely degraded coral reef, scientists may decide to build a coral castle rather than a coral garden. A coral castle is the result of gluing stones together with cement and then transplanting coral on top of the stones to create a makeshift fish house.

• According to Corals for Conservation, a “Majority of the Hotels or Resorts that the project works with, is using this as a recreational/restoration activity for tourists (International and local) as part of effective management of their Marine Park.”

If the Coral Gardening Initiative sounds like a small amount of work, keep in mind that the Marine scientists and the local communities care for these coral gardens and castles on a daily basis to ensure their health and safety. Transplanting coral is only the beginning because participants in the Coral Gardening Initiative must work to

“remove overabundant coral-killing predators, to weed excessive seaweeds that are smothering corals, to dust sand kicked up by snorkeler's off of massive corals, and to replant corals broken by careless divers and storms to dead reef areas."

I am extremely proud of Corals for Conservation for bringing so much success to such a massive undertaking and I urge my readers to visit the Corals for Conservation website to learn even more about this amazing conservation project.