Happy International Tiger Day! 9.27.11

In celebration of International Tiger Day, I just want to remind everyone how important it is that tigers live on to future generations. Tigers deserve a place of honor in the wilderness they've called home for generations, not destined to be remembered only in movies like the Jungle Book.

Presently, Tigers’ futures lay in the balance, but with the help of the Save the Tiger Fund and Panthera, their futures are getting brighter. We need to remember that diversity of prey and safe habitat, while extremely important, are not the only factors affecting tigers today. Trophy hunting took a large portion out of tiger populations as well as the illegal wildlife trade. Hunting tigers for sport turns the death of a majestic creature into a prize to be won.

We need people who care about tigers to fight for what’s right. Anyone can become an animal ambassador; all it takes is the desire to see change and to educate those around you any chance you get.

We cannot let this gorgeous big cat disappear; demand results.

To learn more about the Save the Tiger Fund, visit here.

To learn more about Panthera, visit here.

To see a 2005-2015 recovery plan for the world’s wild tigers, visit here.

Make today the day you celebrate the natural beauty of wild tigers!

Meet the Sand Cat

The Sand Cat is one of the lesser known and smaller wild cats, resembling the domestic cat in size; the Sand Cat’s coloring helps it blend with those of its desert habitat. Over time, it also developed large eyes placed forward on its broad head and low, tapered ears to provide keen hearing in a habitat where prey is scarce. Another adaptation developed specifically for its desert habitat is the presence of long, dense hairs covering the soles of the feet to provide insulation from the hot sands and to create quiet footsteps over the loose sands.

Sand Cats differ greatly from their fellow African cats such as leopards because instead of jumping and climbing, digging is their forte. A Sand Cat uses digging to construct burrows and dig rodents out of the sand. Also opposed to the more familiar African cats, a Sand Cat’s claws are not very sharp as there is usually little chance to sharpen them among the desert sands.  

A Sand Cat’s diet consists of gerbils, jerboas, sand voles, hares, birds, reptiles, large spiders, and insects. They also have a reputation for hunting horned snakes and sand vipers by stunning them with rapid blows to the head before finishing them with a bite to the neck—the go to kill technique of most wild cats. Furthermore, Sand Cats cover larger kills with sand and return later to finish the meal. Their natural enemies include poisonous snakes, jackals, and large owls.

Like lions, Sand Cats are nocturnal hunters; however, they are solitary animals and their numbers in the wild are unknown.

Most threatened or endangered species today suffer from habitat destruction, the Sand Cat does not since its habitat is located in the vast deserts of northern Africa and southwest Asia. Sand Cats have little interaction with humans because they are usually sleeping when people are active in and around the deserts. On the other hand, this small cat does experience threats from hunters while sunbathing and the illegal pet trade.

One advantage the Sand Cat has over other wild animals living close to humans and their farms is usually there is no retaliation if a Sand Cat happens to steal a chicken or two because of religious tradition. Apparently, Sand Cats are believed to be the companions of the Prophet Mohammed and his daughter. That’s certainly an advantage that cannot be replaced.

An SSP (Species Survival Program) was established for Sand Cats by the Living Desert Museum in California in 1990. This is one of few studbooks for small wild cats. One zoo in the United States participating in the SSP is the Cincinnati Zoo. The Cincinnati Zoo currently works in collaboration with the Living Desert Zoo in California, other U.S. zoos, and the Al Ain Zoo in the United Arab Emirates to produce new founders for the SSP population. With so much devotion and the continued effort of the SSP, the Sand Cat’s future looks bright.

*All facts and information regarding the Sand Cat from the International Society for Endangered Cats and the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

*All photos from ARKive

Mount Kenya Elephant Corridor Allows Safe Passage

In Kenya, there have been problems with people and elephants sharing the same lands; however, recently The Nature Conservancy joined with the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and found a way to create an elephant corridor beneath a major highway and around long obstructed agricultural fences. In addition to the elephants gaining safe passage through their restored migration route, the corridor also reunited two separated populations. The importance of this being that the elephants could once again interact and diversify the gene pool.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy had already been working with the Mount Kenya Trust when The Nature Conservancy joined the project to help “raise the final funding to complete the project,” according to Jonathan Moss, Lewa’s chief executive. The goal was to re-establish “the elephants’ historical route between the Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve and Mount Kenya National Park.”

In order to construct the corridor, it would have to follow the Marania River Valley which meant that “the route would have to cross the main Nanyuki-Meru Highway, but only two major private holdings: Marania Farm and Kisima Farm.” Both farms were in favor of the elephant corridor so the only obstacle left was whether or not the elephants would actually pass through a concrete culvert beneath a busy highway.

As the corridor neared completion, the partners on the project had planned a “variety of creative measures to coax elephants through the underpass.” Although, the elephants surprised everyone when it appeared they needed little prodding; they “began gathering in the area as if they sensed a grand opening was imminent.”

On New Year’s Day 2011, Dyer, Kisima Farm’s manager, drove to the underpass to deploy the strategic plan: he unloaded fresh elephant dung from the back of his pickup truck like a trail of bread crumbs. And the plan worked! That night, a group of three elephants led by a bull known as Tony made the first crossing through the underpass. And according to a press release by Mount Kenya Trust, within the first twelve days twelve elephants moved through the underpass.

Sam Lawson, who leads the Nature Conservancy’s projects in Kenya, was quoted as saying, “It was so heartwarming […] to know that the elephants had found the corridor and they were using it.”

Since Tony’s crossing, many more elephants have followed in his enormous tracks, but the corridor still hasn’t reached its full potential. There’s a second underpass needed beneath another smaller road, the corridor fencing must be maintained, and security must be increased to fend off poachers.

Nevertheless, “East Africa’s first elephant underpass and the successful navigation of the new corridor represent tremendous progress toward people and elephants co-existing peacefully in northern Kenya.”

*All information and quotes from The Nature Conservancy

Update: Endangered Species Stamp Moving Forward

May 11^th was an exciting day for the United States Postal Service; it was the day the new Semipostal Stamp was unveiled on Capitol Hill at the Annual Association of Zoos and Aquariums reception.  Proceeds from the Save Vanishing Species Semipostal stamps will go toward helping Tigers, African and Asian elephants, Rhinos, Great Apes, and Marine turtles. According to a USPS press release, net proceeds from the sales of the stamps, once issued in September, will be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds.

Deputy Postmaster General Ron Stroman was quoted as saying, “This stamp marks the fourth Semipostal issued by the Postal Service. These types of stamps provide an extremely convenient way for the American public to contribute to help protect threatened and vanishing species. We look forward to working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Multinational Species Coalition to make this stamp a resounding success.”

The Multinational Species Coalition is an alliance of conservationists, zoos, veterinarians, animal welfare groups, circuses and sportsmen. Made up of more than 20 million members, the coalition advocates for the Multinational Species Conservations Funds and is fully committed to generating superior interest to this stamp and the funds it was designed to support: African Elephant Conservation Fund, Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, Great Ape Conservation Fund, Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund and Marine Turtle Conservation Fund.

The Save Vanishing Species stamp, now available for preorder at usps.com/shop, features an illustration of a tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl. According to the press release, “The artwork on the full sheet of 20 stamps is dark green and includes silhouettes of a rhinoceros, a tiger, a gorilla, Asian and African elephants and a marine turtle. Stahl based both the stamp art and the silhouettes on photographs of wildlife. The phrases “Save Vanishing Species” and “Amur tiger cub” appear on the left side of the stamp. Derry Noyes served as the art director, designer and typographer for the stamp.”

To begin with, five million sheets of stamps will be printed and reprints will be available depending on customer demand. The stamps will sell for 11 cents more than a First Class Mail Stamp—55 cents—and $11 for a sheet of 20.

Legislation creating these stamps was first passed into law in September 2010 as the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act of 2010. To learn more about the process it took for the Stamp Act to be signed into law, visit my previous blog post about this issue here.

For more information on the Semipostal stamp and the coalition, visit fws.gov/international/semipostal.

The Multinational Species Coalition includes: African Wildlife Foundation, American Bird Conservancy, American Veterinary Medical Association, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Bonobo Conservation Initiative, Born Free USA, Cheetah Conservation Fund, Chelonian Research Foundation, Conservation International, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Defenders of Wildlife, Fauna & Flora International, Feld Entertainment, Inc., Humane Society of the United States/International, International Crane Foundation, International Fund for Animal Welfare, International Elephant Foundation, International Rhino Foundation, Jane Goodall Institute, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Ocean Conservancy, Safari Club International Foundation, Sea Turtle Conservancy, Sierra Club, The WILD Foundation, Wildlife Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Management Institute, World Wildlife Fund

*All facts and quotes from USPS May 11, 2011 Press Release

“Lost Land of the Tiger” on National Geographic

Patrick J. Kiger, in “Tigers in Crisis,” comments on how “the tiger is one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, a creature so magnificent and charismatic that it permeates our culture.” However, a problem has arisen because “as recently as 70 years ago, nine different subspecies of tigers roamed a territory stretching from eastern Turkey to Siberia. Today, three of those varieties—the Bali, Javan and Caspian tigers—are extinct, and the remaining six—Amur, Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, South China and Sumatran—are in very serious trouble.” This is the exact reason for “Lost Land of the Tiger.”

In the video documentary recently aired on National Geographic channel entitled “Lost Land of the Tiger,” Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, Gordon Buchanan, Dr. George McGavin, and Steve Backshall all go to Bhutan in search of a healthy, thriving population of tigers. Currently, tigers are trapped in isolated areas causing isolated populations. In order for tiger populations to thrive, we need to connect isolated populations of tigers through corridors and in order to successfully save the tigers these isolated fragments must be brought together. According to the documentary, Bhutan, along the Himalayas, is the missing link; there are as few as 3000 tigers left.

This group of specialists uses various tactics to both track and photograph the mysterious tigers of Bhutan. Steve Backshall and big cat expert Claudia Wultsch for example, use a sniffer dog named Bruiser who is trained to find big cats by identifying their droppings or “scat.” Dr. Alan Rabinowitz uses the trustworthy remote, motion-activated cameras that can be set to record for ten seconds at a time when an animal crosses its path. These cameras are placed on tree trunks in logical places such as by a stream where prey may stop for water.

In order to judge whether or not there is a surviving population of tigers, the team must first conclude whether or not the tigers’ prospective prey is thriving in the current ecosystem. If the tigers’ prey cannot survive, then the tigers cannot survive and it will be labeled an unhealthy ecosystem. Thankfully, however, the team finds evidence that numerous examples of tiger prey live in the surrounding areas.

 Continuing their search, Gordon Buchanan is in charge of deciphering one local rumor to discover whether tigers have adapted to the environment and are now living at high altitude in the Himalayas. On his journey up the mountains, Gordon comes across a Yak carcass with a puncture wound to the neck which quite possibly could have been caused by a tiger’s canine. 

When Dr. Rabinowitz collects his motion-activated cameras from amongst the trees, he is pleased to discover that they prove the existence of at least two tigers walking the trails surrounding their camp site. So, it’s official. Tigers are in the forest of Bhutan! And the tiger reigns as King of the Forest!

Rabinowitz goes on to explain how the stripes along the sides of tigers are like a fingerprint pattern. It is important that Rabinowitz identifies different tigers because it will help distinguish whether there is a healthy population or not. Next, Rabinowitz gives testimony that Bhutan is the key to the Himalayan corridor: “If you think of the Himalayan corridor as a body, this really could be thought of as the heart pumping blood out throughout the entire body, much of the rest of the body is starting to die but this has the potential to not only keep it alive but to invigorate the rest of the body” –Alan Rabinowitz.

To add to their numbers, Gordon found proof on the motion-activated cameras that tigers DO live high up in the Himalayas; the cameras even captured a tiger scent marking. After all the time spent waiting, the cameras captured more than 30 tiger images/videos above 4000 meters in the Himalayas. Of those, there is certainty that there are at least two different adult tigers; one male and one female.

After gathering all of the pictures and data, the next step is for Dr. McGavin to present the team’s findings to Bhutan’s Prime Minister. Luckily, he seems willing to cooperate in order to save tigers; he believes tigers belong to future generations.

“Lost Land of the Tiger” highlights how important it is that the world knows Bhutan holds the key to protecting tigers and may even serve as a model for the rest of the world. The Himalayan corridor will help create the largest tiger reserve in the world, but the one requirement is for governments to work together. As of now, it seems as though surrounding governments are willing to cooperate for a shared purpose…“We will save tigers!”

*All photos from National Geographic

*All observations/facts from documentary, “Lost Land of the Tiger”

Animals of the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

“Japan is a nation of pet lovers and many families affected have lost animals, been forced to leave them behind or have taken them to evacuation centers where there is limited space, food and water” -WSPA

The WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) is actively making a difference for the animal victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011. In the beginning of the disaster, WSPA monitored the situation from afar to strategize about exactly how to help. According to WSPA’s “Animals In Disasters” blog, Dr. Ian Dacre and Dr. Damian Woodberry started by signing up to join the “shelter cluster” set up by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Relief workers have brilliantly decided to set up the animal shelters beside the shelters housing their human parents. Seeing as the human victims are grouped together in shelters by neighborhood, it only makes sense to do the same with their pets.

Next, WSPA launched an appeal to help raise money for the care of Japan’s animals in the wake of such a disaster. WSPA aims to raise at least “$150,000 for Japanese animals to help cover the critical recovery period in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami.” The funds raised will go directly towards “the set up of 30 temporary shelters for pets via the Animal Disaster Response Team (ADRT), a coalition of local animal groups, including WSPA’s local member society, Japan Animal Welfare Society (JAWS).” And then any food and water needs will be coordinated by the ADRT.  

Additionally on the WSPA blog, it details the Disaster Assessment Needs Analysis (DANA) which “estimates that between 16,000 and 19,000 pets are affected in two of the worst hit regions alone.” Many other animals and livestock surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power station had to be abandoned due to immediate evacuation orders. The DANA concluded that “most owners took their pets to the evacuation centers, where they have remained since.” And because there are few lost or abandoned animals reported, the pets left behind are thought to have died in the tsunami.

During the DANA, there were approximately 350,000 people staying in evacuation centers and about 7-10% of people living in shelters have animals with them; therefore, in total, there are probably over 30,000 animals in need of the emergency shelters. As of March 25, WSPA aimed to establish 30 temporary emergency animal shelters. And on March 28, Dr. Damian Woodberry arrived in Japan to scout locations for the emergency animal shelters as well as look into possible suppliers for the materials to build them.

In addition to the 30 WSPA funded animal shelters, Japan’s Animal Disaster Response Team (ADRT) concluded that another 170 animal shelters are needed to continue to match the growing number of animals in need of temporary housing. The numbers continue to grow because while some human shelters allow animals, many do not, so people are resorting to tying their animals outside the shelters in bitter cold temperatures. Other animals stay a bit warmer inside their owners’ cars.

To further help the unclaimed animals, “Vets have also been micro-chipping and taking photos of stray pets, which are then posted on a common government website in hopes of reuniting owners with their lost pets.”

Returning Japan to its former self will be a journey lasting many years, but animals and their owners still need help right now. Food, medicine, and shelter are the primary concerns at the moment, which are getting more and more difficult to come by. Since numerous roads were damaged during both the earthquake(s) and tsunami it has been difficult for trucks to deliver emergency supplies. But, no matter what, the Japanese will not give up; bicycles are the new way of transporting supplies to hard-to-reach places.

Any donations whether it be money, food, water, medicine, or other materials, will definitely be appreciated. Here’s to hoping that every animal receives the best care possible and a safe place to recover.

*All quotes and information from WSPA’s Animals in Disasters blog

Panthera Foundation: Jaguar Corridor Initiative

About Panthera from Panthera Cats on Vimeo.

“The jaguar is the largest and most iconic cat in the Western Hemisphere. Human societies and cultures across the region have evolved for centuries with the jaguar, a charismatic species that has inspired rich myths and legends, and today serves as a national symbol for several Latin American countries.”-Panthera

I first became aware of this amazing foundation while conducting research for one of my rhetoric classes. I came across an article published in National Geographic magazine in the March 2009 issue entitled “Path of the Jaguar” about the Panthera Foundation’s current project: the Jaguar Corridor Initiative. Mel White writes about Rabinowitz’s journey to create a safe passage for the jaguar through its homeland, “stretching from Mexico (and formerly the United States) to Argentina” (White); yet, this is not a new idea. The Wildlife Conservation Society paved the way for Rabinowitz in 1990 when it “launched a project called the Paseo Pantera (Spanish for ‘path of the panther’), a network of protected areas and wildlife corridors that became known as the Mesoamerica Biological Corridor (CBM) in 1997” (WCS). Many conservationists, however, were concerned with “its slow implementation and highly ambitious agenda” (WCS). Nowadays, Rabinowitz is having more success than the Wildlife Conservation Society did back in 1990. Rabinowitz and the Panthera Foundation have successfully protected the Mesoamerica component of the Jaguar Corridor, but will have to work even harder when it comes to South America “where landscapes and political situations are more diverse and challenging” (White).

Today, Panthera is still hard at work trying to make Alan Rabinowitz’s dream come true. In 2011, the goal is still the same; however, the problems are also still the same. As Panthera points out, “Jaguars, like many large, free-ranging wildlife species, are not constrained by political boundaries, nor are they as challenged or constrained by physical ones. Jaguars use and require protected areas, where their core populations can thrive” (Jaguar Corridor Initiative). Having safe passage from point A to point B sounds simple, but when these big cats move “through landscapes, across rivers, over hills and mountain passes and even through areas with human development” (JCI) things can get much more complex. Amongst the landscapes and rivers there may also be the occasional cattle ranch, citrus plantation, or someone’s backyard- anywhere jaguars can pass through safely and unharmed double as a jaguar corridor (JCI).

The three main problems that brought about a need for the Jaguar Corridor Initiative are:

1.      Dramatic habitat loss and fragmentation from wild lands being converted into agriculture

a.       With isolated patches of land, jaguars run the risk of being confined and are at greater risk for extinction.

2.      Direct hunting by people

a.       Ranchers especially because they see jaguars as a threat to their livelihood

3.      Lack of natural prey, like deer and wild pigs, due to overhunting by humans and habitat loss

a.       This fuels conflict between humans and jaguars because it forces the big cats to prey on domestic animals

The solution will not be easy to come by but with Panthera working in conjunction with “local communities, governments, and other conservation organizations every step of the way, to secure the long-term presence of jaguar populations and to ensure their safe passage from Mexico to Argentina” (JCI) it will come in time. 


In order to successfully preserve the Path of the Jaguar, the Jaguar Corridor Initiative is “built on a multi-dimensional process:”

1.      Map-based model of the jaguar’s ecological needs throughout its range.

2.      “Ground-truthing” corridors to verify where the jaguars are and where they are moving through

3.      Managing and conserving jaguar prey species

4.      Helping ranchers with livestock husbandry improvements

5.      Working with local communities to alleviate conflict between humans and jaguars

6.      Assisting governments with protected area management

As of now, jaguars exist in a total of 18 countries in Latin America and Panthera currently works in 13 of those countries, with plans to move into an additional two countries in the coming year (Panther’s Jaguar Footprint).  The 13 countries are: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. To see what Panthera is doing to expand the Jaguar Corridor Initiative in these 13 countries, please visit Panthera’s Jaguar Footprint.

Spotlight on: Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center’s Stranding Response Program

Stranding Response Team

The Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center’s mission is “to increase the public’s knowledge and appreciation of Virginia’s marine environment and inspire commitment to preserve its existence.” Much of this mission is carried out at the Virginia Aquarium site while other parts are carried out by conservation and research projects around the globe. Another important aspect of the Aquarium’s efforts is the Stranding Response Program that works to rescue stranded marine animals and return them to their natural habitat.

The Stranding Response Program’s mission is “to promote the conservation of marine animal species through stranding response, research, rehabilitation, and education. It is largely a volunteer-based group operating from the Aquarium’s Marine Animal Care Center in Virginia Beach. The program is supported by the Virginia Aquarium Foundation through donations from the community, and grant-making organizations.”

Marine animals are wonders to see because they spend most of their lives below the water’s surface, therefore, we rarely get to see these amazing creatures. However, the times that marine animals find their way into our world, on dry land, are the times they need the most help.  Animals that are stranded on beaches due to injury, illness, or death are desperate for the care that the Stranding Response Team provides. They “work at the Aquarium's Stranding Center in Virginia Beach to rescue and rehabilitate live animals, collect data from dead specimens and support research on stranded marine animals found in Virginia.” Through their immeasurable passion and unyielding commitment they also “serve as environmental ambassadors, educating the public about these magnificent animals and their conservation needs.”

Most recently, according to a Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center news release, the Stranding Response Team released a rehabilitated harbor seal on Friday, January 28, at 11 a.m. and invited the public to come watch the event. The harbor seal was found “stranded on December 28, 2010, south of Little Island Fishing Pier in Sandbridge.” During the rescue, the harbor seal was given the name “Puddy” for two volunteers Peg and Buddy who initially monitored him on the beach. The two volunteers observed that “Puddy” was a “small seal (nearly 3 ft. long) thin (35 lbs.) and pale with shark bites on the left side of his body.” Joan Barns goes on to describe that “Puddy” was taken to the Aquarium’s Marine Animal Care Center the next day where staff administered fluids, antibiotics, topical treatment for his wounds and nutritional support.”

Happily, on the day of release, “Puddy” “has healed from his injuries, gained 13 lbs., and been cleared by the Aquarium’s veterinarian.  “Puddy” was thereby released back into his natural marine habitat at First Landing State Park behind the Chesapeake Bay Visitors Center.

“Since the program's inception more than 17 years ago, the Aquarium’s Stranding Team has responded to more than 1500 marine mammals and over 2200 sea turtles. Averaging more than 200 per year, stranded animals have included harbor and harp seals, harbor porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, and loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles.”

The work of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center as well as the Stranding Response Program is important to preserving both the marine animals and the marine habitat, so if you are ever in the Virginia Beach area, visit the Aquarium and see firsthand what conservation is striving to save.

*all details relating to “Puddy” courtesy of Joan Barns, January 26, 2011 News Release

*"Puddy" pictures courtesy of Stephen M. Katz, The Virginian-Pilot

African Cats: Earth Day 2011

On April 22, 2011 audiences will be given the chance to peek into the lives of two families of African Cats simply trying to survive in one of the wildest places on earth: the African Savanna. It’s as if Disneynature has brought my favorite childhood movie, “The Lion King,” to life for us all to witness on screen. Directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill, this epic story “features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and wisdom; Sita, a fearless cheetah and single mother of five mischievous newborns; and Fang, a proud leader of the pride who must defend his family from a once banished lion” (Disney).


On the surface, this may appear to be a simple nature documentary; however, at its roots this movie strives to educate the audience on the need to preserve the African Savanna. For example, if you go see “African Cats” during opening week, “Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to protect lions and cheetahs and the land they call their home” (Disney). Specifically, “Disneynature will contribute $0.20 per ticket to the African Wildlife Foundation for the Amboseli Corridor project […] (April 22-April 28) with a minimum of $100,000 pledged to this program” (Disney).

Unlike humans who build a home and usually remain there for the duration of their lives, the big cats of the African Savanna know no boundaries. The lions, cheetahs, and leopards of the Savanna cannot comprehend the boundaries of a National Park; therefore, they tend to travel between protective areas through “corridors.” Corridors are pertinent to these roaming kings and queens of the Savanna because they connect different territories and hunting grounds frequented by the big cats for both habitat and food. Furthermore, by protecting the African Savanna with the African Wildlife Foundation you not only protect Africa’s big cats but also the African elephants, zebras, giraffes, and elands (antelope).

The African Wildlife Foundation works tirelessly to ensure the continued existence of all African Savanna wildlife, yet help is still needed! So, on Earth Day 2011, go see “African Cats” in theatres and know that you have helped make a difference in the conservation of the African Savanna and its wildlife.

Update: Shark Conservation Act Passed!

In reference to my September 27, 2010 post concerning shark fin soup, the International Fisheries Agreement Clarification Act (H.R. 81) was passed by Congress on December 21, 2010 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011.The primary purpose of this bill is to ban the despicable act of shark finning in U.S. waters. The most important diction in the bill is the “fins-attached” policy. For example, if fins (including the tail) are discovered on a fishing vessel not still attached to a shark then it is evidence of wrongdoing.  This is an enormous victory for all organizations in support of this bill, but especially a victory for the sharks getting dangerously close to the consequences of low populations.

Organizations in support of H.R. 81:

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Humane Society of the United States

Animal Welfare Institute

Ocean Conservancy

National Coalition for Marine Conservation

OCEANA

Born Free USA united with Animal Protection Institute

According to Oceana’s blog, The Beacon, Sharks are especially vulnerable to pressure from human exploitation due to their slow growth rate and low level of reproduction. The Beacon goes on to explain that “Many shark populations have declined to levels where they are unable to perform their roles as top predators in the ecosystem.”

For more background information on Shark Finning, please visit my previous post here.

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.

Local Wetlands Restoration Project at VCU Rice Center

Photo by VCU Creative Services

The VCU Rice Center, “a nearly 500-acre field station for environmental research on the historic James River,” will soon participate in what Gary Robertson, VCU Director of Special Projects, refers to as “one of the most significant wetlands restorations on the East Coast.”

Virginia Commonwealth University, located in Richmond, Virginia, has partnered with both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and The Nature Conservancy to restore original wetlands previously known as Kimages Creek.

The restoration project will go as follows:

“A 70-acre artificial lake created in the 1920s to attract ducks for duck hunters will be drained, and VCU will team with The Nature Conservancy to create a blanket of native wetland vegetation where the lake once stood.

Blueback Herring

American Eel

Alewife Herring

Kimages Creek, a stream that was blocked by the dam that created the lake, will flow freely again. That, in turn, will create a watery passage that will encourage the return of blueback herring and alewife, which once entered Kimages Creek to spawn before returning to the sea.

American eels – which Americans have both consumed and kept as pets -- are also expected to return.”

Leonard Smock, Ph.D., director of the VCU Rice Center, disclosed that this restoration project has been three years in the making. He foresees that the restoration project will cause a research boom at the wetlands due to an influx of scientists from varying disciplines and students doing specialized research for the Graduate program.

Smock goes on to express the hope that “Forty years from now, this area will still be evolving …scientists and students will still be coming to study the wetland.”

In addition to the escalation in research that the Rice Center will have access to, another important aspect to remember is the return of animal species, such as the blue herring and alewife, which helped to support local commercial fisheries in the past. However, Greg Garman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Environmental Studies at the Rice Center, is quick to remind everyone that “…these populations have declined to critical levels over the past several decades, in large part to the construction of dams, like the one at the Rice Center,  that block upstream migration for spawning.” Therefore, the Project’s true test will be whether or not the indigenous wetland species return to the place they once flourished.

The funding for such a large undertaking as this is provided by The Virginia Aquatic Resources Trust Fund who will be “paying the costs of removing the dam that blocks Kimages Creek and for replanting the wetland at the Rice Center” (Robertson). And the trust will be administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a joint venture with The Nature Conservancy.

Robertson further reports that “The Rice Center also will receive $455,000 from the trust fund stemming from a conservation easement on 217 acres of its property. The payment will go toward construction of a major research building on the site. In addition, VCU will be paid by the trust to monitor the development of the wetland restoration over the next 10 years.”

Smock refers to the funding as “very important” due to its ability to provide the Rice Center with new research facilities to measure the Wetlands Restoration Project’s success in the long term.

And finally, Smock understands the importance of this project to the Rice Center and Virginia Commonwealth University as a whole, but more than anything, he wants all onlookers to realize that “we’re doing the right thing for the environment.”

The amount of effort it takes to undo what man has done to the environment is unbelievable, but the fact is with enough passion and enough determination…it can be done. 

All quoted material from VCU News Center

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. 

Temporary Wetlands for Migrating Birds: Flooded Farmlands

For a full, unedited transcript of the above video, visit National Geographic

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused irreparable damage to the surrounding wetlands and its inhabitants; however, there seems to be hope on the horizon for numerous migratory birds heading south for the winter. In the wake of such a disaster, there is a plan in place to create temporary wetlands for migrating birds by flooding farmlands not currently in use. The ultimate objective is to keep the migratory birds away from the oil polluted wetlands of the Gulf while cleanup efforts continue.

This project is the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative established by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. According to the NRCS, the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative was created specifically “to improve habitat conditions and safeguard food sources for the migratory birds that could be impacted by the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill.” And in order to create enough available wetlands for any migrating birds wishing to take advantage of the clean water, NRCS is working with “private landowners, U. S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other conservation partners to establish habitat and food sources on participating lands for the migrating birds.” It is the hard work and devotion of the numerous people and agencies that make this Initiative a success.

The eight states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas) participating in the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative are all located in “in major North American flyways, the primary routes shorebirds and waterfowl follow in their annual migration to and through the Gulf region.”

The Initiative’s popularity came as a surprise to the NRCS; interest in getting involved in the effort exceeded any preconceived expectations and there is now a waiting list for farmers wanting to join the cause.

To see photographs of migrating waterfowl, visit NRCS Bird Images

*all quoted material from NRCS