» Listings for October 2020

1. Good news from Spectacled Bear Conservation in Peru

   Posted on 9:00pm Thursday 8th Oct 2020

   I’m very excited by news from Spectacled Bear Conservation who work in Peru. A camera trap has confirmed bear presence in an area known as Pan de Azucar, which means Sugar Loaf in English. Spectacled Bear Conservation has monitored spectacled bears in the dry forest area of northern Peru for 12 years.  They were amazed to see the photo of a bear, because the area is very dry indeed.   The camera was on an arid mountain ridge where water sources are limited and it had been thought that it was too dry for animals to exist there. Image ©Spectacled Bear Conservation After finding the photo, five more camera traps were put up.   Sapote and overo trees were discovered – they are key food sources – and bear scat was also found, which suggests that more than one bear had used the area. This shows the mountain to be a likely place for bears to find food fruits in the summer and possibly even the winter season.  The more signs of bears being in the area the better – it means Spectacled Bear Conservation have more reason to protect the land. What’s more, finding bears in the Sugar Loaf gives the chance to create one big habitat range for them.  This includes two national protected areas, Bosque de Pomac and the Laquipampa Wildlife Refuge. This find comes with better news:  the national park authorities are keen on the idea of linking the park with habitat outside protected areas.   Bears need big areas to roam.  They won’t stop at the park boundary.   And the parks are giving Spectacled Bear Conservation camera traps to put up so that it can monitor bears in Pan de Azucar. Spectacled Bear Conservation is also working with the Peruvian national forestry authority, SERFOR.   The aim is to designate the area as “Habitat Critico” so that key habitats are protected for endangered species – including the spectacled bear! And to think – it all started with a photo! It just shows how important camera traps and long term monitoring are in protecting a species.  Visit Spectacled Bear Conservation’s website Donate to Spectacled Bear Conservation

    

2. Protecting marine sanctuaries on the island of Siquijor in the Philippines

   Posted on 5:00pm Saturday 3rd Oct 2020

   There are some amazing people doing great things for nature and conservation.   On the island of Siquijor in the central Philippines, Women have got together to protect marine sanctuaries from poachers and illegal fishers, even though they only have paddles and kayaks.   They are prepared to risk their lives to protect there are. The waters are full of rich coral reefs and fish diversity – but they are being impacted by both illegal fishing which has impacted on the coral reefs and reduced fish diversity and its abundance, and climate change. This video tells the story of the women.  One woman has been shot at – but she is determined and her efforts resulted in the arrest of the person shooting at her. Watch and be inspired… The video was supported with a grant from the Earth Journalism Network. Source:  Mongabay.com

    

3. #SavetheChocó - an Appeal from the World Land Trust

   Posted on 12:00am Thursday 1st Oct 2020

   The World Land Trust is known for its fundraising efforts to rescue vital parts of the natural world.  It works with local conservation groups around the world. Every year it runs a Big Match Fortnight, in which donations are matched.  And this year, the World Land Trust are fundraising for its partner Fundación Jocotoco who protect  vital rainforest.  For the last 2% of Ecuador’s Chocó forests is approaching an extinction cliff. The Big Match Fortnight is running from 1 to 14 October 2020 and it is a great chance to make donations go twice the distance.  There are just 500 brown-headed spider monkeys who are thought to be alive in the wild on the planet.  On one hike, 60 to 70 were counted in the tropical rainforest between the Pacific coast and the Andean peaks – about 15% of the single global population in a day.    It’s not an easy place to work in – rangers have to handle constant downpours, rugged terrain, and slippery ground.  Over 80 years ago, the forest stretched all over Ecuador’s west.  Ecuador has lost 98% of this natural wonder to oil palm plantations and others.   A new plan could mean that such a loss has numbered days.   Jocotoco has a chance to buy and protect 57,000 acres of Chocó forest from one company. The appeal from the World Land Trust will support at least 1,667 acres and other organisations will help fund the total too. The area has the same reptile and amphibian diversity as the Amazon; it’s got the highest plant diversity of the Americas and more bird species in 100 square miles than across all Europe.   25% of its flora and 10% of its fauna is found nowhere else on earth. Logging could destroy the last 2% of this forest.   Support the World Land Trust’s “Saving Ecuador’s Choco Forest” appeal and you can help it last forever. Find out more and donate