» Listings for 2019

1. Good news for puffin numbers on the Farne Islands

   Posted on 8:00pm Friday 22nd Feb 2019

   The beautiful Farne Islands are one of the best places to see the much loved puffin in the UK. Puffins mate for life.  They separate over winter and pair up again when they come back to the islands in the spring. National Trust rangers count puffins on the Farne Islands as the birds return there to breed and raise their young between April and late July. Previously, they have undertaken a full puffin census every five years.  From 2019, however, they are going to count the puffins every year.  The numbers tell the rangers if there’s been an increase or decrease in the colony – and that data is fed into national information to monitor trends and give an idea of how we can help puffins survive. They will be checking to see if their holes have anyone in them or not.  They’ll look for signs of puffin footprints and fresh digging, and count the puffins living inside the nests. Puffins have traditionally done well on the Farne Islands.  The National Trust has worked to protect them;there’s been good sources of food, a lack of ground predators and plenty of suitable nesting areas. In May 2018, rangers had been worried that puffins had been hit by a long, harsh winter and poor food supplies.   But on the Farne Islands, the birds have weathered a cold, stormy winter.   Rangers counted 43,956 pairs of birds – a 9% increase from 2013! This is an improvement – a 9% increase from 2013.  Mind you, back in 2003, 55,674 pairs were recorded, so there’s still a way to go. The puffins now face a challenge from increasing seal pup numbers (who went up from 1,704 to 2,602 in the last 5 years) – it means there’s less space for puffins on the outer islands. The Farnes achieved their 25th anniversary of their National Nature Reserve status back in 2018.  Such status has helped in several ways: The provision of significant areas of nature habitats Opening up additional finance for the protection of the islands Providing resource for research and studies into protecting puffin numbers. Monitoring the puffins every year will help the Trust track numbers against likely causes of population change – could changes be down to climate change, changes in the sand eel population or something else completely Meantime, the puffin remains on the British Trust for Ornithology's red list for the UK, indicating concern for its future. Three things we can do to help puffins are: Reducing our single-use of plastic Preventing over-fishing - buy sustainable fish.  The Marine Conservation Society has a sustainable fish guide.   Or eat more vegetarian and/or vegan food!  Limiting our use of non-renewable energy

2. A bill to ban single use plastic goes forth in Rwanda...

   Posted on 12:00am Wednesday 20th Feb 2019

   BBC Africa has reported that the Rwandan government wants the parliament to pass a bill to ban single use plastic to protect the environment in the country. A draft bill suggests a 2 year moratorium for companies to stop making single use plastics. In 2008, plastics were first banned in Rwanda; however some plastic materials are still used.  Mineral water and juice bottles, straws in bars and hotels, and single use dishes are still used. So the government now wants to ban these too, and a bill will go to parliament for a vote. Good luck to it!

    

    

3. Pub, local residents and children help wildlife in Queensland with a new watering hole

   Posted on 9:00pm Wednesday 30th Jan 2019

   Children in Urandangi in the Australian state of Queensland are doing wonderful work keeping the local wildlife well watered. Urandangi was founded in 1885 with a general store. It's grown a bit since then and recently locals noticed that the local wildlife had nothing to drink as the river’s been dry for 2 years. So locals did something about it to help wildlife. With local children’s help, a trough is filled every day.  Kangeroos, pigs and birds visit the trough to drink their fill. The trough is filled with a hose from a nearby property. Children, local residents and the publican of the Dangi Pub keep a close eye on the water levels to make sure the animals have enough to drink. There’s even a sign asking locals not to take the water as it’s meant for wildlife!  It says “This water is for our native and wild friends.  Please do not be mean and borrow it.” Well done to the kids of Urandangi and all the residents there for taking action to look after wildlife.   Visit the Dangi Pub Visit the Lonely Planet Online Shop for books on visiting Australia

    

4. Great news for forest in Tanzania

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 17th Jan 2019

   A forest teeming with wildlife in Tanzania has been placed under protection, supported by the World Land Trust and other partners. The Magombera Nature Reserve protects 6,425 acres of tropical forest.   It’s managed by the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group.  The land would otherwise been threatened by conversation  to a sugar planatation. The Magombera Forest is internationally recognised for its diverse landscapes and unique wildlife.   It has African megafauna such as African Elephants and Hippos and it’s been identified as one of the top 20 Priority Prmate areas in Tanzania  and up to now, it’s been the only one without protected status. It’s also got over 500 plant species with a number of rare and endemic trees.  It’s home to at least 5 primate species, including Udzungwa Red Colobus, found only in this valley and the neighbouring Udzungwa Mountains, Angolan Black and White Colobus, Sykes’s Monkey, Greater Bushbaby and Udzungwa Galago. Local communities have shown strong support for the conservation of the Magombera Forest.   It helps regulate climate, present flooding and maintains soil fertility for crops. But villagers are benefiting from entrance fees paid by tourists to visit the forests. The TFCG was able to buy 3,030 acres of the reserve from a sugar company, thanks to the joint support of the World Land Trust, Flamingo Land, Aage V.Jensen Charity Foundation and Rainforest Trust.  The other 3,395 acres belong to the Tanzanian government already and will now be protected as the Magombera Nature Reserve which is the highest level of protection available under the Tanzania Forest Service. Back in 2008, it had been predicted that the forest understory be gone by 2018 if the rates of logging young straight trees had continued without intervention. There had been drastic deforestation since the 1950s – some 988,420 acres had been lost in the Kilombero Valley and the Magombera Forest was all that had remained. Visit the World Land Trust here to find out more

   Support the World Land Trust's Plant a Tree Appeal

    

    

5. Good News on Rhinos and Zebras from the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

   Posted on 9:00pm Tuesday 8th Jan 2019

   The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy had much to celebrate at the end of 2018 so I thought I'd pick out two things which they are celebrating to tell you about :-)  The Conservancy is located at the foothills of Mount Kenya, and it works to protect and manage of species, initiate and support  community conservation and development programmes, and educate neighbouring areas in the value of wildlife. So here are a couple of successes Lewa had in 2018 17 Rhino Births and ZERO poaching With their landscape partner Boran Conservancy, Lewa is now home to over 170 rhinos!  They are looking forward to reaching the 200 rhino milestone!    The rhinos moved from Lewa to the Sera Community Conservancy are also thriving with rhino birds and no poaching. There were 17 rhino births in 2018 © Lewa Wildlife Conservancy The plan is to remove fences between Lewa, Borana and Il Ngwesi Community Conservancy so that there's a secure space for their growing population.   Increase in the survival rate of Grevy's zebra foals Previoulsy, predation lessened the number of foals who survived into adulthood.   This slowed population growth.   The good rains in 2018 provided healthy pasture needed for the foals and other wildlife to survive and thrive.  There are just 2,800 Grevy Zebra left in the world, and 11% are found on Lewa, so this increase is important. Lewa recorded an increase in the survival rate of Grevy's zebra foals Lewa has also been busy educating 400 Northern Kenya students, teaching them about land degradation and human-wildlife conflict and what they can do to address these challenges.   In 2018, 400 students and their teachers visited Lewa and they received lessons on things such as reforestation, water harvesting and wildlife protection.

   Find out more about the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and how you can help