» Listings for 2020

1. Good news from the World Land Trust for conservation

   Posted on 9:00am Saturday 14th Nov 2020

   There’s some good news from the conservation world that I wanted to share with you today so here it is:The World Land Trust have had a very successful autumn. I’m thrilled to say that they hit the required fundraising target of £100,000 in just a few weeks to protect vital gorilla habitat in Africa.  The success of #FutureforGorillas means that there’s a safer future for Camaroon’s great ape population.  The fundraiser kicked off on 4 September and hit its target, thanks to the kindness and generosity of donors in early November.  The World Land Trust’s partner, the Environmental and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF), now has the resources to start creating a forest corridor in eastern Cameroon.  The area is home to Western Lowland gorillas, chimpanzee, elephants, pangolins, hippos, leopards and other species as well.  The creation and protection of forests will mean that species can keep their populations strong in number and have a future.  Here’s the video about it: Find out more about the #FutureforGorillas Appeal here And there’s more good news from the World Land Trust! Big Match Fortnight:  Save Ecuador’s Chocó Forest Their Big Match Fortnight Appeal hit its target of £500,000 in a fortnight! Donors from around the world joined together and made a difference to the incredible appeal to help the World Land Trust and its partner in Ecuador save the last 2% of the Chocó Forest.   The Appeal is still open so you can still donate (I’m writing this on 14 November 2020) which means that even more of the forest can be saved and protected for wildlife.Decades of logging have destroyed 98% of the Chocó forest.  And the World Land Trust’s partner, FJ, got the chance to save the remaining 2% of it – about 57,000 acres in all – from one firm.  Other organisations are involved but the support from World Land Trust donors means that 1,667 acres will be saved – that’s an expansion of the Canandé Reserve which links it to other areas that are protected in the region.  The area is so diverse that scientists took just 45 minutes to find a new species! In fact, 25% of its flora and 10% of its fauna can’t be found anywhere else on earth The Canandé Reserve is a botanical haven.  It’s home to about 375 bird species and 135 reptile and amphibian species of whom 28 are globally threatened.  Goodness knows how many other species live there! The more support the appeal has, the more their forest home can be extended and protected.Support this appeal here   You could also support the #NottooLate Appeal Fund, enabling the World Land Trust to act quickly wherever conservation action is needed.   Visit the World Land Trust's website here

    

    

2. Snow Cats and Me - Gordon Buchanan on BBC2

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 12th Nov 2020

   Don't miss Tuesday and Wednesday 5 and 6 January 2021 at 9pm on BBC2:  Cheetah Family and Me with Gordon Buchanan  It's back!  There's a repeat of Snow Cats and Me on BBC2 at 8pm on Friday 13 November 2020! Here's my post from the previous showing: I'm watching a lynx catching the first rays of sun on her fur ever, in Russia.  This lynx is one of two who have been rescued from a chap who kept two lynx to breed from and this amazing rescuer has got the owner to hand them over. The rescuer is big cat expert Dr Victor Lukarevsky who is trying for the first time ever to rescue lynx and rehabilitat them so that they can go back into the wild. This is in complete contrast to their previous life when they were living in cages in a garage. Lynx are wanted for the pet trade and fur trade in Russia.  Anyway, do watch Gordon Buchanan's Snow Cats and Me.  There are 2 episodes and you can find out more about the programme here. UPDATE: Do I tell you or not, if you haven't seen the programme?  Well, I'm bursting so I have to!   The two lynx Dasher and Briansk (not sure if I've spelt their names correctly) were released in the stunning Khakassia State Reserve, Siberia, deep in the Siberian wilderness, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one to have tears falling down my face at the sight of Briansk gingerly stepping into unknown territories and taking uncertain looks around him before heading off away from his rescuers.  The park is patrolled by rangers and it's a very remote area indeed - you don't see any signs of people at all.  The footage of the lynx kittens was gorgeous, with their beautiful faces and inquisitive natures.   If you haven't seen the programme, please take a look!

    

3. 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

    

4. 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

    

5. #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