Four Arrested in Indonesia for Pangolin Smuggling

In July, Indonesian officials discovered twenty boxes filled with illegal pangolin meat and scales being shipped to China. MSNBC reports, "Eight tons of meat and scales, worth $269,000, were found in the boxes at Jakarta airport and at a warehouse raided the following day."

Pangolin parts are considered very valuable in Chinese culture, where they are believed to be aphrodisiacs and cure-alls. Using smoke or dogs to flush the nocturnal animals out of their dwellings, poachers easily collect pangolins, although they are becoming increasingly rare. These toothless creatures offer almost no defense against their predators, simply curling into a ball when threatened. The pangolin is protected in a variety of Asian countries, but conservationists want to push for greater penalties for those caught hunting and exporting the animals. As ant and termite eaters, pangolin survival would also benefit from a decrease in forest destruction.

via MSNBC

New Species of Critically Endangered Monkey Discovered

The Myanmar, or Burmese, Snub-Nosed Monkey was only recently discovered in early 2010. While no live examples of the species have been found, a carcass of the creature has offered insight into the lives of these new animals. Their open, upturned nose is its most distinguishable feature, causing the monkey to sneeze during storms as water enters his naval passages. To avoid this, the monkeys have been seen by locals sitting with their faces tucked downwards, protecting their noses from the rain.

The Myanmar Snub-Nosed Monkey has already been considered as being critically endangered, despite having never been scientifically documented. Researchers believe that that only approximately 300 individuals survive, having been hunted for their meat by the locals, and caught in traps. The Chinese logging industry is blamed as another cause of the monkeys' low numbers. The areas being cleared out, both legally and illegally, is encroaching upon the areas where these monkeys are thought to dwell. Conservationists are already moving to educate local people and to create a protected area where the monkeys can roam safely.

via Monga Bay

Tiger Conservation Summit Planned

Thirteen countries are planning to meet to discuss improving tiger populations worldwide. The meeting will take place in Bali, Indonesia, scheduled for September 15-18, 2010. The Bali Tiger Forum has been constructed to plan the global summit, which will focus on how to double the tiger population by 2022. In addition to the thirteen senior government officials, the summit will also be attended by tiger experts and NGOs.

Tigers are the largest of the big cat species, weighing in at over 600 pounds for some males. There are nine tiger subspecies in the world today, dwelling throughout Asia, with three known species that have become extinct. Almost half of all tigers in the wild are Bengal tigers, as are most in captivity. Another subspecies, the South China Tiger is the most critically endangered of the tigers, being considered one of the ten most endangered animals in the world. All tigers are strong swimmers, and have recently been found to even do some hunting from water. They are almost exclusively carnivores, hunting animals as small as fish, and as large as buffalo, who commonly weigh six times more than the tiger. Interestingly, their distinctive striped pattern is not just on their fur, but can be found on the tiger's skin, visible even if shaved. The stripes appear to be useful in camouflaging the animal among shadows of tree branches and grasses.

Wild tigers are becoming incredibly endangered. While an estimated 12,000 tigers are kept as pets in the USA alone, only between 3,000 and 5,000 adult tigers exist in the wild, globally. Poaching of tigers, for their beautiful fur and for use of their body parts as part of traditional medicine, is one of the main causes of the population decline, alongside habitat degradation. Conservationists hope to increase penalties against poachers and those who illegally farm tigers for their parts. It is hoped that the large captive population of tigers can one day be reintroduced into the wild.

via World Wildlife Fund

Finless Porpoise at Greater Risk

The finless porpoise has long been considered to be a vulnerable species, with only a few thousand individuals in the wild. A new study has found, however, that there are actually two separate species of finless porpoise, cutting the number of individuals down by half for each type. One lives in the Yangtze River, making it the only porpoise to survive in fresh water. This species is very rare, with approximately 1,000 porpoises living. The other lives in sea water, dwelling in the Yellow Sea and South China Sea. This revelation is hoped to cause more conservation efforts, as each type of finless porpoise has been found to be closer to extinction than previously thought.

The finless porpoise is a midsized marine mammal found primarily in coastal Asian waters. Their name stems from their lacking of a dorsal fin, a small ridge in its place, extending from its blowhole to its tail. They weigh between 65 and 100 pounds, and can grow to over five feet long. Although related to whales and dolphins, their behavior is more subdued, as they tend to be more shy of boats and do less playing in the waves.

The finless porpoise is currently considered to be an endangered species only in China. Their main threats are habit degradation, being caught in fishing nets, and enduring the after-effects of dredging lakes. Pollution has also been considered a dangerous threat, as are boat accidents. Hunting the porpoises has never been popular, as most have an aversion to eating the rare species, but when they are accidentally killed by becoming entangled in nets, or as byproducts of illegal electric fishing, they are sometimes sold as food.

via BBC Earth News

Red Panda Cub Born at Smithsonian Zoo

The first Red Panda cub to be born to the Smithsonian National Zoo in the last fifteen years came into the world on June 16, 2010. It was love at first sight for the cub's parents, who began breeding behavior almost immediately after introduction. Neither of them had previously birthed children. The Red Panda exhibit is currently closed to give the first-time mom and her new cub ample time to bond.

Red Pandas, unlike the panda bears they are named after, are not a type of bear at all. Their closest relatives are actually raccoons and weasels, although there has been ongoing controversy over their correct scientific classification. They are found in the forests of the Himalayas, from Nepal to China, and in India and Myanmar. They primarily eat bamboo and their bodies have evolved to better adapt to foraging for their food of choice. They have retractable claws curving inwards to better grasp bamboo and narrow tree branches.

Because of their beautiful coloration, Red Pandas have been victim to hunting and poaching. As with most, if not all tree-dwelling species, the Red Panda has also been suffering from habitat loss and deforestation. While they are currently only deemed to be vulnerable by the IUCN, but other organizations estimate that the population is smaller than the IUCN has calculated, and believe that the Red Panda should be considered endangered. Despite the fact that it is not technically considered to be endangered, the Red Panda is protected in every country that it dwells. Some areas where they reside have also found conservation status, hoping to protect the population, but the areas can be hard to police. Continued captive breeding programs are recommended by conservationists to keep a healthy strain of the animal alive, as fewer Red Pandas in the wild have led to some inbreeding. Protecting larger areas of land and properly enforcing existing legal protections are also recommended to rescue the Red Panda.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Indonesian Authorities Rescue Baby Orangutan

 

Indonesian authorities carried out a successful raid today, rescuing a six-month old orangutan who would have been destined for the underground pet market. Three suspects were arrested, connected to the plan to illegally sell the primate. Indonesia has had many cases of illegal animal trading, but authorities have begun cracking down on suspects, arresting over 20 people for possessing or trading endangered wildlife. The baby is now being cared for by the International Animal Rescue facility in Indonesia. As with most orangutans, it is hoped that it can be reintroduced to the wild after rehabilitation.

While the type of orangutan rescued was not mentioned, all species are at least considered endangered, with the Sumatran orangutan being critically endangered. The word orangutan stems from the Malay words for "man of the forest," which is suiting considering that they live in rainforests and are the most tree-dwelling of the great apes. They are ordinarily solitary animals, coming together primarily for reproduction. They subsist mostly off of fruits, but will find and eat a variety of other foods on their foraging expeditions. Interestingly, orangutans are the only type of primate who have two separate groups of males, with different physical and social characteristics. One group grows to be the twice the size of the females, has long, dark hair, a facial disk, and are very aggressive towards other males. The others grow only to be the size of the females, and are not particularly aggressive. It is believed that they can change from the first type to the second at any point during their lifetimes, seemingly following currently unknown social cues.   

In addition to the illegal pet trade, orangutan populations are threatened by habitat destruction, both natural and man-made. Their rainforests are susceptible to forest fires, as well as being cultivated into plantations, depleting the areas of trees. Orangutans are strictly protected under Indonesian law, but conservationists hope to expand the areas where their habitat is protected. It has been documented that the majority of orangutans live outside of the borders of the protected areas.  

via World Zoo Today

Zoo Atlanta Giant Panda Artifically Inseminated

A female giant panda was recently artificially inseminated at Zoo Atlanta. It is currently unknown whether the attempt will prove fruitful, as panda births in captivity are rare. Hope is up, however, as two panda cubs have been born to the mother bear in the past. Female pandas are only fertile for two or three days a year, making the insemination that much more difficult. Only time will tell now, hopefully with a cub being born in 90 to 160 days.

The giant panda is an endangered, bamboo-eating bear, indigenous to China. It is interesting that they eat bamboo, which makes up 99% of their diet, as they still have the digestion makeup of a carnivore. They are unable to fully process the vegetation, receiving little energy from it. It is because of this that giant pandas must eat 20 to 30 pounds of bamboo each day, and live relatively solitary, docile lives.

There are an estimated 2000 pandas in the wild and about 250 in captivity. While these numbers have increased recently, the survival of the species remains unsure. Pandas have been victims of poaching since ancient times, but have been less threatened by this in recent times. Increased penalties on poachers, including the death penalty, have demotivated most interested in the money from their skins.The main threat however remains the degradation of their habitat. Because of their love of bamboo, giant pandas have limited options of where to live. As China has expanded development into the hills and mountains where the bamboo grows, giant pandas have had fewer places to roam. Now that captive breeding programs are becoming more successful, the problem is becoming more apparent, as locations simply do not exist in the wild to support the current number of pandas. Panda reserves have been created in the hopes of protecting some land for the pandas, if their numbers return to normal.

via Orlando Sentinel

Malaysia Plans to Trap and Breed Bornean Rhino

The world's smallest rhinoceros, the Bornean Rhino, a breed of Sumatran Rhino, is dangerously close to total extinction in the wild. IUCN has categorized it as being critically endangered. Approximately 40 individuals remain, leading many to predict that current conservation methods are not aggressive enough to save the species. Malaysian officials are planning a new course of action, constructing a trap for a solitary female with the hopes to breed her with a previously rescued male. Researchers have been watching the female for several years and, without viewing a pregnancy, fear she may not be getting enough natural interaction with other rhinos to produce offspring. The trap, a concealed hole in the female's territory, has been constructed. Now it is just a matter of time, waiting for the female to become trapped and introduced to what will hopefully become her new mate.

As previously mentioned, the Bornean Rhinoceros is the world's smallest rhino, reaching only four to five feet tall at the shoulder. It has recently been proposed that it may be a relative of the Woolly Mammoth. Rhinos are herbivores, gnawing on tree saplings and enjoying salt licks. Sumatran Rhinos are the most vocal of the rhinoceros species. Like all rhinos, they have poor vision and enjoy wallowing in mud. Wallowing has proven to be incredibly important to the rhinoceros, as deprivation of mud pools in captivity has lead to many deaths.

Poaching is a major problem for all rhinoceroses, with Sumatran Rhino horns fetching up to $30,000 per kilogram on the black market. According to traditional medicine, their horns can help protect against poison and their meat can be used to cure leprosy and tuberculosis. Aside from poaching, logging of the rhino's habitat is also a substantial threat. The types of wood that rhinos typically live amongst tend to be particularly expensive. Also, because of the small number of surviving animals, breeding is becoming more rare, as rhinos do not often come into contact with each other.

Conservation is often difficult, as Sumatran Rhinoceroses do not tend to thrive in captivity. Most notably, from 1984 to 1996, 40 Sumatran Rhinos were transplanted into zoos and reserves in an attempt to breed them and preserve the species. By 1997, more than half of the captured rhinos had died. In 2004, all but eight died from a surra outbreak. In all of this time, no calves had been born at all and the project was fully deemed a failure. More research is needed to determine how the population can best be helped, although another large-scale capture-and-breed initiative seems unlikely.

via The Monga Bay

Great Bustard Chicks Born in UK

Four great bustard chicks were recently spotted in the UK wild. This is an important event for conservationists, who began reintroducing this bird to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, six years ago. The Great Bustard Group has been taking eggs from Russia, breeding them, and releasing their young in the UK. This is the second year that the group has seen chicks being hatched in the wild. 

Great bustards are currently deemed to be vulnerable to eradication, with approximately 35,000 birds calculated to exist. Most bustard species are considered either endangered, or at least with populations dwindling in size. They had been hunted to extinction in the UK during the 1800s, partially because of the bird's enormous size-- it is the world's heaviest flying bird, weighing up to 45 pounds. They also make beautiful trophy birds, with their colorful, large plumage. They are omnivores, eating a diet of seeds, insects, frogs, and beetles. The great bustard is the national bird of Hungary.

Hunting is no longer as dangerous to the species as it once had been. Now, as with most birds, their real threat comes from  habitat loss and development. In particular, electricity lines pose a risk to the birds, who despite their size can fly quite quickly, becoming entangled and electrocuted by wires. 

via BBC News

Four Endangered Tajik Markhors Born

The Los Angeles Zoo has announced the recent birth of two pairs of Tajik markhors--two boys and two girls. These are the first markhors to be born at the LA Zoo. The parents and kids will soon be on display for the public. 

Markhors are a type of large wild goat. Their name is Persian for "snake eater," despite the fact that they are herbivores. They dwell in Middle Eastern mountains, spanning Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. While adult males are mostly solitary creatures, most markhors have been found to live in groups of nine. It is believed that modern, domesticated goats are a cross between wild goats and the markhor. The markhor is the national animal of Pakistan.

They are considered to be endangered creatures, number only in the thousands. Hunting is the primary reason for the population decline, as their beautifully cork-screwing horns are seen as excellent trophies for huntsmen. The horns are also used for medicinal purposes in traditional Asian medicine, and can bring up to $2200 per pound. In India, Afghanistan and Pakistan, it is illegal to hunt markhors, with the exception of trophy hunts in Pakistan, using the money from the very expensive markhor permits towards their conservation and towards the local communities.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Cute Spotlight: Pygmy Tarsier

These wide eyed furballs were actually thought to be extinct since the 1920s! Were it not for the accidental killing of one while scientists were trapping rats in 2000, their existence would not have been known. In 2008, three more pygmy tarsiers were found and have been collared so more research may be done on them. There are still too few creatures for the IUCN to even make a determination as to their current endangered status.

The larger group of tarsiers as a whole are the only primates who are exclusively carnivorous, eating mostly insects and some small birds and lizards. They are dispersed among the islands of Southeast Asia, and pygmy tarsiers are found only in Indonesia. Tarsier conservation is particularly difficult because of their inability to cope with life in captivity. They have never successfully bred in an enclosure, and tarsiers have been known to injure or kill themselves because of the stress of being caged. Since 2008, numerous expeditions to find more pygmy tarsiers have all proved unsuccessful.

Two White-Naped Crane Chicks Hatched

It was recently announced that two White-naped Cranes chicks hatched on May 12 and May 14, 2010. They were born under a crane species survival program at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The genes in the two new chicks are incredibly important to the survival of the species. The chicks were conceived via artificial insemination. The chicks' parents were cranes who had been unable to reproduce in captivity before because of behavioral or physical impairments. While this may seem like a bane to the genetic strength of the birds, the diversity that these unused genes can bring to the species is invaluable. There are so few cranes in these breeding programs, having new blood in the mix is a necessity.

White-naped Cranes are currently considered to be vulnerable by IUCN due to their dwindling population. Estimates place the White-naped Crane population to be between 5,000 and 6,500 birds. These cranes are native to much of Asia, inhabiting Japan, China, Russia, Mongolia, and North and South Korea. White-naped Cranes are known for their digging abilities and their dancing during courtship. They are omnivores, living off vegetation and small animals in wetland areas. It is because of the development of the wetlands and the creation of dams that the cranes are thought to be dying. Current conservation efforts include artificially feeding the birds and working to give them protected status in the countries they habituate.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Malayan Tapir Born to Edinburgh Zoo

The birth of the baby, named Kamal (meaning perfection), was announced earlier this week. He was born April 23, 2010 and has recently been put on display.

Tapirs are notoriously hard to breed in captivity, but the parents of this youngster have previously had two other tapir calves. Hopefully, his parents have passed on their receptive nature for reproduction, as Kamal will be transferred to another zoo's breeding program in only 18 months, just as his brother and sister have done before him.

For more information on tapirs, please see the recently posted Cute Spotlight: Malayan Tapir article. 

via Telegraph.co.uk

Russian Scientists Foster Moon Bear Orphans

Three Moon Bear cubs were found by scientists, probably orphaned because of the legal hunting of the bears in Russia. The adult bears' skins are sought for the attractive moon markings on their chests. Moon Bears, technically called Asiatic black bears, are considered to be a vulnerable species. They are protected throughout most of their natural habitat, but in Russia and Japan, hunting them is still legal. As National Geographic reports, "During traditional Russian bear hunts, hibernating bears are dragged from their dens and shot. If it’s a mother with cubs, the babies are often left to die."

The scientists are purposefully doing little more for the bears than give them food, for fear that they will learn to depend on and trust humans too much. The goal is to release the bear cubs back into the wild in a year or so, once they have regained their strength and have survived the winter.

Asiatic black bears are mostly herbivores, eating fruits, nuts, insects, and some smaller animals. As they climb trees, spending up to half of their time in them, the bears will bring twigs and leaves up with them, creating what appear as nests for the bears to sit in. Moon bears are associated with the mountain spirit in traditional Japanese culture, with many folklore and art pieces focused around the creatures. They are often used, unfortunately, in circus acts because of their curious nature and their intellect.

Even without the legal sport hunting of Russia and Japan, the threats to the bears still increases. In China and Southeast Asia, a large threat to the species is the bear bile trade, for use in traditional medicine. The bile is supposedly used to cure diseases.  Some people have created "bear farms," capturing bears from the wild and keeping them to occasionally drain them of bile. Bear paws are also a delicacy in these countries, with demand rising as more Asian countries come into wealth. Conservationists are hoping that tougher laws against bear bile farms and against Moon Bear hunting in general will help keep the animal's population from dwindling further.

via National Geographic

Sichuan Takin Calf Born in Minnesota Zoo

A male Sichuan takin calf was born May 8, 2010 in the Minnesota Zoo. He was such an unexpected arrival to the zoo, he has been named Jingxi, Chinese for "surprise." He is considered to be healthy and has been put on exhibit with his mother and father, and an unrelated takin friend.

 

Sichuan takin, otherwise known as the Tibetan takin, is a "goat-antelope" who resides in the Eastern Himalayas. They eat a wide variety of vegetation, standing on their hind legs at time to reach leaves from tall trees. They tend to live in herds, especially during warm months. Other than humans, the takin has few predators, because of their horns and large size. Bears and wolves are two of the few animals who would attempt to fight this furry beast.

According to IUCN, the species is considered vulnerable due to its "decline of at least 30% over the last three generations... due to over-hunting and habitat loss." Nature reserves have been created in China and Bhutan to provide safe habitats for the animals. In Bhutan, the takin is their national animal. According to Bhutani mythology, a Lama created the creature out of the bones of a cow and a goat.

via ZooBorns and Kare 11

Cute Spotlight: Malayan Tapir

The Malayan Tapir is a little-known mammal, native to the rain forests of Southeast Asia. Despite appearances, tapirs are most closely related to the rhinoceros and horse. The young typically are decorated with stripes and spots, as pictured, and grow to have a simpler, black and white block pattern as adults. Aside from the coloration, the transition to adulthood also brings massive bulk. A full-grown tapir can weigh up to 1100 pounds.

Though they are vegetarians, tapirs are voracious eaters--primarily eating leaves, berries, and other fruits. They spend most of their time wallowing in pools or mud pits and have thus become adept swimmers. They are also excellent at smelling and hearing; their senses heightened because of their poor eyesight.

The average tapir lives to be approximately thirty years old. Of this, an average of 400 days is spent pregnant with each calf. In addition to the reasons mentioned below, the long gestation time for a singular tapir calf is partially to blame for their waning populations.

The Malayan Tapir, along with all over types of tapir, is currently considered endangered. The main threat to tapirs is, per usual, humans. Tapirs' habitats are being used for farming and they are occasionally hunted for sport. Organizations such as the Tapir Specialists Group conduct tapir research and conservation efforts around the world, breeding tapirs in captivity and providing refuge for displaced tapirs.