The Wildlife Conservation Thread

[Miss Chicken]

I know that many people here have an interest in this subject so I thought a dedicated thread would be nice.

I am interested the conservation of all wildlife but there are some species that I am especially interested in.

One of them is the Kakapo

Six billion people on Earth, only 120 kakapo

Here is one of them - Sirocco the Spokesbird for New Zealand Conservation.

Sirocco has just announced on his Facebook page that the first egg of the Kakapo breeding season has just been laid.

Sirocco himself will probably never be a father. He got very sick as a baby and had to be hand reared and as a result he seems to see himself as human rather than as a kakapo

If there is a particular species (animal or plant) that you are specifically interested in tell us about that species. Photos and links are very welcomed.

 

[Riker5]

That is quite the cool looking bird! I've been wanting to go to New Zealand and Australia for sometime just to see the great wildlife/forests/coasts/people.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I think the only way you will be able to see a kakapo would be if Sirocco happens to visit the Auckland Zoo. That is sometimes arranged. I don't think tourists are allowed to visit the three islands that the kakapo population now live on - there are 41 on Anchor Island, 63 on Codfish Island and the rest are on Maud Island.

Because every single member of the species have a name following their lives is a bit like a soap opera.

 

[kirsten187]

I support animal / wildlife charities etc. There's the WWF, North Shore Animal League plus some local cat / dog charities if they count?

 

[Miss Chicken]

The WWF certainly counts. I used to donate to them but now I donate to a couple more specific wildlife charities (Save the Tasmanian Devil and the Kakapo Recovery Program).

As far as other animal charities go, I sometimes donate to the RSPCA. Many years ago my late father-n-law was a RSPCA inspector and I used to go on calls with him occasionally. It was a bit of an eye-opener about how some people treat animals.

When my father-in-law was an RSPCA inspector he was the only inspector for the whole of Southern Tasmania and there was only one northern inspector. Now there are 7 inspectors thoughout Tasmania, probably not enough but much better than it used to be.

 

[Mary Ann]

For years I've had a WWF credit card, which helps me to feel a bit less guilty every time I use it as I'm making a charitable donation every time. Most of our pets have been rescues as well, and I used to foster small caged pets for a small local charity when I was still single, childless, and living in my parents' basement. My record was 17 animals spread over 10 cages (thanks to some unexpected furry pregnancies), which was a bit much, but we never had enough foster parents, sadly. I should also add that my parents were very, very patient with me!

 

[Miss Chicken]

One animal that few people know about though it is critically endangered (perhaps extinct) is the St Helena Giant Earwig.

Photo here

It was first described in 1798 but has rarely been seen. It was last sighted in 1967 but remains of one were found in 1995.

I do hope it has survived. Of the 1800 species of earwig this is the only one that makes it to the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

 

[RoJoHen]

One animal that few people know about though it is critically endangered (perhaps extinct) is the St Helena Giant Earwig.

Photo here

It was first described in 1798 but has rarely been seen. It was last sighted in 1967 but remains of one were found in 1995.

I do hope it has survived. Of the 1800 species of earwig this is the only one that makes it to the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

*shudders*

If I saw one of those crawling on the floor, I would kill it so fast!

 

[Miss Chicken]

One animal that few people know about though it is critically endangered (perhaps extinct) is the St Helena Giant Earwig.

Photo here

It was first described in 1798 but has rarely been seen. It was last sighted in 1967 but remains of one were found in 1995.

I do hope it has survived. Of the 1800 species of earwig this is the only one that makes it to the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

*shudders*

If I saw one of those crawling on the floor, I would kill it so fast!

I think many people would have that reaction - not me though, I would love to see one.

 

[RoJoHen]

It might explain their extinction, though. Death by "Eeeeek!" and foot stomp!

 

[Miss Chicken]

Another critically endangered species is the Saiga Antelope and, extremely unfortunately, the World Wildlife Fund has to take some of the blame for the decline in numbers of this animal.

The WWF and some other conservation groups encouraged the hunting of the saiga because its horns could be used as an alternative for rhino horn. This hunting meant that in just 15 years the population of saigas drop by 95%. There were about 2 million saigas in 1950 and now there is somewhere around 50,000-80,000 left. Hunting them is now banned.

 

[Gary7]

That Sirocco is beautiful... the green feathering with gray flecks gives it a kind of parrot look.

I realize that many species thin or die out due to human encroachment upon their habitats. But I often wonder if some species die out simply because they're just not "making the grade" on the evolutionary race. Especially with insects. Either their prey is becoming less prevalent and they lack the ability to adapt to another prey, or there's a predator that is becoming more skillful/plentiful to impact their population.

What really bugs me is when human beings foul up the food chain due to rampant poaching. The poor sea turtle isn't standing a chance. If only they could be artificially introduced into areas for rebalancing, like feeding upon the over abundant jellyfish population in Australia.

 

[RoJoHen]

I realize that many species thin or die out due to human encroachment upon their habitats. But I often wonder if some species die out simply because they're just not "making the grade" on the evolutionary race. Especially with insects. Either their prey is becoming less prevalent and they lack the ability to adapt to another prey, or there's a predator that is becoming more skillful/plentiful to impact their population.

Indeed. Sometimes species are just destined to die off, and it's not our responsibility as humans to keep them alive just for the sake of it.

However, yes, sometimes it is our fault, and we should do all we can to remedy that.

 

[Miss Chicken]

That Sirocco is beautiful... the green feathering with gray flecks gives it a kind of parrot look.

The kakapo is in fact a parrot. It is the largest of the world's parrots and the only parrot that is flightless. It is also nocturnal.

It is one of the world's longest living birds. On average it lives for about 95 years.

 

[Jadzia]

I know that many people here have an interest in this subject so I thought a dedicated thread would be nice.

I am interested the conservation of all wildlife but there are some species that I am especially interested in.

I have mixed feelings about wildlife conservation.

On one hand, it is nice to hold onto rare species, that we may or may not be responsible for driving to near extinction. Conservation is cathartic to guilt, but is it anything more than that? Because on the other hand, natural selection and extinction are perfectly normal functions of our planet. By holding back that tide, by keeping some species alive artificially, aren't we just meddling further with the equilibrium of the natural world?

 

[Miss Chicken]

I think that we, as a species, are responsible for the majority of the extinctions/near extinctions in the last few hundred years. I fact I don't think I can think of any currently endangered species whose decline hasn't been caused by man.

I think by trying to save endangered species we become more aware of the harm we are actually doing to the environment. I think that such awareness will help humans survive as well as helping the endangered species survive. I don't think there are many species that are totally beyond help.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

This is a great idea for a thread, Miss Chicken. Already, I've learnt two facts of which I wasn't previously aware, one good and one bad. The bad: I wasn't aware the kakapo population was quite as low as that. The good is that the earwig remains seem to offer a shred of hope; somehow, i hadn't heard of that find, I only knew the "last sighted" date...

 

[Miss Chicken]

This is quite an ordinary looking creature but quite remarkable it its own way.

It is the Pedra Branca Skink.

Despite the fact that its population seems to fluctuate between about 250-600 individuals it is only considered to be vulnerable not endangered.

It is remarkable because if its extremely small range.

Its home is Pedra Branca Island which is located 26 km south of Tasmania. Pedra Branca at its highest point the island is about 55 m above sea level. Its area is about 2.5 hectares, of that only 0.14 hectares provide suitable habitat for this skink. The island has been separated from the Tasmanian main island for about 15,000 years.

EDITED TO ADD - I would be extremely interested if people can come up with examples of animals with even smaller distribution ranges.

Pedra Branca Island

The Pedra Branca Skink is a long lived species. It lives at least 10 years and possibly up to 15 years. It isn't sexually mature until it is 6-8 years old.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

^ That's an impressively small island. I hadn't heard of this species before. As for others with a small range, there's the Devil's Hole pupfish, which lives in a pool in a limestone cavern in the Amargosa Desert (Nevada, USA). There are between 100 to about 400 at any one time. A limestone shelf of two metres by four metres is the species' sole natural breeding area. Here's a picture of almost their entire natural range:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/5417755195_9cb0b29f65_m.jpg

 

[Miss Chicken]

^^^ Thanks for the info. I had heard of this fish before. I knew it lived somewhere in America but I couldn't remember what it was called or many details.

I suppose the animals with the smallest range would have to be animals that live in isolated caves, followed by land animals that live on very small remote islands.