4 posts tagged “habitat loss”
I've got a sinus headache today so forgive me if I'm incoherent. I just wanted to share something special that I found! The first and as far as I know, only nonprofit dedicated to the Red Panda. Red Panda Network
They have a lovely website, and amazing information on everything Red Panda. It's making me dream about the Himalayas. You can remotely "adopt" a panda from some of their research sites. You get all sorts of goodies and this would make a killer Holiday gift.
What's frustrating is that the nonprofit is by and large sponsored by zoos, and captive breeding seems to be part of their conservation plan. I'd reiterate my diatribe on reintroduction but alas I'm too ill (Oh shucks, you say)..
If people donate enough though, we can get them off their dependence on zoos (whose trade is actually listed as a threat to the red panda) and get them onto new innovative habitat and conservation programs. This nonprofit has great potential! The group is now conducting a study of the species' populations and habitat.
Threats (from website)
1. Cash Cropping: Agricultural intensification over the past 15 years has created a need for more land. Land that used to lay fallow is now used for purposes such as tea or cardamom fields and fodder growth. Some private forests have been cut and replaced with cardamom monocultures of uttis upper canopy and cardamom understory. The fields are also sprayed with insecticides to ensure proper yields Translation for Americans (by yours truly) : buy local. Avoid pesticides, and know where your food comes from. Write letters.
2. Fodder and Firewood: An increasing trend toward dairies has fueled the demand for fodder, and the plant that is most commonly used for this purpose is malingo, a small bamboo that is the red panda's main food source. Another negative effect of dairies is their exorbitant use of firewood. Although they have money to pay for firewood privileges, dairies in the region have been known to cut more than they are allotted. Translation: encourage local folks to be self sufficient.
3. Timber: The preferred material for home construction has changed from stone, mud, and bamboo to timber. A prosperous household can now afford to buy timber from Community Forests.Translation: habitat loss is devestating. Use sustainable materials. Preserve forests.
4. Medicinal Plants: A strong medicinal plant trade and the creation of Singhalila National Park (SNP) on the Indian side in 1992 have depleted the medicinal plant populations due to over-harvesting. Translation: again, know where your food comes from.
5. Hunting: Fortunately, the creation of the SNP has led to a decrease in hunting. Rimbick, an Indian village on the perimeter of the park, was once the hub for the international red panda trade. According to locals, 47 red pandas were sold in one year from this village to stock the zoos of the world Translation: wildlife santuaries good, zoos bad. Don't support zoos. Conservation of native, extant wildlife instead of breeding in captivity or reintroduction. Also, don't buy from pet stores.
6. Grazing: According to local community forest managers, the most devastating use of the forest today is grazing. Before the creation of SNP in 1992, over 300 Goths, or temporary cattle herding stations, were located within the park's current boundaries. Although the SNP staff forced cattle herders to leave, many of the Indian herders sold their cattle to Nepalese herders who continue to heavily overgraze the PIS Corridor using chauri (yak-hill cow hybrids). This has led to the degradation of once-pristine Silver fir forests, the preferred habitat of the red panda.The other main threat to red pandas is illegal hunting. Red pandas are sometimes killed for their coats, which trappers use to make hats and clothing. Translation: avoid fur, smaller livestock is better.
There are some new condos on Singapore's mainland. I hear they're very exclusive - only oriental pied hornbills are invited! That's right, researchers from the Singapore Hornbill Project have built some high-tech bird boxes for these gentle creatures.
Hornbills are very picky about their homes; they are strictly arboreal, prefer to be high off the ground and will only use dead snags for nesting. They return year after year to the same nest site; some become so attached to their homes that they will return to a site even after it has been deforested.
Hornbills are large birds found in Africa and Asia. Their bills are so big and heavy that 2 of their cervical vertebrae are fused together for extra support. The "casque" on their bill is the subject of much speculation, but scientists think it is used for attracting mates, fighting and possibly to amplify their calls.
With the help of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore researchers created "intelligent nests" for the birds. They are designed strictly for this species. The nests are tall and are set 2 to 4 km apart to avoid territorial fighting. They also house scales, humidity sensors and a security system.
The birds really seem to like their new arrangements; the resident population of hornbills has doubled since the project began in 2004.
We'd better watch out - endangered species are becoming raiders of the lost ark. Stories in England and New York show that martens aren't bothering to sing for their suppers.
Pine marten's habitat used to encompass the entire state of New York; but their home has been reduced to a tiny part of the central Adirondacks. These elusive and quiet mustelids were real survivors until humans paved over their homes and invaded their space.
Now they're returning the favor - One couple on a honeymoon had their $200 backpack torn into by a pine marten. One hiker had a tuna fish sandwich stolen off of her lap. Not that I blame them, if I came home to find my habitat paved over by a Walmart I'd probably take a chunk out of someone's foot! Biologists trying to trap and study them use grape jelly and granola bars for temptation. That probably does not help matters.
Pine martens have huge feet to help them through the deep snow. They also have a neat kind of fur called "pelage", which is a combination of guard hairs (similar to porcupine hair), bristles (like you find on a lion's mane) and thick underfur that you'd find on weasels that spend their time in cold climates. Hunters thought their fur was nifty too, which contributed to their decline.
Although they are listed by the IUCN as "least concern", the same page notes that they don't have enough data to know their real status. There is also a chance that the "pine marten" in New England is a completely different species than the one in the western states. That would mean that our true New England pine marten is in serious decline.
I had my eye on studying the pine marten's adaptations for my thesis. The European marten shares this adaptability trait - scientists worried about their decline were astonished to find some martens surviving by raiding peanuts from squirrel feeders in people's back yards.
Pine martens may recover if we buy products from sustainably harvested forests, reduce our consumption of products requiring deforestation and insist that closed-canopy habitats be preserved. ;)
I love when new words are added to our language. Here's my favorite new word:
Greenwashing.
Technically speaking, Greenwashing is when a store or corporation advertises something as eco-friendly when it is really not.
I also think the term has a broader meaning, like the word "Brainwashing". They try to confuse you. Companies bombard us with these terms without a real explaination of just why their actions are suddenly different than all the other toxic, destructive, Earth-ruining actions they've always practiced.
The timing of this word is perfect. We are getting a new, probably eco-friendly president. But habitat loss is happening faster than ever. What's more, the trend towards sustainable products has created the inevitable buzzwords like "eco-friendly" and "green". Observe the messages of "Made with eco-friendly pine"! or "Check out our selection of Green cleaning products"! Do you ever feel confused when you read these signs? I sure do.
So if you hear Exxon or Walmart showing off their "Sustainable" practices, walk away and mumble the word Greenwashing. Then go out and buy some nice rings from your local craftswoman or visit your favorite local apple orchard. In the meantime I will look for deceptive advertising and I will post it here for our amusement! ;)
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