Elephant Biologist | FN'22 The Explorers Club
Elephant Biologist | FN'22 The Explorers Club
This past year, I got the opportunity to interview some incredible conservation organizations regarding their work before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic. During such trying times, they continued to support wildlife and communities in range countries despite new challenges. You can read the article in its entirety at JEMA 2022v33i3.
“In March 2020, at the beginning of a global pandemic, elephant carcasses were found in the Ngamiland district of northern Botswana. Within three months from the initial report, helicopter-based surveys counted a total of 350 dead elephants. Carcasses of males and females were found by themselves with 70% near water. In some cases, it was as though the animal was walking and just collapsed. Locals would state that some elephants were observed walking in circles with extremely low body condition before death. Due to Covid-related travel restrictions, carcasses were not thoroughly examined, and tissue samples not collected; thus, a causative …
As winter descends on the Northern hemisphere, the costal waters surrounding Florida begin to cool. Warm waters that see temperatures in the low 80s for most of the year drop to the mid 60s and below. For the West Indian manatee, or manatee for short, sustained water temperatures of 65° F and below can be incompatible with life. Luckily for these underwater mega-herbivores Florida is home to several freshwater springs that maintain a constant temperature of 70-72°F year-round. Estuaries and rivers leading from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean give easy passage to these winter havens. …
As 2016 draws to a close, it’s important to reflect upon the last 365 days. Just like the preceding years, 2016 had triumphs and failures in wildlife and habitat protection. Although we still have a lot of battles before us in the field of conservation, I feel that 2016 was the year of awareness. Global issues were brought to the forefront to be openly discussed. I have to hope that is a great start for things to come in 2017. With each passing year, I am often asked how one person can make a difference. I completely understand how easy …
In 1932, film director, W.S. Van Dyke, and crew descended upon the Silver River in Central Florida to film a Hollywood blockbuster. Tarzan the Ape Man would do just that, making more than $2.5 million worldwide. In comparison to today’s film industry, that would be a hit! Capitalizing on the film’s success, local tour boat operator, Colonel Tooey, devised a plan to purchase several exotic species including Rhesus macaques to keep near the banks of the river. He would offer a five-mile “Jungle Cruise” from the river’s mouth up to the headwaters of Silver Springs. His idea was to place …
Florida’s Atlantic Coast is currently a hotbed of activity for Sea turtle propagation. From early May to September, several species of Sea turtle seek out the coastline as a prime nesting location. During each season thousands of Loggerhead, Green Sea, and Leatherback turtles make their way to land by the light of the moon to lay their eggs in the warm sand. With any luck, in 50-60 days, the next generation will be on their journey into the deep blue. Ancient sea turtles first appeared in the coastal waters of Pangea over 240 million years ago during the …
Another year has come and gone. Like those years preceding, 2015 has witnessed both heartbreak and achievements in conservation. As we reflect back, it is important to find the positive in the saddest of situations, learn from them, and apply the knowledge gained to help in the new year. The death of the King of Hwange, Cecil, brought trophy hunter to center stage. Through his tragic end, Cecil became a voice for Lions. Not only did the world listen they too spoke out asking how and why this could have happened. Demanding justice. In response, the United States listed one …
2015 has seen a media frenzy centered on the African lion, mostly for the wrong reasons. Headlines condemning the illegal killing of a research lion, Cecil, started a global conversation on the lion hunting industry. A recent documentary, Blood Lions, solidified the fact that this type of exploitation is a contributing factor to the demise of this magnificent species. For years wildlife conservation groups have called for the increase in protection for the African lion to no avail.According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are only ~23,000 lions representing five subspecies still found in Africa. That …
Despite staunch conservation efforts, global big cat populations continue to decline. In just the last 30 years, data collected by conservation groups in Africa show that some big cat populations fell by at least 50% (table 1). Loss of habitat, human-wildlife conflicts, hunting, and poaching continue to threaten the long –term survival of these iconic creatures. Population 1985 2015 Cheetah (Africa and Iran) ~21,000 <10,000 (CCF) Lion (African and Asia) 100,000 ~23,000 Africa; <400 Asia (IUCN) Tiger (6 subspecies) 5,000-7,000 <3,500 (Global Tiger Initiative) Leopard (9 subspecies) no reliable data 100,000 Africa; 8,000 India (Nat Geo) …
Listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Area and one of the world’s largest tropical wetlands, the Pantanal covers 188,000 ha in western central Brazil. Bordering Bolivia and Paraguay, this freshwater ecosystem, fed by the Cuiabá and Paraguay rivers, is home to a variety of species found nowhere else on Earth. Modern pressures and an ever-growing human population continue to pose challenges for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation. Research projects centered on such species as the lowland tapir, giant river otter, and jaguar work relentlessly to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and secure safe rangeland to ensure wildlife are protected and given the …