Population Decline – TINA CHIARELLI, PHD, FRGS

Botswana’s Mass Elephant Die-Off

January 28th, 2023tinalc0 Comments

“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 …

Reemergence of New World Screwworm in Endangered Florida Key Deer

January 6th, 2018tinalc0 Comments

It feels like forever and a day since I’ve posted. Nevertheless, I wanted to share this article that I wrote for the International Animal Health Journal (IAHJ) in Spring of 2017 (Dow, T.L., 2017. Reemergence of New World Screwworm in Endangered Florida Key Deer. IAHJ. 4(1):38-41). You can read the paper at the journal home page at New World Screwworm Reemergence or below. Note: a follow-up article is planned for the Spring 2018.

A Year in Review: Let 2017 be the Year of Action

December 14th, 2016tinalc0 Comments

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 …

Overfishing: Why Your Choices Matter

May 22nd, 2015tinalc0 Comments

8 June marks the 7th official (23rd unofficial) World Oceans Day celebration. Now more than ever our oceans need our help. The choices we make in our everyday lives have a huge impact for the ocean ecosystems and their inhabitants. From the food we eat to the body wash we use in the shower, making good decisions about the products we use can make a significant difference between a healthy ocean and stories of what we once had. Overfishing continues to be one of the largest threats to our marine life. It is estimated that 90% of large predatory fish …

The State of Africa’s Big Cats: a 30-year Conservation Report Card

January 21st, 2015tinalc0 Comments

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) …

What New Legislature in the U.S. Means for the African elephant

January 15th, 2015tinalc0 Comments

From 2010-2012, the world lost more than 100,000 African elephants. At present, it is estimated that we lose 98 elephants a day. The biggest threat to both African and Asian elephants continue to be poaching to fill the demand of a thriving illegal ivory trade in China, the U.S., and Southeast Asia. In July 2013, President Obama revealed his Executive Order on combating wildlife trafficking, a proposed ban on all commercial trade in elephant ivory in the U.S. Working with preexisting legislature to close legal loopholes, the order will amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to include African elephants. …

Make 2015 the Year of Conservation Achievements

January 5th, 2015tinalc0 Comments

As 2014 came to a close, I felt inundated with reports of record numbers of animals killed to fuel the illegal wildlife trade. In 2014, almost 1,200 rhino were killed for their horns. Numbers of elephants slaughtered for ivory were in the tens of thousands. It appears that life in the sea is just as dangerous on land as over 100 million sharks were killed for their fins. Gorillas, tigers, okapis, hippos, lions, and cheetah are not only losing their lives, but also their homes. Sadly, they are not the only ones. This cannot continue. As we begin 2015, …

Conservation Achievements in the Pantanal

September 15th, 2013tinalc0 Comments

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 …

Emerging Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife

August 22nd, 2012tinalc0 Comments

Outbreaks of infectious disease make headlines around the globe almost daily. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and parasites have the potential to affect both humans and animals alike. A variety of infectious diseases can also be categorized as being zoonotic meaning they can be transmitted to other species. As reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 2.2 million human deaths annually are the direct result of zoonotic pathogens. As for domestic animals and wildlife, there is not an accurate number due to the under reporting of sickness in developing nations. For our …

Animal Extinctions: What Can We Learn From Past Mistakes

April 30th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

Across the globe animal species are going extinct. From such contributing factors such as disease, persecution, poaching, displacement, and habitat destruction, we are losing some of our most amazing creatures at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, species extinctions are nothing new. But can we learn from past mistakes to ensure more magnificent animals do not do the way of the dodo? One of the most iconic species to have become extinct in the 20th Century was the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger. The last known thylacine was observed in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in 1936. Although the thylacine was a large …