New research suggests, zoos and aquariums in Canada do little to protect endangered creatures in the wild.

by Larry Powell

A Bengal, the commonest tiger species (but still endangered)
paces in its cage at Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park zoo. 
A PinP photo.

A study just published in the journal, Facets, begins positively enough. It acknowledges that members of Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA - the private, non-profit charity representing thirty such institutions), do try to be leaders in researching this field and, that they do take part in programs aimed at species survival by breeding animals in captivity, then re-introducing them into the wild.

And on its own website,  CAZA claims, "We are behind some of the most remarkable conservation success stories. This includes, bringing species such as the Black Footed Ferret and the Vancouver Island Marmot back from the brink of extinction,” for example. 

However, in some key areas, the researchers (a team of two biologists from Laurentian University in Sudbury) suggest, CAZA and its members are falling short. 

Zoos and aquariums could be "important resources in mitigating biodiversity loss. And the credibility of zoos as conservation organizations can only be enhanced by the production of peer-reviewed science in this field."

Yet, while CAZA members are turning out more such research (still significantly less than their US counterparts and most in "zoo-centric" journals), most are not on the topic of biodiversity conservation at all, but on veterinary science, instead. 

"Few studies have explored their contribution to biodiversity conservation efforts and research productivity in general." 

Increasing collaboration with academic institutions would be one way for CAZA to overcome that shortcoming. So, “It is puzzling that collaborations between these groups are rare. Academics can use the unique environment zoos and aquariums provide for studying species, whereas academic research based on field observations may increase the success of reintroduction efforts led by zoos and aquariums.”

This new research comes to light against the backdrop of extinctions hanging over tens of thousands of Earth's wild species, “ due to widespread degradation of global ecosystems caused by humans.”

-30-

 

The hand of man shows through once again in a major weather catastrophe.

 by Larry Powell

The Green Wattle Creek bushfire moves 

toward the Southern Highlands township of 

Yanderra, Australia as police evacuate. Dec. 2019.
Photo by Helitak 430.

A new study finds, manmade climate change did, indeed, worsen the bushfires which ravaged much of southeastern Australia late last year and early this year. An international team of seventeen scientists has just concluded, the probability of conditions developing like the ones which kindled the catastrophic blazes “has increased by at least 30% since 1900 as a result of anthropogenic climate change.” 

And that figure could be much higher considering that extreme heat, one of the main factors behind this increase, is underestimated in the models used. The heating of the planet, largely due to human extraction and burning of fossil fuels, has, for some time been shown to be the main factor behind the development of storms that are more intense and frequent than before.

Looking to the future, the study predicts, if the temperature rises 2 ºC over 1900 levels, the kind of fire risk which existed during the recent bushfires "will be at least four times more likely." 

Last year was both the hottest and driest in Australia since records began around 1900. Not only were the fires more frequent and intense, they started earlier than usual. They claimed the lives of more than a billion wild animals, thousands of livestock and 34 humans. Almost six thousand buildings were destroyed. And the smoke - which produced air quality hazards some 20 times beyond what were considered levels safe for humans - lingered for months over much of the country.

To quote from the report, "It is well-established that wildfire smoke exposure is associated with respiratory morbidity. Additionally, fine particulate matter in smoke may act as a triggering factor for acute coronary events (such as heart attack-related deaths) as found for previous fires in southeast Australia. Increased bushfire-related risks in a warming climate have significant implications for the health sector."

The research was done by the scientific group, “World Weather Attribution” (WWA). It's a relatively new, international effort to analyze and communicate the possible influences of climate change on extreme weather events.

-30-
RELATED:

Bushfire crisis conditions eight times more likely under 2C warming, analysis shows 

Canada’s reindeer ‘at risk of extinction’

The Narwhal

As governments drag their feet on caribou habitat protections, the iconic species engraved on the Canadian quarter is winking out across the country. The year 2019 saw alarming declines and local extinctions of a species Indigenous peoples hold sacred. Story here.

"Santa's reindeer" flee a logging truck, somewhere in the boreal
forests of Canada. 

Please read my own, related story and watch my video, below...Larry Powell.

Even our national bird - the Canada jay - is not immune from the ravages of manmade climate change.

Save the Wilderness. A music video by Eric Bogle and Larry Powell.

Brazil’s Atlantic forest: putting the pieces back together

BirdLife

INTERNATIONAL

Surrounded by a sea of cattle ranches and sugarcane plantations, a few ‘islands’ of Atlantic Forest remain. By establishing a private reserve and working with local people to connect forest fragments, SAVE Brasil is showing that it is possible to turn the tide on extinction. Story here.

The more we carve up natural landscapes with roads and fields, the closer we’re pushing large predators like lions and wolves, toward extinction. by Larry Powell

While the consequences of habitat loss have been known for some time, new research just published, underlines just how grave the situation has become. 

While this latest research is German, animals like the grey wolf faces similar disruption in North America.

While this latest research is German, animals like the grey wolf
faces similar disruption in North America. 

It’s called “habitat fragmentation.” And, it’s been happening on such a large scale, it’s been hard to tell what aspects are the most destructive. That's because ecologists - at least 'til now - haven't been able to properly keep track of all wildlife within an entire eco-system when human developments confine them to smaller and more isolated patches of livable space. 

Seismic lines dissect the boreal forest in northern Alberta. Photo by Roland Roesler.

Using a new computer modelling system, German scientists have concluded, such landscapes are a big problem for large predators such as lions and wolves. They're the ones who run out of food first as their prey diminishes. If these large predators disappear, entire wildlife "communities" suffer.

The study concludes, "Habitat isolation is the main driver causing species loss and diversity decline." This can include the collapse of entire, complex "food webs" and make these large "apex" predators the most vulnerable to outright extinctions.

The study was published yesterday in the proceedings of The Royal Society.

Seismic lines dissect the boreal forest in northern Alberta.

Photo by Roland Roesler.

-->

-30-

The Trump Administration Has Thrown Out Protections for Migratory Birds

truthout

A great egret. One of the many birds that migrate between Canada and the U.S.
A PinP photo.

Under Republican and Democratic presidents from Nixon through Obama, killing migratory birds, even inadvertently, was a crime, with fines for violations ranging from $250 to $100 million. The power to prosecute created a deterrent that protected birds and enabled government to hold companies to account for environmental disasters. But in part due to President Donald Trump’s interior secretary nominee…more here.

RELATED: 

New Studies Show Farm Chemicals Are Affecting More Than Bees. Bird Populations are Declining, Too. Is modern agriculture's hold on nature becoming a death grip?

The Insect Apocalypse Is Coming: Here are Five Lessons we Must Learn

truthout

A PinP photo.

In a new report, scientists warn of a precipitous drop in the world’s insect population. We need to pay close attention, as over time, this could be just as catastrophic to humans as it is to insects. Special attention must be paid to the principal drivers of this insect decline, because while climate change is adding to the problem, food production is a much larger contributor. Story here.

A Professor at the University of Saskatchewan (Canada) is calling for the killing of Canada's entire population of wild pigs - by Larry Powell

Dr. Ryan Brook, Associate Professor in the College Agriculture
and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Ryan Brook says such a drastic and aggressive move would be justified because the animals can carry deadly disease such as African Swine Fever. ASF entered China, the world's largest hog producer, some time ago, forcing major culls of domestic animals there. It is feared the disease could spread to North America and that wild pigs could prove to be carriers and infect commercial swine herds in the US and Canada. It is believed such an eventuality would devastate the pork industry on this continent.

Dr. Brook suggests the wild animals could be captured in nets dropped from helicopters, then killed with bolt guns. He claims big ground traps and human ground crews could effectively catch and kill entire groups.

Wild pigs in winter. A Pexels photo.

He adds, while he respects sports hunters, their methods are not effective at controlling wild hog numbers. That's because they tend to fragment populations and make them harder than ever to capture. He says a plan to eradicate Canada's wild pig population is urgently needed and requires co-operation on a national and international scale.

Dr. Brook was speaking on the radio program "Farmscape," sponsored by the hog industry in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. 

RELATED: In Hogs We Trust - Part 111 - From Malaysia to Manitoba - the magnitude of livestock diseases, worldwide.

Mexico’s monarch population booms

Science Magazine

IN SECTION: NEWS IN BRIEF

Edited by Jeffrey Brainard

Opens in modal lightbox

Monarch butterflies clustered at a reserve in

 Mexico.PHOTO: BIOSPHOTO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Viewable Image - mexicos monarch population booms

Image Caption

Monarch butterflies clustered at a reserve in Angangueo, Mexico. PHOTO: BIOSPHOTO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

Every winter, monarch butterflies in Canada and the northeastern and midwestern United States flock to the pine and fir forests of central Mexico to hibernate, covering trees and turning hectares of forest orange and black. This year, the butterfly population overwintering in Mexico more than doubled, according to World Wildlife Fund Mexico, which helps lead the annual count. The butterflies covered 6.05 hectares of forest, up from 2.48 last year. It’s the largest wintering area since the winter of 2006–07. This famous group of migrating monarchs has been struggling in recent years, with an all-time low arriving in 2013–14, when they covered a mere 0.67 hectares. This year’s uptick reflects a boost from mild climatic conditions in the United States last year, which allowed more monarch larvae to survive and mature there and eventually make the 4000-kilometre journey to Mexico. Another possible cause: Increasing numbers of Americans have planted milkweed, monarch caterpillars’ food source, which has been threatened by the widespread use of herbicides in U.S. agriculture. Meanwhile, the population of monarch butterflies that lives west of the Rocky Mountains and overwinters on the California coast continues to decline, with an 86% drop reported this year.

Canadian scientists discover Neonics are being ingested by free-ranging animals

Science News.

A pair of wild turkeys in Manitoba. A PinP photo.

Researchers at the University of Guelph, Ontario have found residues of the insecticides in the livers of wild turkeys, providing evidence that this common agrochemical is being ingested by free-ranging animals. More here.

The terrifying phenomenon that is pushing species towards extinction

The Guardian

Scientists are alarmed by a rise in mass mortality events – when species die in their thousands. Is it all down to climate change? More here.

Europe's key animals 'making a comeback'

BBC News

Some of Europe's key animals have made a comeback over the past 50 years, a report suggests. More here.

Humans take up too much space -- and it's affecting how mammals move

ScienceDaily

Study found that human-modified landscapes shrink mammal movements by up to half. Story here.

Moose in Riding Mountain National Park, 
Manitoba, Canada. PinP photo.

Warming ocean water is turning 99 percent of these sea turtles female

ScienceNews

Rising temperatures are skewing population ratios toward extreme imbalance. Story here.

Photo by Karla

"Just like eating yogurt" - scientists hope to end epidemic in bats

NATIONAL OBSERVER

Canadian scientists are racing to test a remedy that they hope will save bats from a deadly fungus that has already killed millions of the winged mammals across the continent. Story here.
Hibernating healthy Virginia big-eared bats in W.V. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Help the World Wildlife Fund help save our vanishing wildlife

RELATED: PinP reviews the book - "The Sixth Extinction - an unnatural history."

Living Planet Report Canada - Our Vanishing Wildlife

World Wildlife Fund

                   Burrowing owl.                                  

Great Blue Herron.

Bobolink. (PinP photos.)

The fate of wildlife in Canada is in our hands. WWF -Canada’s Living Planet Report Canada shows that wildlife is on a troubling decline. It’s time to come together and turn things around. Story here.

How climate change has altered Kodiak bears' feeding habits

PNAS
Red elderberry and sockeye salmon make up a large portion of a Kodiak bear's diet; usually, the bears treat themselves to spawning salmon before the elderberry season begins. Recently, warmer springs have shifted the elderberry fruiting time to an earlier period, which coincides with the salmon spawn. Researchers observed how warmer springs affected the bears' diets, and found that bears left the streams to forage on berries on adjacent hillsides, disrupting an ecological link that typically fertilizes terrestrial ecosystems and generates high mortality rates for salmon. These findings contribute to the ongoing exploration of the effects of climate change on specific predator-prey relationships and ecosystems as a whole.

Could Rudolph and friends help to slow down our warming climate?

Environmental Research Letters

Reindeer photo by Arild Vågen

Reindeer may be best known for pulling Santa’s sleigh, but a new study suggests they may have a part to play in slowing down climate change too. Story here.

Female elk can learn to avoid hunters with age

EurekAlert

Strategies include moving less, and favouring safer areas when near roads. Story here.

Elk in Jasper Nat'l. Park, Canada. 

PinP photo.