Conservation News Articles Archive Page 9 from Fri 02 Sep 2011 to Wed 05 Oct 2011

The resilience of Hawaiian reefs suggests a real opportunity for conservation

Posted Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:36:00 GMT by Dave Collier

A look at historical connections between human behaviour and coral reef degradation and recovery shows considerable resilience. Natives of the Hawaiian Islands, like many island peoples, have traditionally obtained a large proportion of their protein intake from seafood obtained in the waters around them.

The resilience of Hawaiian reefs suggests a real opportunity for conservation

Protecting the innocent: Marshall Islands shark sanctuary

Posted Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:50:00 GMT by Dave Armstrong

The President of the Marshall Islands, Jurelang Zedkaia, declared the world's biggest shark sanctuary on October 2nd. The parliament or Nitijela unanimously passed a law prohibiting commercial shark fishing in the two million km2 piece of ocean surrounding the Pacific islands.

Protecting the innocent: Marshall Islands shark sanctuary

Coral reefs more vulnerable than they appear

Posted Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:50:51 GMT by Dale Kiefer

Coral reefs can appear healthy, until it's too late and they collapse. But new research outlines specific reef-fishing thresholds that must not be crossed, or collapse of the reef ecosystem becomes inevitable.

Coral reefs more vulnerable than they appear

Sharks and marine turtles in trouble around the world

Posted Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:14:00 GMT by Dale Kiefer

New research indicates that sharks and marine turtles are in trouble around the globe. Scientists offer some new insights into possible methods for reversing these trends. Pressures on marine environments - from rising sea temperatures and overfishing to pollution and oils spills - is taking an increasingly heavy toll on a variety of marine species including turtles and sharks.

Sharks and marine turtles in trouble around the world

Nearly 400 aquatic species to be considered for protection under Endangered Species Act

Posted Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:22:00 GMT by Dale Kiefer

Nearly 400 species of southeastern U. S. aquatic plants and animals have been proposed for review by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to determine if they warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Nearly 400 aquatic species to be considered for protection under Endangered Species Act

Fisheries collapse is hidden by unreliable data

Posted Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:50:00 GMT by Dave Collier

A study has highlighted flaws in fisheries' assessments of the health of fish populations. Brad Erisman, a Scripps researcher, and colleagues have been looking at the populations of bass, using a combination of data sources.

Fisheries collapse is hidden by unreliable data

Saving the pernambuco tree

Posted Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:05:01 GMT by Jessica Allan

The plight of the pernambuco tree has struck a chord with musicians, and this has led to the the creation of a project aimed at conserving the species. The survival of the pernambuco tree is threatened by the continuing encroachment on its native habitat, and this has prompted the formation of the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative (IPCI).

Saving the pernambuco tree

Act on rhino horn demand WWF tells Asian governments

Posted Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:01:01 GMT by Colin Ricketts

Action on rhino poaching in South Africa is putting more criminals behind bars for longer, but to protect these threatened animals, WWF says Asian governments need to act to cut demand too.

Act on rhino horn demand WWF tells Asian governments

Some loggerhead turtle populations downgraded to endangered status

Posted Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:19:00 GMT by Dale Kiefer

Loggerhead turtle populations across the globe have been divided into nine distinct populations, with more than half downgraded from threatened to endangered status under the United States Endangered Species Act.

Some loggerhead turtle populations downgraded to endangered status

Bonds for trees programme announced

Posted Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:01:01 GMT by Dale Kiefer

A coalition of conservation groups has announced a new bonds initiative aimed at increasing financial incentives to reduce deforestation of the world's tropical forests. Announced by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) and the Global Canopy Programme (GCP), the initiative calls for governments to enhance forest conservation efforts by purchasing bonds to help fund existing conservation commitments and goals.

Bonds for trees programme announced

Deep sea rules being ignored say reports

Posted Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:35:00 GMT by Colin Ricketts

A coalition of conservationists and scientists are at the UN this week to argue that the organisations own rules on sustainable fishing in our deep oceans are being routinely flouted by member states.

Deep sea rules being ignored say reports

Hope for the Javan Rhino

Posted Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:20:01 GMT by Sharon Gill

The Ujung Kulon National Park has an ambitious goal: to increase the Javan Rhino population by 50% over the next five years. The Ujung Kulon National Park, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, is home to the world-s last remaining fifty Javan Rhinos.

Hope for the Javan Rhino

Monk Seals under threat in Hawaiian conservation zone

Posted Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:39:00 GMT by Kieran Ball

Measures taken to protect Hawaiian monk seals in a conservation zone may not be working. The population of monk seals living in the marine conservation area around Hawaii's Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is declining by up to 4% a year.

Monk Seals under threat in Hawaiian conservation zone

'Paper reserves' need fleshing out for China's flora to blossom

Posted Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:00:00 GMT by Martin Leggett

A plan to put right the house of cards that is China's current approach to plant conservation, is outlined in September's issue of BioScience. The authors, 2 of whom are from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, say without the implementation of their 7-point plan, much of China's plant-species wealth could be put under threat.

'Paper reserves' need fleshing out for China's flora to blossom

Poaching still a factor in declining forest elephant populations

Posted Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:22:00 GMT by Ruth Hendry

Forest elephants survey in the Cote d'Ivoire. Forest elephants in Cote d'Ivoire are still under threat from poaching despite a worldwide ban on the sale of ivory, a new WWF study has revealed. Researchers initially set out to determine the numbers of forest elephants in Cote dIvoire's Tai National Park.

Poaching still a factor in declining forest elephant populations

Booming bitterns are bouncing back

Posted Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:23:00 GMT by Ruth Hendry

Britain's loudest bird is making a comeback. A relative of the more commonly seen grey heron, the highly secretive bitterns spend most of their time hidden in reed beds, making them incredibly difficult to survey by sight alone. Luckily for scientists, male bitterns have a unique booming call which they create by filling their gullets with air and then releasing it.

Booming bitterns are bouncing back

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