Will India's Upcoming Elephant Census Help in the Country's Elephant Conservation?

An elephant herd

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) recently announced that it will launch an elephant census next year. However, this upcoming elephant count will be along the lines of tiger population evaluation and estimation. That is, it will involve identifying each elephant, their herds as well as health and nutrition of each individual. In order to mark World Elephant Day, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav issued the population estimation obligation to be ratified for the project. Ministry officials stated that this will be the first time elephants, tigers, and leopards will be counted together. While speaking on the occasion at an event at Indira Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi, the minister emphasized on the engagement of local communities and indigenous people in elephant conservation and stated that a bottom-up approach is the way forward. This would also help in mitigating human-elephant conflict. According to ministry officials, the process for next year's assessment will involve "rigorous statistical analyses of ground data on animal signs, human impacts, habitat attributes and absolute density." The assessment will be carried out in three stages and consist of ground surveys, analyses of remotely sensed data, and camera traps. There will also be an assessment of human footprint indices, landscape characteristics, and habitat quality. Individual elephants will be determined using a group of microsatellite markers from dung DNA. As part of the third stage, biologists and forest department personnel will examine elephant groups for demographic criteria and body condition. The animals will be aged based on size and body characteristics such as ears and tusks. They will be recorded for nutritional status based on body condition.

India's new elephant count will be similar to the country's tiger census.

I think it is very interesting that India's upcoming elephant census will be conducted the same way as the tiger census. I also think that this could be an improvement in the country's elephant conservation. Unlike tigers, elephants were not counted with the use of camera traps and individually identified through body size and various physical characteristics until now. Elephants may not have clearly defined body markings like tigers and leopards. However, they can be distinguished from each other individually by combinations of physical characteristics such as the position and size of their tusks, missing tusks (called "makhnas" in males), unique marks (i.e. notches) on their ears, scars on their bodies, tails, etc. It just goes to show that wild animals, regardless of what species, can be individually distinguished from one another. I hope this new elephant census will help in the conservation of India's elephants and indicate the overall health of the country's elephant population.

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Can Commercial Fishing Influence the Body Size of North Atlantic Right Whales?

 

Scientists from NOAA Fisheries Services attempting to disentangle a young North Atlantic right whale. 

A recent study has shown that North Atlantic right whales are now growing smaller in size compared to four decades ago and suggests that commercial fishing is responsible. This research, published in the journal Current Biology, pointed out that a North Atlantic right whale born today would grow to be about one meter shorter than a whale born in 1980. Presently, full-grown whales average 43 to 46 feet. The researchers used high-resolution aerial photographs to record the size and body condition of 129 right whales. North Atlantic right whales usually migrate up and down the East Coast from Canada to Florida. In recent years, more than half the population has been seen off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts where they come into contact with fishing gear. Researchers discovered that entanglement causes long-term harm to the whales even when they do not die. This happens when the whales get caught in the gear and drag it around. During the process, the whales end up spending more energy in fighting to survive, instead of growing or repopulating their decreasing numbers. In addition to contributing to decreased body size, entanglement also causes nursing female right whales to produce smaller offspring. This threatens the repopulation of this right whale species whose numbers are so few. The stunted growth of whales corresponds with a growing rate of entanglements. A study from the New England Aquarium in 2012 indicated that more than 80 percent of right whales have been entangled at least once in their lives and 60 percent have been tangled more than twice. The researchers recognized that entanglements do not explain all of the decreased growth. Other causes might be collisions and noise from ships, climate change, and the changing availability of copepods, the whales' main food source. The researchers are now trying to determine whether other whales and marine mammals are experiencing similar declines in growth.

A photographic illustration comparing the size of North Atlantic right whales from the past thirty years to recent years. The dotted outline in each image shows how long researchers expected each whale to be if it had been born in 1981.

I strongly believe that a great deal of research needs to be done in order to determine this stunted growth in marine mammals, including North Atlantic right whales. These whales are critically endangered and their population recently diminished from 481 in 2011 to 366 now. Due to their namesake, they have been targeted by commercial whaling for their high fat content ultimately pushing them to the brink of extinction by the early 1890s. Even though whaling is now banned, these whales are threatened by commercial fishing and various other human-induced factors such as climate change. I believe that in order to conduct further research on this issue, preventive measurements need to be carried out to ensure the right whales' safety, along with other whales and marine mammals. This includes better control of crab and lobster fisheries in the East Coast, noise pollution control, and even the testing and implementation of harmless fishing alternatives such as ropeless fishing. I also believe that research needs to be done to determine the source of gear found wrapped around the whales in order to prevent unfair blaming on fishing industries and putting them out of business.

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Can Lions and Cheetahs Coexist Together in India?

Asiatic lion

In India's Madhya Pradesh state, there is a protected area called Kuno Palpur National Park. This little-known wild place came into spotlight as a possible reintroduction site for the Asiatic lion, whose numbers currently estimate at around 674 individuals in Gujarat. It has also been chosen as a relocation site for the cheetah, which has been extinct in the country for over seventy years. But recently, a debate has been triggered among wildlife experts regarding the relocation of these two big cats. This debate came in response to the devastation of Cyclone Tauktae on Gir Forest National Park, the current home of the lions. Although no lion was killed, experts stressed that the cyclone served as a warning to state governments that lions need a second home outside Gujarat. In addition to Cyclone Tauktae, a canine distemper outbreak in September 2018 killed 27 lions and forced 37 into quarantine. Data from the Gujarat forest department has shown that lion deaths as a result of human-lion conflicts are increasing. As per information, 154 lions died in 2019 and 159 in 2020 and about one third of them were possibly due to conflict with people. In addition to lions, arguments were also made in favor of and against relocating cheetahs into Kuno Palpur National Park. Those against the relocation project argued that the protected area was established only for lions, whereas those in favor stressed that it would help protect India's grasslands and create new habitats for wildlife.

A cheetah in Africa

Although I understand the reason for this debate, I also believe that it hinders the progress of India's lion and cheetah relocation projects. Even though the Supreme Court had issued an order to bring lions into Kuno Palpur National Park some years ago, no action has been made as of now. I strongly suggest that lions should be translocated to Kuno Palpur National Park and closely monitored to see how well they are adjusting to their new place. I would also suggest that same should be done for Africa's cheetahs when they are brought to India. Both of these big cats once coexisted with one another in the past centuries before disappearing throughout much of their historic range. In my opinion, this would be a perfect opportunity to observe and study lions and cheetahs coexisting with one another in India for the first time in centuries. I also believe this would help in understanding the relationship between the two cats and how it will help in their conservation. Studying the coexistence between lions and cheetahs will help determine whether the big cats can survive on the long-run in India or should be kept separate. Regardless of the coexistence issue, I think no time should be wasted in debates at this point and at least the project to translocate lions should be undertaken to establish another population in India.

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Jaguar Reintroduction Essential in the American Southwest

A young male jaguar captured on camera trap earlier this year in northern Sonora.

The jaguar is generally associated with the lush tropical rainforests of Central and South America. But this powerful big cat of the New World was once found in the dry arid landscape of the American Southwest. Decades after disappearing from its desert homeland, jaguar sightings had been reported in certain areas along the U.S-Mexico border in early to mid-2010s. But now, a study published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice has asserted that these big cats should be reintroduced deeper into their historic American range. The study, written by sixteen conservation biologists, suggested a vast tract of Arizona and New Mexico for the reintroduction of jaguars. This area stretches from the White Mountains to as far north as Flagstaff and as far west as Prescott. The study also argued that bringing the jaguar back to southwestern U.S would "remedy the injustice" of the cat being eradicated by people almost six decades ago. The group hopes it will persuade the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to revisit its jaguar recovery plan from 2018, which determined an area south of Interstate 10 in southern Arizona and New Mexico as the only U.S habitat for the big cat. However, the land is large enough to support only six jaguars. This newly proposed release site, on the other hand, has the potentiality to support 150 jaguars. The authors of the study also recognized the possibility of human-wildlife conflict in the form of jaguars preying on livestock in the area, but predicted such incidences can be mitigated through range management methods and compensation payments. They further pointed out that unprovoked jaguar attacks on people are very rare and there has never been a recorded attack in the 21st century. Eric Sanderson, the lead author of the study, stated that further research which will analyze how the reintroduction process will be done would be due sometime next year.

Map of the proposed jaguar reintroduction site

I really think this recent study of reintroducing the jaguar in the American Southwest should be seriously considered. This big cat historically played a crucial role in the ecological balance of the Southwest. It demonstrated that by keeping the deer and peccary populations in check. When the jaguar disappeared, the numbers of deer and peccaries were left to be in control by its smaller and lighter cousin, the puma. The puma alone is not able to control the peccary population because the latter is known to defend itself when in a group. Also, the peccary's neck is protected by a thick layer of bristles which makes it difficult for the puma to bite into and kill it. The jaguar, on the other hand, is the only big cat that kills with a bite to the skull. This makes it a highly efficient predator of the peccary, whose only vulnerable spot is its head. Therefore, the reintroduction of the jaguar in Arizona and New Mexico is essential for controlling the peccary population and other prey species.

The collared peccary is one of many animals that forms the jaguar's prey base.

I also agree that this reintroduction project should include involvement of stakeholders like state, federal, and tribal officials, and the public - especially those living in the vicinity of the proposed release site. I believe it is crucial to conduct awareness programs to educate the public about the benefits the jaguar has on the ecology of southwestern U.S and provide guidance on what they can do to minimize human-jaguar conflicts. This includes improvising security to protect the livestock from jaguars and implementing steps to prevent jaguars from attacking people. In the U.S, over the past few years, jaguars have only been spotted in certain areas along the U.S-Mexico border via camera traps. But these individuals were never sighted deeper into Arizona or New Mexico; they most likely returned back into Mexico. This is why it is essential to reintroduce the jaguar in these two states, in order to reestablish the original ecological balance of the American Southwest.

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European Bison are Needed in Spain to Fight Wildfires and Climate Change

A herd of European at a wildlife sanctuary in Czech Republic

The European bison is one of Europe's most iconic animals. Like its American counterpart, it was an important part of life for European people. This can be seen from cave paintings discovered throughout Eurasia. Just as the American bison was pushed close to extinction in the 19th century, the European bison suffered a similar fate in the early 20th century. This led to a series of captive breeding programs to revive its population and reintroduce the species in countries where it had disappeared. The majority of Europe's bison population is situated in Poland and Belarus. However, animals from those two countries have been introduced in other countries as an effort to repopulate the continent's bison numbers. One of those countries is Spain, where two herds were established in the last decade. Initially comprising of 22 animals in 2010, Spain's bison population now numbers just over 150.

A military police officer standing next to flames from a forest fire near Mazagon in southern Spain.

Upon their release in a 20-hectare oak forest in Spain, seven bison cleared the undergrowth. This not only helped open dense parts of the forest to allow light in and grass to grow, but can also prevent forest fires from spreading. Now, conservationists believe that the feeding behavior of European bison can help tackle climate change. This is because in Spain, over the last ten years, wildfires have ravaged roughly 741,000 hectares of forest. Among the factors that are propelling the rise in wildfires are increasing temperatures and decreasing rural populations. Since the 1950s, Spain saw a steady decline in its rural population as people gave up agricultural practice for better opportunities in urban areas. This resulted in many farms being abandoned and fewer flocks of sheep and herds of cattle to keep the scrub in check. In turn, the levels of wildfires increased with the abundance of scrubland. According to Fernando Moran, director of Spain's European Bison Conservation Center, bison can take the place of domestic livestock in controlling the scrub and therefore reverse the trend. He also stressed that politicians in and outside of Spain need to recognize the ability of the bison to recover Europe's ecosystem and change the law so that the animals are allowed to freely roam once again.

Prince Charles viewing bison at a reserve in Poland's Bialowieza Forest.

I cannot agree more than to have European bison reintroduced into Spain to tackle its wildfire issue. There are currently well over 150 bison in the country, but I don't think that would be enough to reverse the trend. I believe that an effective breeding program can help increase the local bison population. Moreover, there are 2,300 bison residing in Poland from where they can be translocated to Spain to increase their numbers to help control the wildfires. Even though the European bison has successfully returned from the brink of extinction, it is not recognized as an endangered species in Spain where it had been extinct for 10,000 years. I strongly urge Spain's politicians to acknowledge the bison as an endangered species and provide state funding for conservation schemes aimed at bringing it back to its former haunts. These animals are essential for the betterment of Spain's ecosystem and they can help reverse the wildfire trend that has long been devastating the environment and people's livelihoods. Similarly, other European countries where the bison has returned need to implement measurements to allow the species to roam freely again and allow it to restore their respective ecosystems.

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Harsh Punishments Should be Administered for Bustard Poaching!

A group of poachers and retired Major Tanveer Hussein Shah (in circle) with carcasses of two great Indian bustards killed in Cholistan Desert.

The great Indian bustard has suffered drastically in its homeland from threats such as poaching and habitat loss in the form of electric power lines resulting in collision-related mortalities. But now, this magnificent yet critically endangered bird has fallen prey in the hands of people in India's next-door neighbor: Pakistan. This comes from a recent shooting of two bustards by a group of poachers led by retired Pakistan Army Major Tanveer Hussein Shah in Cholistan Desert. The group had shot down the birds in a protected area of Cholistan game reserve in southern Punjab earlier this month. In addition to that, they also attacked wildlife officials who tried to stop them from hunting bustards and chinkaras (Indian gazelles). The incident sparked shock and outrage among wildlife activists in India's Rajasthan state. Harsh Vardhan, honorary secretary of the Tourism & Wildlife Society of India (TWSI), castigated the killing while expressing surprise that people in Pakistan continued to kill the bustards. He also indicated that the bustards crossed the border into Pakistan from Rajasthan making them easy target for poachers. The TWSI has sent a letter to the Pakistan High Commission requesting an investigation by the country's government and demanding severe punishment to the poachers. A Pakistani environmentalism group called Save the Wild has sought the mediation of Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in the issue, since the main offender is a retired officer. The group also requested General Bajwa to guarantee the survival of Cholistan's wildlife, so that the great Indian bustard is protected.

View of Rajasthan's Desert National Park, the last stronghold for the great Indian bustard.

I cannot express how shocking and horrendous it is to see how the great Indian bustard has been falling victim in the hands of people in Pakistan. But what really troubles me about this news is the location of where this incident happened. The Cholistan habitat was found to be an ideal place for the bustards since there had never been any presence of cattle in the area based on surveys by India's Project Bustard initiative. Even though India has been conducting captive-breeding of these birds with sixteen chicks now being reared in Desert National Park, the future of the great Indian bustard is still bleak. I strongly believe that stringent protective measurements need to be ensured for the survival of the bustard on both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. Although found in India, some bustard populations migrate to Pakistan where the species had once disappeared. The amount of hunting pressure in Pakistan is high and there is no greater proof of it than this news. I highly urge the government of Pakistan to undertake strong measurements in protecting the great Indian bustard. This includes administering harsh punishments to military officials, visiting dignitaries, and anybody regardless of social status involved in killing of this bird and other wildlife. I would like to point out that Major Tanveer Hussein Shah and his accomplices attacked wildlife officials who tried to stop them. These men need to be made an example of to send a message to anyone, local or foreign, that killing of great Indian bustard is unacceptable.

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Crimes Against Indonesia's Leopards Should Never be Treated Lightly!

A female Javan leopard in Tierpark Berlin.

A recent paper published in the Nature Conservation has shown that Indonesia has a serious illegal trade in two regional big cat species: the Javan leopard and the Sunda clouded leopard. Both the species are already facing extinction, especially that the trafficking of the cats remains a widely overlooked problem. In the paper, researchers gathered 41 records of leopard parts or living animals confiscated by authorities between 2011 and 2019. Much of the data and information collected came from media reports, published literature, and the Indonesian government's open-access court case database. The researchers estimated that the products of these confiscations represent about 83 animals, consisting of 51 Javan leopards and 32 Sunda clouded leopards. Majority of the seizures occurred within Indonesia, but the authors identified three international shipments that originated from Indonesia: one to the United Kingdom, one to Kuwait, and one to Russia. Despite rigorous protections for both the species under the local law and international governance, only 20 prosecutions were recorded in the paper. Of those, the lengthiest sentence was two years and a fine equal to $3,550; most sentences were around one year or less, with fines.

Sunda clouded leopard

I cannot express how disappointing it is to see how Indonesia's leopard species are tremendously suffering from the illegal wildlife trade. What is more frustrating is that law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, police, and even judges think that the crimes committed against these cats are not so big of a deal. Instead, they are very much focused on the plight concerning more charismatic species like the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger. These are the words of Iding Haid, a clouded leopard researcher and forest ecosystem specialist at Kerinci Seblat National Park on the island of Sumatra. He also suggested that workshops and on-the-job training need to be conducted to help law enforcement understand the significance of prosecuting wildlife crimes. This includes stiffer sentences and fines to those convicted of smuggling Indonesia's wildlife. I strongly urge the government of Indonesia to understand the importance of lesser known species like Javan leopards and Sunda clouded leopards in order to protect the country's wildlife. Attention should never be limited to flagship species like tigers, orangutans, elephants, and rhinos. Lesser known species also play an important role in the ecosystems of Indonesia. The Javan leopard is the only powerful predator now living on Java after the Javan tiger became extinct. It is on the precipice of extinction and it is vitally important that it should be under full protection for the ecological betterment of Java. The Sunda clouded leopard is known for being genetically distinct from the mainland clouded leopard. It specializes in preying on monkeys, deer, and wild pigs especially in Borneo which doesn't have tigers or leopards. The findings in this paper should serve as a wake-up call for Indonesia to change its attitudes towards lesser known species and that they are given the same level of attention as flagship species with respect to conservation. Furthermore, the public needs to be made aware about lesser known species and not just flagship species and why they are important for the ecological betterment of the country. 

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