In June 2009, Georgia and three neighboring states received a $1 million federal grant to increase the quality, quantity and connectivity of prime sandhill habitat. The three-year project was aimed at benefiting gopher tortoises and as many as 54 other sandhill species that need significant conservation measures.
Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and groups such as Project Orianne, The Nature Conservancy and the Gopher Tortoise Council provided $1.66 million in matching money and work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant, part of the State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program.
Plans called for increasing prescribed fire, removing non-native sand pines and overgrown hardwoods, and thinning pine plantations. These efforts are critical to the open canopy and diverse herbaceous groundcover typical of healthy longleaf pine, turkey oak-dominated sandhills.
The overriding goal: Restore nearly 40,000 acres of priority public and private sandhill sites, rebuilding habitat for the tortoise and other priority species. The project could help keep gopher tortoises off federal endangered or threatened species lists and set the stage for long-term conservation of sandhills species, from hognose snakes to Bachman’s sparrows.
One year in, the states and partners have made excellent progress.
Teaming with The Nature Conservancy of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources conducted prescribed fires on 4,700 acres at high-priority sandhills sites across the Coastal Plain, including Yuchi Wildlife Management Area, Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, Fall Line Sandhills Natural Area, and private lands in Marion, Taylor, Talbot and Bryan counties. Also, non-native sand pines have been removed or sold for cutting on nearly 1,000 acres of state and private lands.
At Ohoopee Dunes in Emanuel County, prescribed fire was conducted on more than 1,000 acres. Many of the areas had not seen fire in many years, leading to buildups of woody underbrush and suppression of grassy groundcover. Shan Cammack with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section planned and led the prescribed fires.
“Careful planning and execution produced successful entry burns at Ohoopee Dunes this year,” Cammack said. “With strategic ignition, drier sparse areas were burned hotter while sensitive areas with heavy fuel loads and duff were burned cooler.”
In Florida, the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership, a land management public-private cooperative, did prescribed burning on more than 8,400 acres of state lands. Sand pine and hardwoods on another 265 acres were cleared.
In Alabama, The Nature Conservancy of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ State Lands Division burned about 2,500 acres of sandhills on state lands, planted 186 acres of longleaf pine, thinned pine plantations on 122 acres and removed hardwoods on 76 acres.
During the project’s first year, ecological restoration was initiated on more than 15,000 acres in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
The grant also included monitoring to track progress. This component involved baseline gopher tortoise surveys on a subset of properties, plus vegetation sampling and breeding bird surveys.
All pre-treatment vegetation, bird monitoring and tortoise surveys are either completed or in progress. The work has provided some interesting stories.
Florida is surveying gopher tortoises on the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Burrow densities have been low, about 0.1 burrows per acre surveyed. Comparatively, densities on the sand ridges of Townsend WMA in Georgia are about one per acre. At Ohoopee Dunes, they are about 0.7 per acre. In sandier soils on some more-regularly burned longleaf-wiregrass ecosystems in southwest Georgia, densities may reach two to three burrows an acre.
The low densities at the Hutton Unit may be attributed to several factors, including human predation, which was historically higher in northwestern Florida than other parts of the tortoise’s range, and fire suppression before the state acquired the property in 1998.
Yet, despite fewer burrows, the search at Hutton is anything but boring.
According to Barbara Almario with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “Florida’s tortoise survey crew encounters snakes on an almost daily basis. One of the tortoise survey technicians accidentally stepped on an eastern diamondback rattlesnake one day.
“Fortunately, the snake was a little slow that morning and (the technician) escaped without injury.”
For the coming year, Georgia DNR is developing restoration plans for several private sites. Federal funding for longleaf planting on state lands has freed some sandhills grant funds. DNR is also considering burning even more acres at Ohoopee Dunes and Townsend, Yuchi and Penholoway WMAs. The hope at Ohoopee is to collaborate with adjacent private landowners on restoring sandhills.
Sandhills conservation is a priority in the Georgia Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy that guides DNR efforts to conserve biological diversity. For more, go to www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/wildlife-action-plan.
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Showing posts with label habitat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label habitat. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Zoo Atlanta: Giraffe calf takes first peek at the public
Zoo Atlanta officials announced July 28 that Atlanta’s first giraffe calf may now be spotted in her African Plains habitat. Lucky guests may be treated to sightings of the new giraffe calf, who has been confirmed to be female, during select intervals until she is on exhibit full-time.
Born July 13, 2010, to 3-year-old Glenda, the calf is currently exploring the savanna-inspired yard with her mother and her aunt, Glenda’s 4-year-old sister Mona. Future milestones will include introductions to her father, 4-year-old Abu, as well as to the exhibit’s other residents, including ostrich and zebra.
Stay tuned to zooatlanta.org for exciting updates on the calf’s progress.
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Born July 13, 2010, to 3-year-old Glenda, the calf is currently exploring the savanna-inspired yard with her mother and her aunt, Glenda’s 4-year-old sister Mona. Future milestones will include introductions to her father, 4-year-old Abu, as well as to the exhibit’s other residents, including ostrich and zebra.
Stay tuned to zooatlanta.org for exciting updates on the calf’s progress.
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Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Big Season For Georgia's Smallest Turtle
Drought in the mountains the past two summers dried up much up the suitable habitat for bog turtles, but thanks to wet weather, increased trapping and improved management efforts, 2010 is looking like a record season for the smallest of Georgia’s protected turtles.
Federally threatened and listed as endangered in Georgia, bog turtles are rare in much of their native range due to loss of habitat. Researchers know of only 67 turtles in the state, 16 of which were released from a “headstart” restoration effort. With increased trapping efforts this year, 40 percent of the known bog turtles in Georgia were captured and released during the monitoring season.
Trapping allows biologists to monitor populations, find new ones and collect egg-bearing females for the headstart program.
In the past, trapping was limited to 30 traps. Efforts were ramped up in 2010 when help from a State Wildlife Grant that provided funding for more traps and supported two bog turtle interns for the summer, Bryan Hudson and Theresa Stratmann. With the additional staff, Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Thomas Floyd was able to set 145 traps covering 12 sites in four counties.
“DNR’s recent bog habitat restoration efforts are a double-edged sword for bog turtle conservation,” Floyd said. While habitat improvements have been accomplished over the past three years, these efforts inadvertently made it harder to capture turtles that were previously concentrated in small pockets of suitable habitat. Yet, said Floyd, “The long-term benefits of these habitat improvements are well worth this added difficulty.”
Project Orianne joined the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section in bog turtle conservation efforts this year. With 40 traps from DNR, staff at Project Orianne, an organization furthering conservation of eastern indigo snakes, trapped in multiple sites in northeastern Georgia.
There are three reasons for trapping bog turtles. Primarily, biologists trap in order to monitor known populations, collect data from individual animals on an annual basis and document previously uncaptured individual turtles. The second reason is to collect gravid females for the Bog Turtle Headstart program, which is why trapping is done from mid-May to mid-July. Turtles are also trapped to identify potential new populations.
One such population was discovered this year at a Union County wetland. The find demonstrates why bog turtles, which are typically elusive, often go unnoticed by landowners. The new site had all the characteristics of bog turtle habitat. But it took a month before a turtle was captured -- a lone male. Since bog turtles are not known to travel great distances and the closest population is approximately three miles away, biologists assume this turtle represents a new population for the area.
In addition, three new turtles were trapped in a Towns County site that had not been monitored since 1997 due to a lack of resources, along with three new turtles within a known population in Fannin County.
Another development this season is Georgia’s entry into a cooperative effort with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division. Genetic samples taken from every bog turtle captured will be sent to the Leetown Science Center in Kearneysville, W.V. In doing so, DNR has joined all other states with known bog turtle populations in supplying genetic samples that will help biologists begin to understand the relatedness among populations of turtles across different states, as well as among and within local populations in Georgia. Information gleaned from these analyses is expected to help guide Georgia’s headstart efforts in determining an appropriate genetic source for establishing new bog turtle populations within the species’ range in the state.
Of the 21 turtles captured and released so far in 2010, three were gravid. Starting this year, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, a long-time cooperator in Georgia’s Bog Turtle Headstart program, agreed to receive gravid females during this and subsequent seasons. Gravid turtles were held in captivity until eggs were laid. Although the collection of gravid females from the wild is an important source of hatchlings, in previous years more hatchlings have been produced from captive stock than from wild-caught turtles. Beginning next year, Chattahoochee Nature Center will also be breeding some 15 captive bog turtles produced from previous years of the Bog Turtle Headstart program.
To learn more about bog turtles, watch a short video here or visit the DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s website, www.georgiawildlife.com.
Georgians can help conserve bog turtles and other rare and endangered animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants and habitats, through buying wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund state income tax checkoff or contribute online and by mail. These programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds.
Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).
BOG TURTLES AT A GLANCE
Bog turtles are the smallest turtles in North America, averaging only 3.5 inches in length. Dark in color they are easily distinguished by a bright orange blotch on the head behind each eye. Like many turtles, they will bask in the sun when active but when it gets too hot these little guys burrow deep into the boggy soil to escape the sun’s rays. Females will lay two to five eggs and hatchlings emerge 52-60 days later, usually in mid-August.
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Federally threatened and listed as endangered in Georgia, bog turtles are rare in much of their native range due to loss of habitat. Researchers know of only 67 turtles in the state, 16 of which were released from a “headstart” restoration effort. With increased trapping efforts this year, 40 percent of the known bog turtles in Georgia were captured and released during the monitoring season.
Trapping allows biologists to monitor populations, find new ones and collect egg-bearing females for the headstart program.
In the past, trapping was limited to 30 traps. Efforts were ramped up in 2010 when help from a State Wildlife Grant that provided funding for more traps and supported two bog turtle interns for the summer, Bryan Hudson and Theresa Stratmann. With the additional staff, Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologist Thomas Floyd was able to set 145 traps covering 12 sites in four counties.
“DNR’s recent bog habitat restoration efforts are a double-edged sword for bog turtle conservation,” Floyd said. While habitat improvements have been accomplished over the past three years, these efforts inadvertently made it harder to capture turtles that were previously concentrated in small pockets of suitable habitat. Yet, said Floyd, “The long-term benefits of these habitat improvements are well worth this added difficulty.”
Project Orianne joined the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section in bog turtle conservation efforts this year. With 40 traps from DNR, staff at Project Orianne, an organization furthering conservation of eastern indigo snakes, trapped in multiple sites in northeastern Georgia.
There are three reasons for trapping bog turtles. Primarily, biologists trap in order to monitor known populations, collect data from individual animals on an annual basis and document previously uncaptured individual turtles. The second reason is to collect gravid females for the Bog Turtle Headstart program, which is why trapping is done from mid-May to mid-July. Turtles are also trapped to identify potential new populations.
One such population was discovered this year at a Union County wetland. The find demonstrates why bog turtles, which are typically elusive, often go unnoticed by landowners. The new site had all the characteristics of bog turtle habitat. But it took a month before a turtle was captured -- a lone male. Since bog turtles are not known to travel great distances and the closest population is approximately three miles away, biologists assume this turtle represents a new population for the area.
In addition, three new turtles were trapped in a Towns County site that had not been monitored since 1997 due to a lack of resources, along with three new turtles within a known population in Fannin County.
Another development this season is Georgia’s entry into a cooperative effort with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division. Genetic samples taken from every bog turtle captured will be sent to the Leetown Science Center in Kearneysville, W.V. In doing so, DNR has joined all other states with known bog turtle populations in supplying genetic samples that will help biologists begin to understand the relatedness among populations of turtles across different states, as well as among and within local populations in Georgia. Information gleaned from these analyses is expected to help guide Georgia’s headstart efforts in determining an appropriate genetic source for establishing new bog turtle populations within the species’ range in the state.
Of the 21 turtles captured and released so far in 2010, three were gravid. Starting this year, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, a long-time cooperator in Georgia’s Bog Turtle Headstart program, agreed to receive gravid females during this and subsequent seasons. Gravid turtles were held in captivity until eggs were laid. Although the collection of gravid females from the wild is an important source of hatchlings, in previous years more hatchlings have been produced from captive stock than from wild-caught turtles. Beginning next year, Chattahoochee Nature Center will also be breeding some 15 captive bog turtles produced from previous years of the Bog Turtle Headstart program.
To learn more about bog turtles, watch a short video here or visit the DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s website, www.georgiawildlife.com.
Georgians can help conserve bog turtles and other rare and endangered animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants and habitats, through buying wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Georgia Wildlife Conservation Fund state income tax checkoff or contribute online and by mail. These programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state general funds.
Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).
BOG TURTLES AT A GLANCE
Bog turtles are the smallest turtles in North America, averaging only 3.5 inches in length. Dark in color they are easily distinguished by a bright orange blotch on the head behind each eye. Like many turtles, they will bask in the sun when active but when it gets too hot these little guys burrow deep into the boggy soil to escape the sun’s rays. Females will lay two to five eggs and hatchlings emerge 52-60 days later, usually in mid-August.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Anheuser-Busch Answers the Call of the Wild
/PRNewswire/ -- Encountering an alligator or black bear on work property may be unusual, but employees at several Anheuser-Busch locations find such animal encounters completely normal. In fact, many look forward to seeing their wild neighbors when enjoying the wildlife sanctuaries Anheuser-Busch developed to promote conservation to employees and residents in the surrounding communities.
Anheuser-Busch's efforts to conserve the lands around its facilities have once again been recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) Wildlife at Work(SM) certification program. In total, eight Anheuser-Busch operating facilities received this certification for various projects creating a healthy and biodiverse natural world.
"One of the responsibilities of being a good corporate citizen is protecting the natural habitats of the plant and animal species that call our facility lands home," said Peter Kraemer, vice president Supply for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "This includes animals such as the peregrine falcon that built a nest on the top of the malt house in Manitowoc and the bullfrogs creating entertaining sounds at the Baldwinsville brewery."
The following Anheuser-Busch operations became WHC-certified Wildlife at Work(SM) programs.
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) -
certified since 1997
-- Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) - certified since 1998
-- Manitowoc Barley Malt Plant (Manitowoc, Wis.) - certified since 1999
-- Ft. Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since 2006
-- Ft. Collins Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since
2001
-- Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) - certified since 2004
-- Merrimack Brewery (Merrimack, N.H.) - certified since 2007
-- Baldwinsville Brewery (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) - certified since 2008
"The Wildlife Habitat Council believes collaboration among all stakeholder groups is critical to addressing the complex issues facing the sustainability of the planet," said Robert Johnson, WHC President. "WHC members take a leading role in connecting community stakeholders through wildlife habitat enhancement, community outreach and conservation education. Congratulations to Anheuser-Busch for their commitment to a healthy natural world and connected communities."
Three Anheuser-Busch facilities also maintain certified Corporate Lands for Learning(SM) (CLL) programs. CLL facilities serve as educational resources for local educators and wildlife researchers. CLL certified Anheuser-Busch facilities include:
-- Cartersville Brewery - certified since 2006
-- Fort Collins Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2007
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2008
Since 1990, WHC has certified 560 programs worldwide, of which 113 have been designated CLL programs. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require programs apply for periodic renewal.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit www.OurPledge.com.
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Anheuser-Busch's efforts to conserve the lands around its facilities have once again been recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) Wildlife at Work(SM) certification program. In total, eight Anheuser-Busch operating facilities received this certification for various projects creating a healthy and biodiverse natural world.
"One of the responsibilities of being a good corporate citizen is protecting the natural habitats of the plant and animal species that call our facility lands home," said Peter Kraemer, vice president Supply for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "This includes animals such as the peregrine falcon that built a nest on the top of the malt house in Manitowoc and the bullfrogs creating entertaining sounds at the Baldwinsville brewery."
The following Anheuser-Busch operations became WHC-certified Wildlife at Work(SM) programs.
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) -
certified since 1997
-- Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) - certified since 1998
-- Manitowoc Barley Malt Plant (Manitowoc, Wis.) - certified since 1999
-- Ft. Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since 2006
-- Ft. Collins Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since
2001
-- Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) - certified since 2004
-- Merrimack Brewery (Merrimack, N.H.) - certified since 2007
-- Baldwinsville Brewery (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) - certified since 2008
"The Wildlife Habitat Council believes collaboration among all stakeholder groups is critical to addressing the complex issues facing the sustainability of the planet," said Robert Johnson, WHC President. "WHC members take a leading role in connecting community stakeholders through wildlife habitat enhancement, community outreach and conservation education. Congratulations to Anheuser-Busch for their commitment to a healthy natural world and connected communities."
Three Anheuser-Busch facilities also maintain certified Corporate Lands for Learning(SM) (CLL) programs. CLL facilities serve as educational resources for local educators and wildlife researchers. CLL certified Anheuser-Busch facilities include:
-- Cartersville Brewery - certified since 2006
-- Fort Collins Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2007
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2008
Since 1990, WHC has certified 560 programs worldwide, of which 113 have been designated CLL programs. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require programs apply for periodic renewal.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit www.OurPledge.com.
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Are Polar Bears in Trouble? Experts Disagree
It's been the theme song for many a year. Polar Bears in Alaska are declining. Now a state biologist wants the whole picture examined.
Feds say polar bears declining; state biologist disagrees
by Megan Baldino
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Center for Biological Diversity says new assessments from the federal government prove that Alaska's polar bears and walrus populations are in trouble, but a state biologist says not so fast.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's stock assessments, the polar bear population in the southern Beaufort Sea region is declining.
They say.....http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11751501
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Feds say polar bears declining; state biologist disagrees
by Megan Baldino
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Center for Biological Diversity says new assessments from the federal government prove that Alaska's polar bears and walrus populations are in trouble, but a state biologist says not so fast.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's stock assessments, the polar bear population in the southern Beaufort Sea region is declining.
They say.....http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11751501
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
While the Cat’s Away …
The Sumatran tiger and clouded leopard habitats are temporarily closed as Zoo Atlanta begins construction on an all-new carnivore complex scheduled to open in summer 2010.
What to do with the cats for the next several months? Thanks to professional collaboration with two other AZA zoos, three of the popular felines are temporarily charming North Carolinians and Arkansans. Sumatran tigers Chelsea and Kavi have reached interim quarters at the North Carolina Zoo, and the elusive Moby has traveled to the Little Rock Zoo. The Zoo’s eldest tiger, Jalal, 16, won’t be leaving on any travels: the charismatic senior will stay in Atlanta but will reside in an off-exhibit area during construction. Little do the cats know that there’s a total home makeover in store!
Meanwhile, things are looking pretty fierce at the base of the Zoo’s Asian Forest. While Zoo guests can’t currently see the striped and spotted regulars, their temporary absence will be worth the wait. Frequent visitors are encouraged to stop by the area and check out a construction checklist tracking the progress of 2010’s big Zoo debut.
Stay tuned for updates, as well as future news on two very exciting arrivals to the new carnivore complex. We’d share more, but we don’t want to let the cat out of the bag …
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What to do with the cats for the next several months? Thanks to professional collaboration with two other AZA zoos, three of the popular felines are temporarily charming North Carolinians and Arkansans. Sumatran tigers Chelsea and Kavi have reached interim quarters at the North Carolina Zoo, and the elusive Moby has traveled to the Little Rock Zoo. The Zoo’s eldest tiger, Jalal, 16, won’t be leaving on any travels: the charismatic senior will stay in Atlanta but will reside in an off-exhibit area during construction. Little do the cats know that there’s a total home makeover in store!
Meanwhile, things are looking pretty fierce at the base of the Zoo’s Asian Forest. While Zoo guests can’t currently see the striped and spotted regulars, their temporary absence will be worth the wait. Frequent visitors are encouraged to stop by the area and check out a construction checklist tracking the progress of 2010’s big Zoo debut.
Stay tuned for updates, as well as future news on two very exciting arrivals to the new carnivore complex. We’d share more, but we don’t want to let the cat out of the bag …
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Brown Pelican's 40-Year Recovery Victory for Supporters of Environmental Protections
/PRNewswire/ -- National conservation groups focusing on the restoration of coastal Louisiana are hailing today's announcement by federal officials that the state bird of Louisiana, the Brown Pelican, is being removed from the Endangered Species List. Audubon, the Environmental Defense Fund and the National Wildlife Federation view the recovering pelican as powerful proof that a healthy coast and strong environmental protections can benefit people and nature alike.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the species has sufficiently recovered from the impact of DDT contamination compounded by continuing habitat loss to be taken off the list in areas where it is not already delisted. Populations along the Atlantic Coast, in Florida and Alabama were delisted in 1985.
"The delisting of this iconic Gulf of Mexico species shows that cooperation produces results," said Mary E. Kelly, senior counsel of the Environmental Defense Fund's Center for Rivers and Deltas. "Now, we need to ensure that same spirit of cooperation and results extends to restoration of coastal Louisiana's wetlands, which, among many other benefits, provide habitat and food for this beautiful bird."
"This is an Endangered Species Act victory that demonstrates the great success we can achieve when we work together," echoes NWF's John Kostyack. "Maintaining that success will require confronting climate change and its relationship to coastal restoration and the species that depend on these important ecosystems."
According to Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count, Brown Pelican population trends have risen in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and California for the past 40-50 years. Hurricane Katrina took a toll on the Gulf Coast populations that has not been thoroughly erased, but the prospects remain good, provided coastal recovery stays on track.
"The future of the Brown Pelican depends on the same strategies that will benefit coastal residents," said Audubon's Louisiana Bird Conservation Director Melanie Driscoll. "Pelicans and people need a strong, well-funded coastal restoration plan that will speed the recovery of coastal marshes and the barrier islands that are our first defense from hurricanes and their primary source of food and shelter."
Continued monitoring of Brown Pelicans is essential to detect any unexpected future population declines. Conservationists also caution that proper site selection, operational guidelines and vigilance will be needed to ensure that proposed wind power projects don't threaten recovery in Texas and other areas.
Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.
The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.
Audubon -- Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the species has sufficiently recovered from the impact of DDT contamination compounded by continuing habitat loss to be taken off the list in areas where it is not already delisted. Populations along the Atlantic Coast, in Florida and Alabama were delisted in 1985.
"The delisting of this iconic Gulf of Mexico species shows that cooperation produces results," said Mary E. Kelly, senior counsel of the Environmental Defense Fund's Center for Rivers and Deltas. "Now, we need to ensure that same spirit of cooperation and results extends to restoration of coastal Louisiana's wetlands, which, among many other benefits, provide habitat and food for this beautiful bird."
"This is an Endangered Species Act victory that demonstrates the great success we can achieve when we work together," echoes NWF's John Kostyack. "Maintaining that success will require confronting climate change and its relationship to coastal restoration and the species that depend on these important ecosystems."
According to Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count, Brown Pelican population trends have risen in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and California for the past 40-50 years. Hurricane Katrina took a toll on the Gulf Coast populations that has not been thoroughly erased, but the prospects remain good, provided coastal recovery stays on track.
"The future of the Brown Pelican depends on the same strategies that will benefit coastal residents," said Audubon's Louisiana Bird Conservation Director Melanie Driscoll. "Pelicans and people need a strong, well-funded coastal restoration plan that will speed the recovery of coastal marshes and the barrier islands that are our first defense from hurricanes and their primary source of food and shelter."
Continued monitoring of Brown Pelicans is essential to detect any unexpected future population declines. Conservationists also caution that proper site selection, operational guidelines and vigilance will be needed to ensure that proposed wind power projects don't threaten recovery in Texas and other areas.
Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.
The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.
Audubon -- Now in its second century, Audubon connects people with birds, nature and the environment that supports us all. Our national network of community-based nature centers, chapters, scientific, education, and advocacy programs engages millions of people from all walks of life in conservation action to protect and restore the natural world.
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Friday, September 18, 2009
Groups Request Expansion of Critical Habitat for the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale
Earlier this week, conservation and animal welfare groups filed a formal request to expand protected habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. The petition, filed with the National Marine Fisheries Service, demonstrates scientific support for expanding existing critical habitat in areas that are essential to feeding, mating, calving, nursing and migration for the fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remaining in existence.
NMFS has publicly stated that the death of a single right whale may contribute to the species' extinction. Researchers predict right whales are certain to go extinct if the current rate of mortality and serious injury continues. However, saving just two female right whales a year could put the species on a positive path for recovery.
"Every single right whale counts when it comes to ensuring this species' survival," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for The Humane Society of the United States. "Protecting the right whale's vital feeding, nursery and migratory habitat is the most basic, common-sense step toward moving this species out of the emergency room and onto the path to recovery."
The groups charge that current critical habitat boundaries are inadequate to provide for the survival and recovery of one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Once an area is designated as critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that their actions will not adversely modify or destroy such habitat.
"Saying you're protecting right whales without sufficiently protecting their habitat is akin to saying you are going to protect sunfish while you drain the pond," said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "Without protecting the places where right whales live, we cannot, in reality, save the species."
"Expanding critical habitat for right whales will ensure that we make intelligent, well-informed decisions about how we use and share our country's marine resources," said Sierra Weaver, attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This isn't about walling off the ocean, but rather about looking closely at the impacts of our actions on one of our most iconic wildlife species."
The groups request that three areas used by North Atlantic right whales for essential life functions be added as critical habitat. The petition seeks to expand critical habitat in the whales' only known calving grounds off the coast of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and in the whales' feeding and nursery grounds throughout the Gulf of Maine. The petition also calls for adding the migration route between the calving and wintering grounds as critical habitat.
"The current critical habitat designated for right whales only protects bits and pieces of the most essential feeding and nursery habitat for the species, and doesn't protect migratory habitat at all," said Andrea Treece, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "If we're going to save the right whale, we have to provide a way for right whale mothers to safely shepherd their young between feeding and nursery grounds."
Despite being listed as endangered since the early 1970s, right whales continue to face serious threats throughout their range. Fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes are the two most significant threats, killing or injuring at least 18 whales since 2004. Other threats include noise from vessel traffic, marine construction and sonar; offshore energy development; global warming; ocean acidification; and pollution.
"In an increasingly busy ocean, the survival and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale depends on the protection of its essential habitat areas," said Vicki Cornish, director of Marine Wildlife Policy with Ocean Conservancy. "Our demand for ocean resources is increasing, and we must consider the impact we have on the animals that call the ocean home. Protecting the most vital places for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale will help protect the species for generations to come."
The Endangered Species Act requires NMFS to respond to the groups' request within 90 days.
Facts:
The petition for expanded right whale critical habitat was filed on behalf of The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. The population has struggled to recover, and now fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain.
Adult female right whales reproduce slowly — they give birth to one calf every three to four years and do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
Maps of the proposed critical habitat areas are available from the media contacts.
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NMFS has publicly stated that the death of a single right whale may contribute to the species' extinction. Researchers predict right whales are certain to go extinct if the current rate of mortality and serious injury continues. However, saving just two female right whales a year could put the species on a positive path for recovery.
"Every single right whale counts when it comes to ensuring this species' survival," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for The Humane Society of the United States. "Protecting the right whale's vital feeding, nursery and migratory habitat is the most basic, common-sense step toward moving this species out of the emergency room and onto the path to recovery."
The groups charge that current critical habitat boundaries are inadequate to provide for the survival and recovery of one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Once an area is designated as critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that their actions will not adversely modify or destroy such habitat.
"Saying you're protecting right whales without sufficiently protecting their habitat is akin to saying you are going to protect sunfish while you drain the pond," said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "Without protecting the places where right whales live, we cannot, in reality, save the species."
"Expanding critical habitat for right whales will ensure that we make intelligent, well-informed decisions about how we use and share our country's marine resources," said Sierra Weaver, attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This isn't about walling off the ocean, but rather about looking closely at the impacts of our actions on one of our most iconic wildlife species."
The groups request that three areas used by North Atlantic right whales for essential life functions be added as critical habitat. The petition seeks to expand critical habitat in the whales' only known calving grounds off the coast of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and in the whales' feeding and nursery grounds throughout the Gulf of Maine. The petition also calls for adding the migration route between the calving and wintering grounds as critical habitat.
"The current critical habitat designated for right whales only protects bits and pieces of the most essential feeding and nursery habitat for the species, and doesn't protect migratory habitat at all," said Andrea Treece, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "If we're going to save the right whale, we have to provide a way for right whale mothers to safely shepherd their young between feeding and nursery grounds."
Despite being listed as endangered since the early 1970s, right whales continue to face serious threats throughout their range. Fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes are the two most significant threats, killing or injuring at least 18 whales since 2004. Other threats include noise from vessel traffic, marine construction and sonar; offshore energy development; global warming; ocean acidification; and pollution.
"In an increasingly busy ocean, the survival and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale depends on the protection of its essential habitat areas," said Vicki Cornish, director of Marine Wildlife Policy with Ocean Conservancy. "Our demand for ocean resources is increasing, and we must consider the impact we have on the animals that call the ocean home. Protecting the most vital places for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale will help protect the species for generations to come."
The Endangered Species Act requires NMFS to respond to the groups' request within 90 days.
Facts:
The petition for expanded right whale critical habitat was filed on behalf of The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. The population has struggled to recover, and now fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain.
Adult female right whales reproduce slowly — they give birth to one calf every three to four years and do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
Maps of the proposed critical habitat areas are available from the media contacts.
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Trout Need Trees Too!
Cold, clean water, adequate cover, plentiful food, and trees; these are just some of the requirements for good trout habitat. While many people probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the living requirements for the brook trout, fortunately for the ‘brookie,’ as the fish is affectionately known amongst anglers, there are some people that do. They not only care about the fish’s habitat needs, but they are willing to spend time doing something about it.
On August 1st, 27 volunteers spent the better part of their Saturday building structures in Stover Creek, a cold-water trout stream in Fannin County, to provide for the habitat needs of the brook trout. “This completes a two year brook trout enhancement project on Stover Creek that included the strengthening of a natural barrier and the installation of 45 habitat improvement structures,” said Jim Wentworth, U.S. Forest Service Biologist for the Blue Ridge Ranger District out of Blairsville.
Stover Creek is a typical cold water stream winding for 1.5 miles through the Chattahoochee National Forest in Fannin County. Volunteers from Trout Unlimited worked with U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Wildlife Resources Division personnel to install wedge dams, cover logs, stream constrictors and channel deflectors within Stover Creek. “Each of these structures has a purpose,” said Wentworth, “Some are designed to provide cover for the trout to hide from predators and some are designed to create pools and faster flowing water to improve feeding and reproduction.”
Brook trout have declined across their range throughout the eastern United States for a number of reasons including poor land use practices, degraded habitat, and the introduction of non-native brown and rainbow trout which can often out-compete native brook trout. In Georgia almost all of the cold water trout streams are located on the Chattahoochee National Forest. In recent years the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with the Georgia DNR and Trout Unlimited has worked to restore brook trout habitat on a number of these streams.
The Stover Creek project was a cooperative effort involving biologists from the state, the U.S. Forest Service and volunteers from several local chapters of Trout Unlimited. The project was funded by a Gold Rush and Oconee River Chapters of TU Embrace-a Stream grant and a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture grant. Over the last two summers, Trout Unlimited volunteers provided over 700 hours of donated labor to the project. “Thanks to volunteers who are willing to give up their weekends to do hard physical labor in a cold, wet stream, we hope to improve the brook trout’s chances and increase the population in this stretch of Stover Creek,” Wentworth said.
Another aspect of providing for healthy habitat for the brook trout is to ensure proper management of the surrounding forest. Maintaining healthy stream-side forests prevents sediment and pollutants from entering the stream and also provides adequate shade to maintain cold water temperatures that brook trout require.
For additional information on trout populations in north Georgia, please visit the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/conf.
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On August 1st, 27 volunteers spent the better part of their Saturday building structures in Stover Creek, a cold-water trout stream in Fannin County, to provide for the habitat needs of the brook trout. “This completes a two year brook trout enhancement project on Stover Creek that included the strengthening of a natural barrier and the installation of 45 habitat improvement structures,” said Jim Wentworth, U.S. Forest Service Biologist for the Blue Ridge Ranger District out of Blairsville.
Stover Creek is a typical cold water stream winding for 1.5 miles through the Chattahoochee National Forest in Fannin County. Volunteers from Trout Unlimited worked with U.S. Forest Service and Georgia Wildlife Resources Division personnel to install wedge dams, cover logs, stream constrictors and channel deflectors within Stover Creek. “Each of these structures has a purpose,” said Wentworth, “Some are designed to provide cover for the trout to hide from predators and some are designed to create pools and faster flowing water to improve feeding and reproduction.”
Brook trout have declined across their range throughout the eastern United States for a number of reasons including poor land use practices, degraded habitat, and the introduction of non-native brown and rainbow trout which can often out-compete native brook trout. In Georgia almost all of the cold water trout streams are located on the Chattahoochee National Forest. In recent years the U.S. Forest Service in cooperation with the Georgia DNR and Trout Unlimited has worked to restore brook trout habitat on a number of these streams.
The Stover Creek project was a cooperative effort involving biologists from the state, the U.S. Forest Service and volunteers from several local chapters of Trout Unlimited. The project was funded by a Gold Rush and Oconee River Chapters of TU Embrace-a Stream grant and a U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture grant. Over the last two summers, Trout Unlimited volunteers provided over 700 hours of donated labor to the project. “Thanks to volunteers who are willing to give up their weekends to do hard physical labor in a cold, wet stream, we hope to improve the brook trout’s chances and increase the population in this stretch of Stover Creek,” Wentworth said.
Another aspect of providing for healthy habitat for the brook trout is to ensure proper management of the surrounding forest. Maintaining healthy stream-side forests prevents sediment and pollutants from entering the stream and also provides adequate shade to maintain cold water temperatures that brook trout require.
For additional information on trout populations in north Georgia, please visit the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/conf.
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Barring People, for the Sake of Rare Bats
If you build it, they won’t come. People, that is.
That’s the motive behind an extreme conservation method that will hopefully bring a maternity colony of federally endangered gray bats back to a northwest Georgia cave.
The site outside Ringgold on Chickamauga Creek has been used by Native Americans, early settlers, wildlife and now vandals. The most recent set of visitors has meant trouble for the sensitive bats. The cave, marked with spray paint and littered with beer bottles, has become a popular local hangout for trespassers. Frequent bon fires set at the cave’s mouth have sent smoke into the deeper reaches, disturbing the sensitive bats and possibly causing females to abandon the site.
The cave is Georgia’s only known maternity colony of gray bats (Myotis grisescens).
Enter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which awarded a “partners” grant that made it possible for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division to build the gate at the cave entrance, working with the landowner, who requested help. While considered a conservation method of last resort, the gate will bar people from entering the Catoosa County cave and disturbing the bats. The cave is not a site cavers commonly use.
“Generally we prefer to use signs or fence a cave, but this location was just too accessible for these to be of much use,” said project leader Trina Morris, a wildlife biologist with the division’s Nongame Conservation Section.
Before construction began, approximately 10,000 pounds – some 5 tons – of steel was wheeled down a steep four-wheel-drive trail of rocks and ruts to an embankment. It was then hauled by hand and pulley up the hill to the mouth of the cave. The work required extensive coordination and hundreds of volunteer hours of physical labor.
Overlooking the creek, the cave opening yawns 39½ feet wide and reaches as high as 8 feet.
Every gate is different, determined by the unique features of each cave. Kristin Bobo knows. Trained and certified by Bat Conservation International, a Texas-based organization dedicated to conserving bats and their ecosystems, Bobo has traveled around the country building cave gates for nine years. Newcomer Jason Collard helped her on this project.
The steel hauled to the mouth of the cave was quickly and expertly cut and welded into place by the team. After one section was finished, movement caught the eye of one of the workers. A small bat had flown through the bars and into the cave. Although not a gray bat, it was a hopeful sign the cave will once again become home for more of these furry fliers.
Bobo and the team of volunteers, many of them Wildlife Resources Division staff, finished the gate by mid-May. Morris will soon do checks to see if gray bats roosting elsewhere have returned, signaling that what was once a vibrant maternity colony is a possibility again, this time protected by bars of steel.
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That’s the motive behind an extreme conservation method that will hopefully bring a maternity colony of federally endangered gray bats back to a northwest Georgia cave.
The site outside Ringgold on Chickamauga Creek has been used by Native Americans, early settlers, wildlife and now vandals. The most recent set of visitors has meant trouble for the sensitive bats. The cave, marked with spray paint and littered with beer bottles, has become a popular local hangout for trespassers. Frequent bon fires set at the cave’s mouth have sent smoke into the deeper reaches, disturbing the sensitive bats and possibly causing females to abandon the site.
The cave is Georgia’s only known maternity colony of gray bats (Myotis grisescens).
Enter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which awarded a “partners” grant that made it possible for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division to build the gate at the cave entrance, working with the landowner, who requested help. While considered a conservation method of last resort, the gate will bar people from entering the Catoosa County cave and disturbing the bats. The cave is not a site cavers commonly use.
“Generally we prefer to use signs or fence a cave, but this location was just too accessible for these to be of much use,” said project leader Trina Morris, a wildlife biologist with the division’s Nongame Conservation Section.
Before construction began, approximately 10,000 pounds – some 5 tons – of steel was wheeled down a steep four-wheel-drive trail of rocks and ruts to an embankment. It was then hauled by hand and pulley up the hill to the mouth of the cave. The work required extensive coordination and hundreds of volunteer hours of physical labor.
Overlooking the creek, the cave opening yawns 39½ feet wide and reaches as high as 8 feet.
Every gate is different, determined by the unique features of each cave. Kristin Bobo knows. Trained and certified by Bat Conservation International, a Texas-based organization dedicated to conserving bats and their ecosystems, Bobo has traveled around the country building cave gates for nine years. Newcomer Jason Collard helped her on this project.
The steel hauled to the mouth of the cave was quickly and expertly cut and welded into place by the team. After one section was finished, movement caught the eye of one of the workers. A small bat had flown through the bars and into the cave. Although not a gray bat, it was a hopeful sign the cave will once again become home for more of these furry fliers.
Bobo and the team of volunteers, many of them Wildlife Resources Division staff, finished the gate by mid-May. Morris will soon do checks to see if gray bats roosting elsewhere have returned, signaling that what was once a vibrant maternity colony is a possibility again, this time protected by bars of steel.
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Friday, May 29, 2009
Bird Songs Change With The Landscape
When the going gets rough, the tough apparently sing slower.
As vegetation reclaimed formerly cleared land in California, Oregon and Washington over the last 35 years, male white-crowned sparrows have lowered their pitch and slowed down their singing so that their love songs would carry better through heavier foliage.
"This is the first time that anyone has shown that bird songs can shift with rapid changes in habitat," says biologist Elizabeth Derryberry who made the finding as part of her dissertation research at Duke University.
She compared recordings of individual birds in 15 different areas with some nearly forgotten recordings made at the same spots in the 1970s by a California Academy of Sciences researcher, and found that the musical pitch and speed of the trill portion of the sparrows' short songs had dropped considerably. "I was really surprised to find that songs had changed in a similar way in so many different populations."
She then used archival aerial photography to see how the foliage had changed in a subset of those spots, and found that the one population whose song hadn't slowed down lived in an area where the foliage hadn't changed either.
The physics is clear, but the biology is a little less certain. A lower, slower song suffers less reverberation in denser foliage and will be heard more accurately. In turn, that means it is more likely to be copied by young males who are choosing which song they will learn. Over generations, that should cause the song to slow down and drop in pitch as the foliage changes.
In the short term however, Derryberry doesn't know whether the clearer song wins better territories or mates, although she does know that these changes in song do affect both male and female behavior.
The results add to a growing body of evidence that the acoustic and visual communications of animals change with their habitat. "Given how much the world's habitats are changing, this is sort of an unexpected but useful factor to monitor," Derryberry said. She's now testing the broader effects of ecology on song evolution in birds across areas of South America where habitat may be changing due to deforestation and global warming.
Derryberry, who earlier discovered that female white-crowned sparrows preferred the slower new songs to the chirpy old ones, is now a researcher at Louisiana State University. Her latest findings appear in the July edition of American Naturalist.
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As vegetation reclaimed formerly cleared land in California, Oregon and Washington over the last 35 years, male white-crowned sparrows have lowered their pitch and slowed down their singing so that their love songs would carry better through heavier foliage.
"This is the first time that anyone has shown that bird songs can shift with rapid changes in habitat," says biologist Elizabeth Derryberry who made the finding as part of her dissertation research at Duke University.
She compared recordings of individual birds in 15 different areas with some nearly forgotten recordings made at the same spots in the 1970s by a California Academy of Sciences researcher, and found that the musical pitch and speed of the trill portion of the sparrows' short songs had dropped considerably. "I was really surprised to find that songs had changed in a similar way in so many different populations."
She then used archival aerial photography to see how the foliage had changed in a subset of those spots, and found that the one population whose song hadn't slowed down lived in an area where the foliage hadn't changed either.
The physics is clear, but the biology is a little less certain. A lower, slower song suffers less reverberation in denser foliage and will be heard more accurately. In turn, that means it is more likely to be copied by young males who are choosing which song they will learn. Over generations, that should cause the song to slow down and drop in pitch as the foliage changes.
In the short term however, Derryberry doesn't know whether the clearer song wins better territories or mates, although she does know that these changes in song do affect both male and female behavior.
The results add to a growing body of evidence that the acoustic and visual communications of animals change with their habitat. "Given how much the world's habitats are changing, this is sort of an unexpected but useful factor to monitor," Derryberry said. She's now testing the broader effects of ecology on song evolution in birds across areas of South America where habitat may be changing due to deforestation and global warming.
Derryberry, who earlier discovered that female white-crowned sparrows preferred the slower new songs to the chirpy old ones, is now a researcher at Louisiana State University. Her latest findings appear in the July edition of American Naturalist.
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Friday, May 1, 2009
Two for Noah's Ark in Locust Grove
We first visited Noah's Ark Animal Rehabilitation Center in Locust Grove last summer. Our original mission was to see Evidence, the injured zebra which had been found on I-75 in Georgia. What we saw was a tremendous love for animals in need.
Evidence has now been at Noah's Ark for just over a year. By all accounts, he's doing wonderfully and really appreciates the shade and his best friend, Grace, a miniature horse.
Two events are in the works over the next couple of days in at Noah's Ark. First, Ann McLaughlin is expected to complete her 300 mile mission for the center. McLaughlin has spent the last 11 days walking from Mooresville to Locust Grove in an effort to try to raise awareness and donations to help the animals.
The other main event will take place on Saturday, May 2, as the new tortoise habitat is unveiled.
The recent downturn in the economy has taken its toll on donations. Noah's Ark has over 1000 mouths to feed on any given day, and is supported solely on donations.
Noah's Ark is open Tuesday thru Saturday, Noon to 3 pm, weather permitting.
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Evidence has now been at Noah's Ark for just over a year. By all accounts, he's doing wonderfully and really appreciates the shade and his best friend, Grace, a miniature horse.
Two events are in the works over the next couple of days in at Noah's Ark. First, Ann McLaughlin is expected to complete her 300 mile mission for the center. McLaughlin has spent the last 11 days walking from Mooresville to Locust Grove in an effort to try to raise awareness and donations to help the animals.
The other main event will take place on Saturday, May 2, as the new tortoise habitat is unveiled.
The recent downturn in the economy has taken its toll on donations. Noah's Ark has over 1000 mouths to feed on any given day, and is supported solely on donations.
Noah's Ark is open Tuesday thru Saturday, Noon to 3 pm, weather permitting.
Fayette Front Page Staff Reports
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
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Thursday, February 19, 2009
Waterbird Census Reveals Positive Numbers Along Coast
Dedicated bird watchers braved cold temperatures and in some cases 25 mph winds to search Georgia’s barrier island beaches for birds Jan. 16. The objective: Count and identify every waterbird they could find while roaming the chilly beaches.
This midwinter survey is an annual census done since 1996 and valued for the information gleaned on waterbird populations and roosting areas. Participants, many of them volunteers, counted more than 104,000 birds representing some 30 species this year. Of the total, an estimated 99,293 were shorebirds.
The numbers look positive, especially for species such as dunlins, marbled godwits and American oystercatchers. Totals included nearly 67,000 dunlins, 303 marbled godwits, 383 American oystercatchers, and more than 1,700 red knots.
Rare species such as red knots and marbled godwits highlight the Georgia coast’s importance as a haven for wintering and migrating waterbirds.
Participants also recorded several banded birds, including piping plovers, red knots and American oystercatchers. GPS locations for the species sporting leg bands will be noted and referred to researchers.
Waterbirds include shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds. The survey led by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is joined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Georgia Ornithological Society, Audubon Society, St. Catherines Island Foundation, and groups representing Little St. Simons and Little Cumberland islands.
“We rely on the best birders in the state to help us out,” said Brad Winn, coastal program manager for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
At high tide, when most waterbirds are concentrated in smaller areas, 68 birders packing scopes and checklists ventured out to Georgia’s 14 barrier islands for about four hours to scan sand, sea and sky. Data collected will serve as a midwinter snapshot of waterbird populations.
The survey meshes with Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy for wildlife conservation in the state. “The beaches are very fragile habitat, and many of the (waterbird) species we’re surveying are in our Wildlife Action Plan,” Winn said.
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This midwinter survey is an annual census done since 1996 and valued for the information gleaned on waterbird populations and roosting areas. Participants, many of them volunteers, counted more than 104,000 birds representing some 30 species this year. Of the total, an estimated 99,293 were shorebirds.
The numbers look positive, especially for species such as dunlins, marbled godwits and American oystercatchers. Totals included nearly 67,000 dunlins, 303 marbled godwits, 383 American oystercatchers, and more than 1,700 red knots.
Rare species such as red knots and marbled godwits highlight the Georgia coast’s importance as a haven for wintering and migrating waterbirds.
Participants also recorded several banded birds, including piping plovers, red knots and American oystercatchers. GPS locations for the species sporting leg bands will be noted and referred to researchers.
Waterbirds include shorebirds, seabirds and wading birds. The survey led by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is joined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Georgia Ornithological Society, Audubon Society, St. Catherines Island Foundation, and groups representing Little St. Simons and Little Cumberland islands.
“We rely on the best birders in the state to help us out,” said Brad Winn, coastal program manager for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
At high tide, when most waterbirds are concentrated in smaller areas, 68 birders packing scopes and checklists ventured out to Georgia’s 14 barrier islands for about four hours to scan sand, sea and sky. Data collected will serve as a midwinter snapshot of waterbird populations.
The survey meshes with Georgia’s Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy for wildlife conservation in the state. “The beaches are very fragile habitat, and many of the (waterbird) species we’re surveying are in our Wildlife Action Plan,” Winn said.
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Friday, February 13, 2009
Wal-Mart Foundation Grant Will Spur Education About Sandhills
A Wal-Mart Foundation grant announced today will help the Georgia Department of Natural Resources inform the public and teachers about sandhills, one of the state’s most biologically diverse habitats.
The Wal-Mart Foundation is providing $33,145 for The Environmental Resources Network Inc., better known as TERN, to develop with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section an education campaign on this distinct but often overlooked Coastal Plain habitat.
Found from the fall line to the coast, sandhills are areas of deep, sandy soils that generally feature a mix of longleaf pine and scrub oak species in a low, open-tree canopy with drought-tolerant shrubs, grasses and forbs. Sandhills support protected species such as the endangered eastern indigo snake, sandhills golden aster and the gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile. The State Wildlife Action Plan, a guiding conservation strategy, rates sandhills a priority habitat.
The sandhills project will team this year with educators to translate technical information explaining sandhills and other Coastal Plain habitats into K-12 curriculum resources such as lesson plans. An advanced Project WILD workshop including field trips will train teachers about these habitats and how to relay relevant information to students.
TERN’s mission is to foster and aid in the protection, knowledge and enhancement of nongame and endangered wildlife throughout Georgia. President Brock Hutchins said the 501(c)(3) nonprofit will use “100 percent of the grant” to fund the project.
The grant comes through Wal-Mart’s State Giving Program, which supports organizations that align with the company’s mission to create opportunities so people can live better. Grants reflect the foundation’s focus areas: education, workforce development, health and wellness, and environmental sustainability.
“Wal-Mart is excited to be part of such a reputable and well respected organization such as TERN,” said Glen Wilkins, senior manager of Public Affairs & Government Relations for the company. “At Wal-Mart, we believe that we should be a good community partner. Here in Georgia, we have so many natural resources we want to make sure that they are preserved for future generations, and we are excited to be part of the education process for the future.”
The grant was announced at St. Simons Island following Weekend for Wildlife, an annual Nongame Conservation Section fundraiser TERN helps hold on Sea Island. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds for its mission to conserve nongame animals, native plants and natural habitats, depending instead on fundraisers, grants and donations. Nongame wildlife includes animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped.
Nongame Conservation Section Chief Mike Harris said wildlife conservation ultimately depends on public support grounded in an appreciation and understanding of wildlife species and habitat.
“Our Georgia sandhills house a unique and interesting group of animals,” Harris said. “This project will help more people understand the importance of the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, and other wildlife that share sandhills with them.”
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The Wal-Mart Foundation is providing $33,145 for The Environmental Resources Network Inc., better known as TERN, to develop with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section an education campaign on this distinct but often overlooked Coastal Plain habitat.
Found from the fall line to the coast, sandhills are areas of deep, sandy soils that generally feature a mix of longleaf pine and scrub oak species in a low, open-tree canopy with drought-tolerant shrubs, grasses and forbs. Sandhills support protected species such as the endangered eastern indigo snake, sandhills golden aster and the gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile. The State Wildlife Action Plan, a guiding conservation strategy, rates sandhills a priority habitat.
The sandhills project will team this year with educators to translate technical information explaining sandhills and other Coastal Plain habitats into K-12 curriculum resources such as lesson plans. An advanced Project WILD workshop including field trips will train teachers about these habitats and how to relay relevant information to students.
TERN’s mission is to foster and aid in the protection, knowledge and enhancement of nongame and endangered wildlife throughout Georgia. President Brock Hutchins said the 501(c)(3) nonprofit will use “100 percent of the grant” to fund the project.
The grant comes through Wal-Mart’s State Giving Program, which supports organizations that align with the company’s mission to create opportunities so people can live better. Grants reflect the foundation’s focus areas: education, workforce development, health and wellness, and environmental sustainability.
“Wal-Mart is excited to be part of such a reputable and well respected organization such as TERN,” said Glen Wilkins, senior manager of Public Affairs & Government Relations for the company. “At Wal-Mart, we believe that we should be a good community partner. Here in Georgia, we have so many natural resources we want to make sure that they are preserved for future generations, and we are excited to be part of the education process for the future.”
The grant was announced at St. Simons Island following Weekend for Wildlife, an annual Nongame Conservation Section fundraiser TERN helps hold on Sea Island. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds for its mission to conserve nongame animals, native plants and natural habitats, depending instead on fundraisers, grants and donations. Nongame wildlife includes animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped.
Nongame Conservation Section Chief Mike Harris said wildlife conservation ultimately depends on public support grounded in an appreciation and understanding of wildlife species and habitat.
“Our Georgia sandhills house a unique and interesting group of animals,” Harris said. “This project will help more people understand the importance of the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, and other wildlife that share sandhills with them.”
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Saturday, January 17, 2009
UGA Study may Give Hope that Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers Still Around
Until credible sightings popped up three years ago, the scientific world was in agreement that ivory-billed woodpeckers had gone the way of the dodo. A new study conducted by University of Georgia researchers reveals that the ivory-billed woodpecker could have persisted if as few as five mated pairs survived the extensive habitat loss during the early 1900’s. A new paper published in the online journal Avian Conservation and Ecology by researchers at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources adds another angle to the ongoing debate about modern existence of the birds.
Crow-sized and native to America’s ancient southeastern bottomland forests, the ivory-billed woodpecker was thought to have gone extinct following indiscriminate logging in the 1940s until reports began surfacing in the flooded forests of eastern Arkansas in 2004. Crisp photographic or genetic evidence continues to evade eager seekers, however, and controversy has raged about whether there were even enough of the woodpeckers left to keep the species going through the latter part of the 20th century.
“It doesn’t prove that they do exist,” said Warnell Professor Michael Conroy. “It just shows that they could have persisted.”
Conroy is one of several scientists on the team who conducted a population viability analysis, which was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Also on the team are Warnell post-doctoral students Brady Mattsson and Rua Mordecai, Warnell professors James Peterson and Robert Cooper, and Danish researcher Hans Christensen.
The ivory-billed woodpecker—nicknamed the “Lord God Bird” for its impressive physique and bold black and white plumage—has been the subject of intense debate among bird researchers. James Tanner, the only scientist to have studied this woodpecker intensively, estimated that only 24 breeding pairs remained in the 1930s. Although there have been credible sightings of the birds in Arkansas, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle, undisputed evidence of the woodpeckers has eluded ornithologists since the work of Tanner in the early 1900s. This lack of solid documentation has led many to question whether the ivory-billed woodpecker could still exist.
To find out, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ordered a multi-state, intensive search effort for the elusive bird and a population viability analysis, which, among other things, assesses the population size and other factors required for the population to persist over specified time frames.
Mattsson, a former doctoral student working with Cooper, took the lead on the modeling project by constructing the population model and conducting the analysis. Based on information gleaned from the literature and unpublished sources on closely-related species of woodpeckers, Mattsson considered plausible ranges of initial population size, reproduction rates and adult survival rates to play games of “what if” with simulated woodpecker populations. What he found was that as few as five breeding pairs of these large woodpeckers could have ensured the persistence of ivory-billed woodpeckers in wooded swamps of the southeastern U.S. to this day.
He said his model is not meant to prove their existence, but “it gives people involved with the research team hope that they’re still out there,” and shows that sufficient levels of reproduction and survival are as important, if not more important, than large numbers of individuals for ensuring persistence of the species.
Cooper said that initially it was thought that the ivory-billed woodpeckers had a very small chance of persisting through modern times, but he believes Mattsson’s analysis shows that the probability is larger than originally suspected.
Conroy is optimistic about implications from their findings for similar species thought to have blinked out of existence.
“I think it gives us hope that remnants of [species] out there that we thought were extinct are still out there,” he said.
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Crow-sized and native to America’s ancient southeastern bottomland forests, the ivory-billed woodpecker was thought to have gone extinct following indiscriminate logging in the 1940s until reports began surfacing in the flooded forests of eastern Arkansas in 2004. Crisp photographic or genetic evidence continues to evade eager seekers, however, and controversy has raged about whether there were even enough of the woodpeckers left to keep the species going through the latter part of the 20th century.
“It doesn’t prove that they do exist,” said Warnell Professor Michael Conroy. “It just shows that they could have persisted.”
Conroy is one of several scientists on the team who conducted a population viability analysis, which was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Also on the team are Warnell post-doctoral students Brady Mattsson and Rua Mordecai, Warnell professors James Peterson and Robert Cooper, and Danish researcher Hans Christensen.
The ivory-billed woodpecker—nicknamed the “Lord God Bird” for its impressive physique and bold black and white plumage—has been the subject of intense debate among bird researchers. James Tanner, the only scientist to have studied this woodpecker intensively, estimated that only 24 breeding pairs remained in the 1930s. Although there have been credible sightings of the birds in Arkansas, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle, undisputed evidence of the woodpeckers has eluded ornithologists since the work of Tanner in the early 1900s. This lack of solid documentation has led many to question whether the ivory-billed woodpecker could still exist.
To find out, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ordered a multi-state, intensive search effort for the elusive bird and a population viability analysis, which, among other things, assesses the population size and other factors required for the population to persist over specified time frames.
Mattsson, a former doctoral student working with Cooper, took the lead on the modeling project by constructing the population model and conducting the analysis. Based on information gleaned from the literature and unpublished sources on closely-related species of woodpeckers, Mattsson considered plausible ranges of initial population size, reproduction rates and adult survival rates to play games of “what if” with simulated woodpecker populations. What he found was that as few as five breeding pairs of these large woodpeckers could have ensured the persistence of ivory-billed woodpeckers in wooded swamps of the southeastern U.S. to this day.
He said his model is not meant to prove their existence, but “it gives people involved with the research team hope that they’re still out there,” and shows that sufficient levels of reproduction and survival are as important, if not more important, than large numbers of individuals for ensuring persistence of the species.
Cooper said that initially it was thought that the ivory-billed woodpeckers had a very small chance of persisting through modern times, but he believes Mattsson’s analysis shows that the probability is larger than originally suspected.
Conroy is optimistic about implications from their findings for similar species thought to have blinked out of existence.
“I think it gives us hope that remnants of [species] out there that we thought were extinct are still out there,” he said.
-----
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Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Zoo Atlanta Revisions to PandaCam
Fans all over the world have enjoyed watching giant panda Lun Lun and her second-born, the newly-named Xi Lan, 24 hours a day on Zoo Atlanta’s PandaCam. Now that Xi Lan has reached his 100-day-old milestone, the Zoo has returned to its original PandaCam hours. Now through Wednesday, December 31, 2008, PandaCam will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Giant panda devotees are encouraged to enjoy PandaCam peeks on weekdays from 10 to 5 through the end of the year. While PandaCam has been a favorite stop on zooatlanta.org for more than a decade, Zoo Atlanta has announced that this feature will soon come to an end. Due to limited resources, PandaCam will not be available after December 31, 2008.
The giant panda presence will not vanish on zooatlanta.org, however. Beginning January 1, 2009, web guests can look forward to new and regular postings of Xi Lan’s latest photos, “best of” videos and more.
Now that Xi Lan is learning the ropes of walking, the cub will soon make his long-awaited debut into his habitat. Zoo Atlanta expects that Members and guests will be able to visit the new addition in person in January.
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Giant panda devotees are encouraged to enjoy PandaCam peeks on weekdays from 10 to 5 through the end of the year. While PandaCam has been a favorite stop on zooatlanta.org for more than a decade, Zoo Atlanta has announced that this feature will soon come to an end. Due to limited resources, PandaCam will not be available after December 31, 2008.
The giant panda presence will not vanish on zooatlanta.org, however. Beginning January 1, 2009, web guests can look forward to new and regular postings of Xi Lan’s latest photos, “best of” videos and more.
Now that Xi Lan is learning the ropes of walking, the cub will soon make his long-awaited debut into his habitat. Zoo Atlanta expects that Members and guests will be able to visit the new addition in person in January.
-----
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Terrapin Project Reveals Strong Numbers, Cautious Outlook
On most summer mornings the last two years, a small boat motored into the Georgia marsh with researchers, nets and high hopes on board. In small tidal creeks, the researchers spent hours in the murky water, dragging seines and struggling through the soft mud. Often their work was rewarded with catches of small, colorful turtles – diamondback terrapins.
Now, University of Georgia graduate student Andrew Grosse is analyzing data from more than 1,500 turtles recorded in the State Wildlife Grant project aimed at assessing Georgia’s diamondback terrapin populations, the first such study. Early indications are that the species is abundant.
“Habitat loss due to increased urbanization is a leading cause of decline for this species, and Georgia has one of the most undeveloped coastlines within the range of the diamondback terrapin, so that’s good news for these turtles,” said Grosse, leader of the joint UGA and Georgia Department of Natural Resources project.
Mark Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division, sees the project as “the beginning of a long-term monitoring program designed to assess the status of diamondback terrapins and the health of Georgia’s estuaries.”
Terrapins are the only North American turtle species that spend their lives in estuary or salt marsh habitat – the area between the mainland and barrier islands. Found along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, they are an indicator species for the habitat and the ecosystem because they are at the top of the food chain.
Grosse said many people don’t even know the turtles are in Georgia. “Everyone, from tourists just visiting for the weekend to permanent residents, should first realize that there are turtles that live on the coast other than sea turtles, and that we all can potentially have both positive and negative impacts on this species.”
One negative is traffic: Many female terrapins are run over crossing roads to reach egg-laying sites. More than 300 turtles were killed on roadways last year. The study looked specifically at impacts from commercial crabbing and road-related mortality.
Grosse's team tracked the number of turtles caught and re-caught to estimate the population for each location. Researchers also recorded the weight, length, sex and age of each terrapin – they can live as long as 20 years. The analysis covered 26 randomly picked sites in creeks and other waterways along the Georgia coast, ensuring an accurate representation of the turtle’s habitat range. Each site was surveyed five times.
The study addressed two primary questions: How many terrapins are there in Georgia and what impact are people and development having on them? State Wildlife Grant projects focus on species in relation to their role within a habitat or ecosystem.
Diamondback terrapins were once harvested for food all along the eastern coast of the U.S. The Cloister on Sea Island was known for its terrapin soup. Turtles were heavily collected from the Hampton River area, with the terrapin industry peaking after the Civil War.
Harvesting the turtles for food has since gone out of style and is illegal under state law. Mortality is now more likely attributed to collisions on roads or entrapment in commercial crab pots.
But even though the project’s preliminary results point to abundant terrapin numbers, considering the outlook, Grosse urged awareness of these unique turtles.
“I would like people to realize that although this species may seem abundant in Georgia, it is in decline in many of the other regions throughout its range. As the Georgia coast continues to be developed, it is inevitable that diamondback terrapins … will be exposed to increased habitat loss and urbanization in the near future.”
Georgians who buy a wildlife license plate featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird help conserve diamondback terrapins and other nongame wildlife, native plants and natural habitats. The license plate sales are vital to the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. The section receives no state funds for its mission to help conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in Georgia.
The plates are available for a one-time $25 fee at county tag offices, by checking the wildlife license plate box on mail-in registrations and through online renewals (http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags).
Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).
-----
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Now, University of Georgia graduate student Andrew Grosse is analyzing data from more than 1,500 turtles recorded in the State Wildlife Grant project aimed at assessing Georgia’s diamondback terrapin populations, the first such study. Early indications are that the species is abundant.
“Habitat loss due to increased urbanization is a leading cause of decline for this species, and Georgia has one of the most undeveloped coastlines within the range of the diamondback terrapin, so that’s good news for these turtles,” said Grosse, leader of the joint UGA and Georgia Department of Natural Resources project.
Mark Dodd, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division, sees the project as “the beginning of a long-term monitoring program designed to assess the status of diamondback terrapins and the health of Georgia’s estuaries.”
Terrapins are the only North American turtle species that spend their lives in estuary or salt marsh habitat – the area between the mainland and barrier islands. Found along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, they are an indicator species for the habitat and the ecosystem because they are at the top of the food chain.
Grosse said many people don’t even know the turtles are in Georgia. “Everyone, from tourists just visiting for the weekend to permanent residents, should first realize that there are turtles that live on the coast other than sea turtles, and that we all can potentially have both positive and negative impacts on this species.”
One negative is traffic: Many female terrapins are run over crossing roads to reach egg-laying sites. More than 300 turtles were killed on roadways last year. The study looked specifically at impacts from commercial crabbing and road-related mortality.
Grosse's team tracked the number of turtles caught and re-caught to estimate the population for each location. Researchers also recorded the weight, length, sex and age of each terrapin – they can live as long as 20 years. The analysis covered 26 randomly picked sites in creeks and other waterways along the Georgia coast, ensuring an accurate representation of the turtle’s habitat range. Each site was surveyed five times.
The study addressed two primary questions: How many terrapins are there in Georgia and what impact are people and development having on them? State Wildlife Grant projects focus on species in relation to their role within a habitat or ecosystem.
Diamondback terrapins were once harvested for food all along the eastern coast of the U.S. The Cloister on Sea Island was known for its terrapin soup. Turtles were heavily collected from the Hampton River area, with the terrapin industry peaking after the Civil War.
Harvesting the turtles for food has since gone out of style and is illegal under state law. Mortality is now more likely attributed to collisions on roads or entrapment in commercial crab pots.
But even though the project’s preliminary results point to abundant terrapin numbers, considering the outlook, Grosse urged awareness of these unique turtles.
“I would like people to realize that although this species may seem abundant in Georgia, it is in decline in many of the other regions throughout its range. As the Georgia coast continues to be developed, it is inevitable that diamondback terrapins … will be exposed to increased habitat loss and urbanization in the near future.”
Georgians who buy a wildlife license plate featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird help conserve diamondback terrapins and other nongame wildlife, native plants and natural habitats. The license plate sales are vital to the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. The section receives no state funds for its mission to help conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats in Georgia.
The plates are available for a one-time $25 fee at county tag offices, by checking the wildlife license plate box on mail-in registrations and through online renewals (http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags).
Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218).
-----
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Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Black Bear Conservation Efforts Have Strong Support from Public
A new survey by the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources shows that Middle Georgia residents overwhelmingly support efforts to conserve black bears in their part of the state.
The results are a good indicator of how the public will react to efforts to manage the black bear population in four Middle Georgia counties, said Craig Miller, the assistant professor at the Warnell School who led a survey of 4,000 residents in Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski and Twiggs counties.
The survey will be used by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as it develops a management program for black bears. A separate, similar study for the entire state of Florida was conducted, as well, and the final report is pending, Miller said.
Miller said researchers did not anticipate the answers they received. “We were surprised at the high level of support from people in both Georgia and Florida for black bears and black bear conservation,” he said.
Residents in other southern states have expressed more negative views of the animals, Miller said. “One thing we found in further analysis is that when people saw bears and had contact with bears, they had more support for black bear conservation,” he explained.
Miller and Warnell graduate student Joshua Agee conducted the survey over several months this year. Of the 4,000 surveys mailed to residents in those four counties, 1,227 sent back usable results. Findings include:
Sixty-one percent of the respondents support releasing black bears into a sustainable habitat currently void of bears.
Twenty-one percent had seen a black bear in their county between February 2007 and February 2008, with most of those sightings from the animal crossing the road.
Eight percent of respondents had received information about black bears, suggesting that residents have little knowledge about the animals. Researchers found in the study that the high awareness of black bears coupled with a lack of information shows the need for improving educational materials to the public.
More than half the respondents—60 percent—were not concerned about any property damage bears might cause, although 69 percent said they would want a bear trapped and relocated if it tried to enter their homes.
Most of the respondents—82 percent—said seeing wildlife during their daily routine is a positive experience.
According to Miller, bears are located in three distinct areas of Georgia: North Georgia, generally north of Interstate-85; those four counties in Middle Georgia; and in South Georgia around the lower part of the Flint River near the Florida border. Bear populations across the Eastern U.S. are up overall, Miller said. But that means that they are now showing up in areas from which they have been absent for decades, including urban areas.
That’s why it’s important to educate the public about bears and their behaviors, according to Miller. Miller also said “black bears are easily frightened. Slamming doors will easily scare them away from yards. People just shouldn’t feed them because they can get habituated. Changing human behavior is the easiest way to deal with problem bears.”
Bobby Bond, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR, said his agency is waiting for results from other Warnell studies before devising a management strategy to be overseen by Michael Conroy, adjunct wildlife professor. The two-part research, conducted by two graduate students, involved putting radio collars on bears to track them and their habitats. The second part involved estimating the population size.
Bond said before the DNR can implement any management plan, it was important to not only learn about public perception of black bears, but also how many there are and whether they are a nuisance.
“This Middle Georgia bear population is the one that’s gone under the radar a bit,” Bond said. “The one in North Georgia has been managed, and the one in South Georgia has been managed.”
-----
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The results are a good indicator of how the public will react to efforts to manage the black bear population in four Middle Georgia counties, said Craig Miller, the assistant professor at the Warnell School who led a survey of 4,000 residents in Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski and Twiggs counties.
The survey will be used by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as it develops a management program for black bears. A separate, similar study for the entire state of Florida was conducted, as well, and the final report is pending, Miller said.
Miller said researchers did not anticipate the answers they received. “We were surprised at the high level of support from people in both Georgia and Florida for black bears and black bear conservation,” he said.
Residents in other southern states have expressed more negative views of the animals, Miller said. “One thing we found in further analysis is that when people saw bears and had contact with bears, they had more support for black bear conservation,” he explained.
Miller and Warnell graduate student Joshua Agee conducted the survey over several months this year. Of the 4,000 surveys mailed to residents in those four counties, 1,227 sent back usable results. Findings include:
Sixty-one percent of the respondents support releasing black bears into a sustainable habitat currently void of bears.
Twenty-one percent had seen a black bear in their county between February 2007 and February 2008, with most of those sightings from the animal crossing the road.
Eight percent of respondents had received information about black bears, suggesting that residents have little knowledge about the animals. Researchers found in the study that the high awareness of black bears coupled with a lack of information shows the need for improving educational materials to the public.
More than half the respondents—60 percent—were not concerned about any property damage bears might cause, although 69 percent said they would want a bear trapped and relocated if it tried to enter their homes.
Most of the respondents—82 percent—said seeing wildlife during their daily routine is a positive experience.
According to Miller, bears are located in three distinct areas of Georgia: North Georgia, generally north of Interstate-85; those four counties in Middle Georgia; and in South Georgia around the lower part of the Flint River near the Florida border. Bear populations across the Eastern U.S. are up overall, Miller said. But that means that they are now showing up in areas from which they have been absent for decades, including urban areas.
That’s why it’s important to educate the public about bears and their behaviors, according to Miller. Miller also said “black bears are easily frightened. Slamming doors will easily scare them away from yards. People just shouldn’t feed them because they can get habituated. Changing human behavior is the easiest way to deal with problem bears.”
Bobby Bond, a senior wildlife biologist with the DNR, said his agency is waiting for results from other Warnell studies before devising a management strategy to be overseen by Michael Conroy, adjunct wildlife professor. The two-part research, conducted by two graduate students, involved putting radio collars on bears to track them and their habitats. The second part involved estimating the population size.
Bond said before the DNR can implement any management plan, it was important to not only learn about public perception of black bears, but also how many there are and whether they are a nuisance.
“This Middle Georgia bear population is the one that’s gone under the radar a bit,” Bond said. “The one in North Georgia has been managed, and the one in South Georgia has been managed.”
-----
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Friday, August 1, 2008
Disney’s Animal Programs Leads International Effort to Help Africa Manage Growing Elephant Populations
BUSINESS WIRE --Disney’s Animal Programs is leading an international coalition of veterinarians, conservation groups, zoos, universities and private industry to conduct a series of procedures to effectively sterilize male elephants and help reduce the elephant birth rates in areas of South Africa. The team expects to perform laparoscopic vasectomies on eight bull elephants at the Pongola Game Reserve in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.
Elephant overpopulation in wildlife parks and reserves in southern Africa is a growing problem that can have devastating effects on the natural habitat as well as other animal species that live there. Wildlife officials in several countries are considering culling many elephants in order to control the population growth.
“Elephant population management is one of the most critical conservation issues facing many areas of Africa” said Dr. Mark Stetter, Director of Veterinary Services at Disney’s Animal Programs and principal investigator. “Through our recent successes, elephant vasectomies have been an effective tool at several wildlife reserves to reduce the need for culling, and help support the ecosystem. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) we are committed to pioneering creative solutions to problems facing all wildlife by using the technology and tools available to address conservation and wildlife issues.”
In July 2004, this team of experts performed the first ever sterilization of free-ranging female elephants. In 2005, the group began its work with bull elephants and started developing laparoscopic vasectomy techniques for sterilizing males in the wild. The team returned to South Africa in 2006 and 2007 and effectively sterilized bull elephants at the Welgevonden Wildlife Reserve and the Songimvelo Wildlife Reserve.
Elephants are unique among most mammals since their testes are internal and require abdominal surgery to perform a vasectomy, making the traditional procedure nearly impossible to do in the wild. This innovative new procedure involves state-of-the-art medical equipment specifically developed for this project and scaled from human to elephant proportions. The elephant laparoscopic equipment was built by the Karl Storz Company at their headquarters in Germany. Laparoscopic surgery allows the surgeon to view the internal organs on a monitor and use long thin instruments to perform the surgery. With this type of minimally invasive surgery, the risk of infection is decreased, the procedure time is significantly reduced and there is less post-operative discomfort.
Wildlife scientists and rangers will use telemetry tracking collars placed on the elephants during the procedure, to closely monitor the animals and ensure there are no post-operative complications. All bull elephants that have had this procedure in 2006 and 2007, have fully recovered and shown no side effects from the procedure. A vasectomy effectively sterilizes the bull elephants while maintaining normal hormone levels and normal elephant social behaviors.
“Disney’s Animal Programs commitment to the animal population is truly admirable,” said Jeff Hunt, President of Covidien’s Patient Care and Safety Products global business unit. “Minimally invasive surgery has been implemented for years in people and more recently available for pets - and now even wildlife. We are proud to participate with this coalition’s innovative approach to solving a complex conservation issue.”
This is an international collaborative project that brings together conservation groups, universities and private industry including Disney's Animal Programs, Colorado State University/College of Veterinary Medicine, the Zoological Society of San Diego, Covidien, the Karl Storz Company, Catchco Africa - Wildlife Specialists, the Veterinary College of South Africa at Onderstepoort and the Pongola Game Reserve to address this complex problem. The long-term goal is to have in country trained specialists and elephant laparoscopic equipment to be able to provide this service to wildlife parks throughout Southern Africa.
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