Photo credit: Orvar Atli Orgeirsson

If you have been mildly paying attention over the last week then I am sure you have heard, read, watched or in some form or another come into contact with pieces of climate change news filtering out from Copenhagen.  And with the subject completely in the spotlight, the IUCN has named names so to speak by releasing a list of species most at risk from a shifting global climate.  According to the IUCN today (Dec. 14^th):

The report, Species and Climate Change, focuses on 10 species, the Arctic Fox, Leatherback Turtle, Koala, Beluga Whale, Clownfish, Emperor Penguin, Quiver Tree, Ringed Seal, salmon and staghorn corals, which all highlight the way climate change is adversely affecting marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

“Humans are not the only ones whose fate is at stake here in Copenhagen – some of our favourite species are also taking the fall for our CO2 emissions,” says report co-author Wendy Foden. “This report should act as a wake-up call to governments to make real commitments to cut CO2 emissions if we are to avoid a drastically changed natural world. We simply don’t have the time for drawn-out political wrangling. We need strong commitments and we need them now.”

Polar species are being affected by loss of ice due to global warming, according to the report. The Ringed Seal is being forced further north as the sea ice it relies on for pup-rearing retreats. The Emperor Penguin, highly adapted to unforgiving Antarctic conditions, faces a similar problem. Regional sea ice, which it needs for mating, chick-rearing and moulting, is declining. Reduced ice cover also means less krill, affecting food availability for the Emperor Penguin and many other Antarctic species.

Photo credit: Kit M. Kovacs/Christian Lydersen

The Arctic tundra on which the Arctic Fox depends is disappearing as warming temperatures allow new plant species to flourish. As the habitat changes from tundra to forest, the Red Fox, which preys on the Arctic Fox and competes with it for food, is able to move further north, reducing the Arctic Fox’s territory.

The Arctic’s Beluga Whale is likely to be affected by global warming both directly, through loss of sea ice and subsequent difficulty finding prey, and indirectly, through human activity as melting sea ice opens up previously inaccessible areas. Ship strikes, pollution and gas and oil exploration all put this highly sociable mammal at risk.

“Ordinary people are not powerless to stop these tragic losses,” says Simon Stuart, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission. “They can cut down on their own CO2 emissions and voice their support for strong action by their Governments to change the dire climate prognosis we are currently facing.”

The impacts of climate change are not confined to polar regions. In more tropical areas, staghorn corals, which include some 160 species, are severely affected by rising ocean temperatures, which causes coral bleaching. Ocean acidification, the result of too much CO2 in the oceans, weakens the corals’ skeletons.

Clownfish, of “Finding Nemo” fame, are also victims of ocean acidification. Acidic water disrupts their sense of smell, impairing their ability to find their specific host anemone, which they rely on for protection. Salmon, worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the commercial fishing industry, are threatened by increases in water temperature, which reduces water’s oxygen levels, increases their susceptibility to disease and disrupts their breeding efforts.

Photo credit: Daniele Sartori

Australia’s iconic Koala faces malnutrition and ultimate starvation as the nutritional quality of Eucalyptus leaves declines as CO2 levels increase. The Leatherback Turtle, another iconic species, is being affected by rising sea levels and increased storm activity due to climate change which destroys its nesting habitats. Temperature increases may lead to a reduction in the proportion of males relative to females.

An increase in CO2 levels does not just affect animals however; it also impacts on the world’s plants. The Quiver Tree, found in the Namib Desert region of southern Africa, is losing populations in the equator-ward parts of their distribution range due to drought stress. They highlight the problems that all plants and slow-moving species face in keeping up with rapidly accelerating changing climate.

“Several of the species highlighted in the report are already listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, due to other threats such as habitat destruction or over harvesting,” says Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Head of IUCN’s Species Programme. “Others are not currently threatened on the IUCN Red List, but will be very soon as the effects of climate change materialise. For a large portion of biodiversity, climate change is an additional and major threat.”

I was passed the following video via a sea turtle listserv and thought I’d share some real-life CSI action with everyone.  NOAA Marine Forensics- “Investigators in Puerto Rico were tipped off that an organized ring of poachers was selling turtle meat on the black market. This evidence was used to convict the turtle poachers on charges of illegally fishing and selling the meat and eggs of an endangered species.”

Sometimes I wander around the web (and my mind) hoping for a bit of inspiration. Recently I happened upon a 9 year old paper/report (Upstream) on Pacific Northwest salmon by The National Academy of Sciences that was complemented this morning by an AP news headline proclaiming “Judge raises concerns over Columbia salmon plan.”  In that moment I realized the report was just as relevant today as it was a decade ago.  And that does not reflect well on our ability to turn things around.

 I tend to view the term “salmon problem” as a misnomer because it does not adequately describe the gravity of the issue.  Putting linguistic semantics aside, the salmon problem in essence refers to the decline in the numbers of salmon, which was estimated in the report to be less than one tenth of the historical numbers for the Pacific Northwest (Upstream, 1996).  Which as I said before was published and referenced in a report about 10 years ago.  However, the problem is more than the loss of a potential anadromous species, but signifies impending economic hardship for those individuals (and the families they support) who operate fishing vessels for a living.  In fact, the impact salmon have on our society extends well past the local troller as sustainable fisheries support a multitude of companies, employees, and Native American cultures and peoples.  The Committee on Protection and Management of Pacific Northwest Anadromous Salmonids put it best when they said, “The salmon problem is easy to state, hard to analyze, and even more difficult to solve” (Upstream, 1996).

It has become quite apparent that the salmon crisis is the culmination of many factors that include habitat degradation, pollution, introduction of non-native species, introduction of hatchery fish which compete, transmit diseases, and spawn with wild populations resulting in genetic introgression, building of dams, pesticide use, logging, the modification and redirection of waterways for agricultural usage, and lackluster management strategies that began with the arrival of European settlers.  This is demonstrated by the fact that the mid to late 1800s were characterized by an overabundance of industrialized fishing techniques, which caused the depletion of Pacific Northwest salmon catches by as much as 50%, the presence of more than 4000 salmon harvesters, and the existence of 37 canneries that populated the watershed.

Because there are so many reasons for the development of dwindling salmon populations, which are compounded by short sighted policies and decisions that, shall we say, are less than favorable for the achievement of sustainability, it is no wonder that a quick fix or single solution has yet to be discovered.  Each of the contributing parts mentioned above were summed up rather nicely in Upstream when unbridled economic development and the human population explosion were cited as the creator of the widespread declines because of their lack of sufficient attention to salmon and salmon environments (Upstream, 1996). With that said, is it conceivable that a salmon solution can actually be developed?

Before we can explore plausible solutions, I think it is important to point out that the salmon crisis is a problem with society and how we interact with our environment.  In its crudest sense, we are a wanting, exploitive society that is limited on foresight.  Better yet, we ignore the inevitable and typically adopt a lackadaisical approach to natural resource conservation and only address concerns after a major problem as arisen.  Salmon are not the only casualties of such human overindulgences as we are all familiar with need to reestablish American buffalo and bald eagle populations.  Even to this day, attention is given to the plight of whales and headlines abound with stories of the over-harvesting of our ocean’s fisheries. Thus, some fundamental changes are in order. I understand that we cannot very well halt all activities, but we can make better choices.  As stated by David Bayle, “Ultimately we have to live within the health of the natural systems.”

Realizing that we are bound to our environment is not enough to produce a solution, but may lead us in the right direction.  When commenting on the salmon problem and projects designed to maintain the viability of wild salmon runs, James Lichatowich said:

“First, we need to revise our traditional short-term thinking. We need to accept the fact that recovery, at least to the extent that we can achieve it, is going to be a long-term process. Salmon restoration needs real commitment for the long term (Lichatowich, 1994).” 

Therefore the basis for a salmon solution lies with the need to make sure the benefits of salmon and habitat recovery is not superseded by the desire to sustain catches, rely on technology, and favor economics.  Successful solutions require time, money, and sound management practices that do not promote separate goals for salmon, fisheries industry, timber, agriculture, water usage, commercial development, residential expansion, and cheap power. 

“To bring about real recovery, all the economic interests are going to have to get together and approach restoration from a common perspective (Lichatowich, 1994).”

A short video with facts and footage describing the decline and recovery of the Bald Eagle through the help of nationwide conservation efforts.  The Bald Eagle is an amazing story of conservation success as its population declined from an estimated high of 500,000 individuals to only 417 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states.

Who cares about insects? Aren’t they just agricultural pests, household nuisances, and harborers of disease?  I surely hope that is simply an attempt at exaggeration or at best an antiquated notion.  Insects are vital to ecosystem management and fill important environmental roles as pollinators, decomposers parasites, herbivores, predators, and prey.  Additionally, as approximately 50% of insects are herbivorous they aid in supporting higher food chain levels and accelerate carbon and nitrogen cycles. Yet, the potential for multi-species extinction gets little press in the shadows of the cute and cuddly.  And I’m not pointing any fingers because this is just a matter of fact and I’m guilty of it as well.

“In fact, in the last 600 years, the extinction of only 70 insect species has been recorded, a strikingly low  figure compared with the number of recorded extinctions for vertebrates.”

So when I happened upon a publication foretelling of rampant insect doom as a result of (you guessed it) habitat loss, I just had to spread it around.  In this particular study the author focused efforts on monophagous insects, which are those that depend on a single plant species for survival, in 34 biodiversity hotspots.  These worldwide hotspots  have been identified as conservation priorities, have at least 1500 endemic plant species, and have been the victim of habitat loss resulting in the disappearance of 70% or more of its original vegetation.  Because monophagous insects rely on a single plant species, they are most vulnerable to the effects of habitat degradation and loss.  The hotspots contain over 150,000 endemic plants and it is estimated that they support between 5.3 and 10.7 monophagous insect species per plant species.

“Monophagous insects are particularly susceptible to habitat loss because to survive without their hosts they would need to exhibit improbable evolutionary host shifts.”

If we are to assume that the insects will be unable to undergo an “improbable evolutionary host shift” ahead of the pace of plant and habitat loss currently exhibited in the hotspots, then extinction of these resources will be inevitable. And that is precisely what the author found after applying a species–area relationship (SAR) model, which is and has been used to predict decreases in species diversity with reductions in the geographic area of plants.

And the outcome of all that data, described as conservative results, is a total of 213,830 insects in danger of extinction if trends continue.

“The estimated range of 213,830–547,500 species extinctions is three to four orders of magnitude higher than the 70 insect species known to have become extinct globally in modern times, despite the fact that the model was intentionally fed with very conservative parameters. On average my results showed that one monophagous species became extinct when 37–94 square kilometers of habitat was lost.”

It’s so easy to forget that there is more to habitat loss than the disappearance of high profile mammals and birds, but an array of plants and hundreds of thousands of insect species we desperately need.

FONSECA, C. (2009). The Silent Mass Extinction of Insect Herbivores in Biodiversity Hotspots Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01327.x

Perhaps some would call it a mini-vacation, but I tend to think of my recent trip to D.C. as a whirl wind excursion that intertwined monuments, buildings, museums, the constitution, and countless trips up and down the National Mall.  An all day and night walking extravaganza that was perfect for my wife’s first visit. But upon my return I expected a few changes on the Burrowing Owl front; mainly a fence to block traffic access and a little garbage removal that would benefit the resident burrowing owls and neighborhood safety/aesthetics.

Yet, as I walked the land I found the piles of trash still present and a fenceless border.  Disappointed…well yes.

So once again I put fingers to keyboard, left a few messages, and waited for a response.  To my surprise, the rising of the sun was the bearer of good news as all piled debris had been removed by the next evening; the mattress from the street, the jet ski that had been left to surf weeds, the rugs, and the broken mirrors that seemed to have bestowed the bad luck not on the dumpers, but on the owls.  But perhaps their luck was not all bad as we are in the midst of altering a course of development to ensure mitigation. Mitigation yes, protection perhaps.  A sentence which I expect to elaborate on next week that is based on information I came across at the 2009 Burrowing Owl Consortium.

With some help spreading the word from Worth A Dam (Martinez Beavers), Bay Area Wildlife Blog, and some other concerned citizens who have been of great help and guidance, things are leaning in the right direction conservation-wise.  Here are a few points:

• Street closure locations have been approved by the Fire Department.
• According to the developer, the fencing is going to be installed tomorrow (Sept. 25), but I’m taking a wait and see attitude before I get too excited.
• The City of Antioch requested a biological evaluation after hearing (repeatedly) from JournOwl (and friends) about the owls. 
• The Developer has hired a biologist and the staff met on site Sept. 23rd.
• Garbage piles have been completely removed. With the exception of a little graffiti and remaining litter the site looks much better.
• I received a call from the Planning Department concerning the owls and they promised to provide biological survey reports and mitigation information based on upcoming survey.  Something I will definitely need to keep tabs on.
• Development will not commence until spring 2010.
• I have personally began to document owl sightings and burrow locations, which will be used to compare findings by the Developer’s biologist.

According to information I received, there was zero mitigation in place for these owls.  Which explains why after weeks of waiting I could not retrieve these documents from the city.  Apparently owls were not present on the property during the initial Environmental Impact Statement of this land years back.  However, I can neither confirm nor deny if this was actually the case.  So without any intervention the owls would have been quietly buried as the housing project was fully entitled.  All in all this is a classic lesson in wildlife conservation.  Protecting native species is not just a responsibility that is in the domain of government agencies and renowned non-profit organizations, but a duty of individual citizens, communities, and local non-profit groups commonly referred to as ‘WE THE PEOPLE’.

Stay Tuned!

Hot off the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service presses…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a proposal to protect seven Brazilian bird species as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). If made final, the measure would extend ESA protection to these species. The decision by the Service was published in today’s Federal Register.

Addition of a foreign species to the federal list of threatened and endangered species places restrictions on the importation of either the animal or its parts.  Listing also serves to heighten awareness of the importance of conserving these species among foreign governments, conservation organizations and the public.

The seven species are all native to the Atlantic Forest and neighboring regions of southeastern Brazil and include the black-hooded antwren, Brazilian merganser, cherry-throated tanager, fringe-backed fire-eye, Kaempfer’s tody-tyrant, Margaretta’s hermit, and southeastern rufous-vented ground-cuckoo.

In July of 2008, the Service published a notice in the Federal Register announcing its petition findings for foreign species and announced that the listing of 30 foreign species, including these seven, is warranted. After studying the best available scientific and commercial information regarding the threats to the species, the Service has concluded that these seven species should be identified under a single proposed rule for three reasons:

      1)  all seven species are found in the Atlantic Forest and southeastern region of
           Brazil.
      2)  the species are subject to similar threats including small population sizes,
           habitat loss due to deforestation, and ongoing landuse practices.

      3)  combining species that face similar threats allows the Service to maximize
           limited resources and increase our ability to complete the listing process for
           warranted-but-precluded species.

Of the remaining 23 foreign species, proposed listing rules have since been published for 10 species and proposed listing rules for the remaining 13 species are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register by the end of December 2009.

Loosely masquerading as armadillos in shape and appearance, pangolins actually fall within the order Pholidota and are dressed in overlapping scales that provide camouflage and protection.  A lack of teeth suits the pangolin well considering their diet of ants and termites, which is collected by a tongue that can extend as far as 10 inches. 

But, their defensive scales and camouflage are no match for the illegal wildlife trade that has infiltrated Southeast Asia in an attempt to quell Chinese and other Asian demands for this unique creature.  Considered a delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicines, pangolin survival is being thwarted by an increasing black market price to supply customers with meat, scales, and skins.  As such, more than 30,000 pangolins were seize over the last 8.5 years and the IUCN reported “24 tonnes of frozen pangolins from Sumatra seized in Viet Nam and 14 tonnes of frozen animals seized in Sumatra in 2008.”

The problem is a general deficit of stringent laws to protect pangolins and a lackadaisical approach towards  enforcement of those regulations currently in place.

“Pangolins, like the laws designed to protect them, lack bite,” says Chris Shepherd, Acting Director for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. “Pangolin populations clearly cannot stand the incessant poaching pressure, which can only be stopped by decisive government-backed enforcement action in the region.”

According to pangolin hunters and traders, there are so few pangolins left in forests throughout Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, they are now sourcing animals from their last remaining strongholds in Southeast Asia and beyond.

“Pangolins save us millions of dollars a year in pest destruction,” says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. “These shy creatures provide a vital service and we cannot afford to overlook their ecological role as natural controllers of termites and ants.”

The key to tackling the pangolin crisis is better enforcement of existing national and international laws designed to protect pangolins, better monitoring of the illegal trade, and basic research to find where viable pangolin populations still exist and whether ravaged populations can recover given adequate protection, according to the report.  (IUCN, July 14, 2009)

I admit I wasn’t ready for the beginning of the week, so while I get my next post together I thought I pass along a few signs I came across during my journey on Maui…a few simple reminders to protect endangered species.

I can’t seem to have it both ways.  It’s simply a matter of fact that I have been left with choosing between partially undeveloped land that is on the road to becoming a neighborhood blight and a housing tract that will force the mitigation of a California species of special concern.  And when I say choosing I absolutely have no control over the outcome, but is actually limited to a personal thought on what I would ultimately like to see happen with this property. 

Firstly, a few years back just prior to the housing bubble explosion, the land in question was prepped for future housing through the installation of paved roads, sidewalks, street lights, and all the usual things needed to feed a house with water and electricity.  But, before all of the land had been transformed into a functioning neighborhood, the builder ceased development for all the reasons dominating the news over the last year or so.

For me, all was well and good because over time wildlife returned to this partially undeveloped fenced acreage that was now a suitable place to observe local wildlife in action. Coyotes, rabbits, burrowing owls, ground squirrels, hawks, kestrels, and the list goes on, it was actually a beacon in a rather dreary economic mess as it afforded me a personal wildlife refuge in walking distance from my home.And for just about 2 years now my private refuge was secure, that is until the chain link fence was removed due to a transfer in ownership from one developer to another.  The once protected habitat was now open to the public and the burrowing owls that stood watch in the middle of the streets were now dodging cars, off-roading vehicles and curious dogs.

As time is moving forward, apparently this paved unmanned land is now attracting all sorts of illicit activities and upsetting a population of at least 5 pairs of nesting burrowing owls. Formerly protected from traffic, many of the burrows are now directly in harm’s way as they are adjacent to the street in a patch of dirt separating the blacktop from the sidewalk.  And yes the situation is ruffling my feathers.

Illegal dumping, graffiti, alcohol, sex, fireworks, street racing, off-roading and all the other usual suspects are infiltrating this area because of its remoteness and protection from prying eyes.  The word is obviously getting out that the partially functioning streetlights provide the perfect opportunity to conduct oneself inappropriately under the shadows of the night in an otherwise new and clean neighborhood.  Not to mention, since the removal of the surrounding fence the wildlife activity has been on a sharp decline, except for the burrowing owls that are in the midst of rearing young.

And as I posed in the beginning, I am left with wondering what I would rather have: More housing and no burrowing owls, or a pseudo burrowing owl habitat that is in the beginning stages of being plagued by those who do not care about the aesthetics of their city let alone the wildlife.

With a few additional letters in the ready for the city, police department, project manager, and California Department of Fish and Game, perhaps I can get more action to protect the people and owls alike.

I’ll continue to provide updates as well as my latest observations on the owls.  In fact, just this weekend I came across 4 additional owls that I had not previously observed.

For my other post concerning a different group of burrowing owls, check out Burrowing Owls and Manifest Destiny.