Some Call Me Nature...

“Some call me Nature. Others call me Mother Nature.
I’ve been here for over 4 and a half billion years. 22.500 times longer than you.
I don’t really need people, but people need me.
Yes, your future depends on me.
When I thrive you thrive. When I falter you falter…Or worse.
But I’ve been here for eons.
I have fed species greater than you. And I have starved species greater than you.
My oceans, my soil, my flowing streams and my forests.
They all can take you—or leave you…
How you choose to live each day weather you regard or disregard me, doesn’t really matter to me.
One way or the other…Your actions will determine your fate. Not mine.
I’m Nature. I’ll go on. I am prepared to evolve.
Are you?”

Julia Robert’s and an other 9 A-list movie stars donated their time and intonations to a stunning public awareness movies evolving the human race dangers of suffering a massive die-off extinction.

The two minutes short films pretend to reach every human being and reflect on the several pure elements of our Planet. Water, Ice, Forests, asking globally why humans pay so little attention to the hazards posed by overpopulation, environmental pollution, deforestation, biodiversity degradation, overheated climate, and other ecological pressures.

Humans are asked here to pay attention to the alarming signs and react before it’s too late.
This is not about saving Nature.

This is about saving Ourselves. 

The Human Race.

The Slaughter of the AFRICAN PANDAS

It can be read on the poster: Protect the pandas of Africa - The Elephants 

Image courtesy of WildAid

Every day, 100 African elephants are killed illegally for their ivory. China is the final destination for most of this white gold ivory and a single tusk can fetch more than $8,000 on the Chinese black market. 

Worth around $ 4bn annually, the trade funds terrorist organisations such as al-Shabaab, which recently attacked the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi.

“The Blood Ivory: Behind the Largest Ivory Smuggling Cases in China”, tells us about a surging demand from middle class consumers which led to an alarming killing rate of 100 elephants a day. Conservationists estimate that up to 35,000 elephants may have been killed in 2012 alone.

In September, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) gave these efforts a boost when it launched a massive push to catalyze support for stopping "blood ivory".

ESAC agreed unanimously to destroy 28 tonnes of Hong Kong’s stockpile by incineration after a four-hour meeting with government officials. The first raft of ivory tusks and trinkets will be destroyed within the next six months and the remaining stockpile will be burned over the next two years.

Will this be enough? Perhaps not, but certainly will create a general awareness that poaching is targeted not only by conservationists but also by governments worldwide.

MONARCH Butterflies - SOFT breezes from HEAVEN

Monarch Butterfly Survey Points to Lowest Numbers in 20 Years

They seem to stand in the sky floating like soft coloured breezes. They come in clouds of thousands migrating each year from the US plains to the Mexican forests when cold prepares to install.

Their numbers are calculated having has a reference the Mexican forest total area occupied after arriving from their long winter migration.

Occupied Forest with Monarch Colonies  

Scientists become worried when last year's count reached its lowest levels in two decades. According to a survey carried out during the 2012-2013 winter season by the WWF-Telcel Alliance and Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Areas, the nine hibernating colonies occupied area,  has decreased 59% regarding last year survey.

Reasons have been put forwarded in order to explain the latest decrease in monarch butterflies. A decrease in the

Milkweed Plant

milkweed plant (Asclepias) – a primary food for monarchs – and herbicide use in the butterfly’s reproductive and feeding grounds in the US, as well as extreme climate variations during the fall and summer are among the main reasons which have certainly affected butterfly reproduction. 

“Extreme climate fluctuations in the US and Canada affect the survival and reproduction of butterflies. The monarch’s lifecycle depends on the climatic conditions in the places where they develop. Eggs, larvae and pupae develop more quickly in milder conditions. Temperatures above 95F can be lethal for larvae, and eggs dry out in hot, arid conditions, causing a drastic decrease in hatch rate,” said Omar Vidal, Director General of WWF-Mexico. 

Monarch butterflies which migrate to Mexico feed on milkweed in the soy and corn fields of the US. The use of herbicides to eradicate this plant, considered a toxic weed for cattle, has reduced the amount of available milkweed by up to 58%. 

Monarch Cycle

“The conservation of monarch butterflies is a responsibility shared by Mexico, the US and Canada. By protecting its sanctuaries and practically eliminating large-scale deforestation, Mexico is doing its part. It is necessary that the US and Canada also do their part and protect the habitat of the monarch in their countries,” Vidal added. 

“The WWF-Telcel Alliance celebrates 10 years of supporting the conservation and sustainable management of the natural resources of Mexico and the well-being of the people that depend on those resources. The Alliance has worked with local communities, the government and civil society to conserve the monarch forests in a way that benefits nature, local populations, and those that visit the Reserve. Among these projects is the development of sustainable business such as tree nurseries, mushroom production modules, and handicraft production, as well as the improvement of tourist infrastructure at El Rosario, and Cerro Prieto in Michoacán” said Marcela Velasco, Director of Marketing at Telcel. Source WWF

Snow Leopards - An Endangered Specie

Snow Leopard

Last December WWF revealed some amazing photos of two snow leopard cubs frolicking in the remote mountains of Siberia. 

Snow leopards are one of the most endangerous wild cat species, and not long ago, on the 90's its population was almost decimated because of their incomparable skin. 

Credits: WWF Russia

The area is estimated to have been home to nearly 40 individuals at its peak, two decades ago, but during the 

90's the snow leopards' population was almost entirely destroyed by poachers. 

Before they became extinct, urgent measures were taken by the Russian Government in cooperation with the Altai Project and the Snow Leopard Conservancy, mainly consisting on several anti-poaching raids, guards and cameras  strategically placed on areas which were previously unpatrolled.

Several expeditions were made in order to collect data and see if the population showed positive signs of increasing on the last 5 years. The Altai Project counted at least 8 snow leopards on the area but anxiety was always present because cubs weren't seen or caught on cameras until now.

Looking at these pictures we cannot help wondering if we are not assisting to a turning point regarding a natural rehabilitation of the specie, on this remote place, in Siberia.

There are up to 6,000 snow leopards in the wild across 12 countries, but its numbers are gradually declining, with hunting and habitat loss among the contributors to its endangered status. 

Stretching across Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China, the Altai-Sayan ecoregion is one of the last remaining untouched areas on earth and is identified by WWF as a key global ecoregion.

TIGER' s DAY - July 29th

© naturepl.com /Edwin Giesbers / WWF

Created on the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit, the International Tiger Day, decided to be held every July 29th, has the goal to promotes awareness to protect tiger's natural habitats as well as other related conservation issues.

With wild tiger numbers as low as 3,200, direct, targeted poaching of tigers is the most immediate danger for the species today. However, a serious contributing factor to the plight of the tiger is the widespread decline of its forest larder – the deer, wild pigs and wild cattle.

One tiger needs to eat the equivalent of a medium size deer every week to survive and without adequate food, the tiger population declines very fast. Too many forests of Asia are classed as ‘empty forests” – the trees are there but the animals are gone. Anti-poaching efforts therefore must be targeted at protecting both the tiger and its prey. 

Credits here WWF

Should EXTINCT animals be brought BACK?

TASMANIAN TIGER

National Geographic published today an article about bringing back from the tomb extinct animals through genes manipulation.

Can it be done?

Scientist have made huge advances with cloning technologies and new methods of reading and writing DNA may lead to a genetic proximity of the extinct species whenever DNA can be retrieved from a preserved specimen.

But there are some controversial issues which have been discussed concerning the advantages, or not, of bringing back extinct species.

Isn't it true that, at the present moment, there are so many species in risk of disappearing in the next decade? Shouldn't all efforts and resources be focuses on those species which can still be saved instead of trying to produce miracles on reviving those which haven't their specific environment anymore?

The idea of reviving a specie looks tempting but shouldn't we look straight forward the future?

The discussion is open among scientists and in my opinion it would be interesting to have a Tasmanian Tiger on Earth again, although Indian Tigers are collapsing, as well as Siberian or Sumatrian. 

I remember posting here about the last 3.200 Tigers in the Wild. 

Can we do something NOW in order to prevent cloning these beautiful animals in the near future?

Lets worry about the future and not about the past.

RHINOs - Saving the LAST ONEs on Earth

A Rhino being moved to a SAFER reserve

The 2012 poaching numbers gave authorities an alert to reallocate a substantial number of Rhinos to safer grounds, otherwise in 20 years from now the specie could become extinct.

A total of 668 rhinos were massacred in South Africa in 2012, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Environmental Affairs.

Kruger National Park suffered a staggering loss of 425 rhinos. The North West, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal provinces were hit hard, losing 77, 66 and 59 rhinos.

267 suspects were arrested in the country for rhino crimes.

Facing this tragic statistics, the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC identified Vietnam as the primary destination for illegal rhino horn, where it “is in demand as a supposed ‘miracle medicine’, despite a lack of supporting medical evidence”. Traffickers also managed to export at least 657 rhino horns legally during 2003 — 2010, thanks to some of South Africa’s safari operators who facilitated bogus trophy hunts with Vietnamese nationals.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the governments of South Africa and Vietnam was signed On December 10th, 2012, at a ceremony in Hanoi, in hopes of reducing the flow of illicit wildlife — especially rhino horns. We hope that 2013 can be more a more protective year to save this amazing specie.

The GREEN WAR for ETHANOL - THE GUARANI's KAIOWÁ lands

While the World is concerned with the economic crises, the euro's sustainability there is a region and their native inhabitants in the globe that are struggling to survive.

In the south region of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the border of Brazil and Paraguay, the most populous indigenous nation of the country silently struggle for its territory, trying to contain the advance of its powerful enemies.

Expelled from their lands, because of the continuous process of colonization, more than 40,000 Guarani Kaiowá live nowadays in less than 1% of their original territory. Over their lands there are now thousands of hectares of sugarcane, planted by multinational enterprises that, in agreement with the government, show ethanol to the world as an environment friendly and “clean” fuel.

Without their lands and the forests, without any of their ancestral ways of cooping with nature, the Guarani Kaiowá have been coexisting for years with all malnutritions and epidemic disease that have decimated their children. With no alternative of subsistence, adults and kids are exploited in the cane fields in exhausting working days making us remembering the old slavery, still so present in our minds. 

On August 8, 2012 completes a year of occupation of part of a territory Pyelito Kue/Mbarakay. The members of these indian communities were violently attacked by gunmen of the farms. Many were killed. Later on they were threatened. Surronded. All their wooden bridges pulled down. More than 10 times.

Despite this isolation, the reocupante indigenous community of 158 (58 women 50 children, 50 men) is still resisting and surviving in a small area retaken now.

But life is being unbearable and they have posted, last week, a collective suicidal intention if they are not allowed to remain in their ancestral territories.

Guarani's Warriors

We will follow the up coming days on this region of the planet and see if the Brazilian government  will attend their demands. With the vast lands at Mato Grosso, it's astonishing that a small piece could not be  allocated to 150 survivors. Men are undoubtably greedy.

Little Devils - Big Worries

Tasmanian devils are meat eating marsupials

Far away on a remote part of the World called Tasmania island, there are some small marsupial devils left from what was once a DEVIL's ISLAND.

With a funny look and a small aggressive pose TAZ's are always looking for a fight where they can challenge their mates for a little bite of food or for claiming a little bit more of their territory.

Once roamed these little devils were spread widely across Australia and on islands around the coast but recently there was a set back on the species. Tasmanian devils have suffered greatly from a mysterious cancer that appears to be passed directly from animal to animal by biting.

The disease causes terrible tumours around the face and is always fatal, killing the host about five months after the first signs of the disease.
Around half the wild devil population has succumbed in the last 10 years.
Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, which is the only wildlife center in an isolated disease-free area, is involved in a number of research projects to help solve the problem.

On the last few days news came public regarding some recent studies where the so called "cancer" may have it's origin on a parasite caught  on water.

Also like a bona fide parasite, it uses the host's natural behaviour to spread itself, in this case the devil's insatiable appetite for violence.

The question is: Are cancers parasites because they live off the host?" scientists say
"The thing about the cancer that us humans get is that once the human dies or recovers the cancer dies as well, whereas this tumour goes from host to host."

The origin of the disease has been traced to a single cell in a single female devil in the 1990s but it is unknown how she contracted it.
Scientists are in a race against the clock to find a cure, with some estimates suggesting devils in the wild could be extinct in 25 years, and there have been few breakthroughs in slowing the spread.
from here

Iberic Lynx - 2011 Season

Raptor Resource Project - 3d Year in a Row

Two months ago when I saw, for the first time, these pictures I was overwhelmed by the devotion of an eagle's couple to their 3 hatching eggs.

Temperatures in North Dakota, last February, went as low as - 20ºC but they stood firmelly in their post in spite of all the hard weather conditions.

These images were possible due to a non-profict project, established in 1988, called "Raptor Resource". It has developed their activity in the preservation of falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks, and owls. Its purpose is to create, and directly maintain, nests and nest sites, and placing video cameras over the nests in order to bring people closer to the natural world.

Most of the raptors populations are listed as endangered species and I'm sure this project assures the participation and brings awareness about the urgent needs of the raptors preservation.
I'm sure that it will also have a major role on the next generation of preservationists.

Photo credits: "Raptor Resource Project"

World Largest Protected Area in Africa

 CRV© Chobe Park - Botswana

On the year of 2007 I made one the most beautiful trips of my life. I spent one month in Africa, with my family. We got into the deep continent where animals still live free in the wild, waterfalls are strong as arms of deep rivers. Colors, all around us, are bright like strong brushstrokes on a vivid painting that flirts with our senses everywhere we turn to.

I'll never forget this experience and several times I've questioned about borders and migration tracks that involve thousands of animals that each year seek for water and food and places to give birth to the next generations. Nations like Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe make part of a conjunction which includes some of the most prolific parks with a concentration of wildlife unique in the whole continent.

Today I became thrilled with the news that all of these countries agreed to creat the largest conservation area in the world, reported PRI's "Living on Earth." 

A chunk of land the size of California will include a variety of habitats and allow wildlife to migrate to greener pastures in the dry season and keep their feet dry during the wet season.

Africa's iconic wildlife, elephants, lions, crocodiles, leopards, rhinos, hippos and buffalo, are expected to bring in tourist dollars. Without the incentive of tourist revenues encouraging conservation, the animals were just a danger and a pest to locals, who had to fear elephants raiding their crops and lions stalking them at night, without the legal right to hunt problem animals.  more here

CRV© Chobe Park - Botswana

Endangered Species - Iberic Lynx - 4 new cubs

Photo Credits: Lince Ibérico (Lynx Pardinus) S.O.S.

The sparce Iberic Lynx population, which I mentioned here has some new little fellows.

4 new cubs were born, at the Silves protection program, last month of March, in what has been a successful contribution to avoid the extermination of this endangered species  more here.

Endangered Species - Maui's Dolphins - Only 55 Left

The critically endangered Maui’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui), which can only be found off a small stretch of the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, have reached to alarming population numbers.

According to scientists, the decreasing population of the rarest and smallest dolphin of the planet, dropped by half, on the last 7 years, and there are now only 55 individuals estimated, according to research released last March 13th, by the New Zeland Department of Conservation (DOC) more here.

Endangered Species - Iberic Lynx

Iberien Lynx also known as tiger-cat is the most severely endangered cat species and there aren’t more than 140 in the wild. Yesterday, I came across in the net with a program, developed in Spain, where strong conservation measures are being held in order to increase the Iberien Lynx population avoiding extinction.

One of such efforts involved captive breeding, genetic and demographic management of the lynx population and although it may not be considered the best solution, soon we understand that this is the only way to avoid an immediate and complete extinction of the species. The program has presented increasing results since it begun in 2002. From the 2 first offsprings born in 2002, last year the number reached a stimulating number of 25 offsprings, almost 1/5 of the wild population alive.

Several international institutions collaborate with the programme, which is currently implemented through a “multirateral comission” that includes the central goverments of Spain and Portugal, together with other autonomous spanish goverments of Andalusia, Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha. Portugal, where rarely is seen a wild lynx, also developed its own breeding center in Silves acting at the same time on improving habitat for future reestablishment of lynx population.

The lynx territories have decreased to such an alarming point that they are now confined to scattered small aggregates (see distribution map). Man’s invation of wild habitats may be the main reason but surely it’s not the only one. Reduction of food sources is also a main concern and is certainly on the basis of the territorial fragmentation. As a top predator the Iberian lynx has a key role in controlling populations of rabbits (their favorite prey) and other small mammals but when these are lacking it is known that deer, mice, ducks, quail, lizards, etc. also make part of their food chain. Selecting habitats with Mediterranean characteristics, the rare Iberian lynx can be spoted on woods, dense thickets and bushes. Preferably used in mosaic structures with enclosed biotopes abrigo. In Portugal some where seen on the North East of Portugal, at the Serra da Malcata, located between the counties of Sabugal and Penamacor, integrating the mountainous system of Luso-Spanish Meseta.

It is essentially a night animal, an expert climber and by day it can move at about 7 km.The territories of males may overlap territories to one or more females.
Mating, uncommon, occurring between January and March and after a gestation period of between 63 and 74 days between 1 and 4 are born offspring.

© Pete Oxford

Big Apes - Gorilla Genome Decoded

 Male silverback Gorilla in SF zoo. Image: Wikipedia

Researchers announce today that they have completed the genome sequence for the gorilla – the last genus of the living great apes to have its genome decoded. While confirming that our closest relative is the chimpanzee, the team show that much of the human genome more closely resembles the gorilla than it does the chimpanzee genome.

"The gorilla genome is important because it sheds light on the time when our ancestors diverged from our closest evolutionary cousins. It also lets us explore the similarities and differences between our genes and those of gorilla, the largest living primate," says Aylwyn Scally, first author from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.  from here

Will Burrard-Lucas and His Beetle-Cam at the Masai-Mara Reserve

BeetleCam is Back Teaser from Will & Matt Burrard-Lucas on Vimeo.

In what concerns nature photographers I can tell you that CLOSE in never enough. So, conservation photographer Will Burrard-Lucas has created a high-tech solution that has helped get him amazing images that would otherwise be impossible - such as lions feasting, or Komodo dragons flicking their tongues at the lens. 

Most recently Burrard-Lucas has made modifications to their "BeetleCam" that provide photographers with even more flexibility for getting images, and these incredible photos of lions show off what is possible. Watch the movie. from here

Borneo - Endangered Species Give Room to Palm Tree Plantations

Palm trees are replacing the RAIN FOREST on a tragic killing of nearly extinction species - CRV@

 When I visited Malasia, 3 years ago, I was shocked and absolutely devasted to become aware of the huge, enormous amount of rain forest extensions that are, on a daily basis, being clearead.

Without any concern regarding the maintenance and survival of endangered species, animals, even those almost near extinction, are simple being killed or pulled away in order to give enough room for the profit plantations of palm trees. On my blog Manifesto-Surrealista I've  posted some pictures, which I took on my visit to Borneo, showing clearly this rapid lack of concern with preservation and biodiversity. It was heart breaking to become aware of the immense wildlife that should be on that specific place and it  was replaced by a forest of uninhabited palm trees.

The Gang and the terrified ORANG UTANG

For my deepest regreats, I see that, 3 years have passed and things haven't changed a bit. If the irresponsible devastation of the rain forest continues to grow on these dramatic levels, I've read that environmentalists predict that, in 2050, there won't be any more FOREST or endangered species to concern about.

So, when I came across this news, all that sad and overwhelming feeling came again. The pictures are so incredibly sad.  They reported some bounty hunters with bush knives that had entrapped a pregnat ORANG UTAN and her little baby within a circle and moved in for the kill. By the pictures we can see that the terrified mother the only thing she could do was to wrap a giant protective arm around her daughter.

The terrified pregnant ORANG UTANG and her baby surrounded by a gang of palm trees workers

The pair seemed to be facing a certain death as the gang of hunters surrounded them keen to cash in on the palm oil plantations' bid to be ride of the animals. Thanks to an happy coincidence, a team from the British-based international animal rescue group "Four Paws" arrived in time to stop the slaughter and saved their lives.

Happy endings - Back into the deep RAIN FOREST, back to the luxurious wild life

Pregnant mother and daughter were captured and moved to a remote and safe area of the rainforest and released back into the wild - but not before the mother was equipped with a radio device so she and her young can be tracked to ensure they remain safe. Dr Signe Preuschoft, a "Four Paws" primate expert said:

'We discovered a gang of young men surrounding them and both victims were clearly petrified. Our arrival could not have been more timely, A few minutes later and the orang-utans could have been dead".

The gang meanwhile were jubilant in anticipation of their rewards for catching and killing the animals. These massacres will certainly continue but on this fortune situation 3 lives of a highly endangered species were saved giving that the British Team was able to trade them for the "huge" amount of 70 Pounds.
When I watch the palm trees plantation picture that I took in Borneo I'm unable to forget that all that devasteted extensions of land are now completely stained with the blood of the rare, extremely rare and beautiful wildlife animals. from here