MILLER'S GRIZZLED LANGUR REDISCOVERED

Public Domain image

Miller's grizzled langur was thought to be extinct, but scientists in Borneo captured images of creature using camera traps.  The scientists were baffled to find the Miller's grizzled langur in an area well outside its previously recorded home range.  With virtually no photographs of the species in existence, the scientists faced a challenge to confirm their suspicions, Brent Loken, a PhD student at Simon Fraser University in Canada and one of the lead researchers, said. The only images available were museum sketches like the one above.

BAT CONSERVATION AT ST-LAURENT ACADEMY- OTTAWA, CANADA

While most people might be happy to hear that bat populations are dropping, this problem is much more serious than it first appears. Bat populations across eastern North America are at risk of extinction -- possibly within just 16 years, of the White-nose syndrome (WNS). This deadly and mysterious disease has no known cure ( It does not affect humans). It is killing bats at an alarming rate in the eastern U.S. and Canada. In some cases 99% of populations are disappearing. According to Dr. Brian Hickey, bat specialist from the Cornwall-based St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences, no one from the Ottawa region is studying bat populations. He says that he would be able to set up and train our ASLA students to be researchers in this subject at the Macoun Marsh. 

The funds for this project were obtained from a special grant to support student outreach programs. It comes from the Ministry of Research and Innovation from the Ontario Government with a partnership from the University of Ottawa. Thank you to Diane Lagace, from the University of Ottawa, who made the ultrasound detector acquisition possible.

As primary predators of insects, bats reduce crop and forest damage, limiting the need for pesticides. Also pollinators, bats play a critical role in our ecosystem. That system could get dangerously out of balance if WNS isn’t controlled.

An April 2011 report in Science Magazine estimated bats’ natural pesticide value to the agricultural industry at $22.9 billion per year. That doesn’t reflect the ecological value of reducing chemical pesticide use.

What is new at the Macoun Marsh in Ottawa, Canada?

2 wasp stings- one on each hand!

For those who study biodiversity in Canada, July is certainly the most exciting time.  It is in midsummer that a menagerie of life is out and about.  Keep alert with all your senses as not all life forms are friendly.  Recently several people have received wasp stings at our Macoun Marsh, on the west side to be exact.  Obviously there is a wasp or bee nest in this area, so stay clear. We have also discovered two stinging nettle species at the marsh.  The slender form is not very dangerous, but watch out for the broad-leafed form with its little hairs filled with formic acid.

The redwings and grackles are still guarding their nests and chicks.  This will continue for another two weeks or so.  Amphibians are not calling as much now, but there are tree frog larvae and green frog tadpoles in the water.  Young toads have emerged from the water.  Rabbits, squirrels, and woodchucks are very common as many babies were born this year.  

Many plants are producing fruit such as the black raspberry, red raspberry, apple, dogwoods, and honeysuckle.  Raspberries are very good for eating.  Our endangered butternut tree is producing fruit.  Once these seeds ripen in late August we can begin to collect them for replanting. 

Mayflies, backswimmers, and water fleas are the most common aquatic arthropods right now.  If you are very observant you might see the stick-like water scorpion swimming at the surface of the water.

Come on out to our marsh and bring your curiosity- some bug repellent too- unless you are trying to attract bugs. 

Mike Leveille

CHIMP CHATTER with The Jane Goodall Institute

Jane Lawton, Executive Director of JGI Canada, has just arrived in the Republic of Congo alongside the author of The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary, Andrew Westoll, as well as two of our valued supporters, George Youssef and Susan Warren.  Jane will also be visiting program sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  Check out Jane's blog here for daily hits of life at Tchimpounga and more...

Tally of species researched at Macoun Marsh from St-Laurent Academy, Ottawa, Canada

Bacteria- 16
Plants- 294
Fungi- 114
Protists- 81
Freshwater molluscs- 4
Hexapods/ Insects- 546
Other invertebrates- 137
Fish- None
Amphibians- 5
Reptiles- 2
Birds- 101
Mammals- 23
Total species count- 1324

NEPAL'S RHINO POPULATION ON THE RISE

IMAGE ABOVE: One-horned rhino, or Indian rhino (Free licence image)


Excellent news for rhinos!  A new census shows that Nepal's one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) population has increased by 23% since 2008 even in the face of poaching. In total 534 rhinos survive in Nepal, a rise of 99 individuals from 3 years ago.  Please read Jeremy Hance's excellent article (mongabay.com) here:

http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0427-hance_rhinos_nepal.html

MACOUN MARSH STARTS IT'S 9TH SEASON OF RESEARCH- OTTAWA, CANADA

This begins our 9th spring at this site!  We celebrated by cleaning up our wetland area and eating cake!

Biodiversity improves water quality through niche partitioning

The first study to rigorously show how biodiversity improves water quality is published  in Nature¹. It offers proof that biodiversity helps ecosystems to withstand pressures such as pollution.  See
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v472/n7341/full/nature09904.html

International Course on Networks in Ecology (BRAZIL)

This is the last announcement of the *International Course on Networks in
Ecology*, to be held in *Brazil* in *September 2011*.

This will be an intensive course with an innovative format, presented by an
outstanding group of internationally recognized researchers in the field.
We will select 20 students from Brazil and 20 from abroad; *all their travel
and living expenses will be funded by FAPESP,* within its International
Advanced Science Course Program.

Due to delays in circulation of some journals in which we placed
announcements, we have extended the application deadline to *APRIL 30*.

May I ask you to circulate this among colleagues and especially graduate
students and postdocs who might be interested? I am also attaching our
poster, in case you would like to circulate or affix this.

Further information is in our course website,
http://www.abecol.org.br/redesecologia/

Fund for Costa Rica

The Fund for Costa Rica is a non-profit, non-governmental organization which promotes biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica.

You can contact the Fund for Costa Rica in Costa Rica at: monotiti@racsa.co.cr or 506.224.5703.

EU grants EURO 2 million to overseas biodiversity projects

Brussels, 1st March 2011
Environment: EU grants  EURO 2 million to overseas biodiversity projects
The European Commission is to give an additional  EURO 2 million to the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem
services in its Outermost Regions and Overseas Countries and
Territories. Known as BEST, the Voluntary scheme for Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services in Territories of European Overseas will fund pilot
projects in these areas, which are home to exceptional biodiversity,
and host more endemic species than the whole of continental Europe
combined. The financial support was originally suggested by the
European Parliament.

Macoun Marsh Update- Ottawa, Ontario

A few images from this weekend.

Cooper's Hawk

Waiting for lunch!

Hairy Woodpecker

Water on ice

Male Cardinal

Bohemian waxwings drinking on the ice.

Fox hair at a den

YOUTH MEETING FROM SATURDAY, FEB. 26

 

 

On Saturday February 26th, the Biodiversity Matters Youth Board had their second meeting for 2011. It was held in Ottawa with several youth from around the Ottawa Region and we had three youth that skyped in from the USA, Mexico and Panama. The meeting discussion covered a number of different issues including the Third Youth Symposium in India in 2012, possible activities for May 22nd  2011- Biodiversity day, activities for the year of youth, and the year of forestry! There is a possibility that Ashbury College will host a special one day event on May 22.  Our team will divide our offical listing of partners between us so we can post our partner's work regularily.  We also discussed how to get more youth communicating on our blog- please spread the word! We want to hear from you! We are planning our next Biodiversity Youth Board Meeting on Saturday March 26th at ASLA. We would like to expand the group of youth, so if you are interested bring a friend, please contact us.  All are welcome! 

EMPEROR TAMARINS AT THE DURRELL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST

These primates are known as emperor tamarins because of their fine white imperial-looking moustaches.  These miniature monkeys are declining and the species has a scattered distribution, because of what remains of its Amazonian rainforest habitat.  They are becoming increasingly fragmented by deforestation for timber, farmland and housing. For more information please see: http://www.durrell.org/Animals/Mammals/  Image copyright from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

BAT USES PITCHER PLANT AS A TOILET!

BIODIVERSITY IS SO COOL!
Check out:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/110202-bats-feces-carnivorous-plants-toilets-animals-science/

Wildlife Field Surveys In Kanha

Wildlife Field Surveys In Kanha  

Dr. Krithi Karanth along with Centre for Wildlife Studies and Columbia University will be conducting wildlife field surveys in Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh in 2011 in two field seasons: May-June and September-October. The training will require volunteers to identify animal signs and scats. There are openings for volunteers to participate along with the research team. Candidates will be selected after a screening of their applications to judge their suitability for doing the work.

Candidates must be

1.     Age group: 18-40 years

2.     Physically very fit and have some experience in hiking through forests and rough country

3.     Have a reasonably good ability to spot and identify large mammals

4.     Be willing to work long and arduous hours (particularly in summer it gets about 45C in Kanha)

Simple vegetarian food and rudimentary field accommodation is available. Travel expenses to and from Kanha will have to be borne by the participants. Some of the locations we will be staying are remote inside the park. Very strict camp discipline has to be observed. Candidates must be keen wildlife enthusiasts and come prepared with appropriate field clothes (grey, khaki, green, and camouflage; not white, red or bright colored clothing) and tough walking shoes and bring a pair of binoculars.

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Karanth with the following information ONLY  in the exact format below (if ALL details are not provided your application will be disqualified).

1.     Name

2.     Age

3.     Gender

4.     Have you participated in Wildlife Conservation Society or Centre for Wildlife Studies field surveys? If Yes- provide details on what year, which field site and who was the supervisor.

5.     Other surveys for example by the Forest Department? Where and what year? To do what?

6.     Where do you live?

7.     How many Indian parks have you visited?

8.     Can you speak and Hindi? If yes- how fluent are you?

9.     Field Work Dates: The work will be in May and perhaps 10 days in June. If you are interested send me exact dates you will available (example May 1st  to 7th or May 10th to May 25th). Dates have to be for a minimum of 7 days or more. If you are not sure you can participate because of leave issues with your job please do not apply.

If you are interested in participating please send your details to http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=krithi.karanth@gmail.com with ONLY details requested, outdoor/field experiences and the dates (a block of a minimum of 7 days) in which you would prefer to participate. If you are selected, you will be informed.

Best

Krithi

Krithi Karanth, Ph. D.

Assistant Director, Centre for Wildlife Studies, India

Adjunct Associate Research Scientist, Columbia University, U.S.A

Visiting Fellow, National Centre for Biological Sciences, India

http://www.blogger.com/mc/compose?to=krithi.karanth@gmail.com

MALAYSIA LEADS THE WAY WITH BIODIVERSITY STUDY

Published online 28 January 2011 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2011.56
News

As Malaysia prepares to convert around 7,000 hectares of forest into an oil-palm plantation, ecologists are starting one of the biggest environmental projects ever run.
The ten-year-long Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems project will be launched on 29 January in the forests of the Maliau Basin on the island of Borneo, where the study is based.
It is being funded with 30 million ringgits (US$10 million), from Sime Darby, a Malaysia-based company involved in palm-oil production, and will look at changes to biodiversity and the resources and processes provided by the ecosystem as the forest is logged and replanted with oil palms.

WONDERS OF THE DEEP SEA!!

I am always amazed at the diversity that exists under the sea, especially the deep sea.  Here are some images of the deep sea and the life it contains.  Image credits given below.

Deep Sea Vents

Credit: Image courtesy of Submarine Ring of Fire 2006 Exploration, NOAA Vents Program

Weird Fish, Crustaceans/ Credit: Personnel of NOAA Ship DELAWARE II

Yellow Picasso sponge (Staurocalyptus sp.)

Credit: NOAA/Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute



Tropical Biology Association

***APPLICATION DEADLINE 20th FEBRUARY***

Calling all young biologists!
Do you have a keen interest in conservation and tropical ecology?
Are you looking to gain valuable experience in the field?
Would you like to improve your biological skills?
If so, one of our month-long field-based training courses is for you!
In 2011, we will be returning to Danum Valley, Sabah and our course will give you the opportunity to: -
Build on your theoretical understanding with 'hands on' field practice
Design & carry out your own research project Collaborate with a committed
group of international students and biology teachers
For further information and applications, visit our website at: -http://www.tropical-biology.org/

Or, contact: -
TBA Courses, Tropical Biology Association,
Department of Zoology,
Downing Street,
Cambridge, CB2 3EJ,
United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)1223 336619.
E-mail: courses@tropical-biology.org

Durrell is celebrating 25 years of conservation efforts in Madagscar

Gentle Lemur credit James Morgan

Madagascar is the heart of Durrell Wildlife Trust’s conservation programme; it is an island with unique, wondrous and sometimes bizarre species of animal and plant. But unfortunately Madagascar is also one of the poorest countries in the world. Most of the population rely on the natural world for survival and the iconic species have become restricted to tiny remaining patches of habitat.  To read more on this subject see
http://www.durrell.org/Madagascar-25//

Ploughshare tortoise credit Gerardo Garcia