Organization: Bosque Colombiano
Project Title: Pacific Mission: Conserving the Mantaraya (Oceanic Manta Ray) in Colomibia
Species: Oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris)
Species Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Manuela Patricia Hernandez Gomez
Summary:
The Oceanic Manta Ray (Mobula birostris) is listed as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN Global Redlist and is included in Appendix II of CITES, due to population decline to less than 250 mature individuals remain. The primary threat to the population is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The overexploitation of the target marine rays on the Colombian Pacific coast is normalized in the Emberá indigenous community where cxurrently, illegal traffickers annually buy 134 live marine rays, stored by local poachers (Emberá indigenous), who hide them on remote islands or in mangrove streams. Traffickers export the rays to eastern distribution centers (China) with permits obtained by bribes from regional zoos. Stingrays are also often accidentally caught in fishermen's nets, who cut off the fins to retrieve the net. Through this project, we aim to create a marine protected area of 1,800 hectares, with regulations to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and training of 100 Emberá indigenous fishermen in sustainable fishing management. This project is based on the IUCN conservation guidelines for chondrichthyans, and has the support of the Emberá indigenous community and the University of Chocó. The project expected outcome is the increase in the conservation status of the 4 populations of the Oceanic Manta Ray (Mobula birostris) through the reduction in at least 95% of the cases of Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in priority habitats in the Emberá indigenous territory, on the Colombian Pacific coast..
Organization: Women for Biodiversity
Project Title: Eco-program for the sustainable conservation of the Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius), in Colombia
Species: Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius)
Species Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Colombia
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Maria Angélica Tovar Bravo
Summary:
The purpose of this Project is the sustainable and community conservation of the populations of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) in the Orinoco River basin, in Colombia. This reptilian, a living fossil, listed as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN Global Redlist, is severely threatened in Colombia by poaching, illegal trafficking and destruction of habitat.
Through this project, we propose 3 sustainable conservation strategies:
(i) Education: Strengthening the conservation capacities of the Arahuac indigenous community (cohabiting with the Crocodylus intermedius) through the training of 100 young Arahuac indigenous people in biodiversity conservation.
(ii) Conservation: Mitigate at least 80% the threats of anthropogenic origin of the Crocodylus intermedius, through the monitoring of a 45Km2 security area in prioritized habitats, with ecological corridors of the target species.
For the execution of this project, we have the support of the Arahuac indigenous community, the regional IUCN South America and the University of Amazonas.
Organization: The Alliance of Integrated Forest Conservation Indonesia and Cornell University
Project Title: An unexamined risk to the Javan rhinoceros: Tick ecology in Ujung Kulon National Park
Species: Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
Species Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Java, Indonesia
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Amelia Cole
Summary:
The world’s last Javan rhinoceroses reside in Ujung Kulon National Park (UKNP), Indonesia, where they face numerous threats. One of the greatest risks to their survival is the transmission of infectious diseases from nearby livestock. With the support of faculty from the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) and researchers from Cornell University and The Alliance of Integrated Forest Conservation, this project aims to determine if UKNP and adjacent villages share the same species of ticks and tick-borne diseases, which may impact the health of both Javan Rhinoceros and domestic livestock. With only 74 Javan rhinos remaining, the urgency of this work cannot be overstated. However, the implications of this research are not limited to the conservation of Javan rhinos as tick-borne diseases may affect agricultural livelihoods as well. This project builds off a rich legacy of collaborations between US researchers from Cornell University and Indonesian researchers from IPB, UKNP, and World Wildlife Fund Indonesia that has created a culture of knowledge sharing and empowerment of local scientists. This project will result in scientific publication and valuable preliminary data that will lend itself to additional research of disease ecology in UKNP and ultimately inform the management and conservation of Javan rhinos.
Organization: The Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity
Project Title: White-shouldered Ibis, Pseudibis davisoni, Conservation in Cambodia
Species: White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni)
Species Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Cambodia
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Phillip Wagner
Summary:
The White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni), which is ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Critically Endangered has recently suffered a range-wide drastic population decline as a result of habitat loss due to wetland conversion and traditional agriculture to intensive agriculture, and infrastructure development. Today, 87-95% of the population is restricted to northern and eastern Cambodia. Since 2009, national and international NGOs, government authorities and communities have been working together in a collaborative effort to support and conserve the remaining populations of White-shouldered Ibises in Cambodia. As part of this collaboration, ACCB conducts White-shouldered Ibis monitoring (roost census and nest monitoring) at Koh Sralay, an island in the Mekong River at Stung Treng Province. This project proposes to include Koh Hib, an island within the Stung Treng Ramsar Site, to the national, synchronized, roost census conducted during four consecutive months (July-October) during the wet season, as White-shouldered Ibis recently have been reported roosting at the island. The project will fund the continuation of the roost census and nest monitoring on Koh Sralah, and will allow the inclusion of Koh Hib during the 2023 national roost census. In 2018, we established an assurance colony (using ibises rescued injured from the wild and/or illegal trade) at the ACCB, currently consisting of nine birds, six of which are mature. Successful captive breeding efforts will allow captive-bred head-started offspring to be released and support depleted, wild populations in protected areas. Funding requested for this project will support the husbandry and care of the assurance colony for the species at ACCB, ensuring the highest standards of care and best possible well-being of the captive individuals, contributing to the success of the conservation breeding program for the species.
Organization: Red Panda Network
Project Title: Community based red panda conservation in Solukhumba District Nepal
Species: Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Species Status: Endangered
Location: Nepal
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Sonam Lama
Summary:
Red pandas are an endangered, flagship and indicator species of the temperate broadleaved forest in eastern Himalaya and are legally protected in all its five range countries. However, the animal is under immense threats due to habitat loss, fragmentation, degradation, poaching and other anthropogenic disturbances and the population is decreasing. The Nepal National Red Panda Survey 2016 recorded the presence of red panda with 144 sq.km potential habitat in the proposed project area with most suitable red panda habitat in Mahakulung Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district. Though having high biodiversity value, the proposed area lies outside designated protected areas and has unprotected status. Extensive harvesting and consumption of forest resources and illegal poaching and trade of red pandas are emerging as major threats to red panda survival in the area. This project aims to educate and sensitize local communities and stakeholders on red panda conservation, associated poaching and illicit trade and enhance their capacity to sustainably monitor and protect forest habitats. Through this project baseline information on red panda distribution, habitats, threats and conservation hotspots will be generated and initiate long-term red panda and habitat monitoring.
Photo: Red Panda Network
Organization: Fuverde Foundation
Project Title: Ethno-program for the conservation of the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in the Colombian Amazon Andes
Species: Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque)
Species Status: Endangered
Location: Colombia
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Leydi Camargo
Summary:<
The purpose of this project is the sustainable and community conservation of the populations of the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) in the Colombian Amazonian Andes. This mammal, a living fossil, listed as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN Global Redlist, is critically threatened in Colombia due to poaching and illegal trafficking, habitat destruction and climate change. Through this project, we propose 3 sustainable conservation strategies:
(i) Educational: Strengthening the conservation capacities of the Kamsá indigenous community (cohabiting with the target tapir) through the training of 150 young Kamsá indigenous people in biodiversity conservation.
(ii) Conservation: Mitigate at least 80% the threats of anthropogenic origin of the mountain tapir, through the creation of a 25Km2 security area in prioritized habitats, with ecological corridors of the target species.
(iii) Communication: Stimulate conservation actions in the Kamsá indigenous territory by communicating with at least 10,000 people about the results and activities of the project.
Photo: Armando Castellanos
Organization: National University of Tierra del Fuego
Project Title: Socio-ecological approach to understand and manage the puma (Puma concolor) in Southern Patagonia: its conservation related to society
Species: Puma (Puma concolor)
Species Status: Least concern (population decreasing)
Location: Santa Cruz, Argentina
Amount Awarded: $2500
Principle Investigator: Alejandro Valenzuela
Summary:
The conflict around the carnivore-human dynamics represents a problem for the conservation of carnivores because its main component is persecution and hunting in productive areas and is part of a situation that has occurred throughout the world since the beginning of the sheep farming. The puma (Puma concolor), also named mountain lion or cougar, is a carnivore species with a wide distribution in the western hemisphere whose presence in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, encompasses its two ecoregions: Andean Patagonian Forest and Patagonian Steppe. In Patagonia in general and in Santa Cruz in particular, the activities of this carnivore generate conflicts and persecutions by different actors, mainly related to livestock. This context requires scientists and managers to look for ways to reconcile the carnivore-human relationship, especially in productive areas for livestock or for tourism use. The general objective of this project is to evaluate the socio-ecological situation of the puma in the Province of Santa Cruz under three contexts of land use: livestock ranch, strict conservation areas and tourism use areas, to propose conservation measures that contribute to the conservation of this species. The data from the ecological dimension will be used to identify areas of importance for the conservation of the puma and those obtained from the social dimension will be used to determine appropriate communication strategies for each actor, or in general, to promote involvement in socio-political processes of its conservation. Together, all the results will be used to generate recommendations for planning human activities and public use in the region.
Photo: Diego Araya