Our newest EDGE Fellow, Kimitei, has recently started monitoring a translocated hirola population in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya. His work will gather essential data on the world’s most threatened ungulate, and will report on progress of the translocated population.
Hirola antelope
Kimitei sent us this update:
The project is now 2 weeks old. To have a thorough monitoring of the Tsavo population it is wise to locate the groups within and around the current known range that was developed by Dr. Andanje (Kenya Wildlife Service) in 2002. However, the Tsavo population is approximately 100 strong.
To make sure that almost all, if not all, the groups are recorded the study area is divided into blocks where the groups will be named (group ID) with respect of the block.
Hirola monitoring blocks
I do ground searches in the blocks to locate or relocate the hirola groups but sometimes an aerial recce is done prior. As soon as a group is identified on the ground, I make sure that I identify the group and confirm if it has been identified before. If it has been identified before, then there is no need to give the group a new ID – previous ID is used. If the group is new then a group ID is given.
Individuals with unique features within the groups are used to identify the group to avoid double grouping. These features can be horn shape and size, tail length, scar on the coat, body structure, pregnant or lactating for females. Group size and age structure is used to verify the group.
5 members of the Mukwaju 2 group
Other essential details should be noted. These details are time of the day, GPS coordinates, vegetation (tree and shrub number per 100 sq. meters, herb and grass cover, grass mean height), area % slope and slope direction and altitude, group age and sex structures, associate species and the type of association (close, nearby or aggregate), hirola body conditions (health), their activities, if they are under sun or shade, the nearest hirola group and distance from the group and comments.
This information will be later analyzed to give:
1. Absolute population sizes or estimates in each area, obtained through individual identification
2. Habitat needs and distribution
3. Animal population performance indicators (e.g. percentage of calves in the population, cow/calf ratios, calving intervals, group size)
4. The recruitment rate to Tsavo population
5. The age and sex structure of Tsavo population
The other 9 members of the Mukwaju 2 group
For the 4 days I have been in the field so far I have managed to identify 4 groups, namely:
- M2 (Mukwanju 2) - 14 (1 adult male, 9 adult female and 4 female yearlings)
- SAT (Satao) - 4 (1 adult male, 2 Adult females and 1 female yearling)
- DP (Dika Plains) – 2 (1 adult male and female)
- AB (Aruba Bachuma road) – 3 bachelors (1 adult and 2 sub adults)
If the Tsavo population is 100 this means I have come across 23% (23 individuals) of the population.
The AB bachelor group in close association with grants gazelle
The search will continue in the next 2 weeks and maybe more groups will be identified. As new groups are found and known groups are relocated monitoring will show the hirola dynamics and threats facing them.
If you would like to support the conservation of the most endangered antelope in Africa, please become an EDGE Champion or donate here.
A daring new plan to move rhinos from a small sanctuary site to a large new one has begun. It is hoped that here they where will thrive and multiply. For the first time in over 25 years, captive-bred black rhinos have been released back into the wild in Kenya after an intensive protection zone was set up. This is a fantastic step forward for one of our highest ranking EDGE species. The black rhino is ranked 7th on the EDGE list of over 5,000 Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) mammals.
In total fifteen rhinos are being moved from Nguila – one of Kenya’s main reserves based in Tsavo West – into a secret valley to manage their own population and, ideally, expand it naturally.
Prior to being moved, the animals are being sedated by a team of specialists who will place GPS satellite transmitters in their horns to track their progress and to make sure that they are not being poached in their new home. All the rhinos are from the same herd to ensure that when they wake up from sedation they see familiar faces. They all undergo thorough health checks to make sure that they are healthy and not pregnant – as they cannot be moved if this is the case.
This is a big milestone in the Kenyan Rhino Conservation Plan and initiated by Kenyan Wildlife Service and ZSL who have been working with the IUCN African Rhino Specialist Group for five years on the biological management programme.
In Kenya, black rhino numbers dropped from an estimated 20,000 to just 350 within two decades. This drastic decline was mainly due to poaching for their horn, which took place unabatedly inside and outside protected areas, parks and reserves. However in a turn around for the better the numbers of rhinos now continue to increase within sanctuaries and Kenya Wildlife Service areas, at an annual rate of 4-5%. Currently, the total population of black rhinos in Africa is estimated at 3100, according to African Rhino Specialist Group.
Dr Raj Amin, ZSL’s coordinator of the black rhino programme, says: ‘With further releases, and a naturally growing population, ZSL is hoping that Kenya could have as many as 220 free-ranging rhinos in five years, with a long-term aim of getting numbers up to about 2,000 across the country.’
If the black rhino programme is a success, the aim is to start moving some of the animals into Tanzania and Uganda.
Watch videos showing some of the relocations here.
ZSL, the conservation charity behind the EDGE programme, has a long history in supporting the recovery of rhino in Kenya. Find out more about ZSL’s field conservation projects here.
On Thursday last week Sir David Attenborough hosted an event at ZSL promoting amphibian conservation; ‘Amphibians in a Climate of Change’ aimed to raise awareness of the critical conservation status of the frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians, and to support and raise money for the EDGE Amphibians project.
The Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA), which was completed in 2004, found that of the approximately 6,200 amphibian species in the world, nearly half are declining and almost one third of species are classified as threatened with extinction. This makes the Amphibia the most threatened vertebrate class.
In reality, the situation is probably much worse than the GAA results suggest because 23% of species are not known well enough even to make an assessment, and as such are classified as ‘Data Deficient’. Many of these enigmatic species may be silently slipping towards extinction without us even recognising their declines.
Furthermore, there is strong evidence that the rate of amphibian extinctions is increasing - of the 165 amphibian species which are classified as extinct or possibly extinct, 113 have disappeared since 1980. Both climate change and infectious disease have been identified as significant threats to amphibians.
“Amphibians are the lifeblood of many environments, playing key roles in the functions of ecosystems, and it is both extraordinary and terrifying that in just a few decades the world could lose half of all these species,” commented Sir David Attenborough. “I am delighted to be working with the Zoological Society of London to promote amphibian conservation, in the hope that we will not be hearing the dying croaks of these amazing creatures in the years to come.”
During the evening event ZSL scientists Dr. Jonathan Baillie (Conservation Programmes Director) and Dr. Trenton Garner (ZSL Research Fellow) presented evidence that climate change is already having a detrimental effect on amphibian species. Worryingly, the effects of the changing climate are likely exacerbating the effects of other threats, such as disease, habitat destruction and invasive species.
Dr. Garner said: “Published projections show that climate change alters amphibians’ habitats so we expect a large number of amphibian species to be faced with loss of habitat and ultimately extinction” which, Dr. Garner warned, could contribute to the loss of more than half of Europe’s amphibians by 2050.
Following on Helen Meredith, EDGE Amphibian Co-ordinator, drew the audience out from their growing despair by showing that if we act now, there is hope to halt and reverse the decline of this charming and magnificent group of animals. Helen described some of the projects we are working to implement here at EDGE for the most unusual and threatened amphibians including the Chinese giant salamander, purple frog, and Sagalla caecilian.
Helen said: “Clearly there is no time to waste if we are to prevent further species loss and effectively conserve unusual, threatened and neglected amphibian species in the wild. We need to reduce carbon emissions but also address other pressing factors including habitat destruction and spread of disease.”
If you would like to support our work to reverse the decline of unique amphibian species on the verge of extinction, please donate here.
Having happily skulked about the office since I joined the EDGE team mid-June this year, Carly, Helen and Sally have decided it’s time I was nudged in the direction of the EDGE Blog to introduce myself, so…
I am the newly appointed EDGE Birds Co-ordinator, and the latest recruit to the burgeoning team! As you know, work on the top 100 mammal and amphibian EDGE species is firmly underway, and so the ambitious team is now expanding the EDGE of existence programme to include a new group of vertebrates: birds! That’s where I come in. My role initially will be to research the top 100 EDGE bird species that have been identified. An exciting new ‘birds section’ is being developed for the EDGE of Existence website, which will present the latest information on life history, threats faced, and current conservation actions for each EDGE bird species. This will enable us to bring threatened avian species to the attention of a wide audience and help catalyse (much needed) conservation action in order to secure their future. I will also play a role in supporting the EDGE team in general, including its development of educational, promotional and fundraising initiatives.
In terms of my background, I studied Zoology with a year in industry at Manchester University, and (following a year spent furiously saving) undertook an M.Res in Evolutionary Biology & Systematics at Glasgow University. Since graduating, I have sought to gain as much fieldwork experience as possible and have so far enjoyed a number of positions ranging from monitoring the growth and development of lesser black-backed gull chicks on Walney Island, to the survival and breeding success of guillemots on Skomer Island, to a translocation project for a population of great crested newts in Kent! As well as enabling me to contribute to valuable research projects, furthering my own knowledge and skills, and of course being immensely rewarding, this work has also allowed me to successfully avoid having to buy a suit – to the continued horror of family and friends…
As for my interests, these lie firmly in the fields of conservation and evolutionary biology, and as such I was (and am) a frequent attendee at ZSL’s public scientific meetings. In fact, it was at the “saving species on the EDGE: from theory to practice” lecture in March last year (following the successful launch of EDGE in January, 2007) that I became really interested in this programme. So when a voluntary position was advertised to assist with EDGE’s exciting expansion to avifauna I jumped at the chance!
Since joining the team I’ve gained a real insight into the valuable work that the programme is undertaking around the world; particularly impressive given the (as ever) limited resources available. So I’d feel I wasn’t doing my job properly if I didn’t unsubtly(!) urge all those keen to support this pioneering global conservation initiative to make a lovely donation to EDGE today. It really is your support that enables EDGE to do the vital work it does…
On that note, I’ll take my leave!
Buuvei, one of our Mongolian EDGE Fellows spent most of August in the field studying the effect of domestic dogs on saiga antelope. He sent us the following update:
Although domestic dogs are the most abundant carnivore in saiga range, it is poorly known whether saiga suffer from domestic dog predation. We studied potential impacts of domestic dogs on endangered saiga antelope was carried out in Shargyn Gobi, Gobi-Altai province, Mongolia, on 7-27 August 2008.
The Sharga NR straddles on four soum’s (county) territory of Gobi-Altai province and occupied 280,000 ha area. The major goals of the research were to:
(1) implement transect survey to determinethe number of free-roaming dogs within areas utilised by saiga;
(2) interview local herders to understand presence/absence patterns of their ger (nomadic tent house) dogs and knowledge about dog-saiga issues.
During the transect survey, we counted total 222 saigas (females 95, calves 94, males 24 and unknown 9) and herd size was ranging from 1 to 33 animals. We did not count any free-roaming dogs but did locate herders’ gers with dogs along transect routes.
Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) is alternate prey species in Shargyn Gobi, which is legally protected and listed in Red Book of Mongolia. This antelope become victim of illegal hunting throughout their range because of delicious meat. During transects we encountered 10 groups of 30 goitered gazelles.
Along the second objective, we interviewed 21 people (local herders, saiga rangers, and inspectors from soum center) in Shargyn Gobi. During the survey there were total 15 herders within Sharga NR boundary with about 4600 livestock and 19 dogs. Local people said that these numbers will be increased significantly in late fall within and beyond of Sharga NR boundary.
Interview survey revealed that only one person has witnessed a domestic dog predating on a saiga calf. However, some local people reported that free-roaming dogs occasionally kill adult saiga in spring, when saiga are weak. Only a small number of those interviewed reported to have seen that free-roaming dogs were harassing saiga in Shargyn Gobi.
Buuvei’s research into the effect of domestic dogs on this Critically Endangered species will continue, and we look forward to further updates. If you would like to support the conservation research of Buuvei, or any of the other EDGE Fellows, please click here.