Sometimes I get surprised, and very positively surprised also. Reading an a small news paper article made me really surprised. In most countries, many of the provonces, states or fylker ( as we call them in Norway ) wants to hunt more animals than the national authorities. The reason may be many several, Elks or deer can be eating the crop for farmers or ruining peoples gardens. Some predators can be seen upon as competition for hunters and fishers , that wanna keep the game or fish for themselves. And predators also get accused of chasing, killing and eating livestock. I'm sure there are more reasons also, but as I'm tired now I can't think of any more.
Anyway, In Alberta, one of the canadian provinces, the province authorities has taken the step and declared that they wanna put the grizzly bear in the state as endangered. For me this is a very huge reason to applaud the provincial authorities in Alberta.
Hope they can be a good example for other authorities.
lørdag 5. juni 2010
tirsdag 1. juni 2010
Change of focus and change of name of blog
After starting this blog with the aim to focus on endangered and extinct birds, I had to broaden my topic here. I found a story today that really intrigued me. So I had to bring you some news from it. The change is that I will focus more on birds and animals that still are alive, and not so much on animals that are extinct.
As a part of this I may also write about the efforts made to protect species or habitats for any kind of species, and the work that is been done to protect animals and birds. Today I'll present an exciting project that I stumbled upon earlier today, The EDGE of excistence programme. Therefore I have also changed the name of the blog. From now ON it is; "Birds and other animals in danger".
But no matter what, welcome to my blog
As a part of this I may also write about the efforts made to protect species or habitats for any kind of species, and the work that is been done to protect animals and birds. Today I'll present an exciting project that I stumbled upon earlier today, The EDGE of excistence programme. Therefore I have also changed the name of the blog. From now ON it is; "Birds and other animals in danger".
But no matter what, welcome to my blog
fredag 28. mai 2010
What a funny and mad creature
A long time ago, at something that seemS forever to me, as I feel time flies by faster and faster all the time, there was two men with a mission. One of them was the late Douglas Adams and the other was the zoologist Mark Cawardine. Their mission was to tell the story of some of the earths endangered animals. On the trip they made a radioseries and done with it they also made a book. The trip took them across the whole world and was truly a success. Twenty years later Mark Cawardine wanted to repeat his success, teamed up with the actor stephen Fry and this time a tv-crew from the BBC. I have just seen a little from the series and it's great, educational, interesting, funny.
One of the species they encountered on the trip was the flightless parrot from New Zealand, the Kakapo. Here is a short clip from the series as they meet the sexmaniac Scirocco. I will tell you more about the Kakapo later, so for now, just enjoy
One of the species they encountered on the trip was the flightless parrot from New Zealand, the Kakapo. Here is a short clip from the series as they meet the sexmaniac Scirocco. I will tell you more about the Kakapo later, so for now, just enjoy
torsdag 27. mai 2010
The Monserrat Oriole
globally threatened birds ar to be found almost all over the world. In 92% ( 220 ) of all the countries has at least one species that are among the globally threatened species. But small Islands got a huge part of the globally threatened species. small Islands has often been quite secluded protected area and many birds and animals living on small Islands ha got big problems for different reasons. Several species has become extinct because they never have had any enemies before mankind brought diferent kinds of animals to the Island.
On small Islands many species also has habitats that are very limited and therefore extra vulnerable for destruction of their habitats. For some species this has happened cause of mankind and other times it's due to natural reasons. But there is also some that gets inflicted by both human and natural reasons. I will now present you for the Monserrat oriole.
The small Island of Monserrat is located in the Caribbean and belongs to the Lesser Antilles. It's size is just 102 square kilometers. In 1995 the volcano Soufrière Hills started with eruptions in 1995 and has continued on and off ever since. The capital Plymouth was evacuated in 1997 and has been closed ever since.
On this small Island the Monserrat Oriole lives. It's a forest species and it prefers to live in the moist forest, and tends to l\have it's territories in the higher altitude forests, and is absent from areas of very dry forest. The oriole is sedentary and eats most of all insect. Also a part of it's diet is fruit, but not so much about this has been known.
The Oriole has always had habitat that has been very limited in range, at the most at approximately 50 square kilometers. The population was divided in three subpopulations, in the Centre, Soufrière and South Soufrière hills. Historically heavy deforestation ruined a lot of it's habitat. In the second half of the 20th century the forest grew up again, but this was probably not the kind of forest the oriole prefers. In 1995 the Soufrière Hills Volcano erupted and it has continued to erupt on and off at least until 2006. The eruptions has been thought to have killed approx half of it's population between 1997 and 2001. After that there has been some signs that the population has been recovering a little, and the latest estimates suggests that there now can be between 260 and 1,190 pairs.
Even though there is some evidence that the population has increased a little the last years the dangers for the Monserrat Oriole is definetly not over. New eruptions from the volcano, the forests never getting back to it's former state is among the main threats. It's also nest predation, both from rats and from the Pearly-eyed Thrashers. Other threats are drought, as it was in 2001 and 2003, or excessive rainfalls. As the Oriole is living in the higher altitudes of the forests in Monserrat the oriole is also suceptible for climate change.
Is anything being done to help the oriole? Absolutely. The main area for the rest of the oriole has now been made into a protected area. It has also been made a species action plan, with programmes to monitor the population. Further more there has been eradication of the pigs in the forest and a rat control program. And now they have had success with breeding nirds in captivity so they have the chance to release birds to bolster the wild population if it's not probable.
We cross our fingers for the future of the Montserrat Oriole, a really cute and colourful bird striving to survive
On small Islands many species also has habitats that are very limited and therefore extra vulnerable for destruction of their habitats. For some species this has happened cause of mankind and other times it's due to natural reasons. But there is also some that gets inflicted by both human and natural reasons. I will now present you for the Monserrat oriole.
The small Island of Monserrat is located in the Caribbean and belongs to the Lesser Antilles. It's size is just 102 square kilometers. In 1995 the volcano Soufrière Hills started with eruptions in 1995 and has continued on and off ever since. The capital Plymouth was evacuated in 1997 and has been closed ever since.
On this small Island the Monserrat Oriole lives. It's a forest species and it prefers to live in the moist forest, and tends to l\have it's territories in the higher altitude forests, and is absent from areas of very dry forest. The oriole is sedentary and eats most of all insect. Also a part of it's diet is fruit, but not so much about this has been known.
The Oriole has always had habitat that has been very limited in range, at the most at approximately 50 square kilometers. The population was divided in three subpopulations, in the Centre, Soufrière and South Soufrière hills. Historically heavy deforestation ruined a lot of it's habitat. In the second half of the 20th century the forest grew up again, but this was probably not the kind of forest the oriole prefers. In 1995 the Soufrière Hills Volcano erupted and it has continued to erupt on and off at least until 2006. The eruptions has been thought to have killed approx half of it's population between 1997 and 2001. After that there has been some signs that the population has been recovering a little, and the latest estimates suggests that there now can be between 260 and 1,190 pairs.
Even though there is some evidence that the population has increased a little the last years the dangers for the Monserrat Oriole is definetly not over. New eruptions from the volcano, the forests never getting back to it's former state is among the main threats. It's also nest predation, both from rats and from the Pearly-eyed Thrashers. Other threats are drought, as it was in 2001 and 2003, or excessive rainfalls. As the Oriole is living in the higher altitudes of the forests in Monserrat the oriole is also suceptible for climate change.
Is anything being done to help the oriole? Absolutely. The main area for the rest of the oriole has now been made into a protected area. It has also been made a species action plan, with programmes to monitor the population. Further more there has been eradication of the pigs in the forest and a rat control program. And now they have had success with breeding nirds in captivity so they have the chance to release birds to bolster the wild population if it's not probable.
We cross our fingers for the future of the Montserrat Oriole, a really cute and colourful bird striving to survive
onsdag 26. mai 2010
In the memory of the Alaotra Grebe
Today we mourn the Alaotra grebe. It appeared in the news today that this small and beautiful grebe now are considered as extinct.
Picture Credit: Chris Rose
The little grebe was an endemic species to Madagascar and almost the whole population lived in the Alaotra lake. It had only small wings so it was probably unable to fly larger distances. Therefore it was in an extra great danger if it's habitat was to be changed. And that really happened. Birdlife International writes that The Alaotra lake was influenced in many ways by us humans. We introduced carnivorous fish species to the lake, we used monofilament gil-nets in the lake, we had deforestated the woods around it, wich made the soil erode into the lake.
As we see, many factors often work together as the reasons for wildlife to get extinct, and we humans often are behind a large part of these. The IUCN have so far recognised a little more than 10 000 birdspecies in a total. Of these 132 are already extinct and many more are considered as critically endangered. One of the species considered to be critically endangered are the Junin Grebe, a close relative to the alaotra grebe. some species are also already extinct in the wild but kept alive in human captivity.
But as the bad news about the Alaotra grebe came today, let us cling to the small hpe that the extinction of this species will be the last extinct bird and the turning point in the work to preserve our invaluable biodiversity.
The little grebe was an endemic species to Madagascar and almost the whole population lived in the Alaotra lake. It had only small wings so it was probably unable to fly larger distances. Therefore it was in an extra great danger if it's habitat was to be changed. And that really happened. Birdlife International writes that The Alaotra lake was influenced in many ways by us humans. We introduced carnivorous fish species to the lake, we used monofilament gil-nets in the lake, we had deforestated the woods around it, wich made the soil erode into the lake.
As we see, many factors often work together as the reasons for wildlife to get extinct, and we humans often are behind a large part of these. The IUCN have so far recognised a little more than 10 000 birdspecies in a total. Of these 132 are already extinct and many more are considered as critically endangered. One of the species considered to be critically endangered are the Junin Grebe, a close relative to the alaotra grebe. some species are also already extinct in the wild but kept alive in human captivity.
But as the bad news about the Alaotra grebe came today, let us cling to the small hpe that the extinction of this species will be the last extinct bird and the turning point in the work to preserve our invaluable biodiversity.
tirsdag 25. mai 2010
A small start on a giant topic
I'm sure there have to be other blogs dedicated to this, but I feel I just had to engage myself in this and write about it. As we get more and more humans on this small planet we need more and more space. We need the space to live on, we need the space to produce all the food and the things we need in our life, we destruct habitats for birds, animals and palnts all around the world. The pollution destroys our occeands, our rivers and our land territories.
Many species of living creatures are considered to become extinct every day.Many of them even before they have become registrated. So we need to work hard to preserve the rest of our biodiversity. My aim with this blog is to focus on the birds needs our help before they get extinct, the birds that are already extinct and the people in the field that works hard to help these birds of danger.
I just hope the blog don't get to depressive. We also need the stories with happy endings.
Many species of living creatures are considered to become extinct every day.Many of them even before they have become registrated. So we need to work hard to preserve the rest of our biodiversity. My aim with this blog is to focus on the birds needs our help before they get extinct, the birds that are already extinct and the people in the field that works hard to help these birds of danger.
I just hope the blog don't get to depressive. We also need the stories with happy endings.
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