Gharials Reclaiming River?

 © Sanjib Chaudhary

Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), Critically Endangered

The Gharial, a critically endangered crocodilian, survives only in fragmented habitats throughout India and Nepal. In the past, it also occupied rivers in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. It's current population is thought to be a mere 200 individuals.

Good news then, that it has recently been seen in places where it hasn't been for 40 years or more--the Hooghly District (near Kolkata) on the Ganges River in India.

iREBEL, a conservation organization, and Innovative India Tourism Pvt. Ltd, teamed up with other partners to conduct surveys in the area after hearing Gharials had been sighted there. They discovered a viable breeding population in a 170 km stretch of the river.

The group hopes to establish reserves along the river to protect the Gharials, as well as Gangetic Dolphins and other species living in the area, as many threats still face these nearly extinct and beautiful crocodilians.

The main threats to Gharials are outlined in a report published by the group:

1. Fishing – especially with gill nets and set nets. Juvenile gharials often become entangled and die.
2. Destruction of sandbanks for use in brick factories
3. Disturbance by humans while basking in the sun
4. Industrial pollution
5. Perception that gharials are man-eaters like other crocodiles

If you want to help, you can support the gharials through eco-tourism. You can sign up for wildlife tours with iREBEL, Innovative India Tourism Pvt. Ltd, or WWF-India, or even volunteer to help with their work.

You can also support the Gharials through the Gharial Conservation Alliance.

Orange Bellied (Yellow Breasted Green Headed Blue Winged) Parrot

Orange Bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster), Critically Endangered

Photo copyright Dave Watts

The Orange Bellied Parrot is sick, and this is a really bad time to be sick.

With a mere 50 or so individuals surviving in the wild, this species is edging closer to extinction every day. For the past few years, the wild population has been estimated between 140 and 180 birds--a steep decline from 'common, or locally abundant' in the 1920s. Only in the past year have the numbers dropped even lower as sightings of wild birds have grown fewer.

Three captive breeding populations exist in zoos around Australia, and it's these unfortunate Orange Bellies that are sick. An unknown virus has infected birds in the captive breeding program, causing some of them to lose their feathers and weakening their immune systems. Scientists believe that the virus may spread more easily in the captive population because they are so close to each other. The program has had some success annually releasing captive-bred birds to help sustain the wild population--so if the captive breeding program suffers, so will the wild population.

Orange Bellies are a migratory species, breeding and nesting in southwestern Tasmania, and spending the rest of the year in coastal areas in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. This month is migration month, and all wild Orange Bellies are making their way south to Tasmania, where mated pairs will build nests and lay 2-6 eggs.

Of course, these parrots also face the usual threats of habitat loss and invasive species. You can learn more about their food, habitat, life cycle, and what's being done to help them here. If you live in Australia and want to help, you could volunteer with Birds Australia.

3000 Frogs Isn't Very Many

Photos courtesy of Frogwatch.

White-bellied Frog (Geocrinia Alba), Critically Endangered

Sixty White-bellied Frogs are now exploring their native habitat for the first time, after being released into the wild last week. These glossy bellied frogs live only in the province of Western Australia, where they have the dubious distinction of being this region's only critically endangered frog species.

The total population of all White-bellied Frogs is estimated at less than 3000. This might be an impressive number if you were talking about Facebook friends or gigabytes of data, but when you're talking about the entire population of a species, 3000 equals hanging by a thread.

They are mostly being affected by habitat loss, and a related problem, habitat fragmentation. As humans encroach on their living space, they also divide it. These frogs are known to exist in 56 subpopulations, with no movement between any of the groups.

This latest release is the first time young frogs (aka froglets) have been introduced to the wild from the captive breeding program run by the Department of Environment and Conservation. Transplantations of large numbers of eggs have occurred, but the results of this new approach will help scientists determine the best methods of helping boost the population of this unique amphibian.

Check out the Amphibian Ark--an organization dedicated to helping endangered frogs all around the world.
Read more details here or some technical data here.

IYOB

The year has just started, but already one month has already nearly passed. The rest of the year will be gone before we know it, and soon it will be December once again.

Despite how fast this year will go by, there are plenty of opportunities to make a difference. The UN has designated 2010 the Internatial Year of Biodiversity (IYOB), to celebrate all of life of earth, and the ways in which our lives are enriched by it.

In order to promote biodiversity and raise awareness of endangered species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is highlighting a species a day. There's a link to the Species of the Day to the right, so follow along and learn a bit more about some of the threats facing the biodiversity of our planet.

Click here to find a IYOB celebration near you.

Vultures in Vain

Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Critically Endangered
Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus), Critically Endangered
Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris), Critically Endangered

In the 1980s, millions of somewhat ugly but still majestic vultures congregated around the carcasses of dead and decaying animals throughout India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, disposing of them in less than an hour. Today, with their population a mere 0.01% of its former size, carcasses of livestock sit for days or weeks, rotting in the sun.

What happened to the other 99.9%? Poisoned.

Diclofenac is a drug that was commonly used to treat inflammation and arthritis in livestock. When animals receiving the drug died, vultures would come to feast. A few days later, their kidneys would fail and death would follow shortly. Diclofenac is, as far as anyone can tell, the sole culprit for the decline of these useful birds.

Diclofenac has been banned for veterinary use in India, Nepal, and Pakistan since 2006, but is still available for human use--and some farmers still use it for their livestock.

Now, another drug commonly used to treat livestock, ketoprofen, has been shown to have similar effects to diclofenac. Ketoprofen is not used as widely, but it's becoming more popular. Although it's not as toxic as diclofenac, studies and modeling have shown that even with very small numbers of poisoned carcasses, massive declines in vulture populations would occur.

Conservation organizations, including the Bombay Natural History Society, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and Birdlife International, are advocating the use of meloxicam. Though this drug is more expensive, it is the only drug known to be safe for vultures. Other drugs exist, but their effect on vultures is unknown.

Captive breeding centers for Vultures have been established, as well as Vulture restaurants, where undrugged carcasses are left out for the birds. There have been some successes with captive breeding, but the birds will probably not be released until harmful drugs are no longer a threat.

Endangered Eating: The End of Tuna

Atlantic and Southern Bluefin Tuna, (Thunnus thynnus and maccoyii), Critically Endangered

So much has been written about the plight of Bluefin Tuna that I feel it's pointless to add another article to the mix. However, if you aren't aware of what's happening to our Tuna, you should read one or two of the articles below. Our fish are being used up at a ridiculously unsustainable rate. If you can't be bothered to read any of the articles, the main gist is this--stop eating Bluefin Tuna for a while, or in a few years, there won't be any left.

Check out Tuna can stay on the menu... for now, to get an idea of which Tuna species are sustainably harvested if you're a Tuna lover, or become a sustainable seafood consumer.

Articles:

Tuna can stay on the menu... for now

Tagging the tigers of the sea

Are lower catch limits enough to save the bluefin tuna from extinction?

ICCAT fails to protect critically endangered tuna—again

Atlantic bluefin trade ban now vital as tuna commission fails to take action again

Mediterranean bluefin catches continue to mock quotas and science

Top French chefs take bluefin tuna off the menu

Don't Order the Tuna -- Endangered Fish Served as Sushi

Monaco seeks global bluefin tuna trade ban

Bluefin quota to cost Australian fisheries millions

Southern Bluefin Tuna crashing toward extinction to feed sushi & sushimi market

Latest Statistics

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has recently issued an updated version of its well-known IUCN Redlist, the most comprehensive and authoritative measure of the endangered-ness of species around the world. According to the latest information, 17,291 species are threatened with extinction out of a total of 47,677 assessed species. "The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting,” according to Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group.

Below are some graphs, illustrating the most recent statistics. Red areas represent species that are threatened. One thing to keep in mind while looking at these charts--these graphics represent only species that are assessed by the IUCN. So, although just about all of the known mammal, amphibian, and bird species have been described and assessed, only small percentages of the world's known plants, invertebrates, fish, and reptiles, have been assessed. Which of course means that there are a lot of species out there whose status is unknown. They may be threatened or not--we just don't know. If you're interested in more details, check out the Summary Statistics published by the IUCN.

Back to Canada!

Black-footed Ferret (Mustela Nigripes), Endangered

The Black-footed Ferret is being reintroduced to Canada! Thirty-four endangered ferrets were released into Saskatchewan's Grassland National Park on Friday. They were released near a colony of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs, their main prey, as well as their architects, since the Ferrets live in abandoned Prairie Dog burrows.

All of the Ferrets released had a few things in common. They all were born in captivity, and therefore had to spend some time in a special facility in Colorado, where they learned which predators to fear, and how to hunt and survive in the wild. They also all have a small electronic chip implanted under their skin, which will help conservationists keep track of and study them.

For each of the next few years, 30-40 Black-footed Ferrets will be released into the park, with the eventual aim of having wild populations across North America. Conservationists warn, however, that time is still a long ways off. Although Black-footed Ferrets have been reintroduced to 19 sites across North America, only three of these are self-sustaining. The rest require new captive-bred ferrets each year to maintain their populations.

The only ferret native to North America, it looks like a cross between a raccoon and a weasel, with distinctive dark markings across its face and feet. It disappeared from north of the 49th Parallel around 1937 and was thought to have gone extinct across its range throughout Mexico and the United States sometime in the 1970s. Then came 1981, and a tiny population of 18 Black-footed ferrets was discovered in Wyoming. They were trapped, and taken into captivity, effectively making the species extinct in the wild.

With those original 18 animals though, a successful captive breeding program was begun, and Black-footed Ferrets have been reintroduced to the prairies of the United States and Mexico since 1991. The current wild population stands at around 750, with 250 more still in captivity.

The reason for the Black-footed Ferrets decline in the 20th century was tied to its main source of food--Prairie Dogs. As farmers and ranchers cultivated the land, they tended to see the Prairie Dogs as pests and a hindrance to agriculture. This view led to widespread poisoning and trapping, and huge reductions in population size, which were exacerbated by outbreaks of sylvatic plague. They continue to be threatened by the extreme fragmentation of their primary habitat, which has been occupied by humans for food production and living space.

You can learn more at the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program.

Or you can adopt one. As the adoption website notes: This is a sponsorship program. You will NOT receive a black-footed ferret.

See if there's a zoo near you that has Black-footed Ferrets on display.

Call of Life

The Species Alliance has created a documentary exploring the mass extinction currently taking place. You can watch a 10 minute preview on their site, and I'll be keeping an eye out for the full version.

From the Species Alliance Website:

CALL OF LIFE is a documentary film that explores the mass extinction, its six main causes, the cultural myths and values that drive it, the psychology that underpins it, and the latest insights into natural systems that could help us turn back the tide. The mass extinction is the cumulative result of many causes, all of which are related to human activity. In interviews with eminent scientists and field biologists, we present the facts and evidence of the shocking decline as we consider the six primary drivers of extinction.

In interviews with leading psychologists, historians and anthropologists we examine the inextricable links between the extinction crisis and our social and economic problems, and explore the ways in which culture and psychology have conspired to determine our collective and individual response to this situation.

The film bridges disciplines to weave science, psychology, and cultural history into a clear and accessible story of our changing world. The audience is taken into the depths of the human psyche, through the toughest problems of our times and into the cutting edge of what nature has to teach us. The mass extinction is possibly the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced, and it is those of us alive today who have been given the responsibility - and great opportunity - of stopping it.

Nine

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), Critically Endangered

100000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1960
65000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1973
14000 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1980
2300 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in 1993
4240 - The number of Black Rhinos alive today
9 - The number of Black Rhinos alive in a secret location

Nine Black Rhinos have recently been airlifted to a secret location in an effort to increase the range and numbers of these critically endangered African mammals. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), selected individuals from different areas and parks to help establish the new population.

The final destination of the nine founders is being kept a secret because of illegal poaching--the main factor in the rhinos' steep decline since the 1960s. Rhino horn is used illegally in traditional Asian medicine, as well as being highly coveted for ornamental use.

In Yemen, rhino horns are used for the handles of curved daggers called jambiyas, which are given to young men as symbols of manhood and religious devotion. Not all jambiyas use rhino horn--only the most prized and expensive.

The use of Rhino horn in traditional Asian medicine, however, is by far the greater threat. Rhino horn is used to treat a variety of ailments, including fever, rheumatism, and gout. The horn is usually shaved or ground into a powder and dissolved in boiling water. As more and more Chinese people accumulate wealth and the ability to pay for expensive treatments, the market for poached Rhino horn will only grow.

Sign a petition to stop illegal Rhino horn trade.

Learn more from Save the Rhinos, The International Rhino Foundation, or Saving Rhinos.

Alien Feeding Frenzy

Giant Ditch Frog aka Mountain Chicken (Leptodactylus fallax), Critically Endangered

In my last post, I wrote about the Mountain Chicken, it's plight, and the work being done by conservationists to set-up a captive breeding programme. These scientists have captured on film a weird and wonderful scene of the breeding habits of this rare frog. It is definitely worth watching.

Female frogs dig a hole and fill it with foam, lay their eggs, and once they've hatched, deposit unfertilized eggs to feed the developing tadpoles. What wasn't known before was just how eager the tadpoles are to get at the eggs. Instead of waiting for the eggs to drop to the bottom of the nest, the younglings swarm their mothers body in a frenzied competition for food.

To stay up to date on the progress of the conservation team, follow along at the dodo blog.

Why is a frog called a chicken? Find out here.

Get Us Out of Here!

Giant Ditch Frog (Leptodactylus fallax), Critically Endangered

The Giant Ditch Frog, also known as the Mountain Chicken by locals due to its size and the taste of its flesh, is confined to two small islands in the Carribbean: Montserrat and Dominica. Although it used to inhabit several other nearby islands, it's total current range on the two islands is less than 50 km squared.

What caused it's decline? Environmental factors such as hurricanes and volcanoes may have played a part, as well as over-harvesting for food, with an estimated annual take of 8,000-36,000 (the government imposed a hunting ban on this former national dish, when populations started to decline).

Adding to the dilemma of this critically endangered amphibian is the world wide chytrid fungus crisis, a disease that is decimating frog populations around the globe. Although the island of Dominica has been infected since 2002, the island of Montserrat managed to remain disease free--until recently. In late 2008 or early 2009 the fungus made the jump to Montserrat and is currently decimating the Giant Ditch Frog population there, killing hundreds in just the past few weeks.

Fortunately, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have stepped in to help save this rare animal. Going into an area of healthy frogs where the disease had not yet reached, conservationists have successfully removed 50 individuals and airlifted them to Europe for use in a captive breeding program. Twelve of the Frogs will go to the ZSL, 12 to Durrell Wildlife, and the remaining 26 will go to Parken Zoo in Stockholm. The frogs will be kept in special biosecure housings to prevent infection by the chytrid fungus.

The goal is to breed the frogs and reintroduce individuals to disease-free areas of Montserrat within two years. Although the frogs have been bred in captivity before, it is a difficult process, as they have huge appetites and have unusual breeding habits for frogs. After digging a hole in the ground and filling it with foam, the female deposits 15-50 tiny eggs. The eggs hatch and develop into tadpoles, all in this isolated foam nest. For food, the mother deposits unfertilized eggs every few days for the young to feed on.

Although the captive breeding program promises hope for the Giant Ditch Frog, more needs to be done. Durrell Wildlife is currently raising funds to build an additional bio-secure facility to house these endangered frogs. For as little as 10 pounds (15 USD, 18 CAD), you can support the care of a Giant Ditch Frog. Donate or shop online or call Natalie Ranise on 01534 860013 (UK).

Population Explosion, Kind Of

Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), Vulnerable

In early April, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced that a population of close to 6000 Irawaddy Dolphins has been discovered in Bangladesh. Before the discovery of the populations in Bangladesh, only a few small pockets of dolphins were known, most numbering less than 150. In short, the dolphins from Bangladesh have increased the known population more than six times.

Brian Smith, who led the study, expressed optimism for the future of the Irrawaddy Dolphin, but cautioned that the many threats still exist, including entanglement in fishing nets, declining freshwater supplies, and climate change.

The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with Bangladeshi officials to create a sanctuary for the dolphins in the mangrove forests where they live.

Keep your fingers crossed if you want to help the Irrawaddy Dolphin. Or you can take action and send an email to your Congressperson (if you live in the US), or support the WCS in their mission of Saving Wildlife.

Thanks to Colie for sharing the news.

Pass the Olives Please

Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), Vulnerable

Thousands of dead Olive Ridley Turtles wash up on the east coast of India every year, victims of shrimp trawlers, and fishing vessels using long-lines, and purse-seine and gill nets. Classified as Vulnerable (or in other terms, Nearly Endangered) by the IUCN, these turtles are also facing habitat degradation, over-harvesting of eggs and adults, and the impacts of global warming.

Many, though not all, Olive Ridleys nest in what are known as arribadas. An arribada (the Spanish word for arrival), is a mass breeding event, in which thousands of turtles leave the ocean at the same time to breed and lay eggs in sandy nests. One of the largest arribada sites is located near the mouth of the Dhamra River on the East coast of India, in the province of Orissa.

Currently, the construction of a port is in the works, very near the site of the arribada. The company carrying out the construction is a joint venture between Tata Steel and Larsen and Toubro Ltd., two Indian companies. Set to open in 2010, the port has met resistance from environmental groups concerned about the impacts of shipping traffic and the port construction on the turtles breeding grounds.

Check out a map of the proposed port site and the turtle breeding grounds here.

Although the joint company has conducted an Enviroment Impact Analysis, allegations have been made that it is inadequate and does not take into account all relevant factors. Though the company has partnered with the IUCN to "minimize and mitigate the impacts" of the development, many believe the most effective solution for the protection of the turtles is the relocation of the proposed port.

One of the biggest concerns is an increase in artificial lighting. Both nesting females and newly hatched turtles use light as a cue--the ocean is naturally brighter than land. Artificial lighting disorients many turtles, causing them to head inland rather than towards the sea. The increased industrialization that will undoubtedly occur in the area is another concern, bringing higher levels of pollution, disrupting the local marine ecosystem.

Check out the Wild Foundation, working to prevent the construction of the port.

Write a letter protesting the construction of the port.

Read about the companies environmental policies, and their defense of the port.

Purple, but Ugly

Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis), Endangered

The first ever video footage of the Purple Frog is now available, thanks to EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered).

Those who know me well, know that my favourite colour is purple. But the colour of this frog isn't enough to make me call it beautiful. Or even anything short of hideously ugly. This is one creature that truly deserves its place over at Endangered Ugly Things. The BBC recently said that it "looks more like a squat, grumpy blob than a living creature.”

It was discovered in 2003. It spends most of it's time underground, where it eats termites, and only comes to the surface for a few weeks during the monsoon season, to breed. It belongs to the first new frog family to be discovered since 1926, is thought to belong to an ancient lineage of frogs, placing it at #4 on the list of EDGE Amphibians.

Total population is unknown, though it's thought to be rare, as only 135 individuals have ever been observed. Confined to a few small pockets in India, its minimal habitat is threatened, as forests are cleared to make way for plantations of cardamom, coffee, ginger, and other spices.

You can help by learning more about the Purple Frog, or supporting EDGE in its mission of protecting unique and endangered species.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

Kakapo (Strigops habroptila), Critically Endangered

According to Radio New Zealand, this year could be a lucky one. With a population of less than 100, the critically endangered Kakapo has been slowly increasing due to dedicated conservation efforts. This breeding season, the Kakapo Recovery Programme is hoping for forty chicks.

Previously on this blog, the importance of rimu fruit to Kakapo breeding was discussed, and it appears that a bumper crop may be in the works. Additionally, there are more fertile adult females, than there have been in years. If these factors come together, the Kakapo population could increase by nearly 50 percent. With so many chicks, some would be raised by their parents, instead of hand-reared by humans, as they sometimes are when chicks are rare.

The breeding season has started less than a month ago, with the first mating of the season occurring on Christmas night. Chicks are expected in late February.

Keep up to date by following the Kakapo Ranger Diaries.

Donate, Volunteer, or Get Involved.

Little Rhinos Offer a Little Hope

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), Critically Endangered

The Javan Rhinoceros is believed to be the rarest large mammal in the world. With only 40-60 individuals still alive, scientists worry whether the population was large enough to recover. It once lived in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR. Today, it survives in two tiny isolated parks in Viet Nam and Indonesia. To really get an idea of its current and historic range, check out this excellent map from Wikipedia. Ujung Kulon National Park, on the western tip of Java has an estimated 50 individuals. Cat Tien National Park in Viet Nam has a mere 6 to 8, which may no longer be a viable population.

Some good news for these giants--scientists recently observed four young rhino calves and their parents in Ujung Kulon. According to the head of the park, the young rhinos were between 6 and 7 months and were in the company of their parents. This is a ray of light for the declining species and offers hope that they may be able to breed quickly enough to recover. Still they face difficult times, with the largest threat coming from poaching for traditional Chinese medicine. There are no Javan Rhinos in captivity to provide captive breeding or insurance populations.

How you can help:

Shop for rhino related products (t-shirts and such, not horns).

Join Crash! the Social Network for People who love Rhinos.

Donate to one of these Rhino Conservation organizations:

International Rhino Foundation, Save the Rhino

National Geographic Article

The January 2009 issue of National Geographic has a great article about the Endangered Species Act, by Verlyn Klinkenborg, along with beautiful photographs of endangered species by Joel Sartore.

Check it out here.

David vs. Goliath, Mice vs. Albatross

Tristan Albatross (Diomedea dabbenena), Critically Endangered

According to Scientists from The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Critically Endangered Tristan Albatross has suffered its worst ever breeding season. Out of 1764 chicks counted in January, only 246 survived to fledge.

Tristan Albatrosses, which breed only on British-owned Gough Island in the South Atlantic, are being decimate by mice. According to Richard Cuthbert, an RSPB scientist, mice have been known to prey on the birds for a long time. Previously, the birds were threatened by introduced and non-native rats, pigs, dogs, and cats. Once these predators were removed, the mice population expanded.

The mice, originally introduced in the 18th or 19th century by sealers, are now three times larger than their mainland brethren, and have adapted to be carnivorous--subsisting on young birds and eggs rather than seeds and insects. Even though the mice have become larger, they are still vastly outweighed by the albatross chicks. Why don't the albatrosses fight back? Although they do fight back against other types of prey, it seems that they are not able or do not know how to appropriately fend off the non-native mice. The mice often work together, attacking at night, quickly gnawing through the nest and straight into the chicks body.

With such low numbers of surviving chicks, Tristan Albatrosses are very close to the brink of extinction. Relatively slow breeders, pairs only nest every other year, producing a single chick each time. Adults are further threatened by the long-line fishery. Fishing boats towing miles of fishing line, with thousands of hooks baited with squid or fish, often attract Albatrosses, who attempt to snag the bait and become entangled or hooked and drown.

"Tristan Albatross is being hit by a double whammy. The chicks are predated by mice and the adults and juveniles are being killed by longline fishing vessels," said John Croxall, chair of BirdLife's Global Seabird Programme. "Unsustainable numbers are being killed on land and at sea. Without major conservation efforts, the Tristan Albatross will become extinct."

Is there any hope? Some. In New Zealand, similar situations with rats have been successfully dealt with by dropping rat poison from helicopters. The RSPB has done preliminary studies indicating that a similar solution would solve the mice problem on Gough Island, and is encouraging the British government to come up with the needed funds.

You can help. Get involved with the Save the Albatrosses Campaign.

Donate to Bird Life International's Preventing Extinctions Program.

If you live in the UK, you can contact your representatives and ask them to support funding for wildlife in the UK Overseas Territories.

You can also donate to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which works against the illegal use of long line fishing.

Baby Goliaths Can't Hide

Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara), Critically Endangered

The Critically Endangered Goliath Grouper is the largest grouper in the Atlantic, growing more than 2 meters (6 feet) long, weighing more than 450 kg (1000 lbs), and living up to 40 years. Recently, the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) used an underwater acoustic camera system (similar to the sonar dolphins or bats use) to visualize baby Goliaths among the murky waters of mangrove roots. Baby Goliaths, up to 1 meter long, spend the first 5-6 years of their lives, almost exclusively in and amongst the waters around mangroves.

Conservation action began in 1990 when the US placed a moratorium on fishing, and the Caribbean did the same in 1993. Though the population has increased it will take many years for numbers to recover to previous levels. Additionally, in some areas, fishing continues despite the bans. It is sometimes difficult to accurately assess the recovery of the species, in part because of the inability to visualize Baby Goliath numbers in murky and cloudy waters. The new camera system used by ORCA should alleviate this problem, and make surveys of Goliath populations easier.

Read an article here.

Donate to Ocean Futures, an Ocean Conservation that has worked to conserve the Goliath Grouper in the past.