NatureNews
NatureNews - A WWF digest of environment news on the Internet
NatureNews for the week ending March 28, 2008. To subscribe to NatureNews, please write to Library.
Environment - General
From conflict to co-existence
As we rounded a bend in the road, our headlights caught one of India’s most elusive animals in their glare. The Eurasian lynx! And not one, not two, but three of them… probably a mother and two grown-up cubs. Startled by the sudden intrusion, they stared momentarily at us, then quietly bounded up the dark hillside out of sight. It was a truly magical moment, one that probably comes only once in a lifetime to even the most ardent wildlife enthusiast. We were travelling in the Changthang region of Ladakh, on a quest to understand and help in the process of reconciling wildlife conservation with the livelihoods and development needs of the Ladakh people. This trans-Himalayan part of Jammu and Kashmir is a vast cold desert. It includes the rugged mountains and valleys of the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges, and the vast plains and rolling mountains of the Tibetan plateau in the Changthang region. Altitudinal variations in Ladakh are large, from 2,200 m to over 7,000 m. Its assemblage of wildlife is unique, adapted to harsh climates and scarce food conditions. The iconic snow leopard is the flagship, but other rare and threatened animals inhabit the area: Tibetan wolf, Tibetan argali, Wild yak, Tibetan gazelle, and the Tibetan antelope to name just a few of the big ones. One of India’s most endangered birds, the Black-necked crane, breeds in the marshes here before departing to its winter home in northeast India. And though at first glance it appears like a vegetation-less moonscape, there are actually over 600 species of plants in the region. For more: http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/03/23/stories/2008032350080400.htm
Climate Change & Energy
Arctic losing long-term ice cover
The Arctic is losing its old, thick ice faster than in previous years, according to satellite data. The loss has continued since the end of the Arctic summer, despite cold weather across the northern hemisphere. The warm 2007 summer saw the smallest area of ice ever recorded in the region, and scientists say 2008 could follow a similar pattern. Older floes are thicker and less saline than newly-formed ice, meaning they can survive warm spells better. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7303385.stm
EU agrees climate plan deadline
EU leaders have agreed to finish talks by the end of the year on an ambitious plan to fight climate change. After a two-day summit in Brussels, leaders for the 27 nations said they hoped new legislation would be enacted in early 2009. The bloc aims to implement a 20% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. But EU leaders said they needed to look at the consequences for heavy industry and that could complicate negotiations. The summit also discussed financial instability, as well as liberalisation of the bloc's energy markets. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7296564.stm
India, U.K. developing low-carbon technologies
Mitigating the impact of climate change and generating energy for development do not have to be mutually exclusive goals. Scientists, academics and public and private industry representatives from across the country are collaborating with their counterparts in the U.K. to accelerate the development of low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen, fuel cells and solar, thermal and bio-energies and make them a commercial reality. “Every extra Re.1 spent on low-carbon technology is money saved in having to refit later on,” said Les Dangerfield, Deputy Director, British Council, India and Sri Lanka, at the start of a two-day Indo-U.K. workshop held at the Indian Institute of Technology- Madras. The workshop on low-carbon decentralised power production is examining technologies, including alternatives, as part of Low Carbon Futures, the British Council’s new climate security project. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/19/stories/2008031960191400.htm
India can show the way, says Al Gore
India could lead the world in renewable energy technologies as part of a solution to the climate change crisis, said the former United States Vice-President, Al Gore. India had proven its capability in information technology, pharma and other sophisticated sectors, and could be a leader in developing new energy technologies to combat climate change, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said. Mr. Gore was speaking at a function to mark the launch of the India chapter of ‘The Climate Project’. “Fast-developing countries like India have a right to aspire for higher standards of living and set whatever goals they think are appropriate.” Mr. Gore said this to a question on the differences between the developed and developing countries on greenhouse gas emission cuts. “India itself is vulnerable to effects of climate change and can be a part of the solution.” For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031657490100.htm
Gangotri: From here to eternity
Contrary to what prophets of doom contend, that Gangotri will disappear in the next 30 to 40 years, some of India's leading scientists believe there's no immediate or even medium-term threat to the glacier that feeds one of India's greatest rivers, Ganga. India has 9,575 glaciers, of which around 50 are being monitored by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on a regular basis. None of these show a particularly high rate of retreat. Gangotri's drawdown - 20 metres per annum in the '70s - is now mere six metres a year. Bhagirath Khadak in the Himalayas was retreating at 12 m annually but last year it didn't recede at all. Machoi in Jammu & Kashmir has showed no change since 1957. Same is true of Siachen and Kagriz in Ladakh, according to GSI. This was revealed by V K Raina, chairman, Monitoring Committee on Himalayan Glaciology, government of India, at a conference in Lucknow University. He also said that while efforts to preserve the environment must go on, there was no reason to press the panic button based on Western analysis of melting Arctic glaciers. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Planet_SOS/No_threat_to_Gangotri/
articleshow/2892632.cms
'Himalayan tragedy awaits India, China'
Shrinking Himalayan glaciers are going to turn Chinese and Indian rivers like the Ganga and the Yangtze into seasonal rivers that dry up in summers and could eventually lead to "politically unmanageable food shortages" in the region, a leading environmental scientist has warned. Climate-driven shrinkage of river-based irrigation water supplies has been on the environmental community's radar for some time, but the alarm put out by Lester Brown, President of the Earth Policy Institute, while invoking a "civilization-threatening scenario," is the starkest yet. "The world has never faced such a predictably massive threat to food production as that posed by the melting mountain glaciers of Asia," Brown said in a paper. "In a world where grain prices have recently climbed to record highs, with no relief in sight, any disruption of the wheat or rice harvests due to water shortages in these two leading grain producers will greatly affect not only people living there but consumers everywhere." For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Planet_SOS/Developmental
_Issues/Himalayan_tragedy_awaits_India_China/articleshow/2885870.cms
Forest & Biodiversity
Forest cover: Punjab at bottom
Despite massive investments in plantations for the past more than 10 years, Punjab continues to have one of the lowest forest cover in the country in terms of percentage. It has just 3.09 per cent area under forest as per the latest report of the Forest Survey of India. As per the last one also Punjab was at the bottom in terms of area under forests. As per the latest survey just Delhi had the lower forest cover than Punjab in terms of area under green cover. However, that was due to the small size of Delhi vis-à-vis Punjab. In terms of percentage of area under forest cover Delhi was far ahead of Punjab as it had 11.87 per cent of its total area under forest cover. As per the latest report Rajasthan and Haryana have performed better than Punjab. Rajasthan has 4.63 per cent of its total area under forests while Haryana has 3.59 per cent. In terms of area of also Haryana has 1,587 sq km under forest cover against 1,558 sq km in Punjab. Rajasthan has 15,850 sq km under forest cover. For more: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080317/punjab1.htm
700 sq km of forests wiped out between '03-05: Report
Around 728 sq km of forests - roughly half the size of Delhi - have been wiped out clean in two years. Another 630 sq km of productive forests have been turned into degraded patches with little ecological value. These were the findings of the biennial State of Forest Report, released by the Forest Survey of India that revealed changes in India's green canopy between 2003-2005. Nagaland, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gujarat and Assam have suffered the biggest losses in the two years that FSI reviewed using satellite imagery and ground-based verification. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/700_sq_km_forests_wiped_out/articleshow/
2777818.cms
Petitions pile up against Forest Act, Centre in a bind
The UPA government, already floundering for a strategy to counter a concerted legal attack against its flagship Forest Rights Act, has been asked by its Left allies to pull up its socks. With four petitions filed against the Act in various high courts, besides one in Supreme Court, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat has written to the PM and the Cabinet Secretary asking that the government put up a strategic fight against the cases. The Left has suggested that the cases be given the best of legal and bureaucratic support at the state level and not be pulled into the SC. The Left missive comes days after the Tribal Affairs Ministry had written to the Cabinet Secretary that the Centre, at an appropriate time, should ask the apex court to consolidate all cases before its three-member forest bench in order to expedite the matter. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Petitions_pile_up_against_Forest_
Act/articleshow/2893364.cms
Marine & Oceans
Campaigns on conservation of coral reef planned
Coral reef conservation in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is set to get an impetus, with stakeholders planning an array of campaigns this year, the ‘International Year of the Reef.’ The Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, affiliated to Manonamaniam Sundaranar University, will join hands with the district administration, the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust and the Gulf of Mannar Marine National park and bring out posters highlighting the importance of coral reef ecosystem in the Gulf of Mannar. The posters, numbering 20,000, will be pasted in villages that dot the 140-km coast, from Tuticorin to Rameswaram, and in government offices and educational institutions in Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030650830300.htm
Olive Ridley turtles begin mass nesting on Rushikulya mouth
The endangered Olive Ridley turtles have started their mass nesting near Rushikulya river mouth in Orissa's Ganjam district after staying off the area last year. About 15,000 Olive Ridley turtles have laid eggs in the sandy beach of five km from Purunabandha to Gokharkuda areas near the river Rushikulya's mouth. Wildlife experts are delighted over the phenomenon as the Olive Ridley turtles did not turn up for mass nesting last year to the Rushikulya river mouth, considered as the second largest rookery for the species. The mass nesting of the Olive Ridley is likely to continue for some more days, as thousands of turtles are roaming in the sea, A K Jena, Divisional Forest Officer, Berhampur, said. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200803061140.htm
Saving the Olive Ridley
Endangered sea turtles such as the Olive Ridley have inspired campaigns to save the seas, sandy beaches, and dunes. To save turtles is to save an entire ecosystem. But this protected mascot species faces a rising threat from avoidable coastal development, the planting of exotic trees, and the illumination of beachfront dwellings. The building of coastal structures, including groynes and walls, blocks off access and exacerbates erosion; the planting of casuarina trees prevents nesting; and lights along the coast confuse turtle hatchlings, fatally attracting them inland. Unless these threats are addressed quickly and scientifically, the Olive Ridley may lose its nesting habitats in the Indian subcontinent and suffer a sharp decline. For many years now, Olive Ridley deaths traceable to human interference have been high. Despite high levels of awareness, recent reports speak of a continuing tragedy. Indian Institute of Science ecologists fear that about 10,000 turtles die annually in Orissa, where they nest en masse. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh provide low or medium density habitats but they are vital to the health of the species. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030370331000.htm
Five nation, seven river river dolphin census to help conservation on three continents
A milestone in the protection of the world's engangered river dolphins has been achieved with the successful completion of an ambitious 13 river, five nation census survey of South America's river dolphins. The census, which took two years and recorded 3188 pink and gray dolphins in 3.600 km of rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, was key to development of a standard methodology for assessing river dolphin populations and the threats they face. “This census gives us a baseline population for these species and gives us an insight into the state of the ecosystems they inhabit,” said Fernando Trujillo PhD, the project's scientific leader. Trujillo, Scientific Director of the Omacha Foundation and winner of the Whitley Award last year for his work with river dolphins, said “These results also provide the foundation for designing an evaluation and monitoring program for South American river dolphins. During the seven expeditions involved in the survey, training in the new methods was given to 18 professionals. The new methodology has also been certified by whale experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). For more: http://www.newsfood.com/Articolo/International/2008-03/20080310-Five-nation-seven-river-river-dolphin-census-conservation-continents.asp
Wildlife & Endangered Species
Census detects 1025 elephants in Manas National Park
The Manas National Park and Tiger Project authority conducted a census of elephants within the park recently after a long gap. As per information provided by Aninda Swargiary, the director of the Manas Tiger Project, they found 1025 elephants in an area stretching 500 km known to be the natural habitat of this animal in the three range areas namely Bansbari, Panbari and Bhuyapara. Bhuyapara range tops the list with presence of 525 elephants. Among the beats there are 13 in Rupahi, 33 in Makhibaha, 84 in Karoibari, 74 in Agrang, 186 in Chemajhar, 72 in Doulbil and 63 in Shatarupa beat. Within the Bansbari range the beat wise attendance is Sidhaja 24, Latajhar 93, Mathanguri 7, Usila 90, Burhaburhi 13, Katajhar 13, Kuribil 15, and Raisingla 99 making a total within the range 354. Panbari range which accommodates 147 of this animal distribute among the beats as Sukanjari 28, Badalabil 19, Sukalajhar 49, Lafasur 26 and Gabharukhunda 25. For more: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar1508/State8
Saving the tiger
The inclusion of the tiger in the Union Budget was a big surprise, but once the initial euphoria passed and the tiger crisis was measured against the grant of Rs 50 crore, there has been a sense of indignant dismay. Not just against the one-time grant of Rs 50 crore but also to the inconsistencies that conservationists have to battle. A nation with a trillion dollar economy makes a one-time grant of this meagre an amount for a species that has suffered decades of wilful neglect has to ask itself if that is all it takes to protect India’s national animal? Is the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, aware that India is one of the last refuges of the tiger and that a huge global network thrives on poaching it for its body parts? And that the Java, Bali and Caspian tiger species have already vanished and the South China tiger does not have a bright future? Surely, the Finance Minister knows it cost Rs 13 crore to carry out the tiger census that he was quoting from? How far would Rs 50 crore go? For more: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/12/stories/2008031250980900.htm
Making it safe for the Indian tiger
The leader of tiger saving project, Rajesh Gopal , is hopeful about protecting the national animal. He talks about the latest advancements in conservation programmes. Often referred to as the commander-in-chief of the army engaged in saving India’s national animal, the tiger, Inspector General of Forests and Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority Rajesh Gopal by his own admission “is concerned but has hope for the Indian tiger since it has responded to managerial intervention under Project Tiger.” “See no one can be happy with the situation that we are in right now. I am concerned but don’t feel helpless. Our major tiger landscapes hold promise as seen in the current assessment. For the first time in several years we now have a fairly accurate count of the tiger population in the country and its habitat status. This is a good benchmark to start with at the landscape level,” said Gopal. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030365460200.htm
World tiger population shrinking fast
The number of tigers in the world has diminished at an alarming speed in recent years, global conservation group WWF cautioned, blaming poaching for much of the decline. “We are left with roughly 3,500 tigers all around the world now,” Bivash Pandav, a tiger specialist at the World Wildlife Fund, told AFP, pointing out that “five years back, the estimate was around 5,500 to 6,000.” In India, which is home to nearly half of the world’s tigers, or 1,400 animals, the number of the big cats has shrunk by 60 percent over the past three to four years, Pandav said during a visit to Sweden. A century ago, some 40,000 tigers roamed the Indian subcontinent, according to the WWF, which singles out poaching, widespread destruction of the tigers’ natural habitat and human hunting of their prey as the main causes of today’s dire situation. For more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080312/ts_afp/environmentnaturewwfasia
Fodder scarcity, cold kill Pashmina goats
Thousands of livestock, including Pashmina goats, who were stuck on the India-China border for over a month have died due to fodder scarcity and severe cold wave condition. “Our primary assessment reveals that thousands of goats have died. While visiting the region, we have seen heaps of dead bodies of goats at many places. They have died due to fodder scarcity and cold,” said the Chief Executive Councillor of Leh, Chering Dorjay. Dorjay. “We visited Hanlay, Kuyul, Rongo, Demchok, Kakjung, Tsaga, Samad, Nyoma and Mud. The mortality is very high in these areas. What is concerning us is that even after a month, no fodder or relief has reached Khanak where 30,000 to 40,000 Pashmina goats are stuck. We believe the situation in Khanak will be worse and the death toll will be higher there,” he said. For more: http://www.expressindia.com/news/kashmir/full_story_new.php?content_id=277891
WWF says illegal trade in polar bear skins growing in Russia
Illegal trade in hides of polar bears, a species in steady decline throughout the Arctic, is on the rise in Russia, the WWF said. Internet monitoring carried out from April 2007 to March 2008 revealed 30 adverts offering polar bear skins for sale. The average number of adverts per month, 2.7, exceeded figures of 2003 (1.25), 2004 (1.13) and 2007 (1.6). The average price has doubled since 2003 to $6,000 per hide. So far, conservation experts have established only two poaching sites - the Taimyr Peninsula on Siberia's Arctic coast and Chukotka in Russia's Far East. "We put the number of polar bears killed at 150-200 animals per year," said Viktor Nikiforov, WWF Russia's polar bear expert. For more: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080320/101840778.html
Wetlands, Rivers & Water
China considers wetland park at lake
A wetland park will be set up at Poyang Lake, the country’s largest freshwater lake, if a local government initiative is approved by central authority. The national wetland park, to be set up in the Poyang Lake in the eastern province of Jiangxi, may cover some 400 sq km, consisting of a core preservation zone, a buffer zone and a sightseeing area, according to the initial plan released at a working conference. Officials from the State Forestry Administration (SFA) and the provincial forestry authorities, professors and scholars of universities and research institutions will complete the compilation of the plan in two months, which is expected to be approved by the SFA in June, according to the government of Poyang County. Poyang Lake is fed by five rivers in south China and empties into the Yangtze River, China’s longest. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/24/stories/2008032455631600.htm
Birds
New bird discovered in Indonesia
A small greenish bird that has been playing hide-and-seek with ornithologists on a remote Indonesian island since 1996 was declared a newly discovered species and promptly recommended for endangered lists. The new species is called the Togian white-eye, or Zosterops somadikartai. It was first spotted by Mochamad Indrawan of the University of Indonesia and his colleague Sunarto, who like many Indonesians uses one name. ""We observed the species in the field from 1997 to 2003,"" Indrawan said in a statement. For more: http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=165403
Reptiles & Amphibians
Contradictory reports over mysterious death of gharials
The findings of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) in relation to the “mysterious” death of around 100 “gharials”, a member of the crocodile family, from November 2007 to February 2008 in the National Chambal Sanctuary in Etawah district has added another twist in the tale. In its report submitted to the State Forest and Wildlife Department, dated March 19, 2008, the agency has concluded that lead and cadmium were not found in the waters of the river Yamuna. The sanctuary is situated at the confluence of the Yamuna and the river Chambal, which flows from the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, in Etawah district. The Pollution Control Board findings indicate that the death of the gharials could not have been due to toxicity. Sources in the Forest Department are convinced that the agency had washed its hand off the controversy surrounding the death of the reptile. The Department is preparing to file a rejoinder to the Board’s findings. In fact, the finding regarding the water quality of the Yamuna ran contrary to the conclusion drawn by the foreign experts, including Paolo Martelli from Hong Kong, F.W. Huchzermeyer from South Africa, and Brian Stacy from the U.S. who visited the Chambal Sanctuary in January-February following the death of the gharials. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/23/stories/2008032354620700.htm
Ghariyal deaths still remain a mystery
The reason behind the death of more than 100 ghariyals in National Chambal Sanctuary is yet to be traced. But, the impact of the tragedy has certainly mellowed down with time. Only one carcass has been fished out so far in the month of March. In the past three months, however, some 109 ghariyals have perished with one or two being fished out daily from the affected part of the Chambal river which lies at its confluence with the Yamuna in Etawah district. "It has something to do with the rising temperature," said Parikshit Gautam, director, freshwater and wetlands programme, WWF-India. Ghariyals are cold-blooded species and winter temperature must have made them more susceptible to the threat. "Since December, January and February were all months of freezing temperatures, tragedy might have aggravated," added Gautam. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ghariyal_deaths_still_remain_a_mystery/
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EVENTS
Environmental Toxicology 2008; 4 - 6 June 2008; Granada, Spain; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2008/toxic08/index.html
Global Conference on Global Warming; 6 - 10 July 2008; Istanbul, Turkey; http://www.gcgw.org
Environmental Education up the Track; Hot Topics for our Community; 9 - 12 July 2008; Darwin, Australia; http://www.cdu.edu.au/ehs/AAEE/
Energy Security and Climate Change: Issues, Strategies, and Options (ESCC 2008); 6 - 8 August 2008; Bangkok, Thailand; http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/escc
From conflict to co-existence
As we rounded a bend in the road, our headlights caught one of India’s most elusive animals in their glare. The Eurasian lynx! And not one, not two, but three of them… probably a mother and two grown-up cubs. Startled by the sudden intrusion, they stared momentarily at us, then quietly bounded up the dark hillside out of sight. It was a truly magical moment, one that probably comes only once in a lifetime to even the most ardent wildlife enthusiast. We were travelling in the Changthang region of Ladakh, on a quest to understand and help in the process of reconciling wildlife conservation with the livelihoods and development needs of the Ladakh people. This trans-Himalayan part of Jammu and Kashmir is a vast cold desert. It includes the rugged mountains and valleys of the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges, and the vast plains and rolling mountains of the Tibetan plateau in the Changthang region. Altitudinal variations in Ladakh are large, from 2,200 m to over 7,000 m. Its assemblage of wildlife is unique, adapted to harsh climates and scarce food conditions. The iconic snow leopard is the flagship, but other rare and threatened animals inhabit the area: Tibetan wolf, Tibetan argali, Wild yak, Tibetan gazelle, and the Tibetan antelope to name just a few of the big ones. One of India’s most endangered birds, the Black-necked crane, breeds in the marshes here before departing to its winter home in northeast India. And though at first glance it appears like a vegetation-less moonscape, there are actually over 600 species of plants in the region. For more: http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/03/23/stories/2008032350080400.htm
Climate Change & Energy
Arctic losing long-term ice cover
The Arctic is losing its old, thick ice faster than in previous years, according to satellite data. The loss has continued since the end of the Arctic summer, despite cold weather across the northern hemisphere. The warm 2007 summer saw the smallest area of ice ever recorded in the region, and scientists say 2008 could follow a similar pattern. Older floes are thicker and less saline than newly-formed ice, meaning they can survive warm spells better. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7303385.stm
EU agrees climate plan deadline
EU leaders have agreed to finish talks by the end of the year on an ambitious plan to fight climate change. After a two-day summit in Brussels, leaders for the 27 nations said they hoped new legislation would be enacted in early 2009. The bloc aims to implement a 20% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020, compared with 1990 levels. But EU leaders said they needed to look at the consequences for heavy industry and that could complicate negotiations. The summit also discussed financial instability, as well as liberalisation of the bloc's energy markets. For more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7296564.stm
India, U.K. developing low-carbon technologies
Mitigating the impact of climate change and generating energy for development do not have to be mutually exclusive goals. Scientists, academics and public and private industry representatives from across the country are collaborating with their counterparts in the U.K. to accelerate the development of low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen, fuel cells and solar, thermal and bio-energies and make them a commercial reality. “Every extra Re.1 spent on low-carbon technology is money saved in having to refit later on,” said Les Dangerfield, Deputy Director, British Council, India and Sri Lanka, at the start of a two-day Indo-U.K. workshop held at the Indian Institute of Technology- Madras. The workshop on low-carbon decentralised power production is examining technologies, including alternatives, as part of Low Carbon Futures, the British Council’s new climate security project. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/19/stories/2008031960191400.htm
India can show the way, says Al Gore
India could lead the world in renewable energy technologies as part of a solution to the climate change crisis, said the former United States Vice-President, Al Gore. India had proven its capability in information technology, pharma and other sophisticated sectors, and could be a leader in developing new energy technologies to combat climate change, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said. Mr. Gore was speaking at a function to mark the launch of the India chapter of ‘The Climate Project’. “Fast-developing countries like India have a right to aspire for higher standards of living and set whatever goals they think are appropriate.” Mr. Gore said this to a question on the differences between the developed and developing countries on greenhouse gas emission cuts. “India itself is vulnerable to effects of climate change and can be a part of the solution.” For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031657490100.htm
Gangotri: From here to eternity
Contrary to what prophets of doom contend, that Gangotri will disappear in the next 30 to 40 years, some of India's leading scientists believe there's no immediate or even medium-term threat to the glacier that feeds one of India's greatest rivers, Ganga. India has 9,575 glaciers, of which around 50 are being monitored by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) on a regular basis. None of these show a particularly high rate of retreat. Gangotri's drawdown - 20 metres per annum in the '70s - is now mere six metres a year. Bhagirath Khadak in the Himalayas was retreating at 12 m annually but last year it didn't recede at all. Machoi in Jammu & Kashmir has showed no change since 1957. Same is true of Siachen and Kagriz in Ladakh, according to GSI. This was revealed by V K Raina, chairman, Monitoring Committee on Himalayan Glaciology, government of India, at a conference in Lucknow University. He also said that while efforts to preserve the environment must go on, there was no reason to press the panic button based on Western analysis of melting Arctic glaciers. For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Planet_SOS/No_threat_to_Gangotri/
articleshow/2892632.cms
'Himalayan tragedy awaits India, China'
Shrinking Himalayan glaciers are going to turn Chinese and Indian rivers like the Ganga and the Yangtze into seasonal rivers that dry up in summers and could eventually lead to "politically unmanageable food shortages" in the region, a leading environmental scientist has warned. Climate-driven shrinkage of river-based irrigation water supplies has been on the environmental community's radar for some time, but the alarm put out by Lester Brown, President of the Earth Policy Institute, while invoking a "civilization-threatening scenario," is the starkest yet. "The world has never faced such a predictably massive threat to food production as that posed by the melting mountain glaciers of Asia," Brown said in a paper. "In a world where grain prices have recently climbed to record highs, with no relief in sight, any disruption of the wheat or rice harvests due to water shortages in these two leading grain producers will greatly affect not only people living there but consumers everywhere." For more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Planet_SOS/Developmental
_Issues/Himalayan_tragedy_awaits_India_China/articleshow/2885870.cms
Forest & Biodiversity
Forest cover: Punjab at bottom
Despite massive investments in plantations for the past more than 10 years, Punjab continues to have one of the lowest forest cover in the country in terms of percentage. It has just 3.09 per cent area under forest as per the latest report of the Forest Survey of India. As per the last one also Punjab was at the bottom in terms of area under forests. As per the latest survey just Delhi had the lower forest cover than Punjab in terms of area under green cover. However, that was due to the small size of Delhi vis-à-vis Punjab. In terms of percentage of area under forest cover Delhi was far ahead of Punjab as it had 11.87 per cent of its total area under forest cover. As per the latest report Rajasthan and Haryana have performed better than Punjab. Rajasthan has 4.63 per cent of its total area under forests while Haryana has 3.59 per cent. In terms of area of also Haryana has 1,587 sq km under forest cover against 1,558 sq km in Punjab. Rajasthan has 15,850 sq km under forest cover. For more: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080317/punjab1.htm
700 sq km of forests wiped out between '03-05: Report
Around 728 sq km of forests - roughly half the size of Delhi - have been wiped out clean in two years. Another 630 sq km of productive forests have been turned into degraded patches with little ecological value. These were the findings of the biennial State of Forest Report, released by the Forest Survey of India that revealed changes in India's green canopy between 2003-2005. Nagaland, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gujarat and Assam have suffered the biggest losses in the two years that FSI reviewed using satellite imagery and ground-based verification. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/700_sq_km_forests_wiped_out/articleshow/
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Petitions pile up against Forest Act, Centre in a bind
The UPA government, already floundering for a strategy to counter a concerted legal attack against its flagship Forest Rights Act, has been asked by its Left allies to pull up its socks. With four petitions filed against the Act in various high courts, besides one in Supreme Court, CPM politburo member Brinda Karat has written to the PM and the Cabinet Secretary asking that the government put up a strategic fight against the cases. The Left has suggested that the cases be given the best of legal and bureaucratic support at the state level and not be pulled into the SC. The Left missive comes days after the Tribal Affairs Ministry had written to the Cabinet Secretary that the Centre, at an appropriate time, should ask the apex court to consolidate all cases before its three-member forest bench in order to expedite the matter. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Petitions_pile_up_against_Forest_
Act/articleshow/2893364.cms
Marine & Oceans
Campaigns on conservation of coral reef planned
Coral reef conservation in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is set to get an impetus, with stakeholders planning an array of campaigns this year, the ‘International Year of the Reef.’ The Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, affiliated to Manonamaniam Sundaranar University, will join hands with the district administration, the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust and the Gulf of Mannar Marine National park and bring out posters highlighting the importance of coral reef ecosystem in the Gulf of Mannar. The posters, numbering 20,000, will be pasted in villages that dot the 140-km coast, from Tuticorin to Rameswaram, and in government offices and educational institutions in Tuticorin and Ramanathapuram districts. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030650830300.htm
Olive Ridley turtles begin mass nesting on Rushikulya mouth
The endangered Olive Ridley turtles have started their mass nesting near Rushikulya river mouth in Orissa's Ganjam district after staying off the area last year. About 15,000 Olive Ridley turtles have laid eggs in the sandy beach of five km from Purunabandha to Gokharkuda areas near the river Rushikulya's mouth. Wildlife experts are delighted over the phenomenon as the Olive Ridley turtles did not turn up for mass nesting last year to the Rushikulya river mouth, considered as the second largest rookery for the species. The mass nesting of the Olive Ridley is likely to continue for some more days, as thousands of turtles are roaming in the sea, A K Jena, Divisional Forest Officer, Berhampur, said. For more: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200803061140.htm
Saving the Olive Ridley
Endangered sea turtles such as the Olive Ridley have inspired campaigns to save the seas, sandy beaches, and dunes. To save turtles is to save an entire ecosystem. But this protected mascot species faces a rising threat from avoidable coastal development, the planting of exotic trees, and the illumination of beachfront dwellings. The building of coastal structures, including groynes and walls, blocks off access and exacerbates erosion; the planting of casuarina trees prevents nesting; and lights along the coast confuse turtle hatchlings, fatally attracting them inland. Unless these threats are addressed quickly and scientifically, the Olive Ridley may lose its nesting habitats in the Indian subcontinent and suffer a sharp decline. For many years now, Olive Ridley deaths traceable to human interference have been high. Despite high levels of awareness, recent reports speak of a continuing tragedy. Indian Institute of Science ecologists fear that about 10,000 turtles die annually in Orissa, where they nest en masse. Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh provide low or medium density habitats but they are vital to the health of the species. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030370331000.htm
Five nation, seven river river dolphin census to help conservation on three continents
A milestone in the protection of the world's engangered river dolphins has been achieved with the successful completion of an ambitious 13 river, five nation census survey of South America's river dolphins. The census, which took two years and recorded 3188 pink and gray dolphins in 3.600 km of rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, was key to development of a standard methodology for assessing river dolphin populations and the threats they face. “This census gives us a baseline population for these species and gives us an insight into the state of the ecosystems they inhabit,” said Fernando Trujillo PhD, the project's scientific leader. Trujillo, Scientific Director of the Omacha Foundation and winner of the Whitley Award last year for his work with river dolphins, said “These results also provide the foundation for designing an evaluation and monitoring program for South American river dolphins. During the seven expeditions involved in the survey, training in the new methods was given to 18 professionals. The new methodology has also been certified by whale experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). For more: http://www.newsfood.com/Articolo/International/2008-03/20080310-Five-nation-seven-river-river-dolphin-census-conservation-continents.asp
Wildlife & Endangered Species
Census detects 1025 elephants in Manas National Park
The Manas National Park and Tiger Project authority conducted a census of elephants within the park recently after a long gap. As per information provided by Aninda Swargiary, the director of the Manas Tiger Project, they found 1025 elephants in an area stretching 500 km known to be the natural habitat of this animal in the three range areas namely Bansbari, Panbari and Bhuyapara. Bhuyapara range tops the list with presence of 525 elephants. Among the beats there are 13 in Rupahi, 33 in Makhibaha, 84 in Karoibari, 74 in Agrang, 186 in Chemajhar, 72 in Doulbil and 63 in Shatarupa beat. Within the Bansbari range the beat wise attendance is Sidhaja 24, Latajhar 93, Mathanguri 7, Usila 90, Burhaburhi 13, Katajhar 13, Kuribil 15, and Raisingla 99 making a total within the range 354. Panbari range which accommodates 147 of this animal distribute among the beats as Sukanjari 28, Badalabil 19, Sukalajhar 49, Lafasur 26 and Gabharukhunda 25. For more: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar1508/State8
Saving the tiger
The inclusion of the tiger in the Union Budget was a big surprise, but once the initial euphoria passed and the tiger crisis was measured against the grant of Rs 50 crore, there has been a sense of indignant dismay. Not just against the one-time grant of Rs 50 crore but also to the inconsistencies that conservationists have to battle. A nation with a trillion dollar economy makes a one-time grant of this meagre an amount for a species that has suffered decades of wilful neglect has to ask itself if that is all it takes to protect India’s national animal? Is the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, aware that India is one of the last refuges of the tiger and that a huge global network thrives on poaching it for its body parts? And that the Java, Bali and Caspian tiger species have already vanished and the South China tiger does not have a bright future? Surely, the Finance Minister knows it cost Rs 13 crore to carry out the tiger census that he was quoting from? How far would Rs 50 crore go? For more: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/12/stories/2008031250980900.htm
Making it safe for the Indian tiger
The leader of tiger saving project, Rajesh Gopal , is hopeful about protecting the national animal. He talks about the latest advancements in conservation programmes. Often referred to as the commander-in-chief of the army engaged in saving India’s national animal, the tiger, Inspector General of Forests and Member Secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority Rajesh Gopal by his own admission “is concerned but has hope for the Indian tiger since it has responded to managerial intervention under Project Tiger.” “See no one can be happy with the situation that we are in right now. I am concerned but don’t feel helpless. Our major tiger landscapes hold promise as seen in the current assessment. For the first time in several years we now have a fairly accurate count of the tiger population in the country and its habitat status. This is a good benchmark to start with at the landscape level,” said Gopal. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030365460200.htm
World tiger population shrinking fast
The number of tigers in the world has diminished at an alarming speed in recent years, global conservation group WWF cautioned, blaming poaching for much of the decline. “We are left with roughly 3,500 tigers all around the world now,” Bivash Pandav, a tiger specialist at the World Wildlife Fund, told AFP, pointing out that “five years back, the estimate was around 5,500 to 6,000.” In India, which is home to nearly half of the world’s tigers, or 1,400 animals, the number of the big cats has shrunk by 60 percent over the past three to four years, Pandav said during a visit to Sweden. A century ago, some 40,000 tigers roamed the Indian subcontinent, according to the WWF, which singles out poaching, widespread destruction of the tigers’ natural habitat and human hunting of their prey as the main causes of today’s dire situation. For more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080312/ts_afp/environmentnaturewwfasia
Fodder scarcity, cold kill Pashmina goats
Thousands of livestock, including Pashmina goats, who were stuck on the India-China border for over a month have died due to fodder scarcity and severe cold wave condition. “Our primary assessment reveals that thousands of goats have died. While visiting the region, we have seen heaps of dead bodies of goats at many places. They have died due to fodder scarcity and cold,” said the Chief Executive Councillor of Leh, Chering Dorjay. Dorjay. “We visited Hanlay, Kuyul, Rongo, Demchok, Kakjung, Tsaga, Samad, Nyoma and Mud. The mortality is very high in these areas. What is concerning us is that even after a month, no fodder or relief has reached Khanak where 30,000 to 40,000 Pashmina goats are stuck. We believe the situation in Khanak will be worse and the death toll will be higher there,” he said. For more: http://www.expressindia.com/news/kashmir/full_story_new.php?content_id=277891
WWF says illegal trade in polar bear skins growing in Russia
Illegal trade in hides of polar bears, a species in steady decline throughout the Arctic, is on the rise in Russia, the WWF said. Internet monitoring carried out from April 2007 to March 2008 revealed 30 adverts offering polar bear skins for sale. The average number of adverts per month, 2.7, exceeded figures of 2003 (1.25), 2004 (1.13) and 2007 (1.6). The average price has doubled since 2003 to $6,000 per hide. So far, conservation experts have established only two poaching sites - the Taimyr Peninsula on Siberia's Arctic coast and Chukotka in Russia's Far East. "We put the number of polar bears killed at 150-200 animals per year," said Viktor Nikiforov, WWF Russia's polar bear expert. For more: http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080320/101840778.html
Wetlands, Rivers & Water
China considers wetland park at lake
A wetland park will be set up at Poyang Lake, the country’s largest freshwater lake, if a local government initiative is approved by central authority. The national wetland park, to be set up in the Poyang Lake in the eastern province of Jiangxi, may cover some 400 sq km, consisting of a core preservation zone, a buffer zone and a sightseeing area, according to the initial plan released at a working conference. Officials from the State Forestry Administration (SFA) and the provincial forestry authorities, professors and scholars of universities and research institutions will complete the compilation of the plan in two months, which is expected to be approved by the SFA in June, according to the government of Poyang County. Poyang Lake is fed by five rivers in south China and empties into the Yangtze River, China’s longest. For more: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/24/stories/2008032455631600.htm
Birds
New bird discovered in Indonesia
A small greenish bird that has been playing hide-and-seek with ornithologists on a remote Indonesian island since 1996 was declared a newly discovered species and promptly recommended for endangered lists. The new species is called the Togian white-eye, or Zosterops somadikartai. It was first spotted by Mochamad Indrawan of the University of Indonesia and his colleague Sunarto, who like many Indonesians uses one name. ""We observed the species in the field from 1997 to 2003,"" Indrawan said in a statement. For more: http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=165403
Reptiles & Amphibians
Contradictory reports over mysterious death of gharials
The findings of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) in relation to the “mysterious” death of around 100 “gharials”, a member of the crocodile family, from November 2007 to February 2008 in the National Chambal Sanctuary in Etawah district has added another twist in the tale. In its report submitted to the State Forest and Wildlife Department, dated March 19, 2008, the agency has concluded that lead and cadmium were not found in the waters of the river Yamuna. The sanctuary is situated at the confluence of the Yamuna and the river Chambal, which flows from the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, in Etawah district. The Pollution Control Board findings indicate that the death of the gharials could not have been due to toxicity. Sources in the Forest Department are convinced that the agency had washed its hand off the controversy surrounding the death of the reptile. The Department is preparing to file a rejoinder to the Board’s findings. In fact, the finding regarding the water quality of the Yamuna ran contrary to the conclusion drawn by the foreign experts, including Paolo Martelli from Hong Kong, F.W. Huchzermeyer from South Africa, and Brian Stacy from the U.S. who visited the Chambal Sanctuary in January-February following the death of the gharials. For more: http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/23/stories/2008032354620700.htm
Ghariyal deaths still remain a mystery
The reason behind the death of more than 100 ghariyals in National Chambal Sanctuary is yet to be traced. But, the impact of the tragedy has certainly mellowed down with time. Only one carcass has been fished out so far in the month of March. In the past three months, however, some 109 ghariyals have perished with one or two being fished out daily from the affected part of the Chambal river which lies at its confluence with the Yamuna in Etawah district. "It has something to do with the rising temperature," said Parikshit Gautam, director, freshwater and wetlands programme, WWF-India. Ghariyals are cold-blooded species and winter temperature must have made them more susceptible to the threat. "Since December, January and February were all months of freezing temperatures, tragedy might have aggravated," added Gautam. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ghariyal_deaths_still_remain_a_mystery/
articleshow/2888756.cms
EVENTS
Environmental Toxicology 2008; 4 - 6 June 2008; Granada, Spain; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2008/toxic08/index.html
Global Conference on Global Warming; 6 - 10 July 2008; Istanbul, Turkey; http://www.gcgw.org
Environmental Education up the Track; Hot Topics for our Community; 9 - 12 July 2008; Darwin, Australia; http://www.cdu.edu.au/ehs/AAEE/
Energy Security and Climate Change: Issues, Strategies, and Options (ESCC 2008); 6 - 8 August 2008; Bangkok, Thailand; http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/escc
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