Conservation Center Research Articles

ANALISIS HUKUM TINDAK PIDANA PERDAGANGAN SATWA DILINDUNGI MENURUT UU NO. 5 TAHUN 1990 TENTANG KONSERVASI SUMBER DAYA ALAM HAYATI DAN EKOSITEMNYA” (Studi di Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Sumatera Utara)

This study aims to find out the background of illegal trade of the protected animals that still happening continuously and how is the role of the government through the Natural Resources Conservation Center of Sumat e ra Utara in dealing with criminal acts of trafficking in protected animals in accordance with the Law No. 5 of 1990 concerning conservation and biological natural resources and their ecosystems. This study was conducted at Natural Resources Conservation Center of Sumatera Utara . The method used in this study is a literature study. I nterviews were conducted with the officials from the Natural Resources Conservation Center of Sumat e ra Utara . The results of this study indicate that the trade in protected animals continues due to the lack of government supervision in this case the Natural Resources Conservation Center, high animal prices, easy access to the technology and high buyer interest. Keywords : Criminal Acts, Animal Trade

MA-XRF for the Characterisation of the Painting Materials and Technique of the Entombment of Christ by Rogier van der Weyden

At present, macro X-ray fluorescence (MA-XRF) is one of the most essential analytical methods exploited by heritage science. By providing spatial distribution elemental maps, not only does it allow for material characterisation but also to understand, or at least to have a likely idea of, the production techniques of an analysed object. INFN-CHNet, the Cultural Heritage Network of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics, designed and developed a MA-XRF scanner aiming to be a lightweight, easy to transport piece of equipment for use in in situ measurements. In this study, the INFN-CHNet MA-XRF scanner was employed for the analysis of a painting by the Flemish artist Rogier van der Weyden. The painting belongs to the collection of the Uffizi gallery in Florence and was analysed during conservation treatments at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, one of the main conservation centres in Italy. The research aims were to characterise the materials employed by the artist and to possibly understand his painting technique. Although MA-XRF alone cannot provide a comprehensive characterisation, it nonetheless proved to be an invaluable tool for providing an initial overview or hypothesis of the painting materials and techniques used.

Alternative strategies for sustaining Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis and impact on community and the environment

Since 2016 the Yogyakarta City Government together with the Provincial Government of the Special Region of Yogyakarta has continued to rearrange green open spaces in the Yogyakarta Philosophy Axis area. The Philosophy Axis, which was the result of the thoughts of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I in 1756, has been designated by the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta as a cultural heritage according to the Decree of the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta number 108 / Kep / 2017. On March 14, 2017, the Philosophy Axis was submitted to UNESCO to become a World Heritage City. This study aims to formulate a strategy to preserve the Philosophy Axis through descriptive analysis. SWOT analysis is used by dividing it into two, namely IFAS and EFAS. The research data was collected qualitatively by in-depth interview. This research is focused on disclosing the problems that will occur and what will be done in the future. The results show that the strategy formulation refers to quadrant 1, with several alternative strategies suggested, such permits for construction and use of buildings on the Philosophy Axis must be reaffirmed by the Office of Investment and Licensing; instilling an awareness of protecting cultural heritage in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Conservation Center; collaborating with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics for the promotion of the Philosophy Axis through social media; community involvement to participate in managing the Philosophy Axis bridged by the Village Community Empowerment Institution; clear and firm warnings and signs are needed in the area so that tourists and the public know that there is a threat of punishment if they do not comply with the regulations. Meanwhile, the latest policy appeared starting November 2020 in the form of testing the pedestrian path along Malioboro, so that it became an area that was not allowed for motor vehicles to pass. This resulted in the turnover of traders in the Malioboro area decreasing by 20%. However, it has a positive impact on the environment, because the number of pollutants is expected to decrease. The preservation of the Philosophy Axis is expected to be able to improve the quality of green open space and increase the number of tourists and the welfare of traders.

English

Not all regions of the world have access to advanced means of analysis, such as molecular or quantitative genetics. In the absence of these or other means of selection, phenotypic analyses are used for breed differentiation as well as to evaluate productive aptitude. The objective of this work is to characterize morphometric variables and zoometric indices, as well as the morphological and phaneroptic characterization, of the Guaymi Creole cattle in conservation centers in Panama. The study included all available Guaymi creoles (98 females and 27 males) aged ≥ 3 years. The results indicate that the Guaymi breed has sexual dimorphism, little heterogeneity, and characteristics appropriate for areas where there is limited quality forage. The characteristics of the Guaymi breed correspond to a dolichocephalic profile, a longilineal and brachypelvic type. The indexes characterize it as having poteintial milk and meat-type aptitude, so it can be considered dual-purpose cattle in the absence of a directed selection program. The morphological characteristics are similar to those of Bos taurus breeds from Ibero-America and Africa. Key words: Livestock, biodiversity, conservation, creoles.

Video podcast as alternative education media of Borobudur temple campaign during pandemic COVID-19

COVID-19 pandemic changes all aspects of human life. Various adaptations need to be carried out by the community, and communication must be adaptive in making these adjustments. The use of Borobudur Temple, either in tourism or education, was also affected by this pandemic. The Borobudur Conservation Center, as one of the managers of Borobudur Temple, initiated a new way of publishing and educating the public. Through the YouTube video podcast BUSUR, the Borobudur Conservation Center tries to take advantage of the new publication model as an effort to keep educating the public about Borobudur Temple. This analysis aims to determine how the public responds to alternative media called BUSUR video podcast made by the Borobudur Conservation Center. Community response is measured based on the number of subscribers and views count on BUSUR video content uploaded. Based on the data obtained, data will describe it using a qualitative descriptive approach. The research includes collecting various data from relevant sources. Data collection was carried out through observation. Then select and analyze data. Then end by making conclusions from the results obtained. Based on this study, the results obtained shows that the BUSUR podcast's video content received an excellent public response. By the data, there is an addition of 2490 subscribers and 35,000 video podcast screenings throughout 2020. Based on this analysis, the BUSUR video podcast as an alternative media to introduce Borobudur Temple to the public is very successful because the theme of cultural heritage still gets quite a lot of attention from the crowd.

Wildlife status and ecotourism potentials of Lekki Conservation Centre, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract Purpose: Information about the status of wildlife in Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC) which is required for biodiversity policy-making is lacking. Methods: Day foot patrol to monitor wildlife in LCC was carried out and the wildlife species present were identified from January to December 2020. Data of animals sighted in the patrol and by the tourists were compared with records of animals sighted from March to July 2010 as recorded in the Protection Report Diary. Results: The findings indicated a decline in the population of squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus) and bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus). Limitation: A list of fauna in LCC forest is provided as a result of the foot patrol although, some parts of the forest were inaccessible. Contribution: The perception of ecotourists is highlighted which can serve as feedback about their experience with the resources useful for biodiversity policy. Conclusion: Species diversity in the Protection Report Diary (in 2010) was higher compared to the total number of wildlife species sighted by visitors (in 2021) and during the patrol (in 2020) indicating that some wildlife species in LCC declined within 10years.

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Rearing Seawater.

Simple SummaryThe Sea Turtle Conservation Center of Thailand (STCCT) has conducted an early intervention program for conservation and faced high mortality rates due to bacterial diseases. Our previous investigation of juvenile turtle carcasses and sea water in the turtle hold tanks implied an association between bacterial isolates in rearing water and infection in captive turtles. In this study, for a management plan of juvenile sea turtles with bacterial infection, we monitored antibiotic resistance of bacteria in seawater from juvenile green turtle holding tanks at STCCT in three periods: January 2015 to April 2016, January to April 2018, and January to April 2019. The results clearly indicated that numbers of resistant bacteria and antibiotics were increased. Assessment of resistance against ten antibiotics revealed high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to the beta-lactam class (ampicillin, penicillin, and cefazolin), whereas low resistant isolate numbers were found to aminoglycosides. From the results of this study, we suggest that antibiotic-resistant bacterial assessment in sea turtle rearing seawater will provide important information for the treatment of bacteria-infected sea turtles in husbandry.Antibiotic resistance of microorganisms is a serious health problem for both humans and animals. Infection of these bacteria may result in therapy failure, leading to high mortality rates. During an early intervention program process, the Sea Turtle Conservation Center of Thailand (STCCT) has faced high mortality rates due to bacterial infection. Previously, investigation of juvenile turtle carcasses found etiological agents in tissue lesions. Further determination of sea water in the turtle holding tanks revealed a prevalence of these causative agents in water samples, implying association of bacterial isolates in rearing water and infection in captive turtles. In this study, we examined the antibiotic resistance of bacteria in seawater from the turtle holding tank for a management plan of juvenile turtles with bacterial infection. The examination was carried out in three periods: 2015 to 2016, 2018, and 2019. The highest isolate numbers were resistant to beta-lactam, whilst low aminoglycoside resistance rates were observed. No gentamicin-resistant isolate was detected. Seventy-nine isolates (71.17%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Consideration of resistant bacterial and antibiotic numbers over three sampling periods indicated increased risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to sea turtle health. Essentially, this study emphasizes the importance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial assessment in rearing seawater for sea turtle husbandry.

A Participatory Agrobiodiversity Conservation Approach in the Oases: Community Actions for the Promotion of Sustainable Development in Fragile Areas

Rural development policies today include significant directions towards ecological transition and sustainability. Biodiversity plays a fundamental role, especially in fragile environments. The North African oases, for example, are socio-ecological structures with delicate balances in terms of natural resources, where the activation of participatory conservation approaches appears today to be very useful, aiming at long-lasting results. This type of approach was applied in the oasis of El Hamma, in Tunisia. The socio-ecological analysis was carried out through semi-structured interviews with different stakeholders of the oasis. The results were used to activate focus groups and to identify, in a participatory way, a conservation strategy for the species and the varieties at risk of erosion or disappearing. From this research, a wide spread of non-traditional date palm and vegetables emerged in a very diverse social context. These products were recognized as highly significant in terms of traditional knowledge by all stakeholders. Therefore, a Maison des semences and a public conservation center for perennial species were created, representing the first step of a participatory conservation model. Seeds of 11 traditional annual species, 10 date palm varieties and, in perspective, many other fruit species and vegetable varieties have been introduced into conservation.

Digitising the historical archives of the Conservation Centre at the Natural History Museum, London

The Conservation Centre at the Natural History Museum in London (NHM) holds a collection of approximately 18,000 archival records and documents. These historical records, which include photographs, slides, X-rays, building plans, letters, press cuttings and field maps, provide a history of fieldwork, specimen treatments and the evolution of conservation and preparation methods at the museum. This paper details a six-month project that was carried out to digitise much of these collections, making them more accessible and easier to associate with specimen records on the museum collection management system and adding to a museum-wide drive to improve accessibility through digitisation.

Geographic Distribution Shift of Invasive Plant Austroeupatorium inulifolium in the Future Climate Projection

Aims: This study aims to predict the future geographic distribution shift of invasive plant species Austroeupathorium inulifolium as the impact of global climate change.
 Study Design: The rising temperature and precipitation change lead to the geographic distribution shift of organisms. A. inulifolium belongs to invasive plant species that often causes a substantial economic loss and ecological degradation in the invaded areas. Modelling of species distribution using the climate-based model could be used to understand the geographic distribution shift of invasive species in the future scenario under global climate change.
 Place and Duration of Study: Center for Plant Conservation and Botanic Gardens – LIPI and 6 months.
 Methodology: The total 2228 of occurrence records were derived from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) database. The seven climatic variables were selected from 19 variables using a pairwise correlation test (vifcor) with a threshold >0.7. The ensemble model was used by combining Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM).
 Results: Both two models are well-performed either using AUC or TSS evaluation methods. RF and SVM have AUC >0.95, and TSS >0.8. The predicted current distribution tends to have larger distribution areas compared to observed occurrence records. The predicted future distribution seems to be shifted in several parts of North America and Europe.
 Conclusion: The geographic distribution of invasive plant species A. inulifolium will be shifted to the Northern part of globe in 2090. Mean temperature of driest quarter and precipitation of warmest quarter are the two most important variables that determine the distribution pattern of the A. inulifolium. The predictive distribution pattern of invasive plant A. inulifolium would be important to provide information about the impact of climate change to the geographic distribution shift of this species.

Blood Profiling of Captive and Semi-Wild False Gharial in Peninsular Malaysia.

Simple SummaryIll or injured wildlife species are been rescued, treated and or rehabilitated usually at the wildlife rescued centers, zoos clinic facilities and or wildlife conservation centers. The false gharial also known as Malayan gharial is a crocodile species native to Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia with extirpation in Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand. The false gharial is facing a threat of extinction due to habitat destruction and hunting Policies were implemented to conserve this species through the establishment of Ex-Situ Conservation centers, as such to maintain the health and welfare status of this species while in captivity, understanding its normal Haematology and serum biochemistry values becomes necessary to save the false gharial from extinction. The involvement of veterinary medicine in wildlife research has played an important role in understanding the health status of various wildlife species. Health status is a very important aspect of species conservation. However, it requires a widely employed knowledge of veterinary clinical pathology, as a diagnostic tool in diagnosing the various disease conditions of wildlife species. Notwithstanding, a gap exists in the literature about the clinical pathology of the false gharial, due to the lack of normal reference values for hematological and serum biochemical analysis. The present study investigated the normal blood profile of 10 healthy false gharials, from two different zoos, and wildlife conservation centers located in three different states of Peninsular Malaysia. Blood samples were collected from the lateral caudal vein and divided into a vacutainer without anticoagulant for biochemical analysis, and a lithium heparin vacutainer (containing sodium heparin) for hematological studies. The results of the study indicated that the false gharial has a smaller erythrocyte dimension compared to other crocodilian species. At the same time the study revealed that the false gharial in a natural captive pond showed more leukocytes than false gharial kept in zoos, hence, habitat and environmental factors significantly affect hematological values. The biochemistry values also showed differences between the false gharial in different environmental conditions. Total protein, albumin (Alb), globulin (Glob), and Alb: Glob ratio were higher in false gharials kept in wildlife conservation centers than in false gharials kept in zoos. The values obtained in this study provide baseline data of hematological and serum biochemical values of the false gharial for future research and routine clinical diagnosis.

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE DAILY ACTIVITY BUDGET OF SUN BEAR (Helarctus malayanus) IN CAPTIVITY AND SEMI-CAPTIVITY

A comparative study on the daily activity budget of the sun bear was conducted in Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and Borneon Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) Malaysia. The behaviour of 22 individuals was recorded using the Instantaneous scan sampling method. A total of 330 hr were collected, with 180 hr were collected at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and 150 hr at BSBCC. Thirteen behavioural activities were recorded using the Ad-libitum sampling method in both captive and semi- captive bears, which were then grouped into three categories; active, passive, and abnormal behaviours classes and tabulated in an ethogram. Captive sun bears are kept permanently under human control, such as in zoos, while semi-captive sun bears are released to the forest during the day but kept in the cage at night. This study shows that semi-captive bears are significantly more active than captive bears. More passive and abnormal behaviours are present in captive bears. Stereotypic pacing scored the highest percentage of observation with 24% for abnormal behaviour in captive bears. Both captive and semi-captive bears showed a similar pattern of active and passive behavioural rhythms. The peak for active behaviours was from 1000 to 1100 hr, and the peak for passive behaviours was from 1300 to 1400 hr. In conclusion, although there was a difference in activities done between captive and semi-captive bears, the pattern of behavioural rhythms between both group of bears was similar. The introduction of enrichment programmes is crucial to captive bears to reduce stereotypic pacing behaviour.

Identifying factors influencing attitudes towards species conservation – a transnational study in the context of zoos

In the past decades, zoos have increasingly developed into conservation and education centers and today make an important contribution to environmental education. In this context, this study investigated which factors influence attitudes towards species conservation. The variables examined were gender, age, the number of visits to zoos in the last 12 months, perception of zoos, interest in animals and the country where the survey was conducted. A total of 3347 participants in seven different countries were surveyed. In the hierarchical multiple regression, it was found that all the variables examined were significant influencing factors with exception of gender. A mediator analysis provided evidence that the number of visits to zoos, in addition to the direct effect on attitudes towards species conservation, also has a relevant indirect effect with interest in animals as mediators. Significant differences in attitudes towards species conservation were found between some of the countries studied, but only with a small effect sizes.

Human bones, archaeology and interdisciplinary research in France: From excavation to conservation for research

Archaeological excavations often dig up human bones remains, in cemetery and necropolis or in other contexts. Nevertheless, their excavation and conservation are challenging with regard first to their nature that we share and second to other remains, in particular animal bones. Human remains cannot be treated only in terms of “archaeological objects”, and must be treated singularly, respecting their status. The aim of this paper is to describe how we deal with in France and to provide an update on the place and role of archaeological human bones, as well as their consideration and percentage in the studies and conservation. To go further, it is based on the example of the situation in Alsace and particularly on the creation of a Conservation and study center in Alsace since 2016, which sheds new light on these issues. If the legal status of archaeological bones remains is not completely clarified, a specific kind of conservation combining preservation and scientific research has been developed in regard with their nature. A compromise was found and will ensure respectful treatment of the singular status of human bones as well as allowing their study.

Serum Biochemical Profile of Captive-bred Philippine Crocodiles (Crocodylus mindorensis Schmidt, 1935) Sub-adults

The Philippine crocodiles Crocodylus mindorensis Schmidt, 1935 are a critically endangered species that necessitate minimally invasive diagnostic tools for their physiological state and health assessment. In the current study, we determined the reference ranges for the serum biochemistry of male and female captive-bred C. mindorensis sub-adults. We collected blood samples from the post-occipital venous sinus of six male and seven female captive-bred crocodile sub-adults at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center and quantified the serum biochemical values for cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, glucose, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin, total protein, and globulin. We defined reference ranges through the central 95% of the concentration values obtained. The uric acid concentrations were significantly different between male and female C. mindorensis sub-adults. Uric acid levels were higher (P = 0.035) in male sub-adults because of their higher food intake resulting from dominance and aggression during feeding times. Serum biochemical values of C. mindorensis exhibited similarities with and variations from other crocodile species. We briefly discussed the differences with other species and the influence of factors such as field and laboratory methodologies, environmental conditions, nutritional status, and size class.

Phylogenetic Relationships in Vicia Subgenus Vicilla (Fabaceae) Based on Combined Evidence from DNA Sequences

Background: Vicia L. is rich in protein and can be used as a good forage, green manure, etc., but its classification is chaotic, which is not conducive to breeding and utilization. The purpose of the study is sequencing the nrDNA ITS region the chloroplast region (matK, rbcL and trnL-F) of the Vicia species of subgenus Vicilla of Vicia to resolve taxonomic contradictions.Methods: Collecting seeds from the National Herbage Germplasm Conservation Centre of China (Beijing, China) and the germplasm bank of wild species (Kunming, China). The seedlings were cultivated in greenhouse as experimental materials. The nrDNA ITS region and the chloroplast region (matK, rbcL and trnL-F) were sequenced in 17 Vicia species of subgenus Vicilla of Vicia. Maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) for all the data sets were used to estimate the individual and multilocus phylogenetic trees are used in this study and the result showed a highly-resolved phylogeny of the Vicia species. Result: V. amurensis, V. costata and V. tibetica belong to section Vicilla. Sections Cassubicae, Americanae, Variegatae and Lenticula were monophyletic groups. The sections Vicilla, Cracca and Amurense appeared polyphyletic. Treatment of sections Lenticula and Ervumin a separate subgenus Ervum was not supported. The research evaluated the phylogenetic position of the subgenus Vicilla species and provides a theoretical basis for the precise classification of the subgenus Vicilla and the genus Vicia.

Research on Intelligent Transportation Logistics Technology Based on Energy Saving and Emission Reduction

Through the analysis of the relationship between logistics and economy, energy and environment, a mathematical model for the path optimization of multiple logistics distribution centres for energy conservation and emission reduction in logistics is established. According to the characteristics of the problem, a genetic algorithm is constructed to solve the problem, and the path optimization problem of multiple logistics distribution centres is integrated and solved by a mathematical model. This thesis establishes a mathematical model of the path optimization problem of multiple logistics distribution centres. This article proposes the concept of invalid genes, which is not limited to making every gene in an individual must be expressed, thus enhancing the flexibility of coding. Simulation experiments prove the effectiveness and operability of the method.

Ulos as Batak Cultural Wisdom Towards World Heritage

Ulos as one of Indonesia's intangible cultural heritages is the fruit of thought and the result of high quality art as an ancestral heritage that must be preserved. The sacred value of ulos is a picture of the inner world of the Batak people. Each ulos has a meaning and purpose between the giver and recipient of ulos. The stipulation of ulos as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia is a new hope to move towards a world heritage. The purpose of writing this article is to describe ulos as a Batak cultural identity that has been established as an intangible cultural heritage of Indonesia accompanied by efforts to become a world heritage, in addition to increasing literacy about Ulos. The method used in this paper is descriptive method, by describing the existing phenomena and collecting literature study data. Under the auspices of UNESCO as the world organization that houses cultural heritage, every country is obliged to report and propose new cultural heritage to become world heritage on a regular basis. With this step, Ulos under the auspices of the Aceh BPNB (Cultural Value Conservation Center) continues to strive and strive to be registered in accordance with the requirements of a cultural heritage to become a world heritage.

Debut of an endangered bird in zoos raises public interest, awareness and conservation knowledge of the species

AbstractRaising public awareness and support for endangered species is critical for global biodiversity conservation. However, we know little about which factors drive public interest in wildlife and how an increase in people's interest shapes their behaviours towards wildlife conservation. The animal debut of ex situ endangered species at zoos may raise general public interest in the conservation of these species. We assessed the impact of an animal debut using a case study of ex situ‐bred Japanese rock ptarmigan, a bird subspecies locally endangered in Japan, on people's awareness, knowledge and behaviours regarding Japanese ptarmigan conservation. The public's reactions to ptarmigans were measured by using an online questionnaire survey and online sources of information (Google Trends, Wikipedia, Twitter and the donation website visits). The animal debut events generated a nationwide increase in information‐seeking and sharing behaviours on the web and in conservation‐oriented behaviour (measured by the number of donation website page visits). A significant increase in knowledge of ptarmigans was evident only among people living in prefectures where ptarmigans occurred. Overall, our results suggest that the debut of ex situ‐bred endangered animals has the potential to promote public awareness, knowledge and behaviours for their conservation on a nationwide scale. Policy makers and practitioners should view zoos as important conservation centres and encourage conservation agencies to collaborate with them to reinforce public support for conservation programmes.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Fragile Balance of a Small Zoo: the Case of Pistoia Zoo in Italy

Abstract Zoos and aquaria have progressively evolved into conservation centres aimed at conserving biodiversity through educational, recreational, research and integrated conservation activities. Their work is based on a strong cooperation at national and international level, that enables the collaborative management of hundreds of thousands of animals and the protection of endangered species through integrated conservation programmes. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated health, social and economic crisis have greatly impacted the zoological community, leading to multifaceted consequences especially for small private institutions. Here, we present the operational and ethical challenges, as well as the opportunities, arisen from the on-going crisis, focusing on Pistoia Zoo (Italy) as a case study. We finally discuss ethical and operational constraints and perspectives which could characterize the upcoming future of zoological facilities.