Endangered Species Of Fauna Research Articles

Regression models for estimating stem volume of Aquilaria malaccensis (Lam.) in North East India

Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. (Agar), a Critically Endangered tree species native to the tropical rain forests of South and South East Asia, is known for eaglewood and its oil of medicinal and aromatic value. In order to develop stem volume prediction models for agar tree, an exercise was carried out with 441 trees selected in North East India, by non-destructive sampling. The required variables, such as, diameter at breast height (D), tree height (H) and fraction diameters at 1 m interval were physically measured for estimating the volume of each fraction using Smalian formula, and summing up the volumes of fractions to yield the volume of the tree. A comparison of different stem volume models showed that the power function V=aDb and the polynomial of degree-3 V=a+bDH+cD2H+dDH2were the best fitting models for single independent variable D and two independent variables D & H, respectively. The regression models shall be useful for farmers to optimize their income while selling the agar wood. These agar specific regression models will also be helpful to fix the quota for agar wood harvest and trade in the country, while implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Wildlife Crime: A Crime of Hegemonic Masculinity?

Scholarship within green criminology focusing on crimes and harms against nonhuman animals has been increasing. Little attention, however, has been directed at the gendered aspects of these crimes. For example, why is it that the great majority of offenders involved in wildlife trade and the illegal killing of endangered predators are male? The aim of this article is to fill the gap in the literature, relying on confiscation reports from Norwegian Customs of nonhuman animals—most of whom are listed in CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora)—as well as an analysis of verdicts in cases in Norwegian courts of “theriocides” (animal murders) of large predators. This article will assess the number of men and women involved in these crimes and harms, and will present some trends of theriociders. This article will employ ecofeminist and masculinities theories to better understand the gendered dynamics involved in wildlife trafficking and the theriocides of large carnivores.

Biodiversity conservation in the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalayan mountain region of northern Pakistan: Overview of big mammal protection

The high mountains of northern Pakistan comprise the western section of the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalayas (HKH) region of South and Central Asia. They are home to some rare and endangered species of fauna and flora which form an important link in the biodiversity of the region as a whole. Increasing population and changing life styles in recent decades have brought unprecedented pressures on the biodiversity of this region. Along with the government, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and communities have a crucial role to play in conserving biodiversity. In this regard, a number of undertakings to protect depleting species have been initiated by governmental and non-governmental entities. These efforts are commendable and some have produced positive results, but many exist on a small scale and, with a few exceptions, are not self-sustaining. This paper reports on some of these initiatives of conserving big mammal species like the Astor markhor, Blue sheep, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan ibex and Snow leopard, with the aim of collating and highlighting them, identifying gaps in conservation and suggesting a way forward so as to promote conservation projects on a larger and more sustainable basis.

Forensic identification of CITES Appendix I Cupressaceae using anatomy and mass spectrometry

Abstract Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides (Mol.) Johnst.) and Guaitecas cypress (Pilgerodendron uviferum (Don) Florin) are two of the three closely-related species of conifers in the Cupressaceae that are endemic to southern Chile and Argentina. Both are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). The presence or absence of nodular (conspicuously pitted) end walls in the parenchyma cells provide good diagnostic characters to separate the two species wood anatomically, but the latter is sometimes difficult to distinguish. Therefore, a collaborative project was designed to study the chemical-molecular expression of these species by analyzing the heartwood using DART TOFMS (Direct Analysis in Real-Time (DART) Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOFMS). This study compares the anatomical features of heartwood for both species and demonstrates that anatomy in conjunction with chemistry can separate them. DART TOFMS analysis combined with PCA was able to unequivocally determine taxonomic source with a statistical certainty of 99%. The mass spectra results obtained from heartwood demonstrated that identification is feasible after a few seconds, using a very small sample. DART TOFMS is a robust tool for reliable species identification and is useful to identify the taxonomic source of finished products or timber that are suspected of being illegally harvested.

Assessing utility of handheld laser induced breakdown spectroscopy as a means of Dalbergia speciation.

Many species of Dalbergia are prized hardwoods, generally referred to as 'Rosewood,' and used in high-end products due to their distinctive hue and scent. Despite more than 58 species of Dalbergia being listed as endangered in Appendix 1 of The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), the illegal logging and trade of this timber is ongoing. In this work, a handheld laser induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS) was used to analyze seven Dalbergia species and two other exotic hardwood species to evaluate the ability of handheld LIBS for rapid classification of Dalbergia in the field. The KNN model of the classification presented 80% to 90% sensitivity for discriminating between Dalbergia species in the training set. PLS-DA models were based on a binary decision tree structure. Cumulatively, the PLS-DA decision tree model showed greater than 97% sensitivity and 99% selectivity for prediction of Dalbergia species included in the training set. The data presented in the following study are promising for the use of handheld LIBS devices and both KNN and PLS-DA models for applications in customs screenings at the port of entry of hard woods, among others.

Anna Huggins, Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Compliance: The Benefits of Administrative Procedures

Much ink has been spilled over compliance mechanisms and their merits in the context of international environmental governance (IEG). At the same time, much scholarly attention has been given to administrative procedures as a means of securing compliance with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). Against this backdrop, Anna Huggins proposes an elaborate framework that provides the benchmark against which the benefits of administrative procedures within three areas of international environmental law (IEL)—namely, ozone layer depletion, climate change, and trade in endangered species of fauna and flora—can be gauged. By aptly navigating and drawing insights from global administrative law (GAL), regulation theory, international relations, and third world approaches to international law, the author skilfully articulates her proposed framework. The framework presents a useful tool to evaluate the extent to which administrative action in the compliance mechanisms of MEAs are circumscribed by administrative procedures and mechanisms (at 16). In this regard, the author’s main argument is twofold: first, the adoption of administrative procedures in the compliance systems of MEAs ensures that compliance decision-making occurs in procedurally constrained spaces; second, proceduralization brings with it the potential for affected states’ interests to be heard and taken into consideration in compliance decision-making processes (at 5).

DNA analysis of traded shark fins and mobulid gill plates reveals a high proportion of species of conservation concern

Continuously increasing demand for plant and animal products causes unsustainable depletion of biological resources. It is estimated that one-quarter of sharks and rays are threatened worldwide and although the global fin trade is widely recognized as a major driver, demand for meat, liver oil, and gill plates also represents a significant threat. This study used DNA barcoding and 16 S rRNA sequencing as a method to identify shark and ray species from dried fins and gill plates, obtained in Canada, China, and Sri Lanka. 129 fins and gill plates were analysed and searches on BOLD produced matches to 20 species of sharks and five species of rays or – in two cases – to a species pair. Twelve of the species found are listed or have been approved for listing in 2017 in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), including the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), which was surprisingly found among both shark fin and gill plate samples. More than half of identified species fall under the IUCN Red List categories ‘Endangered’ and ‘Vulnerable’, raising further concerns about the impacts of this trade on the sustainability of these low productivity species.

Monitoring the implementation of Prunus africana (Rosaceae) management plans in Cameroon: Respect of national norms

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat has teamed up with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) to assist Congo basin countries in the frame of the so called “the ITTO-CITES program”, to develop non-detriment findings (NDF) on Prunus africana, a CITES listing tree species. This paper aims to assess the way the simple management plans (SMPs) developed within the ITTO-CITES program are being implemented in the field. Data were gathered during field missions conducted from November to December 2015. Although, Cameroon has made many efforts to promote the sustainable harvesting of P.africana, many problems still remain in the implementation of the guidelines prescribed in SMPs. It is in the North West region where the non-respect of existing norms/standards in term of realization of exploitation inventories, the minimum exploitable diameter (MED) and sustainable harvesting techniques is largely observed. The low buying price tends to be the main cause of the non-respect of national standards by community forest managers and harvesters. There is an urgent need for the ITTO-CITES program to extend its activities on the implementation of the SMPs. Key words: Prunus africana, CITES, ITTO-CITES program, norms, management plans, sustainable harvesting.

Is in vitro micrografting a possible valid alternative to traditional micropropagation in Cactaceae? Pelecyphora aselliformis as a case study.

Several taxa of Cactaceae are endangered by overcollection for commercial purposes, and most of the family is included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). Micropropagation may play a key role to keep the pressure off wild populations and contribute to ex situ conservation of endangered taxa. One of the limits of micropropagation is the species-specific requirement of plant regulators for each taxon and sometimes even for different genotypes. With the micrografting technique the rootstock directly provides the scion with the necessary hormonal requirements. In this paper we present data on in vitro grafting of Pelecyphora aselliformis Ehrenberg, an Appendix I CITES listed species critically endangered and sought after by the horticultural trade, on micropropagated Opuntia ficus-indica Miller. Apical and sub-apical scions of P. aselliformis were used to perform micrografting with a successful rate of 97 and 81 % respectively. Survival rate after ex vivo transfer was 85 %. We hypothesize that this method could be applied to other endangered, slow growing taxa of Cactaceae thus contributing to the conservation of this endangered family.

Impacts and Assessment of the Endangered Snow Leopard: A Conservational Approach

Overcoming the threats of the snow leopard with immediate action may be what will save this species from extinction. This report provides a brief overview both of the challenges faced by the snow leopard and the roles local people have taken in the decline and subsequent recovery of this apex predator. Panthera uncia lives across the high-alpine regions of Central Asia, with China containing most of their habitat. It is estimated that only 550,000 km2 of this territory is good quality habitat.These predators will adjust their territory size and range in accordance with their ungulate prey. Under the Conservation Monitoring Centre of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they have been listed as endangered since 1996. Since 1975, all international trade has been prohibited after being listed with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). The International Snow Leopard Trust and the Snow Leopard Survival Strategy are promoting conservation through scientifically based research. Numerous threats have been identified: decline in prey populations, habitat degradation, trophy and black market hunting, ineffective law enforcement, a lack of knowledge about conservation efforts, and climate change. It is estimated that 30% of their habitat will be subject to change along the Himalayas. The Snow Leopard Survival Strategy is promoting livestock and grazing practices that will reduce vulnerability to predation, such as the use of herding dogs to ward off predators. An underlying problem that ties the numerous issues together is the poverty in most of the countries that are part of snow leopard range, and this draws a link between biodiversity conservation and the well-being of those people. Regional conservation programs depend not only on the effective enforcement of protection laws, but also on the proof that wildlife conservation can provide new opportunities to the local people who are impacted by this species. To save this species, these areas need to be conserved and managed, and the rural communities need to be educated and supported.

Eu Negotiating and Voting under the Amended cites Convention

The European Union is on the point of becoming a full member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (cites Convention). This Convention is a so-called mixed agreement: the competence to protect endangered species of fauna and flora is shared between the eu and its 28 Member States. This article discusses, how the right to negotiate and vote is shared between the eu and the Member States, in particular in the light of the jurisprudence of the eu Court of Justice. The principle of sincere cooperation and the necessity for the eu to speak with one voice during international negotiations play a particularly important role in this regard.

English

Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman (Rosaceae)/Pygeum or African cherry is a mountain tree species of the tropical Africa. Prunus bark is exported dried, chipped or powdered to USA and Europe to produce an extract used to treat benign prostrate hyperplasia. The plant is considered as vulnerable and is listed in appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). This paper aims to estimate the average mass of mature stems of that tree species as a tool for establishing its non-detriment findings in Burundi. The study was carried out in July 2013 in a production forest of 2 800 ha found in the Teza sector, in the south of the Kibira National Park. Stem barks were gathered from a total of 36 mature trees of Prunus africana with diameter at breast height of more than 30 cm, known as mature trees. The harvesting of the barks was done according to the recommended sustainable technic which is, “for all trees above 30 cm DBH, only two quarters of the bark are taken from the main stem up to the first branch”. The average mass of the fresh bark of a Prunus mature tree is 47.0 kg. The quantity of the dried bark estimated to be harvested in sustainable manner each year in the Teza sector is 24.8 tons/year. This is known as the annual quota. If Burundi authorities agree to allow the exploitation of Prunus barks in the Kibira Park, the National Institute for the Environment and the Conservation of Nature (INECN), which is in charge of the management of protected areas in Burundi, can yield about 426 155.7 – 497 181.7 USD/year. And these funds can be used to enhance the strategy of conservation settled within the “Parks for Peace Project” in the Kibira national park. Key words: Prunus Africana, Kibira National Park, mass, sustainable technic, annual quota, Burundi, CITES.

Nuevo registro y ampliación de distribución geográfica para Agalychnis psilopygion (Anura: Hylidae: Phyllomedusinae) en el Chocó Biogeográfico de Colombia

We report a new locality for Agalychnis psilopygion (Cannatella 1980) in Biological Research Permanent Plot ( PPIB ), located in the center of the department of Choco; all three individuals were found associated with a permanent water body product human intervention in leaves of bushes , sharing habitat with A. spurrelli , A. aff terranova , Hypsiboas pellucens , H. rubracylus, Craugastor fitzingeri, Dendrosophus phleobodes and Lithobates vaillantis . This record extends the geographic range for the species about 190 km from the type locality. The discovery of this species listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora in Appendix II also lacks ecological, biological and phylogenetic relationships in the area of influence of the PPIB in the village of Salero is important in terms of conservation of forests for the preservation of amphibians of the Colombian Pacific lowlands.

Evidence of migratory movements of olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) along the Brazilian coast

Projeto Aves, Quelonios e Mamiferos Marinhos da Bacia de Campos, Grupo de Estudos de Mamiferos Marinhos da Regiao dos Lagos (GEMM-Lagos) / Oceanites, Departamento de Endemias, Escola Nacional de Saude Publica, FIOCRUZ (Rua Leopoldo Bulhoes, 1480 - 6o andar - Sala 620, 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil) *Corresponding author: est.cardinot@gmail.com Sea turtles have a long and complex life cycle involving transoceanic migrations and marked changes in diet and habitat. Juveniles are believed to spend their first few years drifting passively in ocean current systems or on floating sargassum rafts (CARR, 1986; BOLTEN et al., 1998). Advanced juveniles subsequently shift to coastal feeding habitats (CARR, 1987). After reaching sexual maturity, some 20 or 30 years later (FRAZER; EHRHART, 1985; KLINGER; MUSICK, 1995), adults undertake reproductive migrations that range from tens to thousands of kilometers (MEYLAN, 1982; MEYLAN et al., 1983; HUGHES, 1989; LIMPUS et al., 1992). Nesting usually occurs in spring and summer. Tagging data suggest that sea turtles show maternal philopatry to their natal site (BJORNDAL et al., 1983; BOWEN et al., 1993). Five sea turtle species can be found in Brazil: Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, and Lepidochelys olivacea of the Cheloniidae family, and Dermochelys coriacea of the Dermochelyidae family (MARCOVALDI; MARCOVALDI, 1999) . L. olivacea (Eschscholtz 1829), known as olive ridley turtle, shows a great concentration of nests in Sergipe and northern Bahia states, on the north-eastern Brazilian coast (DA SILVA et al., 2007). Also, based on incidental catch by the Brazilian pelagic longline fishery, Sales et al. (2008) have suggested that the offshore waters of the north-eastern Brazilian coast are a preferential habitat for olive ridley turtles. Under the International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria, this species is currently considered endangered (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, available at , December 2009). In addition, L. olivacea is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (available at , December 2009). Here we discuss the possible existence of a translocation pattern of olive ridleys along the Brazilian coast based on reports of specimens stranded along the central-north coast of Rio de Janeiro state since 2005. These reports include an olive ridley tagged by the TAMAR Project in Sergipe and found by our research group in Quissama, northern Rio de Janeiro state. Since 2005, GEMM-Lagos / Oceanites staff has been regularly monitoring beaches along the central-north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, from Saquarema (22

Tapirus pinchaque (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae)

Tapirus pinchaque (Roulin, 1829), the mountain tapir, is considered the smallest and least specialized of the 4 species of Tapirus. It is restricted to parts of temperate areas from Colombia and Ecuador to extreme northwestern Peru. It is a foliage browser that generally inhabits moist habitats that facilitate bathing; however, they are frequently found in thick bush in the cold and humid zones of the Andes between 1,400 and 4,400 m. T. pinchaque, one of the rarest mammals in the world, is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora and is considered “Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

El manatí (Trichechus manatus manatus Linnaeus,1758) (Sirenia) una especie sombrilla, para el Sistema Lagunar de Alvarado, Veracruz

The most emblematic mammal in the Alvarado Lagoon System (ALS) is the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus). In July 1975 was considered as endangered species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), since 1982 as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is considered an endangered species under Mexican laws. The manatee is a poorly studied animal in the state of Veracruz because in natural conditions are very difficult to observe. This species is reported as extinct in the northen region of Veracruz and recent observations indicate that the manatee population that survives in this area took refuge in the lagoons system Alvarado. Alvarado is a site with high biodiversity, coastal lagoons, and composed of more than 100 lakes and several rivers inland. We sought to establish the benefits of considering the manatee as a focal species to use as a charismatic species or flag in a conservation effort and run as an umbrella species.

Do Democracies Exhibit Stronger International Environmental Commitment? A Cross-country Analysis

This article tests the hypothesis that democracies exhibit stronger international environmental commitment than non-democracies, using multivariate econometric techniques. A number of proxy variables are used in lieu of environmental commitment, a non-observable variable. Strong evidence is found that democracies sign and ratify more multilateral environmental agreements, participate in more environmental intergovernmental organizations, comply better with reporting requirements under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, put a greater percentage of their land area under protections status, are more likely to have a National Council on Sustainable Development in their country and have more environmentally relevant information available than non-democracies. The findings suggest that a spread of democracy around the world will lead to enhanced environmental commitment worldwide. Results are robust with respect to inclusion or exclusion of developed countries in the sample. The use of four different variables for democracy also ensures robustness with respect to the measure of democracy. The strong evidence in favour of a positive link between democracy and environmental commitment stands in contrast to the somewhat weak evidence on such a link between democracy and environmental outcomes. The explanation presumably is that theory predicts a stronger positive link of democracy with environmental commitment than with environmental outcomes.

Protecting Wildlife from Trade: Japan's Involvement in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

The recent proliferation of multilateral environmental agreements sug gests that states have come to assume that such agreements, and resulting institutions, are effective. There is disagreement in the international rela tions theoretical literature, however, about whether membership in an inter national regime causes states to change their behaviors in ways they would not in the absence of the regime. This paper examines the behavior of Japan as a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), and concludes that regimes, by changing the memberstate's cost/benefit calculation of a potential behaviorchange, can make a difference, but do not always do so. In Japan's case, CITES participation did lead to unexpected cessation of trade in elephant ivory and endangered sea turtle shells, but will not likely affect Japan's trade behavior regarding most marine species-including whales-and commercially impor tant tropical timber. The findings differ from the realist contention that regimes merely serve to codify existing balance of power relationships between sovereign states, and do not cause states to change their behaviors. The findings also differ from the institutionalist position that regimes represent a voluntary surrender of some degree of national sovereignty, and suggest that a regime's effectiveness will be limited by the political and economic sensitivity of the behavior changes it demands.