Climate change impacts on the distribution of venomous snakes and snakebite risk in Mozambique - via Herp Digest

Climatic Change Page 1-13

First Published Online—11/23/18

Authors- Daniel Zacarias 1,2,3,4,

daniel.zacarias15@gmail.com

Rafael Loyola 3,5

1- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e EvoluçãoUniversidade Federal de GoiásGoiás Brazil

2- Programa de Pós-graduação Ciência para o DesenvolvimentoInstituto Gulbenkian de CiênciasOeiras Portugal

3- Laboratório de Biogeografia da Conservação, Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade Federal de GoiásGoiás Brazil

4- Escola Superior de Hotelaria e Turismo de InhambaneUniversidade Eduardo MondlaneInhambane Mozambique

5- Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change – Rede ClimaSão Paulo Brazil

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the impacts of global climate change (GCC) on the distribution of dangerous venomous snakes and snakebite risk in Mozambique, as a contribution to the enhancement of public health policies and snake conservation. 

We modelled current and future distribution of all 13 dangerous snakes occurring in Mozambique using ecological niche models to assess the likely impacts of climate change estimated as the difference between lost and gained climatic suitable area per species. In addition, we developed a normalized index of snakebite risk based on species diversity and species-specific traits for each time slice. We then superimposed our index to data on human population density to identify areas most prone to this burden. 

Our findings suggest considerable future reduction in climatically suitable area for nine out of 13 species, with species experiencing a north-south range shift and high rates of species turnover in northern Mozambique. We also found that GCC might alter the spatial patterns of snakebite risk in the country, with considerable increase in the future, affecting most areas in central and southern regions. This finding suggests that GCC will be harmful to venomous snakes in Mozambique with potentially adverse effects on public health. 

As GCC might induce the approximation of snake climatic suitable areas to highly populated areas, efforts are needed to increase human knowledge of snakebite prevention measures and increase awareness of the relative safety and attacking behaviour associated with some of the snakes studied here ensuring reduction in snakebites and improving species conservation.

EU bans import of elephant tusks as hunting trophies from Tanzania and Mozambique

The EU has banned the import of elephant hunting trophies from Tanzania and Mozambique, due to their elephant populations being decimated by poaching. A ban on elephant trophies from Zambia was also upheld. 

The decision was taken by an EU scientific committee which rules on whether hunting trophy imports are sustainable. Previously Tanzania and Mozambique were each permitted to export tusks from 100 elephants every year into the EU as hunting trophies.

Both countries have seen a significant decline in elephant numbers due to soaring levels of poaching, and neither could give information to show that the export of tusks as hunting trophies is sustainable.

Liberal Democrat MEP Catherine Bearder, long-time wildlife campaigner and founder of the cross-party MEPs for Wildlife group, said: "I'm glad the EU is leading the way in stopping the slaughter of endangered animals for sport. Trophy hunting of elephants is not only senseless and cruel, it is wholly unsustainable. African elephants could be extinct in the wild within our lifetimes; we must do everything we can to prevent this iconic species from being wiped out."

Source ...

Mozambique raids wildlife house of horror

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Kevin Heath

Mozambique police and wildlife officials have made their biggest wildlife bust ever after raiding a house belonging to a Chinese national. Hidden in the house of horror was 340 elephant tusks and 65 rhino horns.

“Undoubtedly, this is a case that is related to poaching. Some of the ivory tusks still have fresh blood, a sign that some animals may have been recently victimized, “said the spokesman for PRM in the province of Maputo, Emidio Mabunda.

The raid was undertaken on Tuesday on a house in Matola in Southern Mozambique. The operation culminating in the seizure involved 20 officers from various branches of the police and a team from the forestry and wild life department of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Information was gained from intelligence work with the local community which led the officers to a condominium in the Tchumene neighbourhood of the city. The Chinese had been living in the house for about 3 months and his cover was that he earned money from recycling cans. The owner of the house is not connected with the investigation.

In total the haul is estimated to have a value of US$19 million. It is estimated at least 170 elephants and 65 rhino died from this one consignment. Part of the haul had already been packaged ready for export. As well as the haul of tusks and rhino horn the officials also recovered a collection of finished ivory products.

Continued ...

Put squeeze on Mozambique to stop slaughter of elephants

Lisa Johnston / 1 day ago

In the dead of night a group of men hack the meat from a corpse using rusted machetes and pocket knives. Together they’re like a machine systematically tearing flesh from bone, slashing and sawing with blunted instruments. By morning all that’s left for the vultures are stalactites of flesh that cling stubbornly to the ribcage, which gapes like a maw where the heart and lifeblood of the elephant once pulsed

The slaughter is documented in a series of grisly photos that emerged from the northern Mozambican game reserves of Quirimbas National Park and Niassa National Reserve in October this year. They highlight the routine slaughter of elephants in that area – on a scale that is now being referred to as “industrialised”.

Estacios Valoi of the Oxpeckers Centre for Investigative Journalism took the images and reported that within 48 hours five elephants had been massacred in the Quirimbas National Park. Their tusks were the first thing to go, axed from the skull and immediately delivered to clients. In this instance the villagers also took the meat, but often the carcases are simply left to rot. In a year long investigation, started in November last year and supported by photographic and documentary evidence, Oxpecker’s Estacios Valoi revealed how a number of administrative, judicial and tax authorities in Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces were complicit with the poaching syndicates, enabling poachers to gain access to weapons and protected areas and turning a blind eye to ivory and other illegal goods being smuggled through Mozambican ports, airports and borders.

Continued ...

Mozambique logs a rare victory against poachers

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The recent arrests of six suspected poachers on a vast wildlife reserve in Mozambique are seen by conservationists as rare good news in a country where elephants and other species are under extreme threat.

The poaching ring had been operating in the Niassa National Reserve, which is twice the size of South Africa's flagship Kruger National Park, where the rhino population has been hit hard by poachers, many of whom cross over from Mozambique.

The Sept. 7 detentions in the southern African nation followed nearly a year of investigative work, illustrating the challenges of policing rugged areas where armed poachers hike on expeditions that often last two weeks and sometimes kill elephants with single shots targeting vital organs.

Continued ...

New tagging scheme in Mozambique to study endangered grey reef sharks

Grey reef sharks appear to congregate around Vamizi Island to reproduce

Vamizi Island in Mozambique is launching a shark-tagging project to learn more about grey reef sharks.

This endangered species on the IUCN Red List is often seen on Vamizi’s reefs and is an important indicator of the health of the marine ecosystem. 

In September 2014, a group of scientists will travel to Vamizi to assist freediving world record holder and IUCN Oceans Ambassador, William Winram, as he dives to fit satellite tags to 10 sharks.

Photographer and film-maker Mattias Klum will capture footage of the event to feature in a film he is producing on the marine eco-system that surrounds Vamizi. 

In October, a further 20 sharks will be fitted with acoustic tags by marine scientists. The object of the project is to understand the sharks’ movements and breeding habits, providing invaluable information in the bid to protect them. 

Continued ...

Four new species of chameleon discovered in Mozambique

Four new species of pygmy chameleon have been discovered in Mozambique’s sky islands. These are isolated mountains found in the north of the country that all feature pockets of rainforest, which have been separated for many thousands of years.

The researchers focused on four mountains and found a different species of chameleon at each; Rhampholeon nebulauctor (Mt Chiperone) , Rhampholeon tilburyi (Mt Namuli), Rhampholeon Bruessoworum (Mt Inago) and Rampholeon Maspictus (Mt Mabu).

Read on ...

Stiffer penalties proposed for Mozambique's poachers

April 2014: A proposed bill that will rapidly increase the penalties for poaching wildlife, particularly of endangered species, in conservation areas in Mozambique has passed the parliament’s first reading.

Introducing the bill, Tourism Minister Carvalho Muaria said the current legislation “does not allow for severe penalties against offenders, and so there are no measures that discourage poaching”. 

Muaria said that over the last six months (October 2012-March 2013) Mozambique´s largest conservation area, the Niassa Reserve, had lost two to three elephants to poachers a day. Mozambique is also used as a corridor to smuggle ivory and rhino horns (often from rhinos killed in South Africa) to the Asian market. 

The bill proposes prison sentences of between eight and 12 years for people who kill, without a licence, any protected species, or who use banned fishing gear, such as explosives or toxic substances. The same penalty will apply to people who set forests or woodlands on fire (poachers often use fire to drive animals into the open).

Continued

Protect the Mozambique forest found on Google Earth, scientists say

A remote rainforest in Mozambique discovered using Google Earth has so many new and unique species that it should be declared a protected area, scientists say.

Pygmy chameleons, a bronzed bush viper and butterflies with shimmering yellow wings are among the species in the forests covering Mount Mabu in northern Mozambique.

Continued

Mozambique commits to tackling wildlife crime

International attempt to reduce wildlife poaching in and from Mozambique

July 2013-Under increasing pressure from CITES, neighbouring South Africa and the international conservation community, Mozambican government officials have vowed to escalate their responses towards tackling wildlife crime, particularly elephant and rhino poaching. 

"Mozambique recognises the economic and security threats from trans-boundary criminal networks undertaking these activities, and the country is committed to finding solutions to these problems", said Marcelino Foloma, Head of Mozambique's Wildlife Department at the Ministry of Agriculture. 

Hosted by TRAFFIC and the Mozambican National Directorate of Land and Forestry, the three-day workshop was attended by representatives from several ministries, including Agriculture, Tourism, Customs, Finance, Home Affairs and Environmental Co-ordination. The event afforded a key opportunity to improve communication and collaboration between governmental institutions and civil society, to address serious defects in current wildlife legislation and to establish formal mechanisms for sharing information about illegal wildlife trade and taking law enforcement actions.

TRAFFIC also rolled out a series of species identification materials in the Portuguese language to assist Mozambique's law enforcement community to identify contraband wildlife products, including elephant ivory, rhino horn, lion bone, pangolins and several protected timber species.

"This is the first time Mozambique's law enforcement community is equipped with species identification materials in their own language", said Tom Milliken, TRAFFIC elephant and rhino coordinator who attended the workshop. "It's critical that these valuable tools are available to fight increasing wildlife crime."

Continued

An Entire Country’s Rhino Population May Already Be Gone

JOHANNESBURG —Mozambique’s rhinoceros population was wiped out more than a century ago by big game hunters. Reconstituted several years ago, the beasts again are on the brink of vanishing from the country by poachers seeking their horns for sale in Asia. 

A leading expert told The Associated Press that the last rhino in the southern African nation has been killed. The warden of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park – the only place where the horned behemoths lived in Mozambique – also says poachers have wiped out the rhinos. Mozambique’s conservation director believes a few may remain. 

Elephants also could vanish in Mozambique soon, the warden of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Antonio Abacar, told AP. He said game rangers have been aiding poachers, and 30 of the park’s 100 rangers will appear in court soon. 

“We caught some of them red-handed while directing poachers to a rhino area,” Abacar said. 

Read on: http://animalconnectionac.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/an-entire-countrys-rhino-population-may-already-be-gone/

Mozambique’s wildlife resource wasted by illegal hunting & bushmeat trade

Illegal hunting undermining food security and wildlife-based land uses in Mozambique

May 2012. A new TRAFFIC study finds that illegal hunting and the bushmeat trade have resulted in a major decline in wildlife populations in Central Mozambique, significantly undermining potential for viable wildlife-based land uses and resulting in the loss of a traditional source of protein for local communities.

Just 10% of expected wildlife, and some species exterminated
The study of Coutada 9 found that wildlife populations in the 4,450 square km protected area in Manica province are currently less than 10% of what the area could support, with several species, including rhinoceroses, Roan Antelopes African Wild Dogs locally extirpated through illegal hunting.

Significantly reducing such illegal hunting and allowing wildlife populations to recover would allow the generation of significant economic benefits through trophy hunting and potentially ecotourism. In addition, an additional 86 tonnes of wild meat could be generated from Coutada 9, if hunting was limited to regulated harvesting based on a quota system.

"The implications for the food security of local people are obvious, while restoring wildlife populations would have clear conservation benefits too," said David Newton, Director of TRAFFIC's East and Southern Africa programme.

Read more:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mosambique-bushmeat.html