By Zadie Neufville
KINGSTON, March 12, 2012 (IPS) - News of Vienna's Schoenbrunn Zoo's newest attraction shocked Jamaican authorities. The unlikely stars: a flock of 45 endangered Jamaican Amazon parrots, hatched from eggs smuggled out of the island in rum-cake boxes.
The 23 Yellow-Billed Parrots and 22 of their even more rare Black-Billed cousins were the survivors from the incubation of 74 eggs smuggled into Austria by tourists returning from Jamaica. Both species are protected and considered endangered species.
Conservationists are beginning to fear that as demand grows for rare and exotic wildlife, Jamaican authorities will be unable to protect the island's natural treasures.
It is not uncommon to see local wildlife including the Black and Yellow-billed Parrots being offered for sale in tourists towns across the island, but the idea that people would smuggle the birds or their eggs surprised even scientists.
But animal care specialist and educator Karlene Craig is not surprised.
"There is a massive trade in endemics all across the region. Our birds actually make good pets, especially the Black-billed Parrot, as they are less aggressive and less noisy than other parrots and are quite chatty and entertaining," she told IPS.
Parrot stealing aside, rumours flourish of a growing illegal trade in Jamaican wildlife. The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), which is responsible for protecting natural resources, has recently admitted to receiving "intelligence" regarding the illicit wildlife trade.
Protecting biodiversity
The agency says it is strengthening its enforcement capabilities and increasing general awareness of the value of local biodiversity. A specialised arm of the police enforces environmental laws.
Another tool to counter the trade is the 2010 State of the Environment Report, which provides an overview of the state and quality of the island's natural heritage and, according to NEPA, helps with sustainable management of Jamaica's natural and physical environment.
A variety of other programmes and initiatives also aim to protect Jamaican biodiversity.
Read on: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=107043
Showing posts with label biodiveristy threat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biodiveristy threat. Show all posts
Friday, 16 March 2012
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Limestone mine exploited, silver gibbons lose their homes
VietNamNet Bridge – There are hundreds of precious plants and animals species living in the limestone mountain of Kien Luong in Kien Giang Province, including silver gibbons (Trachypithecus cristatus). However, the biodiversity of the Kien Luong area has been threatened.
Silver gibbons lose their homes
Nguyen Van Thanh, a local resident living near the Bai Voi Mountain related that in the past, Bai Voi was very high with a lot of trees, which gathered a lot of birds and wild beasts. However, since people exploit limestone to make cement, nearly all the plants have been killed. The animals who lived on the mountain have no more accommodations.
The Hon Chong and Ha Tien cement plans alone every year need hundreds of thousands of tons of limestone to make cement, and they have also contributed to the elimination of many limestone mountains in Kien Luong.
Scientists have voiced their worry that the limestone exploitation on Bai Voi Mountain has directly threatened the lives of 23 silver gibbons living here. Currently, the gibbons are living and seeking food on a small area of 15 hectares which has not been exploited. They cannot move to other places to seek food because the parts of the mountain have been split.
Also at the Kien Luong limestone mountain complex, Khe La Mountain has become the place for limestone exploitation. There are 78 gibbons living on the mountain. According to Dr Nguyen Xuan Niem, Deputy Director of the Kien Giang Science and Technology Department, the limestone exploitation by Holcim has threatened the population of gibbons on Bai Voi and Khe La.
“Holcim must take the responsibility of rescuing the herd of 23 gibbons on Bai Voi Mountain. As for the herd of gibbon on Khe La Mountain, the exploiter should have to take responsibility of protecting the 78 gibbons, but they have not found out any feasible measures. We now have to work out on the measures to build new houses for the silver gibbons,” Niem said.
The problem not only in losing the mountains
Phan Van Hung, Deputy Director of the Hon Dat – Kien Ha forest, said that Indochina gibbon is an important primate species which is typical for the Kien Luong limestone mountains, which have been in the danger of getting extinct.
To date, Indochina gibbons have been found only in two places, including the Phu Quoc national park and the limestone mountains in Kien Luong.
Hung said that it is urgent to find out the solutions to protect the silver gibbons , and that he is making a research on relocating the silver gibbon population from Khe La mountain to Hon Chong area.
According to Dr. Niem, not many limestone mountains still exist, while scientists believe that the Kien Luong limestone Mountain area has the highest tropical biodiversity in the world. Here some new species have been found, which do not exist elsewhere in the world, especially some kinds of insects and snails. However, the limestone exploitation here has created big challenges to the environment. Therefore, losing the mountain is not the biggest concern but losing the biodiversity is.
“We have proposed the Kien Giang province authorities to set up a limestone protection area or it is too late,” Niem said.
Thai Thanh Luom, Director of the Kien Gian Department of Natural Resources and Environment has confirmed that such a protection area project is being considered. The area would include the limestone mountain left and the protective forest of Hon Dat-Kien Ha, which includes Hon Chong Mountain.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/environment/16475/limestone-mine-exploited--silver-gibbons-lose-their-homes.html
Silver gibbons lose their homes
Nguyen Van Thanh, a local resident living near the Bai Voi Mountain related that in the past, Bai Voi was very high with a lot of trees, which gathered a lot of birds and wild beasts. However, since people exploit limestone to make cement, nearly all the plants have been killed. The animals who lived on the mountain have no more accommodations.
The Hon Chong and Ha Tien cement plans alone every year need hundreds of thousands of tons of limestone to make cement, and they have also contributed to the elimination of many limestone mountains in Kien Luong.
Scientists have voiced their worry that the limestone exploitation on Bai Voi Mountain has directly threatened the lives of 23 silver gibbons living here. Currently, the gibbons are living and seeking food on a small area of 15 hectares which has not been exploited. They cannot move to other places to seek food because the parts of the mountain have been split.
Also at the Kien Luong limestone mountain complex, Khe La Mountain has become the place for limestone exploitation. There are 78 gibbons living on the mountain. According to Dr Nguyen Xuan Niem, Deputy Director of the Kien Giang Science and Technology Department, the limestone exploitation by Holcim has threatened the population of gibbons on Bai Voi and Khe La.
“Holcim must take the responsibility of rescuing the herd of 23 gibbons on Bai Voi Mountain. As for the herd of gibbon on Khe La Mountain, the exploiter should have to take responsibility of protecting the 78 gibbons, but they have not found out any feasible measures. We now have to work out on the measures to build new houses for the silver gibbons,” Niem said.
The problem not only in losing the mountains
Phan Van Hung, Deputy Director of the Hon Dat – Kien Ha forest, said that Indochina gibbon is an important primate species which is typical for the Kien Luong limestone mountains, which have been in the danger of getting extinct.
To date, Indochina gibbons have been found only in two places, including the Phu Quoc national park and the limestone mountains in Kien Luong.
Hung said that it is urgent to find out the solutions to protect the silver gibbons , and that he is making a research on relocating the silver gibbon population from Khe La mountain to Hon Chong area.
According to Dr. Niem, not many limestone mountains still exist, while scientists believe that the Kien Luong limestone Mountain area has the highest tropical biodiversity in the world. Here some new species have been found, which do not exist elsewhere in the world, especially some kinds of insects and snails. However, the limestone exploitation here has created big challenges to the environment. Therefore, losing the mountain is not the biggest concern but losing the biodiversity is.
“We have proposed the Kien Giang province authorities to set up a limestone protection area or it is too late,” Niem said.
Thai Thanh Luom, Director of the Kien Gian Department of Natural Resources and Environment has confirmed that such a protection area project is being considered. The area would include the limestone mountain left and the protective forest of Hon Dat-Kien Ha, which includes Hon Chong Mountain.
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/environment/16475/limestone-mine-exploited--silver-gibbons-lose-their-homes.html
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