We are now at a point in the course of human history where there are only a handful of places on Earth that are not severely altered by the footprint of large-scale industrial activities. Those within parts of the Earth where trees are dominant are termed “intact” or “primary” forests. A few weeks ago I…
By Matthew Linkie Indonesia is a megadiversity country, but even by its exceptionally high levels of biodiversity, Sulawesi stands out for its bewilderingly rich, charismatic and, at times, quirky species. The island, whose shape resembles a hyper-extended letter K, is the 11th largest in the world. Sulawesi’s shape and rugged terrain were forged by the…
By Nadim Parves [The is the fifth blog in a series about the WCS-led marine megafauna survey, which is gathering data on whales, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine species inhabiting the coastal waters of Bangladesh. Data from the effort will identify biologically important locations for future consideration as marine protected areas.] As we sailed southeast from…
By Manzura Khan [Note: This is the fourth blog in a series about the WCS-led marine megafauna survey, which is gathering data on whales, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine species inhabiting the coastal waters of Bangladesh. Data from the effort will identify biologically important locations for future consideration as marine protected areas.] In 2011, I was…
By Cheryl Chetkiewicz Ontario is a Canadian province built on mining and mineral exploration. Over the past two decades, the provincial government has encouraged and facilitated new mines in Ontario’s Far North—a large, remote and largely roadless region that is the homeland for nearly 40,000 First Nations. The “Ring of Fire” mineral belt, located approximately…
By Shanta Shamsunnahar [Note: This is the third blog in a series about the WCS-led marine megafauna survey, which is gathering data on whales, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine species inhabiting the coastal waters of Bangladesh. Data from the effort will identify biologically important locations for future consideration as marine protected areas.] The WCS marine megafauna…
By Rob Wallace [Note: this is the eighth blog in a series of reports from WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) on the Identidad Madidi expedition currently taking place in Bolivia’s Madidi National Park] In July, we were at the lowest point in Bolivia’s Madidi National Park—the Pampas de Heath. Since then the Identidad Madidi team has…
By Neha Simlai [The is the second blog in a series about the WCS-led marine megafauna survey, which is gathering data on whales, sea turtles, sharks, and other marine species inhabiting the coastal waters of Bangladesh. Data from the effort will identify biologically important locations for future consideration as marine protected areas. Neha Simlai is an international management consultant…
By Jeremy Radachowsky As a child, I spent hours poring through pictures of wildlife in books and magazines. My most treasured possession was a field guide to reptiles and amphibians, its page corners deeply worn from my thumbs. It was the first real book I ever read cover to cover (multiple times, at that!) but…
By Elisabeth Fahrni Mansur [Note: This is the first in a series of blogs about the Bangladesh Marine Megafauna Survey being conducted by the WCS Bangladesh program]. The densely populated country of Bangladesh is a land crisscrossed by an intricate system of hundreds of rivers, including the mighty Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system. These enormous freshwater inputs,…
By Peter Zahler Conservation is a long-term effort. Many of the field programs I have been affiliated with have been in existence for 20 or 30 years. One reason for this is that it takes years to collect the data to really understand the threats and potential solutions to a landscape, whether it is poaching…
By Janice Weatherley-Singh The EU has traditionally been a global leader in tackling the problem of wildlife trafficking and in encouraging other countries to take action. Last year it published a far-reaching Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking, which set out a comprehensive list of actions to address the problem. So why is it dragging its…
By Luke Warwick Most people have heard their share of fish stories, some of which are entertaining and a few that defy belief. Here’s one you may not have heard. Last month, a little known international treaty took a significant step to protect several species that we often don’t think about—including the world’s largest fish…
By David Wilkie In the Congo forest, Saatatu, my Efe (pygmy) friend and teacher, holds up his hand so I stop. Saatatu points about 50 feet in front of us. There, almost hidden in the fronds of a small shrub, stands a black-fronted antelope. If Saatatu’s bow arm is steady and his aim is true,…
By Rob Wallace [Note: this is the seventh in a series of reports from WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) on the Identidad Madidi expedition currently taking place in Bolivia’s Madidi National Park] I often feel like a kid in a candy store. As a biologist working in the most biologically diverse protected area in the world,…