Wildlife

The hot summer in the UK provided a much-needed boost for

wildlife with butterflies, moths and grasshoppers all thriving,
the National Trust says.

The warm weather also led to an explosion of

berries, nuts and seeds.
The trust's Matthew Oates said 2013 was "one
of the most remarkable wildlife years in living
memory".
But it said a cold, late spring meant badgers
and hedgehogs did not have their usual
quantity of worms, and some seabirds died
from starvation.
Bees and crickets were among other winners.

The distinctive tree bumblebee - which only

began to colonise in the UK 12 years ago - was
seen north of Hadrian's Wall for the first time.
Many insects had been scarce last year because
of poor weather.
The cool spring also provided a long flowering
season for snowdrops, primrose and bluebells.
And in some places, there was an explosion of
orchids.

Julie Larsen Maher

Wildlife Conservation
Society

It's rare to see a snowy owl in the lower 48, but

this winter the birds are heading south. Steve
Zack, Coordinator of Bird Conservation at
WCS, explains the reason for their arrival
and why these denizens of the Far North do
care if were naughty or nice.

Most of those years, snowy owls were

few. But two of those summers we
had conspicuous population booms of
lemmings and the snowy owls (along
with short-eared owls, rough-legged
hawks, northern harriers and
pomarine jaegers) were much more
numerous. Those avian predators -and mammalian predators like Arctic
fox, red fox and ermines -conspicuously feasted on such abundance

Dramatic discovery of new tapir species

in south-west Amazon

Scientists have uncovered a new tapir in Brazil: Tapirus

kabomani.

Tapirus kabomani is the largest land

mammal to be discovered in decades

December 2013: In one of the most important

zoological discoveries of the 21st century,
scientists have announced they have found a
new species of tapir in Brazil and Columbia
says Jeremy Hance

The new mammal, hidden from science but

known to local indigenous tribes, is actually
one of the biggest animals on the continent,
although it's still the smallest living tapir.
Described in the Journal of Mammology, the
scientists have named the new tapir Tapirus
kabomani after the name for tapir in the local
Paumari language: Arabo kabomani.

Tapirus kabomani, or the Kobomani

tapir, is the fifth tapir found in the
world and the first to be discovered
since 1865. It is also the first
mammal in the order Perissodactyla
(which includes tapirs, rhinos, and
horses) found in over a hundred
years. Moreover, this is the largest
land mammal to be discovered in
decades: in 1992 scientists
discovered the saola in Vietnam and
Cambodia, a rainforest bovine that is
about the same size as the new tapir.

Found inhabiting open grasslands

and forests in the Brazilian states of
Rondnia

TRACKING TIGERS

and

Amazonas, as
well as the Colombian

department of
Amazonas,
the
new
species is
regularly hunted
by
the Karitiana
tribe who call it the
little black
tapir. The new species is most
similar to the Brazilian tapir (Tapirus
terrestris), but sports darker hair and
is significantly smaller: while a
Brazilian tapir can weigh up to 320
kilograms (710 pounds), the
Kabomani weighs just 110 kilograms
(240 pounds). It also has shorter
legs, a distinctly-shaped skull, and a
less prominent crest.

Lead author and paleontologist Mario

Cozzuol first found evidence of the
new species a decade ago while
looking at tapir skulls, which were
markedly different than any other.
Researchers then collected genetic
material and tapir specimens from
local hunters and the Karitiana
Indians and extensive research into
both the tapir's physical appearance
and genetics proved that the
researchers were indeed dealing with
an as-yet-undescribed species.

In this profile of Dr. Ullas Karanth, WCS Director for Science-Asia, we learn how the esteemed tiger expert
got his start and how his approach to saving the endangered big cats has changed over the course of his
career.

Growing up in the midst of the forests of Indias Western Ghats, Dr. Ullas Karanth, WCSs Director for
Science-Asia, developed an early passion for wildlife. He spent most of his early school years outdoors,
experiencing nature in an experimental school run by his father.
Once Dr. Karanth joined regular school in sixth grade, he was well aware of the necessity for
conservation. Along with his uncle, who was a forest department official, he took trips to Nagarhole, the
248-square foot nature reserve in South India and learned more about the threats to the countrys iconic
tigers. After reading more about them in a magazine article by famed WCS conservationist George
Schaller, he found his true calling.

Through his continued education and study, Dr. Karanth sought to understand the issues that arose
when villages were set up in close proximity to the big cats. Now, along with his daughter, Krithi, he
continues his efforts to discover solutions to human-wildlife conflict in order to protect this majestic
animal.

ALBERTAS HERITAGE OF WILDLIFE & HEADWATERS UP FOR

GRAB

John Weaver, Senior Conservation Scientist with WCS-Canada, warns that the Alberta governments draft
Regional Plan for the South Saskatchewan, which would establish new Wildland Parks in about a quarter
of the area, will be inadequate to conserving its vulnerable fish and wildlife populations and sources of
precious water that are cherished by southern Albertans.

When the famous naturalist and guide Andy

Russell led hunters and summer visitors on
horseback through southwest Alberta during
1930s-1950s, the country was wild, the waters
clean and full of native trout, and wildlife
roamed the mountains in security.
But over the past 50 years, expanding resource
extraction and associated roads have
penetrated most of these remote valleys. Onceabundant populations have been diminished,
habitat security has been breached,
connectivity has been fractured, and genetic
integrity compromised.

strategic direction for managing land and Last

month, it released the Unfortunately, the draft
Plan falls far short of protecting vulnerable fish
and wildlife populations and headwater
sources of precious water that are cherished by
southern Albertans.
As senior scientist for Wildlife Conservation
Society Canada, I assessed the conservation
value of Crown lands in southwest Alberta in a
recent report entitled Protecting and
Connecting Headwater Havens. It focused on
a suite of iconic species bull trout, westslope
cutthroat trout, grizzly bear, wolverine,
mountain goat and bighorn sheep.

The Alberta government is developing

HELPING CORALS SURVIVE

CHANGING CLIMATE

Coral reef fisheries expert Dr. Tim

McClanahan highlights the resilience of coral
reefs and the conservation efforts that will
help them adapt to changing conditions.

As we mark Earth Day this year with a

recognition of the face of climate change,
it is clear that the greatest threat to coral
reef ecosystems is rising sea temperatures.

With corals across the globe bleaching due

to advancing ocean temperatures, many of
the worlds coral reef experts believe these
centers of marine biodiversity may become
the first casualty of climate change. But
while the news on corals has been largely
grim, it is not beyond hope.

Patagonias Coastal Haven

On the southern tip of Argentina, cormorants,

penguins, and sea lions deserve a splashy
celebration. The South American countrys
government has announced the creation of two
new marine protected areasIsla Pingino
Coastal Marine Park and Makenke Coastal
Marine Park. Combined, they span 1,250
square miles.
Both regions boast abundant natural wonders,
as well as fabled histories. In 1833, Charles
Darwin ventured to Isla Pingino, and
Ferdinand Magellan executed mutineers intent
on aborting the worlds first circumnavigation
of the globe on the San Julian inlet, which is
bordered by the Makenke Costal Marine Park.
More important than these tales are the many
species benefitting from Argentinas brand new
parks. Large populations of sea

lions live along Pinginos coastline, which

also shelters (and takes its name from) one of
the only colonies of rockhopper penguins in
Patagonia. In addition, one of the biggest
colonies of imperial cormorants resides here.
Further south, Makenke Park contains the
countrys largest colony of rare red-legged
cormorants, breeding colonies of the dolphin
gull, and pods of the small, yet spectacular
Camerons dolphin.