Ubuntu Magazine, winter 2024 by ubuntumagazine

Issue 8 | Winter 2024

MAGAZINE

YOUR NATURE CONSERVATION STORIES

SAVING THE MANUMEA The Critically Endangered Bird in the Samoan Rainforest

GABON RISING Inspiring Local Leadership in Conservation

LYNX IN DANGER The Swedish Authorities Persist on Killing the Lynx

STARGAZER

Lukas Walter - A Fascination for the Big Ocean Predators

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YOUR NATURE CONSERVATION STORIES

Ubuntu Magazine transforms your perspective on the natural world. Our aim is to create awareness around the beauty of the world, by putting a spotlight on the conservationists working day and night to conserve our surroundings. Only with thorough research and sharing knowledge, we can assure ourselves of a bright, biodiverse future. With Ubuntu we broaden our perspective in living together with nature, instead of alongside it.

Emerge yourself in the articles and become inspired.

CONTENTS Interactive Table of Contents: Click to Jump to Articles Instantly!

32 Sár József

Introduction Adaptation of Species - Manon Verijdt

06-07

Misha Istratov The Swedish Authorities Persist on Killing the Lynx

08-15

Sár József The Story of an Eccentric Entomologist

16-23

The Story of an Eccentric Entomologist

IUCN NL The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: A Barometer of Life

24-33

OELO Gabon Rising: Inspiring Local Leadership in Conservation

34-43

Infographic The Effects of Nature on Human Wellbeing

08 Misha Istratov The Swedish Authorities Persist on Killing the Lynx

34 OELO

Gabon Rising: Inspiring Local Leadership in Conservation

“I am, because we are.” Rohit Giri Treading in the Trail of Kings

46-55

Stargazer Lukas Walter

56-63

Samoa Conservation Society Finding a Needle in a Haystack: Saving the Manumea

64-77

Endangered Species The Kipunji

78-79

Colofon

80-81

Rohit Giri

24 IUCN NL

UBUNTU INTRODUCTION You have to adapt in life to thrive. You have to become creative, step out of your comfort zone or perhaps even learn new skills. It is important to always stay true to your character and yourself, but when life throws new circumstances at you, the ability to change and adapt does enable you to succeed in life. In Damaraland and Kaokoland, Namibia, animals have mastered the adaptation to their circumstances to an amazing extent. Lions, who would normally hunt for antelope, are now successfully hunting on giraffes grazing in riverbeds and on seabirds at the coast. The giraffes, in turn, have adapted to living in the desert by grazing early in the morning when dew is still present on the green leaves. And then there are the elephants, who are smaller than elephants found elsewhere, bigger-footed and incredibly creative when it comes to obtaining enough food and water in surroundings that seem to be so harsh and dry that no animal that size should be able to survive. The lions, giraffes and elephants, together with all the other small and large creatures in this arid part of Namibia, have found their way to thrive. During our time in the riverbeds in Namibia, we got to experience these beautiful creatures up close. It was humbling to be among species so iconic to African wildlife, but moreover, it provided us with a lesson of life. They are able to thrive, they show curiosity in something unknown – like humans who randomly appear in their grazing zone, although at a respectful distance – and they accept us fully within their terrain. It felt magical. With the adaptation of these unique species in mind, I would like to take you with me to the launch of this special issue because issue 8 feels

like an incredible milestone. Ubuntu Magazine was founded in October 2021 and with 4 issues per year, this 8th issue has been long in the making. We grew, we adapted to changing circumstances and we will keep on doing so in order to share these stories that are worth sharing. In this issue, we present you with our first ever long-read. Moeumu Uili from the island Samoa tells us more about the Manumea, a special species of pigeon only found on this group of islands. It’s a story about the difficulties of conservation – when nearly no individuals are left, and those who are left are nearly impossible to track down. It’s a story about hope for the future. Additionally, we have an update from Misha Istratov, who we interviewed in issue 5 on the lynx culling in Sweden. Stories like these, as an update on stories we’ve shared before, are also new to the magazine, and we can’t wait to share them more often. Beyond that, we have a plethora of stories from across the world to share with you. From the snakes in India to an entomologist in Hungary. I hope you enjoy this new and evolved issue. And once again thank you for reading Ubuntu Magazine and for supporting nature conservation efforts!

- Manon Verijdt Founder Ubuntu Magazine

“A desert-adapted giraffe in a riverbed in Namibia” 7

AFRICA

THE SWEDISH AUTHORITIES PERSIST ON KILLING THE LYNX In 2023, nearly 200 lynxes were killed and culled (selectively killed) in Sweden’s legalized hunt, which set a record. Massive protests with more than 120,000 signatures were gathered and presented to the authorities. Many articles were written, and scientists and wildlife experts criticized this decision. Hopes were high that 2024 would become a better year, but recently the counties of central Sweden presented the numbers for next year’s culling. They are even higher than last year, meaning a new record is to be set. This is an enormous backlash and disappointment for us who are working to preserve wildlife. Especially this iconic animal.

Photo Credit: Daniel Iglesias

SWEDEN

Photo Credit: Daniel Iglesias

SWEDEN

“DESPITE ZERO ATTACKS ON FARM ANIMALS IN VÄRMLAND COUNTY IN 2022, THE PLAN TO KILL 6 LYNXES RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REAL MOTIVATIONS BEHIND SUCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.” The culling is meant to protect farm animals, but looking at the statistics, one would expect central Sweden to have no lynx hunting at all. Three examples of the seven counties that have presented the quotas for 2024 can be found below:

• • •

Värmland county will be killing 6 lynxes even though they had 0 attacks on farm animals in 2022 and only 2 in 2021. Uppsala county is planning to kill 10 lynxes when the county’s attacks number an average of 3 per year. Gävleborg county is planning to shoot 30 lynxes, a quarter of the whole population in the county, even though only 6-7 attacks on farm animals occur yearly.

Statistically, this culling will not change anything since the damages on farm animals is so marginally small already. When I wrote to the counties and asked for a motivation, the answer is that it follows the established wildlife management goals known as “förvaltningsmål.” But when I ask what the purpose of those goals are, if not to protect farm animals, the answers fall short. Because there is no motivation. Still, the counties issue culling quotas that increase yearly. I explained the decision system in this summer’s 5th issue of the magazine. To explain it shortly – 60 to 85 percent of the members in the delegations where the decisions are made are hunters or speak for the hunting interest.

In Poland, an EU-funded organization is reintroducing the lynx to the northwestern forests of the country. They were appalled to hear about this year’s lynx killing in Sweden and contacted me to shed some light on this news. Their operation has, during 6 years, successfully introduced a number of lynxes that have already been breeding in the wild. But, they need new and wild genes. I thought this would be the perfect compromise for Sweden. Instead of killing our lynx, let us send them to Poland. I prepared a plan involving ethologists and veterinarians and calculated the cost for the culling plus following autopsies, and I saw that this would cover a substantial part of the cost to move the lynxes. The rest of the needed sum would be put forth by wildlife funds. In other words, this operation would not cost a penny for the Swedish taxpayers. I presented the plan in an article in one of the country’s largest newspapers called Expressen on July 8th this year and sent the proposal to all the heads of the counties that have lynx populations. They all answered that they cannot make that decision themselves and they need authorization from Naturvårdsverket, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. I wrote to them as well and after delaying an answer for several weeks, they answered, “this proposal will not initiate any action from our side.” All the time spent on a constructive proposal did not even render a proper reply from the agency that is supposed to care for Swedish wildlife.

AFRICA

SWEDEN

CULLING LYNXES, SEEN AS HUNTING TROPHIES AND GAME COMPETITORS, NEGLECTS THEIR ROLE IN PREVENTING COSTLY DEER TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN SWEDEN. The lynx is an endangered animal and considered vulnerable according to the Swedish red-listed species list. It is an apex predator and its role as such in controlling the wildlife from the top of the food chain is essential. The status of the lynx is one of many animals. The number of red-listed mammals and birds in Sweden rose from 90 to 135 between 2000 and 2020, an increase of 50 percent over only 20 years! Additionally, the hunting methods for the lynx are highly questioned ethically. Two loose running dogs are usually tracing the lynx and after it has been found and chased to exhaustion, it seeks refuge in a tree. From there, the hunter shoots down the prey and often poses with a photo afterwards. This includes killing female lynxes, and their kittens are then left to die which means that the culling has even more casualties than the issued licenses. Since all reasonable explanations and motivations for the hunting have disappeared, we are left to conclude that the culling is a gift to the hunting interest. This has two following aspects: 1) Certain hunters crave the trophy from this beautiful cat. More than 11000 hunters signed up for the allotted 201 culling certificates in 2023, including several hundred foreign trophy hunters.

2) An adult lynx eats roughly one deer per week. Many hunters feel that the lynx is a competitor for the other game that they wish to hunt. One aspect that is neglected — closely related to this second aspect – is the costs for society. Roughly 55,000 deer (around 10 percent of the Swedish population) end up in traffic accidents every year, with a cost of around $7,000 USD per accident. 200 lynxes would eat around 10,000 deer per year. If 10 percent of these deer would not end up in traffic accidents thanks to these lynxes, this would save Sweden $7 million USD. This means that every single one of the 200 killed lynxes are worth at least $35,000 USD in saved costs for the society. But, these are not numbers that interest the hunting lobby and therefore, there has not yet been a proper study commissioned to truly shed light on the costs versus the benefits of having thriving populations of natural predators. In my opinion, this is a must for us to launch an evidence-based discussion. All in all, 2024 seems to become an even worse year for the Swedish fauna. Slowly, the public is waking up to the fact that the hunting lobby has kidnapped not only Sweden’s wildlife, but the narrative around it. Changing this opinion takes time. Time that nature and biodiversity do not have. Our hope now looks to the EU Commission, and that they will act on the fact that Sweden is violating both the rules in the Bern Convention as well as the Habitat’s Directive, in culling red-listed animals.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Furunäs 13

SWEDEN

Meanwhile, the Polish project continues its search for new genes to fortify the lynx settlement in Poland. Hopefully, we can convince the Swedish politicians to reevaluate the process of culling and see the benefits of the Swedish lynx population. The ideal situation would be to send some animals to Poland to help them grow their numbers, but mainly to stop killing this important and beautiful species in Sweden altogether. More people are joining the struggle for our wildlife every day, and I will continue fighting for the lynx and its fellow wild animals until the day they are living in peace with nature, as they were intended.

Photo Credit: Daniel Iglesias

Instagram @istratov.misha Linkedin @misha-istratov Facebook @istratov.misha Articles www.elithus.se Website https://linktr.ee/mishaistratov

Photo Credit: Daniel Iglesias

Photo Credit: Daniel Iglesias 14

HUNGARY

FROM THE ROCK REBELLION TO THE BRAZILIAN PRIMEVAL FORESTS: THE STORY OF AN ECCENTRIC ENTOMOLOGIST A summer spent without a few friends in his grandmother’s garden, rock music, rebellion, a talent-recognizing teacher, a great opportunity and a never-ending perseverance – this is the recipe for decades of success and an almost priceless life’s work. It is the story of a professional who dedicated his life to the world of insects and their discovery.

Photo Credit: Sár József 16

Photo Credit: Sár József

József’s search for a direction in life was shaped in an exciting way: he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother, where, lacking playmates of a similar age, he found fun in his mother’s flower garden. Walking among the marigolds and daisies, he watched every tiny creature with interest, and never missed an opportunity to take a closer look at them: “I collected everything I saw - it didn’t matter what the consequences would be: the wasps stung, and when they stung they squirted their defensive sap, but little by little I learned how to observe these busy living creatures around me without any problems.” These tiny insects became his playmates, whose diversity and beauty he observed with amazement. After the experiences he had with his grandmother, it was not surprising that József already had his own collection of insects in primary school. He spent his early teenage years not hanging out in gangs, but reading books such as Gábor Molnár’s travelogue “Adventures in the Brazilian Primeval Forest.” Even then, he knew that he would be among the insects in his adult years, but it was not yet clear how he could achieve all this. In the meantime, rock music also became part of his life, which brought with it a new kind of lifestyle – but not everyone saw this favorably. Rebellion, rock music and the accompanying fashion freedom

were not accepted in 1970s Hungary – that’s why József was expelled from several high schools. Due to the lack of understanding and exclusion, he almost started to lose his faith, until the moment when 17-year old József noticed his interest in biology after which he got a job at the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs. “I became an assistant preparer of the Department of Natural Sciences for four hours a day, and I fell in love with the place, the work and the atmosphere there so much that I worked here for two decades – it became my second home.” The young man, who was still inexperienced at the time, quickly got involved in the daily life of the museum. It didn’t take long, and he was already conducting faunistic research and writing scientific articles. He was steered towards the world of beetles by his former boss, zoologist Dr. Sándor Horvatovich, who taught the enthusiastic student everything as an entomologist: “I learned everything from him: theory and practice, field work, getting to know the world under the microscope, creating and managing taxonomic collections.” During the years at the museum, József was able to work with many well-known professionals, many of whom he considers mentors and

HUNGARY

masters. He is proud of the fact that he maintained a good relationship with Dr. Otto Merkl, the head of the collection of beetles at the Natural History Museum in Budapest. And during his academic years he worked with ten co-authors including Dr. Merkl in writing professional publications. The decades spent with insects brought József the discovery of a total of 11 new beetle species in Hungary. And for his work in the field of zoology, he received one of the highest honors of the Hungarian Entomological Society, the silver grade of the Frivaldszky Prize. He became the Outstanding Cultivator of Hungarian Entomology. “I REMEMBER ALL MY RESULTS AND DISCOVERIES WITH PLEASURE, BUT PERHAPS THE DETECTION OF THE FOUR-SPOTTED SPOTTED BEETLE (AMPEDUS QUADRISIGNATUS) AND THE DRAGON BEETLE (PYTHO) ARE THE CLOSEST TO ME. FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS THE FIRST TO DISCOVER THE DRAGON BEETLE IN HUNGARY, USING THE METHOD OF CUTTING DOWN ROTTEN WOOD AND COLLECTING BARK, AND I REDISCOVERED THE FOUR-SPOTTED SPOTTED BEETLE FROM THE TRUNKS OF FALLEN TREES IN RED ROTTING GORGE VALLEYS IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED A MISSING BEETLE IN THE COUNTRY FOR 50 YEARS. AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT IS THANKS TO THIS EXPLORATORY WORK THAT THE FOUR-SPOTTED BEETLE WAS DECLARED PROTECTED IN HUNGARY IN 2001.”

But József’s recognized work in zoology was not limited to the borders of Hungary. In 1991 and 1992, he had the opportunity to go to two islands in the Mediterranean, where he managed to collect mainly endemic island beetle species from Thyrrén. However, the work here was only a warm-up for his big adventure: the discovery of the Brazilian primeval forest. József also

participated in three entomology expeditions in Brazil, where he was able to search for insects in almost every habitat. He visited the SouthEast Atlantic type rainforests, the savannas of the interior, the cerrado and the high-altitude rainforests of Amazonia, as well as the gallery forests. He wrote down his travelogues in 2007 of Bogaram, Brazil, which was also published. “Despite the trying tropical climate for Europeans, poisonous snakes, tropical diseases and other difficulties, I still long to return there. Ants everywhere, hungry, stinging, stinging. But what does pain matter when we can be in such a wonderful habitat as the rainforest, which is a fantastic collection place of plant and animal species, the richest terrain of our earth in terms of species”. Visiting Brazilian habitats required strict rules, to which the local guide adhered. Following the instructions of the assistant with local knowledge, a researcher coming from another continent could quickly learn what he could touch, what he could not touch, what was edible, what was poisonous, and which were most dangerous or poisonous animals. Unknown and extremely dangerous spiders, scorpions, snakes and butterfly caterpillars lined his paths, sometimes following the fresh footprints of a jaguar on the bank of the stream, sometimes avoiding anacondas sunbathing on four-meter stones. “Still: in the temple of nature, on its altar, every forest story experience provided an exceptional, unforgettable experience.”

Photo Credit: Sár József

HUNGARY

Photo Credit: Sár József 20

HUNGARY

His determination grew stronger after each adventure and it was time to organize his experiences, treasures and knowledge into a collection. A lucky meeting gave him the impetus: József met a German entomologist, thanks to whom the creation of his own insect museum could begin. They were not in a hurry: they waited seven years for the appropriate call for tenders, which then made it possible to present the exotic materials collected up to that point to the general public in the form of a spectacular informative exhibition. “I have a lot to thank Dezsó Szalóki, my son György Dudás and Bálint Szirtes, with their collections and professional help they did a lot for the expansion of the museum’s material and the quality of the collection. Even during the construction of the museum, the collected exhibition materials were not idle: those interested could get to know them in school natural science classes and traveling exhibitions.” Finally, the dream came true. Nine years ago, the Permanent Entomological Exhibition, which is still operating with great success, officially opened its doors in Drávaszabolcs, Baranya country. For four years now, the permanent exhibition has been complemented by a series of lectures: the one-hour insect adventure entitled “The Wonderful World of Insects” has already brought love and respect for these tiny creatures into the lives of thousands of children. Over the past few years, József has performed nearly 100 shows in 76 settlements, and he has no intention of slowing down.

“The world of insects is my life. Although many things have changed in the world of science and work, I have no intention of stopping the research of the insect world. I am currently working at the Danube-Dráva National Park Administration as a condition assessment and monitoring employee, and I also continue my museum work in a forest in Somogy County, Babócsa, where in addition to monitoring work, I also conduct faunistic research. I believe that promoting insects in today’s world is an extremely important task. The balanced life and existence of our little helpers is an essential condition for human life and survival, and let’s not forget that most of them are also excellent indicator species: they indicate negative changes caused by climate change and harmful anthropogenic effects in the shortest possible time. I have worked for them all my life and I want to do so in the future as well!” Behind the strict rock drummer’s exterior lies a feeling and committed soul: an entomologist who devotes his life to his profession, who brings the news of the miracles he experienced and the importance of protecting insects from school to school. A knowledge spanning several decades, which, thanks to the museum in a small settlement in Baranya County, can bring the habitats of remote landscapes to those interested. I think we can rightly call it the work of a lifetime, and a work that gives a legacy full of value to the generations that will come after us.

Facebook @SárJózsefentomológus Articles https://unsm-ento.unl.edu/ workers/JSar.htm Website dravaszabolcs.hu/hirek/ latnivalok/rovartani-kiallitas/ Email sarj@freemail.hu

Photo Credit: Sár József

A BAROMETER OF LIFE The reef with its vibrant colors, teeming with life today, could be silent tomorrow. To prevent the collapse of ecosystems like this, it is incredibly important to assess the status of species in a conservation context, to know where a species is located, whether action needs to be taken and which threats are most severe in driving a species to extinction. The IUCN Red List assesses the extinction risk of all known species on Earth, to safeguard the future of our biodiversity. We talk to Sander van Andel, Senior Expert Nature Conservation at the Dutch National Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), to learn more about the Red List and how it is used in species conservation.

Photo Credit: Santiago Rosado - FBC 24

WORLDWIDE

Sander van Andel, Senior Expert Nature Conservation at the Dutch National Committee of the IUCN Photo Credit: IUCN

are mixed among populations – is necessary to keep a population and future generations healthy. Limiting gene flow therefore increases the risk to a population, as less variety in the population reduces the ability of a species to adapt to environmental changes and diseases. For example, species populations with a low genetic diversity may have a lower capability to adapt to changes in temperatures due to climate change.” Gaining knowledge about species, with these specific variables as the foundation of our data gathering, enables us to gain a broader understanding of our world’s health. Subsequently, this knowledge becomes the power with which we can influence positive change.

WHAT IS THE IUCN RED LIST Back in 1964, the IUCN founded the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as Red List or Red Data Book) as an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological species. Considered as a Barometer of Life, the risk of extinction is based on many variables such as population trends, their habitat size (and an increase or decrease in regional habitat), and the severity of habitat fragmentation. Beyond that, the assessment also includes a species’ range, population size, habitat, use and trade and the threats they are facing. Although not all factors might affect all species in the same way – a bird who travels through air might be less affected by habitat fragmentation than a deer who has to migrate over land – the assessment can be used for all species, including plants, animals and fungi. Sander explains: “All those factors play an important role in whether a species can thrive or not. Take for example habitat fragmentation. If a population is separated from other populations, migration is not possible and genes aren’t shared nor mixed. Gene flow – the process where genes

HOW A SPECIES IS ADDED TO THE RED LIST Assessing the status of a species and adding it to the IUCN Red List takes time, effort and resources and is not at all easy. Most times, members of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), appointed Red List Authorities (RLAs), Red List Partners or specialists on IUCN-led assessment projects are at the foundation of gathering data and submitting it for assessment. However, knowledgeable individuals can also submit their assessment for consideration. Now, before an assessment is published and a species’ status gets added to the Red List, the submission is checked for the right use of data, supporting documentation and more. Only after this thorough process, a species can be added to the list and the information can be accessed online.

“The whole process is quite a big task, but still very inspiring. There are so many beautiful life forms and species. It is just amazing what we have on this planet. So yeah, it is worth working for.”

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When looking thoroughly at the process, it becomes clear that the many criteria all play a role in the final result of an assessment. If one of these criteria has seriously changed, it is a reason for changing the species’ status. “It is, however, not a formula which you simply fill in,” Sander adds. “If you see a large change in population size, that is already an indication that there has been a change elsewhere in the environment.” Since everything in a species’ environment is interconnected, a change in habitat size could be the cause for the changing population size given the fact that a specified area has a certain carrying capacity for the number of animals it can sustain. Although gathering this specific data as well as peer reviewing it is a lengthy process, the importance of continuously building the Red List is clear to Sander: “The whole process is quite a big task, but still very inspiring. There are so many beautiful life forms and species. It is just amazing what we have on this planet. So yeah, it is worth working for.” THE NINE CATEGORIES When a species has been assessed, it is categorized in one of nine categories: Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild and Extinct. In case a species has not yet been assessed, the category Not Evaluated will be used. Right now, more than 27

Photo Credit: Daniel Alarcon 28

NEPAL

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150,300 species have been assessed and it is IUCN’s goal to assess 160,000 species in the coming years, increasing our knowledge about the status of our biodiversity. Of all currently assessed and categorized species, more than a quarter – 42,100 of them – are threatened with extinction. Knowing where a species is placed is a powerful tool for conservation action and policy making, as it highlights the urgency for conservation and changing policies in order to save a species. If you imagine that each and every species on earth plays a vital role in its ecosystem, it is understandable that knowledge about the wellbeing of species is the power we need to make a change. EXTINCTION Although conservation action is taken worldwide, it is inevitable that some species will still go extinct. It might sound more threatening than it actually is, as extinction is a natural process and it has been for over a million years. However, we are currently experiencing the sixth mass extinction

– the first of six where we as humans play a significant role. This is happening faster than we have ever seen before. Sander adds to this: “Due to the rapid changes which are going on now – species are being forced into smaller pockets of habitat and in less favorable conditions as well.”

“If you imagine that each and every species on earth places a vital role in its ecosystem, it is understandable that knowledge about the wellbeing of species is the power we need to make a change.”

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When talking about extinction, many questions come to mind. The panda, for example, is a species that would not be able to survive without human conservation action. Some people might ask if our conservation efforts are worth it. The question Sander asks himself approaches it another way. “Why is the panda not surviving in the first place?” We then come to the conclusion that the criteria for a panda to survive were severely compromised. Habitat loss is one reason, resulting in their drastic population decline. With the current rate where humans change habitats so fast – including hunting, pollution and climate change – it is logical that species are unable to adapt to those rapid changes. And so it is logical that we have to help these species survive, as we are the cause for their decline.

is needed to help improve the IUCN Red List, and more and more data is being collected worldwide. It is with the help of the IUCN Red List, that we now know about the conservation successes worldwide that have been collectively achieved. The mountain gorillas are recovering from the brink of extinction, as their population is slowly increasing. They were classified as Critically Endangered at first, but have been down-listed to Endangered in 2018, for the first time since 1994, after an enormous joint conservation effort.

CONSERVATION ACTION BASED ON THE RED LIST Nevertheless, there is still hope, and saving species from extinction is still possible. Seeing how people in different regions of the world are collaborating to improve the IUCN Red List data as well as enhancing species conservation is incredibly inspiring. Fundraising is a continuous effort which

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Looking at the bigger picture, saving the mountain gorilla also has an impact greater than keeping just one species alive. The mountain gorilla is able to maintain the biodiversity of their home – the forest – by dispersing seeds through their feces, and by opening up gaps in the trees as they move. This in turn favors sun-loving plants, changing the composition of the forest’s species. Data collection and research are part of the foundation upon which the conservation success was reached, and that is what the IUCN Red List is all about. INCREASING OUR CHANCES To increase our conservation successes, more knowledge and action is needed. In recent years, technological advancement has started to play a big role in this. Through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), for example, we are able to analyze camera-trap data much more rapidly than we would be able to without AI. Besides AI, drones have shown to be very effective in conservation. The examples go beyond population assessments and seed-droppings, and it is very likely that the diverse ways of using drones – and technology in general – will soon go far beyond our imagination. And with that, we will soon be able to gather more knowledge and data more efficiently, which will help in building the Red List. This will help to inform researchers and the public about the threatened species that urgently need our help. SMALL ACTIONS, BIG IMPROVEMENTS Even though technology is starting to play a bigger role in our lives and in our conservation efforts, there is still plenty to do on a personal level in safeguarding our planet’s biodiversity. “Your actions can start with voting. Looking at the party that cares about planetary wellbeing can be your first step in taking action yourself. Changing your consumption patterns, by

consuming less animal based proteins is another way to make a positive impact. Direct ways to work on conservation are joining a conservation organization as a volunteer, or donating to an organization or program – such as the ‘IUCN NL (The Netherlands) land acquisition fund’,” Sander adds. Conservation can also start in your own backyard. Making sure your neighborhood is filled with green, and even assisting with achieving this or maintaining these areas, is a great way to start. Taking away tiles from your own backyard, even if it is just one, also frees up space for nature to thrive. It becomes a microhabitat of nature. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BAROMETER OF LIFE The IUCN Red List is most certainly a Barometer of Life and it has already shown to be a great asset by informing policy makers to change legislation and support conservationists to take action. If you are interested in learning more, more information can be found online. The IUCN Red List website is a great place to find valuable resources, such as books, publications and trainings, as well as photos, videos and information on the most amazing species.

Instagram @iucn_international Facebook @iucn.red.list Linkedin @iucn Website www.iucnredlist.org/

GABON

GABON RISING: INSPIRING LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN CONSERVATION One of the fundamental truths about conservation is that an initiative cannot succeed without having the livelihoods of local people as one of their cornerstones. It is a truth that more and more conservationists have acknowledged over the years and hence worked to protect wildlife and ecosystems while also giving people the opportunities to improve their livelihoods. One organisation in Gabon, named the Organisation Ecologique des Lacs et de l’Ogooué (OELO), is working to conserve the country’s largest protected wetland by giving local communities the tools to better manage the area’s natural resources. We speak to Heather Arrowood, one of the founders of OELO, about the approach the organisation has to conservation.

Photo Credit: Roshni Lodhia

GABON

“ROUGHLY 88% OF THE COUNTRY IS STILL FORESTED, WHICH MAKES UP 18% OF THE REMAINING EXPANSE OF THE CONGO RAINFOREST.” Gabon lies at the edge of the Congo Basin, where Africa’s great rainforest meets the Atlantic Ocean. Compared to most of its neighbouring countries it is relatively small in size, yet it plays a vital role in forest conservation. Roughly 88% of the country is still forested, which makes up 18% of the remaining expanse of the Congo Rainforest. These forests still contain incredibly high levels of biodiversity, which includes globally important populations of keystone species like forest elephants and western lowland gorillas. Gabon is also one of the most carbon positive countries in the world, meaning that the largely intact forests sequesters more carbon than it emits. A network of well-established national parks protect some key areas of rainforest and coastline. Loango National Park in particular, has achieved international recognition for its herds of forest elephants and hippos that visit the protected beaches. The country also has a network of Ramsar sites, which are wetlands of international importance. The largest of these is the Bas-Ogooue, which protects the Ogooue River. This is a 1.37 million hectare network of lakes and surrounding rainforest, which is frequently flooded. The forests protect important populations of forest elephants, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, leopards and redcapped mangabeys, while the waterways protect African manatees, hippos and the critically endangered slender-snouted crocodile. Many species of waterbirds and fish, including several critically endangered species, also rely on the Ogooue to provide breeding sites. In addition to this high biodiversity, it also includes Gabon’s 7th largest city, Lambaréné. This city is a commercial

hub for thousands of people who live in the forests and by the lakes. These same people rely heavily on the abundant natural resources of the area, in particular fish and bushmeat. However, illegal hunting and overfishing caused sharp declines in many threatened species and in turn threatened the livelihoods of the communities that depend on the region’s natural resources. OELO began as a conversation between two people, Heather Arrowood and Cyrille Mvele. Heather originally lived in the United States of America and arrived in Gabon through her work with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Cyrille, on the other hand, grew up in Lambaréné and on numerous lakes of the Bas Ogooue Ramsar Site. Cyrille wanted to create an ecotourism site on Lake Oguemoué where he spent much of his childhood. The conversation between him and Heather then led to a site visit, which was then followed by a feasibility study. Both Heather and Cyrille have varied skill sets and different areas of expertise, all of which complement each other. Heather has considerable experience as an ecotourism consultant in Africa and the Caribbean, and worked as a wildlife biologist in the US and with environmental NGOs in Africa. Cyrille in turn understands the communities of the region and has witnessed first-hand the decline of wildlife and knows the communities of the region. Together, they co-founded OELO in 2010 and now, 14 years later, they are still collaborating, alongside a core team of 7 people. During this time, they also got married and raised a family together.

“THE FORESTS PROTECT IMPORTANT POPULATIONS OF FOREST ELEPHANTS, LOWLAND GORILLAS, CHIMPANZEES, LEOPARDS AND REDCAPPED MANGABEYS.” 37

Photo Credit: Roshni Lodhia

GABON

OELO’s first initiative began with the creation of the Tsam Tsam Ecotourism Lodge in 2012, which is situated on the shore of Lake Oguemoué. The name Tsam Tsam is derived from part of a colloquialism in Fang, which is Cyrille’s native language and translates to “something must start small before it becomes large.” This is a phrase that could perfectly describe any conservation project or organisation. Tsam Tsam creates a source of revenue for a number of local people through protecting the biodiversity of the area. All of the activities that the lodge provides are led by members of the surrounding communities and include guided forest walks, boat safaris and village visits. And once OELO began to take on other conservation initiatives, Tsam Tsam became a crucial factor in helping to fund them. Alongside Tsam Tsam, OELO focuses its conservation efforts on reducing the illegal bushmeat trade of protected species, creating sustainable fisheries in the lakeside communities and driving environmental education in local schools. As Heather stated, “We weren’t just creating an ecotourism site, but also an environmental NGO that would focus on biodiversity issues raised by local communities, with solutions identified by and led by local communities.” The bushmeat trade, in particular, is one of the biggest threats facing many of Gabon’s threatened species, particularly primates (including gorillas) and even hippos. It has to be noted that a number of animal species can be hunted and traded legally, and it also has an important cultural significance for many people. However the illegal bushmeat trade has resulted in the steep decline of Gabon’s wildlife. The approach that OELO takes to combat the illegal trade is a very holistic one. They work with local hunters and fishermen to create more diverse means of income, engage with local leaders to understand hunting laws and the status of protected species, and try to move demand away from protected species. At the same time, law enforcement has become more serious in enforcing protected species laws. Education is equally as important, in particular with the youth. OELO has reached thousands of children through their environment education

programmes. Children that are part of the nature clubs are 76% less likely to eat illegal bushmeat. As a result of these combined efforts, there has been a 98% reduction in the sale of illegal meat in Lamberéné’s main market. Heather regards this as one of OELO’s most notable accomplishments to date. She notes one example in particular that shows the success of their approach: “When we started leading tours at Tsam Tsam in 2012, there were just 10 hippos left along the main channel of the Ogooué between Lambaréné and camp. Over the past decade this number has tripled!” The main aim of the freshwater conservation side of OELO, named Our Lake, Our Future, is to help local communities. The communities identified this as a priority, having noticed a decline in fish numbers and a decrease in the size of fish being seen and caught. As fishing is an integral part of the livelihoods of many people in the local

“WHEN WE STARTED LEADING TOURS AT TSAM TSAM IN 2012, THERE WERE JUST 10 HIPPOS LEFT ALONG THE MAIN CHANNEL OF THE OGOOUÉ BETWEEN LAMBARÉNÉ AND CAMP. ” communities, this initiative goes a long way to aiding food security as well as the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. This community-lead initiative has created the first legally recognized sustainable cooperatives in Gabon (three in total, including the first women fishers cooperative). They monitor fish populations in the lake and patrol it to prevent illegal fishing, as well as leading a variety of

GABON

Photo Credit: Roshni Lodhia

Photo Credit: Alice Péretié

Photo Credit: Roshni Lodhia

Photo Credit: Olivier Ebanga

GABON outreach programmes. These so-called coops, working together with scientific and government partners, succeeded in creating Gabon’s first freshwater fisheries management plan. Heather noted some extremely encouraging successes as a result of this: “This management plan and community-led initiative has eliminated bycatch of African manatees on the lake, recorded the return of large migratory fish to the lake, and recorded improvements in catch for local fisheries.” The success of Our Lake, Our Future was highlighted when OELO was awarded an Equator Prize for it in 2022. The impact of these projects is kept track by OELO’s data collectors who are from the local communities. They have been collecting data on the fisheries and their catches since 2014, which in turn allows the success of the fisheries management plan to be monitored. In recent years, another team has been deploying camera traps throughout the forest. These camera traps allow the team to record stunning footage of rarely seen animals, including leopards, giant pangolins and chimpanzees, and share them with the youth in Environmental Education programmes and with community members. These videos go a long way in instilling local pride in the forest and its wildlife.

OELO’s work aims to give local communities the tools to effectively manage and benefit from the rich natural assets of the Bas Ogooue Ramsar Site. As Heather and their team continue to do this, they hope to lay a foundation for the longterm sustainable management of this ecosystem. As Heather perfectly stated, “We hope to build a generation with pride for its forest, its elephants and its biodiversity.”

Instagram @tsamtsamgabon Facebook @oelogabon @tsamtsamgabon Website www.oelogabon.org

Going forward, five principle pillars have been identified that will structure OELO’s work over the next five years. These are freshwater, forests, wildlife, youth and ecotourism. One of the most significant projects is the plan to replicate Our Lake, Our Future’s successful model with communities around other lakes in the Ramsar Site. Additionally, OELO has created a sister initiative to the freshwater program, entitled Our Forest, Our Future, with the aim of creating a community-managed forest in Oguemoué. They are also expanding their education program into more schools and other communities, which in turn will help foster more people with respect and pride for the natural world around them. On the ecotourism side, the aim is to increase the capacity of Tsam Tsam in order to improve site income and in turn increase conservation funding. There are also plans to create a research station on site. 43

WILL YOU BECOME OUR NEXT STARGAZER OR YOUTH CONSERVATION CHAMPION? Do you want to have your photos or your story featured in our magazine? Send your portfolio, Instagram handle or your story to hello@ubuntumagazine.com with the subject title ‘Stargazer’ or ‘Youth Conservation Champion’. And you may see your photos or your story in our next issue.

*Youth Conservation Champions can be up to 18 years old.

NEPAL

Photo Credit: Rohit Giri

TREADING IN THE TRAIL OF KINGS “Back in 2017, I received a photo and a call of a snake near a house which was hiding and basking for more than a month. When they sent me the photo, I identified it as a King Cobra. At that time I didn’t have proper equipment to rescue a King Cobra and it would be my first time even seeing a King Cobra. Me and my brother and two friends went to see the snake which was quite far from where we lived. Initially, we went there out of curiosity, without an intention of rescuing the snake. But after seeing what the locals were going to do, we felt compelled to rescue it. Villagers were throwing stones at it and were even scaring it with burning fires. So we decided to rescue it. Using a stick and five jute bags stacked on each other to prevent the King from biting through, we set out on this almost impossible mission. Yet, with the help of my brother, we managed to secure the snake. Sadly, the stones had already injured the King, and it had to be sent to a rescue center for treatment, where it ultimately failed to survive.”

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Very few of us on this planet we call home can claim that they have gone face to face with the King of all Snakes. Even fewer can say they have handled him. Even less can say they have made a career of it. And while the King Cobra’s (Ophiophagus hannah) common name is not even taxonomically correct, as it belongs instead to its own monotypic genera (Ophiophagus) with no subspecies, meaning it is not a true cobra, of the genus Naja; to label it as the King of Snakes is, for once, personifying done right. There could be no other King. As the longest snake in the world (with a record of 5.85 meters in length), it possesses one of the deadliest venoms in the world, preys primarily on other snakes, including other King Cobras, and has inspired countless tales and rituals within the mythology and folklore of cultures wherein it resides (such as the Nāgas). Knowing this, who would actually choose to handle these snakes and why? His name is Rohit Giri from Pokhara, Nepal, and the reason is actually very understandable. That is, when you get past the initial fear of these beautiful animals. FOLLOWING A PASSION Growing up in Pokhara, Rohit was exposed to the natural world his entire childhood. He used to spend hours every day playing within the local forest with his brother and friends. This was normal at the time, nature was more accessible. And with this exposure to nature, the respect of its beauty and danger was integrated within him at a young age. Nature’s beauty inspired him, but at the same time, like almost all Nepalese children, he was taught by his parents that you must stay away from snakes. That all snakes are venomous and can kill. Of course, looking at this from the perspective of a parent whose children reveal themselves to this danger by playing in the forest, this is entirely reasonable. And yet, something about this message didn’t quite get through to Rohit, because at the age of 11-12 he was so entranced by a snake within his neighbors house, that he chose to rescue it and release it outside. Not knowing at the time whether it was

NEPAL

venomous or not, he was captured by its beauty and became fascinated by its morphology and behavior. “When I saw it, I was so fascinated by the color and the scales, and I gently picked up his tail and moved his body with a stick and put it on the ground.” It also did not bite him, something he was told it would do. Another mystery. And from this experience, he began a lifelong quest to understand snakes and show people their beauty, underlying our initial fear.

“When I saw it, I was so fascinated by the color and the scales, and I gently picked up his tail and moved his body with a stick and put it on the ground.” Following his encounter, he was lucky enough to stumble upon a snake species-identification book at his school. This led him to identify the snake which he had rescued, a green pit viper, and he learned it was venomous, although not fatal. More importantly, it opened up a world of knowledge about other snake species, feeding his fascination with knowledge. Through different books and television programs, he began to be able to identify different species, see which species were venomous and which were not, understand different snake behavior, and most importantly, glimpse into their importance to the ecosystem. All while continuing to witness their beauty.

NEPAL

With his increase in knowledge he began to volunteer as a snake rescuer by going into the homes of his community when called, to remove a snake and later release it into the wild. This was and still is an essential and increasing need for people in Nepal. With human settlements spreading, fragmentation occurs, forcing snakes to use human dominated landscapes as corridors and places to live, in turn leading to more humansnake conflict. Rohit saw this and acted. He began to be so well known in the surrounding region that his phone number would be the first to appear on a Google Search for snake rescuers in Nepal. Funnily enough, this led him to receive calls from all over Nepal, not just his local region, where he would need to give feedback on how to reach local rescuers of different areas.

We should not let our fears guide our actions, instead, as our understanding of the natural world grows, we can see why snakes are important and in turn work to coexist alongside them. Around the same time, with this widespread interest in his work, Rohit began to practice photography and along with his brother, who studied cinematography, they co-created a Youtube channel with the goal of educating the public about snakes and snake rescue work. It was

Photo Credit: Sár József 50

a massive success, reaching more than 150,000 people, leading to community outreach events including a special snake festival, more rescue calls, podcast appearances, further partnerships, and most importantly, more rescued snakes. His Instagram works to do the same, offering beautiful images of snakes he has encountered and reaching more than 50,000 people. The total impact of the brothers’ work is hard to truly quantify, they are directly contributing to the creation of perception shifts all throughout Nepal. An immense impact. SHIFTS IN PERCEPTION When Rohit Giri started his work as a snake rescuer he used to be constantly questioned as to why he did not just kill the snake, why he would risk his life. Everyone used to kill the snakes that came into their homes. And yet, every time he received this question he would always take the time to answer and explain their importance to the environment around them. His snake rescuing would attract large crowds in which after the rescue he would address and educate about the snake’s importance. These moments make a difference. It was only 10 years ago that Nepal’s cultural landscape used to be dominated by the perception that snakes are bad, that all are venomous and dangerous, and that all need to be killed. Now, Rohit works to get out a different message. We should not let our fears guide our actions, instead, as our understanding of the natural world grows, we can see why snakes are important and in turn work to coexist alongside them.

Photo Credit: Rohit Giri 51

Photo Credit: Rohit Giri

NEPAL

NEPAL do within a community with those effects in turn extending beyond to other regions. And while there have been massive setbacks throughout the world in regards to the health of ecosystems, changes in how humans treat the environment are occurring for the better in many places around the world. And those wins need to be celebrated when they occur. There are many individual shifts in perceptions which are needed, many which are just waiting for someone who is able to see the beauty of a species who others may fear or misunderstand.

Along with his actual rescue work, his Youtube channel allowed him to begin having specially designed community engagement meetings where he would teach others about how to rescue snakes in a safe manner, which is something he stresses. Now people identify the snakes themselves, knowing which ones are dangerous and which ones are not. No one kills snakes and people are much more empathetic of their interspecies neighbors. They tell Rohit to just release it outside the home, still within the urban setting. They now know that snakes are important predators for many rodents, amphibians, and even other snakes. Rohit has been celebrated for the work he does, with people, “watching videos with family members” and “asking when the next video will come out, saying they are eager for it.” Rohit shows the power of what one individual can

FUTURE TRENDS While the shift in perception which is unfolding is important, Rohit says, there also is a desperate need for a shift in how Nepal carries out its conservation. Like almost all countries in the world, Nepal is threatened by various environmental pressures, namely habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, climate change, and overexploitation. Mostly all as a result of the expansion of human settlements otherwise known as urbanization. This is cause for concern. And yet looking at the other side of the picture, Nepal has seen tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) numbers rebound, so conservation of select species is considered an important success. However, without the needed conservation and restoration of habitats, select species numbers go up and then move their range into human settlements as less natural spaces are available. This has led to an increase of human-wildlife conflict. While some snakes are known to be able to survive in fragmented areas, certain snakes such as the King Cobra need dense forests to survive. Without the proper protection of habitats, certain less adaptable, snake species will decrease. Rohit says governments must focus on more than just the “charismatic” species for which people recognize Nepalese wildlife. They must allocate more money to reptiles and amphibians, for example, in order to maintain a balanced ecosystem. Or more importantly identify key areas of conservation interest such as habitat

NEPAL corridors between National Parks. Because, for all the successes which have unfolded within the last few years, the expansion of large projects which the government deems important for the economy continues, despite being in ecologically important areas.

protests. The government, in order to downplay the natural costs, said they would plant 5 million trees for the 2 million which have been cut down. However, anyone comparing newly planted tree plantations and old growth forest would be able to see the vast difference in the abundance of life one has versus the other. To add to this, alternatives for the project exist, ones which are less disastrous for the environment, which is why Rohit says projects like the Nijgad need to stop. APPRECIATING WHAT WE HAVE It is not everywhere in the world that vast, undisturbed tracts of the natural environment still exist and need our protection. Some of our landscapes have already been highly urbanized and the little that remains are fragmented public parks and gardens. However, as Rohit himself says and has shown, there are required shifts in perception which can have ripple effects on a culture. We must be appreciative of what we have, and if needed, be the ones to step up and protect what needs to be protected. Bringing awareness and education into an area which is in need of it can have untold amounts of impact. “Take a chance and do not simply sit back and watch. We only have one home, one planet, so take a few steps and do what you can to help.” Whether it is the King of all Snakes, the Grizzly Bear, the Great White Shark, or any other species which are in need of people to see their beauty past the initial fear, shifts need to happen, and they all start somewhere.

One of these, a project which Rohit has opposed, is the newly proposed international airport, Nijgad. Nijgad, lies atop critical habitat consisting of one of the last old growth, native hardwood forests in eastern Terai. The construction of this airport would result in the cutting down of 2 million trees and is currently home to 700 species of birds, 23 endangered flora and 22 endangered wildlife species. This has sparked

Instagram @rohittgiri YouTube @RohitGiri Facebook @rohit.giri123

Instagram @lukas_walter_photography Website www.lukaswalter.com

STARGAZER LUKAS WALTER

Instagram @lukas_walter_photography Website www.lukaswalter.com

I am Lukas Walter and I am a wildlife photographer in my spare time. My passion for wildlife started in the underwater world, especially the big ocean predators fascinate me. When I started diving, I wanted to share my adventures and wildlife encounters with friends and family. This started with creating videos, but I developed an interest in photography as well. More and more I wanted to capture the beauty of all the wild places on our beautiful planet. After exploring the oceans, I went on my first safari. I fell in love with the African bush and shifted more towards still images. When I look at my images and videos, I remember how connected I feel to nature and I want the viewer to feel the same. Sharks are probably my favorite subject because they are arguably one of the most misunderstood animals. Unlike the public perception they are not the bloodthirsty killers most people think they are and I hope my pictures show their beauty and that it is worth protecting them. They don’t look cuddly and don’t receive much attention, but they are very important for healthy oceans and a healthy planet.

SAMOA

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK: SAVING THE MANUMEA Deep in the Samoan rainforest lives a fascinating bird – the critically endangered Manumea. Not much is known about it, yet it is clear that this bird is incredibly important, both ecologically and culturally, and needs to be protected. Moeumu Uili has been advocating for the conservation of the Manumea for many years; she says she won’t turn her back on the bird until she can be sure that she has helped with the recovery of its populations.

SAMOA

Samoa consists of a group of nine inhabited and five uninhabited islands and is located in the Pacific Ocean, about 2600km northeast of New Zealand. Moemu Uili was born on one of the two main islands, Upolu Island. She remembers that “Growing up, I was surrounded by nature, so naturally, I’ve always been fascinated by how things are related and have always had a passion for learning about our environment.” Moeumu, Moe for short, is a Samoan conservationist with extensive experience on invasive species, as well as community and environmental management. After her bachelor of science degree at the National University of Samoa, she worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources between 2007 and early 2021 and after that with the Samoa Conservation Society until 2022. She then went on to do a master’s program on Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology in the US. “The final dissertation I’m currently writing has to do with the Tooth-billed pigeon – also known as the Manumea – the national bird of Samoa. It is endemic to our islands, so this is the only place it is found in the world.” She says that there are not many other people currently working on the protection of this species. “When I learned that the Manumea could soon be gone forever, I knew I had to try and do something to save it. I do not want to lose it. The Manumea is a treasure to our islands and people.” One look at the IUCN Red List makes it clear that the Manumea is critically endangered. According to Moeumu, what you would normally do in order to estimate the abundance of a species is a quantitative assessment among their population. In the case of a rare bird species such as the Manumea, this has proven rather difficult. Although the estimation of exact numbers is therefore not possible, she agrees with the majority of researchers that there are probably less than 200 Tooth-billed pigeons remaining today.

“Growing up, I was surrounded by nature, so naturally, I’ve always been fascinated by how things are related and have always had a passion for learning about our environment.” While listening to Moe talk it soon becomes clear that the Tooth-billed pigeon is incredibly fascinating for many reasons. She says, “The Manumea is quite a big bird. It looks like a pigeon, but then it also resembles a parrot. One of the most distinctive features is its hooked beak, which is why it was described as parrot-like in the first place.” Unique about the Tooth-billed pigeon is also the fact that it has a tooth in its mandible – hence the name. It is used specifically to crack open the seeds of large native fruiting trees that other birds cannot open. This ecosystem service is incredibly important in that it greatly contributes to the distribution of the seeds and therefore the restoration of the native forests of Samoa. Its beak is also the main feature differentiating the Manumea from all other Samoan pigeons and it enables researchers who look for them to confirm that a bird is in fact the Manumea.

Photo Credit: Samoa Conservation Society

SAMOA

Moeumu adds, “The Manumea is a very strange species. The Tooth-billed pigeon is not found anywhere else and is very unique in terms of its biology and ecological niche. It’s one of six species of pigeons in Samoa and related to the Dodo, a flightless bird that lived exclusively on the island of Mauritius and became extinct around 1662. Since Samoa is such an isolated area in the Pacific Ocean, it is still unclear how the Manumea got there in the first place. It’s the only species of its genus (Didunculus) still remaining.” But, what puzzles scientists the most is that over the years, other species of pigeon have thrived in these forests, while the Manumea population keeps on declining. A NUMBER OF THREATS Due to the particular biogeography of islands, species living in such places are generally more isolated than they would be on the mainland, making them more vulnerable to threats. Rated as a ground bird, the Tooth-billed pigeon is believed to only cover short distances, making it more difficult to inhabit suitable areas further away when survival in its current habitat is threatened. It is therefore critical, particularly when it comes to islands, to ensure that there are enough high quality habitats available. Alongside that, understanding the Manumea’s threats and mitigating these threats is of vital importance in its conservation. One of the reasons for the Manumea’s decline can be found back in 1990/1991, when Samoa was struck by two destructive cyclones. Forest resources were decimated to a point where it started a huge competition between community and wildlife – both fighting for their survival. To this day, deforestation and habitat degradation are important threats to the Manumea and biodiversity as a whole. Particularly during the recent COVID pandemic, communities were heavily dependent on land resources. Moe explains further: “They were clearing forests to plant food crops and vegetable gardens in order to support their families. These were the same resources we were trying to protect.” Hence, one of the challenges Moeumu and her colleagues

face working with communities is the sustainable use of resources. In detail this means if trees are cut down, some generous patches should be left intact to continue to serve as valuable habitat for wildlife. Part of this strategy is also the replanting of fruiting trees, which are extremely valuable to a range of birds. Recent reports have proposed a tree called Dysoxylum or Maota to be one of the Manumea’s favorite food resources. Hunting is thought to threaten the Manumea as well. Unfortunately, there are some reports of unintentional killings of the Tooth-billed pigeon during Pacific imperial pigeon hunts. Luckily, people have become much more aware now. The fact that the Manumea is Samoa’s national bird and could soon become extinct has awakened something in people. They have pride in wanting to protect their bird. Moeumu adds, “In the past 10 to 20 years, many community outreach programs have been developed and regulations were put in place to ban the hunting of the Manumea.” Another reason why the Tooth-billed pigeon is currently at risk is the fact that the bird spends most of its life on the ground – demonstrated by over 1500 years of evolutionary records. Its nests are therefore believed to be located quite low as well, making it more vulnerable to the impact of invasive species such as rats and cats. Moeumu adds, “When we did our monitoring, we found other native birds’ nests near the ground or on low tree branches. All of these nests are accessible 69

SAMOA

SAMOA to predators, but surprisingly, their reproductive success is barely impacted by the rats. We need to understand why the Manumea’s success is low compared to other species. Is it for example more favorable for rats to predate on the nests of Tooth-billed pigeons compared to others?” Finally, the Manumea has low reproductive rates: It breeds only once a year and lays one egg at the time, so every individual “counts”. Interestingly, other pigeon species such as the Crimson crowned fruit dove and the Pacific imperial pigeon also breed once and lay either one or two eggs a year, yet this doesn’t seem to impact their survival. Clearly, there is no shortage in threats leading to the decline of the Manumea. However, more research needs to be done to understand what exactly, apart from these known factors all other pigeon species face as well, causes its population to decline. Could it be a disease? Or something completely different? In the meantime, the bird doesn’t exactly back up conservation efforts. Due to its cryptic and shy behavior it is incredibly challenging to find a Tooth-billed pigeon nest, let alone the bird itself. HOW TO LOOK FOR A BIRD Finding a Manumea is a much more challenging task than one could probably imagine. Moe explains, “We’ve been working with local communities for many years, gathering all traditional ecological information about endemic wildlife and habitats, and what they know about the whereabouts of the bird. When I was back in Samoa this summer, I interviewed some members of the community. A few people told us they were able to sight Tooth-billed pigeons while they were out hunting for feral pigs. The only problem is that they usually don’t have cameras or phones on them to take photos. If we want to be sure, we need that evidence.” In 2013, the Samoa Conservation Society had received funding from a conservation leadership program for a year-long project in order to find the Manumea. At the time, researchers and scientists concluded that the Manumea was restricted to the inner part of the two main 72

islands where pristine forest still existed, so this is where Moeumu and her team went to look for it. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to find the bird at any of the sites they visited. However, this wasn’t the end of this story… Towards the end of their field survey season, they came back to their accommodation, located in one of the most developed areas. Moeumu tells us the following: “Around 6:00 o’clock in the evening, one of my team members went out to hang his clothes, just in front of the accommodation. The cable that was used to hang the clothes was tied to the trunk of Moso’oi or perfume tree, which the Manumea had previously been reported to eat fruits from. Concentrated on the task at hand, he all of a sudden was startled by the sound of wing flapping. As he looked up he realized that a big bird had landed on the tree just above him. He came running back and said: ‘You might want to come and check this out. I think that might be a Manumea, but it also looks like a chicken!’” The team had never seen a Manumea before. Seeing its beak was the key. They had pulled up museum photos that they got for identification, took cameras and binoculars, and went back to where it was sitting. Looking at the bird and its unique beak they realized that this was in fact the bird they had been trying to find for so long! The Manumea sat on the tree long enough for them to take photos and for some of the locals to come and have a look at it. This was the moment Moeumu and her team knew that there was still hope of finding the bird and purpose in keeping up their work. If there was a juvenile it was likely that there were parents nearby, and hopefully some other breeding pairs as well! According to unvalidated reports from communities, the Manumea was last seen in 2021. In the same year, Moeumu’s team had been out in the field and a few researchers had likewise reported a sighting of an adult bird, in a forest not far from where these communities lived, on the big island of Savai’i. Moeumu adds, “Historical reports of the Manumea confirmed that the bird had indeed lived there before, so we were hopeful that that was in fact a valid sighting and that the bird was still there.” A hunter had also been telling

Photo Credits: Samoa Conservation Society

All Photo Credit: Cycling 4 wildlife

SAMOA them this year that he had gone out with his dogs to hunt wild pigs. Eventually he had sighted a juvenile bird with the same colors and features as were displayed in the photograph from 2013. The dogs had apparently disturbed the bird on a few different occasions, causing it to take off. According to Moeumu, this is one of the sites she wants to visit on her return to Samoa and do more research within the local community and forest. She tells us that “Even though these few and far between sightings are somewhat good news for us, I can also say that the Manumea is very much confusing us at the moment. We have photographed the bird in more disturbed forest areas and during our surveys in 2020-2021 have sighted it up at 1600 meters elevation. This gives us only limited information on its distribution. There is no specific forest the Manumea lives in, hence this makes protecting the bird even more challenging.” SAVING THE MANUMEA Nevertheless, a number of things are and can be done simultaneously in order to try and protect Samoa’s national bird. In one of the sites believed suitable for the Manumea, Moe and her team have done some trapping of invasive species in collaboration with New Zealand’s Auckland Zoo. She explains, “It was a pilot project to figure out how effective it is to control rat populations from that area. So far, continuous monitoring has shown an increase in the population of endemic threatened bird species. We are happy to say that there’s a definite positive impact from controlling rat populations – though unfortunately we cannot be sure when it comes to the Manumea. We first need evidence of nesting in order to monitor any changes.” Although sightings of the Tooth-billed pigeon had been reported from that area, so far no nests could be found. Moeumu adds that “We have been continuing our weekly monitoring in the forest for the last 10 years and only sighted 1 juvenile bird. We now believe that training communities at different locations to help us report sightings could be incredibly beneficial to us. This means that we have people on the lookout all the time rather than at certain points like we used to.” Still, purely visual monitoring is not likely going to give fast results – all the while the number of birds keeps declining. 74

Hearing the Manumea sing would undoubtedly help scientists locate it. So far, however, not much is known about its vocalization. Any foreign sounds will completely silence the shy bird. There is practically no way of telling where the Manumea is until loud flapping of the wings can be made out. The bird often hides in the middle of the canopy and its colors only shine when exposed to the sun. Even more challenging is the fact that the Pacific imperial pigeon vocalizes similarly to the Manumea. After all, they are already a similar species, inhabit the same places and share the same resources. Moeumu believes there to be only three existing records of Manumea vocalization – but even these could potentially belong to a Pacific imperial pigeon. She suggests, “We will need more information on the vocalizations of the Pacific imperial pigeon from other islands, especially American Samoa, where there are no Tooth-billed pigeons and we can for sure say it is the sound of an Imperial pigeon. This might allow us to get a better comparison between the slightly different vocalizations of the two species.” Confirmed vocalizations of the Manumea could in the future be used to play back at different locations and attract individuals. Moeumu adds, “I’m specifically trying to figure out the distribution of this species using acoustic vocalization. Another one of our aims is to be able to track the birds in the forest. Hopefully we can capture some individuals to establish an effective captive breeding program that would help us understand more about the Tooth-billed pigeon and get its

“Hearing the Manumea sing would undoubtedly help scientists locate it. So far, however, not much is known about its vocalization.”

numbers back up before releasing them back into the wild.” When doing this, it is critical that the bird isn’t simply taken out of its habitat. It also needs to have a home to which it can return. This is why Moe and her team – specifically consisting of members of the Samoa Conservation Society – keep working with the communities to restore the forests. Their objective is to connect with local people and educate them on the importance of conservation for their everyday life, as well as on endemic species like the Manumea. THE SAMOA CONSERVATION SOCIETY AND ITS AIMS The Samoa Conservation Society was established as part of a small group of conservationists – people with a passion towards saving the environment, and Moeumu was one of them. She tells us: “Conservation wasn’t a big part of life in Samoa. We knew that there was a lot that needed to be done in order to save what we have. There are now a lot more people interested in joining the society because they are starting to appreciate the work we’re doing and the goodness that comes out of it.” Today, the Samoa Conservation Society is the main conservation NGO in the country supporting the government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Although the society is still relatively new – they recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary – it has already supported many conservation efforts across the islands. Moeumu says, “Since over 80 percent of Samoa’s land is owned by local communities, it is crucial for the society to collaborate closely with them. Throughout the years we have worked with communities to help them understand the meaning of sustainable living. After all, unsustainable land use is one of the major factors leading to the decrease of biodiversity, of life. Climate change is also an issue that many communities have not been aware of previously. Not only are we trying to understand nature through research but we also support the local people by providing education and awareness outreach programs.” The society also strives to motivate younger conservationists in the country, giving them purpose and the opportunity to form their own society.

Photo Credit: Samoa Conservation Society

Photo Credit: Samoa Conservation Society 76

SAMOA The Society also collaborates with the BIOPAMA program (The Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management) to provide training and resources. Together they aim to engage people, strengthen the capacity and capability of local communities and improve their local knowledge on the impacts of climate change and the conservation of threatened species. Moeumu adds, “One of the activities that the Samoa Conservation Society worked on with BIOPAMA includes native forest restoration. For this cause, we provide training on the selection and plantation of different native trees that are more resilient to climate change in the long term and still provide habitat and food resources for wildlife.” The society also supports communities by improving nature trails in order to carry out ecotourism tours. This will provide some financial support for local communities and hopefully keep them from working their lands unsustainably. In addition to that, they’re also training them and their youth members to identify birds and plants, specifically medicinal plants, which can further improve their livelihood. “With its very small capacity in terms of staff and resources, we heavily depend on funding to operate,” says Moe. “We have improved our conservation and community project work over the last 10 years – the protection of the Manumea is part of that. One of our staff members specifically collects rare plants and works with the government agency to propagate and redistribute them. We are also working with the American Samoa Community College. We are currently developing a project for the potential translocation of species between American Samoa (formerly Eastern Samoa) and Samoa (formerly Western Samoa). For example the Swallowtail butterfly doesn’t exist in Samoa anymore, but it does in American Samoa. The opposite is true for the threatened Mao (Giant forest honey-eater bird), which is also endemic to the Samoan archipelago, but now only lives in Samoa. One day we may be able to reintroduce species to islands where they have been lost by translocating them from islands where they are still found.” Beyond that, the Samoa Conservation Society is also sharing their research capacity

resources with American Samoa to make sure they both have a solid foundation to support habitats and their endemic species. THE FUTURE OF SAMOA’S NATIONAL BIRD With her research, Moeumu provides a baseline of what is currently known about the Manumea. At the same time she hopes that her work offers more opportunities for the additional gathering of relevant biological and ecological information, which would help close knowledge gaps and connect the pieces. Moe tells us: “We are happy for organizations and communities to contact us if they’re interested in supporting the work of the Samoa Conservation Society and in general always grateful for people who are curious to find out more about what we do. I believe that getting the wider community involved is going to be one of the main keys in helping us save threatened Samoan species like the Manumea.” Unfortunately, the Manumea is far from the only marvelous species threatened to at least some degree. As of 2023, over 40.000 species are considered at risk of extinction. It is therefore critical that we follow Moeumu’s example, work together as a community and make a strong effort – and we don’t have to travel the world to do so. We can make a difference in front of our own doorstep, our backyard, the forest up the hill, the local beach around the corner. You never know, if we get together, we may just achieve the impossible…

Facebook @conservesamoa Website www.samoaconservationsociety. wordpress.com

THE ENDANGERED KIPUNJI On the high slopes of Mt. Rungwe and in the Udzungwa Mountains live East Africa’s rarest primate, the Kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji). Endemic to its rich forest habitats and found nowhere else in the world, the Kipunji population and ecosystem have been threatened by tree felling, charcoal production, farming, and hunting. That makes the Kipunji not only rare, but also endangered.

DISCOVERY

In January 2003, a team from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) first heard about the Kipunji through a couple of local Wanyakyusa hunters, a Bantu ethnolinguistic group who live in the southern Mbeya mountain region of Tanzania. They described a primate that lived high up on the steep forested slopes. It was in May of that same year on the slopes of Mt. Rungwe when the team first spotted the unfamiliar primate with their own eyes. A year later, in the Udzungwa Mountains, researchers discovered what they thought was a new species of primate too. The two research teams joined forces and published a paper describing the species, later identified as the Kipunji. It was the first new genus of African monkey described in 83 years.

CHARACTERISTICS

The Kipunji can be recognized by its broad triangular crest of hair on its crown and cheeks, light-brown fur, white-tipped tail, baboon-like face, and loud honk-bark vocals.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND ENDANGERMENT

The Kipunji is currently listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Since its discovery, with the support of the government and community partners, a longterm conservation plan – initiated by WCS, now continued by Tim Davenport and Re:wild – has been in place to help these shy, mountain-living primates and their unique habitat from extinction and human presence.

After thirteen years of conservation efforts, positive results are now starting to show: • Four years after discovery, the entire Kipunji population was just 1,117 individuals. In just over a decade, that population has grown by 65%, sitting at a total of 1,996. • A decrease in human disturbance and unmanaged resource extraction has fostered sustainable and steady population growth. • The Kipunji has been on the Primates in Peril list three times: 2006-2008, 2008-2010, 2018-2020. It is not featured in the latest list, thanks to conservation efforts. • According to the latest published research, the population of Kipunji could double in the next 25 years if current forest protection measures are upheld.

SHORT LIST OF FACTS • Species: Rungwecebus kipunji • Genus: Rungwecebus, with their closest relatives being Baboons (Papio) • Weight: 10 - 16 kg • Length: 85 - 95 cm • Biogeographical Region: Afrotropical • IUCN Red List status: Endangered (EN) 79

COLOFON DIRECTOR Manon Verijdt ART DIRECTOR Arina van Londen

CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER Tobias van Krieken

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mirjam May Arina van Londen

ILLUSTRATOR Renée Balsters

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Thijs Montalvo Patrizia Baldi Callum Evans Boglárka Miskolczi Mary Swing Nathan Turnbull Marc Kranendonk Emma Ritzen SOCIAL MEDIA Mira de Winter Mirjam May

CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EDITION Misha Istratov, Sár József, Tim Davenport Moeumu Uili, Elske Swets, Sander van Andel Heather Arrowood, Rohit Giri, Lukas Walter and thanks to all contributing photographers!

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ISSUE 8 | WINTER 2024