Mellie Musonera’s Post

The Mongolian landscape changes remarkably between seasons, shifting from a winter scene dominated by sand and bare rocks to a vibrant summer environment rich in biodiversity, offering breathtaking views. This habitat is vital for the Pallas's cat, one of our target species, as it provides both shelter and food. However, a significant threat to its survival likely stems from intensive livestock grazing in the area. In fact, overgrazing and overtrampling reduce the availability of prey, impacting the cat’s food resources. - photo credit: Valentina De Noia & Wildlife Initiative Supported by Parajumpers Officialpage, Zoo de Beauval, Zoo de Trégomeur, irbis.mongolia, Snow Leopard Conservancy, and PICA Project. visit: www.wildlifeinitiative.org - #wildlifeinitiative #wildlife #species #wildspecies #nature #wildnature #ecosystem #environment #biodiversity #ecology #habitat #research #wildliferesearch #conservation #wildlifeconservation #monitoring #wildlifemonitoring #mammals #mammalia #carnivores #predators #felids #felidae #wildcat #pallascat #otocolobusmanul #mongolia #asia

#newpublicationalert #newpaper Spatial prioritization of dugong habitats Indian dugong populations, though modest in size, hold a unique significance. They are flanked by much larger populations, with numbers exceeding 5,000 in the Persian Gulf and over 50,000 along the Australian coast. Genetic studies have shown that Indian dugongs, along with those on the East African coast, possess distinct and high genetic diversity, forming a unique lineage separate from these larger populations (https://lnkd.in/gMehMJqv). However, Indian dugongs face significant threats from human activities, particularly along shorelines. High bycatch in fishing gear (https://lnkd.in/du5X892i), rapidly diminishing seagrass meadows, and the rapid expansion of infrastructure and marine tourism are major concerns for their survival. Scientists and marine area managers are striving to find solutions to effectively utilize limited resources to conserve and recover dugongs and seagrass habitats. In a new paper, the team led by Sohom Seal Sharad Bayyana puts spotlight on actively prioritizing marine habitats where dugongs occur. The study reveals that less than 15% of the dugong distribution in the country is currently under any form of protection, the latest being the newly notified Dugong Conservation Reserve along Palk Bay in Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, it indicates that there might be seasonal movement of dugongs between seagrass meadows in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. It employs environmental niche modelling to predict seagrass areas, classifies habitats into high-moderate-low suitability and demarcates "Critical Dugong Habitats" - habitat patches that need immediate attention of scientists and area managers (forest, fisheries, other regulatory bodies). Enhancing protection of these "core areas" of dugongs through participatory strategies will also help India to achieve its goals to protect 30% of its geographic expanse by 2030, a target known as 30x30 in the recently adopted Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Read the full paper here - https://lnkd.in/gfnzswuh Wildlife Institute of India Wildlife Conservation Society-India Pondicherry University #marinemammals #dugongs #sirenians #spatialanalysis #seagrass

Bornean Peacock Pheasant: A Remarkable Observation in Forestbase's Project Area When I searched for historic records of biodiversity in the project area of Forestbase, I came across the only registered human observation of fauna within the project borders in the region, and what an incredible one it is: the Bornean Peacock Pheasant (Polyplectron schleiermacheri). This elusive yet magnificent bird relies heavily on its camouflage for survival and in urgent situations it can defend itself with multiple spurs on each leg. Unfortunately, these survival techniques are not enough to protect it from the ongoing threats of deforestation and habitat loss. Currently the species is evaluated as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and it is also listed on Appendix II of CITES. It is the rarest of 8 peacock-pheasants in South-east Asia. This observation is 1 out of 106(!) human observations recorded on GBIF: The Global Biodiversity Information Facility. The presumed habitat of this species is primary lowland rainforest and according to BirdLife International, 23% of its mapped range has been lost in the past 20 years due to deforestation. The population is declining and we are not even able to see how severe it is. The declared extinction of the slender billed curlew is a prime example of how urgent the situation is, yet there are so many other species facing the threat of extinction. Let’s not wait for more extinction stories to flood our feeds—urgent action is needed now! 📷 The Bornean Peacock Pheasant - Image by razis nasri #Biodiversity #Conservation

🌍 In Indonesia, before 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 began its project, only one fauna species was recorded in available global datasets: the 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢). 🐦⁣ ⁣ 🌱 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Following our initial field surveys, we identified several other protected species, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. Among these are notable species such as the 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐭 , 𝐌𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐨𝐧, and the 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥. With continued fieldwork, we aim to eventually record the endangered 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐏𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐭 again.⁣ ⁣ Our commitment to thorough biodiversity assessments not only highlights the richness of wildlife in these areas but also underscores the urgent need for conservation.⁣ ⁣ Together, we can help these incredible species thrive for generations to come. 🌍💚⁣ ⁣ #Biodiversity #Conservation #Wildlife #Sustainability #Forestbase #Indonesia

The brown hyena is primarily a scavenger, relying on carcasses left by other predators and supplementing its diet with fruits, insects, and small mammals, depending on the season. Nevertheless, it is also an active and efficient predator. Currently, the species' presence is confirmed in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. In contrast, its presence remains uncertain in Eswatini and Mozambique. The brown hyena is one of our target species in the Fish River Canyon, Namibia. Because studies on its ecology and behaviour are still widely overlooked, through camera-trapping, we aimed to explore the spatio-temporal behaviour of this elusive species within an arid environment. - photo credit: Wildlife Initiative Supported by Journeys Namibia Management Group in Tourism and Canyon Nature Trust visit: www.wildlifeinitiative.org - #wildlifeinitiative #wildlife #species #wildspecies #nature #wildnature #ecosystem #environment #biodiversity #ecology #habitat #research #wildliferesearch #conservation #wildlifeconservation #monitoring #wildlifemonitoring #cameratraps #cameratrapping #mammals #mammalia #carnivores #predators #scavengers #hyaenidae #brownhyena #parahyaenabrunnea #fishrivercanyon #namibia #africa

The timid pangolins play a key role in our planetary biodiversity! 😎 🌿 1️⃣ Natural insect controllers 🐾 One pangolin can protect over 40 acres of land from termites by consuming about 70 million ants and termites yearly. 🐾 Consume terminates and ants in every life stage of their preys: eggs, larva, pupa and adults 🐾 Prey selective: Although they are selective, pangolins still consume a diverse type of ants and termites: - In Taiwan, more than 90 ant species have been recorded in the pangolin habitat. - In eastern Taiwan, 70% of ant species were found in fecal samples of the Chinese pangolin 2️⃣ Burrow creators 🐾 By digging burrows for shelter, pangolins also aerate the soil, infiltrate water, and facilitate soil processes such as mineralization, thereby enriching the soil. 🐾 Several wild animals were recorded using pangolin burrows, namely Travancore tortoise pouched rats, crab-eating mongoose, yellow-throated marten, and Chinese ferret-badger. (Source: "The roles of pangolins in ecosystems" by Jung-Tai Chao, Hou-Feng Li & Chung-Chi Lin) 📍Support our pangolin conservation activities at: https://svw.vn/donate/ #SaveVietnamsWildlife #SVW #Pangolin #AnimalsRescue #Wildlife #Conservation

The African Golden cat is one of the most elusive cats in the world. We know little about them – it was thought that there are two distinct populations, as no records of the species have been found in Benin and Nigeria. Okala’s nature tech has not only allowed our client to see into the Golden cat’s world; it has collected detailed ecological data (including spatial distribution) that provides the biodiversity accountancy required to evidence nature-positive impacts (e.g. TNFD). This is not just about meeting the latest requirements. Our wildlife intelligence improves understanding of the Golden cat’s ecology, behaviour and activity patterns in ways that aid conservation in the face of the key threats of deforestation and loss of prey due to bushmeat hunting. #Africangoldencat #Carnivore #bigcat #mammal #animal #wildlife #wildlifereel #conservation #biodiversity #africa #gabon #reels #wildlifeplanet #climate #technology #biodiversitytech #cameratrap #okala #AI #artificialintelligence #endangeredspecies

New alien species found in Europe! The red dwarf honey bee (Apis florea) from Asia, has just been recorded in Malta. This means that the threats and risks of impacting the Maltese honeybee (Apis mellifera ruttneri), just keep on increasing, making it even more challenging for this indigenous species to survive. It can also be noticed that with the changes of climate, species from other countries and continents are finding it easier to spread and acclimatize in new habitats, which before were never found. Read more about this in the article co-authored by colleague Thomas Galea: https://lnkd.in/dFyhiq_s #European #agriculture #honeybee #alienspecies

facts about fresh water fisheries

With a population showing an increasing trend, the wapiti deer is classified as 'Least Concern' on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (Brook et al. 2018). The species lived in Beringia more than 10,000 years ago. After Beringia submerged, the population was divided between North America and Siberia. Although once rare in Mongolia, the species now thrives across the country, even reaching the Gobi Desert! - photo credit: Giacomo De Donà support: Parajumpers Officialpage visit: www.wildlifeinitiative.org - #wildlifeinitiative #wildlife #species #wildspecies #nature #wildnature #ecosystem #environment #biodiversity #ecology #habitat #research #wildliferesearch #conservation #wildlifeconservation #iucn #monitoring #wildlifemonitoring #mammals #mammalia #ungulates #prey #wapitideer #cervuscanadensis #beringia #northamerica #siberia #gobidesert #mongolia #asia