Seasons Ecology’s Post

For National Threatened Species Day, and we asked our Nature Advisory and Ecology Teams to shine a spotlight on a handful of species that need our help the most.💚 It wasn’t an easy task, with so many Australian species under threat. We’ll be sharing a full article soon with deeper insights into Australia’s vulnerable wildlife. For now, take a look at the team’s selection below, and let us know which species resonates most with you (the Cumberland snail is quite an interesting one!) A big thanks to our nature-loving team: Jenni Garden, Danielle Smith, Sarah Day, Cassie Cheeseman, Elena R., Katie Denoon. Protecting these species is critical to preserving the balance of our ecosystems, and we’re dedicated to making a difference. If you’d like to learn more about our Nature and Ecology services, feel free to reach out directly to the team or explore our services here: https://lnkd.in/gCMEC257 . . . #EdgeImpact #NationalThreatenedSpeciesDay #ThreatenedSpecies #AustralianWildlife #NatureConservation #NatureAwareness

🌿 Thrilled to share that my master's thesis has been published in the Journal of Landscape Ecology! Interested in understanding how road-crossing behavior is related to where wildlife collisions occur? Check out this new paper about how roe deer navigate the road network: 🔍 https://lnkd.in/eAuNNenq Let's keep exploring ways to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and promote sustainable coexistence! 🦌🛣️ #WildlifeConservation #LandscapeEcology #ResearchPublication

April 19 | Friday | 6:30 PM Recovering Big Cats: Challenges and Opportunities RSVP: https://shorturl.at/jFPS6 Building on the previous sessions on wildlife science and practice of conservation based on that science, this masterclass by Ullas Karanth will explore both of these major themes, drawing examples from his own personal journey of five decades with tigers and other big cats. This session will also explore externalities critical to successful conservation of wild nature in general and big cats more specifically. It will include a brief account of tiger recovery in India and range-wide outlines the science and conservation outcomes. Critical elements of successful tiger conservation include making room for tigers, enforcing laws, reducing pressures, and understanding the role of development in effective big cat recovery. Hidden externalities in wildlife conservation, such as ecological carrying capacity and overshoot of biophysical limits in human consumption of energy and materials, result from the disconnect between ecology and economics. Plausible approaches to recovery, such as spiritual time travel, Malthusian dread, and unbridled techno-optimism, address key externalities including efficiencies in energy production, land use, and agriculture. Decoupling from nature and managing landscapes sustainably are crucial for avoiding confusion between conservation and development. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Image credit: Thumbnail, Header & Posters: Pranav Vajapeyam #bic #bicbangalore #conservation #wildlife #indianwildlife

Another *trilling* lost bird discovery: birders have documented the Mussau Triller for the first time since 1979! 📷 🔎The Mussau Triller is assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and listed as a lost bird by the Search for Lost Birds, a collaboration between American Bird Conservatory (ABC), Re:wild, and BirdLife International. John C. Mittermeier, Director of the Search for Lost Birds for ABC, notes that this “stunning news” shows how valuable the global birding community is in the Search for Lost Birds. According to a recent study published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, citizen science platforms such as eBird, Xeno-canto, and iNaturalist — where anyone can record their sightings and upload photographs of birds around the globe — contain records on 98% of all bird species on Earth. 🌎 “That documentation is a hugely valuable data point for us as conservationists,” says Mittermeier. “One of the most basic pieces of information you need in conservation is simply knowing where a species is and geo-located records submitted by citizen scientists, like Josh's photographs of the triller, help provide that understanding. That's square one for any conservation analysis and planning.” ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Bf4uOu #MassauTriller #Triller #TrillerNight #Birder #Birding #SearchForLostBirds #eBird

The great-billed seed finch (Sporophila maximiliani), thought to be the most trafficked endangered bird species in Brazil, has long been coveted in the caged-bird trade, which has caused the local extinction of the species over most of its former range in the Cerrado savanna. One conservation project is working to conserve the species holistically through research and environmental education, while collaborating with bird keepers and breeders to bring the species back to the wild. With support from these experts and local communities, the species is being reintroduced in the Cerrado within the Grande Sertão Veredas region between the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. - Mongabay Fabio Olmos Flávio Ubaid Adriana Martins #endangeredspecies #brazil #conservation #rewilding https://lnkd.in/eHq2jvfp

As it's National Mammal Week, I wanted to take a moment to highlight the water vole, which is a native semi-aquatic rodent here in the UK. Earlier this week I had the privilege of attending the Water Vole Ecology and Field Signs Training course, hosted by People's Trust for Endangered Species. It was an incredible experience, and I'm excited to put my newfound knowledge into practice. Water voles play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of our ecosystems. One of the key reasons water voles are so important is because they are considered a keystone species. They create burrows along riverbanks, which not only provide them with shelter but also help stabilise the soil and prevent erosion. These burrows also create small channels and pools that benefit other wildlife, including fish, birds, and invertebrates. Water voles also act as valuable indicators of waterway health. They are highly sensitive to changes in water quality and habitat degradation. By monitoring water vole populations, conservationists can gain valuable insights into the overall health of an ecosystem and take appropriate measures to protect and restore their habitats. Sadly, water voles have faced significant declines in recent years due to habitat loss, pollution, and predation by non-native species like mink. This is why conservation efforts are crucial to ensure their survival. Initiatives such as habitat restoration, predator control, and public awareness campaigns all play a vital role in protecting water voles and their habitats. By spreading the word about water voles and their conservation, we can help ensure that these important species continue to thrive in our waterways and contribute to the overall health of our ecosystems. Let's celebrate National Mammal Week by shining a light on this amazing species. #NationalMammalWeek #WaterVoleConservation Mammal Society Cheshire Wildlife Trust #conservation #nature #nativemammal #mammal

Yes, this is true, the extent of the wolves' role in the Yellowstone ecosystem is not as supported by research as many wolf advocates claim. Nor is the Yellowstone ecosystem identical to other ecosystems and cannot be used as the "gold standard" for wolf reintroduction as some environmental groups try to do. Wolf reintroduction was initially something that was done to bring an endangered species back into the Lower 48, not to "restore the ecosystem." The basis of wolf reintroduction these days is more about a land use dispute than "saving" the ecosystem. That is not to say that there are no benefits to the ecosystem by bringing in wolves, because there are. But I also question whether the needs and rights of the wolves themselves are being fairly considered, or if they are being considered at all. Bringing wolves, or any animal, into an environment where they are unwanted and people are more than willing to kill them if any opportunity to do so presents itself is not in the best interest of those animals. It may be desirable to environmentalists for a variety of reasons, some of which have scientific validity, but I still think that the current movement to give animals rights in general and look at what we are doing to them from their point of view is important. There is no reason why the rights of wolves should not be considered along with the rest of the animals. https://lnkd.in/gzWbuqUf #wolves #yellowstone #endangeredspecies #climatechange

It's #WildlifeWednesday and today we are preparing for the emergence of CICADAS! Cicadas are in the Hemiptera order, called "true bugs" along with leafhoppers, treehoppers, and froghoppers. They feed on sap within the xylem of trees using sucking mouthparts and while they can impact tree populations when in high numbers, they rarely cause significant damage to trees. There are more than 3,000 species described worldwide, and while most are what are called "annual" cicadas, or species that have a brood emerge each year, some are called "periodical" cicadas, or cicadas that emerge on a longer cycle, meaning you may have many years between. This alternation of mass emergence may help mitigate for their predation by omnivorous wildlife, making them a less reliable food source and overabundant when present. Their cacophony of sound is created by drum-like tymbals, moved in rapid succession. Each species produces its own distinctive mating song to help differentiate among species when multiple have emerged in the same year. In 2024, people within range will see and hear annual cicadas, however only some areas will witness the 13-year Brood XIX, the largest of all periodical broods, and the co-emergence of the 17-year Brood XIII. It is an exciting year for periodical cicadas! Conservation of habitat and eliminating pesticides is critical to the survival of cicadas as they spend much of their life underground. The University of Connecticut has a great resource to learn about periodical cicadas and brood cycles, and understanding cicada ecology on their website: https://cicadas.uconn.edu/ If you would like to discuss improving habitat on your land with one of our biologists, reach out at info@nalt.org, or visit our website to learn more about our conservation management plans: https://lnkd.in/gu6wjfGz #nature #outdoors #landconservation #naturelovers #conservation #northamericanlandtrust #privatelands #naturalresources #privateland #conservationmanagement #privatelandconservation #landpreservation #easements #landprotection #nativewildlife #WildlifeWednesday #wildlifeconservation #cicadas #periodicalcicadas #broods

Can You Hear the Silence? Wolves Losing Their Voices to Human Activity While you might picture the wilderness filled with the howling of wolves, a worrying fact remains: wolf howling is declining at an alarming rate due to human encroachment. (One of the key finding of my PhD thesis) Our research, published in the journal Animal Conservation of Zoological Society of London (ZSL) [https://lnkd.in/dvvRiCXp] a few months back and led by Bilal Habib, uncovered the impact of our activities on wolves, particularly their vocal communication. We found that habitat loss, fragmentation, and Anthropogenic factors significantly influence how wolves howl, potentially affecting their ability to stay connected, find mates, and defend territories. The silence isn't just about missing the evocative sound of wild places; it's about understanding the broader implications for wolf populations and ecosystem health. Now, thanks to Mongabay-India, the findings are available for everyone to understand: https://lnkd.in/dGnEKDF8 The issue remains critical. Share this post, read the article, and work together to create a future where wolves can thrive and their voices can echo through the wilderness. It's not too late to raise awareness and protect these vital members of our ecosystem. #SaveWolves #ProtectWilderness #BiodiversityConservation #ConservationScience #AnimalBehavior #HumanImpact #MongabayIndia #TimeToAction

📈 Vortex simulates the complex dynamics of wildlife population growth and how those dynamics may change through time in the presence of threatening human activities. CPSG continues promoting and facilitating the use of Vortex amongst those who are at the forefront of in situ and ex situ conservation. 👩💻 From September 23-27, CPSG designed and delivered a training workshop on Conducting Population Viability Analysis Using Vortex at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (Escondido, CA). 💡📊 Researchers from various departments, including the Recovery Ecology, the Plant Conservation, the Burrowing Owl Recovery Program, and the Conservation Genetics Departments at the Beckman Center for Conservation Research came together to explore how Vortex can be used as an effective tool to evaluate the extinction risk of threatened species and management alternatives. 🤝 This workshop not only strengthened long-standing partnerships between CPSG and SDZWA but also fostered new collaborations. We are excited to keep building on this momentum for future projects! _ #Conservation #PopulationViabilityAnalysis #CapacityBuilding #ConservationTools #ConservationResearch #Research