There are very few places in the world where rhino is today present : the Javan and the Sumatran in Asia which, as the WWF says, are "Critically Endangered" (a subspecies of the Javan rhino was declared extinct in Vietnam in 2011) and the Indian rhino, whose status was changed from "Endangered" to "Vulnerable", but it's still poached for its horn. In Africa there are twho rhino species : the White one and the Black one. The Southern white rhinos are classified as "Near Threatened" while the Northern white rhino is believed to be extinct in the wild and few of them live in a sanctuary in Kenya; black rhinos have doubled during the past two decades but their number (2,480) is very low compared to the 100,000 that existed in the early 20th century.
Rhinos are threatened for many reasons :
- Poaching : in 2013, more than 1000 rhinos were killed only in South Africa and considering their already low number, this is a huge amount. It's hard to stop the action of the poachers as they serve the interests of an enormous illegal trade and the people who lead it simply substitute a poacher when another one is caught, they have no scruples. There are anti poaching programs, whose participants are trained hard to fight against this pressing issue, but unfortunately this is not enough.
- Habitat loss : the territories where the rhinos live are often "invaded" by multinationals to convert the areas in plantations or by populations who have nowhere else to go and settle in the rhinos habitats.
- Reduced genetic diversity : this is the case of the Javan rhino, whose very small population may make it hard for the species to remain viable.
- Natural disasters : the area where the Javan rhinos live is subject to a danger of tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
- Disease : in recent years, four Javan rhinos have died from disease.
Send me your opinion about this to thenorthernlightsdiary@gmail.com.
Whaling had a great development during the XVI century in the Atlantic ocean and from the XIX century in the Pacific ocean. The Basques were the first commercial whalers, while the most numerous were the Americans.
The whale is caught with an harpoon, thrown from the whaling ship. In the XIX century the main whale product was the blubber, but the whole animal was used. In modern times, the main product is it meat.
At the end of the XIX century whaling underwent a profound crisis because of the birth of the oil industry and because of the American civil war.
Today, whaling is forbidden in most of the world, but in many countries whale hunters keep hunting these cetaceans.
In 1946 the IWC (International Whaling Commission) was created to promote a coordinated development of the whaling industry and regulate it. At the beginning it encouraged the hunt and so, during the first 30 years of the IWC, 2 million whales were killed. In more recent times, it has started promoting the protection for the cetaceans, even though 39 member countries are still conducive to hunting.
In 1986 came into force the ban of whaling, but since then Japan, Norway, Iceland, Russia, Korea and local whale hunters from other countries went on with their activity, killing 21.760 whales.
In 1994, the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was created. Notwithstanding this, Japan keeps killing minke whales there.
Norway and Japan are brazenly defying world opinion by going on with the hunt and even increasing it.
Japan is taking advantage of a loophole of the IWC, which allows the hunt in any number of specimens for the purpose of scientific research. So, Japan named its activity "scientific research". Obviously, no new knowledge has been gained.
Blue whale and fin whale are considered "endangered species" by WWF.
Whaling must be stopped. There is no justification for such a barbarity.
You can help things change by spreading the word and helping the organizations that deal with the protection of these wonderful creatures, like Greenpeace, Sea Shepherd, WWF and IWPO.
Please, don't let it remain an unheeded cry.
What do you think about it? Send me an email to thenorternlightsdiary@gmail.com.
The snow leopard is a beautiful feline which lives in central Asia between 1500 and 6000 metres above the sea level in a dry and rocky habitat.
Its usual preys are wild sheeps and goats, but as the preys are scarce in the Asian mountains, it also eats deers, young yaks, wild donkeys and wild cattle.
Today, it is estimated that the snow leopard population is of 4080-6590 specimens.
The snow leopard is considered and endangered species by WWF.
In the past, it was heavily hunted for its fur but today it is threatened mainly because of the disappearance of its habitat, as it's being "conquered" by the herders with their flocks. They are often killed by the drovers because, as the food is scarce, it happens that they attack the flocks.
Furthermore, they are also killed because their bones are used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine instead of the tigers' ones.
WWF and other organizations, like International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT) and Traffic (the international network which deals with the monitoring of wild fauna and flora) are launching an appeal to the countries where the snow leopard is present to get and immediate improvement in the controls and in the management efforts of the species to end the threat that hangs over it.
You can...
...help these organizations and publicize this situation with as many people as possible, creating an increasing media pressure.
What do you think about this? Write me to thenorthernlightsdiary@gmail.com!
In spite of everything you can think about sharks and their reputation as ruthless killers, it's not man to be at risk of extinction because of them, it's not man to be a prey: sharks are.
Sharks are threatened because of four main reasons:
- In Asia there is an increasing demand for shark fins, which are served in an expensive soup; the shark is caught and its fin is cut, then the animal is thrown back into the water: that's a death sentence.
- It often happens that sharks remain trapped in fishing nets set for other fish: this is called bycatch.
- Some species of sharks are seriously endangered because of the popularity of their meat in many parts of the world.
- The increasing development, pollution and over-fishing are causing a great loss of marine habitats which are very important to shark populations.
Furthermore, sharks can't breed as fast as other fish, so it's even easier the reduction of their numbers because of overfishing.
So, what can we do?
First of all, buy only sustainable fish and seafood (look for MSC certification).
Second, let people know! Spread the word, make sure that this doesn't remain in silence.
Third, support the organizations and institutes which are at the forefront to defend the sharks, like WWF, Seashepherd, Oceana, Sharks.org and others.
If you want to, send me your opinions about this to thenorthernlightsdiary@gmail.com.
Daniza didn't make it.
She died because of the anesthesia that has been given to her during the attempt of capture by the authorities of the province of Trento (Italy).
Her death is causing great controversy and outrage.
On the 15th of August she attacked a mushrooms seeker (who reported minor injuries) who went too close to her two cubs.
Since then, she had been monitored and had been seriously considered the opportunity of capturing her (in a first time, even of killing her).
The national institutions showed their incompetence in this situation.
But, who was Daniza?
She was 19 years old and was part of a bears reintroduction program in the Italian Alps, whose only crime was trying to defend her cubs, as every mother would do.
WWF and other animal welfare groups are now asking for explanations. Capturing her was not necessary, she wasn't a dangerous specimen.
Now we wonder what will happen to her two cubs, at the gates of winter. It is hoped that, at least, the authorities will be able to take care of them and ensure that they survive.
The two African rhino species are increasing in number but they remain threatened by poaching and some populations are at serious risk of extinction.
Once upon a time, in Africa's savannahs...there were over a million black and white rhinos. After the Europeans' arrival, the rhino numbers and distribution quickly declined. An escalation in poaching happened between the 1970s and the 1980s, as a result of a high demand for rhino horn, used in traditional Asian medicines and valued for dagger handles in the Middle East.
Today, thanks to conservation and anti-poaching efforts, some African rhino populations are stable or increasing, though poaching still occurs. Anyway, it is hard to find African rhinos outside of protected areas and sanctuaries.
WWF is at the forefront of conservation of African rhinos. In 1997 they adopted a strategic and proactive approach to rhino conservation: the African Rhino Programme (ARP). This programme works in cooperation with many partners (government bodies, other conservation groups and NGOs, the private sector and local communities).
Thank to WWF's anti-poaching projects rhinos are now recovering. When the ARP launched there were 8,466 white rhinos and 2,599 black rhinos in the wild: nowadays there are over 20,000 white rhinos and almost 5,000 black rhinos.
However, there's still more to do. Expanding existing protected areas and establishing new ones, improving security monitoring against poaching and improving local and international law in this field, promoting well managed wildlife-based tourism experiences to provide additional funding for conservation efforts.
To help WWF...
Don't buy rhino horn products, donate towards much-needed anti-poaching equipment and support for rangers across Africa and spread the word sharing this information with others!
For more information http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/rhinoceros/african_rhinos/
WWF is the biggest organization for the defence and the conservation of the environment and the species at risk. It was born on 29 April 1961 with a declaration called the Morges Manifesto and since 1985 it has been investing over US$ 1 billion in more than 12,000 conservation initiatives.
WWF's mission is building a future in which humanity can live in harmony with nature. WWF focuses its efforts on two broad areas: biodiversity, to make sure that the earth's web of life remains healthy and vibrant for generations to come, focusing on critical places and critical species which are very important for the conservation of our earth's rich biodiversity; footprint, namely to reduce the negative impacts of human activity, to ensure that the natural resources required for life are managed sustainably and equitably.
WWF is currently focusing on Amazon, Arctic, China for a Global Shift, Climate and Energy, Coastal East Africa, Coral Triangle, Forest and Climate, Green Heart of Africa, Heart of Borneo, Living Himalayas, Market Transformation, Smart Fishing and Tigers.
WWF's core values are:
- Be a global organization, independent, multicultural, political but not partisan
- Make use of the best scientific information available to identify and pursue its own goals
- Search for dialogue and avoid unnecessary contrasts
- Create concrete solutions for conservation through the combination of field projects, policy initiatives, capacity building and education
- Involve local communities respecting their aspirations and needs
- Tighten appropriate collaborations with other environmental and political organizations and institutions, governments and public opinion to strengthen the effectiveness of WWF
- Critically evalue the adequacy and the efficacy of its efforts to reach the defined goals and to be a careful steward of funds
