Taronga Conservation Field Grants Program 2008

Media Release: Taronga Foundation Mission For Critically Endangered Iguana (21 June 2008)

Cheetah Conservation Botswana

Botswana has one of the last viable, free-ranging populations of cheetah in the world. CCB has developed a conservation program focusing on reducing attacks by cheetah on livestock by working with the farming community on their methods of predator control. In protected areas, cheetahs are out-competed by high populations of stronger predators and pushed onto marginal land. Here they come into conflict with livestock farmers. As more land is gazetted as commercial farms to supply the overseas beef market, this conflict between farmers and cheetah is increasing. Conservation of the cheetah depends on the attitudes of these farming communities.

CCB activities supported by The Taronga Foundation include community meetings, farmer training workshops, school visits, teacher training workshops and training workshops for the Department of Wildlife. During all these activities structured materials are distributed on the importance of predators in healthy ecosystems; correct identification of predators; methods of range management, livestock husbandry and non-lethal predator control to minimize conflict and opportunities for potential livelihood diversification.

Fijian Crested Iguana

The 2007 Species Recovery Plan for the critically endangered Fijian Crested Iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) recommends that conservation action should aim to preserve four genetically different island populations. Of the four islands prioritized for in situ conservation, only one (Yadua Taba) has a large and stable iguana population (approx 99% of all individuals). Two other small islands may have as few as 20 - 30 iguanas each. The objectives of this project are to: negotiate with the clan leaders of of the smaller islands to allow forest regeneration to occur, to determine optimal management options for the Fijian Crested Iguana on islands and in captivity.

Flora and Fauna International Aceh Conservation Response Unit

The purpose of this project is to reduce the incidence of human - elephant conflict in Aceh. This will mean that tensions between people and elephants do not give rise to retribution killings or capture. In order to effectively respond to conflict events Flora and Fauna International will develop a team in the province, using local staff to provide education to local communities.

In time, newly established local support networks will provide ongoing assistance to farmers and communities affected by elephants, developing their own early warning, elephant deterrent and elephant friendly agricultural planning.

Over three to five years, this will mean that local communities have the tools and experience to manage human-elephant conflict themselves, with minimal support from external teams.

Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust - Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka 120 elephants and 65 humans are killed each year due to human - elephant conflict. These conflicts are inevitable because of the demands on the elephant's limited jungle habitat to meet the settlement and agricultural needs of an increasing population. There are only 4500 elephants in the wild in the country. With the annual losses this population is severely threatened.

Education for younger generations is needed. The Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust has launched an awareness program in these areas which addresses the value of elephants, the causes of conflict, how to minimise it and the need for conservation. To date, the sessions have been successful in changing children's attitudes and covered over 750 schools.

Additional funding will expand the education program as it enters its sixth year of operation.

Rainforest Rescue

Rainforest Rescue's new ‘Plant a Rainforest Project' offers the public the opportunity of contributing towards revegetating cleared and degraded areas of the ancient Daintree lowland rainforest. The area is important habitat for 122 threatened species and has the highest concentration of primitive plant families in the world. Trees will be planted on private land and protected forever by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act, 1992.

Funding supplied for this project will cover the costs of:

  • Ethically obtaining sufficient seed to supply 40, 000 seedlings of at least 40 species of Daintree lowland rainforest trees of which 30 or more produce fruits eaten by Cassowarries to the partner nursery;
  • Partner nursery germinating and growing on the above seeds and from them, supplying 4,000 seedlings in forestry tubes at a stage ready to be planted;
  • Preparation of a simple, clear identification guide of photgraphs on CD of fruit, seeds and seddlings used;
  • Basic administrative, transport and freight costs.

The seedlings will serve as appropriate planting stock for revegetating one hectare of Cassowary food-trees protected forever under covenant on private nature refuges between different sections of the Daintree National Park.

Surveys for the Reintroduction of Captive Bred Hatinh Langurs

The Hatinh Langur is an endangered primate species with a restricted distribution in Central Vietnam. A reintroduction program for this species is underway. The first group pf captive bred animals were transferred from the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre to a semi-wild enclosed 20H area in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National park, the native area of the species. The next step will be to reintroduce them to the National Park.

For re-introduction surveys are required to gather information about the wild population and to identify suitable reintroduction sites within the 85,000 ha National Park, Taronga Foundation funding will assist this. Surveys are planned from September 2008 - early 2009.

Fauna Surveys in River Redgum State Forests

Surveys for threatened species are not routinely undertaken before commercial logging in the Redgum state forests and parks of northern Victoria and south Western NSW. As a result, the distribution of species and the impact of logging on these forests are poorly understood.

To ascertain the environmental impact of logging on this region, ecologists engaged by National Parks Association (NPA) conducted species surveys in state forests from Albury to Balranald in February 2008.

Taronga Foundation funding will assist to support a second phase of research, contributing towards the payment for two expert ecologists for five days in the field concentrating on threatened species.

Establishing Artificial In-situ Ponds to Allow Recruitment of Corroboree Frogs in a Chytrid Fungus-free Environment

The Southern Corroboree Frog is Australia's most endangered frog species, with the decline of the species being attributed the deadly Chytrid Fungus which is affecting amphibians world wide. It is anticipated that this species will be extinct in the wild within the next five to ten years, hence a successful captive breeding and reintroduction program is vital.

Along with Taronga Zoo's captive breeding program for the species this funding will help fund a project to test the potential benefits of reintroducing eggs back to the wild by placing them directly into water in artificial pools. The project will involve monitoring the survivorship of the eggs through to a late tadpole stage, and also testing whether the resulting metamorphs are infected with the fungus.

Given the fact that Chytrid Fungus is now threatening amphibian species on every major continent, the interest and applicability of this project is far reaching.

Asian Turtle Conservation Network- Community

In 2007, Environmental Network Vietnam (ENV) launched its new mobile wildlife awareness unit. Each month, a team of educators from ENV travel to a different part of the country to carry out a range of activities aimed at increasing awareness and encouraging public participation in efforts to protect wildlife.

Activities include training of protected area staff to lead awareness activities in local schools and villages bordering protected areas, holding wildlife seminars for university students, training of wildlife protection officers and customs agents, and conducting wildlife trade surveys in major towns and other hotspots.

ENV has administered a lesson plan specifically focussed on protecting Vietnam's turtles for middle school students. Funding will assist in developing turtle focussed educational resources, training for park staff specific to teaching the turtle lesson plan and to cover the cost of administering school and village awareness activities at several of the ATP's in-situ conservation projects for the critically endangered species.