Posted on
25 March 2010
A new population of rare giant mouse lemurs
was discovered in southwestern Madagascar’s
Ranobe forest, WWF said.
Last year during a night
survey monitoring biodiversity along the
gallery forest of Ranobe near Toliara while
on a mission for WWF, Charlie Gardner, and
Louise Jasper, came across a giant mouse-lemur
(Mirza), foraging within fruiting Ficus
spp.
Two species of Mirza
are currently known; Mirza coquereli and
M. zaza. Mirza coquereli (Coquerel's Mouse-lemur)
is found in the southwestern spiny forest
eco region, but has never been seen in this
particular area before.
Coquerel's Mouse-lemurs
are “near threatened” according to IUCN
which means that they might qualify for
vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered
in the near future. Their population trend
is decreasing. The discovery of a new population
is exciting as it raises hopes for the species’
survival.
The observed species
from the Ranobe gallery forest, according
to the researcher Charlie Gardner exhibits
“significant differences in the coloration
of its coat from the other two species.
“
“The specimen that we
observed appears to have a lighter dorsal
coloration than is noted for M. coquereli,
and has conspicuous reddish or rusty patches
on the dorsal surface of the distal ends
of both fore- and hind-limbs. The ventral
pelage is also conspicuously light in color,
and the animal possesses a strikingly red
tail, also becoming darker at the end.”
“This is to suggest
that it may not only be a new population,
but a new species or subspecies”. However,
Gardner says that the animal has to be trapped,
examined and tested before it can be officially
described as a new species.
These findings not only
highlight the biological importance of the
area, but also emphasise how little we know
about these rapidly disappearing forests.
Without the creation of new protected areas,
we would risk losing species to extinction
before they have even been discovered or
described.
These animals, in turn,
can attract tourism and conservation revenue
to the site which can help local communities
to find less destructive ways to meet their
development needs.
This new lemur population
is not the first exciting discovery from
Ranobe in recent years. In 2005, scientists
described the rediscovery of Mungotictis
decemlineata lineata, a subspecies of the
narrow-striped mongoose that had not been
observed since 1915, and which was only
ever known from a single specimen. This
subspecies may be entirely restricted to
the new protected area.
The representative of
the new Mirza population was discovered
just outside the limits of the protected
area. It highlights the critical need to
extend the limits of this protected area.
This area PK32-Ranobe,
which is co-managed by WWF and the inter-communal
association MITOIMAFI, received temporary
protection status in December 2008. However,
due to the presence of mining concessions,
the limits of the protected area did not
extend to include the gallery forests of
Ranobe.
“It is a hotspot of
biodiversity clamped on almost all sides
by mining concessions. WWF is currently
applying for the extension of the PA to
include more key habitats within the decree
of definitive protection,“ Malika Virah-Sawmy,
WWF’s Terrestrial Programme Coordinator
in Madagascar said.
Every year, large areas
of Ranobe forests are felled by charcoal
sellers, and in the past, much of the region
was granted for mining concessions for the
various minerals deposited in its rich sand
soils. Meagre crops of maize are also planted
on the calcareous soils, after felling and
burning the forests.
The new protected area
is part of a new philosophy promoted by
WWF for the Durban Vision which aims to
triple the surface area of Madagascar protected
areas. WWF aims to empower communities to
co-manage PA and to find ways for communities
to benefit economically protecting their
environment.
Gardner’s research,
based at the University of Kent, is focused
on reconciling conservation and sustainable
rural development within new protected areas.
This research will inform the management
of PK32-Ranobe, allowing the identification
of win-win scenarios that benefit all stakeholders.
“We hope the area will
not only represent the single most important
conservation area within the Spiny forest,
but also a place where communities are benefiting
from conservation through ecotourism and
other sustainable livelihoods”. says Virah-Sawmy
+ More
Trevi Fountain turns
off lights for Dolce Vita on earth
Posted on 26 March 2010
Rome, Italy – The City of Fountains most
famous fountain, the Fontana di Trevi, will
turn off lights this Saturday for Earth
Hour, launching Italy’s participation in
the global call for effective climate action
and a more harmonious relationship between
humans and nature.
Other Italian landmarks
include the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence,
the Castello Sforzesco in Milan, the leaning
Tower of Pisa and many other monuments,
castles, palaces and piazzas throughout
the boot-shaped peninsula.
The Trevi Fountain was
sculpted by many artists, but the most important
contributions were made by Italian sculptors
Gianlorenzo Bernini and Nicolò Salvi.
It shows Oceanus, the god of all water,
standing on a large shell-shaped chariot
pulled by seahorses.
Situated in the center
of the city, it is admired by millions of
tourists from all over the world every year.
The legend says that if you toss a coin
in the fountain over your left shoulder
you will come back to Rome.
To make that eternally
possible and a preserve their planet as
they now it, Italians in over 80 cities
and villages will join WWF in calling on
effective action on climate change by turning
of their lights, demonstrating their vote
for earth.
The Trevi Fountain was
also an important backdrop to the classic
Frederico Fellini movie, La Dolce Vita.
It will once again be linked to the Seventh
Art for Earth Hour official ceremony in
Rome as Ricky Tognazzi, a famous Italian
actor and film producer son of all-time
great Italian actor Ugo Tognazzi, will take
part in the official ceremony.
In company with Fulco
Pratesi, President of WWF Italy, Tognazzi
will press on a big light switch next to
the fountain to turn off its lights, giving
the signal for Earth Hour to begin.
The City of Fountains
will then go dim, sending the entire world
a message of hope for life on the planet
to remain eternally sweet. La Dolce Vita,
as the Italians say.
