Panorama
 
 
 
 
 

EXPERTS ASSESS RICHNESS OF MALAYSIAN CORAL REEFS

Environmental Panorama
International
November of 2010


Posted on 28 November 2010
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: An international team of marine biologists has started a 20-day expedition to assess the health of the marine environment in part of the Coral Triangle, the world’s centre of marine biodiversity.

Experts from Malaysia, the Netherlands and the United States will participate in the Semporna Marine Ecological Expedition (SMEE) from 29 November to 19 December 2010 within the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion in the waters off Semporna, Malaysia, a global priority conservation area.

The expedition can be followed on the Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity (NCB) website, www.ncbnaturalis.nl. Real time updates on new findings as well as images and short videos will be posted until preliminary expedition results are announced at a press conference in Kota Kinabalu on 20 December.

According to WWF, there is an immediate need to document the amount of coral and fish diversity in all of Malaysia’s reefs to clarify how they function within the Coral Triangle region, which extends across the tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

Similar studies have been conducted across the territorial waters of many of the nations located in the Coral Triangle region, yet few have looked at Malaysia’s 10000km2 Semporna Priority Conservation Area.

Semporna is unusual because of its rich mix of reefs, representing 5 major reef types. This unique blend of habitat types and ecosystems means that many rare species are found in the area, some of which also inhabit Indonesia’s nearby Berau region.

The expedition will assess the health of Semporna’s marine environment by examining its fish, coral and invertebrate populations with a modified version of the internationally standardized Reef Check methodology. This includes profiling at two different depths to take a “snapshot” of overall reef health and looking for the best ways to enhance conservation and outreach efforts to better protect Semporna’s rich marine resources.

WWF-Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaya (UM) and the Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity (NCB) Naturalis have organized the event

Jointly leading the expedition are Dr. Bert Hoeksema of NCB Naturalis, Leader of the Biodiversity Team, and Affendi Yang Amri of UM, Leader of the Coral Reef Status Team. Other participants include US-based marine scientists from Old Dominion University, UMS, as well as other researchers from the Netherlands, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Sabah Parks.

The Semporna Marine Ecological Expedition is made possible in part by funding from Adessium Foundation.

+ More

WWF applauds new Alaskan polar bear habitat

Posted on 30 November 2010
The US government has announced that 484,000 square kilometres of sea ice, islands, and coastline considered important to polar bears is now designated critical habitat in Alaska.

The designation does not create parks or refuges, but it does mean that federally regulated activities on designated land get an extra level of review.

"This will not do all that is necessary to protect the bears, but it is part of the solution” says WWF polar bear specialist Geoff York. “It would be good to see other polar bear range states take similar action."

A US government release lays out what the designation means to in terms of oil and gas exploration:

"Section 7 of the ESA [Endangered Species Act] requires federal agencies to ensure that the activities they authorize, fund or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or to destroy or adversely modify its critical habitat. If a federal action may affect the polar bear or its critical habitat, the permitting or action agency must enter into consultation with the Service.

"Consultation is a process through which Federal agencies and the Service jointly work to identify potential impacts on listed species and their habitats, and identify ways to implement these actions consistent with species conservation. This applies to oil and gas development activities, as well as any other activity within the range of the polar bear that may have an adverse affect on the species."

"As some of the habitat now designated is in areas of interest to oil and gas companies, it will be interesting to see how well this consultation process works," says York.

"We know that a chance of a blowout will always exist, and we know that current management processes, technology, and response capacity fall short of being able to effectively contain a spill in Arctic waters."

The designation of the habitat also does not address the largest threat to the species – climate change.

"We urge the US and all polar bear Range States to incorporate climate change scenarios into their long term planning," says York.

"The Arctic is changing fast and we need to look ahead and make sure polar bears and other sea ice dependent species have a place of refuge as the sea ice, their most important habitat, melts away."

+ More

Polar bears 'spotted swimming with cubs on back'

Posted on 30 November 2010
Polar bears have been spotted carrying their cubs on their backs while they swim through icy waters, according to an article in UK online newspaper the Telegraph.

According to the article, the practice is thought to be the result of the bears having to swim longer distances in the sea because of recent reductions in the arctic summer sea ice.

This claim supports research conducted by the Norwegian Polar Institute, which says that travelling on the mother's back could be vital for the survival of polar bear cubs during swims in waters surrounding scattered sea ice, which is prime seal-hunting territory for the animals.

Geoff York, WWF's polar bear conservation coordinator, says this behaviour by polar bears and their cubs is likely not new, it has just not been documented before.

"Cubs travelling on their mothers' backs in the water is not a new behaviour related to global climate change, and will [unfortunately] not likely help cubs over longer distance swims or multi day trips, which are linked to global climate change and have become more common for polar bears," York explained.

On short trips through icy seawater, this behaviour, however could benefit the young polar bears, who have not built up a sufficient layer of fat to stop them getting cold if they are swimming in the sea for a prolonged period of time.

 
 

Source: WWF – World Wildlife Foundation International
Press consultantship
All rights reserved

 
 
 
 

 

Universo Ambiental  
 
 
 
 
     
SEJA UM PATROCINADOR
CORPORATIVO
A Agência Ambiental Pick-upau busca parcerias corporativas para ampliar sua rede de atuação e intensificar suas propostas de desenvolvimento sustentável e atividades que promovam a conservação e a preservação dos recursos naturais do planeta.

 
 
 
 
Doe Agora
Destaques
Biblioteca
     
Doar para a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau é uma forma de somar esforços para viabilizar esses projetos de conservação da natureza. A Agência Ambiental Pick-upau é uma organização sem fins lucrativos, que depende de contribuições de pessoas físicas e jurídicas.
Conheça um pouco mais sobre a história da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau por meio da cronologia de matérias e artigos.
O Projeto Outono tem como objetivo promover a educação, a manutenção e a preservação ambiental através da leitura e do conhecimento. Conheça a Biblioteca da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau e saiba como doar.
             
       
 
 
 
 
     
TORNE-SE UM VOLUNTÁRIO
DOE SEU TEMPO
Para doar algumas horas em prol da preservação da natureza, você não precisa, necessariamente, ser um especialista, basta ser solidário e desejar colaborar com a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau e suas atividades.

 
 
 
 
Compromissos
Fale Conosco
Pesquise
     
Conheça o Programa de Compliance e a Governança Institucional da Agência Ambiental Pick-upau sobre políticas de combate à corrupção, igualdade de gênero e racial, direito das mulheres e combate ao assédio no trabalho.
Entre em contato com a Agência Ambiental Pick-upau. Tire suas dúvidas e saiba como você pode apoiar nosso trabalho.
O Portal Pick-upau disponibiliza um banco de informações ambientais com mais de 35 mil páginas de conteúdo online gratuito.
             
       
 
 
 
 
 
Ajude a Organização na conservação ambiental.