Ganges River and Irrawaddy Dolphins... say what???

SANCTUARIES OPEN TO PROTECT RARE DOLPHIN SPECIES

http://news.discovery.com/earth/bangladesh-dolphin-sanctuaries-120215.html

Three new wildlife sanctuaries are opening to protect the rare, threatened dolphin species, Ganges River and Irrawaddy dolphins.  Bangladesh was proud to announce the openings of these sanctuaries in the freshwater of Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem.  There is no real indicator of how much the species are lost, but both have disappeared from major portions of their range, so it was time to make a sanctuary of safety for them.  "Freshwater dolphins are among the most threatened wildlife on Earth because their habitat is highly degraded by human activities, including dam construction and unsustainable fisheries."  The sanctuaries safeguard 19 miles of channels.  The openings of the sanctuaries follows the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin in the Yangtze River of China.  There is more wildlife being protected by the new sanctuaries in the Sundarbans than just the dolphins, such as: river terrapin, masked finfoot, and small-clawed otter.

I think this is great that more habitat is being set aside for these species.  Until reading this, I had no idea these species even existed, much less that they were threatened.  To keep wildlife for future generations to study and enjoy, conservation efforts must be put into place.  I also think it is important to put more information and education on the threatened or endangered species to make them more well-known.

Bringing it all in a little closer to home...

PCBs of the Twelve Mile River

Just when you thought all was clean and pure in the Twelve Mile, a new project proposal may prove us wrong. Sam Wyche, Pickens County Councilman, wants to remove fallen and leaning trees on the river to open up  a whitewater pathway for recreational activities, as well as picnicking on the sandbars in the river.  The EPA has started doing samples to evaluate any PCB risks to human health and the environment.

In 2006, the two dams on the river were removed to help clean out contaminants.  The public and Jennifer Willis, Pickens County Council Chairwoman, say that the whole river should be studied "from the site of the former capacitor manufacturing plant in Pickens that released PCBs decades ago to Lake Hartwell. Luckily, in data collected by the EPA every April from Town Creek by the plant "shows a 90% drop in contamination."

When data collection starts around mid-April 2012, it will start on the two-mile stretch of the river where the dams were removed. In addition to the water itself, the floodplains will be tested to determine PCB percentages in the sediments.  These places tested would likely be sandbars and other areas where picnics and children's play occur.

"Larry Dyck, who lives on the river and is a Pickens Soil and Water Conservation District commissioner, said study of wildlife also is needed. Health advisories posted on the river and Lake Hartwell warn against eating fish likely to carry PCBs. Dyck said PCBs are in the food chain and animals and birds such as raccoons and kingfishers that eat fish also are at risk."

I think Larry Dyck is right on for speaking up about the wildlife, because after studying the PCB-Hartwell-Twelve Mile case in so many cases, it really isn't just about the water.  After the animals on the upper end of the food chain eat the smaller ones, PCBs are passed around like a bad case of strep. Hopefully levels of contamination have dropped to a healthy level to gain approval to open up the area for recreation. It would open up more opportunities for Pickens to gain revenue from outside citizens.

Rhino Dilemma

Rock Center Rhino Video
De-horning rhinos to protect from poachers

This is actually a video clip of a segment that was shown on NBC Rock Center Wednesday night about the huge White Rhino slaying problem in South Africa.  Poachers are killing, and sometimes tranquilizing, White Rhinos solely for their horns.  The rhino kill count went from 12-15 rhinos per year to one almost every other day.  The poachers that are tranquilizing the rhinos cut the horns completely off, massacring the face, leaving them to wake up and suffer or die.  On the whole segment, there was one male rhino in particular that had this done to it.  He was the first baby born from the new introduction herd and eventually had his horns taken against his will, by tranquilizer.  When he was found, he had to be put down simply because 75% of his face was gone and greatly suffering.  The South African park rangers are volunteering to be "poacher hunters" just for the sake of the rhinos by killing and hunting the poachers.  One park ranger said, "I am risking my life for the rhinos, yes. I can stand up for myself- I have a gun; they don't."  To me, that is extremely inspiring.  That statement, in a nutshell, is what my whole calling as a Conservation Biology major is all about- protecting the things that can't protect themselves.  Biologists and scientists are helping the rhinos to fight back by injecting a rhino-friendly, poisonous to humans fluid in the horns that can make humans sick if they ingest the horn.  To further help the rhinos, land/rhino owners are cutting the horns off near the base to keep them from being poached (an example is seen below).

KOREAN DMZ TEEMS WITH WILDLIFE

http://news.discovery.com/earth/korean-dmz-teems-with-wildlife-120217.html

"Along the 38th latitudinal parallel, between concrete-clad South Korea and deforested and impoverished North Korea, the demilitarized zone stands in sharp relief as a verdant refuge for rare plants and animals. The DMZ is open to no-one with heavily man and gun-guarded entrances, as well as razor wire, high fences, and landmines. What good can come out of this, you may ask? This can be seen as the, "most heavily guarded nature preserve in the world." The area is home to native, and some endemic, species such as: red-crowned cranes, black bears, musk deer, spotted seals, lynx and the rare goat-like Amur goral. Swimming in the waters is around 100 species of fish, 45 different types of amphibians and reptiles, and over 1,000 insect species. Amur tigers, said to have vanished from Korea before WWII, are rumored to be making a home of the DMZ, as well. "War between the two Koreas could destroy the unusual preserve created by the DMZ, and the world is unsure what direction Kim Jong Un will take North Korea as he inherits leadership of the nation from his late father Kim Jong Il."

War cannot only destroy societies, it can destroy wildlife. With that said, if war breaks out between North and South Korea, the DMZ wildlife home could potentially be destroyed. South Korea has created a way to get Eco-Tourism in the area to promote the wildlife area's profitability and peacefulness. Personally, I think this is a great idea. The only way to show what you want to preserve is open it to the public to let them see just how beautiful and majestic wildlife really is.

Man-Eating Leopard Stalks Village

http://news.discovery.com/animals/man-eating-leopard-120209.html

What would you do if you saw your younger sibling being dragged off by a flesh-hungry jungle cat? As for me, I don't know what I would do.  This question is floating through minds of the Baitadi district on the border with India.  Bishnu Bahadur Karki, a local deputy superinterdent of police, said "three young girls and a 35-year-old pregnant woman and been killed in the weeks leading up to Wednesday's attack of a 14-year old girl who was cutting grass and dragged off and devoured by a leopard."  The locals are scared to walk alone for fear of being attacked.  You would think someone in the police would have put a bounty on the big cat for the safety of the village.  Why hasn't anyone put a hunting party into action to take the leopard down is what I cannot understand.... Shiva Singh Saud, the headmistress of a local primary school on the border said, "more people may be attacked if the leopard is not taken under control immediately."

What would you do?

New Forest Planning Rule Seeks to Restore the Nation's Forests through Science and Collaboration

Secretary Vilsack Announces Release of Final Environmental Impact Statement by US Forest Service

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2012/01/0028.xml&contentidonly=true
This post is mainly a more detailed explanation of the previous post regarding the new plans for forests.  This helped me to make more sense of it, and hopefully to you the reader it will too. The USDA posted more details regarding what is actually specified in the plan.

Feds Propose New Rules To Manage National Forests

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/jan/26/feds-propose-new-rules-manage-national-forests/

When I first read this article, I was lost as to what was going to take place, just because the article seemed vague.  After reading it a second time, it made some what more sense.  From it I gathered that the 1982 planning rule is still in effect and needs to be updated... seeing as how it is over thirty years old and a lot has changed with the environment, I agree with this.  However, lawmakers don't seem to think along the same lines, seeing as how they shot down an opportunity in 2009 made by the Bush administration.  Is it because they don't want to get involved in trying to reestablish all the rules all over again? Or is it because what was set by Reagan in '82 really is better for the environment?