Scots pine marten recovery spreads south

A new report has shown pine martens are starting to re-colonise the south of Scotland after being absent from most of the area for nearly 200 years.The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) study, with The Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT), found them in three areas.The new sites are south and west of Glasgow, the Upper Tweed Valley and Annandale and Eskdalemuir.VWT survey coordinator Lizzie Croose described the discovery of the rare animals as "significant".Pine martens were once found throughout the UK, but suffered a dramatic decline in the 19th century due to woodland clearance, trapping for fur, and predator control by gamekeepers.In the last half of the 20th century, however, populations recovered in Scotland and are now established in most areas north of the Central Belt, including the northern fringes of Glasgow and some other parts of the Central Belt.

Pine martens have been found to have re-colonised three sites in southern Scotland

The species is still rare in the UK and absent from most of England and Wales.

In 1988, the species was given full legal protection.

Now it has been discovered at the three new sites in southern Scotland after a lengthy absence.

A small number of pine martens were re-introduced to the Galloway Forest in the early 1980s, but the new arrivals are not thought to have spread from this group - which has remained in isolation.

These new groups of pine martens have most likely originated from "a combination of natural spread and deliberate releases".

The information on the pine martens in new areas comes from a recent survey, in which pine marten droppings were collected from woodlands and subjected to DNA analysis to confirm their origin.

Records of pine martens were also collected from foresters, naturalists and local record centres.

A small number of pine martens were re-introduced to the Galloway Forest in the early 1980s

Ms Croose said: "The pine marten is the first mammalian predator which almost became extinct in the 19th century to make a substantial recovery in Scotland.

"Pine martens have been absent from most of southern Scotland for almost 200 years so their return is significant."

Rob Raynor, SNH's mammal advisory officer, said that it was "quite likely" they would re-colonise most suitable habitats in southern Scotland in time.

"At present, re-colonisation of the new areas is still at an early stage, but if breeding populations do establish successfully, pine martens will probably expand throughout southern Scotland and south into northern England," he said.

DAYING ERING WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IS BANS ENTRY WITHIN PREMISES

              Daying ering wildlife sanctuary is situated in Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is now bans entry within premises due to the recent salt lick ambush laid by hunters, killing a bird, and disappearance of of two camera trapping from the sanctuary. There had been restriction of hunting and poaching to some extent in the sanctuary in the past two years.
              This sanctuary is located at Pasighat. This is located on the island- boating through the river Siang is the only way to reach this sanctuary. It's spread over an area of 190 sq km and houses of varieties of animals and birds. It is divided into three ranges- Anchalghat, Sibiamukh and Barghuli. 75% of the Sanctuary is covered with alluvial grassland, 15% are the woods and 10% is covered by water.
              From September-February, a variety of migratory birdslike cranes, wild ducks, storks, water fowls and hornbills migrate here from far off places making it a bird's paradise. A few of the birds come here from Siberia and Mongolia.
              Deer, wild elephant, buffaloes and other small animals are found in this sanctuary. Aquatic birds such as spot-billed pelican, bear's pochards, Indian skimmer, lesser adjutant, lesser whistling teal, black-bellied tern and the darter also make the sanctuary as their home. More than 100 aquatic species such as water monitor lizards, pisces turtle and other reptiles live in the waters of the sanctuary. The Bengal tiger is the special features of this sanctuary. although, it is rarely seen.

             This ban is very much painful for those who love to capture the pictures of the birds.

FUTURE OF THE SIBERIAN TIGER

INTRODUCTION

          Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altiaca), also known as the Amur tiger is the largest living big cat and also ranked among the biggest felids that ever exists in the world. Amur tiger once found throughout the Russian Far East, north China and the Korean peninsular. By the 1940s, hunting has driven the Amur tiger to the brink of extinction- with no more than 40 individuals remaining in the wild. The subspecies was saved when Russia become the first country to grant the tigers full protection. By 1980s, the population increases around 500. Although poaching increases in these days, the number of the Amur tiger in the wild is now stable (400-500).

THREAT FOR THE SIBERIAN TIGER

         The main threats for these tigers today are the habitat loss, very low density of prey and poaching. 

FUTURE OF SIBERIAN TIGER

         The future of these tiger completely depends on the human. If we do not care, then these tiger will extinct in future. At present these Amur tigers are Endangered species according to IUCN 3.1 Red List. 

WHAT TO DO

       To save these creature the best we can do is to do nothing i.e. leave them in the wild, do not interface their life. But all of us know that is impossible today. So we have to do a lot to save them. 

MY THOUGHT TO SAVE AMUR TIGER

       Here is my thoughts to save them. 

1. We use camera traps to watch whole movement of the Amur tigers.

2. Use radio- collars for their exact locations.

3. Capture some of the pregnant tigress and transfer them to a safe location or area where we can monitor them 24 hours. But those tigress must not feel caged.

4. When the tiger cubs are old enough we transfer them to the wild.

5. To deal with the poachers, the government must enforce new laws and strict punishment for the poachers.

PROBLEMS AND HOPE

       Still there is no solution for the habitat loss and the low prey density though we knew the cats are the best in adaptation and evolution. So we hope the life will find its way and these Amur tiger find there way of life and will not extinct in future.

DOMESTIC CATS CAN BE DANGEROUS TO MANKIND?

        Scientists mapped the genomes of the tigers, lions and snow leopards in a conservation project to save the endangered species. The researches get a huge break through while working on this. they found that the tigers shares 96% of its genomes with the domestic cats. this research also shows that how the white lions get its pale coat and how the snow leopards adapted to the snowy mountain ranges. according to the researchers, cats are very much capable of adoption. they can change their habits when the environment calls for it.
         But a big questions arises now- if 96% of the tiger genomes matched with the domestic house cats then is it possible that these house cats may be very dangerous for us? Since they have many genomes  common with the ultimate predator- The Tigers, it may be possible that that some day these cats attack the human, and if it happens in future it may be a huge trouble to mankind as we all know cats are very common.
         So, we should keep a safe distance from them, for the good of both ends.

RAINFORESTS ARE VALUABLE FOR CONSERVATION

                      New research has found rainforests that have been logged several times continue to hold substantial value for biodiversity and could have a role in conservation.

                   The research, which monitored bats as an indicator for environmental change on Borneo, is the first of its kind to have wildlife in forests logged more than two times. The findings are particularly important because across the tropics forest that has been intensively harvested is frequently targeted for conservation to agriculture and is perceived to hold little value for timber, carbon or biodiversity.

              Recent studies have emphasised similar numbers of species living in unlogged and logged sites, but what is surprising is that just how resilient some species were, even in sites almost unrecognisable as rainforest.

             Only by viewing forest sites along a gradient of logging disturbance, ranging from pristine to heavily degraded, were the team able to detect a gradual decline of some key bat species.

             The research confirmed the most vulnerable bats were those that tend to live in the cavities of old growth trees. By linking bat captures with vegetation measurements from nearby plots, the researchers were able to reveal how these animals declined as successive rounds of logging took their trolls on forest structure and crucially, the availability of tree cavities.

              Although logging damage was clearly detrimental to some of the species studied, the findings also offer some hope for forest restoration efforts.