Human - Animal Conflict news & publications.
17 Apr 2008
A tale of two places – restoring rhinos to their ranges in Assam, India
The glory of Manas was damaged by a violent local agitation that began in 1989 to carve out a separate Bodo homeland within the Indian federation. An armed struggle caused massive upheaval and destruction of the Park’s infrastructure, including destruction of anti-poaching camps, roads and bridges and killing of forest staff.
As of April 2008, the rhinos are back and there is a strong economic incentive for local communities, including the local ethnic community of the Bodos, to make sure the rhinos thrive. “When tourists come, they want to see animals – it will be helpful to have the rhinos,” adds Dhan Chandra Doley, a local forest guard. » Read more
17 Apr 2008
Hot, dirty and rewarding – moving rhinos in Assam
"The tranquilizing team changed tactics. They now started stalking the rhino on foot, using the elephants as cover. In the next half hour that ensued, the first rhino, a male, was tranquilized. After fifteen minutes of tracking, the rhino grew sluggish and his hind legs started sinking. A vet then approached this animal and gave him a second shot of tranquilizer. But as soon as the dart hit him, the animal was up on his feet and running again!" » Read more
16 Apr 2008
Indian rhinos on the move to a better future
After centuries of having their range contracted to the point of extinction, India’s rhinos are on the move outwards again. In a difficult operation, two male rhinos were taken back to a national park in Assam’s Himalayan foothills last weekend.
The return was an emotional moment for local residents, who lost their last rhinos a decade ago during a 20 year period of civil disturbance that wrecked infrastructure in the famed Manas National Park and allowed poachers free reign. » Read more
25 Mar 2008
APP irregularities threaten massive climate and tiger impact
Pekanbaru, INDONESIA – One of the world’s biggest carbon stores and a key tiger habitat are threatened by a new logging road in Riau Province, Sumatra, according to an investigative report published today.
An absence of permits and other irregularities suggest that the new road cutting into Kampar peninsula is likely to be illegal, says Riau’s Eyes on the Forest group, a coalition of local NGO network Jikalahari, Walhi Riau, and WWF-Indonesia. » Read more
14 Mar 2008
More of Africa urged to boost rhino numbers
After bringing Africa’s black rhinos spectacularly back from the brink of extinction one of the world’s most successful conservation programmes is to celebrate its first decade by seeking to extend its operations to more of Africa.
“What we know from looking back at the last ten years is that sustained conservation can and does work,” says George Kampamba, WWF International’s African Rhino Programme Coordinator.
» Read more
12 Mar 2008
Bloated Mediterranean tuna fleet in race for the last bluefin
Rome, Italy – The most comprehensive analysis yet of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fleet shows it conservatively having twice the fishing capacity of current quotas and more than three and a half times the catch levels recommended by scientists to avoid stock collapse. » Read more
10 Mar 2008
13 river, 5 nation river dolphin census to help conservation on two continents
Santiago de Cali, Colombia: A milestone in the protection of the world's engangered river dolphins has been achieved with the successful completion of an ambitious 13 river, five nation census survey of South America's river dolphins. » Read more
10 Mar 2008
Celebrations in Tesso Nilo National Park - Flying Squad names its youngest member "Tesso"
Tesso Nilo National Park, Sumatra – An event was organized in WWF Indonesia’s Flying Squad Camp on March 1 to clelebrate the birth of the two elephant calves born there last year. About 80 guests helped Nella celebrate her 1st birthday, while her younger, three-month-old playmate was officially named ‘Tesso’. » Read more
06 Mar 2008
Elephant flying squad celebrates new members
By Syamsidar Syamsidar
Tesso Nilo National Park, Sumatra – Communities on the fringes of Sumatra’s Tesso Nilo National park mixed tradition and conservation on March 1, with a party to name and welcome the newest members of the WWF’s Elephant Flying Squad.
In Riau Province, the flying squad are four adult elephants and eight mahouts patrolling an area along the National Park boundaries, keeping wild elephants away from local communities and teaching villagers non-lethal ways to protect their crops.
05 Mar 2008
This time, world should heed OECD call to action on environment
Paris: The OECD’s Environment Outlook to 2030, issued today, was welcomed by WWF as yet another compelling argument that the costs of inaction on the environment will far exceed the costs of action.
The OECD Outlook is the latest - and at 520 pages one of the weightiest - in a run of reports from prominent economic institutions and commissions calling on governments and international institutions to face up to the seriousness and immediacy of global environmental problems. » Read more
