Ecofieldtrips Newsletter September '11

Animal Ambulance

My article in the Borneo Post and Malaysia Nature Society (Kuching) blog.

Protection for the Grey Nurse looking Ragged

taken from Where There Be Fins  [http://wheretherebefins.tumblr.com/] 

                          

The Grey Nurse Shark is a globally threatened species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hold this species at a status of ‘Vulnerable’ on a global scale. This essentially means that the species is teetering on the brink of endangerment. If you want some figures, the species has reduced by up to 50% within the last 10 years or 3 generations. This is not a great sign to start.

However this article will focus more on the population native to SE Australia. This population is now down to under 500 individuals, has dropped by 90% in the last 10 years and still dropping. This population is now classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ - a shocking fact when you consider that the species was first protected back in 1984 by the New South Wales government. So why the continual drop?

Well firstly there are behavioural issues to consider. Some species of shark migrate huge distances, crossing oceans, breeding with individuals on different sides of the globe. This keeps the population very fluid, very dynamic - meaning that there is large amounts of migration, fished individuals may be replaced by incoming adults ready to breed and so populations can survive fishing pressure. What it also means is that there is a huge gene pool, resistant to disease and inbreeding. This unfortunately is not the case for the Grey Nurse.

If anyone has ever dived with these sharks, you’ll notice that they are fairly sedate, sticking to the bottom and moving in repetitive cycles - not your huge ranging pelagic sharks like Threshers or Oceanic White Tips. Any DM or dive guide will tell you that in certain seasons you can find them in the same place every day. So from the outside they seem to have a degree of site-specific preference.

This was found to be true from one study in 2006.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1618890/pdf/rsbl20060441.pdf 

This was the first time that distinct populations were identified between east and west Australia. The degree of genetic isolation between the two populations implied there was possibly zero dispersal between the two populations, certainly none between South Africa and Australia. Also when you look within the populations, the genetic variation for the east Australian individuals was notably low. 

As if this wasn’t enough, this species also breed slowly producing 1-2 pups at a time only every 2 years. The reason for this low number is the phenomenon known as Adelphophagy or Uterine Cannibalism where the live pups eat the rest of the unhatched eggs within the uterus. This way each pup is viable and able to live when it leaves its mother. Normally a great survival strategy for the young, but slow for the growth of the population.

This spells bad news.

So naturally this species is sensitive to disturbance. Then unfortunately the disturbance comes - in the form of humans.

Raggies were heavily spear-fished in the 1960s for recreation and they have been discrimately targeted for a long time by the public. Their fearsome appearance has led to their persecution as Man-Eaters, of course completely unfounded. (Australian Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts). There have been no recorded fatalities from a Grey Nurse, and the only reports of attacks have been provoked from fishing or by physical contact. Quite right too. 

Despite their protection, one Grey Nurse is thought to die a month on average. The main threat is line fishing, with many individuals dying from horrendous hook injuries. So despite the species being protected more steps need to be taken to protectin the habitats they live in from being exploited. As they have specific site preferences, this is quite easily attainable. Four major sites have been identified and protected in south-east Queensland but the NSW government still need to fully protect the 16 key sites that have been identified off the NSW coast.

Predictions vary, but in the most severe case, it is thought that species could disappear from eastern Australia in the next 5-8 years. More steps must be taken to ensure the continuation of the majestic species. 

Photo Source:www.fishingec.com

Think Locally, Act Globally

A parlimentary hearing is occurring on palm oil labelling. There are many people speaking for it including zoo's, supermarkets and orangutan activists. If this passes through government, it means we are a big step closer to clear labeling of palm oil in our products. It will not only bring light to palm oil and therefore raise awareness of deforestation in Asia, but also make it easier for consumers to boycott palm oil supporting companies. 


Now there is power in YOUR hands. Speak up about deforestation and palm oil while our politicians are listening. You can email your local MP and express your feelings on the issue.

Palm oil plantations are the number one cause of loss of habitat for orangutans.

Below is a pre-form letter that you can send to your local MP about palm oil. Copy and paste this into an email and find his/her contact form in the link below. The more support we show for this cause, the more loudly our voices will be heard.

"I am writing as I am very concerned about the use of palm oil because of the serious environmental consequences associated with new palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia where primary rainforest is being cleared destroying the habitat of highly endangered species, especially orangutans. Not only this, the peat swaps on which the forest grows is usually drained, thereby releasing methane into the atmosphere, and then burnt, releasing carbon. Indonesia is the world’s third largest carbon emitter because of these fires. Papua New Guinea ecosystems and communities are also threatened by oil palm plantation development.

I would also draw your attention to the Heart Foundaton’s concerns about the health consequences of palm oil which is high in saturated fat.

My biggest concern, however, is that often I do not know if I am consuming palm oil because it may be labelled only as vegetable oil. Regulatory Objectives of the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) state that regulations must provide for

(a) the protection of public health and safety; and

(b) the provision of adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices;

and that, in developing food regulatory measures and variations of food regulatory measures, FSANZ must also have regard to the following:

• The promotion of fair trading in food.

Currently, with regard to palm oil, I feel these objectives are not being met. I believe palm oil should be labelled as such because, in direct relation to the above points:

• It is high in saturated fat, therefore I want to know if I am consuming it, thereby protecting my own health and safety.
• I am not able to make an informed choice about consuming a product containing palm oil if it is only labelled as vegetable oil - therefore the information on the label is inadequate
• Social advocacy groups in Indonesia report that human rights abuses are being perpetrated by oil palm plantation developers, and palm oil processing mills are highly polluting, damaging ecosystems and the wellbeing of people who live in the area. The fair trading of this commodity starts with landowners; therefore, by not requiring palm oil labelling FSANZ robs consumers of the choice to avoid a substance which is not ‘fair trade’, and fails to meet its own objectives.

Please urgently address the issue of palm oil labelling. I would appreciate an explanation as to why FSANZ is not meeting its own objectives in the above cases."

Contact List for MPs in Australia:

http://aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-alpha.asp

An "Australian Made - Australian Owned" Marine Treasure

Since first discovered by humans, Australia has been home to a myriad of mysterious animals that exist nowhere else in the world. From kangaroos, to koalas, to the platypus - an animal that was believed to be a hoax when first brought back to England - Australian wildlife never ceases to impress.

We pride ourselves on our unusual animal icons, but there are a whole bunch of creatures out there that even we Australians don't know much about. We even have our own sea turtle species - the rarest and most mysterious of them all.

Have you heard of the Australian Flatback Turtle?

What's the difference?

Only a handful of studies have been done on this marine gem. Very little is known about what it eats or where it swims to - most sightings occur when the females come up onto Aussie beaches to bury their eggs.

Flatbacks get their name from the shape of their carapace (shell) which is, as the name suggests, "flatter" than other sea turtle species. The carapace is also quite soft and leathery, similar to a Leatherback turtle, and can bleed very easily if they are scratched. They also have quite small front flippers compared to their body size. Nobody really knows why, but some scientists suggest that it could be because they don't migrate long distances like other turtles do. The loggerhead turtle has the longest migration of any turtle and has been tracked swimming a distance of over 14,000 km (9000 miles)!

The bigger the better!

Like every sea turtle, flatbacks also bury their eggs in sand nests on the beach. However, they have a very odd sized egg! Even though they are one of the smallest species of turtle, their eggs are almost the size of a Leatherbacks - the largest turtle in the world!

Head Count

Today there are around 10,000 Flatback turtles nesting in beaches around Australia and thousands more out at sea. Luckily, they are not under serious threat as are with all other turtle species as they only live in Australian waters where they are heavily protected. However, they are listed as 'Vulnerable' as they are still not 100% safe from trawler nets and other human activities.

Australia is extremely fortunate to have its very own marine turtle species, a feat that no other country can claim!

Organic Coke

"I would like a Diet Coke please"

"Sorry we don't have - but we do have organic Coke"

"... Organic? Coke?"

Upon hearing the words 'organic' and 'Coke' together, let alone in the same sentence, I was immediately intrigued and ordered a bottle with my lentil burger and side salad. It came in a glass bottle; 330 ml of certified organic cola. It was not from the Coca-cola company as I had foolishly expected, it was from a New Zealand brand that I had never heard of... Phoenix. Before I even sipped the drink, I checked it's ingredients. Astonishingly, there were only four; carbonated water, sugar, cola flavouring (from the cola - or kola - nut) and lemon concentrate. No weird additives or odd-sounding preservatives: I was reading a list of ingredients and not a science lesson.

Already impressed, the only thing left to do was try it. It didn't taste like Coca-cola - it tasted better. Imagine that satisfying fizzy sensation you can only get from a soft drink, but with a pure and natural taste. My teeth weren't coated with that squeaky layering of chemicals and I didn't feel like my body was consuming toilet cleaner. I was so blown away by this new cola drink I vowed to write about it and even took the bottle home with me.

So I've done a little research into who the company are and what they stand for. Phoenix Organics is only two years older than I. They began in 1986 with Phoenix Ginger Beer and now have a whole range of fizzy drinks, juices and mineral water. To top it all off, their product packaging is made from recycled bottles. Their vision, in detail on their website, is to only use sustainably and ethically obtained, organic products.

My bottle of Phoenix Cola cost SG$5 and it was worth every cent. Not only have I found a product that gives the Coca-cola company a run for its money (because lets face it - this corporate giant doesn't exactly have the environment or public health as it's number one priority), but is a completely guilt-free refreshment. Sold in most New Zealand stores, us internationals will have to look a little harder. You can find Phoenix products around Asia and in Australia (mostly in Sydney and Melbourne) - but as the company grows, so will its expanse. If you come across this product and like what they're doing... try it! You'll be supporting the good guys, your health AND the environment. 

Link: http://www.phoenixorganics.co.nz/

What do you know about deforestation...?

 Forest clearance for palm oil plantations in Peninsular Malaysia

We have all heard the term before and we all know what it means. We all know it is bad for the earth and that it is occurring at a fast rate. But for the majority of us, this is where our knowledge about the issue ends - and with that, our concern.

The rainforest ecosystem is incredibly important for life as we know it today. The list of resources it provides is endless and its worth to our economy is so high it is effectively incalculable. Numbers have been thrown around over the past few decades, but dollar estimates today are always in the trillions. With every slice of rainforest we burn, log, flatten and replace; we take away more of the very thing that sustains our lifestyle, our health and our ability to live on this planet.

But if the issue is so dire, then why don't we hear about it every day? Mainstream media - the websites we like to visit, the magazines we read, newspapers we browse and shows we all watch - are what we rely on for our day-to-day information. Mainstream media is where the majority of people get their world news from, and it is these outlets that are not telling us the whole story. After all, have you ever heard your favourite news station tell you forests are being cut down at an extreme rate of an acre a second? Alarming news, certainly, but they don't report on it.

Logging Truck, Peninsular Malaysia

The question is why and the answer is simple but hard to hear. What people need to understand is that most mainstream media outlets are money-fueled, money-making companies - they do not (and cannot) provide a free service. Most media is commercial, and this means advertisers have a say in what content you'll receive. For example, if a news program is "brought to you by" a huge fast-food company that clears land for beef farms, then the last thing that news program will report on is deforestation due to the demand of fast-food companies. Information can be slanted, biased or even left out if it means keeping sponsors happy - and this is just the start.

Unfortunately for the forests and ultimately ourselves, deforestation it is not hard-hitting, hard-selling journalism. It happens all the time so it's no surprise or shock, few elite people that we hear about everyday like Johnny Depp or Angelina Jolie are involved, and let's face it, it's a complex issue that requires quite alot of background information. Deforestation doesn't sell itself like a double homicide or celebrity mishap, even though it is undoubtedly more significant.

Media companies want you to keep watching, keep reading and keep buying so their prime interest is to sell you what you want to hear, not necessarily what you should hear - and to do this asap.  It is much easier and faster to report on a car crash, that has gruesome images and eye-witness reports -than a complicated issue like palm oil plantations.

Media outlets should report on critical issues like deforestation, but do not because they hide behind profit-driven incentives. Many argue that the media only provides us with what we want to know, but I see this supply-and-demand retort as an excuse for the cheap and lazy path that news reporting has gone down.  

People don't know how horrendous deforestation is, how forests are important, why we should protect them and how we are connected. Newspapers, television stations, radio stations and more need to step up to the mark and inform the world of this issue. In terms of newsworthiness, it has the potential to grab attention - all it takes is an investment of time and money, which they have. But more importantly, in terms of value to our society: surely promoting the protection of an environment that controls our weather and climate, may have the cure for cancer, feeds and houses millions and is home to exotic creatures found nowhere else on earth... surely that is reason enough for spreading the word.

Finally conservation is teaming up with the big-guns of the media world to spread the word on deforestation. Esteemed conservationist Dr. Willie Smits is teaming up with TakingITGlobal, National Geographic, Virgo Productions and Microsoft Partners in Learning to set up and film DeforestACTION - a project that aims to save the endangered Orangutans of Borneo and their home, the rainforest. DeforestACTION will be made into a movie, Project Borneo 3D. This ingenious initiative combines mainstream media with the environmental messages people need to hear. One of the best parts about it is that it has different elements that will appeal to different demographics. A 3D movie starring young role models is sure to get younger generations watching. Additionally, the DeforestACTION project will appeal to a wide range of interests; drama, action, adventure and inevitably more. Project Borneo 3D is a recipe for success and for making a difference.