Pickersgill’s reed frog biodiversity management plan published

February 18, 2014

A critically endangered frog living near Durban South Africa

Pickersgill’s reed frog biodiversity management plan published. Say that five times, fast!

A year ago Jeanne Tarrant received a $12,000 grant from the Fund for her work on Pickersgill’s reed frog (Hyperolius pickersgilli) near Durban South Africa. The frog is Critically Endangered with an estimated 2,000 individuals living in fragmented habitat on privately and commercially owned land. In a short year, Jeanne has accomplished a lot for the little pickersgill. Read the biodiversity management plan after the jump… Read more…

Lost frog in Kenya…still lost.

February 5, 2014

Petropedetes dutoiti is endemic to Mt. Elgon Kenya. However, the frog has not been seen in the wild since 1962. Ms Beryl Akoth Bwong (National Museums of Kenya) hopes to change that. Ms Bwong has completed her first efforts, and recently reported her results to the Fund. Read more after the jump…. Read more…

Snow leopard field survey in remotest Nepal

February 4, 2014

A remote camp in north west Nepal used to find snow leopard

“The study area is the most remote area in Nepal with no road access and the flights irregular. It took us nearly two weeks to reach our field site. Everything had to be carried from Kathmandu. The effort to manage the logistics was very tiring and we had to devote our energy more in these arrangements rather than starting field work which was the first and foremost challenge,” Said Mr. Raju Acharya, Director of Friends of Nepal in Kathmandu.

Bat urine indicator aids search for Terrible hairy fly

January 27, 2014

Like an X on a pirate’s treasure map, Robert Copeland uses bat urine stained rock faces in Kenya’s dry-country hills to locate a treasure of a different kind. The Terrible hairy fly (Mormotomyia hirsuta Austen), once described as the world’s most rare fly, was last seen in 1948. It piqued the interest of Robert Copeland from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya. Read more…

First wild capture fisheries project in Laos’ Mekong River basin reports results

January 27, 2014

Documenting fishing activity in Sang Thong District, Lao PDR

The Julien’s golden carp (Probarbus jullieni) project sought to conserve rare fish in the Mekong Basin by developing standardized methods for monitoring population trends and by enhancing the capacity of local people to engage in conservation research and sustainable fisheries management. This project represents the first wild capture fisheries research project to take place in this area.

During the 3-month study at least 62 different species were recorded in fishermen’s catch. The researcher report several outcomes including : (1) Collecting important baseline data on juvenile and mature adult Julien’s golden carp (Probarbus jullieni), and other fish species; (2) Raising awareness about the need for fish conservation Increased local capacity for fish-catch monitoring, (3) establishing local commitment from fishermen to continue fish conservation and management work. Read more…

Leech in Ukraine

January 15, 2014

The Fadejew leech (Fadejewobdella quinqueannulata) is a big-bodied (14 cm long) charismatic invertebrate that is endemic to a local area in eastern Ukraine and adjacent territories of Russia. Dr Serge Utevsky from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in Ukraine received a grant from the Fund to study the leech. Read more…

Happy New Year from the Fund

December 31, 2013

Brighamia insignis (CR) only two can be found in the wild on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.

We recently received this photograph of Brighamia insignis from Seana Walsh, a June 2013 grant recipient who is working on the plant’s breeding systems and pollination ecology. Though there are only two Brighamia insignis remaining in the wild, we think the photograph symbolizes our hope for species conservation. We are inspired by the enthusiasm, energy, and dedication of our grant recipients. We wish everyone a successful new year. Keep up the good work.

Georgian camera trap survey finds all but Persian leopard

December 31, 2013

East Caucasian Tur photographed near Khevsureti

To find evidence of the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor), Bejan Lortkipanidze and his team set 30 camera traps in the northern part of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range – a very remote area of Georgia near its boarder with Russia.

Although most cameras have been retrieved, five were stolen (presumably by poachers concerned about the evidence) and a few others were left in an area where leopard sightings were reported by villagers. Despite these set backs, the cameras recorded an ample population of leopard prey. Read more…

For the 3rd time in 2013, the Fund distributes more than $500k to support the world’s most endangered species

December 29, 2013

For the 3rd time in 2013, the Fund distributes more than $500k in support of the world’s most endangered species bringing its annual contribution in 2013 to $1,605,091.

As a result of its recent review of grant applications, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund is distributing $519,666 to 65 conservation projects located in 45 countries across the world. This is the third distribution of Funds in 2013. The total distribution to projects in 2013 amounted to $1,605,091.

Since its inception in 2008 the Fund has distributed $10,328,429 to more than 1,000 species conservation projects worldwide.

Small Wild Cat Conservation Alliance contributes $11k to complement 5 recently approved projects