A fish, thought to be extinct, was recently rediscovered in the Western Ghats in India by grant recipient Rajeev Raghavan. “Our very first survey brought us a surprise. We collected a single individual of Hemibagrus punctatus – a species red listed as Critically Endangered and possibly Extinct.”
Fish Finders
Geometric Tortoise Survive Wildfire
In January 2012 a wildfire ravaged the 1,000 hectare Elandsberg Nature Reserve 100km north of Cape Town, South Africa – home to the Geometric tortoise (Psammobates geometricus). Where more than 200 lived before the fire, estimates suggest only 65 still survive. The IUCN’s Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group considers this tortoise to be one of the world’s 25 most endangered.
Fund Reviewing 1st 2013 Grant Applications
The Fund is currently reviewing the 500 applications it received between 1 November 2012 and 28 February 2013. Within a few weeks the Fund will announce the results of its review, and distribute $500,000 to selected grant applicants. In total, our 500 grant applicants are requesting $8m. Obviously, with $500,000 we will not be able to support every application.
New Lizard Species Named in Honor of HH Mohamed bin Zayed
Peru surprises with 2 new amazing species of woodlizards
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Press Release
Two new woodlizard species have been uncovered from poorly explored areas of the Peruvian jungles. The males have beautiful body colouration with a distinctive green pattern before a dark brown and black background. It is assumed that the two species share the same territory, with only a slight difference in altitude ranges, which makes their biological divergence intriguing from an evolutionary point of view. The study was published in the open access journal Zookeys.
Emergency Aid to Cambodian Crocs
The Fund dispatched $12,000 in emergency aid to help relocate Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia before construction begins on a hydroelectric dam. The dam will obliterate the second largest population of Siamese crocodiles if they are not immediately relocated.
500 Grant Applications Received
Between 1 November and 28 February, 500 grant applications were submitted for consideration. That’s more applications than the Fund has received in any other grant period. Applications were submitted from more than 100 different countries on the behalf of every type of species. We have $500,000 up for grabs in this round of funding and $1.5 million for all of 2013. Obviously, the popularity of the Fund continues and the demand on our resources is great. Given this huge demand on our limited resources, it’s likely that only 10%of applications will receive funding. Over the next few months our Board of Advisors will review each request and make recommendations to the Fund before the end of May. Successful grant applications should receive notifications and financial support in June. Mark your calendars; the next grant application deadline is 30 June 2013.
India Temple Turtle Conservation
The Hindus of eastern India release turtles in temple ponds upon the occasion of a child’s birth believing that this will extend the longevity of the newborn child. The temple ponds contain turtle species which are critically endangered in the wild. With support from the Fund, biologists will survey the temple ponds of Assam, India to identify the resident turtle populations and assess the threats to their survival.
Fund Launches New Website
We redesigned our website. It’s simple. It’s visual. Grant recipients manage their grants and tell their story to the world with video and photography. And it’s all under one address: www.speciesconservation.org Every grant recipient can create their own case study microsite featuring their own multimedia content. Take a look around. We think you will enjoy the journey.
Film Chronicles Conservationists
Dedicated conservationists working with crocodiles in Sri Lanka, zebras in Kenya, birds and plants in Hawaii, hammerhead sharks in Costa Rica, frogs in Ghana, fish in Mexico, and chimpanzees in Uganda will form the cast of an exciting film about the Fund and its grant recipients. The conservationists and their species featured in the film represent the species diversity and global impact of the Fund. The film is a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and personalities of global conservation. The project will be completed in 2013. Stay tuned.
Fund Gives $1.5m to Species Conservation in 2012
The Fund donated $1.5m to species conservation projects in 2012. It supported more than 250 projects in more than 100 different countries. From mushrooms in Greece, saola in Vietnam, vultures in Pakistan, palm trees in New Caledonia, and frogs in South America, the Fund continued its strong support globally of people getting their hands dirty and putting their boots on the ground for threatened species. Continuing this strong tradition, the Fund has earmarked another $1.5m for species conservation in 2013.