Fins to the left, fins to the right…

Sharks protected in American Samoa.

America Samoa, the last U.S Territory in the pacific to implement shark protection now has the strongest policies. Shark fishing is now banned; along with the sale, possession and distribution of fins and shark parts. Reported by Wildlife Extra, "Sharks have been an important part of our ocean, reef and cultural environments," said Gov. Togiola T.A. Tulafono. "Their disappearance would be devastating to the environment and our Samoan culture. An ocean without sharks is completely inconceivable to me. Sharks have supported the health of our ocean, our fisheries and our economy, and should remain that way for generations to come. American Samoa is committed to playing a serious role in ensuring that these wonderful animals survive for our future."

 These  actions, along with the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam banning the practice in 2011 and Hawaii in 2010; has now cut off the flow of shark fins in the U.S. Pacific Islands, helping them remain an apex predator in the world’s oceans (WE, 2012). Only 4% of American Samoa’s reef shark population remains. Over 73 million sharks are killed yearly for their fins.

To find out why sharks are important and learn more about shark finning; see the resources listed below.

Suggested reading on shark finning:

US to halt shark finning

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 42, Issue 9, September 2001, Page 705

Jaws of life: developing international shark finning regulations through lessons learned from the International Whaling Commission

Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems. 20.2 (Summer 2011): p511

Social, economic, and regulatory drivers of the shark fin trade.(Perspectives)(Report)

Marine Resource Economics 22.3 (Sept 2007): p305(23).

Web resources:

http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/

http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm

References:

Wildlife Extra.com  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/samoa-shark.html#cr

Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shark_fins.jpg

Don’t flatter yourself

Biomimicry

What is it?

They say imitation is the sincerest  form of flattery. Biomimicry imitates nature. By observing natural forms, behaviors and processes; humans can adapt these natural designs to solve their own problems. “The core idea is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are grappling with: energy, food production, climate control, benign chemistry, transportation, collaboration, and more.  Mimicking these earth-savvy designs can help humans leapfrog to technologies that sip energy, shave material use, reject toxins, and work as a system to create conditions conducive to life” (Benyus, 2012).

Case studies [images and text borrowed from the Biomimicry Institute website, 2012]

Learning from Termites How to Create Sustainable Buildings

 After studying termite mounds , it was discovered that  nest temperatures were maintained within one degree both day and night [the outside temperature ranges from 42 °C to 3 °C]. This represents 40% of energy used by humans. 

Architects and engineers took this technology and designed the Eastgate Building in Zimbabwe modeled after the termite mounds. The building used 90% less energy and has saved over $3.5 million dollars in air conditioning costs (BI, 2012).

Learning from Dolphins How to Warn People about Tsunamis

Current Tsunami warning systems developed by EvoLogics; are emulating dolphin frequency-modulating acoustics. Sound scatters in water, but dolphins found a way to cope by using high frequency, rapid transmission. “In order to reliably detect them and warn people before they reach land, sensitive pressure sensors must be located underneath passing waves in waters as deep as 6000 meters. The data must then be transmitted up to a buoy at the ocean's surface, where it is relayed to a satellite for distribution to an early warning center. Transmitting data through miles of water has proven difficult, however: sound waves, while unique in being able to travel long distances through water, reverberate and destructively interfere with one another as they travel, compromising the accuracy of information” (BI, 2012).

If you are interested in learning more about biomimicry; there is an online course available here:

http://biomimicry.net/featured/2012/introduction-to-biomimicry-online-course-now-available-to-the-public/

Additional Reading list:

Mathews, F., 2004.Towards a Deeper Philosophy of Biomimicry. Organization Environment vol. 24 no. 4 pp.364-387

Davidson. E., et al., 2010. In vitro Biomimicry for Vascularized Bone Engineering. Journal of Surgical Research  V. 158, Issue 2 , P. 320.

Gamage, A. & Hyde, R., 2012. A model based on Biomimicry to enhance ecologically sustainable design. Architectural Science Review. V. 55, Issue 3.

references

Benyus, 2012. http://biomimicry.net/about/biomimicry/a-biomimicry-primer/

(BI) Biomimicry Institute, 2012 http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/case_studies.php

images: http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/case_studies.php

Locals only

This week we are spotlighting local conservation organizations that are initiating programs locally and abroad in the fight to save biodiversity, habitat and species. These are good resources for students and the community to learn about important issues and how they can become involved in conservation.

            1. RSCF

Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), located just west of us in Loxahatchee, FL, “ is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving biodiversity through grass-roots conservation programs rooted in sound science. RSCF employs the "flagship species" concept to identify and conserve high-profile, priority species in order to leverage protection for the ecosystems they represent. Propagation and management of such flagship species, along with field-based research and habitat protection, are ultimately directed toward long-term biodiversity preservation at a regional level” (RSCF, 2012).

The dedicated staff and directors provide service to governments as well as  research and conservation organizations all over the world. Among the many successful projects spearheaded by RSCF, one notable accomplishment has been the Bongo Project. “In January, 2004, RSCF airlifted 18 captive-bred bongo antelope from the United States to the Mt. Kenya Wildlife Conservancy. This marked the first step in the recovery of the species in the wild, and began a grass-roots conservation mission in Kenya. Partners in this program include the United Nations Foundation, the Kenya Wildlife Service, White Oak Conservation Center, and many more” (RSCF, 21012).

You can read more details of the project and many more that RSCF is involved in by going to their website:  http://www.rarespecies.org/index.html

        2. South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA)

“South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) was founded in March of 2010 to protect the unparalleled beauty and biodiversity of the greater Everglades. SFWA is a local not-for-profit organization committed to aggressively defending what remains of one of our planet’s most unique natural areas" (SFWA, 2012). 

You can find out all about the important work they are doing to conserve the Everglades by going to their website: http://southfloridawild.org/wordpress/ . There is only one Everglades and it is the largest and most important freshwater, subtropical peat wetland in North America. Find out what can be done to help protect it. 

For a comprehensive guide to Everglades restoration: http://www.evergladesplan.org/index.aspx

References:

Image credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TragelaphusBongo.jpg

Here’s looking at you kid

How artificial reproductive technology is saving endangered species

 Some Background basics:

Genetic lineages for endangered species are vital for maintaining healthy populations. With increasing human populations and decreasing viable habitats for wildlife; conservationists are faced with the task of finding new ways of helping save endangered species. ART (artificial reproductive technology) is becoming a more integral part of species management plans.

ART ranges from the simple (e.g. faecal hormone analysis to monitor oestrous cycles) to an array of more difficult technologies ( e.g. artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer, cloning) [Penfold, 2011]. All technologies are dependent on adequate storage of biological materials. The most successful storage method used today is cryobanking.

Cryobanking (i.e. the preservation of biological materials at very low temperatures for use in reproductive technology [YD, 2012]), was first developed way back in 1949 for use in the livestock industry. As the technology advanced, it was utilized for human reproduction, with the first human cryobank opening in the United States in the early 1970s.

Preserving tissue requires blocking intracellular functions, while maintaining the physiochemical structure of the cell. Decreasing temperature slows down cellular activity and eventually stops it entirely (CBS, 2012). Cryopreservation for non-domestic animal species is still considered to be emerging due to the fact that they are not widely practiced; there is limited knowledge of the reproductive biology of many species and few have been tested (Pukazhenthi, et. al., 2006).

So how is it used today? [Two examples].

   1.  White Oak Conservation Center, located in Yulee, FL, has spent the last 12 years working on ART techniques in order to avoid transportation of live animals. Their main focus has been on the Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri walleri), an understudied species of Antelope as a model for other endangered antelope. Their efforts with AI have resulted in four live births out of six attempts (Penfold, 2011). You can read a detailed report of the processes used to accomplish this by referring to the reference list below.

    2. Scientists at Monash University have had a scientific breakthrough and are the first to produce pluripotent stem cells (PSC) from tissue of an adult snow leopard (uncia uncia). PSCs share many of the useful properties of embryonic stem cells. Researchers have generated these cells from ear tissue samples (SD, 2012).

Obtaining reproductive cells from live animals (both captive and wild) is very difficult. This research is the first step to producing live offspring in these endangered cats (SD, 2012). Read the full account by using the reference article below.

References: (in no particular citation style)

CBS (Cryo Bio Systems), 2012. Online. Available at: http://www.cryobiosystem-imv.com/Portals/3/PDF/Monograph.pdf [Accessed on 4/11/2012].

Penfold, L.M., 2011. An overview of the assisted reproduction and genome banking activities of White Oak Conservation Center, Yulee, FL, in the service of species conservation. International Zoo Yearbook. V. 45. Pp.154-159.

Pukazhenthi, B., Cinuzzoli, P., Travis, A., and Wildt, D., 2006. Applications of emerging technologies to the study of conservation of threatened and endangered species. Reproduction, Fertility and Development. V. 18. Pp.77-90. Online. Available from Science Direct. [Accessed on 4/11/2012].

SD, 2012. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094758.htm

 

R. Verma, M.K. Holland, P. Temple-Smith, P.J. Verma. Inducing pluripotency in somatic cells from the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), an endangered felid. Theriogenology, 2012; 77 (1): 220 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.09.022

Your Dictionary, 2012. Online. Available at: http://medical.yourdictionary.com/cryobank Accessed on 4/11/2012.

Image credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Uncia_uncia.jpg

                      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lightmatter_gerenuk.jpg