New population of Critically Endangered monkey found in Colombia

One of the top 25 threatened primate species in the world

February 2012: The only confirmed population of an extremely rare sub-species of brown spider monkeys in a national protected area has been found in Selva de Florencia National Park in Colombia.

The brown spider monkey is one of the top 25 threatened primate species of the world. The species resides in two separate populations on either side of the Magdalena River in central Colombia partially within the Eje Cafetero landscape. Each population represents a different subspecies: A. hybridus hybridus living on one side of the river, A. h. brunneus on the other.

Although both subspecies are in danger of extinction, A. h. brunneus was most at risk because no national protected areas contained populations of this uniquely Colombian primate until now.

Maybe now the monkey population can grow in number‘This exciting discovery of brown spider monkeys in Selva de Florencía National Park emphasises the importance of protected areas to safeguard wildlife – even for previously unknown species,' said Julie Kunen, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Director of Latin America and Caribbean programmes. ‘The fact that the species was found in a protected area gives conservationists hope that populations will be safeguarded and can perhaps even grow in number.'

When Selva de Florenica was created as a national park in 2005, the only known evidence of A. h. brunneus was a captive specimen living with colonists in the park. Subsequent studies were unable to record the species living in the area; therefore it was considered most likely locally extinct.

But in early November last year, a local farmer in the village of El Silencio reported the possible presence of the species, setting into motion a rapid exploration of the area by officers of the National Parks Unit and researchers from WCS. At least two individual brown spider monkeys were observed, making Selva de Florencia National Park the only national protected area that currently protects this subspecies.

Unfortunately, the park is in the southernmost area of the species' range, thus its population is even more vulnerable to extirpation. To ensure the continued conservation of the brown spider monkey in Colombia, next steps will be a rigorous evaluation of the population status of the species in this park and restoration of degraded habitat to provide connectivity with other northern populations currently being studied by WCS.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/colombia-monkey.html

2,000 Sharks Massacred in Colombian Sanctuary

Today is a sobering day for sharks. Colombian authorities have reported that as many as 2,000 hammerhead, Galápagos and whale sharks may have been slaughtered for their fins in the nation's Pacific waters. According to the Colombian president's top environmental adviser, divers
saw 10 Costa Rican trawlers illegally entering the Malpelo wildlife sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site. When the divers swam down deeper, they found a shocking amount of sharks lying on the ocean floor, finless.

Considering that sharks give birth to only a few young each year, the loss of 2,000 sharks is a significant single blow to the ecosystem. But 2,000 is a small number compared to the millions of sharks that are killed each year around the world for their fins. Sharks play a vital role in maintaining the health of ocean food webs; when the sharks are removed, the entire system can be thrown into disarray. Many scientists say that you can tell a marine ecosystem is thriving if it teems with sharks.
The Colombian shark massacre is especially shocking as it comes just a few short weeks after we cheered the sweeping U.S. West Coast ban on the trade of shark fins. It's a reminder that while Oceana and our allies have made a lot of progress for sharks over the past few years, they are still being
killed for their fins in appalling numbers.

It's also a reminder that the global shark conservation movement is at a critical juncture. An increasing number of nations are recognizing the need to protect the ocean's top predators. Take Chile, which passed a national ban on shark finning this summer. And more recently, Mexico and the Marshall Islands have announced plans for new shark protections. More governments are realizing the value of sharks to the health of their oceans and economies.

It's encouraging to see the tide rising on global shark conservation, but it's also important to note the role of illegal fishing in this tragic incident. Marine sanctuaries are wonderful places, but enforcement is key to keep out the illegal fishermen who aim to capitalize on the wealth of fish and sharks that make these areas so special.

At Oceana we're working on this problem from both angles - we're winning increased protections for sharks, and we're working to curb illegal fishing. You can help by supporting our efforts to protect the ocean's top predators from extinction.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/january-jones/shark-massacre-shows-need_b_1020498.html

Durrell sharing white-footed tamarin knowledge with Colombia

Durrell's husbandry course gives hands-on experience
October 2011: A Colombian vet is returning to South America armed with fresh conservation skills learned from hands-on experience gained at Durrell Wildlife Trust's primate husbandry course.

Juliana Peña-Stadlin spent two weeks at the Jersey headquarters of the trust after receiving a scholarship to attend its world renowned International Training to learn more about caring for the endangered white-footed tamarin, which lives only in Colombia.

This project is testament to how Durrell's three core conservation pillars work together to make a real impact in their mission to save species from extinction.

Sharing extensive knowledgeAccompanying Juliana on her return journey will be Dominic Wormell, head of Durrell's mammal department. Dominic will spend a fortnight in Colombia during which time he will initially follow the animals in the field, hoping to locate some of the last remaining white-footed tamarins.

The remainder of his time will be spent sharing his extensive knowledge of these diminutive primates, running a number of workshops and visiting some of the institutions that hold the species in captivity.

Commenting on her time spent at Durrell, Juliana said: ‘Not only have I learned so much from the theory side of the course, but also the practical time spent with the vets here has been invaluable. I feel as though I am now in a much stronger position to care for the tamarins and to share what I have learned with my colleagues.

‘I will also be implementing a series of new protocols with regard to the health aspects and husbandry issues of these animals in the various institutions with whom we work.'

Passing skills to people on the front lineDominic added: ‘We are delighted with the work conducted in Colombia and the major improvements we have seen to date. Many of these improvements stem from our specialised knowledge of these animals and our ability to develop skills here in Jersey and then pass them on to people working on the front line, such as Juliana.'

The White-footed Tamarin International Conservation Project was started by Colombian conservationists, several of whom have trained at Durrell, and is a collaborative effort with the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). Durrell is a lead partner on the project, which has a multi-pronged approach, building the skills and capacity to have a safety population of the tiny mammals in Colombia, plus carrying out field work to survey the last patches of forest that the tamarin occurs in.

To date Durrell and its partners have trained well over 60 Colombians during the workshops and have built more than 20 enclosures in various institutions. In doing so great successes have been achieved. Captive mortality rates have reduced from 90 per cent to 20 per cent and in addition the teams are delighted to now have a number of mother-reared offspring, something which was practically unheard of prior to the commencement of this project.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/white-footed-tamarin.html

Two New Bee Species Are Mysterious Pieces in the Panama Puzzle

ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2011) — Smithsonian scientists have discovered two new, closely related bee species: one from Coiba Island in Panama and another from northern Colombia. Both descended from of a group of stingless bees that originated in the Amazon and moved into Central America, the ancestors of Mayan honeybees. The presence of one of these new species on Coiba and Rancheria Islands, and its absence from the nearby mainland, is a mystery that will ultimately shed light on Panama's history and abundant biodiversity.

At almost 200 square miles, Coiba Island is the largest offshore island along the Pacific coast of Latin America. Rancheria Island is a much smaller neighbor. The species name, insularis, of the new bee from Coiba, Melipona insularis, means "island." This is the first species in its group to be found on islands near the mainland.

"These forest bees have a small range over which they can establish new nests and colonies," says David Roubik, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. "They can't establish a new nest across more than a short stretch of open water because workers from the original nest have to build and supply the new nest before the new queen moves in."

Either several entire tree-cavity nests arrived on Coiba and Rancheria in floating mats of vegetation or a land connection existed between the island and the mainland before the bees disappeared from the mainland.

Sea level has risen and fallen dramatically in the past. During ice ages, when much of Earth's water is locked up in polar caps and glaciers, sea level drops in Panama. The sea floor between Coiba and the mainland, and between Coiba and neighboring Rancheria Island where the bee was also found, is never more than about 300 feet below the surface. Five other stingless bee species on Coiba are widespread on the mainland and on many little islands that were connected to the mainland during glaciations. Those bees are relative newcomers that may have arrived during past drops in sea level when the islands were reconnected to the mainland.

Roubik thinks the ancestors of Melipona (Melikerria) ambigua, the new species from Colombia, gave rise both to the new Coiba bee and the honeybees cultivated by Mayans in Mexico and Central America. Even if a drop in sea level explains how the bees got from the mainland to the island, their discovery that the bees had already established in Central America around 17 million years ago spurs an ongoing debate about the age of the connection between North and South America. Traditionally, geologists think that the Panama land bridge arose by tectonic and volcanic action to connect the two continents about 3 million years ago.

"Our studies of the genetic relationships between these bees tells us that they originated in the Amazon about 22 million years ago and that they moved north into Central America before 3 million years ago," said Roubik. "This actually agrees with new evidence that geologists working in the earthworks created by the Panama Canal expansion project are finding. We think that a land bridge may have formed as early as 12 million years ago."

Not only does the age of the continental connection remain unresolved, there are more questions, such as what happened to the bees that used to be on the mainland and are no longer there now?
Panama's wealth of biodiversity may be a direct result of the complicated geological history of the area. Only by combining geological evidence, genetic evidence and observations of how organisms behave and respond to change in natural areas like Coiba National Park, can scientists begin to understand the puzzle that is Panama.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111018155223.htm

Big fossil croc may have competed with giant snake

The fossilised remains of 6m (20ft) -long extinct crocodile relatives have been discovered in a mine in Colombia.

The massive croc would have lived at the same time as the world's largest-known snake and may even have competed with it for food.

The remains were discovered in the Cerrejon mine of northern Colombia, one of the world's largest open-pit coal mines.

A US team has described the specimens in the journal Palaeontology.

The freshwater creature, named Acherontisuchus guajiraensis, inhabited an ancient rainforest ecosystem some 60 million years ago, during Palaeocene times.

The environment was dominated by reptiles, including giant snakes, turtles and crocodiles. This is the second crocodile relative excavated from the Cerrejon mine.

Temperatures at this time were much higher than today, and scientists say that studying the diversity of animals in this ecosystem could help them understand the impacts of a warmer climate in the future.

It lived alongside a giant snake known as Titanoboa, which is thought to have grown to about 13m (42ft) in length.

The scientists say that A. guajiraensis was specialised for eating fish, which means it probably would have competed for food with Titanoboa.

"The younger individuals were definitely not safe from Titanoboa, but the biggest of these species would have been a bit much for the [13m] 42-foot snake to handle," said lead author Alex Hastings, from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The new species belongs to a group of crocs known as dyrosaurids, believed to be primarily ocean-dwelling, coastal reptiles.

The researchers say the new adult specimens challenge previous theories that the animals would only have entered freshwater environments as babies before returning to the sea.

The croc was comparable in size with the largest examples of living crocodiles and alligators today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14933629

Red rodent shows up at Colombian nature lodge after 113 years

The red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis) had not been recorded since 1898 and was thought possibly extinct—that is until one showed up at 9:30 PM on May 4th at a lodge in El Dorado Nature Reserve in northern Colombia.
"He just shuffled up the handrail near where we were sitting and seemed totally unperturbed by all the excitement he was causing," said Lizzie Noble, a British volunteer with Fundación ProAves a conservation group in Colombia focusing on birds.

The nocturnal rodent hung out for a couple hours, allowing Noble and another volunteer, Simon McKeown, to take photos. Noble and McKeown were there to monitor endangered amphibians, but on this night, at least, they found themselves captivated by a long-lost rodent.

Described as about the size of a guinea pig, the red-crested tree rat—or if that's not long enough for you: the red crested soft-furred spiny-rat—had only been known from two skins previously. But the species was odd enough to be given its own genus, Santamartamys.

With its long absence it's almost certain the species is quite rare, and researchers say they expect it will be listed by the IUCN Red List as is Critically Endangered. Already, the species is believed to be imperiled by feral cats.

Located in the Santa Marta mountain range, the 2,000 acre (809 hectare) El Dorado Nature Reserve, which was established by ProAves and other groups, has been the site of a number of remarkable incidents recently. In 2007 the Santa Marta screech owl (Otus gilesi) was discovered in the reserve—still undescribed by researchers—while last year the first ever photo of a living Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus), a hummingbird, was taken in the park. But the red-crested tree rat may be the biggest surprise yet.

"We are so proud that our El Dorado Nature Reserve has provided a safe haven for this enigmatic little guy to survive," said Lina Daza, Executive Director of ProAves. "The discovery exemplifies why we buy forested properties known to be important for endangered wildlife yet at imminent risk of being destroyed."

The reserve is home to a high number of endemic birds and amphibians, some globally threatened with extinction.

"The El Dorado Nature Reserve represents the ultimate Noah's Ark, protecting the last populations of many critically endangered and endemic flora and fauna; a living treasure trove like no other on earth," said Dr. Paul Salaman, a scientist with World Land Trust-US who confirmed the identity of the species.

ProAves established the El Dorado Nature Resevere in 2005 with support from American Bird Conservancy, World Land Trust-US, Fundación Loro Parque and Conservation International, and the US's Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.

"Had we not worked with our partners to establish this reserve, it is reasonable to believe this species would still remain something that was only talked about in science journals," said George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy. "Now we need to work with our partners to take steps to see that this species continues to be a part of our world,"

Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
May 18, 2011

http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0518-hance_redtreerat.html

Iguana, turtle or mega-rodent: Colombian Easter fare (Via Herp Digest)

Iguana, turtle or mega-rodent: Colombian Easter fare
Apr 24, 2011

Malayan Insider, Bogoto, Columbia, April 24 - Green iguana, slider turtles and the world's largest rodent, capybara: it's not a trip to the zoo.

It's what's for traditional Easter dinner in Colombia.

"This is the season we have them all coming in," said nutritionist Carolina Rangel, at a centre for confiscated animals in the Colombian capital. She showed AFP about 30 confiscated "outlawed" slider turtles, common here and in Venezuela, as well as a rogue green iguana officials picked up on a bus. Sometimes problems crop up when the animals escape from their "caretakers" especially in the busy Easter season; many Colombians travel for hours on intercity buses to spend the holiday with family and prepare special meals.

"People bring them in (from far-flung provinces) secretly, even stashed in suitcases so they can eat them with relatives, or sell them at open-air markets," said local environmental official Andres Alvarez, a veterinarian.

Colombia has wildly varied geography, with tropical Pacific and Caribbean coasts; cooler Andean mountain climes and a huge range of plant and animal life that thrive, sometimes in relative isolation.
These recipes based on local animals - instead of imported ones - have close ties to the northern and northwestern parts of the country.

They are often served up in the age-old recipes of indigenous peoples descended from migrants who came from eastern Asia into North and South America thousands of years ago.

Among the mouthwatering seasonal treats: turtles' eggs omelettes; iguana soup; cayman or turtle stew, which is served up with coconut rice, fried yuca, all washed down with cold beer.

"Colombia's gastronomic wealth is a reflection of the country's biodiversity," the world's second greatest after Brazil, said anthropolgist Julian Estrada.

How the custom evolved of eating these meals at this time - the Christian celebration of Easter - is not so clear. But people who lived along local rivers in what is modern-day Colombia ate all of these animals before the Spanish colonial era started in the 15th century, anthropologists say.

"For our indigenous people, the sleeper turtle and iguana are historically symbolic, mystical animals and part of age-old customs. Ultimately, what happened was that the (Roman) Catholic calendar's tradition ended up melding with the fact that those animals are plentiful" during the spring Easter period, said anthropologist Ramiro Delgado.

So while many Colombians are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an exotic little something on their Easter table, hundreds of others are trying to make sure that passengers on intercity buses are people and not animals.

Rodolfo Mendoza, the chief of the environmental police in Barrancabermeja, northwest of the capital, said that his department on April 13 intercepted someone with what amounted to a mini-herd of eight capybara. They are the world's biggest rodent and occasionally can top 100kg.
Though not endangered, they are not supposed to be hunted at this time of the year so as not to interfere with their reproductive season.

Authorities have to balance trying to protect the species while respecting indigenous Colombian traditions, they say.

That is why the hunting and sale of slider turtles, iguana, and small crocodiles is illegal; but at the same time, they may be consumed by people who eat them to survive in communities where food sources are limited.

The Environment Ministry says that in just four years, more than 100,000 live river turtles have been confiscated.

"Our real problem is just trying to manage the use of these animals, not turning consumption into some big crime," said government biodiversity expert Claudia Rodriguez. "Above all because in some poor rural areas, they are the only food people have." - afprelaxnews.com

Fish die en masse after UFO sighting

02-01-2011 20:25

Could it be the supernatural, or was it just a coincidence?

Thousands of fish have mysteriously died in a Colombian village, shortly after a UFO sighting, a news report said.

There was a commotion in the otherwise quiet village of El Llanito, in the jurisdiction of Barrancabermeja, due to the abrupt appearance of a UFO (unidentified flying object), according to the local press on Jan. 28 (local time).

Next day, two thousand dead fish rose to the surface of an otherwise ordinary swamp in the vicinity. Some experts explained the phenomenon, by saying that the cold snap had fatally decreased oxygen levels in the swamp. However the locals shuddered, convinced that the death was related to the previous day's UFO sighting.

In fact, a number of the villagers claimed that they had seen evidence of burns on the fishes' scales and fins, creating more terror.

The Colombian environment authority sought to eliminate speculation about the supernatural. Environment Secretary Issac Lopez said that the mass death would be extensively examined in order to determine its scientific cause.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/tech/2011/02/129_80775.html

New frog species found in hunt for old ones

Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News



A search for frogs believed to be extinct has instead led scientists to discover some new ones.

Three species hitherto unknown to science have been found in Colombia.

They include a poison-secreting rocket frog and two toads. All three are tiny and tend to be most active in daytime, which is unusual for amphibians.

However, the same expedition to Colombia failed to find the species it was hoping to rediscover, the Mesopotamia beaked toad.

The disappointment provoked by that non-discovery turned to glee when the conservation scientists came across the three new species.

The 3-4cm red-eyed toad, discovered at an altitude of 2,000m, evoked particular fascination.

"I have never seen a toad with such vibrant red eyes," said Robin Moore from Conservation International, the scientist who set up the rediscovery project.

"This trait is highly unusual for amphibians, and its discovery offers us a terrific opportunity to learn more about how and why it adapted this way."

The other new toad is also tiny - less than 2cm long - with a beak-shaped head that Dr Moore compared to the snout of Montgomery Burns, the villain of The Simpsons TV series.

George Meyer, a long-time Simpsons writer and amphibian enthusiast, commented: "The toad's imperious profile and squinty eyes indeed look like Monty Burns."

The reason why it has not been identified previously is probably because the species skips the tadpole stage, instead producing toadlets that resemble the fallen leaves of the forest floor in which they live.

The third newcomer is a rocket frog, a member of the poison dart family - though not as poisonous as many of its cousins.

The amphibian search, co-ordinated by Conservation International along with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, began in August and is the first co-ordinated attempt to look for species believed to be extinct.

Expeditions have been mounted in 19 countries in search of 100 lost species.

So far, three have been found: a Mexican salamander not seen since its discovery in 1941, a frog from the Ivory Coast last observed in 1967, and another frog from Democratic Republic of Congo not seen since 1979.

Despite the discoveries and rediscoveries, the team emphasises that overall, the global outlook for amphibians is still bleak.

The remainder of species targeted by the current search have remained undetected, suggesting that they are indeed extinct.

And the latest Red List of Threatened Species, released during the UN biodiversity summit last month, put 41% of amphibians on the danger list, with most of the threats continuing to intensify.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11765036
 

New frog species found in hunt for old ones

Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News



A search for frogs believed to be extinct has instead led scientists to discover some new ones.

Three species hitherto unknown to science have been found in Colombia.

They include a poison-secreting rocket frog and two toads. All three are tiny and tend to be most active in daytime, which is unusual for amphibians.

However, the same expedition to Colombia failed to find the species it was hoping to rediscover, the Mesopotamia beaked toad.

The disappointment provoked by that non-discovery turned to glee when the conservation scientists came across the three new species.

The 3-4cm red-eyed toad, discovered at an altitude of 2,000m, evoked particular fascination.

"I have never seen a toad with such vibrant red eyes," said Robin Moore from Conservation International, the scientist who set up the rediscovery project.

"This trait is highly unusual for amphibians, and its discovery offers us a terrific opportunity to learn more about how and why it adapted this way."

The other new toad is also tiny - less than 2cm long - with a beak-shaped head that Dr Moore compared to the snout of Montgomery Burns, the villain of The Simpsons TV series.

George Meyer, a long-time Simpsons writer and amphibian enthusiast, commented: "The toad's imperious profile and squinty eyes indeed look like Monty Burns."

The reason why it has not been identified previously is probably because the species skips the tadpole stage, instead producing toadlets that resemble the fallen leaves of the forest floor in which they live.

The third newcomer is a rocket frog, a member of the poison dart family - though not as poisonous as many of its cousins.

The amphibian search, co-ordinated by Conservation International along with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, began in August and is the first co-ordinated attempt to look for species believed to be extinct.

Expeditions have been mounted in 19 countries in search of 100 lost species.

So far, three have been found: a Mexican salamander not seen since its discovery in 1941, a frog from the Ivory Coast last observed in 1967, and another frog from Democratic Republic of Congo not seen since 1979.

Despite the discoveries and rediscoveries, the team emphasises that overall, the global outlook for amphibians is still bleak.

The remainder of species targeted by the current search have remained undetected, suggesting that they are indeed extinct.

And the latest Red List of Threatened Species, released during the UN biodiversity summit last month, put 41% of amphibians on the danger list, with most of the threats continuing to intensify.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11765036
 

Police seize parrot trained as drug gang look-out

A parrot in the Colombian city of Barranquilla has become a jail-bird after it was seized during a police drugs raid.

According to environmental authorities, Lorenzo the parrot was trying to tip-off a local drug cartel when officers conducted an undercover raid.

"This parrot was sending out alerts," said Environmental Police Officer Hollman Oliveira. "You could say he was some sort of watch bird."

Authorities claim Lorenzo is one of nearly 1700 parrots seized by officials after being trained by drug traffickers to act as lookouts.

Lorenzo caused quite the stir as he was presented to journalists. The well-trained creature even showed off his look out skills as he yelled out: "Run, run you are going to get caught."

Police colonel Freddy Veloza told reporters: "He spent the whole morning saying that".

Despite Lorenzo's attempts, Veloza's officers still managed to seize more than two-hundred weapons, a stolen motorcycle and a large quantity of marijuana.

At least four men and two other birds were also arrested in the raids.
http://news.uk.msn.com/world/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=154699050&ocid=today

Police seize parrot trained as drug gang look-out

A parrot in the Colombian city of Barranquilla has become a jail-bird after it was seized during a police drugs raid.

According to environmental authorities, Lorenzo the parrot was trying to tip-off a local drug cartel when officers conducted an undercover raid.

"This parrot was sending out alerts," said Environmental Police Officer Hollman Oliveira. "You could say he was some sort of watch bird."

Authorities claim Lorenzo is one of nearly 1700 parrots seized by officials after being trained by drug traffickers to act as lookouts.

Lorenzo caused quite the stir as he was presented to journalists. The well-trained creature even showed off his look out skills as he yelled out: "Run, run you are going to get caught."

Police colonel Freddy Veloza told reporters: "He spent the whole morning saying that".

Despite Lorenzo's attempts, Veloza's officers still managed to seize more than two-hundred weapons, a stolen motorcycle and a large quantity of marijuana.

At least four men and two other birds were also arrested in the raids.
http://news.uk.msn.com/world/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=154699050&ocid=today