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The Asian unicorn

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The Saola, known as the spindle-horn or the Asian unicorn, is one of the world’s rarest mammals, a forest-dwelling bovine found only in Anna mite ranges of Laos. The name comes from the Tai language of Vietnam. Saolas inhabit wet evergreen or deciduous forests in eastern Indochina, preferring rivers and valleys. During the winters, they tend to migrate to the lowlands. Saolas are threatened primarily by hunting, rather than habitat loss, the main hunting threat comes from commercial poaching, not subsistence hunting by the local people. In Southeast Asia, most endangered species are threatened by illegal trade, either for bushmeat or traditional Asian medicine. Paradoxically, Saola is one of the few large animals in the region without a significant price on its head, but Saola gets caught up in the general slaughter and they are killed incidentally, as bycatch. Particularly dangerous for the Saola is the setting of thousands of wire cable snares in its range by professional poachers, the scale of the problem is staggering.

EFFECTS OF SMALL POPULATION SIZE:

Saola is now distributed in several isolated, small subpopulations; these subpopulations are now probably small enough to be threatened further by other effects, such as genetic inbreeding, loss of heterozygosis, and skewed sex ratios.

INSUFFICIENT CONSERVATION ATTENTION:

Saola is also indirectly threatened by insufficient attention to investment in its conservation, by the Governments of Lao PDR and Vietnam or the international Conservation. 

They are elusive and have only been photographed in the wild three times, these rare beauties are critically endangered.

Let us all take a step forward and protect these endangered species, that are going extinct as they deserve an equal position as us on this planet.

~ ARYAN JAYPRAKASH

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The Popoto’s

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The Maui dolphins are the subspecies of the Hector’s dolphin. They are the smallest amongst the 32 species of dolphins. They are found only on the West coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Originally starting at a number of 1500, the total number of Maui dolphins found as of today is 55. According to IUCN’s red list these dolphins are critically endangered. Population growth has been very stagnant with just 2% a year.

The Maui dolphins are distinct from the other subspecies of dolphins for many reasons:

1. Distinctive black, white and grey markings.

2. Short snout.

3. Unique rounded dorsal fins.

4. Small but solidly built bodies.

They live up to twenty years and the females can produce a calf every 2-4 years. Dolphins are smarter than apes and evolution has led their brains to develop into size similar to humans, dolphin’s echolocation abilities are phenomenal; they can determine extraordinary details about everything around them. They use echolocation to hunt and navigate even in pitch darkness or murky water.

Dolphins have a very unique way of hunting, they stir up ring shaped bubbles or mud with their tails which scare the fish towards the surface and the frightened fish then jump out of the water, often into the waiting mouths of dolphins. Even whales perform similar methods of hunting.

The main reasons for the decrease in their population are:

1. Fishing: The fishing nets used to catch fish often get entangled with the dolphins causing them to struggle to get out which eventually leads to some sort of injury. Entanglement in fishing gears leads to the dolphins being dragged towards the shore. Fishing restrictions and bans have been imposed in order to prevent the harm caused to the dolphins. The Northern side of the coast is closed off and fishing is banned.

2. Mining and oil work: Mining and oil drilling causes loss of habitat due to which the dolphins stray too far away endangering their lives. The equipments used cause harm and even end up injuring the dolphins.

3. Toxoplasmosis: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease. It has proven to be one of the primary causes of the decrease in the number of Maui dolphins and is likely to be a significant human-caused threat to dolphin populations.

4. Poaching: Poaching for these rare species has become a rising concern. These animals are constantly in trouble due to how rare they are and get hunted down for money.

Amongst all these reasons, climate change has also proven to make these species vulnerable. Adapting to the climate sometimes becomes problematic hence leading to death.

Safety Measures:

1. Sanctuary boundary restrictions have been placed to prevent fishing.

2. Sea bed mining is prohibited to prevent any sort of mishap.

3. All sorts of nets used for fishing have been banned from using 7 miles off sanctuary boundaries.

4. Trawling involves pulling a net through the water using a vessel. Often the dolphins get caught. This has been banned along the West coast harbors.

Loss of such magnificent creatures would truly be a shame. They have to be preserved and awareness must be spread.

~ ANUSHKA PARTHASARATHI

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Fading Crimson Canines

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Having a furry pal to greet you when you get home or play fetch with you is quite common. Dogs are among the most popular species across the globe but have you ever thought about their wild cousins? There are several species of wolves that are struggling with being endangered. One such species is the Red Wolf or the Canis lupus rufus. 

This member of the Canidae family, possessing fur infused with a reddish hue, is native to the United States of America. The events that led to the species being classified as endangered include predator-control programs and loss of habitat. Science also played a role in its unfortunate status as another cause of endangerment was the extensive hybridisation of Red Wolves with coyotes. At a point in time, there were up to 130 creatures in the wild, but that number has evidently experienced a steep fall, leaving only about 20 individuals in the wild today. Although there are over 200 of these wolves in breeding programs, the absence of their population in the wild is incredibly upsetting. The term “lone wolf” has never before had such a grim ring to it.

So far, only decreasing populations have been discussed. Let’s take a minute to think about what makes these digits so devastating. Just like any other living creature, this wolf has a life that must be respected and preserved, but there’s something that makes these canines special. The Red Wolf is of great importance in Cherokee spiritual beliefs, and it is said to be the companion of the hunter and father of the Wolf clan. 

These beautiful creatures were later captured by the hundreds as they were seen as a threat to livestock. In fact, there was a period during which these wolves were extinct in the wild. Thankfully, that changed because of one furry carnivore, Brindled Hope, who was the first to reproduce successfully outside captivity. There have been several other attempts of the sort to improve the status of the Red Wolves, but they still remain the most endangered wolf species.

There is only so much the average individual can do to protect these animals. Even though donating is a widely appreciated effort, not everyone can afford it. The best thing for us to do right now is to raise awareness; make it known that these innocent elements of nature are experiencing something you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy. They’re losing their family.

“Thousands have cried wolf over the years, but almost no one noticed that the wolves were crying” – Sasha Mathews

~SASHA MATHEWS

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The preeminent leopard

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When we visit a zoo and look at all the animals behind the glass pane or stuck in a cage do we ever wonder what the animal is going through? Not a lot of people bother to notice the misery of the animal stuck in the there. Well, imagine being separated from your family and all your loved ones and being put in a cage of just a few inches for the rest of your life. It’s sad isn’t it? But now because of us humans, animals aren’t even safe in their own habitat. 200 to 2000 species go extinct every single year.

One such animal is the Amur Leopard. This beautiful creature lives in the forests of South eastern Russia and Northern China, with fur as soft as cotton and peppered skin and it’s a commonly hunted animal due to all these attributes. It is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN red list and needs extreme care and protection. There are only about 60 individuals left in the wild and about 200 in captivity. It is believed that the Amur leopard can be saved from extinction if the present conservative initiatives are enhanced and sustained. Amur leopards are one of the rarest cat species in the world and are in extreme danger. So why don’t we take an initiative to protect these beautiful and majestic beasts as they are extremely important to the food chain. The biggest reason for their near extinction is illegal hunting and poaching. Its natural habitat is threatened by forest fires and construction of industries and other infrastructures. Another reason for the extinction of these species is the logging and poaching of the prey species like the Roe deer and the Sika deer which causes drastic changes in the Amur Leopards food source.

 Together we can protect the majestic animal, It requires people who care about our environment and all the creatures living on this beautiful planet, we need to respect their needs and space and live a sustainable life. If we come together to protect animals like the Amur leopard we can save some of the greatest species that ever existed on our planet. How can you help? It’s very simple, just change the way you buy. Please say a big no to any products that are made of animal skin or fur or any other body part. You can also visit and donate to websites like https://www.wildlifevetsinternational.org/projects/reintroduction-of-amur-leopard. Such organisations bring together young likeminded people who are willing to put in efforts to save beautiful species from extinction. So let’s all come together and protect the Amur Leopard and many other animals that are going extinct as they deserve an equal position on this planet.

Lets all spend our quarantine by doing something useful for our mother earth by protecting her creations. Together we can all make a change.

Thank you and stay safe.

~TRISHA MANOJ

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Enigma of the Sea

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Coral reefs are important for many different reasons aside from containing the most diverse eco-systems on the planet.

  • Corals protect coastlines from the damaging effects of wave action and tropical storms.
  • They provide habitats and shelter for many marine organisms
  • They are the source of Nitrogen and other essential nutrients for marine food chains and assist in Carbon and nitrogen fixing.
  • The fishing industry depends on coral reefs because many fish spawn there and juvenile fish spend time there before making their way to the open sea.

Water filtration – Most Corals and sponges are filter feeders, which mean that they consume particulate matter suspended in the water column. This contributes to enhanced quality and clarity of our near shore waters.

Everything from Lobsters and Octopuses to Sea Turtles and Dolphins depend on the reef for food, habitat and protection. Each animal plays an important role in the reef ecosystem, be it filtering water, consuming prolific algae or keeping a particular species under control, by supporting such a wide range of plants and animals, reefs are able to maintain balanced relationships that keep our marine ecosystems alive and abundant with life.

Coral reefs are rapidly declining. During the period 1988 to 2012, coral cover has seen a drop from 28% to 13.8%, a total loss of 50.7%. Tropical cyclones cause about 48% of the loss while crown of thorns starfish (COTS) cause 42% and 10% from Coral bleaching. Recent studies show that the occurrence of cyclones has increased due to climate change and also has increased that amount of rainfall from 4% to 9%.

Major anthropogenic risk factors include mortality and reduced growth of the reef – building Corals due to high sensitivity to rising Sea water temperatures. Other factors like Ocean acidification, water pollution from terrestrial runoffs and over fishing.

Coral bleaching – The stunning colours in Corals come from a marine alga called Zooxanthellae which lives inside their tissue. Through photosynthesis the algae gives the coral energy, allowing them to grow and reproduce. When Corals get stressed, from things such as heat or pollution, they react by expelling this alga, leaving a white skeleton. This is known as Coral bleaching, without this alga the Corals starve and then die. It can take decades for Coral reefs to fully recover from a bleaching event, so it is vital that these events do not occur frequently.

If we continue burning fossil fuels at our current rate severe bleaching events are likely to hit reefs annually by 2050. This would be devastating for Coral reefs as they would have no chance to recover.

We need to urgently reduce our carbon emissions and limit global temperatures increases, or the world’s reefs will face a bleak future.

~ VIHAN RAJU

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“If there’s no ice, there’s no ice-bear.”

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With their frozen habitats and food resources in rapid decline, polar bears are at a risk now more then ever of extinction. These incredible creatures are a vital part our frozen landscapes but they need a stable climate to survive. Although most are born on land, Polar Bears spend majority of their lives around water and on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean. They are excellent swimmers, able to travel long distances and can reach a top speed of 6 mph. They have been known to travel areas of upto 600,000 sq km to find their prey. Polar bears have an incredibly well developed sense of smell and can sniff out prey upto 1km away, and the food they spend most of their times sniffing out are ringed seals. In fact Ringed Seals and Polar Bears are so synonymous that the abundence of Ringed Seals appears to regulate the density of Polar Bears and vice versa.

The Arctic is warming twise as fast as the global average melting the sea ice that is vital to the Polar Bears ability to find food. Sea ice is also where courtship and mating takes place. During the breeding season(April and May) females need to gain more than twise their body weight- precious reserves for the months ahead. However with longer melting seasons, sea ice is forming later and breaking up earlier, making it hard for pregnant females to build up fat stores need to survive birthing and nursing young.

The Polar Bears food supply is also directly impacted by the melting of ice. Seals, their main diet, also breed on the ice and as the seal population dwindles, it has forced Polar Bears to look further afield for food, this has increased conflict between Humans and Polar Bears, as they come closer to Human settlement for food.

I think people would judge this generation incredibly harshly, looking back in time saying – ” Well, you knew what the threat was and you chose to do nothing.”

~ VIHAN RAJU

How does the Arctic warming effect sea birds?

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Before getting into the details on how seabirds are affected by the Arctic warming ,let us answer the first question you might have ,that is –

 What exactly is the Arctic warming?

Well the answer to that question is quite simple.It is the warming up of the Arctic region due to the effect of the world wide crisis ‘Global Warming’ and sadly it is the region warming up faster than any other region on the Earth where the temperature increase is almost twice the world’s average. Now this might not strike you as a serious problem but it is more serious than you think it is.

Seabirds are different from land birds.Their body design is adapted in order to live in a marine environment.They usually have more feathers and webbed feet which aid in faster swimming and play the role as propellers when taking flight.These birds are one of the many creatures who suffer due to the Arctic warming.

Getting to the actual part, how does the Arctic warming impact the lifestyle of sea birds?

Ivory Gulls and Little auks are few seabirds that are negatively impacted due to the reduction of sea ice.There is huge change in the communities they live in leading to a downfall of interaction and major changes in their daily life routine.

Ivory Gulls are very closely connected with sea ice for almost it’s entire life.They nest and breed on rocky cliffs to protect themselves from predators and fly to nearby sea ice to scavenge for food.

The decline of sea ice has led to a fall in the population of Ivory Gulls and according to recent surveys, it’s population has decreased by 90% over a period of 20 years!

Deteriorating sea ice has also led to change in diet of various seabirds in response to the expansion of algae that attracts zooplankton and then small fish, bigger fish, and top predators such as whales, seals, and seabirds. Thus they are adjusting and adapting to new food sources available to them.

Change in migratory paths of many different species of seabirds has been noticed by many and further observations have been done regarding the matter.

The situation has also led to a possibility of having polar bears and other predators invade the living space of seabirds like the Common Eiders.

To put everything in a nutshell..

Global warming has a wide effect on numerous beings and it being hard on the arctic region has led to a great number of difficulties to the organisms living there and seabirds being one of them have faced many issues.There has been a huge decline in population of various species of seabirds and the current situation has also made many of the predators invasive thereby endangering the seabirds.Under present conditions it has been estimated that sea ice in the arctic region could disappear completely by the year 2050.

We all have a choice,to help this world,to preserve the gifts of nature and the creatures on it, and each drop of support can change the world forever….

~ CHARVI ATLURI

ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS

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Whales dive to the depths of the sea to feed. They feed in area’s which are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, iron, potassium and other deep ocean minerals (DOM). These minerals are absent at the surface and whales are the only creatures of that scale that move from the depths to the surface of the ocean. They absorb all these nutrients and when they approach the surface they release large fecal plumes, these fecal plumes are rich in DOM nutrients and they are the ocean fertilisers, they fertillise these small microscopic plants called phytoplankton.
Phytoplankton are the base of every single food chain in the ocean.
These phytoplankton are essential to our survival. They release oxygen into our environment not only in oceans but on land as well and it consists of 50% of the air we are breathing right now. Every second breath is beacuse of these phytoplankton.
This the reason why whales are knows as ecosystem engineers. In one way or another they help in nurturing the very plant that is responsible for our survival and they are a vital factor to the ecosystem.

~ VIHAN RAJU

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Our Vision

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“Our oceans are not a place for extraction but for protection.”

In the hustle of our everyday lives, we seldom wonder about the existence of the largest species on earth, the whales. We are hardly aware about the importance of these marvelous creatures and how they directly impact our lives, due to which they are currently in danger.

There is often a misconception that whales live near the poles or in foreign waters, that they live in human inhabitant territory and there’s nothing you can do about it. But actually, they reside all around the waters of the Indian subcontinent. The Indian ocean and the Arabian sea are inhabitant to thousands of whales, but sadly the majority of us are not aware of their existence here. India as a country has come up with various projects and schemes for our terrestrial animals but it’s high time we focus on these magnificent aquatic giants.

Knowingly or unknowingly, we are putting these giants into danger and they need our help. It is our duty as Indians to protect the whales in our waters.

Whales are called eco-system engineers and are huge contributors to the aquatic eco-system and play a very crucial rule in the existence of all living beings.

So lets all get together and aim to build awareness about the co-existence of aquatic and terrestrial eco-systems, this will not only help in protecting the aquatic life but also has a direct effect on our well being.

Join whale watch and be a protector of the sea!

~VIHAN RAJU