Knapdale’s beavers boosted by successful reinforcement

 Knapdale’s beavers boosted by successful reinforcement 

Work to reinforce the population of beavers in Knapdale Forest in Argyll has come to a successful conclusion with the endangered species now more widespread and breeding throughout the area.

Scottish Beavers, a partnership between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, released 21 beavers into Knapdale Forest between 2017 and 2019 to bolster the population, with monitoring continuing throughout 2020.

The reinforcement project has increased the genetic diversity of Knapdale’s beaver population, which is important for its future survival. The new beavers brought to Knapdale were primarily sourced from Tayside and originate from Bavaria, while the original Scottish Beaver Trial population was sourced from Norway.

A successful pairing between beavers with Norwegian and Bavarian origins has not yet been detected, but it is likely to take place in the near future.

The isolated Knapdale population is now on a more secure footing as a direct result of this reinforcement. It is hoped it will connect with other populations in future, through either natural expansion or further releases in the area around Loch Awe.

Gill Dowse, Knowledge & Evidence Manager, Scottish Wildlife Trust said: “The Scottish Beaver Trial was a landmark conservation project that showed how beavers can create and restore important wetland and native woodland habitats.

“A limited number of beavers were introduced during the Trial so it was important to go back and release more beavers, giving them a good chance to thrive. After three years of fieldwork we can be confident this reinforcement project has been a success, and that we have done all we can to bolster the wild population in Knapdale.”

Dr Helen Taylor, RZSS Conservation Programme Manager said: “Monitoring the beaver population in Knapdale for the past three years and tracking the fortunes of these newly-released animals has painted a clear picture of a steadily growing population that is beginning to spread out into all the various waterways available in Knapdale Forest.

“It’s been fantastic that the project provided an initial solution for moving beavers from high-conflict areas in Tayside into Knapdale, where their positive impacts on the environment and on native biodiversity are clear to see.”

The final report from the Scottish Beavers Reinforcement Project, published today, contains a number of recommendations to secure a long-term future for beavers in Scotland.

These include developing a national conservation action plan for beavers, permitting reintroductions in other suitable areas of Scotland, and widening the ‘founder base’ by introducing more animals from Europe.

As the number of beaver trials in the UK increases, the report makes a number of recommendations for the welfare of animals within these projects. These include developing a genetic database of all beavers involved in translocations within Britain.

The project partners also hope that the Scottish Beavers project can act as a template for efforts to reintroduce beavers responsibly, both in other areas of Scotland and in other countries.

Gill Dowse added: “Encouraging a thriving beaver population in Scotland is an important step towards tackling the crisis facing nature. Bringing them back helps a huge range of other species, from dragonflies to otters. There are also substantial benefits for society, ranging from improved water quality to new opportunities for wildlife tourism.

“To ensure we fully benefit from the return of beavers and minimise future conflicts it is important to develop a clear action plan for the future of this protected species.”

Dr Taylor added: “After a 400-year absence from this country, beavers are back and we need to ensure they have a long-term future in Scotland, and throughout Britain. This means creating clear management strategies for the species that include monitoring both numbers and genetic diversity to ensure we avoid issues down the road.

“We also need to make space for these incredible ecosystem engineers, build a better understanding of where the most suitable release sites for beavers are, and learn to live alongside them once again so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of beavers, while reducing human-wildlife conflict.”

Scottish Beavers is a partnership between the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland created to continue the work of the Scottish Beaver Trial, which reintroduced Eurasian beavers into Knapdale Forest in 2009.

The reinforcement took place at the site of the original Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale Forest, mid-Argyll, on land managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. The project was licensed by NatureScot, which coordinated the monitoring requirements at the site and funded the trapping of beavers in Tayside for translocation.

The Scottish Beavers Reinforcement Project was supported by funders including players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and National Museums Scotland Contribute to UK’s First Zoological Biobank

 

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and National Museums Scotland Contribute to UK’s First Zoological Biobank

Photo credit rzss.org.uk

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and National Museums Scotland are playing a central role in the establishment of the UK’s first national zoological biobank with the launch of their biobank facilities. Located at the National Museums Collections Centre and Edinburgh Zoo, the infrastructure will improve storage and distribution of animal genetic material for conservation and research.

 

The national biobank is providing a hub for scientists across the UK, giving them access to tissue, cells and DNA from endangered species and other wildlife, which can be used in research and for conservation planning.

The Scottish zoological biobank hub is being developed as part of the CryoArks Biobank, funded by a £1 million grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The project brings together Cardiff University, the Natural History Museum, National Museums Scotland, RZSS, University of Edinburgh and the University of Nottingham to expand and link collections across the UK.

 

The CryoArks initiative is led by Professor Mike Bruford of Cardiff University who said,

“CryoArks is making a step-change in the way that genetic material is curated and is making it available to more scientists.

“With the world facing unprecedented challenges for our wildlife and climate change, having access to this data will help us find solutions to protect our planet and its endangered species.”

As Biobank ‘hubs’, National Museums and RZSS will provide the expertise for a new level of sample storage and access to their samples by the establishment of ultra-low temperature freezer facilities, laboratory space, and making all samples available through an online searchable database. As a CryoArks partner, they offer on-site assistance in archiving sample material, and provide advice on embedding biobank sample collection during routine veterinary care and fieldwork.

Genetic data helps us understand a great deal about our planet, such as measuring shifts in biodiversity, discovering biological adaptations to climate and habitat change, and finding out why particular species have unusual characteristics. The samples held in the Biobank enable conservation researchers and scientists, now and in the future, to access genetic material such as DNA from a wide range of species, including those that are rare, endangered and extinct-in-the-wild, to help ensure their future survival.

 

Dr Andrew Kitchener, Principal Curator of Vertebrates, National Museums Scotland said

“This project is crucial in enabling researchers to engage with a vast resource of biological data samples which until now was difficult to access.

“We have a responsibility to future generations to ethically collect these biological samples, store them in appropriate conditions and make them available for research. These specimens are vital to our understanding of the natural world and our ability to map its changes and respond effectively to the demands of researchers working in conservation and ecology.”

National Museums Scotland has been collecting tissue samples from animals donated to the collection for more than 25 years and this legacy of several thousand samples has been added to the biobank, enabling quicker and easier access for scientists across the UK.

Dr Helen Senn, Head of Conservation and Science Programmes, RZSS said,

“Well managed sample collections are critical research tools which can be used to improve conservation outcomes for many threatened species. We are extremely grateful to the multitude of researchers and zoological institutions who are contributing samples that can be used by scientists for the benefit of wildlife around the world.”

Wildlife conservation charity RZSS also has a partnership with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and it is one of the four hubs, alongside those in Denmark, Belgium and Germany, of the EAZA Biobank. This is an initiative to increase collection, curation, storage and use of valuable genetic resources from animals held in EAZA institutions across Europe and the Middle East for the purposes of population management and conservation research. The ultimate goal is to biobank a sample from every living zoo animal so this data can be accessed for future conservation management and research.

10 December 2020

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

RZSS appoints new CEO

RZSS appoints new CEO

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has appointed David Field as the wildlife conservation charity’s new chief executive.

Currently chief executive of the Zoological Society of East Anglia, David returns to RZSS having been a section moderator at Edinburgh Zoo early in his career. He will take up the post in early summer.

David’s previous roles include zoological director of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), curator of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo and assistant director of Dublin Zoo. An honorary professor of the Royal Veterinary College, David has served as chairman of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BIAZA) and is the current president of the Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers.

“Through Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park and conservation activities in Scotland and around the world, RZSS has an incredible and influential position in Scottish society, the global zoological and conservation world and the lives of so many of our supporters and visitors,” said David.

“I am immensely proud to be joining RZSS as chief executive and look forward to building on these strong foundations.

“Zoos have an amazing ability to inspire people and be accessible, inclusive gateways to nature which empower individuals and communities to engage with conservation and have a positive impact on the environment.

“Returning to RZSS is also very personal for me as Edinburgh Zoo is where I learned much of my trade more than twenty years ago.”

RZSS chairman Jeremy Peat said, “We are delighted to announce David as our charity’s new chief executive.

“David has a wealth of experience within conservation and the zoological community and joins us at a critical time, with nature facing unprecedented threats and the role of zoos in connecting people with the natural world and protecting vulnerable species being more important than ever before.”

What Makes a Good Zoo - A Personal Journey

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

RZSS supports community outreach work in Mongolia to help Pallas’s cat.

RZSS supports community outreach work in Mongolia to help Pallas’s cat.

Photo credit - Jon-Paul Orsi

RZSS supports community outreach work in Mongolia to help Pallas’s cat.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is supporting key outreach work in Mongolia to help better understand one of the least studied cats in the world, the Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul). 

RZSS has been working with local communities to help increase the understanding of this little known species as part of the Pallas’s Cat International Conservation Alliance (PICA), of which the RZSS is a founding partner.

RZSS Cat Conservation Officer David Barclay said:

“There are large gaps in our knowledge of Pallas’s cats across the species range and this limits our ability to create effective conservation strategies. The community outreach, involving threat surveys, community engagement and delivery of educational materials provides us with new information and allows us to give something back to help raise awareness of the species.

“The PICA partnership with Nordens Ark and the Snow Leopard Trust, funded by Fondation Segré and global Pallas’s cat zoological collections, aims to do this by learning more about the species and the threats they face in the wild. This means working with local people throughout the cat’s natural range to help raise awareness of the species and help us gain a greater understanding of how people interact with the cats to help inform global conservation efforts.

PICA was established in 2016 by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Nordens Ark and the Snow Leopard Trust and is working with numerous partners, including field researchers, small cat specialists, the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group and other international zoological collections.   

A major challenge for the conservation of small cat species like the Pallas’s cat is establishing accurate baseline knowledge. The PICA project is active across multiple ranges where it is gaining new data about the distribution, threats and the ecology of the species whilst combining that information with camera trapping surveys, interview studies, and education programs to help develop the first ever global action plan for the species.

It is believed that Pallas’s cat faces many threats including the poisoning of prey species for pest control, hunting for skins and body parts, habitat loss and population fragmentation. Work being undertaken by PICA aims to collect data on such threats and use this to support future conservation action.  

Pallas’s cats are short stocky cats mainly grey / brown in colour with dark spots on the head and a dark-ringed tail allowing them to blend into their rocky and grasslands habitats which span from Iran in the west to China and Mongolia in the east.  With their thick fur they are perfectly adapted for surviving the harsh climatic conditions of Central Asia and can be found in the high mountain plateaus at elevations exceeding 5,000m above sea level.

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland appoints new CEO

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland appoints new CEO

Jeremy Peat, Chair of Trustees of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), said:

“I am delighted to announce that, following a very thorough externally-supported process with consideration of a range of internal and external candidates, the Board of Trustees of RZSS has appointed Barbara Smith as the organisation’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Barbara was previously the Managing Director of RZSS and has been acting as interim CEO since the departure of Chris West, the previous CEO. She will take up this new position immediately.

We all look forward to working with Barbara in her new capacity, to the benefit of the Society.”

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

Snail mail: RZSS reintroduces rare Partula snails to Tahiti

 Photo Credit RZSS

Snail mail: RZSS reintroduces rare Partula snails to Tahiti

Conservation charity the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has provided hundreds of critically endangered Partula snails to be reintroduced to their native habitat of French Polynesia. Most species of the tree snails became extinct as a result of predation by the introduced rosy wolf snail; however, thanks to the combined conservation efforts of RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and its partners, a number of the species were rescued from complete extinction.

RZSS Edinburgh Zoo has sent off five different species of Partula snail to be returned to the wild this September, with further reintroductions planned for later this year and next. The critically endangered Partula affinis will return to its native Tahiti, whilst Partula mooreana, Partula suturalis vexillum, Partula tohiveana and Partula taeniata simulans (which are all extinct in the wild) will be returning to the island of Mooreana.

RZSS has been involved with the conservation of the Partula snail since 1984 and was given the very last captive individual of the Partula taeniata simulans subspecies in 2010, which RZSS Edinburgh Zoo has subsequently bred back to a safe level of several hundred, helped by the fact that this individual had been fertilised and produced viable young. The Zoo was awarded the prestigious “BIAZA Award for Significant Contribution to Conservation Breeding” in 2012 for saving this subspecies of Partula snail from extinction.

Gareth Bennett, Senior Presenter at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “It is extremely exciting to be able to send some of our Partula snails, which we have been breeding for years, to be reintroduced directly back into their native habitat."

“This is a wonderful conservation success story and further demonstrates the critical role zoos can play in species conservation. We hope that the Partula reintroduction will provide a model framework for other species reintroduction programmes worldwide.”

The various subspecies of Partula snails kept in captivity are managed under the International Partulid Conservation Programme, which is coordinated by ZSL London Zoo and combines the breeding programme for 17 species in 16 different zoos around the world with conservation work in the Polynesian islands. Approximately 46 out of 65 identified species of Polynesian Partula are extinct.

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

What do a conservation charity, ex banker and a cartoonist have in common?

What do a conservation charity, ex banker and a cartoonist have in common?

RZSS appoints a Cartoonist in Residence to their flourishing Residency Programme

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has appointed Dr Cameron McPhail and his Kartoon Faktory as RZSS Cartoonists in Residence.

Dr McPhail is a former banker turned writer and cartoonist. After stints in academia and Scottish Enterprise, he joined the Royal Bank of Scotland and rose to be Chief Executive of Wealth Management, before leaving to pursue a career in writing and cartooning. He and his talented team at the Kartoon Faktory (based in Jersey) create unique cartoons and memorabilia based on political and social satire.

Kathy Sorley, RZSS Thinker in Residence and Manager of the RZSS Residency Programme, said: “The RZSS Residency Programme allows collaboration with a number of experts in their fields, enabling RZSS to engage with many different audiences about the conservation work we undertake at home in Scotland and elsewhere around the globe. To date over a dozen Residents have been appointed, including a Sculptor, Beekeeper, Environmental Scientist, Storyteller, Silversmith, Wildlife Artist, Nature Photographer, Palaeontologist, Adventurer/Explorer and an Organic Chef.

“Humour is a brilliant avenue to bring topical issues to people’s attention, and to pique their curiosity about conservation matters we care deeply about through clever use of wry and insightful cartoons, which Dr McPhail creates in abundance. We are delighted he and his illustration team at the Kartoon Faktory have agreed to become our RZSS Cartoonists in Residence.”

The first two cartoons in a unique series for the conservation charity, one celebrates the latest batch of meerkat pups at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo’s Meerkat Plaza, whilst the second features Dr McPhail and illustrator Oli Nightingale getting an authentic ‘behind the scenes’ look at life in the Zoo.

Upon receiving his appointment Dr McPhail commented, “This is a wonderful time to be associated with RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, and given the wealth of subject material we are bound to have a lot of fun during our Residency.”

The Cartoonist in Residence allows the promotion of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland through humour and illustration, and will help to raise awareness of the mission of RZSS to connect people with nature and safeguard species from extinction. In the future it is hoped that RZSS will offer visitors the chance to watch the Kartoon Faktory at work both at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and RZSS Highland Wildlife Park and that ultimately signed, limited edition prints will be developed for our shops. Long term goals also include cartoon books based on the animals at both visitor attractions, speeded-up footage of illustrations being created at both parks, and possibly even RZSS’s own cartoon strip!

Wildlife CSI Techniques to Protect African Forest Elephants

Wildlife CSI Techniques to Protect African Forest Elephants

The Gabonese president Ali Bongo Ondimba will later this week unveil a new initiative to help curb the illegal poaching of African elephants for their ivory. Gabon will utilise forensic DNA techniques from United Kingdom scientists based in Edinburgh to track elephants in an attempt reduce their slaughter due to illegal poaching.

President Ali Bongo Odimba will be in London as part of the UK Governments Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference. Hosted by the David Cameron and in the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the conference is also supported by the Prince William’s Royal Foundation. Also at the London meeting will be senior government representatives from over 50 countries, all with the joint aim of spurring action to combat the growing threat to endangered wildlife and producing new and improved multi-lateral agreements to combat the illegal trade.

Elephant poaching is on the increase in Africa as demand for ivory increases in some Asian countries. Statistics show that 96 elephants were killed every single day in 2012 and in 2013 large scale ivory movements were 20% higher than the previous peak in 2011.

“The elephants in Gabon are extremely susceptible to poaching activities as they live in forests rather than savannah and are therefore more difficult to monitor and protect,” says Prof Lee White, Director of Gabon’s National parks. Whyte adds, “The geographical proximity of Gabon, in central Africa, to more lawless states offers poachers easy access and retreat with their contraband.”

The ambitious project, funded by the European Union, is a collaboration between the National Parks Agency of Gabon and UK genetic and forensic expertise from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and TRACE Wildlife Forensic Network. Bone and tissue fragments from elephant carcasses killed by poachers will be recovered and forensic DNA techniques utilised to produce unique profiles for subsequent matching against blood stained clothing or ivory recovered locally or in Asia.

Dr Rob Ogden, Director of Conservation Science for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said, “We routinely use wildlife genetic analysis to provide information for conservation management, but the same DNA tools and data can be transferred into forensic investigations to support wildlife law enforcement.  RZSS is extremely happy to be involved in this project which bridges the gap between conservation genetics and wildlife DNA forensics, enabling the Gabon authorities to understand elephant population structure in its National Parks and apply this information to the fight against poaching.”

“Elephant poaching can really be classified as an organised crime due to the level of coordination and logistics required to move shipments internationally,” says Dr Ross McEwing from the UK based NGO TRACE Wildlife Forensic Network. “Terrorist organisations, such as Al-Shabaab, responsible for last year’s bloody shopping mall siege in Kenya, have recently been linked to deriving profits from illegal ivory shipments.” Dr McEwing adds “Combatting organised crime requires the use of all available enforcement tools, including wildlife forensic techniques, not only to save species at risk from extinction, but also to help with the investigations of criminal networks that can undermine national and international security.”

Funds for the project were provided by CEEAC under the ECOFAC V Programme (Fragile ecosystems of Central Africa), funded by the European Union.