WWF - Conservation success stories

Mexico approves measure to save world's rarest marine mammal

2013-06-07

The government of Mexico has taken a decisive step to save the vaquita - a porpoise threatened by extinction - and to promote sustainable fisheries in the upper Gulf of California for the benefit of fishers and their families, says WWF-Mexico.

The new regulation, called an official norm, comes after over 38,000 people from 127 countries signed WWF's petition to Mexico President Enrique Peña Nieto requesting measures to save the vaquita and allow fishers to continue to earn a living through sustainable fishing.

"With this norm, drift gillnets - one of the nets used in artisanal shrimping operations in which vaquitas die incidentally - will be gradually substituted, during a three year period, for selective fishing gears that does not kill this porpoise, but that allow fishers to keep earning their livelihoods. The effective application of the norm requires the participation and commitment of local fishermen. The optimal use of the net requires the development of particular skills; therefore, the support of the government and other organizations through training and temporary compensation programs will be essential along the fisher´s learning curve," said Omar Vidal, WWF-Mexico's Director General.

"It represents a major opportunity to promote sustainable fisheries in the region and to protect this Mexican porpoise. WWF acknowledges the commitment of the Mexican government to save the vaquita from extinction", added Vidal.

Of all cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), the vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the only one endemic to Mexico, has the most restricted distribution (it only lives in the upper Gulf of California), is the smallest (reaches a maximum length of 1.5 meters) and faces the highest risk of extinction.

It is estimated that less than 200 vaquitas currently survive. Its main threat is incidental entanglement and drowning in drift gillnets used to catch shrimp, sharks, rays and other fish. Vaquitas also continues to die trapped in gillnets used in the illegal fishing of totoaba, a fish which is also endangered.

The new regulation establishes shrimping standards in Mexico and defines the fishing gears permitted in different zones of the country.

Stopping the trade that kills

2013-06-06

In a major step forward to combat the illegal wildlife trade, the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice agreed to encourage UN member states "to make illicit trafficking in wild fauna and flora a serious crime" and ensure organized criminal groups are prosecuted. Under UN rules serious crimes should receive sentences of up to four years in prison or more.
Currently, smugglers of illegal wildlife are often only fined, and these fines may be less than the value of the wildlife they are illegally smuggling – making this ineffective as a deterrent.

In related moves, , Russia is passing legislation making smuggling of endangered species a criminal offence subject to jail time. Additionally, Japan announced it intends to raise the penalties for those convicted of wildlife trafficking from one to five years in jail. New Zealand announced a similar increase in punitive measures, with penalties for those convicted of smuggling native wildlife increased to up to five years in jail, putting them into the zone of serious crime.

Meanwhile, penalties handed out for those convicted of rhino poaching in South Africa have also risen into the very strong deterrent range. They include recent sentences of 29 years for poaching offences, while a convicted Thai national kingpin in a rhino horn poaching racket was given a 40 year jail sentence late last year.
During the crime commission meeting, governments also agreed to a proposal from Norway to address crimes at sea that impact upon the environment, including fisheries crimes. Illegal fishing undermines efforts by governments and responsible fishers to sustainably manage fisheries. It also threatens livelihoods, food security and sustainable development, and costs the global economy US $23 billion annually.

Similar to the UN's request for illegal trade, WWF is advocating for serious fisheries offenses to be criminalized and crimes adequately punished to effectively deter fishers and fishing companies from engaging in crimes. This involves upgrading national laws but also international cooperation by fisheries, judiciary, customs and police agencies.

These represent important developments in WWF's efforts to "kill the trade that kills ", helping meet a key campaign target of gaining the commitment of influential governments to treat the illegal wildlife trade as a serious crime.

French oil giant Total to keep out of Virunga World Heritage Site

2013-06-03

In response to an open letter from WWF to Total's investors, the company has confirmed it will not explore for oil within the current boundaries of Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Total Chairman and CEO Christophe de Margerie announced this landmark decision for corporate social and environmental responsibility at a shareholder meeting in May.

Total has been operating at the edge of the prized national park, and WWF was concerned that possible future boundary changes could open a loophole that would allow for drilling in sensitive habitats, endangering wildlife and sustainable local livelihoods.

Virunga is Africa's oldest national park, a World Heritage Site and a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Located on the equator, it contains the most diverse habitats of any park in Africa, from forests and savannahs, to swamps and volcanic peaks. The park is rich in natural biodiversity, a refuge for critically endangered mountain gorillas as well as endangered chimpanzees, hippos, and forest elephants.

The pristine wilderness is protected under Congolese and international law but oil concessions cover 85% of its surface. Major oil developments could involve disruptive seismic tests, forest clearing, deep underground drilling, the laying of vulnerable oil pipelines and demand an increased human presence.

Total is not the only company to pursue plans for oil extraction. WWF urges British oil exploration company Soco International PLC to immediately stop all activities in the park and make a similar commitment.

WWF commissioned an independent opinion poll to gauge public support for protection of World Heritage Sites from oil and gas extraction. Eight out of 10 French citizens say they would "very much" like French companies to promise not to exploit such places and said that they would be more likely to buy from an oil company that had done so.

Posted: May 17 2013 Updated: June 3 2013

Russian seas finally protected by robust law against oil pollution

2013-05-27

Russian has passed a long-awaited law to protect the country's seas from oil pollution after 120,000 Russians signed a petition as an Earth Hour 2012 conservation challenge.

WWF-Russia has been working with the Russian authorities on a law since the catastrophic oil spill in the Kerchensky Strait of Southern Russia in 2007. In 2011 the State Duma approved a first hearing of a draft law that did not adequately protect the marine environment against oil spills.

In response, WWF-Russia used the Earth Hour I Will If You Will challenge platform to motivate citizens to campaign for a more complete version of the law.

Celebrities filmed video pledges about what they would be willing to do if 100,000 people signed the petition. Most completed their promises within three weeks from when the goal was reached.
WWF-Russia, the Ministry of Natural Resources and a specialized State Duma committee worked together to redraft the initial draft law into a robust protection against oil pollution.

The new law defines rules for extracting and transporting hydrocarbons and requires operating companies to take increased responsibility for preventing oil spills. If a spill does occur, the company holding the licence must now make full restitution to the environment, even if one of their contractors was at fault. The law also includes measures to coordinate response to a spill and will enable volunteers to help with the clean up.

WWF-Russia used the Earth Hour 2013 I Will If You Will challenge platform to promote a petition to ban industrial logging in Russia's protective forests and will continue to campaign for further measures to protect the seas against oil pollution.

WWF's Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a citizen initiative to protest against climate change, and call for urgent action. People were encouraged to switch off their lights as a symbolic action to demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future. Since then, Earth Hour has grown at a huge pace to become the world's largest mass participation environmental movement, active in over 150 countries, and has gone "beyond the hour" to become a platform where people can mobilise action on climate and other environmental priorities.

Posted: January 4 2013 Updated: May 27 2013

Tuna fisheries lead sustainable change in their regions

2013-05-27

Two key tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific have taken important steps to promote sustainable management, and give tuna lovers an environmentally-responsible choice.
The fisheries gained certification in late 2012 to the standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), showing they are managed sustainably. This is a significant move as these regions are vital fishing grounds and fisheries worldwide are threatened by overexploitation.
The Maldives Pole and Line Skipjack Fishery became the first Indian Ocean tuna fishery to receive MSC certification. The fishery now has a chain of custody certification – meaning the skipjack tuna can be traced back to a certified sustainable source. Skipjack is an important commercial tuna species and one of the world's most heavily fished species.
The Maldives tuna pole and line fishery is a centuries-old practice and important component of the commercially valuable Indian Ocean skipjack tuna fishery. The fishery is often heralded as a good example of highly selective, low-impact fishing which avoids by-catch of sharks, turtles and seabirds. An important source of employment in Maldives, the fishery supports 20,000 fishermen and their families.
In a parallel development, the Albacore Tuna Longline Fishery became the first Fijian fishery to receive MSC certification. This certification offers opportunities to develop new markets in countries such as Japan, USA, and China where demand for certified sustainable seafood is high. Albacore tuna makes up around 70 – 80% of the tuna catch in Fiji and represents a large portion of the country's tuna export earnings.
Certification of these fisheries will help to lever change towards sustainability and make commercial fisheries in the Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific more economically and environmentally sustainable – benefiting the fishing industry, consumers, and the marine environment alike.
MSC certification is recognised as the best available market incentive to drive fisheries towards sustainability. Worldwide, 300 fisheries are engaged in the MSC programme, with annual catches of around 10 million tonnes of seafood, or more than 11% of the annual global harvest of wild-caught fish.

Posted: December 12 2012 Updated: May 27 2013

Endangered seabirds and other marine species protected in huge new South African marine protected area

2013-04-09

Cape Town, South Africa: A new 18 million hectare marine protected area (MPA) declared by South Africa is the world's seventh largest and represents a major step towards the effective protection of the rich biodiversity and commercial fisheries of the Southern Ocean.

The declaration of this offshore MPA – a first for Africa – which lies 2,000km southeast of the country, follows a long and successful collaboration between WWF-South Africa and the South African environmental authorities to complete a thorough planning and stakeholder consultation process, and identify priority areas for protection and sustainable use.

The islands – Prince Edward and Marion – form an important global biodiversity hotspot, hosting eight millions seabirds, of which 2,5 million are nesting. They are home to a suite of spectacular marine wildlife, including albatrosses, penguins, fur seals, killer whales and Patagonian toothfish stocks.

Five albatross species nest on the islands, which boast over 40 percent of the world's total number of wandering albatross. All five species are declining in numbers. There are also four penguin species, and three seal species, including 33 percent of the world's total number of southern fur seal.

Unfortunately this wildlife has been threatened by illegal and unsustainable fishing practices in the past, resulting in losses of species such as the albatross and collapse of the commercial fishery with significant economic and ecological losses to South Africa.

Intergovernmental cooperation has been built between the South African authorities with the French authorities responsible for the neighbouring islands of Crozet and Kergeulen, which are also important for biodiversity and fisheries and have also recently been protected.

WWF International's Director General, Jim Leape, says, "Still too little of the world's precious oceans are protected from exploitation, and this is a landmark victory for marine conservation – and hopefully a sign of more to come."

Posted: April 9 2013; Updated April 29 2013

2013 Earth Hour unites community of people worldwide on the issue of climate change

2013-03-24

WWF's Earth Hour completed another record-breaking sweep around the planet on 23 March 2013, boosted this year by many examples of groups using this opportunity to mobilise conservation action beyond the hour.

Earth Hour 2013 was observed in more than 7,000 cities, towns, and municipalities in more than 150 countries and territories. Many of the world's best known human and natural landmarks went dark including the Kremlin in Russia for the first time.

Launched seven years ago to enable people around the world to highlight the threat posed to the natural world by climate change and create a global call to action to prevent climate catastrophe, Earth Hour is the world's largest public environment campaign. For one hour, people the world-over were encouraged to switch off non-essential lighting – drawing them together and forging communities centered on realizing a sustainable future for our planet.

Since then, Earth Hour has evolved to inspire individuals to adopt sustainability as their watchword, and conserve resources in the face of environmental changes and global resource scarcity.

Earth Hour 2013 brought people together from all backgrounds to join and create amazing "beyond the hour" events to share what the planet means to them and what they are willing to do to protect it.

Earth Hour CEO and Co-Founder, Andy Ridley, noted that in Earth Hour 2013 people were increasingly involved in the event and taking self-directed action toward spreading the message and being the change, adding that "Earth Hour is maturing from its origins as a consciousness raising event in one city, to a global movement that is not just calling for change but is engaging in it."

Examples of this global movement and the Earth Hour inspired successes include legislative success against marine oil pollution in Russia, Russian supporters gaining over 100,000 signatures on a new petition calling for forest protection, and Earth Hour partners in Madagascar gifting 1,000 wood-saving stoves to cyclone victims. Other unique events, included villages in India without electricity being lit up with solar energy for the first time and Libyans taking part in an 80-kilometre walk.

Countries across the world have used Earth Hour as a tool to engage children in environmental issues, with distinct success in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Thailand. Beyond direct education, this year's event was marked by public concerts aimed at youth as a platform to share their passion for the environment – including concerts in major metropolitan areas in Libya, Nepal, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Jamaica.

WWF-Singapore's "One Degree Up" initiative for the I Will If You Will campaign has given people a tangible and simple way to help reduce the country's energy consumption and a dancefloor completely powered by kinetic energy generated enough power for an outdoor cinema against the celebrated backdrop of Marina Bay.

Canadian Astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield tweeted images from space in celebration of Earth Hour with his unique perspective of seeing cities and natural wonders from above.

Earth Hour is becoming an action-oriented, global community empowered with modern communications tools and united in a mission to create a more sustainable future for our shared planet.

Posted on March 24 2013; Updated April 29 2013

Global action taken to protect elephant, rhino and other species threatened by the illegal wildlife trade

2013-03-14

An international wildlife trade meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in March, boosted efforts to stop the unsustainable trade in a number of species ranging from rhino and elephant to sharks, rays and several tree species prized for their timber.

In an important development at the opening of the meeting the Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, announced that Thailand would shut down the country's ivory markets after more than 1.5 million people signed petitions by WWF and Avaaz, supported by actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

The growing threat to rhinos and elephants was a priority issue at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) - an international agreement which aims to prevent the extinction or unsustainable loss of species due to trade, which is the second-biggest direct threat to species after habitat destruction. Governments agreed to take stronger action against countries that historically have done little to stop the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade.

An estimated 30,000 elephants are lost every year to poachers seeking the valuable ivory tusks. To address this issue, CITES agreed to require the countries most implicated in illicit ivory trade to clamp down on smuggling. China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, Tanzania and Viet Nam are the countries of highest concern. These countries are mandated to submit time-bound plans to deal with the problem and make progress before the next CITES meeting in summer of 2014. Failure to take action may lead to punitive action resulting in countries being unable to trade in any of the 35,000 species covered by CITES. Carlos Drews, WWF's head of delegation at CITES, describes the move to be a "major milestone" in the protection of species.

In 2012, more than 700 rhino were illegally killed in South Africa, and to date in 2013 the rate of killing is even higher. Governments extended better protection to threatened rhinos by pledging to work against organized crime syndicates by increasing penalties, and adopted a plan to reduce overall consumer demand for the illegal rhino horn.

Governments also reaffirmed stronger protection for three hammerhead shark, the porbeagle and oceanic whitetip sharks, and two manta ray species. The sharks and manta rays were listed on CITES Appendix II, a listing that will help regulate their legal international trade to sustainable levels.

And in a further important step, negotiators voted to ramp up trade regulations for several species of rosewood and ebony, which have been subject to dangerous levels of illegal logging leading to deforestation, especially in Madagascar.

CITES 2013 took several key steps crucial for the protection of species threatened by trade by requiring greater accountability among countries associated with the illegal trade in ivory and rhino horn and unsustainable trade in threatened species such as sharks and manta rays. WWF will now follow up with its partner, TRAFFIC – the wildlife trade monitoring network – to ensure these commitments are implemented, and threats from trade to these species are removed.

Posted: March 14 2013; Updated April 29 2013

Huge boost in funding support to protect the rainforests of central Borneo

2013-02-27

More than US$30 million has been committed by governments and international organisations to promote development of a green economy in the Heart of Borneo – the 22 million ha of surviving upland rainforest in the centre of this biodiversity-rich island shared by Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.

This funding will be used to promote conservation and sustainable management of the forests in the Indonesian section of the Heart of Borneo, helping conserve one of WWF's highest conservation priorities which is also one of the most threatened.

Borneo's unique species and rainforests are under such serious threat that in 2007 WWF worked with the governments of Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia to develop the Heart of Borneo Initiative to help conserve and sustainably develop this uniquely rich natural area. In the past 60 years, the island of Borneo has lost large areas of rainforests and many species to deforestation, plantation agriculture and mining.

These forests are home to many endemic species including the orangutan, pygmy elephant, clouded leopard, and the Sumatran rhino. This is a region teeming with life, so much so that within the last ten years more than 360 species have been discovered –that is an average of three species new to science every month for 120 months!

Key to ensuring the survival of the forests is finding a path of development which is sustainable, where the forest can be commercially productive and support local livelihoods without losing its unique natural values and species richness.

In February 2013 in support of the green economy initiative in the Heart of Borneo, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) formally approved US$4.5 million co-funding for the new Sustainable Forest and Biodiversity Management programme in the Heart of Borneo. In addition, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided US$2.5m, and the Government of Indonesia US$0.5m. The Japan Fund for Poverty Alleviation provided an additional US$2m for social development and community empowerment, and the Forest Investment Programme (FIP) in Indonesia provided US$19.5m. WWF has committed US$2m.

In total, the investment of more than US$30.5m for forest conservation and green growth interventions in the HoB is designed to ensure the sustainable management of forest resources and biodiversity in the Indonesian portion of the Heart of Borneo through direct engagement with governments, communities and private sector companies.

By reducing pressure on forests and promoting sustainable and equitable forest and land management, the project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with potential co-benefits in the form of poverty reduction, improved quality of life for the indigenous peoples and local communities, protection of local peoples' rights, and enhanced conservation of biodiversity and other ecosystem services such as water provision.

Posted: 27 February 2013; Updated 30 April 2013

New research to inform good management of key polar bear populations

2013-02-11

OTTAWA – New financial contributions from WWF in support of polar bear research are improving the knowledge of key polar bear populations. The contributions were made possible by the WWF/Coca-Cola Company Arctic Home campaign. Research projects are underway across the Canadian Arctic to update information about the status of polar bears in Baffin Bay/Kane Basin and Viscount Melville Sound.

WWF is working with regional governments to support the gathering of up-to-date population information necessary for effective conservation of polar bears. Polar bears have great cultural, spiritual and economic significance to Inuit. The current population surveys are an important part of the basis for sustainable management of the populations to ensure long-term health.

WWF contributed just under $200,000 altogether to the surveys. Results from the surveys will be completed and shared beginning in April 2013.

"Knowing more about these high arctic polar bear populations is critical to our work in conservation," says Clive Tesar, head of WWF's Last Ice Area project. "These populations are in the area where resilient summer sea ice is predicted to persist the longest. Knowing the current numbers and distribution of polar bears there provides valuable baseline information for the future when summer ice around the rest of the Arctic is projected to dramatically recede. "

"We are proud to help support regional Canadian governments in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the polar bear. For a sustainable future, business, government and civil organizations like WWF have to work together. We are pleased to have made this contribution to the continued health of polar bear populations while respecting the traditional cultural rights of the Inuit," says Nicola Kettlitz, President of Coca-Cola Ltd. "Our Company is committed to continuing to support this work to maintaining a sustainable Arctic Home for both polar bears and people."

There are 13 subpopulations in Canada: one is shared with the United States and three are shared with Greenland. Polar bear subpopulations in Canada are surveyed according to provincial and territorial inventory schedules and are based on priority-need and the time elapsed since the last inventory.
WWF is currently celebrating Year of the Polar Bear, marking 40 years of polar bear conservation leadership from polar bear range states.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

For more on WWF's Arctic work: www.panda.org/arctic
For more on the Last Ice Area project: www.lasticearea.org

For more information, please contact:
Clive Tesar
WWF Last Ice Area project lead
Email
(+1) 613-232-2535

WWF gives cautious welcome to large logging company's decision to cease clearing tropical forests in Sumatra

2013-02-05

WWF has welcomed the announcement in February by Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) that it will stop clearing Indonesia's tropical forests and peatlands to allow an assessment of their conservation and carbon values, but calls for independent confirmation that this commitment is real.

Owned by the Indonesian Sinar Mas conglomerate, APP runs two of the world's largest pulp mills on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, a global conservation priority, and has for years been cutting valuable tropical forest, using the pulp for toilet paper, tissue, copy paper and packaging that it sells worldwide.

An independent analysis shows that APP and its wood suppliers are responsible for clearing more than 2 million hectares of rainforest on the island since beginning operations in 1984.

"APP today committed to most of WWF's calls. If the company follows through on this, it could be great news for Indonesia's forests, biodiversity and citizens," said Nazir Foead, Conservation Director of WWF-Indonesia.

"Unfortunately, APP has a long history of making commitments to WWF, customers and other stakeholders that it has failed to live up to. We hope this time the company does what it promised. WWF plans to independently monitor APP's wood sourcing and forestry activities for compliance with its commitments and regularly update stakeholders on the findings," he said.

A fully implemented moratorium on pulping forests with high conservation and high carbon value would have a profound impact on Indonesia's biodiversity, as well as on Indonesia's carbon emissions. WWF urges all of the country's pulp producers to stop using tropical forests.

Sumatra is a conservation priority due to the huge wealth of biodiversity in the forests which have been severely reduced in recent years, and which are home to many endemic and endangered species such as orang utan, rhino and tiger. The forests and peatlands also contain vast amounts of carbon which, if released by burning or forest clearance, will contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.

Posted: February 5 2013; Updated April 30 2013

Bolivia designates world's largest protected wetland

2013-02-04

Bolivia has designated a huge 6,9 million ha area of Amazon wetlands – the size of Netherlands and Belgium combined – as Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance, helping ensure their future survival.

Announced to mark the annual World Wetlands Day in February, the Llanos De Moxos wetlands are the largest ever registered under the Ramsar Convention. This Convention, which was agreed at the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and aims to achieve the conservation and wise use of wetlands worldwide, was supported as one of WWF's earliest initiatives. Since then, more than 2,000 sites covering over 200 million ha have been designated as Ramsar wetland sites, and WWF has helped achieve more than half of these, mostly in the last decade as the seriously degraded state of the world's freshwater ecosystems has become ever more apparent.

The Llanos de Moxos, located near the borders of Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, consists of tropical savannas with cyclical droughts and floods. The region is traversed by three major rivers, the Beni, Mamoré and Itenez (or Guaporé), which converge to form the Madeira River, the major southern tributary of the Amazon River and a WWF conservation priority. The wetlands are important to avoid floods, maintain minimum flows in the rivers during the dry season and regulate the region's hydrological cycle.

These wetlands are especially prized for their cultural value and rich natural diversity: 131 species of mammals have been identified to date, 568 different birds, 102 reptiles, 62 amphibians, 625 fish and at least 1,000 plant species. Several species – including the giant otter and the Bolivian river dolphin – are threatened with extinction.

"WWF applauds the government of Bolivia for taking bold action to protect these vital ecosystems," said Jim Leape, WWF International Director General. "The Amazon basin, covering nine countries, supports native and endemic species, and the millions of people who live there – and plays an essential role in regulating the climate we all depend on".

Posted: 14 March 213; Updated 29 April 2013

Inuit community and WWF successfully curb polar bear conflict

2013-01-31

Arviat, Nunavut – A successful program to stop conflict between polar bears and people in the Hudson Bay community of Arviat in Canada has resulted in no bears being killed to protect the community in the past year. This is the first time in three years that no bears have had to be killed. The WWF-Hamlet of Arviat Human-Polar Bear Conflict Reduction Project has run for the past 2 years and will run again next year. The project is part of an international effort by WWF to reduce conflict between people and bears, conflict that can result in injury or death.

"In recent years, the community of Arviat has reported more and more polar bears near the town," said Ed Murphy, Senior Administrative Officer for Arviat. "Reasons for this are unclear, but likely include climate related changes in sea ice habitat patterns forcing more bears to stay along the coast, and increases in Arviat's population creating more bear attractants, including garbage at the dump. The community is increasingly concerned with the threat polar bears pose not just to property, but also to children and sled dogs."

The project allowed the Hamlet to hire a polar bear monitor to patrol and discourage bears from entering the community from October through December, the three-month period with the most bear activity in the region. The Hamlet also provided steel bins for storing food, and installed electric deterrent fences around several of the community's dog team pens.

"This project directly protects the community and the polar bear population, as well as increases community awareness of the situation," said Bob Leonard, Mayor of Arviat. With ongoing support, we can hopefully continue to reduce conflict between people and polar bears in Arviat, and promote the harmonious and mutually dependent relationship with nature that the people of Arviat value so highly."

The WWF-Hamlet of Arviat Human-Polar Bear Conflict Reduction Project was generously supported by donations from Coca-Cola Canada and other funders, as well as the Government of Nunavut.

About the Hamlet of Arviat
Arviat is a community of approximately 2,800 people, located on the west coast of Hudson's Bay, 90 kilometres north of the treeline and about 250 kilometres north of Churchill, Manitoba, The second-largest community in Nunavut, Arviat has strong ties to the land, and its predominantly Inuit population has retained much of their traditional culture and language. www.arviat.ca

About WWF
WWF is creating solutions to the most serious conservation challenges facing our planet, helping people and nature thrive. www.wwf.ca

For more information, please contact:
Keith Collier
Community Economic Development Officer
Arviat, NU
(867) 857-2941
arviatcedo@qiniq.com

Pete Ewins
Senior Officer, Species
Arctic Program, WWF-Canada
(416) 484-7711
pewins@wwfcanada.org

Riannon John
Communications Specialist, WWF-Canada
(416) 347-1894
rjohn@wwfcanada.org

Coca-Cola kickstarts Arctic campaign with WWF donation

2013-01-30

(Reuters) - Coca-Cola will give 3 million euros ($4 million) to conservation group WWF over the next three years to help kickstart a campaign to protect the Arctic from the impacts of global warming, the world's biggest soft-drinks maker said. The Europe-wide campaign, which launched on Thursday in London, is aimed at raising awareness and funding to help protect the natural habitat of the polar bear, which is under threat from climate change. Scientists say the Arctic is currently warming twice as fast as the global average and summer sea ice is disappearing at a rate of about 11 percent a decade.

Ice thawed to a record low last year due to climate change. Most experts estimate the ice could disappear completely in summer in 30 to 40 years, though some scientists say it might thaw as soon as 2015. The shrinking ice mass threatens many Arctic ecosystems and species.

The polar bear, a well-worn symbol of global warming's effects on the region, is already feeling threatened. As ice retreats, polar bears are forced to spend more time on land hunting for food. As a result, people in some Arctic communities have encountered more bears which can be dangerous for the people and the bears.

The campaign aims to raise awareness and funds in European countries for the plight of the polar bear. The money raised will go towards protecting an area in the Arctic where summer sea ice should last the longest, WWF and Coca-Cola said. That area covers 1.4 million km sq in northern Greenland and northern Canada - equivalent to a region bigger than both France and Spain. The money will also help WWF to study the polar bear population and habitat and help Arctic communities living close to an increasingly hungry polar bear population. Coca-Cola said it hopes the campaign will bring the Arctic into people's homes.

Turtle friend for life

2013-01-03

At just 18 years old, Josua Muakula is the youngest Dau Ni Vonu in Fiji. The Dau Ni Vonu, or turtle monitors, are those few men, just 25 in all, who have taken on the massive challenge of protecting turtles and boosting their numbers by advocating for sustainable harvesting. Why would a teenager get so involved in a bid to protect the one creature he has been feeding on for most of his young life?

He answered simply, "The turtle is my friend!" It's been around two years since Muakula last ate turtle meat. The transformation hit him like a storm one day while participating in a turtle monitor training session organized by WWF at Nakalou village in Macuata. It was then that he realised just how defenceless the 'vonu' really is.

"This is one animal that doesn't put up a fight, from when we catch it to when we kill it for the pot," he said. "It's a sad creature, the way it just quietly waits to die."

For a boy who has hunted turtles for game and food, the realization stirred deep regret in him and he wanted to make a difference for turtles. "I wanted to stand up for them because I found out how their numbers kept on going down," he said. "I know that if we don't do something about it, future generations will never get to see a turtle and knowing the important role the turtle plays in our marine environment helped cement my decision."

Muakula said he has consumed between 70-80 kilograms of turtle meat in his life. Growing up at Denimanu village on Yadua island in Bua, his life has been closely intertwined with the sea. Ever since he can remember, he has been out fishing or diving for turtles. He caught even more when he dropped out of school in Form Four and took up bêche-de-mer diving as a career.

Muakula said it was always a proud, vainglorious moment to walk home with a turtle in tow."Everyone at the island loved turtle meat, it's so tasty so if you came with one, then you would truly make people happy because island tradition is such that the meat is shared out equally," he said. "And all the young boys competed, so if you caught a turtle it was like a stamp of approval for manhood, or you were seen as having the potential of becoming a great diver one day!"

"The WWF training changed my life, I saw a turtle cry after that, and the tears moved me. "It wanted my protection so I decided to leave behind my once favourite dish." These days Muakula actively rallies behind turtles, sharing the turtle gospel wherever and whenever he can – especially with his worst critics – his peers.

In the first few months of his new journey, they often teased him, taunting him with mouth-watering turtle meat dishes, challenging his knowledge about the decline in numbers of the marine reptile.

"It was hard even to watch them kill one so I just stayed away from where this occurred," he said.
"But I kept on telling them about the need to protect turtles and eventually some of them started changing too."

"Now several want to sign up as turtle monitors and have decided to also make
a stand for turtles."

"They know me, and they see the change and they wonder about it so I work hard to impress upon them the importance of turtles, not just as a source of food, but also the role it plays in the sea."

"We wouldn't enjoy a lot of the other fishes that we earn an income from if we didn't have
turtles."

"We need them, so I show them how serious it is by not eating turtle meat and they see I
mean business."

"Now like me they want to be turtle friends for life."

Partly as a result of WWF-Fiji's awareness campaigns, policy development, and community initiatives, the country's Department of Fisheries has declared additional protection for turtles. Hunting permits will no longer be issued between the months of November and February for a period of ten years.

Pioneers for responsibly farmed pangasius recognized

2012-11-21

Vietnam's pangasius sector will achieve its target to certify ten per cent of the country's pangasius production under the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) standard by the end of 2012. This achievement was recognized during an event in Ho Chi Minh City today to share progress across the sector and commend certified Vietnamese pangasius producers.

In 2010, WWF, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS) signed a Cooperation Agreement to support efforts to improve environmental and social responsibility in the pangasius industry in order to achieve ASC certification. Parties to the Cooperation Agreement committed to supporting pangasius producers to achieve 100 per cent of farmed pangasius production for export under one of several certification schemes by 2015, with 50 per cent of this under the ASC by 2015, and 10 per cent by 2012.

About 30 of Vietnam's biggest pangasius producers are supported by the parties to the Cooperation Agreement; WWF, VASEP, VINAFIS – and in close cooperation with the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), Anova and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) – in their efforts to achieve ASC certification.

Event applauds producers achieving ASC certification

The event - organized by the Vietnam Directorate of Fishery (D-Fish), VASEP, VINAFIS and WWF, in close cooperation with IDH and SNV - brought together responsible pangasius producers and international buyers to applaud producers achieving ASC certification and to sign purchase agreements.

"These pioneering companies are setting an example for the wider industry. If the market responds appropriately, a major shift of the industry to responsible farming methods will be triggered," said Dr. Nguyen Huu Dzung, VASEP Vice President. "Adopting responsible practices will also increase the future sustainability of the industry in Vietnam, protecting income and employment for the long term."

Corporations including Vinh Hoan, Hung Vuong, NTACO and Hoang Long, recently achieved ASC certification and are among the biggest pangasius producers in the Mekong Delta. The ASC certification guarantees that the pangasius is farmed in a responsible manner with minimal negative impact on the environment, farm staff and surrounding communities.

Among the producers attending the event, Huong Vuong Corporation was the first producer to express its commitment to ASC, and recently achieved ASC certification for its farm in Phu Tuc in the Mekong Delta.
"Complying with the ASC standard is not only environmentally responsible, it's also good for business as it opens doors to new markets in Europe and the US," said Mr. Duong Ngoc Minh, Chairman of the Management Board of Hung Vuong Corporation. "With ASC-labeled products we can grow our business while assuring consumers they're buying a responsibly farmed product."

Most of Vietnam's pangasius farms are located in the Mekong Delta provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap and Can Tho. Farms vary in size from less than 1 hectare in size, to more than 100 ha. The sector is a major provider of employment in these provinces, particularly in the processing plants that fillet and freeze pangasius for export.

The fastest growing food production system in the world.

"Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world, and its rapid expansion has not come without impacts," said Chris Ninnes, ASC's CEO. "ASC certification recognises and rewards farms that are following responsible practices. This includes conservation of water resources, no misuse of antibiotics, responsible use of feed, and behaving in a socially responsible manner."

More than 90 per cent of world exports of pangasius is sourced from Vietnam. In 2011, Vietnam's pangasius export value reached USD1.85 billion representing 1 per cent of GDP - making it an important sector for Vietnam.

"Farmed seafood already accounts for about half of all the fish and shellfish we eat," said Jose Villalon, WWF's Vice President of Aquaculture. "When done responsibly, aquaculture presents a solution to meeting the increasing food demand of a growing global population. WWF applauds producers in Vietnam who have achieved ASC certification and we are committed to working with industry leaders eager to embrace sustainability."

Tanzania Embarks on Road to Green Economy

2012-06-21

Tanzania anticipates making important strides on the pathway towards a Green Economy through green economy initiatives such as the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT).

SACGOT was a major talking point for Tanzania during Rio +20 talks currently going on in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil. During a side event about investing in Natural Capital organized jointly by WWF and the Africa Development Bank, Tanzania's Minister of State, Vice President's Office (Environment) Dr. Terezya Huvisa noted that Tanzania stood to benefit immensely by greening its economy through initiatives such as SAGCOT.

"The 2011 SAGCOT investment blueprint envisions profitable farming systems services, businesses supported by infrastructure, value chains and human capital development. Innovative financing will include a public- private sector and multi-donor catalytic investment fund leveraged over $2bn," noted Dr. Huvisa.

The minister further noted that the SACGOT region offered immense potential for Tanzania which continues to be bogged down by high poverty levels and vulnerability to climate change.

SAGCOT's Green Growth Strategy includes a number of key components that will safeguard key ecosystem services and natural capital for agriculture and rural communities (e.g., irrigation water supplies) and support climate-smart agriculture to capture carbon in soils and vegetation, improve yields and resilience to droughts and floods as well as protect water quality and biodiversity.

The strategy furthermore involves agricultural investments for food and nutrition security with opportunities for export earnings; using REDD+ to help finance transitions to low-emission energy systems; and designating wildlife corridors in conjunction to maintain biodiversity, improve tourism revenues and minimize human-wildlife conflict.

As the Rio +20 talks continue, Dr. Huviza noted that the Green growth concept will give hope to sustainable climate-smart agriculture and social development to be mainstreamed into development initiatives. The SAGCOT blueprint for Tanzania is a laboratory for testing and implementing this concept and will provide valuable lessons for the agriculture sector in Africa.

Speaking during the same event, WWF's Director General, Jim Leape noted that "it is extremely disappointing to see that the international process on sustainable development culminating in the RIO+20 Conference, is failing in terms of achieving firm commitments in regard to preserving our natural capital. At the same time, it is extremely encouraging to see that individual countries, the champions of this world, are stepping up to the challenge and take crucial actions were international negotiations are failing."

John Kabubu

Coral Triangle hosts dazzling web of life

2012-06-12

WWF's Coral Triangle Director Catherine Plume recounts her incredible evening during a firefly river cruise in Donsol, Philippines:

"I arrived at the riverside just at dusk. The world was already casting its magical evening spell. As we pulled away from the pier, we fell captive to the tranquility of the night. Heading upriver we nestled into our life jackets and left the city lights behind.

The night itself was spectacular – no moon, a million stars, the hush of the river with only the sound of the sputtering motor as we glided along. Soon we cut power and our boatman poled us toward shore.

As we neared the riverbank, I began to discern a faint twinkling in the trees. The flashing became more intense until it became a swirl of tiny rotating lights – fireflies! But, these were like no fireflies I'd ever seen: flashing both on their own and also together. The sight was mesmerizing – like watching a string of tiny white Christmas lights dance dizzyingly. As you looked up into the trees, it was hard to tell stars from fireflies. As if anticipating our desire to see them closer up, more than one firefly broke away from its dance and flew toward us.

As we marveled at the firefly dance, our boatman softly said, "Now put your hand in the water"...and we did, expecting just to feel the river's warmth compared to the now chilly night air. But instead, we were met with yet another treat – a bioluminescence created by our fingers as they moved through the water.

The impact was immediate. We spoke in hushed tones – but not much at all – not wanting to scare away the exceptionality of this moment. Our boat moved slowly upriver to an even larger swarm of fireflies. We marveled again at the sheer beauty and let our eyes go from the stars to the fireflies to the glowing water trailing our hands.

After a while, the boat turned around and we headed back toward the light of the far off bridge and pier. It was an oddly melancholy trip back down the river, and I had a sense that I was leaving behind something very special that I really wasn't sure I would ever encounter again. A trifecta of nature's sparkledom left twinkling on the river."

The fireflies Cathy witnessed congregate in huge colonies to feed in mangrove trees along the riverbanks. Mangroves keep the rivers healthy and release important nutrients into the water. These nutrient-rich waters feed microscopic plankton, which create the bioluminescence Cathy observed. Out where the river meets the bay of Donsol, large masses of plankton can be found. These attract hungry whale sharks, which gather in schools to feed on the plankton.

Donsol attracts huge numbers of whale sharks compared to other places in the world, and locals benefit from the booming tourism industry. WWF has helped with whale shark tourism since 1998, which has created jobs and provided a seasonal but steady source of income.

In 2011, WWF spearheaded an effort to plant 10,000 mangrove seedlings to enhance and protect habitat shared by fireflies and whale sharks. By restoring mangrove forests, WWF keeps rivers healthy, ensures habitat for fireflies and food for whale sharks. In turn, fireflies and whale sharks attract tourists – just one way WWF is working to create harmony between people and nature.

Fireflies light up the forest as whale sharks dazzle in adjacent waters. How fitting that the markings of the whale shark almost perfectly mirror the twinkling of fireflies against the black night sky.

as told to Molly Edmonds, WWF-US

Snow Leopard Prey Survey Reveals 'Noah's Ark' of Wildlife Thriving in Bhutan's Newest National Park

2012-02-13

Footage and Photographs Include Endangered Snow Leopard Scent-Spraying, Tibetan Wolf, Threatened Himalayan Serow and Musk Deer

Thimphu–The first ever snow leopard prey survey in Bhutan's newest national park revealed astonishing footage of snow leopards scent-marking, a sub-adult snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, threatened Himalayan serow, musk deer and a healthy population of blue sheep, the main food source for snow leopards.

This is the first pictorial evidence that snow leopards are thriving in Wangchuck Centennial Park, a vital snow leopard corridor between Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP) in the West and Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary in the East. Field biologists from the Government of Bhutan and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) captured over 10,000 images during the camera trap survey in Wangchuck Centennial Park.

The survey was focused on snow leopard prey species, but in addition to snow leopard images, they also captured images and footage of Tibetan wolf, wild dog, red fox, blue sheep, Himalayan serow, musk deer, Pika, pheasants and several birds of prey.

"The findings are phenomenal as these are the first snow leopard images recorded in Wangchuck Centennial Park," said WWF's Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, who led the survey team. "It suggests that the network of protected areas and corridors is helping to link local snow leopard populations, which will be invaluable to ensure long-term persistence of snow leopards in the region."

Snow leopards are elusive and endangered, with around 4,500-7,500 in the wild. Bhutan is the only country on Earth where the habitat of snow leopards and tigers intersect. It's unknown how many exist there, but it's critical to find out as threats are mounting – from retaliatory killing from herders, loss of habitat to farmers and poaching for their pelts. And then there's climate change.

Warming at high elevations in the Himalayas is causing treelines to ascend and isolating snow leopard populations. Under a high emission scenario, as much as 30 percent of their range could be lost. Their ability to move northward is limited by oxygen availability.

The overall goal of the survey is to determine how many snow leopards there are in Wangchuck and where they exist, in order to prioritize the best areas for conservation.

"The snow leopard images from the park show the incredible richness of wildlife thriving in Wangchuck Centennial Park and prove why the park must be supported by donor agencies for conservation," said Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, Minister of Agriculture and Forests, Royal Government of Bhutan. "For snow leopard conservation in Bhutan, Wangchuck Centennial Park acts as the critical linkage between Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary and Jigme Dorji National Park, thereby ensuring the functionality of the northern Bhutan conservation complex."

The Government of Bhutan and WWF have partnered to co-manage Wangchuck Centennial Park since it was designated as Bhutan's tenth national park in 2008. With 244 vascular plant species, 23 mammal species and 134 bird species, the park is rich in biodiversity. Its dedication resulted in Bhutan having more than half its land under protection. The Government of Bhutan and WWF work together on species conservation, climate change studies, monitoring, patrolling and community conservation projects.

WWF Bhutan's Conservation Director, Mr. Vijay Moktan, said "After JDNP this is the 2^nd National Park that promises future for safe refuge of this globally endangered BIG CAT. WWF will continue to work with the royal government to assess snow leopard population status and their distribution patterns across its habitat in Bhutan. Hopefully, we will have a well informed Snow leopard Conservation Action Plan for the Kingdom of Bhutan in the next 2-3 years".

For further information, contact:
Vijay Moktan, Conservation Director, WWF Bhutan vmoktan@wwfbhutan.org.bt

Female rangers breaking gender barriers

2011-12-20

Sidonie Asseme never succeeded in persuading her father to let her join the military. That was her desire in 2005 when she passed a test to join the Cameroon army. He had wanted his daughter to be a nurse, in order to provide much needed health care to people in their village in eastern Cameroon.

But Asseme's mind was set on serving, and somewhere in her there was a silent voice that prodded her on. So in 2006, she secretly went in for the recruitment of game rangers without the knowledge of her father.

"Daddy was unpleasantly surprised when he learnt I was already taking training as a forest ranger," says Asseme, now aged 35. "Today he upholds my effort and says he is very proud of me."

Although rewarding, it has been a difficult journey, Asseme says. "We went through very difficult training. There were times I felt like giving up, but that omniscient voice kept urging me on."

In collaboration with Cameroon's Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, WWF helped finance the recruitment and training of Asseme and other rangers. Through the WWF programme, she and her colleagues were taught how to use sophisticated mapping, global positioning, and tracking technologies, and how to plan anti-poaching surveillance missions. The rangers have also received equipment, such as uniforms and vehicles, provide by WWF.

After training, Asseme was deployed to a town near Cameroon's Lobéké National Park, where she has participated in several anti-poaching operations, and helps teach residents about the value of their environment.

"I confiscated four ivory tusks and a panther skin," Asseme says. "The poacher pleaded with us saying the ivory tusks did not belong to him."

A woman of valour, she has contributed to the arrest and detention 15 poachers.

Dangerous work

Like most game rangers working in Central Africa, Asseme has been threatened and assaulted by wildlife criminals.

"Once we were attacked and beaten by poachers in a logging town near Nki National Park. Some local people intervened and rescued us," said Asseme.

She will never forget the day poachers locked her and three other rangers in a house and threatened to set them on fire.

"We had obtained authorization from the village's traditional leader to search houses where we suspected ivory tusks had been hidden. But we got encircled by irate youths inside one of the houses for four hours. They threatened to kill us," Asseme says, "I was really frightened."

Using their training the rangers broke free and escaped safely from the village.

The incident did not deter Asseme from continuing her duties as a ranger.

"I had fathomed the risks involved in this job before going for it," Asseme says, "I hope to continue working as a game ranger for a long time. I love wearing this uniform.

"I was born in the forest and I feel it is a moral obligation to protect the forest and its wildlife," she says.

Breaking gender barriers

As a female in the ranger profession, Asseme is in the minority, but she says her gender does not affect her work.

"I do not feel any different working with men. We eat together, sleep in the same tents, and take our bath in the same river," she says. "Moreover, we underwent the same training."

"She is more than a woman," says Ngonda Arlen, one of Asseme's few female colleagues. "In the forest she walks at lightning speed and hardly gets tired."

Asseme is not known as someone who complains, but she does have one request. "We need better arms and logistical support to enable us do our jobs. If I meet the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife this is the main message I will put to him."