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Tiger recovery efforts progressing, urgent action still needed to fight poaching
 New Delhi, India – Tiger range countries in their first meeting to review efforts on doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022, reported significant progress, but recognized that urgent and elevated action is still needed to halt poaching.
“Steady progress is being made towards meeting the goal of doubling wild tiger numbers,” said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “But tiger range governments must urgently and seriously step up action to eliminate poaching if they do not want their investments to go to waste.”
In November 2010 at the “Tiger Summit” in St. Petersburg hosted by the Government of Russia and the World Bank, the 13 Tiger Range Governments and partners committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022 (TX2). They presented the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP), which represents the plans towards meeting this goal.
The meeting in New Delhi, held from 15-17 May 2012, was the first time since the Tiger Summit that senior government officials from all 13 countries have met to review progress on implementation of the GTRP and plan...
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WWF and partners celebrate Coral Triangle Day on June 9
 WWF and its partners are celebrating the first-ever Coral Triangle Day on June 9 at several locations around the Coral Triangle region to highlight the importance of marine conservation and to raise awareness on this global center of marine biodiversity.
An interpretation of World Oceans Day in this part of the world, the Coral Triangle Day brings together individuals, organizations, and establishments from different parts of the region on one special day to celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of this region and to promote the importance of oceans through varied activities including: beach clean-ups; sustainable seafood dinners; educational exhibitions; marine-themed bazaars; and beach parties.
“WWF, along with its partners are encouraging everyone to do one special thing, no matter how small, that will contribute to saving the Coral Triangle and let the world know how we care about it by sharing it on the Coral Triangle online platform www.thecoraltriangle.com/day,” says Dr Lida Pet-Soede, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Leader.
The Coral Triangle is a six million square-kilometer...
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Council looks to bury real greening in reformed CAP
 Brussels, Belgium –The Agriculture and Fisheries Council discussion this morning was the death knell for many of the greening measures contained in the original Commission proposal for the Common Agricultural Policy reform.
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“It is truly depressing to see the direction that negotiations are taking at such an early stage. Member States should be taking stronger environmental measures, rather than working at forming a consensus behind closed doors that will sink the Commission’s proposal. The Council is intent on sacrificing the 7% of Ecological Focus Areas*(see editorial note), despite the best scientific advice. They are contravening all logic.” said Tony Long, Director of WWF’s European Policy Office.
“Citizens will not stand by in these difficult economic times and allow farm payments which directly or indirectly lead to the destruction of nature, the contamination of the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and the over-abstraction and pollution of water. Member States have to listen to public sentiment and start taking serious strides in protecting the environment,” Mr...
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Rising consumption, increased resource use by a growing population puts unbearable pressure on our Planet – WWF 2012 Living Planet Report
 Gland, Switzerland. An ever-growing demand for resources by a growing population is putting tremendous pressures on our planet’s biodiversity and is threatening our future security, health and well-being, reveals the 2012 edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report – the leading biennial survey of the Earth’s health.
Produced in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London and Global Footprint Network, this year’s report was launched today from the International Space Station – by ESA astronaut André Kuipers, who provided a unique perspective of the state of the planet from his European Space Agency mission.
“We only have one Earth. From up here I can see humanity’s footprint, including forest fires, air pollution and erosion – challenges which are reflected in this edition of the Living Planet Report,” said Kuipers in launching the report during his second mission into space. “While there are unsustainable pressures on the planet, we have the ability to save our home, not only for our benefit, but, above all, for generations to come,” he said....
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WWF to Total: Virunga "is in your hands"
WWF has called on French oil company Total to refrain from exploration in Virunga National Park. At a meeting of Total shareholders and investors Friday, WWF hosted a demonstration and published an open letter to the company president.
Total has been granted an oil concession that includes a portion of the World Heritage Site, which is recognized as a treasure of biodiversity. WWF is asking Total to declare Virunga and all World Heritage Sites off limits for oil development.
WWF is concerned that oil exploration could have negative impacts on communities that depend on the park for their livelihoods and on endangered species that live in the park, such as mountain gorillas.
To illustrate to Total investors the threat oil development could have on mountain gorillas, volunteers marked off a symbolic crime scene at the company's annual meeting and launched an online petition.
Open letter: Mr. de Margerie, the future of the oldest African national park is in your hands
To the attention of Mr. Christophe de Margerie,
President and CEO of Total
Dear Sir,
Virunga National Park, located eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was the first national park to...
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Working together to save the dolphins of the Mekong River
By Aimee Leslie, WWF's Marine Turtle and Cetacean Manager
Today the population of 85 Irrawaddy dolphins that inhabits the Mekong River in Cambodia faces great danger. Gill nets, the proposed construction of hydropower dams, and unplanned development all threaten the survival of the Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong.
But today, the biggest challenge faced by WWF scientists is that the calves are dying in very high numbers. A recent population study lead by WWF and the Cambodian Fisheries Administration found that the survival rate of calves through to adulthood was virtually zero. This means that practically all Irrawaddy dolphins born in the Mekong die within the first years of life.
"If this trend continues Irrawaddy dolphins could disappear from Mother Mekong by the end of the decade," said Gerry Ryan, a dolphin researcher at WWF-Cambodia. "The problem is that we are uncertain why so many calves are dying."
In January 2012, WWF convened a dolphin conservation workshop in Kratie, Cambodia that was attended by fifteen of the top cetacean scientists in the world and many local and regional experts. The scientists agreed that gill nets are the primary cause of adult mortality, but the reasons...
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Female ranger awaits justice for abuses
By Fidelis Pegue Manga
When Mary Ashu, 29, was posted to serve as forest ranger on the east flank of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the East and South Regions of Cameroon in 2007, she beamed with enthusiasm.
Not long after taking up service, her presence began being felt at a control post near the reserve. Mary would thoroughly search every single vehicle and confiscated bushmeat, panther skins and elephant tusks.
She would lead forest patrols in the reserve, arrest poachers, and bring them them to stand trial in a court 100km from her station. As a result, eight ivory tusks have been seized and 15 poachers have tried and sentenced to jail terms.
The firebrand ranger
Ashu’s unflinching firmness resulted in her being nicknamed “firebrand” game ranger by colleagues. With her on duty, the eastern flank of the reserve became relatively quiet. Poachers were either deterred or sought other trails to smuggle bushmeat and ivory tusks.
Keeping to her mantra “stand by the law at all cost,” Ashu says “My best moment is when I am applying the law while an irate crowd is hauling...
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Saving one turtle at a time in Bali
 By Aimee Leslie, WWF's Marine Turtle and Cetacean Manager
Indonesia is 90% Muslim, but Bali is the exception, which is 90% Hindu. The Hindu community of Bali has traditionally used marine turtles for religious ceremonies for decades. Consumption of these turtles summed between 10,000 and 20,000 a year.
It is no secret that changing a tradition, specially a religious one is no easy task; but WWF-Indonesia was determined to do so. The local veterinarian and Hindu, I.B. Windia Adnyana, was aware of the problem and took matters into his own hands. He joined forces with his brother, a local religious leader to talk to the Hindu community and let them know that the turtle ritual could have dire consequences for the survival of the local populations.
The religious leaders listened and wanted to help, but could not eliminate a practice that was still intrinsically knit into their customs. Besides, the whole village of Serangan Island depended mainly on the sales of adult turtles to the Hindu community.
None the less, the local government joined in, and in 1999, measures were agreed on....
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Wild tigers remain vulnerable to poaching in most protected areas
A recent preliminary assessment of 63 legally protected areas in seven tiger range countries shows that only 22, or 35%, maintain WWF’s minimum standards of protection. This indicates that the areas set up to protect tigers and other threatened species are not necessarily the refuge they are designed to be, says WWF.
“Poaching is the most immediate threat to tigers and protected areas are the first line of defence against poaching,” says Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. “If this preliminary assessment reflects the full situation on-the-ground, then protected areas are not functioning as an effective safe haven for tigers. Without places tigers can be safer from poaching, there is no hope to meet the target of more than 6,000 tigers by 2022.”
In November 2010 at the “Tiger Summit” in St. Petersburg hosted by the Government of Russia and the World Bank, the 13 Tiger Range Governments and partners committed to doubling the number of wild tigers by 2022. From 15-17 May 2012, they will meet again to assess progress and plan the next steps.
Poaching of tigers, to meet consumer demand for their body parts and products, is now the...
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WWF mourns Virunga ranger death
May 11, 2012 – A ranger and two Congolese soldiers protecting evacuating civilians in Virunga National Park have been gunned down in an ambush, park officials say. The men came under machine gun fire by a group of 100 unidentified militia members while attempting to secure an important transit route.
“We are deeply saddened by the deaths of these men who have served their community so honourably,” said Natasha Kofoworola Quist, WWF-Central Africa Regional Programme Office Representative. “We owe them and their families a debt of gratitude for their courage and sacrifice.”
Ranger Paris Paluku leaves behind a wife and two children. “Paris will be remembered as one of the most courageous men to have worked in the park,” Chief Warden Emmanuel de Merode said. “He was always at the head of any patrol, which put him at risk and ultimately cost him his life.”
Over 150 Virunga rangers have died in the line of duty since 1990.
Virunga National Park, located on Democratic Republic of the Congo’s border with Rwanda and Uganda, has been infiltrated by four distinct militia groups in recent weeks, according to de Merode. Local residents are said to...
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