Category: Asia

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How did the wolf disappear from Holland and why is it back

A wolf couple, photographed in Holland

The wolf disappeared from Holland around 1870, though their decline was rapid – in 1760 (just over 100 years before) people in Brabant talked of a wolf plague). In 2015, the wolf was first sighted in Holland, and while some people had said that Holland was to densly populated to allow the wolf to return, this seemed to be wrong. Wolves have returned to many of the countries around Holland, and so it seems quite odd to think that it wasn’t considered that they would cross into Holland.

In 2022, there were thought to be 4 packs of wolves (including 16 pups) as well as an individual wolf. This number has, however, grown fast in the time since, and the current number is thought to be 9 packs. What is even more exciting, it is predicted that the country can support between 23 and 56 wolf packs at a minimum – which as a wolf pack contains 6-7 wolves on average, means a total population of between 138 and 392. It should be noted, that this number is not likely to remain genetically healthy into the long-term, however Germany has a wolf population of over 1000, and while these are mostly based in the East of the country, wolves disperse great distances, so it is likely that genetic material will arrive naturally, relatively regularly. There is also a founding (if small) population of wolves in Belgium, thought to number between 15 and 24 (it is also predicted to grow by 30% a year.

There is a problem, the Hoge-Velue is one of Hollands biggest reserves, but it is owned privately. They have decided that wolves are not welcome, and are making efforts to kill those that get through their fence. This is because, without the wolf, deer are easily seen within the reserve, and they believe that the number of tourists will dry up, if it becomes hard to see the red deer, as well as the roe deer and boar.

I find this attitude rather baffling and perverse. Furthermore, when we were there last year, we spent time in the government owned reserve, which borders the Hoge-Velue, this is government owned, and wolves have settled here. I spent a number of nights within the reserve in a hide. I did not get to see a wolf (though I met a local who had a wide range of fantastic shots he had taken over the previous years), but while watching and waiting in the hide, I saw red and roe deer, as well as wild boar, in significant numbers. The idea that someone would believe that the amount of tourism visiting after wolves return would decrease, seems quite contrary to what usually happens elsewhere.

Wolves are a part of Hollands animal food web, and while it is likely to take some time to get used to living with them present once again, it is going to allow the whole ecosystem to thrive. I feel frustrated, that in the UK, we do not have a similar situation, where wolves can simply wander across an unmarked border. I do believe that in the end, wolves will return to the UK (our food web is horrifically out of balance because of a lack of predators), however, on the last occasion that it was debated, numbers from a very specific country were used to block any further discussion (Click here to read a previous article on this subject, or visit the wolf page here to get a complete list of all occasions that they have been mentioned on this site)

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Orangutans climb incredibly high – no space for acrophobia

Borneon orangutan mother with her offspring – photo credit stockcake (Photo by <a href=”https://stockcake.com/i/orangutan-treetop-rest_758559_866654″>Stockcake</a>)

Life is hard in the Indonesian rainforest – compared to Africa and South America, there is very little to be found to eat (except in specific areas. As a result, orangutans become solitary, with the only time they are seen together is a mother with young, or a courting couple. Another problem, is demonstrated here – there is so little food to be had, that every food opportunity has to be realized. This has meant that orangutans have become the best climbers (followed by Chimpanzee and then Gorilla), as where ever the food is, it needs to be accessed.

It is true, that with tools, humans can become even better climbers (as can be seen from the image), which is taken from further up the tree than the orangutans have even climbed.

Continue reading “Orangutans climb incredibly high – no space for acrophobia”
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Medicinal use in wild great apes – a new study shows how many

News article on a recent study on chimpanzee medicine

It would appear that chimpanzee medicine is quite a complicated field.

  • Christella parasitica: A fern with anti-inflammatory properties that one chimp ate to reduce pain and swelling in an injured hand
  • Scutia myrtina: A cat-thorn tree whose bark was consumed by a chimp with a parasitic infection
  • Khaya anthotheca: An East African mahogany tree whose bark and resin have anti-inflammatory effects
  • Antiaris toxicaria: A plant with leaves that have anti-tumour properties
  • Cordia abyssinica: A plant with pith that has anti-malarial and anti-bacterial properties
  • Ficus capensis: A plant with anti-bacterial properties
  • Ficus natalensis: A plant with bark that has anti-diarrheal properties
  • Ficus urceolaris: A plant with leaves that act as a de-worming agent
  • Vernonia amygdalina: An African relative of the daisy whose pith is consumed to get rid of intestinal worms
  • They have been known to apply insects to injuries – the insects may have anti-inflammatory or antiseptic properties that help heal wounds. Chimpanzees also have quite a range of cultural behaviours, so there are some of their behaviours with little notable purpose behind them (though it is possible that some or all of these may prove to have a purpose that we as observers have not yet discovered)

This is a significant range of conditions that can be treated, though it should also be noted, that this knowledge is likely to be shared in the group, as no one individual will have seen their mother suffer from all these conditions.

While gorilla medicine does not appear to be quite as advanced, it does include

  • Fromager tree (Ceiba pentandra) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
  • Giant yellow mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
  • African teak (Milicia excelsa) – The bark of this tree contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.
  • Fig trees (Ficus) – The bark of these trees contains chemicals that are effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli.

Orangutans have also been observed –

  • Rakus the Sumatran orangutan – In June 2022, researchers observed Rakus treating a wound on his cheek with a poultice made from the leaves of the Akar Kuning plant. Rakus chewed the leaves, applied the juice to the wound, and repeated the process several times. The wound was fully closed within eight days. This was the first time scientists observed a wild animal using a medicinal plant to treat an injury.
  • Bornean orangutans have been observed eating plants with known medicinal properties, including ginger leaves and stem, and plants used by traditional healers to treat internal illness, tumors, and hemorrhage.
  • Orangutans also use plant extracts to treat pain.
  • Dracaena cantleyi – A study found that orangutans use the bioactive properties of Dracaena cantleyi for self-medication.

And finally, Bonobo –

  • Manniophyton fulvum – Bonobos have been observed swallowing the leaves and stem strips of this plant, which has medicinal properties.
  • Leaf-swallowing – Bonobos may swallow leaves as a form of self-medication. One hypothesis is that the leaves act as a time-release capsule, with medicinal and scouring effects.
  • Overlapping plant use – Bonobos’ food repertoire overlaps with many plant species used by local populations to treat disease.

It perhaps should not be a surprise that other great apes have the ability to treat simple ailments – after all, there are a wide range of illnesses, for which a sensible treatment is very simple. One of the most common simple long known treatments in humans in dock leaves – when rubbed on a stinging nettle sting, it greatly reduces both the pain and irritancy of the of the sting. It is not even restricted to the great apes with birds, bees, lizards, and elephants all regularly treating simple conditions. Even a domestic dog knows to eat grass when feeling sick.

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Is Asia’s plummeting fertility rate a going to lead to a crisis, or might it help save the planet?

A large crowd

Of the slightly over 8 billion humans on earth, 4.641 billion, or just under 60% live in Asia. While this is expected to grow to 5.25 billion people in 2055 it will only be 54% (due to increasing populations elsewhere in the world) of global population at the time.

So, what is the problem? An average fertility rate of 2.1 is currently considered necessary to maintain population levels (that is, 2.1 births per female). When the fertility rate drops below this rate, there are not enough babies being born to replace all of the people dying. As environmentalists, this is good, as the human population is thought (by some) to be too high to sustainable retain long-term (estimates as to what population the earth can sustain long-term range from a relatively small 0.65 billion to an enormous 9-10 billion). Of course, it depends on what we consider as sustainable survival – for me, and I hope for most of you, what I would consider sustainable, would be a low enough population to allow all other species on earth to thrive, so I would suggest that a number near the bottom of this list is more reasonable.

Below, we will look at a range of Asian countries with large populations

Continue reading “Is Asia’s plummeting fertility rate a going to lead to a crisis, or might it help save the planet?”
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Might carbon neutralization policy eliminate the remaining habitat of the North China leopard (also known as the North-west China leopard)

The Chinese government has introduced a carbon neutral policy, in an attempt to mitigate and reduce the impact of climate change. Under the expected model for what is going to happen to the climate (at the current time) the North China leopard will gain in range, However, with the increase in carbon emissions, this territory is also expected to the reduction, migration, and fragmentation of the suitable habitat distribution of the North China leopard. It should be noted, that under genetic analysis, some authorities merged the north China leopard with the Amur leopard. Many disagree with this.

Havin said this, carbon neutrality policies can protect suitable wild habitats when carefully planned. In the future, the impact of carbon neutrality policies on future wildlife habitat protection should be carried out in depth to effectively promote the construction of wildlife protection projects – for instance, by making sure that planted woodland matches native woodland, and therefore adds to existing ecosystems. In many parts of the world, trees planted for carbon sequestration are often picked for how fast they grow – and thus eucalyptus trees have often been used. The problem with this, is that they are often impossible of supporting local wildlife, from insects to birds and even mammals. This was seen clearly in the UK, where a pine plantation replaced an oak woodland, the number of species supported, dropped from 200 to just 4.

The North China leopard is considered critically endangered, with the population definitely under 400 (given its remote habitat, a clear count is hard to get. It is undeniable that the North China Leopard and the Amur Leopard are genetically close, and quite conceivably closer than they should be for 2 subspecies. Should these 2 subspecies be recognized as one, it would allow us to greatly expand the genetic makeup of both populations. This would likely have a huge impact on both areas, and allow each population to expand rapidly.

It is essential, that as we grow huge areas of forest, to soak up as much of our carbon emissions as possible, that these fit into their ecosystems and are a positive addition. Apart from this appearing to be common sense (why would you not boost endangered species around the world, if we have to plant these forests anyway) but also, should you plant fast growing trees from elsewhere, very often they die, or cause serious issues elsewhere.

The right climate mitigation will have a bigger and longer term impact, something that is essential.

Cao Vit gibbon

Cao Vit gibbon

Cao Vit Gibbon

The Cao Vit gibbon is a species found on the border of Vietnam and China. Only thought to number 74 in the wild (and having suffered a loss of 38% of the population in recent years, this is a little known and critically endangered species. Once thought to be a subspecies of the Hainan black crested gibbon, it was found to be far to distinct for this.

Its name is an attempt at mimicking its name.

While in the past it has been hunted, and could be the reason that the population is so low, its biggest threats at the current time, include loss of habitat, and habitat degradation for firewood.

 

 

Any articles on this species will appear below.

 

We also hope to add places for you to see this species in the wild as soon as possible.

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Amazon rainforest droughts linked to climate change

Before and after (after being above) image of a river in the Amazon rainforest

Why is this a problem? Well there are several issues that should concern everyone. The natural end of the line, is for the complete loss of the Amazon rainforest. There is much fear that it may be another tipping point, and that therefore, once the rainforest starts failing, it would accelerate the loss of the rest.

Continue reading “Amazon rainforest droughts linked to climate change”
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Norway pension fund has disinvested from a British firm Jardines of destructive plans for the Tapanuli orangutan habitat

Tapanuli Orangutan

With an estimated historical habitat of this species 95% destroyed already, only leaving a small patch of rainforest with an estimated 800 Tapanuli orangutan, it would seem obvious that this small patch of rainforest should be protected, no matter what. however this opinion is not shared by everyone.

Having said this, thankfully, it is shared by an increasing number of organisations, and at current count, a total of 29 financiers have excluded Jardines and all subsidies from financing (according to the Financial Exclusions Tracker).

What is worse, is that the Martabe mining concession lies in a portion of the orangutan habitat called the Batang Toru forest, which has the largest orangutan population, and not only is this the area that has the highest chance of survival, but without this block of orangutan population, the future of the whole species is put at risk.

While this is a great move, one does wonder why it took 7 years to come to this decision. We have known about the Tapanuli Orangutan since 2017, and how precarious its survival is.

At the current time, there is an effort to expand the mine. While owners of the mine have said initially, this would just mean boreholes which do not disturb to too great a degree, recent studies have shown a correlation between this type of drilling and a reduction in Orangutan density, which proves these former assumptions to be incorrect.

It seems obvious that this area needs protecting, but perhaps for some people the earning potential is too great.

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Mountain goats are rapidly becoming nocturnal due to the heat: impacts?

Just bare in mind, with the video above, if you have problems with heights, the view when you start the video above will not be pleasant.

So, if you are a species who spends its days moving around on cliffs, which most species would spend their lives avoiding often even if the alternative choice is death, clearly it is extreme. 
The fact of the matter, is that heights are not the only threat that animals like mountain goats face when living in the mountains: Bears, wolves, eagles, and wolverines and even animals like snow leopards that live in the mountains, will get the majority of their calories from meat. Animals like mountain goats, along with various deer species, will be the mainstay of these predators in the mountains.

What is, unfortunately a fact, is that mountain goats do not fly. As such they need to be able to see the cliff, so as to be able to step carefully and not loose their footing. 

This means that goats cannot become nocturnal, as without enough light, they will fall to their deaths. As such mountain goats tend to be crepuscular – active in the early morning and late evening

 However, this move has already happened, so all that this move might do, is reduce the length of time that mountain goats can remain active, which is likely to lead to starvation amongst much of the wild population.
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