Download or read book Witness to Extinction written by Samuel Turvey and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2009-08-13 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The tragic recognition of the extinction of the Yangtze River Dolphin or baiji in 2007 became a major news story and sent shockwaves around the world. It made a romantic story, for the baiji was a unique and beautiful creature that features in many Chinese legends and folk tales. The Goddess of the Yangtze, as it was known, was also the lone representative of an entire and ancient branch of the Tree of Life. But perhaps the greater tragedy is that its status as one of the world's most threatened mammals had been widely recognized, yet despite wide publicity virtually no international funds became available. A compelling read by a young naturalist, Samuel Turvey tells the story of the plight of the Yangtze River Dolphin from his unique perspective as a conservation biologist deeply involved in the struggle to save the dolphin. This is both a celebration of a beautiful and remarkable animal that once graced one of China's greatest rivers, its natural history and its role as a cultural symbol; and also a personal, eyewitness account of the failures of policy and the struggle to get funds that led to its tragic demise. It is a true cautionary tale that we must learn from, for there are countless other threatened species that will suffer from the same human mistakes, and whose loss we shall not know until it is too late.
Download or read book Witness to Extinction written by Samuel Turvey and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2009 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Samuel Turvey here tells the story of the plight of the Yangtze River Dolphin from his unique perspective as a conservation biologist deeply involved in the struggle to save this species. His book is at once a celebration of a beautiful and remarkable animal that once graced one of China's greatest rivers; a study of the dolphin's natural history and its role as a cultural symbol; and a personal, eyewitness account of the failure to obtain funds that led to the dolphin's demise.
Download or read book Biology and Conservation of Freshwater Cetaceans in Asia written by Randall R. Reeves and published by World Conservation Union. This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This compilation brings together current information on the status of Asian freshwater cetacean populations, the factors that have caused their recent declines, and what can be done to improve their chances for survival. Includes papers on water development issues, the Yangtze River Dolphin (Baiji), the Ganges River Dolphin (Susu), and porpoises. In the final section, five papers address methods of studying freshwater cetaceans.
Download or read book Baiji written by Kaiya Zhou and published by Stone Wall Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Vaquita written by Brooke Bessesen and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2018-09-11 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Intrepid conservation detective story." --Nature "A lucid, informed, and gripping account...a must-read." --Science "Passionate...a heartfelt and alarming tale." --Publishers Weekly "Gripping...a well-told and moving tale of environmentalism and conservation." --Kirkus "Compelling." --Library Journal In 2006, vaquita, a diminutive porpoise making its home in the Upper Gulf of California, inherited the dubious title of world's most endangered marine mammal. Vaquita have been in decline for decades, dying in illegal gillnets intended for a giant fish, totoaba. Author Brooke Bessesen takes us to the Upper Gulf region in search of answers to a heart-wrenching dilemma. When diplomatic efforts to save the porpoise failed, Bessesen followed a scientific team in a binational effort to capture remaining vaquita and breed them in captivity--the only hope for their survival. In this fast-paced, soul-searing tale, she learned that there are no easy answers when extinction is profitable.
Download or read book The Mekong written by Ian Charles Campbell and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2009-11-20 with total page 647 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It flows through 6 counties, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. The 4 downstream countries have formed the Mekong River Commission to promote sustainable development of the river and many of their people depend on it for their subsistence ? it has possible the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam (which produces about 40% of that country's food) as well as in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. China is now building the first large mainstream dam on the river, and has proposals for several more. These dams are likely to affect the downstream countries. Several of the downstream countries also have plans for large scale hydropower and irrigation development which could also impact the river. This book will provide a solid overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong together with a discussion of the possible impacts, biophysical, economic and social, of some possible development scenarios. It is intended to provide a technical basis which can inform the growing political and conservation debate about the future of the Mekong River, and those who depend on it. It is aimed at river ecologists, geographers, environmentalists and development specialists both in the basin and (especially) outside for whom access to this material is most difficult. This book will be the first comprehensive treatment of the Mekong system. - The first comprehensive overview of all aspects of the Mekong River system - Deals with a regionally critical ecosystem and one under threat - The Mekong supports the world's largest freshwater fishery and provides water underpinning a major regional rice paddy system - Presents the authoritative findings of the Mekong River Commission's research for a wider audience for the first time outside of limited distribution reports
Download or read book 100 Animals written by Nick Garbutt and published by Bradt Travel Guides. This book was released on 2007 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 100 Animals to See Before They Die is inspired by the Zoological Society of London's recently launched conservation project EDGE - Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered. EDGE targets some of the world's most bizarre and unusual creatures, animals which are extremely distinct in the way they look, live and behave. They have few or no close relatives and require immediate action to save them from extinction. If they disappear there will be nothing like them left on the planet. Amazingly, many of these species are ignored by existing conservation plans. 100 Animals fights this ignorance by highlighting the danger these species are in and will encourage greater involvement in the fight to save them. Some EDGE species, such as tigers, elephants and pandas are well known, but 100 Animals features dozens of lesser known and extraordinary animals such as the Yangtze River Dolphin (the world's rarest cetacean), the Bumblebee Bat (the smallest mammal on earth) and the egg-laying Long-beaked Echidna. Organised by world regions (Eurasia, Australasia, Africa, New World, South East Asia, the Oceans) and with a whole section devoted to Madagascar, 100 Animals is inspirational and packed with information about each animal and where to find it. Each animal is illustrated in colour and accompanied by a distribution map and information about its key characteristics and the specific threats it faces, plus details about any conservation work taking place.
Download or read book Biology and Conservation of the River Dolphins written by and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Marine Protected Areas for Whales Dolphins and Porpoises written by Erich Hoyt and published by Earthscan. This book was released on 2012 with total page 521 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Erich Hoyt's handbook is an admirable, timely and highly welcome contribution.'Michael Stachowitsch, Marine EcologyWhat does it mean to save the whales if their habitat is left unprotected? Marine Protected Areas for Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises is the definitive handbook on this pressing issue and the first to bridge the gap between the disciplines of marine protected areas and cetacean conservation. It launches a new chapter in cetacean conservation with its investigation into the crucial habitat needs and protection requirements of some 84 species.The author, one of the world's foremost experts in this field, takes you around the world to investigate the promising results of the latest conservation research and the strategies for obtaining marine protected areas in coastal waters and on the high seas, using national legislation and regional and international conventions. This is an essential introduction, guide and reference work for those working to ensure a future for whales and dolphins.
Download or read book 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals written by Ulf Gärdenfors and published by IUCN. This book was released on 1996 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals was a major advance on its predecessors in clarity of layout and amount of information presented. This is taken further in the 1996 edition, which is also the first global compilation to use the complete new IUCN Red List category system.
Download or read book Last Chance to See written by Douglas Adams and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2011-09-21 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestselling author Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Carwardine take off around the world in search of exotic, endangered creatures. Join them as they encounter the animal kingdom in its stunning beauty, astonishing variety, and imminent peril: the giant Komodo dragon of Indonesia, the helpless but loveable Kakapo of New Zealand, the blind river dolphins of China, the white rhinos of Zaire, the rare birds of Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean. Hilarious and poignant—as only Douglas Adams can be—Last Chance to See is an entertaining and arresting odyssey through the Earth’s magnificent wildlife galaxy. Praise for Last Chance to See “Lively, sharply satirical, brilliantly written . . . shows how human care can undo what human carelessness has wrought.”—The Atlantic “These authors don’t hesitate to present the alarming facts: More than 1,000 species of animals (and plants) become extinct every year. . . . Perhaps Adams and Carwardine, with their witty science, will help prevent such misadventures in the future.”—Boston Sunday Herald “Very funny and moving . . . The glimpses of rare fauna seem to have enlarged [Adams’s] thinking, enlivened his world; and so might the animals do for us all, if we were to help them live.”—The Washington Post Book World “[Adams] invites us to enter into a conspiracy of laughter and caring.”—Los Angeles Times “Amusing . . . thought-provoking . . . Its details on the heroic efforts being made to save these animals are inspirational.”—The New York Times Book Review
Download or read book Mammal Species of the World written by Don E. Wilson and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 2201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals.
Download or read book Threat to the Yangtze River Dolphin written by Amie Jane Leavitt and published by Mitchell Lane. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Yangtze River dolphins, also known as Baiji, have splashed in the waters of Chinas Yangtze River for millions of years. The Chinese people have always loved these mammals. They considered the Baiji to be a beautiful part of their river, and they have told many stories about them. Today, the Yangtze is a very different place. Trash floats in the water, and toxic chemicals pollute it. Thousands of boats travel up and down the river every day, and people use dangerous fishing equipment with sharp rolling hooks. The Yangtze River is no longer a safe place for the Baiji to live. Most of them have died out. Scientists worry that it might be too late for these dolphins. Is there any way to save them?
Download or read book Biosonar written by Annemarie Surlykke and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-07-19 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two groups of animals, bats and odontocetes (toothed whales), have independently developed the ability to orient and detect prey by biosonar (echolocation). This active mechanism of orientation allows these animals to operate under low light conditions. Biosonar is a conceptual overview of what is known about biosonar in bats and odontocetes. Chapters are written by bat and odontocetes experts, resulting in collaborations that not only examine data on both animals, but also compare and contrast mechanisms. This book provides a unique insight that will help improve our understanding of biosonar in both animal groups.
Download or read book Freshwater Biodiversity written by David Dudgeon and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing human populations and higher demands for water impose increasing impacts and stresses upon freshwater biodiversity. Their combined effects have made these animals more endangered than their terrestrial and marine counterparts. Overuse and contamination of water, overexploitation and overfishing, introduction of alien species, and alteration of natural flow regimes have led to a 'great thinning' and declines in abundance of freshwater animals, a 'great shrinking' in body size with reductions in large species, and a 'great mixing' whereby the spread of introduced species has tended to homogenize previously dissimilar communities in different parts of the world. Climate change and warming temperatures will alter global water availability, and exacerbate the other threat factors. What conservation action is needed to halt or reverse these trends, and preserve freshwater biodiversity in a rapidly changing world? This book offers the tools and approaches that can be deployed to help conserve freshwater biodiversity.
Download or read book Elasmobranch Biodiversity Conservation and Management written by Sarah L. Fowler and published by IUCN. This book was released on 2002 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Darwin Elasmobranch Biodiversity Conservation and Management project in Sabah held a three-day international seminar that included a one-day workshop in order to highlight freshwater and coastal elasmobranch conservation issues in the region and worldwide, to disseminate the result of the project to other Malaysian states and countries, and to raise awareness of the importance of considering aspects of elasmobranch biodiversity in the context of nature conservation, commercial fisheries management, and for subsistence fishing communities. These proceedings contain numerous peer-reviewed papers originally presented at the seminar, which cover a wide range of topics, with particular reference to species from freshwater and estuarine habitats. The workshop served to develop recommendations concerning the future prospects of elasmobranch fisheries, biodiversity, conservation and management. This paper records those conclusions, which highlight the importance of elasmobranchs as top marine predators and keystone species, noting that permanent damage to shark and ray populations are likely to have serious and unexpected negative consequences for commercial and subsistence yields of other important fish stocks.
Download or read book Yangtze written by Philip Wilkinson and published by Ebury Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flowing over 6275 km (3900 miles) from one end of China to the other, the Yangtze is vast, varied, and mysterious, like China itself. It rises in the highlands of Tibet, where glaciers drip and ooze to create a network of icy channels that join to form what the Chinese call simply Chang Jiang, the Long River. From here it snakes and cascades its way through some of the world's most spectacular scenery - precipitous mountains, narrow gorges, and lush lowlands of eastern China, made fertile by the mud spread by the river's frequent flooding. "Yangtze" follows the river on this fascinating and varied course. As it does so it explores many aspects of the river that have intrigued Chinese and westerners alike. It looks at the river's unique wildlife, from the dazzling colors of rhododendrons and camellias on its banks to the endangered creatures, such as the baiji river dolphin, that dwell in or on the banks of its waters. It describes the teeming human activity along the river - the fishing, farming, and trade that make it a lifeline and a livelihood for millions. And it looks at the river's role in some of the turning points in Chinese history, such as the wars of the Three Kingdoms Period, the culture of the Tang dynasty, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Long March of Mao and his communist allies. Finally, "Yangtze" looks at the changes and challenges affecting the river today, for the Yangtze stands at a turning point. The world's biggest civil engineering project, the construction of the Three Gorges dam across the river, is nearing completion. China's government hopes that the enormous dam will control the river's floods, open up further reaches to big ships, and generate hydro-electricity. Opponents of the scheme point to the damage to the environment, the human costs, and the enormous risks involved. Beautifully illustrated with outstanding photographs and specially created maps, "Yangtze" pictures the river at a cr.
