biology 1229 extinction ii: the bad news. the four horsemen of the extinction crisis i: habitat...
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The four horsemen of the extinction crisis I: Habitat destruction
Spoon-billed sandpiper Jamaican blackbird
Jamaican BlackbirdNesospar nigerrimus ‘wildpine sergeant’Endemic to Jamaica2000-10000 remainingMature montane, elfin and mist
forest at high elevations
Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park800 km2 of habitat protectedOngoing surveys to establish
basic population biology of species
Blue Mountain coffee ~$30/pound…
Spoon-billed sandpiperEurynorhynchus pygmeusSmall wading birdMigratory1000 – 2500 remainingBreeds annually
1 clutch + ‘replacement clutch’ 14 % fledging rate
Spoon-billed sandpiperThreats
Habitat destruction Breeding habitat Staging grounds Winter habitat
Predation at breeding grounds Dogs Arctic foxes
Predation at wintering grounds hunting
BushmeatThe practice of
eating wild animals aka ‘game’A serious problem,
particularly in West Africa
Mountain GorillaGorilla beringeiCritically
endangeredCentral Africa, e.g.
DRC~700 left
None in captivityPopulation rising in
2002
Gorillas and bushmeat 2007 Civil war in DRC leads to massive
displacement, need for food and many people with guns designed for killing large primates
Park rangers and anti-poaching patrols attacked Most rangers now pulled out of area
5 gorillas found shot dead in September
Many more in bushmeat trade
Pre-human New Zealand3 species of land mammalsAll predators were birds
Good vision, poor sense of smell Many flightless birds
Then humans arrived…Kiore
House mouse
Ship rat
Norway rat
Feral cat
Feral pig
Sto
at
ferret
weasel
Bru
sh
-tailed
possu
m
European hedgehog
New Zealand extinctions since European settlement57 land birds extinct since
human arrival19 since Europeans arrived
Stephen’s Island wren Xenicus lyalli
"there is very good reason to believe that the bird is no longer to be found on the island, and, as it is not known to exist anywhere else, it has apparently become quite extinct. This is probably a record performance in the way of extermination." The Press 16 March 1895
Still endangered due (mainly) to predation Australasian Bittern Brown Kiwi Kokako New Zealand Dotterel Forbes’s parakeet Malherbe’s parakeet Chatham Island Oystercatcher Black Stilt Yellowhead Kaka Black Robin Kakapo + numerous seabirds, invertebrates, frogs and
reptiles
Polar BearUrsus maritimusLarge carnivore
Eats mainly seals Other terrestrial organisms will do
Sexually dimorphicSemi-aquaticArctic species