Renewed Energy to Help Save Darwin’s Dreampond

…an SSP attempts to remain hopeful

Lake Victoria Cichlid Species Survival Plan

C. Lee, S. Bailey, G. Whittaker, J. Hemdal & D. Warmolts,

L. Kaufman, J. Balirwa, P. Nyamenya & Wm. Ojwang

8th IAC Two Oceans Aquarium

Cape Town, South Africa

Kisumu, Kenya looking west

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What you’ll be listening to… for the next 15 minutes

•  Where & what is Lake Victoria?briefly…. •  Haplochromine?! Qu’est-ce que c’est Haplochromine? •  …and what’s all the fuss about? •  LVSSP’s mission- what has been accomplished… •  LVSSP’s objectives going forward-

Are the ‘aquarist bits’ still doable? Lake Victoria view Jinja, Uganda

traditional fishing vessel

Queen Victoria …during her runway model days

cichlid sex stuff

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Lake Victoria Geography & Geology Tutorial

•  3 countries comprise border- Uganda, Kenya, & Tanzania •  E African Rift Lake- 1 of 6 sizeable, including Malawi & Tanganyika, occupying shallow plateau between 2 arms of the forked Great Rift Valley •  World’s 2nd largest freshwater lake •  vulnerable to climate change- precipitation driven vs large river inflow, shallow, large surface area compared to volume ratio •  Dry 12-14,000 yrs ago- phenomenal speciation since… 3

•  >500 LV species- spectacular species radiation

•  group named for genus Haplochromis- by design 80% of Lake Victoria’s biomass

•  nomenclature often pending, hence use of common names (chironym)

•  evolutionary plasticity- rapid response to localized & diverse environmental conditions

•  ~14 trophic guilds recognised

•  Considerable trophic diversity- planktivores, paedophages, parasitivores, fin & scale eaters, to molluscavores, with bizarre dentition stops in between …that’d make dentists swoon!

P. perrieri

argenteus

drama’s principal actors- Haplochromine Cichlids

Astatotilapia sp.

Oreochromis variabilis Lee Newman Labrochromis ishmaeli

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Traditional Fishery

•  5.4M lake region residents in ‘48 •  ~75% of local protein needs was fishery derived •  Haplochromines accounted for 80% of biomass •  simple fishing gear used •  primarily near-shore fishery •  targeted specific species •  women dominated activity •  no capacity for export to coast •  nutrient poor lake fishery

cyprinid minnow Omena sun drying

fishermen & simple gear

packing dried fish

Ugandan fish landing

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Modern Lake Fishery

commercial fishing vessel

mixed species catch vs. targeted catch

commercial fishery employment is huge slice of demographic

• Contrast >25m people in LVictoria Basin …2010 estimate • Targets commercially successful Lates niloticus …after its introduction in ’54 • Introduced tilapia spp outcompete endemic tilapia ...and tastes much differently • Focuses on exports- Europe, Middle East, US, & Australia • Beyond financial resources of local population … which results in a net loss of protein & rise of malnutrition •  ‘boomtown environment’- 54,000 boats, cholera, HIV, social upheaval • LVictoria characteristics not conducive to perch population support • Haplochromine drop to 1% biomass • Largest mass extinction event- >65% species lost • Omena (cyprinid) exploded without cichlid predators • Cichlid morphological plasticity- bending to Lake’s condition • Nile perch decline …cannibalism, now! • Pollution/ eutrophication- now ‘nutrient rich lake fishery 'with only 60’ O2 zone in H2O column • Market decline- cholera, heavy metals

Lates niloticus

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Fishery Impacts loss of traditional food source

deforestation

Darwin’s Dreampond Tijs Goldschmidt’s book Darwin’s Nightmare Hubert Sauper’s documentary

Nile perch for the locals- filleted carcasses

fueling rampant population growth

Eutrophication – H2O hyacinth explosion

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Lake Victoria Species Survival Plan …..a synoptic retrospective

Lipochromis melanopterus Lates niloticus 2 stripe white lip 8

•  Maintain genetic stocks with intent of reintroduction… someday

this is the pure AquaristAdrenaline stuff

•  Exhibits both NAmerica and East Africa •  Staff Training of EAfrican Aquarists •  Education both NAmerica and East Africa •  Graduate Student support •  Research Pjts in both EAfrica and NAmerica

  Systematics and genetic confirmation   Faunal Assessments   Field Reconnaissance   Mycobacteria challenge

holding system- NaFIRRI

haplochromine rearing ponds NMK-Kisumu

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Exhibitry & Aquaculture

Projects

Paticipating Institutions: Columbus Zoo, New England Aquarium, Saint Louis Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, Toronto Zoo, Vancouver Aquarium

glass tank construction at NaFIRRI

fish rearing ponds construction at NMK- Kisumu

carpenters’ fascia fabrication

transformation of herp gallery

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Staff Training

•  Multiple SSP partners over the years hosting EAfrican colleagues

•  Staff exchanges

•  EAfrican exposure to sophisticated exhibitry in NAmerica

•  NAmericans benefits numerous

•  Institutional media opportunity

•  Staffer reward/invigoration

•  bypassing the immigration line

•  EAfrican staff trained on site with their exhibit systems

trained aquarist NMK- Nairobi

Toronto Zoo program holding 11

Education Unsophisticated and straight forward- •  mtl’s dissemination …little is known of Lake •  classroom tank install …have never seen live fish

Kisumu primary school

classroom aquarium

private school/academy presentation

traditional performance of lake story

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Graduate Student Support Gertrude Namulemo MS Makerere University

William Ojwang PhD Boston University

Objectives: •  assist EAfricans in becoming good candidates for fisheries positions to work on Lake Victoria based projects

Gertrude Namulemo- NaFIRRI William Ojwang- KMFRI

•  facilitate collaboration with NAmerican universities to broaden experience- Boston University, Ohio State University Harvard, UMass-Boston

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Research Projects

systematics work- name ‘em before they’re gone!

Mycobacteria prevalence survey know thine enemy

faunal assessment exercises

cryopreservation- get the past on ice for the future!

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Reevaluation Time …RAW 2012 •  Been ~ 8 yrs since last thorough

assessment/thrashing •  Evaluate Program Parts

•  Take stock of what is working •  Determine what is not

–  How much bang for the $$ –  Are there efficiencies

•  Collaborations with new Partners •  Open discussions with other AZA

taxa pgm •  Find EAfrican team members with

proven records –  Political upheaval –  Performance marks

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Dr. Les Kaufman Boston University & NEAq Research Dpt

LVSSP founder, scientific adv.

Reevaluation Time …RAW 2012

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Dr. Les Kaufman Boston University & NEAq Research Dpt

LVSSP founder, scientific adv.

LVSSP Objectives, Current

…what is working well Protopterus aethiopicus

marbled lungfish

impressive jaws and teeth

dried lungfish burrows

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Exhibits

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Bantu for ‘lake’

weaver bird aviary

Cichlatron and scientists’ station python crawl-through and hedge hog 19

Nyanja! …..on the road to E. Africa, Part I NMK-Kisumu Museum, Kenya

newly renovated exhibits building

dusty preserved Nile perch comes out of storage

installation begins with species ID’s 20

Kisumu Exhibit Opening – April ‘09

Chris Augusta artwork- 85 species ID’s

Lake species maybe observed for 1st time cichlid dentition interactive

Students, parents, visitors, in awe

a multi-day event- exhibit opening and lectures

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Nyanja! …on the road to E. Africa, Part II National Fisheries Resources Research Institute Jinja, Uganda

Research institute created by Brits in 1950s

NaFIRRI’s labs and administrative offices

note the haplochromine and Nile perch on gate

view of Lake from an academy in the mtns 22

used grounds to full extent with temporary outdoor venues to accommodate entire pgm

young NaFIRRI scientists showcase their pjts artist hired to facilitate student art project

Dr Balirwa asks fishermen to bring their boats

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Nyanja! opening day December ‘08

LVSSP’s Gertrude Namelamo now working on PhD Ugandan Fisheries Minister opening ceremony

…..and AZA partners breathe a sigh of relief!

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• will become annual festival at NaFIRRI celebrating the Lake • CEF $$$ catalyst for starting program • clear demonstration- small $$’s go a very long way

 fund research, students, curriculum creation, education pgms, exhibits, creates media opportunities, scientists’ work on display, etc…

Nyanja! at NaFIRRI diverse stakeholders come together

outstanding media coverage- Dr B interviews with BBC East Africa

CEF funds purchases- monitor & DVD player

Ugandan fishermen invited for discussions

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Nyanja! at NaFIRRI Student exhibit contributions were extensive

students read everything! ….just like here in ‘Merica

8 schools participated

students lecture on their species subject choice

CEF funds bussed students to festival

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Nyanja! at NaFIRRI exhibits

fishermen demonstrate their gear to visitors NaFIRRI staff set up the aquatics

vinyl interpretive panels are displayed on CEF-bought marquees highschoolers set up microscopes for viewing

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Nyanja! at NaFIRRI exhibits

CEF-bought cool event uniform shirts for NaFIRRI staffers

students view Lake Story DVD

Haplochromine diversity offered as tactile sculptural elements EU funded NGOs participation

included manning info booths 28

Nyanja! at NaFIRRI Lecture Series

• Fishermen extended invitations to participate in Fisheries Ministry lectures • NaFIRRI researchers presenting findings to public for 1st time vs published papers strategy • Discussion topics include- mesh sizes, catch quotas, closed areas, season, minimum/maximum size regulations • Lively and spirited; considered great opportunity by fishermen

NaFIRRI researcher explains food web dynamics

Ugandan Fisheries Ministers respond to fishermen’s questions

Fishermen react during Q & A session

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Ugandan School Visits Education

Victoria Nile School students are visited by researcher S.B. Wandera

Students of boys academy appreciate the scientists’ efforts

Gertrude Namulemo about to lecture

Principal of rural school IT savvy and has become an Enthusiastic AquaLinks participant

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Toronto Zoo Pgm ‘97 – present

Canadian teacher visiting EAfrica

Toronto classroom

Atlantic salmon release in Ontario

Education

• Sharing curricula • Comparing fauna, challenges, successes • Collegial atmosphere • Forging connections and creating bonds • Mutual travel

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•  Realities within Program Institution Community: –  culturing vs exhibiting fishes- what are holding system (space use) priorities?

e.g.Loss of Toledo Aquarium’s extensive holding

–  Mycobacteria in LVSSP fishes- threat posed/ naiveté of wild stock to organism –  likelihood of reintroduction in EAfrica- as the prospect diminishes, so does

the appeal of the program to institution resource decision makers –  program participation

•  reduced to 8 priority species in culture, with only 11 institutions participating

–  species plasticity i.e. Are these still the same species after 20 yrs away from Lake?!

–  fitness of program species •  several species no longer minimum viable population MVP, and thus removed from

program

•  Realities in-country: –  lake ecology, mycobacteria, politics, logistics, funding

Lipochromis melanopterus Lates niloticus H. ‘2 stripe white lip’ 32

LVSSP 2011 Species Studbook …a book with fewer chapters

DEGENI 1 241 at 3 inst. 73 ARGENS 1 225 at 4 inst. 88 TWOSTRPWHITELIP 1 293 as 3 inst. 100

ISHMAELI 1 206 at 1 inst. 90 PERRIERI 1 397 at 4 inst. 100

PICEATUS 1 726 at 4 inst. 98 MELANOPTERUS 2 53 at 2 inst. 100

RED-EYE GUIARTI

3 0 at 0 inst. 0

SALMON 4 0 at 0 inst. 0 ESCULENTUS 4 536 at 3 inst. 100

PLAGIODON 5 6 at 1 inst. 0

VARIABILIS 5 9 at 1 inst. 100 XENOGNATHUS 5 25 at 1 inst. 0 33

LVSSP’s Culturing Challenge…never enough resources <sigh>

Oreochromis esculentus on exhibit

LVSSP holding system Toronto Zoo Program’s culturing mandate has challenges: •  LVSSP program species compete with other Rift Lake species for exhibits ..Malawi & Tanganyika • exhibit species will always have higher priority vs those not seen by visitors • when culture scenario placed on visitor path, not as aesthetically engaging, requires a lot of interpretation •  long term holding is rarely able to accommodate all demands/requests LVSSP holding system Toledo Zoo 34

LVSSPers’ reactions to these developments

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Concluding thoughts...

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Moody Gardens haplochromine breeding pgm on exhibit

Thanks!

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Haplochromine story @ exhibit at Moody Gardens Aquarium, TX