GLOBAL COLLABORATION: Adapting for the FUTURE of

Conserving & Managing Species on the path of EXTINCTION

KC Hanscom

*-- Extinction --*

MOST INFLUENTIAL threat to BIODIVERSITY today

HUMANs today have skyrocketed (couple thousand times) the NATURAL EXTINCTION RATE of Species today

Only 2.3 percent of the EARTHs surface holds CRITICAL BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS

Those HOTSPOTS have lost 70 percent of their natural habitat due to HUMAN INDUCED INTERESTS

WHAT areas of the EARTH are most CRITICAL for preserving BIODIVERSITY?

[1988] NORMAN MYERS (British Ecologist) asked this question and defined the biodiversity hotpots on the EARTH

Caribbean IslandsHotspot Original Extent

(km²)229,549

Hotspot Vegetation Remaining (km²) 22,955

Endemic Plant Species 6,550

Endemic Threatened Birds 48

Endemic Threatened Mammals 18

Endemic Threatened Amphibians 143

Extinct Species† 38

Human Population Density (people/km²) 155

Area Protected (km²) 29,605

Area Protected (km²) in Categories

I-IV*16,306

Lesser AntillesGreater Antilles CUBAJamaica Bahamas

12 Independent Nations

Climatic Conditions Caribbean Mountains --- Moist

Tropical Forests Marsh Forest

Seasonal Forest

Montane Forest

Eflin Woodland

Lagoons & River Mouths Brackish & Freshwater Swamps

Mangroves

Low-lying ISLANDS --- SEMI arid Dry evergreen bush land and thicket

Savana

Cactus Shrub & Spiny Shrub

-- ESCALATING –-Historical Threats

HUMAN ARIVAL --- 4,000 years ago

LAST 500 years --- HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRATION

[1500s] DEFORESTATION 4 SUGAR CANE

BIGGEST THREAT to BioDIVERSITY --- HUMAN INTRODUCED INVASIVE SPECIES for HUMAN INTERESTS

[1872] Asian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) --- used to control rodents & poisonous snakes ---

DEVASTATED NATIVE POPULATIONS --- Reptiles & Amphibians ---

LED to EXTINCTION of DOZENS of SPECIES

AGRICULTURE

MINING

COAL PRODUCTION --- ADDs induced CARBON EMMISSIONS

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

NO MORE than 10 % --- ORIGINAL VEGETATION REMAINS

LESS than 15 % --- CUBA’s FOREST REMAIN (largest remaining in CARIBBEAN)

The Rufa Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa)

RED KNOTS range throughout the U.S. (orange)

KEY HISTORICAL HUMAN DISTURBANCES

[1900-1950] Early Coastal Development

1918 -- MBTA ( X hunting & trade )

**NOTICABLE RED KNOT RECOVERY**

1920 – 1st Beach Fill

Hardening of the Coast

[1950-1970] DECLINE in HORSESHOE / CRAB #s

Transition to Beach Nourishment

[1979-2004] Delaware Bay (HEMISPHERIC

SIGNIFCANCE)

**CRAB HARVESTS SKYROCKET**

1996 -- Delaware Bay OIL SPILL

Delaware Bay Shorebird Project

**MANAGEMENT for CRABS**

Red Knots tracked to ARCTIC

**2002 -- RED KNOT** populations start RAPID FREEFALL

2006 -- LISTED as ENDANGERED --

Habitat Destruction

HUMAN DISTURBANCESESCALATE..

* National Climate Data Center Info –USFWS *

(data taken from multiple federal agencies and multiple scientists displays the

increasing sea-level rise {mm})

MIGRATION STOPOVER..FACTS

TRAVEL up to 9,300 Miles –- S to N –every SPRING

3 sub-species -- WESTERN HEMI –**(C.c. islandica, C.c. roselaari, C.c. rufa)**

EAT– small clams & mussels & snails & other invertebrates (shell and all)

BREED in ARCTIC

ESSENTIALS for SURVIVAL RICH STOPOVER HABITATS -- Easily

Digested Foods OR Thin/No Shells –***QUALITY***

ABUNDANT STOPOVER HABITATS –***QUANTITY***

***PERFECT TIMING***

***AWARENESS*** -- locations of STORM / WEATHER patterns

AFTER BREEDING in the ARCTIC… RED KNOTS like to travel in LARGE FLOCKS*BENEFITS…

PREDATOR PROTECTION IN #s

*NON-BENEFITS / NEGATIVES…As HABITATs Shrink DUE to HUMAN

INTERESTS / DISTURBANCES… COMPETITION between SPECIES for NECESSITIES INCLINES..

*&* CLIMATE CHANGEs IMPACT …

As predator species in the arctic become deprived of prey resources and habitat destruction from glacial melting… Seeking out new sources of food has become the NORM in present day life for these arctic creatures…

This creates a TARGET for the Red Knot’s eggs, as the artic flora & fauna gets continuously pushed backwards by melting glaciers & destructive forces on the habitat that comes with dramatic climatic changes in the ecosystem.

THE VIRGIN ISLANDS Red Knot -- Passed 10 Years

LAST SEEN In 2008

Habitat has been SURROUNDED

Resorts and Restaurants & other Development

RISING SEA LEVELS & CLIMATE CHANGE

Infrastructure like ROADS

All LEADS to…

IMPERVIOUS SURFACES (water quality)

CARBON EMMISSIONS (air quality)

FREQUENCIES used by HUMANS (confusion)

THE COMBO --- HUMAN DISTURBANCES --- DISAPPEARING REDKNOT

THE BIRD with ALL the PROBLEMS

USFWS: The Red Knot Cooperative Aggreement

Established in the UNITED STATES and aids the scenario by PROTECTING the BREEDING grounds of the HORSESHOE CRAB (keystone species) in DELAWARE BAY…

Considering the RED KNOT is a versatile WESTERN HEMI / N & S POLE Migrator, in order to PRESERVE this species, COOPERATION & COLLABORATION between nations for a COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN will aid but NOT GUARENTEE survival of the REDKNOT, whose journey EXTENDS in TIME without SUFFICIENT TOOLS needed in COMPLETION of that JOURNEY…

DESPITE the MBTA, that historically noticed the OVER EXPLOITATION of HUNTING to REDKNOTS almost to EXTICTION…

HUNTING REGULATIONS on this bird in the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS has significantly ADDED to DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS on this UNIQUE BIRD species..

This EXPOSES the LACK of SOCIETAL pressures / HUMAN indifferences ASSOCIATED with FUNDING for PROTECTION and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the REDKNOT

CURRENT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

CANADA

UNITED STATES

CENTRAL AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

BRAZIL

ARGENTINA

N

S

*--PHOTO EVIDENCE of RED KNOT in last 10 Yrs--*

Tells me… either…*RED KNOTS hunted in large FLOCKs*Adapted to HUNTING in CARIBBEAN*Adapted to Climatic Conditions*#s are EXTREMELY LOW*DIED on STARVING JOURNEYS*IS it ALREADY BE TOO LATE??

CEPF Strategic Directions and Investment Priorities

[CEPF]Corridor Accomplishments

1. Cockpit Country - North Coast Forest - Black River Great Morass

– Jamaica

2. Portland Bight Protected Area

– Jamaica

3. Massif du Nord

– Haiti

4. Massif de la Selle – Jaragua – Bahoruco - Enriquillo binational corridor

– Haiti and Dominican Republic

5. Cordillera Central

– Dominican Republic

6. Central Mountain Range

– St. Vincent and the Grenadines

CONCLUSION & DISCUSSION…