326 Briefly AFRICA
Success as Namibian fishery reduces seabird deaths by 98% TheAlbatross Task Force has reported a 98% reduction in seabird deaths in Namibia’sde- mersal longline fishery, previously one of the world’s deadliest fisheries for seabirds. Prior to intervention, several threatened species such as the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos and white- chinned petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis were among the estimated 30,000 birds lost annu- ally to the longline fishing hooks or thick steel cables used to haul trawl nets through the water. However, after a decade’swork involving dedicated grassroots engagement with industry and effective government regu- lation,mitigationmeasures are now required by law. Bird-scaring lines—simple lines with colourful streamers towed behind the vessel that keep birds away from baited hooks or dangerous trawl cables—are now being used widely by fishing fleets. The bird-scaring lines are made and sold by a local women’s group, connecting bycatch reduction with women’s empowerment. Source: BirdLife International (2021)
birdlife.org/worldwide/news/namibian- fishery-reduces-seabird-deaths-98
Tourists could spread COVID-19 to wild gorillas Tourists who take selfies withwild mountain gorillas could put the primates at risk of de- veloping COVID-19. Scientists from Oxford BrookesUniversity, UK, looked at 858 photos posted on Instagram in 2013–2019 tagged with #gorillatrekking or #gorillatracking. Of these pictures, 86%showedpeople within 4 m of gorillas, and 25 photos showed tourists touching gorillas. The researchers found that tourists visiting gorillas rarely wore face masks, increasing the potential for disease transmission. People visiting gorillas in the wild were asked to wear face masks even be- fore the pandemic, as part of the Best Practice Guidelines for Great Ape Tourism developed by the
IUCN.Mountain gorillas are categor- ized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 1,063 left in the wild. They live in theDemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda. Although thereisno evidencethat wildgorillashave developed COVID-19 thus far, it is vital that tour regulations are strengthened and better enforced to ensure gorilla trekking practices do not further threaten these great apes. Source: CNN (2021)
edition.cnn.com/ 2021/02/16/africa/gorilla-covid-selfie- safety-scli-intl-scn/
index.html
Human–elephant conflict in Kenya heightens A team of conservationists investigated the seasonal, temporal and spatial trends of crop use by elephants in the Trans Mara, Kenya, during 2014–2015,and compared results to a previous study from 1999–2000. They found that elephants living around the MaasaiMara NationalReservewere foraging on crops more frequently, closer to the pro- tected area and throughout the year, but were causing less damage when doing so. The number of crop-use incidents increased by49%over the 15-yearperiod,but cropdam- age per incident dropped by 83%. This could be because farmers are better prepared to frighten off elephants, or because land-cover change makes it harder for elephants to hide in forest patches. Although the direct eco- nomic impact of crop use by elephants has dropped, farmers now have to spend more timeprotecting their fields,which further re- duces support for conservation in communi- ties who currently receive few benefits from living with wildlife. Restoring the elephants’ feeding habitat in the Park is vital to reduce human–elephant conflict in the area. Sources: Biological Conservation (2021)
doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108941 & University of Kent (2021)
kent.ac.uk/news/ environment/27781/human-elephant- conflict-in-kenya-heightens-with-in- crease-in-crop-raiding
Funding boost for Africa’s Great Green Wall The Great GreenWall for the Sahel and the Sahara Initiative, which seeks to restore 100 million ha of degraded land and create 10 million green jobs by 2030,has entereda new phase of quicker growth. Partners pledged USD 16.85 billionininternational fi- nance for the 11 countries involved in the pro- ject over the next 5 years. The Great Green Wall was launched in 2007 by the African Union as a 7,000-km barrier stretching from Senegal to Djibouti. The objective is to stop creeping desertification through a trans-con- tinental mosaic of green, productive land- scapes that will counter land degradation and biodiversity loss. To date, 4%ofthe GreatGreenWall is estimated to be complete, or 18%when considering associated improve- ments outside the direct intervention areas. Donors include the African Development Bank (USD 6.5 billion), the World Bank (USD 5 billion) and the European Commis- sion (USD 2.5 billion). Until 2020, the initia- tive had only received c. USD 1 billion. Source: Global Landscapes Forum (2021)
news.globallandscapesforum.org/49608/ newly-seeded-with-16-billion-africas-great- green-wall-to-see-quicker-growth
Saving the Gola Forest: reimagining forest conservation in West Africa Covering .350,000 ha and straddling the Liberia and Sierra Leone borders, Gola Forest is the largest remaining block of UpperGuinean Forest. Years of deforestation and degradation, driven by logging, agricul- ture, armed conflict and mining, have led to the loss of globally important biodiversity and decreased resilience to climate change. This has affected local communities, who depend on the forest for their livelihoods. In February 2020, the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone signed an amended memorandum of understanding (an earlier version was signed in 2011), reaffirming their cooperation in the management, research, protection and conservation of the Gola Forest. In August 2020, the European Commission-funded Programme to Support the Conservation of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa (PAPFoR) was rolled out: working with local communi- ties, national partner organizations and gov- ernment agencies in both countries, PAPFoR will support effective forest management across the Gola Landscape, in protected areas and community forests. A key aspect of this programme is the establishment of land-use plans to support conservation efforts. Source: BirdLife International (2021)
birdlife.org/africa/news/saving-gola- forest-reimagining-forest-conservation- west-africa
Artificial insemination for captive lions is bad news for conservation It is tempting to believe that technology will save the day when it comes to environmen- tal crises. For example, the recent birth of a lion cub at Singapore zoo following artifi- cial insemination was widely reported as a success for wildlife conservation. But pre- senting technological success against the backdrop of rapidly diminishing lion popu- lations could do more harm than good, as overconfidence in technology’s ability to solve complex environmental problems becomes a psychological barrier for human behaviour change. Technology will not fix the factors responsible for the drop in wild lion numbers. Lions breed easily given a chance, but are threatened by loss of habitat and prey, increased competition for space and food with humans, desertification, dis- ease and hunting. Changing the way people think and behave is fundamental to protect- ing and restoring wild lion populations. Anything else is a diversion of attention and resources. Source: The Conversation (2021) the
conversation.com/artificial-insemination- in-captive-lions-is-bad-news-for- conservation-155664
Oryx, 2021, 55(3), 323–328 © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605321000375
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