488 Briefly ASIA & OCEANIA
Critically Endangered silvery pigeon faces additional threat in Indonesia A new study has discovered at least 10 Critically Endangered silvery pigeons Columba argentina for sale on social media in Indonesia between October and December 2021. The species is endemic to Indonesia and Malaysia, and this figure is alarming considering the current popula- tion estimate, according to the IUCN Red List, of , 50 birds. This finding confirms trade is a threat and suggests that actual population numbers may be larger than previously thought. The authors encourage further field research and the creation of a species conservation action plan to catalyse efforts to tackle the illegal trade. They also suggest that regulation of international trade is imperative, especially as inter- national interest from collectors of rare species may cause a spike in prices and de- mand. The article makes specific recom- mendations for a listing of the silvery pi- geon in CITES, and of the sympatric and superficially similar pied imperial pigeon Ducula bicolor to prevent false declaration in the trade. Source: Nature Conservation (2022)
doi.org/ 10.3897/natureconservation.46.80064
Rare Sumatran rhinoceros born in captive-breeding centre Indonesia has reported the birth of a Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus suma- trensis calf in a captive-breeding programme aimed at saving the Critically Endangered species from extinction. The female was born on 24 March 2022 at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in Way Kambas National Park inSumatra’s Lampung province, accord- ing to a statement from Indonesia’senviron- ment ministry. The calf is the offspring of Andatu, a male born at the sanctuary in 2012,and Rosa,a female captured from the wild in 2005. The ministry has yet to an- nounce the name of the newborn. It is the third Sumatran rhinoceros born at the Way Kambas Sanctuary, and the sixth born since intensive efforts to breed the species began in the 1980s. Indonesia is the last refuge for the Sumatranrhinoceros.Eightcaptiveindividuals, including the newborn, live in Way Kambas National Park, and a lone female is kept at the Kelian Sanctuary in Indonesian Borneo. The wild population is estimated to be no more than 80 individuals living in small, fragmented habitats in Sumatra and Borneo. Source: Mongabay (2022)
news.mongabay. com/2022/03/its-a-girl-super-rare-sumatran- rhino-born-in-captive-breeding-center
Great Barrier Reef: Australia confirms new mass bleaching event Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is being deva- stated by another mass bleaching event. It is the fourth time in 6 years that such severe and widespread damage, caused by warm sea temperatures, has been detected. Only two mass bleaching events had ever been recorded until 2016, the first in 1998. Scien- tists say urgent action on climate change is needed if the world’s largest reef system is to survive. There are particular concerns that this bleaching event has occurred in the same year as a La Niña weather phenom- enon. Typically, in Australia, a La Niña brings cooler temperatures. Scientists are now fearful of the damage that could be caused by the next El Niño. The declaration was made by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, which has been conducting aerial surveys. In 2021 Australia controver- sially lobbied to exclude the reef from a UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites that are in danger. It has recently pledged money towards reef-protection measures, but critics said these did not address the dominant threat of climate change. Source: BBC (2022)
bbc.co.uk/news/world- australia-60870239
Australian scientists discover some sharks do need their sleep Scientific evidence of sharks sleeping has been documented in Australia for the first time. A team of scientists has observed sleep in draughtsboard sharks Cephaloscyllium isabel- lum, a bottom-dwelling species endemic to Australia, by analysing the animals’ metabol- ism and posture. There was previously anec- dotal evidence of sleep in sharks,mostly from observations by scuba divers. The team mon- itored seven draughtsboard sharks over a 24-hour period, and found that the sharks’ metabolism, as measured through oxygen consumption, dropped during periods of in- activity longer than 5 minutes, compared to when they were awake but resting, or actively swimming. In addition, the animals also changed their body posture to lying flat while sleeping. Draughtsboard sharks are ambush predators. When awake but inactive, the sharks stick out their pectoral fins and sit with their heads up. The sharks sometimes slept with their eyes shut, but the researchers noted this happened more often during the day. They surmise the shut eyewas associated with lightlevelsratherthan sleep. Sources: Biology Letter (2022)
doi.org/10.1098/ rsbl.2021.0259 & The Guardian (2022)
heguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/10/ sleeping-with-fishes-australian-scientists- discover-some-sharks-do-need-their- shut-eye
Sri Lanka growing as smuggling hub for star tortoises.. . The Indian star tortoise Geochelone elegans is the most smuggled tortoise, with thou- sands trafficked annually from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan despite a total ban on the international trade in the species. India is the main country of origin for wild- caught star tortoises, and Sri Lanka has be- come both a prominent source and transit hub for trafficking networks that move the animals to East and South-east Asia. Experts have called for better collaboration between law enforcement authorities in the source countries tocurbthe smuggling. Herpetolo- gists also warned against releasing seized star tortoises fromIndia in SriLanka, as this threat- ens to wipe out theuniquecharacteristics of Sri Lankan population. Source: Mongabay (2022)
india.mongabay. com/2022/03/sri-lanka-growing-as- smuggling-hub-for-star-tortoise-mainly- collected-india
.. . and Critically Endangered turtles confiscated in Hanoi The endemic Vietnamese pond turtle is so rare that it has been considered either extinct or functionally extinct in the wild. However, in January, more than 70 individuals were illegally transported from Da Nang to Hanoi and confiscated by Hanoi’spolice. It is un- clear if these individuals are purebred or of hybrid origin. To resolve the issue for poten- tial future restocking efforts, the Asian Turtle Program, Cologne Zoo, and Central Institute forNatural Resourcesand Environmental Studies of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, are working to assess the origin of the confiscated turtles using a molecular approach. The three organizations are also collaborating to locate potential areas for future release. Funding is provided through the Cologne Zoo’s Species Conservation Euro Programme. It is hoped that the efforts will help to recover the wild population of this Critically Endangered species. Sources: VN Express (2022)
e.vnexpress. net/news/news/hanoi-police-find-100- critically-endangered-turtles-hidden-in-
car-4414321.html & Vietnam National University (2022)
All internet addresses were up to date at the time of writing. The Briefly section in this issue was written and compiled by Emma Muench, Julia Hochbach and Martin Fisher, with additional contributions from Minh Le, Annkathrin Sharp and Chris Shepherd. Contributions from authoritative published sources (including websites) are always welcome. Please send contributions by e-mail to
oryx@fauna-flora.org.
Oryx, 2022, 56(4), 483–488 © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Fauna & Flora International doi:10.1017/S0030605322000606
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