Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
Preventing species extinctions Using data to improve conservation policies Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
Species were dying out at an alarming rate throughout the world.
This was the sixth mass extinction.
Entire ecosytems were diminishing both on land and below water.
The loss of habitats had caused fragmentation of rainforests.
It made significant changes to where species could be found. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
No one had seen the Himalayan quail for the past 140 years.
Once hunted for sport, many believed it was extinct.
Its geographic range was tiny in comparison to most other bird species.
Humans hunted this species both to eat and for sport. This is in line with its cousins: the pheasant, grouse, turkey and chicken.
Unable to recover, the Himalayan quail's numbers dwindled. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
Its natural habitat, the breathtaking Himalayan mountains of India, limited species distribution.
It also made it extremely challenging to track.
We thought the quail, along with similar birds not seen for long periods, was extinct.
We developed new tools for tracking and modelling distribution of rare species. They made better use of available data. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
Researchers and conservationists developed the tools to narrow down the search.
The major challenges for species' survival was habitat destruction due to:
human settlements food production climate change
Conservationists needed more sophisticated tools to integrate policy and action plans. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
They would help to ensure viability of species and their environment.
This enabled them to look out for critically endangered species in the wild.
It's not that there weren't tools available for analysing data on species. Many were too difficult for non-specialists to use.
There was not enough data available to make the best use of them. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
This was frustrating for people who worked in conservation, planning or policy.
Time for saving species - many of them potentially key to the future of the planet - was running out.
By working closely with scientists and citizens, conservation planners created tools.
They made best use of their data, whether large or small. They got a better outlook for how biodiversity was changing in their region. Preventing species extinctions - Using data to improve conservation policies
Understanding limitations of data helped them focus on the areas where species lived. It provided a way forward for conservation planning.