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WIN! A PÁRAMO JACKET WORTH £300 See page 30 THE MAGAZINE FOR WWF MEMBERS AUTUMN 2016

OF RETURN THE How you can help secure a brighter future for

LIVING WITH GO GREEN AT CHRISTMAS NATURE’S BOUNTY How one village in is This festive season, try our We all enjoy clean air, fresh helping change the face of snow 10 top tips and be even greener water and rich soil – but do conservation and more sustainable than ever we value nature enough? CONTENTS TOGETHER, WE DID IT! 4 gifts – so we need to make sure A round-up of all you’ve helped it’s valued and looked after, not us achieve in recent months damaged. By Barney Jeffries BIG PICTURE 6 10 THINGS TO DO 26 “HERE I AM AT LAST, Photographer Adam Hanlon has Enjoy a greener and more a close encounter with two seals sustainable Christmas with our INCHES AWAY FROM A top 10 festive tips WWF IN ACTION 8 LIVING, BREATHING Conservation news, including OVER TO YOU 28 ’s under threat You share your tiger tales and we . I CAN celebrate all the great ways you’ve RETURN OF THE TIGER 12 supported our vital work HARDLY BELIEVE IT” With so many threats, raising BECCI MAY, WWF-UK’S SPECIALIST cubs is a battle for tiger mothers. GIVEAWAYS 30 ON ASIAN BIG CATS Find out how you’re helping to Win a Páramo outdoor coat, protect them. By Mike Unwin worth £300, and other goodies CHASING GHOSTS 20 CROSSWORD 31 WWF’s Becci May joins an Solve our crossword and win a expedition to collar the enigmatic subscription to Family Traveller and mysterious snow leopard NOTES FROM THE FIELD 31 WHAT NATURE DOES FOR US 24 WWF’s Nicola Loweth stumbles Nature gives us many priceless upon panda passion in

MEET THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Rod Downie Nicola Loweth Becci May Rod leads Nicola is our Becci is our WWF’s polar regional officer programme programme for and manager for in the UK. He says: “It China. She says: “I never Asian big cats. She says: was a privilege to work expected to see pandas in “It’s incredible to see a alongside one of the the wild, let alone observe snow leopard in the wild world’s leading polar their behaviour at and to meet communities scientists on a research first hand. It was a once-in- helping to protect these expedition in the Arctic.” a-lifetime experience.” incredible cats.”

GET IN TOUCH MEET THE ACTION TEAM Acting editor Liz Palmer [email protected] [email protected] Loyalty marketing manager Ruth Simms Senior editor Guy Jowett INSIDE THIS ISSUE... 01483 426333 For Immediate Media Co. WWF-UK Living Planet Centre, Consultant editor Sophie Stafford Rufford House, Brewery Road, Art director Will Slater PROTECTING RARE BIG CATS Art editor Nicole Mooney Woking, Surrey GU21 4LL Account director Duncan Reid Powerful, fierce and the top predators in their wild , FOLLOW US Editorial director Dan Linstead big cats are among the world’s most recognisable and loved wwf.org.uk/facebook THANKS TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS . Yet many have declined in number and all are Rod Downie, Barney Jeffries, Aleric wwf.org.uk/twitter incredibly vulnerable to threats caused by humans, such as Linden, Nicola Loweth, Becci May, wwf.org.uk/googleplus and loss of prey and . Mike Unwin, Will Young, Muti - Folio art wwf.org.uk/pinterest The elusive snow leopard survives in small numbers in COVER: GETTY; CHILDREN: BICKY GAUCHAN / WWF- NEPAL mountainous regions across central . But in just 16 years, wwf.org.uk/news it’s suspected that numbers declined by at least 20%. Turn to wwf.org.uk/youtube page 20 to find out how, with your support and the help of local wwf.org.uk/instagram communities, we’re working to protect these elegant cats. Produced in association with Immediate Media Co. www.immediatecontent.co.uk Though tiger numbers have increased for the first time in Known locally as the ‘ghost HEEVER DEN VAN © WIM WIN! of the mountains’, the snow A PÁRAMO JACKET conservation history, there’s still much to do. On page 12, you WORTH £300 See page 30 leopard is one of the least THE MAGAZINE FOR WWF MEMBERS AUTUMN 2016 can learn about the challenges every young tiger faces, and how understood, and least seen, of JOIN OUR READER PANEL Thank you to everyone who’s already signed up to become an you’re helping them to have a brighter future. Find out how you the big cats. Together with our partners, we’re collaring snow ’Action adviser’ – welcome to the team! We can’t wait to hear your can help double wild tiger numbers: wwf.org.uk/tigersx2 leopards in Nepal to learn more thoughts about Action. There’s still time to join our advisers and OF give us feedback on this issue. It’ll only take you five minutes. about their mysterious ways RETURN THE TIGER How you can help secure a brighter future for tigers Find out more and register at wwf.org.uk/actionadvisers GO GREEN AT CHRISTMAS NATURE’S BOUNTY LIVING WITH LEOPARDS We all enjoy clean air, fresh This festive season, try our How one village in Nepal is water and rich soil – but do 10 top tips and be even greener helping change the face of snow we value nature enough? and more sustainable than ever leopard conservation © LAND OF THE LEOPARD NATIONAL PARK NATIONAL LEOPARD THE OF LAND © THANK YOU “This year could be the turning point for tigers and our best chance to protect these amazing animals. This is LO RES TOGETHER, WE DID IT! a challenge worth taking on. We must Thanks to your membership, we continue do all we can to help double wild tiger numbers” Andy Murray, WWF global ambassador to protect and wild places. Here are some of the great things 3 6 With a bumper crop of cubs, our camera supporters like you traps suggest the leopard could be have helped achieve making a remarkable comeback

5 6 RUSSIA 1 KENYA DID YOU YOU’RE HELPING SUPPORT A NEW YOU HELPED KEEP RHINOS KNOW? GENERATION OF AMUR LEOPARDS Only about 70 Amur AND ELEPHANTS SAFE 1 leopards remain 2 Thanks to you, a record number of Amur in the wild With your support, we’ve fitted electronic 4 leopard cubs – 16 in total – were captured transmitters to 25 rhinos and eight elephants living on camera traps in 2015 and early 2016. The in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve to help protect youngsters were snapped in Russia’s south-western them better. Rhinos and elephants can travel long Primorye province, the last stronghold of this rare leopard distances and often wander outside the reserve, or across . With your support, we’ve been working with our the border into Tanzania, in search of food and water. partners to set camera traps over an area of 3,000 sq km, By fitting the rhinos with secure radio transmitters as the use of this technology significantly improves our

inside their horns, and the matriarch elephants with © ISTOCK ability to accurately assess population numbers. The 16 cubs GPS collars, teams will be able to track their movements The number of new photographed were produced by eight female leopards. We’re within and outside the Mara reserve more easily and in Thanks to you, Scotland’s primate species delighted to report that all families appear to be thriving, as © ISTOCK real time. This will allow security operations to respond incredible marine life is discovered in indicated by their playful behaviour on camera. The bumper better protected SQ KM ISTOCK © PANDA swiftly to any incidents. The information we gather will 28,300 one of the new crop of cubs is a great reward for all of our efforts in the area. help improve how land is managed here. It will also help The total extent of five new protected areas We hope that they will all survive to adulthood, to play their warn local communities when elephant herds are protected areas in the southern in the past role in boosting the ’s fragile wild population. approaching, so they can defend their crops. Amazon (nearly the size of Belgium) 3 10 years 4 5 2 3 SCOTLAND BRAZIL CHINA NEW PROTECTED AREAS IN BRAZIL YOU HELPED IMPROVE PANDA RESERVES YOU HELPED INCREASE HOPE FOR JAVAN RHINOS YOU HELPED The Brazilian government has created five new protected areas With your support, we’ve helped two

RHINO © 2015 STEPHEN BELCHER PHOTOGRAPHY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED We’re celebrating the news that seven rhino calves were born in SECURE A in Amazonas state, with a combined total area of 28,300 sq km. nature reserves to be upgraded from provincial Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park in 2015. This is the largest number COMMITMENT FOR CLIMATE ACTION These areas were under pressure and the importance of to national status. Duo’er and Yuhe reserves are of Javan rhino births in a single year in the country since monitoring protecting them was highlighted by the Amazon Regional in China’s province, one of only three began, raising hopes for the world’s rarest rhino after years of population Thanks to your incredible support, we managed to secure some Protected Areas (ARPA) programme. We’ve supported ARPA provinces where wild giant pandas are found. decline. The arrival of the calves brings the critically endangered Javan great wins for the planet in the run-up to the Scottish election. since it was launched in 2002. All the newly designated The last survey published in 2015 revealed rhino population to 63. It’s a great boost for our efforts to safeguard These included bringing together all Scottish party leaders to protected areas are in the southern part of Amazonas state – Gansu is home to 132 giant pandas. That’s an the future of this species. With your help, we’re working to improve the sign a Climate Leaders’ Agreement, reiterating their support an area where, with your support, we’re working hard to impressive 12.8% increase since the previous rhinos’ habitat by controlling the invasive arenga palm. Removing this for delivering our world-leading Act. You, our stop deforestation. survey in 2004. The status upgrade will ensure plant will boost the amount of food available to the rhinos and enable wonderful supporters, sent almost 2,000 emails to party leaders, The creation of these ISTOCK © that the reserves receive more resources to the population to grow. We’re also which helped us ensure that parties’ manifestos included vital protected areas will improve the habitat for pandas and other supporting the government’s plans commitments on energy efficiency and marine protection. help preserve the wildlife. We’ve also been helping to introduce a to create a second population in We couldn’t have done it without you – and we look forward to biological diversity of more unified monitoring system in Duo’er and another secure habitat. making sure the new parliament now delivers on its commitments. the region and boost three other nature reserves, providing training local livelihoods in data collection and camera traps. WATCH THE CALVES FIND OUT MORE about our ambitions for Scotland: through sustainable wwf.org.uk/ujungkulon wwf.org.uk/scotlandmanifesto management. GET CLOSER to pandas on page 31

4 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 5 BIG PICTURE HEALTHY OCEANS

SEALED WITH A KISS

In the UK, we’re never further than 70 miles from the sea and all its incredible life… Oceans cover more than 70% of the surface of our beautiful blue planet. They’re home to more than two million species and more species live here than on land. The Earth’s largest life-support system, they provide us all with oxygen to breathe, food to eat and employment for millions of people. So what better way to celebrate the sea than by sharing incredible photographs of life beneath the waves? Each year, WWF sponsors the ‘Coast and Marine’ category in the British Wildlife Photography Awards. This category is a fabulous showcase of the rarely-seen animals that live in the rich waters off the UK coast. One of our favourite photos this year was this pair of embracing grey seals. “As soon as I slipped into the water off the Farne Islands, Northumberland, I attracted the attention of a female ,” explains photographer Adam Hanlon. “She approached and began biting at me and grabbing me with her flippers. Fortunately, she was distracted by the arrival of a large and very relaxed male.” Once the pair had become used to the presence of the diver, they began mating. “It was remarkably tender and gentle,” says Adam. “They looked like they were holding each other in their © ADAM HANLON / BWPA 2016 flippers, and even cuddling.” This beautiful image illustrates why it’s vital to show the love for our incredible oceans. Find out more about what nature does for us on page 24

See more images at bwpawards.co.uk

6 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 7 WWF IN ACTION WWF IN ACTION © MICHAEL POLIZA / WWF POLIZA © MICHAEL © WWF-UK | POLAR BEAR © ISTOCK BEAR | POLAR © WWF-UK

Our recent challenges and triumphs for wildlife and the environment

© GARYROBERTSPHOTOGRAPHY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO 1982The year Selous Game Reserve became a World Heritage site

Rod on the sea ice, with the helicopter used for darting the polar from the air. The dart samples a 5mm piece of , skin and fat, and then falls out. Scientists collect it and send it 110,000 to the lab for analysis The number of RESEARCH elephants living in the reserve in the HOW TECHNOLOGY IS HELPING POLAR BEARS mid-1970s POLAR BEARS are at a crossroads. was invited by the Government of Nunavut in In addition to climate change, a the central Canadian Arctic to join scientists major threat to their survival is lack conducting an innovative population survey, of knowledge. With your help, we’re using genetic mark-recapture techniques. supporting a vital population census While Rod was there, the team counted 11 in the Arctic bears and took a 5mm sample of fur, skin and fat Climate change and the predicted loss of from seven of them. The process takes less than their sea ice habitat mean that polar bears face three minutes and doesn’t harm the bear. But an uncertain future. Some experts predict we the skin samples provide 90%In fewer than 40 could see numbers fall by one-third by 2050. a unique genetic But, surprisingly, we don’t have enough basic ‘fingerprint’ for years, the elephant data about this iconic species to accurately assess each bear, so it population here has what’s happening to it on a global scale. can be identified if declined by nearly For example, we don’t know with certainty it’s surveyed again. The fat how many polar bears roam the Arctic. The samples are sent off for analysis to Upon its inscription as a World 90% to only around Heritage site in 1982, Selous had one of best estimate is 22,000–31,000 individuals. paint a picture of each bear’s health the greatest concentrations of African 15,000 individuals But the bears’ environment is so vast and and what it’s been eating over winter. elephants, black rhinos, hippos, giraffes and in the world hostile to scientists that undertaking accurate To protect polar bears, we need to population counts is challenging. Of the 19 fully understand them. Less invasive CAMPAIGN polar bear subpopulations, we know that six techniques such as biopsy darting and are assessed to be stable, one is increasing and genetic analysis give us valuable insights three are in decline – we don’t have population that will help us protect polar bear US$6M numbers for the rest. populations in a climate- SAVING SELOUS’ WILD ELEPHANTS FROM POACHERS The amount Selous In May, WWF’s polar expert Rod Downie altered future. THE RESIDENT elephant under siege from poaching at risk in Selous. Criminal must commit to achieving zero generates each year population of one of Africa's syndicates that are killing gangs also threaten the safety of poaching of elephants in Selous oldest reserves is at risk of wildlife on an industrial scale. rangers and the security of local by 2018, and stop industrial from travel and disappearing unless action Now only a few isolated rhinos communities. Without elephants activities that threaten the World wildlife tourism NEWS IN NUMBERS is taken to stem industrial- remain in the park, and elephant and other rare wildlife, Selous Heritage status of the site.” scale poaching herds have declined by 90%. could struggle to maintain its Together, we can stand up for The 8th World Selous Game Reserve, a World As few as 15,000 individuals thriving tourism industry. This our shared heritage and ensure Ranger Congress Heritage site in Tanzania, is survive today. provides stable jobs for local that Selous, a natural treasure, brought together one of the largest wild areas in At the height of the poaching people and a vital source of is protected from harm. 1.2 million 321 rangers from Africa. It has more endangered crisis, Selous’ elephants were revenue to the area, generating African wild than any other being gunned down at an average US$6 million annually. HOW YOU CAN HELP Selous supports over 62 countries in park, and was once home to large rate of six per day. We must stop “The poaching crisis is not ■ Help us protect Selous 1.2 million people May. Run by the numbers of black rhinos and one the poachers and protect the only devastating elephant by sending the Tanzanian who could benefit 105In April, the world’s largest ever ivory destruction took 321International Ranger Federation, the event shared of the greatest concentrations of remaining animals in Selous, so populations – it risks destroying president a message: from sustainable place. Kenya burned 105 tonnes of ivory, and 1.5 tonnes of challenges and opportunities, and built solidarity. elephants in Africa – more than the population can return to a this World Heritage site,” says wwf.org.uk/selous 110,000 individuals. stable and sustainable size. Chris Gee, our lead campaigner. ■ Join our ongoing campaign: development of the rhino horn, in Nairobi National Park. It sent a strong message Thanks in part to you, WWF sponsored 20 rangers Recently, Selous has come It’s not only the wildlife that’s “The Tanzanian government wwf.org.uk/saveourheritage reserve that Kenya won’t tolerate the illegal trade in wildlife. from Asia, Africa and America to attend. 8 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 9 WWF IN ACTION © ADRIANO GAMBARINI / WWF / WWF GAMBARINI © ADRIANO IMAGES © GETTY / WWF-UK STONEHOUSE © RICHARD / WWF-UK IMAGES / GETTY GAVAN © IAN

It's amazing that we're still NEWS IN BRIEF finding new species in the Amazon! Like these fire-tailed titi monkeys, which are hard to spot until you hear their loud calls

ACTION INTERVIEW WILL YOUNG We’re delighted that singer GAME, SET AND MATCH! In June, Andy Murray – Will Young – WWF ambassador our ambassador and 2016 and star of Strictly Come Wimbledon champion – Dancing – is supporting our talked tigers with actor Kevin from Woolenwick Infant Spacey on Centre Court. Their efforts to double tigers in the and Nursery School show off CONSERVATION African masks made of recycled mission: to inspire the world to wild by 2022. We asked him a materials during our Green get behind an ambitious plan 381 NEW SPECIES FOUND IN THE AMAZON few questions… Ambassadors Summit 2016 to double the number of tigers YOUTH in the wild by 2022. Watch Our new report documents That equates to a new species WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO the video to see their global an incredible 381 new every 1.9 days – and the rate challenge to protect tigers. species in the Amazon of discovery is going up! SUPPORT WWF? CELEBRATING THE UK’S GREENEST SCHOOLS The Amazon is the most The new species include the I grew up in the countryside so I’ve always WE APPLAUDED a new spend on green projects for its Award and an iPad mini went to WATCH THE VIDEO biodiverse area on the planet, Araguaian river dolphin, the been interested in animals and excited generation of sustainability commitment to helping pupils Thomas from Lawley Primary in wwf.org.uk/wimbledon yet surprisingly only a fraction fire-tailed titi and a by nature. I was delighted when, in 2015, champions in July’s Green explore their connections with Shropshire for encouraging his of the species it supports are bright orange-striped lizard. 2,200 I was approached by WWF to work on a Ambassador Awards our beautiful planet, grow their school to be more energy smart. LIVING PLANET REPORT 2016 The number of known to science. To fill the So many new species are still video campaign around the song ‘What Each year, the awards shine own fruit and veg, and look after The awards were presented at Keep an eye on our website for gaps in our knowledge, our being discovered in the Amazon. new Amazon species The World Needs Now’. a light on schools that have a nature garden and pond. our annual Green Ambassadors our new Living Planet Report, Living Amazon Initiative has But at the same time, we’re losing discovered since 1999 outstanding eco-initiatives The runner-up prize of Summit. We invited six new which looks at the state of the produced a new report with them to . This WHY IS PROTECTING at their heart. This year we £2,500 went to Ysgol Esgob Green Ambassador champion planet and global biodiversity. the Mamiraua Institute for is happening so fast that many WILDLIFE SO IMPORTANT? received entries from more Morgan in Wales for its schools from across the UK to It explores human impacts Sustainable Development. species may become extinct Animals are amazing. Like us, they nurture than 70 schools, 132 sustainable school garden, share their experiences, learn on the environment and the The report compiles 381 new before science even has a chance and protect their young, build strong bonds nominations and 202 teacher which provides the community new skills and be inspired in a causes of the devastating vertebrate and plant species to discover and study them. and work together. They are fascinating, nominations. And the standard with fresh eggs, fruit and veg. series of workshops. decline in vertebrate species. described in the Amazon But with your support, DAYS inspiring – and can be incredibly moving. of entries was better than ever. Eleanor Walker of Victoria WWF’s Cherry Duggan said: The report goes on to reveal between 2014 and 2015. These we’ll continue to work to halt 1.9 Middleton-on-the-Wolds Park Primary School in Bristol “We were amazed by the high how we can work together to A new species was Just think what a world without animals include 216 plants, 93 , deforestation, create and manage would be like! We all share this living School in Yorkshire triumphed won the Teacher Award and a standard of entries this year create a resilient planet for 32 amphibians, 19 reptiles, protected areas, and support recorded every 1.9 days planet and, for me, that gives us a duty to by winning our School Award luxury Highgrove hamper for and inspired by the pupils’ people and nature. Coming 1 and 20 . science and discovery. between 2014 and 2015 protect our fellow animals. against stiff . The inspiring her team of Green commitment to taking action soon to wwf.org.uk/lpr school was awarded £5,000 to Ambassadors. And the Pupil for .”

© WHITLEY FUND FOR NATURE FOR FUND © WHITLEY WHAT CAN MEMBERS DO

TO HELP TIGERS? / NTNC PARK NATIONAL © BARDIA TANZANIAN CONSERVATIONIST WINS AWARD Awareness is key – we can all do our bit by PICTURE STORY A healthy calf was IN APRIL, a Tanzanian conservationist was conservation prize. spreading the word among our friends and born to a recently translocated one- rewarded for his work on a pioneering MCDI is the first organisation in Africa to families. Why not ask if you can give your NEPAL WELCOMES A NEW RHINO horned rhino in project to protect Tanzania’s precious coastal achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) child’s school a presentation on tigers? We IN MAY, a very special rhino calf was born in Nepal’s Bardia Nepal’s Bardia National Park forest. At the Whitley Fund for Nature’s status for a community-managed natural can also help by raising funds to support National Park. The arrival of the healthy male is an encouraging annual awards ceremony in London, HRH forest. It’s empowered 35 communities to WWF and ensure the world’s tigers are sign that recently relocated greater one-horned rhinos are The Princess Royal presented Makala protect more than 3,000 sq km of wildlife- protected. When I was young, I organised thriving in their new environment. Thanks to your support Jasper, director of the Mpingo Conservation rich east African coastal forest and manage it a school disco for tigers. Everyone paid £5 for our Asian rhino work, earlier this year we helped to move Development Initiative (MCDI), sustainably. This has increased the price per and we raised over £1,000. five greater one-horned rhinos – including a pregnant female – with a Whitley Award – a log for African blackwood – also known as from to Bardia. The aim was to establish prestigious international mpingo – 100-fold since 2006, providing vital HAVE YOU SEEN A WILD TIGER? a second viable population in the western part of the income to local communities. Sadly not. But I did come face-to-face Arc Landscape, a vital wildlife habitat that crosses India and Makala Jasper accepts his By linking forest fragments around the with the virtual kind for WWF’s tiger Nepal. Over the next few years, 25 more rhinos will be moved Whitley Award from Selous World Heritage site, the project experience (see page 29). from Chitwan to Bardia and Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. WWF-UK's Glyn Davies at a heartwarming allows wildlife such as elephants and With rhino numbers at an all-time high of 645 in Nepal, the ceremony in London to migrate more easily between habitats. We’re all wishing Will the best of luck translocations will be a major boost to restoring rhino numbers in Strictly Come Dancing this autumn. to 800 individuals, as they stood in the early 1950s. 10 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 11 CONSERVATION IN ACTION TIGERS

TURNINGThough wild tiger numbers have increased, these magnificent big cats are still in danger. Read how you’re helping – and why we must act POINT now to protect them

Wild tiger numbers have increased © GETTY for the first time in conservation history. But cubs like this one still face many challenges

12 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 13 © SHREE SHREE JUNG BATTALION / NEPAL ARMY ARMY NEPAL / BATTALION JUNG SHREE SHREE © CONSERVATION IN ACTION TIGERS Small and helpless, the cub’s eyes open at between six and 14 days “THE WORLD’S WILD TIGER POPULATION Tigers can Ready to eat live up to a solid food and maximum HAS RISEN TO ABOUT 3,900 – A SIGN starting to of 26 years learn in the wild THAT, THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, OUR NEWBORN behaviour Murray and Sears the sniffer dogs have two VIGOROUS EFFORTS TO PROTECT new recruits in the fight against poaching: THEM ARE BEARING FRUIT” two labradors named Fancy and Fellow OLD AGE 2 MONTHS CANINE CREW TO CLAMP Two to four A TIGER’S Weaned, DOWN ON POACHERS cubs are but still reliant on Sniffer dogs that you’ve been supporting in born, each CUBS BORN 6 MONTHS Nepal have been busy protecting tigers and weighing LIFE mother to about 1kg kill prey other species in Chitwan National Park – and now they have some new allies in the fight CYCLE against wildlife . Nepal has long been a source and transit country for illegal wildlife products that are in demand across Asia, including tiger skins Females are PREGNANCY 12-24 MONTHS Develop permanent and . So we’re tackling these threats by typically pregnant MATURITY canine teeth, hunt for 3.5 months for themselves and supporting a sniffer programme. become independent In your summer 2015 issue of Action, you met Murray and Sears, the Belgian shepherd During the first, critical few weeks dogs named after tennis ace and WWF after giving birth, a wild tigress and ambassador Andy Murray and his wife, Kim. her cubs find shelter inside a cave. The Along with their handlers, the dogs are cubs are blind and helpless, barely Females become sexually mature at even able to crawl. Their full vision trained to help rangers detect and deter the 3-4 years, males at 4-5 years. Wild does not develop for several weeks poaching of tigers and other wildlife. tigers live 15 years, on average For the past six months, they’ve been stationed in Chitwan, where they patrol the id-morning in Chitwan National that draws a A chance encounter could spell disaster. forest surrounding the park. abundant prey and plentiful den sites to some this magnificent cat are, at last, bearing Park, western Nepal, and a nasal softly growled So what prompted this perilous journey? It Now they’ve been joined by two young 120 tigers. There are around 200 wild tigers fruit. Marco Lambertini, director general MAIN IMAGE: © SUZI ESZTERHAS | TIGER: © MARTIN HARVEY / WWF / WWF HARVEY © MARTIN | TIGER: ESZTERHAS © SUZI IMAGE: MAIN shriek cuts through the murmur rebuke from their mother. was fear of just such an encounter. Returning labradors, Fancy and Fellow. The new in Nepal today, just over a 60% population of WWF-International, said: “This shows Mof insects. It’s the unmistakable A heartwarming family scene perhaps, but at dawn after a night’s hunting, the tigress arrivals have been trained with their increase since the previous survey in 2009. we can save species when governments, alarm call of a . Another follows, this tigress is in no mood to relax. Checking immediately detected the telltale scent of an handlers, and are ready for the front line. This encouraging upturn is not confined to local communities and conservationists then another. Grey langur monkeys join the that all her cubs are present and correct, unknown male tiger sprayed on a tree trunk The four dogs make a great team. In the case Nepal. Recent censuses have revealed rising work together.” chorus, chattering excitedly as their anxious she leads them out across the clearing. just 500m from her den. Acting decisively, of an incident, Murray and Sears are trained wild tiger numbers in Russia, and Inspiring words. But we know that this eyes follow the deer’s gaze to the forest edge. She knows that, at just seven weeks old, she led her cubs out from their home among to track poachers who’ve fled the crime India, which is home to over half the world’s welcome upturn is only a drop in the ocean. Something has disturbed the equilibrium of they’re too small to be out and about so far the boulders – the den in which they were scene, while Fancy and Fellow will sniff out wild tigers and now has around 2,220 of the To put the latest figures into perspective, the forest; the air is charged with fear. from the relative safety of their den. born – in search of a new hideaway. In a wildlife parts, such as rhino horn. cats, compared to around 1,700 in 2010. there are still fewer wild tigers alive in Asia On cue, a tigress emerges from the long Dangers lurk among the trees: a leopard month or so, if they survive this journey, Our anti-poaching efforts are already In April, it was announced that the today than there are captive tigers in the US. grass. She raises her nose to sniff the air – or python could put a quick end to a cub the cubs will start exploring for themselves. paying off. In May, Nepal marked its fourth world’s wild tiger population had risen to Over the past 100 years, the world’s tiger not even glancing at the angry monkeys in separated from its mother. And what if they Until then, their mother’s taking no chances. year of zero poaching of rhinos since 2011 an estimated 3,900 individuals from an population has declined by over 95%, with the branches overhead. Looking over her meet another tiger? A wandering male may – and new figures show a 21% increase in all-time low of as few as 3,200 in 2010. three subspecies already extinct in the wild shoulder, she gives a low, chuffing call – like kill any strange cubs it comes across, hoping TIGER rhino numbers across Nepal’s Terai Arc over This is the first increase in the history of tiger – the Javan, and . With no the snort of a . Her cubs appear. First to bring the female back into oestrous and so Chitwan is tiger heaven. Proclaimed in the past four years. We know Murray and his conservation and a sure sign that, thanks to official sightings since the early 1970s, one, then two more, tumbling in a play fight mate with her to sire a litter of his own. 1973, its fertile floodplains and offer team will help Nepal keep up the good work. your support, our vigorous efforts to protect the is probably also extinct.

A BRIEF 1961 1968 1973 1975 1993 1994 2003 WWF founded on The tiger is declared Chitwan National Park Convention on International WWF-Nepal International Symposium WWF and TRAFFIC HISTORY 29 April 1961, when a small an endangered (then Royal Chitwan) Trade in office is on Tigers, held in New Delhi, launch the Global OF TIGER group of passionate and species is established as Nepal’s of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) established India, establishes Global Illegal Wildlife Trade committed individuals signs first national park, legally first lists tigers in Appendix I, Tiger Forum to embark on a Campaign CONSERVATION a declaration now known as protecting tigers and banning commercial worldwide campaign to (1961–2016) the Morges Manifesto their habitat international tiger trade save wild tigers

14 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 15 CONSERVATION IN ACTION TIGERS 2226 there are villages, where may offer Tigers are stalk-and-ambush predators, hunting mainly irresistibly easy pickings. And dead cows deer and wild 433 mean trouble: furious villagers, intent 371 on retribution, might lace a carcass with poison. Before long the tiger cubs would find 250 themselves motherless. 198 189 If the cubs make it to adulthood, then 103 106 they too must establish territories of their NO own. But the space they need is in short RECENT supply. All over Asia, tiger habitats continue DATA >7 0 2 <5 to disappear and deteriorate. In Russia’s Far East, for instance, more than four times INDIA NEPAL CHINA the legal amount of Mongolian oak was BHUTAN RUSSIA LAO PDR VIETNAM MALAYSIAINDONESIACAMBODIA exported to China between 2004 and 2011, depleting the remaining habitat of the rare Amur tiger. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, palm oil plantations replace precious habitat for It was in 2010, when tiger numbers had Sumatran tigers. In some areas, such as the plummeted to as few as 3,200, that we , which spans Bangladesh and helped bring together the governments of India, there are even human casualties – all 13 tiger range countries in an ambitious villagers killed by tigers as they venture into attempt to save the species from extinction. the same shrinking mangrove forests. At the summit in Russia, they committed to Roads that fragment tiger habitat are also the most visionary species conservation goal problematic, penning tigers in, potentially ever set: to double the number of wild tigers GLOBAL forcing them into conflict with one another by the year 2022, an initiative known as Tx2. and preventing a healthy mix of in the population. They are often conduits for AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE additional problems, including illegal loggers, To appreciate the full challenge of Tx2, poachers and invasive non-native plants. consider the obstacles our Chitwan tigress faces in raising her three cubs. For now, they THE DANGER WITHIN may be safe in her care. But their future is TIGER Even inside reserves, tigers are not always fraught with danger and uncertainty. Until safe. One of the single biggest causes of their they can hunt for themselves, their mother decline has been poaching – the cats are must not only provide them with enough illegally killed to supply the lucrative trade food to survive and grow, but must also in skins, bones, teeth and other body parts increase her own nutritional intake in STATUS prized especially by Asian markets. The parts to produce the milk they need. of at least 1,590 tigers were seized across the Hunting is never easy. Even in national 13 tiger range countries between January parks such as Chitwan, where deer and wild 2000 and April 2014 – that’s an average boar are plentiful, a tiger may roam up to of two tigers per week. Some 90% of these 12 miles a night in search of prey. Sometimes seizures occurred within 50km of protected its wanderings lead it out of the park. areas. And while stringent laws exist, these Unfortunately, the vast tracts of unspoilt have often proved hard to enforce: only 43% wilderness that tigers once roamed are of all tiger seizures in Asia during the 2000s now diminished. The forests these big cats = 50 TIGERS resulted in arrest or prosecution.

3,890 © GETTY TIGER depend on have been reduced to islands But things may be changing. The recent in a sea of agriculture and development as This figure is estimated using IUCN data and upturn in tiger numbers suggests that WWF the burgeoning human population requires recent national tiger surveys where available and partners are making an impact in areas ever more land. Outside Chitwan’s borders where the cause had seemed lost. Thanks

2003 2009 2010 2010 2010 2010 2011 2014 2016 WWF and TRAFFIC WWF launches the Wild tiger WWF helps organise the First Global Memorandum of First satellite- 365 days of zero Global wild tiger Tigers Alive Initiative, populations Global Tiger Summit, in Russia, TigerSo uDayrce: isE sri, DigitalGUnderstandinglobe, GeoEye, E aisr tsignedhstar Ge ographics, CcollaredNES/Airb tigerus DS is, USDA, USpoachingGS, AEX, Gofe ttigersmappin areg, A erogrid,population IGN, IGP, sw isis sestimatedtopo, and th e GIS User launch the Global Community Illegal Wildlife Trade to address the severe falls to an all- and 13 tiger range countries celebrated between the government of translocated from celebrated in Nepal at around 3,900 – the Campaign and growing threats to time low of as commit to an ambitious and on 29 July Nepal and People’s Republic Chitwan to Bardia first time tiger numbers tigers in the wild few as 3,200 visionary goal: to double of China, addressing illegal national parks in have increased in wild tigers by 2022 wildlife trade Nepal conservation history

16 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 17 19 MAIN IMAGE: © SUZI ESZTERHAS | TIGER: © MARTIN HARVEY / WWF: COMMUNITY GARY VAN WYK / THE GINKGO AGENCY / WHISKAS / WWF-UK | TIGERS Autumn 2016

Action Here, WWF-Nepal’s Pradeep our efforts to protect tigers. camerain the TeraiArc region Camera traps are vital tools in Khanal shows a tiger caught on pays for training andpays training for costs of one sniffer maintains the sniffer dog facility in Chitwan

pays for a solar light to be installed at a guard post inthe pays for one short-rangepays one walkie- for anti-poachingtalkie an for squad

forests of Nepal National Park for one week dog handler for one month in Chitwan Park National our redouble us help Please efforts to protect tigers in the wild at: wwf.org.uk/tigersx2 £15 £30 £100 £220 We’re making progress, but we must forwardsexpand and pushing continue tigers where places more into work our need help. Members like you already protect to work support crucial our habitats, reduce conflict with local wildlife tackle illegal and the people trade. can’t We thank you enough, but if you’d like to give an extra gift to help numbers, how here’s tiger wild double help… could you in India’s HELP WORK TOWARDS US DOUBLING WILDTIGERS

All this is, course, of lost on people and nature. its habitat the for benefitof both our Chitwan tigress as seeks she the cat, helping conserve to we’re out a newout den. And her cubs, as they grow and up strike their on out There are many reasons critical why it’s The tiger is also important the for Tigers’ problems away, have gone not own, will be blissfully unaware that fund provide a unique insight into tiger example,movements. For in 2015, we captured exciting footage an of Amur tiger family miles 20 beyond the Russian border – evidence that wild tigers are China. to returning protectto theiconic and culturally important As tiger. predators, top the cats keep to help their forest habitat healthy by preying other on animals – mainly , such as and deer, wild pigs. Without tigers, there would be too many herbivores, which would overgraze and degrade the habitat. wellbeing people, of who depend these on forests food, for water and many other natural resources. So by helping protect to any offspring theyproduce will be a vital contribution to achieving the ambitious goalTx2 6,000 of wild tigers by 2022. them,For simply staying alive is achievement enough. yourbut support is already helping us make progress in protecting them. There are many challenges ahead and if we act we cantogether now, do even more help to secure a future wild for tigers.

RIGHT: © GARY VAN WYK / THE GINKGO AGENCY / WHISKAS / WWF-UK | LEFT FROM THE TOP: © STEVE WINTER | © GETTY | © GARY VAN WYK / THE GINKGO AGENCY / WHISKAS / WWF-UK region of Nepal 95% of its habitat Poaching for skins within the Terai Arc of the biggest threats Community members and body parts is one Over the last 150years, the tiger has lost nearly undertake anti-poaching patrols in Khata corridor,

LEFT: © SUZI ESZTERHAS | INSET: © WWF-INDONESIA / TIGER SURVEY TEAM

ATTITUDES” RESTORE AND AND RESTORE PROTECT ‘TIGER TOSTRENGTHEN CORRIDORS’, AND CORRIDORS’, “WE’RE WORKING In India, helped you’ve us support Research and education remain vital. PROTECTED AREAS, REDUCE DEMAND BY and finedmore than £5,000 for trading in tiger parts. compensation orrelief schemes for farmers villagers or who suffer losses tigers, to due as a means preventing of In killings. retaliatory Nepal, also we’ve supported anti- community-based around groups poaching tiger reserves, which helps to enhance a sense stewardship of of the wildlife and rally local people poaching. against continue provide to We equipment and training that allow communities and governments monitor to tiger populations more closely. Wild tiger population estimates today are only not higher than before, they’re also more accurate. Camera traps that helped you’ve was given seven-and-a-half years CHANGING CONSUMER

And morerigorous law enforcement is A NEW LIFE Security tigers for all over Asia has, meanwhile, benefited from a crackdown poachingon just – not through capturing poachers, also but through breaking up international smuggling gangs and supply chains. TRAFFIC – an alliance between WWF and the International the for Union Conservation Nature of – is the only global organisation dedicated ensuring to wildlife trade doesn’t threaten nature conservation. we provide informationTogether, and training authorities help to crack down wildlifeon criminals, and reduce to work demand by changing consumer attitudes. sending a sterner out message. In 2014, thefor first time, a poacher in Russia was sentenced almost to two-and-a-half years in prison and fined around£12,000 for killing an Amur while tiger, in China a man Due his to proximity local to villages, was he captured and moved the to vast Anyuisky National Park. Signals from his radio collar have since confirmed thriving.thathe’s you read about Autumn 2016

In extreme cases, struggling tigers have

Action

Uporny, the AmurUporny, tiger that had resorted to killing dogs because a lack of natural of prey. to you,to identified we’ve priority landscapes with the greatest potential tiger for recovery and expansion. Here, working we’re to strengthen protected areas, and restore and protect ‘tiger corridors’ – strips forest of that link existing tiger havens and allow the cats disperseto naturally. even been moved more to suitableareas, in response conflict to with people. In your autumn issue 2015 Action, of

unobtrusive way unobtrusive tigers’ lives in an an in tigers’lives

Tiger numbers can rapidly recover with protection, ample prey, fresh water and withhabitat corridors that allow populations to mix and breed

great way to follow follow to way great Camera traps are a a are traps Camera

18 | CONSERVATION IN ACTIONCONSERVATION PROTECTING RARE SPECIES COLLARING QUEST

OF GHOSTTHE MOUNTAINS High in the lives a mysterious cat that few people have ever seen. Hoping for good fortune, Becci May joined a team from WWF-Nepal not only to spot an elusive snow leopard – but also to collar one

The elegant snow leopard is one of the world’s most elusive cats. Only WINTER STEVE © 2007 on camera traps are its high-altitude adventures regularly captured on film

20 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 21 Local citizen PROTECTING RARE SPECIES scientists help COLLARING QUEST track snow leopard movements on camera traps The tiny Nepalese village of Yangma they install in the is getting a boost as more people mountains participate in our community snow

leopard conservation work © REBECCA MAY / WWF-UK © WWF-NEPAL ©

© WIM VAN DEN HEEVER Snow leopards hunt ibex, blue and Himalayan – but sometimes

REBECCA MAY/WWF-UK REBECCA livestock make A snow leopard named Lapchhemba is an easy lunch sedated and collared so we can ultimately better protect snow leopards in this region

is tough. Villagers graze their livestock in the membership. Samundra Subba, from WWF- populations as a positive thing, because with valleys and grow potatoes, which they trade Nepal, explains how he’s been training the an abundance of natural prey, the big cats for millet, rice and other products at a place villagers to be citizen scientists. Without their may kill less livestock. oday is my lucky day. Perhaps it’s Area and reflect on my good fortune. I’ve around two days’ walk away. Their animals local knowledge and mountain experience, he Meanwhile we’re helping farmers to deal the change in the weather – dazzling come to this protected Himalayan wilderness – and ox – are at the heart of everything: tells me, the project would be impossible. The with any losses, thanks to our community- sunshine after all the recent snowfall to find out how, with your support, WWF and as well as meat and milk, their wool is used villagers continue to monitor the cats and their managed livestock insurance scheme (see – or maybe it was yesterday’s pooja our partners – the Nepalese government and for rugs and their dung for fuel. So it can be main prey, the blue sheep, and collect data, box). The communities also do what they blessing ceremony, with prayer another NGO partner NTNC – are helping to devastating if one of these animals falls prey which help to build up a picture of the snow can to protect their livestock, for example, Tfluttering down in the village. Either way, conserve the snow leopard. A CARING COMMUNITY to a snow leopard. leopard population in the area. by using guarding dogs and keeping watch here I am at last, inches away from a living, Camera traps along the cats’ trails have In Yangma, however, members of the 10 This hands-on involvement has helped over their herds at night. However, they breathing snow leopard. The fabled ‘ghost of already been providing useful data. Now this households that make up the village form local people to understand snow leopards understand that snow leopards may take the mountains’. I can’t believe it. collaring project takes things to a new level. Critical to our efforts in protecting part of the Snow Leopard Conservation better and thus to live alongside them livestock – and the insurance scheme makes Granted, this beautiful is now Lapchhemba is the third individual – and snow leopards across the Himalayas is Committee, which you support through your more easily. They see healthy blue sheep a big difference. As a result, retaliatory oblivious to my presence, sedated and laid first female – collared by the team. With the support of the people with whom killings of snow leopards have stopped. on a stretcher. But I can still see her green- luck, the GPS signals transmitted from her the cats share the mountains. These It’s getting dark. Our work completed, the eyed glare as she watched us approach. collar will reveal her every movement. This communities rely on their livestock and vet brings Lapchhemba round. We move Snow leopards live in mountainous terrain will provide a vital insight into how far snow the loss of any animals to predators, THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF GHANJENJWENGA away a safe distance and, having made sure that makes it almost impossible to get close leopards range in these remote mountains, including snow leopards, can be a In 2013, the WWF team radio-collared our first snow leopard she’s safely back on her feet, head down the enough to dart them. So instead we set and help us to better protect them. serious problem. In the past, retaliatory CHINA in the Conservation Area. It was an adult mountainside. It’s exciting to think what this traps on the cats’ most-used paths and killings have occurred. male and we named him ‘Ghanjenjwenga’ after a local animal may now tell us. trails. As soon as one is triggered, the Today we’re working with local mountain deity. This map shows his cross-border One of the two males collared earlier Becci's home- communities to encourage practices team receives a radio signal and rushes from-home in journeys between November 2013 and September has been recorded in India, which suggests to the scene. Yangma that reduce overgrazing, and improve 2015, and highlights the importance of international that our future work will need cross-border Now, after they’ve taken biometric the habitat, which may also benefit the collaboration in snow leopard conservation collaboration. “The more we understand,” data and fitted the radio collar, I touch population of blue sheep, the snow Yangma says Samundra, “the more effective our

her lush fur and marvel at her long, thick leopard’s natural prey. In Yangma, conservation can become.” © REBECCA MAY / WWF-UK / MAY REBECCA © tail. The snow leopard is amazingly your support has assisted the local The stars are out by the time we get back to INDIA Kangchenjunga CA adapted for life at these unforgiving community in setting up an insurance Yangma and a party has been prepared. Amid altitudes. Indeed, local people regard scheme, in which villagers pay into a the song and celebration I’m confident the Lelep Total area covered fund and then receive financial relief the cat as almost divine; the community by Ghanjenjwenga ghost of the mountains has a brighter, safer has named this individual Lapchhemba, for any insured livestock killed by a future, thanks to its newfound friends. after a Tibetan Buddhist deity. snow leopard. Existing government compensation NEPAL EVERY SECOND COUNTS Getting here was an adventure in schemes are administered remotely, It was mid-afternoon when we received the itself: a six-day trek, with our cheerful team and so making a claim requires Ghunsa CHASING SHADOWS signal that one of the traps had been triggered. of porters carrying a lot of heavy gear – extensive paperwork and often many Experience the excitement of Becci’s Our 15-strong team immediately set off up the including a generator and solar panels. We days’ walk out of the mountains. While recent collaring expedition and read mountainside, adrenaline flowing. Now, we’re wound up through rhododendron forests we seek ways to enable villagers to her blog: wwf.org.uk/beccisblog access these schemes more easily, working against the clock. The job must be and tiny villages towards the higher, windier Kangchenjunga You can also watch our snow leopard ours is more practical. It’s helped local completed efficiently and carefully, and the cat plateaus of the eastern Himalayas. Finally, Conservation Area documentary at: wwf.org.uk/ghost people to feel more positive about snow revived safely, before nightfall. at an altitude of 4,200m, we reached the tiny or adopt a snow leopard at: leopards, and is now being replicated in Taking a breather, I gaze at the spectacular village of Yangma, our base camp. Yamfudin wwf.org.uk/snowleopardadopt panorama of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Life in these small mountain communities other mountain communities. 22 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 23 GREEN SPACES NATURAL LANDSCAPES Around 80% of us live in urban are vital for recreation and tourism. WETLANDS areas, but we all need nature Visitors to national parks in Inland wetlands, such as lakes, ponds, WOODLANDS for our health and wellbeing. We and Wales contribute more than marshes and reedbeds, supply us with could save £2.1 billion in health £5 billion to the local economy. clean water worth an estimated The British timber industry is costs every year if we all Nature-based tourism £1.5 billion a year just in terms of worth £4.9 billion a year had access to quality in Scotland supports Every year water quality. They can also help but that’s only part of the value nature tourism in Flooding cost green spaces. A view of a almost 40,000 jobs. reduce flooding downstream. forests provide. They also attract Scotland is worth the UK at least green space visitors, reduce pollution, lock is worth up to up carbon, help prevent £1.4BN £5BN floods and provide last winter clean water. £300 The total value a year of UK woods is estimated at £270BN

e couldn’t survive without the POLLINATION gifts nature provides, such as clean Imagine if farmers air and water, fertile soils and a stable had to pollinate crops by climate. Natural habitats are also vital hand! Luckily bees do it for to our economic prosperity, providing free. The value of pollination Wvaluable raw materials and other benefits, from Bee pollination to UK agriculture has been controlling floods to filtering out pollution. services are estimated at £440 million a But our natural world is often taken for granted, worth about year. The invertebrates that as forests are cleared, oceans overfished, rivers keep soils fertile for growing £440M crops are also crucial. polluted and soils eroded. This is having a major RIVERS each year impact, both on our wellbeing and our economy, Rivers provide water for industry, in the UK and globally. Part of the problem is that agriculture and our homes, but the value of nature isn’t widely recognised or taken they’re also important for tourism, Healthy into account in the decisions governments and recreation and our quality of life. freshwater Restoring the good health of 75% habitats could businesses make. That needs to change, fast. yield The good news is that this is starting to happen. of rivers, lakes and wetlands would ART © MUTI - FOLIO BY ILLUSTRATION In 2011, a government report estimated the boost the economy by £8.5 billion economic value of the UK’s natural assets as at a year – and reduce flood risks. £8.5BNa year least £1.5 trillion – about the size of our total national income that year. And there’s evidence that restoring natural habitats could have huge Recovered social and economic benefits. fish stocks With significant new housing and infrastructure FISHING could yield development planned in the UK, it’s vital that COASTAL HABITATS Fishing is vital to many coastal Coastal mudflats and saltmarshes the value of nature helps inform where and how communities. UK boats landed protect people and property £1.4BN these developments take place. We also want 756,000 tonnes of wild-caught annually Natural flood inland from storms, erosion governments and businesses to invest in sea fish and shellfish in 2014, protection is and rising seas, a service preserving and enhancing our natural assets, so worth £861 million. But if fish PUT NATURE FIRST valued at valued at £1.5 billion a year. that nature continues to benefit us all, forever. stocks recovered to the levels of 50 Find out more about valuing Restoring natural habitats can years ago, this could generate benefits nature and watch our animation: £1.5BN be more cost effective than of £1.4 billion a year. wwf.org.uk/valuenature a year building sea defences. 10 THINGS YOU CAN DO AT CHRISTMAS BE MORE KIND TO THE PLANET CHOOSE FSC TREES & CARDS FORAGE FOR NATURE’S DECORATIONS Make it one of your New Year resolutions More than five million Christmas trees It’s great fun decorating our homes at Christmas. THINGS to be kinder to the planet. First, find are bought each year in the UK. By Instead of buying decorations from a shop, why not out how big your carbon footprint is, purchasing Forest Stewardship take your family on a foraging expedition and see by using our online calculator – it’ll Council (FSC®) certified trees, what you can find in the garden or on a woodland only take you five minutes. Then follow wrapping paper and greetings walk? Branches of holly make great wreaths and TO DO THIS 1 our tips on how you can reduce your 2 cards, you can be sure that 3 garlands, or tie sprigs up in ribbons. Just don’t take footprint. Making a few small changes your festive celebrations too much foliage off one plant as it provides to your lifestyle could make a huge support the sustainable shelter for and other animals. difference to the planet. management of our forests. Weave tendrils of ivy with baubles, paint CHRISTMAS wwf.org.uk/footprint And don’t forget to recycle pine cones in silver, gold or , or hang your tree, cards and wrapping bunches of mistletoe over your doorway. paper after Christmas. We’re sure you’ll agree that natural 1Christmas0 is a time for caring, decorations are best. so here are our top tips for enjoying some planet-friendly festivities

ENJOY A SEASONAL FEAST ADOPT AN ANIMAL WITH US MAKE YOUR OWN PRESENTS HOLD A FUNDRAISING PARTY Food is at the heart of Christmas for many of us, but it Looking for a unique and personal gift this This Christmas, spread holiday cheer with a Everyone loves a party. And Christmas is the can have a huge impact on the environment. So make Christmas? Anyone with a passion for wildlife handmade gift. It’s amazing what you can make out perfect time to have fun and help protect our sure you only buy seasonal food. and Brussels will love one of our animal adoptions. From of recycled materials – old bottles and yoghurt pots planet by organising a fundraising party in aid of sprouts are at their best at this time of the year, while polar bears to penguins, snow leopards to lions, make great bird feeders or windmills for keeping the WWF. Invite your guests to donate to us instead pomegranates and clementines bring a zing to the there are 14 beautiful and endangered species moles out of your garden. Or how about upcycling of bringing a bottle or a Christmas gift, or make it 4 party. Try to make sure any meat you serve has been 5 to choose from, and each one 6 unwanted clothes to create a vintage outfit that 7 a fancy dress ball and encourage friends to pay a reared naturally, is comes with a gift pack and makes the ultimate fashion small sum to dress up. Even better, piggyback your free range or organic, cute cuddly toy, so they make statement? There are plenty office ‘do’ and ask or try going meat-free the perfect present. Give a of ways you can transform even more people

on Christmas Eve as gift that lasts and help inexpensive items into unique CHRISTMAS! to share some a way of balancing protect our most gifts that your friends and HAPPY Christmas cheer out your meat precious species family will love. And you’ll with us. wwf.org. consumption. and their habitats. feel good knowing that you uk/fundraising And don’t forget wwf.org.uk/adopt made them yourself and to use up all saved more of the planet’s your delicious precious resources. PIGG ANK leftovers on wwf.org.uk/recycle Y B Boxing Day.

BE ENERGY SMART COOK UP OUR EARTH HOUR RECIPES FUNDRAISE AT WORK Christmas is a time for family, Make time with your loved ones even more There are lots of ways you and your employees can 19,183 1 BILLION so make the most of yours and be special by cooking one of the bespoke recipes have fun and help raise funds for WWF. You’ll not only The weight, in tonnes, of fresh The number of Christmas kind to the planet at the same time. created for Earth Hour by WWF and Sodexo build team spirit and boost morale, you’ll also receive and frozen turkey cooked at cards that could end up in Turn off your TV or games console, chefs. These simple and enjoyable meals use a certificate and our magazine Impact, which shows Christmas in the UK the bin after 25 December snuggle up together on the sofa and sustainable and delicious ingredients that are what your donations have helped achieve. 8 play board games or read a book. For 9 good for your health, good for the environment – 10 For more information or every degree you turn down your and good for your pocket as well! Enjoy six Green ideas about employee thermostat, you’ll save around 10% and Lean meals at wwf.org.uk/festivefood fundraising, email on your heating bill and help reduce us at business@ 6 MILLION 83 SQ KM greenhouse gas emissions. A simple wwf.org.uk The number of trees thrown The amount of wrapping switch to energy-saving LED fairy out after Christmas in the UK paper thrown out in the UK lights could knock pounds off your electricity bill; putting them on a OVER TO YOU! timer will save you even more. Have you got any tips for a greener and more ethical wwf.org.uk/saveenergy Christmas? If so, we’d love to share them with all our readers! Please email them to us at [email protected] 26 | Action Autumn 2016 £ Action Autumn 2016 | 27 GREEN SPACES WOODLANDS Around 80% of us live in urban NATURAL LANDSCAPES The British timber industry areas, but we all need nature are vital for is recreation and tou worth £1.9 billion a yea for our health and wellbeing. Visitors to natio rism. r W nal parks in England but that’s only part o could save £2.1 billion in healthe WETLANDS f the value and Wales contribute forests provide. They also attract costs more than Inland wetlands, such as lakes, ponds, every year if we all £5 billion to the local economy. visitors, reduce pollution, lock had access to qu Nature- marshes and reedbeds, supply us with ality based tourism up carbon, help prevent green spaces. in Scotland supports clean water worth an estimated A v iew Every year £1.5 billion floods and provide green s of a almost 40,000 jobs. a year just in terms of nature tourism in wat clean water. is wo pac er quality. They can l value e Scotlan also help The tota rth up to d is worth reduce flooding downstream. Floo of UK woodsed at is t ding c £300 £1.4BN he UK a estimat a yea ost t least £270BN r £5BN las DO IT FOR THE PANDA! t winter

e couldn’t survive without the gifts nature provides, such as clean air and water, fertile soils and a stable climate. Natural habit ats are also vital to our economic p POLLINATION Wvaluable raw materials and otherrosperity, benefits, providing from Imagine if farmers controlling floods to filtering out pollution. had to polli nate crops by But our natural world is often taken for granted, hand! Luc kily bees do as forests are clea it for red, oceans overfi free. The value o polluted and shed, rivers Bee pollination f pollination soils eroded. This is having a major to UK agr imp iculture has been act, both on our well services are being and RIVERS estimated at in the UK and globally. Part of the problem our econom is thaty, worth about £440 million a Rivers provide water year. The inve the valu for industry, rtebrates that e of nature isn’t widely recognised or taken agricultu keep soil into account in the decisions governments and re and our homes, but £440M s fertile for growing they’re also important for tourism, eac crops are businesses m h year also crucial. ake. That needs to recreation and our quality of life. Healthy The good news is that this is starting change t, fast. ater Restoring the good health of 75% freshw In 2011, a government report estimated theo hap pen. bitats could of rivers, lakes and wetlands would ha economic value yield of the UK’s natural assets as at boost the econom least £1.5 tril y by £8.5 billion – about the size of our a year – and reduc national income that year. And there’s evidence total e flood risks. £8.5BN © ISTOCK a year that restoring natural habitats could have huge social a nd economic benefits. With significant new housing and infrastructure developmen t planned in th the value of nature helps informe UK, where it’s vital and that how these developments take place. We also want COASTAL HABITATS Coastal mudflats and saltmarshes governments and businesses to invest in FISHING Recovered protect people and property inland fish stocks preserving and enhancing our natural as N Fishing is vital to many coastal yield atural flood from storms, erosion and rising could that nature con sets, so protection is communities. UK boats landed tinues to benefit us all, forever. seas, valued at a service valued at £1.5 756,000 tonnes of wild-caught billion a year. Restoring natural sea fish and shellfish in 20 £1.4BN 14, annually habitats can be more cost effective worth £1.5BN £861 million. But if fish a year than building sea defences. stocks recovered to t he levels of 50 PUT NATURE FIRST POLL years ago, this could generate benefits Y © FOLIO Find out more about valui of £1.4 billion a year. ng ION B nature and watch our animation READER RAT wwf.org.uk/value nature UST L IL THINKING OF THE FUTURE ! Should we place an Both of my parents were zoologists and so being OVER TO YOU economic value on nature interested in animals came naturally to me as a child. I went on to become a zoologist myself, in order to protect it? studying mynah birds in India (right), lions and We know you’ve done some really great stuff for us leopards in the Serengeti and ostriches in Kenya. This is the only way There, and later working with , I saw the since the last issue of Action, so why not tell us about we’re going to save impact that increasing human populations and the natural world it? These are your pages – let’s celebrate you! YES aspirations are having on nature and felt I had to This takes do something to redress the balance. So I began us down the supporting WWF. I enjoy knowing that the NO wrong path charity, in collaboration with others, is achieving great results for wildlife. MY LONDON Conservation is all about thinking about TEA FOR TIGERS the future and what sort of planet we’re I lived in , India, during the 1960s MAYBE leaving for our grandchildren. So it made MARATHON and saw quite a few tigers. In fact, I walked This approach can be useful sense to me to include WWF in my letter of past a tiger that was hidden in some tea when used in conjunction with wishes. It’s simple. In my will, I’ve left money CHALLENGE bushes without realising it was there until ethical and moral arguments to the Charities Aid Foundation, who’ll I became aware of I returned in my jeep and found it sitting in for protecting nature distribute it to the charities I care about, as WWF while working in the road. I have many friends still in Assam detailed in my letter. I hope my gift to WWF GIVE A GIFT THAT LASTS South- in the who report seeing the occasional tiger on will help to counter today’s dreadful loss of There are many ways you can leave 1990s. I visited national STAR the tea estates. A friend of mine, Kashmira DON’T KNOW wildlife, and make the planet that bit more a legacy to WWF. To find out more, parks the charity had Kakati (wife of WWF’s Christy Williams) interesting for my grandchildren. please contact Maria on 01483 426333 LETTER Please send your answers to helped create and learned regularly carries out surveys of feline Dr Brian Bertram, Stroud or [email protected] TIGER TIME the Action address on page 3. how it was working to in the rainforests of Assam. influence government policy. Finding tigers in India’s national parks is Alan Lane, Great Yarmouth My love of running emerged harder than you might think. You have to more recently and, a year ago, spend many hours bumping along hot and the idea of running a marathon for dusty dirt roads in a jeep, searching for TOUCHED BY TIGERS PADDLING FOR NATURE MEET A TIGER WWF took hold. these elusive felines. But for me, the joy I was lucky enough to see a tigress We love a challenge and so paddling 125 miles non-stop from I felt privileged to win a place on and excitement of seeing a tiger in the in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve Devizes in Wiltshire along the Kennet and Avon Canal, River FACE-TO-FACE Team Panda for this year’s London wild makes all the effort melt away! On in India. At first she was ambling Kennet, and River Thames to Westminster seemed like a great This summer, tiger lovers large and Marathon. I trained hard and even my travels I often see at first-hand along on the road, but when she idea. The DW international canoe race is reputedly the toughest small came face-to-face with these tried some creative fundraising. the threats to the world’s wildlife. spotted a in the endurance race in the world, with numerous teams competing. beautiful cats in our innovative virtual When the big day arrived, I felt really This is why I support WWF. Being long grass, she shot off! I was Half the journey takes place at night, there are 77 locks and weirs reality (VR) ‘Tiger Experience’. The strong for the first 21 miles, but as an amateur photographer, I like my overjoyed at seeing her. I even to carry the boat around, a tunnel, obstacles to avoid and potentially first of its kind, the VR experience was the cramps set in, the crowd helped photographs to be good and do good. shed a tear. A world without challenging weather conditions. It’s a major achievement to finish launched at Westfield shopping centres keep me moving, roaring me on to By donating them to WWF, I can help this beautiful animal would be the course at all. And we tackled it in an 18.5ft Canadian canoe! in London. Wearing VR headsets, the finish line. I was so proud – and to protect the tiger – for me, that’s the unthinkable, so I now sponsor a We both have strong connections to WWF and wanted viewers walked in the footsteps of a thanks to my incredible supporters, only thing that matters. tiger with WWF. I’ve also left a to do something to help. So we’re proud that our

© REBECCA MAY ranger and explored the tiger’s forest I raised more than £2,700 for WWF. Richard Barrett, West Yorkshire legacy to the charity in my will. paddle helped raise more than £2,900 to habitat, as part of our efforts to double Steven Jones, Milton Keynes More at wildandwonderful.org Ilona de Souza, Canterbury support the charity’s amazing wild tiger numbers by 2022. View the work around the world. video at wwf.org.uk/virtualtiger Ian Baldwin, Godalming, Surrey, Owen Speake, Three WWF supporters share their sustainable tips Alton, Hants COMPOST BUY ORGANIC BE A 1 AT HOME 2 Choosing 3 CONSCIOUS @Skyhighlindsay Composting is good organically grown CONSUMER I’ve just been to the #WWF for you and the foods is good for Try a week or month TigerExperience! It’s amazing! environment. You’ll your health and the of ‘buying nothing save money and planet’s. They’re new’ to help you resources, enrich free from harmful make sustainable GOT ANY TALES FROM THE RIVER BANK? SHARE THEM WITH US... chemicals and more your soil and reduce choices. Mend In your next issue of Action, we’re celebrating fresh water – and we’d love to hear your stories of

© ISTOCK tasty, nutritious © ISTOCK © ISTOCK your greenhouse things instead of encounters with watery wildlife. Email your tales and photos to [email protected] and we might and sustainable. gas emissions. replacing them. print them in the next issue. Because space is tight, please keep your letters to 150 words. Margaret Hunt Esther Moreton Jen Gale 28 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 29 COMPETITIONS NOTES FROM THE FIELD CROSSWORD JOIN THE PANDA PARTY! Solve our crossword and you WWF-UK / LOWETH NICOLA © could win a 12-month subscription WIN! to Family Traveller magazine

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8 WIN! 9

A PÁRAMO 10 11 JACKET 12 WORTH £300 13 14 WIN AN WIN A SIGNED It’s a cold morning in China’s Changqing National Nature Reserve, and I’m tingling with excitement. OUTDOOR JACKET COPY OF LIFE ON AIR 15 16 17 18 Today, I’m hoping to see a giant panda. It’s almost unheard of for a Chinese national to see a wild We’ve got one Páramo all-weather outdoor jacket We’ve got three copies of Sir ’s memoirs 19 panda, let alone a foreigner. And though I’ve visited for him or her, worth more than £300, to give away to give away, signed by the great man himself numerous panda reserves, I’ve not even seen a whisker. 20 Working with wildlife watchers, Páramo Directional Clothing has Don’t miss your chance to own this classic book by one of the Much of Changqing’s 29,906 hectares are prime panda habitat, developed these hard-working outdoor jackets to enable you to UK’s best-loved broadcasters and naturalists. Attenborough is and the reserve is thought to be home to 57 adults. Today’s trek will enjoy outdoor pursuits in comfort. Featuring moisture control to a master storyteller and wonderful travelling companion as he be challenging – the mountain slopes are steep and slippery. I’m prevent chilling after exertion, and ventilation for temperature escorts the reader around the world on his many adventures. 21 22 warned to walk carefully and make no noise. As we wend our way control, these Halcon (men’s) and Alondra (ladies’) jackets offer Lively and witty, his familiar voice and dry humour come through the forest and climb a mountain ridge shrouded in fog, there’s plenty of evidence that pandas are in the area – scratches reliable weather protection without rustling, allowing you to through in every line; his infectious enthusiasm in every WWF Action crossword 34: autumn 2016 issue. Compiled by Aleric Linden watch wildlife without disturbing it. To be in with a chance of anecdote. Life on Air is a book every wildlife lover should have on tree trunks, fresh droppings on the ground, scent marks and After solving the crossword, take each letter from the shaded winning one of these jackets, just follow the instructions (below), on their shelves and we have three copies to give away, each one broken bamboo. All that’s missing are the actual pandas. squares (going from left to right and top to bottom) to spell out mark your entry ‘Jacket Comp’ and let us know which jacket you’d signed by Sir David himself. Just follow the instructions (below) the prize word. To be in with a chance to win, just send a postcard like and in what size (Halcon: S–XXL or Alondra: XS–XL). and mark your entry ‘Attenborough Comp’. SOUNDS OF LIFE with the prize word to the address on page 30 or email it to Several hours later, the rangers report hearing something on [email protected] The closing date is 21 November 2016. the opposite side of the valley. We hurry in that direction, slipping Clues across Clues down and sliding on wet bamboo. Pausing breathlessly on a stony ridge, 1 A group of cubs, for example, 2 A trade we associate with I hear something – a bark, then a chirp. In front of us, through the produced at birth (6) elephant tusks (5) mist, I see my first panda. A female resting in a tree. Beautiful! WIN SUE TIMNEY HOW TO ENTER 5 A fissure or crevice in rock (5) 3 Potentially destructive wind storm As we admire her, the bamboo on my right rustles and out steps 9 Processing plants for crude oil (10) often referred to as a twister (7) a male panda, less than 15 feet away. He strolls towards me and ACTION GIVEAWAYS 10 Subtropical and tropical plant similar 4 Great _ Valley, one of the world’s major in appearance to a palm or a fern (5) geological features (4) peers in my direction. I hold my breath. He sniffs the air. When a HOMEWARE To enter, send your name, 11 Spotted cats, mostly of South 6 Department for Environment, Food female panda comes into oestrous she becomes more vocal and address and phone number America, hunted for their beautiful and _ Affairs, Defra for short (5) scent marks more frequently. This attracts any males in the area We have a set of beautiful Sue Timney on a postcard addressed to coats (7) 7 _ ibis, endangered bird species (7) goodies to give away 13 Endangered Asian big cat also known 8 _ effects, they have an indirect impact and incites competition, ensuring the female mates with the best the competition you wish to as the ounce (4,7) on other matters (5–2) available male. Keen to advertise their presence, the males also call enter – e.g. Attenborough 15 Wiped-out status of the and 12 Large mass of ice subject to advance In anticipation of the launch of our new more often. And as we perch on our ledge, the valley comes alive Comp, Jacket Comp, etc – Caspian tiger subspecies (7) and retreat (7) shop next year, we’ve got some lovely Sue with the sound of pandas – barking, grunting, , chirping to Action Mag, WWF-UK, 17 Informal term for a seismic natural 13 In which decade was WWF founded? (7) Timney goodies to give away to one lucky disaster (5) 14 Living in water, as opposed to being and bleating. There are no fewer than five pandas present! Living Planet Centre, reader. Bring your kitchen to life with a 20 The majority of OPEC’s oil reserves are terrestrial (7) On our left, a scuffle breaks out. The bamboo shakes as two Rufford House, Brewery in this region (6,4) 16 Home to most of the world’s stunning Sue Timney panda print bag, males bite, chase and wrestle each other surprisingly aggressively. Road, Woking, Surrey 21 Like the tiger, continentally (5) tiger population (5) apron and tea towel, worth £50. To enter, 22 Capacity _ , a measure of how much 18 _ Protocol, emissions treaty named The noise stops. The female, clearly impressed, slides down the tree GU21 4LL. simply follow the instructions (right) electricity power plants produce (6) after a Japanese city (5) and mates with the winner of the fight. A minute later, she leaves. 19 An infant elephant (4) and mark your entry ‘Sue Timney Only one competition per entry It’s not unusual for up to four males to hang around a female in please. Or send an email with the hope of mating, but this behaviour is rarely seen as it only lasts Comp’. Look out for details of the your chosen competition in the launch of our new online shop subject line to competition@ a few days. For me, encountering one panda was remarkable, but to in a future issue. wwf.org.uk. The closing date for JUNE 2016 ANSWERS: Prize word: SIBERIAN. see this secret spectacle was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. the competitions is 21 November Across 1. Tourism 5. Birds 8. Eyes 9. Needles 11. 12. Hector’s 14. Serengeti 18. Tankers 20. Trust 21. Mantled 23. 24. Clean 25. Hybrids 2016. For terms and conditions, Down 2. Oxygen 3. Reserve 4. Sun 6. Inlet 7. Desert 10. Energy 13. Petrol visit wwf.org.uk/compterms 15. Tarsier 16. Mammal 17. Island 19. Kenya 22. Dry Nicola Nicola Loweth, regional officer for India and China, WWF-UK 30 | Action Autumn 2016 Action Autumn 2016 | 31 • ACTION • AUTUMN 2016 • ISSUE #34 WWF.ORG.UK

AMONGUS

THERE ARE THERE

CETACEAN COMPETITION + EARTH HOUR COMPETITION + CETACEAN wwf.org.uk/earthhourheroes Do you know an Earth hero? know you Do Hour

ENJOY EARTHENJOY MARCH – 25 2017 HOUR

This Earth Hour, we’re on a nationwide search to to search a nationwide on we’re EarthThis Hour, HEROES find unsung heroes who help protect our brilliant planet. planet. brilliant our protect help who heroes unsung find IN YOUR NEXT YOUR ISSUEIN WATER STORIES