Global Biodiversity Festival — The Book — The Festival Biodiversity Global

Global Biodiversity Festival The Book 2020

GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Fortunately, nature“ is amazingly resilient : places we have destroyed, given time and help, can once again support life, and endangered species can be given a second chance. And there is a growing number of people, especially young people who are aware of these problems and are fighting for the survival of our only home, Planet Earth. We must all join that fight before it is too late.

Jane Goodall ”PhD, DBE Founder — The Jane Goodall Institute UN Messenger of Peace GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL Foreword The International Day for Biological Diversity gives us About one billion people live in extreme poverty in rural the chance to celebrate the incredible variety of life on areas. Their household income is based on ecosystems Earth, to appreciate nature’s innumerable contributions to and natural goods that make up between 50% and 90% of our everyday lives and to reflect on how it connects us all. the so-called GDP of the poor. Governments should use the occasion of comprehensive recovery plans to build Elizabeth This year’s theme ‘Our solutions are in nature’ economies founded on the conservation and sustainable Maruma Mrema highlights that biodiversity remains the answer to use of nature in the equitable sharing of its benefits. This Executive Secretary, sustainable development challenges. From nature-based will help all, including the most vulnerable. Secretariat of solutions to climate change, food, water security and the Convention on sustainable livelihood, biodiversity remains the basis for We need the world to continue to work towards Biological Diversity a sustainable future. an ambitious and effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be agreed at our next Conference of the The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a blatant reminder Parties. This framework can contribute to increasing cbd.int that we need urgent, sweeping international cooperation nature’s benefits for the people. The results will be to preserve nature, conserve biodiversity and protect extensive, including improved global nutrition and access human health for generations to come. Communities are to drinking water, resilience to natural disasters and facing the danger of even more unprecedented negative, nature-based solutions to achieve the Paris Agreement on economic, social and human consequences if we do not act climate change.

now and adopt a way of life in balance with nature. FOREWORD All of this is integral to the Sustainable Development Biodiversity loss is a direct result of short-sighted Goals, which risk being undermined as the result of the human activities, including uncontrolled mining and pandemic. This pandemic has shown in clear terms that infrastructure development, unsustainable farming international cooperation is paramount for the health and deforestation. All these have degraded ecosystems of our nature, our economies and our people. and have created the conditions that lead to events like pandemics.

We all need to take urgent actions to build a resilient and sustainable global economy that incorporates nature at its heart, even as we build back from the crisis. Millions of jobs in sectors such as forestry, fisheries, agriculture, tourism and pharmaceuticals are heavily dependent on nature. Recovery plans that build a transition to biodiversity-friendly economies will create more jobs and provide decent livelihoods. “Let us work together and support solutions that are in nature.”

02 03 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL Foreword When speaking about biodiversity, the action is mostly This year in particular, deep sea mining and the high in the ocean. seas are critical issues. Decisions will be made about biodiversity in the high seas. Let’s take this moment in The ocean contains most of the water and 99% of the time and be really thoughtful about scaling up protection, biosphere. No wonder it is where the greatest biodiversity putting a 10-year moratorium on extracting minerals from Sylvia Earle is. As a terrestrial species, we have explored most of the the high seas while we figure out what is really down President and Chairman land and have yet to explore most of the ocean. there. It could be that the greatest thing that we extract of Mission Blue from the ocean is life itself! Based on our current knowledge, more species have been mission-blue.org described from land. But I think the jury is still out on how many species are where on Earth. Considering how much we do not know about the ocean, I place the odds on the ocean ultimately being where the action truly is. We do know that the major divisions of life are all out there, either in current existing form or in the fossil record, and that only about half of them have representation on the land in any form.

The ocean makes all the rest of life on Earth possible. “We need to give back FOREWORD If you take it away, we are left with an unfriendly, to the ocean and take care inhospitable place for life as we know it. of the natural world, We haven’t done a good job of calculating the loss of life land and sea, wherever it is, in the sea and are much better equipped to look at the loss of biodiversity on land. But let’s not forget, as we take as if our lives depended on it. action to try and protect what remains of the wild on land, Because they do.” that we could be the last generation to be able to save species we know and care about, to embrace the diversity of life with sufficient care to ensure that we have the ingredients for resilience on the planet.

When we see the devastation caused in vibrant, diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs, kelp forests or even sandy places, we don’t know what we have lost because we have not yet explored it all. But knowing the biodiversity and the endemism within coral reefs globally, we need to catch a breath and think: why are we letting this happen? On our watch, in our time?

04 05 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

02 Forewords 21 Rachel Butler Scott 39 Joe Cutler 60 Martin Wikelski 78 Pia Ve Dahlen 100 Ruthmery 08 Introduction Filming in Our Blue Planet Fantastic Fishes and their Future The Internet of Animals – Journey to the Centre of Pillco Huarcaya and Capitalizing on the Wisdom of the Kelp Forest Andy Whitworth 22 John Scanlon AO 42 Kristen Lear Animals Will Help Protect Them Osa Conservation: Saving Time has Come for Bold Changes The Wonderful World of Bats 79 Sheena Talma Rare and Threatened Speakers to Wildlife Trade and Wildlife 61 Arianna Basto and A Journey from the Sandy Rainforest Mega-Trees In order of appearance Crime Laws 43 Imogene Cancellare Andy Whitworth Shores to the Deep at the Global Snow Leopards and Osa Conservation: Live from 101 Paul Rose Biodiversity Festival 23 Rolph Payet Carnivore Conservation the Rainforest Canopy 82 Thomas Starnes Science Expeditions: Making the Invisible Visible Amazing Maps for How to Convert Science 44 Joe Grabowski 64 Pablo Borboroglu Nature Conservation Hypotheses into Fieldwork 10 Amy Dickman 26 Mariasole Bianco Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants The Penguins: Ocean in Challenging Places Cats, Cows and Camera-traps: The Future of the Ocean Conservation Game Changers 83 Callie Broaddus Community Conservation 45 Prasenjeet Yadav Youth-led Biodiversity 104 Ami Vitale 27 Joe Smith in Tanzania Stories from the Sky Islands 65 Marco Lambertini Conservation and How You Wild Hope How to Stay Safe and Enjoy Your of India We Need a New Deal for Nature Can Help 11 Felix Lankester Stay on Campsite Earth and People 105 Phil Rhodri Taylor 48 Eunice Jingmei Tan Wildlife Disease: 84 Jeneria Lekilelei Can We Stop Illegal 28 Nachamada Geoffrey A Serengeti Case Study Beyond Looking Like a Stick – 66 Asher Jay Cultures of Coexistence: and Damaging Fisheries Saving Nigeria’s Largest A Peek Into the Lives of Stick and Core Communications Mentoring a New Generation in Scottish Seas? 12 João Vitor Campos-Silva Elephant Population Leaf Insects of Lion Warriors Community-based Conservation 67 Teresa Ryan 106 Jeff Corwin 29 Dominique Gonçalves 49 Sugoto Roy of Amazonian Megafauna Live from The Turtle Hospital 85 Gladys Discussing Biodiversity Gorongosa Map of Life Ensuring Tiger Conservation Kalema-Zikusoka and Festival Wrap-Up 13 Asha de Vos Works for the Good of Species, 70 Nicole Stott COVID-19 and

32 Rosamira Guillen CONTENTS The Secret Lives of Habitats and People eARTh From Space Gorilla Conservation Sri Lanka’s Giants Proyecto Tití: Securing a Future for a Critically Endangered 52 Huw Griffiths 71 Sven Lindblad and 88 Eleanor Drinkwater 107 The Final Word 14 Daisy Hessenberger Little Primate Biodiversity in the Deep Kristin Hettermann Searching for Giants Nature-based Solutions Freeze: Antarctica Tourism and Biodiversity – 110 Index of speakers for the Next Generation – 33 Philippe and Essential Partners 89 Joseph Cook 111 Index of organisations How Can You Help? Ashlan Cousteau 53 Helena Sims Ice Alive EarthEcho International Developing a Marine Spatial 72 Zara Palmer and 15 Richard Kock Plan for a 30% Conservation Goal Maria Jose Salazar 90 Ben Mirin COVID-19 and Biodiversity 34 Anne Pringle in Seychelles Live from the Toucan Music as a Gateway to Nature Are Lichens Organisms? Rescue Ranch 18 Rodrigo Medellin 56 Richard Vigne 91 Iris Berger Do Not Be Deceived: 35 Jonathan Kolby Ol Pejeta Conservancy Live with 73 Enric Sala and Sumatra Megatransect Bats in Real Life Are Your Hope in the Midst of the Last Northern White Rhinos Paul Rose True Friends the Amphibian Extinction Crisis Pristine Seas 94 Travis Steffens 57 Susan Canney Marvels of Madagascar 19 Carl Gustaf Lundin 36 Emma Camp Elephant Conservation in Times 76 David de Rothschild Wonders of Marine Biodiversity Valuing Extreme Corals for of War and Peace: Why Do Plastiki 95 Oliver Steeds the Future of Reefs the Local People Protect Exploring and Conserving 20 Peter Houlihan the Elephants? 77 Wangechi Kiongo the Deep Sea Rainforest Conservation in the 37 Enric Sala Local Communities 21st Century: The $10 Million Why We Need a Wild Ocean and Conservation 98 Jut Wynne Rainforest XPRIZE Going deep! Cave Biodiversity 38 Brad Norman Whale Sharks: Biggest Fish 99 Sylvia Earle in the Sea Inspires Respect for Our Ocean Our Oceans

06 07 Madagascar Bright-eyed FrogGLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBALGLOBAL BIODIVERSITY BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL FESTIVAL (Boophis pyrrhus). © Jonathan E. Kolby

In three days, 68 scientists, explorers, conservationists and filmmakers working on the front line of conservation presented their work to an audience of thousands joining us from 80 countries. This was the Global Welcome Biodiversity Festival 2020.

to a unique Each presenter is featured here with background on their work and a personal SPEAKERS global perspective – a ʻview from hereʼ helping SPEAKERS us all to understand, support and celebrate snapshot of these vital efforts. our planet.

The talks are This book is also available free available as a free online via PDF download on globalbiofest.com paulrose.org 08 09 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Cats, Cows and Camera-traps: Wildlife Disease: Community Conservation in Tanzania A Serengeti Case Study

Ruaha Carnivore Project works to reduce human- Infectious diseases have an impact on wildlife, wildlife conflict and empower local communities and on public and domestic animal health, with Amy Dickman through conservation. Our aim is to protect lions Felix Lankester consequences on welfare, economic systems and Founder and Director of by engaging remote tribal communities, and to Professor at Paul G. Allen conservation. In my talk I describe the impact Ruaha Carnivore Project, build a better future for both people and big cats. School for Global Animal that rabies has had in recent years on endangered National Geographic Explorer Health, Washington State carnivores in the Serengeti ecosystem and University. People are so aware now of the issues facing Director of Rabies Free the research efforts that have led to the local the world, including climate change, biodiversity Tanzania and the Serengeti elimination of this lethal disease. loss, poverty and social injustice, among many Health Initiative others. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed As areas of wilderness become fragmented by and helpless, as if nothing you do will make human activity and contact between wildlife a difference. I think most people feel this way, species and humans and their animals increases, particularly in many developing countries where the likelihood of transmission of pathogens rises. these problems are often most acute. One of Enhanced surveillance is required to provide the biggest challenges is to come together, rapid detection of new disease outbreaks. As achieve voice and power, and recognize that the world becomes increasingly interconnected, individual actions are extremely important a One Health approach, in which ecosystem in creating a better future. Events like the health, public health and animal health are

Global Biodiversity Festival add to that voice viewed through a single lens, will be essential, SPEAKERS by highlighting to a worldwide audience if we are to protect vulnerable ecosystems and the importance of the fantastic diversity which populations from infectious disease. exists on this planet. We can all help change perceptions about wildlife and the benefits it brings to communities, if we are well informed and work together to put relationships and local people at the heart of what we do.

Lion defender. Vaccinating a dog against rabies. Rabid domestic dog attacks a lion in Serengeti. © Ruaha Carnivore Project © Felix Lankester © Ingela Jansson

ruahacarnivoreproject.com globalhealth.wsu.edu [email protected] [email protected] 10 11 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Community-based Conservation The Secret Lives of of Amazonian Megafauna Sri Lanka’s Giants

Since 2008 I have been working on biodiversity As Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research conservation, sustainable-use protected areas and and education organization, Oceanswell is João Vitor community-based arrangements in Amazonia. Asha de Vos home to the well-known Sri Lankan Blue Whale Campos-Silva In my talk I show two impressive community- Marine biologist Project, the first long-term study on blue whales Conservationist, based conservation arrangements that have and ocean educator. in the northern Indian Ocean region. Founder of Oceanswell, Norwegian University of been strongly contributing to the conservation Earth Sciences (NMBU), Pew Marine Fellow, National of biodiversity and well-being of indigenous and “Oceanswell works to change the trajectory Rolex Awards Laureate Geographic Explorer, local communities in Brazilian Amazonia. TED Senior Fellow for the world’s oceans by educating the next generation of diverse ocean heroes, equipping Anthropogenic factors have been transforming students from underrepresented nations to and degrading natural landscapes worldwide. conduct marine conservation research, and The rapid disruption of natural environments engaging everybody in conversations about the is propelled by ascending levels of human magic of our world’s oceans. dominance, related to hunting, fishing, shifting cultivation, permanent agriculture, industrial If we acknowledged that working logging and fragmentation. This scenario “If we truly want anywhere other than our own home launches contemporary society in a herculean to save our oceans, country is a privilege and not a right, challenge to create a new paradigm, conciliating and if we all looked to learn and share

SPEAKERS biodiversity conservation and human needs. This every coastline needs equally and were equally equipped SPEAKERS is even more imperative in tropical developing a local hero.” to do research based on the needs on countries that host huge biodiversity, but also the ground, then we would be better large social problems, including inequality off than we are right now. Seventy

Holding an average-sized arapaima of and poverty. percent of our coastlines are in the developing about 60 kg. These fish weigh up to 200 kg. world, but representation at the global stage is © Rolex / Marc Latzel To achieve a safer, fairer and greener world, we disproportional. The harsh truth is, if we aren’t need to move from a doom and gloom narrative being inclusive and equitable, we aren’t going to to a hope paradigm. In this context, the Global move the needle on the things that really matter, Biodiversity Festival was an astonishing event the things that are integral to our very existence, that brought together in the same package and we will continue to fail.” a myriad of conservation subjects. By putting in de Vos, A. 2020. The problem with ‘colonial science’, the spotlight the breathtaking beauty of global Scientific American. biodiversity and positive stories showing that conservation and human needs can be aligned, the festival has helped to create optimism, which is fundamental to keep engagement and commitment on the front line.

institutojurua.org.br oceanswell.org 12 13 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Nature-based Solutions for the COVID-19 and Biodiversity Next Generation – How Can You Help?

We face an array of societal challenges, which Biodiversity is a big word and most people in the past we have tried to solve in a way don’t really understand it, beyond what can be Daisy Hessenberger that has led to worldwide biodiversity and Richard Kock found in the information plaques at the zoo. Nature-based Solutions climate crises, increased inequalities and Wildlife veterinary ecologist, This is the tragedy of humanity and reflects our Programme Officer, IUCN global human vulnerability. Truly sustainable infectious disease researcher ignorance of our own world. I have worked in the and conservationist solutions are nature-based. The IUCN field of health and biodiversity, as a veterinary defines nature-based solutions as actions scientist and conservationist for over 40 years, to protect, sustainably manage and restore and in the last 20 I have focused on promoting natural or modified ecosystems that address One Health or Ecohealth or Planetary Health societal challenges effectively and adaptively, – take your pick. What I know is that disease is simultaneously providing human well-being and not accidental, it has a cause and, in some ways biodiversity benefits. a purpose. It reminds us of our mortality, and how small we truly are in the biological world. To ensure that these vital solutions reach Indeed biodiversity includes all things, their full potential I have been focusing on from the microbes to the whales. And preparing the Global Standard for nature-based we are foolishly calling our enemy solutions by engaging young people in a global SARS-CoV-2! It is just a virus and its collaborative effort. My current aim is not presence is more about us than it is about

SPEAKERS necessarily to ‘get everyone on the same page’ nature. Events like this are teaching SPEAKERS about nature-based solutions, but rather to write even the most arrogant amongst us and that page together. We have an opportunity right the most developed and technologically now, to redefine our relationship with nature. advanced that we need to respect our

For this to happen, for us to realize a sustainable Richard Kock examining a buffalo biodiversity, nurture it and degrade it future, we need everyone to take action. in his work on the eradication of at our peril. The one certainty about rinderpest from Africa which was confirmed in 2011. This virus was COVID-19 is that it is, in one way or another, a pandemic virus that caused untold hardship to both people and animals a direct result of human activity and actions including death in wildlife populations. Its elimination was a boost to species and not a spontaneous thing. I hope also that survival with enough to contend the conservation community will move on from with from persecution from human species and habitat destruction. being obsessed with a few species, to really © Gala Adichari understanding the whole, including microbes, and focusing on reintegrating nature back into human

Mangroves are a perfect nature-based landscapes far beyond our present dependence solution investment. Costa Rica mangroves. on protected areas and national parks. Wonderful © Enric Sala though these areas are for our health and well- Galapagos mangroves. © Enric Sala being, they are too inadequate to stop a crisis in the all-too-present time. The urgency now is to restore whole ecosystems, bring stability back into the biological world, so that evolution can continue to produce the wonder of life that we have inherited but are fast losing. iucn.org rvc.ac.uk 14 15 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL Paul Rose

Iris Berger recording data during Our team in March 2020, wearing face masks while working her 500-km Sumatra Megatransect amongst, yet socially distanced from, wild chimpanzees expedition, in 2016. The tangled (standard protocol to prevent transmission of readily montane forests meant that the team would sometimes walk for 12 hours and exchanged viruses/diseases with our great ape relatives), cover no more than two kilometers. and substantially distanced such that, as the only © Oli Broadhead individuals within this massive forest, we were oblivious to the international pandemic spreading. © Peter Houlihan

Paul Rose reporting from the submarine on Pristine Seas Clipperton Atoll expedition. 16 © Dave McAloney SPEAKERS crops from insect pests!” these and many other your rice: they protect coffee, yourcorn chips, your clothes, cotton your bats are responsible for as such heroes “Unsung Rolex Awards Geographic Explorer,National Group of IUCN. Co-Chair of the Bat Specialist for Bat Conservation. the Latin American Network Founding Director of ofUniversity Mexico. at the Institute of Ecology, Senior Professor of Ecology Rodrigo Medellin Rodrigo web.ecologia.unam.mx/medellin

Laureate

The table is set! is table The plant. source the of agaves, pollination for the responsible are they that given mezcal, tequila or aromatic, a silky, with bats toast evening this of course, And plants! of other hundreds and of these seeds of the dispersal for the to thank bats you the have cherries, capulin and plums oreven tropical zapote, white pitaya, sapodilla, like fruits you tropical have If pests! insect from crops other many and these protect they rice: your chips, corn your coffee, your clothes, respectful congruent, a new harmonic, establish world, of your care take heed: we must that clear, and loud a message, world launching is the which in circumstances unparalleled we face other, the On history. human in ever before than world now the about more we know hand, one the On crossroads. We unprecedented an at are bats! celebrate Let’s functioning. ecosystem and to us to benefits and services crucial provide they Instead, pandemic. current for the to not blame are bats you that assure I can for over 40 years, of bats conservation and ecology worked onthe Having Friends YourAre True Life Real in Bats Deceived: Be Not Do GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL 18 are responsible for your cotton cotton for your responsible are bats as such heroes Unsung onEarth. ecosystem to each and to us services and products benefits, countless provide which and with planet the we share animals and plants the biodiversity, appreciate and you to celebrate I invite stake. at is world itself the and of humanity future The nature. with relationship

Carl Gustaf Lundin Gustaf Carl Programme (GMPP), IUCN Global Marine and Polar Principal Scientist, © shark. walking Bay Triton © Papua. Western in forest Mangrove iucn.org/theme/marine-and-polar Carl Gustaf Carl Gustaf Carl

Lundin Lundin

about how much of the excess heat from our our from heat excess how much of the about I talk particular, In Antarctica. Indonesia and like visited recently I have that areas from examples some give and nature impacting are shifts climate how about I talk sea. the in of evolution period due to a much longer areas terrestrial the than organisms to diverse home much more are oceans the why I explain regions. polar and reefs coral on emphasis a special with globe, the around biodiversity of marine forms many of the a sense I give stations. biological marine upin growing of discovery, my journey and ocean love for the of my own story the I tell my presentation, In Biodiversity Wonders of Marine GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL 19 exploring and taking care of the ocean. of the care taking and exploring to consider for a new career looking are who people young by encouraging I end by 2030. ocean whole of the 30% to network the to help expand doing IUCN is what and ocean the protect help can areas protected how marine discuss I also places. many in effects significant having is that and ocean the upin ending is fuels of fossil burning

SPEAKERS GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Rainforest Conservation in the 21st Century: The $10 Million Filming in Our Blue Planet Rainforest XPRIZE

A tropical ecologist and conservation scientist Travelling the world to reveal little-known by training, I plan and lead expeditions into animal behaviours, I have recently contributed Peter Houlihan understudied and threatened rainforests all over Rachel Butler Scott to BBC Series – Shark, Blue Planet 2 and IMAX: Technical Lead, the world for conservation, regularly operating BBC Natural History Unit Oceans and am currently exploring the Arctic Rainforest XPRIZE. in more than 20 countries across Africa, for Frozen Planet 2. From behind-the-lens we Adjunct Professor, the Americas, and Asia. I have lived and worked bring back a unique perspective into the lives of Johns Hopkins University. Senior Research Fellow, UCLA extensively throughout the tropics, where extraordinary animals and intricate ecosystems. Center for Tropical Research. I have led nearly 50 large-scale expeditions and National Geographic Explorer managed long-term conservation programmes, Now more than ever and Photographer particularly in Borneo, Madagascar, the Amazon, “Now more than ever I appreciate the wonderful Central America, and the Congo Basin. My diversity of our oceans and passion is about working with local scientists and I appreciate the wonderful the stories we have been communities, and inspiring others to learn about diversity of our oceans able to bring to people’s our natural world. screens over the years. ​ and the stories we have I hope we have all been able The $10 Million Rainforest XPRIZE is a global, been able to bring to connect with our natural five-year competition challenging innovators world a little more during to develop novel technologies to rapidly and to people’s screens over lockdown and can return to comprehensively survey rainforest biodiversity the years.” normal life with renewed SPEAKERS and use data to deliver new insights that stewardship and respect for promote the health and conservation of this our precious planet. vital ecosystem. An improved understanding of these ecosystems will support the sustainable use and well-being of standing rainforests and their inhabitants, leading to new scientific discoveries, technological innovations, and to just and sustainable bioeconomies. Register or join a team today!

Peter Houlihan climbing a tree on Coiba Island. Minke whale. © Huw Griffiths Sea ice, Antarctica. © Huw Griffiths © Ken Pelletier Ecuador. © Peter Houlihan

peter-houlihan.com rainforest.xprize.org [email protected] bbcearth.com/oceans 20 21 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Time has Come for Bold Changes to Making the Invisible Visible Wildlife Trade and Wildlife Crime Laws

International wildlife trade laws (CITES) do Rolph Payet, born in the remote archipelago not take into account the public health risks of of the Seychelles, has been passionate about John Scanlon AO wildlife trade and are generally directed towards Rolph Payet the oceans and the environment since in Special Envoy African Parks. avoiding over-exploitation. Wildlife crime is Executive Secretary for primary school, when he first heard about Special Adviser and Acting shifting thousands of tonnes of contraband, the Basel, Rotterdam and the declining populations of sea turtles in his CEO, Elephant Protection Stockholm Convention worth billions of dollars, and leaving death, homeland and globally. He went on to become Initiative Foundation in the United Nations, destruction and instability in its wake, yet there former Minister of Environment a strong advocate for the protection of turtles, is no global legal agreement on wildlife crime. and Energy in the Seychelles including contributing to the establishment of the Seychelles’ largest marine protected area, The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us in equivalent to 30% of the archipelago’s vast EEZ. a devastating way of the interconnected nature of things, between economies, the environment, Rolph has always been fascinated by the human and wildlife health and welfare. Our delicate balance of nature and how ecological international laws, programmes and funds do cycles are critical for human survival on our not yet reflect this reality, which is also largely planet. Understanding how our planet works, the case at the national level. The most likely and how different cycles explanation for COVID-19 is that the virus can be affected by human jumped from bats to humans, perhaps via another “Recycling needs to start intervention is a vital animal such as a pangolin, at a wet market in now, and begin in our tool for change in human SPEAKERS Wuhan. While no firm conclusions can yet be behaviour and responsibility. drawn, the links between wildlife and previous homes, our schools and epidemics and pandemics are well known, in our communities.” As Executive Secretary as are the conditions that make spillover from for the Basel, Rotterdam animals to humans more likely. and Stockholm Convention in the United Nations, he is keen to share the The risks are real, and the stakes are high. Risks linkages between human consumption and waste, to public health through wildlife-related zoonotic and how a human approach to the life cycle of diseases can come from unregulated, regulated, products can present the solution to some of our and illegal wildlife trade. We need to draw on largest planetary challenges – such as the global experts to identify the wildlife markets, trade plastic crisis in the oceans. © Peter Houlihan and consumption that pose a health risk.

The international regime for regulating wildlife trade and combating wildlife crime is inadequate for regulating wildlife trade, markets and consumption that pose a risk to public health, as well as for ending wildlife crime. Left as it is our system is not going to prevent the next pandemic. It could, in fact, be raising our africanparks.org potential exposure to zoonotic diseases. endwildlifecrime.org brsmeas.org 22 23 John Scanlon A0

Barely 5000 black rhinos remain in the wild. Many end their lives like this bull in South Africa’s Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park, shot dead by poachers who hacked off his horns and fled during the night. © Brent Stirton / PHOTOGRAPHERS AGAINST WILDLIFE CRIME TM GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

The Future of the Ocean How to Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Stay on Campsite Earth

Our planet is changing and humankind is at a After having spent 25 years writing about crossroads. The importance of caring for nature environmental history, policy and politics at the Mariasole Bianco has never been greater – the challenges ahead Joe Smith University of Cambridge and the Open University, President of Worldrise, are bigger than anything we have faced before. Director, I am now Director of the Royal Geographical Vice Chair IUCN WCPA Young Now more than ever it is our responsibility and Royal Geographical Society. My talk charts the past, present and Professionals Society obligation to take the bold and transformative future of environmental ideas and actions, and steps which are urgently needed to catalyse the argues that if we make the most of our best appreciation and conservation of nature. characteristics – of creativity, generosity and determination – then this could be humanity’s Our mission with Worldrise is to invest in youth best century yet. and young leaders who have the potential to advance the future of conservation, give back Rather than thinking of these in terms of as global citizens, rise to the challenges of their environmentalism trying to put together a driving generation and facilitate large-scale behavioural manual for ‘Spaceship Earth’, change. we might be better off thinking in terms of the need It is not too late to turn the tide and protect and “If we make the most of to work together to build restore the natural world, together across all our best characteristics – a practical guide to setting SPEAKERS generations and sectors of society we share the up a temporary campsite SPEAKERS responsibility to make the right choices in this of creativity, generosity here. Campers on vacation crucial time because they will determine the and determination – then or expedition tend to know future of our planet for centuries to come. the code: this is a place you this could be humanity’s pass through, leaving little best century yet.” trace. If everyone follows a few simple rules you can expect to pick up treasured memories during your necessarily time-limited stay on campsite Earth. But to make this humanity’s best century yet we must stop talking about surviving and focus instead on us, and our fellow species thriving!

Beach cleaning with a message. Building awareness about plastic pollution in the

sailing school of Saint-Tropez. © Worldrise

mariasolebianco.com rgs.org worldrise.org [email protected] 26 27 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Saving Nigeria’s Largest Elephant Gorongosa Map of Life Population

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has My work focuses on elephant conservation in supported the conservation of Yankari since Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Nachamada Geoffrey 2009 by establishing good working relationships Dominique Gonçalves Landscape Director for WCS with local communities, developed essential Manager of Elephant To protect biodiversity and ecosystems, we need at Yankari Game Reserve, partnerships with key government agencies, and Ecology Project, more than to just secure the integrity of the Finalist of the Tusk Award for National Geographic Explorer gained a thorough understanding of the local boundaries of the landscape. We need to know Conservation in Africa, 2017 ecology, and the political and legal landscape. what we have, to see the value of comprehensive Our work in Yankari – one of only two sites with biodiversity knowledge and to create a detailed lions and other wildlife remaining in Nigeria picture of life for the management and protection – has focused on helping both the surrounding of biodiversity. It is important to have local communities and the state government to protect champions of biodiversity, local champions who the largest remaining elephant population in the look at everything regardless of size and role country. In 2014 WCS signed a co-management in the ecosystem, simply because everything is agreement with Bauchi State Government and interconnected. since then levels of protection have improved dramatically. Prior to 2014, an average of The training and support of a new 20 elephants were killed each year for their ivory. generation of local Mozambican Thankfully, zero elephant poaching has been biodiversity specialists, researchers

recorded since May 2015 due to the sustained and conservationists is of outmost SPEAKERS efforts of WCS and the Yankari rangers; it is importance, because they are the likely that elephants would be locally extinct in ones who will make sure biodiversity Yankari now if not for the timely intervention of survives. Working in partnership with

WCS. Our approach is holistic, involving dialogue Dominique Gonçalves and Mércia communities to jointly implement with different groups from the surrounding collect fresh dung samples to analyse solutions to our challenges, helping diet from an immobilised elephant communities to understand their problems from during a GPS collaring operation in break the cycle of poverty and protect the Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. their perspective, in addition to establishing © Charlie Hamilton-James biodiversity and ecosystems on which we all a properly trained and motivated ranger force depend for a safe and healthy future, are vital providing constant anti-poaching patrols. steps towards a better future.

Nachamada Geoffrey, Andrew and rangers. © Wildlife Conservation Society/Natalie Ingle Yankari elephants. © Wildlife Conservation Society/Musa Ahmad

gorongosa.org nigeria.wcs.org [email protected] 28 29 Susan Canney GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL SPEAKERS SPEAKERS

Elephant caressing baby. 30 31 © Carlton Ward GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Proyecto Tití: Securing a Future for EarthEcho International a Critically Endangered Little Primate

Cotton-top tamarins are one-pound monkeys, Our ocean is responsible for every second breath only found in the tropical forests of northwest we take, it regulates our climate and feeds billions Rosamira Guillen Colombia in South America. They are severely Philippe and of people. The ocean and coastal zones provide Co-founder and Executive threatened by deforestation and the illegal pet Ashlan Cousteau critical habitat for 700,000 – 1 million species, Director of Fundación trade of wildlife species. Trained as a landscape Explorers, filmmakers not including the millions of microorganisms, Proyecto Tití, National architect, I fell in love with cotton-tops when and ardent advocates for and up to 2,000 new species that are described Geographic Explorer the ocean I first saw them while remodeling the zoo in annually. Despite its vital importance to all life on my hometown. Knowing they were only found Earth, humanity continues to actively contribute in my country, and not too many people knew to its destruction. From disappearing coral reefs, about how special they were, motivated me to do catastrophic pollution and collapsing fisheries to something about it. I joined Proyecto Tití 16 years disastrous changes in chemistry and temperature ago and made it my mission to secure a future for that threaten life on Earth as we know it, there these cute crazy-haired little primates. Proyecto seems to be an endless laundry list of bad news. Tití combines field research and forest protection and restoration with environmental education However, the good news is that solutions and community development, to reduce the exist and nature has a remarkable ability use and exploitation of forest resources for to renew itself if we give it a chance. subsistence by local communities. This recognition has led to urgent calls

to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 SPEAKERS When you work in conservation, it is easy to get in order to stop the global decline in discouraged by the many challenges we all face biodiversity that is advancing rapidly. to secure a long-term future for all these amazing In support of this goal, Philippe and

Proyecto Tití plush toy artisans. creatures and places, and even for ourselves. Ashlan and Philippe Jr working with kids. Ashlan Cousteau are building a youth © Mia Kennel Even though we are aware that our conservation © EarthEcho International movement for the ocean that can foster work surely contributes to a better world, the kind of social and cultural change needed to sometimes we wonder about the scale and impact enable urgent global action. They are focused of our actions from our little corners of the world. on building that movement through their non- But then you look out, and you discover a lot of profit EarthEcho International as well as creating amazing individuals and organizations doing the documentaries, books, social impact businesses same from their own little corners of the world. and more. And you realize that you are just one of the many pieces of a large conservation puzzle coming together to protect life on this planet.

As we connect with each other we are becoming stronger. Then the view from here looks better, it looks hopeful, promising and encouraging, thanks to all the amazing conservationists out there protecting our wildlife and our wild places. proyectotiti.com/en-us [email protected] earthecho.org 32 33 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Are Lichens Organisms? Hope in the Midst of the Amphibian Extinction Crisis

For more than a decade I have been collecting In my presentation, I talk about my work in the data on lichens growing in a New England cloud forest of Cusuco National Park, where Anne Pringle cemetery. Over the years I have watched Jonathan Kolby I have been studying frogs and helping to protect Mary Herman Rubinstein individuals fragment, grow back, and reproduce. National Geographic Explorer, them for the past 15 years. Professor of Botany and Lichens are complex symbioses of fungi, algae, Conservation Director of Bacteriology, University of the Honduras Amphibian Rescue and bacteria. Working with a team of physicists, In a world rapidly changing and becoming more Wisconsin–Madison. and Conservation Center National Geographic Explorer I have explored the physics of air moving over globally connected with each passing day, lichen bodies and generated a formal theory diseases previously locked into discreet areas to explain lichen behavior. I have developed are being catapulted around the globe faster strong ideas about the ‘organismality’ of these than they can be described by science. In my fascinating, diverse creatures. Are lichens work, I have been studying how the spread of organisms? Yes. emerging diseases through the wildlife trade may become the greatest long-term conservation Most species of fungi are undescribed, and many challenge in modern times. This is undescribed fungi are known only from the because diseases such as the amphibian DNA sequence data generated from habitats chytrid fungus which is now fueling and samples ranging from the familiar (soil and a global amphibian extinction crisis, leaves) to mundane and bizarre (shower curtains can no longer be controlled even if the

and sloth fur). Undescribed species are difficult habitat is protected from destruction. SPEAKERS to protect. While I race to collect basic natural Normally, habitat protection is the key to history data, different questions are more or less protecting species from extinction, but constantly in my mind. How should we count or this no longer holds true. Hundreds of

Chicken Fungus. © Anne Pringle even think about lichens and fungi? Lichens may Exquisite Spike-thumb Frog species are already at risk of extinction be organisms, but lichens are also ecosystems. (Plectrohyla exquisita), critically due to chytrid fungus, and this is just the endangered and endemic to Cusuco And so what is lichen conservation? How do National Park, Honduras. first pandemic threatening global biodiversity. © Jonathan E. Kolby we protect a DNA sequence? The conversation Combining my fieldwork, applied conservation, seems very different from conversations and science communication, I hope to show how about lions or whales, but is it? I don’t have closely the health of people, animals, and the clear answers to my questions. Discovering the environment are all connected. By improving undiscovered is a privilege. I care about my these relationships, we can protect a healthier work and I know it is important. I also know that future for the planet, and I’m starting with the practically, my questions need answers, and we frogs. need answers sooner rather than later, because the world has changed and continues to change. A key to effective conservation is to explain what we are protecting.

[email protected] pringlelab.botany.wisc.edu patreon.com/MyFrogCroaked [email protected] frogrescue.com 34 35 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Valuing Extreme Corals for Why We Need a Wild Ocean the Future of Reefs

An advocate for the world’s marine life and ocean Ocean life makes it possible for us to survive on explorer, I have discovered natural populations Earth, but because of our over-exploitation and Emma Camp of super tolerant corals, which I research to Enric Sala global warming, we have been destroying the Marine biologist, University better understand how corals may survive into Marine ecologist, ability of the ocean to provide for us. The good of Technology Sydney. the future. National Geographic news is that if we give the ocean space, it can United Nations Young Leader Explorer-in-Residence recover spectacularly, restore all the essential for the Sustainable Development Goals, Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse services we need and benefit people living off it. National Geographic Explorer, ecosystems on the planet; covering less than 1% Rolex Associate Laureate of the ocean floor, they house over 25% of marine The ocean has become less wild because of biodiversity. Coral reefs can also be considered our relentless pressure. Two thirds of the fish a ‘canary in the coal mine’ – providing us with populations that people eat are overfished, 9% an early warning sign when we are detrimentally “We can bring of the large fish are gone, coral reefs are dying impacting the chemistry, biology and ecology of because of ocean warming, and salt marshes are the Earth. Global degradation of coral reefs and the richness drowning, incapable to cope with sea level rise. loss of their biodiversity is a sign from mother of the ocean But we can bring the richness of the ocean back nature of the larger impacts that we as humans with protected areas where fishing and other are having on nature. Importantly, it is not too back with extractive activities are banned. Marine life late to right the damage that has been caused, protected recovers spectacularly within them, alongside all but time is critical. The decisions we make now, the benefits it provides for our well-being. We SPEAKERS and how quickly we act on issues like reliance areas.” need an ocean to be able to produce the food we on fossil fuels and habitat degradation, will need to eat, the oxygen we breathe, and a stable determine not only the future for habitats like climate. The ocean provides all of these – and

Working underwater. © Michiel Neethling coral reefs, but also our very survival as a human more – for free, but we cannot recreate them. race. Our health and well-being are inextricably For the sake of all life on our planet, we need linked to the health of the environment and my a wild ocean. hope is that people can reconnect with nature to re-establish this inseparable link. I hope that my work can contribute to some of the solutions required to conserve coral reefs, but more importantly, I hope to inspire current and future generations to lead the charge in environmental protection. I remain an Ocean Optimist, because our underwater world is too important to give up on!

Pitcairn Islands. © Enric Sala Roca Partida. © Enric Sala

emmafcamp.com [email protected] pristineseas.org 36 37 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Whale Sharks: Biggest Fish in the Fantastic Fishes and their Future Sea Inspires Respect for Our Oceans

Whale sharks are truly magnificent. The biggest From fishes that sing with electricity to volcanic fish in the sea, they can reach the size of a bus. crater lake cichlids, freshwater ecosystems are Brad Norman And they are known as ‘gentle giants’ – and no Joe Cutler home to some incredible biodiversity. Research Fellow, Murdoch danger to humans. As a filter-feeder, this species Freshwater ecologist, University. is dependent on the smallest organisms – and ichthyologist and I believe that the future of conservation lies Lead Scientist, ECOCEAN Inc. conservation biologist, healthy oceans overall. Yet largely because of in freshwater. Freshwater ecosystems – our Collaborating Scientist, National Geographic Explorer The University of Queensland. human pressure, whale sharks are endangered. lakes, streams and wetlands – cover less Adjunct Associate Professor, We have the potential to bring this species back than 1% of Earth’s surface but are home to University of Western Australia. from the brink. The first step is to respect our approximately 25% of the world’s vertebrate Rolex Awards Laureate oceans – and work to maintain the health of this biodiversity. Much of this diversity is amazing resource. And at the same time, enjoy concentrated in large tropical rivers, including swimming alongside an ocean giant.​ the Amazon (961 fish species), Mekong (309 species), Congo (375 species), and the I have been researching whale sharks for Ogooué River in Gabon over 25 years. In that time, I have seen the “Freshwater ecosystems (351 species), which are conservation status of this charismatic ocean increasingly threatened by giant decline from ‘Vulnerable’ to ‘Endangered’ – our lakes, streams humans. Development, in mostly due to human activities such as hunting, and wetlands – cover particular dam construction, by-catch, pollution and ship-strike. My work has changed the morphology, SPEAKERS has taken me to some of the most remote and less than 1% of Earth’s hydrology, and functioning beautiful locations in the world including the surface but are home of rivers, subsequently Maldives, Tokelau and the Galapagos, where impacting biological I have witnessed the impacts we are having on to approximately 25% communities and ecosystem these ocean paradises. Plastic pollution, climate of the world’s vertebrate services. These impacts change and overfishing are impacting what have made freshwater should be pristine and bountiful places. The view biodiversity.” ecosystems among the most of the future from here looks bleak if we continue threatened in the world, down the path we are on, but I am optimistic and 36% of freshwater fish species qualify as that we can turn things around. With education endangered by the IUCN. If we intend to protect and inspiration, we can make a difference and global biodiversity and the services that a healthy help to preserve our planet and all its incredible freshwater ecosystem provides, we must focus

Brad Norman with team at Ningaloo. biodiversity, including whale sharks, for our conservation efforts on freshwaters. © Andre Rerekura future generations. Whale shark. © Paul Wags

africaslastwildriver.com [email protected] [email protected] 38 39 Brad Norman

Stumpy the whale shark. © Leith Holtzman GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

The Wonderful World of Bats Snow Leopards and Carnivore Conservation

As a bat conservation scientist, I work on A conservation biologist and National Geographic conservation, research, and education projects Explorer, I conduct research on rare and elusive Kristen Lear to protect bat species around the world. In my Imogene Cancellare wildlife. My background is in landscape and Bat conservationist presentation, I share the amazing world of bats Conservation biologist, conservation genetics, population ecology, and and educator, National and how they support ecosystems and people National Geographic Explorer wildlife management, primarily with carnivores Geographic Explorer through services such as insect pest control, and amphibians. Currently a PhD student at the pollination, and seed dispersal. University of Delaware, I work with Panthera to research the phylogeography and genetic Working in bat conservation opens your eyes not structure of snow leopards across High Asia. only to the great benefits of bats, but also the immense challenges they face and the often deep- We are on the front line, fighting to stop seated fear and misunderstanding that many poaching, prevent conflict with people, conserve people have towards them. These challenges also wild cat habitats, and reduce unsustainable bring opportunity. Opportunity to connect with legal hunting. These proven strategies don’t diverse people to hear their stories and share the just protect wild cats, they also protect their importance of bats. Opportunity to study bats vast landscapes and the endless variety of life and gain an ever-deeper understanding of the within them. These wild places are crucial to our role they play in the world. Opportunity to learn planet’s health – and our own.

SPEAKERS how we can coexist and mutually benefit each SPEAKERS other. This is what excites me about being a bat My research is, at its core, highly collaborative. conservationist, and keeps my passion ignited and As an American scientist working in Central keeps me sharing the wonderful world of bats! Asia, it is incredibly important to note that I am a guest researcher. The snow leopards do not belong to me. However, the herders living alongside these great cats have taught me what it means to belong to an ecosystem where people live in harmony with wildlife. I take pride in my work not only because I love the field work, and not just because I find the lab work utterly fascinating. I am proud, and honored, to work alongside phenomenal

Studying the critically endangered Southern The threatened Mexican long-tongued bat (left) Angsai, China. © Imogene Cancellare conservationists from all over the world. bent-wing bat in Australia. © Steve Bourne and endangered Mexican long-nosed bat, I love that I can celebrate summits and critical pollinators of agave plants in Mexico. © Kristen Lear appreciate science with so many compassionate, talented humans. My research is about snow leopards, but, at its core, it’s also about people. Just like human health and snow leopard health are inextricably linked, so too is conservation kristenlear.wixsite.com/ success linked to people. batconservation biologistimogene.com 42 43 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants Stories from the Sky Islands of India

I have never met a student who is not excited and As a molecular ecologist, National Geographic inspired when learning about the natural world. Explorer and science photographer, I realized Joe Grabowski I have never met better teachers than scientists Prasenjeet Yadav that my real passion lay in storytelling and Founder of Exploring by and explorers, whose passion for their chosen National Geographic Explorer so I now combine my experience in research the Seat of Your Pants, field is ridiculously contagious. and Photographer with photography to popularize ecological and National Geographic Explorer conservation sciences in the wider society. Yet, in my first years as an educator, I observed a growing disconnect between both. So The sky islands of the Western Ghats in South I launched Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, India are unique both in their geography and to bring scientists, explorers, adventurers and biodiversity. The sholas, as these islands are conservationists from all over the world, live locally known, remain one of the most pristine into classrooms everywhere. They bring students and relatively unexplored areas. They are a global to the front line of exploration and the battle biodiversity hotspot and a newly formed UNESCO to protect what we have left by exposing them World Heritage Site. Sholas comprise a natural to challenging issues, exciting places, strong mosaic of grasslands and forest patches, with “Tiny ‘aha’ role models and new career paths. They spark forests in the valleys. They host almost 50 species moments tiny ‘aha’ moments that ignite lifelong passions. of endemic plants and 50% of India’s amphibian Although COVID-19 has taken students out of endemics. Bird ecologist, Dr. Robin Vijayan, and I,

SPEAKERS ignite lifelong the classroom and disrupted our daily lives, it is explored this landscape to understand the role SPEAKERS passions.” also an opportunity to reassess what is important. these mountains play in the formation of new Biodiversity is our insurance policy, its loss species, with a focus on the shortwing, a small bird makes our ecosystems vulnerable. endemic to the sky islands.

Students and the general public need to be introduced to the weird and the wonderful, the challenges biodiversity faces and the good news conservation stories from around the world. That’s where the inspiration for the Global Biodiversity Festival came from and that’s why I will continue to use my career as an educator and explorer to bridge the gap between scientists

and explorers and students around the world. Mist netting. © Prasenjeet Yadav Sky islands. © Prasenjeet Yadav

exploringbytheseat.com prasanjeetyadav.com 44 45 Joe Cutler

Field sampling in Gabon. © Roshni Lohdi GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Beyond Looking Like a Stick – A Peek Ensuring Tiger Conservation Works for Into the Lives of Stick and Leaf Insects the Good of Species, Habitats and People

Recent studies suggest a worldwide decline The Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation of insects, and this is of great concern, as the Programme (ITHCP) was established in 2014, Eunice Jingmei Tan ecosystem services that these insects provide Sugoto Roy financed by the German government through Assistant Professor of are being lost. It is vital that we understand the Conservation biologist, KfW and implemented by IUCN. The initial Environmental Studies, diverse insects around us before it is too late. Manager of the IUCN Tiger 5-year programme had a value of €20 million. Yale-NUS College, Singapore Programme Stick and leaf insects are well known for their It has now been extended with further funding remarkable resemblance to vegetation. They are to 2023. The programme operates through especially abundant in tropical regions, but little a grant-making mechanism where organizations is known about the ecological interactions of this apply for grants through open competition. We group of charismatic insects. currently have 12 projects across 6 countries, focusing on species conservation in the form Plant-mimicking stick and leaf insects have of population monitoring, anti-poaching and existed for at least 47 million years, attesting conflict mitigation; habitat management through to the success of this phenotype and this group training and equipping front-line of insects. Currently, more than 3,000 species staff, developing park management of stick and leaf insects are known globally. An infrastructure and long-term land extraordinary diversity of more than 600 species use planning; working with local of stick and leaf insects have recently been communities to ensure they use forest

documented in Southeast Asia, a biodiversity resources sustainably and have access to SPEAKERS hotspot that remains surprisingly under-explored. alternative resources and incomes. Protective colour patterns such as those of stick and leaf insects, which resemble the insect’s As the programme moves into its second

background or mask its outline, reduce their © Sugoto Roy phase, a preliminary analysis has shown detection by predators. This may explain the that while some activities can be undertaken unusual longevity (lifespan of 1-5 years) and size relatively quickly, such as population monitoring (~ 0.5 m) of these insects. While the adaptive through camera trapping, some aspects need time significance of such protective colour patterns to become established. In particular, working Stick insect. © Sebastian Pohl are reasonably well documented, how their with local communities requires trust building, evolution has been shaped by ecological and life awareness raising and outreach. history factors is less clearly understood. The fate of the tiger epitomizes that of many We search for leaf and stick insects in their large species, where fragmented populations natural habitats in various forests in Singapore, are threatened by poaching, isolation through Malaysia and Brunei, combining field habitat loss or degradation, and conflict with observations and laboratory experiments to local, often impoverished communities who are understand how the evolution of stick and leaf competing for space and resources. Conservation insects have been shaped by their ecological and at landscape scales for this and other such species life history factors. needs to incorporate the elements of species monitoring and protection, habitat management bit.ly/ecoladapt nature.org and the engagement of local communities. [email protected] seymsp.com 48 49 Sugoto Roy

Traffic calming road sign, Nepal. © Sugoto Roy GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Biodiversity in the Developing a Marine Spatial Plan for Deep Freeze: Antarctica a 30% Conservation Goal in Seychelles

In sharp contrast to the icy desert at the surface, The Seychelles is an archipelagic nation in the the bottom of the Southern Ocean is teaming rich, tropical marine waters of the Western Huw Griffiths with thousands of species, most of which are Helena Sims Indian Ocean. Encompassing 1.35 million Marine biogeographer found nowhere else on Earth. Project Manager Seychelles, square kilometres and 115 islands, biodiversity Marine Spatial Plan initiative is Seychelles’ most important natural asset, The Environmental Protocol of the Antarctic supporting a luxury tourism industry and over Treaty describes Antarctica as a natural 10 fisheries. Conservation and the sustainable reserve, devoted to peace and science. use of marine resources are very important to Working in Antarctica always feels like an Seychelles’ way of life and in 2012 the government enormous privilege but at the same time a huge made a bold commitment to increase marine responsibility. Very few people get to experience protection from 0.03% to 30% using a debt- this spectacular wilderness and even fewer get for-conservation deal. The Seychelles Marine to explore the hidden underwater world beneath Spatial Plan (SMSP) initiative began in 2014 and the ice. Getting the opportunity to help discover is a public and transparent process to new species in an unexplored region in extreme achieve the 30% marine conservation conditions never gets old. The frozen continent goal and meet other conditions of the of Antarctica might seem remote and isolated debt swap. The final SMSP milestone but our actions have direct consequences for this was achieved in March 2020 after more

unique habitat. The polar regions are often where than 200 consultations. This approach SPEAKERS the global effects of human impacts are felt first, resulted in over 400,000 square including climate change, ozone depletion and kilometres or 30% of Seychelles’ waters ocean acidification. Recording and predicting in marine protection and sustainable

The James Clark Ross, Antarctica. the effects of global change on the Antarctic © Jason Houston use areas. © Huw Griffiths ecosystem is crucial if we are going to minimize the impacts on the native flora and fauna. As well The marine spatial plan is for the Seychelles’ as understanding the ecology and biodiversity of entire EEZ and is expected to be completed this sub-zero habitat, I feel that an important part in 2020. Managing, monitoring, and protecting of my job is to share what we find with people the EEZ, has proven financially and technically back home so that they can understand why we challenging not only for Seychelles but for many should care about what happens at the end of other Small Island Developing States. This is now the Earth. further exacerbated by the economic impacts of a global pandemic.

bas.ac.uk nature.org [email protected] seymsp.com 52 53 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Scaleworm. © Huw J. Griffiths

Amphipods. © Huw J. Griffiths 55 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Elephant Conservation in Times Ol Pejeta Conservancy of War and Peace: Why Do the Local Live with the Last Northern White Rhinos People Protect the Elephants?

Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a 90,000-acre The desert-adapted elephants of the Gourma conservancy located in central Kenya, home to region of Mali make a vast annual migration Richard Vigne the largest black rhino population in East and Susan Canney through the harsh, open, populated landscape Conservationist and Central Africa, the last two northern white rhinos Director of the of Central Mali. They have managed to survive Managing Director and a safe haven for endangered species including Mali Elephant Project despite the multiple threats to their continued of Ol Pejeta Conservancy rescued chimpanzees and the Big Five. It has existence. These include the concurrence some of the highest predator densities in Kenya, of human and elephant needs, poaching and and still manages a very successful livestock the lawlessness and conflict associated with programme. Ol Pejeta also seeks to support a terrorist insurgency. the people living around its borders, to ensure ​ that wildlife conservation translates into better While strictly protected areas are the vital education, healthcare and infrastructure for the cornerstone of conservation policy, there are next generation of wildlife guardians. other valuable areas for conservation that contain people – such as landscapes with wide- Biodiversity is now recognized as critically ranging species – where the challenge is to find important for maintaining ecosystem services models to conserve biodiversity in the face of such as soil fertility and crop pollination. And competing demands. The Mali Elephant Project importantly the maintenance of ecologically attempts to find inherently sustainable ways

biodiverse systems is no longer seen as a natural for elephants and people to thrive together. It is SPEAKERS impediment to systems of production, like founded on two key aspects of local attitudes: the production of food for a growing human 1) an understanding that the loss of elephants is an population. Indeed there are now spectacular indicator that the ecosystem is impoverished and

© Ol Pejeta Conservancy examples of how biodiversity enhances farming less able to support life, and 2) an understanding resilience and profitability, without the need to that human impact must occur within the resort to destructive factory farming methods. physical limits of nature. Working with the local population to adapt local governance systems All of that said there is another clear and to become inclusive and transparent has been © Carlton Ward obvious reason for protecting biodiversity, the vehicle to develop ‘elephant-centred natural and that is the role it plays in enriching human resource management’. This makes space for existence. Imagine what a boring place planet elephants, restores habitat and improves local Earth would be without the vast plethora of livelihoods. It is a dynamic process that has different species and life forms that live alongside evolved over the years in response to challenges, us humans. That is not a place that I would like to but works because it brings a range of local live, and should be enough reason for the proper benefits. In the process we discover more about environmental stewardship of planet Earth the nexus between elephants, humans and without the need for further justification. their environment, and the fundamental links between environmental degradation, poverty, compromised governance, inequality, war and terrorist insurgency. wild.org/mali-elephants icfcanada.org/our-projects/- olpejetaconservancy.org projects/mali_elephants 56 57 Susan Canney

Women collecting medicinal plants. © WILD Foundation / Nomba Ganame GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

The Internet of Animals – Capitalizing on the Osa Conservation: Wisdom of Animals Will Help Protect Them Live from the Rainforest Canopy

My specialization is the study of global animal The Osa Conservation wildlife team utilizes movement. The collective wisdom of the Earth’s camera trapping technology in the Costa Rican Martin Wikelski animals provides an immense bio-treasure of Arianna Basto canopy to better understand wildlife in one of Managing Director, Max-Planck unprecedented information for humankind. Osa Conservation wildlife the wildest places on Earth. Institute of Animal Behavior, The evolved senses of animals as well as monitoring technician Department of Migration, technical sensors on animal-borne tracking tags The team climbs high above the rainforest floor ‘Vogelwarte Radolfzell’ enable local Earth observations at the highest to set camera traps and gather photos and videos spatial and temporal resolution. To protect and of the elusive species that spend their lives in understand the ecosystem services provided by the canopy, including threatened or endangered animals, we need to monitor individual animals species such as the Geoffroy’s spider monkey seamlessly on a global scale. (Ateles geoffroyi). We are excited to share our talk live from the top of the jungle canopy! The ICARUS initiative, an international bottom- Andy Whitworth up, science-driven technology development of Wildlife conservationist, The Osa Peninsula is rich in biodiversity – it is small, cheap and autonomous sensing devices National Geographic Explorer, home to half of all the species in Costa Rica in an Executive Director of Costa for animal movement and behaviour is aiming area just 3.5% of the country’s land surface. Rican non-profit towards this: wearables for wildlife. The resulting Osa Conservation big data available in the open source database

Movebank help understand, monitor, predict and SPEAKERS protect life on our planet. By outfitting animals with communication devices, we have started to give animals a better voice on our planet: their representatives can tell us what they experience where, and if they have problems or die. Learning from animals in the ‘Internet of Animals’ can help us predict natural catastrophies, forecast global zoonotic disease spread or safeguard food resources while monitoring in situ every corner of the planet.

Martin Wikelski and Rony Garcia tag a captive-bred Osa Conservation wildlife monitoring Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) scarlet macaw with an ICARUS satellite tag to protect programme coordinator Eleanor Flatt adjusts near the Osa Conservation Biological Station. it during rewildening in the Selva Maya rainforest park. cell-enabled camera trap. © Federico Pardo © Andrew Whitworth © Sergio Izquierdo Tagging a migratory green darner dragonfly with a radio tag to track it from a Cessna plane. © Christian Ziegler

ab.mpg.de/wikelski [email protected] osaconservation.org 60 61 Richard Vigne

The world’s very last two surviving white rhinoceroses – “Najin” and “Fatu”. © Ol Pejeta Conservancy GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

The Penguins: We Need a New Deal for Nature Ocean Conservation Game Changers and People

With 31 years in the field of marine conservation The way we currently produce and consume is focusing on protected areas and seabird ecology, causing nature to decline at a rate unprecedented Pablo Borboroglu my presentation shows why penguins’ fragile Marco Lambertini in human history. This matters. Nature underpins Founder and President conservation status reflects the condition of Director General, our society, our economies, our health and well- of the Global Penguin Society, the ocean and coasts they inhabit. Penguins are WWF International being. Never has it been more clear – in the midst National Geographic Explorer, particularly vulnerable to the main threats they of a global pandemic – that we urgently need to Rolex Awards Laureate are facing: climate change, mismanagement transform our relationship with nature. of fisheries and pollution at sea, and human disturbance and introduced predators on land. While the critical decisions world leaders were Penguins, as keystone umbrella species, can scheduled to take on the environment, climate catalyse integrated ocean conservation allowing and development have been postponed until for the protection of vast environments and many 2021, they remain a momentous opportunity to other species they coexist with. Finally, penguins secure a New Deal for Nature and People that are the perfect tool to inspire behaviour changes places nature on the path to recovery by 2030 in the international community while they help to and safeguards long-term garner political support to accomplish long-term “We urgently need a human health, well-being conservation benefits. and prosperity. New Deal for Nature Biodiversity is the outcome of over 3,000 million and People.” Nature is in the red. We are SPEAKERS years of evolution. Unfortunately, it is rapidly destroying it faster than it decreasing worldwide. In particular, seabirds are can replenish itself. We have already lost half the most threatened bird group, and penguins are our forests and coral reefs, along with more than one of the most threatened seabird taxa. 80% of our wetlands. In the last 40 years alone, wildlife populations have declined globally by I work and I live by the sea in Patagonia, 60%. The incredible pressure human activities Argentina, and my field work with penguins are placing on the natural world is undermining takes me across islands and shores throughout its ability to support us and, at the same time, the southern hemisphere. For me the ocean increasing our vulnerability to pandemics. embodies powerful concepts: life, remoteness, We have to change course. As we emerge from

Male chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis unfathomable mystery, energy and hope. Our this pandemic, world leaders must ensure we antarctica) calling a partner, South planet keeps on sending us messages. The build back better. This must start by delivering Shetland Island. © Jacqueline Deely Southern rockhopper penguin COVID-19 pandemic is one of the wake-up a green and just recovery as part of our wider (Eudyptes chrysocome) guarding his calls that shows how much we abuse nature transformation of our relationship with nature. chick on its nest. © Jacqueline Deely and emphasizes the importance of our work in We urgently need a New Deal for Nature and conservation. I have no doubt that a positive, People that places nature in the heart of our long-lasting change will take place once this is economic, political and social systems. Together, over. I am convinced that we still have a chance we can create a nature-positive world by 2030, to save our planet. So my work is inspired by and secure a sustainable future for people my vision to have a humanity with a strong and planet. globalpenguinsociety.org IG @globalpenguinsociety conservation culture. [email protected] panda.org 64 65 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Core Communications Live from The Turtle Hospital

Asher’s laterally associative vision delivers on Join in as we head to the Florida Keys to visit a client’s commitment to offer a product of The Turtle Hospital to meet some of the patients Asher Jay service in alignment with ensuring a healthy Teresa Ryan and check out the conservation work we do to Creative Director, planet and a collective wild future. Harnessing Marine scientist, rehabilitate injured sea turtles and return them Yoke and Anchor LLC. the effective application of the arts to address Education Manager at to the wild. The hospital opened its doors in National Geographic The Turtle Hospital simple disconnects that prevent individuals from 1986 with four main goals: 1) rehabilitate injured Explorer understanding the complexity of the whole, her sea turtles and return them to their natural work is the nexus of storytelling, marketing, habitat, 2) educate the public through outreach public relations, corporate social responsibility, programmes and visit local schools, 3) conduct non-profit impact, and philanthropy. and assist with research aiding sea turtles (in conjunction with state universities), and 4) work We live in an unprecedented age of concealment. towards environmental legislation making the Whether intentionally or not, there has long beaches and water safe and clean for sea turtles. been a breakdown in communication between The Turtle Hospital contains up-to-date politicians and voters, corporations and equipment needed to perform a variety consumers, and scientists and the public. The of surgeries on different species and sizes system cannot be reimagined yet retained, the of sea turtles. There are 7 species of sea time to build something that is solution focused turtles throughout the entire world. Five

and not problem fixated, is upon us. This means of the seven are found in Florida: Green, SPEAKERS empowering conduits for inclusive dialogue Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawksbill, between stakeholders, seeding a paradigm of and Kemp’s Ridley. transparency that democratizes the access to and the use of information. It also means I have been working with sea turtles for working, as I do, on communications that explore 16 years and releasing turtles is the best the nexus between conservation, community part of the job, but it is an emotional and commerce. challenge as we do become attached to these beautiful creatures!

The Space In Between. Green turtle surfacing. © The Turtle Hospital © Asher Jay Loggerhead being examined. © The Turtle Hospital

yokeandanchor.com asherjay.com turtlehospital.org 66 67 Pablo Borboroglu

Pablo checking nests at 3 am to recover tracking devices from adult Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) that breed at a remote penguin colony along the Atlantic coast of Patagonia. © R. Digilio GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

eARTh From Space Tourism and Biodiversity – Essential Partners

​A veteran NASA Astronaut, I have been fortunate ​The effect of COVID-19 on tourism was to experience two spaceflights, 104 days living immediate: nothing was gradual, nothing could Nicole Stott and working in space on both the Space Shuttle Sven Lindblad be planned for – it just happened from one day to Veteran NASA Astronaut, and the International Space Station (ISS), and one Owner of Lindblad Expeditions the next. 100 to zero. Seventy-five to 100 million artist, Earthling spacewalk. One of my personal highlights was people working in the tourism industry are painting the first watercolor in space. projected to lose their jobs. And trillions of dollars will evaporate from global economies. As an artist, and now retired from NASA, The overall picture is beyond stunning. I combine my artwork and spaceflight experience to inspire creative thinking about solutions to our We live in a world which is totally dominated by planetary challenges and to promote the amazing humans. Conservation, therefore, is now widely work being done every day in space to improve Kristin Hettermann acknowledged to be more than purely supporting life right here on Earth. Adventurer, photographer biodiversity. Today’s conservation strategies must overtly maximize both biodiversity I am so thankful to have experienced the and the improvement of human well-being view of our precious planet from the special simultaneously. vantage point of space. In all the complexity of spaceflight, I came back to Earth with three So, bottom line – 100 to simple lessons to share: We live on a planet. We “Our responsibility is to zero is a big, big problem. SPEAKERS are all Earthlings. The only border that matters is Tourism is far from being the thin blue line of atmosphere that blankets and change people’s behaviour, a perfect industry and can protects us all. educating everyone that do much more than it has the environment is an done to date. But now the We have been gifted with a life support implications of zero tourism system like none other to be discovered in the essential partner, not some are more obvious to all of universe. Respect for the interconnectivity and alien creation that us. Perhaps as we build up interdependence of the amazing diversity of life the sector again, we can find and resources that we share our planet with is key is merely tolerated.” solutions to do it in a wiser, Painting on the International Space Station. not only to our survival, but our opportunity to more sustainable way. If © NASA (was actually taken by Canadian Sven Lindblad astronaut Bob Thirsk) Oct 2009 thrive. we were to succeed, this crisis would have fulfilled the second part of its Through the awe and wonder of our planet that definition paired with danger – opportunity. surrounds each of us every day, I am hopeful that we can all appreciate the perspective of the three Tourism while by no means perfect is a necessary simple, yet profound, lessons of planet Earthlings, ingredient if wildlife and habitats are to be thin blue line; and that we will all accept our role protected. Too much tourism is a problem, too as the crew of Spaceship Earth. little is a catastrophe.

nicolestott.com spaceforartfoundation.org [email protected] world.expeditions.com 70 71 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Live from the Toucan Rescue Ranch Pristine Seas

The Toucan Rescue Ranch in Costa Rica works Enric Sala and Paul Rose recount the amazing with a model that focuses on conservation, success they have had leading expeditions Zara Palmer education and research to ensure a brighter Enric Sala to the most pristine areas left in our oceans Marketing Manager, tomorrow for native wildlife. Founded in 2004, Founder of Pristine Seas and how it has lead to the protection of over Fundraising and Education the centre provides sanctuary while giving 5 million sq km of ocean. They share the inside Supervisor premier medical treatment, rehabilitation, and secrets of protecting the ocean’s wild places and eventual reintroduction of rehabilitated wildlife. a life at, in, on and under the sea.

We rescue because animals need our help. Enric: As a university professor, I felt that I was We rehabilitate to give them life. We love to give simply writing the obituary of the ocean. I was meaning to life. We liberate because they describing with more and more precision how are meant to be wild. All we have to do to inspire Paul Rose ocean life was dying, but not offering a cure. I felt change far and wide is tell their stories – their like the doctor who was telling the patient how Expedition Leader Pristine Seas Maria Jose Salazar truths speak for themselves. It is when we can she was going to die, but not offering a solution. Enrichment Coordinator share these stories that we create real change. So, I quit academia and assembled a team with Tour Guide the aim to explore, document and help to An integral part of our work at the Toucan protect the last wild places in the ocean. Rescue Ranch is to educate people on methods

for protecting wildlife in Costa Rica and beyond. Paul: A dream job – leading a high SPEAKERS It is through storytelling, education, and most performing team and diving in the of all, passion, that we truly save lives. ocean’s wildest and most pristine places in order to help get them protected. Our Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation go beyond team is a multi-national combination of saving animals – it drives every one of us to save local scientists, National Geographic each other and to protect our home. Today and Pristine Seas science and media teams, every day we stand for wildlife. Thank you to engineers and technical staff. We have those of you who stand with us, and to those new a ‘laser focus’ on ocean conservation to the cause, thank you too. We hope you will join with every decision based on the single us to fight for a better tomorrow – not just for you question ‘Will this help to protect this or me, but for nature – for us. part of the ocean?’ Tamandua getting surgery by Zara Palmer at Toucan Rescue Ranch. © Toucan Rescue Ranch

Enric Sala (top) and Paul Rose. © Manu San Felix

toucanrescueranch.org pristineseas.org 72 73 Enric Sala

Pitcairn Islands. © Enric Sala GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Plastiki Local Communities and Conservation

I am Wangechi Kiongo, an environmental biologist In March 2010, explorer David de Rothschild and and activist from Kenya. For the past five years, a small crew of adventurers left San Francisco I have focused my energy on working to protect David de Rothschild on a catamaran that floated on 12,500 recycled Wangechi Kiongo threatened ecosystems, for I believe that our future Explorer, environmentalist, plastic bottles. They sailed across the Pacific Environmental scientist, advertently depends on how good we protect our eternal optimist Ocean to sound the alarm on plastic pollution and co-founder of the Save Lake Turkana Movement and biodiversity. Currently, I am running a project become an example of future-forward design. founder of EcoPhilia Kenya, around Kenya’s Lake Turkana which is the world’s Four months later they made landfall in Sydney. National Geographic Explorer largest permanent desert lake and a UNESCO Along the way, they shared their discoveries and World Heritage Site in danger. life aboard the boat with followers around the world. On the 10-year anniversary of its voyage, Biodiversity supports life. Over 300,000 people the Plastiki is re-emerging to rekindle the spirit depend on Lake Turkana for survival. We need of the journey and share a new message that to understand the importance of once again captures imaginations and becomes “It’s not man “Working closely ecosystem goods and services and in a symbol of hope. versus nature, with the community this way be able to appreciate the vital role played by biodiversity around us. it’s man has brought forth The Turkana community has a rich with nature.” the realization that culture and traditional values which greatly accommodate preservation and SPEAKERS SPEAKERS it is impossible protection of biodiversity in and around to separate Lake Turkana. Working closely with the community has brought forth the biodiversity and realization that it is impossible to separate people and, in any biodiversity and people and, in any case, they are all one. Biodiversity represents case, they are all the knowledge learned by evolving species one.” over millions of years about how to survive through the vastly varying environmental conditions the Earth has experienced, and this is not something we are prepared to lose.

The Lake Turkana ecosystem has experienced a lot Plastiki off the coast of Sydney. of changes over the past few decades including © David de Rothschild reduction in water levels, pollution, and intense fishing. But, working with the communities, we have a chance to restore this. With the Earth experiencing more dramatic change at the hands of human activity, and with no immediate knowledge of how much biodiversity the world has lost so far, giving nature the space and protection it needs is the only answer.

voicefornaturefoundation.org 76 77 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Journey to the Centre A Journey from the Sandy Shores of the Kelp Forest to the Deep

I invite you to join me on a dive into the kelp I am a science programme manager with forest of the North Atlantic, to befriend the Nekton Foundation, a charity focused Pia Ve Dahlen a barnacle, talk to seals, crabs and anemones, Sheena Talma on equitable science research between Marine biologist, swim with bioluminescent sharks, and explore Marine biologist with 0-300 metres. I have also worked for the Ministry co-founder of Passion for the wonderful biodiversity you find under a postgraduate degree of Environment Energy and Climate Change in Ocean and Rent a Biologist in ichthyology and fisheries the surface. Seychelles contributing towards environmental science sustainability. From the sandy Seychelles shores Norwegian waters are very nutrient rich and to its surrounding deep sea, the country reveals have some of the strongest tidal currents in the a unique biodiversity. world which make for extraordinary levels of ​ biodiversity. A dive through the kelp forest is Turquoise blue against a backdrop of emerald a terrific, breathtaking experience – almost like green. Mountain tops and deep seas. The “Jump in a science fiction trip. Seychelles has been blessed with abundance the sea! and beauty and I have been privileged to have The ecosystem I study here in these cold, pristine been sheltered by this large ocean state for the Because maybe waters is an example of nature at its very best – duration of my short existence. The view from the most powerful, exciting, beautiful and vital. The best here is one of hope. Hope that we will cease way to enjoy and understand it is to stay in one to take our Earth for granted. Hope that we

SPEAKERS important place for as long as you can and let your natural can be better at working collaboratively. Hope SPEAKERS thing we can curiosity take over as you relax and watch what that our fields of science, conservation and happens around you. exploration become increasingly transformed and do for the sea inclusive. Hope that we continue to strive to be is to love it.” better, for the sake of our own existence.

Atlantic kelp. © Dave McAloney Talma in the lab. © Nekton / Jeanne Mortimer

passionforocean.no [email protected] 78 79 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL Ami Vitale

Field camp on the Greenland ice sheet Art spacesuits Unity and Hope with friend, (38 km inland from Kangerlussuaq, Susie, strolling on the simulated Mars-scape SW Greenland), in July 2016. at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX. © Joseph Cook (@tothepoles) © Ian Cion, artistic creator of the art spacesuits, co-founder and director Space for Art Foundation.

80 © Ami Vitale GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Amazing Maps Youth-led Biodiversity Conservation and for Nature Conservation How You Can Help

My work in the IUCN Key Biodiversity Areas I founded Reserva: The Youth Land Trust Programme harnesses the power of maps to to empower young people around the world to Thomas Starnes identify the most important sites globally for Callie Broaddus take solution-based action towards solving our Key Biodiversity Areas the persistence of freshwater biodiversity. Chair Founder and Executive climate and biodiversity crises. We are currently Programme Officer, IUCN of the Conservation GIS Group, I contribute to Director, Reserva: The Youth working to create the world’s first entirely Land Trust humanitarian relief mapping and explore and youth-funded nature reserve, in partnership with make maps of caves. With a passion for maps Rainforest Trust and Fundación EcoMinga. and spatial data, in my presentation I share some of my favourite applications of GIS in I lead a 56-person international team of nature conservation, and explore the use of overachievers who all get along and work traditional cartography and modern technology for free. That may sound like an executive’s including GPS, data loggers, drones and satellite version of ‘two truths and a lie’, but this is our Earth observation. “Young people team – 56 people between the ages of 7 and don’t just 26 currently working together to fundraise The use of maps and technology goes back to $178,000 for an unprecedented, entirely youth- the roots of civilization. The power of maps to speak. They funded land purchase in one of Earth’s most help us understand our place in the universe act. And if they biodiverse and threatened landscapes. They are cannot be overstated. From early navigational scholars, TEDx speakers, zoologists, journalists,

charts plotting newly discovered lands and seas, can succeed, explorers, activists, entrepreneurs, and pianists. SPEAKERS to complete 3D models of futuristic sustainable the rest of the Four of them have already discovered new cities and maps of the stars to which we dream species. They are each connected by a shared of venturing one day, maps have the power to world certainly biophilia, a belief in solution-based optimism for inspire and inform us. Technology is pervasive can.” the planet, and a commitment to demonstrate the Flying drones in Madagascar throughout our society. Implicated in many financial power of youth. to monitor forest edge effect. © James Borrell global problems, it is also the solution to many of these problems. Technology has the potential In addition to the conservation impact of this and to distract us from nature, or to connect us to it. any subsequent reserve projects we undertake, Today, maps and technology allow us to monitor these young conservationists also set an example deforestation from space, fishing activity around for their governments. Despite scorching words marine protected areas, and birds as they migrate from youth around the globe, most world leaders thousands of kilometres around the globe. We have produced a tepid response to the parallel can even see phytoplankton blooms from space! biodiversity and climate crises. Youth-led biodiversity conservation complements youth As conservationists, I believe it is our duty to activism with a solution-oriented response, ensure that these incredible technologies are showing that young people don’t just speak. They used responsibly and equitably, harnessing the act. And if they can succeed, the rest of the world power of maps to tell compelling stories about certainly can. our place within nature and the life support systems of our planet. iucn.org reservaylt.org [email protected] [email protected] 82 83 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Cultures of Coexistence: COVID-19 and Gorilla Conservation Mentoring a New Generation of Lion Warriors

A Samburu moran (warrior), soon to transition I really enjoyed the Global Biodiversity Festival. to an elder in 2020, I come from the Westgate It was special to be able to connect virtually with Jeneria Lekilelei Community Conservancy in Samburu, northern Gladys so many explorers, scientists, conservationists Director of Community Kenya and first joined Ewaso Lions in 2008 at Kalema-Zikusoka and nature lovers from around the world right Conservation, Ewaso Lions. just 19 years old. Founder and Chief Executive from my home in Entebbe, Uganda. I was glad National Geographic Explorer Officer of Conservation Through to be able to share my BackyardBio photo of the Public Health (CTPH), I conceived Ewaso Lion’s flagship outreach Black-and-white-casqued hornbill. It is rare to National Geographic Explorer programme, Warrior Watch, and have been see them at home, so it was amazing when our responsible for engaging dozens of Samburu 15-year-old son, Ndhego spotted the hornbill in warriors in lion conservation. The Ewaso Lions the tree, and I took a photo before he programme promotes a sustainable human- flew away. I was thrilled to share the carnivore coexistence, reduces human-lion work that we do with the endangered conflict, and ensures a future for Kenya’s lions. mountain gorillas and local communities As a result of engaging local people, lions have living around Bwindi Impenetrable started to make a comeback in the community National Park. We are currently working areas where Ewaso Lions operates. hard to prevent COVID-19 spreading among the park edge communities, and I really love lions. I have a passion for them, from people to gorillas with whom we

since I came to learn about their situation and share 98.4% of genetic material and can SPEAKERS how they are threatened. They are my life and easily make each other sick. that cannot let me stop. The lions are my driving force. If the lions need help, I can’t say ‘I will It was a wonderful surprise when do it tomorrow.’ This is the day I will help them Paul Rose held up a bag of our – immediately. If I stop, and conflict happens, Gorilla Conservation Coffee just before it would be very hard. This pushes me on. I am my talk. Paul introduced our work so a Samburu and this is my land and this is my well, that I felt a strong connection with wildlife. I will always find a way to protect this the audience as I spoke. The highlight Jeneria Lekilelei and the team observe beautiful land, its wildlife, my communities and Village Health and Conservation Team of the festival was when Joe Grabowski an injured lion. © Ewaso Lions Batwa meeting during visit of Tusk Trust. their livestock. I know there is a balance here and © CTPH announced me as the Backyard Bio Champion everything I do is about finding this balance. Vincent, Dr Gladys and for the hornbill photo! We are also very grateful Sam Karibwende in the coffee garden. It is my responsibility to do this. I don’t do it with © Jo-Anne McArthur, Unbound for the donation to Conservation Through Public force – everything I do is through talking calmly Health through this festival. with my community. We have to save these lions – lions are now in my blood and I have to do everything I can.

ctph.org ewasolions.org gccoffee.org [email protected] [email protected] 84 85 Jeneria Lekilelei

Jeneria Lekilelei. © David Chancellor GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Searching for Giants Ice Alive

Passionate about the weird and wonderful Earth’s coldest places are rarely thought of as world of insects, my recent work focused on hotspots for biodiversity, but a microscopic Eleanor Drinkwater tracking one of the biggest and most elusive Joseph Cook frozen rainforest exists in our ice and snow. Animal behavior researcher beetles on the planet, the titan beetle. Tackling National Geographer Explorer, Hidden life in the cold matters to humans around tropical rainstorms, nocturnal work and dense Rolex Awards Laureate and the globe. Microsoft AI for Earth grantee forest, we were able to gain rare insights into the behaviour of these incredible beetles as well Our planet is warming up and that is a big as some understanding of the threats they face problem for its ice, which in turn is a big problem in the wild. for biodiversity. Ice and snow also has its own hidden biodiversity, that connects to that of the ​It is an exciting time to be studying invertebrates, oceans as glaciers and snowpacks melt. If we with new species being discovered on an almost look closely, a microscopic, largely unexplored daily basis and ground-breaking discoveries frozen rainforest reveals itself on our glaciers and like tool-use by insects, evidence for pain ice sheets. perception in crustaceans, and personality in spiders. However, these exciting findings are Trillions of microbes engineer a hidden tinged with a backdrop of decline and extinction. ecosystem that darkens huge areas of ice, causing Invertebrates are declining globally and as many them to heat up in the sun and melt faster. In

species slip towards obscurity before they have the next few decades, climate change SPEAKERS been described, we will never know the extent of will continue to destabilize biodiversity knowledge that we have lost. and human interests worldwide. Making good decisions for managing There is however, always hope. Working with and minimizing these effects requires invertebrates, I have come across people who accurate predictions into the future. continually amaze and inspire me. Volunteers I see glacier biodiversity as a crucial and professionals alike are pushing against missing piece that must be included invertebrate declines, and their dedication, in our computer models. This will be Soldier beetle. © Laura Kor I believe, sets the stage for a hopeful second act. Walking to a field site on Livingston a technological challenge bridging Island, Antarctica, January 2020. @ Joseph Cook (@tothepoles) complex field measurements with drone, plane and satellite observations, big computing and artificial intelligence. The glacial frozen rainforest is yet another beautiful example of the deep connection between living creatures and the stability of our environment.

expeditiontitan.wixsite.com/titans [email protected] tothepoles.co.uk 88 89 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Music as a Gateway to Nature Sumatra Megatransect

I travel the world recording animal sounds as a I look into the effects of megafauna declines on scientist, and sample their voices to create music tropical forest dynamics. On my 2016 Sumatra Ben Mirin that inspires conservation and connects new Iris Berger Megatransect expedition, reaching regions Acoustic biologist, musician, audiences to nature. The educational multimedia Masters student at the previously unknown to scientists, we crossed the National Geographic Explorer. films, television, music and games I produce University of Oxford, Indonesian island from coast to coast, to record Fellow, National Science National Geographic Young give people new ways of engaging with science, how deforestation is affecting bird diversity. Foundation Explorer nature, and conservation. At a global level, conservation is not working. These are unprecedented times, and they call for Wildlife and habitats are declining, even within unprecedented creativity. I have been fortunate protected areas. Simply setting aside areas to find my own career through creating music for biodiversity does not work, because many and media backed-up by science, but with the of the forces threatening biodiversity (e.g. future of our planet at a crossroads, we must climate change) are of planetary-scale and do “These are encourage young people to take similar steps of not recognize park boundaries. Other global their own, applying their passions to the world forces, such as growth economics, have warped unprecedented and finding ways to connect with nature. If we conservation priorities – ironically placing the times, and continue to innovate in the ways we transfer safeguarding of biodiversity into the hands of environmental responsibility to young people, the systems that threaten it. Innovative funding

SPEAKERS they call for we can make conservation more inclusive, foster models will be essential for conservation SPEAKERS unprecedented creative solutions to environmental problems, success and some of these models may utilize and inspire more people to improve the future of market-based principles, but market whims must creativity.” life on Earth. not determine the value (and hence survival) of biodiversity.

A step-change in conservation is urgently needed – the Anthropocene mandates this change. The Anthropocene emphasizes the inseparability of humanity and nature and recognizes that human- induced pressures are both planetary- scale and multifaceted. Consequently, there is a need for conservation efforts Ben Mirin in Madagascar. © Drew Fulton Rockefeller University Science Saturday. Sumatra views. © Oli Broadhead © Aleks Rikhterman of corresponding scale and nature, but conservation does not occur in a vacuum. For it to be successful, a systemic socio-economic change will need to occur. We have done incredible damage, but even where species composition has been irreversibly altered, ecosystem functioning may still be recoverable. There is no way back, but benmirin.com irisberger.org we can shape the future. @benmirin [email protected] 90 91 Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka

Adult male back gorilla from H group at Bwindi. © Jo-Anne McArthur, Unbound GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Marvels of Madagascar Exploring and Conserving the Deep Sea

After having spent years studying primates in Nekton’s mission is to get scientists and the wild, I now focus my research on One Health conservationists in the deep sea to explore and Travis Steffens approaches to lemur conservation. Oliver Steeds protect the ocean – particularly the deeper bits Lemur researcher, Mission Director, Nekton below scuba depth. Nekton works with, and on Assistant Professor Madagascar is an entire world in an island. It is behalf of ocean nations to support their goals to of Anthropology, filled with bizarre wildlife and incredible people. conserve their ocean. Missions are focused on International Fellow of the Explorers Club, But it is also a country at risk. For example, the Indian Ocean with a goal to galvanize 30% Founding Director 95% of lemur species – all of which are found protection by 2030. of Planet Madagascar only on Madagascar and nowhere else in the world – are threatened with extinction due to The Indian Ocean is the least explored and one habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade. But of the least protected oceans. It is already home the issue is complicated because the people in to nearly 2.7 billion people and by 2050 it will be Madagascar are some of the poorest in the world. home to half of the world’s population. How this This conservation challenge led me to start ocean changes will profoundly Planet Madagascar, a conservation, education, affect the lives and livelihoods and community development non-profit. “We are running out of billions of people. In Although people in Madagascar were interested March 2020, President Faure in protecting lemurs, they were limited by their of excuses to not take announced that Seychelles need to feed their families. Together we realized action and running had protected 30% of their SPEAKERS that to preserve habitat and help lemurs, we must ocean. With a population work to build sustainable forest communities. out of time. The time of only 100,000, Seychelles Planet Madagascar works directly with local to act is now.” is often misrepresented as communities to run conservation education, fire President Danny Faure a small island nation. But management, and forest restoration initiatives delivering the first live subsea Presidential Address with an ocean territory in areas where people and wildlife live in from a submersible during Nekton’s First Descent of 1.3 million km2, it is mission in Seychelles’ deep sea, in April 2019. connection. As we continue to grow, we will a vast ocean nation. Their expand our projects and so ensure that the next achievement is extraordinary generation can witness the beauty and wonder and profound and should give us all hope in that is found in Madagascar. the darkness of this pandemic. Seychelles have shone a light on what is possible and demonstrated that we can achieve what our

Lepilemur edwardsi in hole. © Travis Steffens scientists tell us: for a healthy, prosperous and Propithecus coquereli. © Travis Steffens resilient ocean, we need to protect at least 30% of the entire ocean by 2030.

nektonmission.org planetmadagascar.org [email protected] 94 95 Travis Steffens

The giraffe weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa) is endemic to Madagascar. © Travis Steffens GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Going deep! Cave Biodiversity Our Ocean

Using examples from Belize, China, Easter Island, Sylvia Earle is President and Chairman of Mission and the Grand Canyon, Jut discussed why animals Blue / The Sylvia Earle Alliance. She is a National Jut Wynne colonize underground habitats, how they adapt Sylvia Earle Geographic Society Explorer in Residence, and is Assistant Research to life in complete darkness, and why some caves President and Chairman called Her Deepness by the New Yorker and the Professor of Cave Ecology, can support an impressive panoply of biodiversity. of Mission Blue, New York Times, Living Legend by the Library of Northern Arizona University National Geographic Congress, and first Hero for the Planet by Time Explorer-in-Residence With the Anthropocene undergirding our Magazine. She is an oceanographer, explorer, biosphere, formally describing new species author and lecturer with experience as a field has never been more imperative. To name an research scientist, government official, and organism, taxonomists must describe it, the peer- director for several corporate review process vets the description, and then it and non-profit organizations. is formally published. This critical first step is “I wish you would use only part of the conservation equation. We also Mission Blue ignites public need to factor the organism’s habitat and life all means at your support for a global network history requirements, as well as human activities disposal – films, of marine protected areas threatening its persistence. expeditions, the web, and inspires action to explore and protect the ocean. Led Over the past 20 years, subterranean biology new submarines – by legendary oceanographer has flourished. We have significantly advanced to create a campaign Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue SPEAKERS our understanding of underground ecological is uniting a global coalition processes. Concomitantly, discoveries of species to ignite public support to inspire an upwelling of adapted to caves remain a quotidian occurrence. for a global network of public awareness, access To date, even the most intensively studied and and support for a worldwide impressively biodiverse regions, the Dinaric karst marine protected areas; network of marine protected This springtail species (Family Entomobryidae) is a fine example of eastern Europe and the Cumberland Plateau, areas – Hope Spots. Under of subterranean-adaptation. Note Hope Spots large enough the animal has elongated and in eastern United States, continue to yield new Dr. Earle’s leadership, the slender antennae and legs and is species. Areas that may ultimately eclipse these to save and restore the Mission Blue team implements eyeless and depigmented. This undescribed species is presently regions and emerge as biodiversity hotspots are communications campaigns known from two caves and is blue heart of the planet.” presumed endemic to Runaway the South China Karst and cave-bearing tropical that elevate Hope Spots to Creek Nature Reserve, Belize, Central America. © Jut Wynne regions in Central America. the world stage through documentaries, social media, traditional media Through a triumvirate of biodiversity inventories and innovative tools like Google Earth. Mission with taxonomic descriptions, habitat and life Blue also embarks on regular oceanic expeditions history characterizations, and vulnerability that shed light on these vital ecosystems and assessments, we will be poised to make build support for their protection. paramount decisions to protect these sensitive ecosystems and the diversity they support.

jutwynne.com [email protected] mission-blue.org 98 99 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Osa Conservation: Science Expeditions: Saving Rare and Threatened Rainforest How to Convert Science Hypotheses into Mega-Trees Fieldwork in Challenging Places

Deep in the jungles of Costa Rica, the One of the most beautiful jobs in the world: Osa Conservation Botanical Restoration team Meeting a science team and working out how Ruthmery Pillco works to research, collect and propagate rare Paul Rose to deliver the field elements of an ambitious Huarcaya and threatened tree species from the forest. Expedition Leader science hypothesis. Osa Conservation Botanical Ruthmery Pillco Huarcaya, an indigenous Restoration Team Leader botanist from the mountains of Peru, leads her It is a real joy to gain a working understanding team on remote expeditions to find and collect of the science goals and priorities, visualize the seeds from ancient mother-trees, many of which field work and then convert this plan into the are endemic – meaning they can only be found practicalities of mobilizing logistics such as in this part of the world. At Osa Conservation’s icebreakers, aircraft, supplies of food, fuel and native tree nursery, the scientists trial different technical equipment and establishing remote methods to propagate those seeds. The nursery field camps with teams of support staff. All is a place of botanical innovation and discovery, “Science science projects need support staff – specialists Andy Whitworth where the team works to understand species support teams of all kinds: Cooks, divers, mountaineers, Wildlife conservationist, that have never been studied before. Recently, are the beating tree climbers, boat drivers, heavy equipment National Geographic Explorer, they collected samples from a potential new tree operators, pilots, mechanics, builders, plumbers, Executive Director species to science. They also collected seeds electricians and medics. The scale of some of Costa Rican non-profit heart of field Osa Conservation from the Pleodendron costaricense, an incredibly projects means that each of these roles is a

SPEAKERS science.” SPEAKERS rare, endemic tree (we think there have been as dedicated, full-time job whilst on smaller few as four mature trees ever recorded). If their projects everyone does everything. efforts succeed, the Osa Conservation team will be the first in the world to germinate the species. I have led science expeditions for most of my life and yet I still retain the sense of excitement and enthusiasm for making science happen in remote, challenging regions and am very happy to say that I am emotional when each project begins and becomes a live, beautiful expedition!

Osa Conservation botanist Marvin Lopez Osa Conservation botanic programme Taylor Glacier, Antarctica. © Paul Rose works with rare and threatened trees in the coordinator Ruthmery Pillco Huarcaya holds conservation’s nursery. © Lucy Kleiner rare Pleodendron costaricense sample. © Andrew Whitworth

​osaconservation.org paulrose.org 100 101 Paul Rose

Science in the most remote locations is made possible with the support of research stations such as Rothera. The view looking East, across Rothera Research Station, towards the Antarctic Peninsula. © Pete Bucktrout, British Antarctic Survey GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Wild Hope Can We Stop Illegal and Damaging Fisheries in Scottish Seas?

Nikon Ambassador and National Geographic Scotland’s coastal seas have sadly suffered Photographer, Ami Vitale has traveled to more several decades of decline. Overfishing through Ami Vitale than 100 countries, bearing witness not only to Phil Rhodri Taylor the 20th century has made most fish stocks National Geographic Explorer, violence and conflict, but also to surreal beauty Head of Policy and Operations, unsustainable. Fisheries have therefore had Photographer and Filmmaker and the enduring power of the human spirit. Open Seas to respond by moving down the food chain to Throughout the years, she lived in mud huts shellfish, and using more damaging approaches, and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned such as scallop dredging and bottom trawling. a panda suit – keeping true to her belief in the These are the most damaging forms of fishing in importance of “living the story”. In 2009, after Europe but are permitted in at least 90% of our documenting a powerful story on the transport coastal seas – including inside Marine Protected and release of one of the world’s last white Areas and on sensitive reefs. Open Seas and rhinos, Ami shifted her focus to today’s most others in Scotland are coming together to call compelling wildlife and environmental stories. for change. She says, “nature has sent us all a strong message. This pandemic is a reminder of just how small The Global Biodiversity and deeply interconnected our world is. This is Festival was a fantastic a moment to reimagine our relationship to nature “What struck me event which showcased so and to each other. We need to reduce human is the scale of the global much extraordinary work encroachment on wildlife.” from around the world. What SPEAKERS conservation challenge struck me is the scale of the March 18, 2020 marked two years since the but also the scale global conservation challenge passing of the last living male northern white but also the scale of the rhino on the planet, named Sudan. Today, nearly of the movement that is movement that is stepping up 1 million species are in danger of extinction stepping up to address it.” to address it. There are many © Ami Vitale due to exploitation, the climate emergency and commonalities in the issues we habitat degradation. Ami believes, “our own face and in the things we need health and destiny is intricately connected to to resolve. Almost universally, these ancient species. Our fates are linked. we need more political support and a greater Without rhinos and elephants and other wildlife, public understanding. The fantastic work of Paul, we suffer more than just a decline in the health Joe and Dan is doing lots to address both. of the ecosystem of which we ourselves are a part. We and future generations suffer a loss of imagination, a loss of wonder, a loss of beautiful possibilities.”

amivitale.com openseas.org.uk [email protected] ourseas.scot 104 105 GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL Légende + crédit blaccus esequo voloreperem fuga.

Discussing Biodiversity and Festival Wrap-Up

We face incredible challenges when it comes to Nature has been telling us for a long time, but most our natural legacy for our planet; the wild species people – seven billion centres of the universe occupied Jeff Corwin and wild places have never been under such a great with our human affairs – were not listening. The

Biologist, Wildlife level of threat. We have a greater species loss The Final Word COVID-19 pandemic provided the loudest wake-up call conservationist, broadcaster right now than when dinosaurs were wiped off in recent history. The world came to a halt because a tiny our planet over 60 million years ago, except that by Enric Sala strand of genetic material spilled over to a person and, back then it was because of an asteroid impact thanks to our globalized lifestyle, spread a lethal disease on Earth, and today we realize that we are the like wildfire across the world. asteroid through poor sustainability, habitat loss, black market wildlife trade, climate change Regardless of which animal was the host of the virus, the and pollution. pandemic happened because of our broken relationship with nature. We not only ship wildlife across the planet This COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that we for food, medicine or as pets, but we also destroy fall prey to all of the pluses and minuses of being the habitats that nine million species of plants and a biological creature. Biology doesn’t look at animals call their home. That biodiversity, that baroque a human being and say: ‘you complexity of nature, is not a luxury, but a feature of are extra special, we are going our planet that made our own life possible in the first “Powerful lessons remind to give you a little extra edge’. place, and continues to provide for us. Everything we SPEAKERS us of how vulnerable Biology and ecology in nature need to survive – the oxygen we breath, the food we eat, are not about being kind or the clean water we drink – depends on the work of other we are, but also the fair or being equivalent, they species. The more biodiversity – from number of species rapid rewards we could are just about being in that to different types of ecosystems – the more benefits moment. It is very likely that we obtain from the natural world. We can bring that be paid through good our connection to COVID-19 richness back, if we just give nature some space. sustainability.” came about through habitat loss, the pressure on a species The work of all those involved in this book gives me of bat or something similar, which has caused the hope. Conservationists are the immune system of our disease to transfer to us. That is the negative. The planet. Our biosphere became too sick, and now it’s the positive is that it has caused us to take our feet off time to heal it, so she can continue taking care of us. the planetary gas pedal. We are burning less fossil fuels, we are more inside and less outside, having a more positive impact on the planet by just not connecting to it. We have discovered that nature is incredibly resilient and can bounce back. We are seeing wild species overtake urban ecosystems around the world, and in some Indian cities, you can see the Himalayas for the first time in over 50 years. Powerful lessons remind us of how vulnerable we are, but also the rapid rewards we could be paid through good sustainability. 106 Ami Vitale

One planet,“ one experiment.

E. ”O. Wilson

© Ami Vitale GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FESTIVAL

Index of speakers Index of organisations

Basto, Arianna p. 61 Lekilelei, Jeneria p. 84 African Parks p. 22 Ol Pejeta Conservancy pp. 56, 62-63 Berger, Iris p. 91 Lindblad, Sven p. 71 Africa’s Last Wild River p. 39 Open Seas p. 105 Bianco, Mariasole p. 26 Lundin, Carl Gustaf p. 19 BBC Natural History Unit p. 21 Osa Conservation pp. 61, 100 Borboroglu, Pablo p. 64 Medellin, Rodrigo p. 18 British Antarctic Survey pp. 52, 54-55, 102-103 Passion for Ocean p. 78 Broaddus, Callie p. 83 Mirin, Ben p. 90 Conservation Through Public Health p. 85 Planet Madagascar pp. 94, 96-97 Butler Scott, Rachel p. 21 Mrema, Elizabeth Maruma pp. 2-3 EarthEcho International p. 33 Plastiki p. 76 Camp, Emma p. 36 Norman, Brad p. 38 Ecocean p. 38 Rabies Free Africa p. 11 Campos-Silva, João Vitor p. 12 Palmer, Zara p. 72 EcoPhilia Kenya p. 77 Rainforest XPRIZE p. 20 Cancellare, Imogene p. 43 Payet, Rolph p. 23 Ecotone p. 90 Rent a Biologist p. 78 Canney, Susan p. 57 Pillco Huarcaya, Ruthmery p. 100 Elephant Protection Initiative Reserva: The Youth Land Trust p. 83 Foundation p. 22 Cook, Joseph p. 89 Pringle, Anne p. 34 Royal Geographical Society p. 27 Ewaso Lions pp. 84, 86-87 Corwin, Jeff p. 106 Rose, Paul pp. 73, 101 Royal Veterinary College p. 15 Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants p. 44 Cousteau, Ashlan p. 33 Roy, Sugoto p. 49 Ruaha Carnivore Project p. 10 Fundacion Proyecto Tití p. 32 Cousteau, Philippe p. 33 Ryan, Teresa p. 67 Serengeti Health Initiative p. 11 German Cooperation p. 49 Cutler, Joe p. 39 Sala, Enric pp. 37, 73, 107 Space for Art Foundation pp. 70, 80 Global Penguin Society p. 64

INDEX de Rothschild, David p. 76 Salazar, Maria Jose p. 72 The Nature Conservancy p. 53 INDEX Gorongosa National Park p. 29 de Vos, Asha p. 13 Scanlon, John p. 22 The University of Queensland p. 38 Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Dickman, Amy p. 10 Sims, Helena p. 53 Toucan Rescue Ranch p. 72 Conservation Center p. 35 Drinkwater, Eleanor p. 88 Smith, Joe p. 27 The Turtle Hospital p. 67 Ice Alive p. 89 Earle, Sylvia pp. 4-5, 99 Starnes, Thomas p. 82 UCLA p. 20 Instituto De Ecologia UNAM p. 18 Geoffrey, Nachamada p. 28 Steeds, Oliver p. 95 UN Basel, Rotterdam and Instituto Jurua p. 12 Stockholm Conventions p. 23 Gonçalves, Dominique p. 29 Steffens, Travis p. 94 IUCN pp. 14, 18, 19, 26, 49, 82 United Nations Convention Grabowski, Joe p. 44 Stott, Nicole p. 70 Johns Hopkins University p. 20 on Biological Diversity pp. 2-3 Griffiths, Huw p. 52 Talma, Sheena p. 79 KFW p. 49 University of Oxford pp. 10, 91 Guillen, Rosamira p. 32 Tan, Eunice p. 48 Latin American Network University of Technology Sydney p. 36 Hessenberger, Daisy p. 14 Taylor, Phil Rhodri p. 105 for Bat Conservation p. 18 University of Western Australia p. 38 Hettermann, Kristin p. 71 Ve Dahlen, Pia p. 78 Lindblad Expeditions p. 71 University of Wisconsin-Madison p. 34 Houlihan, Peter p. 20 Vigne, Richard p. 56 Mali Elephant Project p. 57 Voice for Nature Foundation p. 76 Jay, Asher p. 66 Vitale, Ami p. 104 Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour p. 60 Washington State University p. 11 Kalema-Zikusoka, Gladys p. 85 Whitworth, Andy pp. 61, 100 Mission Blue pp. 4-5, 99 WILD Foundation pp. 57-59 Kiongo, Wangechi p. 77 Wikelski, Martin p. 60 Murdoch University p. 38 Wildlife Conservation Society p. 28 Kock, Richard p. 15 Wynne, Jut p. 98 National Geographic, Pristine Seas pp. 17, 73 Worldrise p. 26 Kolby, Jonathan p. 35 Yadav, Prasenjeet p. 45 Nekton pp. 79, 95 WWF p. 65 Lambertini, Marco p. 65 Northern Arizona University p. 98 Yale-NUS College p. 48 Lankester, Felix p. 11 Norwegian University of Earth Sciences p. 12 Yoke and Anchor p. 66 Lear, Kristen p. 42 Oceanswell p. 13 110 111 Global Biodiversity Festival — The Book globalbiofest.com

Design Bontron & Co, Geneva, Switzerland Jérôme Bontron Sarah Muehlheim

Layout Bontron & Co, Geneva, Switzerland Simone Kaspar de Pont Marie-Claude Hefti

Proofreading Jeanine Beck

Printing Courvoisier-Attinger Arts graphiques SA, Bienne, Switzerland

Heartfelt thanks to The speakers, for their inspiring talks, texts and courtesy images. Joe Grabowski, who had the ambitious idea of the Global Biodiversity Festival. Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants team, who ran the three days brilliantly. Back cover photo © Ami Vitale Dan Klein, for the technical wizardry, support and global data analysis. Cover photo © Callie Broaddus. Nigel Winser, for the compass bearing Hylocirtus sp. nov. (male), a new species of and his shoulders to stand on. tree frog discovered by Ecuadorian scientist Mario H. Yánez-Muñoz of Instituto Nacional de Book development and funding Biodiversidad, Ecuador, and photographed Joëlle Martin-Achard and Paul Rose here on a 2019 expedition to the Ecuadorian Chocó cloud forest. This species is in the process of description, and its habitat range ISBN 978-2-8399-2972-1 includes the site Reserva: The Youth Land Trust is working to protect, in conjunction with © 2020 Global Biodiversity Festival – The Book Fundación EcoMinga and Rainforest Trust.

Global Biodiversity Festival — The Book 2020 working on on working 2020. In three days, 68 scientists, 68 explorers, days, three In conservationists filmmakers and conservation of their presented line front the thousands joining of audience an to work us from 80 countries. This was the Global Biodiversity Festival

: : 978-2-8399-2972-1

ISBN Global BiodiversityGlobal Festival The — Book