The Elephant Birds of Madagascar 17Th Century

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Elephant Birds of Madagascar 17Th Century NEWS & VIEWS offered for (illegal) sale as curios. A little- The Arabian Nights. The rokh, so the story known fact about the eggs is that until as goes, was an eagle-like bird so enormous recently as the mid-19th century they were that it preyed on elephants. There is good used by humans to transport liquids. There reason to suspect that this fanciful tale enormous, is something distinctly surreal about the originated from birds that occurred on notion of a gigantic egg, several centuries Madagascar, and elephant birds have long old, being used as a water container by a been seen as the obvious candidates. thirsty Malagasy traveller. But Steven Goodman and William enigmatic & extinct All the elephant birds were extinct by the Jungers have recently pointed out that The elephant birds of Madagascar 17th century. A French governor stationed another extinct Malagasy bird could in Madagascar during the mid-1600s men- have contributed to the origin of this n the mid-1800s three huge eggs Aepyornis and three Mullerornis species, mainly in forests, since the spiny vegeta- tioned ostrich-like birds that occurred in legend. Belonging to the same genus and were transported from Madagas- although the actual numbers remain un- tion typical of Madagascar’s arid regions remote regions, but he did not see them WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (2) approxi mately the same size as Africa’s car to France, and the Western clear. This uncertainty reflects the fact generally is characterised by other, iso- at first hand. There is no way of knowing Aepyornis skull on display in the National Crowned Eagle, Stephanoaetus mahery worldI came to learn that this island had that all these species were described topically distinct, photosynthetic path- whether the birds still existed at that time Museum of Natural History, Paris. was probably a specialised lemur hunter. once been home to giant birds. Named from the morphological traits of bones ways. It has been proposed by several or if his accounts were based on already Perhaps sailors’ tales of a large and for- Aepyornis maximus by French natural- and eggshell remains. Until molecular researchers that elephant birds were im- vanished creatures that persisted only in Another possible cause concerns natu- midable forest eagle became intertwined ist Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, the techniques are used to analyse extracted portant seed dispersers for a number of the oral traditions of local people. ral climate change. There is evidence that with accounts of the gigantic elephant species that laid the eggs was the larg- DNA, it will be almost impossible to rule Malagasy trees, including the six species The reasons for the elephant birds’ southern Madagascar, which appears to birds and the chimera that emerged was est bird known to have existed in recent out scenarios such as two ‘species’ in re- of baobabs endemic to the island. demise are far from clear. Human pres- have been one of the strongholds of the the terrifying raptor of Arabian legend. millennia, standing three to four metres ality being the males and females of one ence in Madagascar dates back at least elephant birds, has become substantially ANDREW McKECHNIE in height and weighing about 450 kilo- sexually dimorphic species, as happened THE EGGS OF A. MAXIMUS 2 000 years, and possibly to a significantly drier within the past thousand years. grams, more than the combined weight in the case of New Zealand’s moas. WERE TRULY ENORMOUS, earlier date. Elephant birds and humans Many animals associated with moist References of four ostriches. Madagascar in the age of the elephant EACH WITH A VOLUME thus co-existed for at least the better part of habitats are known from sub-fossil sites Clarke, S.J. et al. 2006. ‘The amino acid and Other species of elephant birds have birds was a very different place to Mada- two millennia and no unequivocal archae- in the area but no longer occur there. It stable isotope biogeochemistry of elephant subsequently been described. Current gascar today. The island’s forests were EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT ological evidence for human predation of may well be that habitat changes driven bird (Aepyornis) eggshells from southern thinking is that there were probably four home to an incredible variety of extinct SEVEN OSTRICH EGGS the birds has been found. This suggests by this shift in climate contributed to the Madagascar.’ Quaternary Science Reviews, mammals, among them gorilla-sized le- that the overkill hypothesis, so often in- extinction of the birds. 25: 2343‒2356. murs and aye-ayes four times larger than The Clarke et al. paper also presented voked to explain megafaunal extinctions Elephant birds have been Goodman, S.M. and Jungers, W.L. 2014. the single extant species. Sloth-lemurs information about oxygen isotopes and that coincided with the arrival of humans, mooted as the origin of the Extinct Madagascar: picturing the island’s moved along the undersides of branches the data that emerged are relevant to probably does not explain the disappear- legend of the rokh, the giant past. University of Chicago Press, Chicago in a manner akin to their South Amer- reconstructing the elephant birds’ ecol- ance of Madagascar’s giant ratites. bird in Sindbad’s adventures in and London. ican namesakes. Dwarf hippopotami ogy. The stable oxygen isotope signatures wallowed in lakes and rivers, and bizarre of eggshells reveal that elephant birds creatures known as bibymalagasias, or drank regularly from groundwater-fed Madagascar aardvarks, fed on ants and ponds, wetlands and lakes in coastal are- termites. as of southern Madagascar and were thus Almost nothing is known about the probably associated with habitats in the natural history of elephant birds, but sev- vicinity of such water sources. eral inferences can be drawn from bio- One aspect of elephant bird ecology chemical analyses of their remains. The that can be inferred without resorting to most significant recent study appeared biochemical analysis is that some species in 2006, when Simon Clarke and his col- nested colonially. At the southern tip of leagues reported that the stable carbon Madagascar, coastal dune sites with ex- isotope signatures of Aepyornis eggshells ceptionally high densities of A. maximus from southern Madagascar are consistent eggshell fragments reveal that these gi- Aepyornis maximus with the birds feeding on plants with C3 ants nested in large colonies, with breed- photosynthesis. This reveals that elephant ing sites possibly being used by many birds fed mainly on trees and shrubs, and generations. To this day, intact eggs are grasses and succulent plants represented occasionally found in this area. only a small part of their diet. The eggs of A. maximus were truly enor- The C3-dominated diet further sug- mous, each with a volume equivalent to gests that the elephant birds foraged about seven ostrich eggs. Many visitors to modern-day Madagascar will have en- Common Ostrich WIKIPEDIA/ Size comparison between the giant egg of the countered these eggs, which have been Homo sapiens Struthio camelus HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NatURAL SCIENCE elephant bird and that of the Common Ostrich. pieced together from fragments and are 10 AFRICAN BIRDLIFE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 NEWS & VIEWS 11 NEWS & VIEWS 2nd W more than just 2nd World Seabird Confer World Seabird Conference ence Seabirds: Global Ocean Sentinels October 26 – 30, 2015 C making waves ape Town, South Africa hot air nterested in how seabirds navigate at For me, one of the highlights was the Scientists have long known that birds are feeling the heat due to sea, how young seabirds learn their suite of findings from the Oxford Navi- climate change. However, a new study of a dozen affected species in trade or how an increasingly stormy gation Group. They used a clock-shift the Western Cape suggests their decline is more complex than previ- planetI is going to affect seabirds? These experiment to show that breeding Manx Hosted by African World Seabird Union Seabird ously thought – and in some cases more serious. were just some of the topics explored at Shearwaters use a sun compass to orien- Group the Second World Seabird Conference tate at sea, but also follow visual landmarks ccording to the study, published comparison of data contained in the two (WSC), which took place in Cape Town once they are in sight of land. Previous in Conservation Physiology and Southern Africa Bird Atlas (SABAP) sur- in October 2015 under the auspices of work on shearwaters has confirmed the their parents and many do not survive carried out by scientists from the veys conducted 15 years apart. This data the World Seabird Union. importance of scent for homing. the first few months, when they seldom APercy FitzPatrick Institute (University was matched with climate data for the The WSC brand was established in 2010, Many studies used the latest tracking dive to more than 100 metres. Those of Cape Town) and the Nelson Mandela comparative period, as well as with physio- when the Pacific Seabird Group hosted technology, but have moved beyond sim- that make it through this period show Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, logical data. A key aspect of the study is a the first meeting in Canada. It also saw ply documenting migration routes and an increase in dive depth and duration, there could be several reasons why birds comparison of climate and bird population 21 regional seabird organisations joining are now attempting to understand how reaching depths of 250 metres (but still are being negatively affected by human- data with the heat response – or ‘thermal forces to form the World Seabird Union individuals behave. The general pattern less than adults). By comparison, adult made climate change. tolerance’ – of each bird species. In this to promote seabird research, management emerging for most species is that individu- Greater Frigatebirds return to their col- They suggest that, contrary to expecta- way researchers assessed to what extent DIONNE MILES and conservation worldwide.
Recommended publications
  • Price List at a Glance
    Bone Clones® Pricelist 2017 2017 Retail Retail Product SKU# Product Description Prices Product SKU# Product Description Prices BASIC ANATOMY BC-182 Human Fetal Skull 40 Weeks (Full Term) $80.00 Basic Anatomy Skulls: Adult BC-182-SET Human Fetal Skulls, Set of 3 $225.00 BC-016 Human Male Asian Skull and Jaw $235.00 BC-194 Human Fetal Skull 20 Weeks $80.00 BC-031 Human Male Australian Aboriginal Skull $245.00 BC-194-SET Human Fetal Skulls, Set of 5 $375.00 Human Male Australian Aboriginal Skull (Painted to Match BC-195 Human Fetal Skull 29 Weeks $80.00 BC-031P Original) $275.00 BC-215 Human Fetal Skull 13 Weeks $80.00 BC-059E Human Female Asian Skull, Economy $140.00 BC-218 Human Fetal Skull 17 Weeks $80.00 BC-107 Human Male European Skull $230.00 BC-220 Human Fetal Skull 21 1/2 Weeks $80.00 BC-110 Human Male African Skull $230.00 BC-225 Human Fetal Skull 30 Weeks $80.00 BC-133 Human Female European Skull $230.00 BC-226 Human Fetal Skull 34 Weeks $80.00 BC-149 Human Female Asian Skull $230.00 BC-227 Human Fetal Skull 35 Weeks $80.00 BC-178 Human Female African-American Skull $235.00 BC-228 Human Fetal Skull 40 1/2 Weeks (Full Term) $80.00 BC-203 Human Male African-American Skull $235.00 BC-228-SET Human Fetal Skulls, Set of 12 $900.00 BC-204 Human Male European, Elderly Skull $295.00 BC-281-C Human Fetal Skull 40 Weeks (Full Term), Calvarium Cut $195.00 BC-211 Human Female Asian Skull $225.00 Human Fetal Skulls, Set of 4, Including Lesson Plan: BC- BC-281-SET BC-213 Human Female American Indian Skull $270.00 194, BC-195, BC-227, BC-281-C,
    [Show full text]
  • PO Box 1401, Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, 1736
    4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd 21860 – Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 October 2020 21860_Ecol_1 Prism EMS | P.O. Box 1401, Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, 1736 | Tel: 087 985 0951 | E-Mail: [email protected] Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DOCUMENT CONTROL Project Name Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 Report Title Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report Authority Reference GAUT 002/20-21/E2591 Number Report Status Final Applicant Name 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Name Signature Date Document Mr. A.E. van Wyk (B.Sc. Env. &Bio. Sci.) Compilation 2020/09 Ecologist Field Assessment Mr. A.E. van Wyk (B.Sc. Env. &Bio. Sci.) 2020/09/18 Ecologist Report Review Mr. D. Botha (M.A. Env.Man.) (PHED) Wetland Specialist | Pr.Sci.Nat. 2020/09 Mrs. V. Stippel (MSc. Ecol., Env. and Cons.) (Pr.Sci.Nat) 2020/10 Approval Mr. D. Botha (M.A. Env.Man.) (PHED) Wetland 2020/10 Specialist | Pr.Sci.Nat. PRISM EMS 1 Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DOCUMENT PROGRESS Distribution List Report Reference Document Date Number of Copies Number Distribution 30/09/20 21860_Ecol_0 Internal Word Doc Amendments on Document Description of Date Report Reference Number Amendment 30/09/20 21860_Ecol_0 21860_Ecol_00 Minor Changes PRISM EMS 2 Baseline Ecological Habitat Status Assessment Report October 2020 21860 –Portion 59 Bultfontein 533 4 Wheel Drive Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE Specialist Name Mr. A.E.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecosystem Profile Madagascar and Indian
    ECOSYSTEM PROFILE MADAGASCAR AND INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS FINAL VERSION DECEMBER 2014 This version of the Ecosystem Profile, based on the draft approved by the Donor Council of CEPF was finalized in December 2014 to include clearer maps and correct minor errors in Chapter 12 and Annexes Page i Prepared by: Conservation International - Madagascar Under the supervision of: Pierre Carret (CEPF) With technical support from: Moore Center for Science and Oceans - Conservation International Missouri Botanical Garden And support from the Regional Advisory Committee Léon Rajaobelina, Conservation International - Madagascar Richard Hughes, WWF – Western Indian Ocean Edmond Roger, Université d‘Antananarivo, Département de Biologie et Ecologie Végétales Christopher Holmes, WCS – Wildlife Conservation Society Steve Goodman, Vahatra Will Turner, Moore Center for Science and Oceans, Conservation International Ali Mohamed Soilihi, Point focal du FEM, Comores Xavier Luc Duval, Point focal du FEM, Maurice Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Point focal du FEM, Seychelles Edmée Ralalaharisoa, Point focal du FEM, Madagascar Vikash Tatayah, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation Nirmal Jivan Shah, Nature Seychelles Andry Ralamboson Andriamanga, Alliance Voahary Gasy Idaroussi Hamadi, CNDD- Comores Luc Gigord - Conservatoire botanique du Mascarin, Réunion Claude-Anne Gauthier, Muséum National d‘Histoire Naturelle, Paris Jean-Paul Gaudechoux, Commission de l‘Océan Indien Drafted by the Ecosystem Profiling Team: Pierre Carret (CEPF) Harison Rabarison, Nirhy Rabibisoa, Setra Andriamanaitra,
    [Show full text]
  • A Multi-Gene Phylogeny of Aquiline Eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) Reveals Extensive Paraphyly at the Genus Level
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com MOLECULAR SCIENCE•NCE /W\/Q^DIRI DIRECT® PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION ELSEVIER Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35 (2005) 147-164 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev A multi-gene phylogeny of aquiline eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) reveals extensive paraphyly at the genus level Andreas J. Helbig'^*, Annett Kocum'^, Ingrid Seibold^, Michael J. Braun^ '^ Institute of Zoology, University of Greifswald, Vogelwarte Hiddensee, D-18565 Kloster, Germany Department of Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 4210 Silver Hill Rd., Suitland, MD 20746, USA Received 19 March 2004; revised 21 September 2004 Available online 24 December 2004 Abstract The phylogeny of the tribe Aquilini (eagles with fully feathered tarsi) was investigated using 4.2 kb of DNA sequence of one mito- chondrial (cyt b) and three nuclear loci (RAG-1 coding region, LDH intron 3, and adenylate-kinase intron 5). Phylogenetic signal was highly congruent and complementary between mtDNA and nuclear genes. In addition to single-nucleotide variation, shared deletions in nuclear introns supported one basal and two peripheral clades within the Aquilini. Monophyly of the Aquilini relative to other birds of prey was confirmed. However, all polytypic genera within the tribe, Spizaetus, Aquila, Hieraaetus, turned out to be non-monophyletic. Old World Spizaetus and Stephanoaetus together appear to be the sister group of the rest of the Aquilini. Spiza- stur melanoleucus and Oroaetus isidori axe nested among the New World Spizaetus species and should be merged with that genus. The Old World 'Spizaetus' species should be assigned to the genus Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836). The sister species of the two spotted eagles (Aquila clanga and Aquila pomarina) is the African Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis).
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park Custom Tour Trip Report
    SOUTH AFRICA: MAGOEBASKLOOF AND KRUGER NATIONAL PARK CUSTOM TOUR TRIP REPORT 24 February – 2 March 2019 By Jason Boyce This Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl showed nicely one late afternoon, puffing up his throat and neck when calling www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 2 | TRIP REPORT South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park February 2019 Overview It’s common knowledge that South Africa has very much to offer as a birding destination, and the memory of this trip echoes those sentiments. With an itinerary set in one of South Africa’s premier birding provinces, the Limpopo Province, we were getting ready for a birding extravaganza. The forests of Magoebaskloof would be our first stop, spending a day and a half in the area and targeting forest special after forest special as well as tricky range-restricted species such as Short-clawed Lark and Gurney’s Sugarbird. Afterwards we would descend the eastern escarpment and head into Kruger National Park, where we would make our way to the northern sections. These included Punda Maria, Pafuri, and the Makuleke Concession – a mouthwatering birding itinerary that was sure to deliver. A pair of Woodland Kingfishers in the fever tree forest along the Limpopo River Detailed Report Day 1, 24th February 2019 – Transfer to Magoebaskloof We set out from Johannesburg after breakfast on a clear Sunday morning. The drive to Polokwane took us just over three hours. A number of birds along the way started our trip list; these included Hadada Ibis, Yellow-billed Kite, Southern Black Flycatcher, Village Weaver, and a few brilliant European Bee-eaters.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020
    Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 A Tropical Birding set departure tour South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger Main Tour: 10th – 24th January 2020 Eastern Endemics and Drakensberg Extension: 24th January – 1st February 2020 Tour Leader: Emma Juxon All photographs in this report were taken by Emma Juxon, species depicted in photographs are named in BOLD RED Gurney’s Sugarbird seen on our day exploring the Sani Pass during the Drakensberg Extension www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Tropical Birding Trip Report South Africa: Fairest Cape to Kruger - January 2020 Introduction South Africa has it all, from mind-blowing wildlife to incredible scenery to fantastic people and cultures, not to mention the delicious food! This tour really gives clients a wonderful insight into life in this fantastic and varied country. We cover a huge area of the country, taking us through many different habitats and thus allowing us the opportunity to enjoy large species numbers. This tour follows our tried and tested route through the rugged Western Cape and along the south coast into the Garden Route. From there we move inland to the arid landscapes of the Karoo and Tankwa Karoo before hopping across country via airplane to Johannesburg and exploring the world-famous Kruger National Park. Then back to Johannesburg before winding our way through the mid-altitude grasslands of Wakkerstroom to Zululand, visiting Mkhuze Game Reserve, the St. Lucia estuary, the montane forests of Eshowe and oNgoye and the agricultural lands of Howick and Underberg. A final adventurous ascent takes us into the striking high- altitude vistas of Lesotho before winding our way back down to the tropical Indian Ocean shores of Durban.
    [Show full text]
  • Ostrich Production Systems Part I: a Review
    11111111111,- 1SSN 0254-6019 Ostrich production systems Food and Agriculture Organization of 111160mmi the United Natiorp str. ro ucti s ct1rns Part A review by Dr M.M. ,,hanawany International Consultant Part II Case studies by Dr John Dingle FAO Visiting Scientist Food and , Agriculture Organization of the ' United , Nations Ot,i1 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. M-21 ISBN 92-5-104300-0 Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Information Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale dells Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy. C) FAO 1999 Contents PART I - PRODUCTION SYSTEMS INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF THE OSTRICH 5 Classification of the ostrich in the animal kingdom 5 Geographical distribution of ratites 8 Ostrich subspecies 10 The North
    [Show full text]
  • 71St Annual Meeting Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Paris Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada, USA November 2 – 5, 2011 SESSION CONCURRENT SESSION CONCURRENT
    ISSN 1937-2809 online Journal of Supplement to the November 2011 Vertebrate Paleontology Vertebrate Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Society of Vertebrate 71st Annual Meeting Paleontology Society of Vertebrate Las Vegas Paris Nevada, USA Las Vegas, November 2 – 5, 2011 Program and Abstracts Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 71st Annual Meeting Program and Abstracts COMMITTEE MEETING ROOM POSTER SESSION/ CONCURRENT CONCURRENT SESSION EXHIBITS SESSION COMMITTEE MEETING ROOMS AUCTION EVENT REGISTRATION, CONCURRENT MERCHANDISE SESSION LOUNGE, EDUCATION & OUTREACH SPEAKER READY COMMITTEE MEETING POSTER SESSION ROOM ROOM SOCIETY OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS SEVENTY-FIRST ANNUAL MEETING PARIS LAS VEGAS HOTEL LAS VEGAS, NV, USA NOVEMBER 2–5, 2011 HOST COMMITTEE Stephen Rowland, Co-Chair; Aubrey Bonde, Co-Chair; Joshua Bonde; David Elliott; Lee Hall; Jerry Harris; Andrew Milner; Eric Roberts EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Philip Currie, President; Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Past President; Catherine Forster, Vice President; Christopher Bell, Secretary; Ted Vlamis, Treasurer; Julia Clarke, Member at Large; Kristina Curry Rogers, Member at Large; Lars Werdelin, Member at Large SYMPOSIUM CONVENORS Roger B.J. Benson, Richard J. Butler, Nadia B. Fröbisch, Hans C.E. Larsson, Mark A. Loewen, Philip D. Mannion, Jim I. Mead, Eric M. Roberts, Scott D. Sampson, Eric D. Scott, Kathleen Springer PROGRAM COMMITTEE Jonathan Bloch, Co-Chair; Anjali Goswami, Co-Chair; Jason Anderson; Paul Barrett; Brian Beatty; Kerin Claeson; Kristina Curry Rogers; Ted Daeschler; David Evans; David Fox; Nadia B. Fröbisch; Christian Kammerer; Johannes Müller; Emily Rayfield; William Sanders; Bruce Shockey; Mary Silcox; Michelle Stocker; Rebecca Terry November 2011—PROGRAM AND ABSTRACTS 1 Members and Friends of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, The Host Committee cordially welcomes you to the 71st Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Las Vegas.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6Th to 30Th January 2018 (25 Days) Trip Report
    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6th to 30th January 2018 (25 days) Trip Report Aardvark by Mike Bacon Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Wayne Jones Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Mega I 2018 2 Tour Summary The beauty of South Africa lies in its richness of habitats, from the coastal forests in the east, through subalpine mountain ranges and the arid Karoo to fynbos in the south. We explored all of these and more during our 25-day adventure across the country. Highlights were many and included Orange River Francolin, thousands of Cape Gannets, multiple Secretarybirds, stunning Knysna Turaco, Ground Woodpecker, Botha’s Lark, Bush Blackcap, Cape Parrot, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Caracal, Oribi and Giant Bullfrog, along with spectacular scenery, great food and excellent accommodation throughout. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Despite havoc-wreaking weather that delayed flights on the other side of the world, everyone managed to arrive (just!) in South Africa for the start of our keenly-awaited tour. We began our 25-day cross-country exploration with a drive along Zaagkuildrift Road. This unassuming stretch of dirt road is well-known in local birding circles and can offer up a wide range of species thanks to its variety of habitats – which include open grassland, acacia woodland, wetlands and a seasonal floodplain. After locating a handsome male Northern Black Korhaan and African Wattled Lapwings, a Northern Black Korhaan by Glen Valentine
    [Show full text]
  • The Biogeography of Large Islands, Or How Does the Size of the Ecological Theater Affect the Evolutionary Play
    The biogeography of large islands, or how does the size of the ecological theater affect the evolutionary play Egbert Giles Leigh, Annette Hladik, Claude Marcel Hladik, Alison Jolly To cite this version: Egbert Giles Leigh, Annette Hladik, Claude Marcel Hladik, Alison Jolly. The biogeography of large islands, or how does the size of the ecological theater affect the evolutionary play. Revue d’Ecologie, Terre et Vie, Société nationale de protection de la nature, 2007, 62, pp.105-168. hal-00283373 HAL Id: hal-00283373 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00283373 Submitted on 14 Dec 2010 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. THE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF LARGE ISLANDS, OR HOW DOES THE SIZE OF THE ECOLOGICAL THEATER AFFECT THE EVOLUTIONARY PLAY? Egbert Giles LEIGH, Jr.1, Annette HLADIK2, Claude Marcel HLADIK2 & Alison JOLLY3 RÉSUMÉ. — La biogéographie des grandes îles, ou comment la taille de la scène écologique infl uence- t-elle le jeu de l’évolution ? — Nous présentons une approche comparative des particularités de l’évolution dans des milieux insulaires de différentes surfaces, allant de la taille de l’île de La Réunion à celle de l’Amé- rique du Sud au Pliocène.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 2. Animals
    AC20 Doc. 8.5 Annex (English only/Seulement en anglais/Únicamente en inglés) REVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT TRADE ANALYSIS OF TRADE TRENDS WITH NOTES ON THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF SELECTED SPECIES Volume 2. Animals Prepared for the CITES Animals Committee, CITES Secretariat by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre JANUARY 2004 AC20 Doc. 8.5 – p. 3 Prepared and produced by: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK UNEP WORLD CONSERVATION MONITORING CENTRE (UNEP-WCMC) www.unep-wcmc.org The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre is the biodiversity assessment and policy implementation arm of the United Nations Environment Programme, the world’s foremost intergovernmental environmental organisation. UNEP-WCMC aims to help decision-makers recognise the value of biodiversity to people everywhere, and to apply this knowledge to all that they do. The Centre’s challenge is to transform complex data into policy-relevant information, to build tools and systems for analysis and integration, and to support the needs of nations and the international community as they engage in joint programmes of action. UNEP-WCMC provides objective, scientifically rigorous products and services that include ecosystem assessments, support for implementation of environmental agreements, regional and global biodiversity information, research on threats and impacts, and development of future scenarios for the living world. Prepared for: The CITES Secretariat, Geneva A contribution to UNEP - The United Nations Environment Programme Printed by: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK © Copyright: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre/CITES Secretariat The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP or contributory organisations.
    [Show full text]
  • Grounded Birds in New Zealand
    Flightless Grounded Birds in New Zealand An 8th Grade Research Paper By Nathaniel Roth Hilltown Cooperative Charter Public School June 2014 1 More than half of the birds in New Zealand either can’t fly, can only partially fly, or don’t like to fly. (Te Ara) This is a fact. Although only sixteen species in New Zealand are technically flightless, with another sixteen that are extinct (TerraNature), a majority of more than 170 bird species will not fly unless their lives are threatened, or not even then. This is surprising, since birds are usually known for flying. A flightless bird is a bird that cannot fly, such as the well­known ostrich and emu, not to mention penguins. The two main islands southeast of Australia that make up New Zealand have an unusually diverse population of these birds. I am personally very interested in New Zealand and know a lot about it because my mother was born there, and I still have family there. I was very intrigued by these birds in particular, and how different they are from most of the world’s birds. I asked myself, why New Zealand? What made this tiny little country have so many birds that can’t fly, while in the rest of the world, hardly any live in one place? My research has informed me that the population and diversity of flightless birds here is so large because it has been isolated for so long from other land masses. Almost no mammals, and no land predators, lived there in the millions of years after it split from the Australian continent, so flying birds didn’t have as much of an advantage during this time.
    [Show full text]