Copyright by the Ecological Society of America. Lindenmayer, D. B., Woinarski, J. C. Z., Legge, S. M., & Garnett, S. T. (2017). Staving off extinction – more than luck and fate. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 15(8), 429- 430. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1533 WRITE BACK WRITE BACK WRITE BACK From these two cases, we recognize public profile and therefore a broad 429 four factors that may influence the constituency pushing for its conserva- Staving off extinction – degree of management response: tion. The stick insect’s range hap- more than luck and fate pened to lie within a conservation (1) The risk of imminent extinction Adrian Burton regularly writes a fasci- reserve staffed by committed conserva- needs to be explicitly assessed and that nating column in Frontiers, and his tion officers, and its quirky rediscovery risk then used to prioritize manage- article from December 2016 (“Staving by extreme adventurers climbing an ment response. There are many appro- off extinction”) discusses two isolated oceanic rock spire prompted Australian species: the Bramble Cay priate risk assessment procedures, such as Population Viability Analysis and media attention and fostered interest melomys (Melomys rubicola) and the and diverse community support from Lord Howe Island stick insect IUCN Red List assessment. In these two cases, no numerical assessment of schoolchildren to politicians. The (Dryococelus australis). However, we extinction risk was undertaken. But in Bramble Cay melomys, on the other suggest the article misses a key and a less formalized process for the stick hand, had no champions. It lived on a generalizable point about their fates insect, several factors led managers to small, remote, and uninhabited island (extinction and to- date successful appreciate the species’ proximity to visited by few people; even researchers conservation, respectively) as well as extinction: it had disappeared from all paid it scant attention. In contrast to the factors that led to those fates. of its previously known range, a the normal order of things, in this That is, the Lord Howe Island stick well-defined threat (introduced preda- case, the invertebrate had charisma insect survives today not simply tors) still operated, and its newly dis- whereas the mammal was a “lacklus- because of luck but because conserva- covered population comprised only a ter” rodent. We suggest there is a need tion managers intervened rapidly, handful of individuals. Managers were to raise the public profile of species effectively, and decisively (Priddel more complacent about risks to the more in line with extinction risk and et al. 2003). Consequently, there are Bramble Cay melomys, because it had ensure that any need for emergency now captive colonies around the long persisted in its (very small) range response (without which extinction world and staged plans for an eventual and the limited monitoring data indi- will almost certainly occur) is widely reintroduction to Lord Howe Island cated only gradual decline. Neverthe- communicated to a broad constitu- (Priddel and Carlile 2010). Although less, the low-lying island on which it ency within society. However, this is a its future in the wild is not yet secured, occurred was at risk of inundation. Its complex issue because many conserva- the stick insect is a remarkable story susceptibility to catastrophic habitat tionists have long used charismatic of conservation success. Conversely, loss and hence high extinction risk species (sometimes with relatively low the Bramble Cay melomys was ren- should have prompted policy and man- extinction risk) to attract public inter- dered extinct in large part because of agement response, but sadly did not. est and to rightly build the support management inaction and disregard. needed to influence policy makers. As Burton noted, this was a species (2) Effective advocacy is critical; poli- living on a knife- edge: it should have ticians, policy makers, resource man- (3) Managers are more likely to invest been evident to any person or agency agers, and human societies per se are in a conservation response if there is a with any responsibility for its survival more likely to respond if a species has a strategic, detailed, and objectives-based that it needed help. Its extinction could readily have been averted – and should have been – through simple and appropriate conservation actions (Woinarski et al. 2017). Many species are now on the edge of oblivion (Maxwell et al. 2016). In response, international policy such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals explicitly commit governments to “prevent the extinction of threat- ened species”. What can these two case studies tell us about the mismatch between this clear policy commit- ment and its realization? Obviously, they suggest that the fate of such spe- cies will increasingly depend upon I Bell/Queensland Dept of Environment and Heritage Protection whether (and how) managers and the Figure 1. The Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys rubicola) was lost because nobody community respond to imperilment. intervened to save it. © The Ecological Society of America www.frontiersinecology.org Write Back 430 process or plan for recovery with organizational processes (Woinarski Garnett ST and Lindenmayer DB. 2011. well-articulated priorities for action et al. 2017). Conservation science must engender hope to succeed. Trends Ecol Evol 26: and a clearly justified budget. In the Conservation biology needs fewer 59–60. case of the stick insect, the recovery failures and more success stories to Maxwell S, Fuller RA, Brooks T, and pathway – captive breeding, threat engender greater support from the Watson J. 2016. Biodiversity: the rav- reduction, and reintroduction – was general public about the importance ages of guns, nets and bulldozers. clear and practical. The recovery plan of the science and management of Nature 536: 143–45. Priddel D and Carlile N. 2010. Return of prepared for the Bramble Cay melomys preserving biodiversity (Garnett and the Lord Howe Island phasmid to Lord provided a comparatively opaque and Lindenmayer 2011). The contrast Howe Island, Australia. In: Soorae PS insufficient pathway to recovery. between the stories of failure for the (Ed). Global re-introduction perspec- Bramble Cay melomys and of success tives: additional case-studies from (4) As per international goals, gov- for the Lord Howe Island stick insect around the globe. Abu Dhabi, UAE: ernments should strive to prevent all IUCN/SSC Re-introduction Specialist is stark and illustrates the difference Group. avoidable extinctions. To allow – that informed action can make. through neglect, ineptitude, commu- Priddel D, Carlile N, Humphrey M, et al. 1 2003. Rediscovery of the extinct Lord nity disinterest, or deliberate choice David B Lindenmayer *, John CZ Howe Island stick-insect (Dryococelus 2 1 – “saveable” species to become extinct Woinarski , Sarah M Legge , and australis [Montrouzier]) (Phasmatodea) is to abrogate responsibility and to Stephen T Garnett2 and recommendations for its con- open a door to ever-increasing disre- 1 servation. Biodivers Conserv 12: 1391– National Environmental Science 403. gard for extinctions. We recognize Programme Threatened Species Recovery Woinarski JCZ, Garnett ST, Legge SM, that this objective will be challenging Hub, Fenner School of Environment and and Lindenmayer DB. 2017. The con- to meet but not to do so is likely to Society, The Australian National tribution of policy, law, management, result in more cases of avoidable University, Canberra, Australia research and advocacy failings to the recent extinctions of three Australian extinction. Of course, government *([email protected]); 2 vertebrate species. Conserv Biol 31: commitments alone do not ensure National Environmental Science 13–23. action or success. Commitments Programme Threatened Species Recovery need to be more firmly based in law Hub, Charles Darwin University, and implemented effectively through Casuarina, Australia doi:10.1002/fee.1533 Executive Director Washington, DC The Ecological Society of America (ESA) – the largest community of professional ecologists in the world – invites nominations and applications for the position of Executive Director. Following more than two decades of dedicated leadership from outgoing Executive Director, Katherine McCarter, ESA is poised to enter a new era of service to its members and to society. With 9,000 members globally, ESA is the flagship organization for one of the youngest, most energetic scientific fields today, with an extremely broad disciplinary scope and important policy relevance. The Society connects scientists across multi-faceted disciplines and promotes ecological science through high-quality publications, events, and educational programs. It works to infuse ecological knowledge into national dialogue and to garner federal support for ecological research. The Executive Director oversees a staff of 26 and an operating budget of $5.4 million. The position calls for a dynamic leader and spokesperson who brings proven managerial and organizational leadership skills and outstanding abilities in communication, collaboration, and customer service. While scientific credentials and/ or professional experience in ecology would be an asset, ESA is open to strong candidates from a range of professional backgrounds. Informed passion for ecology and the role of science in society is essential. An eight-member search committee has been established to conduct this search on behalf of ESA’s Governing Board. The search committee is assisted by Isaacson, Miller, Inc., a national executive search firm. 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