— the secret to PAWS is the fact that it manages to incorporate complex terrain data. after the protected area’s topography is input, then the system can create practical routes “to limit the differences in elevations that could slow down patrol action.” this doesn’t only save time, but energy as well. read article : how AI can prevent poaching activities more : AI vs. poachers
art ecology science & animals
From articles
Academic and news articles regarding endangered species and habitats.
FIX THE PROBLEMS ON THE GROUND
— “today’s changes reduce the damage, but this whole proposal should still be withdrawn.”
AMBITIOUS APPROACHES
— “as climate continues to change, those isolated habitats become more and more precious, and should something happen to even one of those isolated habitats, you may lose an important component of that population.” read article : the extinction crisis in a warming world, how climate change is intensifying threats to nature and what can be done
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRUGIVORES
— traditionally, conservation tended to be species-specific … but now people are moving toward more ecosystem-level projects because we’ve realized that you can’t protect a species in a vacuum. read article : lemur extinctions are harmful to madagascar’s plant life, too
THE FIRST OF ITS KIND
— these evaluations are a huge step forward for the epa. now that we know the magnitude of danger these pesticides pose, it’s clear we need to take action. this epa study is the first of its kind to look at whether common pesticides harm wildlife.
RARE INCUBATING
— “they’re packed with a bounty that may be more precious to the vultures than an actual embryo: sensors.” read article : the future of wildlife conservation is an electronic vulture egg
A LONG GAME
— it’s hard to target conservation planning unless you’ve been out there and have the on-the-ground knowledge. read article : why people turn to lemurs and other endangered animals for dinner in madagascar
$1.21 BILLION/YEAR
— the ideal “cost-effective” group is what we should be aiming for with every endangered species: enough funding and evidence of recovery. read article : overpaying to save some endangered species and barely funding others
BIAS IN THE FOSSIL RECORD
— “the species that are most likely to go extinct also appear to be the ones who rarely leave behind a trace.” read article : most species that disappear today will leave no trace in the fossil record
DO IT IN A SMART WAY
— cases like these rile up the law’s critics. after a 2008 delta smelt “jeopardy finding,” california republicans and farmers accused the government of creating the drought just to save a “stupid little fish.” read article : a new study suggests ESA doesn’t stop economic growth, but the devil’s in the details.
TO HUNT OR NOT TO HUNT
— in 1975, when grizzlies in the yellowstone area dipped to fewer than 140 individuals, ursus arctos horribilis was hastily given federal protection by a still-young federal law called the endangered species act. read article : yellowstone’s grizzly bears should not be hunted
SIZE MATTERS
— this study looked at the measure of absolute brain size in comparison to body size (called relative brain size) for several hundred mammal species alive today. it reveals species that have bigger relative brain sizes had a greater likelihood of being threatened with extinction. read article : large brains may cause extinction faster
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