Correct identification of species is important for all types of management of groups and individuals, both captive and free-living, including handling, housing, feeding, breeding, veterinary care…

Accurate identification of species is important in breeding programmes to avoid hybridisation, and in consideration (important for release purposes) of whether an individual wildlife casualty undergoing rehabilitation is a native species, a feral introduced species or an exotic animal escaped from a collection.

Identification of subspecies as well as species should be made and recorded, including the location of origin of the individual (or for captive-bred animals, the founder individuals), to allow for changing taxonomic information, such as new recognition of a subspecies or species.

The occurrence and appearance of disease may vary widely across apparently similar species, making species identification vital in disease investigation and management, while species differences in response to drugs (e.g. anaesthetic dosages required) must also be considered.

Identification methods can not be used for all species

A combination of two or more methods of identifying is useful, for example, you can combine eartags (easily visible color) with transponders implanted.

We must take special care to newborn animals, must be marked for identification as soon as possible, but it is important to consider the impact it can have on the mother-child bond.

With the tagging wing attempts to alleviate the difficulty of identifying and controlling the birds

1. The wing marks allow:

1. Keeping track of the birds.
2. They help to demonstrate the origin of the different species, ie, you can know how to mix different populations.
3. They allow information about the social structure of marked birds.
4. Knowing patterns and hunting behavior of individual birds.
5. Help reduce illegal bird trade.
6. They provide information on migration patterns.

All methods of marking and identification of birds have advantages and disadvantages. The most effective can be a combination of different methods. It is important to note that the method used to mark and identify each bird must be an individual method, ie, it must use the system best suited to each type of species.

So you have to know what their habits and what is the environment in which it feeds and reproduces the bird mark, this is essential, and must always be taken into consideration before choosing the most suitable marking system.

The use of a color or wrong size wing marks can also seriously interfere with vital processes, and severely affect the species that are to study and protect. The right choice can make the difference between success and failure of the project, study or work.

Our wing marks are fixed to the membrane by ear tags that possess both birds and bats in their wings and, thanks to limited nerve endings, practically causes no pain to the animal at the time of drilling.

The wildlife tagging allows different research, study and preservation.

Endangerment is a complex issue that involves the ecosystems where species live and interact together. Measures are being taken on specific issues of endangerment, but without protecting the environments where endangered species live, these efforts will be in vane.

Loss of Habitat

You would never get a permit to tag for frivolous reasons.

Depending on the animal and the tag, tagging is used to obtain different information. Habitat use and migration patterns are one of the main reasons. You cannot protect an animal unless you know how it uses it’s habitat (the place it lives).

For marine animals it can give amazing insight into dive patterns and hunting behaviour that would remain a complete mystery otherwise, they even have the capacity to give you information on the tilt of the animal in the water column! Tags can give detailed information on home range size and core habitat characteristic. Home range is the area in which the animal spends it’s time and core range is the area within the home range it utilises intensively. Capturing an animal to tag it also gives scientists the opportunity to take blood samples that they would never otherwise get which is very useful as, for example, you can find out more about the gene pool and how different populations are or are not interbreeding.

With the tags can also get information about the social structure of the different species.

When yo do the tagging is important  to think about animal welfare, so you have to use the least invasive method possible to obtain the information needed.

The labels are particularly useful in species that are difficult to study.

The excessive traffic in wildlife is a problem that needs solving.

Trafficking in wildlife is becoming a major criminal enterprise. Countries are working to identify ways to improve the international law enforcement response and protect endangered plants and animals.

The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Daniel Ashe, explained the need for stronger enforcement March 4 in a briefing with reporters at the beginning of the conference on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) getting under way in Bangkok.

Speaking as head of the U.S. delegation to the CITES conference, Ashe said adopting international regulations for species protection is just one step, which must be followed by effective enforcement.

“How can we provide appropriate assistance so that countries, particularly developing countries, will have the law enforcement capacity, the management capacity, to ensure that these provisions are carried out?”

Ashe asked. He said this is an important question being discussed by representatives of the 178 nations that are parties to the convention.

The CITES meeting began March 3 with CITES Secretary-General John Scanlon telling the delegates, “We know the way, but we need the collective will.” He spoke to about 2,000 delegates representing member nations, nongovernmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations.

Effective enforcement is one key activity to protect endangered species, Ashe said, but so is public education. Demand for products made from endangered species is what drives the slaughter of elephants for their ivory tusks, or the hunt for tiger pelts and bones.

Ashe said better educating the public about the harm caused by consumption of these products is another important step in combating the trafficking.

The bones of the tiger, for example, are thought to have great healing powers in some cultures. Ashe said that belief can be changed. “We have worked effectively to develop education campaigns that there are modern medicines, proven medicines, that are much more effective in dealing with the same maladies.”

]]> https://www.maquiaambiental.com/en/endurecer-leyes-regulan-el-trafico-fauna-flora/feed/ 0 https://www.maquiaambiental.com/en/los-elefantes-los-rinocerontes-y-los-tigres-siguen-en-peligro-por-la-caza-furtiva/ https://www.maquiaambiental.com/en/los-elefantes-los-rinocerontes-y-los-tigres-siguen-en-peligro-por-la-caza-furtiva/#comments Fri, 08 Mar 2013 09:24:14 +0000 admin http://www.maquiaambiental.com/?p=1463 In 50 years of conservation, we have never seen wildlife crime on such a scale. This type of crime is now the most urgent threat to elephants, rhinos and tigers.

The South African National Parks (SANParks) has requested help to stop rhino poaching.

South Africa is home to the largest rhinoceros populations in the world, including about 4,500 black rhinos, classified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and about 20,000 southern white rhinos. White rhinos are classified as “near threatened” by the IUCN, which means they may face extinction in the near future.

According to the official statistics in 2010, 333 rhinos were hunted in 2011 the number was 448, while 668 were shot last year, mostly in the Kruger National Park, in the northeast of the country, but this year poachers have killed and 96 copies.

These data are more troubling when compared with previous data; between 1990 and 2007 rhino poaching averaged about 15 per year. The rhino poaching has also increased in Kenya, Zimbabwe and neighboring countries.

More than 90 percent of the horns of rhinos are sold in Asia, where you can buy a kilo for 40,000 Euros. In Asia there is a belief that rhino horn has aphrodisiac powers, but not only that, also used in traditional Chinese medicine and in the development of ceremonial daggers.

South African government has engaged the army to try to stop poachers also the South African National Parks have announced significant rewards to anyone with information that may be useful to make arrests and convictions.

The aim is to reduce rhino poaching between 10% and 18% each year for a period of five years, to protect the species and ensure the ecosystem and the environment.

But despite all these efforts by the government, experts agree that the only truly effective measure in the long term to deter poachers would curb demand for horns. This implies a strengthening of law enforcement in the importing countries, and especially education needs of consumers.