Living Planet MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2013 exclusive magazine for wwf supporters / ISSUE 24 The Great Barrier Reef is fighting for its life GREAT BARRIER REEF It s time for action to save the Reef. HOPE FOR ELEPHANTS Thailand pledges to end illegal ivory trade. TIGERS ALIVE 2013 India-Nepal joint tiger survey underway. KIMBERLEY PROTECTION New marine park for Eighty Mile Beach.
Gary Bell / OceanwideImages.com Dermot O Gorman / WWF-Aus By Dermot O Gorman CEO, WWF-Australia In 2013 the Great Barrier Reef is shaping up as the ultimate testing ground for our nation s system of environmental protection. As Australians, we have to face up to some difficult home truths for our much beloved Reef. Half the coral cover of the Great Barrier Reef has been lost in the last 27 years, and now we are on the edge of an unprecedented and massive port and shipping expansion that could turn the Reef into an industrial highway for bulk carriers. It s not just a few - a projected 7,000 bulk carriers could pass through the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef every year. It s not surprising that 2011 saw UNESCO s World Heritage Committee express extreme concern over the Reef. Their follow-up report, due in June 2013, could see the Great Barrier Reef categorised as an in danger World Heritage Site. This would send shockwaves across the globe and put our valuable tourism industry at risk. Australia is a wealthy, developed country. To think that a global icon like the Great Barrier Reef is being destroyed on our watch is something that the vast majority of Australians would be shocked by. And behind the immediate and direct threat, is the everpressing challenge of climate change, which is causing ocean acidification, rising sea temperatures and rising sea levels. These challenges are serious. They are daunting. But they are not Unless something is done to stop the destruction, the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of being placed on the In Danger list in 2013 - the World Heritage List of Shame. Demand environmental change in 2013 overwhelming. There is a great deal of work to be done but the successes we ve seen in recent years - thanks to your committed support - are enough to convince me that we can achieve great outcomes in 2013 as well. On the Reef WWF has a long history and a strong, committed base in Queensland. We are absolutely committed to stepping up our efforts in 2013. We know that you and our hundreds of thousands of WWF supporters expect nothing less. And, better still, we know that most, if not all, Australians will back our efforts to save the Reef all the way. It s our greatest environmental treasure, and one of the true natural wonders of the world. Dermot O Gorman CEO, WWF-Australia Leading the charge to save a national icon The Great Barrier Reef is an Australian icon and a source of national pride. The Reef, as one of the world s natural wonders, is deeply valued by Australians across the country - but the Reef now faces unprecedented threats. The Reef is being threatened by mega-port and shipping expansion that will dredge and then dump millions of tonnes of mud and rock near the Reef and turn our World Heritage Area into a highway for bulk carriers. Australians love the Reef, and according to new research 91% of us are concerned about the current and future health of the Reef. This concern is real, because the threats are real. Developments, some of which are already underway, will destroy seagrass beds, and impact countless fish species, turtles, dolphins and dugongs. Research also shows that 60% of Australians think the Reef is worse off than it was 10 years ago. Sadly, they are right. WWF has a long history of working to protect the Reef, but because of the scale of current threats we need to do more, and we need your support to improve protection for the Reef once and for all. As a lover of the Reef, you have the opportunity to make 2013 the year we Fight for the Reef. We need your support to get Australia to become a leader in Reef conservation. It s time to save the Reef, it s time for action. With you, and all our supporters behind us, we will win this fight - for the Reef, for Australia, for the world. It s not their decision to make Our politicians are failing to protect the Great Barrier Reef from massive industrial development. They want more ports, more dredging, more dumping and more shipping in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. But the Reef belongs to you, and me, and all Australians. If you think this is worth a fight, so do we! It s going to be tough, but we will win. We have to win - for the Reef, and for all Australians. And one of our major supporters has pledged that for every single dollar you donate it will be tripled. If we can t protect the Reef, what can we protect? 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au/ reefappeal WWF, GPO Box 528, Sydney, NSW 2001 tom sjolund 2 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 3
annabelle sandes / kimberley media 2010 People power gets results for Rowley Shoals There s some truly amazing news from Bangkok MARTIN HARVEY / WWF-Canon In what is believed to be a response to widespread community concerns, the Federal government plans to stop oil and gas exploration around a large area of the pristine Rowley Shoals coral atolls off Western Australia. While we celebrate this decision, your support will enable us in our submission to now continue to push the government to move quickly to create a permanent oil and gas exclusion zone in the area. It is fantastic to see the government responding to widespread concerns about oil and gas development so close to a world-class marine feature like the Rowley Shoals, said WWF-Australia s Paul Gamblin. The coral atolls of the Rowley Shoals are famed for their almost untouched coral gardens, giant clams and other shellfish. Without legal protection, there is no guarantee this globally important marine environment will be safe. But, as we ve seen in the past, this is no guarantee that such areas won t be opened in future rounds of acreage release, so the government must act swiftly to create a protection zone around the shoals. Without legal protection for the Shoals, there is no guarantee whatsoever that this unique, globally important marine environment will be safe. At the very least, this area needs to be classified as an oil and gas exclusion zone to give the community confidence that the government will follow through and act on their concerns. The Rowley Shoals lie 260 kilometres west of the Kimberley coast and are described in government publications as amongst the most pristine coral reef environments remaining in the world. The Shoals have more than 230 species of coral and nearly 700 species of fish, recorded to date, making them invaluable areas of biodiversity. Fortunately, this is the perfect time for the federal government to create oil and gas exclusion zones around the Shoals as it is now calling for comment on its national marine reserves network. Increasing protection for the Rowley Shoals will be a priority in WWF s submission. The Thai Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, pledged to end the illegal ivory trade in Thailand when she spoke at the opening of the CITES wildlife summit in March. This is the first time the Thai government has said this publicly, so it s great news for everyone who cares about a future for elephants in the wild. There s still a long way to go, but it s great to feel we re making progress. We re thrilled to hear that Prime Minister Shinawatra took this opportunity to seize the global spotlight and pledge to end illegal ivory trade in her country. But, the fight to stop wildlife crime and shut down Thailand s illegal ivory markets is not over. Prime Minister Shinawatra now needs to provide a timeline for this ban and ensure that it takes place as a matter of urgency, because the slaughter of elephants continues. While the fight to stop wildlife crime continues, this announcement does represent the culmination of many months of hard work right across the WWF global network and truly demonstrates the power of WWF when we all work together as one! We also say a big THANK YOU to all WWF-Australia supporters who got behind last year s STOP campaign to end the ivory trade. We couldn t have done it without you! 4 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 5
Dermot O Gorman John S Mitchell / WWF-Canon I am not a rug. Every part of the tiger - from whisker to tail - is traded in illegal wildlife markets. Poaching is the most immediate threat to wild tigers. In relentless demand, their parts are used for traditional medicine, folk remedies, and increasingly as a status symbol among wealthy Asians. Dermot O Gorman (right) with partners and an orphan rhino at Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Poaching is driving tigers to extinction By Dermot O Gorman CEO, WWF-Australia Looking for a tiger in the grasslands of Chitwan National Park in Nepal is like looking for a needle in a haystack! I suspect that in reality, they choose if you see them. Perched three metres off the ground on a patrolling elephant, I have my eyes peeled for any movement below. I m rewarded with sightings of deer and wild boar, but after more than two hours, still no tiger. But, the fact that there are good numbers of prey (like deer and boar) for tigers is promising for Nepal s tiger population. The last national tiger survey a few years ago found 125 breeding tigers within Chitwan National Park. This makes it one of the most important tiger landscapes and critical to the Nepal Government s commitment to double the tigers in Nepal by 2022, the next Year of the Tiger. Before the safari I spent some time with WWF and Chitwan National Park staff discussing tiger conservation efforts. The threat of tiger poaching is very real. The head of anti-poaching efforts within Chitwan National Park explained that it s very difficult to determine the level of tiger poaching, because unlike rhinos for example - where poachers take the horn and leave the butchered body behind - every part of the tiger is taken to be sold. Zero poaching of rhinos in 2011 The anti-poaching efforts in Chitwan National Park are making a difference. 2011 was the first year since 1982 where there has been zero poaching of rhinos in the park. Last year they arrested a rhino poaching cell that covered five levels, from the shooters and middle men, through to the seller in Kathmandu. These anti-poaching efforts are critical if we are to prevent the return of rhino poaching that saw up to 30 plus rhinos slaughtered per year during 2002 and 2003. So, are we also making similar progress on tiger antipoaching efforts in Nepal? 2013 India-Nepal joint tiger survey underway The 2013 India-Nepal joint tiger survey will go some way to answering that question. Now underway, it involves hundreds of park staff, scientists and volunteers who will carry out what is the most comprehensive assessment of tiger populations to date. Using sensor cameras and extensive survey tools, the survey will estimate tiger and prey densities and the proportion of the landscape occupied by tigers. Thanks to the generosity of WWF supporters worldwide, we are providing financial support to fund the survey and our WWF scientists are also lending technical support. The survey is expected to take three months and findings will be announced in June. I ll keep you updated in the July edition of Living Planet. Towards the end of my safari, we come across a female rhino with her adolescent calf. I may not have had the chance to see a tiger, but these magnificent beasts are equally special to see. Ensuring that there is space for wildlife in an ever crowded world is the only way to ensure the long-term survival of species like tigers and rhinos. However, if we don t stop the trade in tiger parts and also stop the demand that is driving poaching then all our efforts will be for nought. REMEMBER THE GOAL: doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022. How you are helping to double tiger numbers by 2022 Your support is helping WWF to work relentlessly to see the tiger survive by: Reducing poaching and trade of live tigers and tiger parts Strengthening anti-poaching patrols around nature reserves Reconnecting fragmented areas of habitat so tigers can move between them Establishing programs to increase prey numbers Ensuring conservation laws are enforced. 6 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 7
Rob Maccoll / The Sunday Mail (Qld) Were you asked? Were you told? No! - not even UNESCO s World Heritage Committee were told. So, last year they came to investigate. UNESCO s response? Unless something is done to stop the destruction, the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of being placed on the in danger list in 2013 - the World Heritage list of shame. Did it stop the momentum? No! Within months of UNESCO s visit, the Federal government conditionally approved a multi-billion dollar expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal, near Bowen in Queensland - even though the Queensland government s own analysis show Queensland s major ports are only operating at half their capacity. We cannot let our politicians do this. It s not their decision to make. The Reef belongs to you and me and to all Australians. What you can do to help Coal freighter, Shen Neng 1, aground and leaking on the Great Barrier Reef. 7,000 ships a year could spell disaster. QUEENSL/ maritime safety queensland GARY BELL / OCEANWIDEIMAGES.COM Right now up to 50 new port, rail and major infrastructure developments are on the drawing board and as many as 7,000 ships each year could plough through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. September 14 is our next federal election, so now is the time to let our political leaders know that we, as proud Australians, are not going to stand for this level of environmental damage. We need your help to raise $250,000 by April 30th, to mount one of WWF s largest ever campaigns to ensure our political leaders make the Great Barrier Reef the most prominent environmental issue in the lead up to the federal election. More ports, more dredging, more dumping and more shipping through this World Heritage Area could cost Australia - and Australians - our Great Barrier Reef. Great Barrier Grief The Great Barrier Reef is fighting for its life. Our Australian and Queensland governments are failing to protect the Reef from massive and rapid industrial development. What they want is more ports, more dredging, more dumping and more shipping going through our World Heritage Marine Park. In Queensland s Gladstone Harbour, inside the World Heritage Area, millions of cubic metres of seafloor are being dredged up and dumped to create shipping channels. As the channels are carved, the seafloor is being ripped up as if it were just rubbish to be moved out of the way. Once the feeding and breeding grounds for marine wildlife have been destroyed, the seabed ripped up and the channels finally carved, up to 7,000 ships will move through the waters of the Reef every single year. And, to win a commitment from the next Australian government to: stop the fast-tracking of port developments without environmental protection commit to a plan to protect the Reef, its corals and its marine animals. With you, and all our WWF supporters behind us, we will win this fight - for the Reef, for Australia, for the world. With your help we can make this happen. Make a donation before April 30th to join WWF s Fight for the Reef campaign and for every dollar you give, the Thomas Foundation are giving two dollars. Your gift will have three times the impact. This is the only time this year that we can offer you this unique opportunity - so please make a gift today: 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au/reefappeal WWF, GPO Box 528, Sydney, NSW 2001 8 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 9
WWF / Fritz PȪLKING Conservation at the ends of the earth Wim van Passel / WWF-Canon With your continued support, WWF is working to establish the world s largest network of marine protected areas in the oceans around Antarctica. Because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea-ice habitat from climate change, polar bears were listed by the IUCN as a threatened species in 2008. When people think of WWF s work protecting wildlife and ecosystems, their first image might be lush rainforests or tropical oceans. Yet the frozen polar regions of our planet are just as vital. In terms of physical size, the Arctic and Antarctic are two of WWF s largest priority places. Together they cover almost a third of the Earth s surface - including two entire oceans. As you might expect, we re keen on the polar bears, penguins and other species that live in these areas, and we want to see them and their habitats flourish. But that s not the only reason we work there We re actively engaged in the governance of the polar regions, including involvement in the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty, as well as working on the ground with local and indigenous people in the Arctic. We have offices in almost every Arctic nation and in all countries actively involved in Antarctic science and conservation. The Arctic is home to about four million people across eight countries. The Antarctic, by contrast, has no permanent human inhabitants, but is used as a natural laboratory for science by many countries. We work internationally with other NGOs, governments, industry and the finance sector to reduce the threats to these amazing places. The guiding principle we promote is ecosystem stewardship, not exploitation. The polar regions are changing. Climate and its effects are particularly clear in these extreme places. Climate models predict that Antarctic sea ice will reduce by 24% in total extent and 34% in total volume by 2100. Average Arctic temperatures have increased at almost twice the global average rate in the past 100 years. Diminishing summer sea ice is opening up the Arctic Ocean to new activities, including oil and gas development, fisheries and new shipping routes. Some see these as opportunities, but we know they re also potential threats. WWF is helping identify and encourage the setting up of permanent, large-scale no-go zones to ensure that sensitive ecosystems in the Arctic are protected from oil and gas development. Down south we re working hard to achieve the goal of the world s largest network of marine protected areas (MPAs), covering millions of square kilometres, to safeguard the Southern Ocean for future generations. It s because of WWF s unparalleled reach into the polar regions, along with our expertise and proven track record, that we can truly make a difference in safeguarding the natural world at the ends of the Earth. And it is only with your support that our work in both regions will continue. 10 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 11
FIONA HARDING / NEWS LIMITED How you are helping to save turtles and the Reef New marine park for WA s Eighty Mile Beach ANNABELle SANDES / KIMBERLEY MEDIA 2010 As a WWF supporter you are part of the turtle team. From community and Indigenous groups, right through to the turtle hospitals and university scientists, everyone is playing a vital role in the survival of the marine turtle. JÜrgen Freund / WWF-Aus By Dr Ellen Ariel Senior Virologist James Cook University, Townsville My name is Ellen Ariel. I am a research scientist with James Cook University in Townsville. I work with marine turtles. During a recent turtle research day, we came across a turtle that was so emaciated, so totally unwell, that we had to euthanise her right there on the beach. She had suffered enough. I can assure you, no matter how often I deal with sick turtles, I still find it deeply disturbing to see them in such distress. These big turtles live most of their lives on the Great Barrier Reef. Once they mature they go away every two to five years to breed, often to very remote locations. And as they then return to their local foraging grounds, to water that should be absolutely pristine, too many are becoming sick and dying. They may have lived 50 to 80 years in these waters, but now something is affecting the water quality. Something is robbing them of their health and vitality, and at times we have to make the decision to bring their lives to an end. None of us can pretend we are unaffected by this. I would love to be able to consult a book to diagnose a sick turtle and make it well again. But that s almost impossible. There just aren t the books. In animal health, turtles have been left behind. As a scientist this is challenging. But, as a turtle lover, it s incredibly distressing. Thanks to WWF supporters, we are working to create a Centre for Marine Turtle Health. There is no such place on the Great Barrier Reef at the moment. And, as we examine turtles, we will be discovering much more of what is happening on the Great Barrier Reef. Turtles are an indicator species. We know for certain that they need clean water. If turtles are getting sick and if they are dying, then we know there is something seriously wrong with the water. Turtles are suffering because the Reef is suffering. Thanks to your support of WWF and its partnership with JCU, we are hopeful of buying the equipment we need to save turtles lives and do the research that could prevent such tragedies ever happening again. From all at JCU, thank you for helping make the Centre for Marine Turtle Health more than just a dream. January s announcement by the Western Australian government to create a marine park at Eighty Mile Beach presents a big win for the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia. The new park between Port Hedland and Broome is one step closer to the creation of the Great Kimberley Marine Park - a network of sanctuary zones to protect and conserve the diversity of our marine life and areas of high conservation value in our oceans. Eighty Mile Beach provides vital habitat for threatened species like turtles, dugong and sawfish. It is also an important stopover for thousands of shorebirds that migrate from as far away as Siberia. With your support, WWF is now working to create more marine parks. Broome s Roebuck Bay, the outstanding North Kimberley, the Dampier Peninsula, and the Buccaneer Archipelago - the home of the snubfin dolphin - are not yet protected despite the increasing threats these places face. These special areas, and other important parts of the Kimberley coast, are some of the healthiest tropical marine systems left on the planet. Now is the time to protect them. And we will do it - with your help! 12 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 13
naturepl.com /Anup Shah / WWF Too late to say thank you! JÜrgen Freund / WWF-Canon In the Heart of Borneo you are helping create a network of protected areas, providing wildlife habitat and livelihoods for local communities. WWF is committed to protecting the Coral Triangle - vital if marine species are to recover and communities dependent on them are to have a healthy future. Christine Robinson / WWF-Aus The joy of giving back He was so gentle, he just picked up my hand, sniffed it and then put it down and held onto me. It was fabulous. Ron and Robyn Bressington WWF supporters For Robyn Bressington, this was one of those indescribable moments of joy. To be approached and experience the touch of an adolescent orangutan - trusting, reaching out - is something she will never forget, a dream come true. Ron and Robyn Bressington have long held a deep love and concern for the preservation of endangered species, and have expressed this in leaving a bequest to WWF. As the orang-utan took her hand, it was as if nature responded. The adolescent orang-utan could have been nature s representative, there to say thank you. As Ron said, It was incredible. He came straight over to Robyn and sniffed her leg, and then he took her hand. Robyn and Ron Bressington, decided that leaving a bequest was the best way they could give something back to the world that has given them so much pleasure and so many wonderful experiences. Especially as they saw the devastation the gentle orang-utans of Borneo were suffering, as mile upon mile of forests were hacked down to make way for palm oil plantations. And the Bressington s are not alone in their concern. Borneo is one of WWF s priorities, where we are dedicated to conserving some of the world s last tropical rainforests and unique, yet endangered species like the orang-utan. They see their legacy as a gift to the future. I decided to leave a bequest so that other people would be able to observe nature in its home of rich diversity. WWF looks at things proactively, with a global perspective - they know where help is most needed, says Robyn. A gift that lasts forever A bequest is one of the best possible ways to ensure your love for endangered species lives on for the next generation. For more information about leaving a bequest to WWF, please call Christine Robinson on (02) 8202 1238, or email crobinson@wwf.org.au or you can find out more at wwf.org.au/bequests. LAURENT DESARNAUD / WWF-Aus By Christine Robinson and Leigh Huckel, WWF-Australia Margaret was a wonderful donor and supporter of WWF- Australia. We knew her a little but found out later that her life had been touched by her love of the Great Barrier Reef. In her younger days she would often visit the Reef, snorkel there and enjoy the magnificence of its abundant marine life. As she grew older she became concerned that this treasure and its wildlife would dwindle away and die because of man s many interventions. When she passed away recently she left a small bequest to further the work we do to promote a cause she believed is so important. It was a surprise to us we had no idea she had written WWF- Australia into her Will. We couldn t discuss with her what she wanted us to do with the money we couldn t recognise her while she was alive. Bequests are the fastest growing source of philanthropic support in the world today. As we live longer and our children also become independently wealthy, more and more of us are supporting our favourite charities by leaving something in a bequest. It is often the largest and most important gift they can make and it is an extension of a lifetime of commitment to the cause they have believed in. If you have done that for WWF- Australia please let us know. We would like to be able to discuss how you would want us to use your gift and most importantly we want to say thank you. By leaving a bequest you become a member of our Living Planet Bequest Society, attend our luncheons and receive a small item of recognition. leave wwf a gift in Your will... and you will help to ensure that the world remains a place where all life can flourish. A magnificent world where the mighty rainforests of the Amazon still stand tall and endangered animals are protected not poached. A fair world where indigenous communities can live in harmony with their environments and where precious resources are used in a sustainable way. A world where WWF is always working to conserve our living planet. For more information about leaving a bequest to WWF, please call Christine Robinson or Leigh Huckel on (02) 8202 1238, or you can email crobinson@wwf.org.au or lhuckel@wwf.org.au 14 DONATE NOW AT WWF.ORG.AU Living Planet Magazine - AUTUMN 2013 15
Cert o. nxxx-xxx-xxxx The Great Barrier Reef is fighting for its life. We need your help to save it. Make a gift before April 30th to join WWF s Fight for the Reef campaign and every single dollar you donate will be tripled. WWF-Australia, GPO Box 528, Sydney, NSW 2001 Cover photos: Dredge in Gladstone Harbour Tom Sjolund, David Fleetham / OceanwideImages.com. All photos from the WWF-Canon photographic library have been kindly donated by photographers for WWF use, and cannot be reproduced or provided to external parties. 1986 panda symbol and WWF is a Registered Trademark. Cert XXX-XXX-XXXX www.fsc.org 1996 Forest Stewardship Council Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter. LIVING PLANET - AUTUMN 2013 1800 032 551 wwf.org.au