One Planet News: Golden Eagles in England? Plus fears for Vietnam's mammals
Plans to release golden eagles across England and Wales
By Annette J Beveridge
GOLDEN eagles could soon be seen soaring across England and Wales if a new conservation project gets the thumbs up.
Young birds were taken from the Highlands and released into parts of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. This took place over six years and now the population has soared to about 50 birds.
In Scotland, the golden eagle is the top predator of the countryside predating on rabbits mainly or mountain hares. Eagles will also hunt foxes and large birds such as grouse. The golden eagle has a large home territory and nests on a rocky cliff face or in trees.
The last golden eagle disappeared in England in 1915. There was a temporary return during the 1940s and 1950s, but the skies over England have remained void of this magnificent bird ever since.
Golden eagles were also wiped out in Wales due to persecution by shooting estates and sheep farmers.
The charity Restoring Upland Nature is looking to reintroduce golden eagles and the plan is to look south to help re-establish the species over time. A collaborative project in Wales led by Eagle Reintroduction Wales is already at its consultation stage.
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Risk to Vietnam’s Mammals
More than one hundred species of mammals in Vietnam are facing extinction according to a new scientific study.
The study was published in the open-access journal Nature Conservation, and reveals that 112 mammal species face extinction despite most being found in at least one protected area.
This includes the large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis).
Approximately 40% of the threatened species also lack ex situ conservation (zoo conservation breeding) programmes which increase the risk of extinction.
The study project advocates for the IUCN’s ‘One Plan Approach’ to species conservation which calls for a combination of in situ and ex situ management strategies. The IUCN takes a holistic approach to conservation considering strategies both inside and outside of the species’ natural range.
Some micro-endemic species, such as the Da Lat tube-nosed bat (Murina harpioloides), are particularly vulnerable as they are not present in any of the protected sites so utilising zoos could help buy time for this species.
