Not guilty! Study shows that Madagascan bats are unfairly persecuted for eating forbidden fruit

By Dr Radosoa A. Andrianaivoarivelo – Kibale 2004

  

Two of the three bats of Madagascar are categorized as endangered according to the IUCN red list, but all of them are heavily threatened by habitat loss and severe hunting. In some areas of Madagascar, they are considered as a threat to fruits of economic importance such as the lychee (Litchi chinensis) and the Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki) and are therefore persecuted in the trees where they feed at night (Andrianaivoarivelo et al. 2007). For these reasons, I led a research project on the dietary behaviors of the fruit bats to investigate whether they prefer food from natural habitats over alien, economically Important fruit species or vice versa (Andrianaivoarivelo et al. 2012).

Why gender matters in conservation roles

In October 2015, TBA organised a first of its kind training course which brought together conservation professionals from seven African countries. Commonly referred to as INTRINSIC (Integrating Rights and Social Issues in Conservation), the course provided crucial training on how to work with local communities for  conservation and the feedback from participants was very positive. One such participant was Claudine Tuyishime who works with the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Rwanda Program to implement a project in Nyungwe forest.  The project is supplementing law enforcement efforts to reduce threats to Nyungwe National Park. Through educational outreach and working with communities, the project aims to curb illegal activities and build a more sustainable appreciation for the region’s biodiversity. This, however, is not without its challenges as the region is inhabited by a large and diverse community with very little awareness of the importance of protecting their ecosystem, or lacking the proper training to do so.

Securing drinking water in the face of urbanisation

By Kizito Masinde, Programmes  Officer, International Water Association – TBA Alumnus

 

Many governments are faced with the challenge of providing safe and reliable drinking water to their citizens.This is especially caused by issues such as rapid urbanisation, increasing population and climate change. Many cities around the world currently rely on water supplies sourced from many kilometres away as the basins in which they lie cannot be relied upon to provide them with sufficient raw water supplies. At the International Water Association (IWA), we have taken note of this fact and have embarked on a series of programmes that support the mitigation of these risks, and also inspire a change in water use and management by turning this water crisis into a fundamental opportunity for a transformation towards more sustainable societies.

The 2015 Student Conference on Conservation Science in Bangalore, India

Noreen Mutoro, TBA alumna (Segera, 2013) shares her experience at this years’ SCCS conference in Bangalore

The 6^th edition of the annual Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) was held at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru also known as Bangalore – India, from 8 to 11 September 2015. The four-day event attracted over 1000 of Africa and Asia’s brightest conservation researchers and featured participants mainly from the South & South East Asia and Africa.

TBA’s New Website is Finally Here!

It has been a few months in the making, but we are now delighted to announce the launch of the redesigned TBA website.

With a fresh new design, the website is now more visually appealing, presenting news and information on our conservation impact that is easy to find.

In addition to news about our amazing alumni, we have created a new section to tell the stories behind our conservation champions.

We hope it will help you to get to know us better and to share our commitment to investing in people for conservation.

So please take a tour of our new site http://www.tropical-biology.org/ and do let us know what you think.

http://www.tropical-biology.org/about-the-tba/

http://www.tropical-biology.org/alumni_news

http://www.tropical-biology.org/impact/

If you have any questions or comments, pleasecontact us.