A growing number of countries are pledging to protect and conserve at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030. Securing such a vast area requires new cutting-edge technology to monitor illegal activities and movements of species.
The biodiversity of the Solomon Islands, in general, is in good health. Low human population density, uninhabited islands, difficulties to access and use natural resources, and customary and legal protection, in various ways, can help explain this. Threats to the countrys biodiversity are mainly localized and vary across islands, biomes, ecosystems, corridors and taxonomy. In recent years habitat destruction and overexploitation of wildlife has had enormous pressure on all types of biomes.
The Key Biodiversity Areas and Important Bird Areas (KBA's
& IBA's) approach is a simple, effective means of
implementing the protected areas elements of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). KBAs and IBAs are places of
international importance for the conservation of biological diversity through protected areas and other governance mechanisms.Available onlineCall Number: [EL]Physical Description: 38 p
Queensland’s environmental authorities have raised alarm about large numbers of flatback turtle hatchlings that are dying soon after leaving the nest in the waters along the Capricorn coast region of Queensland.
Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga, is a well-established whale-watching destination in the South Pacific. Between July and October, the waters around the archipelago represent one of the most important breeding grounds for Oceania humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). The Tongan government allows tourist swimming activities with whales and tour operators strongly promote the practice of swimming-with-whales, focusing primarily on mother-calf pairs.
Far beneath the ocean surface, a cacophony of industrial noise is disrupting marine animals’ ability to mate, feed and even evade predators, scientists warn. With rumbling ships, hammering oil drills and booming seismic survey blasts, humans have drastically altered the underwater soundscape – in
About four years ago, Colin Simpfendorfer was diving on reefs in Indonesia’s picture-perfect Raja Ampat region when he noticed the distinct absence of something. “It’s a beautiful place to dive. We would have expected to see grey reef sharks and white tips,” says the veteran scientist.
There may be plenty of fish in the sea, but how many did there used to be? The answer to that question is lurking in DNA hidden at the bottom of the ocean.
The number of sharks and rays worldwide has fallen by 71 per cent in the last 50 years and according to Australian and international research more than three-quarters of species are now threatened with extinction.
Cook Islands Turtle Conservation Society (Te Ara O Te Onu) is calling on local fishermen to check their net at least every four hours when they are out fishing.