Solving The Age-Old Prairie Dog Problem In An Era Of Political Gridlock

Africa's wildlife have made headlines time and time again, as species find their way closer to extinction. There are some pockets of the continent, however that have provide refuge for species and allowed them to not just populate, but thrive. Recognizing this, a group known as African Parks found a way to use these growing populations to repopulate other areas of the continent by transporting animals to newly protected areas.

Threatened wildlife co-exists with poverty stricken communities who inhabit the Arizona-Mexico border region. Borderlands Restoration's conservation scientists are hoping to alleviate poverty while repairing the local environment by providing jobs that help preserve and renew the environment.

As the Mexican wolf population neared extinction, the Arizona Game & Fish Department and the Endangered Wolf Center have been placing pups born in captivity in wild dens. This effort, known as cross-fostering, has been successful in not only increasing the number of wolves in the Southwest, but also improving the survival skills of cross-fostered wolves. While the Mexican wolf population hasn’t completely rebounded, more people are understanding the importance that the species has on the ecosystem.

Rwanda’s Akagera National Park, once a conservation failure, has been revitalized with fences, patrols, and new technology to become a successful wildlife park. The government partnered with conservation group African Parks to manage the national park, which has led to an increase tourists, patrols, and even lions and black rhinos. Akagera also became the world first “Smart Park” after it installed a telecommunications network called LoRaWAN to securely track, monitor, and communicate between rangers, vehicles, equipment, and animals.

An unlikely partnership between ranchers and conservationists is working together to protect grassland biodiversity on the Zumwalt Prairie Preserve in Oregon. The Nature Conservancy has cultivated relationships with landowners in the area to promote sustainable grazing practices. While some ranchers are skeptical about the organization’s intentions in the area, one rancher says they are “a good neighbor” and because of his alliance with the nonprofit, his pastures have consistently achieved good ratings over the years.

A binational effort to transport eggs of the endangered red-legged-frog from Baja California to the Santa Ana Mountains in California was a great success. By working with the Nature Conservancy and various researchers over an almost two-decade period of time, this recent transplant marks the successful reintroduction of the species into an environment where it is expected to thrive.

Rewilding wolves rebalances ecosystems. Following the 1970s Endangered Species Act (ESA), efforts to reintroduce wolves into the Yellowstone National Park have proven successful, helping to reduce land degradation from overpopulated grazing animals. The effort began in 1995 with the introduction of wolves captured in Canada, with the help of Canadian agencies. Today, the wolves keep the park’s biodiversity in balance and attract tourists.

For years, a rancher in Southern Oregon has been trying to keep a local pack of wolves from killing his livestock, and after many rounds of trial and error and collaborative efforts, a high-tech fence may be the solution. Although the fence isn't cheap, many came forward to help make this a possibility and show their support for a project that united people that historically have stood politically opposed.

Ecotourism provides an economic alternative to fishing for coastal communities. On the Island Garden City of Samal, in the Philippines, residents have embraced a giant clam nursery and sanctuary, which attracts mariculture tourists. The giant clam sanctuary is a project of the Decor United Fisherfolk Organization (AdUFOr) and Davao del Norte State College. It offers livelihood for residents of the community, especially to seniors who give tours, and also assists in the conservation of giant clam populations.

Wildlife sanctuaries and monitoring technologies are helping to protect endangered species. In India, a decade of policies aimed toward increasing the number of Bengal tigers is proving effective, in some areas leading to an increase in the total population. In addition to the creation of designated wildlife sanctuaries where biodiversity can thrive, the use of specialized monitoring technology allows for the tracking of individual tigers.