Local perception in Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary - Karnataka, India

The main goal of this research is to assess the socio-economic and perception correlates of local resident’s knowledge and gladness towards a protected area. For the case study we selected Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and populations living in and around the protected area, as well as a nearby local city.

Assessing farmers' vulnerability to climate change : a case study in Karnataka, India

In the context of observed climate change impacts and their effect on agriculture and crop production, this study intends to assess the vulnerability of rural livelihoods through a study case in Karnataka, India. The social approach of climate change vulnerability in this study case includes defining and exploring factors that determine farmers’ vulnerability in four villages. Key informant interviews, farmer workshops and structured household interviews were used for data collection. To analyse the data, we adapted and applied three vulnerability indices: Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI), LVI-IPCC and the Livelihood Effect Index (LEI), and used descriptive statistical methods. The data was analysed at two scales: whole sample-level and household level. The results from applying the indices for the whole-sample level show that this community's vulnerability to climate change is moderate, whereas the household-level results show that most of the households' vulnerability is high-very high, while 15 key drivers of vulnerability were identified. Results and limitations of the study are discussed under the rural livelihoods framework, in which the indices are based, allowing a better understanding of the social behaviouraltrends, as well as an holistic and integrated view of the climate change, agriculture, and livelihoods processes shaping vulnerability. We conclude that these indices, although a straightforward method to assess vulnerability, have limitations that could account for inaccuracies and inability to be standardised for benchmarking, therefore we stress the need for further research.

Natural Capital's perception by Kodagu communities: a comparative study (Karnataka, India)

When we ask ourselves about a concrete definition of “Natural Capital” we can find a large and wide range of conceptions, which are attached to it. These can turn out to be confusing and contradictory in some cases. In theory, through books and different studies we know natural resources are composed by all the natural actives originated by the nature itself. Besides, these conform a patrimony for society as them are translated into a path towards economy: The Natural Capital. May not the Natural Capital be an easy conception to put in terms of economy it turns out to be an important capacitor for economy growth in most countries. In any case, we can clearly distinguish two ways as Natural Capital can be seen. One may elaborate a definition about it by reading what others have previously written, those who usually are quite far from the direct use of natural resources. On the other hand it would also be interesting to conform a definition of it by asking people who are constantly in contact with natural resources and consequently contribute to form the Natural Capital.

Proposed estuarine sanctuary grant award to the state of California for a Tijuana River estuarine sanctuary : United States Department of Commerce draft environmental impact statement /

Mode of access: Internet.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary : final environmental impact statement, management plan.

"A federal/state partnership for the protection of humpback whales and their habitat."

Wildlife Trade In Brazil: A Closer Look At Wild Pets Welfare Issues.

Wild animals have been kept as pets for centuries, in Brazil companionship is one of the main reasons why wild species are legally bred and traded. This paper is an attempt to call the attention for problems concerning the welfare of wild pets involved in the trading system in Brazil. Some issues presented are: a) the significant increase in the number of wildlife breeders and traders and the difficulties faced by of the Brazilian government in controlling this activity; b) the main welfare issues faced by breeders and owners of wild pets; and c) the destination of wild pets no longer wanted. Finally, some recommendations are made having the welfare of the animals as a priority.

The roles played by Aspergillus nidulans apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-like mitochondrial oxidoreductase (AifA) and NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductases (NdeA-B and NdiA) in farnesol resistance

Farnesol (FOH) is a nonsterol isoprenold produced by dephosphorylanon of farnesyl pyrophosphate a catabolite of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway These isoprenoids inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis Here we show that Aspergillus nidulans MA encoding the apoptosis-Inducing factor (AIF)-like mitochondrial oxidoreductase plays a role in the function of the mitochondrial Complex I Additionally we demonstrated that ndeA B and ndiA encode external and internal alternative NADH dehydrogenases respectively that have a function in FOH resistance When exposed to FOH the Delta aifA and Delta ndeA strains have increased ROS production while Delta ndeB Delta ndeA Delta ndeB and Andul mutant strains showed the same ROS accumulation than in the absence of FOH We observed several compensatory mechanisms affecting the differential survival of these mutants to FOH (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved

Economics, wildlife tourism and conservation: Three case studies

This report presents the results of an economics component of the National Interdisciplinary Project (NIP) on wildlife tourism in Australia. The main objectives of the study were to outline and assess the role that economics can play in the valuation and management of wildlife-based tourism, undertake appropriate case studies to highlight the value of economics and its limits in assessing wildlife tourism in each case, take into account relevant environmental issues involved in wildlife tourism, and make future recommendations.

Endangerment and likeability of wildlife species: How important are they for proposed payments for conservation

Examines empirically the relative influence of the degree of endangerment of wildlife species and their stated likeability on individuals’ willingness to pay (WTP) for their conservation. To do this, it utilises data obtained from the IUCN Red List and likeability and WTP data obtained from two serial surveys of a sample of the Australian public who were requested to assess 24 Australian wildlife species in each of three animal classes: mammals, birds and reptiles. Between the first and second survey, respondents were provided with extra information about the focal species. This information resulted in the clear dominance of endangerment as the major influence on the WTP of respondents for the conservation of the focal wildlife species. Our results throw doubts on the proposition in the literature that the likeability of species is the dominant influence on WTP for conservation of wildlife species. Furthermore, our results suggest that the relationship between WTP for the conservation of wildlife in relation to their population levels may be more complex and different to that suggested in some of the literature on ecological economics.

Public support for sustainable commercial harvesting of wildlife: An Australian case study

This paper surveys a sample of 204 members of the Australian public to determine their attitude to the sustainable commercial harvesting of wildlife generally, and considers their specific support for the sustainable commercial harvesting of each of 24 Australian native species. The general attitude of the sample to wildlife harvesting is related to their attitude to nature conservation. The relationship between respondents’ support for the sustainable commercial harvesting of each of the species and their degree of endangerment based on IUCN Red List rankings is established and found to be an inverse one. Support for the commercial sustainable use of each of the species is compared with the willingness of respondents to pay for their conservation. Support for sustainable commercial harvesting of species is found to be inversely related to the willingness of respondents to pay is for a particular species’ conservation. In turn, this willingness to pay is found to rise with the degree of endangerment of species. While the likeability of a species has some influence on whether there is support or not for its commercial harvesting, it does not seem to be the predominant influence— the degree of endangerment of a species appears to be the major influence here. Even so, this does not imply majority support for the harvest of all species that are not threatened; rather, majority support for harvest was observed only for some species known to be abundant. None of the species that appear in the Red List have majority support for harvesting. Implications are outlined of the results for the policy of promoting wildlife conservation by means of sustainable use.

Antarctic tourists, wildlife and the environment: Attractions and reactions to Antarctica

Provides background on the development and nature of Antarctic tourism and associated environmental issues, as well as agreements and regulations affecting environmental management in Antarctica. Following an outline of the survey methodology and provision of information on the socioeconomic profiles of the respondents, results of a survey of Antarctic tourists on the Russian registered ship the ‘Akademik Ioffe’ are reported. The importance of Antarctic wildlife as an attraction for these Antarctic tourists is then given particular attention. The study considers amongst other things how important Antarctic wildlife was in convincing these tourists to undertake their trip to Antarctica, the importance to the tourists of seeing different species of wildlife and the relative importance of wildlife compared with other attractions of the tour to Antarctica. Views both prior to and following visits to Antarctica are given. The views of the tourists about selected environmental issues involving Antarctica were canvassed. These are reported and discussed. Amongst the subjects discussed is whether the sampled tourists favour an expansion in tourism to Antarctica and why. An overall assessment completes the study.

Economics, Wildlife Tourism and Conservation: Three Case Studies

This report presents the results of an economics component of the National Interdisciplinary Project (NIP) on wildlife tourism in Australia. The main objectives of the study were to outline and assess the role that economics can play in the valuation and management of wildlife-based tourism, undertake appropriate case studies to highlight the value of economics and its limits in assessing wildlife tourism in each case, take into account relevant environmental issues involved in wildlife tourism, and make future recommendations.

Knowledge and willingness to pay for the conservation of wildlife species: Experimental results evaluating Australian tropical species

The nature of an experiment involving 204 residents is outlined and the results are reported and analysed. Two consecutive surveys of the respondents provide data about their stated knowledge of 23 wildlife species present in tropical Australia, most of which exclusively occur there. In addition, these surveys provide data about the willingness of respondents to pay for the conservation of those species belonging to three taxa; reptiles, mammals, and birds. Thus it is possible to compare the respondents’ stated knowledge of the species with their willingness to pay for their conservation, and to draw relevant inferences from this. From the initial survey and these associations, interesting relationships can be observed between those variables (knowledge and willingness to pay). The second survey was completed after the respondents’ knowledge of the species was experimentally increased and became more balanced. This is shown to result in increased dispersion (greater discrimination) in willingness to contribute to conservation of the different species in the set of wildlife species considered. Both theoretical and policy conclusions are drawn from the results.