NATURE FORUM WORLDWIDE

[Daan Vreugdenhil]

The Alaotra grebe confirmed extinct: One down and many to go if we continue to focus on studies instead of park rangers. You get 50 park rangers who actually protect animals to one international or 5 local researchers/technicians who may produce a report telling us what we already know: an animal is in danger and we need to protect it. If the money spent on assessing the extinction of this birdy was spent on rangers, it still might have been around, although we might not know exactly with how many individuals. The large conservation organizations primarily focus on producing studies alarming us on the threat to animals and forests, but do very little to actually help protect nature. Isn't it time the large conservation organizations actually start campaigning to increase rangers in the field? It is the Year of Biodiversity and not a single word has been dedicated by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the World Wildlife Fund and TNC on the worldwide ranger deficit. In a few words this is what I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE