WINTER 2017 ISSUE 20

A C H I E V E M E N T S & O P P O R T U N I T I E S

ISSUE 20

C H I E V E M E N T S & O P P O R T U N I T I E S• An overview of Frontier and our Group Projects...1-3

• Get the lastest news from Frontier Group Projects...4-9 12-13

• Read about a featured partner project in South Africa ..11

• Read about a

• Featured article: International Conservation efforts in the Tropics...10

• Species in focus...14-15

FOREWORD

50 - 52 Rivington StreetLondon EC2A 3QP

www.frontier.ac.uk info@frontier.ac.ukinfo@frontier.ac.uk 0207 613 2422

EDITED BY LAUTARO ALVAREZ, SCIENCE OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

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@frontiergap

/FrontierGapYearTV

Frontier Offi cialAfter a busy, productive and successful summer we are now preparing for the exciting challenges that come during the winter months. The decrease in

volunteer numbers during the Christmas holidays provides the opportunity to focus on reinvigorating the projects, maintaining their continuity and integrating the most recent findings and results with our current aims and objectives. Our intentions remain as ambitious and uncompromising as ever: to combine the progression of well-established research projects with new ones which are still in their infancy, all the whiles keeping our staff and volunteers excited and engaged!Our in-country outreach initiatives bring our research closer to our local hosts. Events such as Lemur Day in Madagascar and the Lobster Fest in Belize have provided the perfect means of engaging with the local communities, raising awareness about endangered species and Frontier’s conservation efforts to mitigate the effects both of anthropogenic and environmental hazards. We strongly believe that harnessing the efforts and enthusiasm of local communities is an essential tool in implementing effective conservation strategies and achieving sustainable development. As we approach the end of a very rewarding year, it may be appropriate to note that our success is not limited to our efforts in the field but has also been achieved domestically around the United Kingdom. 2016/2017 has been one of Frontier’s most

eventful academic years. We have been consistently attending fairs and delivering talks and lectures at universities on a monthly basis, collaborating with some of the most renowned and influential universities and academic institutions in the country.Our outreach initiatives are helping us gain more visibility and exposure to individuals seeking to establish their career in conservation. We are confident in our ability to create opportunities for aspiring scientists and conservationists. Whether it is by their becoming a volunteer, an assistant research officer or a principal investigator, Frontier is committed to finding a place for anyone and everyone who is passionate about conservation, environmental research and sustainable development!

WHICH COUNTRIES DOES FRONTIER WORK IN?

Fiji

Also known as the Soft Coral Capital, this impressive archipelago of 332 islands and over 500 islets has long been an object of interest in the world of eco-tourism and marine conservation. Fiji is currently home to over 100 unique flora species and 30 reptiles endemic to these islands, as well as the renowned Beqa Lagoon. Although its tropical marine climate is largely stable, with minimal extremes, it was irrevocably affected by Cyclone Winston, on 20 February 2016. The islands of Taveneuni and Koro were among those most severely affected, with villages flattened and ports extensively damaged.

Belize

Belize’s territorial waters are predominantly made up of the Belize Reef Barrier. This is the most substantial segment of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which measures 998 km overall. As the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, the Belize Reef Barrier was declared a UNESCO world heritage site 20 years ago. Belize’s unique profusion and distribution of marine species and ecosystems has additionally earned it a globally significant role in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the seven Central American countries whose geographic location and climatic characteristics easily contribute to the nurturing, flourishing, and maintenance of a biodiversity-rich and species-rich hotspot. Despite covering only 0.01% of the earth’s surface, Costa Rica encompasses more than 4% of the world’s biodiversity. Its highly stable climate, with an annual average temperature of 27 °C, creates optimum living conditions for a wide range of flora and fauna and, moreover, serves as an ideal continental species corridor between North and South America.

Tanzania

Despite being one of the world’s poorest countries, Tanzania offers a wealth of marine territories swamped with bio-sanctuaries along its Indian Ocean coastline and around the major islands of Mafia, Pemba and Zanzibar. Conservationists are taking action to protect what is referred to as the marine pride and nonpareil of Africa by spearheading the establishment of multiple coral parks surrounding the most vulnerable marine habitats. In contrast, terrestrially Tanzania has become a notorious site for poaching and the ivory trade, exacerbated by the environmental threats posed by two renowned tourist destinations: Africa’s highest mountain, Kilimanjaro, and the Serengeti, a wildlife-rich national park.

Tenerife

Tenerife stands out in the Canary Islands not only as an economic centre but also as a flora and fauna hub, with features such as Macizo de Anaga, which has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2015. The Canary Islands’ oceanographic features of water depths spanning to 4000 m and upwelling from the African coastline promote a wide biodiversity of marine life, which includes 730 native fish species, four species of marine turtle and twenty-eight cetacean species. Despite the migratory or seasonal nature of short-finned pilot whales, sperm whales, and bottlenose dolphins, they still reside mostly in the archipelago, seeming to regard it as their home.

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Madagascar

As the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar is in itself a rare ecological haven. Madagascar’s exceptional concentration of endemic species has earned it the designation of a global biodiversity hotspot. Nevertheless, of these endemic species, 90% reside in forests and are becoming increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance. Madagascar has been a victim of unbridled deforestation, which cost it approximately 90% of its previously densely wooded interior. With over 5,000 km of coastline, Madagascar harbours vast blocks of fringing reef systems, brackish and freshwater habitats, as well as shallow marine and pelagic environments. The population’s reliance on fisheries within and beyond these reefs, both for subsistence and income, is however one of the reasons for its rapidly deteriorating ecosystems. Following a military coup in 2009, foreign aid plunged and fish catch became underreported by approximately 40%.

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ABOUT FRONTIER

The Society for Environmental Exploration was established in 1989 as a non-profit conservation and development non-governmental organisation, which operates under the name Frontier. Frontier began with just one volunteer-based project set up by Eibleis Fanning, Founder and Managing Director of the organisation. Over the past 28 years Frontier has expanded greatly and we now have 8 marine and terrestrial projects in 6 different countries, Fiji, Belize, Tenerife, Madagascar, Costa Rica and Tanzania, as well as partner projects in over 50 countries, all with the same goal of conserving the local environment and wildlife and creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

Costa Rica Forest •

Frontier is proud to work in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and has been working hard since 2009 to understand the effects of deforestation, poaching and climate change on this country’s diverse but threatened ecosystems and species, with the aim of informing conservation management actions in the region.

Madagascar Forest •

Working on the island of Nosy Be, Frontier is studying several species of lemur and many species of reptile, bird and butterfly. We are working hard to catalogue biodiversity and understand the effects of deforestation on many critically important and endemic species, with the aim of encouraging additional protections and increasing reforestation efforts.

Fiji Marine •

Frontier has been invited to work on Beqa Island by the Mataqali people (the islands guardians), home to incredible diversity of marine life. Frontier is working hard to analyse the health of the surrounding coral reef, seagrass and mangrove habitats, with the aim of increasing protection and promoting their sustainable use.

Tanzania Forest •

As part of assessing the effectiveness of Mafia Island Marine Park, Frontier’s forest programme involves assessing the health of the island’s mangrove forests and the sustainability of harvesting. As part of this programme Frontier is also working on an internationally important RAMSAR wetland site, assessing how bird diversity is affected by various agricultural activities.

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FRONTIER GROUP PROJECTS

MISSION STATEMENT

To conserve the world’s most endangered wildlife and threatened habitats and to build sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and under resourced communities in the world’s poorest countries. To create solutions that are apolitical, forward-thinking, community-driven, and innovative and which take into consideration the long-term needs of low income communities.

Tenerife Cetaceans •

Frontier has just begun a new project working in Tenerife, a thoroughfare for whales and dolphins and the home of several migratory species. The aim of this project is to create a database of cetaceans in the area through taking fin shots, to monitor diversity and individual activity.

Madagascar Marine •

Frontier has been working to conserve Madagascar’s marine ecosystems for the last 15 years and is currently working on the island of Nosy Be. Here we are monitoring coral, mangrove and seagrass habitats, fish and invertebrate populations and investigating species specific population health, with the aim of informing important decisions relating to the protection of this region.

Tanzania Marine •

Frontier has been working in Tanzania for 28 years and collected the data that led to the set up of the Mafia Island Marine Park in 1995. Frontier is currently working in partnership with the government to monitor the success of the marine park, essential for informing management actions in Tanzania and worldwide

Belize Marine •

Based on Caye Caulker, Frontier works in partnership with the Fisheries Department to assess the sustainability and effectiveness of the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve. Frontier is working with commercially and ecologically important marine mammals, fish, invertebrates and corals and studying the general health of the reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves.

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Beqa Island, lying in the heart of the eponymous lagoon, has been home to Frontier’s Fiji Marine project for 4 years. Conservation efforts here focus around the health

of the coral reefs by studying the abundance and diversity of the fish populations on a number of sites as well as monitoring overall coral health. Our team aims to work closely with the local population, assisting them in carrying out sustainable fishing practices and emphasising the importance of maintaining a healthy balance in the ecosystem.

Crown of Thorns Outbreaks The crown-of-thorns starfish (CoT, or locally referred to as “bula”) is a dominant killer of reefs with their first choice of food being coral. CoTs are naturally present in low numbers and are important to balancing the food chain. However, as a result of their predatory nature, they have a hugely destructive effect on coral reefs in high numbers, with the result that outbreaks are always a cause for concern. In order to prevent any significant damage to coral reefs around Beqa Frontier conducts CoT extractions by using an easily made tool and we are currently training the local communities to use this tool to

FIJI MARINE CONSERVATION PROGRAMMEClaudia Afeltra and Harriet Green, Research Department FJM

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Monitoring Reef HealthBeqa Island’s custom and practice is for each village to own the reefs in the surrounding waters. This means that local communities generally perform their own traditional fishing management practices, with their chiefs designating ‘tabu’ areas where fishing is tightly controlled and only allowed at certain times. The Fiji Marine team monitor both tabu and non-tabu areas to assess the diversity within the different reef types. Data from this phase suggested that site location was a more important factor on species abundance as only 17% of fish species were more abundant in the tabu areas (we would have predicted this number to be a lot higher), while 45% were more abundant in offshore areas. The best explanation for this is that fishing pressures will affect (and therefore deplete) commercially important species far more than other species. It may also be that inshore sites are subject to greater damage through sedimentation and general fishing pressures. These sites have consistently been found to have the lowest healthy coral coverage, which also impacts fish populations.

Mangrove Mapping & Restoration Preparation Mangrove wetlands are one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world and are sensitive to human activities and climate change but fortunately the community in Beqa have a positive and willing attitude to their restoration and rehabilitation. Mangrove forests are not only key to marine and terrestrial food chains but act as a sanctuary for a range of juvenile species, including sharks and rays. The Fiji Marine team are actively dedicated to restoring this valuable habitat and have begun planting seedlings in bare areas as well as mapping the existing forests through the use of drones. The deployment of drones is not only useful for direct conservation efforts but also acts as an interactive tool which encourages greater involvement by the local community.

Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks In the last 6 months the Frontier team has been excited to have increased the number of dedicated shark surveys as well as to have expanded the number of sites studied. Results at this stage are still limited, but the data collected so far indicates that whitetip reef sharks are the more commonly found species in the reefs surrounding Beqa. Although blacktips have been seen, they are generally

thought to be a shyer species and so are more wary of divers. Excitingly, there have been more sightings of juvenile blacktip sharks in the sandbar, which supports Frontier’s previous assessment that this may be a blacktip nursery. Frontier aims not only to continue this important monitoring but also to attempt better to understand how the community interacts with shark populations, with a particular focus on shark fishing.

COSTA RICA RAINFOREST CONSERVATION PROGRAMMEEmma Korein, Principal Investigator CBP

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Given its standing as one of the world’s leading countries in environmental sustainability and conservation, Costa Rica serves as an important location for

Frontier’s research endeavours. The project’s situation in the most intensely biodiverse region on the planet gives Frontier a unique opportunity to study the vast ecology to be found there. The aim of the project which is being undertaken from the new camp which we moved to in August 2016 is to study the habitat connectivity of the local area and compare species composition as between the different forest types: ancient primary rainforest on the border of the incredible Corcovado National Park, the surrounding secondary forest buffer zone and the more disturbed forest surrounding the road and various lodges.

A New TrailWe are thrilled to have created a new trail that allows Frontier to carry out surveys near the lagoon. This is proving massively useful in our mammal tracking study and we are also conducting a new entomological survey. The trail has already produced some really exciting results, with images of a tapir, a great curassow, a tayra, a coati and an agoutis captured on camera

Surveying the Forest Studying a wide range of animals, in the form of primates, birds, reptiles and amphibians, we have been able to identify areas of primary forest which have been less affected by deforestation and have higher biodiversity than both secondary and disturbed forest. Certain species have been found to be more sensitive to disturbances in landscape than others e.g. red-backed spider monkeys are more sensitive than mantled howler monkeys, showing the former species to be more vulnerable to habitat degradation.

The Protection of Sea TurtlesWe are contributing to the global effort to conserve sea turtles by assisting the region-wide sea turtle conservation programme, COTORCO, in Costa Rica. Turtles are dwindling in numbers as a result of anthropogenic threats. Over the past few months we found the overall predation rate of nests to be 70%. Of that, vultures were found to be responsible for approximately 31% and dogs a further 20% or so of all the turtle eggs laid on Playa Carate and La Leona. During this period measures for predation control have been put in place; bamboo cages to ‘dog proof ’ nests have been installed and sprinkling cayenne pepper, a natural dog repellent, around the nests has been reported anecdotally to be successful. These measures will continue and we hope to begin data analysis soon.

Looking ForwardThere is a lot to look forward to over the coming months with the continuation of our current projects as well as the development of some new ones. This will include assessing the impact of climate change on the Carate ecosystems by monitoring the abundance, distribution and community structure of insects.

traps, as well as prints found of an armadillo and a mother and baby tapir duo. We cannot wait to see what other animals show up!

“The project’s situation in the most intensely biodiverse region on the planet gives Frontier a unique opportunity

to study the vast ecology to be found there.”

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Frontier’s work is concerned with addressing rapidly diminishing forest habitats, as well as the identification and monitoring of species groups susceptible to

environmental change, including lemurs, reptiles, birds and butterflies. Given the need to develop strategies for the future survival of terrestrial species, Frontier hopes to assess and evaluate species’ ability to tolerate or exploit human modified landscapes. Frontier’s work is focused on the island of Nosy-Be, the largest island off the coast of mainland Madagascar.

Habitat Degradation In Madagascar we survey areas categorised as degraded, secondary and primary and compare the abundance and richness of the animals between them. The latest data has shown that while reptile abundance is highest in areas with the least human disturbance, diversity was actually highest in degraded forests. This obscure finding is likely to result from the difficulty in detecting certain shyer species, such as snakes. Bird species richness was comparable across habitats, which is most likely because of the difference in species between sites. Specialised species are likely to be found in primary areas while more generalist species inhabit the degraded areas. Because of the density of the forests some bias is unfortunately unavoidable. We hope to increase encounters with evasive specie as well as improve our understanding of the effects of habitat degradation on the incredibly diverse local wildlife.

What is to come?In the coming phase we will be continuing with all current projects as well as starting a couple of new projects. Surveys on the Nosy Be sportive lemurs, black lemurs and Claire’s mouse lemur are still ongoing and we look forward to presenting the results soon. We are hoping to begin conducting night surveys to gather behavioural information on the nocturnal Claire’s mouse lemur and start on the proposed bat monitoring programme in the surrounding areas. Watch this space!

Lemur DayOn the 27th of October Frontier joined in with World Lemur Day to promote the work we do and raise awareness about lemurs in the city of Hell Ville. Lemurs are a regular site around the villages but not all the locals realise the full importance of these animals to the ecosystem. We set up a stall in the town centre with posters and banners providing information on local lemur species, pet lemurs and conservation. To get everyone involved we had activities for all levels, including lemur colouring pages and lemur related word searches. We were surprised but pleased by the number of people that stopped to look at our posters and the children particularly enjoyed the colouring in. We were invited to give a talk at a new club held at Green’N’Kool; a cultural, ecological and citizen area dedicated to youth and sustainability. Although people had different levels of English, everyone showed interest and we hope everyone took something away from the talk.

We think this was a successful day and look forward to the next one!

MADAGASCAR FOREST CONSERVATION PROGRAMMEOrsolya Szabo, Research Officer MGF

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Frontier’s Madagascar Marine Conservation project conducts survey work in the Nosy Vorona Bight in Northwest Madagascar, to gain an understanding of the

health of the coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds in the area. It has been based in the village of Ambalohonko for over four years, engaged in collecting data on fish and invertebrate species richness and abundance, as well as coral morphology. The programme has recently expanded to include studies on coral genera, invertebrate sizing and habitat associations. The programme maintains partnerships with local communities and the University of Antsiranana in Northern Madagascar.

Cleaning Madagascar’s beaches Our Frontier Madagascar beach conservation team has been hard at work completing a minimum of two beach cleans per week. In the last six months alone, a total of 7594 pieces of marine debris has been collected from the sand, mangrove and tree areas along the coastline proximate to Ambalahonko. Plastic accounted for over 50% of the total debris collected. The team has introduced environmental awareness days and is now involving local communities in beach cleans as a way of raising awareness of this growing issue.

Mangrove nursery Over the past months the Frontier Madagascar Marine team has been working on developing mangrove nurseries by trying and testing different methods and conditions for replantation. 6 month old seedlings from 3 different species; Rhizophora mucronata (Loop-root mangrove), Avicennia marina (Gray mangrove) and Ceriops taga (Yellow mangrove) were replanted in 5 different sites with differing conditions. While there is currently not enough data to determine the best possible conditions for mangrove growth, the team is delighted with the overall success in the growth of the seedlings, with survival rates of between 67% and 96%. Frontier will continue to look at the effects of species distribution, zonation and cutting occurring in the mangrove population.

Underwater surveyingAll volunteers were involved in underwater surveying, allowing them to develop their skills in identifying marine species. Over 100 different fish species were observed, including wrasse and clownfish. Meanwhile, we found that the average live coverage of coral appears to vary significantly between sites.

Madagascar is a biological hotspot for nudibranchs, marine molluscs which are nicknamed “sea slugs”. This incredible species is not very resilient and so is highly susceptible to becoming endangered. Consequently, it is important that research into its ecological needs is conducted. The Madagascar Marine team has therefore recently begun to conduct surveys on the abundance and diversity of nudibranchs and over a one month period a total of 80 individuals from 14 different species were observed. These creatures are difficult to observe as a result of their cryptic nature, so this number is assumed to be an underestimation. The team look forward to discovering more species as this new survey progresses.

MADAGASCAR MARINE CONSERVATION PROGRAMMENathan Price, Principal Investigator MGM

COSTA RICA COMMUNITY PROJECTLaura Exley, Project Manager CBP

The Costa Rica community project has been given a new lease of life this year. This includes not only the Costa Rica Teaching and Community project that focuses

on English teaching and other community support in Puerto Jimenez, but also the new Jungle Teaching project that runs alongside our Big Cats, Primates and Turtles conservation project in Carate. Our overall involvement in community development and teaching in the area has surged, and we are now also delving into recycling projects, environmental education and support for veterinary clinics and animal rehabilitation centres. Alongside that, our area of support for English teaching has expanded and we are hoping to reach out to many other schools in the local area going forward.In Puerto Jimenez staff and volunteers juggle their time between two different primary schools (one about 20 minutes out of town, in a village called Palo Seco) and the local community centre, Rescate de Valores. Here we give adult English classes as well as putting together exciting workshops for school children out of term time. This included Teaching and Community Project Co-ordinator, Jerome Moore, giving a fantastic computer literacy course which provided local schoolchildren with the chance to learn computer skills in a fun and relaxed environment during their holidays. We also help with other community ventures, such as assistance with the development of the local library and working on recycling projects.Out in Carate, volunteers are able to live the jungle life while also gaining some fantastic experience working with a more rural community. English language skills and education is generally lower than is the case in Puerto Jimenez – but that doesn’t mean that these kids don’t know how to have fun! Small numbers of students and a more relaxed attitude to learning make for fun and dynamic lessons, with the current plan focusing on building confidence in speaking. Our proximity to the school and the church also means we have a very personal relationship with the children and their parents, with the result that we frequently help with the preparation and organisation of community activities and events. Adult classes are also given twice weekly in a relaxed environment – kids are always welcome too and frequently come along with their mums to get in some extra hours!The volunteers in Carate from both the teaching and the conservation project all work together on community activities such as beach cleans and local festivals promoting conservation work. We will also be working as a team, along with those in Puerto Jimenez, to start moving forward with

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environmental education. Providing presentations to guests at the local eco-lodges and hotels and in schools on pertinent issues such as recycling, the use of plastics and behaviour in important conservation zones will be another initiative, allowing us to continue fighting for a more sustainable future.Our staff and volunteers have done a fantastic job of always going the extra mile with the community. As a result of the consistent hard work, reliability and innovation behind all our community work we have reached a point where we are able to see the positive changes which we are making every single day.

TANZANIA MARINE CONSERVATION PROGRAMMELillian Donnelly & Daniel Altman, Research Officers TZM

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Whale sharks Whale sharks are classified as endangered by the IUCN red list of threatened species and are under intense pressure from fishing practices. The growing popularity of observing marine life has resulted in an increase in tourists wanting to whale watch and swim with whales. While well managed eco operations that allow tourists to interact with these incredible animals are clearly preferable to the devastating activity of shark hunting, the rapid increase in this sector does raise a concern over its long term sustainability.

We look forward to beginning a new project in the coming months to monitor whale shark behaviour in the face of the number and activities of nearby whale watching boats as well as the number and proximity of any swimmers. In this way, we aim to identify any negative effects which tourism may have on the whale sharks’ behaviour, ecology and habitat. We also hope to use this information to draw up a suggested code of conduct for responsible tour operators.

Cleaning BeachesMarine pollution is a prominent and global issue that can have seriously detrimental effects to marine organisms and beach cleans are an effective way to monitor and reduce the pollution of marine environments. We are working closely with local communities in Tanzania providing them with environmental classes and getting them involved in beach cleans.

Mangrove monitoringAs with seagrass meadows, mangrove forests are an essential ecosystem. They provide vital habitats and nurseries for coastal fish as well as several ecological and environmental services. However, they are becoming increasingly threatened by human activity and the rise in sea levels. We conduct mangrove snorkels in order to collect baseline data and continually monitor the health of the mangrove forests and the species which they support.

The importance of seagrassSeagrass meadows are very important ecosystems as a result of the many services which they fulfil. Not only do they provide habitat sanctuaries for invertebrates and juvenile fish but also various ecosystem services such as nutrient recycling, the trapping of sediment and the prevention of coastal erosion. Frontier’s team is therefore currently engaged in mapping the distribution and density of the existing seagrass meadows in Chole Bay, which will allow us to monitor any changes over time.

Frontier’s involvement in Tanzania began in 1989 with its first project, the Frontier Tanzania Marine project, located in Utende, Mafia Island. While the project’s

initial objective was to supply a detailed and comprehensive baseline data set on the marine environment within Chole Bay, its current aim is to continue the refinement of the existing monitoring programme. Just as Tanzania’s first multi-user national marine park was created out of the research derived from this project, so Frontier now plays a leading role in monitoring its health. Social economic questionnaires and survey protocols have also been developed to propose further solutions and trajectories with the aim of maximising research efficiency.

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However, what is known is that because the tropics show very little variation in temperature over the different seasons, tropical species have adapted to have a lower thermal tolerance, i.e. they are less able to adapt to changing temperatures (Nadeau et al., 2017; Schott, 2017). Consequently tropical species are far less likely to survive even a slight rise in temperature, which in turn may suggest that a temperature rise of 5’C may cause a 100% loss of biodiversity (Corlett, 2012). Since the 1970s the temperature has increased by 0.26’C per decade. If this trend continues, or worsens, there is a possibility that we will lose nearly all tropical species within the next 160 years, a truly terrifying and yet very real prediction.

What does this mean for conservation? With limited resources dedicated to conservation, it is essential that we identify the populations, species and most importantly ecosystems which are most vulnerable, not only to climate change but to other anthropogenic phenomena (Jones et al., 2016). It is crucial for us to understand the impacts of global warming on biodiversity. With tropical regions, including countries such as Belize and Costa Rica, being hotspots for biodiversity, it has become incredibly important that we, as humans, intervene. Frontier is dedicated to protecting biodiversity within regions that are most vulnerable. Through actions such as habitat reconstruction, research into understanding the behaviour of different species and education we hope to alleviate some of the harm caused by climate change. We need to continue monitoring both temperate and tropical regions, to ensure that we identify vulnerable species, habitats and ecosystems; and where possible we must mitigate any further devastation before it becomes too late.

Climate change is drastically altering our planet, causing habitats to change and species numbers to decline. This

has become an ever present threat to our global ecosystems, habitats and species (Jones et al., 2016). We are currently seeing species numbers begin to decline on a massive scale, from the well-known orangutans and tigers to the lesser known kagus and olms. This is happening across all phyla at a very rapid rate. The possibility of the next mass extinction occurring in the near future is a growing concern and for this reason it has become more important than ever for us to work to protect global biodiversity (Braje & Erlandson, 2013).

Over the last 140 years there has been an increase in the average global temperature of 0.6’C and this temperature is continuing to rise at an accelerated rate (Vegas-Vilarrubia et al., 2012). Research has suggested that if the global temperature rises to 2C above pre-industrial temperatures before 2100, we will see a devastating loss in habitat, resulting in a predicted loss of 1 in 6 species (Nadeau et al., 2017). This estimate is generalised and does not take into account the different needs of different ecosystems, such as temperate and tropical environments, and with greater biological richness in tropical regions, the number of species lost in the tropics is likely to be far larger (Useche et al., 2011). In signing the Paris Agreement, politicians have globally made a commitment actively to limit this temperature increase to 1.5’C, in an effort to prevent any further mass species loss (Rogeli et al., 2016). However, with so many different species in different habitats within different ecosystems, is it really as simple as applying one temperature limit?

The ComplicationTemperate regions are described as areas north and south of the equator. They usually show defined seasons and therefore have varying temperatures throughout the year. These environments are showing a higher rate of global warming, with temperatures increasing at a much higher pace than in the tropics (Vinagre et al., 2016). The global temperature increase from 1960- 2060 based on historical measurements and future predictions is illustrated in figure a, where a distinct difference in the effects of global warming can be seen between temperate regions and the tropics (Singh & Singh, 2015). Previously, it was thought that this greater temperature rise meant that temperate regions should be a conservation priority. However, somewhat surprisingly, this is no longer believed to be the case (Corlett, 2012).

Despite tropics being globally known as a stronghold for biological richness (Useche et al., 2011), they continue to face the devastating impacts of human activity. Worryingly, very little is known about what effects climate change will have on such important seats of biodiversity.

Should International Conservation Efforts Prioritise the Tropics? By Claudia Afeltra, Science Outreach & Engagement Intern

Figure a, Surface Air Temperature Increase 1960 to 2060

FEATURED PARTNER PROJECT: SOUTH AFRICA ORCA CONSERVATION By Maddie Pinkess, Project Development Intern

Situated in the heart of the world famous Garden Route, our South African partner project focuses on marine

conservation in the beautiful Plettenberg Bay. On this important project the volunteer community help protect the many species of marine wildlife that call this bay home. This includes: bottlenose dolphins, humpback dolphins, common dolphins, orca whales, humpback whales, southern right whales and great white sharks.

Since the establishment of the marine programme in Plettenberg Bay, our partner has raised awareness of a number of crucial marine conservation issues by completing research projects, implementing conservation actions and educating people on the importance of protecting and rehabilitating biodiversity. Volunteers working on this project complete daily conservation activities both on land and at sea. Some of these exciting tasks include whale and dolphin watching, elasmobranch egg case surveys, fin profiling for animal movement studies, the rescuing of marine birds, marine debris clean-ups, white shark monitoring, assisting with beach strandings, river health assessments and educating local children.

A biscuit skate egg case

The latest exciting project at the marine centre is a research investigation into microplastic ingestion by game fish species caught on commercial fishing charters, in Plettenberg Bay. As humans, we generate more than 300 million tons of plastic annually and estimates indicate that upwards of 8 million tons of plastic are added to the planet’s oceans every year. It is also thought that each year 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles are killed by this plastic pollution. The research project aims to identify how pervasive plastics are in the South African natural environment and the varying negative effects of plastics on local marine and terrestrial life.

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Our partner’s marine centre has stocked its freezer with fish stomach samples ready to be analysed. The research is completed by placing each stomach sample in 10% potassium hydroxide, which digests biological material and leaves plastics (if there is any) unaltered. This liquid is then filtered and the filter paper carefully searched through under a dissecting microscope for plastic particulates. The results have so far revealed some fibres and plastic pieces, as well as some unidentified odd items.

Alongside investigating these samples, the new project aims to educate tourists and locals on the devastating effects of plastic and to convince people to do more to minimize the amount of debris entering our oceans.

This problem has become even more urgent recently, as it is believed that a container load of nurdles was washed into the sea during storms in KwaZulu-Natal. Nurdles are small plastic pellets about the size of a lentil, which serve as a raw material in the manufacturing of plastic products. They are now being found all along the South African coastline, causing a lot of harm to marine species. Nurdles attract and concentrate background pollutants like DDT and PCBs to highly toxic levels, and are eaten by marine life, who mistake them for food. Also nurdles cannot be digested properly and consequently they can cause digestive blockages, resulting in starvation and death. There are growing concerns that plastic pieces will concentrate and climb the food chain, ultimately into humans. In short, the research being carried out by our partner project is current and essential.

If you have a passion for marine wildlife and habitats and a desire to participate in essential marine conservation and research, this will be the perfect project for you.

Microplastic found in Hake.

TENERIFE WHALE & DOLPHIN CONSERVATION PROGRAMMERamona Negulescu, Project Coordinator TRW

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Response to Whale Watching BoatsThe whale watching industry is expanding and has become a very popular tourist activity globally. On average 700,000 people visit Tenerife every year to whale watch and this number is expected to increase by 10% a year. The close proximity of humans is known to affect behaviour and group composition as well as having the potential for physical injury. Tourism, when managed correctly, however, is an excellent tool in conservation and as a result it is essential that we understand the full impacts which close proximity to humans might have in order to be in a position to put a suitable code of conduct in place.

The data collected over the last three months revealed no statistically significant differences in cetacean behaviour and the number of boats present. This could be the result of the

The research aim of Frontier projects in Tenerife remains to investigate the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) and short-finned pilot

whales (Globicephala Macrohynchus) to human disturbance, primarily whale watching boats, whilst taking account of other factors that could influence their behaviour, such as group composition, actual behavioural state and number of accredited/non-accredited boats and jet skis. Recognising the data deficient status of IUCN with respect to species such as the short-finned pilot whales, Frontier has risen to the challenge of marine conservation by adopting suitable methods of population monitoring which are also ethical and productive.

Next quarterFor the next phase the focus will be on behavioural responses in relation to cetacean distribution, time of day and the differences in approach by the boat captains depending on whether or not they respect the whale watching regulations. The team also hopes to analyse the frequency of behavioural states and avoidance behaviour in relation to boats. Meanwhile, the photo ID catalogue is continually being updated in order to provide an estimate of the population size of the bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales resident off the coast of Tenerife.

cetaceans becoming more habituated to the presence of boats, but of concern is that it is unknown how this might impact them in the long term, so that continued monitoring remains important.

BELIZE MARINE CONSERVATION PROGRAMMEDagny-Elise Anastassiou, Principal Investigator BZM

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The Frontier Belize Marine project (BZM) was established in April 2014 within the Caye Caulker Forest and Marine Reserve. Throughout these past

three years, the project has matured from adopting research strategies internally to fostering a wider collaboration with the Belize Fisheries Department and NGO FAMRACC (Forest and Marine Reserves Association of Caye Caulker), who together co-manage Caye Caulker’s marine reserve.

Manatee identification and monitoringBelize is one of the largest strongholds of the endangered Antillean manatee, emphasising the importance of our work on monitoring these gentle creatures here. This includes noting the behaviour and physical environment of manatees when they are encountered. These activities have been ably assisted by the local communities, who have provided Frontier with knowledge that has allowed us to improve our observational skills as well as the tracking of individuals’ distribution around Caye Caulker. In the last 6 months the team have recorded 41 sightings on their surveys.

Frontier is thrilled to report that we are in the early stages of developing a photo identification database of the manatee population of Caye Caulker. This is being implemented by collecting photos of individuals and identifying scarring or other unique marks. So far our database has identified 12 individuals and excitingly is thought to be the first one of its kind in Caye Caulker. We hope that this will be used next manatee season to help us to understand movement patterns and determine which individuals are returning each year. The ultimate aim is to contribute to the conservation of these wonderful animals.

Looking back on LobsterFest The annual ‘LobsterFest’ was a great success this year with crowds of people coming from all over Belize to celebrate this well-loved holiday, which originated in Caye Caulker. Frontier took part in measuring lobsters as part of a competition and the team had a great time getting involved in the festivities. However, not everything was good news, with lobster counts significantly lower than in previous years, thereby reinforcing the necessity for our conservation efforts.

Queen conch & spiny lobster surveysFrontier’s research is used directly by the Belize Government to decide the rules and regulations on the Caye Caulker marine reserve, which helps protect part of the second largest barrier reef in the world, the Mesoamerican barrier reef. The spiny lobster is the most important commercial species in Belize. Along with the queen conch, it provides income and employment to many members of the community, but, being the main fishery products in the area, both are under extreme fishing pressure. The queen conch has recently been put on the watch list by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Notwithstanding these testing times, our Belize marine team were delighted to participate in the annual country wide conch survey. This, alongside surveys conducted independently by Frontier, provides important data that will continue to help determine conservation strategies. While there is currently limited data, surveys continue and in the next phase we hope to have enough data to make a more informed analysis.

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Longhorn cowfish (Lactoria cornuta)The longhorn cowfish is a boxfish in the Ostraciidii family which is found in reefs of the Indo-Pacific. They are tan to yellow in colour with white and blue dots and have large, characteristic horns protrud-ing from their heads and below their tails. Their hexagonal, plate-like scales fuse together to form a solid carapace and these omnivorous fish forage by blowing jets of water on the sand to expose their food. Their horns make them too large to fit into the mouths of most other fish.These horns can break off fairly easily but often regrow within a few months. They are also able to secrete a poison called ostratoxin which is deadly to most fish, although a large amount would be re-quired to be harmful to humans. They are shy, solitary and territorial animals with a unique method of swimming that makes them appear to be hovering. Despite being poorly suited to captivity they are popular in the aquarium trade and this slow method of swimming makes them easy to catch by hand.

The scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)The scrawled filefish is found worldwide in tropical to temperate waters, inhabiting lagoons and sea reefs. They feed on algae, seagrass, colonial anemones and marine invertebrates. Adults are olive brown to grey in colour with irregular blue and black spots and short lines. Juveniles tend to be more of a yellowish brown with dark spots and all are able to change their colour and pattern to match their surroundings. In addition, they use spines to wedge themselves into small crevices as a means to avoid predation. Although they are not currently classed as threatened, they are popular in the aquarium trade and are hunted for sport and even food in some areas, despite reports of humans contracting ciguatera poisoning after eating them.

Short finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)The short finned pilot whale is currently treated as one species despite evidence that points to at least two. As a result of a lack of information and this taxonomic confusion, the IUCN currently classifies them as data deficient and their population trend is unknown. They are found in deep, temperate to tropical waters worldwide, commonly in high densities. They are odontocetes (toothed whales) and so feed on fish; however, they have the typical tooth reduction of squid-eating cetaceans, indicating that squid are their primary food source. Exploited for centuries for food and bait, they are also threatened by entanglement, by-catch, climate change and noise pollution. As with other cetaceans, they are thought to be vulnerable to loud anthropogenic sounds such as seismic exploration and navy sonar. Around Taiwan, several unusual beachings of short-finned pilot whales coincided with large scale military exercises in 2004, but the relationship between the two is not proven.

Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)These nocturnal geckos are endemic to Madagascar and are only found in four distinct areas, one of which is Nosy Be, where our project is based. Their grey/brown colour allows them to blend into the bark of trees and their fringed skin breaks up their outline, making them excellent at camouflage. Their tail is short and flat, resembling a dead leaf and can be voluntarily shed. They are highly dependent on primary forest and the loss or degradation of their environment is likely to have a significant impact on these vulnerable amphibians. Large areas of this species’ range occurs in protected areas and the species itself is listed in CITES Appendix 2. However, primary forests are being lost or disturbed and illegal harvesting for the pet trade still occurs. Without knowing how many individuals are collected it is very difficult to understand the full extent of this problem, therefore further studies are required better to understand and protect the species.

SPECIES IN FOCUS By Harriet Green, Research & Development Intern

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Chestnut-mandibled toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii)This near threatened sub-species occurs in various habitats across Central America. They are the second largest toucan, with males having a larger bill than females but otherwise looking the same. They are predominantly frugivorous, but will eat some insects and small vertebrates. When feeding their young, males and females forage cooperatively, with the male allowing only his mate to forage in ‘his’ territory. They build nests in hollows in trees, 5-15m above the ground and the mating season is between September and July. Whilst these highly vocal and important seed dispersers seem tolerant to habitat degradation, the predicted rate of deforestation is still a cause for concern,. especially as they are currently facing a decreasing population trend.

The Bairds tapir (Tapirus bairdii)The Bairds tapir is the largest new world tapir and is found in tropical forests, woodlands, grasslands and marshes in Central and Southern America. They are herbivores that require a continual water supply and generally browse at night whilst hiding in forests or thickets during the day. Tapirs are perissodactyls, or odd-toed ungulates, a group which also includes horses and rhinos. They are characterised by their distinctive snout which is similar to a short elephant’s trunk. Their snout is flexible and used for grabbing things and foraging, there have even been reports of tapirs using them as snorkels when submerged in water. Juveniles have a reddish-brown coat with white stripes and spots, to provide camouflage. These markings are lost in adulthood, with the coat becoming a dark brown or grey. They have a relatively low reproduction rate, with only one calf born at a time following a 13 month gestation period. This interesting creature is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN, with population numbers continuing to decline. Several areas of their home ranges are protected and the species is also ostensibly protected under national laws as well as under CITES (Appendix 1), however these laws are often not enforced. The main threats facing the species include habitat loss and hunting for food and sport.

Whale shark (Rhincodon typus) Whale sharks are the world’s largest living fish. These generally solitary animals have characteristic spot patterns, with their colour ranging between shades of grey, blue and brown with light spots and stripes. They tend to stay between the surface and 200m deep, but have been known to dive to 1900m. Several theories exist for this; to aid foraging, navigation or conserving energy, but ultimately the reason is unknown. Reproduction is poorly known, with only one pregnant female having been examined. She had around 300 pups; the largest recorded litter of any shark species. All pups were at different stages of development and genetics indicated that the pups shared paternity. Suggesting females have the ability to store sperm. Eggs are fertilised and develop internally, they hatch and remain in the oviduct to be born up to a year later. This allows further development and better equips them to survive. They are victims of by catch and vessel strike as well as the national and international trade in whale shark products. Inappropriate tourism may also threaten populations as a result of pollution, displacement and altered behaviour. The population numbers for this endangered species continue to decrease and they are now included in a number of international conventions and agreements including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and are listed in Appendix 2 of CITES.

Sea slug (Chromodoris annulata)Nudibraanchs (shell-less marine molluscs) are in the family Chromodorididae, which contains some of the most colourful and eye-catching sea slugs. They are indigenous to the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea although there have been a few sightings in the Mediterranean, where they are thought to be an alien species introduced by shipping. This species is usually white with orange-yellow spots and characteristic purple rings around the gills, horns and skirt. Some specimens also have a purple line joining the rings together and a purple underside, while others are white. The two ‘horns’, called rhinopores, are chemical receptors that allow them to find food and mates, while their feathery gills are an important respiratory organ. They feed on sponges and it is thought that they store toxic chemicals from these sponges in order to repel predators.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY GROUP EXPEDITIONS WITH FRONTIER

*GROUP LEADERS GO FREE!*

Frontier is offering you the chance to go on a free trip! All you have to do is get at least five friends/colleagues/students together, choose your project destination and you go free! For more information please email us at info@frontier.ac.uk or give us call on +44 (0) 20 7613

2422 to speak to one of our dedicated Ethical Travel Consultants.

Frontier’s volunteer research assistants are the lifeblood of the organisation and are vital to the successful running of our biodiversity surveys and community outreach work across the globe.

Frontier is also able to host groups of students between the ages of 16-25 years from schools and universities to join the volunteer and staff teams on our projects.

Frontier is able to tailor project itineraries and provides comprehensive pre-departure support and fundraising advice to all groups joining our projects. The length of our group projects starts from one week.

For more information please email us at info@frontier.ac.uk

“Thank you for everything that Frontier did, the trip was above and beyond expectations! It was one of the most memorable trips the school has ever done and that’s saying something with the amount of trips the school runs!

Time flies when you’re having fun. Never has the proverbial adage been so true.11 days have raced past. We’ve seen many places, met many people and learnt about a different culture. Through that, we’ve learnt about ourselves. We’ll return with our eyes and hearts opened to the people of the Dominican Republic.

Highlights? It’s impossible to pick out a moment in time. What you can do is try to articulate the spirit that has been woven throughout everything we’ve done. Dominican’s have welcomed us with flamboyance and affection. Our pupils have embraced the Dominican’s (often literally) and have made their teachers hugely proud. We leave the Caribbean tired, happy, having made new friends and with a treasure trove of memories that will last a lifetime”

— Heather Essadiq, Group Leader & Teacher at Heathfield Community School

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Volunteering abroad is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in a new culture and work directly with local people to create positive solutions and outcomes. Gaining confidence and leadership skills that will benefit you hugely after you have returned home from the project, volunteering is a great thing for you to be able to put on your CV.We hold talks and workshops at schools, colleges and universities. If you are interested in Frontier coming to your academic institution, contact us at:

events@frontier.ac.uk

If this sounds like an exciting adventure, find out more on our webiste:

www.frontier.ac.uk

VOLUNTEER ABROAD WITH FRONTIER

FRONTIER EVENTS AND CAREER FAIRS

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Frontier runs regular work shadowing days based at our London HQ. Work shadowing days offer the chance for 16-18 year old students to come to our London HQ and shadow a member of our team. The departments available for students to shadow in are:

WORK SHADOWING DAY

If you would like the opportunity to join the Frontier staff team please check out our website for further details on Frontier and all our available positions

www.frontier.ac.uk/recruit18

• Events and Outreach • Online Journalism and Media • Research and development • NGO Administration • Overseas Operations

This provides a great opportunity for students with an interest in environmental conservation, international development, journalism or volunteer travel to get a taste for what a career working for an NGO in this industry would be like. Read on to hear what Olivia, shadowing the Online Journalism and Media department, thought of her day at Frontier.

“I found out about the opportunity to work shadow at the Frontier London HQ through my school and hoped to gain an insight into the world of journalism. I thought it sounded great as it combined my love of writing, environment and conservation.

The day started with an introduction session. This gave a brief overview of the organisation and a tour of the

office. I found this extremely useful and answered many of the questions myself and others had.

After the tour I was introduced to the Online Journalism and Media team and my work shadowing properly began. The team had obviously put in a lot of effort preparing for my day. The day was well structured and the team had planned tasks for me that helped me learn about how the organisation works as well as being interesting.

I particularly enjoyed writing a blog article and it was great to be given the freedom to write on a topic of my choice. The possibility of publishing this article on Frontier’s online blog was a fantastic way to show evidence of my days work.

Overall, I had a great day work shadowing at Frontier. It has been a highly interesting and valuable experience and I would certainly recommend it to others.” We are pleased you enjoyed your day with us Olivia! We wish you and all the 2017 work shadowing students the best of luck for the future.

Frontier runs work shadowing placement days twice throughout the academic year. If you would like to get involved with our next work shadowing days please get in touch!

FRONTIER: A COMMITTED CAREER STARTER

Frontier is dedicated to giving exceptional young researchers the chance to gain invaluable field research and project management experience in the field. We are very proud that many of our ex-staff

and volunteers now hold high-level positions around the globe in many of the world’s other leading conservation organisations, including CI, FFI, WWF and UNEP WCMC.

Do you have a relevant degree and experience of working overseas? If you would like the opportunity to join the Frontier staff team please check out our website for further

details on Frontier and all our available positions:

www.frontier.ac.uk/recruit

ROLES IN LONDON HQ

Internships available in the London HQ throughout the year in various departments:

Overseas Operations

UK Operations

Marketing and Events

Research and Development

Online Journalism

OVERSEAS POSITIONS

Field roles are available throughout the year! Assistant Research Officer roles in:

Tanzania (Terrestrial & Marine)Madagascar (Terrestrial & Marine)

Costa Rica (Terrestrial)Fiji (Marine)

Belize (Marine)Tenerife (Cetaceans)

We also offer positions focusing on teaching and community work.

In over 28 years of operation we have completed countless successful projects in Asia, the Americas, Africa, the Pacific and in Europe. Our projects have led to genuine and sustainable progress in the protection of endangered species and threatened ecosystems, and the empowerment of vulnerable

communities. As a result, we are in an excellent position to offer a great inroad into conservation or development to those who are seeking a career in one of those sectors.

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OVERSEAS POSITIONSField roles are available throughout the year!

Assistant Research Officer roles in:

Tanzania (Terrestrial & Marine)Madagascar (Terrestrial & Marine)

Costa Rica (Terrestrial)Fiji (Marine)

Belize (Marine)Tenerife (Cetaceans)

We also offer positions focusing on teaching and community work.

ROLES IN LONDON HQInternships available in the London HQ

throughout the year in various departments:

Overseas OperationsUK Operations

Marketing and EventsResearch and Development

Online Journalism

Hi Fran, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do here at Frontier?

Hello, my name is Fran and I work in the marketing department here at Frontier as an Online Journalism Intern. I studied English at the University of Liverpool, and have always been passionate about travel, conservation, and wildlife. I grew up in Bahrain in the Middle East, which undoubtedly spurred my passion for travel, as I have now travelled to over 40 countries around the world volunteering and exploring.

In a normal day here at Frontier, I write self-directed blogs for the award-winning blog “Into The Wild”, contact and interview returned volunteers, and help out with publishing on several social media platforms. On top of that, I also attend events around the country at several schools and universities, talking to students about Frontier and the various projects that are available to them.

What made you apply for the role at Frontier?

What drew me to Frontier is that it is a leading NGO with an honest and genuine interest in wildlife and environmental conservation. I have always wanted to work in conservation, but as a passionate reader and writer, I wanted to find a way I could do both. When I came across the Online Journalism Internship here at Frontier, I was thrilled. It offered the opportunity for me to combine my creativity and writing skills with my lifelong passion for conservation.

What have you learnt from your time at Frontier?

I have learnt a lot about myself since working here; the confidence I have in my writing has improved enormously, as well as my editing and researching skills. Having been given a lot of independence whilst working here, it has been the perfect platform for me to explore my capability in a marketing role. In addition to that, I have also learnt a lot about what it’s like to work behind the scenes at an NGO; I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s been great to see how dedicated people are in doing their bit in conservation!

What are your career aspirations?

Although I’m still working it all out, I feel a step closer than I was before I did my internship here. My experience at Frontier has taught me that I definitely want to continue working in or

FRONTIER, A COMMITED CAREER STARTER

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alongside NGOs and charities– I am planning to do a Masters in Human Rights Law next year, so who knows after that!

What is it like working in the office?

It’s great working here – everyone is really friendly, and happy to help you whenever they can! There’s a really relaxed atmosphere in the office, which I love. There are a fair few other interns working at Frontier at the same time, so it’s a great way to meet lots of new people and help each other out!

Even as an intern, you are part of the Frontier team from day one. You are given independence and responsibility in the work you do, which helps not only in learning what it’s really like to work for an NGO, but also in improving your own personal skills.