Zeitschrift für Biodiversität und gefährdete Arten

Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) has been considered as an important center of plant diversity and speciation in the Mediterranean region. However, several species are threatened by numerous factors including human activities, e.g., conversion of traditional to intensive agriculture, accompanied by deep ploughing and the application of pesticides, overgrazing, and urban development and construction; and global climatic change. In this study, the “rednumber” procedure was applied, with a few modifications, to Palestinian plants and a red list with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categories conservation priorities was constructed, as quantified by the red numbers. The same procedure was applied to extinct plants. One hundred and two species that received red numbers of 3 or above were entered in the updated “red list” of the endangered plants. This study also shows a high extinction risk to the Palestinian threatened wild flora, with 76.4% of the threatened species were critically endangered 39.2%, and endangered 3.72% only 19.6% were vulnerable. The Palestinian flora is thus of conservation concern. The study provides an updated national IUCN Red List for a large group of Palestinian plants, and thus offers an overview of the threatened Palestinian flora. This Red List is an important prerequisite towards the recognition of the danger to Palestinian biodiversity hotspots, conservation of threatened species and the raising of public awareness at national and international levels.

Charcoal is the principal energy producing fuel commonly used in urban and institution households for cooking and heating whereas rural settlements is commonly used firewood. This paper aims to explore charcoal production and its impact on plants diversity and conservation challenges around Wolkite Town, Gurage zone. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches was used in data collection and analysis. These methods include: questionnaire, interview, observation and market survey. The findings show that charcoal and wood fuel is the means of revenue for the people leading to desertification due to the source of domestic fire in use. Also another mean of domestic fuel such as kerosene, electricity, coal and gas are not made available at affordable rates and therefore does not encourage the use of continuous and constant supply. Acacia species and Combretum species were the most preferred species due to the quality of charcoal (moisture content, volatile matter, ash content and duration time) and wood fuel products it produces. The result of investigation revealed that the plant diversity in the study area was tremendously being depleted.

Assessment of wild animal diversity and their threats was carried out from April 2017 to December 2018 in proposed in situ conservation area ‘Echefa forest and wetlands’, which is adjustment to Kaffa Biosphere Reserve, Southwest Ethiopia. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire through interview of selected 112 local communities, focus group discussion and direct observation. The data analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 146 wild animals, 24 mammals, 70 bird species, 22 herpetofauna and 30 insect species were identified. However, the wild animal resources declined 99% in the last twenty years due to illegal hunting 68.8% followed by habitat loss 22.3%. About 87.5% of the communities have both negative and positive attitudes towards wild animals in the area. The negative attitudes might be linked to high human wild animal conflict 84.8%. Despite the communities were voluntary to participate in conservation, the wild animal are not properly conserved in Echefa wetland and forest. Therefore, establishing a new proposed in-situ conservation site for legal protection is recommended.

Plants are indispensable sources of both preventive and curative in preparations of alternative medicine for human and livestock diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the use and management of medicinal trees and shrubs (TSs) and the indigenous knowledge (IK) of Warra Dube people in Bale Zone of Ethiopia to treat human and animal health problems. For this study Warra Dube communities in Gassera, Gololcha, and Ginnir Districts of Bale Zone were involved. The vegetation type of the study area is categorized under dry ever green mountain forests. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, field observation and focus group discussions. Alternative healers were selected by snow ball method. Explorative survey study design was used to explore and document medicinal TSs and associated IK of the traditional healers in the area. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 39 species of medicinal TSs belonging to 25 different families were documented. All these are used for the treatment of human and livestock diseases. Of these, 29 species (74.4%) were used for treatment of human diseases, 6 (15.4%) were used to treat livestock diseases and the remaining 4 species (10.2%) for treating both human and livestock diseases. The results of growth form analysis of the reported medicinal species reveals that 11 species were trees and 28 were shrubs. The dominance of shrubs is due to the fact that agro-ecology of the area is low land. The result in the conditions of TSs parts used indicated that about 55.2% were used in fresh form and 34.5% in dried forms and the remaining 10.3% in either fresh or dry forms of preparation. Fifty eight different diseases were recorded as human health problems that are commonly treated by these 39 TSs species. These medicinal TSs are under severe threat due to over utilization by the local communities, hence, awareness creation and development of conservation practices is important.

This study was conducted in Radom National Park, which lies within the southwestern part of country savanna woodland. The study aimed to understand the impact of war on wildlife and the impact of human actives inside the park. Due to the insecurity in the area questionnaires were developed to track 25 wildlife animal species in different periods (1974-2016). The study revealed that 87% of wildlife animals disappeared as they have lost their habitats and migrated due to human settlement inside the park. Artisanal gold mining is a new threat in the park. A package of recommendations is presented to remedy the situation and reinstate the park status.

Human activities are the prime reasons that cause the decline of Chinese Pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) throughout the world. Globally, the limited area is managed under protected area while most of the area lies outside protected areas where anthropogenic threats are experienced high. Incessant increase in the threats has lead Pangolins to a high risk of extinction in Nepal. This study was carried between October 2016 to January 2017 in Balthali VDC of Kavrepalanchowk district using semi-structured questionnaire interview (n=117) to assess prevailing anthropogenic threats to Chinese Pangolins and habitat. Almost all respondents agreed that human activities are major threats to Pangolins and habitat. More than half of the respondents stated that poaching and illegal trade, habitat destruction and haphazard construction and development activities like hotel and road constructions have resulted in reduced Pangolins population. Moreover, intentional human induced forest fire, heavy grazing and a significant increase in the use of chemical insecticides are diminishing the habitat of Chinese pangolins. To secure long-term conservation of Chinese Pangolins and their habitat we suggest promotion of public awareness activities.