Conservation Case Studies in North America | The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund

Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 13256057) - Central American River Turtle or Hicatee Turtle - Awarded $10,000 on May 30, 2013

30-05-2013 - Central American River Turtle or Hicatee Turtle

Zoo Miami is working with the Lamanai Field Research Center in Northern Belize to learn more about the behaviors of the Hicatee or Central American River Turtle (Dermatemys mawi) through radio tracking and a mark-recapture study. In addition, they have created an educational program to help teach the locals about the importance of a sustainable existence with this unique turtle.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 13255863) - Holdridge's Toad - Awarded $7,500 on May 29, 2013

29-05-2013 - Holdridge's Toad

Holdridge’s Toad is endemic to Costa Rica’s cloud forest. They suffered a dramatic decline and were last observed in 1984, it was recently rediscovered after 25 years since its last observation. This project aim to know potential threats like of Bd, small population size and lack of protection of the site, for to know the current conservation status.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12254444) - hawksbill sea turtle - Awarded $12,000 on December 23, 2012

23-12-2012 - hawksbill sea turtle

In this project, Oceanic Society teamed with the University of Belize's Environmental Research Institute to perform a comprehensive in-water survey of sea turtle distribution and biology at Turneffe Atoll, the largest coral atoll in the western hemisphere. Results are being used to inform management of the newly declared marine protected area at Turneffe, and to understand connectivity of sea turtles in the Wider Caribbean region.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12055182) - Darien Black spider monkey - Awarded $8,500 on December 20, 2012

20-12-2012 - Darien Black spider monkey

The project will observe behaviour of Ateles fusciceps rufiventris living in connected forest and will compare with Ateles geoffroyi azuerensis's data previously collected in fragmented habitat. We will obtain group structure and population dynamic data by direct observations and camera traps located at canopy. Variables resultants will lead futures plan of management for monkeys living in fragmented forest.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12054710) - Staghorn coral - Awarded $4,000 on December 20, 2012

20-12-2012 - Staghorn coral

My research focuses on taking a metabolic and physiological approach to find markers for resilience to climate change stress in the critically endangered coral, Acropora cervicornis. Specifically I am looking at tissue lipids and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes to determine how energy is allocated under stress in this species in order to have a better understanding of how to conserve it.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12054533) - Geoffroy's Spider Monkey - Awarded $5,000 on September 23, 2012

23-09-2012 - Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

The Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi vellerosus) is listed as Critically Endangered at the IUCN Red List of Threaten Species due to the population decline with over 50% for the last 45 years. There is only a small and fragmented population in El Salvador. A high possibility for inbreeding depression exists due to the small size of the population which can reduced adaptation capacity.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12254271) - Sinkhole Cycad - Awarded $5,000 on September 20, 2012

20-09-2012 - Sinkhole Cycad

Montgomery Botanical Center, Belize Botanic Gardens, Florida International University, Green Hills Botanical Collections, and Ya’axche Conservation Trust will collaborate on in situ fieldwork to identify populations of Zamia prasina (now believed to be Zamia decumbens) a critically endangered species endemic to Belize. This rare sinkhole dwelling species is of great conservation concern, habitat is limited and plants are apparently being ...

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12254342) - Antillean Manatee, Caribbean Manatee - Awarded $5,000 on September 20, 2012

20-09-2012 - Antillean Manatee, Caribbean Manatee

Throughout the Wider Caribbean Region, Antillean manatee populations have been reduced by direct hunting, bycatch, vessel strikes and habitat loss and degradation, among other threats. We propose the first bi-national collaborative project to evaluate the status of manatees and contribute to their conservation in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12254384) - Bumble bees - Awarded $6,000 on September 20, 2012

20-09-2012 - Bumble bees

Pollinators are critical components of our environment and essential to our food security, contributing to one in three bites of food that we eat. Bumble bees are among the best known pollinators, yet their conservation status remains largely unknown. We are evaluating the status of 43 species of North American bumble bees using the IUCN Red List Criteria.

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Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation (Project No. 12254240) - Puerto Rican worm lizard - Awarded $5,000 on September 20, 2012

20-09-2012 - Puerto Rican worm lizard

This project aims to quantify the genetic and morphological diversity of the endemic Puerto Rican Worm Lizard (Amphisbaena caeca). We want to know how this diversity is distributed in order to understand the biogeographic history of the species and to define units with significance for conservation.

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