羅氏長頸鹿 瀕危物種紅皮書新成員 | 環境資訊中心
國際新聞

羅氏長頸鹿 瀕危物種紅皮書新成員

2010年08月24日
摘譯自2010年8月19日ENS肯亞,奈諾比報導;段譽豪編譯;蔡麗伶審校

瀕臨絕種的羅氏長頸鹿。圖片來自:Klaas Lingbeek-Van Kranen;非洲野生動物基金會。一個數量日益減少的長頸鹿亞種,最近列入了國際自然保育聯盟(IUCN)編撰的《瀕危物種紅皮書》名單內。

IUCN表示,羅氏長頸鹿(Rothschild's giraffe),屬於長頸鹿的9個亞種之一,野外的現存數量少於670頭。烏干達和肯亞的數量不到470頭,另有數量不詳的族群位於南部的蘇丹。

IUCN說,名列紅皮書的羅氏長頸鹿族群狀況已接近極危(CE)等級邊緣,是否列入極危等級取決於蘇丹地區的族群狀況。

研究人員指出,肯亞所有已知的野生羅氏長頸鹿都因農業發展而滅絕,其餘的族群則被侷限於國家公園、私人土地以及其他保護區內。

研究人員解釋,由於這些剩下的族群因物理性的隔離無法彼此交流,而這些封閉性的保護區因為已經飽和或超過其環境承載量,進一步限制了族群的增長。

研究人員是利用烏干達野生動物管理局(UWA)以及肯亞政府野生動物機構(KWS)的野外工作與調查報告,作為羅氏長頸鹿族群數量的評估。

保育遺傳學家布倫尼曼(Rick Brenneman)告訴ENS說,「因為所有的羅氏長頸鹿在某種程度上都受到UWA、KWS以及私人基金會的控制,我不會去強調牠們接近滅絕,不過我們必須監控他們進一步的遺傳基因狀況,因為他們彼此間自然情況下的基因交流已不存在,需要將不同族群交換位置,以在將來促進基因的交流。」

「UWA與KWS之間已經進行了這類的工作,增強了基代波河谷國家公園(Kidepo Valley National Park)和納庫魯湖國家公園(Lake Nakuru National Park)的個體數,」他說。

長頸鹿專家芬納斯博士(Julian Fennessy)將這些成果歸功於肯亞政府野生動物機構,開啟了首個以長頸鹿為主的保育計畫:國家長頸鹿保育計畫(National Giraffe Conservation Strategy)。

這項計畫將致力於肯亞的三個長頸鹿亞種的保育工作,特別是瀕危的羅氏長頸鹿。它的發展突顯了長頸鹿的首次保育工作,並且提高了人們對長頸鹿這類迫切需要被保護動物的認知與意義。

全世界60%的羅氏長頸鹿分布在肯亞,其他的則在烏干達。

現存唯一的野生族群分布在烏干達的默奇森瀑布國家公園(Murchison Falls National Park),根據IUCN紅皮書的統計,1960年代還有2500頭,在1982-1983年間急遽下降至350頭,1995-1996年間只剩下250頭。

目前在默奇森瀑布國家公園的族群還算穩定,大約有240頭。

羅氏長頸鹿已經在肯亞的6個地點重新引入,包括肯亞-魯馬國家公園(Kenya - Ruma National Park);愛爾根山國家公園(Mt. Elgon National Park);依騰的牧歌農場(Murgor Farm);依騰的塞爾戈伊特-克魯格農場(Sergoit-Kruger Farm);基塔利區農場(Kitale Area Farm);拿薩樂保護區(Nasalot Reserve)。

在魯馬國家公園重新引進的族群量約為130頭,但正因盜獵而減少中。其他5個地點的個體數量約為10-20頭,其中一些可能無法進行生育。

羅氏長頸鹿也在其原生環境範圍內的烏干達基代波河谷國家公園(Kidepo Valley National Park)被重新引入。

羅氏長頸鹿(Giraffa camelopardis rothschildi)是以羅士查爾德爵士(Lord Walter Rothschild, 1868-1937)來命名的,他是英國銀行家、政治家與動物學家。他是首位描述此種長頸鹿的人,這個亞種有5個角,而不是2個。

其中2個角如同所有的長頸鹿一樣在頭頂,第3個角在前額中間,另外2個在兩支耳朵後面。

羅氏長頸鹿比其他的亞種更高,身高達6公尺,他們比其他亞種更白,接近牛奶的顏色,小腿上沒有斑點。

為了對這種鮮為人知的亞種進行研究,羅氏長頸鹿研究計畫已經在肯亞的東非大裂谷地區展開,調查羅氏長頸鹿的行為、生態以及社會結構。

在英國布里斯托生科院一個哺乳類研究單位與肯亞的野生動物保育組織 Soysambu Conservancy,研究人員正與肯亞政府野生動物機構共同進行一項研究計畫,發展東非羅氏長頸鹿的保育策略。

長頸鹿保育基金會積極支持東非羅氏長頸鹿以及其他長頸鹿的保育計畫,提供技術與資金,同時也共享研究數據以及成果,以使長頸鹿保育工作更加的完善。

Rare Rothschild's Giraffe Listed as Endangered
NAIROBI, Kenya, August 19, 2010 (ENS)

Giraffes of an increasingly rare sub-species have been just been classed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature on its authoritative Red List of Threatened Species.

The Rothschild's giraffe, one of nine recognized giraffe sub-species, now numbers fewer than 670 animals in the wild, the IUCN says. There are less than 470 individuals in Uganda and Kenya, with an unknown number in southern Sudan.

The IUCN said in its listing that the population of Rothschild's giraffe is potentially close to meeting the population threshold for listing as Critically Endangered depending on the number of individuals, if any, that survive in south Sudan.

In Kenya, all known wild populations of Rothschild's giraffe have been eradicated by agricultural development and remnant populations are confined to National Parks, private properties and other protected areas, the researchers said.

These remaining populations are physically isolated from one another making it impossible for them to interbreed. Population growth is further hindered as a result of the closed nature of these conservation areas which have reached or exceeded carrying capacities, they explained.

For their Rothschild's giraffe population assessment the researchers used field work as well as survey estimates by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Kenya Wildlife Services.

Brenneman told ENS, "Since all Rothschild's giraffe populations are somewhat controlled by the UWA, KWS, and private foundations, I do not predict an eminent extinction, but they should be monitored for future genetic trends since natural gene flow between them has ceased to exist, requiring translocations to facilitate gene flow in the future."

"This has already been done in a joint project between UWA and KWS in augmenting the giraffe population at Kidepo Valley National Park with Lake Nakuru National Park individuals," he said.

Fennessy credits the Kenya Wildlife Service for launching a National Giraffe Conservation Strategy, the first giraffe-focused conservation action plan of its kind.

This strategy will work to conserve all three of the giraffe sub-species found in Kenya, in particular the endangered Rothschild's giraffe. Its development marks a first in giraffe conservation and raises awareness of the significance of, and urgent need to conserve these animals, he said.

Sixty percent of the world's remaining wild population of Rothschild's giraffes are found in Kenya, with the remainder in Uganda.

The only remaining naturally occurring population occurs in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. According to the IUCN Red List, there were an estimated 2,500 individuals in Murchison Falls National Park in the 1960s, declining sharply to 350 in 1982--1983 and 250 in 1995--1996.

The current population in Murchison Falls National Park is estimated to be of 240 individuals and stable.

Rothschild's giraffes have been re-introduced to six sites in Kenya - Ruma National Park; Mt. Elgon National Park; Murgor Farm, Iten; Sergoit-Kruger Farm, Iten; Kitale Area Farm; Nasalot Reserve.

The reintroduced population in Ruma National Park is estimated to be of 130 individuals and is declining due to poaching. Numbers at each of the other five reintroduction sites are of 10-20 individuals and some of these are unlikely to be viable.

Rothschild's giraffes have also been re-introduced to one site in Uganda, in Kidepo Valley National Park, which is within the native range.

The Rothschild's giraffe, Giraffa camelopardis rothschildi, is named after Lord Walter Rothschild (1868-1937), a British banker, politician, and zoologist. He was the first to describe the giraffe, a subspecies with five horns instead of two.

Two of these horns are at the top of the head, as all giraffes have. The third horn can often be seen in the centre of the giraffe's forehead and the other two are behind each ear.

Rothschild's giraffes are taller than other sub-species, measuring up to six meters (20 feet) tall and their markings are paler and creamier in color than other sub-species, with no markings on the lower legs.

To conduct research on this little-known sub-species, the Rothschild's Giraffe Project has been established in Kenya's Great Rift Valley, to survey Rothschild's giraffe behavior, ecology and social structure.

A project of the Mammal Research Unit in the School of Biological Science at the University of Bristol, England and Kenya's Soysambu Conservancy, researchers are working with Kenya Wildlife Service and others to develop a conservation strategy for the Rothschild's giraffe in East Africa.

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation is actively supporting the Rothschild's Giraffe Project as well as other giraffe research across Africa with the provision of technical support and funding, as well as sharing data and results for a comprehensive approach to giraffe conservation.

全文及圖片詳見:ENS報導

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.