Vladivostok is the core city of Pacific Russian marine forces and was therefore forbidden to foreigners during most of Soviet time. Below the prestigious S-56 now transformed as museum. It contains 7 rooms for 40 people, could transport 12 rockets 7m long each, go 40km/h and up to 24h under water.
But Vladivostok is also more generally an active harbour opened towards Asian neighbours Japan, Korea and China:
And also the entry point to the large Primorski territory and its Sihote Alin mountains, that you can see starting at the back of this cafe:
There is a funny anecdote about this territory. During the Creation of the world, God got tired and falled asleep. Waking up, he noticed that there was a small corner, “Primorie”, remaining without fauna and flora. Gathering all plants and animals he had left, he put them into this lost corner.
HABITAT LOSS
Once found across Asia, from Turkey to eastern Russia, over the past century Tigers have disappeared from south-west and central Asia, from Java and Bali in Indonesia and from large parts of South-east and East Asia. They have lost 93% of their historic range, and more than 40% of their range in the last decade. Much of the remaining habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented. See below an example of deforestation in Russian taiga.
Once found across Asia, from Turkey to eastern Russia, over the past century Tigers have disappeared from south-west and central Asia, from Java and Bali in Indonesia and from large parts of South-east and East Asia. They have lost 93% of their historic range, and more than 40% of their range in the last decade. Much of the remaining habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented. See below an example of deforestation in Russian taiga.
POACHING
In the early 1990s, trade in Tiger parts was banned worldwide, but Tigers remain in serious danger from illegal wildlife trade —poaching— mainly for their bones for use in traditional Asian medicines, and for their pelts and other body parts, such as teeth, skin and claws, as decorative items. Tiger bone has long been considered to hold anti-inflammatory properties, with some support from Chinese medical research, but many consider the effect to be more psychological than pharmacological (Nowell and Xu, 2007).
I would like to finish on a positive note and share a non-exhaustive list of projects recently launched to help conservation of Tigers :
- In June 2008, the World Bank has announced a global joint venture to help reverse the decline in numbers of Tigers in the wild—the first-ever species initiative by the Bank. To read more: http://www.traffic.org/home/2008/6/9/bank-aims-to-restore-wild-tigers.html
- After a program conducted launched in 2000 for US forests, the American Forests association continues its “Trees for tigers” project to protect the Siberian tiger within its habitat of Russian Far East. Follow: http://www.americanforests.org/planttrees/af_info.php?campaign=tiger
- In February 2009, the Wildlife Conservation Society, together with the World Bank and Global Environment Facility, has announced a commitment of $2.8 million toward tiger conservation across its range. WCS will lead a new project, Tiger Futures, in partnership with other conservation organizations with long-term field experience in tiger conservation throughout countries spanning the big cat’s geographical range in Asia. Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227081835.htm
In the early 1990s, trade in Tiger parts was banned worldwide, but Tigers remain in serious danger from illegal wildlife trade —poaching— mainly for their bones for use in traditional Asian medicines, and for their pelts and other body parts, such as teeth, skin and claws, as decorative items. Tiger bone has long been considered to hold anti-inflammatory properties, with some support from Chinese medical research, but many consider the effect to be more psychological than pharmacological (Nowell and Xu, 2007).
I would like to finish on a positive note and share a non-exhaustive list of projects recently launched to help conservation of Tigers :
- In June 2008, the World Bank has announced a global joint venture to help reverse the decline in numbers of Tigers in the wild—the first-ever species initiative by the Bank. To read more: http://www.traffic.org/home/2008/6/9/bank-aims-to-restore-wild-tigers.html
- After a program conducted launched in 2000 for US forests, the American Forests association continues its “Trees for tigers” project to protect the Siberian tiger within its habitat of Russian Far East. Follow: http://www.americanforests.org/planttrees/af_info.php?campaign=tiger
- In February 2009, the Wildlife Conservation Society, together with the World Bank and Global Environment Facility, has announced a commitment of $2.8 million toward tiger conservation across its range. WCS will lead a new project, Tiger Futures, in partnership with other conservation organizations with long-term field experience in tiger conservation throughout countries spanning the big cat’s geographical range in Asia. Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227081835.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment