Four top priority EDGE species have been highlighted in a unique fashion collection, Simply Rare, which features the long-beaked echidna, slender loris, saiga antelope, and long-eared jerboa.
Student Rachel Browne designed the pieces as part of her final collection for her degree at the Arts University College Bournemouth.
Rachel wanted to highlight the plight of these animals through her work, saying “I didn’t realise just how many of these animals I had never seen before… hopefully through my chosen medium this will show how we are endangering these unique creatures lives, and in turn gain support.”
In Rachel’s words:
Simply Rare is a six outfit collection inspired by the vast number of unknown endangered species that span our natural world. The aim of this collection is to show the plight of four of these unique creatures before they disappear forever, silently and in the shadows. It is important to portray this issue to a wider audience so others become aware of the situation and see just how special these animals truly are. To produce this vision a variety of nine individual prints have been beautifully created with a mixture of hand crafted and digital processes to create a quirky, one of a kind collection.
Rachel has already achieved her aim of raising awareness - her saiga antelope terrence skirt was featured in the Sunday Express fashion supplement on May 30th and on the Express website.
We wish Rachel the best of luck for tomorrow when she will be showing the collection at Graduate Fashion Week.
To support EDGE conservation projects for forgotten species, please donate here.
Firstly, I’d like to tell Big Hello to dear blog readers.
Today I want to interest you my impression in Cambridge. I was very glad for participating in the international Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) in Cambridge, which is best known as the home of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s premier universities.
When look at from outside, almost all building was being looked at very old, with fantastic architecture. But as soon as go to inside, the interior design was very modern with high technology. There is everything that you need to learn very well.
The Conference was organized by department of zoology in St Catherine’s college. St Catharine’s College was founded in 1473 by Robert Woodlark and is situated in the centre of Cambridge. In the sixteenth century undergraduates were admitted. It was largely rebuilt in the 17th century but in 1965 there was further major rebuilding.
There are lot of bikes in all streets. Some bike looks like stayed long time and didn’t use. In my opinion bikes is very important effort for avoiding air pollution and useful for human health too.
I participated to present poster about impacts of illegal gold mining on gobi desert small mammal in Southern Mongolia. Today everyone knows that we must protect wild nature and is very important for our Earth. But circumstance is very different in real life.
About 15 years ago everyone in south part of Mongolia didn’t know about gold mining and doesn’t want to dig on surface. If they dig, they thought the sky (Mongolian god) will be angry. From 90’s Mongolian political system changed from socialistic rule to free market economic. Hence, those social economic rapid changes began to influence on Mongolian wildlife negatively. Those changes didn’t pass Gobi desert wildlife, which is a large desert region in Asia. One of the most serious impacts in Gobi desert is illegal gold mining. Hence, I decided to participate about illegal gold mining in Conference. Many people were interested my poster, especially in the feral species effects and the long eared jerboa.
During conference, I liked the hall that was equipped very well, such as projector, computer, speakers and etc. There are few such hall in Mongolia.
By participating this conference, I increased my knowledge about deforestation, CBD, conservation acts and knew about some organization, such as UNEP WCMC, ARCADIA, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and so on.
Also I obtained good knowledge and newish idea about climate change, presentation slide design and modern conservation approach. Presentations was very great and useful.
During conference I made many friends who work and study in famous institute, project and university around the world. That friendship will help me through sharing knowledge and information. Also we shared culture and tradition of each other’s country.
The student conference didn’t organized only posters and presentations. There were nine workshops, such as Practical Conservation Genetics, Planning a conservation research programme, Use of evidence-based conservation, Raising funds for your conservation project , An introduction to systematic conservation planning, How to write a scientific paper, or How to avoid Snoopy’s problem…, Communicating your science: beyond peer-reviewed papers and Making conservation relevant: communicating with policy makers.
Everyone had to select 2 workshops. I selected Raising funds for your conservation project and How to write a scientific paper, or How to avoid Snoopy’s problem…. Dr, Rosie Trevelyan, Tropical Biology Association, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, taught us about how to write a grant proposal efficiently and successfully. She said that “Getting money for your project need be a matter of being in the right place at the right time”.
Also Dr Martin Fisher, Editor of Oryx, Fauna & Flora International, taught us about writing a scientific paper. He said: “Would you like this to be you? Are you determined that your first scientific paper will be rejected (so many are!)? Attend this workshop to find out how to ensure that this happens… or perhaps even how to avoid it. Common pitfalls, glaringly obvious errors, verbosity - all these and more easy strategies to ensure that you receive your first rejection slip will be covered in painful detail…It’s the final year of your PhD, you’ve finally gathered some data, and you are going to be famous… well, at least you plan to write your first scientific paper… Do yourself a favour, do the Editor a favour, attend this workshop!”
Also staffs of zoological museum received us with wine in museum. There are many wonderful collections in museum.
And we had little party which was organized every student conference. It was very funny and happy.
Finally, I am thankful to SCCS for participating me. I gratefully acknowledge not only the support of the EDGE programme, but also the help and advice of SFP and NUM teachers. Thanks again.
Uuganbadrakh Oyunkhishig, EDGE Fellow, has recently arrived in the UK, and will be working with ZSL for the next month on an internship scheme funded by the Student Conference for Conservation Science.
Uuganbadrakh is working on a project to research and conserve the unusual long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso) in Mongolia, his home country. The long-eared jerboa is ranked 81 on our EDGE mammals list, and is threatened by human disturbance of its desert habitat as a result of increasing numbers of grazing livestock and illegal gold mining activities.
The Student Conference on Conservation Science is the only international conference aimed entirely at students. It helps young conservation scientists gain experience, learn new ideas and make contacts that will be valuable for their future careers. Over the past 10 years, the conference (held at Cambridge University) has hosted over 1,600 delegates from 106 countries worldwide.
Submitting his application for the SCCS internship in October last year, Uuganbadrakh hoped to spend his time at ZSL producing a policy paper from his research results, which will show how human activities are impacting small mammals in the Mongolian Gobi desert. Luckily his application was successful, and he is set to spend the next month working to produce this document, which will be aimed at the Mongolian Ministry for Nature, Environment and Tourism.
We hope that when Uuganbadrakh takes his research back to the Mongolian officials, it will help to encourage the protection of the Gobi desert, and its unusual inhabitants.
To support the EDGE Fellows conservation programme, training aspiring conservationists working on unique and threatened species, please donate here or become an EDGE Champion.
Hello. Dear Blog readers.
This time I am going to introduce our research about long eared jerboa distribution in Great Gobi Protected area.
Our research started 12th July - after Mongolian national celebration, called Naadam - and finished 25th August. We went total up to 5000 km roads. Sometimes we went without road. This is most wide area, which don’t live any people, except only rangers, border soldier. So going without some rangers and person who know roads and water resources is very dangerous.
Because we went to Great Gobi with senior expert of Great Gobi Protected area administration, we hadn’t any losting problems. Because of little car breaking, sometimes we used to go back soum center to replace broken part and petrol. In this area border soldiers used to help us very well.
We checked six site from 14 site of old Russian research (red numbered sites on map). So we found some long eared jerboa from 4 sites - sites 12, 4, 6, 3. In other words, in our research, long eared jerboa’s distribution was decreased by 34 percent of sites since 1974.
If this process continue without any conservation similarly, in 2050 long eared jerboa’s distribution will be decreased 42 percentages from current distribution. It is only elementary conclusion. When we look at this elementary conclusion, it seemed tragic. So I expected not only long eared jerboa’s distribution is decreasing, but also other desert rodents’ distribution is decreasing.
Our first site was front of Aj Bogd mountain. This site was west point of Old Russian research distribution. At that moment I thought whether there was long eared jerboa in this old site before set equipments on the ground. . .
…So tomorrow morning when we check all traps, we’re glad to see long eared jerboa. We found 2 jerboa in first day. Those were little beautiful Gobi micky mouses. I’ve written about long eared jerboa previous blogs. If you interest it, see EDGE blog.
Also we studied long eared jerboa behavior by using radio telemetry equipments. Research has looked at long eared jerboa behavior with overlap home range and illustrated that this species don’t like social communication. Long eared jerboa had specific behaviour jumping and kick by front leg each other during this meeting. After couple close each other, they ran actively.
In the end, I would like to represent my acknowledgements. When we go to Great Gobi desert studying long eared jerboa current distribution, PTES and ZSL-EDGE helped us very well. Also I thank National University of Mongolia teacher, local people, rangers, border soldiers, my assistant students and good driver very much.
If you would like to support projects conserving EDGE species - one of a kind species on the verge of extinction - please become an EDGE Champion or donate here.
It is not long until the second group of EDGE Fellows arrives in the UK for the annual conservation skills training course, so here Uuganbadrakh gives his impressions of the UK, the Zoological Society of London, and ZSL’s two zoos from when he attended last year’s course.
One of the most memorable events is to visit in UK by EDGE training course that organized by ZSL conservation programme. As for me, this trip is first and memorable. I had lot of foreign friends /UK, China, Kenya, Thailand and so on. I looked at high developing country at first time. As for me, all things were a very interesting and new.
My first transportation was a subway. In my country transportation system have many problems such as lot of traffic jam, accidents and irritation of pedestrian and drivers. I seemed very well, all people are going to his work and office quietly. That time I think when my city will build subway.
As soon as I come in UK, I lived in guest house in London Zoo. It was unbelievable to think that I was live in most famous zoo in the world. But this was true. That time as I see it, all workers in London zoo like their job and works. When I wake up early and enjoy through zoo, they already begin to work. I like arrangement and exterior and interior design of zoo very well.
I suggest you should visit in London zoo if you like to take a photo. One of my hopes is to take a photo. In zoo there are lot of subject for photo. But I hadn’t got enough battery and memory stick. Beside you can see various animal, you can see really beautiful flower, trees and insects, especially butterfly in butterfly house.
The other exhibit I like is BUGS. It is wonderful house for anyone who want to know and don’t know about wildlife and earth. This house has a lot of high and smart technology. During that time, necessities to start this kind of centre I decided to build house like it. But I don’t know to build it exactly. Of course I don’t have a lot of money. But when I have a opinion about it, it may be built.
Some lectures of EDGE training course were organized by ZSL conservation programme in Conservation programme meeting hall. There were many countries EDGE Fellows in EDGE course. I learned lot of knowledge from this training course, including biodiversity monitoring, how will we make media of wildlife, methodology of mammals and so on. Most lectures were taught by good teacher of ZSL.
Beside lecture in classroom we had field study in zoo. It was lot of experience which reinforce our knowledge to us. For example we visited the reptile and amphibian house. Before I have never seen this snake. As for me, it is very big snake. First I was afraid from it. After I know it was not poisonous, I touched -Â tactile cold skin.
Also we visited Whipsnade Zoo. This zoo has been more area than London zoo. I looked at big mammals such rhinoceros, elephant and so on. When I was close to ring-tailed lemur, I was pleased. I think UK people are very lucky because they can see many species animal at one place. Even though they aren’t wild animals, it is big chance. As for my country, Mongolia is big and have been lot of wild animals. But most people can’t see it. Perhaps in many years they will be endangered species if don’t conserve. That time scientist and ecologist we may not see them. You should see zoos very well.
As for me, one of most important lessons in this course is camera trapping. Before this course, I have never seen camera trap. It is very important equipment that study shy animal and rare animals. Top two picture is photo that taken by camera trap. Especially I like colour camera trap. Bottom two picture is photo which uploading into notebook from camera trap in Whipsnade Zoo. Beside it, I learned few method which use high technology for wildlife study like it. In future I think I will study wildlife by this method.
Beside being involved in the EDGE training course, we looked at some famous places in the UK, including Madame Tussauds, Buckingham Palace and London Eye. Especially the Palace of Westminster is built long years ago and wonderful. I saw wonderful architecture creature on the Palace of Westminster. When I see it, I think how did they build it many years ago. But that time I use not to know the history about it. Now I know history about it little. If I go to London again, I will see it very well.
I think this is one of the wonderful modern creature in the world - the London Eye. It is very high. I could see whole London. In my country there is thing like it, it called Alsiig kharagch, ‘far looker’. But it is very terrible because it was build many years ago. If you seat it on, you can hear lot of screaking /scroop/ noise. This time you feel scare that maybe fall down. But right now capital governors is going to renew it.
Last, I’d like to express my thanks to the staffs, Sally, Carly, Helen, Jon, Jonathan, Katrina and etc, from ZSL conservation programme for organize and arrange this training course. By your beneficence/favour, I learned lot of things: skill, knowledge, practical experience and so on.
Good luck for you.
If you would like to support training of conservationists in developing countries, please become an EDGE Champion or donate here.