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More protections for wildlife
News CITES summit
Aviation
More protections for wildlife
Robot pilot gets its wings and takes to the skies
A major conference on conservation brought both good and bad news for species, says Adam Vaughan
NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
ONE of the world’s largest summits on the international wildlife trade wrapped up in Geneva, Switzerland, last week, with some animals being awarded stronger protections. Here are seven key decisions that were made at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Help for giraffes The world’s tallest animals have been experiencing tough times lately. Giraffe numbers have fallen by up to 40 per cent in just three decades because of habitat destruction. Countries voted overwhelmingly to protect all nine sub-species – the first time giraffes have been given CITES protection. Conservationists said they were optimistic for the future of giraffes after the move.
Stalemate on elephants The status quo largely prevailed on elephants and the ivory trade, after competing proposals to weaken and strengthen protections both failed. Governments rejected proposals to allow limited international trade in ivory, but also rejected a move to end all international trade in elephants. However, countries did back a plan to restrict the capture and export of elephants to zoos in countries beyond their natural range. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation said the step was a “momentous victory for elephants”.
Saiga hope As New Scientist previously reported, hopes were high for a US-backed global ban on trade in the saiga antelope. The proposal to upgrade the 16 | New Scientist | 7 September 2019
David Hambling
species to the highest level of protection by CITES failed. But in a partial victory, a “zero quota” was agreed for the antelope, meaning its horn can no longer be traded internationally. The Wildlife Conservation Society said the vote would end the “harmful trade” in the saiga’s horn.
Frog failure Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras backed a proposal to protect glass frogs, which are named for their transparent skin that shows their organs. This trait has made them popular in the pet trade. The plan to protect them was defeated. The species, which lives in Latin America, is under threat from trade, habitat loss and chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease that has devasted amphibians around the world.
Shark success Marine species have been some of the big winners at recent CITES meetings. This one was no exception, with new protections for 18 shark and ray species, including the world’s fastest sharks, the shortfin
and longfin mako. Around 100 species of sharks and rays are regularly traded internationally for their fins and meat, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which welcomed the new protections.
Otter ban Governments agreed a total ban on the international trade in both the smooth-coated and the Asian small-clawed otter. Both species have recently become popular as pets. Wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC said the decision “could spur enforcement efforts” and lead countries to launch investigations into claims of captive breeding operations for the otters.
Mammoth miss One of the most striking proposals at the CITES meeting was to ban the trade in mammoth ivory, because it is sometimes used to launder elephant ivory. However, the plan was withdrawn at the summit and countries agreed instead to a study into the contribution of the extinct species’ ivory to the illegal elephant ivory trade. ❚
A ROBOT has earned its pilot’s licence and performed its first flight – and had its first airborne mishap too. Unlike a traditional autopilot, the ROBOpilot Unmanned Aircraft Conversion System literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke using robotic arms. It reads an aircraft’s dials and meters using computer vision. The robot can take off, follow a flight plan and land without human intervention. ROBOpilot is a drop-in system, meaning that the pilot’s seat is removed and replaced with the robot. It can be inserted into any aircraft and easily removed to return it to human operation. ROBOpilot has passed the US Federal Aviation Administration’s
“ROBOpilot literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke with its arms” practical test for piloting light aircraft and carried out its first flight on 9 August in Utah. A few weeks later, the plane the robot was flying was damaged in its first accident, although the extent of the damage is unknown. The system was developed by US-based DZYNE Technologies as an easy way to make any aircraft autonomous. At present, turning an aircraft into a drone can be a lengthy and expensive process. Conversion of US military F-16 fighter jets into drones has been known to cost more than a million dollars each. “It looks like an impressive achievement in terms of robotics,” says Louise Dennis at the University of Liverpool, UK. The makers say that ROBOpilot could be useful for tasks including transporting cargo, flying in hazardous environments and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. ❚
Aviation
More protections for wildlife
Robot pilot gets its wings and takes to the skies
A major conference on conservation brought both good and bad news for species, says Adam Vaughan
NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
ONE of the world’s largest summits on the international wildlife trade wrapped up in Geneva, Switzerland, last week, with some animals being awarded stronger protections. Here are seven key decisions that were made at the meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Help for giraffes The world’s tallest animals have been experiencing tough times lately. Giraffe numbers have fallen by up to 40 per cent in just three decades because of habitat destruction. Countries voted overwhelmingly to protect all nine sub-species – the first time giraffes have been given CITES protection. Conservationists said they were optimistic for the future of giraffes after the move.
Stalemate on elephants The status quo largely prevailed on elephants and the ivory trade, after competing proposals to weaken and strengthen protections both failed. Governments rejected proposals to allow limited international trade in ivory, but also rejected a move to end all international trade in elephants. However, countries did back a plan to restrict the capture and export of elephants to zoos in countries beyond their natural range. The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation said the step was a “momentous victory for elephants”.
Saiga hope As New Scientist previously reported, hopes were high for a US-backed global ban on trade in the saiga antelope. The proposal to upgrade the 16 | New Scientist | 7 September 2019
David Hambling
species to the highest level of protection by CITES failed. But in a partial victory, a “zero quota” was agreed for the antelope, meaning its horn can no longer be traded internationally. The Wildlife Conservation Society said the vote would end the “harmful trade” in the saiga’s horn.
Frog failure Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras backed a proposal to protect glass frogs, which are named for their transparent skin that shows their organs. This trait has made them popular in the pet trade. The plan to protect them was defeated. The species, which lives in Latin America, is under threat from trade, habitat loss and chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease that has devasted amphibians around the world.
Shark success Marine species have been some of the big winners at recent CITES meetings. This one was no exception, with new protections for 18 shark and ray species, including the world’s fastest sharks, the shortfin
and longfin mako. Around 100 species of sharks and rays are regularly traded internationally for their fins and meat, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society, which welcomed the new protections.
Otter ban Governments agreed a total ban on the international trade in both the smooth-coated and the Asian small-clawed otter. Both species have recently become popular as pets. Wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC said the decision “could spur enforcement efforts” and lead countries to launch investigations into claims of captive breeding operations for the otters.
Mammoth miss One of the most striking proposals at the CITES meeting was to ban the trade in mammoth ivory, because it is sometimes used to launder elephant ivory. However, the plan was withdrawn at the summit and countries agreed instead to a study into the contribution of the extinct species’ ivory to the illegal elephant ivory trade. ❚
A ROBOT has earned its pilot’s licence and performed its first flight – and had its first airborne mishap too. Unlike a traditional autopilot, the ROBOpilot Unmanned Aircraft Conversion System literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke using robotic arms. It reads an aircraft’s dials and meters using computer vision. The robot can take off, follow a flight plan and land without human intervention. ROBOpilot is a drop-in system, meaning that the pilot’s seat is removed and replaced with the robot. It can be inserted into any aircraft and easily removed to return it to human operation. ROBOpilot has passed the US Federal Aviation Administration’s
“ROBOpilot literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke with its arms” practical test for piloting light aircraft and carried out its first flight on 9 August in Utah. A few weeks later, the plane the robot was flying was damaged in its first accident, although the extent of the damage is unknown. The system was developed by US-based DZYNE Technologies as an easy way to make any aircraft autonomous. At present, turning an aircraft into a drone can be a lengthy and expensive process. Conversion of US military F-16 fighter jets into drones has been known to cost more than a million dollars each. “It looks like an impressive achievement in terms of robotics,” says Louise Dennis at the University of Liverpool, UK. The makers say that ROBOpilot could be useful for tasks including transporting cargo, flying in hazardous environments and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. ❚