North Star’s Grant Program is run every other year, so the next one will be in 2011/12
This past year, we received 18 proposals from 15 countries. The following 3 were recommended for awards:
Altitudinal Migration and Conservation of an Endangered frugivore in a fragmented landscape: tracking Long-wattled Umbrellabirds with PTT's in the tropical Andes (Choco region of NW Ecuador)
Recommend award – 3 12-g solar PTTs
PI: Dr. Jordan Karubian, Tulane University
Conservation Status: IUCN-VU
This is a well-articulated study design emanating from a lab with extensive experience in the region. There is a great deal of known and suspected altitudinal migration along this western slope of the Andes, and we believe that conservation efforts for this species will benefit many others.
Daily and Seasonal Movements of Koloa (Anas wyvilliana): Steps Toward the Conservation of an Endangered Duck.
Recommend award – 3 12-g solar PTTs
PIs: Grad student Christopher Malachowski under direction of Dr. Bruce Dugger, Oregon State University
Conservation Status: IUCN-EN; ESA-Endangered
The Koloa (Hawaiian Duck) is one of only three waterfowl species that persist in the Hawaiian Islands, and it is arguably the most imperiled. The primary threats to Koloa include habitat loss and degradation, introduced mammalian predators, and hybridization with feral Mallards. Development of a recovery plan has remained stuck without good information on intra- and inter-island movements. Obtaining this information is one of the highest recovery objectives for the species.
Quantifying juvenile Tristan Albatross foraging distribution and overlap with tuna longline effort
Recommended award: 2 80-g PTTs
PIs: Dr Ross M Wanless and Prof. Peter G. Ryan, Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town
Conservation Status: IUCN-CR
The Tristan Albatross is one of the rarest seabirds in the world. Over the years, the PIs have managed to get a good understanding of the movements of adults. Juvenile albatross movements often differ from adults, and the objective of this study is to complete the story. We felt that this proposal was of high conservation value.