The relationships between the maned wolf and people

The maned wolf is a large carnivore, the largest one in South America. Although it was described as a wolf by early agents of the Portuguese crown, it is monophyletic and therefore difficult to mistake with any other species. The fact that the maned wolf is unique and distinctive is important if its image is to represent the Cerrado biome and all of its dwindling biodiversity. Do people’s relationships with the maned wolf make it charismatic and likable enough to earn the badge of flagship species for the Cerrado conservation? The validity of the one species approach to conservation has been questioned in favour of a focus on ecosystems. However the single species has its merits when the species in question “plays the role of keystone or umbrella species…” (Boitani et al. 2004:158; McNeely 2000; Gittleman et al. 2001; Sergio et al. 2006). The maned wolf is, arguably, a charismatic carnivore with a wide home range, qualifying it to fit both roles. Between 2005 and 2008 I conducted a field study on local people’s attitudes towards the maned wolf in the state of São Paulo that helped to bring an answer to this question. The objectives of my study were to shed some light into associations between the way local people perceive the maned wolf and its decline, and to enable a comparison between such associations in urban and rural areas. The study aimed to improve the understanding of people’s relationships with the maned wolf to help the planning of conservation strategies for the species. In this chapter I review and discuss key issues that are instrumental to the panorama of local people’s attitudes towards the maned wolf in the southeast of Brazil, referring to data from my research as evidence

Conservation of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus): carnivore and people relationships in the southeast of Brazil

Maned wolves are endangered carnivores endemic to Brazil. This research aimed to compare the attitudes of interest groups towards the conservation of the maned wolf in urban and rural areas; to investigate how such attitudes may influence the maned wolf's status and conservation; and to recommend ways to incorporate such knowledge into strategies to conserve both wolf and habitat. The methodology used questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires targeted people living in the neighbourhood of conservation areas, staff and students (year 8 and sixth-form) of local schools; staff and visitors to conservation areas and zoos in three main research locations: Greater São Paulo, the Low Mogiana region and São Carlos city. Other conservation areas and zoos within the São Paulo state contributed further data. The relationship between socio-demographic factors and attitudes towards the maned wolf conservation was also investigated to identify the most positive and negative profiles of respondents. Overall, results indicate a lack of antagonism between urban and rural populations. Results suggest that negative attitudes towards the maned wolf related to: misconceptions about feeding habits and to a lack of clear differentiation between the maned wolf and Canis lupus; perceptions of threat connected to the presence of the maned wolf on people's properties; and possibly values undermining local wildlife. Results, however, consistently indicated local people's tolerance towards the species and towards occasional predation events. Results also indicate discrepancies existing between bio/education professionals' expectations of local people's attitudes and the actual attitudes displayed by the latter. Recommendations addressed misconceptions and values regarding the maned wolf, inclusion of the local community and their issues, and relationships between interest groups for the benefit of maned wolf conservation. The positive attitudes of a majority towards the maned wolf suggest they may support actions favourable to the species and maintain their position in case of conflict. However, further investigation is advised into local people's awareness of the causes of the decline of the maned wolf and of how their behaviour may affect populations of wolves

Seasonal dependency of polar cap patches in the high-latitude nightside ionosphere

Observations and a computer simulation were used to investigate the seasonal dependency of the occurrence of polar cap patches in the high-latitude nightside ionosphere together with the relative importance of the driving processes. Measurements were conducted above northern Scandinavia around solar maximum (1999-2001) under conditions predicted to be favourable for observing patches with the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR). The requirements were that the ESR was poleward of the convection reversal boundary, in antisunward cross polar cap flow and that IMF Bz was predominantly negative. The high latitude convection pattern was inferred from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) and the IMF was taken from the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. In each study the patch-to-background ratio was calculated and, in most of the winter cases, this ratio was greater than two consistent with a polar cap patch. In summer clear electron density enhancements were seen in the nightside ionosphere, but the patch-to-background ratio was less than two. While these enhancements could not formally be called patches, it was clear that the high-latitude convection pattern was responsible for electron density enhancements. Using a computer simulation the relative importance of the physical processes driving the variation in the patch-to-background ratio was investigated. The dominant factor was changes in the thermospheric composition influencing plasma production and recombination rates

Low-noise microwave polarimeter

Two quarterwave-plate polarizers inserted between rotary waveguide joints transform received signals from arbitrary linear to circular polarizations and then from circular to fixed linear polarizations. Fixed linear polarizations are applied to amplifiers and filters in usual fashion

Ecology and conservation of the maned wolf: introduction

Wolves are considered controversial figures worldwide: mythical creatures as well as troublemakers, their conservation can polarize extreme views and it often is riddled with conflicts. In recent years much effort has focussed on the discussion of how to conserve large carnivores, such as wolves, while addressing public concerns. The maned wolf, however, has mostly eluded the discussion stage. With its solitary habits and unusual fruit-eating diet, the endangered maned wolf roams the grasslands of South America, playing a vital part in maintaining the integrity of this biodiversity hotspot. Compared to other large canid species, little is known about this unique species and the peculiarities of its relationship with local people and the environment, and the reasons for its decline, making research about the species an urgent concern. Considering the maned wolf’s uniqueness, issues discussed in this book are also relevant to the conservation of other large carnivores. The elements that contribute to the construction of the relationships and also to the potential conflict between people and wild animals, and particularly carnivores, are very similar worldwide. The ecological role of the maned wolf as a large predator is also similar to that of other predator species: like many large carnivores maned wolves are keystone species, and also potential umbrella and flagship species for the conservation of their habitat. Like other carnivores, they have progressively strived to survive in human occupied environments, as their natural habitat is encroached by farms. Endangered species of carnivores face similar problems linking their decline with the value that people place on resources and human activities; protected areas are insufficient to guarantee their survival, and the importance of including local land owners in conservation becomes more evident. These common issues are discussed along the following chapters as researchers and practitioners from different fields disclose the maned wolf’s compelling story

30 years of ecopedagogy: Origin and reinvention

The question of a pedagogy that promotes the development of sustainability responsible students is at the centre of education for sustainability. Ecopedagogy incorporates socio-environmental concerns and promotes reflection on the multiple and complex relationship society-nature, engendering a criticism of the current unsustainable socioeconomic model, modern thought and the various forms of exploitation of life. We suggest that Ecopedagogy may provide the theoretical and practical approaches to foster sustainability teaching and inspire educators and students in a higher education context. Our presentation is an introduction to Ecopedagogy and the ongoing process of reinvention and establishment of new theoretical and practical bases, with its new challenges in the current time we live. We offer a review of the 30 years of Ecopedagogy from its Latin American origins; paths travelled along these years; and the process of reinvention of Ecopedagogy based on the three pillars of criticism: patriarchy, modernity and capitalism. We conclude with a set of propositions for a collective journey in view of the principles of Ecopedagogy as a field of academic investigation and social praxis

‘Whole earth?’ using an exhibition to raise sustainability awareness at a UK University

Despite mounting evidence of global environmental stress, many educationalists appear to be discounting warnings of ecological collapse from scientists, futurists and community leaders. One way of promoting sustainability awareness may be to combine cognitive reasoning with emotional awareness. This article considers the complex dynamics relating to attitudinal and behavioural institutional change by exploring the impact of a large-scale exhibition called ‘Whole Earth?’ on the staff and students at a UK university over a 15-month period. The exhibition contained a wide range of powerful visual images and drew on a famous protest song to frame its wider message. Although there were a variety of responses, the exhibition had the overall effect of raising the profile of sustainability across the university. Could initiatives of this kind, which are open-ended in character and which harness the arts to engender an emotional response, offer a model which could be used more widely

Adding to the Pedagogical Portfolio: Launching a Student Business in a Semester Course

Common pedagogical approaches to entrepreneurship education include business plan writing, case studies, consulting, and simulations. Yet, in effect, these learning vehicles are simply proxies for the venture launch process. Operating under the assumption that learning entrepreneurship is a complex endeavor best addressed by a portfolio of pedagogical techniques, some instructors have experimented with launching student businesses in addition to traditional approaches.The challenge is how to do this with inexperienced undergraduate students within the confines of a 15-week semester. Included in the article are an outline of the process, a qualitative assessment of student learning, and suggestions for further research