Black-headed Gulls wintering in Sulawesi (and notes on their occurrence elsewhere in the Indo-Australia region)

The numbers and distribution are discussed of the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus as a wintering visitor in Indonesia and adjacent areas. The first observations during the 1950's were confined to the island of Borneo. Since the beginning of the 1960’s, more birds were observed at different sites, especially in the north and east. Most birds were in first winter plumage

Bulwer's Petrel in Indonesia

Based on observations of 15 and 14 Bulwer's Petrels in Sulawesi and Irian Jaya respectively, the occurrence of the species in Indonesia is described

Nature amnesia

In 1995 marine ecologist Daniel Pauly introduced the shifting baseline syndrome. In it he described how little use is made of historical information about the occurrence of fish species within fisheries and fish ecology. Knowledge about harvesting and, in a broader sense, the ecology of fish is based on contemporary information in which researchers at the start of their career take the observed situation as their starting point. Anecdotes were used by Pauly as a source to gain historical insight into distribution and status of fish species. His analysis was the prelude to an increasing interest in natural history, especially with regard to the distribution and status of animal species. In addition to interviews, with which information from anecdotes was made available, historical, archaeological and paleontological research was used to arrive at natural-historical reconstructions. The bundling of these reconstructions shows that there is hardly any collective, natural history consciousness in society. Nature policy is based on information collected from 1970 onwards, and historical information plays no role in this. Natural history information is of great importance for nature restoration projects and for the development of a collective natural history consciousness. Without such consciousness and the use of such knowledge for nature restoration, recovery will be more difficult. The standard underlying the restoration of nature is that of a heavily degraded nature. Similarly, support for nature conservation declines if the image of that nature is based on information spanning the past few decades, ignoring change before that time

Predation of a small passerine by the Purple-winged Roller Coracias temminckii, an endemic species of Sulawesi

The usual diet of the Purple-winged Roller, a species endemic to Sulawesi, is grasshoppers, locusts, beetles and small lizards. This note describes an observation of this species preying on an adult Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus. The presence of birds in the diet of other roller species is discussed

Natuuramnesie: Hoe we vergeten zijn hoe de natuur er vroeger uitzag

In 1995 marine ecologist Daniel Pauly introduced the shifting baseline syndrome. In it he described how little use is made of historical information about the occurrence of fish species within fisheries and fish ecology. Knowledge about harvesting and, in a broader sense, the ecology of fish is based on contemporary information in which researchers at the start of their career take the observed situation as their starting point. Anecdotes were used by Pauly as a source to gain historical insight into distribution and status of fish species. His analysis was the prelude to an increasing interest in natural history, especially with regard to the distribution and status of animal species. In addition to interviews, with which information from anecdotes was made available, historical, archaeological and paleontological research was used to arrive at natural-historical reconstructions. The bundling of these reconstructions shows that there is hardly any collective, natural history consciousness in society. Nature policy is based on information collected from 1970 onwards, and historical information plays no role in this. Natural history information is of great importance for nature restoration projects and for the development of a collective natural history consciousness. Without such consciousness and the use of such knowledge for nature restoration, recovery will be more difficult. The standard underlying the restoration of nature is that of a heavily degraded nature. Similarly, support for nature conservation declines if the image of that nature is based on information spanning the past few decades, ignoring change before that time

Occurrence and distribution of established and new introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia

Distributional and habitat information on eight introduced bird species in north Sulawesi, Indonesia, is presented. The accounts are based on our observations as well as being gathered from published sources and unpublished trip reports. Three species (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita, Sooty-headed Bulbul Pycnonotus aurigaster and Red-collared Dove Steptopelia tranquebarica) have not previously been reported in north Sulawesi in the published literature, while the continued presence and status of Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora, Zebra Dove Geopelia striata and Rock Dove Columba livia was considered uncertain in the published literature. Further work is required systematically to document the distribution, status and spread of introduced species in the north and other parts of Sulawesi—an imperative from both an economic and conservation perspective

All politics is local: the case of the Macrocephalon maleo conservation on Sulawesi, Indonesia

The rich biodiversity of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi is subject to a high rate of deforestation and other pressures. Its plight is symbolized by the deteriorating conservation status of the maleo, an iconic galliform bird that is both striking in appearance and intimately bound up with local traditions. After a series of international-led projects during the 1980s and early 1990s conservation efforts petered out until recently when there has been an upsurge in local-led concern and action. To capitalize on this a workshop was held in 2010 to share local perceptions, lessons and concerns about the species and these conservation efforts. The workshop was dominated by members of local communities and their elected or traditional representatives, although there was also a wide variety of other stakeholders present, including from national species conservation and local government agencies. Whilst there is a need for more information to underpin the actions necessary to ensure the survival of this species, the overwhelming perception of participants was that continued decentralization of policy making and budgetary responsibility would enhance the conservation efforts for this species (and other elements of biodiversity) considerably. This would allow the upsurge in locally-led conservation activities to be continued and expanded.Mochamad Indrawan, Nur Wahid, Marc Argeloo, Suryani Mile-Doucet, John Tasirin, Lian Pin Koh, Marcy Summers, Philip J. K. McGowa