Because the project:
The idea for this project comes from the journey that has organized the Tarta Club Italy in late 2009 to visit the center Angonoka, run by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, located within the National Park Ankarafantsika about 120 km from Mahajanga (in the north-west of Madagascar). At the center
Angonoka we were impressed by the commitment of managers and those who over the years has devoted time and money to create it, such as Durrell and the British Chelonia Group and at the same time of their concern not to undermine all the work of "Project Angonoka "dedicated to the preservation of Astrochelys yniphora now become a symbol of the country (also printed on the banknotes of 1000 Ariary). The main destination of the specimens are poacher Asian markets, where the majority is not in force, the Convention of Washington.
At our request we were given a priority list of materials and tools, which stands at the top "security system". Indeed, the center now has a simple security system, however, almost useless, and still in boxes in a sophisticated system too difficult to install and manage via PC, donated by a Canadian Association.
History of the conservation program of Astrochelys yniphora:
From the middle of last century, from the ploughshare tortoise (so named because of the extension of plate-shaped plow gulari) was almost extinct and is classified as critically endangered in the Red Book IUCN.
Its range was limited to the area of \u200b\u200bBaly Bay on the west coast of Madagascar mainly in an area of \u200b\u200b1500 square miles of forest and open savanna.
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Much of this tortoise habitat has been destroyed by fires and natural sources that deliberate attacks by local farmers in search of new cultivable areas and the devastating practice of burning the brush before the advent of the rainy season with belief that is so
fertilize the soil, and only partly true, but that will gradually killing all microorganisms it is desertification, as well as, unfortunately, is occurring in much of the large island, in practice they are "burning the future ", so that now the old name of Green Island has become the" Red Island ".
For these reasons, herpetologists have estimated that they would only been a few years before this species would become extinct.
At this point comes in the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) putting up a project to safeguard Astrochelys yniphora
for posterity. In 1986 he launched "Project Angonoka" in collaboration with the Malagasy Government and the support of the World Wide Fund for Nature. The British Chelonian Group (BCG) has entered the scene in 1993 with the fundraising campaign to help pay the cost of the breeding program in Madagascar, funding a fence to Ampijoroa, Ankarafantsika inside the park, at the time were only 17 adults and 62 the baby in captivity, while a few specimens were known in nature. The DWCT had put together these 17 adults is taken from the wild to be received by the authorities following their seizure by local gardens (it was illegal to keep them as pets is that trade) and have been played for about 6 years. The long-term goal was to leave nature in some individuals born in captivity when they were large enough to have much chance of survival. Such a thing had never been attempted before, but the program took off in the year 1990 and reached a great success thanks to the intelligent and competent staff of DWCT. Don Reid's name will always be associated with this project and he was awarded the BCG to the memory of Kay Gray in 1994 for his work with A. yniphora. Put a blow a blow to the program in 1999, when about half of the children were stolen by a poacher during a disastrous night.
were already in place security measures, but unfortunately they did not prove sufficient. In any case, many of A.yniphora stolen were found in Europe and sent to the capital (Antananarivo), but here it sank into oblivion (corruption is high) and applied a more rigorous control and monitoring center.
In December 2004 there were already 224 pieces of 8 and 9 years old and born in captivity was time to release some of their former range.
First of all we tried to secure the area where the turtles are released and it was very important to declare the area of \u200b\u200bBaly Bay National Park by the Government of Madagascar with the constant presence of 8 full-time guards, assisted by a network of 40 "Rangers" volunteers are always ready to stop poachers and possible principles fire. Both the guards that "rangers" are working closely with the police Madagascar.
have been some releases of test to ensure the viability of the release schedule. In 1998, some sub-adults were released and monitored very closely in what was considered the safe zone and use. This attempt has proved a great success: the rate of growth of these specimens proved identical to those remaining in captivity and has always lived better than the animals free in nature. There were no neither death nor serious injuries, no fire and no attempt to steal large, so the DWCT you felt confident enough to schedule the release of a number of tortoises.
The reintroduction program began in nature 7 December 2005, when 20 Angonoka sub-adults were transferred from the center of the bamboo forest to Ampijoroa Beaboaly in the Baly Bay National Park, where up to 22 January 2006 been filled in order to make pens that suit the environment. After that were released with the included antennas to monitor them.
Another 20 specimens were freed the following year (2007). Unfortunately, laboratory tests on animals released in 2007 revealed two probable cases of herpes virus, although the analysis results are not final and there is always the possibility of false positives. In any case, it was decided to bring all the latest released 20 birds in pens, to monitor them better. Subsequently, 20 specimens were re-homed.
Since 2007 he has been working hard to raise awareness of the importance of restoring local populations Angonoka and to have respect and care of existing ones.
This has increased the perceived importance of the area of \u200b\u200bBaly Bay and its biodiversity. Although tourism in the area is increasing, and the hope is to self-finance the park and the area with the same income from tourism and the sale of tickets to visit the park.
Although no documented cases of thefts were reported by poaching, illegal trade of turtles from the plow continues, given the magnitude of the Baly Bay area. With the aim to minimize this problem, the Committee Durrell is working closely with the authorities malagasy. As a result, there have been several arrests in Antananarivo they serve, together with awareness-raising activities, as a deterrent.
Also at international level There is a great effort to reduce the illegal trade in this species. The Durrell is in continuous contact with Traffic, a monitoring program to control the illegal trade in turtles. In 2008, after the workshop his turtles of Madagascar, has started to envisage the possibility of reviewing the status of land tortoises and freshwater turtles in the red list. IUCN.
specimens bred in the center: In the center there are
Astrochelys yniphora, in addition to rare Erymnochelys madagascariensis, and Pyxis planicauda
Astrochelys radiata.
The first two species are known to have become a very strong risk of extinction, but also for the Pyxis planicauda now the situation is really hard and well for Astrochelys radiata that in fact their distribution area is not in this area but in the south of the island, they say friends of the center Sokak, which in the past 10 years, the number in nature is decreased sharply, by about 90%). Erymnochelys madagascariensis, the only turtle endemic freshwater
mica Madagascar, is included in the "Red Book" of the IUCN's 25 most endangered species, are reared several specimens with a good reproductive outcome. The estimated number of
Astrochelys yniphora remained in Madagascar is about 600 specimens divided into about 400 in the wild and 200 in the center.
Incubation egg in the center is still quite natural (circa8 months) and not used incubators. The hatching rate is about 60%.
The choice of Italy Tarta Club:
The TCI has decided to engage in the creation of a burglar alarm system, which has characteristics of high security, low probability of failure because no one on site would then be able to repair and low energy (here missing the electricity and everything is powered by solar panels).
System overview:
After a careful study to see what was the right system at the center, we opted for a very advanced system which allows to detect the cuts of the fence, by piezo-sensors in addition to not consume dynamic power being passive components have very low probability of failure. This system is absolutely innovative and used to protect areas with a high degree of security intrusion as military zones and airport hazard. The sensors are connected in two series of 27 elements and installed every 2 meters, in a special shielded cable designed for long life outdoors. These sensors are controlled by two innovative low-power stations, which were tested in a high-temperature ra
resin and treated with special anti-humidity. The units are able to distinguish the vibrations of the network due to strong wind, impact or vibration of an object lemurs, which often jump on the networks, by cuts of the network and has a memory of events so that even small cuts are added if made on different days.
Everything is powered by two solar panels that provide energy to a battery of 180 A, controlled by a charge controller which ensures a longer life, because we can never fall below the threshold level of about 30% charge.
The front door of the center is protected by a magnetic sensor and the network itself has a dynamic piezo-sensors.
for an acoustic signal in case of alarm, we installed two electronic sirens from 110 db and energy, to direct the sound alarm in two different areas.
addition, we installed 4 LED headlamp, low consumption, which in case of alarm, illuminate the entire fence even if light is not very strong, but enough to see if there is the presence of any intruder, the lights can also be also useful for testing are not necessarily nocturnal alarm activated. Both sirens and spotlights that are mounted on a pole in a central position within the enclosure.
The whole system has been tested in Italy for two months, even in low sunlight, producing excellent results.
All the materials were packed in 6 bags and transported by three directors of TCI who then installed the whole system.
List main materials of the TCI Angonoka
- 2 Cards
processing - Interface with a relay
- 54 piezodynamic Sensors, + No. 10 reserve
- a magnetic contact door
- 2 electronic sirens to 110 dB
- 4 floodlights Led technology
- 2
Solar Panels - Charge regulator
1 - 1 Battery 180 A / 12Volts
- 1 Timer
- a tin container for electronic devices
- 150 m
special shielded cable - 30m cable 3x6mm
- 15m cable 2x1, 5mm
- Various brackets
- 30m sheath bury
- 1 tube of silicone
- a gun for silicone
- 6 packs bi-component resin for sealing joints and terminals
- 15 kit for joints and terminations
- a key switch with spare keys
4 - 1
switch - a switch double
- 110m of steel sheet for protection shielded cable sensor piezo dynamic
- Screws, iron wire and plastic clamp to secure the cables and protections.
- 2 large suitcases to hold all the materials (in fact, other 4 cases are available month by members of the TCI as the material is very heavy)
Some materials, such as battery 180Ampere, some electrical wiring, sheet metal and to bury conduits are bought by weight in Mahajanga and obvious difficulties transport. People
technical equipment used to install the whole system, then donated to the Center of recovery:
addition to the security system, the TCI has DONTO the following materials:
- personal computer, running programs in French and specific to the use of data collection in the Centre (the PC was used for final calibration of the security system) with power cords for cars
- a 150W inverter 12V/220V
- 1 800W inverter 12V/220V
- 3 precision electronic scales (max 500g) for weighing small samples
- 2 rechargeable torches car
- 1 to 12 volts drill
- 1 to 220 volts drill
- 1 to 12 volts welder
- 1 to 220 volts welder
- a solar charger
- various work tools (used for installing the security system)
materials donated by Siva (Italian Soc Vet. Exotic Pets )
- Garmin GPS
1 - 1 digital camera Nikon
materials donated by Giacomo Ceccarelli:
- Betadine disinfectant
- syringes of different sizes
- latex gloves
- Drontal Plus wormer
- gauze
The project is was funded by Tarta Club Italy Installed in September 2010 by:
- Agostino Montalto (Chairman Tarta Club Italy)
- Danilo Delorenzi (Councillor Tart Club Italy)
- Luca Camporini (socio Tarta Club Italy)
Total cost of Project TCI Angonoka ": about 7600 €
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