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SOUTHERN FLORIDA CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER (SFCRC)

Location: LEE/1.

Hello Everyone.

Cyclone Zoe hit the Solomons in January of this year. Many trees were stripped and flattened. Since Corucia zebrata requires old growth forest with extensive epiphytic growth, The stripped trees have set them back a great deal. Normally, A cyclone would have had more limited effect but since the Malaysian loggers have created extensive thinning of the rain forest, there was less of a breaking action from the full force of this storm.

The double punch is the current lawless from the collapse of the Solomon government. Logging-now completely unchecked-has excelerated at a frenzied pace. Many natives,impoverished from the economical state have returned to eating the native Corucia and other wildlife. Troops from Australia are arriving to attempt to restore law and order but the damage from these two events this year will be tremendous on remaining Corucia in this region.

Brian
SFCRC

Yes, Brian and nothing was done by Honiara to aleviate this disaster from Zoe.

Unemployment in the Solomons is 82% No wonder the native species are on the menu!

On the one hand, you have in the present lawlessness you have drug lords and other criminal types creating illegal shipping of Corucia zebrata (Papua New Guinea's governemnt is collapsing too-allowing illegal exports feasible). On the other, If the Australian troops come, it will serve to back Australian and other foreign interests which will create increased strip Gold mining and deforestation by logging activity. Either way: It's a lose-lose scenario for wild Corucia.

Thanks for bringing this topic up.

Best regards,
Jean

What a rotten situation for the wildlife as well as the Solomon people. Makes me feel not quite so bad about the export/import- makes me angry, but maybe SOME of them will survive--- if they survive shipping and actually get bought by people who can take care of them properly. How much of the rain forest is still intact on the Solomons?
Jess b

SOUTHERN FLORIDA CORUCIA RESEARCH CENTER (SFCRC)

Location: LEE/1.

Sadly, by some reports, it is less than 10%. Remember, Corucia prefer old growth forests. As I posted before, I agree and least some will survive and add to the genetic diversity of extant captive populations. In the wild, The future is dim indeed.

Brian
SFCRC