(NOTE: This meeting and presentation took place online, via Zoom platform technology, due to social-distancing protocols prompted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic)
At 7:00 pm, President Ken Chaya called the meeting of the Society to order. He welcomed the attendees and announced that there were 135 viewers online before thanking the Council, Committees and past Presidents for their help during the pandemic. He then reminded the audience that more information about our programs and field trips—now in progress with safety guidelines in place—could be accessed on the LSNY website.
President Chaya explained that the American Museum of Natural History has cancelled all program events through November of this year and that it is possible that the Society will not be able to return to the Linder Theater at the AMNH until sometime in 2021. Until then, we will be bringing our programs online on a monthly basis. He announced that the business portion will start the meeting and the program would follow.
Because the Society’s membership recently took the opportunity to vote online via email, there were only two business items on the agenda: the results of two votes, one for the approval of Amy Simmons as the new Recording Secretary and one for the approval of new members. Both passed with 91 votes of approval and none of disapproval. President Chaya welcomed Amy Simmons as Recording Secretary and then the following fourteen individuals as new members:
- Crystal Thiele, Active Membership, sponsored by Barbara Saunders
- Reece Hunt, Active Membership, sponsored by Barbara Saunders
- Michelle Zorzi, Active Membership, sponsored by Chuck McAlexander
- Will Test, Supporting Membership, sponsored by Ken Chaya
- Laura Weir, Active Membership, sponsored by Mary Beth Kooper
- Tina Li, Active Membership, sponsored by Ken Chaya
- Tao Leigh Goffe, Active Membership, sponsored by Rochelle Thomas
- Betsy DiFelice, Active Membership, sponsored by Dawn Hannay
- Nancy Turner, Active Membership, sponsored by Miriam Rakowski
- Virginia de Liagre, Active Membership, sponsored by Will Papp
- Steve Holleran, Active Membership, sponsored by Miriam Rakowski
- Nithya Sowrirajan, Active Membership, sponsored by Chuck McAlexander
- Matthew Ring, Active Membership, sponsored by Chuck McAlexander
- Richard Woods, Active Membership, sponsored by Miriam Rakowski
He then invited non-members in attendance to join and explained how they could go about doing so by visiting the LSNY website, www.linnaeannewyork.org
At 7:08 p.m., President Chaya introduced Jonathan C. Slaght, Ph. D., who is the Russia and Northeast Asia Coordinator for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), managing research projects that involve endangered species and coordinating WCS avian conservation activities along the East Asia-Australasian Flyway from the Arctic to the tropics. Slaght has spent more than twenty years working on conservation issues in the Russian Far East, fifteen of them with Blakiston’s Fish Owls, and is a foremost expert on the species. His book on his experiences tracking Blakiston’s Fish Owl in Russia, Owls of the Eastern Ice, was published in August 2020 and it was these experiences that were the subject of his talk.
Jonathan provided an overview of the landscape and the diverse wildlife found within the region, followed by a description of Blakiston’s Fish Owl biology, ecology, and his efforts, along with those of his Russian colleagues to protect them from extinction.
Blakiston’s Fish Owls are the largest owls in the world, with six-foot wingspans and weights in the range of Bald Eagles. These endangered birds are found at very low densities across northeast Asia, where they hunt for salmon and other aquatic prey in clean mountain rivers and nest in the cavities of enormous trees.
In this region called Primorye, there is a unique and diverse mix of wildlife typically from temperate forests with wildlife typically associated with sub-tropical habitat. Essentially, it is a mix of sub-tropical species creeping north and boreal species creeping south. Tigers, leopards and lynx all share the same forest with brown bears, raccoon dogs (a true dog and the only dog species that hibernates in winter), wild boar, long-tailed goral, and the Siberian musk deer (a deer species with uniquely elongated canines), among other species. This region also includes a large diversity of bird species, as well, including Blakiston’s Fish Owl.
Jonathan first saw Blakiston’s Fish Owl in this region in 2000, while he was with the Peace Corp. He had heard of it, but did not recognize it at first, as he assumed it was too rare to be seen near the village where he was living. He stated that even by owl-standards, these birds are “weird”: (1) the male and female have a unique, synchronized duet (which he played for the audience); (2) most owls have super-sensitive hearing due to very defined facial discs, whereas Blakiston’s Fish Owl has poorly defined facial discs and hearing that is not particularly sensitive; (3) most owls are known for exhibiting ‘silent flight,’ yet Blakiston’s is quite loud when it flies. Jonathan hypothesized that these are physical adaptations that were lost due to Blakiston’s prey selection and habitat (i.e., fish are underwater so silence is not such an issue, and their habitat is one of roaring waterways, so sensitive hearing would not be particularly beneficial.)
Blakiston’s Fish Owl requires two landscape features to survive. The first is an enormous canopy of old growth trees with cavities large enough to accommodate a nest. Blakiston’s lays one to two eggs, often resulting in a single fledgling. The species nests every other year and when its chick fledges, it stays with the parents for at least a year and a half. The second requirement is that of open water in winter. This is not easy to find in a place where the temperature in winter regularly dips to the -30’s. Fortunately, this location happens to feature areas where underground radon warms water just enough to keep it from freezing.
The competing needs of humans and these owls were not really an issue until fairly recently. In 1984, the birds’ general nesting area had only 142 miles of road, but by 2005 there were 3,000 miles of road. Thus, there was an almost sudden emergence of threats to the species, but no plans in place to mitigate the problems. Due to the cryptic nature and low density of Blakiston’s, there was very little data to work with. Slaght connected with two Russian scientists and moved forward with an initiative to catch these owls and fit them with GPS trackers to collect data to use to build a conservation plan.
He went on to describe the work he and these colleagues embarked upon in incredibly harsh and remote areas of Russia. Initially, they only sought evidence of the owls for future use. This evidence included: (1) its tracks in the snow along rivers, (2) its feathers – they tend to release “fat” semi-plume feathers that cling to brush and (3) trees with holes large enough for a nest.
In January 2007 he returned with one of his Russian colleagues to try to actually catch some of the owls. After spending weeks at a time under extremely cold and arduous conditions, and on the very point of giving up, just before the season ended they were able to catch and tag four individuals. A transmitter was able to record one or two locations a day for about a year, depending on how it was programmed. To save the battery, it only received data, and didn’t transmit it. Thus, there was a need to recapture the birds at a later date. Fortunately, Blakiston’s is a very long-lived species with a limited range and not many natural predators.
From 2008 – 2010, field seasons got “more serous” and the team lived in a customized truck that they could drive to more remote areas. Jonathan spoke about the importance and value of fostering positive local relationships. In such a remote and physically inhospitable area, one might need the help of the few locals in the area. He remarked that he has now known some of the residents for over 15 years and they still offer their help.
Jonathan then pivoted to ask the questions: “Why does this matter?” and “How does it apply to us?” emphasizing the importance of recognizing that everything in life is connected. He pointed out how the current COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how connected we all are. From looking at the data, he was able to see that nearly ALL of the owl’s nesting areas were along the river valley – almost exactly where humans had built their roads for logging and fishing. Much of the wood logged there comes to America to become flooring and the fish caught there is sold all across Asia. So, if we conserve the land to benefit the owls, then we also benefit the sustainable use of these resources for people.
After obtaining his Ph.D. in 2011, Jonathan began working with the primary logging company in the region to ensure that it has minimal impact on the owls. As a result, the company knows to avoid harvesting and building roads in sensitive areas and has been willing to actually block human access to roads with high-diversity wildlife. He has also successfully put up nest boxes to replace some of the loss of old growth trees. Currently, there are about 150-200 pair of Blakiston’s living in Primorye, which is about 25% of the total species population. Jonathan closed by saying that while we’re not saving an entire species, it feels good that we’re making a difference for at least some of the owls.
7:53 p.m., Vice President Rochelle Thomas thanked Jonathan for his talk and facilitated the Q&A portion of the program.
8:10 p.m. Vice President Thomas passed the floor back to President Chaya, who thanked Jonathan, as well. He then announced that a total of 202 viewers had attended tonight’s lecture and invited them to return for next month’s program, “Rats in the City: Ecological and Conservation Implications of a Global Pest,” presented by Matthew Combs, Ph.D.
8:13 – meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by Amy Simmons, Recording Secretary