The Sophie Danforth Conservation Biology Fund (SDCBF), established by Roger Williams Park Zoo and the Rhode Island Zoological Society in 1989, supports conservation programs that protect threatened wildlife and habitats worldwide.

Field studies and other projects that demonstrate a multi-disciplinary approach to biodiversity and ecosystem conservation and projects that involve in-country collaborators receive the highest funding priority. Environmental education programs, development of techniques that can be used in a natural environment, and captive propagation programs that stress an integrative approach to conservation are also appropriate. Projects must directly affect biological conservation.

2010 Grantees:

Identifying Conservation Priorities for Tropical Andean Butterflies
Goal: Habitat loss in the tropical Andes, a global biodiversity hotspot, is extreme. A risk assessment for the region’s butterflies is urgently needed, but the required basic biological information is unavailable for most species. I will predict and calculate ranges for select tropical Andean butterflies using ecological niche modeling. I will also collect abundance data from several sites in eastern Ecuador, in order to investigate the relationship between abundance and distribution and the dynamics of extinction. Results will be used to identify key areas of conservation priority, in order to conserve the greatest number of species and the most viable populations.

Location: Ecuador
Principal Investigator: Geoffrey R. Gallice
Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Understanding Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra Distribution and Seasonal Movements in the Kuene Region of Namibia
Goal: Hartmann’s mountain zebras (Equus zebra hartmannae), listed as “vulnerable” by IUCN, are found primarily in Namibia, and may be declining in number. Little published information exists about them, making it difficult to formulate conservation management plans. Our goal is to identify unprotected areas in Namibia’s northwestern Kunene Region that are critical for long-term survival of Hartmann’s mountain zebras. This phase of our project seeks to understand how relative densities of mountains zebras vary across the Kunene Region and how they shift seasonally. We will use this information to identify areas that are seasonally important for large populations of mountain zebras.

Location: Kunene Region- Namibia
Principal Investigators: Tara Harris, Ph.D. & Jeff Muntifering, M.Sc.
Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Protecting Migratory and Endemic Birds of Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic
Goal: ABC proposes protect and monitor the Sierra de Bahoruco National Park in the DR, the primary stronghold for 15 of the 19 globally threatened bird species on Hispaniola and a vital non-breeding area for 20 Neotropical migrants. The Park is an Alliance for Zero Extinction site and a United Nations Biosphere Reserve, and provides critical winter habitat for several neotropical Species of Conservation Concern. ABC will also education local communities about protecting this national treasure.

Location: Sierra de Bahoruco National Park and the La Place Wildlife Refuge- Dominican Republic
Principal Investigator: Daniel Lebbin, Ph.D.
Amount Awarded: $1000.00 

The Ecological Impact of An Electrified Wildlife Fence
Goal: The Makgadikgadi game fence, erected in 2004, created an artificial barrier to the free movement of both wildlife and livestock within the western Makgadikgadi. The installation of this fence reduced direct conflict between wildlife and livestock but may have caused unseen effects on the ecosystem. I will compare pre-fence and post-fence data to quantify the ecological impact of the fence and to determine how the spatial distribution and resource selection strategies of zebra and livestock have changed. This study provides a unique opportunity to assess the use of fences as a method to resolve the ongoing human-wildlife conflict within Africa.

Location: Makgadikgadi- Africa
Principal Investigator: James Thomas Bradley
Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Marine Educators Network of North Peru: Empowering Teachers and Students in Conservation Efforts
Goal: Tumbes shelters rich marine biodiversity and unique marine areas, yet these are currently exposed to degradation by threats such as unsustainable fishing and contamination. This project will consolidate “The Marine Educators Network of North Peru”, empowering teachers and youth to strengthen Conservation Education through participatory and multi-disciplinary activities. Thus, this project will scientifically prove that increase in education efforts reduces environmental threats like unsustainable fishing, and, in case of sea turtles, mortality due to meat consumption. This project is supported by >40 schools and governmental organization, which have highlighted its importance for North Peru’s development and conservation of marine biodiversity.

Location: Peru
Principal Investigator: Kerstin Samantha Forsberg
Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Okavango Transboundry Carnivore Ecology Program
Goal: The goal of our work specifically is to develop an understanding of emerging disease transmission and underlying reasons for novel disease out breaks in African carnivores (lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, African wild dogs, side-striped, and black backed jackals) as it related to current individual heath status, inter-and intra-species interaction, range and resource use, heterozygosity, nutrition, and immune status. The overall goals are to integrate the disciplines of veterinary medicine, genetics, nutrition, virology, pathology, GIS, and reproductive physiology to fully understand the mechanisms of disease transmission and likelihood of carrying a disease without clinical signs of manifesting it. This study can serve as a blueprint for carnivore management in this region as well as many other regions throughout Africa.
 
Location: Okavango River Basin- Africa
Principal Investigator: Michael B. Briggs, DVM, M.S.
Amount Awarded: $1000.00

Gopher Tortoise Population Health and Disease Ecology in a changing Georgia Landscape
Goal: Upper respiratory tract disease in the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is highly contagious and has been implicated in the reduction of populations. Tortoises are state-listed as threatened in Georgia, where the prevalence of URTD is poorly understood. To manage populations effectively and evaluate the use of relocation as a mitigation tool for development of tortoise habitat, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to the overall health of populations, including exposure to pathogens such as Mycoplasma. This study is multifaceted and includes assessment of the population health and demography of gopher tortoises at core sites throughout Georgia.

Location: Georgia- United States
Principal Investigator: Jessica Gonymor, M.S.
Amount Awarded: $1000.00