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Article Evaluation

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All data is technically relevant but not ordered by importance, and statements made in overview should be moved to sub-sections.

The article cites only positive information regarding the species and does not mention its propensity for attacks on humans.

Some sources are irrelevant and others are not properly cited.

Potential Topics

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Indian pariah dog

My main reason for choosing this subject is the poor quality of the Wikipedia article. It has a number of very simple errors that I feel a student such as myself could correct. I would also hope to add new information to make the article more rounded, not only in describing the dog but in describing its history as well. This was what made me think it would fit with our course; the potential dilution of the breed because of the introduction of European dogs was only briefly mentioned but piqued my curiosity, as did the claim that the breed was ancient and still used by indigenous hunters. There is definitely something to be said about colonialism here at the very least, and it may be that the inevitable dilution of an ancient dog breed is a facet of post-colonialism. This will depend, however, on the availability of evidence. Historical discussions of the Indian pariah dog, at least in English, are difficult to find, but there are articles on Google Scholar that contain useful information not cited in the article. This is where I would look for the majority of my sources, and I would then check the works cited of these articles to look for further insights.

Sumatran ground cuckoo

If a native breed of domesticated animal can be negatively affected by colonialism, then it follows that a wild species suffering habitat loss can too. While the page is not flagged as containing any glaring issues, it is short and lacks a photo. Given how greatly globalization and the Dutch colonial influence have changed the animal's habitat, it could be said that colonialism is one factor that led to its Critically Endangered status. Given the similar state of other animals in Sumatra, it may well be worth elaborating on the state of not only humans but non-human animals and environments through the lens of post-colonial theory. There are plenty of sources to delve deeper into the biology of the animal, but I plan to explore historical and sociological databases and journals as well in order to find approaches that may fit the course material more closely.

Malagasy Protectorate

Admittedly, I am nowhere near as interested in this historical topic as I am in the animals above. But it is a short article and there is likely a wealth of historical information that could be added to it, and it would benefit from better organization. Additionally, it may be more closely aligned with post-colonialism, as this was a transition period for Madagascar in which the parameters of colonialism were tested and strained before breaking.

Draft Article

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Sumatran ground cuckoo

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The Sumatran ground cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) is a large, terrestrial species of cuckoo. It was introduced to Western science in 1879[1] and was formerly considered conspecific with the Bornean ground cuckoo but was given status as a unique species in 2000.[1] This elusive species was initially known from just eight specimens and evaded notice from 1916 until 1997, when it was rediscovered and photographed by Andjar Rafiastanto. The Sumatran ground cuckoo's diet is thought to consist of invertebrates, small mammals, and reptiles.[2]

Characteristics

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The Sumatran ground cuckoo is a large, terrestrial bird with a long, full tail. Adult birds reach an average length of 55 cm. Its bill and sturdy legs are both green and it has a black crown, shading to green on hind crown. Its mantle, upper back, neck sides, lower throat, upper breast, wing-coverts and secondaries are dull green and its lower back is brown with broad greenish-brown bars. The wings and tail are glossy and greenish-black. The rest of its underparts are cinnamon-buff, more rufous on flanks and it displays striking green, lilac and blue bare skin around the eyes. Its repertoire of vocalizations is little-known but one recently recorded call comprised of repeated low whistles, falling then rising in tone and issued in a rising series (we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we, we-ow-we; each phrase slightly higher than last).[1]

Distribution and habitat

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The Sumatran ground cuckoo is endemic to Indonesia and is found exclusively on the island of Sumatra. Notes on early specimen labels suggest its favoured habitat is foothills and primary montane rainforest, and this is reinforced by the locations of recent sightings.[1][2] It has been found between elevations of 300 and 1400 metres.[3] Because it is so rare today, a considerable body of information on the Sumatran ground cuckoo comes only from the records of Tommaso Salvadori, the Italian ornithologist and zoologist who discovered it;[1] there does not seem to have been much effort to learn more about the bird from locals.

It is estimated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that the total population of Sumatran ground cuckoos ranges from 50 to 249 mature individuals, and its population is thought to be decreasing.[1] It is considered one of the 100 most endangered bird species in the world.[4] Like its close relative the Bornean ground cuckoo it is considered unobtrusive, which may further account for the lack of sightings.[1]

Most modern-day sightings have taken place in the Barisan Mountains in South Sumatra, beginning with the individual photographed in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in 1997.[5] Five more sightings were reported in the immediate vicinity between 2007 and 2010. An additional unconfirmed sighting took place in the Bukit Rimbang-Baling Wildlife Sanctuary in 2000.[1] In 2006, a camera-trap surveying for tigers close to Kerinci Seblat National Park, also in the Barisan Mountains, captured multiple images of the Sumatran ground cuckoo for the first time since 1997 and only the second time in the last ninety years.[6]

In 2007, its call was recorded for the first time according to the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society in a statement released February 26. The call was recorded by WCS biologists after a trapper handed them a bird he had caught.

In 2017, a camera trap in Batang Gadis National Park took a photo of a Sumatran ground cuckoo, indicating that a previously-unknown population may exist in North Sumatra.[6]

Status and conservation

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Due to ongoing habitat loss and small population size, the Sumatran ground cuckoo is evaluated as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1]

Though there is limited knowledge on the Sumatran ground cuckoo itself, it is thought to face many of the same population pressures as the Sumatran elephant, orangutan, rhinoceros, and tiger. Deforestation is the main threat[1][7] and was found to result in an average 2% loss of forest within Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, one of the bird's primary refuges, between 1985 and 1999.[8] The park's lower montane forest is usually removed to make way for palm oil plantations; since 2006 Indonesia has been the biggest producer of palm oil and has seen a 400% growth in production between 1994 and 2004. Production is expected to double by the end of 2030.[9] As the Sumatran ground cuckoo prefers primary forest with dense undergrowth, reforestation is unlikely to be as effective as protective measures for currently-existing habitat.[1] Even protected areas, however, are experiencing significant rates of deforestation.[8]  The type locality, Gunung Singgalang, has seen reduction of forest up to 1,800-1,900m as early as 1917.[5]

Because it is a ground forager, the Sumatran ground cuckoo may also be susceptible to bycatch through hunting by use of snares: a bird was recently captured in a snare that was almost certainly set for Red Junglefowl.[1]

Limited conservation actions are currently underway. The Barisan Mountains contain 20 protected areas, some of which lie within the Sumatran ground cuckoo's currently known range.[5] The species likely benefits from many of the protected areas established for other Sumatran endemics, but its full spectrum of conservation needs is unlikely to be known until further surveys are conducted.[1]

The IUCN has made a number of suggestions for future conservation actions. Now that the species' call has been recorded, it is possible to conduct extensive surveys to better establish its true range, distribution, and population, and to determine its habitat requirements, threats, and conservation needs. Once surveys have provided sufficient information, the IUCN advises a review of existing protected areas and, if key populations are not adequately represented within them, advocation for further establishment of strategic protected areas. Like many other Sumatran endemics, the species should be afforded full protection under Indonesian law.[1]

The Sumatran ground cuckoo may benefit if ecotourism is introduced to the area, but this still entails commodifying habitat, and may help in the short-term but would not be a guarantee of future conservation.

Additional: Econationalism

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Eco-nationalism as defined by anthropologists often manifests in the adoption of nature as an entity outside of culture that must be protected in its pristine and untouched state whenever possible.[10] This process is particularly visible in countries such as Australia[11] and New Zealand,[10] which are known for their unique animal life. Eco-nationalism is also marked by national pride in natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef or Mitre Peak, extensive conservation efforts towards iconic species such as the kakapo and largetooth sawfish, and the creation of National Parks in order to protect these species and areas.[11][10] While beneficial for conservation efforts, Eco-nationalism has been criticized as an extension of colonialist dichotomies and ontologies[10] and rarely addresses Indigenous ecological knowledge.[11]

Econationalism can manifest in ecotourism, which can enrich local economies but has garnered criticism from a variety of perspectives.[11][10][12] Artistic works that extol the virtues of a nation's natural phenomena, such as the poetry of William Woodsworth[13] or the paintings of the Group of Seven,[14] are another expression of Eco-nationalism.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Carpococcyx viridis (Sumatran Ground-cuckoo, Sumatran Ground Cuckoo)". www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  2. ^ a b "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  3. ^ "Sumatran Ground-cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis)". www.hbw.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  4. ^ "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  5. ^ a b c "Sumatran Ground-cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) - BirdLife species factsheet". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
  6. ^ a b "Camera trap records nearly extinct cuckoo bird in Sumatra". news.mongabay.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  7. ^ "EDGE of Existence". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  8. ^ a b Kinnaird, Margaret F.; Sanderson, Eric W.; O'Brien, Timothy G.; Wibisono, Hariyo T.; Woolmer, Gillian (2003-02-01). "Deforestation Trends in a Tropical Landscape and Implications for Endangered Large Mammals". Conservation Biology. 17 (1): 245–257. doi:10.1046/j.1523-1739.2003.02040.x. ISSN 1523-1739.
  9. ^ Gilbert, Natasha (2012-07-05). "Palm-oil boom raises conservation concerns". Nature. 487 (7405): 14–15. doi:10.1038/487014a.
  10. ^ a b c d e Ginn, Franklin (2008). "Extension, Subversion, Containment: Eco-Nationalism and (Post)Colonial Nature in Aotearoa New Zealand". Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 33 (3): 335–353.
  11. ^ a b c d Franklin, Adrian (2006). Animal Nation: The True Story of Animals and Australia. UNSW Press. ISBN 0868408905.
  12. ^ Service, UN-NGLS Non Governmental Liaison. "Voices from Africa". www.un-ngls.org. Retrieved 2017-12-19.
  13. ^ HAZUCHA, ANDREW (2002). "Neither Deep nor Shallow but National: Eco-Nationalism in Wordsworth's "Guide to the Lakes"". Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment. 9 (2): 61–73.
  14. ^ Bingham, Russell. "Group of Seven". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2017-12-22.
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