1wild Foundation is exploring an exciting opportunity to support a collaboration of ETHZ and KATALA Foundation, a species conservation organization based in Palawan, Philippines. This project will link Prof. Loïc Pellissier, Professor of Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and at WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research), and Dr. Peter Widmann, founder and director of KATALA Foundation. KATALA is a non-profit, non-stock, non-governmental organization which has been protecting and conserving threatened endemic wildlife, particularly the Philippine Cockatoo, Palawan Forest Turtle, Palawan Porcupine, Calamian Deer, Balabac Mouse-deer, Palawan Pangolin and Palawan Hornbill. Four of these species are critically endangered, the others are endangered or vulnerable, and several are also EDGE species, showing the importance to protect this hotspot of biodiversity. The project idea, launched in partnership with the WildinSync initiative of ETH Foundation, is to use eDNA monitoring provided by ETHZ (with local analysis of samples) to better understand the biodiversity in the area, including the occurrence and population trends of threatened as well as invasive species. eDNA sampling looks for traces of DNA in environmental samples (e.g. water), which can then be analysed for species-specific signals. "Monitoring species is in its infancy in Palawan", said Dr. Widmann, and both more frequent sampling as well as more cost-effective methods are needed. "We propose doing a 1-year pilot study at several sites, followed by a first analysis to explore feasibility", said Prof. Pellissier. Importantly, this monitoring should be long-term. It may ultimately help to define areas which should be legally protected with high priority. Locals (often former poachers) can then be entrusted with enforcing the protection, as per Dr. Widmann's experience. The 1wild Foundation is looking into ways for financially supporting this thrilling cooperation between an international top university and a foundation working to protect - through several umbrella species - key areas of one of the most biodiverse regions of the planet.

Except that this is about saving, not hitting them. In the north-west of the Philippines - a global biodiversity hotspot - lies the province of Palawan. Several highly endangered species live on this archipelago. These include the Calamian deer (endangered), the Balabac mouse deer (endangered), the Palawan pangolin, the Palawan forest turtle and the Philippine cockatoo (all three critically endangered). In the provincial capital Puerto Princesa City, the Katala Foundation is keeping an eye on these species. They may well need support. We'll update our readers once we know more. Just in case you'd like to help save several birds with one stone... Balabac (Philippine) Mouse deer (Tragulus nigricans)

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