The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation
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0:01 - 0:03(Imitates fishing cat)
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0:05 - 0:08That's my impersonation of a fishing cat,
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0:08 - 0:11which actually sounds more like this.
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0:13 - 0:15(Prerecorded fishing cat sounds)
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0:17 - 0:21It's a cat that loves water,
-
0:21 - 0:22loves to fish,
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0:22 - 0:28and lives in some of the most unique
and valuable ecosystems on earth: -
0:28 - 0:32the wetlands and mangrove forests
of South and Southeast Asia. -
0:32 - 0:33Aren't they fishing awesome?
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0:33 - 0:36(Laughter)
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0:36 - 0:39Fishing cats are one of about 40
species of wildcats. -
0:39 - 0:42Like tigers and lions, only much smaller.
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0:42 - 0:46They're probably around twice the size
of our average domestic cat. -
0:46 - 0:47In Indonesia,
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0:48 - 0:50people call them "kucing bakau,"
-
0:50 - 0:53which literally translates
to "the cat of the mangroves." -
0:53 - 0:57But I like to call them
the tigers of the mangroves. -
0:57 - 1:01Now, we don't know fishing cats
as well as we do tigers, -
1:01 - 1:05but what we've learned is that these cats
can be a flagship species -
1:05 - 1:08to a globally important ecosystem,
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1:08 - 1:13and a visual bait attached
to a strong line for conservation. -
1:14 - 1:15Are you hooked yet?
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1:15 - 1:16(Laughter)
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1:17 - 1:19Like many endangered species,
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1:19 - 1:22fishing cats are threatened
by habitat loss, -
1:22 - 1:26mainly because of our international demand
for farmed fish and shrimp, -
1:26 - 1:30and the deforestation
of nearly half the historic mangrove cover -
1:30 - 1:32in South and Southeast Asia.
-
1:33 - 1:34Mangroves, on the other hand,
-
1:34 - 1:37are much more than just habitat
to the fishing cat. -
1:37 - 1:41They are home to a fantastic
array of species, -
1:41 - 1:42like jackals,
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1:42 - 1:44turtles,
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1:44 - 1:46shorebirds
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1:46 - 1:48and otters.
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1:48 - 1:49(Laughter)
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1:50 - 1:52Mangroves also prevent soil erosion,
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1:52 - 1:57and they can be the first line of defense
between storm surges, tsunamis -
1:57 - 2:00and the millions of people
who live next to these forests -
2:00 - 2:02for their day-to-day survival.
-
2:03 - 2:05The fact that puts
the icing on the cake -- -
2:05 - 2:07or the earth, I should say --
-
2:07 - 2:09is that mangroves can store
-
2:09 - 2:12upwards of five to ten times
more carbon dioxide -
2:12 - 2:14than tropical forests.
-
2:15 - 2:17So protecting one acre of mangroves
-
2:17 - 2:22may well be like protecting five
or more acres of tropical forests. -
2:23 - 2:27Would you like to eliminate
you entire life's carbon footprint? -
2:27 - 2:29Well, mangroves can offer you
-
2:29 - 2:32one of the best bangs
for your conservation buck. -
2:34 - 2:37Deforestation, extinction
and climate change -
2:37 - 2:40are all global problems that we can solve
-
2:40 - 2:43by giving value
to our species and ecosystems -
2:43 - 2:46and by working together
with the local people -
2:46 - 2:47who live next to them.
-
2:48 - 2:52This is one of three river deltas
in coastal South India -
2:52 - 2:54where communities came together
-
2:54 - 2:58to change the face and potentially,
the fate of this planet. -
2:59 - 3:00In less than a decade,
-
3:00 - 3:02with international support,
-
3:02 - 3:06the state forest departments
and the local communities -
3:06 - 3:08worked together to restore
-
3:08 - 3:13over 20,000 acres
of unproductive fish and shrimp farms -
3:13 - 3:15back into mangroves.
-
3:16 - 3:18About five years ago,
-
3:18 - 3:22guess who we discovered
in these restored mangroves? -
3:25 - 3:29When we shared images
of these fishing cats with local people, -
3:29 - 3:32we were able to build pride among them
-
3:32 - 3:35about a globally revered
endangered species and ecosystem -
3:35 - 3:37in their backyards.
-
3:37 - 3:40We were also able to build trust
with some people -
3:40 - 3:43to help them lead alternative livelihoods.
-
3:43 - 3:45Meet Santosh, a 19-year-old boy
-
3:45 - 3:48who not only became
a conservation professional -
3:48 - 3:50after working with us
for just over a year -
3:50 - 3:53but also went on to involve
many local fishermen -
3:53 - 3:56in helping study and protect fishing cats.
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3:57 - 4:00Meet Moshi, a tribal poacher,
-
4:00 - 4:01who not only stopped hunting
-
4:01 - 4:04and became our most
prized conservationist, -
4:04 - 4:06but also used his traditional knowledge
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4:06 - 4:11to educate his entire community
to stop hunting fishing cats, otters -
4:11 - 4:13and the many other threatened species
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4:13 - 4:16that live in the mangroves
in his backyard. -
4:16 - 4:19Fish and shrimp farmers, like Venkat,
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4:19 - 4:22are now willing to work
with us conservationists -
4:22 - 4:27to test the sustainable harvest
of ecosystem services like crabs, -
4:27 - 4:29and possibly even honey, from mangroves.
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4:29 - 4:34Incentives that could get them
to protect and plant mangroves -
4:34 - 4:35where they have been lost.
-
4:36 - 4:38A win-win-win
-
4:38 - 4:42for fishing cats, local people
and the global community. -
4:43 - 4:47These stories show us
that we can all be part of a future -
4:47 - 4:50where fishing cats
and the lost mangrove forests -
4:50 - 4:54are protected and restored
by fishermen themselves, -
4:54 - 4:56creating carbon sinks
-
4:56 - 5:00that can help offset
our ecological footprints. -
5:00 - 5:03So while the fishing cat may be small,
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5:03 - 5:07I hope that we've been able
to help make it a big deal. -
5:07 - 5:09One that we can all invest in
-
5:09 - 5:13to help sustain our lives
on earth a little longer. -
5:14 - 5:16Or as our friend here would say ...
-
5:17 - 5:20(Prerecorded fishing cat sounds)
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5:20 - 5:21Thank you.
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5:21 - 5:26(Applause)
- Title:
- The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation
- Speaker:
- Ashwin Naidu
- Description:
-
Mangrove forests are crucial to the health of the planet, gobbling up CO2 from the atmosphere and providing a home for a diverse array of species. But these rich habitats are under continual threat from deforestation and industry. In an empowering talk, conservationist and TED Fellow Ashwin Naidu shares how community-driven efforts in South and Southeast Asia are working to protect mangroves -- all with a little help from the mysterious and endangered fishing cat.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDTalks
- Duration:
- 05:39
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Oliver Friedman edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Brian Greene approved English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Brian Greene edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Krystian Aparta accepted English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | ||
Krystian Aparta edited English subtitles for The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation |