Neil R Jordan

Neil R Jordan

Sydney, Australia

(1) Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales; (2) Taronga Conservation Society Australia; (3) Botswana Predator Conservation Trust

Lecturer

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Haven't backed any projects yet! 

Published on Dec 20, 2016

And the winner is...

Many moons ago, as our funding campaign crept close to its goal, we entered every major donor to our campaign ($150 or more) into a draw to win this large canvas of Raphael the lion.  ...

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Published on Dec 20, 2016

Update from the i-cow kraal...

Now that the sun has set on another short field season in Botswana, here are a few reflections on the project so far, starting with our main achievements and minor setbacks.Recent significant achie...

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Published on Jul 22, 2016

i-cows hit the headlines, as I hit the ground in Botswana!

I'm really pleased to report some very positive press on our (yours and my) i-cow idea. This includes the interview I conducted on SkyNews posted below, and lots of printed press articles and radio...

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Published on Jun 15, 2016

Almost there, but we need your help!

Wow- how time has flown. We've now got only 3 days left and so we're most definitely in the home stretch. We're 77% funded!... but with the all-or-nothing platform we really need to push to get acr...

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Published on May 27, 2016

Lions and livelihoods under threat

A short, need I say ''no-budget'', video I put together explaining the impact that predator-livestock conflict has on predator populations, even those within protected areas. Admittedly it casts a ...

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Thanks. Not personally no, but here's a link: https://www.google.co.bw/search?q=sundarbans+tiger+mask&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=599&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvrdGL15HOAhVKIMAKHcJSA5QQsAQIJQ
Jul 26, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks Kasper.
Jul 26, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks again everyone! I am afraid that I am rushing off for some remote field work here in Australia today (dingoes this time), but I shall conduct the prize draw for the "Raphael" canvas as soon as I return and will let you all know the outcome. Sorry for that delay, and thank you all for backing the project. I have already begun ordering the cattle loggers this morning...
Jun 19, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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My experience so far is that farmers are very interested in the idea and willing to try anything. The farmers I have spoken to on the ground were particularly keen on the idea because it is low cost and so has a chance of being sustainable beyond the life of the project/experiment. It doesn't rely on technology and great expense, and is rather passive, which is of value in the farming context. There is much to be said for local solutions to local problems, with experience passed down, but I'm not aware of anyone having had this idea before in or outside of the communities there. Perhaps this is because many livestock-carnivore conflicts elsewhere around the world don't involve ambush predators (though many do), and actualy in the areas in which we are currently working, livestock farming is a relatively new development.
Jun 15, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks Bob- I very much hope so!
Jun 02, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks- I'm excited to see the results too.
Jun 02, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks for your support! Hopefully we can test it out.
Jun 02, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks Susanne. Absolutely agree. Habituation may be an issue down the line, but to allow variation in eye design is one reason I've favoured painting over more permanent marking. Also some of the areas where this could be most effectively used is in corridors between protected areas; potential corridors consisting of livestock areas that are currently effectively closed by lion-livestock conflict. Allowing lions to move through these areas without getting into habitual livestock killing en route. These transients/dispersers will be less likely to become habituated in the short time they take to pass through. Second, some but not all of the areas where this might be used have a healthy prey-base, and conserving this is also a key challenge in reducing lion-livestock predation. Thanks for your support and interest!
Jun 02, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks! Let's hope it comes good.
Jun 02, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Hey Rebecca- thanks so much for the support. Please share widely and spread the news. We HAVE to test this! N
May 24, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Hey- thanks Alex. We need creative solutions to destructive problems! I really appreciate your support. N
May 24, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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Thanks for your support. Watch this space and please share the project as widely as you can. It's all or nothing platform here. :-)
May 21, 2016
i-cows: can intimidating eye patterns painted onto cows reduce lion attacks?
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