In May 1969 we published the Mammal Society's report on the status of otters in Britain. This was based on figures supplied by otter hunts covering a large part, but not all, of England and southern Scotland. This second report, based on data collected in the same way, was compiled by Professor H. R. Hewer, who fortunately had completed this draft before his untimely death last February. Unfortunately, one hunt, in the north-east, was unable to supply any comparable figures, but for the areas covered—see the map opposite—this second report provides a valuable comparison. It shows that in some counties, in the four years 1968–71, otters have held their own or increased slightly, but in the Midlands especially the decline continues, and the otter can truthfully be described as a locally endangered species.

The IUCN's Red Data Book for endangered mammals lists 269 species and forms. Of these 135 are on red sheets indicating that they are in real danger of extinction and that only active measures can save them. The FPS Hon. Secretary has selected 25 of these and suggests what action must be taken for each one immediately. The species are arranged here in systematic order, not in any order of priority.

A wildlife guard in the Kaziranga National Park, in Assam, describes what happens to the wildlife in the floods that inundate large areas every year, and the need for powered boats for rescue operations.

Brazil is the largest country in South America in both population and area, and ranks fifth largest in the world at 8,511,965 km2. Lying mainly in the tropics, its immense variety of habitat types ranges from the vast, luxuriant Amazon rain forests in the north to the Atlantic coastal forests in the east, the savannas of the central plateau and the Brazilian pine forests and flat, almost treeless pampas of the south; its great diversity of animal species includes some found nowhere else in the world.

‘Seriously depleted throughout most of its range; needs to be brought under protective management’, is the Red Data Book's verdict on the West African manatee Trichechus senegalensis. In Nigeria the author, who has worked there for many years, has only managed to see a few with great difficulty. She suggests the ‘mermaid’ is ideal for ‘aquatic ranching’, for the meat is so good—hence the species's depletion—that it is in great demand. The first need is to find out how many are left and where they are. But the manatee has none of the glamour of a tiger or a rhino; who, the author asks, would want to pay for the conservation of this unattractive but harmless and useful grazer of aquatic plants?

For many seriously endangered animals captive breeding seems to be the last hope of saving them. Many zoos are trying to do this, but, with some exceptions, without great success so far. The author of this article suggests that conservationists are not making use of the highly skilled animal technicians in laboratories and research stations who could certainly achieve good breeding success with many species at comparatively small cost.

John MacKinnon, author of the article on Orang-utans in Sumatra, in Oryx, October, 1973, asks us to correct mistakes in Table 1, Page 235.

Chance took us within the short space of three months to two rather different small countries, Rwanda in December 1973 and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in January and February 1974, each for about a fortnight. Each country naturally has its wildlife conservation problems, and the differences between these cover such a large part of the spectrum of such problems that it seemed worth while comparing them.

In Britain there are no restrictions on collecting, importing, buying or selling of butterflies, however rare or threatened, and a worldwide trade has developed that is still growing. One Kent dealer lists bird-wings at £98 a pair. The author urges the need for their protection. The situation underlines the urgency for the comprehensive wildlife protection bill, with schedules listing rare and endangered species of animals, insects and plants, referred to on page 403.

The nduk or Vosseier's eagle owl Bubo vosseleri is known from only eight specimens in one area of Tanzania. No ornithologist has ever certainly seen this owl in the wild, and nothing is known about its status. But the author, who lived in the area for several years, fears that numbers must be small and are bound to be affected by the steady destruction of the forest that is going on.