The coolest animal you know nothing about ... and how we can save it | Patrícia Medici

Prevodilac: Lana Matijevic Lektor: Mile Živković

This is one of the most amazing animals on the face of the Earth.

Ovo je jedna od od najfascinantnijih životinja na Zemlji.

This is a tapir.

Ovo je tapir.

Now this, this is a baby tapir,

Ovo je beba tapir,

the cutest animal offspring in the animal kingdom.

najslađe mladunče u životinjskom kraljevstvu.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

By far.

Bez premca.

There is no competition here.

Nema konkurenciju.

I have dedicated the past 20 years of my life

Posvetila sam poslednjih dvadeset godina svog života

to the research and conservation of tapirs in Brazil,

istraživanju i očuvanju tapira u Brazilu,

and it has been absolutely amazing.

i zaista je bilo neverovatno.

But at the moment, I've been thinking really, really hard

Ali u ovom trenutku, razmišljala sam dosta

about the impact of my work.

o značaju mog rada.

I've been questioning myself about the real contributions I have made

Pitala sam se da li sam zaista doprinela

for the conservation of these animals I love so much.

očuvanju životinja koje toliko volim.

Am I being effective

Da li sam efikasna

in safeguarding their survival?

u očuvanju njihovog opstanka?

Am I doing enough?

Da li činim dovoljno?

I guess the big question here is,

Mislim da je veliko pitanje ovde,

am I studying tapirs and contributing to their conservation,

da li proučavam tapire i doprinosim njihovom očuvanju,

or am I just documenting their extinction?

ili samo dokumentujem njihovo izumiranje?

The world is facing so many different conservation crises.

Svet se susreće sa mnoštvom kriza o očuvanju.

We all know that. It's all over the news every day.

To svi znamo. Na vestima je svaki dan.

Tropical forests and other ecosystems are being destroyed,

Tropske šume i ostali ekosistemi se uništavaju,

climate change, so many species on the brink of extinction:

klima se menja, mnogo vrsta je na ivici izumiranja:

tigers, lions, elephants, rhinos, tapirs.

tigrovi, lavovi, slonovi, nosorozi, tapiri.

This is the lowland tapir, the tapir species I work with,

Ovo je tapir koji živi u nizinama, vrsta tapira sa kojom sam radila,

the largest terrestrial mammal of South America.

najveći kopneni sisar Južne Amerike.

They're massive. They're powerful.

Ogromni su. Moćni su.

Adults can weigh up to 300 kilos.

Odrasli tapiri mogu da budu teški do 300 kilograma.

That's half the size of a horse.

To je pola konja.

They're gorgeous.

Prelepi su.

Tapirs are mostly found in tropical forests such as the Amazon,

Tapiri se najčešće nalaze u tropskim šumama poput Amazona,

and they absolutely need large patches of habitat

i apsolutno su im potrebni veliki delovi staništa

in order to find all the resources they need to reproduce and survive.

da bi pronašli sve resurse koji su im potrebni da se razmnožavaju i da prežive.

But their habitat is being destroyed,

Ali njihovo stanište se uništava,

and they have been hunted out of several parts of their geographic distribution.

i u nekim delovima gde žive, istrebljeni su lovom.

And you see, this is very, very unfortunate

Vidite, ovo je velika nesreća

because tapirs are extremely important for the habitats where they are found.

jer tapiri su veoma važni za staništa u kojima se nalaze.

They're herbivores.

Oni su biljojedi.

Fifty percent of their diet consists of fruit,

Pedeset posto njihove ishrane sačivanja voće,

and when they eat the fruit, they swallow the seeds,

a kada jednu voće, progutaju i semenke,

which they disperse throughout the habitat through their feces.

koje raspipaju po staništu kroz svoj izmet.

They play this major role in shaping and maintaining

Ovo igra bitnu ulogu u oblikovanju i održavanju

the structure and diversity of the forest,

strukture i raznovrsnosti šume,

and for that reason, tapirs are known as gardeners of the forest.

i zbog tog razloga, tapiri su poznati kao baštovani šuma.

Isn't that amazing?

Zar to nije sjajno?

If you think about it,

Ako razmislite o tome,

the extinction of tapirs would seriously affect

izumiranje tapira bi imalo značajan uticaj

biodiversity as a whole.

na biodiverzitet u celosti.

I started my tapir work in 1996, still very young, fresh out of college,

Počela sam da se bavim tapirima 1996. mlada, tek pošto sam završila fakultet,

and it was a pioneer research and conservation program.

to je bio tek početak istraživanja i početak programa očuvanja.

At that point, we had nearly zero information about tapirs,

U tom trenutku, nismo uopšte imali nikakve informacije o tapirima,

mostly because they're so difficult to study.

u mnogome jer su tako teški za proučavanje.

They're nocturnal, solitary, very elusive animals,

Oni su noćne, osamljenje, teško uhvatljive životinje,

and we got started getting very basic data about these animals.

i počeli smo prikupljajući osnovne informacije o ovim životinjama.

But what is it that a conservationist does?

Ali šta je to što radi neko ko se bavi očuvanjem vrste?

Well, first, we need data.

Prvo, trebaju nam podaci.

We need field research.

Treba nam terensko istraživanje.

We need those long-term datasets to support conservation action,

Trebaju nam dugoročni skupovi podataka da podrže akciju očuvanja,

and I told you tapirs are very hard to study,

a rekla sam vam da su tapiri veoma teški za proučavanje,

so we have to rely on indirect methods to study them.

tako da smo morali da se oslonimo na indirekne metode proučavanja.

We have to capture and anesthetize them

Morali smo da ih uhvatimo i damo im anesteziju

so that we can install GPS collars around their necks

da bismo im stavili GPS ogrlicu oko vrata

and follow their movements,

i pratili njihove pokrete,

which is a technique used by many other conservationists around the world.

to je tehnika koju koriste mnogi stručnjaci za očuvanje vrste.

And then we can gather information about how they use space,

Tada možemo da sakupimo informacije o tome kako koriste prostor,

how they move through the landscape,

kako se kreću kroz predele,

what are their priority habitats,

koja su im glavna staništa,

and so much more.

i mnogo više.

Next, we must disseminate what we learn.

Onda, moramo da rasprostanimo informacije koje smo prikupili.

We have to educate people about tapirs

Moramo da obrazujemo ljude o tapirima

and how important these animals are.

i o njihovom značaju.

And it's amazing how many people around the world

Neverovatno je koliko ljudi oko sveta

do not know what a tapir is.

ne zna šta je tapir.

In fact, many people think this is a tapir.

U stvari, mnogo ljudi misli da je ovo tapir.

Let me tell you, this is not a tapir.

Dopustite da vam kažem, ovo nije tapir.

(Laughter)

(Smeh)

This is a giant anteater.

Ovo je ogromni mravojed.

Tapirs do not eat ants. Never. Ever.

Tapiri ne jedu mrave. Nikada. Nikada.

And then next we have to provide training, capacity building.

Onda, moramo da pružimo obuku, građenje kapaciteta.

It is our responsibility to prepare the conservationists of the future.

Naša je odgovornost da pripremimo buduće stručnjake za očuvanje vrsta.

We are losing several conservation battles,

Gubimo nekoliko bitaka za očuvanje

and we need more people doing what we do,

i potrebno nam je da više ljudi radi ono što mi radimo,

and they need the skills, and they need the passion to do that.

potrebne su im veštine, potrebna im je strast da bi to uradili.

Ultimately, we conservationists,

Na kraju, mi sami stručnjaci za očuvanje vrsta

we must be able to apply our data,

moramo da budemo u mogućnosti da primenimo svoje podatke,

to apply our accumulated knowledge

da primenjujemo nagomilano znanje

to support actual conservation action.

da podržimo stvarnu akciju očuvanja.

Our first tapir program

Naš prvi program za tapire

took place in the Atlantic Forest

održao se u Atlantskoj šumi

in the eastern part of Brazil,

u istočnom delu Brazila,

one of the most threatened biomes in the world.

u jednom od najugroženijih bioma na svetu.

The destruction of the Atlantic Forest

Uništavanje Atlantske šume

began in the early 1500s,

počelo je početkom 1500-ih

when the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil,

kada su Portugalci došli u Brazil

beginning European colonization in the eastern part of South America.

i započeli Evropsku kolonizaciju u istočnom delu Južne Amerike.

This forest was almost completely cleared

Šuma je skoro ostala bez drveća,

for timber, agriculture, cattle ranching and the construction of cities,

zbog seče drva, poljoprivrede, uzgajanja stoke i izgradnje gradova.

and today only seven percent of the Atlantic forest

Danas je ostalo

samo sedam posto Atlantske šume.

is still left standing.

And tapirs are found in very, very small, isolated, disconnected populations.

Tapiri se mogu naći u veoma malim, izolovanim, isključenim populacijama.

In the Atlantic Forest, we found out that tapirs move through open areas

U Atlantskoj šumi saznali smo da se tapiri kreću kroz otvorene predele

of pastureland and agriculture

pašnjaka i poljoprivrede

going from one patch of forest to patch of forest.

idući od jednog dela šume do drugog dela šume.

So our main approach in this region

Naš glavni pristup u ovom regionu

was to use our tapir data to identify the potential places

bio je da iskoristimo podatke o tapirima da identifikujemo potencijalna mesta

for the establishment of wildlife corridors

za osnivanje koridora divljači

in between those patches of forest,

između tih delova šume,

reconnecting the habitat

povezivanjem staništa

so that tapirs and many other animals could cross the landscape safely.

tako da tapiri i druge životinje mogu bezbedno da pređu preko predela.

After 12 years in the Atlantic Forest,

Posle dvanaest godina u Atlantskoj šumi,

in 2008, we expanded our tapir conservation efforts to the Pantanal

2008. godine, proširili smo napore očuvanja tapira na Pantanal

in the western part of Brazil

u zapadnom delu Brazila

near the border with Bolivia and Paraguay.

blizu granice sa Bolivijom i Paragvajem.

This is the largest continuous freshwater floodplain in the world,

Ovo je najveći neprekidan slatkovodni tok vode na svetu,

an incredible place

neverovatno mesto

and one of the most important strongholds for lowland tapirs in South America.

i najvažnije uporište tapira koji žive u nizinama u Južnoj Americi.

And working in the Pantanal has been extremely refreshing

Rad u Pantanalu bio je izrazito osvežavajući

because we found large, healthy tapir populations in the area,

jer smo našli veliku, zdravu populaciju tapira na tom mestu,

and we have been able to study tapirs

i mogli smo da proučavamo tapire

in the most natural conditions we'll ever find,

u najprirodnijim uslovima u kojima ćemo ih ikada naći,

very much free of threats.

bez ikakvih pretnji.

In the Pantanal, besides the GPS collars, we are using another technique:

U Pantanalu, pored GPS ogrlica, korisli smo još jednu tehniku:

camera traps.

kamere zamke.

This camera is equipped with a movement sensor

Kamera je opremljena senzorima za pokret

and it photographs animals when they walk in front of it.

i fotografiše životinje koje idu ispred kamere.

So thanks to these amazing devices,

Zahvaljujući ovim neverovatnim uređajima,

we have been able to gather precious information

uspeli smo da sakupimo dragocene informacije

about tapir reproduction and social organization

o razmnožavanju tapira i društvenoj organizaciji

which are very important pieces of the puzzle

koji su veoma bitni delovi slagalice

when you're trying to develop those conservation strategies.

kada pokušate da razvijete strategije očuvanja.

And right now, 2015, we are expanding our work once again

Sada u 2015. godini proširujemo svoj rad ponovo

to the Brazilian Cerrado,

na brazilski Serado,

the open grasslands and shrub forests in the central part of Brazil.

otvorene pašnjake i žbunaste šume u centralnom delu Brazila.

Today this region is the very epicenter of economic development in my country,

Danas je ovo područje sami epicentar ekonomskih dešavanja u mojoj zemlji,

where natural habitat and wildlife populations

gde se prirodno stanište i populacija divljih životinja

are rapidly being eradicated by several different threats,

munjevito iskorenjavaju od strane nekoliko različitih pretnji,

including once again cattle ranching,

uključujući stočarstvo,

large sugarcane and soybean plantations,

velike plantaže šećerne trske i soje,

poaching, roadkill, just to name a few.

krivolov, ubijanje životinja na putu, samo da nabrojim nekoliko.

And somehow, tapirs are still there,

Ali nekako, tapiri su još tu,

which gives me a lot of hope.

što mi uliva nadu.

But I have to say that starting this new program in the Cerrado

Ali moram da napomenem da je započinjanje novog programa u Seradu

was a bit of a slap in the face.

došlo kao šamar.

When you drive around

Kada se voziš u kolima

and you find dead tapirs along the highways

i vidiš mrtve tapire na autoputu

and signs of tapirs wandering around in the middle of sugarcane plantations

i tragove tapira kako lutaju kroz plantaže sečerne trske

where they shouldn't be,

kada ne bi trebali,

and you talk to kids and they tell you that they know how tapir meat tastes

i pričaš sa decom koja znaju kakvog je ukusa meso tapira

because their families poach and eat them,

jer ih njihove porodice bespravno love i jedu,

it really breaks your heart.

slomi ti se srce.

The situation in the Cerrado made me realize --

Situacija u Seradu naterala me je da shvatim -

it gave me the sense of urgency.

dalo mi je osećaj hitnosti.

I am swimming against the tide.

Ja plivam uz struju.

It made me realize that despite two decades of hard work

Nateralo me je da shvatim da uprkos dve decenije napornog posla

trying to save these animals, we still have so much work to do

i pokušavanja da spasim ove životinje, imamo još puno toga da odradimo

if we are to prevent them from disappearing.

ako želimo da sprečimo njihovo nestajanje.

We have to find ways to solve all these problems.

Moramo da nađemo način da rešimo sve ove probleme.

We really do, and you know what?

Stvarno moramo i znate šta?

We really came to a point in the conservation world

Došli smo da zaključa u svetu očuvanja

where we have to think out of the box.

gde moramo da razmišljamo otvorenog uma.

We'll have to be a lot more creative than we are right now.

Moramo da budemo mnogo kreativniji nego što smo sada.

And I told you, roadkill is a big problem for tapirs in the Cerrado,

Kao što rekoh, ubijanje životinja na putu veliki je problem za tapire u Seradu,

so we just came up with the idea of putting reflective stickers

pa smo došli na ideju da stavimo nalepnice koje odbijaju svetlost

on the GPS collars we put on the tapirs.

na GPS ogrlice koje smo stavili na tapire.

These are the same stickers used on big trucks

Iste nalepnice se koriste na velikim kamionima

to avoid collision.

da bi se izbegao sudar.

Tapirs cross the highways after dark,

Tapiri prelaze autoputeve noću,

so the stickers will hopefully help drivers see this shining thing

tako da će nalepnice pomoći vozačima da vide sjajne stvarčice

crossing the highway,

koje prelaze preko autoputa,

and maybe they will slow down a little bit.

i možda će usporiti.

For now, this is just a crazy idea.

Za sada, to je samo suluda ideja.

We don't know. We'll see if it will reduce the amount of tapir roadkill.

Ne znamo. Videćemo da li će to smanjiti broj tapira koji se ubiju na putu.

But the point is, maybe this is the kind of stuff that needs to be done.

Poenta je da, možda ovakve stvari treba da se događaju.

And although I'm struggling with all these questions

I iako se borim sa svim ovim pitanjima

in my mind right now,

u mojoj glavi,

I have a pact with tapirs.

napravila sam pakt sa tapirima.

I know in my heart

Znam to u svom srcu,

that tapir conservation is my cause.

da je očuvanje tapira moj poziv.

This is my passion.

To je moja strast.

I am not alone.

Nisam sama.

I have this huge network of supporters behind me,

Imam ogromnu mrežu pristalica iza sebe,

and there is no way I'm ever going to stop.

i ne postoji šansa da ću ikada prestati.

I will continue doing this, most probably for the rest of my life.

Nastaviću da radim ovo najverovatnije do kraja svog života.

And I'll keep doing this for Patrícia, my namesake,

I nastaviću da radim ovo za Patrišu, moju imenjakinju,

one of the first tapirs we captured and monitored in the Atlantic Forest

jednu od prvih tapira koje smo uhvatili i nadgledali u Atlantskoj šumi

many, many years ago;

pre mnogo, mnogo godina.

for Rita and her baby Vincent in the Pantanal.

Za Ritu i njenu bebu Vinsenta u Pantanalu.

And I'll keep doing this for Ted, a baby tapir we captured

I nastaviću da radim ovo za Teda, bebu tapira koju smo uhvatili

in December last year also in the Pantanal.

u decembru prošle godine isto u Pantanalu.

And I will keep doing this

I nastaviću ovo da radim

for the hundreds of tapirs that I've had the pleasure to meet

za stotine tapira koje sam imala zadovoljstvo da upoznam

over the years

tokom godina

and the many others I know I will encounter in the future.

i mnogo druge koje znam da ću tek upoznati u budućnosti.

These animals deserve to be cared for.

Ove životinje zaslužuju da se neko brine o njima.

They need me. They need us.

Potrebna sam im. Potrebni smo im.

And you know? We human beings deserve to live in a world

I znate šta? Mi, ljudska bića zaslužujemo da živimo u svetu

where we can get out there and see and benefit from

gde možemo da izađemo tamo i vidimo prednosti

not only tapirs

ne samo tapira

but all the other beautiful species,

već i drugih ostalih prelepih vrsta

now and in the future.

sada i ubuduće.

Thank you so much.

Hvala vam puno.

(Applause)

(Aplauz)