Conservation

Northern bald ibis

Northern bald ibises taught to migrate south by surrogate mothers piloting microlights

This is a great story all about the best in humankind. The northern bald ibis was hunted to extinction in Europe in the Middle Ages. The bird habitually migrates south from northern Europe, as I understand it. A project concerning the conservation of this bird species involved conservationists, biologists, and volunteers, raising a group of …

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We need more and better conservation

Wildlife conservation in the UK is in a dire state

NEWS AND COMMENT: The Times today reports that one in six British species face extinction with some bright spots amid the gloom in respect of the Eurasian Beaver, Red Kite and Cartilage lichen. The environmental editor of the newspaper tells us that one in five species in the UK have declined over the past 50 …

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Use of glyphosate is demanded by farmers but detested by conservationists

Glyphosate-based herbicides are “absolutely fine” according to Britain’s environment secretary. Are they?

Therese Coffey said that glyphosate-based herbicides are perfectly fine. The commercially available herbicide called Roundup contains a glyphosate-based herbicide and the product is known to be dangerous to wildlife. It seems to me that Therese Coffey has decided that intensive farmers should be supported over wildlife. She prefers to protect farmers than wildlife. Therese Coffey …

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Seal pup on a beach where they should be left alone

Woman picks up baby seal on beach and it dies of shock

NEWS AND OPINION: Against the advice of an expert, a woman picked up a baby seal on a beach near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, UK, and wrapped the animal in her coat, I presume in attempt to rescue the animal, but it died of shock. Inadvertently, therefore, she killed this baby seal. She must be distraught. …

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GnRH plays a key role in reproduction.

Immuno-contraception by oral vaccination of feral cats in Australia

Why don’t the Australian authorities use immuno-contraception (IC) by vaccination to control the population feral cats in Australia which prey on native species and which annoy the Australian authorities so much? The vaccination could be given orally. And it seems to me that theoretically it could be given orally using the device that the clever …

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Logo of the Wagner group

Mercenary private armies are bad for animal welfare and they are marching to global power

It is likely that you have not missed the story about the Wagner group and its former leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who it is believed has died in his private jet when it fell to the ground in flames missing a wing, probably destroyed by one of Putin’s agents who planted a bomb in the landing …

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Emperor penguins are disappearing with the Antartica ice

Ice is disappearing from Antarctica and so are the emperor penguins

Emperor penguins need ice on which to live. Emperor penguin colonies live on ice. They lay their eggs on ice and feed their chicks on ice. Scientists tell us that this vital element of the emperor penguin’s habitat is disappearing from parts of Antarctica which removes the possibility for the Emperor Penguin to survive. Scientists …

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99 bears and 5 wolves shot to protect caribou in Alaska

The Alaska Wildlife Alliance has filed a lawsuit against the Board of Game and the Department of Fish and Game because they culled 99 bears and 5 wolves to protect caribou without allegedly properly consulting experts and the public. The bears and wolves were hunted from helicopters and planes over a period of 19 days …

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Water vole conservation

Water vole conservation in the Lake District 2023

In the UK, the water vole population has declined over the past hundred years from about 8 million to only 132,000. This small mammal has disappeared from 94% of the areas where it once lived. And now, in a strong conservation programme, 365 captive-bred water voles have been reintroduced this week in an area of …

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We breathe the air from Julius Caesar's last breath!

You share the air with all other living creatures both present and historical

At the moment, there is a philosophical debate on the Internet around Sam Kean’s book, Caesar’s Last Breath. The title continues with the following words: “Decoding the Secrets of the Air around Us”. He has a fascinating concept. Julius Caesar was murdered on March 15, 44 BC. He was stabbed to death and lay in …

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Contrails are responsible for the equivalent of 2% of humanity's entire contribution to climate change

Aircraft contrails account for 2% of humanity’s contribution to climate change

Contrails are responsible for the equivalent of 2% of humanity’s entire contribution to climate change. To put that another way, contrails are responsible for 60% of the aircraft industry’s greenhouse effect i.e. the aircraft industry’s contribution to climate change. I bet you didn’t know that those pretty contrails trailing behind airliners high in the sky …

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Horrible but great picture of plastic pollution

New strong biodegradable plastic rots away like banana peel

I’m going to refer to a study called Fabricating Strong and Stiff Bio Plastics from Whole Spirulina Cells. To me, that sounded a bit daunting but the study is very important and the scientists start off with the shocking introduction: “Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion tonnes (Bt) of virgin plastics have been produced, of which …

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Greta Thunberg

Unlike politicians Greta Thunberg walks the walk on climate change

“Don’t talk the talk unless you can walk the walk” is the well-used phrase. For the sake of clarity is means that people should do what they say they are going to do and not just talk about it. And I have immense admiration for Greta Thunberg for walking the walk in her campaign to …

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Rhodes wildfires are destroying the habitat of animals and killing them. There are reports of possible arson.

Rhodes wildfires killing animals and there are indications of arson

NEWS AND VIEWS – GREECE: The wildfires on the island of Rhodes, Greece, are all over the news media today because they are horrific. In the newspaper that I am reading, The Times, the articles concern the evacuation of tourist resorts by hordes of British tourists. The article in commences: “Thousands walked for 12 hours …

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Climate change is blamed as the oceans become greener and it is frightening

Oceans are turning green due to global warming

My title is slightly exaggerated because when you look at the oceans today, they still look blue and the change to a greener hue cannot be detected by the human eye because it is too subtle but the change has taken place over the past 20 years. This has been shown by satellite data and …

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Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Speciesism - 'them and us' | Cruelty - always shameful

Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.