New report: Rising slaughter of small whales and dolphins

Killings of small whales, porpoises and dolphins are rising, with more than 100,000 of these marine mammals slaughtered each year, according to a new report from German and British NGOs. Many regions report increased catches driven by demand for dolphin meat as food and shark bait in areas impacted by economic crisis and dwindling fish stocks. Failure to address unsustainable exploitation of small cetaceans exacerbates ecological imbalance and heavy metal toxicity risks to humans who eat them, according to the...

return of the Easter Bilby

Last year we had the BILBY instead of the Easter bunny – this was successful in proving a chocolate treat as well as highlighting the plight of the endemic Australian Bilby    This year, 2024, the Bilby is back – in red! LearnFromNature  Tweet  ...

Manatee Appreciation Day

Manatee Appreciation Day (last Wednesday in March) focuses the world’s attention on an herbivore with no known natural enemy. Also known as the sea cow, manatees are a vulnerable species due to their contact with humans. Boating and pollution, as well as other external forces, threaten the manatee. Manatees are sometimes called sea cows, and their languid pace lends merit to the comparison. However, despite their massive bulk, they are graceful swimmers in coastal waters and rivers. Powering themselves with...

World frog day

  World Frog Day, ( March 20th) reminds us of the ecological and biological significance of frog species across the globe. ‘ What are the differences between amphibians and reptiles? Here’s a recent post   Groups helping frogs save the frogs  amphibians survival alliance        LearnFromNature  Tweet  ...

Creature feature | striped possum

  The striped possum is most commonly found in New Guinea and several small islands including the Solomon Islands. In Australia, it lives in Australia, in tropical rainforests and eucalypt eucalypt woodland along the east coast of Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Townsville, but is otherwise uncommon and rarely seen elsewhere in Australia. Like many species of wildlife in Australia – no-one knows how many there are / might be, since surveying the areas where they live...

World Water Day 2024 – “Water for Peace”

This year’s theme is ‘Water for Peace’, which focuses on the critical role water plays in the stability and prosperity of the world. When water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal or no access, tensions can rise between communities and countries. More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders. Yet, out of 153 countries that share rivers, lakes and aquifers with their neighbours, only 24 countries report having cooperation agreements for all...

Creature feature | tree-kangaroo

Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo is a rare, long-tailed marsupial found in rainforests in northeastern Australia. Like most tree-kangaroos, it lives alone in trees and feeds on plant matter. It belongs to the macropod family with kangaroos, and carries its young in a pouch like other marsupials. Tree-kangaroos have several adaptations to an arboreal life-style. Compared to terrestrial kangaroos, tree-kangaroos have longer and broader hind feet with longer, curved nails. They also have a sponge-like grip on their paws and soles of their...

Pandas actually have unique features

March 16th is National Panda Day ; March 23rd is World Bar Day Here are some things about these iconic creature you might not  know…… The giant panda’s distinct black-and-white markings have two functions: camouflage and communication. Most of the panda – its face, neck, belly, rump – is white to help it hide in snowy habitats. Like domestic cats, giant panda bears have vertical slits for pupils. Cubs are very well protected in their first month – Mother pandas...

St Patricks Day …. four-leafed clover

Four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms, presumed to offer magical protection and ward off bad luck. Children in the Middle Ages believed if they carried a four-leaf clover, they would be able to see fairies,.  The first literary reference to suggest their good fortune was made in 1620 by Sir John Melton. “Hundreds of years ago in Ireland, the four-leaf clover became a symbol of luck with the four leaves representing faith, hope, love, and success. The Druids (Celtic priests), in...

International Day of action for RIVERS

The International Day of Action for Rivers is a day of solidarity when people from all walks of life come together to declare that rivers are essential and deserve our protection. It highlights the importance of ensuring that communities have access to clean, free-flowing water and that everyone has the fundamental right to participate in decisions that affect their lives and their water. It is our collective responsibility to defend these rights and protect our rivers now more than ever....

Spiders… very unique creatures

Ten things you probably might not have known about SPIDERS   * Spiders are everywhere! Research suggests that you are never more than 10 feet away from a spider. Most of the time they are hiding away somewhere in some crevices minding their own business.   There are a lot of spiders They come in all different shapes and sizes, each with their own unique look and characteristics. There are approximately over 35,000 different species of spider currently known. However,...

Save a spider……!

It’s ‘Save a Spider Day’ (In the USA) on March 13th What good are spiders? You might have heard the question……  ‘What good are spiders?’ Which usually translates as ‘What good are spiders to us?’ Apart from their intrinsic right to be here, spiders do humans a power of good as well. Spider silk has been traditionally used in constructing nets, clothing and even the reticle (crosshairs) in telescopic sights. Spiders are an important source of food in many human...

Wildlife groups A to Z | Amphibians

  Amphibian vs reptile: what’s the difference? Many people confuse amphibians and reptiles, or bunch them together. But while they share some similarities they have more very clear differences, as this expert guide explains. Amphibians and reptiles are two very distinct groups of animals, yet they are often confused for each other or thought to be the same thing. Individuals from each group might look very similar, for example newts and lizards, but in reality, there are far more differences...