28/08/2024

Archive

‘Humanity is failing’: latest report on the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef will continue to deteriorate, largely due to climate change, and the window to secure its future is rapidly closing. That is the sobering conclusion of a major new report into the state of the reef. Here is the Executive Summary of that Report: Executive summary The window of opportunity to secure a positive future for the Great Barrier Reef (the Reef) is closing rapidly. The Reef remains a vast and spectacular ecosystem and one of the...

Dogs – man’s friend, Mother Nature’s helper

Today – August 26th – is International Dog Dag….. Dogs are known as ‘man’s best friend’ including having more love for their human than themselves Conservation Dogs in New Zealand “ The Conservation Dogs Programme mentors, certifies and supports a nationwide network of dog-handler teams. These teams detect New Zealand’s protected species or unwanted pests.”  ( https://www.doc.govt.nz/our-work/conservation-dog-programme/ ) Hunting dogs in Africa or wolves in America….....

A TO Z OF WILDLIFE : NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA | bilby

Bilby populations booming at Currawinya Recent heavy rains and favourable weather conditions have resulted in a booming bilby population at the 2500-hectare enclosure at Currawinya National Park, with numbers estimated to be 3-4 times the initial release group. Monitoring using remote cameras and trackers attached to the base of the bilbies tail are revealing exciting news – these endangered  marsupials are thriving at Currawinya and efforts to save the  species in a long-standing partnership with Save the Bilby Fund are delivering early...

Plastics – and invaders – at the ‘bottom of the world’ : Antarctica is not immune

Rafts of garbage, kelp and other debris could transport alien invaders to a warming Antarctica – reports The Conversation website    ” The remote icy wilderness at the bottom of the world is exposed to pollution and foreign organisms on floating ocean debris. Recognising the threat to Antarctica’s remote coastline and unique marine ecosystems, we wanted to find out where this material is coming from. It turns out it’s travelling further than you might think. Using ocean modelling techniques, we...

Education about plants & gardens

  BGCI is thrilled to announce the 11th International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens! Since its inauguration in 1991 to the 10th Congress in 2018, each International Congress has brought together educators, practitioners, curators, researchers, and academics, to explore cutting-edge developments in botanic garden education. Held every 3-4 years, these congresses have served as global forums, bringing representatives together to exchange ideas, discuss future priorities, and foster collaborative efforts. Previous congresses have tackled themes spanning sustainability, global awareness, biodiversity...

Biggest threats to the ‘man of the forest’

    August 19th is WORLD ORANG UTAN DAY. Here are the biggest threats to the species…. Never before has their very existence been threatened so severely. Economic crisis combined with natural disasters and human abuse of the forest are pushing one of humankind’s closest cousins to extinction. The main threats in today to the survival of orangutans: Loss of habitat through deforestation Palm oil plantations Illegal hunting Illegal pet trade   Orangutans have lost well over 80% of their...

A to Z of wildlife : New Zealand & Australia | Albatross

The Albatross Task Force: reducing albatross deaths by 99% The Albatross Task Force, led by BirdLife International and its UK partner, the RSPB, is an international team of experts on a mission to reduce seabird bycatch by 80% in some of the world’s deadliest fisheries.   Taiaroa Head is the only mainland breeding ground of any species of albatross, and there is nothing that compares with the sheer exhilaration of having a huge Northern Royal Albatross with an over three-metre wingspan...

Why elephants are important….World elephant day 2024

The theme for World Elephant Day 2024 – August 12 – focuses on “Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance, and environmental importance.” This theme highlights the importance of preserving natural habitats to ensure the survival of elephants. RECENT NEWS A groundbreaking study on African elephant communication has revealed that elephants, like humans, use ‘names’ to address each other. Researchers at Save the Elephants, Colorado State University, and ElephantVoices have recorded vocalisations from wild African elephants in Kenya that suggest they address...

Australian ‘Dinosaur trees’ get help from UK

Botanist James Wong joins Forestry England at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest in Kent today to help plant six critically endangered Wollemi Pine trees – the first global ‘metacollection’ to save the iconic species from extinction. Botanist and broadcaster, James Wong, joins Forestry England at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest in Kent on 31.10.2023 to help plant six critically endangered Wollemi pine trees. The planting event is the first stage of an international conservation effort to establish a flourishing, genetically...

World Heritage – the highlights ‘reel’ of recent meeting

The curtain has just come down on the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi.  Here is the end-of-meeting blog by Tim Badman, Director, World Heritage, IUCN IUCN brought a delegation that was not only diverse, but represented the whole of the Union, including global, regional, and country-office staff and Commission specialists. IUCN Regional Councillor Vivek Menon and the World Commission on Protected Areas Regional Vice-chair Sonali Ghosh attended the event as well. There were also IUCN...

Resolving wildlife conflict between elephants and humans …. without killing

Death of Umi sparks concern over electric threat to Sumatran elephants This headline from Mongabay highlights a very real wildlife problem – one where the ‘solution’ is itself creating even more problems – dead elephants. ” Electrified fences set up around farms are an emerging threat to the critically endangered Sumatran elephant, conservationists told Mongabay Indonesia following a series of deaths this year in Aceh and Jambi provinces.” Here are the facts: Electric fences are common deterrents in Africa and...