Nature

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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...

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...

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...

Botany on Tuesday | The Tarkine

Australia habitat with close links with New Zealand What is special about the Tarkine? The Tarkine is the largest wild natural region in north west Tasmania and is a vital haven for flora and wildlife. There are more than 60 species of plants and fauna that are either endangered or rare. The Tarkine (Indigenous name: takayna), officially takayna / Tarkine, is an area in the north west Tasmania, Australia, which contains significant areas of wilderness. The Tarkine is noted for...

Brilliant marine mammal guide in updated ‘Encyclopaedia”

The Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises Eric Hoyt, Principal photography by Brandon Cole, Illustrations by Uko Gorter  A Firefly Book  ISBN 13-987-0-2281-0435-3   “Back on the sea, the wind in my face, the smell of salt water, the crack an explosive spout off the bow, the rapid-fire of cameras clicking cameras as the broad back and dorsal fin appear, the plop of a hydro-phone to eavesdrop on the whalesong…..’    We enter the world of whales, dolphins and porpoises – the so-called...

Parrots of…. Australia & New Zealand

Australia is often referred to as the ‘land of parrots’ however the are some important parrots inhabiting Aotearoa / New Zealand …. Kakapo – flightless parrot ….. Kea – see my other posts on this magnificent alpine parrot   Kaka – endemic (occurs nowhere else) forest parrot  This from Department of Conservation : Threats Kākā require large tracts of forest to survive. Habitat loss from forest clearance for agriculture and logging have had a devastating effect. Browsing by introduced pests...

Mapping of Sharks to better protect them

To protect endangered sharks and rays, scientists are mapping these species’ most important locations “Sharks and their relatives are some of the most imperiled animals on Earth: More than one-third of all known species are threatened with extinction. Many of these animals play vital roles in their ecosystems. Losing marine predators can destabilize entire food webs and the ecosystems that these food webs depend on. In recent years, the management of sharks and their relatives, rays and chimaeras, has largely focused...

Creature feature | the brilliant bilby

The Bilby has bene offered as an alternative to the Easter bunny  What is there difference between the Bilby and Bandicoot? Bilbies have the characteristic long bandicoot muzzle and very big ears that radiate heat. They are about 29–55 cm (11–22 in) long. Compared to bandicoots, they have a longer tail, bigger ears, and softer, silky fur. The size of their ears allows them to have better hearing.   For more, including conservation efforts, check out Save the Bilby Fund...

Hot Topic | African elephants, poaching

  African Elephant conservation African Elephants are one of the most heavily poached mammals in the world. Historic and ongoing demand for ivory is the leading reason behind their slaughter, with habitat destruction, fragmentation and rapid human development posing significant threats also. The African Elephant Loxodonta africana occurs in 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, numbering an estimated 350,000 individuals across the continent. Although certain populations in Central Africa are deemed relatively secure, poaching between 2009–2016 saw a 30% reduction in...

Habitats | Channel Country in Australia – some good news!

12 December 2023, the Queensland Government made this announcement: “Today, the Queensland government will announce historic protections for the Channel Country’s rivers and floodplains. Under the protections, any future oil or gas drilling in the floodplain areas of the Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre basin would be prohibited. Today’s announcement will come after eight years of rolling commitments from Queensland Labor to protect the Channel Country rivers and floodplains since they entered government in 2015. Throughout this time Traditional Owners, Channel Country...

Tuesday Plant Talk | Value of rainforests

  Rainforests – especially tropical rainforests – are said to have ‘an outsized role in the world, with their significance outweigh by their size.. Of the Earth’s ecosystems, rainforests support the largest variety of plants and animal species, house the majority of indigenous groups still living in isolation from the rest of humanity, and power the mightiest rivers. Rainforests lock up vast amounts of carbon, moderate local temperature, and influence rainfall and weather patterns at regional and planetary scales. BUT...