Nature

Category

Hot Topic | plastics massive global problem

Plastics, although a very helpful ( and some might say an indispensible) part of our human lives, is a scourge of the planet … Our seemingly insatiable demand for bottled water has exaggerated the problem. Also, our use of plastic bags which then choke marine life… The below graphics look at what exactly happens to plastic …. and why they are such as very REAL problem to life on earth.                    ...

A to Z of wildlife | animals beginning with letter A ….

Here are a selection of species whose names begin with ‘A’ . I will be looking at each species over time in separate posts in due course. Note this series is about ‘wildlife’ not domestic livestock. Adele penguin African penguin African bust elephant African elephant African hunting dog Albatross                 alligator Amazon river dolphin Amur leopard Antelope   Arctic hare Arctic wolf Armadillo Asian elephant Asiatic black bear          ...

Mapping of wildlife : Australia

Here we begin a snapshot of some of the ‘tools’ used to check what species there are, and where they are… Australia : Atlas of Living Australia  What is it? ‘The Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) is a collaborative, digital, open infrastructure that pulls together Australian biodiversity data from multiple sources, making it accessible and reusable. The ALA helps to create a more detailed picture of Australia’s biodiversity for scientists, policy makers, environmental planners and land managers, industry and the...

Green industry yes…. the Federal Budget

Last night’s budget is another missed opportunity to arrest the poor and deteriorating state of the Australian environment. Subsidising green industry in Labor’s Future Made in Australia policy may offer economic advantages if implemented well, but there is nothing in this budget to help address the immediate environmental crisis facing Australia. more information: https://theconversation.com/green-industry-yes-conservation-no-a-budget-for-people-not-for-nature-229904  ...

Animal myths | bats are NOT blind!

l Contrary to what some most people believe, bats are not blind at all and in fact are believed to have eyesight keener than that of most humans. The misconception that bats are blind comes from their nocturnal nature and enhanced hearing abilities.   Bats are idiosyncratic creatures, with habits that humans find incredibly odd—like occasional bloodsucking, sleeping upside down, and staying up all night. We characterize bats as supernatural, associating them with vampires and even superheroes. With their talent...

Q&A | Why do birds migrate?

On World Migratory Bird Day, we celebrate one of nature’s greatest wonders – bird migration. Twice a year, we marvel at this extraordinary spectacle as migratory birds undertake epic journeys around the globe, connecting and inspiring people along the way.   Why do birds migrate? Not all birds stay in the same place their whole lives. Some migrate to take advantage of seasonal resources, especially food, so that they can breed successfully or simply survive. Some migrations are short, but many...

The mighty pelican

A visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast, Queensland has brought into focus a few facts about the pelican…… The bill and pouch of pelicans play an important role in feeding. The bill is sensitive and this helps locate fish in murky water. It also has a hook at the end of the upper mandible, probably for gripping slippery food items. During periods of starvation, pelicans have been reported capturing and eating seagulls and ducklings. The gulls are...

World Penguin Day

  Penguins are sadly one of the most threatened groups of seabirds, with half of the 18 species listed by Birdlife as either Vulnerable or Endangered. While penguins are well adapted to their environments, human impacts are hitting their homes too hard and too fast for them to cope. The threats are numerous, including habitat loss, pollution, disease, and reduced food availability due to commercial fishing. Climate change is of particular concern for many species of penguin, as the sea...

Earth Day 2024…..Planet vs. Plastic

  EARTHDAY.ORG’s founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has been mobilizing over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. Forbes states: Over the past 60 years, around eight billion tons of plastic has been produced, according to a recent study in the journal Science Advances — 90.5 per cent of which has not been recycled. As a result, this year’s Earth Day...