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Young people need positive roles in nature

The young birder and environmental campaigner Mya-Rose Craig – a friend of this blog – believes the coronavirus lockdown has had a positive impact on the environment. “Wildlife has been doing much better, as it is less disturbed by people, traffic and dogs. We are listening, noticing and looking much more,” she says. “Hopefully, people will continue to do these things now lockdown is easing, which can only benefit nature and our health.” ( source : The Guardian) “The highlights...

Learning with Nature during lockdown? [competition]

The British Ecological Society is running a competition – answer the question ‘Have you learned from nature during your time in lockdown’ ? Have you done some maths, counting butterflies? have you drawn pictures of creatures in your garden? anyone under the age of 16 years of age can enter – deadline is Monday 13th July at 10am British time Full entry details visit – https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/learning-and-resources/learning-resources/learning-with-nature/ Some of the prizes...

National meadows day

National Meadows Day is an annual celebration of wildflower meadows across the UK. National Meadows Day is your chance to celebrate wildflower meadows near you. National Meadows Day 2020 is … Saturday 4th July.  Today, we are reminded of the 7.5 million acres of meadows and flower-rich grasslands that have been lost since the 1930s. When a meadow isn’t a meadow… A true ‘meadow’ is an area of grass maintained by an annual hay cut. It’s made up of perennial plants –...

African elephants die mysteriously

More than 350 elephants have died in northern Botswana in a mysterious mass die-off described by scientists as a “conservation disaster”. A cluster of elephant deaths was first reported in the Okavango Delta in early May, with 169 individuals dead by the end of the month. By mid June, the number had more than doubled, with 70% of the deaths clustered around waterholes, according to local sources who wish to remain anonymous. Local witnesses say some elephants were seen walking around in circles, which...

Natural world Heritage

They are a ‘litmus test’ to protect biodiversity •    Natural World Heritage sites are globally recognised as the most significant protected areas on Earth.•    These sites provide life-supporting benefits to millions of people – 90% of sites provide jobs, two-thirds are crucial sources of water and about half help prevent natural disasters such as floods or landslides.•    Natural World Heritage sites are under increasing pressure from climate change, infrastructure development, mining, poaching and other threats. •    To protect sites from threats, investment in their protection and management is urgently needed. Closely monitoring the...

Koalas face extinction?

Koalas will be extinct in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) by 2050 unless there is urgent action, an inquiry has found. The once-thriving marsupial has been ravaged by habitat loss, disease and climatic events in recent years. About 5,000 koalas are thought to have died in devastating recent bushfires, the report to state parliament said. It urged lawmakers to ensure that remaining populations did not perish in rapidly diminishing habitats. IFAW – International Fund for Animal Welfare...

Very, very sad penguin picture…

The sad story behind this devastating photograph of a little penguin . This photograph is a shortlisted image in this years Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Little penguins are routinely victims of dog attacks and can become the victims of Victoria’s duck hunting season, which kicks off in March each year. “A couple of weeks ago, I was shocked to see a hunter hidden behind saltbush at the foreshore, and more shocked to be told that it...

Lockdown and lack of outdoors…

What outdoor space tells us about inequality, reports bbc Whether it’s a small balcony, a home garden, or access to a park, outdoor space has long been a luxury for many – not a given. And the pandemic’s made it even worse. “I don’t have anywhere to go, except outside into the pandemic – which feels extremely scary,” says Kgama.  Studies have long shown that access to green or open space is often linked to income, particularly in cities. Covid-19 has placed...

Culling one creature to save another?

There’s a very fine balancing act to be had…. culling – killing using humane methods – one species, to ensure the survival of another Large mice are devastating rare birds on a tiny island, now moves are afoot to exterminate the rodents. But should conservation ever be about killing? Patrick Barkham explains Gough Island is about as remote a fragment of land as it is possible to find on a map. Its 91 square kilometres of uninhabited volcanic rock rise...

Animals benefit from lockdown

Roadkill rates fall dramatically as lockdown keeps drivers at home, reports National Geographic As Americans stayed home in March and April, vehicle deaths declined up to 58 percent among large species like mountain lions, a new report says. During the peak of the lockdowns in March and April, traffic on U.S. roads fell by as much as 73 percent. During that same period, fatal collisions with deer, elk, moose, bears, mountain lions, and other large wild animals fell by as...

Nature writing celebrated

Winners of youth nature writing competition announced, reports BBC Wildlife magazine From 220 entries, three winners have been revealed from the Nature on your Doorstep writing competition: Danielle Amouzou-Akue (14) from Essex, Anna Stone (10) from Norfolk and Benji Janes (6) from Sussex. All three winning stories will be published in an upcoming issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.  “Stories are at the core of everything we do on BBC Wildlife Magazine, so we were thrilled to be able to support this competition and offer the next...

Pollinators in peril!

Pollinators do ‘so much ‘ for humans – they enable us to have flowers, honey, fruit, our morning coffee! Yet, we are often totally unaware of these mini-industries of the Natural World. What are ‘pollinators’? Why are they so important? Arguably there’s no better time to ask …. when it’s National Insect Week in the UK, and Pollinators Week in North America. The Pollinator Partnership explains Birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible...

UK nature needs help!

United Kingdom top environmental groups say that a ‘National nature service’ is needed to help spur recovery of local wildlife and habitats, reports the Guardian newspaper. The coalition has drawn up a list of 330 projects that are ready to go, including flower meadows, “tiny forests” in cities and hillside schemes to cut flooding. It said a service to fund the projects and train workers would create 10,000 jobs and be part of a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic....

World giraffe day!

he lion might be ‘king of the ‘jungle’ , but its the giraffe that has the greatest vision ( pun intended) ….. yes, everyone, it’s World Giraffe Day Giraffes are a unique creature…. The tallest mammal on the planet ; only found in Africa ; endangered or locally extinct in many African countries due to massive habitat loss ; able to Sleep standing up ; has a kick like no other m something which lions sometimes surcome to. More information...