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Snakes

Snakes – they are amazing, beautiful animals – they can also bring out the ‘fear and loathing’ in some people, as they have the potential to do real damage, but only of course if confronted or threatened. This sign I photographed recently – the classic ‘S’ movement – made my heart skip a beat, also as I was with a suitcase (strange I know, but ‘travel’ ). The late Steve Irwin ( above with Terri his wife), one of my...

All about… platypus

A Question Hidden in the Platypus Genome: Are We the Weird Ones? From The New York Times When the British zoologist George Shaw first encountered a platypus specimen in 1799, he was so befuddled that he checked for stitches, thinking someone might be trying to trick him with a Frankencreature. It’s hard to blame him: What other animal has a rubbery bill, ankle spikes full of venom, luxurious fur that glows under black light and a tendency to lay eggs? Centuries later, we’re still...

Glum future! The platypus

The platypus – Scientists say the risk of local extinctions is rising due to damaged waterways, land clearing and climate change – the Guardian reports It is dusk beside a creek and we are instructed to look for a trail of bubbles, under which could be one of the world’s weirdest mammals. When you’re desperate to see a platypus in the fading light, everything looks like one. Floating logs from bank-side paperbark trees, gyrating leaves caught in a dance with...

Volcanoes in Australia : lava tubes

Volcanoes in Australia Active volcanoes generally occur close to the major tectonic plate boundaries. They are rare in Australia because there are no plate boundaries on this continent. However, there are two active volcanoes located 4000 kilometres south west of Perth in the Australian Antarctic Territory: Heard Island and the nearby McDonald Islands. The other active volcanoes nearest Australia are in Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Gas-rich sticky magmas dominate the Asia Pacific, making composite volcanoes...

Nature in the time of COVID-19

In the column below, our co-founder and author Richard Louv writes about the need for nature during COVID-19 and the growth of the children and nature movement—made possible by members and partners around the world. Our annual membership drive ends next week and we are so close to our goal. You can put us over the top and build the constituency for children and nature by becoming a member today! Our Need for Nature in the Time of COVID  RICHARD LOUV, THE NEW NATURE...

Trees – global breathe machine!

The Dyerville Giant fell to earth in 1991. The Dyerville Giant was a 113-meter (370-foot) coast redwood tree, taller than the Statue of Liberty, in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California. The crash was so loud that people in the closest towns thought it was the noise of a big train accident. The redwood’s fall moved the earth so much that it registered on a nearby seismograph, a device scientists use to measure earthquakes. Dave Stockton, who runs the Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association, remembers visiting the downed redwood the day after it...

A decade for the ocean

What is the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development? On 5 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, to be held from 2021 to 2030. This Decade will provide a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries’ actions to sustainably manage the Oceans and more particularly to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Why a Decade of Ocean Science? The UN Decade of Ocean Science for...

World Heritage – Stone Town – very sad collapse

News from The World Heritage Centre : Following news of the collapse of a part of the House of Wonders (Beit-al-Ajaib) in Stone Town, Zanzibar on 25 December 2020, the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Ms Mechtild Rössler joins the people of Zanzibar, and the United Republic of Tanzania in general to mourn this sudden and significant loss. The House of Wonders is one of the outstanding monuments in the Stone Town of Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania), a property inscribed on...

Wildlife watching ( 1 )

New series – where and how to view and enjoy / learn about wildlife Boondall Wetlands, Queensland, Australia Environment centres Enter your search terms. Brisbane has three environment centres at Boondall Wetlands, Downfall Creek and Karawatha Forest. Each natural area is unique and provides opportunities for visitors to the centres to: relax and play in a natural setting with family and friends learn about the local flora and fauna participate in free or low-cost organised activities, such as canoeing, guided...

2020 review : people, Nature, coronavirus

The earth from space – above – might give the impression of ‘life as usual’ … this year of 2020 has been anything but! The truth, I would argue, is hidden in plain sight. We know of the completely tragic human consequences; let’s remind ourselves of what happened in Nature – arguably some ‘good news’ ? Here’s my review of some key news items… The Guardian reported how diseases spread more rapidly , when Nature is damaged : The human...

Christmas animals – robin

The robin is, without doubt, one of our favourite garden birds. It seems to trust us, staying close when we’re in the garden and even taking food from our hands. Where do robins go in summer? As most robins don’t migrate, they don’t really disappear over the summer – they just become a bit less visible. When food is more readily available during the summer, robins are more likely to forage out of sight in the woods rather than coming...

Christmas animals: Caribou v reindeer

They may be the same species, but these two animals are very different. Many of these differences stem from their relationship with humans throughout history. Reindeer in Eurasia were domesticated over 2000 years and although some animals remain in the wild, reindeer is a blanket name that includes both the domesticated and wild populations. In Canada, we refer to them as caribou, and almost all of them are wild; the ones that are not are also referred to as reindeer....