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World lion day – born free!

For Born Free, the lion, holds a special place in our hearts as the inspiration behind the charity we know today. Lions live in family groups, known as prides, and can contain up to 12 females, three males and several youngsters at a time. Female offspring will stay with their family group for life, whilst males strike out on their own in small groups looking to establish a pride of their own. With powerful muscular bodies, they are effective hunters working...

Ocean hero dedicated to vaquita … COVID-19

IUCN is deeply saddened by the loss of Mexican conservationist Paco Valverde, who dedicated his life to protect the vaquita – the world’s smallest porpoise and most threatened marine mammal. Paco was regarded as an ocean hero who inspired his community to care for the marine environment on which their livelihood depends. Our thoughts go to his family, who have accompanied him in these conservation efforts. The site was formally listed as “in danger” last year after its population of vaquitas,...

Beavers here to stay!

Wild beavers, once part of England’s rich tapestry of wildlife, had been absent in the country for around 400 years. Hunted to extinction, the animals were in demand for their meat, fur, and castoreum, which was used in medicines and perfumes.  But in 2008, wild beavers were found for the first time in England on East Devon’s River Otter. Although the origin of these animals here is unclear, they are clearly thriving, with an estimated 15 family groups colonising nearly all of the...

New marine mammal areas in Southern Ocean

13 Important Marine Mammal Areas approved in the Southern Ocean, one of the world’s richest marine mammal areas The new IMMAs in the Extended Southern Ocean Region feature habitats for species such as humpback, minke, blue, southern right and fin whales, as well as crabeater, leopard, Weddell, Ross, southern fur and southern elephant seals, New Zealand sea lions and killer whales. “This work will serve to shine a light on the parts of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean which are...

Owl awareness day

Here are some images from twitter There are many groups involved in caring for or promoting owls * https://theowlstrust.org https://hawkandowltrust.org https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/where_to_see_barn_owls https://www.essexwt.org.uk/protecting-wildlife/landscape-conservation/living-landscapes/projects/barn-owl https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/barnowl https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/nestboxes/nestboxes-for-owls-and-kestrels/barn-owl-nest-boxes/ Books featuring the owl...

Garden dragon watch

Garden Dragon Watch is a new survey – focused on amphibians and reptiles – coordinated by ARC Trust . Do you have frogs, toads, newts, lizards, snakes in your garden? Then ART Trust are very keen to know more! register here – https://www.arc-trust.org/garden-dragon-watch...

Monitoring whales from space

Scientists have found that studying high-resolution images of whales from space is a feasible way to estimate their populations.A team, led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), compared satellite images to data collected from traditional ship-based surveys. Reported this week in the journal Scientific Reports, this study is a big step towards developing a cost-effective method to study whales in remote and inaccessible places, that will help scientists to monitor population changes and understand their behaviour. The results show that satellite-estimated...

World Ranger Day

World Ranger Day is celebrated on 31 July to commemorate Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the work Rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Climate change, poaching and armed conflict are some of the challenges facing World Heritage. The Covid-19 pandemic has amplified these issues affecting sites and the managers who protect them. The UNESCO World Heritage Centre would like to use the occasion of World Ranger Day to commemorate...

Marine week – litter HUGE problem!

Marine litter is a pervasive problem up and down the country, with seemingly endless amounts of plastic found on our beaches. During Beach Clean events in 2019, Sussex Wildlife Trust and our amazing volunteers collected 360 kg of litter from 10 different sites. This equated to 18,993 individual pieces of litter, and the majority of this was plastic. In 2018, UN Environment estimated that globally, 13 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every single year. This is a huge...

Tiger, tiger!

All species of tigers are listed in CITES Appendix I, but this elegant predator is still under threat from poaching and habitat encroachment. We must all remain vigilant to conserve our big cats The International Tiger Day is celebrated annually on July 29 to spread awareness about these majestic creatures. Tigers have lost 90% of their natural habitat and the world population is less than 4000. Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/77232966.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Groups working for tigers CITES – https://www.cites.org WWF – World Fund for...

Tiny, deadly! Micro plastics a very real problem!

Happy Plastic Free July! Over the past few years, marine debris, in particular larger plastic items like water bottles and straws, has received a great deal of attention, and with the help of people like you, more and more people know it is a problem! AUSMAP and many other scientists, however, see the microplastics (plastics < 5mm) as a potentially greater danger, even calling for them to be listed as a hazardous substance. Of the close to 300 recognised impacts to wildlife from marine...

Sharks ‘functionally extinct’ !

Worldwide study finds Australia among nations with highest shark numbers, but 34 out of 58 nations have half what was expected ( according to The Guardian) More at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/23/sharks-functionally-extinct-at-20-of-worlds-coral-reefs-as-fishing-drives-global-decline Sharks are missing from 19% of the world’s coral reefs, the greatest decline of reef sharks ever recorded, according to a new analysis. The study suggests overfishing, driven largely by dense human populations and poor governance, has made the ocean’s top predators “functionally extinct” in the waters of eight countries. But...

World mangroves day

Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extra ordinary ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, tsunamis, rising sea levels and erosion. Their soils are highly effective carbon sinks, sequestering vast amounts of carbon. Yet mangroves are disappearing...