300 million native animals killed – by foxes – every year

  Important news research from The Conversation shows foxes and the damage they do… Foxes kill about 300 million native mammals, birds and reptiles each year, and can be found across 80% of mainland Australia, our devastating new research just published reveals. This research, the first to quantify the national impact of foxes on Australian wildlife, also compares the results to similar studies on cats. And we found foxes and cats collectively kill 2.6 billion mammals, birds and reptiles every year....

New Wildlife Study Identifies key threats unique belugas

( Image National Geo Kids ) Findings in a new Defenders of Wildlife study published in Frontiers in Marine Science, show that threats like pollution and prey limitations are preventing recovery of whale species that are closely related to Cook Inlet beluga whales. Research shows that these threats are likely contributing to the continued decline of this species.   “This research provides a better understanding of why the population of Cook Inlet belugas continues to decline,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, director...

Seagrasses hidden, vital marine habitat

It’s Seagrass Awareness Month ( images from Pew Trust ) Seagrasses support commercial fisheries and biodiversity, clean the surrounding water and help take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Because of these benefits, seagrasses are believed to be the third most valuable ecosystem in the world (only preceded by estuaries and wetlands). 7 Reasons to protect Seagrass – Remarkable flora, found in waters around the world, benefits ocean health and people The Pew Trust on why Seagrass is so important:...

Trees our greatest ally in floods

images by Henricus Peters  Trees are very important in our natural landscapes – never more so when it comes to     the impacts of flooding…. Dr Gregory Moore, botanist, writes on The Conversation website : “As the floodwaters recede, mountains of debris are left behind – sheets of plaster, loose clothes, mattresses and, of course, trees. Some debris I’ve seen in floods includes massive tree trunks weighing 5 tonnes of more, bobbing along like corks in the rapidly flowing...

Frogs – Evolution of & websites too

  Why are frogs important? “ Without frogs, we’d have a tougher job protecting our crops from pests. Healthy frog populations can keep mosquito numbers down, as tadpoles and mosquito larvae battle it out in ponds and swamps, thereby reducing your chance of contracting mosquito-borne disease “ ( source : https://inspiringnsw.org.au/2017/11/29/why-frogs-count/ ) A brilliant video below on frog’s evolution by Light Moth Media     Some recommended frog websites https://www.jonathankolby.com Save the Frogs Froglife UK Frog ID via Australia Museum ...

The flooding caused a HUGE impact on Australian wildlife

‘The sad reality is many don’t survive’: how floods affect wildlife…. For over two decades, bull sharks have called a Brisbane golf course home after, it’s believed, a flood washed them into the course’s lake in 1996. Now, after severe floods connected their landlocked home back to the river system, these sharks have gone missing, perhaps attempting to seek larger water bodies. This bizarre tale is one of many accounts illustrating how Australia’s wildlife respond to flooding. But the sad...

Connecting city kids to the outdoors

From Children & Nature I was shocked at how much you could see the stars. I hadn’t realized how much you couldn’t see from the city but could see from there. It really took my breath away,” said 14-year-old Cinthya Costa as she described her first overnight trip in the Delaware Water Gap with Team Wilderness. Growing up, Aracelis Hannah and Cynthia Costa never went on hikes or slept outdoors surrounded by nature. It wasn’t until Hannah’s mother stumbled upon...

Celebrating women’s day planting mangroves

International Women’s Day is a global day to celebrate and acknowledge the social, economic, cultural and political achievements and contribution of women.  IUCN Pakistan and HRDN celebrated International Women’s Day at Port Qasim by planting Mangroves IUCN Pakistan in collaboration with its member organizations Human Resource Development Network (HRDN), Health And Nutrition Society (HANDS) and National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) celebrated International Women’s Day at Tor Island, Port Qasim, Karachi. The members of HRDN and IUCN staff members also participated...

Go green for lent

How can we become better at caring for creation and improving our lives and the lives of others through healthy, eco-friendly and sustainable living?     The Lenten 40-day period before Easter gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice of fasting and commit to giving up something that brings a real benefit to nature and helps address climate change. Below are some changes you could make that will help the environment. Take time to pray, reflect and consider...

Global plastics treaty

The United Nations is set to approve a plan to create the world’s first ever global plastic pollution treaty, describing it as the most significant green deal since the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Member states have held talks for more than a week in Nairobi to agree the outline of a pact to rein in plastic pollution, an environmental crisis that extends from ocean trenches to mountain tops. Government officials will later today approve a resolution that lays out the...

World Engineering Day

In New Zealand… Engineering New Zealand Wonder Project nightlights STEM The Wonder Project is Engineering New Zealand’s initiative to get the next generation excited about a career in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). It’s about sparking wonder in STEM from a young age, building confidence, and having all young Kiwis believing they can achieve remarkable things. In Australia… Engineers Australia is set to celebrate the UNESCO designated World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (WED) on Friday 4 March. The...

IUCN establishes new conservation action centres

“The biodiversity and climate crises are being fuelled by unsustainable economic and social policies. Without more transformational approaches that invest in people and the planet, we will not achieve new nature or climate targets that are essential for us to protect and improve life on Earth,” according to  IUCN Deputy Director General Stewart Maginnis. * I’m a member of IUCN commission for education and communication This from IUCN : In response to the escalating nature and climate crises, including the urgent...