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 LearnFromNature  Tweet  ...

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 LearnFromNature  Tweet  ...

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...

IUCN launches new standards

Most engineering projects, manufacturing industries, retail operations – in fact, almost every business activity on earth – have agreed standards that underpin the safety and efficiency of those activities. To date, that has certainly not been the case for nature-based solutions – the implications of which are perhaps even more significant given how critical our ecosystems are to the survival of all life on earth. Setting the standard Nature-based solutions (NbS) are a powerful ally to address societal challenges such...