Number twice previous estimates, many of these were never documented Around one in nine bird species has gone extinct in the past 126,000 years, according to a study published in Nature Communications, and humans probably drove most of those extinctions. The findings suggest the rate of bird extinctions is more than double the number estimated previously — and that more than half of the extinct bird species were never documented. The global magnitude of these previously undetected extinctions is likely to “come as a shock to many”, says Jamie Wood, a terrestrial ecologist at the University of Adelaide in Australia. “The sobering thing is that this estimate could actually be conservative,” he says. Over centuries, humans have triggered waves of extinctions among birds and other an...
Read MoreTag: conservation
Platypus returns to Australian national park for first time in half a century
The platypus, a species unique to Australia, was reintroduced into the country’s oldest national park just south of Sydney on Friday in a landmark conservation project after disappearing from the area more than half a century ago. Known for its bill, webbed feet, and venomous spurs, the platypus is one of only two egg-laying mammals globally and spends most of its time in the water at night. A platypus is released by CEO of Taronga Zoo Cameron Kerr and Scientists back into Sydney's Royal National Park for the first time in over fifty years, in Sydney, Australia, May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy Due to its reclusive nature and highly specific habitat needs, most Australians have never seen one in the wild. The relocation is a collaborative effort between the University of New So...
Read MoreTossing flowing crests back and forth, three snow-white Bali mynahs share a branch, squawking and looking around with the trademark blue patches around their eyes catching sunlight. Minutes later, four more join — a sight that would have been impossible in the wild two decades ago. But by working with bird breeders and sellers — the very group that contributed to the prized birds becoming critically endangered — conservationists are releasing them in Bali province, hoping to boost the wild population. Wild Bali mynahs perch on a tree in West Bali National Park in Buleleng, Bali, Indonesia on April 14, 2022. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) Experts say more research and monitoring is needed, but the conservation model has shown promise over the past 10 years and could be replicated for o...
Read MoreRapid increases in the scope and effectiveness of global conservation efforts are critical to maintaining Earth’s ecological integrity New research published in the June 3, 2022 issue of journal Science reveals that 44 percent of Earth’s land area – some 64 million square kilometers (24.7 million square miles) requires conservation to safeguard biodiversity. The team, led by Dr James R. Allan from the University of Amsterdam, used advanced geospatial algorithms to map the optimal areas for conserving terrestrial species and ecosystems across the world. They further used spatially explicit land-use scenarios to quantify how much of this land is at risk from human activities by 2030. A drone view shows road traffic near Banco National Park in Abidjan, Ivory Coast May 16, 2022. REUT...
Read MoreBlack Rhino extinction risk sharply increased by killing of specific female rhinos
New research from The University of Manchester, in collaboration with Kenyan conservationists and scientists, has examined data from the Critically Endangered Kenyan black rhino populations which suggest that individuals really matter when assessing the impact of poaching on species’ survival chances. The research published today in journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, demonstrates that poaching combined with individual rhino’s reproductive variance, or how successful mums are at raising young, leads to a greater than first thought risk to the survival of the black rhino. In the case of these rhino, reproductive variance increased extinction risk by as much as 70% when combined with poaching. Within black rhino populations (and most likely in most animals), some indiv...
Read MoreThe World Bank has issued the world's first wildlife conservation bond, raising $150 million to help efforts to increase the endangered black rhino population in South Africa, the bank said in a statement on Thursday. The five-year 'rhino bond' issued on Wednesday will pay investors returns based on the rate of growth of black rhino populations at South Africa's Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) and the Great Fish River Nature Reserve (GFRNR), the bank said. FILE PHOTO: A black rhino is seen after it was dehorned in an effort to deter the poaching of one of the world's endangered species, at a farm outside Klerksdorp, in the north west province, South Africa. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko After five years, investors would get a return of between 3.7% and 9.2% if the population increase...
Read MoreConservationists decry plan for Albania’s biggest airport Plans to build Albania's biggest airport could destroy one of Europe's most spectacular sanctuaries for giant birds, where the noise of trucks and excavators is already scaring away pelicans and flamingos, ornithologists say. Flamingos are seen at the Vjosa-Narte Protected area in Vlora, Albania, January 15, 2022. REUTERS/Florion Goga The picturesque Vjose-Narte lagoon in the shadow of Albania's Thunderbolt Mountains on the Adriatic Sea, is a crucial stop for flocks of birds on their annual migration between Europe and Africa. It was declared a protected nesting and migration area in 2004, and is home to 200 bird species. The government says a new airport on the lagoon will boost tourism along Albania's pristine Adriati...
Read MoreAustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday promised a further A$1 billion ($703 million) to protect the Great Barrier Reef to support thousands of tourism jobs, just months out from a federal election. The reef, one of Australia's best-known natural attractions but under threat from global warming, has been a lightning rod for criticism of the ruling conservative coalition's support for fossil fuels. Morrison, already under pressure over his handling of the country's worst COVID-19 outbreak fuelled by the Omicron variant, said the investment will help protect about 64,000 jobs in Queensland that depend on the reef. The northeastern state will be a major battleground when Morrison goes to the polls by May, seeking a fourth consecutive term for his party. His conservati...
Read MoreAs many as 49 elephants were killed across the country by hunters in 2021, with law-enforcement agencies arresting 77 accused, a Central government agency said in response to an RTI query. The maximum killings were recorded in Assam (9) followed by West Bengal, Odisha and Tamil Nadu (8 each), Karnataka and Uttarakhand (3 each), the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) said. Both Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh logged two cases of elephant killings while Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra had one case each, it added. Noida-based social and animal rights activist Ranjan Tomar had sought the information from the WCCB, which functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFF) under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. ...
Read MoreBest conservation stories | Mangalajodi | Birdwatching | मंगलाजोड़ी | प्रवासी पक्षियों की अनूठी जगह
Mangalajodi Wetlands in Tangi block of Khurda district of Odisha are not just one of the most beautiful places for birdwatching but it is also one of the best conservation stories of our times. Part of the Chilika Lagoon in Odisha, Mangalajodi hosts lakhs of domestic and migratory birds every year. But it wasn't so always! Just until few years back, this place was known as a 'poachers' village'. But the turnaround brought not just the birds back but also awards, accolades and tourists along! Enjoy the virtual trip to this amazing place! ओड़िशा के खुर्दा ज़िले में तांगी ब्लॉक में है मंगलाजोड़ी गाँव व वेटलैंड्स। यह चिलिका लैगून का ही एक छोर है। यह न केवल बर्डवाचिंग की सबसे अनूठी जगहों में से एक है, बल्कि हमारे दौर में पक्षियों के संरक्षण की सबसे शानदार घटनाओं में से भी एक है। यहाँ हर सा...
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.