On Saturday 1 October, something remarkable happened. The Eurasian beaver was officially recognised as both a “native” and a “protected” species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. In England, that means it is now illegal to deliberately kill, injure, or capture the world’s second largest rodent, or disturb their dams, lodges or […]
Tag: river otter
Farmers in England to be allowed to use ‘lethal force’ on beavers
Farmers in England will be allowed to shoot beavers if they threaten their crops, the government has revealed. Conservationists have opposed the move, saying the animals are an “ally to farmers”, helping conserve water in times of drought, and are an endangered species that should be treasured. The rodents became extinct in the UK 400 […]
‘I saw a big set of white teeth coming towards me’: the people who survived terrifying wild animal attacks
Although, mercifully, still rare, there are signs that wild animal attacks on humans are increasing. Research from the scientific journal Nature found that, as our urban areas further expand into the territories of carnivorous animals, attacks on pets, livestock and sometimes humans have been on the rise. In Kashmir, local wildlife departments have been reporting […]
‘I thought I was going to die’: otters attack British man in Singapore park
A man attacked by a pack of otters in a Singapore park has said that he thought he was going to die during the ordeal. Graham George Spencer, a British citizen living in Singapore, said he was chased, pinned down and bitten “26 times in 10 seconds” by a family of otters while out for […]
POLL: Should the Reddish Egret’s habitat be protected?
Hurricane season is again upon us, with storms threatening communities, homes, and wildlife habitat in their path. As communities recover in the wake of these storms and floods, we must implement common-sense policies to help rebuild a more nature-based, resilient landscape to better protect people and wildlife like the reddish egret. The good news is, […]
Video: Two Hungry Jaguars Are No Match for This Plucky Otter
PORTE JOFRE, PANTANAL, BRAZIL – On a particularly hot afternoon last October, two jaguar sisters named Medrosa and Jaju went down to the river to drink. But before they had reached the waters of the Corixo Negro, a giant otter loudly voiced its displeasure. A top predator, the river otter is known to some local […]
Python hunters to tackle Florida’s unwelcome intruder
Bill Booth struggles to recall the last time he saw a raccoon, a fox or a rabbit on one of his frequent hunting excursions deep into the swamps of the Florida Everglades. An outdoorsman all his life, he knows as well as anyone how the native wildlife once abundant across the vast wilderness has been […]
Wildlife catastrophe at Amazon dam a warning for future Tapajós dams
When the Balbina Dam was completed in 1986, it flooded primary forest in the state of Amazonas along Brazil’s Uatumã River, forming a massive reservoir speckled by 3,546 flood-induced islands. In 1990, the Reserva Biológica (REBIO) do Uatumã was established, protecting the entire 443,700 hectare (109,6427 acre) reservoir, dubbed Balbina Lake, along with the adjacent […]