More than 300 hunts gathering for Boxing Day met on Saturday amid growing parliamentary opposition from Conservative MPs to repealing the ban on hunting foxes with packs of hounds. The traditional outings, expected to attract around 250,000 riders and supporters, are usually portrayed by the Countryside Alliance as a symbol of mass protest against the […]
Category: Wildlife
How the robin’s red breast could be the key to colours that never fade
Sheffield scientists now know why kingfishers catch fire, robins are red, and jays are blue: the pattern of colour on a bird’s wing may have nothing to do with pigment, and everything to do with feather structure on a scale of billionths of a metre. The research has a potential pay-off for fabric manufacturers and […]
VOTE for the Best Photo of the Year 2015
Welcome to the “Best Photo of the Year 2015” competition showcasing and celebrating the biodiversity of Planet Earth. Voting is easy and lots of fun. First click an image and browse through the slideshow. Then select the three images you like best of all and click the VOTE button at the bottom of the page. […]
Highest ever count of Pied Kingfishers in Saudi Arabia – Sabkhat Al Fasl
As mentioned in a previous post there appears to have been a significant influx of Pied Kingfishers into the eastern part of Arabia in late October and early November 2015 with birds seen in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait as well as Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia there was a single female at […]
Damming the Amazon: new hydropower projects put river dolphins at risk
A dam-building boom is underway in the Amazon. More than 400 hydroelectric dams are in operation, being built, or planned for the river’s headwaters and basin. Scientists know that tropical dams disrupt water flow and nutrient deposition, with negative consequences for aquatic animals, especially migratory species. But little detailed knowledge exists as to the impacts […]
Video: South Georgia and the Falkland Islands
On October 29th I packed my bags for a trip of a lifetime to perhaps the most remote place I have ever been – South Georgia Island. Before this trip I had never been anywhere close to this far south. I had never been so far out at sea. And I had definitely never seen […]
Results of the Best Photo of the Week Ended 19 Dec 2015
We are delighted to announce the results of our latest photo competition. Dana Allen wins First Prize for his brilliant capture “Up, Up and Away”. Gerardo Colaleo wins Second Prize for his outstanding composition “El Bulbul Come Mosquitos “. Third Place goes to Augusto Atturo for “Puffin”. See detailed results below: (click on thumbnails for […]
Toxic Algae Causing Brain Damage, Memory Loss in Sea Lions
A toxin produced by marine algae can impair sea lions’ memory, scientists reported Monday, making it difficult for sick sea lions to find their way to food. Large growths, or blooms, of the algae off the coast of California may have contributed to the unprecedented number of starving sea lions that have washed up on […]