In an environmental twist, Florida’s manatees, known for their gentle nature, face a precarious future as their reliance on power plants for warm water collides with the state’s transition towards renewable energy. These marine mammals, affectionately dubbed “sea cows,” have found solace in the artificially warmed waters discharged by power plants, a critical adaptation since […]
Bird flu outbreak in NYC prompts new health alert
Residents and visitors are being warned not to chase or try to catch birds and to wash their hands after any contact with droppings. It is feared humans could become infected after a farmer in Texas tested positive for the virus at the start of this month , becoming the second case in the US […]
Elephant calves have been found buried – what does that mean?
The myth of elephant graveyards has pervaded popular culture, and recent observations of buried Asian elephant calves may finally give that legend some credence. In the research published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, two scientists describe five instances where elephant calves have been found buried in a legs-upright position within irrigation trenches of tea […]
Urgent Call to Halt Cruel Importation of Long-Tailed Macaques for Research
It has come to light that over 1,400 long-tailed macaques were captured from the wild in Indonesia and imported to the United States for use in cruel animal tests. This distressing practice has prompted vehement calls from animal advocacy groups Lady Freethinker and Action for Primates urging the U.S. government to cease the importation of […]
Salmon fishing off California’s coast banned for second year in a row
Salmon fishing off the coast of California will be banned for a second consecutive year, authorities said Wednesday, citing lower fish stocks impacted by drought and wildfires. The heavy blow for the state’s salmon sector — which one industry group says supports 23,000 jobs — comes as salmon have struggled to successfully reproduce in low […]
Tapirs in Brazil’s Cerrado inspire research on human health & pesticides
It was in 2015 when researchers were attempting to capture tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) in the Brazilian Cerrado to install monitoring collars so they could study the species. While trying to complete the anesthetic procedure, they noticed that the anesthesia was not working, and as a result, they had to supplement the doses for the procedure […]
Swifts need more nest boxes, but that alone won’t be enough. Here’s why
Swifts need two things. Safe, dry, nest holes high up on walls and lots of flying insects to eat—but both are in decreasing supply. Nice, neat roof lines on modern housing, free from cracks and crevices, do not make for good swift hospitality. Campaigners are calling for the widespread installation of swift boxes or bricks […]
As earth day approaches
Our world was once a garden, lush and full of promise. We humans took that great promise, threw it on the ground, stomped upon it and looked away. Look again, look at the great gift we so disrespected. Inside of us is all life, eons of history and its mysteries. Let us do what we […]