If you wanted to kill as many people as possible, deniably and with no criminal consequences, what would you do? You’d do well to start with a bird flu. Bird flus are responsible for all the known flu pandemics: the great influenza that started more than a century ago, “Asian flu”, “Hong Kong flu” and […]
Tag: COVID-19
Himalayan musk deer talk to each other through poop, but poachers are also listening
KATHMANDU — On April 25, 2020, barely a month after the country went into COVID-19 lockdown, authorities at Nepal’s Sagarmatha National Park reported “one of the worst cases of poaching in recent years”: Six Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) had been found killed by poachers. Officials from the park, situated in the Everest foothills, said […]
Colorado’s bighorn sheep and mountain goats threatened following surge in big game hunting applications
When the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out, the vast majority of Americans went outside. National shutdowns and social distancing guidelines became the norm during the transition. Meanwhile, state and national parks around the United States have seen an increase in visitors. The number of large game hunting applications in Colorado, on the other hand, has […]
Foundation to Undertake Biggest Tiger Rescue in Thailand’s History
The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand plans to undertake the biggest tiger rescue in Thailand’s history. Last week, the WFFT received news that the Phuket Zoo would be suddenly closing its doors for good. They asked that the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand rehome eleven tigers and two bears. The WFFT already takes care of more than […]
As Covid recedes in US a new worry emerges: wildlife passing on the virus
As America’s pandemic – for now – seems to be moving into a new phase with national rates in decline from the September peak and vaccines rolling out to children, a new worry has appeared on the horizon: wildlife passing on the virus. A new study shows that deer can catch the coronavirus from people […]
Fur farmers to receive between €4m to €8m in compensation as Cabinet approves ban
The Irish Cabinate has approved legislation that will ban fur farming in Ireland as well as establishing a compensation scheme for fur farmers that will be forced to close. Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue brought the memo today in relation to the Animal Health and Welfare (Amendment) Bill 2021. The commitment to prohibit the breeding […]
COVID could wreak havoc on gorillas, but they social distance better than we do
Endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s famous Volcanoes National Park could face “population collapse” within 50 years if some of them contract COVID-19, new research suggests. There are only around 1,000 mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) left in the wild, all in protected areas in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and tourists come […]
When North America locked down, birds filled the gap left by people
An analysis of bird sightings in Canada and the U.S. showed that many North American species, from mighty eagles to diminutive hummingbirds, gained ground during COVID-19 lockdowns as humans sheltered in place. “Bald eagles changed their use of the entire North American continent,” said Nicola Koper, professor of conservation biology at the University of Manitoba […]