Author: sharonstjoan

This video says about itself:

7 May 2014

This amazing bird dance from the island of New Guinea was [recorded] as a result of more than one decade of hard work of biologist Ed Scrolls and photographer Tim Leaman.

From the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City in the USA:

Extraordinary Birds

This online exhibit is based on the book, Natural Histories: Extraordinary Birds, Rare Book Selections from the American Museum of Natural History Library, by Paul Sweet, Collections Manager of the Ornithology Department in the Division of Vertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. The second volume in the Natural Histories series, this volume highlights a selection of the magnificent art work contained in the Museum’s renowned Rare Book Collection in the field of ornithology.

The wonderfully colorful plates featured in Extraordinary Birds are notable for their profound aesthetic beauty, and for…

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on the success of a forced an industry phaseout of common but toxic flame retardants known as PBDEs. There has been a steep decline the chemicals that posed a risk to the bay’s wildlife.

IN 2003 the chemicals levels in San Francisco bay were at higher pollution levels than anywhere else in the world. However a threat that could have damaged bay birds, shellfish and fish for years to come was averted due to the state mandated regulations which required the phasing out of the toxic chemicals.

Read story at   Chemicals’ phaseout a ‘success story’ for S.F. Bay wildlife – SFGate.

A few years ago, photographer Bill Hubick generously donated the use of his photos in NCC publications. We recently chatted with him about a new project he is also involved with – the Maryland Biodiversity Project.

Source: www.natureconservancy.ca

GR:  This is essential work that governments and volunteers must carry out across the Earth.  As Hubick says, ” We live in a time of unparalleled environmental change. How do we assess impacts if we don’t have baseline data? State and federal agencies work tirelessly with limited resources to monitor just our rarest species. We need to monitor changes across the board for many reasons. First, it is far cheaper to manage for a given species when it is declining slightly than to wait until it requires a captive breeding program. Ecosystems are also complex, so trying to understand issues without information about what was present in the area five, 20, or…

This video says about itself:

Lion Protector: Biologist Helps Big Cats and People Coexist

15 December 2014

The fewer than 2,000 lions left in Kenya face many threats, including retaliatory killings by herders who lose livestock to the big cats. National Geographic 2014 Emerging Explorer and conservation biologistShivani Bhalla started a nonprofit, Ewaso Lions, to help herders learn to live with lions—giving the big cats their best chance of survival.

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• Kenya getting tough on poachers: increases fines by 2,500% and jail time by 700%
• International Vulture Awareness Day, 6 September
• Taita Hills, Kenya, new natural history guidebook

This video from Scotland says about itself:

Lesser Redpoll & friends [eg, chaffinches and siskins]

20 February 2012

Redpolls at the (woodland setting) feeders of SWT Reserve Loch of the Lowes were a big surprise on our visit. We had never seen them there before. Had to have some fun with the video captures to celebrate 🙂

This morning, again lesser redpolls, in the same birch tree as yesterday.

On the fence to the left of the tree, two wood pigeons kissing each other. Minutes later, they were cleaning their feathers.

Related articles

• Robin Hood’s hideout The Major Oak named Tree of the Year
• Lady’s Tree named Scotland’s tree of the year
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• Spike in numbers for iconic Scottish bird

This video, recorded in Palestine, says about itself:

Ecological Tour in the West Bank

21 December 2014

Ecological tour in rural Nablus following the occupation hazards and route of the barrier in Wadi Qana.

By Social TV in Israel on this:

December 23, 2014

Take a (virtual) ecological tour of the occupied West Bank

From the separation barrier’s effects on animal migration and plant-life to insufficient sewage infrastructure to the discriminatory use of nature reserves, the occupation’s impact goes far beyond the personal and political — it’s also an environmental hazard. Social TV takes you on an ecological tour of the occupied West Bank.

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• Great crested newts on the move at Bempton
• Pesticides harm bumblebees’ ability to…

Contaminated water at Wheal Jane, where the Department for Environment is spending £2m a year on combating pollution. Photograph: Rex Features. Via The Guardian.

We’ve featured pieces on different biofuels before, though probably not enough of them. We’ve also recently seen an example of how science can help clean up the messes that other scientifically informed — but less environmentally scrupulous — activities create, like the new carbon-scrubbing structures that might be used in coal plants. The topic of bioremediation is one of great interest and which we plan on sharing more about, especially in the mycological realm. For now we’ll start with this story of algal bioremediation and resource recuperation in Cornwall, one of England’s most historically important mining regions. Jamie Doward reports for The Guardian:

A groundbreaking research project to clean up a flooded Cornish tin mine is using algae to harvest the precious heavy metals…

This video says about itself:

4 November 2014

A critically endangeredAsiatic lion has been rescued from a 60ft well after it slipped in during the night.

Dramatic footage shows villagers in remote Gujarat – where some of the only remaining wild prides of the lion species exist – hauling the creature to safety.

The distressed eight-year-old lion can be heard roaring as it stands on a small ledge at the side of the well – which was nearly full with water.

Using some rope tied around the lion’s midriff, about which it is unclear who secured it around the animal, the group of villagers manage to hoist the lion out of the well.

Related articles

• Mouse deer population up in city zoo
• This Wild Rescue Could Have Ended In Disaster, But Thankfully, It Didn’t.
• Two Lion Cubs Died in Wells in India
• The Lions of India
• More wildlife conservation…