Rising avocado prices fuelling illegal deforestation in Mexico
Mexican farmers can make higher profits than most other crops so are thinning out pine forests to plant young avocado trees The popularity of the avocado in the US and rising prices for the “superfood” are fuelling deforestation in central Mexico. Mexican farmers can make much higher profits growing avocados than from most other crops […]
Climate scientists make a bold prediction about sea level rise | John Abraham
John Fasullo and colleagues predict that satellites will detect accelerating sea level rise within the next decade One of the great things about science is that it allows you to make predictions. Three top climate scientists just made a very bold prediction regarding sea level rise; we should know in a few years if they […]
The lake that left town: why is this California community drying up?
Eagle Lake is one of the largest in the state, but receding waters have caused the town around it, and its industries, to dwindle. Is climate change to blame? Val Aubrey parked her boat trailer on the shore of Eagle Lake, in north-eastern California. She walked to an overlook where a sign warned against swimming […]
Hinkley Point: Mandelson urges government to support China-backed project
Labour peer says Brexit vote has put UK in difficult position and ‘we can’t be too fussy about who we trade with’ Peter Mandelson, the former business secretary, has urged the government to go ahead with the controversial, Chinese-backed Hinkley Point nuclear project, saying that after Brexit “we can’t be too fussy about who we […]
Shipping noise impairs ability of humpback whales to forage, study shows
Shipping noise in the North Atlantic could impact population levels of the whales, new research shows Increased shipping noise is disrupting the foraging behaviour of humpback whales in the North Atlantic, according to a new study. Scientists in the US and UK said their findings could impact upon the numbers of humpback whales in the […]
More seals in greater Thames estuary, reports London zoo – video
Conservation scientist Jo Barker from London zoo takes us on a tour of the greater Thames estuary to see the harbour and grey seal populations. The harbour seal population has largely increased in spite of the episodic phocine distemper virus. There are concerns that the seals’ habitat will be damaged as a result of dredging […]
Rising seal numbers in Thames estuary hide triple threat to populations
Scientists conducting annual count of grey and common seals warn of potential impact of dredging, a deadly virus and predation between species Scores of seals loll on the riverbank of the Stour, snorting and bellyflopping as they sun themselves a couple of miles outside Ramsgate’s busy marina. Far from exceptional, these are just a smattering […]
Wildlife officials urge people to stop painting endangered turtle shells
‘If you want to paint something, paint a rock,’ Florida officials implore after shells of a threatened tortoise species were found daubed with paint Wildlife officials in Florida have urged people to not illustrate the shells of a threatened tortoise species after several animals were found daubed with paint. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation […]
Salvage crew plans to board oil rig blown ashore on Isle of Lewis
The Transocean Winner rig ran aground on coast of Scottish island on Monday and is carrying 280 tonnes of diesel A small group of salvage experts are planning to attempt to board a vast drilling rig which ran aground on the coast of the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. They are due to be winched […]
China-UK investment: key questions following Hinkley Point C delay
Theresa May’s decision to put off approval for nuclear power station has put Chinese-British business relationship under strain The relationship between the British and Chinese governments is under strain after the prime minister, Theresa May, decided to delay approval of the planned £18bn Hinkley Point C nuclear power station because of concerns over China’s 30% […]