Animals
City-Dwelling Sparrows Forced to Tweet Louder
Here comes a wonderful tidbit. Sparrows thriving in the towns change the pitch and dialect of their songs as they are fed up with irritating noises around them. Yes, this fact has come up as part of a study conducted by David Luther, term assistant professor of biology at Mason. The study included a comparison on bird songs recorded from 1969 ...
Animal Welfare Associations Call for Ban on Mulesing
As many as 17 organizations working on behalf of animal welfare have submitted a position paper regarding the ill practice of Mulesing and they urge the world governments to abandon the barbaric custom at any cost. The paper seems just but the wool industry is under serious pressure. As the world’s largest supplier of wool, and an essential supplier of finer-gauge ...
Climate Change to Trigger Extinction of 900 Bird Species by 2100
It has been predicted that by 2100, climate change could cause up to 30 percent of land-bird species to go extinct worldwide. This accounts for about 900 bird species. A study which has brought forth worrisome facts analyses of extinction rates to incorporate the most recent climate change scenarios set forth earlier this year in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel ...
Plastic Kills Whales in Large Numbers; Immediate Action Need of the Hour
Plastic pollution is becoming a huge problem in the world’s oceans. As per the Ocean Conservancy’s 2008 International Coastal Cleanup, a total of 11,439,086 items of debris were collected worldwide. Microplastics used as exfoliators in many facial cleansers are thought to pose a high risk to the marine environment. Their tiny size means they pass through wastewater treatment facilities and end ...
Dragonflies to Aid Future Flying Robot Design
Nature has always proved to be an inspiration for tech innovations. It is now the turn of dragonfly to inspire technological innovations in Robotics. A Duke University team has put together their hopes on the dragonflies’ flight dynamics to create better flying robots. They are reportedly dong this by fixing tiny sensors on the tiny creatures. Complex flight patterns of ...
Shark Fin Products Banned in Toronto
Shark fin products have been banned in Toronto, Canada. Councilors voted 38-4 to make Canada’s largest city a shark fin free zone after a three hour long debate on the topic. Sale and consumption of shark fin soup and other products within the city limits got banned with an effect from September 1, 2012. The objections to the ban were ...
Knit Sweaters for Penguins Hit by Oil Spill
The mute victims of the oil spill in Kiwi land are looking for help! Penguins caught in New Zealand’s recent oil spill incident are in need of sweaters to keep them warm. Animal lovers are calling for sweaters that will help them stay warm until they are well enough to be scrubbed down. The sweaters will also prevent the oil from ...
Red Squirrels in England Could Be Extinct in 20 Years
A recent study suggests that the red squirrel, which is commonly seen throughout Europe, could be extinct in England within the next 20 years. The population of the species has declined 50 percent in 50 years. The red squirrel and many other small mammals in England are facing troublesome times at the moment. The reasons for the decline in population include ...
Jojo Sneakers Strike an Eco-friendly Point with Carrier Pigeon Idea [Video]
Christoph Nagel and Matthieu Vaxelaire are in no mood to allow us to stereotype their Jojo brand of sneakers. In an extreme show of concern for the nature, they have gone in for a novel idea to deliver the sneakers. The sneaker brand has appealed to ecologists and animal lovers alike, though not essentially on the same spirits. The makers are, ...
Bahamas Recognizes Importance of Sharks; Gives Them a Sanctuary
The Bahamas is the latest in a train of countries that are giving top priority to shark conservation. They have converted 243,244 square miles of the country's waters into a shark sanctuary, prohibiting any commercial fishing of the animals. A Treehugger report quoting Jill Hepp, manager of Global Shark Conservation for the Pew Environment Group, said, “2011 is fast becoming the ...
