By Victoria Gill Science reporter, BBC News Great tits use different alarm calls for different predators, according to a scientist in Japan. The researcher analysed the birds’ calls and found they made “jar” sounds for snakes and “chicka” sounds for crows and martens. This, he says, is the first demonstration … Continue reading
From the BBC A huge US energy supplier has agreed to pay out $1m (£620,000) over the deaths of golden eagles at two wind farms. Duke Energy Renewables agreed to the sum after pleading guilty to charges over the deaths of 14 eagles in the past three years at the … Continue reading
By Bob Walker BBC News, Perak state, Malaysia Elephants and humans are coming into contact with each other more often in Malaysia. The areas where elephants used to roam are being built upon or used for agriculture. Some favour relocating them to a national park – but is this the … Continue reading
Amazing win! A South African court just ruled that the government violated Avaaz.org Action Group’s right to free speech when South African authorities tore down ads calling for the protection of South Africa’s lions. 7 February 2013 The South African airport authority (ACSA) refused to put the ads calling for … Continue reading
Human activity is slicing up forests worldwide, and it seems the resulting “islands” of vegetation can go into ecological meltdown much faster than thought NO ANIMAL is an island. Mammals marooned on small islands or in isolated forest fragments are more vulnerable than anyone knew. A case study in Thailand … Continue reading
The illegal ivory trade in Africa may be helping to fund terrorist groups like al-Shabaab. Now an $80 million initiative will scale up the fight against elephant poaching TIME for a war on poaching? Hillary Clinton unveiled an $80 million plan last week by conservation groups and African governments to … Continue reading
UK butterfly numbers have benefited from the long spells of warm weather this summer, according to a nationwide survey. The annual Big Butterfly Count attracted a record 46,000 participants who spotted a total of 830,000 insects. The small white was at the top of the list of sightings, followed by … Continue reading
By Simon Redfern Reporter, BBC News, Newcastle Over the last 14 months there has been a five-fold increase in reported landslides in the UK, scientists say. The British Geological Survey (BGS) has over 16,000 records of landscapes, used to compare variations over time. In one month alone – December 2012 … Continue reading
Mount McKinley, located in the US state of Alaska, measured 83ft (25m) shorter than previously understood. The mountain now stands at 20,237ft. It was was last officially measured in 1952, researchers said. The US Geological Survey speculated that the reduced height could either be the result of more accurate measurement … Continue reading
Work is to begin on the largest tidal turbine energy project in Europe after the Scottish government approved it. MeyGen is to install the tidal array in stages in the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and the Scottish mainland. It will begin with a 9MW demonstration project of up to six … Continue reading
