A study of feral cats in Tasmania shows that culling them to reduce their impact on native wildlife had a paradoxical effect - their population went up! If you can't take 'pest' animals out faster than they can reproduce and move in from nearby areas, writes Christopher Johnson, you're better off not bothering at all.
… 2015 Comment Australia Ecology Hunting feral-cat-nsw-cut.jpg A study of feral cats in Tasmania shows that culling them to … Predators such as the red fox and feral cat have been especially destructive, …
Extinction is not just for exotic species in Africa or Asia, writes Louise Ramsay. Right here in the UK we have almost allowed our very own Scottish wildcat to disappear through persecution and mismanagement - despite its being a protected species under EU and Scottish law. Now it will take swift and effective action to bring it back from the brink.
… 19th December 2015 News 19th December 2015 wilcat.jpg Extinction is not just for exotic … have almost allowed our very own Scottish wildcat to disappear through persecution and … it back from the brink. The Scottish Wildcat is the British variant of the European …
Promises made by governments to cut their greenhouse emissions come nowhere near stopping global warming rising above the 2C danger level, writes Alex Kirby. And in many cases the laws and policies needed to deliver them are absent.
… joined up to form Climate Action Tracker (CAT). They have just released their analysis … pathway With the INDCs submitted to date, the CAT report projects that total global … consistent with limiting warming below 2°C." CAT has assessed 15 of the INDCs covering …
Declining tuna stocks are not the only consequence of an out-of-control tuna industry, writes Cat Dorey. A major tuna fishing method used in tropical seas is causing serious damage to coral reefs and attracting a huge 'bycatch' of sharks and other species. Now responsible producers and retailers are taking matters into their own hands - and you can help!
… tuna industry's floating atoll destroyers Dr Cat Dorey Greenpeace | 14th October 2015 … of an out-of-control tuna industry, writes Cat Dorey. A major tuna fishing method used in … to coral reefs and attracting a huge 'bycatch' of sharks and other species. Now …
Mexico is determined to restore populations of its largest native predator, the jaguar, to long term viability, writes Kent Paterson. That means creating millions of acres of ecological corridors across the country, and joining with US colleagues to secure large areas of habitat in southwestern states, where recent sightings give hope that jaguars are returning to their former range.
… From Yucatan to Arizona, from Sonora to New Mexico: … to protect the Americas' biggest wild cat. A Mexican initiative, the National … for two long biological corridors dedicated to jaguar conservation. Contouring …
Energy 'too cheap to meter? This time it could be true thanks to the fast rising proportion of zero marginal cost renewable power in our electricity system, writes Roger Kemp. But that has profound implications for how we pay for our electricity - indeed the entire electricity market and consumer pricing system must be radically rethought.
… | 9th February 2015 News Energy Renewables UK cat-solar-roof-cut.jpg Energy 'too cheap to … writes Roger Kemp. But that has profound implications for how we pay for our electricity - …
Most of the world's large herbivores - from elephants to gorillas, tapirs and sloths - are at risk of extinction, a new study shows. With most of these species in poorer countries, rich nations should dedicate substantial resources to their survival. But we must also lead by example - by reintroducing them ourselves.
… in poorer countries, rich nations should dedicate substantial resources to their survival. … rhinoceros-sized marsupials, sabre-toothed cats, marsupial lions, dire wolves, American … Why don't we bring back herds of wild cattle - the ecological equivalent and modern …
The return of pine martens to central Ireland has been followed by a resurgence of red squirrels, writes Emma Sheehy. Now that the predatory mammal is being seen south of the Scottish border, the same could happen in England. The heavier grey squirrel is easy prey for pine martens, and their demise could open up ecological space for the native red to recolonise.
… of Britain's second-rarest mammal, a cat-sized relative of badgers and weasels, is … are linked. Pine martens as pest eradicators? There are several subtle but …
Something scary is lurking in the melting Arctic permafrost, write Tim Radford & Oliver Tickell: 1,700 Gt of carbon. That's 53 years worth of current emissions, and if we let it melt the impact would cost the world $43 tn. Or act now, and we could preserve the Arctic ice for a seventh as much.
… Arctic permafrost. But they are mere pussy cats compared to the real danger - 1,700 Gt … methane (CH 4 ) would increase the chances of catastrophic floods, wind storms, heat waves …
The return of the lynx to the British Isles could bring many benefits, writes Niki Rust, not least to the ecology of our woodlands, ravaged by too many deer. But we must not forget the human factor: livestock farmers may fear the arrival of a top-level predator, and their support will be essential to the success of any reintroduction.
… policies in place so it is unlikely that the cat's preferred forested habitat will be … cause. The IUCN clearly states : "Any translocation will impact and be impacted by human … political factors must be integral to translocation feasibility and design. These factors …
When Oxeye daises looked like taking over her mini-meadow, Jo Cartmell was tempted to intervene. But instead, she held back and let nature take its course. Now, a few seasons later, the floral diversity has only increased, taking in some unexpected but welcome arrivals - along with their insect companions, all making their home on what used to be an unloved patch of lawn.
… , with Red Clover , Birdsfoot Trefoil and Cat's Ear weaving through, here and there, … They were subconsciously drawn to the evocative images of once commonplace wildflower …
Technology is crucial to all the big issues, but criticism is hampered by mythologies and structures of power, writes David King. Designed by and for corporate interests, modern industrial technologies embody a 400-year old technocratic philosophy of control of nature and people which must be confronted.
… Even on the verge of climate and biodiversity catastrophe, how much were issues of … - but one that only becomes known once the cat is well out of the bag. Breaking the Frame … mental health system. The intensification of technocracy, through the Industrial …
Our bees and wider farmland ecosystems have been seriously harmed by neonicotinoids, writes Dave Goulson. But that's just the start of the damage that modern farming is doing to wildlife in a countryside stripped of wild flowers and drenched by cocktails of pesticides. The problem is not just neonics, but the entire model of industrial agriculture.
… and on domestic pets - if you have a dog or cat, you probably apply drops of …
Last week the consortium holding a £22bn contract to clean up the Sellafield nuclear site was sacked, writes David Lowry. But this is just the end of a long and scandalous tale of corporate profit at taxpayers' expense, and the active collusion of ministers and senior officials in fighting off Parliamentary scrutiny.
… all is not what seems, and there is a complicated backstory to the Sellafield decision, … minister responsible what recent communications or discussions had taken place with … decommissioning contract on the indemnification of the contract holder against claims …
The idea of a 'good, or even great, Anthropocene' as promised in the Ecomodernist Manifesto is purely delusional, writes Derrick Jensen. Worse, it underlies a narrative in which the wholesale destruction of nature and of sustainable indigenous societies is repackaged as a noble mission - one whose ultimate purpose is the complete alienation of humans from the planet that spawned us.
… insane enough to attempt to provide justifications for this murder. That brings us to An … elephants and great apes and great cats and two hundred species per day; it's … the oceans are acidifying, and are suffocating in plastic. I guess none of this counts …
If you care about the wildlife in our countryside and the welfare of animals, then make your vote count in the general election, writes Joe Duckworth. Backed by Cameron himself, 'country sports' enthusiasts are getting organised to support pro-killing candidates. We must be even more effective in opposing them.
… same influence as the NHS, the economy or education, and rightfully so. But as the focus of … been the best and only way for some people to catch their food. Time has moved on, and snares are still being used - enough to catch 1.7 million animals every year. But …
'Conservation' is destroying those who've nurtured their surroundings for timeless generations, writes Stephen Corry - the Indigenous Peoples who have actually fashioned those precious places that we now mistake as 'natural'. It's time for a new conservation ethic that recognizes them as senior partners - not as 'squatters'' and 'poachers' to be evicted and criminalized.
… places, they're getting worse. 'Voluntary relocation' from tiger reserves For example, the … the conservationists call it 'voluntary relocation'. Needless to say, it's illegal. It … from the famous Kanha reserve respect the big cats as their 'little brothers'. Hunters or …
An initiative to re-home abused, over-worked domestic elephants is supporting the conservation of one of Cambodia's last and most species-rich rainforests, writes William Laurance. Growing ecotourism in the area, attracted by the elephants, is engaging indigenous communities in forest protection and helping to stave off the pressure from loggers and plantations.
… to work as a 'mahout' - a carer for domesticated elephants. Jack was bitten by the … in archaeology to return to Thailand, to dedicate his life to saving oppressed elephants. Jack's initial focus was on domesticated elephants - typically captured from the …
Solbyn, a sustainable community in southern Sweden, is a cold place to spend the winter, writes Gillian Thomas. But for all the snow outside, the well-insulated homes stay warm in the harshest conditions - and the welcome is warmer still. Come summer, there's an organic farm to nurture, but February is a month for friendship, making plans, and brilliant starry nights.
… were long and difficult in the remote location, and she was attracted to the social … and when there were, it was mostly about cat poop. Åke replied that there are two women …
UNESCO's Lake Ohrid-Prespa Biosphere Reserve at Mount Galicica, Macedonia, is at risk from a raft of aggressive developments, write Elena Nikolovska & Daniel Scarry: tourism complexes, a new expressway and ski resort all threaten its tranquility and stunning diversity of wildlife, backed by loans from the EU's taxpayer-funded Bank, the EBRD.
… each other to maintain a habitat as delicate as it is dramatic, as beguiling as it is … will be remembered as the blueprint for a catastrophe . This is a beginner's guide to … the proposals would be questionable in any location, but in the Ohrid-Prespa region they …
A six-month investigation finds that the revolving door between government and the chemical industry has led the EPA to rely on easily manipulated toxicology research carried out entirely on computers - and this 'in silico' science often trumps both biology and epidemiology when it comes to regulatory action, or lack of it. The result? Toxic substances remain in everyday products.
… Institutes in an act of linguistic detoxification in 2007). This period also saw the rise … routinely lobbies policymakers and 'educates' consumers. What has not been widely … what your ancestors were exposed to." Complicating PBPK modeling further, …