Diappearing Honey Bees

Taken from the Daily Mail:

A bundle of thriving bees - but the insects are under threat from mysterious sources
Britain's threatened bees were offered a lifeline today when ministers pledged to spend ?4.3 million investigating their mysterious decline.
Around two billion honey bees went missing last year - victims of a puzzling disease that is wiping out hives across the UK.

The creatures are also being hit by Britain's increasingly erratic weather and changes in the way farmers grow food.
Insect experts warn that honey bees play a crucial role in the UK's agriculture - and pollinate around a third of all the fruit and vegetables we grow.
Their contribution to farming is thought to be worth nearly ?200million a year, while honey is worth another ?30million.
Last year hundreds of bee keepers marched on Downing Street to protest at the plight of the bees.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has now bowed down to pressure and announced a multi-million pound research programme into the crisis.
An extra ?2.3 million will be spent on the National Bee Unit in York over the next two years - in addition to the ?1.3 million the unit gets annually. Mr Benn also announced an extra ?400,000 a year over the next five years for research into bee health.

'Bees are vulnerable to a number of threats,' he said. 'Pests and diseases, when combined with poor summers can leave colonies unable to survive the winter.
'We must get to grips with this, to see just how serious a problem it is, what the impacts on pollination are, and what we can do in response.'
Beekeepers say one in three colonies have been killed off since last autumn by the tiny, but deadly, varroa mite which first appeared in Asia and reached the UK in 1992,
It now infests 95 per cent of hives - killing colonies or making bees more vulnerable to disease.

Beekeepers say one in three colonies have been killed off since last autumn
Bee experts fear numbers could be devastated even more if Britain is hit by Colony Collapse Disorder - a condition which has wiped out bee colonies in America and has reached France and Germany.
Hives and colonies hit by the condition lose all their worker bees. Scientists have yet to explain the disorder, although some experts have blamed disease, pollution, pesticides and even GM crops.

The British Beekeepers Association welcomed the extra cash.
The association's chairman Martin Smith, said: 'Honey bees are a vital part of the eco-system and beekeepers are the nation’s, nearly all unpaid, custodians of these important insects.
'We will continue to work with Government to ensure that funding is allocated to the most important issues facing bees and beekeeping so that we can maintain healthy stocks.
'The BBKA survey of members showed that bee numbers declined by 30 per cent during winter 2007/8 and beekeepers are anxiously waiting to see how their bees fare this winter.
'Properly funded research into the causes of the decline in numbers is vital.'

A survey by the BBKA found that 90,000 of the 274,000 hives in the UK - each containing around 20,000 bees - did not survive the winter and spring.
It is feared that another two billion bees could be wiped out this winter.

Sharks in Danger.

Taken fron the Guardian.


Populations of basking sharks in the north Atlantic are classed as vulnerable. Photograph: Dan Burton/Alamy


More than a quarter of sharks and rays in the north-east Atlantic face extinction through the effects of overfishing, with 7% classed as critically endangered, conservationists have warned.
The Red List published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature states that 26% of these species are at risk of being wiped out and a fifth are now regarded as "near threatened".
The true number of fish under threat may be considerably larger, the report by the IUCN's shark specialist group cautions, because scientists have too little information on 27% of them to determine the health of their populations.

Many of the animals at risk are slow-breeding fish that have few young and reach sexual maturity late in life, a fact that makes them especially vulnerable to the fisheries' activities.
The spiny dogfish (rock salmon) and porbeagle shark, both caught for their meat, are critically endangered. They are among a handful of species under EU fishing restrictions, though these quotas are well above the zero-catch levels proposed by scientists at the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (Ices).

Angel sharks and common skates are also critically endangered in the north-east Atlantic, according to the report. The realisation is prompting Ices scientists to call for greater restrictions on fisheries which either deliberately catch the fish or land them as bycatch.
The basking shark, the world's second largest fish, is listed as vulnerable.

The report was released ahead of European commission recommendations for tighter controls on fishing, including zero-catches for porbeagle sharks and spiny dogfish. The advice is also for a ban on fishing vessels keeping aboard common skates, undulate rays, white skates and angel sharks, which should be returned safely to the water wherever possible.
Fisheries ministers are due to discuss the new restrictions at a meeting next month. If the quotas are cut in line with the proposals, fisheries would lose permission to catch 600 tonnes of porbeagles and 2,600 tonnes of spiny dogfish.

Sonja Fordham, policy director at the Shark Alliance and co-author of the report, said: "The north Atlantic is one of the most overfished regions in the world and yet only four species of sharks and rays are protected. This is a clear consequence of overfishing, whether these species are targeted or taken as bycatch."
Another species listed as critically endangered is the deepwater gulper shark, sought for its rich liver oil, which is used by the cosmetics industry. In 2005 Ices urged the EU to ban deepwater shark fishing, but current quotas will allow more than 800 tonnes to be taken next year.
The IUCN finds that the percentage of sharks and rays in the north-east Atlantic region classified as threatened is higher than the figure for the species globally - which is given to be 18%. It says the decline in numbers is due to the activities of fishing nations such as Spain, Portugal, France and Britain.


Two species of guitarfish, whose fins are among the most highly sought after for use in shark fin soup in Asian markets, are classified as endangered in the north-east Atlantic. There are no limits on catches of them in European waters.
Scientists working for the IUCN said that it could already be too late to save two types of sawfish, both of which were critically endangered.
Claudine Gibson, former programme officer for the IUCN shark specialist group and lead author of the report, said: "North-east Atlantic populations of these vulnerable species are in serious trouble, more so than in many other parts of the world.
"Most sharks and rays are exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing because of their tendency to grow slowly, mature late, and produce few young. Those at greatest risk of extinction in the north-east Atlantic include heavily-fished large sharks and rays ... as well as commercially valuable deepwater sharks and spiny dogfish."

The EU is also looking to protect a string of other species, including cod and haddock, in proposals that reduce quotas by up to a quarter next year.
"We have made real progress in fisheries management over the last six years and we are starting to see positive results, such as the recovery in certain stocks under long-term management plans," said the EU fisheries commissioner, Joe Borg. "But this good news remains the exception, not the rule. There has been so much overfishing over many years that the balance of the marine ecosystems on which our fisheries depend is seriously disturbed."
Marine conservationists urged tighter curbs. "Such action is immediately possible and absolutely necessary to change the course toward extinction of these remarkable ocean animals," said Fordham.

More green spaces needed

Green spaces 'reduce health gap'

Taken form the BBC news site.

Nature may be good for health
A bit of greenery near our homes can cut the "health gap" between rich and poor, say researchers from two Scottish universities.
Even small parks in the heart of our cities can protect us from strokes and heart disease, perhaps by cutting stress or boosting exercise.
Their study, in The Lancet, matched data about hundreds of thousands of deaths to green spaces in local areas.
Councils should introduce more greenery to improve wellbeing, they said.
This study offers valuable evidence that green space does more than 'pretty up' the neighbourhood

Dr Terry HartigUppsala University, Sweden
Across the country, there are "health inequalities" related to income and social deprivation, which generally reflect differences in lifestyle, diet, and, to some extent, access to medical care.
This means that in general, people living in poorer areas are more likely to be unhealthy, and die earlier.
However, the researchers found that living near parks, woodland or other open spaces helped reduce these inequalities, regardless of social class.
When the records of more than 366,000 people who died between 2001 and 2005 were analysed, it revealed that even tiny green spaces in the areas in which they lived made a big difference to their risk of fatal diseases.
Although the effect was greatest for those living surrounded by the most greenery, with the "health gap" roughly halved compared with those with the fewest green spaces around them, there was still a noticeable difference.

Stress buster
The change was particularly clear in areas such as heart disease and stroke, supporting the idea that the presence of green spaces encourages people to be more active.
However, the researchers, Dr Richard Mitchell from Glasgow University, and Dr Frank Popham, from the University of St Andrews, said that other studies had suggested that contact with green spaces also helped reduce blood pressure and stress levels, perhaps even promoting faster healing after surgery.
They wrote: "The implications of this study are clear - environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities."
They called for planning authorities to consider making more green spaces available to improve the health and wellbeing of their residents.

In an accompanying article in The Lancet, Dr Terry Hartig, from the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden, wrote: "This study offers valuable evidence that green space does more than 'pretty up' the neighbourhood - it appears to have real effects on health inequality, of a kind that politicians and health authorities should take seriously."
David Tibbatts, from GreenSpace, a charity which promotes parks in urban areas, said that they were threatened by "decades of decline" in some areas.
"The study confirms what we have been saying for many years - parks are important for health and everyone should have access to high quality, beautiful and vibrant green spaces. "Unfortunately, despite the benefits green spaces bring to communities, our research has shown a decline in park services that has spread across more than 30 years.

"Despite increase recognition of their role in areas such as improved health, far too many parks teams find their revenue budgets are still under continuous threat."

Dormouse

Dormouse reintroduction 'a success'
The latest reintroduction of rare hazel dormice to the wild has "all the signs of success" - with the released mammals already producing young, conservation groups have said.
The scheme has brought the elusive mammal, made famous by the Mad Hatter's tea party in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, back to the Yorkshire Dales National Park for the first time in 100 years.

Some 35 dormice were released into Freeholders' Wood near Aysgarth in June, and wildlife experts returning to check on the 195 dormouse nest boxes installed in the wood found 58 of the tiny creatures, including well-grown youngsters.
The presence of young dormice at the site is one of the first indicators used to measure the success of the project.

The release is the 16th such reintroduction in England over the past 15 years by a partnership including Natural England, the People's Trust for Endangered Species and the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group.
The scheme aims to expand the current range of the hazel dormouse, which has seen dramatic declines in numbers due to loss of its woodland habitat and has been prioritised for conservation work under the Government's biodiversity action plan.

The protected species, which lives in increasingly fragmented woodlands and feeds on nuts, seeds, fruit, flowers and small insects, is reluctant to cross open ground. As a result populations isolated by farmland have dwindled and died out in many places.
Laura Hurt, conservation officer at the People's Trust, said the success of the latest scheme was "very exciting".
"We are delighted that the first nest box check has gone so well and that the dormice have been reproducing. This is the third reintroduction that we have done in Yorkshire and this one has all the signs of success."
Dr Tim Thom, senior wildlife conservation officer from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said the reintroduction had "exceeded our expectations".

Taken from msn news

New Bird Species found

DNA analysis has revealed a previously unknown species of bird in the Central African country of Gabon. The species, the olive-backed forest robin (Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus), was first observed by Smithsonian scientists in 2001 during a field expedition in southwest Gabon. At the time it was believed to be an immature individual of an already-recognized species but subsequent research showed the bird differed in coloration from known forest robins.

Genetic analysis confirmed the bird was indeed an undescribed species, becoming the 753rd bird species documented in Gabon. Little else is known about the species, but some researchers are nonetheless enthusiastic about the find.

A male specimen of the newly-discovered olive-backed forest robin is examined in the hand of Brian Schmidt, the Smithsonian ornithologist who discovered the species. (Credit: Brian Schmidt) "This discovery is very exciting for us," said Alfonso Alonso, who directs the Biodiversity Program in Gabon. "Finding the olive-backed forest robin strongly underscores the importance of our research. This helps us show the conservation importance of the area." "Although finding an unknown species like the olive-backed forest robin was not the goal of the MAB project it is definitely a reminder that the world still holds surprises for us," added Brian Schmidt, a research ornithologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and a member of its Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program. Schmidt is the lead author of the paper that describes the olive-backed forest robin.

The Beaver

return of the beaver?

The North East could be one of the first places in England to welcome back the beaver which was hunted into extinction hundreds of years ago. But experts and conservationists are divided on plans to reintroduce the rodent.

Beavers
The beaver is a large herbivorous rodent with dark brown fur. It has webbed feet and a scaly paddle-like tail for swimming.
Beavers live in family groups of between four-eight animals. Families live in lodges which are made up of large piles of branches in the middle of a lake. Lodges have an underwater entrance leading to a dry living area.



Their preferred habitat is a wetland area with woodlands.
The beaver alters the flow of water in its locality by digging canals and building dams.Beavers are most active at dusk and at night.
Beavers died out in Britain in the 1500s largely due to hunting. Only a few hundred animals remained in Europe by the late 1800s. The animal was prized for its warm fur and scent glands which contain a chemical called castorium – used as an early painkiller.
Beavers were recently reintroduced at Martin Mere Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve in Lancashire.


Kevin O’Hara from the Northumberland Wildlife Trust is on a mission - to win over the sceptics in his bid to bring beavers back to the North East of England.
Some think the plans to reintroduce this wild animal are full of environmental and economic opportunities, but others see the beaver as a threat to our forests and rivers.
O'Hara believes that beavers could provide some of the answers to our growing problems with flooding and wildlife management.




But others are not convinced about the benefits to flood management or wildlife conservation.
Inside Out travelled with Kevin O'Hara to Germany to find out more about beavers and how they could be re-introduced in Northumberland.
Beavers are large rodents which possess fantastic engineering skills. They cut down trees and build dams which slow down the flow of rivers.
When there’s heavy rain, their dams divert flood waters away from areas of human population which are usually further downstream.

The beavers also create natural wetland wildlife havens so other species thrive around them.
In the UK it costs millions of pounds for flood defence systems but, according to Kevin O'Hara, beavers can provide some of this work for free.
Re-introduction of native animals - like the beaver - is a live topic and the European Union is promoting schemes across the continent.
Master builders
Dr Steve Rushton, a biologist at Newcastle University, is keen on bringing beavers back but only if the conditions are right.

Timber! The beaver's engineering job.
But others care less about the beaver – and more about the potential damage it causes though felling trees and flooding land.
There obviously needs to be a balance struck between humans and beavers.
In Germany beavers are simply relocated if they flood farmland or fell any valuable trees.
Supporters also argue that the rodents self-regulate, because of their need to be close to water.
Beavers in Kielder?
Kevin O’Hara firmly believes that the North East has some of the best opportunities for reintroducing the beaver.
Kielder could provide an ideal place with its wooded areas with plentiful timber and water habitats.

The beaver - back from the brink.
However, if beavers are to be reintroduced, the major landowner at Kielder, the Forestry Commission, will need to be brought on board.
Despite their interest in the scheme, the Commission reckons that it might take up to 17 years to grow enough trees for the beavers to feed on.
However, there is one thing that might speed up the process.
Kielder National Park is always keen to bring in more tourists and visitors - and the beavers could help with that.
In the meantime Kevin O'Hara continues to lobby to bring these remarkable wild creatures to the North East of England.

This article was taken from BBC Inside out Northeast site.

The Polar Bear

Could this be the end for the Polar Bear ?

According to scientists the Arctic sea ice is at an all time low. Scientists from the World Wild Life fund have been studying the North Pole and less ice is predicted this year than any other year.
2008 is expected to be the lowest or at least the second lowest year in terms of ice coverage. This could mean the loss of habitat for such species as the polar bear, and the loss of livelihood of indigenous people, but also speed up global warming, as water absorbs heat rather than reflecting it back into the suns ray.
Since test started they show a record low in two years in a row.
The way the Arctic sea is melting is worrying for the rest of the world. The polar ice caps are a key factor in stabilizing the global climate.
The area of ice giving cause for concern, is at least five years old, and has dramatically fallen by half since 1985. For the first time the Northwest passage over the top of North America and Northeast passage in Russia are both free of ice.
The warming of the Arctic will soon release greenhouse gasses from the Arctic that were previously permanently locked in frozen ground.
A quote from David Norman the director of campaigns at WWF-UK
“The worrying trend in Arctic sea ice loss provides the clearest evidence yet for the need to decisively tackle climate change now, both at a national and a global level. "The coming year will also be crucial for global climate negotiations and we expect to see the Prime Minister driving forward a courage."
So unless we really start looking after this planet of ours, we are going to lose precious animals and other species like the Polar Bear.