March 2021 – Page 3 – See Animals Wild

March 19, 2021March 23, 2021

After foolish coal mine is cancelled MPs are angry

I wrote about a month ago about a deep coal mine in Cumbria that was green-lit. Thankfully this foolish plan was reversed.

At a time when many fossil fuel extraction locations around the world will have to stop working without exhausting the resource, the idea of starting a new one is ridiculous. Particularly stupid is to decide to do this, the year that the UK is to host a climate conference – with the purpose of agreeing more cuts.

March 18, 2021March 23, 2021

An analysis late last year shows UK reaching net zero emissions is far cheaper than once thought can other countries do this to?

The arguments from people opposed to climate action have gone through a number of steps.

March 18, 2021March 23, 2021

Last year a wolf was seen in Normandy for the first time on more than a century

Wolves were exterminated from France during the first half of the 20th century. However at the end of the century and the beginning of the 21st, wolves started to recolonise from their stronghold on the Italian peninsula.

While not the best picture, these photos confirm: a wild wolf has been present for a time in Normandy where he will settle is yet unclear.

The first wolves were sighted around 1996-7 back in France. In the 25 years since, the wolf in France has multiplied and spread.

March 17, 2021March 23, 2021

Indonesia has recently changed its rules, designating large areas once protected forests for food production

I wrote the other day, about the ability of brewing palm oil, rather than creating huge estates to grow it. Perhaps these two issues could be combined to solve both problems

Well a few months ago, Indonesia changed its regulations which would allow large areas of protected land to be cleared for food production.

March 17, 2021March 23, 2021

The Cantabrian brown bear is returning, will it be allowed

Back around the 1900 there were around 1000 bears roaming the mountains of the Iberian peninsular. Unfortunately by 1950 this population had been reduced to two small populations consisting of 50-60 in one and perhaps as low as 14 individuals in the other.

Bears are recolonising prime habitat that they have not been seen in for decades, long may it last

March 17, 2021March 23, 2021

Walrus sighted on a small island just off the coast of south-west Ireland

Walrus are thought of as an arctic species, and indeed this is where they are found in their greatest numbers. However, they once had a greater range. Walrus have been extinct here for 3000 years, however the UK is part of their natural range, if an extreme southerly point.

March 17, 2021March 23, 2021

Dugongs are another animal that benefited from the lockdown

Dugongs, a close relation of the sea cow, have not done well over the last few centuries. In places like Australia they still live in large numbers. In places like Thailand though there are only thought to be about 250 remaining.

They particularly dislike motorboats and often get injured by them. The lockdowns have therefore been an incredible gift to these animals, and it is fascinating to see how quickly their behaviour changes where humans are absent.

A drone shot this image

This herd had about 30 individuals, but it is rare to see such a large herd near land.

March 16, 2021March 23, 2021

The UK has had much positive impact on conservation around the world, so why keep culling badgers despite the evidence?

Research done in the UK though not published (despite being completed 2 years ago) clearly shows that badgers are highly unlikely to infect cattle.

A highly popular species the government continues to blame them for a disease which at best they are a small factor in

March 16, 2021March 23, 2021

The Ugandan environmental authority allows clearing of Bugoma forest

Sugar cane companies managed to get the rights to the land on which this forest stands in controversial circumstances, yet they were given the right to clear the land.

Bugoma forest is an area which supports many chimpanzees and monkeys. Through a corrupt sale it is now going to be lost

Home to both around 5000 chimpanzees and Mangabeys, under the “common good of the citizens of Uganda act” from 1998, areas like this are held in trust and may not be leased out or sold by the government.

March 16, 2021March 23, 2021

A place where the African Lion lives alone

The stereotypical image of wild lions, is generally that of a group lying on there back in the middle of the open plains, snoozing.

However, this is not necessarily the most common way that lions would have lived. We have to bear in mind that this would not have been the standard behaviour everywhere. Lion population estimates from the past vary wildly, however it is reasonable to be confident in a wild lion population in the hundreds of thousands back in 1950. Different people will estimate anything from 200,000 up to 500,000.