Environment
EnvironmentActivists show evidence of whale meat trade in the Faroe Islands
For the first time animal activists have shown evidence that an open and a black market in whale meat exists on the Faroe Islands. The animal protection activists Andreas Morlok (Project Whale Protection Action – ProWal) and Juergen Ortmueller (Whale and Dolphin-Protection-Forum – WDSF) (*) discovered on these islands, under the pretext of being anglers, that the pilot whale hunt nowadays has nothing to do with the old traditions which the hunters claim to be following.
Efforts to protect ozone layer from depletion have been successful, says UN
International efforts to protect the ozone layer shielding life on Earth from harmful levels of ultraviolet rays have stopped additional ozone losses, potentially averting scores of millions of cases of skin cancer and eye cataracts, according to a new United Nations report released today.
Distribution of land deeds among locals defuses conflict in Chile’s Easter Island
Chile’s Interior Ministry Undersecretary Rodrigo Ubilla announced this week that more than 30 Easter Island title deeds will be delivered to Rapa Nui families within the next 60 days.
Canada hosts first world conference on survival of threatened seabirds
Concern for the survival of albatrosses, penguins, and other marine birds gathered scientists from 40 countries to the first World Seabird Conference in Victoria, western Canada. The five-day event was sponsored by 26 professional seabird groups and societies from around the world.
Twenty tons of drilling shafts trucked 4.100 km to help rescue Chilean miners
Three trucks transporting special shafts for drilling equipment to be used in the rescue of the 33 miners trapped 700 metres underground in northern Chile, left from Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile.
Invasive “killer shrimp” discovered at water reservoirs in England
A killer shrimp has been found for the first time in the UK at an Anglian Water reservoir in Cambridgeshire, England. Two anglers spotted the shrimp, which can be as small as three mm, at Grafham Water near St Neots on Friday September 3 and sent samples to the Environment Agency for identification.
HMS Endurance to be replaced with vessel from Norway early 2011
Senior Royal Navy sources have confirmed a vessel from Norway will join the fleet early next year to replace Endurance, which almost sank in 2008, reports The News from Portsmouth.
Humpback whales in Chilean sanctuaries to be tracked with GPS
Starting December, scientists from Chile’s Biomar Foundation will use GPS (Global Positioning System) to follow the movements of humpback whales in protected marine area Francisco Coloane, in the Magellan Strait. The whales are to be monitored for 12 months.
New York skyscrapers “lights-out” project to protect migratory
A growing number of New York sky-scrapers are switching off their lights to help reduce the number of birds hitting the high-rise buildings. The “lights out” project - organised by NYC Audubon - runs until 1 November, when migratory birds are expected to have completed their autumn migrations.
Gulf of Mexico oil/gas production platform catches fire: “no spill” says operator
A well connected to an oil and gas production platform caught on fire in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, engulfing the vessel in flames about 100 miles off the central coast of Louisiana and forcing 13 people overboard, Gov. Bobby Jindal said.
