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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, May 15th 2025 - 02:31 UTC

Environment

  • Monday, August 15th 2016 - 13:34 UTC

    New Zealand track Rockhopper penguins 15.000 km winter journeys

    It's hoped the study will help determine why Rockhopper numbers on New Zealand's Campbell Island have plummeted.

    Two species of sub-Antarctic penguin have surprised scientists in New Zealand by travelling up to 15,000km during six months spent at sea. Researchers tagged 90 Rockhopper and Snares crested penguins to find out where they go during the southern hemisphere's winter, and were astonished by the birds' long-distance journeys, the New Zealand Herald reports.

  • Tuesday, August 9th 2016 - 22:18 UTC

    Seabirds threatened by by-catches, pollutants and climate change, according to BAS research

    Lead author Dr Richard Phillips from BAS says seabirds become hooked on baited hooks, trapped in nets or collide with warp cables, when scavenging for food

    A review of breeding distributions, population trends, threats and key priorities for conservation actions on land and at sea for the 29 species covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) has been published in the journal Biological Conservation. It reveals increased conservation efforts are required in order to secure a sustainable future for albatrosses and large petrels.

  • Saturday, July 30th 2016 - 08:38 UTC

    Olympics equestrian sports have to live with glanders scare in Rio

    Highly contagious and incurable, glanders has prompted Brazilian agricultural officials to destroy hundreds of horses across the country over the past two years

    Brazil's summer Olympics, scheduled to be opened in less than a week, have added another challenge to the long list of complaints and disease-scares, such as Zika, but this time the culprits are not mosquitoes but an alleged outbreak of glanders disease, a deadly equine respiratory condition. And this has surfaced when the world's top riders and their mounts prepare to compete in Rio de Janeiro events.

  • Saturday, July 30th 2016 - 08:15 UTC

    “Keep mouths closed” aquatic athletes competing at Rio Olympics have been told

    Rio Olympics Games aquatic athletes will “literally be swimming in human crap” and could pick up heavy duty illnesses from the contaminated water.

    Aquatic athletes competing in the forthcoming Rio Olympics Games have been advised to keep their mouths shut while competing because they will “literally be swimming in human crap” and could pick up heavy duty illnesses from the contaminated water.

  • Tuesday, July 26th 2016 - 17:33 UTC

    A recent pause in Antarctic Peninsula warming

    BAS Dr Robert Mulvaney says: “meteorological observations from the Antarctic Peninsula research stations only cover the last 60 years or so”

    The rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula, which occurred from the early-1950s to the late 1990s, has paused. Stabilisation of the ozone hole along with natural climate variability were significant in bringing about the change. Together these influences have now caused the northern part of the peninsula to enter a temporary cooling phase.

  • Tuesday, July 19th 2016 - 06:40 UTC

    Uruguay could compete for another pulp mill, if it develops logistics infrastructure

    Another state-of-art pulp mill in Uruguay is possible if the logistics infrastructure is rebuilt to support large scale export-oriented businesses, said Jaakko Sarantola

    Finland´s UPM pulp conglomerate which already has a plant in Uruguay announced it will commence discussions with the Uruguayan government on the development of logistics infrastructure for a possible mounting of another mill. Discussions will include railroad and roads, which currently are a critical challenge to establish large scale industrial operation in the Uruguayan inland and to connect it to a deep sea port.

  • Wednesday, July 13th 2016 - 01:57 UTC

    Downing Street legend welcomes Theresa and says good bye to the Camerons

    “Larry is staying. He's very much the Downing Street cat, not the Camerons' personal cat,” Cabinet Office spokesman Benjamin Oliver said

    Britain's new leader Theresa May will move into her official residence at 10 Downing Street Wednesday as Prime Minister David Cameron moves out, but one member of his team is staying put: Larry the cat. The brown and white tabby is deemed to be a government worker and will continue to live at the famous address even after his boss packs his bags, officials said.

  • Monday, July 11th 2016 - 06:07 UTC

    Brazilian army take to the streets in a display of force in anticipation of the Olympic Games

    Armored vehicles and trucks carrying troops were accompanied by soldiers decked out in camouflage gear and matching helmets, with rifles slung over their shoulders.

    Brazilian soldiers were on the streets last Saturday, checking out spots around the city that will get intense security when the Rio de Janeiro Olympics open in under four weeks. Armored vehicles and trucks carrying troops were accompanied by soldiers decked out in camouflage gear and matching helmets, with rifles slung over their shoulders. The soldiers covered the city, from Copacabana Beach to the central train station and the renovated port area.

  • Monday, July 11th 2016 - 05:12 UTC

    Raw sewage and super-bacteria off Rio beaches threaten Olympic water competitions

    City officials blame illegal dumping for the contamination, but a significant portion of Rio’s raw sewage goes untreated before it’s dumped into the ocean.

    A group of Brazilian scientists has just discovered a drug-resistant super-bacteria growing off some of Rio de Janeiro’s beaches, with less than a month to go until the 2016 Olympic Games officially commence, which will be hosted by the city from August 5.

  • Thursday, July 7th 2016 - 05:56 UTC

    Sub Antarctic volcano eruption ash threatens one of the world's largest penguin colonies

    Molting chinstrap penguins breed on the South Sandwich Islands. Credit: Pete Bucktrout, British Antarctic Survey

    A volcano erupting on a small island in the Sub Antarctic is depositing ash over one of the world's largest penguin colonies. Zavodovski Island is a small island in the South Sandwich archipelago and its volcano Mt Curry has been erupting since March 2016. The island is home to over one million chinstrap penguins -- the largest colony for this species in the world.