Environment

• Sunday, April 5th 2009 - 06:14 UTC

  Antarctica ice shelves melting faster than estimated

  

  Antarctica's ice shelves are melting more rapidly than previously known because of climate change, according to a new US Geological Survey report prepared in close collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, the Scott Polar Research Institute and Germany's Bundesamt fűr Kartographie und Geodäsie.

• Tuesday, March 31st 2009 - 05:23 UTC

  Lethal red tide threatens south shores of Chile

  

  Region V health authorities have prohibited the harvest, consumption and sale of all shellfish found between Queilén and Quellon in the Aysén region. The decision was made after water samples showed a concentration of “red tide,” the deadly micro algae Alexandrium catenella, which was ten times the level tolerated by the human system.

• Tuesday, March 31st 2009 - 05:11 UTC

  Hundreds of dead Magellanic penguins in southern Chile

  

  Hundreds of dead Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus Magellanicus) have washed ashore in Chile’s Region XI the past several days, the Santiago daily La Tercera reported Sunday. So far experts are in the dark about what’s killing the sea birds, more than 800 of which have been found on the beaches of Las Niñas and Los Piojos near Queule.

• Monday, March 30th 2009 - 08:53 UTC

  South Atlantic sunken gold mystery to be solved by salvage operation

  

  An Argentine federal judge authorized last week the rescue of 9.5 tons of gold and silver which were lost when a Chilean vessel “Polar Mist” sank in Argentine waters in mysterious conditions after having been abandoned by its crew.

• Sunday, March 29th 2009 - 17:27 UTC

  60 Earth Hour: Thanks for the switch off!

  

  On behalf of everyone at WWF, we'd like to say a big, big THANK YOU to all who took part in Earth Hour 2009. Because of you it was the biggest Earth Hour ever. You were joined by millions of others in almost 4000 towns and cities across 88 countries. People who switched off their lights and demonstrated their concern at how our climate is changing. It was an amazing night. We couldn't have done it without you

• Saturday, March 28th 2009 - 04:59 UTC

  UN Secretary General Urges Citizens To Join WWF's Earth Hour

  

  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged citizens around the world to join WWF's Earth Hour to demand action on climate change.

• Friday, March 27th 2009 - 04:37 UTC

  UK sponsors “Strategic Vision for Antarctic Tourism” on Treaty 50th anniversary

  

  Britain reaffirmed its commitment to preserve Antarctica for peaceful, scientific purposes and anticipated it would be presenting a “Strategic Vision for Antarctic Tourism” to help with conservation of its unique beauty.

• Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 09:40 UTC

  Report confirms Botnia pulp mill has had no environmental impact

  

  Water and air surrounding the Botnia pulp mill along the river Uruguay, next to the city of Fray Bentos, has not suffered any quality modifications and the plant complies with the environmental standards demanded by Uruguay, Argentina and the European Union, according to the latest international report

• Tuesday, March 24th 2009 - 08:07 UTC

  Crashed aircraft remains found in Tierra del Fuego 59 years later

  

  Relatives from the lost crew of the Argentine Air Force British built Avro Lincoln MK II which crashed in Chilean Tierra del Fuego in 1950, and were only found recently are requesting Presidents Michelle Bachelet and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to authorize the repatriation of the remains.

• Monday, March 23rd 2009 - 09:56 UTC

  Galapagos Islands adds a new sponsor: movie star Richard Gere

  

  United States movie star Richard Gere has offered to campaign to save the Galapagos Islands from development and tourism. During a weekend visit to the Islands, Gere, 59, met Lonesome George, the last tortoise of his species, who was greeted by Prince Charles last week.