The coastal waters of the Falkland Islands have been confirmed as a Key Biodiversity Area for Sei whales, the first of its kind in the world. The announcement comes after five years of surveys carried out in Falklands waters by Falklands Conservation.
Unlike all other birds, penguins go through what is called a “catastrophic” moult. For the penguin, it is probably as bad as it sounds. Falklands Conservation recalls that every penguin must moult once a year, normally between December to March, by drastically shedding all their feathers and re-growing new feathers in one go – hence the “catastrophic”.
As a result of Covid-19 impacts and restrictions the Falkland Islands' Department of Agriculture has redirected surplus funds towards a salary for a third Agricultural Advisor. Director of Natural Resources Andrea Clausen told the Agricultural Advisory Committee that the move had been made in light of the high workload on the current Advisors, particularly with the need to support the investigation of Responsible Wool Handling and of businesses managing a future of lower wool and red meat prices due to uncertainties in the world market, the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit.
Falklands Conservation has expressed frustration on future environmental funding pledged by London once United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has essentially suspended One Ocean Expeditions’ (OOE) membership in the group, according to a statement sent to members and obtained by Cruise Industry News. One Ocean’s future continues to raise a question mark as departures are cancelled and the RCGS Resolute continues to sit in Buenos Aires.
On 23 June 2016, the people of the UK and Gibraltar voted by a majority to leave the European Union (EU). In this article the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) sets out what work has taken place since the referendum to prepare the Falkland Islands for Brexit.
April 25 is one of two days dedicated to the adorable, waddling birds. April 25 is World Penguin Day while January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day.In addition to two penguin days, there are believed to be 17 penguin species, ranging from the Little Blue Penguin to the mighty Emperor Penguin. And several of these are threatened by climate change.
In rare coincidence with the International Women´s Day, the Falkland Islands celebrated ”Tussac Tuesday'', the Poa flabellata grass, one of the most valuable native plants to farmers and wildlife in the Islands. It is palatable all year round and can provide good supplementary forage for cattle, horses and sheep.
A popular recreation area that has been out of bounds for over thirty three years for the people of the Falkland Islands, Yorke Bay, only a few miles away from the capital Stanley, because of the mines laid by the invading Argentine forces in 1982, could in a near future be cleared and again open to the public.
A Falkland Islands resident is off to the University of Oxford later this year, after being announced as the Falkland Islands' newest Chevening Scholar. Clare Cockwell has been offered a full scholarship under the UK Government's Chevening programme to study towards an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management at Hertford College.