THE GREEN PLANET BLOG - Our World and Environment...

All about conservation, ecology, the environment, climate change, global warming, earth- watch, and new technologies etc.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Bees at risk - in 48 hours EU could vote to ban the most poisonous pesticides...

Quietly, globally, billions of bees are dying, threatening our crops and food. But in 48 hours the European Union could move to ban the most poisonous pesticides, and pave the way to a global ban that would save bees from extinction.

Four EU countries have begun banning these poisons, and some bee populations are already recovering. Days ago the official European food safety watchdog stated for the first time that certain pesticides are fatally harming bees. Now legal experts and European politicians are calling for an immediate ban. But Bayer and other giant pesticide producers are lobbying hard to keep them on the market. If we build a huge swarm of public outrage now, we can push the European Commission to put our health and our environment before the profit of a few.

We know our voices count! Last year, our 1.2 million strong petition forced US authorities to open a formal consultation on pesticides -- now if we reach 2 million, we can persuade the EU to get rid of these crazy poisons and pave the way for a ban worldwide. Sign the urgent petition and send this to everyone -- Avaaz and leading MEPs will deliver our message ahead of this week's key meeting in Brussels:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees/?bmVGOdb&v=21465

Bees don't just make honey, they are vital to life on earth, every year pollinating 90% of plants and crops -- with an estimated $40bn value and over one-third of the food supply in many countries. Without immediate action to save bees, many of our favourite fruits, vegetables, and nuts could vanish from our shelves.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations -- some bee species are already extinct and some US species are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been scrambling for answers and now the European Food Safety Authority is saying that toxic chemicals called neonicotinoid pesticides could be responsible for the bee deaths. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee-killing pesticides. But Bayer continues to export its poison across the world.

Now the issue is coming to a boil. EU parliamentarians are stepping up their pressure on the European Commission and key governments to push new legislation to ban the deadly pesticides, and we can offer them the public support they need to counter the powerful pesticide lobby. Sign the urgent petition to Europe’s leaders, then forward this email widely:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_the_bees/?bmVGOdb&v=21465

Our world is beset with threats to what makes it habitable, and to what fills it with wonder. The Avaaz community comes together to defend both -- large or small. Whether winning a battle to keep the International Whaling Commission from sanctioning the murder of these giants, or saving bees, the tiny creatures upon which so much depends, we will come together and stand up for the world we all want.

With hope,

Luis, Ari, Alice, Iain, Ricken, David, Alaphia, and the Avaaz team

SOURCES

Pesticides pose danger to bees (European Voice)
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2013/january/pesticides-pose-danger-to-bees/76158.aspx

Crop pesticides are 'killing our bees' - says MEP (Public Service Europe)
http://www.publicserviceeurope.com/article/3007/crop-pesticides-are-killing-our-bees-says-mep#ixzz2JGICse6a

Death knell for nerve agent pesticides in move to save bees (Independent)
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/death-knell-for-nerve-agent-pesticides-in-move-to-save-bees-8454443.html

Give Bees a Chance! (The Greens European Free Alliance)
http://www.greens-efa.eu/give-bees-a-chance-9012.html

Studies fault Bayer in bee die-off (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0406/Studies-fault-Bayer-in-bee-die-off


Support the Avaaz Community!
We're entirely funded by donations and receive no money from governments or corporations.


http://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=wm#inbox/13c893b2409db0f1


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Dolphins frolic in Lyall Bay, Wellington - great sight for locals....






  

Pod spotted frolicking off capital's south coast




 



 
4


Lyall Bay dolphins
PHIL REID/Fairfax NZ
MAKING A SPLASH: A kayaker heads out to greet a pod of dolphins in Lyall Bay this morning

 

A pod of about 50 dolphins is spending the morning in Lyall Bay
.
They were still in the south coast Wellington bay shortly after 9am, and are believed to have been there for at least two hours before then.

Department of Conservation biodiversity ranger Brent Tandy said it was likely the dolphins were chasing fish in the bay's shallow water.
 
Pods of up to 200 had previously been seen off the south coast - a common dolphin sighting ground.
People should stay clear of the pod, partly because of rules around approaching them and because people could get accidentally hit while swimming with them.
 
''Watch them but let them do their own thing.''
 
Lyall Bay woman Enid White said the dolphins had got within 50m of the shore and appeared to be playing.
 
A pair of kayakers were out surrounded by the pod shortly after 9am.

Did you see the dolphins? Email news@dompost.co.nz.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10862336


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Research has found Dolphins engage in extensive bisexuality and exclusive homosexuality...


Research found Dolphins to engage in extensive bisexuality and exclusive homosexuality...

Research  found  Dolphins to engage in extensive bisexuality and exclusive homosexuality...

Dolphins are considered such radiantly happy creatures that "dolphin assisted therapy" (aka, hanging out with dolphins) is practiced as a way to treat human physical and mental suffering. Well, maybe an open society is part of the dolphin's allure, too. According to one study of 120 bottlenose dolphins in Australia, researchers found a lot of male dolphins enjoy "extensive bisexuality." And not just that, but some pairs engage in "exclusive homosexuality," reports Discovery News. Pairs, trios or small groups of male dolphins will form exclusive groups that are sexual, social, and sustainable. One herd of seven males spent 17 years together in an intimate and affectionate clique. SOURCE: http://now.msn.com/researchers-find-bisexual-and-exclusively-gay-dolphins

Homosexual behavior has been documented in hundreds of animal species, but the same does not hold for gay-bashing. For starters, few animals are exclusively gay. Two female Japanese macaques might have playful sex with each other on Tuesday, then mate with males on Wednesday. Pairs of male elephants sometimes form years-long companionships that include sexual activity, while their heterosexual couplings tend to be one-night stands. For these and many other species, sexual preferences seem to be fluid rather than binary: Gay sex doesn’t make them gay, and straight sex doesn’t make them straight. In these cases, the concept of homophobia simply doesn’t apply. READ:http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/03/animals_and_homophobia_are_humans_the_only_species_that_discriminates_against_gays_.html





Saturday, January 26, 2013

Bizarre "King of Wasps" found in Indonesia...


The jaws of a giant wasp.
A closeup of a male Megalara garuda's enormous jaws.
Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl
A giant wasp.
The newfound wasps are about two inches long. Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl.
Dave Mosher
Published March 27, 2012
A new species of giant, venomous wasp has been found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (map), scientists say.
The two-inch-long (five-centimeter-long) black insects are shrouded in mystery—all of the wasp specimens caught so far have been dead.
"I'm not certain any researcher has ever seen one alive, but they are very bizarre-looking," said study co-author Lynn Kimsey, an entomologist at the University of California, Davis, who co-discovered the insect.
"It's the extreme version of the [larrine wasp] subfamily they belong to."
Larrine wasps typically dig nests for their eggs and larvae in open, sandy areas. The adults grow no longer than an inch (2.5 centimeters)—making the newly discovered Megalara garuda the "king of wasps," according to the study authors.
Wasp Males' Spiky Jaws
Female M. garuda wasps look like most other wasp species, but the males grow long, sickle-shaped jaws.
The males' flattened faces and large, spiked jaws may be clever adaptations to protect a nest that contains vulnerable larvae, she suggested.
"Other wasps of the same species often rob burrows for food, and parasites try to get in there, too," she said. "There's a serious advantage to having the nest guarded. This may be how the male helps guarantee his paternity."
(See "Pictures: Wasps Turn Ladybugs Into Flailing "Zombies.")
In general, "we don't know what this wasp does," Kimsey said. "But it probably feeds its larvae grasshoppers or katydids, like other wasps in its subfamily."

The jaws of a giant wasp.
A closeup of a male Megalara garuda's enormous jaws.
Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl
A giant wasp.
The newfound wasps are about two inches long. Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl.
Dave Mosher
Published March 27, 2012
A new species of giant, venomous wasp has been found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (map), scientists say.
The two-inch-long (five-centimeter-long) black insects are shrouded in mystery—all of the wasp specimens caught so far have been dead.
"I'm not certain any researcher has ever seen one alive, but they are very bizarre-looking," said study co-author Lynn Kimsey, an entomologist at the University of California, Davis, who co-discovered the insect.
"It's the extreme version of the [larrine wasp] subfamily they belong to."
Larrine wasps typically dig nests for their eggs and larvae in open, sandy areas. The adults grow no longer than an inch (2.5 centimeters)—making the newly discovered Megalara garuda the "king of wasps," according to the study authors.
Wasp Males' Spiky Jaws
Female M. garuda wasps look like most other wasp species, but the males grow long, sickle-shaped jaws.
The males' flattened faces and large, spiked jaws may be clever adaptations to protect a nest that contains vulnerable larvae, she suggested.
"Other wasps of the same species often rob burrows for food, and parasites try to get in there, too," she said. "There's a serious advantage to having the nest guarded. This may be how the male helps guarantee his paternity."
(See "Pictures: Wasps Turn Ladybugs Into Flailing "Zombies.")
In general, "we don't know what this wasp does," Kimsey said. "But it probably feeds its larvae grasshoppers or katydids, like other wasps in its subfamily."

The jaws of a giant wasp.
A closeup of a male Megalara garuda's enormous jaws.
Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl
A giant wasp.
The newfound wasps are about two inches long. Image courtesy Lynn Kimsey and Michael Ohl.
Dave Mosher
Published March 27, 2012
A new species of giant, venomous wasp has been found on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (map), scientists say.
The two-inch-long (five-centimeter-long) black insects are shrouded in mystery—all of the wasp specimens caught so far have been dead.
"I'm not certain any researcher has ever seen one alive, but they are very bizarre-looking," said study co-author Lynn Kimsey, an entomologist at the University of California, Davis, who co-discovered the insect.
"It's the extreme version of the [larrine wasp] subfamily they belong to."
Larrine wasps typically dig nests for their eggs and larvae in open, sandy areas. The adults grow no longer than an inch (2.5 centimeters)—making the newly discovered Megalara garuda the "king of wasps," according to the study authors.
Wasp Males' Spiky Jaws
Female M. garuda wasps look like most other wasp species, but the males grow long, sickle-shaped jaws.
The males' flattened faces and large, spiked jaws may be clever adaptations to protect a nest that contains vulnerable larvae, she suggested.
"Other wasps of the same species often rob burrows for food, and parasites try to get in there, too," she said. "There's a serious advantage to having the nest guarded. This may be how the male helps guarantee his paternity."
(See "Pictures: Wasps Turn Ladybugs Into Flailing "Zombies.")
In general, "we don't know what this wasp does," Kimsey said. "But it probably feeds its larvae grasshoppers or katydids, like other wasps in its subfamily."
Read more:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/120327-new-species-wasps-king-bugs-indonesia-animals-science/



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http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/120327-new-species-wasps-king-bugs-indonesia-animals-science/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/03/120327-new-species-wasps-king-bugs-indonesia-animals-science/
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Humans help blue-nosed dolphin to disentangle itself from hook and line...

Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin (Photo credit: James L Monckton)
 
Dolphins may be one of the planet's smartest creatures, but one thing they lack are opposable thumbs. However, they are clever enough to recognize that, in a pinch, they can approach humans to get help with those hard to reach spots.

In this video, a bottle nosed dolphin with limited mobility due to a hook and fishing line restricting a pectoral fin, approaches some divers for help. Diving instructor Keller Laros noticed that the dolphin was hanging around them, and that it wasn't able to move freely. Closer inspection revealed the ocean debris lodged in the fin.

Thankfully, the dolphin not only allowed the divers to attempt to work the line and hook out of the fin, but actually shifted its body to make it easier.

The divers were able to remove the fishing line which allowed increased movement for the animal. Unfortunately, the hook was not able to be removed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL9I4BxuryY&sns=fb


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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Penguins: Lethally efficient killing machines...

English: Adélie penguin chicks in Antarctica w...
English: Adélie penguin chicks in Antarctica with MS Explorer and an iceberg at back ground. The image was taken in January, 1999. MS Explorer sank on November 23, 2007 after hitting an iceberg in Antarctica. The picture is a scan of my old print. The picture was taken by Mila Zinkova (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
English: Adelie penguins at Cape Adare in Ross...
English: Adelie penguins at Cape Adare in Ross Sea, Antarctica (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hungry penguins with tiny video cameras strapped to their backs have given scientists a rare glimpse of their spectacular and voracious feeding habits.

Footage from Adélie penguins in waters off the coast of Antarctica showed the birds darting at krill, snapping up fish, and hunting down prey beneath sheets of floating ice in the Lützow-Holm bay area.

In more than 14 hours of film captured from 11 birds, not once did a penguin miss its target. Some marine creatures had no time to hide, while others tried to flee and failed.

One penguin swam into a dense swarm of krill and captured two of the shrimp-like creatures in one second. Another penguin encountered a school of what appeared to be Antarctic silver fish and caught 14 in 20 seconds. In many cases, the moment the penguin captures its prey is only clear when the video is slowed down


http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/jan/21/penguins-lethally-efficient-hunting-machines-video



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