wildlife
Emperor penguin chicks drown as melting sea ice pushes species toward extinction
Record low Antarctic sea ice is causing mass chick deaths and accelerating the decline of emperor penguins, now officially listed as endangered.
Rise of the shrubs: What happened when scientists heated a Rocky Mountain wildlife meadow by 2C?
A long-running experiment in Colorado provides an ‘alarming’ view of how rapidly unchecked global heating could transform fragile ecosystems.
‘It smells like a rancid fish and chip shop’: at sea with the Antarctic’s krill supertrawlers
The fishery is regulated but experts say it is wrecking the food chain. Gordon Peake joined a Sea Shepherd mission to observe the giant ships compete for catch.
Mining’s toxic timebomb: dams full of poisonous waste are dotted around the world. What happens when they burst?
Chronic ocean heating fuels ‘staggering’ loss of marine life, study finds
Fish levels fall by 7.2% with as little as 0.1C of warming per decade, northern hemisphere research shows.
Opinion: The UK government didn’t want you to see this report on ecosystem collapse. I’m not surprised
It took an FOI request to bring this national security assessment to light. For ‘doomsayers’ like us, it is the ultimate vindication, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot.
Namibia to slaughter elephants and zebras due to drought
Namibia plans to cull more than 700 animals, including elephants and hippos, to provide meat for people facing severe food insecurity during the country’s worst drought in a century.
In short:
- Namibia will cull 83 elephants, 30 hippos and other animals, distributing the meat to drought-stricken communities.
- The drought, caused by El Niño, has left nearly half of Namibia’s population facing acute food insecurity.
- The cull also aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict and alleviate pressure on natural resources.
Key quote:
“We are happy that we can assist the country in this very difficult time and when [it’s] absolutely needed.”
— Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism
Why this matters:
The drought in Namibia is a stark example of how climate change exacerbates natural disasters, leading to extreme measures like wildlife culls to prevent human starvation and manage ecosystems.
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