I love to travel, mainly to Africa where I was born, I enjoy reading and playing bridge. I go for rambles in the countryside. I collect stamps and go to T'ai Chi classes. I love my two cats and my garden birds. I adore the African wildlife and try to help Conservation groups.
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Pet pigs 'success' at care home !
By Clare Babbidge - BBC West Midlands.
Owning dogs and cats has long been considered to have health benefits, but one Birmingham care home has gone a step further and set up an on-site Pet Farm.
It's hard not to smile when there's a pig snuffling your toes, and the aptly-named Snuffles and her orange and black-spotted friend Anna are causing quite a stir in their new home. The two Kune Kune pigs were mere piglets when they arrived at Neville Williams House. The Pet Farm, which officially opens on Thursday, also has chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs.
Ann Rainsford, manager of the Selly Park care home, said the scheme was a success. "It's made a lovely atmosphere within the home, with the staff and with everybody," she said. The home has 50 elderly residents and about half have some form of dementia, she said.
The small farm in the garden was paid for by £15,000 in donations and residents can visit it whenever they like. They feed, handle and stroke the animals, which in therapeutic terms is known as Animal-Assisted Activities.
One resident, Christine Creighton, 79, said she loved the animals, especially the pigs who she nicknames "Charlie". She pats them and enjoys feeding them bananas and other delights. She was brought up on a farm in Limerick, Ireland, and said the animals reminded her of that time. "The moment I saw them I wanted to pick them up in my arms," she said. She said the pigs were mischievous and one recently ran and hid from staff. "I'd sleep outside just to make sure I didn't miss anything they did!" she said.
Jim Cartwright, 85, is another regular farm visitor. He never had pets as a boy, but loves to see the animals now. "I love the pigs mostly, " he said. "They're a source of entertainment."
Ms Rainsford said: "When we get young children and babies come into the home, you can see the change in people's faces. "And when some residents go onto the farm, it has the same reaction - their faces fill with joy." The farm adds to a range of activities at the home, including musical bingo and pub lunches.
The home is among those run by the charity Broadening Choices for Older People (BCOP). Its chief executive Marcus Fellows said he had the farm idea while at a nursing home in Holland to look at nutrition. "I heard a cockerel and I thought it was this guy's phone - I mean people have strange ring tones nowadays," he said. "But then they showed me quite a large paddock with a goat and a few chickens and they said that as a lot of people came from rural communities it made them feel at home and reminded them of their childhood." He added: "It was fenced off and I realised for us to work it would need to allow interaction with the animals."
He said the Kune Kune pigs were chosen because the breed was known to make good companions and can be trained. He plans to add ducks at the farm and an aviary. Mr Fellows said he could already see the farm's benefits. "What I see is residents who are excited and improvements in their general well-being," he said. "There seems to be far more visits from relatives and grandchildren appearing more often which helps residents. "It also gives a reason for being outside more and provides a discussion topic."
Mr Fellows said BCOP was hoping to work with university researchers and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to look at the benefits. He said 'Pet Therapy' research had centred on cats and dogs and the charity wanted to be involved in something broader.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has also advocated the use of pets to promote health. .Pauline Ford, RCN adviser on nursing older people, said: "There's sufficient evidence in relation to how it can help people who are low in mood or people who have raised blood pressure." She said the RCN has also backed Pat a Dog schemes where animals went into nursing homes. She added that not all people with dementia would benefit from interaction with animals and some could be scared, so it was important to "assess individual by individual". The home says this is already its policy. Ms Ford said it would be interesting to see if the farm idea spread. "I think it's a lovely initiative," she added.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Wildcat kittens shown off by park !
Five Scottish wildcat kittens born in captivity at the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore have made their first official appearance in public. The young are from two litters - two born to Betidh in early July closely followed by Seonaid, who had three. The wildcat is one of Britain's rarest and elusive animals.
Head keeper, Morag Sellar, said: "We have an excellent history of breeding wildcat kittens at the Highland Wildlife Park." She added: "These latest litters have been quite shy and have only started coming out of their box in the last few days. "They are really playful and are proving to be very popular with our visitors."
In February, walkers in the Highlands were asked to help discover the true numbers of wildcat in the wild. It became extinct in England and Wales 150 years ago but continues to be sighted in Scottish woods and moorland.
Some estimates suggest just 400 survive - although there could be up to 4,000. Scottish Natural Heritage asked everyone who uses the countryside to take part in a year-long survey and report sightings of the timid animal. The conservation body hopes to assess numbers and distribution.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Falcon flees city seagull attack !
A falcon has gone missing in Glasgow after being attacked by a flock of about 50 urban seagulls. It was part of a birds of prey demonstration being held at Glasgow Green at the weekend. The Gyr falcon, named Goose, belongs to the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre at Kirtlebridge near Lockerbie.
Falconer Gary Swainson said the bird was fitted with a small transmitter and other bird owners in the Glasgow area were helping try to track it down. Mr Swainson said he remained hopeful of finding the falcon which went missing on Saturday evening.
"He is still at large," he told BBC Scotland news website. "I was doing the Glasgow Green show on Saturday and Sunday and we lost him at the end of day one." Mr Swainson said his bird had only just taken flight when it came under attack. He added: "The problem with city seagulls is getting so bad that as soon as we put him up in the air they have driven him off. "When you have got about 40 to 50 seagulls then even for the bravest falcon it can be quite daunting."
Initial attempts to track the bird using a transmitter attached to his leg failed. Mr Swainson said that in the countryside it worked for about five to six miles, but that operating distance could be significantly reduced in city surroundings.
Efforts to find the falcon are still continuing.
Mr Swainson said: "I have got falconer friends who fly birds there and they are tuned in to try to pick up the signal. "There has been quite a bit of interest from the newspapers and the more people are aware of the fact he is missing the more people we have got looking out."
He asked anybody who sighted the missing bird to contact the bird of prey centre.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Dog in court for breaching peace !
By Amarnath Tewary - BBC News, Patna.
A dog has appeared in court in the eastern Indian state of Bihar accused of breaching the peace. Police demanded severe action against the dog for biting people. Its owner says it has only attacked burglars.
The dog, named Chhotu, has been in trouble with the law before. In 2003, a magistrate sentenced Chhotu to death. Neighbours complained he had gone mad and bitten several people. But animal rights activists managed to get the decision reversed.
Chhotu made his latest appearance in a crowded court on Thursday in the town of Purnea. "The court was compelled to issue a summons to the dog since the police found that it was a threat to peace and feared that it might create a law and order problem," district official Rajiv Ranjan said.
In court Chhotu appeared to have been on best behaviour. "Despite the presence of so many people in the courtroom the dog did not bite or bark at anyone," the canine's lawyer Dilip Kumar Deepak said in defence of his client. The case continues and Chhotu has been ordered to appear in court again on 5 August, together with his owner, childless widow, Rajkumari Devi.
Seven-year-old Chhotu was picked up off the streets by Rajkumari Devi's mother, Janaki Devi. Janaki Devi died six months ago and since then Rajkumari Devi has kept the dog as her pet in her one-room thatched house.
"Chhotu is my sole protector and I've brought him up as if he was my own child," says Rajkumari Devi who says the dog has only bitten those who have tried to break into her house. Her lawyer says Rajkumari Devi's jealous neighbours are trying to get their hands on her property.
"They want to steal the land papers which is why they have tried to break into her house in the night. But they had to give up after being bitten by Chhotu," he said.
bbc news report.
Boost for China panda population !
On 6 July, a set of twins was born at a another panda breeding centre.
Four giant panda cubs have been born within 14 hours in China, boosting the population of the endangered species.
The cubs were born at the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Centre in south-west Sichuan province, state media reported.
A pair of female twins was born to nine-year-old Qiyuan late on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported.
About an hour later, eight-year-old panda Chenggong gave birth to another cub, while Zhuzhu, also eight, gave birth on Sunday.
The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species, because of the destruction of its forest habitat and lack of contact between isolated populations.
According to experts only about 1,600 pandas remain in the wild, mostly in Sichuan and neighbouring Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.
Another 180 pandas are being raised in captivity in China.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Why are there so many flying ants?
WHO, WHAT, WHY?
The Magazine answers...
Swarms of flying ants have descended upon some parts of the UK over the past few days, only to disappear just as suddenly. Why?
Over the past few days, the phrase "ants in your pants" could be taken literally as the air filled with ants flying en masse, landing on laundry, dropping onto heads and basking on pavements.
Entomologists say the sudden emergence of the black garden ants - known as Lasius Niger - is the insects' annual mating ritual.
Dave Clarke, head keeper at London Zoo's bugs department, describes the annual flight as "the biggest one night stand in the UK". THE ANSWER
Black garden ants engage in annual mating ritual
Usually occurs in July or August
Timing depends on weather conditions
This airborne ant nuptial has none of the spontaneity of a bug's version of the mile-high club. The males will have been waiting for some weeks for the queens to emerge as days lengthen and weather conditions are just right.
"There has been a rise in temperature and humidity over the past few days. It has been balmy and muggy - like it is pre-thunder - which is perfect," says Stuart Hine, manager of the Insect Information Service at the Natural History Museum.
As ants from thousands of colonies take to the skies at once, the number could be millions of millions.
But why all swarm at the same time? Tom Fayle, who is completing a PHD on ants at Cambridge, says it helps maximise the chances of reproducing. But it is also a self-defence mechanism.
"A swarm keeps predators away - birds tend to eat about one in 10 of the ants."
Discarded wings
After mating, the females lose their wings and go in search of somewhere to hibernate until they lay eggs and set up a new colony. ANT FACTS
900,000 ant species in the world
Workers live for about a year
Queen ants can live 10-15 years
Biggest colony straddles Italian Riviera and north-west Spain and is 3,600 miles long
Source: London Zoo
"Only a few queens are successful," says Mr Fayle, "The majority won't find anywhere available and if they try to join an existing colony, they will be killed."
Once a queen has mated, she will be fertile for the rest of her life, never needing to engage in this ritual again. For the male ants, the picture is less rosy. Having fulfilled their function, they waste away and die.
While the bugs - one of about 50 species of ants in the UK - might annoy, they are harmless and pose no threat to humans, other than the odd nip.
In fact Mr Clarke says the ants pollinate flowers and feed on other insects that plague gardens. Even dead ants and discarded wings quickly disappear, eaten by swifts and swallows. WHO, WHAT, WHY?
A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlines
So when can we next expect the next swarm of flying ants?
The annual explosion tends to takes place in the UK in mid or late summer, usually towards the end of July. But although the idea of putting a fixed Flying Ant Day in the calendar has gained some notoriety, Mr Hine says the timing is not that predictable.
BBC NEWS MAGAZINE
Attacks on birds of prey 'up 40%' !
The number of crimes reported against birds of prey rose by 40% last year to a record level, the RSPB has said. The bird welfare charity recorded 262 attacks in 2007, up from 185, including 34 shootings and 49 poisonings. Crimes against all wild birds also hit a record high with 1,208 incidents reported to the RSPB, up from 1,109.
It said the rise may be down to better sharing of information with other agencies but believes many crimes go undetected in remote areas.
The birds of prey poisoned included 17 red kites and one half of the only breeding pair of golden eagles in the Scottish Borders.
The RSPB's annual Birdcrime report also revealed:
619 reports of birds other than birds of prey being shot or the victims of destruction
39 egg-collecting incidents, including two confirmed and four probable from protected birds
165 reports of poisoning
The report said protected birds were also illegally disturbed and photographed, while other crimes included the theft, possession and sale of wild birds.
It urged the Home Office to make it clear to police forces that wildlife crime should be given a higher priority and called for measures to tackle it to be written into forces' policing plans.
RSPB head of investigations Ian West said: "The number of reports coming in to us is the highest we have ever had, but we are still only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
"It's hard to say whether the problem is increasing or whether we are just getting to hear about more of the offences that are taking place.
"What is clear is that very large numbers of birds are being illegally killed every year and that is totally unacceptable in a civilised society. There has to be a greater effort to enforce the law."
There was worldwide condemnation after the 10-year-old female golden eagle was poisoned in Peeblesshire last August.
The male eagle has since found a new partner and a chick hatched earlier this year.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Diary: Protecting mountain gorillas !
In July 2007, armed men entered the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park and killed five critically endangered mountain gorillas at point-blank range, leaving the bodies where they fell.
Since September, rebel forces have controlled the area, threatening to kill any conservationists or gorilla rangers who attempted to enter the area.
Diddy and Innocent are long-serving rangers who have spent their working lives protecting the remaining gorillas in the war-torn region.
In this weekly diary, they describe life on conservation's frontline and the frustration of how recent events are hampering their efforts.
FRIDAY 18 JULY - FATAL AMBUSH
A ranger looks at the bullet that nearly claimed his life
As you may have seen in the news, a group of rangers from Virunga National Park and their wives were attacked last week as they travelled on a WWF truck between the Ranger Post at Lulimbi and the town of Ishasha, on the Uganda/Congo border.
The group left the patrol post at about four o'clock in the afternoon. There had not been any problems on the road that day, so there was no reason to expect an attack.
At about five in the evening, the truck approached a motorcyclist who had been stopped by a group of about 15 men.
Two people were killed when the truck was ambushed
As the truck driver stopped the vehicle, the group suddenly turned their attention to the truck and starting shooting without warning.
A second group of men came from the right side of the road and fired shots as well.
The rangers were caught completely by surprise and were heavily outnumbered, but were able to return fire before escaping.
An 18-year-old woman was killed on the spot, and the wife of a ranger managed to run away into the bush before dying as a result of her injuries.
One of the WWF staff was hit by a bullet in the foot, another ranger's wife was wounded by three bullets, and a ranger was hit in the arm.
Two of the bullets penetrated the side of the truck
Others hid in the bush or under the truck itself, as the bandits stole everything on board, including phones, money, and GPS equipment. They even took the mattresses that the WWF staff had brought to sleep on in Lulimbi.
As the bandits escaped, the man on the motorcycle was able to drive to the nearest military base to inform the army, who came immediately to rescue the survivors and take the injured to the hospital.
Local officials have been quoted by the press saying that the bandits were Mai-Mai, but we are not sure if it was them or the FDLR rebels, who also terrorise this area.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Unexpected fall in puffin numbers !
By Mark Kinver - Science and nature reporter, BBC News.
England's biggest colony of puffins has seen the birds' numbers fall by a third in just five years, a survey shows. Experts had expected to see a slight increase in the population on the Farne Islands, owned by the National Trust.
The Trust says the size of the decline is unprecedented, adding that it will carry out another survey in 2008 in order to monitor the situation.
One theory is that many of the birds are dying from starvation during the eight months they spend at sea. "We were expecting a slight increase because since the last survey in 2003, we had a number of good years for puffins," explained David Steel, the Trust's head warden on the islands. "There were plenty of chicks fledging from the nests, so we were not only getting enough to maintain the population, but increase it. "But something is going badly wrong somewhere."
The three-month survey, carried out on eight of the islands, recorded 36,500 breeding pairs. The previous survey, which was conducted in 2003, counted 55,674 pairs. The population of puffins on the Farne Islands had been growing steadily
Mr Steel told BBC News that there was no visible explanation for the decline on the islands. "There was no evidence that they were having difficulties. "The birds had been bringing in good quantities of food, and there was not a predator problem on the islands."
One suggestion for the downturn is the survival rate over the winter months, when the puffins spend eight months at sea.
"The dramatic decline on the Farnes leaves no doubt that the North Sea has lost a substantial number of its puffins," explained Professor Mike Harris, emeritus fellow at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. "With poor survival of adult birds a likely factor in the decline, we urgently need to know more about puffins during the eight months of the year that they spend in the open sea."
The results reflect the findings of an earlier survey on the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth - the UK's largest puffin colony. Published in June, it also showed a decline of about 30%. David Steel said this year's results had left his team feeling anxious about the puffin population on the Farne Islands. "This colony is the fourth largest in Britain, so to see it experience such a decline is a worry."
In order to monitor the situation, Mr Steel said the Trust would carry out another survey next year. "We are going to target the islands that saw the biggest decreases," he explained.
Puffins nest in burrows, so their numbers are assessed by counting the number of occupied burrows, after the birds have cleaned out their nests and before vegetation begins to grow over.
Mr Steel explained: "We can then compare them with this year's results because we actually have 20 square metres on each island mapped, so we can go back to a particular spot and see what the impact is next year.
"Hopefully, we can now judge it on an annual basis and keep a much closer eye on things."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Army dog handler killed by Taliban !
An Army dog handler has been killed in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. The serviceman, who was part of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, attached to 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, died while on patrol in the Sangin area of Helmand Province on Thursday.
Another six soldiers were wounded and an explosives sniffer dog was killed in the incident.
An MoD spokesman said: "A routine patrol from Forward Operating Base Inkerman in the Sangin area came under enemy fire.
"Five other soldiers from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment and one from 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment were injured by small arms fire.
"Five of the casualties are now unlisted and will be returning to duties, the remaining casualty will be returning to the UK for further treatment. The soldier’s injuries are not life threatening."
The victims' next of kin have been informed, the ministry said.
Cows in sea spark rescue effort !
The cows swapped their usual habitat for the beach at Dornoch. Pregnant cows cooling off in the sea have sparked a major rescue operation as a heatwave hit the Highlands. Up to 20 cows were spotted in the Dornoch Firth, in Easter Ross, resulting in 999 calls from concerned members of the public.
Coastguard crews from Portmahomack and Dornoch rushed to the scene, along with the Dornoch Inshore Lifeboat. But the local farmer assured the rescue services that the cows were "chilling out" because of the searing sunshine.
An Aberdeen Coastguard spokesman said: "We got calls about cows in the sea at Dornoch beach, in particular about one up to its neck in water with the tide coming in. "There was concern they might drown, particularly one that was in mud at the south side of the bridge. "We tasked the local coastguard teams, who train in that area, and they spoke to the farmer."
They were told that many of the cows were pregnant and that they often went into the water to cool down. "The one that appeared to be in difficulty was called in by the farmer," the spokesman said. "Once we established that they were not going to be in difficulty we stood the incident down. "It appears it has been going on for years but we have to respond to concerns raised by members of the public. "The worry was the farmer, himself, might get into difficulty, but everything was fine."
The incident happened as temperatures in the Highland hit record levels for 2008, including 24C for the Dornoch area.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
New white whale spotted !
By Alison Feeney-Hart - BBC News, Sydney.
A new white humpback has been sighted off Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia. The newcomer, which was filmed by a television news helicopter, has excited marine scientists who think it may be related to Migaloo - to date, the only known all-white humpback whale.
Migaloo is somewhat of a celebrity down under. Why? "Because as far as we know, he is globally unique," said Professor Peter Harrison from the Whale Research Centre, Southern Cross University. It now seems that Migaloo, (whose Aboriginal name means "white fellow") might have competition.
Although predominantly white, the new whale does have some black markings near its head and tail. So who is the newcomer? A white calf was spotted with a normal humpback mother in Byron Bay two years ago. Experts say the new whale could be the offspring of Migaloo but further tests need to be carried out.
A record number of humpbacks have been spotted off the Australian coast this year on their annual migration north to their breeding grounds. One thing scientists do agree on is that this second white whale has never been seen in these waters before.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Dolphin call tells calf who's mum !
Bottlenose dolphins call to their newborns to ensure they can identify mum. Female bottlenose dolphins whistle ten times more often than usual after giving birth in order to help newborns recognise who is "mum".
The findings by a US team appear in the journal Marine Mammal Science. These "signature whistles" are unique to each animal, allowing them to be used for identification. Bottlenose dolphins are highly social; in their first weeks, calves encounter many adult females that they could potentially mistake for their mothers.
"The most obvious explanation for the increase in maternal signature whistle production is the need for the mother to be in contact with her calf," zoologist Dr Deborah Fripp from Dallas Zoo suggested. "However, the decrease in signature whistle production of [dolphin] mother Lotty after three weeks does not fit this idea, especially as calves actually wander further from their mothers as they get older."
Instead, Dr Fripp said a likely purpose of this whistling enables a process called imprinting, where the calf learns to recognise their mother. "Bottlenose dolphins can swim at birth and are highly social. In other species these traits are associated with imprinting. A calf can easily get separated from its mother and find itself among many other dolphins."
In some bird species, the critical period for imprinting is as short as a few hours. In some mammals, it is the first few weeks of life. Imprinting may also help stop females from stealing newborns off of other mothers. This behaviour has been reported before in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and newborn Lotus was stolen on day one, though subsequently returned.
"Theft incidents almost always occur in the first day of the calf's life. Perhaps this is because after a calf has imprinted on its mother, such theft is more difficult," Dr Fripp explained. Although dolphins can whistle at birth, they are not born with their unique signature whistle.
"Dolphin mothers do not teach their babies how to whistle, so the increase in whistle production at birth is not for this," Dr Fripp said. She added: "Calves' whistles are almost never similar to their mothers'. Interestingly, female calf whistles are more similar to those animals in their environment, which they are not interacting with, than to those of animals they know."
Dr Fripp investigated maternal whistle use in four captive dolphins at Kolmardens Djurpark in Kolmarden, Sweden. The females were named Nephele, Vicky, Delphi and Lotty. The four females each had their own calf. Unfortunately, all but the last calf born - Lotus, the son of Lotty - died within two weeks of life. "It is sad that the calves died. The infant mortality rate was high, but this year is not representative," said Dr Fripp. "Infant mortality rate in the wild is not known - if a calf is born and dies within a week it probably won't be recorded. In captivity it is."
As soon as Lotus was born, Vicky stole him and took him to the surface. Lotus remained with Vicky until day six when he was removed from the pool for a day of medical treatment. On his return, he was reclaimed by rightful mother Lotty. Dr Fripp added: "Unfortunately, with only one calf surviving to week three, and a calf with an unusual first week at that, the evidence to show a return to normal levels of maternal signature whistle production is not particularly strong. Future work is needed to examine this."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Diary: Protecting mountain gorillas !
In July 2007, armed men entered the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park and killed five critically endangered mountain gorillas at point-blank range, leaving the bodies where they fell.
Since September, rebel forces have controlled the area, threatening to kill any conservationists or gorilla rangers who attempted to enter the area.
Diddy and Innocent are long-serving rangers who have spent their working lives protecting the remaining gorillas in the war-torn region.
In this weekly diary, they describe life on conservation's frontline and the frustration of how recent events are hampering their efforts.
FRIDAY 18 JULY - FATAL AMBUSH
A ranger looks at the bullet that nearly claimed his life
As you may have seen in the news, a group of rangers from Virunga National Park and their wives were attacked last week as they travelled on a WWF truck between the Ranger Post at Lulimbi and the town of Ishasha, on the Uganda/Congo border.
The group left the patrol post at about four o'clock in the afternoon. There had not been any problems on the road that day, so there was no reason to expect an attack.
At about five in the evening, the truck approached a motorcyclist who had been stopped by a group of about 15 men. Two people were killed when the truck was ambushed.As the truck driver stopped the vehicle, the group suddenly turned their attention to the truck and starting shooting without warning. A second group of men came from the right side of the road and fired shots as well.
The rangers were caught completely by surprise and were heavily outnumbered, but were able to return fire before escaping. An 18-year-old woman was killed on the spot, and the wife of a ranger managed to run away into the bush before dying as a result of her injuries.
One of the WWF staff was hit by a bullet in the foot, another ranger's wife was wounded by three bullets, and a ranger was hit in the arm. Two of the bullets penetrated the side of the truck. Others hid in the bush or under the truck itself, as the bandits stole everything on board, including phones, money, and GPS equipment. They even took the mattresses that the WWF staff had brought to sleep on in Lulimbi.
As the bandits escaped, the man on the motorcycle was able to drive to the nearest military base to inform the army, who came immediately to rescue the survivors and take the injured to the hospital. Local officials have been quoted by the press saying that the bandits were Mai-Mai, but we are not sure if it was them or the FDLR rebels, who also terrorise this area.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Philippine farmer eats rare eagle !
By Steve Jackson -BBC News
The critically endangered Philippine eagle is a giant forest raptor. Prosecutors in the Philippines have been told to file charges against a farmer for killing and eating one of the world's rarest eagles. The man faces up to 12 years in jail if he is found guilty of shooting the Philippine eagle earlier this month.
The bird is among the largest and most powerful eagles on Earth but it is also critically endangered. Conservationists believe there are fewer than 250 adult birds left in the wild. The story of what happened to one juvenile eagle in the southern Philippines has received widespread attention.
The remains of the bird were found in a national park two weeks ago. The eagle had been rescued from captivity in 2006 and reintroduced into the wild in March this year with a tracking device.
When wildlife officials noticed that it had not moved for some time they began a search and found its skeleton and the transmitter under a tree.
A 22-year-old farmer, Brian Balaon, later came forward to say he had shot the eagle with an air gun and had eaten it with his friends. He said he did not know it was an endangered species.
But the Philippine environment secretary has called for the farmer to be punished severely to show that the authorities are serious about enforcing the wildlife protection laws.
If the farmer is found guilty he could be jailed for between six and twelve years.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Back from the brink, Red Kites return !
By Mike McKimm - BBC NI environment correspondent.
Just a handful of journalists and photographers witnessed the historic return of the Red Kite to the north of Ireland. The RSPB released 27 chicks in what is the first ever species reintroduction to Northern Ireland, part of a pan-UK and Ireland reintroduction.
Set free in groups of four per day, most of the birds took their time to leave their cage. It gave waiting photographers time to grab the first ever pictures of these birds in their new habitat. But once in the air they soared, turning into the wind and disappearing into dense woodland.
Once commonplace in the countryside, these spectacular birds were driven to near extinction in the UK by hunting, poisoning and changes to their habitat.
But from this week, after an absence of 200 years, their distinctive five foot wingspan and rusty-red colouring can be seen in the skies over County Down.
The RSPB's Red Kite officer, Robert Straughan, is part of the team who planned the birds return.
The RSPB released 27 birds in County Down "The release has been the culmination of a huge amount of work over this past number of years in order to make this project a reality," he said. "I have been looking after the birds prior to their release with important help from Forest Service and they are healthy and doing well. "As they take their first flight in a new country the red kites should soon feel at home in the mixed woodland, farmland and rough grassland of south County Down, as it offers ideal habitat for the birds. "People will be able to easily identify red kites with their rusty-red colouring, forked tail, white patches under each wing and inky black wing tips, not to mention their five-and-a-half feet wingspan."
With just a small population in Britain, it has not been an easy task to gather sufficient chicks for the reintroduction. The young birds were carefully removed from nests where there was more than one chick, then hand-reared until big enough to be released and had shown the ability to fly and fend for themselves.
Each bird is tagged and carries a tiny radio beacon. This allows them to be followed and monitored to check on survival and watch how each copes with its environment. It will also show how the kites interact with each other. To help develop a sustainable population, more kite chicks were released into the countryside in County Wicklow in the Republic.
These birds will supplement the population re-introduced there in 2007. Across Scotland, England and Wales there are now more than 1,000 breeding pairs of Red Kites. It's an amazing turnaround from a few years ago when there were just a handful of native birds left in Wales. But there have been minor setbacks. A kite was recently shot dead in Wicklow and three were poisoned in Scotland.
There has been considerable secrecy about the exact location of the kites released in Northern Ireland. Despite their size and seemingly menacing hooked bills, the birds offer no threat to farming of local communities. "Kites are opportunistic scavengers, to conserve energy they feed mostly on worms and small dead animals, which they can see from a great height", Mr Straughan said. "They are a large bird, but are not designed to feed on mobile prey, so are not a threat to livestock, game birds or songbirds."
Pigeon fanciers will also be relieved to know that the kites don't take other birds in flight. Down, Newry & Mourne and Banbridge councils chipped in along with other organisations to make the reintroduction possible. "Not only is this an exciting and important conservation project, but it could also provide a tremendous tourist boost to the local economy in the Mourne area", explained Mr Straughan. "It is our belief that the Northern Ireland Red Kite Reintroduction Project will provide a similar outcome for conservation and for the benefit of local people."
People are encouraged to report any sighting of the birds to the RSPB either by emailing the information to redkiteni@rspb.org.uk or by telephoning 028 90 491547.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Dog rescues woman from kangaroo !
Kangaroos can stand more than 6ft tall (1.8m) and weigh 100kg (220lbs),
An Australian woman has been saved by a pet dog which leapt to her aid after she was attacked by a large kangaroo, her son has said.
The marsupial assaulted Rosemary Neal, 65, at her farm near Mudgee in New South Wales, 265km (160 miles) north-west of Sydney, her son, Darren, said.
"The kangaroo just jumped up and launched straight at her," he said. "My dog heard her screaming and bolted down and chased him off. If it wasn't for the dog, she'd probably be dead."
Mrs Neal was taken to hospital with concussion and cuts to her face, hands and back, her son said. He added that the area had been overrun by kangaroos in recent years.
Kangaroos are widespread across Australia. Most species are not considered aggressive toward humans.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Farm ban for sheep sex arrest man !
A man arrested for allegedly having sex with sheep has been banned from visiting farmland. The 27-year-old was arrested on suspicion of bestiality by officers at his home in Dulwich, south-east London, on Thursday morning.
It followed several complaints about a man molesting sheep in Botany Bay Lane, Chislehurst, in May and June. He was bailed on the condition that he does not enter farmyards within the Metropolitan Police area.
The arrest was made when witnesses reported a man sexually assaulting sheep before running off, often leaving clothing at the scene. It is understood the man was traced after forensic scientists identified DNA recovered from a pair of jogging bottoms found at the scene.
Two sheep were found dead in the field during the period of the attacks but it is not known if their deaths were linked. Police are also investigating reports that the suspect took photographs of the animals before the attacks.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the man was also held on suspicion of drugs possession with intent to supply.
The crime of bestiality carries a maximum prison sentence of two years.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
'Survival zones' for butterflies !
Ten "survival zones" are key to saving rare butterfly species from becoming extinct, according to Butterfly Conservation Scotland (BCS). The areas identified include Highland Perthshire, Lochaber, North Argyll, Solway and Upper Deeside.
BCS has previously warned that climate change threatens some species. It said Scotland had become a refuge for butterflies in decline in England and careful management of the zones could safeguard their future. BCS director, Paul Kirkland, said changes to farming and forestry practices have affected habitats.
He said: "Butterfly Conservation Scotland has identified these 10 Butterfly Survival Zones where we will be focusing our new conservation strategy to re-connect isolated colonies to secure their future.
SURVIVAL ZONES
North Argyll - especially around Loch Creran - pearl-bordered fritillary, chequered skipper and marsh fritillary
Lorne and Knapdale - marsh fritillary and pearl-bordered fritillary
Lochaber - especially Loch Arkaig to Roy Bridge - chequered skipper, pearl-bordered fritillary and marsh fritillary
Upper Deeside - pearl-bordered fritillary
Badenoch and Strathspey - pearl-bordered fritillary
Highland Perthshire - including Rannoch and Breadalbane - pearl-bordered fritillary
Solway - especially Mabie Forest - pearl-bordered fritillary
Mull - marsh fritillary
Islay - marsh fritillary
Moray Firth - especially Culbin - pearl-bordered fritillary
"Although butterflies are small insects, we need to think big to save them. "Our new focus works with landowners in these key areas to restore habitats, allowing butterflies to spread over a wider area."
The organisation hopes to encourage landowners to use European and government grants to improve and restore habitats. Projects include introducing managed grazing by livestock of woodlands to create suitable areas for pearl-bordered fritillary and chequered skipper, and restoring grazing on abandoned farmland for the marsh fritillary.
Mr Kirkland said: "Scotland's butterflies have been preserved by landowners, crofters and foresters who have chosen to continue to manage their land in traditional ways, especially in the north and west.
"We do not want to follow England's example of abandoning these practices which has led to these species disappearing." The "survival zones" announcement comes as parent body, Butterfly Conservation, celebrates its 40th birthday.
It is the world's biggest organisation concerned with Lepidoptera - the name for the order of insects that include butterflies and moths.
Other bodies involved in the new strategy include Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Scottish Agricultural College and Local Biodiversity Action Plan officers.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Koala bearing up after car ordeal !
Lucky Grills' escape has been described as "miraculous". A koala has survived being hit by a car and then dragged for several miles with its head stuck in the vehicle's front grill, officials in Australia say. They say the male koala was found with his bottom sticking out of the grill of a woman's car near Brisbane. The animal was taken to a wildlife hospital in Queensland where tests showed it was not badly hurt.
The lucky creature - believed to be several years old - was nicknamed Lucky Grills after his ordeal. The driver said she had noticed a koala on the road but drove on when she failed to see anything in her rear view mirror.
The trapped animal was only spotted when the driver pulled up at a railway station on the outskirts of Brisbane. "Somehow the force of the impact propelled him through the grill. That sort of wedged him there. That is why he didn't come adrift. The rest of his body was dangling," spokeswoman Carolyn Beaton of the Australian Wildlife Hospital told the AFP news agency.
She added that "an examination showed that he was in good health and had no serious injuries".
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Mobile development rings true !
By Ken Banks
Elephants might not be able to make phone calls, but that doesn't stop them carrying mobiles. It doesn't stop crocodiles or seals, either.
Today from Kenya to South Africa, from Sweden to Greece, conservationists are using mobile networks to track a range of endangered species using GSM technology. The advance of mobile technology has touched just about every aspect of the non-profit world, whether the focus is wildlife conservation or human health, and we've only just begun to scratch the surface.
It's easy to forget just how young the mobile industry really is. The real beauty, of course, is that few people saw this coming. Back in 2003, while I was researching for one of the early publications on the use of mobile phones in international conservation and development, there wasn't a huge amount to report other than largely scattered anecdotal evidence.
Back then, many believed that people in developing countries, particularly those living off a couple of dollars or so a day, would never be able to own a phone. How wrong they were. Today, in Sub-Saharan Africa, 30% of the population own a mobile, equating to in excess of 300 million people. Many more have access to the technology through Shared Phones, Village Phones or family and friends.
This explosive growth is largely down to a vibrant recycling market and the arrival of $20 phones, but is also down in part to the efforts of forward-thinking mobile manufacturers, some of whom spend increasing amounts of time trying to understand what people living at the so-called "bottom of the pyramid" might want from a phone. Mobiles with flashlights are just one example of a product that can emerge from this brand of user-centric design. Some handsets are "much more than a phone"
Seeking to appeal to the needs of people lacking any kind of reliable lighting in their homes, some phones are now marketed with a strong emphasis on them being "much more than a phone". Innovation doesn't just happen in the West.
Local entrepreneurs are also getting in on the act, setting up shop wherever they see a need - which is almost everywhere - providing charging and repair services to help people keep their phones up and running for as long as possible.
The end result of all of this - the manufacturer's "formal" activities and this hugely impressive grassroots "informal" activity - means that more phones are getting into more and more hands, and staying there for longer. Mobile phones are today providing a direct line of communication to farmers, doctors, patients, nurses, teachers and youth, or anyone else the non-profit community might seek to engage.
This is allowing patients to be sent reminders to take their medicine, or market prices to be sent to farmers, or to enable citizens to help monitor elections, or activists to report human rights abuses. The potential for mobiles in conservation and development work is huge, and evidence of their use is increasing. Many grassroots non-profits, however, still struggle to successfully implement them in their work.
A key problem is that many of the phones circulating through recycled markets are generally older, legacy handsets. Thanks to the ingenuity and efficiency of the many mobile phone repair shops, it's not uncommon to find people happily using phones six or seven years old.
But providing data services of any kind, let alone a full web experience, is a bridge too far for many of these devices. The solution is often the humble text message (SMS).
But in a world where the mobile phone is regularly touted as the device which will help close the digital divide, text messaging isn't necessarily the solution people had in mind. While many developers concentrate on building smart applications for smart phones, grassroots non-profits with only SMS at their disposal are largely left behind.
Building applications for a target audience limited by their own unique blend of cultural, geographic and economic constraints can be a real challenge, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
For the past three years I've been working on my own solution, and it will come as no surprise that it's based on the text message. FrontlineSMS is a messaging hub which allows non-profits in developing countries to manage bulk two-way communications using a mobile phone attached to a laptop computer.
When I built the first version in 2005, I was surprised to find that almost all bulk messaging software was web-based. Getting online on the edge of Kruger National Park, or in a remote Kenyan village, is a challenge to say the least. Local entrepreneurs keep even old phones up and running
Today, FrontlineSMS is being used by grassroots non-profits in over 40 countries for a wide range of activities, and was used in Nigeria to monitor the 2007 Presidential elections.
In Malawi, a student from Stanford University - armed with just 100 second-hand mobile phones and FrontlineSMS - is currently helping a rural hospital revolutionise healthcare for 250,000 people. There the software is being used to connect St. Gabriel's Hospital in Namitete with 600 community health workers over 100 sq mile (260 sq km) area.
For the first time, drug adherence monitors are able to message the hospital, reporting how local patients are doing on their TB or HIV drug regimens. Home-based care volunteers are sent texts with names of patients that need to be traced, and their condition reported.
Leaders from the "People Living with HIV and AIDS" support group use FrontlineSMS to communicate meeting times. Volunteers can be messaged before the hospital's mobile testing and immunisation teams arrive in their village, so they can mobilise the community.
Essentially, FrontlineSMS has adopted the new role of coordinating a far-reaching community health network. SMS has been the surprise package of the mobile industry but, despite its dominance, obvious limitations remain. There may be better and smarter technologies around the corner, but for many grassroots non-profits looking to help people today it remains a hugely relevant and powerful tool.
Mobile phones may present us with the best opportunity yet to bridge the digital divide, but we mustn't lose sight of the bigger picture and must always remember that the technology comes last, not first.
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Ken Banks is the Founder of kiwanja.net, where he devotes himself to the application of mobile technology for positive social and environmental change throughout the developing world
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Breeding rate fall for rare bird !
One of the UK's rarest birds is facing its worst breeding season on record, according to RSPB Scotland. Slavonian grebe first nested in Scotland near Loch Ness, Inverness-shire, in 1909.
The entire UK breeding population - today numbering only 29 pairs - continues to be found within 40 miles of the area.
RSPB officer Stuart Benn said the birds were being monitored to determine what factors were affecting them.
The fears over the breeding season come in the wake of a bird ringed in Scotland being found dead in Iceland.
A fisherman found the bird drowned in his net at Myvatn - midge lake - and handed it in to the local research centre.
The centre in turn contacted RSPB staff in Inverness.
bbc news report.
China demand for ivory tops talks !
By Imogen Foulkes - BBC News, Geneva.
The standing committee of the UN's Convention on Endangered Species (Cites) is meeting in Geneva. Key measures for the protection of endangered plants and animals will be decided at the five-day meeting.
Items on the agenda include Asian tiger farming, the export of mahogany from the Amazon basin and a proposal to allow China to import elephant ivory.
Environmental groups oppose the proposal, claiming China does not have adequate control of its ivory trade. They say that allowing it to import ivory legally will simply fuel the illegal market.
The United Nations banned the trade in elephant ivory in 1989, and since then Cites has overseen the ban, allowing only one-off sales from four African nations - Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe - whose elephant populations were judged to have stabilised.
Now China wants to import and trade that ivory. Cites officials say China's enforcement of the laws on illegal trade in ivory are satisfactory. But environmental groups disagree. They claim that elephant ivory is a booming black-market commodity worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and that China is the biggest customer.
Giving China the right to import more ivory legally will simply fuel the black market, critics say. They add that China's verification of where its imported ivory really comes from remains weak. The discussions in Geneva are likely to be heated. Some environmental groups accuse Cites officials of ignoring the advice of their own wildlife experts, and bowing instead to pressure from China.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Snake found snuggled in armchair !
A pest controller has been called by a landlord to capture a 4ft (1.2m) corn snake only weeks after tackling another one found nestled in a boiler. When Lee Marshall was told about the alarmed Portsmouth tenant discovering a snake curled up in her armchair, he thought "oh, no, not again". In May, he and a colleague tackled an orange snake in Southsea. Mr Marshall, who runs the firm Contract Killers, has appealed to the owner of the snake, which he thinks is a pet.
The 40-year-old had been sitting in his garden "enjoying a glass or two of red wine" when he was contacted on Saturday evening. "My mobile rang and although I was enjoying a well-earned day off I answered the call," he said. "Unfortunately, one of my chaps was working in North Hampshire and the other is currently on holiday in France so I grabbed my bag and walked to the address that had been given to me by the landlord.
"When I arrived at the property the snake was still sat there quite comfortable in the armchair almost as if it was preparing itself for an evening in front of the telly. "I collected him or her up and put him in my backpack. "I feel someone in the neighbourhood is probably missing their beloved pet."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
'Serious concern' over seabirds !
The poor breeding of Scotland's seabirds is giving cause for "serious concern", according to RSPB Scotland.
Early reports from coastal reserves indicate continuing problems for the internationally important populations of guillemots, kittiwakes and others. Nests have been abandoned, with cliffs which "should be teeming" now empty.
RSPB Scotland has called on the Scottish Government to ensure that it puts the environment at the heart of new legislation.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the Marine Bill Consultation on Monday, the bird conservation group said evidence suggested these repeated annual breeding failures are now substantially reducing populations of certain species.
Colonies on the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland - together said to be Scotland's most important "seabird cities" - have been hit particularly hard.
Many guillemots and razorbills appeared to have given up any attempt to breed at RSPB's Sumburgh Head reserve on Shetland, with eggs left abandoned on the cliffs as parent birds spent more time at sea in a search for food.
Kittiwakes also had serious problems.
RSPB Scotland said that on the Aberdeenshire coast, at Fowlsheugh, the picture was more encouraging, with razorbills, guillemots and kittiwakes appearing to be nesting successfully, although counts were still down on historic numbers.
On the west coast, the breeding season was said to have been more mixed, with both razorbills and kittiwakes experiencing a poor year, but some Arctic tern colonies had fared well and were bringing in plentiful food supplies.
Doug Gilbert, an ecologist with RSPB Scotland, said: "Regrettably the poor breeding performance of our internationally important seabird colonies is now an annual theme. "When you look at the evidence over the last 15 years it is quite startling and cause for serious concern.
Some Arctic tern colonies were said to have fared well."At our Copinsay reserve on Orkney, the kittiwake population has plummeted drastically since the mid 1980s, when there were at least 10,000 birds on the cliffs, but today there are just under 2,000." He added: "The declines are primarily being driven by changes in the availability of the fish that these birds depend on. "Seabirds are indicators of the health of the marine environment and, like the canary in the coalmine, the decline in their fortunes should be a wake-up call to us all that we must pay attention to."
RSPB Scotland is calling for the Scottish Government to put the environment at the heart of the Marine Bill to help improve the fortunes of seabirds.
Kara Brydson, marine policy officer with RSPB Scotland, said: "The Scottish Marine Bill will not be a silver bullet that will suddenly mean that the problems facing seabirds will be solved overnight.
"But it should represent a policy shift that means putting environment at the heart of decision-making and having proper sustainable management of the seas rather than treating them as something that is available to be exploited and used with impunity."
BBC NEWS REPORT.
China bans dog from Olympic menu !
Dog meat is eaten by some in several Asian countries. China has ordered dog meat to be taken off the menu at its 112 official Olympic restaurants in order to avoid offending foreign visitors.
Restaurant workers are advised to "patiently" suggest other options to diners who order dog. Any restaurant found violating the ban would be black-listed, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Dog - known as "fragrant meat" - is eaten by some Chinese for purported medicinal properties.
The ban, issued by the Beijing Catering Trade Association, forbids all designated Olympic restaurants from offering dog and urges other food outlets to remove the meat from menus.
"If a customer orders dog meat, restaurant staff should patiently suggest another entree," said Xiong Yumei, deputy director of the Beijing Tourism Bureau told Xinhua.
The measure has been implemented to "respect the habits of many countries and nationalities," the Beijing News quoted the municipal food department as saying.
The BBC's James Reynolds says the ban is one of several steps taken by China to avoid foreign visitors being amused or offended by local customs. Authorities have also told people to queue up politely, to smile and not to spit on the streets.
During the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea also banned doggie dishes from menus. Officials invoked a law banning the sale of "foods deemed unsightly".
Dog meat is eaten in some other Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Dutch cat suckles abandoned panda !
The panda cub was rejected by its mother. A Dutch tabby cat has adopted a red panda cub, which was abandoned by its mother at a zoo in the Netherlands. The adult panda, Gladys, rejected two cubs after they were born on 30 June. The Artis zoo in Amsterdam initially kept them both on an incubator.
But the zookeeper's cat had just given birth to four kittens, and allowed the pandas to join the litter. One of the cubs died last week. Red pandas are a rare species only distantly related to giant pandas. When fully grown, they are not much bigger than a domestic cat.
"The young panda is doing well in the circumstances," the zoo said in a statement. "For it to survive, it is very important that it gets enough food and grows. We will see if this is the case over the next few weeks."
The cub does not have a name yet, but the zoo says that anyone willing to sponsor her will be allowed to name her.
The red panda is an endangered species that lives in Himalayan regions in China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Burma.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Attack in DR Congo's gorilla park !
Two people have been killed and three injured in an attack in a park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a United Nations-backed radio station says.
Radio Okapi says a vehicle belonging to the environment group WWF, which was carrying 11 people, was ambushed by gunmen in Virunga National Park.
The wife and daughter of a park warden were shot dead in the attack.
Armed groups frequently carry out attacks in the park, home to at least 380 endangered mountain gorillas.
The park is in a volatile region in eastern DR Congo where rebels have set up a base.
Since September, rebel forces have controlled the area, threatening to kill any conservationists or gorilla rangers who attempt to enter the region which is home to more than half of the world's mountain gorillas.
Radio Okapi quoted local officials who blamed the attack on Mai Mai rebels, and reported that the attackers stole GPS devices and personal belongings.
Members of the local Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) were also travelling in the vehicle at the time of the attack.
In July 2007, armed men entered the park and shot five gorillas at point-blank range.
BBC NEWS REPORT.
Battle to save Cambodian dolphin !
By Guy Delauney - BBC News, Kratie.
Sun Mao leans forward in the boat, shades his eyes with his hand, and squints across the wide expanse of the Mekong River where it twists through the town of Kratie.
He is looking for one of the world's rarest mammals - the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin.
Older people in this part of northern Cambodia talk of how they used to take the dolphins for granted.
Little effort was needed to see them in their dozens. Now, scientists say, there are less than 100 remaining.
With a practised eye, Sun Mao spots a group of five dolphins, collectively known as a pod.
They briefly break the surface as they come up for air - grey-brown, bullet-headed and exhaling with an old man's rasp.
It is an awe-inspiring sight, but nothing new to Sun Mao.
As part of a local organisation, the Cambodian Rural Development Team (CRDT), he has put years of work into preserving the dwindling population.
For him it is an issue of national heritage. "This is the last place for these dolphins in the world," he says over the clatter of the boat's outboard engine. "We have to conserve and keep them alive in this river for our next generation."
CRDT has tried to educate the local human population about what they can do.
A government-enforced ban on the use of gill nets - nets set vertically in the water so that fish swim into them and are entangled in the mesh - has cut down the number of dolphins accidentally caught by fishermen.
Instead, CRDT has helped locals to reduce their reliance on fishing by offering alternatives such as poultry farming.