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News on wildlands conservation and related issuesIndonesian forest fires again cause haze in Malaysia - 4-August-2005Forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra province covered Malaysia's main city Kuala Lumpur and 32 other towns Tuesday with a smoky haze that reduced visibility to as low as one kilometer (half a mile). AP Chocolate could kill your dog - 3-August-2005 Death by chocolate? Feeding sweets to your pet is no laughing matter. Rhett Butler Organic farming benefits wildlife over conventional agriculture says study - 3-August-2005 In the largest and most comprehensive study of organic farming to date, published today in the Royal Society Journal, Biology Letters, scientists from leading UK institutions show conclusively that organic farms provide greater benefits for a range of wildlife including wild flowers, beetles, spiders, birds and bats than their conventional counterparts. British Trust for Ornithology release Walking carnivorous fish discovered in New York lake - 3-August-2005 Authorities have found snakehead fish in New York state for the first time. Five snakeheads were captured in Meadow Lake in the New York borough of Queens during July and officials are worried that the fish may be breeding. Rhett Butler Landowner caught burning 2 million trees in the Amazon - 3-August-2005 A large plantation owner was caught burning almost 2 million trees in the Amazon to make way for a cattle pastures according to O Estado de S.Paulo, as translated by amazonia.org.br. Rhett Butler Renewable energy in China, a strategic future? - 2-August-2005 China's failed bid for American petroleum firm Unocal may prompt it to further focus on its development of alternative energy sources. Rhett Butler Infants’ Oral Drops Safety Alert from FDA - 2-August-2005 Infants’ Oral Drops Safety Alert from FDA. FDA Release Gulf dead zone larger than expected - 2-August-2005 Gulf dead zone larger than expected. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium Release All albatrosses dead in transoceanic race - 1-August-2005 All 18 albatross competitors died in the 2005 Big Bird Race. mongabay.com Brazil's grasslands could replace food production of American heartland - 1-August-2005 Today when people mention Brazil and agriculture, people often first envision the Amazon rainforest giving way to soybean plantations and cattle farms. While the Amazon is being converted for such purposes, the cerrado, a vast area of savanna-like grasslands covering more than 20% of the country’s surface area, is increasingly under threat as farmers from the United States and Europe are setting their sights on the country’s sizeable agricultural potential. Tina Butler FDA warning on mercury in fish may be misleading consumers -- WSJ - 1-August-2005 A EPA/FDA advisory on fish consumption may be misleading to consumers according to an article published today in the THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. The article suggests that "limits set in the advisory may exceed safe levels for some people, judging by a mercury risk assessment that the EPA produced on its own years earlier." FDA release Conserving ocean hotspots could slow marine decline says new report - 29-July-2005 A new report in Science identifies the world's biodiversity hotspots for several large ocean fish using Japanese fishing fleet data. These areas contain the largest concentrations of game species including tuna, marlin, swordfish, among others. FDA release Amazon not holding expected carbon, carbon-credit trading scheme at risk? - 28-July-2005 The rivers of South America's Amazon basin are "breathing" far harder – cycling the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide more quickly – than anyone realized. FDA release FDA shuts down Pharmakon Labs of Florida - 28-July-2005 FDA shuts down Pharmakon Labs of Floridas. FDA release Agroterrorism vigilance; govt agencies team with private sector - 28-July-2005 Agroterrorism vigilance; govt agencies team with private sector. FDA release Spicy peppers keep elephants out of farmers' fields - 28-July-2005 Fiery chillies keep elephants out of crops and make a great sauce, say African entrepreneurs. WCS Food demand greater threat to wildlife than global warming - 28-July-2005 A redoubling of human food demand over the next 50 years that could imperil vast tracts of wildlife habitat. Recognizing the food demand, however, would shift government research funds from climate models to politically incorrect agricultural research stations-our main hope to double crop and livestock yields. Hudson Institute release California to face water shortage warns new study - 27-July-2005 At current rates, California's demand for water will increase by 40 percent over the next 25 years, warns a new study from the Public Policy Institute of California. mongabay.com Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation fails to protect fish says Greenpeace - 27-July-2005 In a new report, environmental group Greenpeace calls for a ban on bottom-trawling, a commercial fishing practice that causes serious damage to sea beds. mongabay.com China announces wave power station changes - 27-July-2005 China announced that it has developed typhoon-resistant technologies for the world's first experimental wave power station. The announcement comes two months after a Norwegian firm signed an agreement to construct a commercial wave farm to harvest electricity from sea swells off the coast of Scottland. mongabay.com Zoologists to discuss latest in animal enrichment techniques - 27-July-2005 The Wildlife Conservation Society is hosting the 2005 International Conference on Environmental Enrichment where zoologists from 15 countries will gather to learn about the latest in animal enrichment techniques to keep animals healthy and stimulated. Society for Conservation Biology In Fiji locals grow “live rock” for aquarium trade with university help - 26-July-2005 In a unique project that combines environmental conservation, economic development and drug discovery research, scientists and policy experts led by the Georgia Institute of Technology are collaborating with the villagers of Tagaqe and the University of the South Pacific to explore, protect and generate income for islanders from their shallow fringing coral reef. Georgia Institute of Technology EU to charge passengers carbon tax for vacation flights - 26-July-2005 The European Commission wants to begin tacking carbon emission charges on airlines in its strategy to tackle climate change, according to a document released by the EU executive Commission yesterday. Airlines would likely pass these fees on to passengers, who would see ticket prices rise by up to 9 euros ($10.86) for a return flight. mongabay.com Wal-Mart builds environmentally-friendly store - 26-July-2005 Wal-Mart Stores Inc.' has built an experimental environmentally friendly store in a northern suburb of Dallas, where the world's biggest -- and notoriously cost-conscious -- retailer is trying to determine whether being green can also be profitable. mongabay.com Uganda imports rhinos from Kenya - 26-July-2005 Uganda has imported four rhinos from Kenya according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). UWA hopes to develop a captive breeding program in an effort to reintroduce rhinos after their disappearance from the country in the 1960s due to poaching. mongabay.com Sea turtles protected in Costa Rica are killed in Nicaragua - 26-July-2005 Sea turtles that receive the highest protection in Costa Rica and other neighboring countries are dying by the thousands at the hands of unregulated - and unsustainable - commercial fishing in Nicaragua, according to a study by the Bronx Zoo based Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS Release Drugs derived from chocolate? Candymaker Mars in talks. - 25-July-2005 Mars, Incorporated, the privately held U.S. company company that produces M&Ms, Twix, Snickers and other confectionaries is in talks with several large pharmaceutical companies to develop medications based on flavanols -- plant chemicals with health benefits found in cocoa, according to a report from Reuters. mongabay.com We are trading short-term food production for long-term environmental losses - 25-July-2005 In the July 22, 2005 issue of the journal Science, scientists argue that modern land-use practices may be trading short-term increases in food production for long-term losses in the environment’s ability to support human societies. University of Alaska Fairbanks release Q&A: What are the most spoken languages on earth? - 25-July-2005 According to figures from UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the most widely spoken language on earth is Mandarin which is spoken as a first language by nearly a billion people. Second on the list is English with around 358 million, followed by Spanish. French is spoken as a first language by a mere 81 million, good for number on the list. mongabay.com North Carolina firm helps local artisans while saving the rainforest - 23-July-2005 Can a company generate income while helping local artisans and protecting the environment in far off lands? A Durham, North Carolina firm is doing just that. Since 1993, Forests of the World has imported and distributed "fair-trade" products made by people living in and around some of the planet's most endangered forests. Society for Conservation Biology How to Raise $1 Billion for the Environment - 20-July-2005 Our research indicates there are over 4000 ecological entrepreneurs attempting to start and run businesses that will resolve the globe's ecological challenges. Our anecdotal evidence suggests that each and every one of them is looking for the same $1 million to get off the ground. Press Release How might I buy invest in green energy projects? - 20-July-2005 On June 17, Associate Press reported that Zilhka Renewable Energy hopes to complete a $100 million wind farm in eastern Oregon by December 2006. The article said the company owned wind farms in eleven states. For many investors, green or otherwise, this would seem like a great company in which to own stock. Whether or not the numbers would bear that out, a savvy investor would first want to know, "How might I buy a piece of Zilhka or invest in their projects?" Press Release Scientists to set fire to Amazon rainforest to study its resilience - 19-July-2005 Woods Hole Research Center scientists will burn two and a half square kilometers of forest in the transition forest of northern Mato Grosso state in order to study the effects of fire on the rainforest and the forests’ ability to recover from repeated burning. Press Release Stress results in buildup of belly fat and poor eating habits says new study - 19-July-2005 A new study in the medical journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity suggests there is a link between stress, the consumption of comfort foods, and the buildup of abdominal fat. mongabay.com Program encourages entrepreneurship among Nigerian high school students - 18-July-2005 A group of Nigerian youths, Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE), will explain how they have completed entrepreneurship projects and social ventures for the betterment of their communities at the upcoming SAGE World Cup” in San Francisco. Press release Corporations among largest global economic enterprises - 18-July-2005 Of the world's largest 150 economic entities, 95 are corporations (63.3%) according to data released this month by Fortune Magazine and the World Bank. Wal-Mart, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Royal Dutch/Shell Group all rank in the 25 largest entities in the world, above countries that include Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Denmark, Poland, South Africa, and Greece. Rhett Butler Africa seeks bioengineered solutions to food crisis - 18-July-2005 African scientists, in conjunction with research facilities in the United States, are working toward developing super strains of traditional nutritional staples in Africa. Tina Butler Microchip implant saves endangered turtle from the cooking pot - 18-July-2005 An extremely rare "royal" turtle narrowly escaped a trip to a Chinese soup-pot, thanks to a tiny microchip implanted in its skin, according to experts from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), who rediscovered the species four years ago in Cambodia. WCS Release Lemur hunting persists in Madagascar, rare primates fall victim to hunger - 17-July-2005 While it has been illegal to kill or keep lemurs as pets since 1964, lemurs are hunted where they are not protected by local taboos. Many lemurs are particularly easy targets for hunting because evolution has rendered them ecologically naive in that without natural predators over the majority of their existence, they are less fearful than they should be. Rhett Butler Why American outbreak of monkeypox wasn't fatal - 15-July-2005 An outbreak of 72 cases of monkeypox in the United States during the summer of 2003 didn't produce a single fatality, even though the disease usually kills 10 percent of those infected. Press release New monkey virus infects human; jumps species barrier - 14-July-2005 Scientists have identified the first reported case in Asia of primate-to-human transmission of simian foamy virus (SFV), a retrovirus found in macaques and other primates that so far has not been shown to cause disease in humans. The transmission of the virus from a monkey to a human took place at a monkey temple in Bali, Indonesia, the researchers report in the July issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. Press release Rainforest plant helps treat psoriasis - 14-July-2005 A compound dervied from an Amazon-rainforest tree is effective in the treatment of the skin disease psoriasis according to a study released in late June in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Rhett Butler Polynesians came from Taiwan says new study - 13-July-2005 Polynesians, history's greatest seafarers who settled islands across a vast area of ocean from Madagascar to Easter Island, originated in Taiwan, according to a new genetic study published in the journal Public Library of Science Biology. Rhett Butler Cell phones may help "save" Africa - 11-July-2005 For all the talk about "making poverty history" through aid and debt relief at the G8 meeting in Scotland and among aging rock stars at Live8 concerts, perhaps the best tool for poverty alleviation on the continent is the mobile phone. Yes, that ubiquitous handheld device has done wonders for the poor around the world. Rhett Butler Curry spice blocks melanoma cancer growth in lab - 11-July-2005 Curcumin, the pungent yellow spice found in both turmeric and curry powders, blocks a key biological pathway needed for development of melanoma and other cancers, say researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Rhett Butler Biomimetics, technology that mimcs nature - 11-July-2005 Engineers, scientists, and business people alike are increasingly turning toward nature for design inspiration. The field of biomimetics, the application of methods and systems found in nature to engineering and technology, has spawned a number of innovations far superior to anything the human mind alone could have devised. The reason is simple. Nature, through billions of years of trial and error, has produced effective solutions to innumerable complicated real-world problems. The rigorous competition of natural selection means waste and efficiency is not tolerated in natural systems, unlike many of the technologies devised by humans. Rhett Butler Madagascar lemurs descended from single primate ancestor, finds study - 11-July-2005 Yale biologists have managed to extract and analyze DNA from giant, extinct lemurs, according to a Yale study published in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Evolutionary analysis of the DNA obtained from the extinct giants reveals that they, like the living lemurs, are descended from a single primate ancestor that colonized Madagascar more than 60 million years ago. Yale release Design of new Mercedes-Benz bionic car inspired by fish body shape - 10-July-2005 DaimlerChrysler is using a new concept vehicle to examine the great potential of bionics for automobile development, and has achieved outstanding results for fuel consumption and emissions with a combination of pioneering diesel engine technology and innovative emission control methods. The Mercedes-Benz bionic car study will have its world premiere at this year’s DaimlerChrysler Innovation Symposium in Washington. DaimlerChrysler Release Nature photo blog lauched by mongabay.com - 10-July-2005 Today mongabay.com, a leading rainforest information site, announced the launch of a photo blog featuring images of wilderness from around the world. The aim of the new blog, hosted on Google's blogger.com and found at mongabay.blogspot.com, is to raise interest and appreciation of wildlife and wildlands. mongabay.com Honduras wins aid pact tied to human rights, anti-corruption efforts - 10-July-2005 Last month Honduras became to second country to receive aid under the controlversial Millennium Challenge Account program when it signed a five-year $215 million funding deal. The Millennium Challenge Account gives grants to countries committed to respecting the rule of law and reducing corruption. mongabay.com Cultured meat grown in lab petri dish could help solve world food problems - 9-July-2005 Experiments for NASA space missions have shown that small amounts of edible meat can be created in a lab. But the technology that could grow chicken nuggets without the chicken, on a large scale, may not be just a science fiction fantasy. mongabay.com Studies prove people of Madagascar came from Borneo and Africa - 8-July-2005 Studies released earlier this year found the people of Madagascar have origins in Borneo and East Africa. mongabay.com Madagascar hopes movie will boost tourism and economy - 7-July-2005 The Indian Ocean island nation of Madagascar is hoping that a recently released Dreamworks' movie will spur tourism in the country despite its lukewarm success in the American box office. mongabay.com Rainforest information site for school kids launched - 7-July-2005 Today mongabay.com launched a kids-oriented version of its popular web site on tropical rainforests. Kids.mongabay.com offers information on tropical rainforest ecology. mongabay.com Death rate on China's roads highest in the world - 7-July-2005 Car consumption in China has boomed in the past couple of years. After soaring 56% in 2002, demand for cars in China jumped to 75% in before slowing in 2004 to around 15%. This growth in the number of drivers on China's expanding network of roads has not come without a significant cost; China's roadways are some of the most dangerous on the planet. mongabay.com A successful year of shareholder advocacy for Green Century Capital Management - 7-July-2005 Green Century Capital Management, Inc. (Green Century), a Boston-based environmentally responsible investment company, has recently concluded its most active and successful year of shareholder advocacy to date. Using its investments to encourage greater corporate environmental responsibility, Green Century has pushed for and won change on a broad range of environmental issues, from the fate of the Arctic Refuge to genetically engineered food. Green Century filed seven shareholder resolutions this year and engaged in dialogue with an additional ten companies in its efforts to improve the long-term financial and environmental performance of some of the nation's largest companies. Green Century Capital Management release Progress made in fighting deadly virus spread by pigs and bats - 6-July-2005 According to two new reports in Nature and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists have made an important breakthrough in the effort to fight the deadly Nipah virus which killed more than 100 people in 1999. The outbreak, which also resulted in the culling in 1 million pigs across Malaysia, was later traced to fruit bats. mongabay.com Global warming shrinks sacred glacier in the Andes - 6-July-2005 The melting of a glacier in the Peruvian Andes due to global climate change is impacting the religious practices of local people, according to an article run last month in The Wall Street Journal. mongabay.com Controlling Wildlife Trade Key to Preventing Health Crises, Study Says - 5-July-2005 According to a study by the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, controlling the movements of wildlife in markets is a cost-effective means of keeping potential deadly pandemics such as SARS and influenza from occurring. The study appears in the July edition of the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The cost of controlling the spread of diseases afflicting both human and animal populations has reached hundreds of billions of dollars globally. WCS Release A long-term approach to helping the poor in Africa through private enterprise - 5-July-2005 This past Saturday millions of people watched the anti-poverty "Live 8" concerts held in London, Tokyo, Johannesburg, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Moscow, Philadelphia and Barrie, Canada. Live 8 coincides with tomorrow's G8 summit of world leaders and aims to raise awareness of the need for aid, debt relief and fairer trade for Africa. While the cancellation of debt and delivery of aid to Africa is a noble and needed cause for a desparately poor continent, policy makers will need to ensure that funds are spent wisely to maximize the benefits for the largest number of Africans. mongabay.com Mobilizing seniors to fight poverty in Africa - 4-July-2005 One program that could have potential for real poverty alleviation in Africa is a "Gray Corps" concept which would take advantage of the experience and expertise of aging Americans (aged 65 and older), a segment of the population that is expected to grow from approximately 35 million in 2000 to an estimated 71 million in 2030. This group could be key to addressing a number of looming social issues both here in the United States and abroad. mongabay.com 16% of frogs species in Sri Lanka may be gone, new survey finds - 2-July-2005 In a study published Thursday in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, researchers confirmed the discovery of 35 new frog species in Sri Lanka over the past decade brining the number of frog species in the island country to 105. However, the survey found that 17 of these species have disappeared and at least another 11 face imminent extinction unless their habitat is protected. mongabay.com 'Noodling' or catching giant catfish with your hands now legal in Georgia - 1-July-2005 'Noodling' becomes legal in Georgia today. mongabay.com Climate change could ruin tourism in the Mediterranean - 1-July-2005 According to a new study the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), global climate change will bring hotter, drier summers to the Mediterranean and significantly impact two of the region's largest industries, agriculture and tourism. mongabay.com Fishermen catch 646-pound catfish, believed to be world's largest - 30-June-2005 Thai fishermen caught a 646-pound catfish believed to have been the largest freshwater fish ever recorded, a researcher said Thursday. The 8.9 foot long Mekong giant catfish was the heaviest recorded fish since Thailand started keeping records in 1981. mongabay.com Toad on brink of extinction, scientists race to study for bioactive compounds - 29-June-2005 Following the construction of a dam in Tanzania, the Kihansi Spray Toad sits on the brink of extinction. Scientists are racing to study the amphibian for bioactive compounds with potential medical applications. mongabay.com Siberian tiger population stabilizes according to new census figures - 28-June-2005 Results of the latest full range survey indicate that tiger numbers in Russia appear to be stable, say the coordinators of a 2005 winter effort to count the animals, led by the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS release Ebola, SARS battle requires new look at humans, livestock, and wildlife relationships - 28-June-2005 The threat of potential pandemics such as Ebola, SARS, and avian influenza demands a more holistic approach to disease control, one that prevents diseases from crossing the divide between humans, their livestock, and wildlife, according to a report in the journal Foreign Affairs. This "One World, One Health" concept, as described by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) veterinary staff, calls for the integration of efforts to deal proactively with disease threats to human and animal health before they reach crisis levels. WCS release Saving the Amazonian Rainforest Through Agricultural Certification - 3-June-2005 John Cain Carter is a Texan rancher who believes that landowners, despite being held in low regard by environmentalists, may be the potential saviors of the rainforest. Carter, among other somewhat environmentally-conscious, yet profit-oriented landowners, wants to promote responsible agricultural practices by encouraging consumers to provide incentives to growers and producers. Tina Butler The Great Noodling Experiment: Hand-fishing for giant catfish now legal - 1-June-2005 In the deep South and parts of the Midwest, there exists an extreme type of fishing that has nurtured devotees and opponents alike. Noodling involves the catching of massive catfish -- creatures that can weigh up to 100 pounds (45 kilograms) -- with the fisherman’s bare hands. Tina Butler Protectors of wildlife in war-torn Congo recognized with new Award - 1-June-2005 Abraham Prize Awarded to Families of Murdered Guards, Survivors of Poaching, Rebel Attacks; UNESCO World Heritage Site Parks Still Under Siege. WCS release XML / RSS feed | archive This page only includes recent news articles on mongabay.com released after March 31, 2005. For the latest updates on the site, please visit mongabay.com. News index | MONGABAY.COM Mongabay.com aims to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife >>
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