Hi Everyone!
In this factfile we are bringing you some more news from the past month, animals you voted for, an exciting announcement and more!
In this factfile we are bringing you some more news from the past month, animals you voted for, an exciting announcement and more!
News:
The Guardian reports that 'the new research shows that since the 1990s, the
loss of hundreds of billions of tonnes of ice a year into the oceans resulting
from the climate crisis has caused the poles to move in new directions.'
Previously, the poles could only move due to ocean currents and other natural
factors. Apparently, glacial losses accounted for most of the change but some
were also due to the pumping of groundwater which once pumped up by humans
isn't replaced.
This shows just how much climate change is having an impact on our beautiful
planet.
You may have heard about M&S's plans to release 30 million honey bees to the countryside. It has faced many complaints from experts saying
that this could damage the balance of natural pollinators. It is important to
have a range of pollinators and releasing honey bees on that scale could push other pollinators off the edge. These other
insects are in sharper decline and this could put even more pressure on an
already strained system.
Matt Shardlow, who is head of a conservation charity called Buglife, told
The Guardian
that 'It’s about creating a better countryside for pollinators, not chucking
more pollinators out into the countryside – we need to get more pollen and
nectar into the countryside'
We get that M&S was just trying to do something good but now let's hope
they listen and take action to change their plans.
Animals Of The Month:
Land- Gorilla
Gorillas are a type of primate and share 98.3% of their DNA with us. The
largest of the great apes, Gorillas can grow to 4 and 6 ft and weigh up to 440
pounds. Gorillas live in family groups of usually about 5-10. They are led by
a dominant male, or silverback, who holds his position for several years.
Females only give birth to one baby every 4-6 years, which means she'll
probably only have 3 or 4 over her entire lifetime. This means that it is
especially hard for gorillas to recover from a drop in population.
Gorillas have been reducing in numbers for decades and according to a United
Nations report, they may disappear from the Congo Basin in the Republic of
Congo, where they live in forests, by the mid-2020s. However, a new protected
area designed for gorillas has meant that they have gone down from being
listed as critically endangered to being listed as endangered on the
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Water- Platypus
The platypus is a rather peculiar creature that lives in freshwater creeks and
slow-moving rivers. They often build a simple burrow in a river bank among a
tangle of roots and undergrowth.
Platypus reproduction is pretty unique. They are one of only two mammals (the
echidna is the other one) that lay eggs. With a tail like a beaver, a body
like an otter and a bill like a duck, the platypus is a really special
creature. So unique that the first scientists to analyse them thought they
were a hoax!
They eat small water insects and rely on a sensitive bill which can detect
electrical currents in the water and help to find food.
However, the duck-billed platypus produces venom, but no one really pays it
attention because you probably won't ever see one. Their venom can be lethal,
but there are no recorded cases of them killing humans. Both males and females
have a spur on either hind foot that excretes venom but females fall off at
adulthood.
Air- Red Kite
The red kite (Milvus milvus) can be recognised by its red-brown body, angled
wings and forked tail. It was once on the brink of extinction but a huge
protection movement saved it and it has now been successfully re-introduced to
England and Scotland.
They mainly eat worms and will occasionally be small mammals. They live in
woodland, wetland and valleys. They can lay 1-3 and occasionally 4 eggs. They
eat primarily dead animals but also sometimes rats, mice and voles. It's
wingspan can reach 170cm! They usually live about 4 or 5 years but can live up
to 26!
A TV program recommendation:
I recently watched Ade On The Frontline- an incredible documentary series. It
follows presenter Ade as he explores the massive impact climate change is
having around the world and what different communities are doing to combat it.
He travels to many different places and I really love the way he explored
these issues and what he covers- highly recommend it!
Announcement:
We are starting a new section to these factfiles with a plant of the month as
well! Animal of the week which we did last year and now Animals of the month
has been a great opportunity to find out more about a variety of animals and
we want to broaden our research and learn more about plants too. Look out for
it in next month's post! Click
here to
vote for next month's animals and plant!
Thank you so much for reading this post and we will be back VERY soon with
another post (promise to not leave it as long!).
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/23/climate-crisis-has-shifted-the-earths-axis-study-shows
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/16/marks-spencer-honeybee-project-threat-biodiversity-conservationists-aoe
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/gorilla
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/platypus
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/birds-prey/red-kite
Images:
Title image: This image is owned by a blog editor.
Glacier, owned by Joseph (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Gorilla, owned by Richard Ashurst (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Platypus, owned by Vern (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Red Kite, owned by nick ford (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/16/marks-spencer-honeybee-project-threat-biodiversity-conservationists-aoe
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/gorilla
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/platypus
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/birds-prey/red-kite
Images:
Title image: This image is owned by a blog editor.
Glacier, owned by Joseph (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Gorilla, owned by Richard Ashurst (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Platypus, owned by Vern (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Red Kite, owned by nick ford (on flickr.com), is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
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