|
Drilling questions: Two members of the U.S. Congress are urging a “thorough and coordinated investigation” into concerns raised by a series of National Geographic articles about a Canadian company’s oil and gas exploration in southern Africa’s spectacular and delicate Okavango region. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) want the attorney general, State Department, and other agencies to look into concerns about inadequate environmental studies, consultation with local communities, and more. The exploration work is occurring 160 miles upstream of the Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Geographic Society funds our Wildlife Watch investigative unit, which is dedicated to shining a light on wildlife exploitation. Learn more.
Population decline: Drastic steps need to be taken to save the northern spotted owl, whose population is at its lowest on record. “We were anticipating that it would not be good, but we weren't quite ready for it to be as bad as it was,” Alan Franklin, a research biologist at USDA’s National Wildlife Research Center, tells Nat Geo. Logging, development, and threats from invasive birds have contributed to a 50 to 75 percent decline in the owls' numbers since 1995.
The elephant in the room: It was the first thing that came to Ratchadawan Puengprasoppo’s mind when she heard crashing and banging in her kitchen. Once there, she discovered an elephant’s head, poking through the wall. His trunk rummaged through the kitchen drawers, knocking pots and pans over. It wasn’t his first visit for a late-night meal, the Guardian reports.
The next COVID: Where will it emerge? Researchers crunched data from 10,000 locations for possible bat-to-human transmission of another coronavirus—and mapped out a series of hotspots. Yes, China is on the map—and so is France, Jillian Kramer writes. Check out the map here.
Why are these birds dying? Wildlife experts in at least six states and Washington, D.C., are reporting birds that are acting as if they are blind and not flying away when humans get close. They are part of a mysterious increase in deaths of blue jays, common grackles, and European starlings in the past month. Symptoms include crusty or puffy eyes and neurological signs of seizures, NBC News reports. “They’ll just sit still, often kind of shaking,” says avian biologist Kate Slankard.
Cat-tending technology: Now that you’ve gone back to the office, perhaps you need someone to watch over kitty. The Wall Street Journal features five gadgets that will leave your cat happy and healthy–from an automatic feeder to a litter-box cleaner.
|
|
|
|
