From BirdLife:
Holy moley!North American star-nosed mole smells under water: here.Survey team finds new mammal
25-04-2006
A field expedition to survey and assess the biodiversity status of Chu Yang Sin National Park in the Central Highlands of Vietnam was carried out in March by a joint team including staff from BirdLife’s Vietnam Programme.
Among the many interesting animal and plant species recorded was a mole (Talpidae sp.) that is believed to be new to science.
Six of the ten bird species that originally qualified Chu Yang Sin as an Important Bird Area (IBA) were also found during the survey.
These were: Collared Laughingthrush Garrulax yersini (Endangered); Black-hooded Laughingthrush Garrulax milleti (Near Threatened); Grey-crowned Crocias Crocias langbianis (Endangered); Short-tailed Scimitar-babbler Jabouilleia danjoui (Near Threatened); Germain’s Peacock-pheasant Polyplectron germaini (Near Threatened); and Crested Argus Rheinardia ocellata (Near Threatened).
Rare Bird Club names new Honorary Presidents
28-04-2006
Noted Canadian authors and conservation activists Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson have accepted a joint role as Honorary Presidents of BirdLife International’s Rare Bird Club.
A couple for the past thirty-five years, they presently live in Toronto, Canada, but have also lived in Australia, France, the US and the UK. They are internationally recognized figures with extensive interests in and experience of wider nature conservation who are noted for their generosity in time and effort on behalf of other writers, social causes and conservation. They are both avid birders.
“I look forward to having two such passionate and enthusiastic individuals of international stature to work with in support of BirdLife’s programmes on behalf of birds and biodiversity.” —Dr Michael Rands, Director & Chief Executive, BirdLife
Margaret Atwood is an award-winning novelist, poet, literary critic and one of the world’s best known – and best-selling – authors. She has written more than 40 books, including The Handmaid’s Tale, Alias Grace, Cat’s Eye and the Booker-Prize winning novel The Blind Assassin.
http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2006/04/rbc.html
Comment by Administrator — April 28, 2006 @ 2:08 pm
Help Stop the Attack on the Endangered Species Act Now Underway in [US] Congress!
Friend of Wildlife, I can’t even believe it myself.
In the 12 years I’ve been working on endangered species matters, I’ve never — never! — seen such a blatant effort to gut the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which is one of the most powerful pieces of wildlife legislation ever enacted in the United States.
Soaring eagles. Sleek Florida panthers. Majestic wolves. Animals as awesome as the grizzly bears, delicate as the whooping cranes, elusive as the Canada lynx. All remain part of our world today thanks to the ESA. Creatures like these will not be part of our children’s future if we fail to speak up now when the Endangered Species Act is under assault in Congress.
Here’s what we’re up against. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill (H.R. 3824), introduced by Cong. Richard Pombo of California, that would destroy the ESA. Pombo’s bill…
Eliminates species recovery as the goal of the ESA
Sharply diminishes habitat protection for wildlife and
Lets federal agencies ignore their responsibility to protect endangered plants and animals.
Pombo has been gunning for the Endangered Species Act since he was first elected to Congress. And now, as Chair of the House Resources Committee, he has the power and political muscle to place it squarely in his crosshairs! His ill-advised bill provides for big payoffs to developers and repeals long-standing protections against pesticides.
We call the Pombo bill the “Wildlife Extinction Bill,” and we need your help today to defeat it and defend against all other threats to wildlife.
Help us wage an all-out campaign to ensure that the wildlife species we cherish continue to enjoy valuable and long-standing protections such as those they get from the Endangered Species Act.
I urge you to act now. America’s wildlife need you.
Be an advocate for wildlife with a generous emergency gift today.
Sincerely,
John Kostyack
NWF’s Director of Wildlife Conservation Campaigns
Comment by Administrator — April 28, 2006 @ 2:12 pm
Moles’ worst enemy will be below ground
6:15AM Saturday January 13, 2007 New Zealand Herald
Strange but true
A German pensioner wired up a high-voltage cable to wipe out the moles digging up his garden but killed himself instead.
He had connected the 380-volt cable to metal spikes rammed into the ground.
“The moles survived,” police spokesman Uwe Werner said.
Comment by Administrator — January 12, 2007 @ 11:34 pm