Experts sound alarm over concerning trend among the world's migratory birds: 'A noticeable impact'
The changing climate is reducing the number of birds that migrate to India's wetlands and how long they stay there.
As the world gets warmer and the weather becomes more extreme, habitats are changing for wildlife across the globe. In India, this is resulting in a major shift in the migratory patterns of dozens of bird species.
Birds typically migrate to the warm Indian wetlands from colder locations such as Siberia and Kazakhstan. But as The New Indian Express reported, not only are fewer birds making the trek than in the past, but those that do are staying a shorter amount of time.
Take, for example, Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the largest wetland in North India. In 2018, more than 120,000 birds were spotted in the sanctuary. This year, that number dropped to just over 55,000.
"The change in climatic conditions across the globe and late winters … might be the reasons migratory birds from those parts of the world are choosing other destinations or shuffling their migration patterns," Dharminder Sharma, Punjab's chief conservator of forests, told the publication. "Thus, the bird count has decreased here."
Gitanjali Kanwar of the World Wildlife Fund-India also noted that the migratory season now lasts just two months when it used to be five or six.
"The shrinking winter window has had a noticeable impact on their migration patterns," she said.
Birds are vital to ecosystems, as they help control pest populations and spread seeds. When changes to the climate threaten their habitats or change their migratory patterns, the effects can ripple to other plants and wildlife.
Sadly, these changes have been seen not just in India but all over the world. In Spain, researchers fear that warmer temperatures will impact the moustached warbler's ability to reproduce. In the Caribbean, fewer healthy plants have meant a higher mortality rate on birds' migratory journeys.
Conservationists in India are hopeful that this latest data will spur action to help preserve these migratory birds' habitats. And they are encouraged that, even as overall numbers decline, they have spotted some rare bird species in their native wetlands.
Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?
Definitely
Only in some areas
No way
I'm not sure
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Sharma told the Express that funding has been earmarked for cleaning and developing wetlands, which he hopes will benefit the country's bird populations.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Axiom-4 astronauts arrive at the International Space Station
June 26 (UPI) -- Axiom-4 astronauts on Thursday morning arrived on the International Space Station, including the first Indian to set foot on the space station. The crew made its way from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and opened the hatch to enter the ISS at about 8:14 a.m. EDT after docking at 6:13 a.m., NASA said. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, European Space Agency astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu and Indian Research Organization astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla are set to spend two weeks on the space station conducting 60 scientific experiments "focused on human research, Earth observation and life, biological and material sciences," according to SpaceX. Shulka is the first Indian astronaut to set foot on the ISS. "What a ride!" he said, adding that it has been "an amazing feeling to be just floating in space" and that "it's been fun," Shukla said about his first 24 hours in space. "I'm enjoying the view, the experience and learning anew, like a baby, how to walk, to control yourself, and to eat and read," he added. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Shukla "carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians" in a post on X. "Wish him and other astronauts all the success!" After Rakesh Sharma's trip 41 years ago, Shukla is the second Indian to travel to space. "Wishing you all the very best. To the crew, godspeed," he said in a video message posted online by the Press Trust of India. "Spend as much time as possible looking out of the window," he added. "He's the first person, the first Indian in the ISS. It is a great moment for us Indians," student Isma Tarikh told Reuters. "It is an inspiration for me... Even I want to become something great and be a world contributor just like (Shukla)." "It inspires me to become a space scientist. I have always loved to read about sci-fi and all of the stuff, but this is inspiring for us as a students," another student, Mohammad Hamughan told Reuters.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
First Indian, Hungarian and Polish astronauts arrive at the ISS
For the first time an Indian, a Hungarian and a Pole have arrived at the International Space Station (ISS). A Crew Dragon capsule carrying the three astronauts and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson docked at the ISS on Thursday at 1031 GMT, according to the US space agency NASA. The capsule had been launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket operated by Elon Musk's space company SpaceX just under 30 hours earlier. The Ax-4 mission had been postponed several times due to technical problems with the rocket and the ISS. This is the fourth commercial space mission for Houston-based Axiom Space, in collaboration with the US space agency NASA and SpaceX. While Whitson has been in space several times, this is the first space flight for the three amateur astronauts. Shubhanshu Shukla from India works for his country's air force, while Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland are engineers. People from all three countries have already been in space, first on Russian Soyuz missions in the 1970s and 1980s, but never before on board the ISS. The crew of the Ax-4 mission is scheduled to spend around two weeks on board the ISS, where they plan to take part in numerous scientific experiments. Also currently on the ISS are NASA astronauts Nicole Ayers, Anne McClain and Jonny Kim, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onish, and Russian cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Sergei Ryzhikov and Alexei Zubritsky. According to media reports, such a flight costs around $80 million per passenger. The company organized the first private mission to the ISS in 2022, with more to follow in 2023 and 2024. At just under three weeks, the third Axiom mission was the longest commercial space flight to date.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Aethlon Medical Announces Financial Results for the Fiscal Fourth Quarter Ended March 31, 2025, and Provides Corporate Update
Three Patients Treated in Hemopurifier® Cancer Trial; Indian Regulatory Approval Achieved; Operating Expenses Reduced; R&D Advances Support Expanded Indications Including Long COVID Conference Call to be Held Today at 4:30 p.m. ET SAN DIEGO, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (the Company or Aethlon) (Nasdaq: AEMD), a medical therapeutic company focused on developing products to treat cancer and life-threatening infectious diseases, today reported financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2025, and provided an update on recent developments. Key Fiscal 2025 Highlights First three patients treated in Hemopurifier® cancer trial at Australian sites Indian regulatory approval received to initiate a similar oncology study Study protocol expanded to reflect evolving immunotherapy standard of care Preclinical data demonstrate 98.5% removal of platelet-derived EVs in simulated Hemopurifier® treatment Collaboration with UCSF to investigate Long COVID with findings to be presented at the Keystone Symposium Operating expenses reduced significantly through streamlined operations Clinical Progress in Cancer Trial Aethlon completed Hemopurifier treatments in the first three participants enrolled in its safety, feasibility, and dose-finding study of patients with solid tumors unresponsive to anti-PD-1 agents. Participant #1 was treated at Royal Adelaide Hospital in January 2025, while Participants #2 and #3 received treatment at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in June 2025. All participants completed a single 4-hour Hemopurifier treatment without device deficiencies or immediate complications and have now completed the pre-specified 7-day safety follow-up. This milestone triggers the first meeting of an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), to review safety data and recommend advancement to the second treatment cohort. In the next cohort, participants will receive two Hemopurifier treatments during a one-week period. Preliminary data from the first cohort, including effects on extracellular vesicle (EV) removal and anti-tumor T-cell activity, are expected in approximately three months. In parallel, the trial protocol was amended to broaden eligibility to include patients receiving combination therapies with Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) or Nivolumab (Opdivo®), in line with current treatment practices. Currently, only about 30% of patients receiving pembrolizumab or nivolumab experience lasting clinical responses. EVs released by tumors have been implicated in cancer progression and resistance to anti-PD-1 therapies. The Hemopurifier® is designed to bind and remove these EVs from the bloodstream, potentially improving the therapeutic response rates to anti-PD-1 antibodies. In preclinical studies, the Hemopurifier has been shown to reduce the number of EVs in cancer patient plasma samples. As a reminder, the primary endpoint for the approximate 9 to 18-patient study is safety. The trials will monitor any adverse events and clinically significant changes in lab tests of Hemopurifier treated patients with solid tumors with stable or progressive disease at different treatment intervals. Patients who do not respond to the PD-1 antibody therapy will be eligible to enter the Hemopurifier period of the study where sequential cohorts will receive 1, 2, or 3 Hemopurifier treatments during a one-week period. In addition to safety, the study includes exploratory analyses evaluating how many Hemopurifier® treatments are needed to decrease the concentration of EVs, and if these changes in EV concentrations improve the body's own natural ability to attack tumor cells. These findings are intended to guide the design of future safety and efficacy trials, including a potential Premarket Approval (PMA) study required by the FDA and other global regulatory agencies. Regulatory Approval India On June 19, 2025, the Company received formal approval from India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to initiate a similar trial at Medanta Medicity Hospital. The approval followed a meeting with the Subject Expert Committee and prior Ethics Committee clearance. The trial will begin following a Site Initiation Visit (SIV) conducted by Aethlon's India-based CRO, Qualtran. Preclinical Study Supports Broader Applications On May 12, 2025, the results from Aethlon's preclinical ex vivo study were published in bioRxiv, and the manuscript has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Those results showed that the Hemopurifier, using proprietary Galanthus nivalis agglutin (GNA) affinity resin, removed 98.5% of platelet -derived extracellular vesicles (PD-EVs) from human plasma during a timepoint equivalent to a 4-hour HP treatment. Excessive levels of PD-EVs have been implicated in a myriad of diseases, including cancer, lupus, systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, sepsis, acute and Long COVID. The results of this study support the ongoing oncology trial in Australia and suggest potential applications of the Hemopurifier in other EV-associated diseases. The manuscript describing this study has been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Scientific Collaboration in Long COVID Research Aethlon's collaborative research with the UCSF Long COVID Clinic was accepted for a poster presentation at the Keystone Symposium on Long COVID and Other Post-Acute Infection Syndromes (August 10-13, 2025). The study analyzed blood samples from participants with Long COVID as well as controls that had recovered from COVID-19 infection to evaluate the binding of larger and smaller extracellular vesicles to the Hemopurifier's lectin affinity resin, respectively. These findings build on prior clinical evidence and support further investigation of the Hemopurifier in Long COVID, an unmet medical need affecting approximately 44 and 48 million people in the United States alone, with an estimated economic burden of 2 billion dollars in those with symptoms lasting a year. Operational Achievements In fiscal 2025, Aethlon streamlined operations and significantly reduced its operating expenses, positioning the company for sustained focus on its clinical and regulatory goals. Financial Results for the Fiscal Fourth Quarter Ended March 31, 2025 As of March 31, 2025, Aethlon had a cash balance of approximately $5.5 million. Consolidated operating expenses for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, were approximately $9.3 million, representing a decrease of $3.3 million or approximately 26%, compared to $12.6 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. This reduction was primarily driven by lower payroll and related expenses, professional fees, and general and administrative costs. Payroll and related expenses declined by an approximate $1.3 million, reflecting an approximate $900,000 reduction in salaries and related expenses and an approximate $800,000 decrease in stock-based compensation. These reductions were primarily attributable to the termination of three executives—one in the fiscal year 2024, one in July and October 2024—and a workforce reduction of non-executive staff in August 2024. The decrease in stock-based compensation was primarily due to the absence of accelerated vesting charges recognized in the prior year related to the termination of our former Chief Executive Officer, as well as reduced expenses following the departure of executives and staff. These decreases were partially offset by an increase of approximately $400,000 in severance expenses associated with the termination of two former executives. Professional fees also declined by approximately $1.3 million. This decrease includes $600,000 in legal costs savings resulting from a transition to a new legal firm, and an approximate $500,000 related to the termination of services with a contract manufacturing organization and the completion of a project that involved using an outside lab to process samples. Consulting fees related to scientific projects and regulatory projects declined by approximately $300,000. These reductions were partially offset by an approximate $85,000 increase in accounting fees associated with obtaining audit firm consents for various securities filings. General and administrative expenses decreased by approximately $660,000. The reduction was driven primarily by a $534,000 reduction in costs related to fewer raw material purchases, no cleanroom certification expenses, and reduced reliance on outside services for maintenance of the manufacturing facility. Laboratory supplies and testing costs also declined by $337,000 following the completion of oncology and transplant-related projects. Insurance expenses decreased by $141,000, reflecting lower medical and workers' compensation premiums due to reduced headcount, as well as an overall decrease in business insurance costs. Additional reductions included $44,000 in travel and entertainment expenses, $24,000 decrease in office supplies, and $19,000 in depreciation expense related to the disposal of certain equipment. These decreases were partially offset by a $467,000 increase in clinical trial expenses associated with our ongoing oncology study in Australia. As a result of the above factors, our operating loss decreased to $9.3 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, from $12.6 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. Other Income (Expense) Other expenses for the year ended March 31, 2025, included a non-cash charge of approximately $4.6 million related to a warrant inducement offer. In March 2025, we offered certain warrant holders the opportunity to exercise existing warrants at a temporarily reduced exercise price in exchange for the issuance of new warrants. The inducement expense recognized represents the combined fair value of the new warrants issued and the incremental fair value resulting from the modification of the exercise price of the existing warrants. This transaction did not impact cash flows from operating activities. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, we recognized approximately $324,450 in other income related to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) under the CARES Act and subsequent legislation. We recorded the ERTC as other income in the periods in which the payments were received. In addition, we recognized $36,339 in interest income related to the ERTC during fiscal 2025. As of March 31, 2025, the remaining expected credit was recorded as a receivable within other current assets on our consolidated balance sheet. No amounts were recorded in the prior fiscal year. The consolidated balance sheets for March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, and the consolidated statements of operations for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 follow at the end of this release. Conference Call Management will host a conference call today, Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET to review the company's financial results and recent corporate developments. Following management's formal remarks, there will be a question and answer session. Interested parties can register for the conference call by navigating to Please note that registered participants will receive their dial-in number upon registration. Interested parties without internet access or unable to pre-register may dial in by calling: PARTICIPANT DIAL IN (TOLL-FREE): 1-844-836-8741PARTICIPANT INTERNATIONAL DIAL IN: 1-412-317-5442 All callers should ask for the Aethlon Medical, Inc. conference call. A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after the end of the call through July 26, 2025. The replay can be accessed via Aethlon Medical's website or by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) or Canada toll-free at 1-855-669-9658. The replay conference ID number is 4903201. About Aethlon and the Hemopurifier®Aethlon Medical is a medical therapeutic company focused on developing the Hemopurifier, a clinical-stage immunotherapeutic device which is designed to combat cancer and life-threatening viral infections and for use in organ transplantation. In human studies, the Hemopurifier has demonstrated the removal of life-threatening viruses and in pre-clinical studies, the Hemopurifier has demonstrated the removal of harmful exosomes from biological fluids, utilizing its proprietary lectin-based technology. This action has potential applications in cancer, where exosomes may promote immune suppression and metastasis, and in life-threatening infectious diseases. The Hemopurifier is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Breakthrough Device indicated for the treatment of individuals with advanced or metastatic cancer who are either unresponsive to or intolerant of standard of care therapy, and with cancer types in which exosomes have been shown to participate in the development or severity of the disease. The Hemopurifier also holds an FDA Breakthrough Device designation and an open Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application related to the treatment of life-threatening viruses that are not addressed with approved therapies. Additional information can be found at Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that involve risks and uncertainties. Statements containing words such as "may," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will," "projections," "estimate," "potentially" or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties and actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Aethlon's current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Factors that may contribute to such differences include, without limitation, the Company's ability to raise additional capital on terms favorable to the Company, or at all; the Company's ability to successfully complete development of the Hemopurifier; the Company's ability to successfully demonstrate the utility and safety of the Hemopurifier in cancer and infectious diseases and in the transplant setting; the Company's ability to achieve and realize the anticipated benefits from potential milestones; the Company's ability to obtain approval from the Ethics Committee of its third location in Australia, including on the timeline expected by the Company; the Company's ability to enroll additional patients in its oncology clinical trials in Australia and India, including on the timeline expected by the Company; the Company's ability to manage and successfully complete its clinical trials; the Company's ability to successfully manufacture the Hemopurifier in sufficient quantities for its clinical trials; unforeseen changes in regulatory requirements; the Company's collaborative research with UCSF Long Covid Clinic; the Company's ability to further research potential applications of the Hemopurifier in other EV-associated diseases and other potential risks. The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is illustrative but is not exhaustive. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements can be found under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2025, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Except as may be required by law, the Company does not intend, nor does it undertake any duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances. Company Contact:Jim FrakesChief Executive Officer and Chief Financial OfficerAethlon Medical, Inc. Jfrakes@ Investor Contact:Susan NoonanS.A. Noonan Communications, LLCsusan@ AETHLON MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets Unaudited ASSETS March 31, 2025March 31, 2024CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents$ 5,501,261$ 5,441,978 Deferred offering costs-277,827 Prepaid expenses and other current assets448,539505,983 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS5,949,8006,225,788Property and equipment, net676,2201,015,229 Operating lease right-of-use asset601,846883,054 Patents, net5501,100 Restricted cash97,81387,506 Deposits33,30533,305 TOTAL ASSETS$ 7,359,534$ 8,245,982LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITYCURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable$ 534,524$ 777,862 Due to related parties579,565546,434 Operating lease liability, current portion313,033290,565 Accrued professional fees472,164215,038 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES1,899,2861,829,899Operating lease liability, less current portion336,718649,751 TOTAL LIABILITIES2,236,0042,479,650 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITYCommon stock, $0.001 par value; 60,000,000 shares authorized as of March31, 2025 and 2024; 2,585,239 and 328,716 shares issued and 2,010,739 and328,716 outstanding as of March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, respectively2,586329 Additional paid-in capital173,092,894160,339,671 Accumulated other comprehensive loss(17,133)(6,940) Accumulated deficit(167,954,817)(154,566,728) TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY5,123,5305,766,332 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY$ 7,359,534$ 8,245,982 AETHLON MEDICAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss For the fiscal years ended March 31, 2025 and 2024 Unaudited Fiscal YearFiscal Year Ended 3/31/25Ended 3/31/24OPERATING EXPENSES Professional fees$ 2,224,092$ 3,526,926 Payroll and related expenses3,874,0925,206,451 General and administrative3,243,1813,903,191 Total operating expenses9,341,36512,636,568OPERATING LOSS(9,341,365)(12,636,568)OTHER EXPENSE (INCOME), NET Interest income(298,122)(447,356) Other income(324,450)- Interest expense10,109- Other expense4,659,18818,962 Total other expense (income)4,046,725(428,394)NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS(13,388,090)(12,208,174)Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders$ (8.58)$ (38.87)Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic and diluted 1,560,839314,097NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS(13,388,090)(12,208,174)OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS)(10,193)(799)COMPREHENSIVE LOSS$ (13,398,283)$ (12,208,973) View original content: SOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.
