Latest news with #WWF
Forbes
a day ago
- Science
- Forbes
Plastic Bag Bans And Fees Can Reduce Shoreline Litter, Study Finds
EGYPT, RED SEA - DECEMBER 2007: Overview of plastic pollution during a dive on December 6, 2007, off ... More Egypt, Red Sea. In 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans if nothing is done, its the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). Plastics pollution has a direct and deadly effect on wildlife. Thousands of seabirds and sea turtles, seals and other marine mammals are killed each year. (Photo by) Plastic bag bans and fees could help reduce the number ending up littering shorelines by at least a quarter, according to a new analysis. The study by researchers at the University of Delaware and Columbia University found that plastic bag policies led to a 25% to 47% decrease in plastic bags as a share of total items collected in shoreline cleanups, compared to areas without policies. It also found a 30 to 37% reduction in presence of entangled animals in areas with plastic bag policies. It used data collected by volunteers with Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup annual event, which sees volunteers remove trash from beaches and waterways around the world. The U.S. currently has now no federal plastic bag policy, but there are various policies at the town, county and state level, which include bans, partial bans and charges. The study says some types of policies seemed to be more effective than others in reducing plastic litter. For instance, it said fees appear to reduce litter even more than bans, though more study is needed to understand why. Another finding was that the bag bans and fees were most effective in places where the plastic bag litter problem was more severe to begin with. Report co-author Anna Papp said roughly one-third of Americans are living in an area with some sort of plastic bag policy in place in a statement. Papp added the findings do show that plastic bag policies are broadly effective in limiting litter along shorelines. 'Ours is the first large-scale study to use hundreds of policies and tens of thousands of cleanups to look at their effects,' she said. 'But it is important to keep in mind that this is a relative decrease in affected areas compared to areas without policies.' A previous analysis by Ocean Conservancy showed a 29% reduction in plastic grocery bags found on beaches following an increase in statewide plastic bag bans. It also claimed Americans use 100 billion plastic grocery bags each year and on average, plastic grocery bags are used for only 12 minutes before being thrown away. Ocean Conservancy's manager for ocean plastics research, Dr. Erin Murphy said plastic bags are particularly dangerous for the environment in an interview. Dr. Murphy said sea animals can either become entangled with them or ingest them. She added the ingestion of plastic bags has been linked to death in many species, including marine mammals and sea turtles. 'Plastic bags can look to some sea creatures like prey such as jellyfish, and so they may be consumed preferentially in the environment,' she told me. Dr. Murphy said there have also been previous studies, which highlight how high levels of plastic litter can impact tourism in coastal resorts. She added the study provides good evidence about why 'more comprehensive plastic bag bans or well-developed plastic bag fees' need to be introduced. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's lead of strategy and thought leadership for the plastics initiative, Sander Defruyt said the new research provides clear evidence that plastic bag bans and fees are effective tools in reducing plastic pollution in an email. Defruyt added plastic bags represent just a fraction of all plastics used globally and tackling the plastic pollution crisis requires a much broader systems change. 'We must change how we design, use, and reuse plastics. We cannot simply recycle or reduce our way out of the plastic pollution crisis,' he said. 'Our current wasteful linear plastics economy is broken," added Defruyt. "In this system, fossil resources are extracted from the ground, made into packaging or products, and most often discarded after a very short, single use to end up in landfills, incinerators, or worse, into the environment. 'To fundamentally transform today's linear economy into a circular economy will require a combination of ambitious industry action and policy measures, working in tandem to provide the systems change required," said Defruyt.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Mother and Child Narrowly Escape the 'World's Most Dangerous Bird.' See Footage of the 'Close Encounter'
A mom and her child had a close call with a dangerous bird, and their narrow escape was caught on security cameras. Nearly a month after the "close encounter" in Australia, the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation released the footage as a warning about the feathery fiend behind it: the cassowary. Often referred to as the world's most dangerous bird," per the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the cassowary should not be fed or approached, the government agency warned in the June 18 press release. In the surveillance footage, the mom and her child walk up to a door in Mission Beach on May 9. The kid picks up his pace to a run after spotting two cassowaries behind them. The mother, who is walking ahead of her child, notices the birds and holds the door open for the kid as he runs inside. The two cassowaries follow closely behind but don't make it in. The birds slow down after realizing the human duo had made it inside, but they still approach the now-closed door, the footage shows. The birds — one tall and one much smaller — were "a habituated male cassowary and his chick," the Queensland department said, adding that they were "approaching a home in the hopes of being fed." This hope is generated by human interference, which is why authorities "are urging people to avoid unlawfully feeding wildlife," particularly cassowaries. Commonly found in the wet tropics of Queensland, cassowaries can be fearsome to encounter. According to the press release from Queensland authorities, the flightless birds "can inflict serious injuries to people and pets by kicking out with their large, clawed feet," which led the WWF to draw comparisons to an iconic horror villain. "They're most active at twilight, have a claw that rivals Freddy Krueger's, and are one of the few bird species that have killed humans," the WWF said of the birds, which can reach 4 to 5.6 feet, on average. Feeding the birds often alters their behavior and makes them more daring around humans, which has led to multiple cassowary run-ins, like the filmed incident of the mother with her child. "This incident is one of several cassowary interactions in the area which are linked to unlawful feeding," wildlife ranger Jeff Lewis said in a statement. "Thankfully, the mother and child were able to get inside to safety, but it's an important reminder not to interfere with wildlife." Another cassowary incident in April saw one of the birds approach a Queensland man in his seventies and kick him in the leg. The man "was treated for a cut to his leg" and "was lucky the injuries weren't worse," Lewis added. Incidents like these are "stark examples," he said, of the dangers of feeding the birds. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Local wildlife rangers have been warning people of the risks, installing signage and providing education, but the unlawful feeding persists," Lewis added in the release. "When cassowaries associate humans with food, they can become impatient and aggressive, particularly when accompanied by chicks." The Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation advises people to "never approach cassowaries," especially not chicks, as "male cassowaries will defend them." People living in cassowary-populated areas should also slow down when driving, but not stop to look at the birds (if they are on the road). Dogs living near cassowary habitats should also be leashed or kept behind a fence. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Mother and Child Narrowly Escape the 'World's Most Dangerous Bird.' See Footage of the 'Close Encounter'
A mom and her child had a close call with a dangerous bird, and their narrow escape was caught on security cameras. Nearly a month after the "close encounter" in Australia, the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation released the footage as a warning about the feathery fiend behind it: the cassowary. Often referred to as the world's most dangerous bird," per the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the cassowary should not be fed or approached, the government agency warned in the June 18 press release. In the surveillance footage, the mom and her child walk up to a door in Mission Beach on May 9. The kid picks up his pace to a run after spotting two cassowaries behind them. The mother, who is walking ahead of her child, notices the birds and holds the door open for the kid as he runs inside. The two cassowaries follow closely behind but don't make it in. The birds slow down after realizing the human duo had made it inside, but they still approach the now-closed door, the footage shows. The birds — one tall and one much smaller — were "a habituated male cassowary and his chick," the Queensland department said, adding that they were "approaching a home in the hopes of being fed." This hope is generated by human interference, which is why authorities "are urging people to avoid unlawfully feeding wildlife," particularly cassowaries. Commonly found in the wet tropics of Queensland, cassowaries can be fearsome to encounter. According to the press release from Queensland authorities, the flightless birds "can inflict serious injuries to people and pets by kicking out with their large, clawed feet," which led the WWF to draw comparisons to an iconic horror villain. "They're most active at twilight, have a claw that rivals Freddy Krueger's, and are one of the few bird species that have killed humans," the WWF said of the birds, which can reach 4 to 5.6 feet, on average. Feeding the birds often alters their behavior and makes them more daring around humans, which has led to multiple cassowary run-ins, like the filmed incident of the mother with her child. "This incident is one of several cassowary interactions in the area which are linked to unlawful feeding," wildlife ranger Jeff Lewis said in a statement. "Thankfully, the mother and child were able to get inside to safety, but it's an important reminder not to interfere with wildlife." Another cassowary incident in April saw one of the birds approach a Queensland man in his seventies and kick him in the leg. The man "was treated for a cut to his leg" and "was lucky the injuries weren't worse," Lewis added. Incidents like these are "stark examples," he said, of the dangers of feeding the birds. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "Local wildlife rangers have been warning people of the risks, installing signage and providing education, but the unlawful feeding persists," Lewis added in the release. "When cassowaries associate humans with food, they can become impatient and aggressive, particularly when accompanied by chicks." The Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation advises people to "never approach cassowaries," especially not chicks, as "male cassowaries will defend them." People living in cassowary-populated areas should also slow down when driving, but not stop to look at the birds (if they are on the road). Dogs living near cassowary habitats should also be leashed or kept behind a fence. Read the original article on People
Kuwait Times
4 days ago
- General
- Kuwait Times
Thailand credits prey releases for ‘extraordinary' tiger recovery
In the thick, steamy forests of western Thailand, 20 skittish sambar deer dart from an enclosure into the undergrowth -- unaware they may find themselves in the jaws of one of the habitat's 200 or so endangered tigers. The release is part of a project run by the government and conservation group WWF to provide tigers with prey to hunt and eat, which has helped the big cat make a remarkable recovery in Thailand. The wild tiger population in Thailand's Western Forest Complex, near the border with Myanmar, has increased almost fivefold in the last 15 years from about 40 in 2007 to between 179 and 223 last year, according to the kingdom's Department of National Parks (DNP). It is an uptick that WWF's Tigers Alive initiative leader Stuart Chapman calls 'extraordinary', especially as no other country in Southeast Asia has seen tiger numbers pick up at all. The DNP and the WWF have been breeding sambar, which are native to Thailand but classed as vulnerable, and releasing them as prey. Now in its fifth year, the prey release is a 'very good activity,' says the DNP's Chaiya Danpho, as it addresses the ecosystem's lack of large ungulates for tigers to eat. Worrapan Phumanee, a research manager for WWF Thailand, says that deer were previously scarce in the area, impacting the tiger population. But 'since starting the project, we've seen tigers become regular residents here and successfully breed,' he says. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have all lost their native populations of Indochinese tigers, while Myanmar is thought to have just 23 left in the wild, in large part due to poaching and wildlife trafficking. Over the past century numbers worldwide have fallen from about 100,000 individuals to an estimated 5,500, according to the IUCN, which classifies tigers as endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting of the species and their natural prey. But major tiger recoveries have been recorded in India and Nepal, where in recent years numbers of Bengal tigers have grown to 3,600 and 355 respectively thanks to conservation measures. This photo shows sambar deer in an enclosure before being released. Staff from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Thailand parked on a dirt trail after the release of sambar deer. Sambar deer running for freedom after being released. This screengrab from handout trail cam footage shows a tiger and cub walking in Khlong Lan National Park in Thailand's upper central Khampaeng Phet province. 'Incredibly successful' In a forest clearing in Khlong Lan National Park, DNP staff open the gate of the sambar deer enclosure where 10 males and 10 females have been grazing. The deer watch cautiously as one brave individual darts out, before the rest follow at speed and disappear into the trees. Worrapan says prey release programs -- now also happening in Cambodia and Malaysia -- are part of wider restoration efforts to 'rebuild ecosystems' in Southeast Asia, where they have been adapted for local purposes from similar initiatives that have existed for years in Africa. The breeding and releases also aim to solve the problem of the sambar deer's own population decline due to hunting, says Worrapan. 'The purpose of releasing deer is not solely to serve as tiger prey but also to restore the deer population,' he says, adding that GPS collar-monitoring has allowed researchers to track their lives after release. He says despite having only known captivity, the deer show a strong ability to adapt to outside threats. '(They) don't simply wait passively. They try to evade predators and choose safe areas to thrive.' Chaiya says only a small number of the released deer end up as predator dinner, with most going on to reproduce. The sambar deer and their offspring 'play a role in the food chain within the ecosystem, serving as prey for predators,' he says.—AFP
eNCA
20-06-2025
- General
- eNCA
Thailand credits prey releases for 'extraordinary' tiger recovery
BANGKOK - In the thick, steamy forests of western Thailand, 20 skittish sambar deer dart from an enclosure into the undergrowth -- unaware they may find themselves in the jaws of one of the habitat's 200 or so endangered tigers. The release is part of a project run by the government and conservation group WWF to provide tigers with prey to hunt and eat, which has helped the big cat make a remarkable recovery in Thailand. The wild tiger population in Thailand's Western Forest Complex, near the border with Myanmar, has increased almost fivefold in the last 15 years from about 40 in 2007 to between 179 and 223 last year, according to the kingdom's Department of National Parks (DNP). It is an uptick that WWF's Tigers Alive initiative leader Stuart Chapman calls "extraordinary", especially as no other country in Southeast Asia has seen tiger numbers pick up at all. The DNP and the WWF have been breeding sambar, which are native to Thailand but classed as vulnerable, and releasing them as prey. Now in its fifth year, the prey release is a "very good activity," says the DNP's Chaiya Danpho, as it addresses the ecosystem's lack of large ungulates for tigers to eat. Worrapan Phumanee, a research manager for WWF Thailand, says that deer were previously scarce in the area, impacting the tiger population. But "since starting the project, we've seen tigers become regular residents here and successfully breed," he says. AFP | John SAEKI Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have all lost their native populations of Indochinese tigers, while Myanmar is thought to have just 23 left in the wild, in large part due to poaching and wildlife trafficking. Over the past century, numbers worldwide have fallen from about 100,000 individuals to an estimated 5,500, according to the IUCN, which classifies tigers as endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting of the species and their natural prey. But major tiger recoveries have been recorded in India and Nepal, where in recent years numbers of Bengal tigers have grown to 3,600 and 355 respectivel,y thanks to conservation measures. - 'Incredibly successful' - In a forest clearing in Khlong Lan National Park, DNP staff open the gate of the sambar deer enclosure where 10 males and 10 females have been grazing. The deer watch cautiously as one brave individual darts out, before the rest follow at speed and disappear into the trees. AFP | Lillian SUWANRUMPHA Worrapan says prey release programmes -- now also happening in Cambodia and Malaysia -- are part of wider restoration efforts to "rebuild ecosystems" in Southeast Asia, where they have been adapted for local purposes from similar initiatives that have existed for years in Africa. The breeding and releases also aim to solve the problem of the sambar deer's own population decline due to hunting, says Worrapan. "The purpose of releasing deer is not solely to serve as tiger prey but also to restore the deer population," he says, adding that GPS collar-monitoring has allowed researchers to track their lives after release. AFP | Lillian SUWANRUMPHA He says despite having only known captivity, the deer show a strong ability to adapt to outside threats. "(They) don't simply wait passively. They try to evade predators and choose safe areas to thrive." The sambar deer and their offspring "play a role in the food chain within the ecosystem, serving as prey for predators," he says. by Sally Jensen
