Latest news with #breeding
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
East Yorkshire nature reserve records its first breeding bitterns
One of the UK's rarest birds has bred on a nature reserve near Hull for the first time in its Wildlife Trust (YWT) said a juvenile bittern was spotted at North Cave wetlands last week, marking the first time the species had ever bred on its which make a distinctive booming call, were once extinct in the UK but returned in the 20th reserve manager Tony Martin said it was "heartening" to see that the trust's "careful management of these wild spaces is having huge benefits for Yorkshire's wildlife." Bitterns are very difficult to see and often move through reeds at the water's edge whilst looking for fish, the RSPB their secrecy, the species are also Britain's loudest bird due to the sound that males make in the said that the breeding of bitterns in Yorkshire still remained "very rare", with "roughly 20 breeding pairs last on record", which "can have up to six eggs".Earlier this month, the RSPB said four boomers had been heard at East Yorkshire's RSPB Blacktoft Sands, as well as other places throughout the country. A national annual bittern survey announced in March showed 283 booming males were recorded in the latest results from the RSPB and Natural Martin said: "We have had overwintering bitterns at North Cave wetlands for a number of years, but bitterns need two healthy reedbed areas to breed successfully, as they use one for nesting and another for feeding. "These sightings are the latest success at one of our flagship reserves."Since 2001, North Cave wetlands has expanded from 99 acres (40 hectares) to 350 acres (140 hectares), in partnership with construction company Breedon included planting over 30,000 reed plugs to create habitat which will grow into the mature reedbeds bitterns prefer to live trust said it hoped that visitors would be able to spot more juvenile sightings in the days and weeks ahead. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
The Australian
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Australian
Panda diplomacy on display as PM winds down state visit to China
In a display of when-in-Rome statesmanship, Anthony Albanese has visited one of the world's biggest panda breeding centres on the final full day of his visit to China. With 260 of the furry friends, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding houses one third of China's total panda population in captivity — a source of pride for the city, with monuments to the bamboo-loving creatures scattered across the metropolis. After a couple of days of high stakes, high-level talks in Beijing, the Prime Minister was all smiles when confronted with the centre's occupants, including Fu Ni, who spent 15 years as a star attraction at Adelaide Zoo before being returned to China in November. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire/ Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Mr Albanese (pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping) was delighted to be at the facility, telling media he was 'feeling the friendship' between Australia and China. (Huang Jingwen/Xinhua via AP) He was also able to reconnect with Fu Ni, who spent 15 years at Adelaide Zoo before returning to China in November. Picture: Adrian Mann / ZoosSA 'They're beautiful animals,' Mr Albanese remarked to his guide as he watched an adolescent panda snack on a bamboo shoot. The visit to the research base came nearly 40 years after former prime minister Bob Hawke visited the same facility and secured Australia's first panda lease. It made Australia the first and only country in the Southern Hemisphere to have Chinese pandas. A panda at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Picture: NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer In brief comments to media, Mr Albanese said he was 'feeling the friendship between Australia and China'. 'They are great ambassadors for China and a great sign of friendship,' he said. 'The fact that Adelaide Zoo has the only pandas in the Southern Hemisphere is a sign of friendship between our two countries.' Mr Albanese lauded Chinese counterpart Li Qiang for deciding to lease another two pandas to Adelaide Zoo during his state visit to Australia last year. The new pandas arrived at their new home earlier this year. Mr Albanese has been keen to follow in the steps of past Labor legends on his trade-touting trip, visiting on Wednesday the same section of the Great Wall as Gough Whitlam did some 50 years ago.
News.com.au
17-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Panda diplomacy on display as PM winds down state visit to China
In a display of when-in-Rome statesmanship, Anthony Albanese has visited one of the world's biggest panda breeding centres on the final full day of his visit to China. With 260 of the furry friends, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding houses one third of China's total panda population in captivity — a source of pride for the city, with monuments to the bamboo-loving creatures scattered across the metropolis. After a couple of days of high stakes, high-level talks in Beijing, the Prime Minister was all smiles when confronted with the centre's occupants, including Fu Ni, who spent 15 years as a star attraction at Adelaide Zoo before being returned to China in November. 'They're beautiful animals,' Mr Albanese remarked to his guide as he watched an adolescent panda snack on a bamboo shoot. The visit to the research base came nearly 40 years after former prime minister Bob Hawke visited the same facility and secured Australia's first panda lease. It made Australia the first and only country in the Southern Hemisphere to have Chinese pandas. In brief comments to media, Mr Albanese said he was 'feeling the friendship between Australia and China'. 'They are great ambassadors for China and a great sign of friendship,' he said. 'The fact that Adelaide Zoo has the only pandas in the Southern Hemisphere is a sign of friendship between our two countries.' Mr Albanese lauded Chinese counterpart Li Qiang for deciding to lease another two pandas to Adelaide Zoo during his state visit to Australia last year. The new pandas arrived at their new home earlier this year. Mr Albanese has been keen to follow in the steps of past Labor legends on his trade-touting trip, visiting on Wednesday the same section of the Great Wall as Gough Whitlam did some 50 years ago.
News.com.au
16-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Godolphin sells 25 horses for more than $2m as public training move looms
Godolphin moved another step closer to entering its next phase as a public training entity from next season after selling close to $2.2m worth of ready-to-race horses on Wednesday. The racing and breeding powerhouse will enter a public training model from August 1 with nine stables, including Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher, announced as conditioners of some of their best and brightest stars. But not all of Godolphin's racing stock will continue to race in the Royal Blue with a wave of 25 horses sold on Inglis Digital this week. A string of stakes performed geldings headlined the sale with Group 1 placed stayer Lavalier topping the purchases for $380,000 to Sunshine Ptd Ltd. Lavalier was third in the Group 1 South Australian Derby in May before finishing fourth in the Group 1 Queensland Derby the following month. Group 3 winner Pisces, a last-start runner-up in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic, was snapped up for $330,000. Australian Bloodstock went to $180,000 to snare Group 3 victor Spacewalk and $170,000 to secure stakes placed sprinter Pereille. Snack Bar ($155,000) goes to Darby Racing, Fleetwood ($150,000) heads north to Tony Gollan while Razors ($135,000) joins him in the Sunshine State following a deal with trainer Jack Bruce alongside Clarke Bloodstock and High Calibre Racing. Godolphin confirmed new homes for their leading spring contenders last week with All-Star Mile winner Tom Kitten joining Anthony and Sam Freedman. Exciting filly Tempted is now with Maher as well as Group 1 winning star Zardozi while lightly-raced colt Beiwacht moved to Waller. Joe Pride will have Golden Mile on his books with Bjorn Baker the new trainer of Pericles. It was revealed at the end of May that James Cummings Group 1-winning conditioner since announcing a move to Hong Kong.
CBS News
16-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Elusive fisher and kits captured on Westmoreland County trail cam
Two fisher kits were captured on a trail camera in Westmoreland County, confirming that the species, which was once extinct in Pennsylvania, is breeding in the area. The wildlife camera company PixCams has been keeping tabs on fishers in the Murrysville area since one was caught on footage last July. As the large weasel-like creature continued to appear, it was believed that it had taken up residence somewhere nearby the camera. PixCams on Sunday shared four new clips of the fishers, including one that appears to show two kits playing and knocking the camera over on the afternoon of July 5. Experts say it's especially exciting because it confirms there's a breeding pair in the area. Fishers are elusive and secretive creatures that were once extirpated in Pennsylvania, meaning they were extinct in the state. Fishers are mid-sized carnivores that primarily eat small mammals like squirrels, chipmunks and mice. They're also renowned for their ability to prey upon porcupines. And while there is evidence of fisher predation on white-tailed deer, the Game Commission says the effects are thought to be limited. The Pennsylvania Game Commission says fishers disappeared from the state sometime around the nineteenth century, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly when because the creatures are so secretive and records are scarce. It's believed fishers were distributed throughout most of the state before intensive deforestation during the nineteenth century. Historical accounts also suggest that populations initially began to decline in southwestern Pennsylvania due to early colonial development, the Game Commission says. Pennsylvania's current-day fisher population is the result of natural expansion from neighboring states in the 70s and reintroduction programs in the 90s. "Today, fisher populations are well established and increasing throughout southwestern, central and northern regions of the state, and fisher have become established even in some rural and suburban habitats once thought unsuitable for this adaptive forest carnivore," the Game Commission says on its website.
