Latest news with #urbanWildlife
CTV News
09-07-2025
- CTV News
Crafty raccoons break into Ottawa green bin
Ottawa Watch A local Reddit user captured this video of raccoons easily prying open his green bin after it had been 'raided' several times.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's feral pigeon population drops 11% in hotspots amid feeding ban
Hong Kong has recorded a roughly 11 per cent drop in the number of feral pigeons found at common gathering spots after an expanded no-feeding law took effect, according to authorities who are planning to use artificial intelligence (AI) patrol robots to enhance enforcement. The number of feral pigeons stood at about 12,090 during the first quarter of this year, down by about 11 per cent from around 13,520 in the previous three months, across 140 spots in the city where birds gathered or caused a nuisance, according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Food left by people for the birds was found at 30 of the 140 spots during the first three months of this year, down from 37 during the fourth quarter of 2024. The department carried out a citywide study over the two quarters, with researchers conducting on-site inspections and recording the number of feral pigeons spotted. 'As various departments continue to strengthen enforcement to combat illegal feeding activities, we expect the problem of feral pigeons gathering in urban areas and the nuisance they cause to continue to improve,' said Dr Jeremy Ho Hon-pong, senior veterinary officer of animal health at the department. The Wild Animals Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 took effect on August 1 of last year, expanding the citywide prohibition on feeding wild animals to cover feral pigeons. The revised law is part of the city's efforts to curb illegal feeding activities and improve environmental hygiene.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rats, beware: Toronto outlines new plan to attack its growing rodent problem
Toronto could soon see a plan to address the growing number of rats in the city as major construction projects and climate change contribute to its pest problem. Late last month, Toronto's city manager Paul Johnson outlined a rat response plan that would focus on environmental changes to minimize the conditions for rats to thrive in. Johnson will present the plan the economic and community development committee at its next meeting on July 9. Coun. Alejandra Bravo, who was one of the councillors to ask the city to create the strategy, says she's been hearing from families who live near construction sites and have been impacted by the rodents. "We got a call from a mother who lives in an apartment close to a construction area. Her daughter was awoken in the middle of the night as a rat jumped onto her bed in her bedroom," Bravo said at a news conference Wednesday. Can you imagine what that does to a family?" Last year, the city's infrastructure committee directed the city manager and medical officer of health to report back with a rat response plan by this summer. If approved, the plan will include several actions, such as a response coordination team and a response enforcement table to lead work within the public service through inspection and enforcement blitzes. WATCH | How climate change is contributing to Toronto's growing rat population: As part of the new plan the city says it will need an associate director and an project coordinator starting in 2026, at a price tag of $351,000. It says an additional $150,000 will be required annually to support public communication and staff training related to rat management. In January, a study from a group of global rodent and public health scientists found growing rat populations are correlated with rising temperatures driven by global warming. Last summer, councillors asked Johnson to consult with other North American cities on their approach to rat reduction. Bravo said Wednesday the new plan would bring Toronto in line with other major North American municipalities that have a coordinated approach to managing rats, like New York City and Chicago. She says some of the complaints she's received from businesses and tenants stress that the cost of getting rid of the rats is also a problem. "It's really expensive to get rid of rats in a business or in a home. Not everybody has access to that, but the toll on people, the mental health toll, the fear, is all too real," said Bravo. This isn't the first time city council has tried to tackle Toronto's rat problem. In 2018, former councillor Ana Bailão spearheaded a push for staff to create a rat reduction plan. That was adopted by council, but work on the report was scuttled by resource constraints during the pandemic.
The Guardian
20-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Grenfell anniversary and a door for Lords
On the eighth anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy ( 14 June), I read that a new front door for the House of Lords has cost £9.6m; the budget in 2013 for the Grenfell Tower refurbishment was £9.7m. Notwithstanding inflation in the interim, that sums up for me the state of governance in 21st-century WolmuthWest Ealing, London Gulls 'are not naturally urban dwellers' writes Richard Ellis (Letters, 15 June), but neither are we. We've adapted to urban life, as have some gulls and other wild species. He complains of the mess created by gulls, but most of the mess in urban areas is generated by DownieGlasgow In reply to 'I'm good' (Letters, 18 June), I tend to say: 'I shall be the judge of that.' And when told to have a good day, I respond with a phrase coined by a German friend: 'I'm sorry, I have other plans.'Deirdre Burrell Mortimer, Berkshire Asked 'How are you?' on US TV, people always reply: 'I'm good'. I long for someone to reply 'I'm evil'.Henrietta CubittCambridge A picture of a cute dog on your front cover (Print edition, 20 June) may be great for sales, but is infuriating for regular purchasers whose usual suppliers have sold out. I only managed to obtain a copy at my fourth attempt!Stephanie HarrisonBedford Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Inside London's wild fox ambulance service
Nicki Townsend rescues injured foxes in London, a city with an estimated 15,000 foxes adapting to urban life. The Fox Project, founded by Trevor Williams, rescues around 1,400 foxes annually, addressing myths and providing care. Urban foxes face dangers like cars and injuries, often requiring Townsend's intervention as part of their 'ambulance service'. Townsend deals with heartbreaking cases, including cubs with severe injuries, balancing the grim realities with the joy of successful releases. A study indicates released foxes may face challenges readjusting to their territory, highlighting a need for further research on their post-release survival. In London, the wild fox has its own ambulance service when it needs help
