Tintoretto's ‘Crucifixion' Is Resurrected in Venice
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Farmers deploy unexpected aid to protect livestock from grizzly bears: 'We're not constantly worrying'
Farmers deploy unexpected aid to protect livestock from grizzly bears: 'We're not constantly worrying' Because of successful conservation efforts and habitat protection, grizzly bears are thriving in Montana, but farmers aren't necessarily thrilled about the news. The animals have started roaming on their properties, stealing food, and becoming a threat to their young children. But livestock guardian dogs are making farm life much safer for both bears and humans alike. As the New York Times reported, grizzlies are protected under the Endangered Species Act, which has allowed their populations to increase dramatically over the past 50 years. As a result, the bears have expanded their territory into new areas, including those near human development. Conveniently for the bears, populated areas have more food availability, and as the bears scavenge for grains and other foods grown on farms, it increases the risk of human-wildlife conflicts. That's why farmers in Montana have started employing "bear dogs" to protect their families and food supplies, and so far, it seems to be working quite well. Steve and Julie Ahrens, who have been farming wheat, barley, and chickpeas in northern Montana for nearly half a century, were eager for a solution after four grizzlies showed up on their land in 2020. When the bears figured out how much food they kept in grain bins on the property, their visits became much more frequent. The couple decided to call Wesley Sarmento, a former bear manager for Montana's wildlife agency, for help, but unfortunately, attempts to keep the grizzlies away using electric fencing, traps, and alarms were unsuccessful. And after hearing that a bear killed dozens of chickens at a nearby farm, he knew a longer-term solution was needed — and fast. Later in 2020, another farmer told him that once his son brought home a livestock guardian dog, their bear problems disappeared. Large dogs such as shepherds have been used for centuries to keep carnivores away from livestock and people, and now that bears are making a comeback, these gentle giants are once again being called to do what they do best: protect. Sarmento teamed up with Julie Young, an ecology professor at Utah State University, to study how well three Turkish breeds — the Kangal, the Boz, and the Anatolian — could keep bears from infiltrating farms and asked several local farmers, including the Ahrenses, if they would participate. When Billy, a Kangal, first arrived on their farm, they admittedly were a bit worried about how he would mesh with their family and other animals. But after a few weeks, he fit right in, and he's been scaring bears away from their property for years. What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn Controlling weeds Keeping pests at bay I don't have a yard Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In fact, the Ahrenses reported zero bear sightings until earlier this spring when a mother and her cubs wandered onto their yard. Overall, though, Billy's had an impressive track record for keeping the family safe, and other farmers have also noticed the benefits of having the guard dogs around. The study, which was published in Biological Conservation, found a 90% decrease in bears within 1,000 feet of the four farms that received bear dogs. In addition, there were 58-fold fewer camera-trap detections of bears visiting farms with guardian dogs compared to farms that did not have dogs. While further research is needed, the results are promising and show that bears and humans can coexist with the help of man's best friend. At Stick Leg Ranch, where a bear killed farmowner Seth and Jennie Becker's chickens, the new family pets — two Anatolian shepherds, Zia and Astra — have finally allowed life to return to normal on the farm. "We love bears, but we also love that we now feel safer and that we're not constantly worrying," Jennie Becker told the Times. 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. Solve the daily Crossword
Washington Post
4 hours ago
- Washington Post
How do you move a beloved Swedish church down the road? With prayer, engineering and some Eurovision
KIRUNA, Sweden — How do you move one of Sweden's most beloved wooden churches down the road? With a little bit of engineering, a lot of prayer — and some Eurovision for good luck. The Kiruna Church — called Kiruna Kyrka in Swedish — and its belfry are being moved this week along a 5-kilometer (3-mile) route east to a new city center as part of the town's relocation. It's happening because the world's largest underground iron-ore mine is threatening to swallow the town.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sir David Attenborough names golden eagle chick hatched in Scotland
Sir David Attenborough has named the first eaglet to fledge the nest of a golden eagle that was brought to Scotland as part of a conservation project. Sir David, 99, named the baby eagle Princeling, meaning young prince, which he says symbolises new hope for the restoration the species. It comes as part of the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP), which aims to increase their numbers throughout the country. SSGEP has now expanded its project to England and Wales under Restoring Upland Nature (RUN), to increase the population of the species elsewhere in the UK. Sir David said: 'Many congratulations to all those in Restoring Upland Nature who have brought about the fledging of a young golden eagle.' News of Princeling hatching in spring this year was kept secret until he was ready to fly the nest in a bid to protect his safety and welfare. He was tagged by experts from the RUN team in June, with support from a local Scottish Raptor Study Group, landowners and land managers. His parents, Emma and Keith, made their nest near Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway, where he later hatched. Emma was previously translocated by SSGEP in 2021 and was named by Lorna Slater MSP, who at the time served as the Scottish Government's biodiversity minister. She was named after Emma Ritch, an advocate for women's rights and equality. Dad Keith fledged his nest locally, near Galloway. Revealing the latest news, the chief executive of RUN, Dr Cat Barlow, said: 'What an honour it is for RUN to receive such warm recognition from Sir David Attenborough for this game-changing moment in UK conservation. 'Seeing Princeling thrive in the south of Scotland highlights that, where there are healthy ecosystems and a low risk of persecution, translocated eagles can integrate well into native populations to breed successfully. 'This brings renewed hope to our ambition to reverse biodiversity decline and ensure current and future generations across the UK, including Scotland, England and Wales, can experience that incredible sense of awe on seeing golden eagles soar. 'It is important to highlight that this success is testament to the support we have received from the community, partners, funders, raptor workers, gamekeepers, estate managers and more. 'We know they will all share in our excitement at today's news and look forward to continuing to work with them, and many new partners, as we build on our success, and extend our reach into northern England.' RUN chairman Michael Clarke said: 'We're absolutely thrilled to welcome Princeling and would like to thank Sir David Attenborough, and all our partners and supporters, for helping us mark this important milestone. 'There has been such a great buzz at our initial success, with golden eagles spotted across southern Scotland and northern England. 'This remarkable recovery story has only been possible through a massive team effort by individuals from all walks of life. 'Our sincere hope now is that Princeling's arrival will cement a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for his survival as a totem of what is possible when people pull together, and share a determination, to consign the illegal persecution of these magnificent birds and other raptors to the history books.'
