Latest news with #flamingos
The Guardian
01-08-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Week in wildlife: a hippo with a hitchhiker, a wallaby jailbreak and a fly on the wall
Going loopy … a pair of flamingos in Río Lagartos, Mexico, form a mirror image as they twist their heads backwards and upside down Photograph: Zeren Gu/Solent News & Photo Agency Goats in Essaouira, Morocco climb an argan tree in search of its fruit, which has been described as 'sweet-smelling but unpleasantly flavoured' Photograph: Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP The strongshank redemption … a wallaby in Wattrelos (near Lille), northern France, was captured on camera after escaping from its Belgian enclosure. It ran free for several days before French firefighters managed to catch it. Another fugitive wallaby that escaped along with it has yet to be found Photograph: SDIS 59/AFP/Getty Images Three rescued bharals, a type of wild sheep, at a wildlife rescue centre in Qilian Mountain national park, China Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock Volunteer divers in Dorset, UK, are reporting a surge in the number of seahorses. After efforts to make conditions better for the elusive creatures in Studland Bay, sightings are greatly increasing. Over the last two decades, conservationists have worked hard to make conditions better for the seagrass – and thus the seahorses – including introducing almost 100 'eco moorings' that do not harm the habitat Photograph: Neil Garrick-Maidment/The Seahorse Trust A humpback whale breaches in Guanabara Bay, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The whales are following their migratory route toward the Abrolhos archipelago, where they gather to mate Photograph: Andre Coelho/EPA A hawksbill sea turtle swims among bioluminescence, defined as the biological light emission of marine life, in the Red Sea. The photo was taken using a 'fisheye' lens – not the ordinary kind, but special imaging technology that allows underwater photographers to record bioluminescence from the perspective of the fish Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A gosling searches for food near the Main River in Frankfurt, Germany Photograph: Matías Basualdo/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock An ant on a flower at the Parc Floral in eastern Paris, France Photograph: AFP/Getty Images An anhinga opens wide for dinner in Lake Eola park, Orlando, Florida, US. The water bird is a darter that dives and spears fish with its sharp beak Photograph: Ronen Tivony/NurPhoto/Shutterstock A pair of Britain's rarest breeding birds have successfully reared chicks at a secret location protected by conservationists and the farmer whose land they nested on. The Montagu's harrier has not successfully bred in the UK since 2019, but this year a pair of the migratory birds of prey have managed to raise four healthy youngsters to fledging. Their nest is fenced off for protection Photograph: RSPB/PA One of the world's rarest sharks has been filmed off the Welsh coast, offering a fleeting glimpse into the life of a species teetering on the brink of extinction. Dramatic footage shows a critically endangered angel shark swimming through the waters of Cardigan Bay – the first time it has been recorded on film in the area since 2021 Photograph: Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre A spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect from China that is spreading across the north-eastern United States, watches a tennis match in Washington DC, US. The fly is no danger to humans, but it can devastate crops and trees Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA A meadow brown butterfly rests on a bramble leaf in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, UK. Some spotters have seen an increase in butterflies this year Photograph: Geoffrey Swaine/Shutterstock A bull moose near Tupper Lake, upstate New York, has decided to spend its summer holiday on an Adirondack mountain trail. State wildlife officials have been forced to keep hikers away as they keep watch and wonder why the majestic animal is not moving on Photograph: AP A vervet monkey carries its baby at the Bandia wildlife reserve near Dakar, Senegal Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Buffaloes wade in the retreating water of the drought-stricken Chibayish marshes in Iraq, on the Euphrates. Iraq's 46 million people face rising temperatures, chronic water shortages and year-on-year droughts, in a country hard hit by the effects of climate change Photograph: Asaad Niazi/AFP/Getty Images Steller sea lions swim during a tsunami approaching the shore of Antsiferov Island, a small, uninhabited island in the northern Kuril chain that runs between Russia and Japan Photograph: Nikita Sinchinov/AP A hamerkop bird hitches a ride on a hippo before being shaken off by the grumpy beast in Kenya's Masai Mara. The bird, named after its hammer-shaped head, climbed on board as the hippo plodded through a pond full of green water hyacinth Photograph: Ann Aveyard/Animal News Agency
The National
25-07-2025
- The National
Nature's most underrated ally in the climate change fight is thriving in the UAE
Just beyond Dubai's skyscrapers and busy streets lies a five-square-mile wetland reserve that is a vital seasonal habitat for migratory birds. Earlier this month, the Dubai Executive Council approved a Dh650 million ($177 million) development plan for the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, as the reserve is known. And at the heart of this vision are trees – specifically, mangrove trees. The sanctuary is already home to thousands of mangrove trees, but it is in need of revival – which the new development plan does in addition to sustainably increasing its coverage area by 60 per cent. That's not just good news for birds and marine life; it's a bold bet on nature's most underrated ally in the fight against climate change. Countries are beginning to realise the massive untapped value of mangroves. They are nature's coastal bodyguards, buffering shorelines from storms and cyclones, reducing soil erosion and protecting against rising sea levels. Their tangled roots capture carbon dioxide – up to five times more than tropical rainforests – making them one of the planet's most powerful carbon sinks. Mangroves are also fish nurseries, bird sanctuaries and water filters. In the UAE, they provide critical breeding grounds for commercially important fish species such as mullet and sea bream. Ras Al Khor itself hosts over 450 species of wildlife, including large flocks of beautiful flamingos that rely on the mangroves and surrounding wetlands. Drones powered by AI are already being used in the UAE to plant and monitor mangroves at scale For coastal communities in the Global South, mangroves offer food security, income and natural protection all at once. Villages protected by mangroves have suffered significantly fewer casualties and damages during tsunamis and cyclones compared to those without them. These trees provide us with more benefits per square metre than any other ecosystem. The UAE sits at the crossroads of Asia and Africa which together host over 60 per cent of the world's remaining mangroves. This geographic position makes the Emirates a natural hub for mangrove conservation, knowledge exchange and restoration expertise. The government has already committed to planting 100 million mangroves by 2030, and this Ras Al Khor initiative is a major down payment on that promise. The country has become a hub for the wider industry associated with promoting the cultivation and spread of mangroves around the world. Large-scale, carbon-financed projects are being developed in the UAE and rolled out across Africa and Asia. The company is currently developing restoration and conservation projects on a coastal area similar in size to Luxembourg. NGOs like Emirates Nature-WWF and international players such as the IUCN are also active or headquartered in the UAE. The end result is a cluster that promotes knowledge-sharing and, ultimately, contributes to the fight against climate change in a niche, but nonetheless really impactful way. A single hectare of healthy mangroves can deliver the equivalent of nearly $33,000 per year in ecosystem services. This includes coastal protection, fisheries support, carbon sequestration and tourism benefits. Scale that up to the tens of thousands of hectares possible in the UAE and regionally, and you could be looking at a multi-billion-dollar nature economy. Mangroves also open the door to high-integrity carbon credits. As demand for nature-based carbon removal projects continue to rise, countries that can supply verified, high-quality blue carbon credits will stand to benefit. The UAE, with its ecosystem restoration commitments and home-grown blue carbon project developers, is perfectly placed to play a leading role in this marketplace. Historically, restoring mangroves has been slow, messy, and expensive. But that's changing fast. AI is now being used to map mangrove health, monitor growth and predict where restoration will succeed. Satellite imagery paired with machine learning can track seedling survival and carbon storage in real time. Drones powered by AI are already being deployed in the UAE to plant and monitor mangroves at scale. AI-powered tools are being used to map mangrove health, monitor growth and design community-led restoration projects that have the highest probability of success – saving time, money and effort. This innovation recently enabled the planting of 10 million mangroves at multiple sites in Mozambique in just three years. The UAE, with its tech-forward mindset and AI ambitions, could become a global hub for cutting edge nature-based solutions. With the right data infrastructure and policy support, mangrove forest restoration could become faster, cheaper and more transparent than ever. The Ras Al Khor announcement is a powerful moment for the UAE's mangrove ecosystem, and also a reminder to keep pushing to scale up. Indeed, the UAE has an opportunity to not only conserve existing mangrove forests but to lead a global mangrove renaissance. That means doubling down on science-based restoration using AI and satellite tech and continuing to draw investment in knowledge, training and project development. If done right, mangroves can become one of the UAE's most powerful climate assets. And that is the case not only for their value in biodiversity, but for coastal resilience, climate jobs and long-term economic stability. What's happening in the wetlands on the outskirts of Dubai provides a glimpse into an exciting future for the UAE and mangroves globally.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Women dressed as flamingos take on world record attempt
A group of women dressed as flamingos is attempting a world record while raising awareness of breast Great Flamingo Coast to Coast challenge has been submitted to Guinness World Records as an attempt for the Largest Group of Women Walking Coast to Coast Dressed as will see about 50 participants walk Cornwall's demanding terrain along the Saint's Way, crossing from the county's southern to northern coasts in a single at 07:00 BST in Fowey, the team are hopeful of reaching Padstow by sunset. The walk is in aid of the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! which honours those lost to breast cancer, supports friends and family undergoing treatment, and celebrates survivors."Our flamingo flock represents something powerful - standing out, being bold, and making noise about an issue that affects so many lives," said Claire Ray, the group's organiser. "We're not just attempting to break a world record in costume - we're doing it to save lives through awareness and to show that extraordinary things happen when people come together for an important cause."
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
You Won't Believe the Unexpected 'Pests' Destroying Rice Crops in Italy
You Won't Believe the Unexpected 'Pests' Destroying Rice Crops in Italy originally appeared on Parade. The next time you find yourself indulging in a delicious plate of risotto, consider this: you may have unknowingly fought a flamingo for it. In a plot twist no one could've seen coming—flamingos are causing extensive damage to rice crops in northeastern Italy as they scavenge for food of their own. But, interestingly, it isn't rice that they're after. 🍳 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & fun food news in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳 The Associated Press was the first to report that farmers in Italy's Ferrara province are not just coping with flooded rice fields, but the unexpected "pests" they attract. When we think of crop pests, we commonly think of rodents and insects, and maybe a few swooping birds looking for a bite, hence the need for scarecrows. But flamingos in the rice fields of Italy? It's safe to say 2025 is a mood. The flamingos don't have their sights set on the rice itself, but rather the water currently covering it. They're looking for what lives in the shallow water—namely mollusks, algae or insects. The foraging process is disrupting the soil and, in turn, the rice yes, flamingos can fly. In fact, according to the American Bird Conservancy, all six of the world's flamingo species can fly. And they can move as fast as a car on your average surface street, flying about 35 miles per hour during short trips and 40 miles per hour or more on long-distance excursions. The more you know. Currently the area's farmers are considering any and all solutions for how to restore the crops and send the flamingos elsewhere. In the AP's report, one farmer calculated that they had already lost nearly 90% of their plants. That's bad news for them and not the best news for risotto lovers, Won't Believe the Unexpected 'Pests' Destroying Rice Crops in Italy first appeared on Parade on Jul 11, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Feisty flamingos threaten production of risotto in Italy
There's a sticky situation simmering in Italy — where the solution might need plenty of legwork. Flamingos have been making themselves comfy in the rice fields of Ferrara, a charming city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for production of the key ingredient in the nation's signature dish, risotto. To grow the short-grain rice used for the classic creamy fare, farmers flood their fields in late spring and early summer to germinate their seeds — and they're not tickled pink by the leggy animals. The brazen birds have been using their webbed feet to stir up the soil and capture molluscs, algae and insects from the water. Although the animals aren't touching the rice seedlings, they're disturbing the critical production process of the plants. 'These are new things that have never happened before. You invest so much time and care into preparing everything. Then, just as the crop begins to grow, it's like having a newborn child taken away. That's what it feels like,' farmer Enrico Fabbri, who has faced production losses of as much as 90%, complained to The Guardian. Desperate to protect their crops, the distraught farmers are taking on the birds by scaring them away with blaring truck horns, banging barrels and even firing cannons — but to no avail. The feisty flamingos most likely came from the nearby Comacchio valleys, wetlands along the Adriatic coast between Ferrara and the province of Ravenna, but migrated further east due to drought. The flamingos may flee if the fields were surrounded by trees or hedges and the water levels were decreased, Roberto Tinarelli, the president of AsOER, the Emilia-Romagna ornithologists' association, told the outlet. 'Obviously, we are looking for answers from those who have to deal with the problem. From an environmental point of view, all this is beautiful, but we must keep in mind that rice cultivation is among the most expensive, extensive crops,' said Massimo Piva, a rice grower and vice-president of the local farmers' confederation. 'They are beautiful animals, it's their way of moving and behaving, but the problem is trying to limit their presence as much as possible.'
