Latest news with #wildlifeProtection
BBC News
6 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Why people are ripping flowers from Nottingham's waterways
Thousands of plants along Nottingham's waterways are being ripped out by the root. Volunteers have spent more than 1,000 hours during the summer getting rid of Himalayan balsam - often seen in swathes with pretty pink the invasive species, originating from the harsh mountain conditions of the Himalayas, is thriving here in the UK at the risk of local Wildlife Trust has been running a project to protect wildlife and get rid of the invasive plants. What is it and how did it get here? Himalayan balsam is a wild flowering plant that can grow up to two metres tall and grows large pink, bonnet-shaped flowers. Although they originate from the Himalayas, they are commonly seen in the UK, particularly along riverbanks. Miriam Lawley, from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, is helping to deliver the 'Thriving in a Wilder Trent Project'.She explained that the plant was first introduced to the UK almost 200 years ago."It was brought over first by the Victorians," she said."Because it was such an attractive plant, they wanted to introduce it to their gardens." Where can you find the plant? Its place of origin means the "well-evolved and adapted" species can survive pretty much "anywhere", according to expert Ms Lawley. "Once it was brought over by the Victorians it kind of hit the jackpot because living is much easier here where the soil is quite fertile," she added. In the UK, the plant is typically found along waterways because rivers and streams help to spread its seed. Because of that, the plant is prevalent on sites along the River Trent, including Attenborough Nature Reserve. The plant usually starts to appear in May - or April, following a warm winter - and is found throughout the summer until August. How does Himalayan balsam spread? The species has an "explosive seed pod mechanism" which helps it scatter its seeds. Each individual plant can produce up to 800 seeds and and once ripe, the seed pods split open, spreading them as far as about seven metres. "It very rapidly becomes a big problem in the UK when you have that many seeds spreading over such a large area," Ms Lawley said. It was that mechanism that helped the plant spread beyond Victorian gardens and into natural areas. What makes the plant invasive? While Himalayan balsam might look pretty once flowered, it comes with a threat to local biodiversity, Ms Lawley said. By taking over large areas of natural land, the plant "out-competes" a lot of native plants that insects rely on. Ms Lawley said: "One of the things that a lot of people think about Himalayan balsam is that it's really good for bees because we often see a lot of them flying around. "Many of them are attracted to this really sweet smell but a lot of them can't actually get into the deep flowers to get the pollen because they've not evolved alongside this kind of flower. "So we actually find that there's a lot of insect declines where Himalayan balsam is really prevalent, as well as the decline in native plants." Getting rid of Himalayan balsam Ms Lawley has been a key part of the Thriving in a Wilder Trent Project, which involves work to enhance, restore and create vital wildlife habitats. Part of that project has involved the clearance of Himalayan balsam, before it begins to flower, across large areas of Nottingham and the wider county. Significant swathes of Attenborough Nature Reserve have been cleared of the plant since volunteers have also helped tackle the problem at Skylarks Nature Reserve near West Bridgford, Iremongers Pond in Wilford and Netherfield Lagoons, owned by Gedling Conservation Trust. Getting rid of the plant simply involves pulling the plant from low down on its hollow, tube-like stem, to ensure its short roots are fully removed from the soil. The plants are then left in piles to rot down and their roots snapped off to ensure they do not regrow into the soil. "It's actually quite a mindful activity," Ms Lawley said."A lot of my volunteers really enjoy it for that aspect because you can find it quite relaxing, you don't have to think too much about anything, you can kind of just work through an area listening to the birds singing, listening to the river flow."It is hoped the work will have a long-lasting impact on Nottinghamshire's green spaces.
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
Winnipegger's $300 fine for throwing things at Canada goose a rare case but a good reminder, lawyer says
Social Sharing A Winnipeg woman has been fined $300 for throwing things at a Canada goose that got in her way as she tried to get into her friend's apartment building. The birds are protected by federal law, which makes harassing them an offence. The woman, now 20, pleaded guilty under federal legislation known as the Migratory Birds Convention Act, after being caught on camera throwing a bottle of leather cleaner and a pylon at the goose to chase it off its nest. "I was just … trying to scare it away," the woman told provincial court Judge Kelly Moar in a Winnipeg courtroom last month. "So you agree that that's what ultimately happened that day? You understand that they are protected birds or you now know that?" Moar asked the woman. "Now I know," she said, her mom sitting beside her. It's a case one expert says offers a window into the world of Canadian wildlife laws. Though it's "fairly rare" for charges to be laid under the act, animal lawyer and educator V. Victoria Shroff said she thinks similar incidents between people and animals happen often, but typically go undetected. "The difference in this case is that person was caught," said Shroff, who works at Shroff Animal Law in Vancouver and teaches at the University of British Columbia's Peter A. Allard School of Law. "It's just a fluke that some passerby happened to have witnessed it and videotaped it…. People need to watch out. Everybody's got a camera in their phone now, and people are watching." Didn't know it's illegal? 'Doesn't matter,' lawyer says The investigation into the Winnipeg case started when an environment officer got a call on May 8, 2024, about a woman harassing a nesting goose a day earlier near a Henderson Highway apartment building, court heard last month. The officer checked the information of the vehicle that was at the scene and contacted the owner, who said his daughter was driving that day. The daughter admitted to authorities to harassing the goose, but said she wasn't in the right headspace because she'd recently learned she was pregnant. While the ticket listed a penalty of $730, a judge agreed to lower the amount. Federal Crown attorney Joan Schmidt said considering the circumstances, she thought a lower fine was appropriate and would still "drive home the message that, as frustrating as geese can sometimes be — because they can be aggressive, especially when they're nesting — they are protected in Canada and you just have to work around them." Shroff said she thinks these kinds of cases boil down to human entitlement and lack of education about the law. "Anytime people see wildlife, they sort of think, 'Well, I was here first. I'm going to do something about this. This animal is in my way and I'm going to take action,'" Shroff said. "And I think that's where a lot of people … come before the court and they say, 'Well, I didn't know that was a crime.' But that doesn't matter." What else isn't allowed — and how much you could be fined Recent news releases from Environment and Climate Change Canada help paint a picture of the kinds of offences that lead to people being charged under the act, and the kinds of punishments they can face, with fines ranging from a few thousand dollars to over $1 million. Last year in Quebec, for example, two people who destroyed bank swallow nests while working on a mound of earth were ordered to pay $60,000 and $5,000, respectively. And in 2019, an oil company in Alberta was ordered to pay $1.775 million after 30 dead great blue herons were found after being exposed to bitumen at a company facility. In Manitoba, conservation officers mostly use the act for hunting enforcement, like hunting without permits or killing more birds than allowed, a provincial spokesperson said in an email. Less frequently laid charges include taking eggs (generally for consumption), possessing live birds (which people often think are orphaned) and selling bird taxidermy or feathers. Conservation officers lay those kinds of charges about three to six times a year, the spokesperson said. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada said in an email the federal agency's enforcement officers laid 34 charges under the act last year, which don't include offences that were dealt with through warnings, tickets or fines. If a bird is causing issues, people should contact the Canadian Wildlife Service or other wildlife enforcement for advice, the spokesperson said. The migratory birds legislation comes from a time when Canada goose populations were struggling, and required "extensive and expensive intervention to bolster numbers," the provincial spokesperson said. While their numbers are higher now, "that could change quickly without protections," the spokesperson said. Winnipeg woman fined $300 for throwing things at Canada goose 5 minutes ago A Winnipeg woman has pleaded guilty under federal legislation known as the Migratory Birds Convention Act after being caught on video throwing a bottle of leather cleaner and a pylon at a nesting Canada goose in 2024. "I was just … trying to scare it away," she said.
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Investigation finds shops tell customers how to illegally use glue traps
Shops across England selling cruel glue traps are telling customers how to illegally use them, an undercover investigation has revealed. Pet cats, hedgehogs and wild birds have all been accidentally caught on the devices, and heartbreaking photos of the animals that suffered struggling to free themselves have prompted widespread outrage. In 2020, Miles, a black and white cat, had to be put down after becoming stuck to four glue traps that left him in pain with 'horrific' injuries. In 2021, a baby fox became stuck on a glue trap in Edinburgh, leaving its skin and fur badly damaged, and rescuers spent hours removing the glue to save the animal. Glue traps are designed to catch – but not kill – rats and mice. They struggle for hours or days on the ultra-strong adhesive, and some tear or bite off limbs trying to escape. The rodents often suffocate from glue clogging up their mouth or nose, or die from dehydration, starvation or exhaustion. Just over a year ago, using a glue trap without a licence was banned, and offenders could be fined or jailed – but selling the traps remains legal. Hundreds of thousands are sold every year in the UK, parliament was told during a debate before the ban. Last year, the RSPCA received 40 reports of animals stuck on glue traps, and over the previous five years, it logged more than 200 reports. The animals stuck included wild birds, hedgehogs and pet cats. The Humane World for Animals UK charity, which carried out an undercover investigation, says it believes hundreds of stores are still selling them – even though it's now a criminal offence for customers to use them. Shoppers for the charity visited or called 50 independent DIY or hardware stores selected at random in England, and found that 23 of them – 42 per cent – sold the traps to the public. Prices ranged from just £1 a pack in Manchester to £3.99 in London, with an average of around £2. None of the shops selling them told the investigators it was illegal to use the traps without a pest-control licence. All 23 shops said it would be fine to set the trap outside, despite the risk of birds and cats becoming painfully – and in some cases, fatally – stuck. When the shoppers asked what they should do with mice stuck to the trap, nine shop assistants suggested the animals could be thrown away alive on the trap, which would be a criminal offence, the charity said. Two stores selling traps – one in East Yorkshire and one in Norfolk – referred to stories of animals chewing off their own limbs trying to escape. A shop assistant in East Sussex, when asked how a trapped mouse might be killed, said: 'I would normally just roll it up and drown it.' One shop assistant admitted that such action would not be 'kind'. Based on the 42 per cent, the researchers estimate that of England's 3,000 independent hardware stores, about 1,260 sell glue traps. Humane World for Animals UK, formerly Humane Society International UK, which is calling for a ban on sales of the traps, said it believed most shop staff were simply unaware of the law. The charity's Claire Bass said it was likely that hundreds of shops were 'selling cruel glue traps to members of the public who may be unaware that they could face criminal charges if they use them'. 'It's especially concerning that some shopkeepers are suggesting to people that they could leave animals on the traps to die slowly in a bin, or even drown them, both of which would be offences under the Animal Welfare Act,' she said. The legal loophole made a mockery of the licensing scheme for professional pest controllers, Ms Bass added. Of five stores surveyed in Wales, none sold glue traps, and all explained that they were illegal and/or cruel, suggesting more humane alternatives, the secret shoppers reported. The British Pest Controllers Association has urged the UK, Welsh and Scottish governments to ban the sale of glue traps to the public. The UK's three big DIY chains do not sell glue traps for mice or rats. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 'We always look to minimise the unnecessary suffering of animals, and last year it was made an offence to use glue traps to capture rodents, unless doing so under a licence with strict conditions governing their use.' The British Independent Retailers Association has advice online for retailers on preventing glue traps from being sold for illegal use. Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
12-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Northern Ont. residents fight to save bald eagle nest from development
Callander residents rally to protect a nesting bald eagle family as the municipality plans waterfront development. Eric Taschner has the latest. Callander residents rally to safeguard a family of bald eagles as the municipality moves forward with development plans near their nesting site. 'They are a symbol': Residents rally to protect eagles A Callander woman is leading the charge to protect a family of bald eagles whose nest is at risk due to proposed waterfront development. Janis Reed has launched an online petition, gathering over 1,200 signatures, urging the municipality to reconsider relocating the eagles' nest – a towering pine tree that has been their home since 2018. Eagle Pete & Paulie sign A pair of bald eagles, that the locals affectionately call Pete & Paulie, have called a pine tree in Callander, Ont., home since 2018. A sign erected to in the area of the tree is shown in this photo. July 11, 2025. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) 'They are a symbol, both the tree and the eagles, of local heritage. They're a connection to the natural world,' Reed said as she gazed up at the nest. The eagles, known to produce two to three eaglets each year, have become a beloved part of the community and a draw for tourists and birdwatchers. Municipality's development plan sparks concern The 3.4-acre property, owned by the municipality since 2012, is slated for residential and public development under the working title Waterfront Place. Plans include a civic library, green space, and trails, with construction expected to begin next year. However, the eagles' nest sits directly in the proposed development zone. Callander Bay A view of Callander Bay, where a proposed municipal development threats a nest of bald eagles. July 11, 2025. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) Mayor Robb Noon explained that while the municipality is exploring options to minimize disruption, the tree may need to be removed. 'As we move forward with the development here, the intention is the first part of the development is all going to be down at the front,' Noon said. The town is consulting with the Ministry of Natural Resources about building a nesting platform 100 feet from the current site. 'We're looking at those options, and that's part of that MNR report that's going to be coming in,' Noon said. 'We don't like cutting trees down. So, if we can accommodate, we'll accommodate it.' Callander Bald Eagle A familyof bald eagles have called a pine tree in Callander, Ont., home since 2018. July 11, 2025. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) Experts warn against nest disruption While bald eagles were removed from Ontario's Species at Risk list in 2023 due to population recovery, local birdwatchers argue that disturbing this nesting pair could have lasting consequences. Grant McKercher, who has documented the eagles since 2019, told CTV News that the parents remain in the area year-round, unlike many eagles that migrate south. Grant McKercher Grant McKercher, a resident of Callander, Ont., has documented a bald eagle family that calls the community home since since 2019. He is shown on July 11, 2025, looking up to take a photo of the birds. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) 'The young ones will leave, but the parents stay here. They stay here all year long,' he said. 'They actually continue to use the nest. They rebuild and refurbish the nest during the winter.' McKercher also noted that if relocation is necessary, the best time would be after the eaglets leave – but even then, removing the nest could severely disrupt their habitat. Reed fears that if the eagles feel unsafe, they may abandon the area entirely. She also emphasized their ecological importance, stating, 'They have successfully raised two to three eaglets per year, compared to a provincial average of 0.5 eaglets per year. Disturbing them would negatively impact the recovery of the species.' Janis Reed Janis Reed (left) has launched an online petition to urge the Municipality of Callander to reconsider moving a local eagles' nest. A pair of the birds have called a towering pine tree in the area home since 2018. She is shown on July 11, 2025, looking up at the nest. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) As the debate continues, the community remains divided between progress and preservation, with many hoping for a solution that protects both the eagles and Callander's future development.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
A baby tiger was reported on the side of a California highway. The CHP found something very different
The California Highway Patrol responded to a call this week of a possible baby tiger stranded on the side of a highway in San Luis Obispo County. But what they actually discovered was less feline and more feathery. The supposed cub was spotted along a remote stretch of Highway 166, which connects the Central Coast to the southern San Joaquin Valley, according to a CHP traffic log. A driver passing through the area Thursday afternoon reported what appeared to be a baby tiger on the roadside. A CHP officer sent to investigate the incident stumbled instead upon a dead hawk, not a tiger cub. The California Department of Transportation, which is responsible for removing dead animals from state highways, was notified about the deceased bird. It is unclear what caused the caller's zoological mix-up. Owning exotic animals like tigers is prohibited under California law, as they pose a threat to public safety and native wildlife, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Permits are exclusive to zoos, shelters, research facilities or educational institutions. The Big Cat Public Safety Act — a federal law enacted in 2022 — prevents unlicensed people from possessing, breeding and transporting big cats. A man and woman were charged in 2022 after purchasing a jaguar cub and transporting it from Texas to California for commercial activity. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
