Some of the 20 million bats emerging from Bracken cave in Texas. A depleting insect population has forced millions of bats around drought-stricken Texas to emerge before nightfall for food runs, making them more susceptible to natural predators. Some experts have already noticed fewer bats emerging from caves and have seen evidence that more infant bats are showing up dead, hinting at a looming population decline. Photograph: Eric Gay/AP
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A pair of Great Grey Owls or Lapland Owls sit inside an open air cage at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia’s Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk
Picture: REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin (via Pictures of the day: 7 October 2011 - Telegraph)
Governor signs shark fin ban →
Hallelujah.
Shark fins will no longer be sold or used in food in California starting in 2013, under a law Gov. Jerry Brown signed today that bans the possession, sale and distribution of imported shark fins in the state.
“The practice of cutting the fins off of living sharks and dumping them back in the ocean is not only cruel, but it harms the health of our oceans,” Brown said. “Researchers estimate that some shark populations have declined by more than 90 percent, portending grave threats to our environment and commercial fishing. In the interest of future generations, I have signed this bill.”
Hawaii, Oregon and Washington have similar statewide bans. However, proponents have said California is a critical state and a ban here would have a major impact on the practice. The bill is AB376 by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Sunnyvale.
California already banned shark finning along the coast. The new ban will forbid the importation of any shark fins starting Jan. 1. Fins already in the state can be sold and possessed until July 1, 2013. (read the rest at the link)
I’m getting excited about Halloween, so I decided to put a few photos together of some “scary animals.” Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: Wildlife Collective is not responsible for any soiled underpants or loss of sleep and/or nightmares.
Kolmanskop is a ghost town in southern Namibia, a few kilometres inland from the port of Lüderitz. In 1908, Lüderitz was plunged into diamond fever and people rushed into the Namib desert hoping to make an easy fortune. Within two years, a town, complete with a casino, school, hospital and exclusive residential buildings, was established in the barren sandy desert.
But shortly after the drop in diamond sales after the First World War, the beginning of the end started. During the 1950’s the town was deserted and the dunes began to reclaim what was always theirs.
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