瑞典批准獵殺受保護狼

瑞典政府已批准獵殺 30 隻狼。 2022-2023年瑞典狼的數量減少了約20%。根據歐盟法例,當受保護物種的數量下降至可持續水平以下時,殺害牠們則屬違法。因此瑞典政府將狼的可持續水平最低數量從300隻更新為170隻。

The Swedish government has given permission to kill 30 wolves for a wolf hunt. The population of Sweden’s wolf has decreased around 20% in 2022-2023. Under the EU law, it is illegal to kill a protected species when their population fall under a sustainable level. So the government updated the new minimum level to 170 wolves instead  of 300.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/01/sweden-wolf-hunt-halve-population-endangered-animal

沉船成海洋生物棲息地

在斯里蘭卡,研究人員發現與天然珊瑚礁相比,沉船為珊瑚和魚類提供了更多不同的微生境結構。當地很多沉船已有近一個世紀的歷史,為魚類提供食物和安全的棲息環境,更有較高密度的魚群,但棲息於沉船的魚群與天然珊瑚礁的種類有異。研究人員希望從這些沉船案例學習,並幫助日後人工珊瑚礁的保育工作。近年當地亦把一些舊巴士丟棄在海洋希望作保育用途,但生態學家認為,並非所有材料都適合,有些可能會造成污染,而且選擇合適的地點也很重要。

In Sri Lanka, researchers discovered shipwrecks provide more complex structures for corals and fish compared to natural coral reefs. Many of these shipwrecks are nearly a century old, providing food and safety for fish and have higher fish density, but the fish communities on these wrecks can be varied compare to natural reefs.  researchers hope to learn from these sites and help develop artificial reefs to support marine communities. old buses were dumped in the ocean for fish breeding in the recent years, but ecologists warn not all materials are suitable as some might become pollution, and that selecting the right location is also very important.

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/07/next-stop-the-sea-sri-lankas-old-buses-are-a-new-home-for-marine-life/

https://news.mongabay.com/2024/12/sunken-ships-in-sri-lankas-colombo-attract-more-fish-than-coral-reefs/

即將消失的裡海

裡海是位於歐洲及亞洲之間最大的內陸水域,被五個國家包圍,但由於氣候變遷及人類活動,裡海正在縮小並面臨消失危機。自 1990 年代中期以來,水位下降了 2 米以上,使許多野生動物受到威脅,其中包括 6 種鱘魚及特有的裡海海豹。除了氣候變化之外,另一主要原因是俄羅斯於90年代的建設大量減少了窩瓦河的流入,而窩瓦河曾供應流入裡海80%的淡水。

The Caspian Sea was the largest inland body of water locates between Europe and Asia, surrounding by five countries, but it is shrinking and disappearing due to climate change and human activities. The water level dropped over 2 meters since the mid-1990s, putting many wildlife in danger including 6 sturgeon species and the endemic Caspian seal. Beside climate change, another main cause is that Russia’s has built infrastructures that reduced the water inflow from the Volga River, which used to supply 80% of the freshwater that flows into the Caspian Sea.

https://theecologist.org/2024/dec/19/farewell-caspian-sea

驚見松鼠獵食行為

我們經常觀察到松鼠以堅果及種子為食,但由於偶爾也會食用肉類,因此牠們被認為是機會主義的雜食動物。然而,在美國一個公園進行的一項為期兩個月的研究發現,加州地松鼠積極捕食加州田鼠等小型囓齒動物,超過 42% 的松鼠與田鼠互動涉及主動捕獵。該研究是一項觀察松鼠的長期研究項目,但過去12年並未記錄到這種行為。

Squirrels are often observed to feed on nuts and seeds, but once in a while they would feed on meat, so they were thought to be opportunistic omnivores. However, a two-month research in a local park discovered the California ground squirrel actively hunts on small rodents like the California voles, with over 42% of the squirrel-vole interaction involving active hunting. the study is a long-term research project observing squirrels, but this behavior was not recorded in the past 12 years.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/squirrel-hunting-eating-meat-california-b2666924.html

舔食花蜜的狼

埃塞俄比亞狼是第一種已知的食肉動物傳粉者,因為牠們會舔食衣索比亞火把百合花(Kniphofia foliosa)。一項研究發現,有些埃塞俄比亞狼可於一次覓食舔30 朵花的花蜜,因此會把花粉沾到鼻子,並從一朵花轉移到另一朵傳播。埃塞俄比亞狼是埃塞俄比亞高地的特有種。牠是現時最稀有的野生犬科動物,野外數量不到 500 隻。

The Ethiopian wolf is the first known carnivore pollinators due to their nectar-feeding on flowers of Ethiopian red hot poker (Kniphofia foliosa). A study discovered some wolves can lick the nectar of 30 flowers in a single trip, picking up pollen on their snouts and transferring from flower to flower. The Ethiopian wolf is endemic to the Ethiopian highlands; it is the rarest wild canid species with less then 500 individuals in the wild.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2457336-nectar-loving-ethiopian-wolves-may-be-the-first-carnivore-pollinators/

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