Conservation News ~ July 13 2018

A huge field of the endangered Salt-Marsh Bird's Beak (Chlorophyron maritimus maritimus) in San Diego!

• New Zealand buys $2.3 billion Defence Force aircraft to keep a close eye on whaling and fishing: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/07/government-buys-2-3-billion-defence-force-aircraft.html
• NOAA proposes opening marine monuments to fishing within 90 days:
• https://www.ecowatch.com/noaa-commercial-fishing-proposal-2584281440.html
• Kitty litter parasite is wiping out Earth’s rarest seal: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/07/seals-endangered-species-health-disease-oceans/
• Plantation company clearing forest owned secretly by giant firm that has promised to stop deforesting: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/revealed-paper-giants-ex-staff-say-it-used-their-names-for-secret-company-in-borneo/
• Iceland whalers killed a rare Blue Whale: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44809115
• Nestle suspended from RSPO for failing to pay dues and submitting progress reports: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/nestle-suspended-from-rspo-for-failing-to-pay-dues-submit-progress-reports/
• Coral reefs thrive next to rat-free islands: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/coral-reefs-thrive-next-to-rat-free-islands-new-study-finds/
• Bat-killing fungus spreads to two new species and two new states: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/bat-killing-fungus-spreads-to-2-new-species-and-2-new-states/
• Thirty-five percent of fish caught for food is never eaten: http://www.newsweek.com/one-three-fish-never-eaten-stock-1014508
• Solar panel installations soar, on track to triple 2017 record: https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/solar-panel-installations-rocket-and-on-track-to-triple-annual-record-20180709-p4zqcx.html
• Virgin Atlantic removes beef and palm oil from flight menus: https://www.livekindly.co/virgin-atlantic-beef-palm-oil-sustainability/
• Gabon: Three illegal fishing vessels arrested: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/gabon-three-illegal-fishing-vessels-arrested
• Judge temporarily blocks Hebgen timber project: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/bozeman/judge-temporarily-blocks-hebgen-timber-project/article_80e9d7f9-243a-52e3-a5c0-8b344f03efc0.html
• US president pardons imprisoned Oregon ranchers: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-standoff-trump/oregon-ranchers-who-sparked-standoff-to-return-home-after-trump-pardon-idUSKBN1K11RF
• Harrison Ford honored by Indianapolis Zoo: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2018/07/10/harrison-ford-channels-indiana-jones-conservation-award-winner/768091002/
• Zimbabwe’s chiefs revive tradition to save country’s last pangolins: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/zimbabwes-chiefs-revive-tradition-to-save-the-countrys-last-pangolins/
• Tiger, clouded leopard skins among illegal wildlife parts seized in Malaysia: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/tiger-clouded-leopard-skins-among-illegal-wildlife-parts-seized-in-malaysia/
• US President cancels whale and sea turtle protections: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-cancels-whale-and-sea-turtle-protections
• Steep Chinese tariffs could end US shark fin industry: https://www.livekindly.co/chinese-tariffs-shark-fin-industry/
• Church of England in oil firm crackdown: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-44759914
• Starbucks to scrap plastics straws globally by 2020: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/07/09/starbucks-scrap-plastic-straws-globally-2020/764343002/
• Three elephant poachers shot dead by wildlife rangers in Kenya: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/elephant-poachers-shot-dead-kenya-wildlife-reserve-mount-elgon-national-park-a8388246.html
• Five newly described snakes named by auction in Ecuador: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/latam-eco-review-five-new-snakes-named-by-auction-in-ecuador/
• Animals accorded same rights as human in Indian state: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/05/animals-accorded-rights-humans-indian-national-park/
• World’s largest protected rainforest declared in Colombia: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/colombia-rainforest-national-park-world-heritage-site-serrania-del-chiribiquete-a8428371.html
• Spiders can fly hundreds of miles using electricity: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/07/the-electric-flight-of-spiders/564437/
• Canada is making cosmetic testing on animals illegal: http://www.veganfoodandliving.com/canada-to-make-cosmetic-testing-on-animals-illegal/
• Smuggled live vultures seized at Heathrow: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-44668607
• Poaching kingpin denied bail: https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1972299/alleged-poaching-kingpin-denied-bail/
• Three poachers eaten by lions at South African nature reserve: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44728507
• A baby boom is helping west coast starfish recover after die-off: https://www.opb.org/news/article/starfish-population-west-coast-baby-boom/
• Air pollution increases diabetes risk at levels EPA calls ‘safe,’ study finds: https://www.ecowatch.com/air-pollution-diabetes-epa-2583155988.html
• Rare litter of Mexican gray wolf pups born in California: http://www.cbs8.com/story/38569562/rare-litter-of-mexican-gray-wolf-pups-born-in-julian
• Polar bear kills Canadian father who tried to protect his children: http://www.kmov.com/story/38578192/polar-bear-kills-canadian-father-trying-to-protect-his-children
• Officials seize 17,000 animal carcasses in wildlife trafficking raids: https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/03/officials-seize-17000-animal-carcasses-wildlife-trafficking-raids-7680433/
• Australia’s reptiles threatened by invasive species, climate change: https://www.iucn.org/news/species/201807/australia%E2%80%99s-reptiles-threatened-invasive-species-climate-change-%E2%80%93-iucn-red-list
• Catalina island facing overpopulation of deer: http://www.thelog.com/local/oh-deer-catalina-island-facing-overpopulation-of-four-legged-island-dwellers/
• California’s carbon emissions are back to ‘90s levels: https://grist.org/article/californias-carbon-emissions-are-back-to-90s-levels-it-can-be-done-people/
• Extractive industries threaten a million square kilometers of intact tropical forests around the globe: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/extractive-industries-threaten-a-million-square-kilometers-of-intact-tropical-forests-around-the-globe/
• Krill fishing companies pledge to protect key food of Antarctic animals: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/krill-fishing-companies-pledge-to-protect-key-food-of-antarctic-animals/
• Species evolve twice as fast at poles as in tropics: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/species-evolve-more-than-twice-as-fast-at-poles-as-in-tropics-study/
• Rhino poop gives villagers in India a conservation initiative: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/07/rhino-poop-gives-villagers-in-india-a-conservation-incentive/
• Brazilian forests silent as Yellow fever decimates threatened monkeys: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brazilian-forests-fall-silent-as-yellow-fever-decimates-threatened-monkeys/
• Red List research finds 26,000 global species under extinction threat: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/05/red-list-research-finds-26000-species-under-extinction-threat
• Guyana approves construction of Moco Moco, Kumu hydropower: http://dpi.gov.gy/govt-approves-construction-of-moco-moco-kumu-hydropower/
• Deal retires 24,000 acres of oil, gas drilling leases: https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/this_just_in/article_991e3f20-ed6e-5087-bc37-ee93f900c199.html
• Two Yellow Bat species found hidden in plain sight: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/07/bats-kenya-new-species-animals/
• Mauritius Fruit Bat uplisted to Endangered: http://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/application/index.php?tpid=30&tcid=81
• Nathaniel Reed, Florida environmental advocate and co-author of the Endangered Species Act, dies: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/florida/articles/2018-07-12/nathaniel-reed-tireless-environmental-advocate-dies-at-84​