Conservation News ~ September 21 2018

• Elephant massacre in Niassa Reserve – 17k killed in eight years: http://clubofmozambique.com/news/elephant-massacre-in-niassa-reserve-17000-killed-in-eight-years/
• Hydraulic diversity of forests regulates ecosystem resilience during drought: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0539-7/metrics
• US will allow Texas billionaire to import trophy of critically endangered black rhino he killed: https://blog.humanesociety.org/2018/09/u-s-will-allow-texas-billionaire-to-import-trophy-of-critically-endangered-black-rhino-he-killed.html
• New Zealand High Court reverses plan to mine in endangered dolphin habitat: https://us.whales.org/news/2018/09/new-zealand-high-court-reverses-plan-to-mine-in-endangered-dolphin-habitat
• First Praying Mantis known to hunt fish: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/09/praying-mantis-fishing-hunting-behavior-animals/
• Indonesian president signs 3-year freeze on new palm oil licenses: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/09/indonesian-president-signs-3-year-freeze-on-new-oil-palm-licenses/
• Mechanism that makes deep soil a sink or source of emissions discovered: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/09/scientists-say-theyve-uncovered-the-mechanisms-that-make-deep-soil-a-sink-or-source-of-emissions/
• Totoaba trafficker’s arrest offers faint hope for vaquita: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/border-baja-california/sd-me-oscar-parra-20180919-story.html
• Hurricane Florence has killed nearly 2M chickens: https://nypost.com/2018/09/18/hurricane-florence-has-killed-nearly-2m-chickens/
• Giant spider webs over Greek beach: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spider-web-lagoon-greece-aitoloko-weather-a8546641.html
• Tidal wave of Chinese marine parks fuels murky cetacean trade: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-marineparks-insight/tidal-wave-of-chinese-marine-parks-fuels-murky-cetacean-trade-idUSKCN1M00OC
• WuTang Clan partners with White Castle to promote Vegan Impossible Slider: https://vegnews.com/2018/9/wu-tang-clan-partners-with-white-castle-to-promote-vegan-impossible-slider
• US Dept of Interior orders broad rollback of wildlife protections: https://www.peer.org/news/news-releases/zinke-orders-broad-rollback-of-wildlife-protections.html
• Hurricane Florence unleashed a flood of pig poop on North Carolina: https://www.livescience.com/63625-pig-manure-overflow-hurricane-florence.html
• Oregon rejects endangered species protection for Humboldt Marten: https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2018/09/state_rejects_endangered_speci.html
• Los Angeles banned fur: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/la-fur-ban-los-angeles-sale-san-francisco-california-a8544276.html
• Virus discovery offers new means of controlling Queensland’s cane toad: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/virus-discovery-offers-new-means-of-controlling-queensland-s-cane-toad-20180919-p504og.html
• At least 3.4 million farm animals drowned in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mbwgjp/at-least-34-million-farm-animals-drowned-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-florence
• US Govt formally rolls back rule aimed at limiting methane pollution: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/climate/trump-methane-rollback.html
• Melting Arctic permafrost releases acid that dissolves rocks, releases CO2: https://www.livescience.com/63612-arctic-acid-permafrost.html
• New global study reveals the ‘staggering’ loss of forests caused by industrial agriculture: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/scientists-reveal-how-much-world-s-forests-being-destroyed-industrial-agriculture
• Earliest animal fossils are identified: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45588213
• 87 days of smog: Southern California saw its longest streak of bad air in decades: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-smog-streak-20180921-story.html
• Tiny moth from Asia spreading fast on Siberian elms in eastern North America: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180917082449.htm
• SeaWorld, former execs must pay $5million to settle claim: http://www.bradfordera.com/news/nation/seaworld-former-execs-must-pay-million-to-settle-claim/article_b845ba79-896b-5c1a-bc4d-934ac3de2f05.html
• Giraffes could go extinct because people want rugs and pillows: https://www.thedodo.com/in-the-wild/market-for-giraffe-parts-investigated
• Global trade in exotic pets threatens endangered parrots through spread of a virus: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180918110902.htm
• Public meetings to address post-delisting Grizzly management in Montana: http://www.mtpr.org/post/public-meetings-address-post-delisting-grizzly-management-montana
• Treaty with Canda would include new limits on fishing for endangered salmon: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/environment/article218604075.html
• Police operation arrests alleged rhino poaching syndicate: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/environment/article218604075.html
• San Diego Safari Park announces that southern white rhino is pregnant: https://fox5sandiego.com/2018/09/18/second-southern-white-rhino-at-san-diego-zoo-safari-park-pregnant/
• Salve labor found at Starbucks-certified Brazil coffee plantation: https://news.mongabay.com/2018/09/slave-labor-found-at-starbucks-certified-brazil-coffee-plantation/
• Latest UNESCO update confirms remaining within 1.5C climate target is critical for survival of World Heritage coral reefs: https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1878
• Land conservation steps into limelight as key climate change fix: http://news.trust.org/item/20180914184322-gykjf/
• Anger at plight of southern-resident orcas, speakers rebuke NOAA in public meetings: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/angry-at-plight-of-southern-resident-orcas-speakers-rebuke-noaa-in-public-meetings/
• Global climate action summit brings surge of new commitments and calls for increased government action: https://unfccc.int/news/global-climate-action-summit-brings-surge-of-new-commitments-and-calls-for-increased-government
• Florence floodwaters breach coal ash pond and imperil other toxic sites: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/09/13/climate/hurricane-florence-environmental-hazards.html
• Hundreds of leopards being slaughtered for Shembe outfits: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-09-17-hundreds-of-leopards-being-slaughtered-for-shembe-outfits/
• Air pollution particles found in mothers’ placentas: https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/17/health/placenta-pollution-babies-intl/index.html
• Mysterious Great White Shark lair discovered in Pacific Ocean: https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Mysterious-great-white-shark-lair-discovered-in-13234068.php
• Newly discovered seahorse is as small as a grain of rice: https://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-have-discovered-a-colourful-seahorse-the-size-of-a-grain-of-rice
• Rhino born and bred in San Diego now living in Africa: https://www.kpbs.org/news/2018/sep/17/san-diego-rhino-living-africa/
• Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge opens to the public: https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/rocky-flats-national-wildlife-refuge-opens-public
• DNA database helps Nepal officials monitor tigers, punish poachers: https://news.mongabay.com/wildtech/2018/09/dna-database-helps-nepals-officials-monitor-tigers-punish-poachers/
• Thousands of tonnes of shellfish have died in southern France: https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/thousands-of-tonnes-of-shellfish-have-died-in-southern-france/
• Europe’s meat and dairy production must halve by 2050, expert warns: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/15/europe-meat-dairy-production-2050-expert-warns
• Protestors were removed from a 12,000 year old forest where a coal mine will be built: https://www.newsweek.com/g00/police-forcibly-remove-protesters-ancient-forest-after-6-year-battle-so-1121708?i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8%3D&i10c.ua=1&i10c.dv=14
• Groups seek ban on M-44 Cyanide devices in Oregon: https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-ban-cynanide-bombs-m-44/
• NASA blasts off space laser satellite to track ice loss: https://phys.org/news/2018-09-nasa-blasts-space-laser-satellite.html
• Apple is investing in a huge mangrove forest in Colombia: https://www.fastcompany.com/90236715/apple-is-investing-in-a-huge-mangrove-forest-in-colombia
• Europe’s farmers no red alert as deadly African swine fever spreads to Belgium: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/14/europes-farmers-on-red-alert-as-deadly-african-swine-fever-spreads-to-belgium
• 200 artificial reefs planted at Richmond’s Point San Pablo: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/09/13/ebt-l-reef-0907/
• Australia on track to miss Paris climate targets as emissions hit record highs: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/14/australia-on-track-to-miss-paris-climate-targets-as-emissions-hit-record-highs
• Japan’s bid to overturn commercial whaling ban fails: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/14/japans-attempt-to-overturn-ban-on-commercial-whaling-fails
• Groups sue to stop logging project near Mount Hood: http://www.capitalpress.com/Timber/20180913/groups-sue-to-stop-logging-project-near-mount-hood
• Plastic is killing 40% of baby sea turtles: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6164019/Plastic-killing-40-baby-sea-turtles-shocking-research-reveals.html
• Plants communicate distress using their own kind of nervous system: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/09/plants-communicate-distress-using-their-own-kind-nervous-system