Articles by Alex Taylor - Page 40

With about one third of all the carbon dioxide we emit annually, amounting to 35 billion metric tons, diffusing in the surface layer, coral reefs in particular are suffering badly.

One study, based on over 40 year’s worth of data, has now shown the crucial role sea otters play in the kelp forests in which they inhabit.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the world population of tigers has fallen by 97%, from 100,000 individuals to current estimates of just 3,000.

Plastic ingestion in Northern Fulmars, and therefore plastic pollution in the North Pacific, has increased over the past 40 years.

The jaguar’s current range stretches from the Sonoran Desert in Mexico to northern Argentina, but the jaguar does cross into the USA frequently.

The reason for the abrupt exit is a rise in water levels of as much as 2 metres to a high last experienced over 60 years ago. As water levels increase, the salinity of the water is reduced, which in turn reduces the abundance of algae.

The design of the snare means that animals are garrotted and subjected to an agonisingly slow death. Frequently, it is non-target animals that are caught, including otters, badgers, deer, pine marten and even domestic cats and dogs.

It is home to globally threatened birds and two threatened primates, as well as lions, hippos and elephants.

Scientific studies are beginning to prove that several species are altering their behaviour in response to the increase in volume.