Research - Page 19

Until very recently it was believed that evolutionary processes only happened over very long periods of time, but these findings indicate that the presence of a non-native predator can induce a process of rapid evolutionary change in a native species.

When their numbers are depleted it will take a long time for populations to recover. Better education on the consequences of purchasing Nautilus shells, more research and better regulation appears to be essential for their survival. We can only hope that it is not too late.

It is not that birds are unaware of their surroundings; they are simply not primed, via learning or evolution, to detect hazardous man-made structures that extend into their airspace.

Researchers discovered that two solitary bee species in Canada are using polyurethane and polyethelene-based plastics in the formation and closing of their brood cells.

Like many other baleen whales, blue whales accumulate layers of wax, lipids and keratin protein in their ear canals, which build up over time to form long earplugs.

Almost 100 million Euros has been spent on conserving the remaining Iberian Lynx in the wild, and it seems that these efforts have paid off.

On average, the rate of loss of populations of all amphibians in the USA is 3.7% per year. The scientists believe that if this rate does not change, these species will disappear from half of the habitats that they currently occupy in around 20 years.

Conservationists revealed that an innovative project has increased numbers of black-throated divers from a low of 180 pairs in the late 1980s, when the project first started, to 240 pairs in 2012. The project aimed to recreate ideal breeding habitat for the birds to nest and raise their chicks.

Small populations survived in Wales and areas of northern England at very low densities, but the only viable populations left could be found in the North West Highlands of Scotland where persecution pressures were less.