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☆ Fires in Brazil’s Pantanal wetland break June record
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-14 | by ( Aditi Sangal | Mia Alberti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Brazil’s Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland on earth, is ablaze, with fires in June breaking historical records for that month. Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (INPE) has detected 733 fires in the Pantanal biome so far this month, with the previous record for fires in Pantanal for June being 435 registered in 2005. A view of a burnt monkey amongst the burnt vegetation in the Pantanal, the world's largest wetland, in Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil, June 11, 2024. This seasonal flooding makes the Pantanal a unique biome where large swaths of land regularly turn from terrestrial into aquatic habitats and back again. In 2020, the fires destroyed unique habitats and wrecked the livelihoods of many of the Pantanal’s diverse indigenous communities.

Persons: Brazil’s Pantanal, Cynthia Santos, Ueslei Marcelino, ”, Andre Luiz Siqueira, It’s, ECOA, –, Ivana Kottasová, Henrik Pettersson, Krystina Organizations: Reuters, Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research, National Meteorological Institute, Wildlife Foundation, WWF Brazil, Fund, Nature, World Wildlife Fund, CNN Locations: Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Sul, Brazil, Corumba, Wetlands, Canada, South America, Brazilian

☆ ‘Moths to a flame’: Insect behavior around light isn’t about attraction, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Gaining a better understanding of the impact of artificial light on these winged creatures is crucial as light pollution plays an increasing role in the decline of global insect populations, the researchers wrote. Artificial light confuses nocturnal insectsWhen artificial light does not interfere, nocturnal insects keep their backs pointed toward whatever direction is brightest, which is typically the sky versus the ground. By using insect-scale motion-capture cameras, the researchers determined that the flying insects exhibited three consistent behaviors: orbiting, stalling and inverting. Moths and other insects can become trapped in a disorienting orbit around artificial light sources such as street lamps and porch lights. The new findings could help with conservation by fueling research on how to minimize the effects of light pollution on the insects, Dombroskie said.

Persons: it’s, critters, Samuel Fabian, Sam Fabian “, … It’s, ” Fabian, that’s, ”, Yash Sondhi, Sondhi, Sam Fabian, Fabian, Floyd Shockley, Shockley, ancestrally, “, Jason Dombroskie, Dombroskie Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, Imperial College London’s, Florida Museum, Florida International University, Smithsonian National Museum of, Cornell, Insect, National Wildlife Foundation Locations: bioengineering, Miami, Washington , DC

☆ Lion attacks: How to stay safe on safaris in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Forrest Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

It was July of 2022, and the co-founder of Discover Africa Safaris was out in the bush near the Khwai River in northern Botswana. African lions are fully capable of attacking, killing and even eating humans, and it’s generally estimated about 250 people a year die in lion attacks. WLDavies/E+/Getty ImagesOnly about 23,000 lions remain in sub-Saharan Africa, found mostly in Eastern and Southern Africa, Muruthi said. Before your trip, It's important to study up on safety tips -- such as remaining inside your safari vehicle when lions and other wild animals approach. Secondly, fleeing indicates to the lion you’re frightened and now possible prey, turning what might have initially been a mock charge to test you into a real attack.

Persons: Steve Conradie, Discover Africa Safaris, — “, ‘, ” Conradie, “, ”, ’ Steven Conradie, …, Conradie, Philip Muruthi, He’s, Muruthi, Masai, ’, ” Muruthi, Paul A, Andre Van Kets, Van Kets, Martin Harvey, It’s, you’re, don’t, they'll, Robert Muckley, There’s, Anup Shah, ” Van Kets, I’d, — Organizations: CNN, Discover, Lion Recovery, African Wildlife Foundation, Masai Mara, Reserve, East, ” Lions, International Union for, Nature, Sacramento Zoo, PLOS, Africa Tourists, Bank, Kenya Geographic, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Lions, … Locations: Discover Africa, Botswana, South Africa, Africa, Zimbabwe, Hwange, Kenya, Saharan Africa, Eastern, Southern Africa, Tanzania, East Africa, California, Namibia

☆ Not so dead as a dodo: ‘De-extinction’ plan to reintroduce bird to Mauritius
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —An audacious collaboration between geneticists and conservationists plans to bring back the extinct dodo and reintroduce it to its once-native habitat in Mauritius. But according to the partners, its return to Mauritius could benefit the dodo’s immediate environment and other species. The Nicobar pigeon, native to the coastal regions from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is the closest living relative to the dodo. Then it will edit the PGCs of a Nicobar so it expresses the physical traits of a dodo. “I have studied the dodo for many years, and there is still a lot to learn about this enigmatic bird,” he added.

Persons: dodo, Beth Shapiro, ”, Matt James, James, Holger Hollemann, Tatayah, ” Tatayah, “, dodos, Ben Birchall, Julian Hume, ” Hume, Ben Lamm, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, Colossal Biosciences, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Getty, Gorges, Colossal, “, White Rhino, Biosciences Locations: Mauritius, Rodrigues Island, Asia, Nicobar, Park, “ Mauritius, Aigrettes, Ile

☆ Cargill ingredients are probably in every meal you eat. That makes the company's environmental goals a big deal.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Cargill, the largest private company in the US, buys from farmers and ranchers in 70 countries. Some environmental groups, including Greenpeace and Stand.earth , accuse Cargill of not doing enough on those fronts. What is Cargill doing about the climate crisis? What is Cargill doing about that? (A Cargill spokesperson added that the company also offers premium payments to soy growers in South America enrolled in a company sustainability program.

Persons: Cargill, Pilar Cruz, Burger, didn't Cargill Organizations: Service, Privacy, Cargill, Greenpeace, Stand.earth, Latina, Soil Health Institute, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Innovation Fund, Tropical Forest Alliance, US, Brazil —, Gran Chaco, South America Locations: South America, Southeast Asia, Cargill, North America, Germany, Romania, Poland, Southern, Brazil, West Africa, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, South

☆ A herd of orphan elephants could be the key to bringing back the woolly mammoth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. But a key question is whether such animals could survive if they roamed the Arctic tundra as their ancestors did thousands of years ago. Eventually, the bonded herd will make its way into the wild, where its progress can be monitored for the next decade. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland and Katie Hunt. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

Persons: paleobiologist Jordan Mallon, It’s, Esme Ashe, Jepson, Katie Jones, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s, “ Oppenheimer, ”, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Canadian Museum of Nature, University of Cambridge, Southern Resident, for Whale Research, Virgin Galactic’s, CNN Space, Science Locations: Botswana, China, Ottawa, Chile, Chicago . Wild, Pacific Northwest, North America

☆ Using AI to monitor orphaned elephants in Botswana could usher in the return of the woolly mammoth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The startup has entered a collaboration with Elephant Havens, a wildlife foundation based in the Okavango Delta that cares for orphaned elephants. The findings, the organizations hope, could provide a blueprint for releasing the elephants into the wild and mammoth hybrids to the tundra. A new system for elephant monitoringHuman-wildlife conflict is the leading cause of elephant orphans in Botswana, says Elephant Havens founder Debra Stevens. After five years in the enclosure, Elephant Havens will reintroduce these bonded herds into the wild, and monitor their progress for a decade. Biotech company Colossal wants to create a hybrid combining mammoth DNA with that of Asian elephants.

Persons: “, –, Elephant, We’ll, ”, Matt James, Debra Stevens, “ That’s, Stevens, revel, Havens, Steve Metzler, Dr, Wendy Kiso, James, Debra, ” James, Ben Lamm, ” Lamm, Lamm Organizations: CNN, Colossal Biosciences, Biotech company Colossal, Colossal Locations: Botswana, Africa, rewilding, America

☆ Video shows 2 crocodiles take on 3 cheetahs in a battle for dinner
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A video shows three cheetahs killing and beginning to feast on a waterbuck in Kruger National Park. Then a pair of crocodiles shimmy up to the cheetahs, who hiss and eventually back away. The cheetahs face off against the crocs as they drag their prey further away from the approaching crocodiles several times. Latest Sightings/YouTube/Bob and Rosa SwartThough cheetahs are much faster than crocodiles, the crocs' persistent intimidation eventually wins them the prey. Latest Sightings/YouTube/Bob and Rosa SwartAfter the crocodiles successfully commandeer the prey, the video shows more crocodiles rolling up to the feast.

Companies are now working to measure how soil stores carbon as they encourage farming techniques that reduce emissions across their sprawling supply chains. Regenerative practices can increase soil nutrients and yields while also absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, scientific studies say. PREVIEWMany of the world’s biggest food companies, including General Mills Inc. and Nestlé SA, are working with farmers to promote the practices. The company aims to have 20% of its key ingredients sourced from regenerative agriculture by 2025 and half by 2030. General Mills is now working to include the soil carbon and emissions data into its annual footprint.

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