A team of scientists creates a 3D-printed shell for Freddy the tortoise
Freddy the tortoise lost most of its shell in a fire and a team of researchers gave it a new 3D-printed one.
Central America, indigenous peoples are essential for conservation
Indigenous peoples usually depend on natural resources to survive. Society, in turn, depends on its role in safeguarding those resources for our wellbeing. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published a map that highlights how governments and environmental organisations would benefit from an increased cooperation with Central America’s indigenous peoples. The
Why Chile’s marine wildlife is being killed by unprecedented red tide
Sea is the cradle of life, but Chilean waters have turned into a grave. Unprecedented red tide is killing millions of marine creatures in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Chiloé Island, in Los Lagos region, southern Chile. It is the largest die-off of marine wildlife in the country’s history. What caused the red
33 lions are returned to Africa after a life of confinement in circuses
After a life spent in captivity, they have finally gone back home. This is the success story of 33 lions rescued from South American circuses (24 from Peru and 9 from Colombia) and brought to South Africa. They probably longed for their homeland while performing – in chains – in unnatural, humiliating shows. The lions landed in Johannesburg in
Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre. On the Trails of the Glaciers conquers two iconic peaks to show the effects of climate change
Fitz Roy is a mountain in Patagonia, on the border between Argentina and Chile. It is part of Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina and Bernardo O’Higging National Park in Chile. Its peak is 3,405 metres above sea level. Cerro Torre is an Argentinian mountain, also found in Patagonia, west of Fitz Roy, and is
Mercury poisoning of indigenous people plagues the Amazon. Illegal mining is the cause
Survival International, a global movement for tribal peoples’ rights, has denounced mercury poisoning in Latin America in a letter to the UN Special Rapporteur for Health. The organisation highlights Venezuela, Peru and Brazil as countries that don’t comply with procedures to monitor the effects of mining on the environment. Mercury contamination, which commonly follows illegal
Paititi, the legendary boiling river discovered in the heart of the Amazon
Many of us grew up with the legend of Atlantis, an island described in one of Plato’s works, said to have sunk in the Atlantic Ocean after having fallen out of favour with the gods. A similar narrative has persisted in Peru in the form of a boiling river, Paititi. It is said that the
Costa Rica convicts those who killed an activist who protected sea turtles
What makes environmental crimes even more dreadful is impunity. “Across the world environmental defenders are being shot dead in broad daylight, kidnapped, threatened, or tried as terrorists for standing in the way of so-called ‘development’,” said Billy Kyte, campaigner at Global Witness. “The true authors of these crimes – a powerful nexus of corporate and
Ecuador earthquake death toll rises to 525. Crowdfunding for help stepped up
Seventy-two hours after a potent earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale shocked the coast of Ecuador, the death toll has risen to 525, with more than 2,500 people injured. The quake, which took place on the evening of the 16th of April, was felt in more than eight provinces including the capital Quito.
Brazil, the lower house has voted to impeach Dilma Rousseff
Brazilian lower house has voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, accused of fixing public accounts to be re-elected. 367 lawmakers voted in favour of the proposal, 137 voted against, while a handful abstained. The impeachment motion will next go to the country’s Senate. After last night’s vote many already take for granted that Rousseff will be