This 18 September 2018 video says about itself:
Did RaptorexReally Exist?
Paleontologists have been studying and drawing totally different conclusions about the fossil LH PV18 for almost a decade. Is it just one of many specimens of a theropod called Tarbosaurus bataar or is it an entirely different theropod named Raptorex kriegsteini? In order to answer this question, you have to understand the many ways in which we can–and can’t–determine the age of a fossil.
This 2016 video from Africa says about itself:
Watch this Olive Bushshrike calling and also making the ‘ting-ting-ting’ sound.
Olive bushshrikes are related to a newly discoverd African bird species.
From the American Ornithological Society Publications Office in the USA:
Newly identified African bird species already in trouble
September 19, 2018
Central Africa’s Albertine Rift region is a biodiversity hotspot consisting of a system of highlands that spans six countries. Recent studies have shown that the population of sooty bush-shrikes occupying the region’s mid-elevation forests is a distinct species, and new research from The Condor: Ornithological Applications reveals that this newly discovered species may already be endangered due to pressure from agricultural development.
The newly identified mid-elevation species has been dubbed Willard’s Sooty Boubou, as opposed to the previously recognized high-elevation species, the Mountain Sooty Boubou. The Field Museum’s Fabio Berzaghi (now with the CEA Laboratory for Sciences of Climate and Environment in France) and his colleagues used museum records and bird survey records to analyze the ecological niche occupied by each species, and their results confirm that there is very little overlap between the ranges of the two species — Willard’s Sooty Boubou is found at approximately 1200-1900 meters and the Mountain Sooty Boubou at 1800-3800 meters. In Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, 70% of the potential for Willard’s Sooty Boubou lies outside of protected areas and has been converted to agriculture, and the numbers for the Democratic Republic of Congo are only slightly better.
Willard’s Sooty Boubou joins several other imperiled bird species that depend on the region’s mid-elevation forests, which have been largely overlooked by conservation efforts. “The Albertine Rift is a crossroads of amazing biodiversity, dramatic and diverse landscapes, and heartbreaking social and political unrest. It goes from glaciers to volcanoes to plateaus to lakes, with a succession of vegetation types from high-elevation cloud forests to lowland tropical forests”, says Berzaghi. “It is home to gorillas and forest elephants as well as a high number of endemic animal and plant species. Unfortunately, much of the region has gone through never-ending conflicts, with very negative consequences for both humans and biodiversity, and conservation involving local populations is paramount.”
“This paper provides additional data in support of the recognition of Willard’s Sooty Boubou as a species distinct from Mountain Sooty Boubou. Clarification of the niche that Willard’s Sooty Boubou occupies, that of mid-elevation forests, distinct from the higher-elevation Mountain Sooty Bouboy, is important, because these habitats are among the most heavily impacted in Africa from agriculture”, according to UC Berkeley’s Rauri Bowie, an expert on African birds who was not involved in the study. “Conservation agencies have an opportunity to move beyond taxonomic debate and use the models derived from this species to improve conservation outcomes for not only this species, but also a broad set of mid-elevation Albertine Rift endemic vertebrates through protection of mid-elevation forests that have received relatively little protection in comparison to high-elevation montane habitats.”
This 2015 video says about itself:
“Mesosaurs” were a group of small aquatic reptiles that lived during the early Permian period, roughly 299 to 270 million years ago. Mesosaurs were the first aquatic reptiles, having apparently returned to an aquatic lifestyle from more terrestrial ancestors. However, just how terrestrial mesosaur ancestors had become remains uncertain; recent research cannot establish with confidence if the first amniotes were fully terrestrial, or only amphibious.
From Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution:
Oldest-known aquatic reptiles probably spent time on land
September 19, 2018
The oldest known aquatic reptiles, the mesosaurs, probably spent part of their life on land, reveals a new study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. The fossilized bones of adult Mesosaurus share similarities with land-dwelling animals, which — coupled with the relative scarcity of land-weathered fossilized remains of large specimens — suggests that older mesosaurs were semi-aquatic, whereas juveniles spent most of their time in the water. This new research emphasizes the importance of thoroughly analyzing fossilized remains from across all stages of a reptile’s life to get a full appreciation of its lifestyle and behavior.
“Despite being considered the oldest-known fully aquatic reptile, mesosaurs share several anatomical features with terrestrial species”, says Professor Graciela Piñeiro, who completed this research at the Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay. “Our comprehensive analysis of the vertebrae and limbs of these ancient reptiles suggests they lived in the water during the earliest stages of their development, whereas mature adults spent more time on land.”
Since the discovery of unusually large Mesosaurus bones in the Mangrullo Formation of Uruguay, Piñeiro and her international team of colleagues wondered why the larger, presumably adult specimens, around two meters in length, were not as abundant as mesosaur skeletons of around 90 cm.
“The larger specimens, at least twice the length of the more commonly reported Mesosaurus fossils, could just be exceptionally big individuals. However, the environmental conditions of the Mangrullo lagoon of where they lived were harsh, making it difficult for the occasional mesosaur to reach such a relatively large size and age”, explains Piñeiro.
She continues, “We then realized that in comparison to the smaller, better-preserved specimens, larger Mesosaurus fossils were almost always disarticulated, very weathered and badly preserved. This suggested these larger specimens had extended exposure to the air when they died.”
During the reconstruction of a Mesosaurus skeleton and analysis of skeletons representing different life stages of this ancient reptile, the researchers examined the remains for evidence of a terrestrial, land-dwelling existence.
Terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic animals show a clear difference in bone profiles, so they used morphometrics to analyze the shape of the fossilized bones. Forty Mesosaurus specimens, from juveniles to adults, were examined and their bone profiles compared to those of similar reptiles known to be aquatic or semi-aquatic, such as crocodiles and marine iguanas.
“The adult mesosaur tarsus (a cluster of bones in the ankle region) suggests a more terrestrial or amphibious locomotion rather than a fully aquatic behavior as widely suggested before”, says Pablo Núñez, also based at Universidad de la República. “Their caudal vertebrae, the tail bones, also showed similarities to semi-aquatic and terrestrial animals. This supports the hypothesis that the oldest and largest mesosaurs spent more time on land, where fossil preservation is not as good as in the subaquatic domain.”
Published as part of a special article collection on Mesosaurs, these findings have broader implications — both for future research on early prehistoric animals that laid eggs with embryonic membranes and for the understanding of reptile evolution.
Piñeiro explains, “Our study emphasizes the importance of working with fossils representing an entire population of a species, including a wide range of juveniles and adults, before establishing paleobiological interpretations on their lifestyle and behavior.”
She continues, “These findings also have important implications on the inferred lifestyle of species closely related to mesosaurs, particularly in the context of the evolution of the amniotic egg. For instance, thanks to our previous discovery of a mesosaur egg and embryos inside the mother’s body, our new findings can give support to earlier hypotheses suggesting that the amniotic egg might have appeared in aquatic or semiaquatic animals as a strategy to leave the water to avoid predation.”
This video says about itself:
Barbie destroys Indonesian Rainforests!! (Ken finds out) -Greenpeace
6 July 2011
Mattel and other companies are destroying our rainforests to create a cheaper toy packaging, therefore endangering the Sumatran tiger and orangutans on the verge of extintion, there are only about 2000 Sumatran tigers or less in the world. Join Greenpeace and take action to stopping this problem! Remember that the world is not ANYONE’S to destroy!!
Take action here.
By Greenpeace International, 19 September 2018:
World’s biggest brands still linked to rainforest destruction in Indonesia
Jakarta, Indonesia – Palm oil suppliers to the world’s largest brands, including Unilever, Nestlé, Colgate-Palmolive and Mondelez, have destroyed an area of rainforest almost twice the size of Singapore in less than three years, according to a new investigation by Greenpeace International.[1]
Greenpeace International assessed deforestation by 25 major palm oil producers and found that:
- 25 palm oil groups had cleared over 130,000ha of rainforest since the end of 2015
- 40% of deforestation (51,600ha) was in Papua, Indonesia – one of the most biodiverse regions on earth and until recently untouched by the palm oil industry
- 12 brands were sourcing from at least 20 of the palm oil groups: Colgate-Palmolive, General Mills, Hershey, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, L’Oreal, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Reckitt Benckiser and Unilever
- Wilmar, the world’s largest palm oil trader, was buying from 18 of the palm oil groups
The investigation exposes the total failure of Wilmar International, the world’s largest palm oil trader, to break its links to rainforest destruction. In 2013, Greenpeace International revealed that Wilmar and its suppliers were responsible for deforestation, illegal clearance, fires on peatland and extensive clearance of tiger habitat. Later that year, Wilmar announced a groundbreaking ‘no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation’ policy. Yet Greenpeace’s analysis found that Wilmar still gets its palm oil from groups that are destroying rainforests and stealing land from local communities.
“Palm oil can be produced without destroying rainforests. But our investigation shows that the palm oil Wilmar trades is still utterly contaminated with rainforest destruction. Household brands like Unilever, Nestlé, Colgate-Palmolive and Mondelez promised their customers they’d only use clean palm oil but they haven’t kept that promise. Brands must fix this problem once and for all by cutting Wilmar off until it can prove its palm oil is clean”, said Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace’s global Indonesia forests campaign.
In addition to deforestation, the 25 individual cases in the report include evidence of exploitation and social conflicts, illegal deforestation, development without permits, plantation development in areas zoned for protection and forest fires linked to land clearance. It is also the most comprehensive assessment of deforestation in Papua, Indonesia.
“Papua is one of the most biodiverse places on earth, and its pristine forests had until recently been spared the destruction happening elsewhere in Indonesia. But now the palm oil industry is moving in and clearing forest at an alarming rate. If we don’t stop them then Papua’s beautiful forests will be destroyed for palm oil just like Sumatra and Kalimantan,” said Taufik.
Palm oil impacts on environment, people and climate:
- Half of the Bornean orangutan population has been wiped out in just 16 years, with habitat destruction by the palm oil industry a leading driver. More than three-quarters of [Sumatran] Tesso Nilo national park, home to tigers, orangutans and elephants, has been converted into illegal palm oil plantations. Globally, 193 species classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable, are threatened by palm oil production.
- The plantation sector – palm oil and pulp – is the single largest driver of deforestation in Indonesia. Around 24 million hectares of rainforest was destroyed in Indonesia between 1990 and 2015, according to official figures released by the Indonesian government [2].
- Deforestation and peatland destruction are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. This has pushed Indonesia into the top tier of global emitters, alongside the United States of America and China.
- Plantation development is a root cause of Indonesia’s forest and peatland fires. In July 2015, devastating blazes spread in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua. These fires produced a haze that affected millions of people across Southeast Asia. Researchers at Harvard and Columbia Universities estimate that the smoke from 2015 Indonesian fires may have caused 100,000 premature deaths. The World Bank calculated the cost of the disaster at US$16bn.
- Wilmar International and other palm oil companies are regularly accused of exploiting workers, children and local communities.
Photos and video are available here
NOTES
[1] Final Countdown: Now or never to reform the palm oil industry
[2] Figures cover loss of natural forest. Sources:
1990–2012: MoEF (2016b) Table Annex 5.1, pp90–1 – gross deforestation 21,339,301ha
2012–2013: MoEF (2014) Lampiran 1, Tabel 1.1 – gross deforestation 953,977ha
2013–2014: MoEF (2015) Lampiran 1, Tabel 1.1 – gross deforestation 567,997ha
2014–2015: MoEF (2016a) Lampiran 1, Tabel 1.1 – gross deforestation 1,223,553ha
Contacts
Sol Gosetti, International Communications Coordinator, Indonesia Forest campaign, sol.gosetti@greenpeace.org, +44 (0) 7380845754
Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org
This 19 September 2018 video says about itself:
15 Largest Sharks to Ever Exist – Comparison
This is another video on the size comparison of sharks but on this one we will showcase the 15 largest sharks to ever have existed which includes extinct giant sharks and the existing / alive sharks we have today.
Sharks have existed in the past that were way bigger than modern-day sharks and they even dwarf the great white in size. Some sharks were even as big as the modern-day basking and whale sharks.
The Meg / Megalodon has his competition by some of these species of sharks in comparison in size and ferociousness.
The 15 largest sharks include the biggest sharks from modern day and they rank way down in comparison to some sharks like the primitive Helicoprion, the ginsu shark and the Megalodon.
The primitive Otodus is one shark that can rival the lesser Megalodon specimens in size … So enjoy this video on the 15 largest sharks to ever exist – comparison.
This 2017 video says about itself:
Mountain Gorilla: A Shattered Kingdom [Full Documentary] | Wild Things
A unique study of family life in the world of nature’s gentle giants – and of the impact of man’s turbulent politics on that peaceful world. This extraordinary portrait of a group of wild gorillas is a family saga rich in the grand themes of any human drama – death, adolescent rebellion, jealousy and parenthood.
From ScienceDaily:
Foraging of mountain gorillas for sodium-rich foods
September 19, 2018
A new Biotropica study examines mountain gorillas in Rwanda and their foraging for sodium-rich food in both national park areas and lands managed by local communities.
Obtaining sodium likely creates an incentive for the gorillas to leave park areas and make forays into high-altitude habitat. Both locations are not without risks: exiting their natural habitat and feeding on crops may increase human-wildlife conflict and visiting high-altitude areas may increase the risk of hypothermia.
The results may advance the discussion of how to adapt local human land use to effectively curb human-wildlife conflict.
“When gorillas raid eucalyptus stands outside the national park, they come in contact with local inhabitants, which puts both ape and human at risk. To discourage the gorillas from crossing into farmlands near the forest, agricultural practices may need to be reconsidered”, said lead author Dr. Cyril Grueter, of The University of Western Australia, in Perth. “Ideally one would want to favor plant species that are nutritionally unattractive to the gorillas.”
This 3 September 2018 video from Germany is about wasps and a (bigger) hornet.
It says about itself:
Nature observations with the camera. Almost every day I am out and about, mostly in the vicinity of my place of residence in the Eifel and document our fascinating nature on the videos shown here.
From University College London in England:
Why do we love bees but hate wasps?
September 18, 2018
A lack of understanding of the important role of wasps in the ecosystem and economy is a fundamental reason why they are universally despised whereas bees are much loved, according to UCL-led research.
Both bees and wasps are two of humanity’s most ecologically and economically important organisms. They both pollinate our flowers and crops, but wasps also regulate populations of crop pests and insects that carry human diseases.
“It’s clear we have a very different emotional connection to wasps than to bees — we have lived in harmony with bees for a very long time, domesticating some species, but human-wasp interactions are often unpleasant as they ruin picnics and nest in our homes”, explained study author, Dr Seirian Sumner (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment).
“Despite this, we need to actively overhaul the negative image of wasps to protect the ecological benefits they bring to our planet. They are facing a similar decline to bees and that is something the world can’t afford.”
For the study, published today in Ecological Entomology and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the European Commission through the Marie Curie fellowship, 748 members of the public from 46 countries were surveyed (70% of respondents were from the UK) on their perceptions of insects, including bees and wasps.
Responses revealed that wasps are indeed universally disliked by the public and this is most likely due to a low-level interest in nature and a lack of knowledge about the benefits wasps bring to our planet’s health and function.
How much research is being done to better understand these misunderstood creatures was also investigated. The team found that wasps are an unpopular choice of insect for researchers to study which likely compounds their negative image as little effort is being made to comprehend and communicate their positive role in the ecosystem.
The scientists discovered this by quantifying the number of scientific research papers and conference presentations for bees and wasps over the last 37 years and 16 years respectively.
Of 908 papers sampled, only 2.4% (22 papers) wasp publications were found since 1980, compared to 97.6% (886 papers) bee publications.
Of 2,543 conference abstracts on bees or wasps from the last twenty years, 81.3% were on bees.
Our dislike of wasps is largely shaped by a small number of species of social wasps — the yellowjackets and hornets — which represent less than 1% of stinging wasps but are most likely to come into contact with humans. There are 67 species of social wasps, but the vast majority of wasps — in excess of 75,000 species — are solitary.
The bothersome nature of social wasps fuels the perception that wasps are more dangerous than bees, although each elicit a similarly painful sting.
Survey respondents were asked to provide three words to describe bees, butterflies, wasps and flies, and to rank how seeing each insect made them feel regardless of their importance in ecosystems and the environment.
Analysis showed that butterflies receive the highest level of positive emotion, followed closely by bees, and then flies and wasps. Overall, bees are more liked than butterflies. The researchers also found that personal interest in nature explained whether people understood the importance of wasps as natural pest controllers and predators.
All insects are under threat from climate change and habitat loss, so the team say that maintaining insect abundance and diversity should be a priority.
“Global concern about the decline of pollinators has resulted in a phenomenal level of public interest in, and support of, bees. It would be fantastic if this could be mirrored for wasps but it would need a complete cultural shift in attitudes towards wasps”, added co-author, Dr Alessandro Cini (UCL and the University of Florence).
“The first step on the way to this would be for scientists to appreciate wasps more and provide the required research on their economic and societal value, which will then help the public understand the importance of wasps.”
