Archive: Nature | Flora and fauna Flora and fauna
A bear-faced lie: Czech environmentalists fall for a prank
Czech environmentalists were celebrating last week after they discovered
bear tracks in a rail underpass in the north-east of the country. The
tracks were deemed proof that the recently-built underpass, designed to
allow animals to safely cross the railway line, was actually working. But
it soon turned out that the bear track was faked, and that
environmentalists had fallen for a prank. More
Prague Zoo confirms position as leading breeder of Komodo dragons in captivity
In the wild there are reportedly only around 5,000 Komodo dragons left,
found in eastern Indonesia. But Prague Zoo has enjoyed continued success in
breeding the endangered lizard in captivity. Over the last few days, the
zoo saw the successful hatching of 20 new specimens, the offspring of a
female known as Aranka. What’s more, viewers were able to watch the
entire hatching process online. Radio Prague’s Jan Velinger spoke to the
zoo’s spokeswoman Jana Ptačinská-Jirátová, who told me more about the
successful hatchings:
More
West Bohemian spa town gets European funds to fight plant invader
A West Bohemian spa town has won European Union funds to fight one of the
most serious environmental problems in the area — an invasive plant that
spreads like wildfire and lets almost nothing stand in its way. The project
is believed to the first of its kind in the country and could lead to even
more ambitious efforts.
More
Moravian deluge leaves swarms of mosquitoes
The floodwaters have receded in Moravia, but now many parts of the region
are inundated with mosquitoes. Various sources have reported as many as 60
bites a minute in places – not necessarily a danger, but a definite
inconvenience as the summer tourist season begins.
More
Prague Zoo launches new fund-raising project to protect gorillas in the wild
Prague Zoo recently launched a new project to raise money for the
protection of gorillas in Africa. It is raising money by collecting old
mobile phones from visitors and selling them to a recycling company. The
profit will be used for a UNESCO-listed gorilla-breeding reserve in the
western African state of Cameroon.
More
Czech Scouts give away small tree plants in celebration of Earth Day
In celebration of Earth Day, the Czech Scout Association handed out small
tree plants at several metro stops in Prague on Thursday. People can take
the trees and plant them at a location of their choice, making their city
greener. Participants of the project “Growing Up Among Trees” can also
send in photographs of the tree they planted, which will be collected and
published on the scout association’s website. Jan Žáček is a scout
member and was at Prague’s Náměstí Míru event, where some of the 2000
trees were handed out.
More
Golden eagles could return to Beskydy mountains after 100-year absence
Ornithologists in the Beskydy mountains in the far east of the country are
celebrating the possible return of the golden eagle after an absence of
more than 100 years. A project to reintroduce young eagles to the area
appears to have borne fruit – two of the birds have formed a pair, and
have now started building a nest. More
Czech rescue group saves thousands of wild animals every year
Eleven years ago, the Czech Union for Nature Conservation started opening
rescue centers for injured wild animals all over the Czech Republic. To
date, 26 centers have been opened and last year alone over 10,000 animals
were brought to a rescue center. The organization’s member Markéta
Pecková talks about issues in rescuing wild animals and how the situation
is changing.
More
Cuckoo, declining in numbers in Czech Republic, named Bird of Year
The common cuckoo has just been named Bird of the Year 2010 by the Czech
Society for Ornithology. One of the aims of the annual award is to draw
attention to the problems faced by particular species of birds. In the
case
of the cuckoo, ornithologists report a baffling fall in numbers over the
last few decades. More
New species of short-lived fish may provide Czech scientists with insights into ageing
Czech scientists working in Mozambique have discovered a new species of
fish that inhabits the rain pools of the savannah. Types of tiny killifish
are found in many parts of the world, but what is unique to Nothobranchius
Kadleci - named after the well-known Brno ichthyologist Jaroslav Kadlec -
is its very short lifespan of only four months. The team from the Institute
of Vertebrate Biology in Brno believe that the new discovery may eventually
provide important insights into the understanding of aging, even in humans.
I spoke to the institute’s Martin Reichard.
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