Archive: Nature | Flora and fauna Flora and fauna
Giant hogweed, American mink - two invaders in Czech nature
So-called "invasive" species include plants and animals that have
been brought from other parts of the world and harm native species,
sometimes to the point of extinction. In today's Czech Science we look at
two such aliens in the Czech Republic, the giant hogweed and the American
mink, and at what exactly science can do to help tackle the problem.
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"Christmas Tree - Tree for Life" project brings silver fir back to Czech Republic's forests
Every year, almost a million Christmas trees are sold in the Czech
Republic. Soon after the holidays people throw them away and the trees
have to be disposed of as waste. For the sixth year running,
environmentalists in Brno are offering people the chance to buy live
Christmas trees which can be replanted outdoors after Christmas. Also,
they've chosen one particular type of conifer, once plentiful in the Czech
lands but now on the verge of extinction.
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Baby gorilla is male, DNA tests reveal
There was great excitement when a baby gorilla was born in Prague Zoo
exactly a year and a week ago today, the first time ever a gorilla was
born in the Czech Republic. It's a girl, the zoo announced proudly, and
gave the baby primate the Swahili name, Moja, meaning "the
first". More
Special mission for King Kong
Probably the most exotic inhabitant of the Czech Republic's deep pine
forests is fighting a losing battle for survival. The Czech lynx is a
frequent target of illegal hunters, and despite heightened efforts to
protect the breed, its numbers have dwindled to several dozen specimens.
Environmentalists have now come up with a surprising plan that should help
to save not only the lynx, but also bears and wolves living in the mountain
regions. They are relying on King Kong to help them out.
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Prague's Christmas tree begins its journey to the capital
Christmas is drawing close - and in this most Christmasy of countries - one
of the first signs of the oncoming season is always the annual ritual of
preparing the Christmas tree for Prague's Old Town Square.
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Mailbox
This week in Mailbox: messages to Radio Prague; a swallow from the Czech
Republic spotted in Africa; the poem "May" by Karel Hynek Macha.
Listeners quoted: Helen Brock, UK; Gordon Skinner, UK; Johan Everaert,
Democratic Republic of Congo; David Wright, UK. More
Magazine
He's no diplomat but he has survived nine foreign ministers: meet the Czech
Foreign Ministry's 50 year old mascot Pepik. Corruption is a serious
problem, but it's giving Czechs a lot of laughs. And, an earthquake
rattles window panes in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. Find out
more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Gorilla's sex remains mystery
Is it a boy or a girl? - this question was raised by the Czech tabloid
press this week. No, we're not talking about a human child but a baby
gorilla that was born almost a year ago at the Prague Zoo.
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