Dandelion News - March 15-21
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1. Zoo 'overjoyed' as lion cubs increase pride to 10
“The litter of rare northern African lions was the second batch to be born recently at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, after three arrived in November. […] "The youngsters will grow up side-by-side with their half-siblings, and I'm sure they'll love having an abundance of playmates."”
2. Ohio Appeals Court Rules Trans Care Is Healthcare, Strikes Down Ban For Trans Youth
“The ruling rested on two key findings: first, that gender-affirming care constitutes legitimate medical treatment, and second, that parents have the constitutional right to make healthcare decisions for their children.”
3. Oystercatcher Recovery Campaign Offers a Rare Success Story about Shorebird Conservation
“Fifteen years of coordinated conservation efforts have produced a significant recovery in the U.S. population of the American oystercatcher[….] Schulte predicted that the protection efforts will survive [federal funding cuts] because of the large number of non-federal partners involved.”
4. Fish-tracking robot aims to make fishing more sustainable in developing nations
“A solar-powered, transparent [robot] that can roam the waters autonomously for five days at a stretch, counting fish [… can help fishers] avoid the overfishing [… and] mean less fuel consumed by boats searching for schools of fish, and less degradation of nets due to trawling where there are no fish.”
5. Zoologist Rediscovers Grasshopper Species Believed Extinct
“[… T]he Appalachian grasshopper […] camouflages with its surroundings—perhaps part of the reason people haven’t seen it [since 1946]. [… A zoologist] had seen some reports on iNaturalist that he thought could have been the species[, …] and after surveying several locations, he found a female.”
6. Scaling agroforestry can support fisheries, local food production and cultural practices
“The research found that combining native forest protection (100,000 acres) with transitioning suitable fallow agricultural land to agroforestry (400,000 acres) could [reduce] erosion and boosting nearshore food production by almost 100,000 meals per year[….]”
7. A cell pulls off one of the 'Holy Grails' of biotechnology
“[… A] single-celled alga with a nucleus [… can conduct] a chemical conversion reaction that helps create some of the essential building blocks of life. […] One day, Capone says the nitroplast could be introduced to crops to allow them to convert their own nitrogen without relying on external fertilizer.”
8. FERC: Solar + wind set for a strong 3-year run despite Trump’s sabotage
“Solar accounted for 68.2% of all new generating capacity placed into service in January – more than double the solar capacity added a year earlier (1,176 MW). […] Around 30% of US solar capacity is in small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that are not reflected in FERC’s data.”
9. As ghost junk haunts the sea, ‘mermaids’ are fighting back
“Just two days after completing the training, Diana Garcia, one of the Sirenas, helped remove nearly 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds) of [abandoned] ghost gear and debris in the waters near her community[….]”
10. A Nest-Protecting Program Pays Off for Alabama’s Snowy Plovers
“Over the past two breeding seasons, 18 Snowy Plover chicks fledged—a major turnaround after five years of almost no chick survival. [… The team made] a concerted effort to educate the public about the need to give the birds space[, … and] people have not directly caused plover losses in Alabama recently[….]”
March 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)
