Wild Insights Magazine for Nature Lovers

Komodo Dragons, Nightjars, Mineral Mining, and an English endangered Moth

In this issue:

• Introduction to the state of nature

• How underground acoustics is amplifying the health of your soil

• The glow in the dark pocket shark

• Mining activities to damage valuable biodiversity hotspots

• Saving the rare Dark-Bordered Beauty Moth

• The biting power of Komodo Dragons

• A challenging time ahead for the UK's Nightjars

Introduction

A staggering 16 per cent of the UK’s animals and plants are at risk as the loss of biodiversity continues. In fact, the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. A fact we should not be proud of.

Many people have begun to recognise the connection between humans and wildlife and the impact we have on the natural world. Governments’ the world over should be making environmental improvements a number one priority.

Here in the UK, many important woodlands, wetlands, peatlands and wildflower meadows are in poor condition even though they are important habitats. The condition of the sea floor is poor as is the quality of the rivers flowing throughout Britain with sewage and forever chemicals within.

Approximately, 15,000 native plants are at risk.

Nature has been in decline since first being monitored in the 1970s but the trend is set to continue if more effort is not invested in protecting it. To improve the natural world, the ‘whole of nature’ must be considered. Think of nature as a set of complex intertwined pieces, each part of the natural world works in conjunction with another. When one piece is damaged or lost for good, a negative impact on the rest is likely.

This is why we must all work together to do what we can for nature. We must care for the wildlife in our gardens, or around us. Creating a haven for nature is important even if only the smallest space is available and showing others why we must protect wildlife and the environment helps to spread the message that more must be done.

Annette J Beveridge

Author, journalist and founder of One Planet News

https://ecohivenature.co.uk

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Glow in the Dark Pocket Shark

A small shark measuring just 14 centimetres (5.5 inches) in length was discovered in 2010 during research in the eastern Gulf of Mexico with the aim of understanding the type of food consumed by sperm whales. It was later identified as a new-to-science species of pocket shark.

This species is not so-called because of its diminutive size but due to the pocket-like glands found behind the pectoral fins. These sharks are extremely rare and prior to this discovery, only one other specimen of pocket shark had been collected from the eastern Pacific Ocean back in 1979.

Identification

Although discovered in 2010, the species was not identified until 2013 when Mark Grace of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) discovered the small shark among the specimens that had been collected.

Co-author of the study and Director and Curator of Fishes at Tulane University’s Museum of Natural History, Henry Bart, said: “The discovery of a new pocket shark species showed there was much more to learn about the Gulf of Mexico.

“The fact that only one pocket shark has ever been reported from the Gulf of Mexico, and that it is a new species, underscores how little we know about the Gulf — especially its deeper waters — and how many additional new species from these waters await discovery.”

Light-producing organs

While there are similarities between the two species, the so-named American Pocket Shark has ten fewer vertebrae than the other and with numerous light producing organs known as photophores all over its body, it can glow in the dark when in the ocean depths.

Shop with nature in mind

We love our eco-friendly, wildlife-loving t-shirt shop and the great news is that every sale helps us to help nature. If you want clothes that expresses your love of nature, then look no further. We have unique designs to suit men, women and children.

"When you purchase from us, you spread the joy of the natural world and help to protect nature too." Annette J Beveridge (Founder)

Examples of T-shirts

For a variety of sustainable, high-quality t-shirts, go to ecohivenature.shop

How underground acoustics is amplifying the health of your soil

You may not know it but beneath your feet there is a cacophony of sounds rather like an underground party. These sounds may be barely audible to our ears but the noise reveals the health of the soil.

In Australia, ecologists at Flinders University made special recordings of soil samples to show the variety of soundscapes and to measure the diversity of the tiny living animals within the soil. The sounds are made as these animals move about in the underground world.

Microbial ecologist Dr Jake Robinson from the Frontiers of Restoration Ecology Lab in the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University said: “Restoring and monitoring soil biodiversity has never been more important. The acoustic complexity and diversity are significantly higher in revegetated and remnant plots than in cleared plots both in situ and in sound attenuation chambers.