Sanctuary | Common News Update

Feb132021 by adminNo Comments

Edinburgh aims to become sanctuary for swifts as numbers decline

Science

RSPB ScotlandConservationists are hoping to turn Edinburgh into a sanctuary for swifts after a drastic decline in the bird's population.Numbers fell by more than 50% in the UK between 1995 and 2016, when the estimated average population dropped from 125,500 to 59,000. One of the biggest challenges that the species faces is the loss of nesting sites in older buildings, which are often blocked off during renovation work or lost when buildings are demolished.The Edinburgh Swift City Project is asking people to make boxes in a bid to encourage pairs to nest and breed.Residents are also being urged to report any sightings of swift screaming parties - groups of two or more swifts flying at low level while calling loudly, which means they are breeding nearby.RSPB ScotlandHubs are being created al...

Mar172020 by adminNo Comments

Upgrade for popular UK nature sanctuary

Science

One of the UK’s most popular wildlife tourism destinations is getting a back-to-nature makeover.Conservationists have teamed up to triple the size of a nature sanctuary on Purbeck Heath by adding private land to three existing reserves.It will create the largest lowland heathland in England and it’ll allow species to shift round the landscape as the climate changes.The area is currently among the finest in the UK for wildlife diversity.However, proponents say the new plan for the site in Dorset will allow smarter management.The RSPB’s Peter Robertson told BBC News: “In recent years we’ve been trying to protect individual species on a micro-level on small fragmented sites. ...

Dec212019 by adminNo Comments

Gavin And Stacey Christmas Special is a ‘Brexit-free sanctuary’

Entertainment

Gavin and Stacey are back for Christmas, but after 10 years away from our screens there's one topical issue they won't be discussing.Actress and co-creator Ruth Jones tells Sky News: "There's no mention of Brexit in the show. And I think that's as it should be. Image: The Christmas special offers a welcome break from all things political "It's nice to have a little sanctuary in amongst it all, a little oasis in amongst everything else."The one-off special brings the Shipman and West families together for Christmas dinner in Wales, with all the main cast reprising their roles.They agree, it's a good thing the show's a politics-free zone. Advertisement ...

Jan42018 by adminNo Comments

Sanctuary on side of Mexican volcano could be universe model

Technology

Mexican archaeologists say they have excavated a stone sanctuary in a pond on the side of a volcano east of Mexico City that may have been built as a miniature model of the universe. The National Institute of Anthropology and History says the remnants of the stone "tetzacualco" were in the center of a natural pond below the Iztaccihuatl volcano at an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet. In addition to the sanctuary, decorative pieces associated with the rain god Tlaloc were found nearby. Archaeologist Iris del Rocio Hernandez Bautista says some Mesoamerican creation myths hold that the earth monster Cipactli floated on primeval waters and then split itself, thus creating the heavens and earth. She says the site at Nahualac could emulate that idea.Let's block ads! (Why?) ABC News: Technology