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Scientists discover fish in act of evolution in Africa’s greatest lake
In what could be a first in the world, a fish species in the cichlid family has been observed by scientists in the act of splitting into two distinct species in Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake and one of the world’s biggest fresh water bodies.
This may be remarkable because what is causing them to diverge are adaptations to their vision as animals and plants try to cope with increased pollution and the effects of climate change. The change is also happening without geographical isolation, which was thought to be a precursor for evolution.
The Pundamilia nyererei is a haplochromine type cichlid native to areas in the Mwanza Gulf region of Lake Victoria. This region consists of many islands where each island region has its own color variant of the fish.
In a report published in the journal Nature, researchers from Tokyo’s Institute of Technology and the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology have observed the cichlid evolve into a new species better adapted in sighting its prey and predator.
But the scientists have also tabled evidence indicating that it is not pollution and over-fishing alone that are responsible for the disappearance of some fish species in Lake Victoria and the evolving of others like the cichlid into new species.
The report summarizes that new species may be born because of vision differences and what fish see at least in one African lake could be the driving force that causes them to evolve into new species.
This may explain the very rapid loss of pundamilia in Lake Victoria over the past 30 years. The study says the eye adaptations have also affected mating patterns.
Researchers looked at two species, conspicuous by their red or blue colours. They determined through lab experiments that certain genetic mutations helped some fish adapt their vision at deeper levels to see the colour red and others in shallower water to recognise shades of blue.
The researchers showed that the eyes have adapted to this difference so that fish that live in deeper water have a pigment in their eyes that is more sensitive to red light, while shallow-water fish were sensitive to blue.
Generally, the evolutionary process of speciation (the formation of new species) occurs when one species is split by a physical distance or barrier, allowing each group to develop different traits. The observations of Lake Victoria’s cichlids provide evidence of an unusual form of evolution known as sympatric speciation, which occurs without the physical separation of a population group. In what could be a first in the world, a fish species in the cichlid family has been observed by scientists in the act of splitting in... more -
'Deepest ever' living fish filmed
The "deepest ever" living fish have been discovered according to scientists.
A UK-Japan team found the 17-strong shoal at depths of 7.7km (4.8 miles) in the Japan Trench in the Pacific - and captured the deep sea animals on film. The scientists have been using remote-operated landers designed to withstand immense pressures to comb the world's deepest depths for marine life.
On film, the fish, known as Pseudoliparis amblystomopsis, can be seen darting about in the darkness of the depths, scooping up shrimps. Monty Priede from the University of Aberdeen said the 30cm-long (12in), deep-sea fish were surprisingly "cute".
The deepest record for any fish is Abyssobrotula galatheae, which was dredged from the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of more than 8km (5 miles) in 1970. However, it was dead by the time it reached the surface. The previous record for any fish to have been spotted alive was thought to have stood at about 7km (4 miles). The "deepest ever" living fish have been discovered according to scientists. ... more -
Beluga whales hunted for food
Belugas are hunted only as part of a subsistence hunt for Inuit or First Nations communities. Throughout Nunavut and Nunavik, 456 belugas were hunted in 2006, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada figures. The annual harvest is regulated through area and seasonal closures, and by a "total allowable catch." Belugas are hunted only as part of a subsistence hunt for Inuit or First Nations communities. Throughout Nunavut and Nunavik, 456 belu... more
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CONSUMING NATURE-The Biodiversity Crisis-Part 2
In 2003, Dr. Anthony Rose and I sat in the back yard of his Palos Verdes home discussing the many issues which plague Cameroon, Central Africa, the Congo Basin.
Everything which we talked about plays heavy on my conscience as criminal movement continues on in one of the worlds last wild places.
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What a profound and powerful species we humans are. Whether envisioned as the end point of Creation or as a product of ongoing evolution, humans have surpassed every other known form of life in our ability to transform the world to suit our needs and ambitions. We have made the whole earth our dominion, and all life our resource. We bring with us a voracious hunger, progressing as if we are destined to consume everything in our path.
Humans are the ultimate omnivore. On a planet fantastically rich with life, there is very little we do not eat. From ants to elephants, everything that moves has turned up in the cooking pot. This capacity to consume has helped make us the most adaptive, and the most deadly species on earth. Monkey brains are an illegal gourmet delight in Asian restaurants. International traders travel the world in search of rhino horn, tiger penis, bear gall, and whale fat. Exotic birds and rare turtles are worth more than their weight in gold. Our affluence and appetite grows at the expense of nature.
Nowhere is the consumption of endangered wildlife expanding faster than in equatorial Africa. The Congo River, its tributaries, and the other great rivers of the region pass through a myriad of swamp and forest stretching across the center of the continent to the Atlantic Ocean. A wonderland of flora and fauna wanders in the shadows. Water creatures swim beneath the surface hidden by the shimmer of setting sunlight. With luck we may see the elusive forest elephant tramping across a grassy clearing, but for the most part the great mammals are as secretive as the smallest of jungle animals.
Why should an elephant hide? For millennia these powerful and sensitive beasts roamed freely, losing only the most lame and weak members of their communities to predators. Humans who dwelt in the forests rarely took down an elephant, and when they did it was cause for reverent celebration and gratitude. When outsiders came to Congo with guns and a lust for exotic wealth, the balance changed. Trophy hunters chased the great mammals deep into the forests. Elephant, ape, buffalo, and leopard survived the early invasion by learning to stay clear of men. Today, there is no longer any place to hide.
Apes, elephants, indeed all the edible animals have become consumer items as men with guns and a hunger for wild game scour the wilderness in search of commercial gain. People who once considered the forest a place of danger now see it as a frontier for business, where money can be made without the controls and costs of urban political and legal structures. Like the gold rush in America in the nineteenth century, today's quest for natural resources in Central Africa is fraught with problems of lawlessness, social disruption, and environmental destruction. Like every rush for quick riches, the plundering of rain forest resources moves at a pace and in a fashion that cannot be sustained without severe consequences for nature and humanity as a whole. In 2003, Dr. Anthony Rose and I sat in the back yard of his Palos Verdes home discussing the many issues which plague Cameroon, Centra... more -
CONSUMING NATURE-The Biodiversity Crisis-Part 1
Biodiversity. The sum total of all life on Earth. That wealth of genes, species,ecosystems, and ecological processes that make our living planet what it is – the only place in the entire universe where we know with certainty that life exists. We are extremely fortunate to be an integral part of such a rich and diverse planet, especially at a time when scientific understanding and advanced systems of transport and communications enable us to see, to visit, to learn about, to fully appreciate the amazing range of life forms with which we share this Earth.
We should delight in this wealth of life that has co-evolved with us over millions of years. We should value it as much as we do the creations of our own species -- our art, our music, our literature, our history, our cultures, and our languages. And we should do everything in our power to make sure that every bit of earth life continues to share this very special planet with us.
Unfortunately, in spite of our growing knowledge of biodiversity and our increasing appreciation of its complexity, its magnificence, and its value to us, we are in a crisis of epic proportions. Indeed, we stand at the threshold of one of the most overwhelming losses of life in Earth's history – a planet wide series of extinctions, coming in great spasms unlike anything since the loss of the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. This time the cause is not a giant meteorite crashing into the Earth or some other uncontrollable cosmic force. This crisis is caused by the inability of one species to control its consumption at the expense of the many millions of others.
The Prim8 Fund(P8F) Biodiversity. The sum total of all life on Earth. That wealth of genes, species,ecosystems, and ecological processes that make our l... more -
'Extinct' frogs survive devastating fungus
A tiny frog species thought by many experts to be extinct has been rediscovered alive and well. Now where are the dinosaurs at?!
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20 of the world’s weirdest endangered species
The ugly redheaded stepchildren of the animal kingdom don’t get much attention compared to the perennial endangered animal favorites like pandas, polar bears, and owls. These are the cute, majestic, and otherwise emblematic creatures of the endangered species list. But there are hundreds more animal species on our wondrous planet that are critically threatened and need both publicity and support. From bats the size of bees to poison-slinging mammals, lizards that don’t eat for a decade to seals with giant inflatable faces, here are the 25 strangest, most bizarre, unusual and important endangered species living on the “EDGE” (Evolutionarily Distinct & Globally Endangered). The ugly redheaded stepchildren of the animal kingdom don’t get much attention compared to the perennial endangered animal favorites l... more
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Nine polar bears at risk of drowning in global warming meltdown
The bears were spotted in open ocean off the northwest coast of Alaska, miles from their normal hunting area by US government oil survey scientists flying over the Chukchi sea.
Although land was initially only 60 miles away from the bears' former home, they were driven north by their homing instinct towards the edge of the Arctic ice shelf.
Polar bears are renowned as strong swimmers but the 'lost' bears now face an epic 400-mile swim back to shore.
According to WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature, one group of bears is known to have swum 100 miles but they arrived exhausted and several drowned on the way.
In May, the US Department of the Interior listed polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act because the Arctic ice they hunt on is melting so quickly.
"The Arctic is a vast ocean and to find nine bears swimming in one area is extremely worrying because it means that dozens more are probably in the same predicament," said Margaret Williams, Director of WWF's Alaska office.
Dr Williams said animal groups were considering asking the US government to send a Coast Guard ship, like a modern Noah's ark, to rescue some of the bears.
Arctic scientists said they feared the annual ice-melt had passed its 'tipping point' where not enough freezes each winter to make up for what melted the previous summer.
As less ice freezes, the winter sea remains warmer, and becomes hotter the following summer causing even more ice to melt. Senior scientist Dr Mark Serreze said: "The summer melting used to slow down by the beginning of September.
"We thought it was slowing this year, but it's suddenly sped up instead.'
The Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast is home to one of two populations of Alaska polar bears. Professor Richard Steiner, of the University of Alaska's Marine Advisory Programme, said: 'The bottom line here is that polar bears need sea ice, sea ice is decaying, and the bears are in very serious trouble.'
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Yet, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska does not believe man is contributing to global warming. She thinks the excelerated and unprecedented melting we are seeing worldwide is a "natural" variance. Yet, she sites no evidence for this. She is simply another person whose family makes money off of oil, so of course, what would she think even with the evidence staring her in the face. How totally ignorant and irresponsible on her part. Perhaps Sarah Palin like all those who believe they shouldn't have to be responsible for others on this planet should actually look beyond their own selfish needs and greed to actually reading a scientific report. Or does she like most flatearthers believe that science is a myth as well? She may be Vice Presidential material to John McCain (well actually, I don't really think she is to him, she was just the convenient choice based on circumstances) but she is certainly not qualified by putting her own needs before those of her state and this planet. There is absolutely no way this could just be a "natural" variance, Ms. Palin and it has been proven. I think you need to do a bit of research on this topic rather than parrotting the political ideology of those who only see the scales tipped with gold bars, because you like them are accomplices in the slow suicide of the human species and those other species powerless to speak out for themselves. Shame on you. The bears were spotted in open ocean off the northwest coast of Alaska, miles from their normal hunting area by US government oil surv... more -
Giant fish declared new species
A man-sized grouper that trolls the tropical waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean for octopuses and crabs has been identified as a new fish species after genetic tests.
Called the goliath grouper, the fish can grow to six feet (1.8 meters) in length and weigh a whopping 1,000 pounds (454 kg). Until now, scientists had grouped this species with an identical looking fish (also called the goliath grouper, or Epinephelus itajara) living in the Atlantic Ocean. A man-sized grouper that trolls the tropical waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean for octopuses and crabs has been identified as a new ... more -
Primate intelligence
WHEN it comes to researching intelligence in primates, chimpanzees and orang-utans get all the attention. Chimpanzees have even been shown to outperform humans in memory tests and orang-utans have demonstrated impressive mathematical abilities. Gorillas, by comparison, have been left to one side because, well, let’s say they have been seen as the not-so-bright cousins. But that view of gorillas may not be deserved.
The perceptions of gorillas are beginning to change as primatologists get to know more about Rollie (pictured), a ten-year-old female who lives at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. This is a gorilla who is capable of doing a lot more than anyone expected. In a recent study Rollie showed that she is rather good at learning to put discrete items into a list, a skill that is used by people to memorise phone numbers, interpret calendars and, most importantly of all, acquire and process language.
Listing young
Studying list-making skills in humans can be confounded by the fact that people know a lot about lists because they are confronted with them from a very young age. This early introduction is thought to shape their list-making ability, but it makes it impossible to study that ability in its raw, uninfluenced form. As a result, psychologists have embraced a comparative approach and look for the underlying skills in animals that have never before been exposed to lists.
Many species, ranging from pigeons to monkeys, have shown that they can make or learn lists. But Steve Ross, a primatologist at Lincoln Park Zoo, wanted to explore this behaviour further and found that there were no data on sequential learning in gorillas. In fact, he found that there was scarcely any information on gorilla cognition at all.
Surprised by this gap in the literature, Mr Ross decided to test one of Lincoln Park Zoo’s gorillas with a simple list-learning task using a 42-inch touch-screen computer that was usually reserved for work with chimpanzees. This is how Rollie came into the picture.
During the study, Rollie voluntarily went into the area equipped with the screen. When she approached it a set of randomly positioned numbers appeared. Her task was to select each numeral in the correct order. If she correctly completed the entire sequence she received a small gift in the form of a sugar-free sweet. If she did not correctly complete the sequence she received no reward.
At the start the tasks were easy; she simply had to select a “1” before a “2” to get the sweet. Now, after some two years and about 25 hours in front of the computer screen, she is working on seven numerals and getting things right 35% of the time. The likelihood of getting such a sequence right by chance is less than 1 in 5,000.
Watch out, monkeys
Mr Ross told the 22nd International Primatological Society Congress held recently in Edinburgh that Rollie has advanced to longer and more complex list-related tasks faster than many other species that have been studied. For an example, it took her 18 sessions to graduate to five numerals. Many monkeys needed over 50 sessions to get there. Poor old lemurs required over 500 sessions.
However, comparing data from various studies can be unreliable because slightly different methods may be used. So to be certain that Rollie was as talented as she seemed to be, Mr Ross ran a bright chimp called Optimus Prime through the same process and compared the results. He found that Rollie completed her tasks in half the time that Optimus needed.
While it is a remarkable demonstration, a lot more gorillas need to be studied before broad conclusions can be drawn. Mr Ross admits that Rollie could just be an exceptional gorilla—or one that is highly motivated by jelly sweets. WHEN it comes to researching intelligence in primates, chimpanzees and orang-utans get all the attention. Chimpanzees have even been s... more -
Human mouth host to new species of bacteria
A new species of bacteria has been discovered by a team of scientists in London. But not all new species live in the rain forest. Look no further than your mouth. We've all heard that the mouth is the dirtiest part of our bodies. "100 million in every millilitre of saliva and more than 600 different species in the mouth. Around half of these have yet to be named and we are trying to describe and name the new species." Scientists say this new discovery will help them better understand tooth decay and gum disease. One small step for dental medicine, one giant leap for halitosis sufferers! A new species of bacteria has been discovered by a team of scientists in London. But not all new species live in the rain forest. Loo... more
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Big birds breeding out of control in Germany!
Birds as big as human beings are breeding out of control near Germany's Baltic coast: the nandu, a tough, ostrich-style avian from Argentina which is normally bred for meat and feathers.
Six of them escaped from a German farm eight years ago and began multiplying furiously in a nature reserve south of the German city of Luebeck. Thanks to German nature-conservation laws, the pushy nandus can grin at hunters, because no one is licensed to kill one. Birds as big as human beings are breeding out of control near Germany's Baltic coast: the nandu, a tough, ostrich-style avian fr... more -
The devastation of the rain forest
About 22% of the earth's original forest coverage remains. Western Europe has lost 98% or so of its primary forests; Asia 94%; Africa 92%; Oceania 78%; North America 66%, and South America 54%. Approximately 45% of the world's tropical forests, originally covering 1.4 billion hectares, have disappeared in the last few decades.
One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost every second with tragic consequences for both developing and industrial countries. Rainforests are being destroyed because the value of rainforest land is perceived as only the value of its timber by short-sighted governments, multi-national logging companies, and land owners
Nearly half of the world's species of plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next quarter century due to rainforest deforestation.
Experts estimates that we are losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year. As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. While 25% of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients, less that 1% of these tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000.
The Amazon Rainforest has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its bountiful gifts to the world include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including corn, potatoes, rice, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, tumeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews.
The Brazilian government is currently trying to protect its section of the rainforest, but it can not stop huge multinational companies from coming in a doing illegal logging. About 22% of the earth's original forest coverage remains. Western Europe has lost 98% or so of its primary forests; Asia 94%; Af... more -
Want Scientific Immortality? Name a Species After Yourself
"Jeff Goodhartz is single and has no children. But he wanted to ensure the family name would live on after he's gone.
So he paid $5,000 to have a newfound sea worm given the Goodhartz name, ''goodhartzorum.''
''This really jazzes me up,'' said the 55-year-old high school math teacher whose namesake is translucent with a flamboyant blue tuft. ''It will be out there, the family name.''
And it will be swimming in the Belize mangroves where someone else discovered it.
Goodhartz bought the naming rights from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, which unveiled its name-a-species program earlier this year. This modern twist on taxonomy is a way to raise research money, and lots of groups have been doing it.
But its growing popularity has rekindled a debate over whether the practice invites fake discoveries and has led to a push for oversight.
''It is conceivable that someone could fabricate a new species in order to make money, if it were shown to be lucrative,'' said Andrew Polaszek, an entomologist at the Natural History Museum in London.
Taxonomy ranks among the world's oldest professions, dating back to 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who popularized the classification system still in use today. Of the 30 million or so species of animals, plants and microbes on Earth, only about 1.8 million have been named and identified so far.
Traditionally, the discoverer gets to christen the new organism. All living things have a two-part scientific name, usually in Latin. It's common for discoverers to name a new species after themselves or in honor of their spouses, children, colleagues, benefactors or even celebrities.
In recent years, species names have gone from finders keepers to being auctioned off or sold to donors to support research as other funding has dried up. Not all species are created equal. The rarer and more evolved the organism, the more money it tends to fetch.
Still up for grabs is a $15,000 sea slug, a pair of bone-feeding worms for $25,000 each and $50,000 rare hydrothermal vent worm. Donors receive a framed photo of their namesake and a copy of the scientific paper that describes the species. "
Say WHAT? That's a little rich for my blood! "Jeff Goodhartz is single and has no children. But he wanted to ensure the family name would live on after he's gone. ... more -
Border fence will skirt environmental laws
In an aggressive move to finish building 670 miles of border fence by the end of this year, the Department of Homeland Security announced today that it will waive federal environmental laws to meet that goal.
The two waivers, which will allow the department to slash through a thicket of environmental and cultural laws, would be the most expansive to date, encompassing land in California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas that stretches about 470 miles.
The waivers are highly controversial with environmentalists and border communities, which see them as a federal imposition that could damage the land and disrupts wildlife.
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Fences solve nothing and this waste of effort is at the expense of a diverse ecosystem. How this is not seen an unconstitutional baffles me. In an aggressive move to finish building 670 miles of border fence by the end of this year, the Department of Homeland Security announ... more -
Sun-loving frogs help with fungus fight
Frogs, as well as birds and bees, are an indicator species of our environment. These frogs could help determine why frogs are dying off. Frogs, as well as birds and bees, are an indicator species of our environment. These frogs could help determine why frogs are dying o... more
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Top 10 New Species Named (2007)
Thousands of new plant and animal species were discovered in 2007, though only 10 were bizarre enough, lethal enough or just plain cool enough to garner spots on a new Top-10 list.
Each year, the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) at Arizona State University issues the Top 10 New Species list, which spotlights flora and fauna described during the previous year, so in this case 2007.
---more at link---
I find it fascinating that for as long as humans have been searching that they still are encountering new species. Thousands of new plant and animal species were discovered in 2007, though only 10 were bizarre enough, lethal enough or just plain coo... more -
Critical Decision Time for Humans: Earth's Kyros Moment, learn focus through ...
The founders of the Turtle Island Project believe residents of Earth are facing a Kyros moment because of the abuse of the environment.
Kairos is Greek for seizing the moment.
The Turtle Island Project promotes respect for the planet, nature, wildlife and fellow humans.
Turtle Island Project founders say we can learn a lot from Earth-based cultures like the Celts and Native Americans.
Dr. Cairns said a former of chanting called jubilation (that he demonstrates in this video) helps him focus on the problems he wants to tackle - plus demonstrates the interconnection between humans and the Earth.
TIP volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson reports
TIP website:
http://www.turtleislandproject.org
Turtle Island TV (blipTV)
http://turtleislandtv.blip.tv/
Turtle Island TV (youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse
Turtle Island (myspace)
http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject
Turtle Island Project websites/Blogs:
http://groups.msn.com/WhisperingTurtle
http://turtleislandproject.wordpress.com/
email:
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net
White Buffalo Calf Woman Society:
http://www.wbcws.org
Solastalgia is a term by Glenn Albrecht to describe profound sadness over the effects of the long-term drought in Australia
Glenn Albrecht, environmental philosopher, University of Newcastle:
http://healthearth.blogspot.com/
http://healthearth.blogspot.com/2007/03/solastalgia-new...
http://home.iprimus.com.au/tammie1/Publications%20-%20J...
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/news/2006/09/newsyndrome.ht...
Solastalgia:
http://vector1media.com/spatialsustain/?p=255
http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2005/12/s...
http://watershed.typepad.com/watershed/drought/index.ht...
http://www.greendaily.com/2008/01/07/word-of-the-day-so...
http://fermiparadox.wordpress.com/2008/01/05/solastalgi...
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Huston Smith: Scholar, writer and a Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus Syracuse University
http://ethics.sandiego.edu/video/Kenan/Smith/index.html
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Species Extinction/Endangered Species
http://www.ecosyn.us/ecocity/Challenges/index.html:
http://eelink.net/EndSpp
http://www.animalinfo.org/rarest.htm
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
http://www.teamhumanity.com/News-Environment08012004.ht...
http://www.planetguide.net/book/chapter_5/extinction.ht...
http://www.sciencenewsden.com/2007/riskofextinctionacce...
http://www.grconnect.com/murals/html/n2252462.html
Voluntary Human Extinction Movement - Plus Graphic by Nina Paley:
http://www.vhemt.org/aboutvhemt.htm
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20030721/carbon.html
http://www.zeroextinction.org/charts.htm
http://www.nhbs.com/averting_extinction_tefno_63272.htm...
Robert Camacho:
http://www.robertcamacho.com/paintingpic4.htm
http://www.archbold-station.org/fai/species4.html
Eco Kids
http://www.ecokidsonline.com
Kyros (Greek) unique moment in time, gives people a platform to serve God.
Kairos (Kyros), a fullness of time, an appointed time purposed by our creator.
Kyros (KIR os): The Greek word for power that is legitimate, but limited and compassionate
Kairos’ is Greek for ‘occasion’ or ‘timing.’ Kairos is the art of seizing the moment.
Kairos, or kairotic time, refers to God's eternal time.
Kairos is the ancient Greek term that can roughly be interpreted as a rhetorical combination of understood context and proper timing.
Kairos: ancient Greek word meaning right or opportune moment
http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/layers/start.html
http://www.kairospower.org/whowe.asp
http://www.kyros.org/NEWKyros_AboutUs_TheMeaningOfKyros...
http://www.kairostherapy.com/why_kairos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairos
http://www.kyros.org/NEWKyros_AboutUs_TheMeaningOfKyros...
Jubilation:
http://www.envoymagazine.com/backissues/2.3/ihaveaquest...
http://blip.tv/file/480070 The founders of the Turtle Island Project believe residents of Earth are facing a Kyros moment because of the abuse of the environment... more -
Hareless: Yellowstone's Rabbits Have Vanished
Bees, birds, rabbits... A pattern?/////////excerpt////////A new study by the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society found that jack rabbits living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have apparently hopped into oblivion. The study, which appears in the latest issue of the journal Oryx, also speculates that the disappearance of jack rabbits may be having region-wide impacts on a variety of other prey species and their predators.
According to the study, historical records from more than 130 years ago indicate that white-tailed jack rabbits were once locally abundant in Greater Yellowstone, a 60,000 square kilometer (23,166 square mile) ecosystem that contains both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. However, the WCS study found that no jack rabbit sightings could be confirmed in Yellowstone since 1991 and only three in Grand Teton since 1978.
No one knows what caused the rabbits to disappear, according to the study's lead author, Dr. Joel Berger, a Wildlife Conservation Society conservationist, and professor at the University of Montana. "It could be disease, extreme weather, predation or other factors," Dr. Berger said. "Since the rabbits blipped off without knowledge, there has simply been no way to get at the underlying cause."/////////end of excerpt. Bees, birds, rabbits... A pattern?/////////excerpt////////A new study by the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society found that ... more -
Brink of Spiritual Destruction: Losing Indigenous Heritage, Culture, Storytellers
Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues targeted by the Turtle Island Project, founded in northern Michigan in August 2007.
Two Midwest pastors started the Turtle Island Project because the world is sitting on the brink of important cultural, economic and religious issues that will either allow humans to prosper in harmony with the Earth or become the only species to cause its own extinction.
Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns say some if not many Christians belittle the knowledge and heritage of Indigenous cultures like Native Americans, Celts and other centuries-old religions/beliefs aligned with nature and the environment.
They believe we can all learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to Earth-based cultures.
Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor. Rev. Cairns is an ordained United Church of Christ minister.
Both have extensive backgrounds in interfaith and multi-cultural work.
The Turtle Island Project in Michigan's Upper Peninsula promotes respect for the environment and Native Americans.
Turtle Island Project volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson reports
On Sept. 25, 2007 Rev. Hubbard spoke to college students, tribal educators and others at the annual United Conference at Northern Michigan University.
Topics included diversity and issues like the abuse and sexual mutilation of girls and women in Africa and racism against Native Americans
Rev. Hubbard said some Christians are too quick to dismiss Native American teachings.
Hubbard said whites can learn a lot from NA storytellers, myths and other Earth-based teachings.
Rev. Hubbard says Native Americans know that not everything can be described in words alone.
On August 11, 2007 - Dr. Hubbard spoke to religious scholars and authors in Ann Arbor - during the kick off of the Read the Spirit project.
Hubbard warned that some Christians think their beliefs are perfect to the exclusion of all others.
On August 28, 2007, Rev. Hubbard was invited to join a national Native American radio talk show conversation on racism by whites who live in towns bordering reservations - the same issue that Nimrod Nation highlighted as Watermeet, Michigan is on the edge of a reservation.
During Native America Calling, Rev. Hubbard told host Harlan McKosato that racism in northern Michigan is insidious.
Turtle Island Project main website:
http://www.turtleislandproject.org
Turtle Island (myspace)
http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject
Turtle Island Project websites/Blogs:
http://groups.msn.com/WhisperingTurtle
http://turtleislandproject.wordpress.com
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net
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Lakota words for God, Creator, Grandfather: Tunkasila Wakantanka Gitchi Manitou
Lakota: Mitakyasi: "all my relatives"
http://www.dlncoalition.org/home.htm
Heraclitus "The essence of things"
http://www.thebigview.com/greeks/heraclitus.html
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/books/philosophy-book-her...
Bishop Rt Rev. Steven Charleston
President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, Professor of Theology
Cambridge, Mass.
http://www.eds.edu/indexDyn.asp
http://www.wfn.org/1999/05/msg00107.html
http://www.nah.uiuc.edu/faculty/treaty/NCcharleston.htm...
http://www.anglican.ca/news/news.php?newsItem=2001-07-0...
http://www.bluecloud.org/shiningthrough.html
http://www.thewitness.org/agw/charleston042204.html
http://edoc.vox.com/library/posts/tags/steven+charlesto...
http://www.interfaithcreationfest.org/program.html#keyn...
Jamestown summit remembers Native saints, prepares for future generations:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78695_91767_ENG_HTM.htm
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/hires-image/elo_jamestow...
Photo by Carlyle Gravely
© 2007 Episcopal Life Online
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February 2008 United Nations Report on Racism and Human Rights violations and racial discrimination reported by Indigenous Peoples.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/I_P_I/message/18971
http://www.treatycouncil.org Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues targeted by the Turtle Island Project,... more
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