Sunday, 8 November 2020

Australia's Hyperbole Just Got a Lot Richer

I have no problem with the excitement generated by genetic studies revealing that the marsupial Great glider is actually 3 species (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/06/two-new-greater-glider-species-discovered-australias-biodiversity-just-got-a-lot-richer). These largely nocturnal, cat-sized, Eucalyptus leaf-eating, gliding Mammals are certainly impressive and worthy of conservation (they may well, now need more of it). It's just the claim that "Australia's biodiversity just got a lot richer" that irks. This comes after a season of bush fires that have widely decimated habitats on that continent, killing hundreds of thousands of wild animals. It's not even that Eucalypus leaf-eaters have been spaired as Koalas are now seriously endangered in that country. Finding you have 3 species instead of 1 is interesting but it doesn't represent a major ratcheting up of biodiversity, especially at a time when many species are in decline!
-

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Lecherous Lepidoptera 6. Holly blue (Wales)

 

  • The Green, Green Seagrass of Home?
    Seagrasses are the only flowering plants growing in marine environments. Seagrass meadows (large accumulations of these plants) provide vit...
  • Charging Electric Vehicles (For Road Use)
    It's necessary, where possible, to replace diesel and petrol-fueled vehicles by electrical equivalents. Electric vehicles (EVs) don...
  • Gridlock in European Cities
      Europe has a city congestion problem. In 2023, London was the most gridlocked location, closely followed by Paris and Dublin. In that year...