Earth Touch Blog

Wildlife news from around the world

River dolphin count completed Jan 29 2008

BBC Wildlife magazine reports that the recent completion of a survey of pink (Inia geoffrensis and Inia boliviensis) and grey (Sotalia fluviatilis) river dolphins in South America’s Orinoco and Amazon Basins was “a triumph for freshwater dolphin conservation”.

Wildlife news from around the world

Deforestation in Brazil slows: Report Aug 28 2007

New figures suggest the rate of deforestation in Brazil may be slowing slightly – though it is still a fast-continuing trend. BBC News reports that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced a 25% decrease in the destruction of Brazil’’s share of the forest (the biggest), between August 2005 and July 2006, the lowest rate since at least 2000.

This translates to saving 600 000 trees. Da Silva attributed the decline to stricter environmental policies, including a crackdown on illegal logging.