Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Finnish birds in danger of extinction

Published 17 April 2024
– By Editorial Staff
The Ortolan bunting has declined by 99% in Finland since 1996.
2 minute read

About a third of Finland’s breeding birds are now considered endangered, and the population of seabirds has declined by 50 percent since the 1990s.

– If the trend continues, more species will disappear, says bird researcher Aleksi Lehikoinen.

Of Finland’s more than 250 bird species, 86 are estimated to be endangered and 34 near-threatened. Common species such as the chaffinch and the willow warbler have declined significantly, while the golden sparrow, for example, has not been seen nesting in the country for several years. Among breeding forest birds, five percent are thought to have disappeared since 1996, and among mountain birds the figure is minus 18 percent since the same year.

– We have more bird species whose populations are declining than those whose populations are increasing. We can speak of a loss of birds. If the trend continues, more species are in danger of disappearing, Aleksi Lehikoinen, one of Finland’s leading bird researchers, told the national newspaper Yle.

In the case of breeding farmland birds, populations have declined by 21%, with the ortolan bunting, for example, estimated to have declined by 99% since 1996. In the case of breeding marshland birds, the decline has been 23%, with species such as the Brent Goose and the Greenfinch being radically reduced.

“Birds are warning signals”

For seabirds, however, the figure is much higher, with an estimated 50% decline since the 1990s. About half of Finland’s waterbirds and wading birds are considered threatened. The brown duck, for example, has declined rapidly. One reason is thought to be that aquatic vegetation is becoming more monotonous and water bodies are being over-fertilized. The birds also have to compete with cyprinids for food.

Lehikoinen argues that a decrease in the number of birds indicates that nature is not doing well, for example, the decrease in the number of birds that eat insects may also mean a decrease in the number of insects, which in itself is harmful to ecosystems.

– I see birds as messengers. A canary that dies in a coal mine is a sign that humans are not doing well in the mine either. Birds are warning signals for us, says the researcher.

TNT is truly independent!

We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.

Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…

Invasive Asian hornet threatens Nordic honeybees

Published today 14:51
– By Editorial Staff
European honey bee on the right, Asian hornet on the left.
2 minute read

The Asian hornet has now been observed in Denmark. There are concerns that European honeybees are increasingly threatened, including in the Nordic region.

The Asian hornet, scientifically known as Vespa velutina nigrithorax, belongs to the hornet family and occurs naturally in Asia. It is suspected to have first arrived in Europe with a shipment of pottery from China to France in 2004, and has since rapidly spread to Spain, Switzerland and Germany.

Observed in Denmark

The species has now been observed on the island of Funen in Denmark, and the spread is considered a serious threat to the beekeeping industry, says Astrid Bjerke Lund, communications manager at Norges Birøkterlag (Norway’s Beekeepers’ Association) to the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

This worries us. It’s a threat to our honeybees and therefore also to fruit and vegetable production, says Bjerke Lund.

The East Asian honeybee has the habit of forming a ball around invading Vespa velutina individuals and heating them to death, but the European honeybee has not learned this defense method. In Europe, the Asian hornet is perceived as so frightening that European bees don’t dare to fly in the same way as usual.

If the honeybee cannot get out to collect nectar and pollen, they will not survive. That’s why it’s very serious if the Asian hornet comes to Norway, continues Bjerke Lund.

Swedish Board of Agriculture also warns

The Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) does not rule out that it could become a threat to southern Sweden as well, both to honeybees through predation, and to the European hornet through food competition.

The Asian hornet is somewhat smaller than the European hornet and is dark on the abdomen, except for a yellow band at the rear, while the European hornet has red markings on the abdomen. Additionally, it is known for having yellow legs.

The forest lives when trees die

Biodiversity

Published 4 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Leaving a variety of dead trees in forests is vital for many species' survival.
2 minute read

When old trees die, life begins for many other species, according to a new dissertation. Numerous threatened species need dead wood to survive, along with a varied landscape.

Dead wood, meaning dead trees and branches in nature, is vital for about a quarter of Sweden’s beetle species. Many fungal species also depend on dead wood for survival.

Together with microorganisms and fungi, beetles contribute to the decomposition of tree remains, which provides nutrients to the soil and creates habitats for other insects that, in turn, become food for birds and other animals.

However, many of these fungal and beetle species are threatened today, partly because dead wood has become scarce – especially in managed forests. Paulina Bergmark from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has examined in her dissertation whether these species are better preserved in landscapes where nature conservation is combined with forestry, often called eco-parks. The state-owned Swedish forestry company Sveaskog established the first eco-parks about 20 years ago, with the aim of supporting species negatively affected by traditional forestry. Today, there are 37 such forests in total.

In five of these eco-parks, Bergmark studied beetle and fungal species living in high-cut stumps. She then compared the results with four areas in regular production forests.

More red-listed species

The eco-parks contained more diverse tree species and good access to dead wood. The production forests had many beetles, but not to the same extent as the eco-parks.

– Generally, we found both more species and a larger number of red-listed species in the eco-parks compared to the production forests, she says in a press release.

The dissertation also highlighted the importance of tree diversity in forests. Different types of dead trees benefit different species, according to Bergmark.

– In the eco-parks’ varied landscapes, there is a larger proportion of forest where both old and young trees contribute to the creation of new dead wood over time. Increasing variation with both deciduous and coniferous trees in different stages of decomposition can be an effective way to strengthen biodiversity in managed forests, she says.

Moose and polecat added as threatened species on Sweden’s red list

Biodiversity

Published 4 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The moose population has increased significantly in northern Sweden - but across the country as a whole, there is a clear decline.
2 minute read

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has published a new preliminary version of the red list, where the moose and European polecat are now proposed to be classified as threatened species. Meanwhile, the Eurasian otter is considered to have recovered sufficiently to be removed – after a long period of growth.

The red list is a compilation of species deemed to have such small or declining populations that they risk disappearing from the country in the long term. It is updated every five years, and this year’s preliminary version is open for review and reporting until September 15.

The red-listing of the moose may come as a surprise – especially in northern Sweden, where the population has increased in several areas. In several counties, hunting pressure has therefore been increased to reduce browsing damage. However, looking at the country as a whole, the moose population has decreased by almost a quarter over ten years.

– We are not influenced by any societal goals or the forestry industry’s desire to reduce the population, says Henrik Thurfjell, species group manager at SLU’s Species Information Centre, to Swedish news agency TT.

According to Thurfjell, hunting is the main cause of the decline – despite many hunting teams deliberately shooting fewer moose than their allocated quotas.

– While there are concerns about warmer climate and diseases, the main reason is hunting, he says.

Porpoise in danger, otter recovering

Another species causing concern is the Belt Sea harbor porpoise, which often gets caught in fishing nets as bycatch. Meanwhile, some species show clear recovery. The Eurasian otter has steadily increased for several years and is now being removed from the list, thanks in part to efforts to reduce environmental toxins and chemicals in Swedish water environments.

For a species to be reclassified as viable, the rate of decline must have been below 15 percent over three generations. However, even if this requirement is met, the species is kept on the list for an additional five years as a precautionary measure before potentially being completely removed.

The European polecat, now proposed for red-listing, is believed to be declining in numbers – partly due to competition from otters, which inhabit the same environments.

This year’s preliminary list includes more new additions than removals. In total, 210 species have been added, and 228 have received changed classifications compared to the previous list. Among the newly red-listed species are the elder-flowered orchid, sea trout, herring, and the ringed seal – a seal species native to the Baltic Sea.

Being red-listed doesn’t mean a species is immediately facing extinction. The criteria vary depending on the species. A population of under 20,000 individuals may be sufficient for red-listing – but in other cases, such as for the golden eagle, the number must fall below 2,000.

Peace activist urges NATO–Russia cooperation over toxic munitions on Baltic Sea floor

The new cold war

Published 1 July 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Approximately 40 tons of hazardous chemical warfare agents lie scattered on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, according to experts.
2 minute read

An estimated 1.6 million tons of World War II ammunition still lies at the bottom of the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

According to experts, this not only poses a security threat but also a growing environmental risk – and removal should be done through international cooperation rather than individual initiatives.

The majority of the ammunition, primarily left behind by Nazi Germany, consists of conventional shells. However, about 40 tons contain dangerous chemical warfare agents, including mustard gas and phosgene. After decades underwater, many of the containers have begun to corrode, posing a threat to the marine ecosystem and potentially to coastal areas.

– The question was how to deal with the recovery of these poison time bombs for the biosphere of the Baltic Sea. Of course, due to the corrosion of these vessels, there is a danger for the fish and the plants, and other countries, says German publicist and peace activist Bernhard Trautvetter in an interview with RT.

He emphasizes that the responsibility cannot lie with a single country and that NATO countries in the Baltic region, as well as Russia, which has access to these waters through its exclave of Kaliningrad and the St. Petersburg area, must join forces to “pull this time bomb out of the world”.

German pilot project

Germany launched a pilot project in 2023 to salvage the ammunition, conducting work in the Bay of Lübeck, with the first phase completed in April this year. The authorities described the project as a success but acknowledged that further technical adaptations are needed in areas where ammunition concentrations are particularly high.

The initiative has simultaneously raised concerns among environmental organizations, researchers, and neighboring countries about how the recovery affects the marine environment, especially if conducted without cross-border coordination.

Russia has long expressed concern about the chemical legacy of the war and has repeatedly called for an international effort to clear the seabed of war materials. In practice, however, Russia has been kept out of the efforts made so far, largely due to the deteriorated security situation and the frosty relationship with the West following the initiation of the war in Ukraine.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
Consider a donation.

You can donate any amount of your choosing, one-time payment or even monthly.
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Dont miss another article!

Sign up for our newsletter today!

Take part of uncensored news – free from industry interests and political correctness from the Polaris of Enlightenment – every week.