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Sunday, June 15, 2025

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/lion-population-growing-in-india/

Environment

Lion population growing in India

Published 25 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
An Asiatic lion cub waiting for food.
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Asian lions have seen a strong resurgence in India in recent years. A new count shows that the population has increased by over 30 percent in just five years.

The number of Asian lions in the state of Gujarat in western India has risen from 674 individuals in 2020 to 891, according to the latest official count (May 10–13, 2025), reports The Independent. This represents an increase of 32 percent.

The lions live mainly in and around Gir National Park – the only area in the world where this subspecies of lion exists in the wild.

The new figure was recently announced by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

– The number of lions in the state has gradually increased not just because of favorable geography and climate, but due to our government’s consistent and careful approach to wildlife conservation, said Patel.

Growing population

Over the past decade, the population has grown steadily, and lions have now spread to eleven districts in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, where they can be observed in forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, and even coastal areas.

Of the 891 individuals, 196 are adult males, 330 are adult females, 140 are young adults (sub-adults), and 225 are cubs, according to state government figures.

Gujarat attributes the success to several efforts: regular monitoring, enhanced veterinary care, water and feed resources in the wild, and programs to reduce conflicts between humans and predators.

Drones, sensors, and camera traps are also used in an extensive monitoring network.

Vulnerability remains

Despite the increase, however, the lions remain vulnerable. The species is classified as vulnerable on the international red list, and threats include genetic inbreeding, diseases that can spread rapidly in the densely concentrated population, and fires and floods in the Gir Forest.

Sanjeev Kumar, Chief Secretary for Forest and Environment in Gujarat, explains.

– The holding capacity of national park and sanctuaries will be increased by intervention and habitat improvement. There is still scope of increasing the holding capacity and the forest and environment department is working in that direction.

Gujarat has previously opposed proposals to transplant parts of the population to other parts of India, including the state of Madhya Pradesh, which has led to debate within the country’s environmental movement.

Asian lions (Panthera leo persica) are genetically and physically distinct from their African relatives. They are slightly smaller in size, have shorter manes in males, and live in smaller prides.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

FACTS: Gir National Park

  • Location: Located in the state of Gujarat, western India
  • Established: 1965 (as a national park; the reserve was established earlier, in 1913)
  • Area: Approximately 1,412 square kilometers (including the national park and adjacent wildlife sanctuary)
  • Purpose: To preserve the last wild population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica)
  • Ecosystem: Dry deciduous forest, savannah, and scrub forest with semi-desert elements
  • Animal species: In addition to Asiatic lions, there are leopards, spotted hyenas, Indian crocodiles (mugger crocodiles), axis deer (chital), sambar deer, and over 300 bird species
  • Threats: Forest fires, drought, genetic inbreeding, disease, and human impact such as habitat loss and conflicts with humans

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/chimpanzees-caught-on-camera-sharing-alcoholic-fruit/

Environment

Chimpanzees caught on camera sharing alcoholic fruit

Published yesterday 16:19
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

For the first time, wild chimpanzees have been documented eating and sharing fruit containing alcohol. The research team speculates that this behavior could be described as an early evolutionary stage of “feasting”.

Researchers from the University of Exeter in England set up ten separate cameras with motion sensors in a national park in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. There, they captured chimpanzees sharing the fermented fruit Treculia africana. The fruit contained an alcohol content of up to 0.61 percent. The behavior raises questions about whether and why chimpanzees consciously seek out alcohol.

– For humans, we know that drinking alcohol leads to a release of dopamine and endorphins, and resulting feelings of happiness and relaxation, said Anna Bowland, one of the researchers behind the study, in a press release, continuing:

– We also know that sharing alcohol – including through traditions such as feasting – helps to form and strengthen social bonds. So – now we know that wild chimpanzees are eating and sharing ethanolic fruits – the question is: could they be getting similar benefits?

The amount observed is probably not enough to get the chimpanzees drunk, but the researchers estimate that the filmed episodes only provide a small glimpse into how much fermented fruit the animals eat in a day, as their diet consists of 60-85 percent fruit.

Researchers believe that more research is needed into why chimpanzees eat fermented fruit together, but speculate that the behavior may represent an early evolutionary stage of “feasting”.

– Chimps don’t share food all the time, so this behaviour with fermented fruit might be important, says Dr. Kimberley Hockings of the University of Exeter. “If so, it suggests the human tradition of feasting may have its origins deep in our evolutionary history”.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/bats-surf-the-winds-to-power-their-migration/

Environment

Bats “surf” the winds to power their migration

Published 7 June 2025
– By Editorial Staff
2 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Bats use the warm fronts of storms to “surf” as they migrate, research shows. This way, they use less energy and can fly longer distances.

The greater noctule bat is Sweden’s largest bat species, with a wingspan of 30 to 45 centimeters. The species also lives in Finland. Like birds, bats migrate thousands of kilometers annually across North America, Europe, and Africa. Now, researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB) have studied 71 greater noctule bats during their approximately 1,600-kilometer-long spring migration across the European continent. Using sensors, the researchers were able to measure the bats’ activity levels as well as the air temperatures in which they were flying.

The researchers discovered that the bats often paused during their flights but could travel as far as 400 kilometers in a single night – breaking the previous distance record for the species. The bats interrupted their migration flights with frequent stops, likely because they needed to feed continuously.

– Unlike migratory birds, bats don’t gain weight in preparation for migration, explains Dina Dechmann of MPI-AB, one of the authors of the study, in a press release. They need to refuel every night, so their migration has a hopping pattern rather than a straight shot.

Furthermore, an interesting pattern emerged in the bats’ migration. On some nights, more bats chose to fly than on others, which turned out to be weather-dependent. The bats began flying on nights when air pressure dropped and temperatures rose – in other words, when storms were approaching. The sensors on the transmitters measuring activity levels also showed that the bats used less energy when flying on these warm, windy nights. After further analysis, it became clear that the bats were using the warm winds during storms to “surf”.

– They were riding storm fronts, using the support of warm tailwinds, says Edward Hurme, a researcher at MPI-AB. It was known that birds use wind support during migration, and now we see that bats do too.

The results of the study are important for the survival of bats, say researchers. Migrating bats are threatened by human activities, especially wind turbines which cause many collisions. Knowing where and when bats migrate can help prevent deaths.

– We can be stewards of bats, helping wind farms to turn off their turbines on nights when bats are streaming through, says Hurme.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/swedes-earn-money-clearing-invasive-species/

Environment

Swedes earn money clearing invasive species

Biodiversity

Published 28 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Large-leaved lupines are beautiful - but highly invasive.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Through a mobile game, individuals can “play” by heading out into nature, removing invasive plants, and even getting paid for their efforts. This year, seven Swedish municipalities are testing the game.

The Crowdsorsa mobile game has been used in Finland for three consecutive years, where last year it removed invasive plants from 7000 observations. It is also available in Canada.

This year, the municipalities of Hagfors, Örebro, Sunne, Karlsborg, Lilla Edet, Tanum and Falun are trying it out. The idea is that individuals find invasive plants, either via the map in the app or by themselves, remove them and get paid. As proof, they must film before and after clearing.

The total budget for this year in Sweden is SEK 126,000 (€11,600), which individuals can “play” for. At most, you can earn SEK 200 (€18.5) per hour, with the municipality responsible for paying out the reward.

“Fun way to work”

Last year, it was also successfully used in Hagfors and Örebro. In Hagfors, a total of 17 different teams played.

– The players did a great job! We think it’s a fun way to work with invasive alien species and an effective way to reach the public – and especially young people – with knowledge about invasive species, says municipal ecologist Katarina Karlsson in Hagfors municipality to Natursidan.

Invasive species often spread quickly and can displace native species, which in turn can damage the ecosystem. The game starts already in June, where, among other things, large-leaved lupine, Himalayan balsam and Canadian goldenrod will be removed.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/antarctic-ice-levels-show-recent-growth/

Environment

Antarctic ice levels show recent growth

Published 25 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Between 2021 and 2023, the ice mass increased by an average of 108 gigatonnes per year - likely due to increased precipitation.
1 minute read
Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Antarctica has long been associated with melting ice – but between 2021 and 2023, new research shows unexpected growth.

Using NASA satellite data, researchers from Tongji University in China measured Antarctic ice masses between 2002 and 2023, focusing mainly on four East Antarctic glacier areas – Denman, Moscow, Totten and Vincennes Bay – located in the Wilkes Land-Queen Mary Land area.

Over the period 2002-2010, the ice mass in Antarctica decreased by an average of 74 gigatons per year, the results, presented in Science China Earth Sciences, show. Furthermore, the ice mass decreased further between 2011 and 2020, with the loss reaching 142 gigatons per year. This has contributed to a sharp rise in sea levels.

Despite the significant decrease, the trend reversed dramatically between 2021 and 2023, when the ice mass increased by an average of 108 gigatonnes per year. The main reason is believed to be that the area had high precipitation compared to previous years. This has contributed to an average increase in sea levels of 0.3 millimeters per year.

The researchers emphasize that the increase may be a temporary trend and does not necessarily mean that ice masses will continue to increase.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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