Earthweek: a diary of the planet
For the week ending Friday, Jan. 30.
Wild pathogens
Scientists studying the source of the West Africa Ebola outbreak say they have found 16 other animal-borne viruses that threaten to infect the humans. Presenting their findings at a conference in London, said they were unsure how serious a threat the newly identified viruses pose. It’s believed the current outbreak started when a child became infected after coming in contact with a bat or its droppings, or snacking on one.
Running dry
Brazil’s worst drought in 80 years is causing an acute water shortage in the three most highly populated states. The company that provides Sao Paulo’s water warned that taps could run dry except for just two days a week if the level of the main reservoir continues to drop. “If the rains insist on not falling, we’ll have to start rationing in a very burdensome way to save the water we need (and) to keep the dam levels from continuing to drop the way they are,” said the firm’s director, Paulo Massato. The Cantareira reservoir, which serves Brazil’s largest city, has dwindled to about 5 percent of storage capacity after two consecutive dry years.
Big cat revenge
The killing of six lions near northern Tanzania’s Olasiti village has residents living in fear of revenge attacks by the predators. The Arusha Times reports the lions were killed by young warriors “proving their manhood,” while also eliminating the threat of attacks on the village’s livestock. People now venturing outside their homes are staying in groups, armed with traditional weapons.. Five of the injured warriors fled into the bush out of fear of being arrested once they were treated for theirt wounds.
Beaver reprieve
England’s first beavers to live in the wild for more than 400 years will not be evicted from a Devon river and taken to a zoo, thanks to the efforts of locals, tourists and wildlife campaigners. But Natural England says that the approximately nine beavers living in the River Otter must be proved to be of Eurasian origin and free of disease. The nongovernmental public body also licensed the Devon Wildlife Trust to conduct a five-year study on the returning beavers’ impact on the environment.
Listening to learn
New Zealand and Australian researchers embarked on a six-week ocean voyage, intending to track down some of the world’s most elusive leviathans with “sonobuoys.” The floating acoustic devices are designed to hear the faint songs of humpback and blue whales, which were nearly wiped out by whaling.