Earthquake aftermath – pandas threatened

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It is feared that the devastating 12 May earthquake which hit China’s Sichuan province could have damaged over 80% of the giant panda’s limited mountainous habitat. With so many mountain roads blocked by landslides it is difficult to assess the damage firsthand.

Tourists at the Wolong Panda Breeding and Research Centre when the quake struck, reported how rocks and trees crashed down the hillside. One captive panda died here and another is missing; so it is unlikely that none of the 1,590 wild pandas (2004 census) in 55 reserves escaped unharmed. Others may be unable to reach bamboo groves where landslides have blocked paths.

Image: A giant panda at Wolong before the quake hit.

Heather Angel / Natural Visions

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Badgers and Bovine TB

Both badgers and cattle can contract bovine TB caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis. Since milk became pasteurised there is no public health risk from this infection, but farmers can suffer financial loss if their herd becomes infected. In an attempt to stem the disease badgers were gassed in the 1970’s and trapped in the 1980’s so that only those infected were killed.

As the debate on whether badgers transmit the disease to cattle or not continues to rage amongst farmers, scientists and conservationists, the Government’s chief scientist recently recommended that badgers be trapped and killed in areas where the incidence of bovine TB is high.

Image: Badger in field with cattle by Jason Venus / Natural Visions

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Aliens invade UK

Alien plants and animals are invading Britain. The variable coloured harlequin ladybird is a recent arrival (2003) which competes for the same food as our native ladybirds and, if food is short, may even resort to attacking them.

Chinese mitten crabs probably reached our shores in ballast ship water, are now spreading along rivers such as the Thames, where they destroy the bank by tunnelling and also attack our native crayfish. These crustaceans are also under threat from another alien, the American signal crayfish, which escaped from farms carrying a fungus that kills the smaller native species.

Image: Harlequin ladybirds - a pair mating and one taking off from grass.

Heather Angel / Natural Visions

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Earthquake aftermath – pandas threatened