[El Annie]

http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm

Oil 'timebomb' threatens coast......
Oil from sunken wartime shipwrecks could pose a "ticking timebomb" threat to the East Anglian coast, an expert claimed last night. It came after a Government minister said the oil slick that has devasted wildlife off Norfolk and Suffolk for the last three weeks probably came from a ship sunk during the second world war.
More information - EDP24


Lack of insects devastates bat population in London.........
The bat population in London has plummeted by 38 per cent since the 1980s, researchers have discovered. A new report, using research from the Bat Conservation Trust and London Bat Group, has found that the species has been declining in parallel with the house sparrow, perhaps for the same reason: a diminishing supply of insect food. Bats were once common in well-populated areas. In the 1930s, scores of them could regularly be seen swirling round St Paul's Cathedral. It is not known how numerous they were, but numbers were probably much lower by the time the Greater London Council funded a 1980s study after they became protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
More information - Independent

Well-fed robins could be lonely at Christmas.........
Small birds such as robins need to carry fat reserves to keep them warm. They face a dilemma each winter, as they need to spend more time feeding. They need to eat well during the day and sudden, unpredictable, weather like a snowstorm may prevent them from finding food. So, should they spend their time building up fat, resting to conserve energy, or singing to defend their territory and attract a mate?
More information - AlphaGalileo

El Annie