Pandas and Pesticides

It appears that the giant panda may in fact be further from extinction than was previously feared, according to new studies. Although the bear is now only found in the forested hills in China, there are hopes that there may be as many as 3,000 of them, three times as many as was estimated. They are, obviously, hard to keep track of and monitor, however, new techniques using DNA-profiling are being used. Although the news is positive, it is not an excuse to slacken efforts to protect the species, and it remains to see whether similar results will be seen across other areas, or whether there is a particularly high concentration of bears in the site tested. Here's the BBC report on it.

The Guardian runs this interesting story, in which it considers the way in which different countries' environment ministers are facing the futures of their states. The article looks at Iran and her oil and compares approaches with Burkina Faso and her desert.

I read about this project today. In the lake district, builders are underway construcitng an eco-friendly training building near Windemere. It is being constructed from recycled tyres, lime, straw and wool. The team are going to give courses throughout the summer on the green skills they have been using for this project to encourage others. Here's a link to the company undertaking the work.

Here's a report on a study which will look into assertions that there may be links with pesticide use and the development of Parkinson's disease. It is being funded by Defra (I'll add them to the links list later). The Parkinson's Disease Society support the research and hope that it will contribute to understandings of the disease. Whilst there have long been suggested links between pesticide use and onset of Parkinson's, thus far no conclusive causality has been proven. It is hoped that this three-year study, with partners in other European countries and the US, will be able to test the observed correlation and explain why most people do develop the disease, since genetic mutation is a rare cause.