Burma Devasted By Huge Cyclone

Source: BBC online

Last week a devasting cyclone struck the tiny SE Asian country of Burma (Myanmar). The death toll from Burma's devastating cyclone has now risen to more than 22,000, while the number of people left homeless is estimated at over 41,000. Additionally, storm survivors lack clean water, clean food and clean places to live. Despite many obstacles, the world community is cooperating to bring supplies and aid-workers into Burma to help storm victims.

Mangrove Loss "Left Burma Exposed"

Source: BBC online

Destruction of mangrove forests in Burma left coastal areas exposed to the devastating force of the weekend's cyclone. A study of the 2004 Asian tsunami found that areas near healthy mangroves suffered less damage and fewer deaths. Mangroves have been long considered as "bio-guards" for coastal settlements. The role mangroves can play in reducing the heavy damage caused by extreme weather events was among the reasons Burma's neighbor, Bangladesh, decided to protect one of the world's largest mangrove coastal habitats.

Tourism Crash Threatens Big Cats

Source: BBC online

Big cats living in Kenya's Maasai Mara game reserve are being threatened by a collapse in revenues from wildlife tourism, conservationists say. The Mara Conservancy says tourists have been staying away since violence errupted after a disputed election last year.

Young Songbirds Babble Before They Sing

Source: Science Daily

Young songbirds babble before they can mimic an adult's song, much like baby human do when learning to speak. Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists in the USA have found that immature and adult birdsongs are driven by two separate brain pathways, rather than one pathway that slowly matures. Baby zebra finches were tested. It was found that as chicks they produce a babbling song. They continue to practice constantly until they can produce the never-changing song of adult parents.

Bats Louder Than A Rock Concert?

Source: Science Daily

Researchers studying the echolocation behavior in bats have discovered that the small flying mammals emit very loud sounds - louder than any known animal in air. Researchers found that bats emit exceptionally loud sounds exceeding 140 decibals (dB), which is the highest level reported so far for any animal in air. For comparison, the level at a loud rock concert is 115-120 dB, and for humans, the threshold of pain is around 120 dB.

Chilean Volcano Spews Ash

Source: Reuters online

A volcano spewed ash over Patagonian towns in southern Chile on Sunday, 4 May, two days after its first eruption in 2,000 years. This forced authorities to evacuate some 4,000 residents. Chile's 2,000 volcanoes include two of Latin America's most active - Villarica and Llaima. Scientists say some 500 are potentially active. Chile has the world's second most active string of volcanoes behind Indonesia.

Joy Over India Tiger Cubs Births

Source: BBC online

Fourteen tiger cubs have been spotted in a Ranthambore National Reserve in north-western India. Ranthambore had just 32 tigers at the last count. India is thought to have 1,500 tigers, half the world's total.