From the Biodiversity Sketch book

The most famous story of animal extinction is certainly that of the Dodo bird or Raphus cucullatus to give it its Latin name.  It lived on the Island of Mauritius, situated in the Indian Ocean, approximately 2400 kilometers off the South East Coast of Africa. 

In the year 1598 AD, Portuguese sailors landing on the shores of this island discovered a previously unknown species of pigeon. Having been isolated by its island location from contact with humanity, the dodo greeted the new visitors with a child-like innocence. The sailors saw this ignorant bird as stupid. They dubbed the bird "dodo" (meaning something similar to a simpleton in the Portuguese tongue). Most dodo birds were killed by introduced animals. By the late 1600s, the last dodo had died, and the world was left worse with its passing.

Mauritius is regarded today as an international centre for habitat restoration and the preservation of birds and reptiles. As a result of the work undertaken by conservation teams, Mauritius is at the forefront in the conservation of endangered species and is looked upon as a live laboratory which has set new standards for conservation around the world.

Marine census finds stunning diversity

Researchers wrapped up the first Census of Marine Life on Monday, with findings that include the discovery of thousands of new species and an understanding of how climate change is altering the ecosystem.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/10/04/science-marine-census.html#ixzz11XlkEmrw

IMAGE ABOVE: Basket star (CMN Maine Collection)

USC CANADA

You're Invited!

How can we avoid the looming global food disaster? Find out at a USC Canada World Food Day forum with Canadian author Dr. Evan Fraser.

Date: Friday, October 15
Time: 7:00 p.m. - Come early (6:15) for a meet & greet!
Place: Library & Archives Canada, Atrium, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa

Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations

In his new book, Empires of Food, Dr. Evan Fraser chronicles the fate of societies past through the foods they grew, hunted, traded, and ate. These empires all depended on favourable climates and unsustainable farming practices, so when climate change and depleted soils reduced food production, it signalled their ultimate decline. For World Food Day, USC Canada has invited Dr. Fraser to speak about the uncomfortable parallels between those fallen "Food Empires" and our modern global civilization.

A professor of geography at the University of Guelph, Dr. Fraser was Senior Lecturer at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds in the UK last year. Drawing on his research into farming, climate change, and the environment, he will show us where our food system has been, and where it's disastrously headed - unless we make significant changes to strengthen it.

Join us for this public event in the atrium of the Library & Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, in Ottawa. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and we'll have a variety of local cheeses and ciders on-hand to taste, so come early for a meet & greet. The presentation starts at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information contact Kate Green by email or by Telephone (613-234-6827 x228). 

12th National Sustainable Campuses Conference

The Sierra Youth Coalition is an organization run by youth for youth, serving as the youth arm of the Sierra Club of Canada. Our mission is to empower young people to become active community leaders who contribute to making Canada a better society.

At Queen’s University in Kingston the Sierra Youth Coalition held their 12^th National Sustainable Campuses Conference last weekend.  Chafic Bouchakra attended this event.  He tells us reporters have shown some interest in the Youth Accord.  Keep spreading the word!  

Consider this...

A tree is not just the sum of its parts, it is also the air, water, soil, and energy around it.  So where does the tree begin?  It is connected to the entire biosphere.  We too are connected to all life if we let ourselves feel it.

From the Biodiversity Sketch Book

The Extinct Quagga

The first time I saw a mounted Quagga in a Frankfurt museum (Germany) I was in awe in seeing an actual specimen on display (Image above)! The last free Quaggas may have been caught in 1870. It is possible a small population survived south of the Vaal River (South Africa) until about 1878, when there was a period of severe drought. The last captive Quagga, a mare, died on 12 August, 1883 in Amsterdam Zoo, where she had lived since 9 May, 1867.

The only Quagga to ever have been photographed alive was the Regent's Park Zoo mare in London. Five photographs are known, taken by Frederick York and Frank Haes in 1870. The image below is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.  Mike Leveille



News from Rieko Kusama in Japan

Rieko recently went to a local mountain to survey a beech forest with some professors from Shinsyu University and Tohoku University.  There were University students and a city officer there.  Check out this cute baby owl!  Thanks for the update Rieko!