Wildlife populations declined by 70% in just 50 years…thanks to humans

Oct 14 2022

A new scientific assessment has revealed the earth’s wildlife populations declined by an average of 69% in just 50 years due to human interference.

The plunging populations are across the board, from oceans to rainforests, and have seen the populations declining on average by over two-thirds between 1970 and 2018.

According to the WWF and Zoological Society of London’s ‘Living Planet Report’, the figure stood at 68% two years ago. This dropped from 60% from four years prior, leading to scientists suggesting we’re currently living through the sixth mass extinction.

This would make it the largest loss of biodiversity since the dinosaur period – and it is being driven by us humans.

The Living Planet Index brings together a global analysis of 32,000 populations of 5,230 animal species to measure changes in their populations. Latin America and the Amazon region saw the largest decline in average wildlife population size – a 94% drop in 48 years.

Meanwhile, Africa had the second largest drop at 66%, followed by Asia and the Pacific with 55% and North America at 20%. Europe and Central Asia saw an 18% drop. The total loss would be akin to the human population of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and China disappearing.

The report’s 89 authors are urging world leaders to reach a new agreement at the Cop15 biodiversity summit in Canada this December. This would see carbon emissions being slashed to 1.5C this decade to put an end to the destruction.

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Over €2,200 raised for aspiring plumber whose tools were stolen

Oct 14 2022

After an aspiring plumber was robbed of €3,000 worth of tools just days before he was set to launch his business, the local community came together to help the man and his family get back on their feet.

Earlier this week, Times of Malta reported how Joseph Sant was left devastated after his van, which contained all of the essential and newly purchased tools, was found utterly empty.

The news saw many running to his aid, setting up a fundraiser and, as of time of this writing, raising upwards of €2,200. With a limit set at €3,000, it’s heart-warming to see the power kindness and charity can have in such a situation.

Joseph was a nursing aide, whilst also registering as a part-time self-employed worker as he wanted to improve the quality of life for his family living in Fgura.

The fundraiser was started by Norbert Vella, with a generous donation of €1,500 coming in via 71-year-old businessman Hugh Pace, Times of Malta revealed. As the family continues to receive more donations, you can contribute by donating to ‘Help the Sant family’ here.

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Construction site deaths triple between 2019 and 2021, NSO reveals

Oct 13 2022

The amount of workplace fatalities within the construction industry have tripled between 2019 and 2021. This was revealed in the National Statistics Office’s ‘Fatalities at Work’ news release, which revealed that The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) reported 19 fatalities at work between 2019 and 2021.

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Of the 19 workplace fatalities in the past three years, almost all cases were males with the exception of one fatal accident involving a female in 2020. The majority of cases were between the ages of 35 and 44 or aged 55 and over.

42.1 per cent of all fatalities between 2019 and 2021 involved Maltese nationals while the remaining 57.9 per cent involved EU or non-EU nationals. Almost 75% of deaths were caused by head injuries while others involved extremities of the body and injury to the torso and/or organs. In total, 18 fatalities involved concussions and internal injuries while the remaining case involved drowning and asphyxiation.

Almost 90% of cases occurred within the construction sector, with 73.7% of involved victims being engaged in elementary occupations.

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Malta’s fattest hedgehog Garfield sadly dies, Wildlife Rescue Team announces

Oct 13 2022

The Wildlife Rescue Team Malta has announced that the country’s fattest hedgehog Garfield sadly died during the night.

A necropsy performed on Garfield in the morning determined that the hedgehog died due to liver failure as a result of ‘extreme fat deposits in the liver’, causing his liver to stop working.

The condition is due to Garfield’s obesity, caused by months of being kept as a pet, being overfed and not allowed to exercise and run around. “THIS is why animals should never be kept as pets”, Wildlife Rescue Team wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.

“All our volunteers are deeply saddened by Garfield’s passing, our only consolation being that for the last few weeks Garfield was able to walk around, interact with other hedgehogs, and be a proper hedgehog herself.”

The rescue team thanked the dedicated vets and volunteers for their service, who offer the best possible care to animals in rehab on a daily basis. They also went on to thank anyone who followed Garfield’s journey and for offering their support in tough times.

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