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Evidence of earlier humans in Madagascar is unconvincing but interesting

10,000 Birds

It was always thought that humans first inhabited the island of Madagascar about four or five thousand years ago or so. It was after that date that many of the great and strange animals of that island went extinct, presumably because of human hunting. Actual cut marks made by actual stone tools are in fact never unequivocal.

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Vultures, Human Evolution, Global Warming, and Windmills

10,000 Birds

The topic was the concept of humans as predators, or hunters, or really, eaters of meat, and I was discussing the many ways in which people misconceived this notion. Even though this referred to a period after the supposed “scavenging” phase, it lent support to the idea of a stepwise evolution of the ability to hunt.

Humane 165
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#CeciltheLion is a dangerous direction for conservation

10,000 Birds

Another day, another dead lion erupting in the world’s media, another opportunity for me to annoy my few remaining anti-hunting friends. Often just for being a woman (its telling how many of these “outrages” about hunting involve women, not men. And the internet is a powerful tool to hold the powerful to account.

Hunters 169
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The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and Who Pays for It

10,000 Birds

Developed in the post-frontier era, the NAMWC helped put a stop to wanton wildlife destruction in an era where many species were being hunted and trapped ruthlessly to the brink of extinction. George Wuerthner, an ecologist and former hunting guide with a degree in wildlife biology, takes the debate a step further.

Wildlife 240
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Use it or lose it?

10,000 Birds

The first most readers have probably been aware of, the cheerleader hunter who has been in the news for, well, hunting game animals and being attractive and blonde. Harnessing the power of money is therefore a very important tool for conservation then. Not the solution to every problem, but a powerful tool for many problems.

Rhinos 168
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Why Do Penguins Wear Tuxedos?

10,000 Birds

However, we now know that human ancestors became upright first, and were bipedal for millions of years before they started to use tools extensively, and then another million years went by before their brains started to evolve a significantly larger size.

Penguins 192
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Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve: the Tiger Afternoon

10,000 Birds

The Osprey tries another hunt, finally a successful one, while Telia goes deeper into the water and lies down. But, in the next year, 2009, only one human was killed by a tiger, leading to a conclusion that all the tigers in the conflict area (practically, the wider reserve buffer zone) have been wiped out.

Tigers 246