Researchers also find zebra finches 20% less likely to hatch from eggs if exposed to noise pollution Noise pollution from traffic stunts growth in baby birds, even while inside the egg, research has found. Unhatched birds and hatchlings that are exposed to noise from city traffic experience long-term negative effects on their health, growth and reproduction, the study found ..read more

Sewage pollutes our waterways, species face extinction. We must act fast to halt the decline – and we will Steve Reed is shadow environment secretary We must not be the last generation to have the opportunity to marvel at nature. When I was growing up, I took for granted the excitement of climbing trees in the local woods at the end of our road, sleeping under the stars at Scout camp, and exploring the micro-worlds of seaside rockpools on holiday in Cornwall. Our children and grandchildren deserve to be astounded by the magnificence of our landscapes and coastlines, mesmerised by the beauty ..read more

Authorities are rushing to save more than 150 whales from a mass stranding at a beach in Western Australia’s south-west. Four pods have spread across roughly 500 metres at Toby Inlet near Dunsborough and 26 of these have died, Parks and Wildlife Service Western Australia confirmed. Wildlife officers, marine scientists and veterinarians are on site assessing the conditions of the whales that have become stranded ► Subscribe to Guardian Australia on YouTube Mass pilot whale stranding on WA beach sparks rescue ..read more

Green Finance Institute report said further pollution could cut 12% off GDP by 2030s The destruction of nature over the rest of the decade could trigger a bigger economic slump in Britain than those caused by the 2008 global financial crisis and the Covid pandemic, experts have warned. Sounding the alarm over the rising financial cost from pollution, damage to water systems, soil erosion, and threats from disease, the report by the Green Finance Institute warned that further breakdown in the UK’s natural environment could lead to a 12% loss of gross domestic product (GDP) by the 2030s ..read more

Up to 160 whales have beached themselves at Toby Inlet near Dunsborough, more than 250km south of Perth Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Authorities are rushing to save more than 150 whales from a mass stranding at a beach in Western Australia’s south-west. Four pods have spread across roughly 500 metres at Toby Inlet near Dunsborough and 26 of these have died, Parks and Wildlife Service Western Australia confirmed. “There are 20 whales in a pod about 1.5km offshore. Another pod of about 110 anima ..read more

Newberry county sheriff’s office reassures people siren-like roar is male cicadas singing to attract mates after a decade dormant Emerging cicadas are so loud in one South Carolina county that residents are calling the sheriff’s office asking why they can hear sirens or a loud roar. The Newberry county sheriff’s office sent out a message on Facebook on Tuesday letting people know that the whining sound is just the male cicadas singing to attract mates after more than a decade dormant ..read more

Researchers in Canada studying interventions to stem decline of mountain caribou have found wolf culls most effective Canada’s imperilled mountain caribou are staging an unlikely comeback, reversing years of decline that pushed populations to the brink. But researchers warn that any sustained recovery comes with a catch: in order to save these ungulates, thousands of wolves will need to be killed in the coming years, highlighting the unenviable task wildlife managers have attempting to manage complex ecosystems. For decades, mountain caribou – an ecotype of woodland caribou that once ranged fr ..read more

The biggest cities in the US are mourning animals who fostered a rare sense of connection. Art is preserving their legacies Working near Central Park, one New Yorker regularly witnessed one of its most beloved residents: Flaco the owl, who became a celebrity after escaping the nearby zoo. The woman took the bird’s message to heart, re-evaluated her life and decided to quit her job. Now, she’s one of dozens with a Flaco tattoo. “They’ll be walking around the rest of their lives, that name and owl on their arm,” says Duke Riley, an environmental artist who spearheaded a special sale at his tatto ..read more

As diplomats search for a deal to curb the world’s growing problem of plastic, piles of bottles, buoys, nets and packaging keep building up in what should be a pristine environment As our small fishing boat slows to a halt in a shallow bay south-east of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, in the Galápagos Islands, a green turtle surfaces next to us, followed by a second, then a third a few metres away. A spotted eagle ray glides underneath the vessel. The skipper, Don Nelson, steps on to the black volcanic reef, slippery with algae. We follow, past exposed mangrove roots and up on to higher ground. Peli ..read more

Plea from health officials comes after several snake bite victims arrived at emergency departments with the reptile Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast It may sound like common sense – do not take a snake to a hospital. But Queensland health officials have issued the unusual warning after a concerning rise in snake bite victims bringing the reptile responsible to emergency departments. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup ..read more