Author: chXout Team

February is in full swing as the cold blue hue of winter skies are blown away by the oncoming summer’s breeze, a promise foretold, the earth is beginning to wake up again. The sun is staying out that bit longer, the frost isn’t as thick, blanketing our great green grass, and the first signs of spring will begin to become visible in the next few weeks. Although our winter in the Northern Hemisphere ends on the 20th of March, nature works within its own timescale. When the temperature bumps up even slightly, frogs (Rana temporaria) will begin to emerge from their hibernation and will begin as we do during Valentines, to look for love. We may even see some early frogspawn by the end of the month! Our Toads (Bufo Bufo) withal may want a bit more of a lie in and will hold out a little longer before coming out to greet us. Never mind however, as we cast...

A recent study by the University of Exeter which focused on the tiny crab (Clibanarius erythropus), gifted ecologists around the UK quite a scare on the 20th of January. This little crab is part of the hermit crab family and lives in rockpools in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and now more recently (2016) in Cornwall after not being seen for thirty-six years! While our little crab is thought to have migrated from Northern France in Brittany, The Centre for Ecology in Exeter stated that the crab has only made the channel crossing just twice in fifty years. This is due to the currents only being suitable every ten years, although even on those currents, the time it takes for larvae to be carried to the UK is longer than most of the species can survive especially in the open water. Other species groups such as sea snails, sponges and seaweed just can’t survive in the open water like crabs and...

Cats, dogs, ferrets and civets are most susceptible to COVID-19, a new research says.  The findings come after a wild mink tested positive for COVID-19 in the US - the first coronavirus case detected in a wild animal.  Monitoring COVID-19 cases in animals is important, as they can become reservoirs of the virus and cause it to mutate and make potential vaccines less effective. The study, published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology, used computer modelling to see how the virus's spike protein invades the cells of animals and humans.  It looked at 10 species in total, with humans, ferrets, cats, dogs and civets most susceptible to the new coronavirus. Mice, rats, chicken and ducks were found less prone to a COVD-19 infection.  The researchers also found that different variants of ACE-2 in humans - the receptor which binds with the spike protein - could affect the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.  Find out more about COVID-19 and animals here....

In an unlikely upside, 2020 marks the return of beavers to England's wilderness. Beavers are back! In August, the government's five year trial to reintroduce the species into England's natural world was completed. Two family groups of beavers bred successfully in the river Otter in Devon and will now continue to settle in new areas.  Beavers are so dam important Beavers' ability to build dams helps improve water quality and flow, preventing floods and increasing biodiversity.  According to research from the University of Exeter, beavers "played a significant role" in filtering pollutants from water at a place where they built 12 dams and ponds.   According to the same study, the flood-prone community of East Budleigh saw peak flood flows drop significantly, after a family of beavers constructed six dams upstream of the village. It also found that fish numbers increased in places where beavers had built their dams.  Where have they been? The Eurasian beaver was part of the British natural landscape until a few centuries ago. Its...

It's the ultimate treat: a hot drink on a cold winter's morning. But your favourite takeaway coffee could hide dangerous chemicals in its cup.   A research has warned that drinking coffee or tea from a paper cup could lead to ingesting thousands of tiny microplastic particles. Consumed over time, these could pose significant health implications, including higher risks of cancer. The study, due to be published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, found that drinking three regular cups of tea or coffee daily in a paper cup could lead to ingesting 75,000 tiny microplastic particles.  These particles can contain ions and toxic heavy metals, such as palladium and could also cross into the animal kingdom, the researchers say. Alongside health risks, paper cups are also damaging to the environment. They can't be recycled and don't decompose in a landfill, which means the demand for them can only be met through more deforestation.  All this seems to prove paper cups are a double-edged sword and not...

We don't yet know all the animals that can get infected with COVID-19. Although SARS-CoV-2 originated in an animal - most likely a bat - it is not animals that drive the course of the pandemic. Rather, it is us, humans.  It appears the virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. Data from mink farms in Denmark has also shown that the virus can not only be passed between humans and animals, but it can  also mutate in the animal host and then "jump" back onto people, infecting them. While this is definitely a cause for concern, it must be noted that mink are particularly susceptible to coronaviruses and farms provide the ideal environment for them to spread. What about other species? Animals which have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 Cats, dogs and other mammals can get infected, mostly after a close contact with an infected person.  There have been reports of pet cats and dogs contracting the virus in several countries around...