A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature in April discussed how interactions between people and animals are at the heart of emerging disease threats. It identified roughly 10,000 viruses with the potential to infect humans—the vast majority of which, researchers said, are already “circulating silently in wild mammals.” Global climate change and evolving land-use patterns will increase the potential for cross-species viral transmission as animals that were once ge

Over the seven years we've lived outside of Bozeman, Montana, the change we've noticed is dramatic. We just don't see the birds we used to. Tree swallows used to raise young in the nest boxes we provided, as well as in natural tree cavities. Now we no longer see swallows at our home. And this year, the house wrens are absent. None are in the nest boxes and we've yet to hear one this spring. I could list additional species that have become less common (including at some of the

Following on my March 7th post about the newly enacted law in Panama, the highest court in India has likewise ruled that "Mother Nature " is entitled to the same rights to exist as persons. In the ruling, Justice S. Srimathy said, "... we are morally bound to hand over the same Mother Earth to the next generation." Enactment of "rights of nature" laws are spreading internationally in an effort to conserve ecosystems.