Shark finning in Belgium
Hondshaai in de vismijn van Oostende. © Helga D’Havé
Several shark species are endangered. According to scientists approximately 73 million sharks are yearly culled to sustain the increasing demand for shark fins by Asian markets. Shark fin soup is a very expensive Chinese delicacy, something fishermen are aware of. The demand for fins led to the practice of shark finning, where the fins are being cut off at sea while the rest of the shark body is thrown back into the water. Since 2003 shark finning is prohibited by a European law, but the law contains loop holes. In Belgium yearly 500 ton sharks are being caught. Even Belgian fishermen are not afraid of shark finning. In our article we describe a case of shark finning, where a Belgian fishing vessel was caught on sea with two fins of a basking shark in the ship’s freezer.
The article (in Dutch only) was published in EOS magazine nr. 2 (February 2011) and is available for download (pdf).
Comeback of the barn owl
© Wim Acke
Last June I accompanied a friend (thanks for the pic Wim!) to visit a barn owl nest at the attic of a former pigeon house in a small village in East-Flanders. We counted four barn owl young (and several small pigeons in the lower part of the house). Unfortunately, a few weeks later my friend told me only one small barn owl was left, but there were no remains of the three others, so they clearly hadn’t died there. Possibly the three young owl were stolen for pet-keeping. Unfortunately some selfish people think they need an owl at home. Barn owl populations have been thriving again in Belgium, but this story makes clear that new dangers are present..
The original Dutch version of the article can be read in Eos-magazine no. 9 (Oct. 2009) or downloaded here. The English version follows below:
In the seventies barn owls populations had dropped to their lowest numbers ever in history. At present and as a result of protection measures the barn owl is again an often sighted bird in the agricultural landscape. Continue Reading »
Invasion of the jellyfish
Image credit: Zando Escultura
In the water world jellyfish are the true poets. Moving in the water column with their shiny transparent bodies they seem to perform a graceful dance. But jellyfish can also injure and even kill humans when they swarm along beaches. It is important to know that these graceful sea creatures swarm in masses because we humans created the ideal conditions for jellyfish to multiply rapidly, by polluting the oceans…
The original Dutch version of the article can be read in Eos-magazine no. 2 (Febr. 2009) or downloaded here. The English version follows below:
Jellyfish and jellyfish like creatures inhabit our oceans since more than 500 million years. Only recently, since they have been known to swarm and thereby interfere with human activities, have these beautiful creatures caught the attention of scientists.
Non-destructive biomonitoring with hedgehogs
© Helga D'Havé. Hedgehog at Rivierenhof, Deurne, Belgium.
Where is the time where – for days, weeks, months – I saw more hedgehogs than humans? These were exciting times (being out at night in park areas), weird times (having zero ‘human’ social life), and rewarding times (getting to know these night creatures and gaining results). Hedgehogs are suitable bio-indicators of environmental pollution, that was the main conclusion of my PhD research (2002-2006).
My recent article in the Dutch magazine ‘Zoogdier’ brought my research again in the news. An English summary follows below: Continue Reading »
Bioplastics are not biodegradable
You may have noticed them in your health food store; thin plastic shopping bags for fruit or vegetables. Here in Belgium I have been using these whenever I had forgotten my reusable shopping bag. After using the same bag a few times, I always happily disposed it with the compost waste, until I learned these so called biodegradable or compostable bags are not really degradable…
The Dutch version of the article can be read in Eos-magazine no.9-Oct. 2009 or downloaded as pdf here. The English version follows below:
The bioplastics industry is telling us that bioplastics are biodegradable or compostable. But this is not really true. In Flanders (northern part of Belgium) and probably many more countries, bioplastics are incinerated just as the bulk of our waste.
