3 . A change to organic dairy farming around the nature reserves could significantly reduce damage done to the areas by nitrogen produced by solid waste from cows, according to a research.

Concentrated animal farming near Natura 2000 areas was banned in 2002. However, 800 farms still remain in the outer edge of these protected areas, some of which are particularly damaging to the environment.

Researchers looked at 34 organic farms to see how organic farming practices compared with those large-scale factory farms. They found that cows at organic farms produced 22% less nitrogen in their waste, while the amount of emissions per hectare(公顷)was 53% lower.

“The reason why organic farming is less polluting is that farms generally have fewer cows and don’t use fertilizer,” said researchers. Organic cows are also put out to grassland more often and aren’t given concentrates(精饲料)to the same degree, which also limits emissions.

While organic dairy farms would make a good protective barrier against nitrogen around the nature reserves, this doesn’t hold true for organic chicken and pig farms, the research showed.

“Despite the good it would do, not many dairy farmers are likely to make the change,” researcher Gerard Migchels said. “The organic sector is currently relatively small. Growth is only possible if there is enough market demand. That would make it possible to come to a realistic price for organic milk,” he said.

In 2019, some 40,000 cows in the Netherlands were farmed organically, accounting for just 1% of the Dutch herd of 3.8 million.

According to a government report, 46% of nitrogen compound(复合物)pollution around nature reserves is down to agriculture, to which dairy farming contributes 60%. The new law on nitrogen emissions aims to reduce pollution by 40% by 2025 and 74% by 2035.

Xiechi Lake, also known as Yuncheng Salt Lake in China’s Shanxi Province,     1     (become) popular on social media websites in the past few years.

Now, China wants to transform that online     2     (popular) into real-life tourism. “As the Chinese ‘Dead Sea’, floating here is     3     unforgettable experience, and one you can’t find anywhere else,” reads a tourism advertisement     4     (sponsor) by the Yuncheng Salt Lake Tourism Development Company. Yuncheng Salt Lake is a sulfate (硫酸盐) lake. “If the sulfate in your water is greater than the calcium (钙), all the calcium is used up,     5     leaves you with large amounts of sulfate and you have a sulfate lake,” explains geography professor Bernie Owen. Xiechi is also a “closed basin” lake,     6     (mean) it doesn’t flow out to a river or ocean, which explains how its salt content stays so high. It is possible for salt lakes to freeze over, although not as     7     (quick) as other lakes — after all, think about what happens when we spread salt over icy roads. Saltwater freezes at     8    (low) temperatures than fresh water.

In an effort     9     (boost) Xiechi Lake’s international profile, China is reportedly taking steps to get it recognized     10     a UNESCO World Heritage site.

7 . A baby giraffe born with a leg abnormality has been fitted with special leg braces (支架) to help her walk.

The giraffe is named Msituni. She ________ from a condition called carpal hypertension (腕骨高血压). It ________ the young animal’s front legs, which was especially ________ to a giraffe. The abnormality was putting a lot of ________on her joints and bones. Zoo workers ________ that she could die if they did not quickly correct the ________. This is because it could ________ the giraffe from getting food and from being able to walk around.

Zoo officials ________ experts to treat the giraffe. The medical team had a lot of ________ fitting people with braces to correct leg problems. But they had ________ treated an animal before. Ara Mirzaian was a member of the medical team. He found the situation strange and ________ went online to start learning as much as possible about giraffes.

The team ________ models of the giraffe’s legs. It took the team about a week to ________ the braces, which were made of a ________ called carbon graphite (碳石墨). After 10 days in the special brace, the problem was ________. In total, Msituni was in braces for 39 days from the day she was born. She ________ in the animal hospital the whole time.

Mirzaian said he planned to ________ a picture in his office of the baby giraffe wearing her special brace so that the children he treats might be ________ to wear their own braces. “It was the   ________ thing to see an animal like that walk in a brace,” he said. “It feels ________ to know we saved a giraffe’s life.”

8 . The world’s first named heat wave hit Seville, Spain, pushing temperatures past 110 degrees Fahrenheit and earning the most severe tier (级别) in the city’s new heat wave ranking system. Heat wave “Zoe” has brought burning temperatures to the southern part of the country for the last few days, particularly the area where Seville is located.

Zoe is the first named heat wave to hit Seville since it officially used a new system last month to name and rank heat waves, similar to hurricanes (Climatewire, June 22). Only the most severe heat waves get names, named this year in reverse (颠倒的) alphabetical order. After Zoe come Yago, Xenia, Wenceslao and Vega. The worst of the heat is expected to begin tapering off (减弱) today, but it has already posed a significant risk to human health.

Seville’s new ranking system takes a three-tiered approach to categorizing heat waves, with Category 1 as the lowest ranking and Category 3 as the most severe. The system has specific criteria for each category, involving not only daytime temperatures, but also nighttime lows, humidity and the heat’s expected effects on human health.

Spain has been struggling with extreme temperatures for much of the summer already. High heat broke local records around the country last month, and the first two weeks of June were the hottest on record in the country. Across the continent, this year was Europe’s second hottest June on record. Extreme heat returned again earlier this month. Cities across Spain broke monthly temperature records and wildfires broke out on the landscape.

Climate change is causing heat waves to become more frequent, more severe and longer-lasting all over the world, increasing the risks to human health. Seville’s new naming and ranking system is intended to raise public awareness about the dangers of extreme heat.

10 . Bronx Zoo

Excited to explore this z00 already? Well, save your dates and plan your trip to the US with Travel Triangle right away and let the kids within your joy. The Bronx Zoo is definitely one of the best places to visit in the USA. We are sure that you would have the best time ever!

The Size

The Bronx Zoo is among the biggest zoos in the US, measuring 265 acres or over 100 hectares. It is literally so big that you may find it difficult to explore it all in just a day. Not only is it big in terms of size but it’s the largest zo0 in the US by number of animals as well. As of 2020, it had 4,000 animals of over 600 species. Some of them include fennec foxes, bald eagles, collared lemurs and Komodo dragons.

Location

The Bronx zo0 in the USA is located at 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460.

The Tickets Cost

Tickets to the z00 in the US cost $28 for children, $37 for adults (13 years and over). Entry for children aged two and under is free. You can also go on group tours led by trained expedition leaders. It costs $125 for a group of up to 5 people.

Open Time

Bronx Zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm Monday—Friday and 10 am to 5.30 pm on weekends and holidays. All animal exhibits end half an hour before the park closes.

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