2 . Macquarie Island is a tiny island that’s part of Australia. It’s about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. The island’s been made a world heritage area because it’s so untouched, but this unique environment is under threat from some unwanted visitors.

It all started when seal hunters came to the island in the early 1800s. They brought rabbits with them as a source of food for the journey, and also on board the ships were rats and mice, which made their way onto the island too. They’re being blamed for destroying the homes of marine birds, causing soil loss and ripping up plant cover, as these before-and-after photos show.

So what’s being done about the problem? It starts with a team of helicopters that fly across the island carrying these giant containers. Inside them are poisoned pellets (有毒饲料) which are dropped and spread across the island. For any rabbits that survived the baiting (诱饵) , there’s a plan B. This special team of dogs is being put through a final training. It’ll be their job to track down any remaining rabbits. They have to also learn to behave around the island’s native wildlife. The dogs could be here for years or until the task is complete. The dogs don’t actually kill the rabbits. They find them, then the hunters decide to either catch the rabbits or shoot them.

But the program has received a bit of criticism. Some people argue 25 million dollars is a lot of money to be spending on wiping out rabbits and rodents (啮齿目动物), and in the process, some native birds will be killed because of the baiting.

The reality is the problem isn’t going to be solved overnight. The people running the program say that even if one pair of rabbits is left alive, the whole task will be seen as a failure, which means these guys could be here for a long time, trying to ensure that this precious island remains protected from pests.

3 . ▶Western Sydney University

The university undertakes ranges of sustainability-related research, including sustainable agriculture, soil biology and food security. It has a range of living labs on its campus to aid with teaching and research in areas such as renewable energy, water recycling and natural and cultural heritages.

▶University of Reading

The university offers a range of modules on environmental and social issues to all undergraduate students, regardless of which faculty they are studying in. There is also a free online two-week course where you can investigate the impact of climate change and the research being done into it. The university has a range of sustainability projects, including the Research Woodland and the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme.

▶University of Manchester

The university has a range of sustainability measures on campus to reduce waste. The Want Not, Waste Not shop on campus sells a selection of zero-waste products including spices, pulses, cleaning products and beauty products. The university is also working to reduce plastic at all its events, by replacing balloons with paper bunting, using potato-based tokens instead of plastic ones and eliminating plastic water bottles and printed flyers.

▶Manchester Metropolitan University

In April 2021, the university launched the Give It, Don’t Bin It” campaign, which encourages students to donate unwanted items and leftover food to charity partners, including the British Heart Foundation and Manchester Central Food Bank. Donation banks and boxes are situated all over campus. Students wishing to get involved in sustainability can choose from a range of initiatives across campus, including the Sustainability Ambassador scheme and Climate and Social Action Week. Students also run a clothing swap shop and MetMUnch, a student network that focuses on training and pop-ups all around food, nutrition and sustainability.

7 . For millions of years, sea turtles (海龟) have been making the great journey from Costa Rican beaches to the ocean.

Female sea turtles come to shore to nest (筑巢) on the same beach where they were born. Scientists are not sure how sea turtles remember where they were born, but they believe that sea turtles can use the Earth’s magnetic field (磁场) to help them find their way back. Mother sea turtles usually nest every two to three years, but they might lay two or three nests in one year.

Unlike most animals, the temperature inside the nest determines whether the turtles will be male or female. Warmer nests produce more female turtles. It can take from six weeks to two months for baby turtles to appear from the nest. Once they sense cooler nighttime temperatures, they will begin their perilous journey towards the sea. The little turtles’ journey to the ocean isn’t a leisurely walk on the beach. In fact,on some beaches, only 10 percent of them make it to the ocean.

Natural hunters are not the only threat to sea turtles. Humans and their activities have also severely reduced the number of sea turtles in the oceans. Fishing activities, boat traffic, artificial (人工的) lighting, and pollution are making the trip from beach to ocean difficult. Due to a variety of these threats, six out of seven sea turtle species worldwide are considered endangered or threatened.

While sea turtles may face several threats to their survival, there are many opportunities for humans to help them. For example, avoid fishing in waters that are known to have sea turtles. If you do accidentally hook (钓) a turtle, do not remove the hook. Instead, call local wildlife authorities to help with removal. Lights draw baby turtles away from the ocean. Turn off your lights at night when you are near a sea turtle nesting area. Another way to help sea turtles is to reduce your plastic use. Plastic litter is among the number one causes of deaths of sea turtles. Last, get involved with sea turtle protection efforts.

10 . There are hundreds of great national nature reserves in China. Now feast your eyes on the following amazing ones.

Qinghai Lake, China’s largest saltwater lake in Qinghai Province, is a key body of water for lots of animals and birds. As an important stopover, migratory birds (候鸟) would rest in this area during their movement trip every year. The reserve became a national nature reserve in the year of 1997.

The only Bayanbulak Wetland, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is at the foot of Tianshan Mountains, which makes itself suitable for migratory birds. Bayanbulak means “rich spring water” in Mongolian, meaning that the area is rich in water. Every year, swans (天鹅) from different places fly here for nesting, which became a national swan reserve in 1986.

As one of the largest wintering places for swans in China, this reserve in Shandong Province mainly protects whooper swans (大天鹅), which make it different from other nature reserves. In 2007, it was changed into a national nature reserve. Now every year, thousands of whooper swans arrive here to spend the winter, making it an important resting and wintering place for themselves.

This reserve focuses on protecting coral reefs and their living environment in Sanya City, Hainan Province. In 1990, it became a national nature reserve. This reserve is on the coast, so the area of the reserve has good water quality and many kinds of creatures,