Scientists warn that continued abuse of dwindling Tuna stocks could lead to a crash in Tuna populations similar to that happening to cod. Speaking at the “Last Best Chance for Tuna: Learning from the Cod Collapse” symposium at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on February 18th 2008, leading natural scientists explored the lessons learned from cod population collapse and recommended urgent actions to prevent further declines in tuna populations.

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On the weekend of the 26-27 January 2008, the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place. It’s the world’s biggest bird survey and the RSPB’s biggest event of the year!

Last year over 400,000 people took part by counting the birds in their garden for an hour. It’s really simple to do so you don’t have to be an expert and it gives the RSPB a vital snapshot of the UK’s birds each winter. Over a period of just one hour, participants are asked to record the highest number of each bird species seen in their garden (not flying over) at any one time. Then all you do is note them on the counting sheet provided and send it in to the RSPB. Scientists can then use the information and patterns in bird numbers to help prioritise our bird conservation work.

 Last year over 400,000 people, ranging from beginners to experts took part and it is the sheer quantity of records that has enabled the RSPB to monitor and understand more about population trends of UK garden birds.  Since the survey started in 1979 the number of house sparrows have fallen by 56% and starlings by a staggering 76%, however as the RSPB point out ‘it isn’t all bad news – chaffinches and great tits have both seen their numbers increase since 1979 by 36 and 52 per cent respectively’. 

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