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&cat=19&pid=16901&cache=true " alt="Photo-traps capture images of secretive ‘Highland tiger’" class="alignleft" />
A new research project in the Highlands has provided a rare insight into the secret world of one of Britain’s most endangered and elusive species. Scottish wildcats are notoriously secretive, but conservationists are hoping to gain a more detailed understanding of their behaviour. They have attached specialist camera equipment, known as photo-traps, to trees in the Cairngorms National Park. The cameras have already provided images of wildcats and other animals. Motion detectors and infra-red technology allow the devices to capture images of passing animals over a period of days, weeks or even months. The project is still in its early stages but the cameras have already provided images of Scottish wildcat – popularly known as the Highland tiger – and other animals, including golden eagles. ‘Major threat’ The research is being led by Dr David Hetherington of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He told BBC Scotland: “Wildcats are very shy, secretive animals. They are active mainly at night and it’s really difficult for people to get close enough to watch them properly. “These camera traps are an excellent way of us getting a much better insight into where wildcats live, when they’re active, and what habitat they’re using. “We can also get an idea of where they don’t live and, of course, that’s also really important information.” Experts believe the Scottish wildcat population has fallen to about 400, and work is under way to prevent the species becoming extinct. That involves encouraging cat owners in the Highlands to ensure their animals are neutered. Dr Hetherington explained: “The major threat to wildcats these days is hybridisation, or inter-breeding, with domestic cats. “Although they are quite different and have a completely different temperament, they are actually quite closely related genetically to domestic cats so they can produce fertile hybrids. “If that continues we are going to lose our pure Scottish wildcat.” Conservationists believe the work could help prevent another iconic species joining a long list of large predators which have been wiped out in Scotland over the last few centuries. Douglas Richardson, of the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore, said: “We are dealing with an animal that’s the last of its kind in the British Isles. “We formerly had lynx and other big, dangerous and interesting animals. But this is our last feline predator and I think we are duty bound to protect it. “There are many representatives from Scotland and the UK who are involved in conservation efforts with tigers in Asia or giant pandas in China. “If we allow the Scottish wildcat to disappear, then the Indians, the Russians, the Chinese could quite rightly turn round and say ‘Why should we bother? You didn’t.’” This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
General News |
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&cat=19&pid=16898&cache=true " alt="Photo-traps capture images of secretive ‘Highland tiger’" class="alignleft" />
A new research project in the Highlands has provided a rare insight into the secret world of one of Britain’s most endangered and elusive species. Scottish wildcats are notoriously secretive, but conservationists are hoping to gain a more detailed understanding of their behaviour. They have attached specialist camera equipment, known as photo-traps, to trees in the Cairngorms National Park. The cameras have already provided images of wildcats and other animals. Motion detectors and infra-red technology allow the devices to capture images of passing animals over a period of days, weeks or even months. The project is still in its early stages but the cameras have already provided images of Scottish wildcat – popularly known as the Highland tiger – and other animals, including golden eagles. ‘Major threat’ The research is being led by Dr David Hetherington of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He told BBC Scotland: “Wildcats are very shy, secretive animals. They are active mainly at night and it’s really difficult for people to get close enough to watch them properly. “These camera traps are an excellent way of us getting a much better insight into where wildcats live, when they’re active, and what habitat they’re using. “We can also get an idea of where they don’t live and, of course, that’s also really important information.” Experts believe the Scottish wildcat population has fallen to about 400, and work is under way to prevent the species becoming extinct. That involves encouraging cat owners in the Highlands to ensure their animals are neutered. Dr Hetherington explained: “The major threat to wildcats these days is hybridisation, or inter-breeding, with domestic cats. “Although they are quite different and have a completely different temperament, they are actually quite closely related genetically to domestic cats so they can produce fertile hybrids. “If that continues we are going to lose our pure Scottish wildcat.” Conservationists believe the work could help prevent another iconic species joining a long list of large predators which have been wiped out in Scotland over the last few centuries. Douglas Richardson, of the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore, said: “We are dealing with an animal that’s the last of its kind in the British Isles. “We formerly had lynx and other big, dangerous and interesting animals. But this is our last feline predator and I think we are duty bound to protect it. “There are many representatives from Scotland and the UK who are involved in conservation efforts with tigers in Asia or giant pandas in China. “If we allow the Scottish wildcat to disappear, then the Indians, the Russians, the Chinese could quite rightly turn round and say ‘Why should we bother? You didn’t.’” This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16905&cache=true " alt="Rewards ‘work like drugs’ in ADHD" class="alignleft" />
The brains of children with attention-deficit disorders respond to on-the-spot rewards in the same way as they do to medication, say scientists. A Nottingham University team measured brain activity as children played a computer game, offering extra points for less impulsive behaviour. Their findings, published in Biological Psychiatry, could mean lower doses of drugs such as Ritalin in severe cases. But they warn teachers and parents may often struggle to give instant rewards. Estimates vary, but it is believed that up to 5% of children in the UK have some form of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This can lead to behavioural problems including impulsive actions, fidgeting and poor attention span, and can affect a child’s academic and social progress. In severe cases, stimulant drugs such as Ritalin, which act on parts of the brain associated with attention and behaviour, can be given. In addition, parents are often asked to try to influence the child’s actions directly by rewarding positive behaviour and making sure that there are negative consequences if a child behaves badly. Research has suggested that, unlike in non-ADHD children, these incentives and disincentives only work well if delivered on the spot, as opposed to later in the day or week. The Nottingham team wanted to look at the effects of this “behaviour therapy” in the brain of the child. They devised a computer game in which children had to “catch” aliens of a certain colour, while avoiding aliens of a different colour. The game was designed to test the children’s ability to resist the impulse to grab the wrong sort of alien. To test whether incentives made a difference, in one variant of the game the reward for catching the right alien was increased fivefold, as was the penalty for catching the wrong one. Lower doses Activity in different parts of the brain was monitored using an electroencephalogram (EEG). They found that the incentives helped the children perform better at the game, although not to the same extent as the child’s normal dose of Ritalin. However, the EEG revealed that both were “normalising” brain activity in the same regions. Professor Chris Hollis, who led the research, said that the combination of drugs and incentives produced the best results, and might mean children with ADHD could take lower doses of drugs while maintaining control of their behaviour. He said: “Although medication and behaviour therapy appear to be two very different approaches of treating ADHD, our study suggests that both types of intervention may have much in common in terms of their effect on the brain. “Both help normalise similar components of brain function and improve performance.” However, he conceded that it might not always be practical to use behavioural therapy. “We know that children with ADHD respond disproportionately less well to delayed rewards – this could mean that in the ‘real world’ of the classroom or home, the neural effects of behavioural approaches using reinforcement and rewards may be less effective.” Andrea Bilbow, from the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (Addiss), echoed this: “It means you have to be in front of that child 24/7, and you just can’t do that – teachers and schools would have to totally change the way they deal with this.” This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16882&cache=true " alt="Davis penalty hands Furyk victory" class="alignleft" />
FINAL LEADERBOARD: -13 J Furyk* (US), B Davis (Eng) -10 B Van Pelt (US), Luke Donald (Eng) -9 K Blanks (US), C Villegas (Col), R Barnes (US), Selected others: -5 P Casey (Eng), R Karlsson (Swe), F Jacobsen (Swe) * Furyk won at first play-off hole Jim Furyk won the Verizon Heritage in bizarre circumstances after Londoner Brian Davis suffered a two-shot penalty at the first play-off hole. Davis birdied the last hole at Hilton Head Island for a 68 to finish level with the American on 13 under par. But at the first play-off hole, the Englishman told officials his club struck a reed, incurring a penalty. Furyk holed out for a par to clinch victory, with Luke Donald in a tie for third with Bo Van Pelt on 10 under. Seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, Davis sunk an 18-foot putt on the 18th to set-up the play-off with Furyk. But the same hole proved his undoing as he sent his approach on the first sudden-death hole into sand amongst rocks on the beach. Davis chipped onto the green but immediately called over a rules official because he believed his club might have made contact with a loose impediment. The officials consulted a TV replay and deemed that Davis had struck the reed on his backswing which incurred a two-shot penalty. With Furyk on the green, it effectively ended the contest. Furyk, who shot a last-round 69, putted out for his 15th PGA Tour win and second since March, earning him $1.026 million. This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16873&cache=true " alt="Torres out for rest of the season" class="alignleft" />
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery. The 26-year-old, who saw a specialist in Spain on Sunday, has been troubled by the problem for a number of weeks. A Liverpool spokesman said: “It was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee. “This will be carried out later on Sunday and, as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks.” He is now rated as a major doubt for the World Cup with Spain’s opening game against Switzerland on 16 June. Torres, who joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007, will also miss out on a meeting against his former club in the Europa League semi-finals. The Spaniard has scored 22 goals in all competitions this season, despite being beset by various injuries. He was sidelined for a month after a knee operation in January and before Christmas struggled with a groin injury. This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16877&cache=true " alt="‘Disrepute probe’ of ANC’s Malema" class="alignleft" />
The youth leader of South Africa’s ruling ANC, Julius Malema, will face a disciplinary hearing for bringing the party into disrepute, reports say. The reports in South African media say the charges are believed to include promoting racism and intolerance. Mr Malema recently embarrassed the ANC by ejecting a BBC reporter from a news briefing. He has also defied a party order to stop singing a song inciting hatred against white farmers. Mr Malema has also ignored ANC policy by publicly supporting Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. ‘Colourful insults’ Reports in South African media say the ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe, has already written to Mr Malema informing him about the charges. A disciplinary action against the youth leader is expected to be discussed at an ANC meeting on Monday and measures could reportedly range from a reprimand to expulsion. Last month, a judge convicted Julius Malema of hate speech for his comments about the woman who had accused President Jacob Zuma of rape. The Equality Court judge ordered him to make an unconditional apology and pay 50,000 rand ($6,700;
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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Parties of school children and many teachers remain stranded overseas because of volcanic ash drifting from Iceland. This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16859&cache=true " alt="Warrington land Huddersfield" class="alignleft" />
Full story to follow. Challenge Cup fifth round draw: Barrow v Hunslet Crusaders v Catalans Bradford v Leigh Halifax v Batley Harlequins v St Helens Huddersfield v Warrington/Featherstone Leeds v Blackpool Widnes/Lezignan v Wigan Ties to be played over the weekend of Saturday, 8 and Sunday, 9 May This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16871&cache=true " alt="Afghanistan frees Italy aid staff" class="alignleft" />
Afghanistan has freed three Italian aid workers held on suspicion of plotting to kill a provincial governor, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini says. The three members of the medical charity Emergency were arrested on 10 April in Helmand province. The detentions came after suicide bomb vests and weapons were discovered at a hospital run by the charity in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand. The employees had strongly denied the allegations against them. The charity had said it was confident its employees were innocent. This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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&cat=19&pid=16847&cache=true " alt="Pope meets Malta ‘abuse victims’" class="alignleft" />
Pope Benedict XVI has met alleged victims of sexual abuse by priests in Malta, saying the Church will do all in its power to punish abusers. The Pope also “expressed his shame and sorrow over what victims and their families have suffered”, a Vatican statement said. The meeting took place at the end of the pontiff’s visit to Malta. Three priests are accused of sexually abusing orphan children on Malta in the 1980s and 1990s. This article is from the BBC News website . © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
April 18, 2010 | Posted in
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