The shocking decline in birds worldwide is a disaster of humanity’s making.
Between our paved back yards and potted plants, our drained wetlands and vast areas of monoculture – there is silence.
Nearly six decades since Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring exposed the devastating effects of DDT on humans and wildlife, bird populations around the world are plummeting.
Just under half of New Zealand’s indigenous bird species are in serious trouble. Globally, more than 1300 species of birds – one in eight, reports the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – are threatened with extinction.
The German Green Party warned last year, “The situation of birds is dramatic. A ‘silent spring’ could be on the horizon.”
In France, Benoît Fontaine, conservation biologist at the National Museum of Natural History, describes the situation as “catastrophic”, adding, “Our farmland is turning into a real desert.”
In June, 232 scientists across the globe signed a petition calling for a ban on a specific family of insecticides called neo nicotinoids, citing their devastating effect on beneficial insects and their contribution to “the massive losses of global biodiver sity”. The journal Nature found a correlation between declines in some bird populations and the use of pesticides.
Indeed, the removal of insects from the food chain has seen headlines warning of “ecological Armageddon”.
This story is from the July 7 - 13 2018 edition of New Zealand Listener.
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This story is from the July 7 - 13 2018 edition of New Zealand Listener.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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