Leonardo DiCaprio praises Chester Zoo that helped the golden skiffa fish from going extinct

48-year old Leonardo DiCaprio heaped praises on Chester Zoo for preventing the golden skiffa from going extinct. Its native habitat is in Mexico and the Teuchitlan River in central-western Mexico was its only known home. These fish have not been sighted there since the 1990s. The concerted efforts of experts from Chester Zoo and Michoacan University of Mexico helped bring the species back from the dead. The zoo and the University undertook a conservation-breeding program and released 1,200 golden skiffas back into their native river. They chose the date of release to coincide with Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. Leonardo DiCaprio went to Instagram, a social media outlet, to praise Chester Zoo for its wonderful work. They helped to reintroduce a near-extinct species of fish to its native habitat in Mexico. DiCaprio, the Hollywood actor, describes himself as an environmentalist. He has been vocal on key climate summits, including the signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2016. Leonardo DiCaprio praises Chester Zoo for helping bring golden skiffa fish 'back from the dead'. The team at Chester was delighted with the endorsement and replied: "Thank you for sharing this incredible story!"

There are many reasons for the species of fish to face near extinction. Most of these are manmade – like construction of dam, extraction of water, pollution and an invasive species in their river. Paul Bamford is the regional programme manager for Latin America at Chester Zoo. He said - "This project is a great example of how zoos can contribute to conservation in the field through conservation breeding and research. By supporting freshwater conservation in Mexico and the ecosystems where the fish live, we're not only protecting biodiversity and the wellbeing of freshwater environments, but also the people and communities that live alongside them." Omar Dominguez-Dominguez is a professor and researcher from the Michoacan University of Mexico. He is leading the golden skiffia reintroduction. In his words - "Releasing the golden skiffia at this time is a metaphor for how the species has come back from the dead to return to its home, not for one night, but forever.” He adds that “universities, zoos and aquarists can come together to fix some of what has been destroyed and return to nature some of what has been lost is an amazing thing."

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Eruption of volcano in Tonga led to a plume of ash and water that went about 31 to 50 miles above the surface of the Earth

In January, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted underwater. It created a plume of ash and water that reached nearly 31 to 50 miles above the surface of the Earth. Scientists say it penetrated the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere. In fact, it was the highest-recorded volcanic plume and reached the mesosphere. At this height, meteors and meteorites usually break apart and burn up in our atmosphere. Incidentally, the mesosphere lies above the troposphere and the stratosphere and beneath two other layers. The stratosphere and mesosphere are dry atmospheric layers. The height of the volcanic plume was 35.4 miles at its highest. It broke earlier records of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines at 24.8 miles and the 1982 El Chichón eruption in Mexico at 19.2 miles. Researchers made use of satellite images over the eruption site to confirm the height of the plume. The location of the eruption was in the southern Pacific Ocean off the Tongan archipelago. This is an area covered by three geostationary weather satellites. Tonga eruption’s towering plume reached the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere.

It is possible to visualize the magnitude of the disturbance caused by the amount of water displaced. It could fill 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. This is based on previous detections from a NASA satellite. Researchers can use the height of the plume to study the impact of the eruption on the global climate. Incidentally, determining the height of the plume was a challenge to researchers. There are various algorithms to arrive at the figure. Dr. Simon Proud is the lead study coauthor. Knowledge of the composition and height of the plume can reveal how much ice went up into the stratosphere and how the ash particles scattered. The height is also critical for aviation safety because volcanic ash in the atmosphere could result in failure of the jet engine.

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Regions in Southern California faced winds of 100 mph or more. These set off alarms related to coastal flooding and mudslides. The storm system along the northern coast of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula could deliver heavy rains, flash flooding, strong winds and muggy conditions. The tropical storm Kay lay about 130 miles off the coast of San Diego. Meteorologists are surprised that the storm has managed to maintain much of its strength even as it moved into the chilly waters near California. Usually, tropical storms lose much of their punch s they move north. That is the opinion of a meteorologist of the National Weather Service in San Diego. Kay continued to produce strong gusts in Southern California. Forecasters indicated Kay was producing 2 to 4 inches of rain in the southernmost areas of California. Some isolated pockets received 6 to 8 inches. Tropical Storm Kay ‘keeps punching’ as it hits SoCal with 100-mph winds, intense rain. Heavy rains and winds of 100 mph struck the mountains in San Diego County. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the northeastern some part of the county.

Singer Alicia Keys postponed her sold-out concert at San Diego State University in view of the possibilities of foul weather. However, the game between the Dodgers and Padres took off as scheduled at Petco Park. There are dangers of flash flood in the mountains of Southern California. The warnings apply to parts of the desert. Areas near the Imperial Valley were under a flash flood warning. The intense winds led to damaged power lines and uprooted trees in San Diego County. Incidentally, it was in 1997 that Southern California last felt the effects of a tropical storm. At the time, it was Tropical Storm Nora. It led to floods, disruption of power apart from traffic crashes. There was also destruction of homes in Orange County.

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At least 29 people killed in an explosion in a fireworks market in Mexico

Tragedy struck a fireworks market in Mexico City and killed at least 29 people when an explosion ripped through the grounds. The incident occurred in the open-air San Pablito Market in Tultepec, in the State of Mexico, just outside of Mexico City.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 21 December 2016.

The blast leveled stalls and left firefighters combing through ash and charred metal. The military has also been deployed to help emergency crews get casualties to hospital by ambulance and helicopter. The Mexican Red Cross has deployed 35 ambulances and 70 volunteers.
The same market had been hit by fire in 2005 - there also hundreds of stalls were destroyed just ahead of the country's Independence Day celebrations. Moreover, the next year, hundreds of stands were destroyed in another fire. It is possible due to carelessness because many people in Mexico set off firecrackers and rockets to celebrate holidays like Christmas and New Year without bothering about dire consequences.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Hurricane Newton has struck the twin resorts of Los Cabos and residents were spared the kind of extensive damage that had been witnessed two years ago when they were walloped by a monster storm. Newton made landfall at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph. It pelted the region with torrential rain and locals remained in their homes while the tourists huddled in their hotels.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 6 September.

Trees were uprooted along Cabo San Lucas' coastal boulevard and there was calm in the city as firefighters cleaned refuse from the streets during the day. It may be recalled that in 2014, Los Cabos had suffered heavy damage to homes, shops and hotels when it was hammered by Hurricane Odile - it had hit land as a Category 3 storm.
Anyway, after making landfall Newton moved inland and its center was located about 75 miles west-northwest of La Paz, the capital of Baja California state. It was reported to be moving northeast at around 17 mph, and maximum sustained winds had decreased to 75 mph.
As per forecast, Newton could dump 8 to 12 inches of rain on Baja California Sur state with isolated maximums up to 18 inches, and heavy rains were also expected for five other states. In the opinion of forecasters, Newton could even reach the U.S. border at Arizona as a tropical storm. The hurricane center has said that Newton could dump 1 to 3 inches of rain over parts of Arizona and New Mexico with threats of flash floods and landslides.
An estimated 14,000 tourists had remained in Los Cabos as the storm approached and airlines have cancelled outbound flights.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Hurricane Earl brings with it mudslides in Mexico and kills at least 39

Mountain communities in two Mexican states have been struck by Hurricane Earl and are recovering from weekend mudslides that has taken at least 39 lives due to the heavy rains. Simultaneously, there is newly formed Tropical Storm Javier that is churning over the Pacific toward the resort-dotted southern end of the Baja California Peninsula. In the opinion of forecasters, it could also become another hurricane.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 8 August 2016.

The casualty is at least 28 people in multiple mudslides in the mountainous north of Puebla state. 25 of them were killed in different parts of the township of Huauchinango and three died in Tlaola. Gabriel Alvarado, mayor of the township of Huauchinango has, in a statement, said that the full death toll has not yet been determined but, the torrential rain has resulted in damage affecting at least 200 people.
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Tropical Storm Earl strikes Veracruz state in the coast of Mexico

Tropical Storm Earl has made landfall on the coast of Mexico's Veracruz state after gaining strength as it passed over the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center has predicted that torrential rains brought by Earl could result in flash floods and mudslide on Mexico's Gulf Coast.
This has been reported in foxnews.com dated 6 August 2016.

Earl could bring about total rainfall of eight to 12 inches and there could be isolated maximum amounts of 18 inches in some portions of the states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Puebla, Tabasco, and Campeche.
Earl had first made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Belize City but gradually worsened into a weak tropical storm as it passed over northern Guatemala. It had initially been forecast to weaken into a tropical depression. However, it regained strength as it passed over the Gulf of Mexico to become a second landfall on Mexico's coastline.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for a stretch of coastline from Roca Partido north to Tecolutla.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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This has been reported in thehindu.com dated 14 May 2016.

Results of a survey by the country’s Environment Department reveals that, as of December, there were probably only about 60 of the shy, elusive creatures left in the upper Gulf of California and this is the only place where the vaquitas are found. These species are threatened primarily by gillnet fishing for the totoaba fish - this is another endangered species in the area hunted primarily for its swim bladder which is considered a delicacy in China.
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The Atoyac River in Veracruz, Mexico, vanished overnight leaving 10,000 people without water. This river is the sole source of water for the state of Veracruz and it is believed to have disappeared into a crevice following an earthquake tremor. It is still not clear how much of the river, which crosses eight municipalities in the mountainous area of central Mexico, was affected by the suspected sinkhole.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 4 March 2016.

The crack had opened up in San Fermin and the residents claimed to have heard a loud noise and felt the whole earth trembling beneath them during the night. When they realized that the taps were not running they went to look and saw a crevice in the riverbed into which the water was vanishing instead of going its normal course.
Civil Protection officers were called out and they found that the crevice was nearly 30 metres (100ft) long. The director of Emergencies for Civil Protection has confirmed that the crevice had been caused by a 'geological fracture'. It seems these cracks open in the land and continue to open and create more cracks.
This crack starts around 1.8 miles from the source of the river and this river supplies water not only to thousands of families, but also to sugar plantations which provide livelihood to most of the locals. Emergency plans are being drawn up to solve this new and dramatic water shortage which is an act of God.


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Tiger on the loose in Acapulco, Mexico

A Royal Bengal tiger has escaped from the Mangrove Paradise zoo and restaurant area on 26 October. It is Ankor, a male tiger and the hunt is on for the tiger which has been on the run in Mexico for a month after escaping from the restaurant zoo located in the country's southern Pacific coast.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 27 November 2015.

Ever since the escape, Mexican authorities have mounted a full-scale search effort using police, soldiers and a group of 10 big cat experts. It seems the animal has been located and Mexico's environmental protection agency has used remote trip-wire cameras to film the predator.
The location is in an area of low woods dotted with marshes, reeds and stands of button mangrove west of the resort of Acapulco and the authorities are hopeful of capturing it alive soon and relocating it to a safe place.
Incidentally, soon after the escape, the owner of a ranch about a mile away from the restaurant had reported that he had found five of his cows dead and, the tiger is believed to be behind their deaths.

Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Following the Hurricane Patricia striking Mexico and heading towards Huston, heavy rains are triggering flash flood warnings and tornado watches in the US state of Texas. The hurricane, the most powerful one ever measured, was downgraded to a tropical depression. But, it could still dump up to 8 to 12 inches of rain.
This has been reported in ibnlive.com dated 25 October 2015.

A voluntary evacuation call for the Bolivar Peninsula and the closure of underwater roadways in Houston because Houston leaders have warned that the area's bayous can take care of about five additional inches and the situation was not favorable.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker has indicated that there could be localized flooding in Houston, primarily street flooding in Houston and Harris County, because of the terrain.
This rainfall was the second time in five months that severe weather has pounded Texas. In May, a series of storms had triggered floods and led to 21 deaths. That prompted President Barack Obama to declare parts of the state as disaster areas.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)


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Mexico, the land of dead bodies – 61 of them found in Acapulco crematorium

#abandoned #crematorium #mexico #acapulco #guerrero Mexico is gradually earning for itself the nickname of the ‘City of the Dead bodies’. It has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 6 February 2015 that a total of 61 bodies have been discovered in an abandoned crematorium in Acapulco, in the Mexican state of Guerrero.
It was in the same location from where students had gone missing last year.
The dead bodies came to light after people from the neighboring areas called the authorities who discovered the human remains. Forensic experts are investigating as confirmed by Spanish news agency Efe. All the bodies have been shifted and taken to the local forensic institute.
From preliminary reports it has emerged that one of the bodies belonged to that of a minor and that none of them had been mutilated. All the bodies were covered in lime to prevent stench and none of them had been burned.
It seems the foul smell of decomposing bodies resulted in the shocking discovery. The crematorium, the Cremaciones El Pacifico, had been abandoned about a year ago.
Incidentally, Acapulco is located 200-Km from Iguala, where 43 students from a teachers college had gone missing after they were rounded up by corrupt local police who then handed them over to a crime cartel. The students were subsequently murdered and their bodies were burned at a landfill site in neighboring Cocula.

Female bullfighter of Mexico City gored by a 495-Kg bull

#bullfighter #Mexico #matador Bullfighting is favorite sport of men in Spain and other parts of the world but, there are female bullfighters also. One of them, a Mexican female bullfighter, was gored by a 495-Kg bull in Mexico City.
Her name has been given as Karla de los Angeles and she has suffered injuries in a bullfight in Mexico City. It ems she was going in for the kill during the event when the bull tossed her over its head. Undeterred, she continued the fight after being attended to, but in her second attempt to kill the 495kg-animal (1,090lb), it gored her again.
As a result, she has suffered two cuts of 12cm (4.7 in) and 10cm in length to her thigh and gluteal muscles.
The bull, called Gamusino, also gored Karla’s assistant Federico Dominguez who tried to help Karla in the world's biggest bullring, Plaza Mexico. A spectator was also suffered injuries when the fourth bull of the afternoon jumped the wooden barrier surrounding the bullring.
Bullfighting is popular in Spain and, here, women were banned from performing as matadors - those who kill the bull on foot rather than from horseback - for decades under the regime of General Francisco Franco. The ban was lifted after the death of Gen Franco but the number of professional female bullfighters are few in Spain or in Latin America.