The livestock and pasture management sector is currently facing several challenges, including rising operational expenditures and labor shortages, compounded by the demand for sustainable, efficient food production. The pressures they face require a radical transformation driven by technological expansion. These combined factors strain traditional farming methods, making technological adoption a matter of survival. 

Autonomous systems have emerged as a solution, changing the agricultural landscape through unprecedented precision and insight. From intelligent herd tracking to automated land care, the equipment is unlocking new possibilities in agriculture. 

The New Era of Agricultural Automation

The adoption of agricultural automation marks a transition from strictly mechanical labor to data-driven farming, backed by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the Internet of Things. It is not merely about the emergence of new gadgets but a necessary response to global pressures for food security and sustainability. 

The approach utilizes a wave of technological innovation, including aerial drones, sophisticated robotics and analytics, to gather and interpret information with precision. For example, sensors and global positioning systems (GPS) collect data on animal health and land conditions. 

The information undergoes processing by computer vision and AI algorithms before delivering actionable insights. Ranchers can then improve resource, husbandry and operational management before more critical issues arise.  

Intelligent Monitoring for Superior Livestock Health

According to experts, the global livestock monitoring market is growing exponentially, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.82% from 2026 to 2033. 

One company, Advantech Co. Ltd., developed a system that uses AI and infrared vision to measure cattle’s body temperature as part of daily health screenings. The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has also designed sensors to observe livestock behavior, productivity, environmental impacts, and physical and mental well-being. 

The platforms process data from camera networks and sensors worn by the animals, including devices like GPS, thermometers and accelerometers. Ranchers can establish a baseline for each animal and monitor changes over time. For instance, the systems might send an alert if they detect abnormalities, such as illness or distress. 

Receiving a warning about potential disease helps farmers intervene early on, providing rapid treatment that prevents the rest of the herd from falling ill. Overall, the proactive approach reduces economic losses from disease outbreaks and the high labor costs associated with manual assessments. 

Optimizing Pastures with Autonomous Ground and Air Systems

On the ground, robotic mowers maintain pasture quality, mitigate invasive weeds and ensure optimal vegetation for grazing animals. Their operational performance typically covers 1 to 3 acres per hour, depending on the terrain. Implementing this technology can dramatically reduce labor costs and boost worker safety by eliminating the need for manual machine functions.

Complementing these efforts, autonomous drones enable more precise and effective field mapping and surveying, crop and animal monitoring, disease detection, and fertilizer and pesticide applications. Farmers who grow high-rise date palms and walnut trees might use drones for pollination, which is a labor-intensive task. 

The multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles cover 4 to 20 hectares per hour or about 30 to 150 hectares a day. For spraying, they usually come equipped with liquid tanks holding 5 to 50 liters. The targeted application decreases chemical waste and environmental impacts. 

Farmers also reap a financial benefit. With an initial investment of $40,000 to $50,000, drones help growers recoup costs in just four to six weeks, making it a profitable and validating system for modern pasture management. 

Integrating Autonomous Systems for Long-Term ROI

Those interested in integrating autonomous systems must carefully consider the return on investment. Although up-front costs often present a financial barrier, the long-term economic and operational benefits usually outweigh the initial price tag. 

Ranchers can reduce labor hours and input costs for feed and treatments by employing data-driven decision-making to improve animal welfare and land productivity. Still, initial investments in these technologies often make them out of reach for many professionals.

Purchasing a GPS tracker for every cow might be unaffordable and impractical, depending on the herd’s size. Fortunately, industry innovations are helping overcome the financial barriers as researchers develop less expensive solutions. 

Researchers developed a method for fitting GPS collars to select animals and tagging the rest with low-cost Bluetooth devices. The collars, which connected to the Sigfox network, enabled cost-effective tracking while delivering essential information about the herd. 

The decision to invest in autonomous systems hinges on the unique needs of individual operations. Fortunately, these solutions are often scalable, so farmers can target the areas where automation will benefit them most. This allows them to phase implementation in a manner they can afford and still attain significant long-term returns. 

The Future of Farming is Autonomous

Autonomous developments have proven practical and accessible for modern livestock and pasture management operations, addressing some of the more pressing challenges today’s farmers face. Although the tools require an initial investment, professionals cannot deny the economic benefits of embracing the technology. As the equipment continues to evolve, it will become increasingly necessary for secure and sustainable farming.

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Remember PETA? The group of animal activists that threw paint on fancy women wearing fur to shame them out of fox stoles and mink?

The same animal rights group – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – is once again finding targets for animal abuse and this time it’s H&M. PETA sent Green Prophet a press release that they are filing a shareholder resolution that asks the fashion giant to reinstate a ban on mohair, the fiber made from Angora goat hair.

“H&M can’t claim to care about animals while supporting the mohair industry, which mutilates, whips, and drags terrified goats to their deaths,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “The only humane materials are vegan, and PETA is calling on H&M to ban mohair immediately.”  

The move follows a new investigation by PETA Asia, which the group says shows goats being beaten, cut and left injured at farms certified under the Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS), a certification system meant to ensure animal welfare in the supply chain. According to PETA, one of the farms investigated supplies fiber through BKB, one of the world’s largest mohair exporters and a partner to global apparel brands.

The dispute highlights a familiar cycle in the fashion industry. In 2018, H&M suspended the use of mohair after reviewing earlier undercover footage from farms in South Africa that appeared to show rough shearing practices and the slaughter of goats. The company later reintroduced mohair in 2020, saying it would only source the fiber from farms certified under the Responsible Mohair Standard.

“I struggle to understand the contradiction of PETA,” says Alexander Smith, the Founder of Alexander Night, London College of Fashion Bespoke, “they seem to go hard on animal welfare yet they give their PETA certificate to brands who use vegan (plastic) leather, polyester and other synthetic materials that in my opinion cause more harm to animals than the leather and fur industry because they harm every single life form on the planet and will continue to do so for the 100+ years they’re on it.”

PETA argues the certification does not adequately protect animals and is now using shareholder activism to push the issue back onto the company’s agenda. Shareholder resolutions are a tactic increasingly used by environmental and social campaigners to force companies to address ethical concerns at annual meetings.

Peta showed “12 South African farms that revealed goat kids crying out in fear as they were roughly handled and shorn, and a worker slowly cutting the throats of fully conscious goats with a dull knife and then breaking their necks.”

Mohair has long been prized by fashion brands for its soft, glossy fibers used in sweaters, scarves and luxury knits. But it has also become a target for animal welfare campaigns.

According to PETA, nearly 300 fashion retailers have banned mohair in recent years following investigations into the industry. Those companies include Zara, Gap, Banana Republic, UNIQLO and Ralph Lauren, among others.

The question is whether campaigns like this still carry the same influence they once did. In the late 2010s, PETA investigations helped push several fashion houses away from fur, angora wool and exotic skins, accelerating the rise of plant-based textiles and synthetic alternatives.

Today the debate is shifting toward sustainable materials, circular fashion and lower-carbon textiles, where animal welfare is only one piece of a larger environmental conversation.

If you want to shop sustainable fibers, try my favorite sweater maker babaa. I own 3 sweaters. Look for mohair in second hand shops or your grandma’s closet.  Want to get involved? Download this animal empathy kit and share it with your friends.

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Known as a biodiversity indicator species, local experts say it’s too early to stop protecting these important birds

National surveys carried out since 2021 by the Seychelles Ministry responsible for the Environment and the NGO Island Conservation Society (ICS) have documented sharp declines in Sooty Tern populations throughout the country. At monitored breeding colonies, numbers have dropped by an average of about 70 percent, while some sites have recorded declines exceeding 90 percent. Overall, the national population is now estimated to be roughly one third of its size 25 years ago. On several islands, including Aride Island, African Banks and Etoile, colonies are now nearing local extinction.

In response to these findings, ICS recommended introducing a ten-year suspension of egg harvesting. A two-year moratorium was first implemented in 2021, followed by a second two-year extension in May 2024.

“It is still too soon to assess the impact of these measures,” Adrian Skerrett, Chair of ICS tells Green Prophet. “Sooty Terns generally do not begin breeding until they are five to seven years old. Any recovery linked to reduced harvesting pressure will only become visible when birds hatched during the moratorium survive to adulthood and return to breed.”

For that reason, the 2025 national census report produced by ICS recommended extending the ban to allow birds protected as eggs and chicks to mature and join the breeding population.

“Without continued protection,” Skerrett explained, “it will be impossible to determine whether reducing harvesting pressure can stabilise or help rebuild national populations.”

Seychelles has long highlighted its environmental credentials, which made the government’s recent decision particularly unexpected. Despite the growing body of scientific evidence documenting population declines, the Cabinet approved the resumption of egg harvesting in 2026.

“This decision is deeply concerning,” said Skerrett. “The survey data collected jointly by ICS and the Ministry responsible for the Environment provide clear scientific evidence of steep declines in Sooty Tern numbers. Restarting egg harvesting at this point disregards that evidence and represents a troubling step backwards.”

Skerrett emphasised that Sooty Terns are important indicators of ocean health.

“These birds provide valuable signals about the state of the marine environment,” he said. “Their breeding success reflects ocean productivity and the availability of fish. When colonies begin to fail, it often points to wider environmental pressures.”

He added that the species plays an important ecological role beyond its intrinsic conservation value.

“Sooty Terns are far more than just another seabird. They serve as a key indicator of marine ecosystem health. Their breeding success is closely linked to ocean productivity and prey availability, both of which are increasingly affected by commercial fishing, climate change, habitat degradation and declining fish stocks. At several colonies we are already observing worrying signs, including chick starvation and widespread breeding failure, suggesting that food shortages are beginning to affect the population.”

Although Sooty Terns sometimes lay replacement eggs after their original eggs are harvested, research shows that these replacement clutches rarely result in fledged chicks.

“The fact that Sooty Terns can lay again after eggs are removed has often been used to justify harvesting,” Skerrett noted. “But scientific studies show that these replacement eggs rarely produce chicks that survive to fledge. As a result, the apparent resilience of the species can be misleading.”

According to ICS, the magnitude of the population decline means that a prolonged period without harvesting is essential if the species is to recover.

“Our recommendation was clear,” said Skerrett. “Given the scale of the decline, the species requires an extended period free from harvesting if populations are to rebuild. Restarting egg collection now represents a significant reversal and is difficult to reconcile with the available scientific evidence.”

In many parts of the world, wildlife exploitation is driven by the need for food or income. Historically, that was also true in Seychelles. Today, however, the country’s economic circumstances are very different. In 2015, Seychelles became the only sub-Saharan African country classified by the World Bank as a high-income nation.

“Egg harvesting was once closely tied to subsistence and food security,” Skerrett said. “Today it is far less a necessity and increasingly a matter of choice. That makes it even more important that decisions are guided by science and long-term conservation priorities.”

The life history of Sooty Terns also means that population recovery takes time. Birds typically do not begin breeding until around six years of age, and younger adults often require several attempts before successfully raising chicks.

“That slow life cycle means population recovery depends on long-term stability and protection,” Skerrett explained. “A sustained ban would allow colonies time to rebuild, while also improving our understanding of national population trends and reducing the risk that illegally harvested eggs enter the market.”

The moratorium introduced in 2021, together with the National Sooty Tern Census Programme led by the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources in partnership with ICS and the Islands Development Company, represented an important step in improving knowledge of the species’ status. Although some colonies have shown modest short-term increases, these gains remain small when compared with the significant long-term declines recorded at most sites.

At the same time, conservationists warn that stronger enforcement is urgently needed. Despite the country’s strong conservation laws, illegal egg harvesting continues at several protected sites, including Aride, Île aux Récifs and Bancs Africains. Monitoring of legal quotas has also been limited, and enforcement actions remain rare.

Related: Song bird poaching in Cyprus

“Legislation is only effective when it is properly enforced,” Skerrett said. “Without consistent monitoring and enforcement, regulations cannot deliver the conservation outcomes they were designed to achieve.”

A scientific study published in 2024 further strengthened the case for continued protection. The research concluded that egg harvesting has already contributed significantly to the decline of Sooty Tern populations and warned that continued harvesting could lead to further, and potentially severe, population reductions. The study also found that even relatively low harvesting levels, around 10 percent of the population, are unlikely to halt the ongoing decline.

“This research clearly shows that recent harvesting levels are not sustainable,” Skerrett said. “The modelling indicates that only long-term scenarios without harvesting offer a realistic chance for the population to recover.”

Given the evidence currently available, Skerrett said there is no scientific basis for restarting egg harvesting at this time.

“Extending the ban would represent a cautious and responsible approach, allowing seabird populations time to recover while research continues into the broader environmental pressures affecting them across the region,” he said. “At the same time, when clear scientific evidence indicates a serious conservation concern, it is important that policy decisions reflect that evidence. Failing to do so risks undermining the credibility of the country’s stated commitment to conservation.”

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The internet runs on video, and people are addicted to doom scrolling. What if you had the power to turn nonsense into meaning? A short clip filmed on an iphone can circle the planet in minutes, inspiring millions to save animals abandoned in Dubai, or they can spread panic. For environmental storytellers and citizen journalists this is powerful territory and there is a lesson to be learned. You know that a video you create can expose oil pollution in a river, highlight a desert farm growing food with almost no water, or introduce a new climate technology that runs on air and that most people have never heard about.

Environmental creators are in a unique position because many of the stories worth telling are happening outside: in deserts, forests, coastlines and cities adapting to climate change. These stories deserve attention, but they should also be filmed responsibly.

The first rule of sustainable video production is surprisingly simple: film local, and use your travel opportunities to take footage from new places. You might not use it today, but it can be your B-roll or inspiration for tomorrow. Flying a production team halfway around the world for a short clip carries a large carbon footprint and content creators don’t need to do this anymore. You can write a film, direct a film narrate and edit a film, all with tools that are within reach.

Online video editor tools can help simplify this process. Platforms such as Clideo allow creators to trim clips, resize videos and compress large files so they are easier to share online. This reduces storage requirements and speeds up publishing while maintaining quality. Mobile creators can also edit footage directly on their phones using the Clideo Video Editor, which removes the need for large desktop editing systems.

And the most compelling sustainability stories are those happening locally and which affect you personally. A water reuse project in your city, a community compost initiative, regenerative agriculture, a rooftop farm, or a new solar installation can all make powerful visual stories without the need for heavy travel, and chances are you can get interviews with the main players, because some of them might be your friends and family.

Natural lighting is another sustainability trick filmmakers have used for decades. The sun provides beautiful lighting conditions that often look more authentic than studio lights while reducing energy use. Planning your shots before filming also reduces wasted footage and unnecessary battery use.

Creators filming in nature should follow ethical guidelines as well. Wildlife should never be disturbed or baited for dramatic footage. Sensitive ecosystems like nesting areas, coral reefs or desert habitats should be treated with care and not walked upon. The goal of environmental storytelling is to protect these special places, not damage them for a shot.
Another hidden environmental impact of video comes after filming, during editing and distribution.

Massive video files require storage and processing across data centers that consume enormous energy. As global video streaming grows, the digital infrastructure supporting it grows as well. Creators can reduce their digital footprint by compressing video files, trimming unused footage and exporting videos at the appropriate resolution for the platform they are using. Not every clip needs to be uploaded in ultra-high resolution.
Beyond the technical side of filming and editing lies the deeper question: what kind of stories should we tell?

The most effective sustainability videos focus on solutions rather than despair. Audiences are more likely to engage with stories that show innovation, creativity and possibility. Instead of only documenting pollution, animal abuse, or environmental collapse, creators can highlight projects restoring wetlands, entrepreneurs building circular economy businesses, or architects designing buildings that stay cool in desert climates without air conditioning.

Even small stories matter. A beekeeper protecting pollinators, a school teaching kids about compost, or a startup turning food waste into fertilizer can inspire others to act. Yes, the internet rewards sensational content, but sustainable storytelling rewards thoughtful content and it creates good vibes that are often noticed.. Videos that educate people about water conservation, renewable energy or biodiversity often travel further than expected because viewers recognize their value.

Creators who want to influence people for good should also think carefully about tone. Environmental storytelling does not need to lecture or shame audiences. It can invite curiosity instead. A well-filmed two-minute video explaining how mangrove forests protect coastlines or how desert architecture cools buildings naturally can spark deeper conversations. Consider that your audience is just as smart as you, maybe even smarter.
Ultimately sustainable video production is about intention.

Before posting, creators can ask themselves a few simple questions. Does this video help people understand the world better? Does it respect the people and places being filmed? Could sharing it put someone at risk?

When the answers are thoughtful, video becomes more than content. It becomes a tool for education, environmental awareness and positive influence and this is the kind of storytelling the internet needs much more of.

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War and conflict makes people do things they don’t like. In some cases, and it’s not the best solution, loved pets are abandoned when people need to vacate a country or region due to conflict and war. When Israel disengaged from Gaza 20 years ago, a large number of pets were left behind. Same is true now in Dubai, where influencers have left dogs and cats to fend for themselves. Iranian missiles are targeting the UAE and people are trying to leave. It’s difficult getting out with pets, so they remain.

The city of Dubai has taken a step to protect the pets and have created a smart feeding station for cats. While it’s cold and not excessively dry in the UAE right now, cities like Dubai are not know for their cat street culture, unlike Istanbul and Tel Aviv.

According to municipality rules in Dubai is not permitted to feed stray animals, with fines of around AED 500 given for unauthorized feeding in public or residential areas to manage population and hygiene.

Instead, Dubai Municipality has set up 12 AI-powered “Ehsan Stations” to safely and officially feed strays. The city also officially supports Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. 

Dr. Naseem Mohammed Rafee, Acting CEO of the Environment, Health and Safety Agency at Dubai Municipality, said: “The launch of ‘Ehsan Stations’ for feeding stray animals, including cats and others, reflects Dubai Municipality’s commitment to promoting humane and civilised values across the emirate, foremost among them compassion and animal welfare.

“The initiative also supports efforts to preserve ecological balance and advance sustainable practices that reinforce Dubai’s position as one of the world’s most attractive, progressive, and liveable cities.

“Through these stations, Dubai Municipality is introducing an innovative approach that  combines provision of food with more effective management of stray animal populations, while also addressing random feeding practices that can lead to environmental, health, and community-related challenges.”

Now what about the dogs being abandoned? And can the owners be found and fined? You can file a report through this link.

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In the desert culture of Oman, camels are more than a transport system, camels are status, heritage, used for health products – especially their milk, and sometimes camels are beauty queens. But at this year’s 2026 Camel Beauty Show Festival in Al Musanaa in Oman, judges had to disqualify some of the contestants for the enhancements used to look their best.

Some 20 camels were disqualified by contest inspectors who found cosmetic enhancements used on the camels including Botox, dermal fillers, hyaluronic acid injections, and silicone used to inflate humps or alter facial features or the skin on the camels neck. Maybe one day the same beauty standards will be applied to women who undergo insane procedures to enhance their looks.

Related: the benefits of camel milk

We wrote about Botox on camels in 2018 at Saudi Arabian festivals and the practice hasn’t stopped. Camel beauty competitions judge animals on a variety of measures such as coat shine, neck strength, head shape and the size and symmetry of their humps. Winning camels, and those with the longest lashes and fullest lips, can increase their value by the thousands when used in breeding markets.

Festival organizers say they are starting to take a serious stance and are cracking down on beauty forgery and use X-rays and scans to see what Botox can’t hide: the beauty under the skin.

The stakes for beautiful camels are high. Some camels can fetch millions of dollars in prizes, including pageants at the Saudi Arabian King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, where similar cosmetic cheating has led to disqualifications in past years.

Festival organizers have said they are working to halt “all acts of tampering and deception in the beautification of camels,” adding that they would impose “strict penalties on manipulators” going forward.

Veterinarians and animal-welfare advocates warn that injecting camels with cosmetic substances can cause pain, infection and long-term health complications. In some cases the animal body parts are plumped by elastic bands that restrict blood flow and which can cause animal suffering and pain.

In Saudi Arabian camel contests that fetch prizes worth $60 million USD, owners are also required to swear on the Quran that they are telling the truth about camel appearance and ownership. Judges report that this is proving to be the best tactic to weed out cheaters.

In the desert, it seems even camels are not immune to the global pressure to look perfect. What’s worse is it’s a form of animal abuse, and such critiques should be passed on to people choosing wives, even if you don’t have to trade a certain number of camels to get one.

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Every spring and autumn billions of animals cross borders without passports, navigating oceans, skies and continents along routes older than human civilization. Millions of birds fly from Africa to Europe along the Great Syrian Rift and risk getting shot by owl hunters in Jordan who see them as superstitious and negative omans. Or songbirds turn into a pickled dish Cyprus. Sea turtles, dolphins and sharks are getting eaten in Gaza. Can you blame them?

With larger, land-bound animals human encroachment and Middle East warns make it more troubling for the survival of migratory animals on land, air and at sea. A new United Nations report released this week warns that the situation is getting worse, not better. Some of the causes for concern are poisonings, illegal fishing, and wind turbines.

Over the years we have reported on a Kuwaiti posing with dead wolves, the massacre of 12 flamingoes as well as thousands of endangered fruit bats which were gunned down in Lebanon. Whats more, despite laws to ban the ownership of exotic animals in the Gulf, we wouldn’t be surprised to see more pet cheetahs being paraded around.

According to the interim update to the State of the World’s Migratory Species, prepared under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), 49 percent of migratory species populations protected under the treaty are now declining, up from 44 percent only two years ago. At the same time, 24 percent of listed migratory species now face extinction risk, a two-percent increase since the last assessment.

The findings arrive just weeks before governments gather in Brazil for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the treaty, where conservation policies for migratory wildlife will be debated. The numbers matter, say UN officials, because migratory animals do more than travel. They also swoop in and pollinate plants, transport nutrients between ecosystems, regulate pests which are local and seasonal, and help store carbon in forests and oceans.

“The first global report was a wake-up call,” said Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of CMS. “This interim update shows that the alarm is still sounding. Some species are responding to concerted conservation action, but too many continue to face mounting pressures across their migratory routes.”

Twenty-six species protected under the treaty have moved into higher extinction risk categories since the previous report. Among them are 18 migratory shorebird species, which rely on fragile coastal habitats that are increasingly lost to development, climate change and pollution.

Is there hope? Seven CMS-listed species have improved in conservation status thanks to coordinated international protection efforts, including the saiga antelope, the scimitar-horned oryx, and the Mediterranean monk seal, a marine mammal that once hovered near extinction.

Scientists have also made progress mapping the invisible highways animals follow across the planet. And some countries like Canada and Israel have built land bridges over highways so migratory species such as deer and moose can cross dangerous roads. We crossed under such bridges last summer in Canada.

Initiatives such as the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration, the Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) system, and BirdLife International’s work identifying six major marine bird flyways are helping conservation planners understand how species move across landscapes and oceans. The report can be found here.

Still, many of the places these animals depend on remain unprotected. Researchers identified 9,372 Key Biodiversity Areas important for migratory species, yet 47 percent of the area they cover lies outside protected or conserved zones.

Two threats dominate the global picture: overexploitation of wildlife and the loss or fragmentation of habitats, which disrupt migration routes that may span thousands of miles.

“If we intervene only at the point of crisis, we risk acting too late,” Fraenkel said. “By strengthening governance, monitoring, legislation and community engagement upstream, we can reduce pressure on these remarkable animals and put them on the path to lasting recovery.”

Mediterranean and Middle East waters are a hotspot for threatened sharks

The report confirms that extinction risk for sharks and rays has risen sharply in several regions including the Mediterranean Sea and the Northern Indian Ocean.

• Populations of sharks and rays have declined by roughly 50% globally since 1970.

• Overfishing and bycatch are the main causes.

• Species such as the Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) are now Critically Endangered.

• The Angelshark (Squatina squatina), once widespread in the Mediterranean, is now fragmented due to overexploitation.

These trends matter for countries around the Mediterranean basin including Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Greece, where coastal habitat loss and fishing pressure are major issues.

Migratory birds in the Middle East

According to the report:

• 53% of raptor species monitored in the African-Eurasian region are declining.

• Major threats include:

  • habitat loss

  • illegal hunting

  • poisoning

  • collisions with power lines and energy infrastructure.

The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis), which migrates through the Middle East from Central Asia to Africa, is now globally Endangered. The report notes that energy infrastructure — power lines and wind installations — is a significant cause of mortality for migratory raptors.

The upcoming COP15 meeting in Campo Grande, Brazil will test whether governments are ready to respond. Have the report ready to send to your local: “We have a baseline. We have better tools. And we have growing public awareness,” Fraenkel said. “The question before governments at COP15 is straightforward: will we match this knowledge with the political will and investment needed to secure the future of the world’s migratory species?”

For more on animal rights abuses in the Middle East see:

Kuwaiti Man Kills Wolf and Then Shows Off

Gulf Country Completely Bans Ownership of Wild Animals

Kuwaitis Use Shotgun to Kill 12 Flamingoes

Jordan’s Gray Wolves Are Hunted, Poisoned and Run Over

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A large sperm whale has washed ashore on Zikim Beach in southern Israel, marking only the eighth documented case of its kind along the country’s Mediterranean coast since monitoring began.

The carcass was reported Tuesday morning within the Shikma Marine Nature Reserve near the Gaza-adjacent shoreline. Israeli marine authorities confirmed the animal as a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), the world’s largest toothed predator.

According to Hebrew-language press reports, marine inspector Evyatar Ben-Avi of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority received the initial alert. Researchers from Israel’s Dolphin and Sea Center were dispatched to assess the site.

“Since research began in Israel, eight sperm whale carcasses have been recorded along the country’s coasts (including the one discovered this morning),” said Dr. Mia Elser of the NGO.

The Mediterranean population of sperm whales is considered genetically distinct and far smaller than its Atlantic relatives. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the Mediterranean group as Endangered in 2021, with estimates suggesting only 250 to 2,500 individuals remain, and declining. Recent videos and photographs from Gaza, also near to the sperm whale sighting, has shown that Palestinians are catching dolphins, sharks and endangered sea turtles for food.

“The Mediterranean sperm whale population is genetically isolated from Atlantic whales. It even has its own characteristic clicking pattern,” said Dr. Aviad Scheinin, director of the Dolphin and Sea Center at the Morris Kahn Marine Research Station to local media.

Scientists say deep-diving sperm whales face a unique set of threats in the region: drifting swordfish and tuna nets that entangle whales as bycatch, seismic surveys for offshore gas exploration that disrupt their acoustic navigation, constant conflict and plastic waste that accumulates in the deep-sea food chain.

For readers of Green Prophet, the image is sadly familiar: a giant of the deep arriving silently at shore, carrying the invisible pressures of modern seas. Each stranding is both a biological record and an ecological warning, from a population already on the edge.

Listen to the first ever recorded humpback whale voice here.

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Some moments define an era: the Moon landing, 9/11. For the natural world, a new milestone has surfaced from the ocean’s past, the oldest known recording of a humpback whale. Listen to the historic recoding played over a modern video of whales, above.

Scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), one of the world’s leading marine research centers, have uncovered a recording captured on March 7, 1949, near Bermuda.

The sound was preserved on a fragile but remarkably intact audograph disc found in the institute’s archives. At the time, researchers aboard the research vessel Atlantis were testing sonar systems, measuring explosive charges, and conducting acoustic experiments in collaboration with the US Office of Naval Research.

Underwater recording technology was then in its infancy, and scientists still struggled to identify the sources of many ocean sounds.

Around that same period, WHOI scientist William Schevill and his wife Barbara Lawrence — a pioneering mammalogist — were laying the foundations of marine mammal bioacoustics. In 1949 they used a crude hydrophone and dictating machine to record beluga whales from a small boat in Canada’s Saguenay River, the first confirmed recording of wild marine mammals. Many recordings from the late 1940s were poorly preserved or lost, reflecting how early ocean acoustics research struggled with both technology and storage.

“Data from this time period simply don’t exist in most cases,” said Laela Sayigh, a marine bioacoustician and senior research specialist at WHOI. “The ocean is much louder now, with increases in both the number and types of sound sources. This recording can provide insight into how humpback whale sounds have changed over time, and serve as a baseline for measuring how human activity shapes the ocean soundscape.”

Today, WHOI scientists deploy passive acoustic buoys, Slocum gliders, and autonomous hydrophones to monitor ocean soundscapes at scale. These systems generate vast datasets used to study marine life, track ship noise and industrial impacts, and understand long-term environmental change.

The WHOI-led Robots4Whales program focuses specifically on protecting marine mammals using autonomous ocean robots equipped with the Digital Acoustic Monitoring Instrument (DMON). These systems detect whale calls in real time by tracking frequency changes in sound — producing “pitch tracks” from spectrograms that can be matched to known species libraries and transmitted ashore via satellite.

“Underwater sound recordings are a powerful tool for understanding and protecting vulnerable whale populations,” said marine bioacoustician Peter Tyack, emeritus research scholar at WHOI. “By listening to the ocean, we can detect whales where they cannot easily be seen. At the same time, these acoustic tools let us track how human activity — from shipping to industrial noise — alters the ocean soundscape and affects how whales communicate, navigate, and survive.”

Unlike most recordings from this era, which were lost as early media deteriorated, the audograph discs survived and appear to have been uniquely used for underwater sound — making them a rare, possibly singular example of early ocean listening preserved from the dawn of marine acoustics.

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Between 1840 and 1907, tens of thousands of one-humped dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) were imported into Australia to help with inland transport and exploration. Estimates range from about 10,000 to 20,000 animals brought into the country in that period.

The very first camel brought into Australia arrived in 1840, shipped from the Canary Islands; only one of that small group survived the voyage. This camel was named Harry.

But over the years the camel population grew to a point where they have become a nuisance. Australia is home to the world’s biggest feral camel population to the point they are considered a pest. There about one million roaming in the outback, damaging ecosystems.

To ease the burden, some countries are happy to take camels, as in this flight of camels headed on a plane to Saudi Arabia.

Quick facts about camels:

Camels are choking and dying from plastics in Dubai

Camel milk is considered superior to cow milk for many reasons. Here are 6.

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