Why Britain's disappearing butterflies may be early victims of the 6th....

[Oggy]

mass extinction. From the Independent:-

"A milestone study of British birds, butterflies and wild flowers has revealed the strongest evidence yet that we are on the verge of a mass extinction of global wildlife - the sixth mass extinction in the history of life on Earth.

Scientists have accumulated the most detailed data to date indicating that human activity is systematically stripping the planet of its rich biodiversity.

Nearly a third of native British plants have significantly decreased in 40 years, more than half of native birds have declined in just two decades and nearly three-quarters of British butterflies have fallen in numbers in 20 years."

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More at :-

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=502762
and
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040318/325/eoxa8.html


As if we had not known this for some time. All the evidence around makes the Earth look like a much lonelier place in the future.