They are known as the common violet snail, Janthina janthina, but to me they seemed anything but common – like fragile jewels on the sandy bed.
Carefree and idyllic, Norfolk Island is the perfect place for a childhood that is rarely found elsewhere in the world today. Written about my daughters Libby and Annie’s experiences growing up, and illustrated by Annie, they spent some of their formative years on Norfolk Island living an enviable, unique, carefree life that is rarely found today.
From critically endangered to being declared extinct, then back again – the fate of Norfolk Island’s morepork owls hangs in the balance. But now there is some great news – with the dedication and care of researchers and Parks Australia – it can be revealed that two chicks successfully fledged in the 2019–2020 breeding season.
On Norfolk Island, the bullet-proof among us have demonstrated a cavalier attitude to a simple request to step up and self-isolate during this coronavirus, covid-19, pandemic. Even with non-stop media explaining the nuances of herd immunity, and banging on about self-isolation, social distancing and cough etiquette, sadly some still choose not to ‘get it’. It is more important that they can party, see their mates, and maintain ‘business as usual’.
We have a robust and healthy population of sparrows on Norfolk Island, not living in the woodland areas of our national park, but right next to us, dwelling comfortably near our homes. Around the world, people have become alarmed about the decline in the sparrow populations . World Sparrow Day highlights the sparrows’ decreasing numbers and the state of our urban environments.
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