Environment

‘Rogue’ paddleboarders and kayakers threaten seabird sanctuary

A bird sanctuary island in Northumberland, home to Britain’s rarest nesting seabird, is being threatened by an influx of “rogue” paddleboarders and kayakers who are causing major disturbances.

Dr Paul Morrison, the site manager of Coquet Island, said in his 37 years in the job he had seen a lot of changes, but “this is one of the most serious ones”.

“We’ve had a season of disturbance. There’s paddleboards everywhere. And some of these kayak groups are there nearly every day, and constant disturbance could mean the birds don’t settle, or they abandon their eggs, or the eggs go cold,” he said.

“We’re having to take action against them. We guard the island 24/7, we’ve got a very sophisticated police-recommended security system. But there are one or two that either don’t know, or disregard the law and push their luck.

“We’ve been trying to get the message out, but there’s still a rogue element which doesn’t respect the birds.”

Coquet Island is home to the UK’s only roseate tern breeding colony as well as about 30,000 pairs of puffins and 1,400 pairs of arctic terns. There were as few as 16 breeding pairs of roseate terns in the UK in the 1970s, a number which has risen to more than 100 thanks to conservation efforts.

In 1979 Coquet Island became a designated sanctuary, meaning it is protected from disturbance and landings all year round, and breaching these rules is illegal.

“The police have made it clear to us that it’s not just an offence for [intruders], it’s an offence for us if we don’t intervene and do something about the disturbance,” Morrison said. “At one time it was just egg thieves, that was bad enough, but now it’s twofold – we’ve got egg thieves and disturbance.”

Morrison said they are trying to ensure kayakers and paddleboarders don’t come closer than 20 metres to the island, and said disturbing birds on the beach can cause a “second wave” response where nesting birds also fly away.

“Obviously after Covid a lot of people have just taken to the waters because they want to have a little bit more freedom, but they need to respect the island,” he said.

Environment

NEMA warns against bush burning in Harmattan period

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned members of the public against bush burning during the harmattan period to avoid the destruction of property and loss of life.

DAILY POST reports that the NEMA Head of Operations, Edo Office, Ojuedene Kenoma, gave the warning at the training of officials of local governments and volunteers in Edo State on disaster prevention, response, and control measures.

Kenoma said the training was aimed at strengthening disaster preparedness, response, and recovery at the grassroots level.

He opined that disasters such as tanker accidents, fire outbreaks, or other emergencies do not wait for the opportune moment.

“It is essential that “we foster a culture of preparedness, awareness, and response across every level of society, especially at the grassroots level.”

“This workshop is a critical step toward empowering our communities with the knowledge and tools they need to respond to disasters.”

“By training and mobilising volunteers within these communities, our Director-General Zubaida Umar is building a network of emergency responders who can take swift and effective action when emergencies arise.”

“The workshop is aimed at raising public awareness, particularly around the high risks associated with tanker accidents and fire outbreaks, both of which present significant challenges in Edo State,” he said.

He further explained that NEMA is taking disaster management to the grassroots by training local government officials and volunteers at the grassroots level.

He added that the agency expects the participants to cascade the training down to the grassroots and sensitise the local population on how to prevent and respond to fire incidents.

One of the resource persons, Superintendent Asimu Sumaila, in his lecture that safety is everybody’s responsibility and that the knowledge of fire one has determines the chance of survival when it happens.

Sumaila explained that 80 per cent of fire incidents happen as a result of carelessness and negligence by individuals.

He said that in fighting fire disasters, one has to know the right solution to use, as using the wrong solution can create more problems.

He stated that the solution to extinguish ordinary fire is different from PMS (petrol) fire.

“Most people leave their houses without removing appliances from the socket or turning them off, and while burning refuse, people will not be there to control it. The embers from that fire can flow in different directions and ignite fires elsewhere,” he said.

He, however, cautioned the people against leaving their appliances on when leaving home and against bush burning, especially near residential areas, as it can destroy houses and result in loss of lives.

Environment

NiMet forecasts 3-day sunshine and dust haze

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted weather conditions featuring sunshine, dust haze, and isolated thunderstorms across the country from Monday to Wednesday.

In its weather outlook, NiMet predicted slight dust haze for the northern region on Monday, with localized visibility expected to range from 2 to 5 kilometers throughout the day.

The North Central region is expected to experience sunny skies with a hazy atmosphere, while the southern region will see sunny skies with patches of clouds. Thunderstorms and light rains are anticipated in parts of Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states during the afternoon and evening hours.

On Tuesday, November 26, moderate dust haze is forecasted for the northern region, with localized visibility potentially dropping below 1,000 meters. Slight dust haze is expected in the North Central region, while the southern region is likely to experience sunny skies with scattered clouds. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms, accompanied by light rains, are expected in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

NiMet’s outlook for Wednesday, November 27, indicates continued moderate dust haze in the northern region, with localized visibility below 1,000 meters. The North Central region will experience slight dust haze, with visibility between 2 to 5 kilometers. The southern region is forecasted to have sunny skies with patches of clouds and potential thunderstorms with light rains in parts of Rivers, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states.

The agency cautioned the public about suspended dust particles and advised individuals with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, to take precautions during this period.

NiMet also warned of strong winds potentially accompanying thunderstorms in some areas, urging residents to stay safe and adhere to weather advisories.

Airline operators were advised to obtain airport-specific weather reports from NiMet for effective flight planning.

Environment

KAI demolishes 138 Shanties, dislodges 169 illegal Lagos residents

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI on Thursday demolished 138 shanties, subsequently dislodging 169 illegal residents occupying the Ajao Estate Canal bank in the State.

This development was made known by the Corps Marshal of the Agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd) at the Agency’s Command Headquarters, Bolade-Oshodi.

He said, ‘‘our intelligence sources identified the humongous infractions across the Ajao Estate Canal banks stretching several metres where people were living illegally in shanties and paid rents between 60,000 to 100,000 Naira to a particular syndicate and this made us activate our enforcement teams for a total dislodgement’’.

Cole expressed dismay at the brazen level of disregard for public health and safety due to the clustered illegal encampment, citing the development as a catalyst for the spread of communicable diseases, sexual violence and social issues resulting from the accommodation of miscreants in such hidden areas.

The Corps Marshal reiterated the Agency’s commitment to upholding the THEMES+ agenda of Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu which seeks to make Lagos cleaner and habitable for business, a mandate that KAI exhausts all resources on a daily to achieve in the State.

In his final comments, the KAI top man admonished Lagosians to desist from patronising illegal public encampments as he affirmed that many infractions will be identified and demolitions will be activated in due course.