OGN Saturday

Editor OGN Daily
Aug 13, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Sep 5, 2022

Ensuring that the weekend gets off to a sunny start with a worldwide collection of positive news nuggets.

A conservation program in Cambodia is successfully bringing gibbons back to the iconic Angkor Wat temple, decades after poachers destroyed populations. Since 2013, four different pairs of gibbons have returned to breed, along with 40 other species including silvered langurs, muntjac deers, smooth-coated otters, leopard cats, civets, wreathed hornbills, and green peafowl. The Angkor Archaeological Park - which contains the ruins of various capitals of the Khmer Empire, dating from the ninth to 15th centuries - has some of the oldest rainforest in Cambodia. It is also the kingdom’s most popular tourist destination. It's hoped that increased wildlife sightings will also spark interest in local and foreign tourists and boost conservation education efforts.

Diversity

At just 27 years old, Western Australia senator Fatima Payman is making history in Australia’s parliament - its most diverse ever. "I am a representative of modern Australia," she says. She is the first hijab-wearing Muslim senator in the history of Australian politics, and the youngest person in the current parliament. "Who would have thought that a young woman born in Afghanistan and the daughter of a refugee would be standing in this Chamber today," she said. "It's quite significant because, you know, you can't be what you can't see." Her late father used to talk about taking her back to Afghanistan to run for election there, because he never thought it would be possible in Australia; he would be so proud, her mother said.

Novaturient

Adjective: desiring to seek a powerful change in your life.

Protecting Diversity

Colombia has launched a $245-million initiative to support the creation, expansion, and improvement of 32 million hectares of protected areas in the next decade. The country contains around 10% of the world’s biodiversity and the project aims to create over 3 million hectares of new protected areas and biological corridors, and 15 million hectares of marine protected areas.

Conservation Success

Bighorn sheep have returned to Nebraska’s high plains a century after they were wiped out by overhunting. Scientists and conservationists started reintroducing bighorn in 1981 and the 40 year program has resulted in a flourishing population of 320 sheep today, reports Yale360.

Malaria Vaccine

Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi will expand their rollout of a malaria vaccine for children, thanks to newly announced funding of nearly US$160 million. The three countries were part of a pilot in 2019 that saw 1.3 million children protected, resulting in a substantial drop in hospitalization and child deaths.

California Moratorium

Central California is halting new oil and gas leases across more than one million acres of public lands until the potential health and environmental risks are assessed. The moratorium comes after several years of legal challenges from environmental groups and local communities. "Central Valley residents and grassroots activists work every day to make their communities healthy, and today they got a win in the fight against air and groundwater pollution from oil and gas development," says Daniel Rossman of The Wilderness Society.

Quote of the Day

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.”

Dalai Lama

On this Day

13 August 2008: American super-swimmer Michael Phelps wins 3 gold medals, all in world record time and all in one day at the Beijing Olympics; 200m I/M, 200m butterfly and 4 x 200m freestyle relay. He's the most decorated Olympian of all time, winning 23 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals while competing in 5 Olympic Games.