28 March 2020•The Week JuniorThis week’s big news3 3The numberofAfricanblack rhinoceros in the wild
has increased, andcould keep growingfor the
next five years,accordingto the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN is a
group of governmentsand organisations that work
togethertoprotect the natural world.
The IUCN producesareportcalled the
Red List, whichrecords the numbe
of animal, fungus andplant
species at risk ofextinction.
Around 98% of black rhinos
liveinKenya, Namibia, South
Afric aorZimbabwe.There
weremorethan 65,000 of
theminthe 1970s, but because
of huntingand habitatloss, by 1993
the population hadfallen below 2,300. Happily,
the report shows that in 2012 there werethought
to be 4,845black rhinos in the wild, and by 2018the
total had grownto5,630.The animalsare still classed as critically
endangered, but thereport saysthat their
populationscould continue to grow.The latestfigures
showthat measures to protect them areworking.
Someofthe steps thatconservationists (people who
try to preserve theenvironment) aretakingtohelp
black rhinos includegivingthembetter
tection against illegal hunting.
Black rhinos arepoached for their
horns, which arethen sold
illegally.Someoft he herds–
also knownascrashes –have
beenmovedtodifferent
cations, among other populations
os, to make surethatthere are
enoughanimals for breeding.
Dr Gr ethel Aguilar,acting director general of
IUCN, said,“Thecontinued slowreco veryofblack
rhino populations is...apowerfulremindertot he
globalcommunity thatconservation works.”IT’SANAMAZINGWEEKFORWINNINGARACE
ThomasWaerner,aBritish-born musher
(driverofadog-sled) has won the Iditarod
TrailSledDog Raceacross Alaska. It took
him nine days to travel 1,000 miles.“This is
awesome,” he saidatthe finish line, before
thanking the 10 dogs whogot hi mthere.African black rhinos makecomebackON THE
CO
VER:REX SHUTTERSTOCK
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GETTY IMAGES·NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY·HUTTON’S SHEARWATER CHARITABLE TRUST·ICELANDFinlan disthe world’s happiestcountry ,according
to theWorld HappinessReport 2020. The study
is put togetherbyt he United Nations, which is an
organisation of 193countries that takes action on
human rights, peaceand climatechange.Iti sthe
third time inarow that Finlandhas come top.
In total, 156countries wererankedin the list.
In secondplace wasDenmark, followed by
Switzerland in thirdplace, and Icelandfourth. The UK
moved up the table, from 15th to 13th. At the bottom
of the list, Afghanistanwas the unhappiestcountry.
The report is worked out using datasuchasl ife
expectancy (how long people live,onaverage) and
how much moneypeople earn, and from peoples’
answers to questions abouttheirlives. Forthe first
time, thereport listed the happiest cities. Finland’s
capital, Helsinki,came top;Aarhus, in Denmark,came
second;andWellington, in NewZealandcame third.
The happiestcityint he UK wasLondon, at no.36.
Vanessa King, who worksfor the charity Action for
Happiness, toldThe Guardiannewspaper,“Happiness
is contagious. If you go outside, smile at people. Be
really friendly.Itcan and will makeahuge difference.”AN ANIMAL-LOVINGTAXI DRIVER
AtaxidriverinNew Zealan dhas swapped
humanpassengers forbirds .ToniPainting
is onamissio ntosaveendangered Hutton’s
shearwater chicks that crash-land onto the
road –mistaking its shiny surfacefor thesea.
Painting picksupthe birds and frees them into
the sea oncethey’verecei vedtreatment.ASPECIALPROPOSAL
Robert Ormsbyplanned to propose to his
partnerPatsyMurdo ch on their holiday to
Reykjavík, Iceland. However, when their
holidaywascancelleddue tocoronavirus,
Ormsby proposed at their local Iceland
supermarketinTonbridge,Kent, instead.
She said yes,and the supermarket says it will
pay fortheirhoneymoontoIceland.Finlan dist hehappiestcountryDIDYOU
KNOW?
Rhinoceroscomes fromtwoGreekwords–rhino,meaning nose, andceros,meaning horn.Black rhinonumbers
areonthe rise.Helsinki,
Finland.Thomas
WaernerAHutton’s
shearwater chick.Asupermarket
proposal.