Crikey Creek

Hippo surfs flood waters to freedom

Daniel Collins • Mar 12, 2010

From flooded elephant research sites to flooded zoos… Back in January heavy rains flooded a private zoo in Plavinca, Montenegro. 2-ton and 11-year old hippopotamus Nikica flew the coop by swimming over her submerged cage. The natural disasters commission wasn’t happy, and thought they might be able to shoot her. The state veterinary authorities thought otherwise, saying she … Read More

Synchronised flushing during hockey final

Daniel Collins • Mar 10, 2010

When Canadians watched their hockey team take on the US in the Olympics, a new sport was born: synchronised flushing. Water use data from the Edmonton water utility, EPCOR, show how residential water use dropped during the game, only to spike between periods. And as the game became more nail-biting, even fewer people would give up viewing for the … Read More

Ugandan rains bury villagers

Daniel Collins • Mar 10, 2010

A few days before the Save the Elephant research site was washed away by a flash flood, villages along on the western flank of Mt Elgon were hit by landslides, killing at least 100. Minister David Wakikona, MP for Manjiya County in Bududa district, said “Everybody is dead. 320 people are unaccounted for. I don’t … Read More

System to monitor grape vine water status wins water start-up prize

Daniel Collins • Mar 09, 2010

Fruition Sciences, based in the US and France, has won the top prize in Imagine H2O‘s competition “to help innovators and entrepreneurs turn great ideas into real-world solutions that ensure available clean water and sanitation.” Fruition showed particular business potential by making significant water savings for nine California grape growers. “Fruition co-founder Sebastien Payen said he saw … Read More

Kenyan rains wash away elephant research

Daniel Collins • Mar 08, 2010

The Save the Elephants research camp in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, was hit by a flash flood on Thursday. No-one was killed, but according to STE the site was severely damaged and much research lost. “At approximately 5am this morning, a wall of water akin to a Tsunami surged through Elephant Watch Camp, catching tourists and staff unawares and … Read More

Far North drought brings Kaitaia water restrictions

Daniel Collins • Mar 08, 2010

The Far North District Council has imposed water restrictions in Kaitaia and Opononi/Omapere, as the drought in the Far North intensifies and looks set to continue into April. While residents have reduced water consumption, total Kaitaia water use is still about 400 cubic metres (15%) per day too high. What was previously a 20% voluntary reduction has become … Read More

It’s not us or the cows

Daniel Collins • Mar 07, 2010

Idiot/Savant, commenting on the threat posed to Christchurch’s drinking water from agriculture, wrote today: “Basically, its us or the cows. That’s the stark choice we are looking at. And put like that, there can be only one answer: the cows have to go, or be regulated to within an inch of their lives to prevent them from being a … Read More

SciHistorian Oreskes on ‘Merchants of Doubt’

Daniel Collins • Mar 06, 2010

Here’s an insightful video for a contemplative weekend. Naomi Oreskes, science historian from UCSD, recently gave a talk on her book ‘Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming’. In addition to chronicling the history of climate science and climate anti-science in the US, a major theme she addresses … Read More