The smallest plant seeds are those belonging to orchids. Three million orchid seeds would weigh about 1 gram (1/28th of an ounce).
Animals face (a little) less danger
Animals face (a little) less danger A new endangered species bill plans to protect
species situated only on federal lands, which encompass less than 5
per cent of Canada's area outside of the Yukon and Northwest
Territories. Environmentalists are concerned that the 285 species
at risk in Canada will not receive sufficient protection under the
new bill. The bill aims to protect nests and dens of at-risk
species, but will allow clearcutting and bulldozing of the habitat
situated around the animal's residences. Professor of Ecology at
the University of Alberta, Dr. David Schindler, commented, "It
would be like saying to people we're going to protect your house,
but we're going to destroy the rest of the town". The government is
also intending that federal cabinet ministers, rather than
scientists and experts, will have the final say on whether or not a
species is at risk. A letter that was sent to the government last
month which contained the signatures of hundreds of scientists
protested against the weak provisions of the proposed bill. It is
believed that about 80 per cent of the species at risk of
extinction are mainly at risk because of habitat destruction.
Canada has already lost around 22 species through extinction.
Canada has been criticized internationally because of its weak
protection for species at risk, and its lack of an endangered
species law. The government is concerned that adopting a federal
law will upset provinces who believe that the protection of species
rests under their domain. <> MARCH 1999
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