Goodable

Stories about the Marburg Virus are creeping into news feeds around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) is declaring the first-ever outbreak of the Ebola-like virus in Ghana. On the heels of a worldwide pandemic that still isn't over, news about another virus can be an emotional trigger for people struggling with anxiety. Here's why you shouldn't hit the panic button just yet.
Infection can be easily prevented
Experts say there are a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/marburg-virus-disease" target="_blank">number of ways you can prevent the infection</a>. Right now, the main recommendations are nowhere close to what they were for covid. For example, they aren't recommending masking, physical distancing, or anything similar. For healthcare workers they recommend using gloves, and while there are further recommendations for people working on pig farms or with animal meat, none of those recommendations are meant for the general public. This virus is spread in very specific ways, and doesn't have the same pandemic like properties as Covid. 
No one is expecting a worldwide pandemic 


<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marburg-virus-ghana-declares-outbreak-of-ebola-like-sickness-2022-7" target="_blank">Authorities responded quickly in the hope of containing it</a>, according to Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. Marburg can "easily get out of hand" without immediate containment, but "health authorities have responded swiftly, getting a head start preparing for a possible outbreak," she said. 98 contacts of the patients are being monitored and have been quarantined, per the Ghana Health Service. The virus is not known to be native to other continents, such as North America, and the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/marburg/about.html" target="_blank">CDC says cases outside Africa are “infrequent.”</a>
Early care dramatically improves recovery The rate of survival dramatically improves with rehydration and symptomatic treatment. Although there isn't a licensed treatment proven to neutralize the virus, there are a range of blood products, immune therapies and drug therapies currently under development. Doctors can alleviate the symptoms by giving hospital patients plenty of fluids and replacing lost blood.
Community engagement has been proven to prevent outbreaks
Health experts say communities can make efforts to ensure that the population is well informed. This includes both the nature of the disease itself and necessary containment measures.
Help is already on the way
Organizations around the world are already sending infection prevention and control supplies for health care workers. This includes PPE, medical clothing and specific disinfectants. UNICEF and the World Health Organization are providing medical supplies. A team of experts from the World Health Organisation is expected to be deployed to Ghana over the next couple of days to provide coordination, risk assessment, and infection prevention measures in support of ongoing investigations into the latest outbreak of the Marburg virus.

How Doctors Are Stopping The Marburg Virus From Turning Into a Pandemic

Science Alert

For decades, it was just a humble doorstop in a quiet Romanian village. But the 3.5-kilogram chunk of “rock” propping open the door of a home in Colți wasn’t just any old stone — it was a massive nugget of amber worth more than €1 million (US$1.1 million).

The discovery was only confirmed years after the woman who originally found it had passed away. According to El País, she picked up the piece from a stream bed in southeast Romania, likely unaware of its true value, and used it to keep a door from slamming shut.

The amber remained unnoticed — even by jewel thieves who once broke into the house — until a relative inherited the property after the woman’s death in 1991 and began to suspect the doorstop might be more than it appeared.

His instincts were right. After having it assessed by experts at the Museum of History in Krakow, Poland, the stone was confirmed to be one of the largest intact pieces of rumanite, Romania’s prized form of amber known for its deep reddish hues. The relative eventually sold it to the Romanian state.

Since 2022, the nugget has been held by the Provincial Museum of Buzău, in the county where it was originally found.

“Its discovery represents a great significance both at a scientific level and at a museum level,” said Daniel Costache, the museum’s director.

The story echoes another surprising find across the ocean — that of a Michigan man who discovered the 10-kilogram doorstop he had used for decades was actually a rare meteorite, later valued at $100,000.

Romania’s Colți region, nestled near the River Buzău, has been known for its amber since the 1920s. Local residents and miners have long found amber deposits embedded in the sandstone banks of the river. But few have stumbled on anything close to the size of the doorstop discovery.

Amber, a fossilized form of tree resin, can date back over 100 million years and has the unique ability to preserve organic material in exquisite detail. While it’s commonly found in parts of the Northern Hemisphere, discoveries in the southern half of the globe have been far rarer.

In recent years, scientists have made breakthroughs in amber research. In Ecuador, a 112-million-year-old amber deposit preserved evidence of spiders and insects, including flies, fungus beetles, and a piece of spider web thought to have been woven in a style resembling modern orb-weavers.

And in 2024, researchers found amber in West Antarctica for the first time, dating it to between 83 and 92 million years ago. The fossilized resin, along with preserved roots, pollen, and spores, gave scientists one of the clearest glimpses yet into what they believe was a mid-Cretaceous swampy rainforest at the South Pole — dominated by conifer trees, much like those found in present-day New Zealand and Patagonia.

“This discovery allows a journey to the past in yet another more direct way,” said Johann Klages, a marine geologist at Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute.

Amber’s ability to lock away ancient ecosystems in perfect detail has made it one of the most scientifically valuable substances in paleontology. From arthropods to fragments of ancient flora, the material continues to reveal the intricacies of long-extinct environments.

And sometimes, it’s just sitting by the front door — holding it open for 30 years.

Family Discovers Doorstop Rock Is Actually Worth Over $1 Million

People

During the COVID-19 lockdown, while most kids were stuck at home on Zoom, Avery Fisher had a different idea: learn to scuba dive, perform magic tricks underwater, and break a world record. She did all three — and then some.
Avery was just 13 when she set a Guinness World Record for performing the most magic tricks underwater in three minutes — 38 in total — while submerged at San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay. Now 15, she volunteers there as a youth ambassador, helping raise awareness and funding for marine conservation.
“I was like, ‘Let’s spend the lockdown in a creative way,’” she told PEOPLE. That creative spark turned into hundreds of hours of scuba training, more than a dozen diving certifications, and an unexpected platform for inspiring others.
Growing up in Tiburon, California, right by the bay, Avery had always been drawn to the water. As an only child in the fifth grade, lockdown hit hard. She felt isolated from friends and school. Her solution: go deeper — literally.
With support from her parents, Avery started scuba training. Her early certification required over 10 hours of open water instruction and multiple rounds of pool testing. “Once I dove, I got a huge liking for it,” she said. “And I would just read manual after manual about all the different certifications.”
Since then, she’s completed more than 30 open ocean dives and earned over a dozen certifications — each involving hours of confined water training and hands-on practice.
The underwater magic record, set in 2023, wasn’t a random stunt. It was her way of combining two passions: scuba diving and performing. The location — Aquarium of the Bay — had special meaning. She’d visited since she was young, and she described her first time stepping into the aquarium’s glass tunnels as a turning point.
“You can see everyone below, and it’s just kind of like you’re in a different world,” she said. “That just sparked a really big interest for me.”
After breaking the record, Avery didn’t stop. She partnered with the aquarium on a conservation fundraiser that brought in over $500,000. She credits her time underwater with making the cause feel personal. “It was just such a surreal experience,” she said. “That inspired me not only to raise awareness about the ocean but to be able to do it through scuba diving.”
She now volunteers about 10 hours a month at the aquarium, giving talks and answering questions from visitors. “I've talked to hundreds of people,” she said.
Her connection to the ocean started long before COVID. Avery’s childhood vacations almost always revolved around water — whale watching in Hawaii, road trips to Santa Cruz — and she says those memories shaped her love for marine life.
“I grew up loving whales,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of beauty from the ocean.”
Avery has also started attracting attention beyond the aquarium. She’s currently in talks for a sponsorship deal, and she hopes to dive in more places around the world. “That’d be a dream of mine,” she said.
Now a high school sophomore, Avery is juggling school, volleyball, and her volunteer work. But her passion for diving hasn’t waned. “I feel like it came pretty easily to me,” she said, “but there’s definitely a lot of experience you have to have in the water before you can do it safely.”
What started as a creative idea during lockdown has turned into something bigger — a way to connect, perform, and protect the ocean she loves.

This Teen Broke an Underwater Record, While Raising $500K for Ocean Conservation

inspiremore

Filmmaker Kevin Smith is sharing an inspiring tribute after the loss of his mother, Grace V. Smith, who passed away on December 1. In a heartfelt message shared with fans, the Clerks and Chasing Amy director credited his mom as the single most influential person in his life — and the reason he became who he is.

“The bill for 55 years of unconditional love came due on December 1st,” he wrote. “And the costly price was having to watch the strongest person I’ve ever known – my absolute favorite person in the world – exit the stage after a lifetime of setting it for her children. My Mom is gone.”

For fans of Smith’s work — which includes cult classics like Mallrats, Dogma, and the Jay and Silent Bob series — his mother’s passing feels personal. Grace Smith wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes figure in his life; she helped shape the voice, humor, and heart that have defined his decades-long career in independent film.

“She was a lioness, fiercely protective of her pride, who lived for her kids,” Smith said, reflecting on her unwavering support. “There’s never been a day in my life when I didn’t know in my bones that I was valued as human being, cherished as a child, and deeply loved beyond reason.”

Grace raised her children with a strength and tenderness that Smith says gave him the confidence to speak his mind, create bold characters, and share his world with fans. “My Mom made me feel like I mattered – to our family, to the world, and especially to her.”

Smith ended his tribute with a note of gratitude and love.

“Thank you for making me and taking me on the journey of a lifetime. I love you so much, Mom. You’ve always been, and will forever be, my hero. Love, Tiger.”

Fans flooded social media with condolences and thanks — not just for Grace’s impact on her son, but for the ripple effect it had on their lives through his work. “She made Kevin Smith, who he is today,” one wrote. “And we’re all grateful for that.”

Kevin Smith Pays Heartfelt Tribute To His Late Mother, Grace V. Smith

Euro News

In the Croatian coastal town of Opatija, where the Adriatic breeze turns crisp in winter, a decades-old tradition is bringing locals and tourists alike into the sea — even as the temperature drops into the single digits.

For 22 years, a group called Opatija Kukali has been organizing winter swims along the northern Adriatic coast. Between November and January, the swimmers gather on the beach, peel off their layers, and wade into waters that can dip as low as 10°C.

The ritual has grown beyond a local pastime. What started as a small community gathering is now drawing international visitors, with hotels in the area even offering guests the chance to join in. Among them was Paula Knauss from Austria, who recently took part and described it as “a great experience to swim in the sea,” comparing it to her usual cold dips in Wuster Lake.

Cold-water swimming has been gaining popularity across Europe, boosted by growing interest in both mental and physical health benefits. In Opatija, many of the swimmers say they’ve felt those benefits firsthand.

“From our many years of experience with winter swimming and from studying professional and scientific literature, we can say that the benefits are significant,” said Dr Mario Susanj, president of Opatija Kukali.

According to Susanj, regular cold-water immersion can improve circulation, heart and lung function, and blood vessel elasticity — especially important for older adults. “And it strengthens immunity during the winter period,” he added.

Beyond the physiological perks, the plunge triggers a surge of endorphins and norepinephrine, a hormone associated with alertness and the body’s fight-or-flight response.

The group’s New Year’s Day swim has become one of the city’s most iconic winter events. Swimmers, bundled in hats and scarves one minute and barefoot in the surf the next, take the plunge as onlookers cheer. It’s a spectacle that symbolizes renewal and resilience, and the growing number of participants each year suggests it’s a message that resonates.

Still, the icy practice isn’t without risks.

Doctors caution that sudden exposure to cold water can cause a rapid spike in blood pressure, which could be dangerous for those with heart issues. Staying in the water too long can also lead to hypothermia, especially for inexperienced swimmers or those not dressed appropriately.

While some studies suggest positive outcomes from cold exposure, much of the research has been short-term and based on small groups. That hasn't slowed the rise in popularity, but it has prompted health experts to stress moderation and proper preparation — especially for newcomers.

In Opatija, the chill doesn’t seem to be stopping anyone. For many, it’s about more than health stats or adrenaline spikes. It’s about community, tradition, and the quiet satisfaction of walking back up the beach, skin tingling and spirit lifted, in the dead of winter.

Croatians are Diving Into Tradition With Winter Swims For Over Two Decades — Here's Why

Millie Haywood spent most of her teenage years in hospital wards, fighting a debilitating eating disorder and struggling to find her place in the world. Now 22, she’s turning those painful experiences into something soft, comforting — and empowering.

From her home in Chalford, a village in southern England, Haywood is the founder of Mentally Unstitched, an online embroidery business that creates sensory-friendly hoodies inspired by her own mental health and neurodivergent journey.

“I used to absolutely love running, it was my passion. It was my purpose in life,” she told CBS News. But after being diagnosed with anorexia at 13 and enduring years of treatment, that part of her identity was stripped away. “I felt like I had no purpose, because I could no longer run and I just didn't have anything to live for, other than my family.”

That sense of loss and disconnection stayed with her for years. The physical reminders — including a visible feeding tube — made job interviews especially difficult. “I went for quite a few interviews, and I was just immediately turned down,” she recalled. “It just really knocked my confidence... but at the same time, it lit this fire in me, to create something that I'm proud of.”

The real turning point came at 21, when Haywood was diagnosed with autism.

“It just changed my life,” she said. “I started to understand myself and accept myself, and it was like I’d finally found my voice.”

With that new understanding came a creative spark — and a very specific idea. On one particularly tough day, Haywood remembered hugging a plush toy for comfort. “I was like, to my mum, ‘I wish this was in a hoodie. I wish this feeling, that hug that you get, could be in a hoodie, so I could just go out and feel that comfort.’ I just said to her, ‘I’m gonna create that. I’m gonna design that.’”

And she did.

Working from her home studio, Haywood designed her first hoodies to recreate that feeling of safety and calm. The result is a line of sweatshirts that feel like weighted hugs — two kilos each, with oversized hoods that fit over headphones, tag-free fabric, and soft textures designed to soothe sensory sensitivities. She also embroiders quirky, confident phrases across the items, many of which reflect neurodivergent pride: “Slay-DHD” and “Rizz Em with the Tism” are among the top sellers.

“It just feels like a hug in a hoodie,” she said, showing off the sweatshirts to CBS News. “I really hope I can inspire people with my designs, and with my story that, you know, what’s different makes you stronger.”

Haywood’s brand — equal parts comfort and empowerment — has resonated far beyond her home village. With each order, she’s not just shipping a hoodie. She’s sending a message: that softness can be strength, and that identity doesn’t have to be stitched to the mainstream.

Eventually, she hopes to expand Mentally Unstitched into a full clothing line designed specifically for the neurodivergent community — gear that’s not only functional and sensory-friendly, but stylish, too.

For Haywood, every hoodie sold is another step forward in her recovery. “Finding Mentally Unstitched has kind of lit that spark back inside of me,” she said.

It’s a quiet triumph — built not with loud slogans or dramatic transformations, but with thread, softness, and a sense of self she’s finally claimed.

Neurodiverse Fashion Revolutionizes Comfort And Style

ESPN

Terry Ryan always dreamed of making it big in hockey. He just didn’t expect it to happen after his NHL career ended — and certainly not while playing a toothless British soldier, doing stunts with Jason Momoa, or wearing a hoodie that says “Shoresy.”

But somehow, all of those things happened. And now, at 48, he’s living a second hockey dream on one of the most unlikely teams in North America — the cast of Shoresy.

The foul-mouthed, fast-skating Letterkenny spinoff has become a cult hit, especially among Canadian hockey fans who see parts of themselves — or their beer league buddies — in the show’s chirping, chirping, endlessly chirping locker room. It’s also spawned a touring roadshow, the Shoresy Fall Classic, which hits Long Island’s UBS Arena on Dec. 10. The cast will lace up against New York Islanders alumni, including Ryan’s longtime friend and former teammate Aaron Asham.

“Aaron Asham is one of my best friends in the world. I played junior and pro with him,” Ryan said. “So I’m looking forward to that.”

The tour is a hybrid of hockey and fanfare — games that are competitive enough to get the blood going, but light enough that the crowd can cheer for both teams. “We’re not out there trying to hurt each other or anything, but it’s a step up from a regular shinny game,” Ryan said. “Even though we lose — we’ve been losing most of the games — we’re not getting blown out, and I think people walk away with an appreciation that... we’re all actors in the show, but we’re all hockey players. We hang in there.”

Ryan knows better than most what it means to hang in there.

He was drafted eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1995, a gifted forward out of Newfoundland with grit and scoring touch. He made it to the NHL, but only for eight games. An ankle injury derailed his pro career, and he spent six more seasons bouncing around the AHL. Then he left the game and started over — on film sets.

“I got an arts degree in folklore and English, and within that there’s a film studies certificate,” he said. “I worked on a crew... location, production assistant, AD. I was like ‘jump how high’ for six years.”

Acting wasn’t part of the plan. But the missing front tooth — the one so many hockey players wear as a badge of honour — helped him land background roles as rough-edged characters. “British soldiers, crackheads, pimps, drug dealers,” Ryan said. “My entrance into this world was a lot different than the other guys [on the Shoresy cast].”

That path changed again when he worked behind the scenes on Frontier, a Netflix historical drama starring Jason Momoa. Ryan was still waiting to get into the union when Momoa took a liking to him — and his smile.

“I had no tooth. Momoa said, ‘Keep the tooth out. I can get you some stunt gigs,’” Ryan recalled.

It worked. Five seconds into Frontier, the first face on screen was Ryan’s — a desperate British soldier. “That’s how I got in,” he said.

The two became friends. Ryan taught Momoa how to skate and fight — hockey-style. “It’s all about balance, man. You can be as big as you want,” he told him. The lessons paid off. By Season 2 of Frontier, Momoa was staging on-screen hockey fights in period costume, complete with a simulated jersey pull.

Momoa also brought Ryan on as his assistant for a stretch, opening the door to more work — until Letterkenny called with an acting gig. Ryan was cast as Ted Hitchcock, a lovable, martini-drinking Newfoundlander in the show’s hockey team. That turned into a role on Shoresy, and suddenly, the guy who once played in packed arenas for the Canadiens was back in packed arenas — this time as a cult comedy star.

The show’s fifth season hits Christmas Day in Canada, with a Hulu release expected in early 2026. Until then, Ryan and the cast are skating their way through a barnstorming tour that feels like a beer league fantasy.

“It’s a very unique experience,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever come across anything like it.”

For a guy whose NHL dream ended early, it’s not the career Terry Ryan imagined. But it’s one hell of a second period.

Former Nhl'er Turned Actor Finds New Fame With "Shoresy" Tour Across North America

ABC - Australia

When 13-year-old Lois Agnello approached her science teacher about using the school’s 3D printer to make her own prosthetic hand, she had no idea it would turn into a months-long project involving her entire class — and lead her all the way to Japan.

Born with only part of her left hand, Lois was already familiar with prosthetics. She had been using one since she was eight. But she wanted to try making her own — not just for function, but to share the experience with her classmates at The Nature School in Port Macquarie, on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.

“Being born without a hand doesn't really stop me,” she said. “I wanted to create my own hand with my friends so I could show them what it's like.”

Her teacher, Lloyd Godson, said the idea immediately grabbed the students’ attention. When Lois showed them a video about the project, “it really struck a chord with a bunch of her peers.”

Together, they began researching how to build a prosthetic hand using 3D printing. They found an open-source design through Free 3D Hands, an Australian charity that provides free mechanical hands to people who need them.

For many of the students, it was their first time using a 3D printer.

“It was a big learning curve,” Godson said. “We were all super excited about it.”

Over the course of three months, the group held lunchtime meetings, tested different materials, and experimented with the design. The first prototype was simple — a mechanical hand activated by upper-arm movement via a plastic wrist — but it worked.

“I was like, ‘Oh my god this is crazy,’” Lois said. “Like, I didn’t even know if it would work.”

Since then, the students have printed three more hands, each an improvement on the last. They've focused on refining the comfort and functionality of the device, working closely with Free 3D Hands founder Mat Bowtell and his engineering team.

“They were very enthusiastic in being a part of the brainstorming process in regard to what we might be able to improve in the next design,” Bowtell said.

The collaboration became a full-blown class passion project. Student Wren McDowell said she enjoyed helping develop new styles of the hand.

“It makes me feel pretty good, because we are designing loads of different styles,” she said.

Another student, Joel Banwell, said the process motivated him to keep going.

“I felt fairly good that Lois was able to get a hand that worked, and it made me want to make one that was even better.”

Now, the group’s work is being recognised on a global level. The project was selected to represent Australia at the Be the Change Summit in Japan — a gathering of young innovators working to address global challenges such as inequality, mental health, and climate change.

Lois will present her story to thousands of students from around the world.

Mr Godson said watching her take the stage in Tokyo to talk about her experience and the impact of Bowtell’s work would be “incredible.”

Lois is hoping her story doesn’t just impress, but also inspires.

“Other kids will be like, ‘Woah, that's cool — like, can I try that?’” she said.

For her, it's not just about building a hand — it’s about building something others can use, too.

Australian Teen Designs Her Own 3D-Printed Hand — and Inspires a School-Wide Project

On the rocky cliffs near Ancona, Italy, above the Adriatic Sea, rock climbers venturing into a restricted area in 2019 stumbled onto something unexpected: thousands of crescent-shaped imprints carved into ancient limestone. The marks, some appearing in pairs, others as circular divots, looked like they had been made in a hurry.

Now, a team of researchers say they might be the remnants of a massive sea turtle “stampede” from 80 million years ago. But while the theory is making waves, not all scientists are convinced.

The limestone slabs where the markings were found once lay beneath the sea during the Late Cretaceous period. Geologist Alessandro Montanari, who directs the Geological Observatory of Coldigioco, was shown photos of the impressions by Paolo Sandroni, a geologist with the regional government. They both agreed: these looked like fossilized footprints.

But of what? Fish were ruled out quickly, as the shape and positioning of the marks didn’t line up. That left three possibilities: mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, or sea turtles. Mosasaurs and plesiosaurs were large, solitary marine reptiles, unlikely to gather in groups. Sea turtles, on the other hand, are known to congregate in large numbers—especially when feeding or laying eggs.

Montanari and his colleagues proposed that the crescent-shaped marks matched the flipper movements of buoyant turtles paddling near the ocean floor. In their study, published last month in Cretaceous Research, they suggest the tracks were preserved by an underwater avalanche of sediment—a turbidity current—likely triggered by an earthquake. That sudden rush of suspended particles would have buried the tracks quickly, sealing them into the limestone.

If true, it could be a rare glimpse into how prehistoric sea turtles behaved under stress.

“It’s a good bit of detective work and some deductive reasoning,” said Murray Gingras, a geologist at the University of Alberta. He praised the interpretation but noted that it’s unusual to find turtles in what would have been deep water at the time.

Other experts were more skeptical.

Spencer Lucas, curator at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, said the evidence is too thin. He pointed out the absence of “expulsion rims”—mounds of sediment that would be pushed outward by turtles paddling through the seafloor. That’s a key feature in fossil tracks. Without it, he said, the marks may not be tracks at all. “They are more akin to mud cracks than animal tracks,” he said, suggesting the shapes could have been created by the earthquake itself.

Ryan King, a paleontologist at Western Colorado University, called the turtle hypothesis “plausible,” but said more data is needed. Researchers could study the size, spacing, and pairing of the marks to determine if they match turtle flipper movements. But he questioned the idea that the tracks were made in a single panicked moment. The animals may have simply been moving in one direction, toward food or along a current.

King also pointed out that the tracks might not have been buried immediately. Depending on the sediment, they could have lasted for a while before being preserved—meaning the idea of a sudden turtle stampede might be too tidy a narrative.

As for how turtles would react to an earthquake? That remains uncertain. “There’s a lot of missing pieces that still need to be looked at,” King said.

Still, Montanari sees a silver lining in the story, regardless of how the details shake out. If there was a seismic event, and if these turtles did flee toward the open sea, then at least one thing seems likely.

“The sea turtles got away from whatever seismic threat they faced,” he said.

Did Sea Turtles Stampede in Italy 80 Million Years Ago? Scientists Are Intrigued, But Not Convinced

In a rare conservation success story, a population of critically endangered Sumatran tigers is not just surviving but thriving in one of the few remaining strongholds on the island of Sumatra — and it’s happening outside Indonesia’s national park system.

Researchers working in the Leuser ecosystem, a vast and diverse forest region in Aceh province, have documented what appears to be one of the healthiest tiger populations on the island. Their findings, published in Frontiers in Conservation Science, highlight the power of long-term monitoring and local protection to safeguard the future of this elusive big cat.

Using infrared-triggered camera traps set up over three survey periods between 2023 and 2024, the team captured 282 usable images of Sumatran tigers — nearly triple the number collected in earlier surveys. Stripe pattern analysis allowed researchers to identify 27 individual tigers, including 14 females, 12 males, and one unknown.

“We documented a robust tiger population, apparently among the healthiest on the island,” said Dr. Joe Figel, a conservation biologist working with Indonesian wildlife and forestry agencies. “For those on the ground, the onus now falls on us to double down and adequately protect them.”

The research focused on provincially protected forests in the northern stretches of Leuser, rather than the better-funded Gunung Leuser National Park. These areas receive fewer central government resources, yet they have proven crucial for tiger conservation.

Key to the findings was a steady increase in monitoring effort: 34 cameras were deployed between March and May 2023, 59 between June and December 2023, and 74 between May and November 2024. This multi-year approach allowed researchers to gather data on survival rates, breeding activity, and tiger movements.

“Multi-year camera trap monitoring is critically important for estimating key tiger demographic parameters such as survival, recruitment, tenure, and population growth rate,” said Figel. “With these data — and only with these data — can we even begin to evaluate conservation efforts.”

The cameras not only confirmed the presence of adult tigers but also documented breeding success. Three different sets of cubs were photographed during one six-month session in 2023, and two tiger brothers captured together as cubs were later spotted separately as adults — a strong sign of survival and dispersal.

The Leuser ecosystem itself is an ideal habitat. Spanning an area three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, it includes lowland, hill, and montane forests. About 44 percent of it remains classified as intact forest landscape. That, combined with relatively strong ranger patrols and community involvement, helps explain the area's ecological resilience.

“Thanks to the work, activities, and support of government agencies, local Acehnese and Gayo communities, donors, and other researchers, Leuser has maintained important patches of lowland and hill forests where, in Sumatra, tiger prey densities reach their highest levels,” said Figel.

Globally, tigers have lost between 90 and 95 percent of their historical range due to poaching, habitat loss, and depletion of prey. But the results from Leuser offer a rare glimmer of hope. Only three previous surveys in all of Sumatra — all in national parks — had ever identified more than 10 individual tigers in a single study. The current survey eclipsed that benchmark, despite being conducted outside a national park.

It also sets a new baseline for future tiger monitoring and conservation strategies, including optimal camera spacing and survey timing. The team hopes their findings will help improve protocols and reinforce the case for supporting provincially managed conservation areas, not just those under national protection.

For a species on the edge of extinction, that local focus may be its best shot.

New Camera Traps Capture Surge In Sumatran Tiger Sightings

CTV News

Marie Warren didn’t expect a ceremony in her honour at 101 years old, but on Thursday, a room full of fellow veterans and community members made sure she knew her wartime service hadn’t been forgotten.

Warren, a Second World War veteran who served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) from 1942 to 1945, was recognized at the Waterford Retirement Residence in Barrie, Ontario. The event came together after local veterans learned that two of her military medals had gone missing.

It all started during a Service of Remembrance held at the residence on November 4. Warren attended the event wearing her WAAF forage cap and told the group she would have worn the rest of her original uniform — which still fits — if only she could find her medals.

That was all the spark the community needed. “A plan was spawned at that time to obtain a replacement set of medals for her,” said Bill Sergeant, president of the RCAF Association 441 Huronia Wing.

Warren originally enlisted in Toronto at the age of 18 and was stationed in Ottawa during the war. For her service, she had received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal — both of which were replaced and presented during Thursday’s ceremony.

Col. Wesley Cunningham of 16 Wing Borden did the honours, handing Warren her medals during what Sergeant described as a “very special” event.

“The smile on our 101-year-old WAAF veteran, Marie Warren, says it all,” Sergeant said. “You made her day.”

The WAAF played a vital role during the war, supporting the Royal Air Force in non-combat roles such as intelligence, communications, meteorology, and aircraft maintenance — positions that were essential to the military’s operations but often overlooked in postwar recognition.

Warren’s story, and the community’s response, is a reminder that even decades later, acts of service deserve to be remembered — and celebrated.

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