Wicked

So feeling very Halloweeny after a brilliant night dressed as a Zombie Dorothy I headed to Manchester to see the INCREDIBLE theatre show of Wicked at the Palace Theatre. We had brilliant seats and as the show was starting I couldn't help but feel the buzz from all the audience as the lights started to dim.

There is no question as to whether the show was good or not, the plot of friendship, bonding and love makes it out to be a fantastic extravaganza. I was so thrilled though, that the individuals cast for main roles were so strong! Usually there is likely to be one or two which arn't quite as good as another but this show was in a league of its own. Just as I thought I figured out who I personally felt was the best it changed. The singing was phenomenal and the girl who played Elphaba,Nikki Davis-Jones could challenge Idina Menzel which is sure saying something as I never thought I would comprehend anyone being as talented with their vocal chords as she is. Glinda played by Emily Tierney was exactly what I expected her to be and with out fail, she made you laugh during her hair flicks and 'Popular', and cry a little, when they both sang 'for good'!
My only downside was I couldn't watch it on repeat or that I now have such an urge to get back on a stage whether its to dance or just have fun. Its amazing how one show can make you remember just how much something has always been part of your life.

If you ever get the opportunity to see the show of Wicked I would highly recommend it. Its a brilliant show with a very talented cast for everyone in the family. Even my Nan couldn't comment that the music and microphones were to loud! A brilliant feat on its own.

There's more Dolphins

So last week came the very excited news that a new species of dolphin has been discovered of the coast of Australia. Although the species is yet to be named it has been a decade long DNA and data analysis task for scientists to reach the point where they have finally concluded that there is not just 2 species of humpback dolphin but in fact 4 or possibly more. This idea is know as splitting where the new species have come from the two original species but are now to different to be placed together.
Over 200 tissue samples were analysed before the conclusion could be drawn but it now means that conservationists will be able to study the animals behavioural and social groups with greater knowledge and gain an understanding of whether in fact there are any differences between the individual humpback dolphin species.

The paper about the findings was published in Molecular Ecology
and if you wish to just do a little more reading follow the links below

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10417002/New-species-of-humpback-dolphin-discovered-in-Australia.html
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/new-species-humpback-dolphin-discovered
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14921665

Breeding hope for Wildcats

Wildcat numbers have been in steep decline due to cross breeding with feral cats, their habitat being destroyed and diseases. The number is now only believed to be around 100 pure bred individuals left in the wild to date.

The lottery fund in September donated money for a new conservation programme to aid with the neutering of feral cats and reducing risks to the rare breed. There has also become a captive breeding programme set up in which the first kittens have been born at Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig. These are the first 2 individuals to be born since the Wildcat Conservation Action Plan was created and it is thought that the Highland Wildlife Park will be one of the main breeding centers to breed wildcats in Scotland with the hope that, individuals will be released into the wild if the breeding programme is successful.

The Action Plan consists of 3 big ideas: Identify 5 areas where wildcats can be conserved, reduce risks in those 5 protected areas and then the captive breeding programme along with ecological research to aid the knowledge of the cats. This hopeful action plan is aiming to of halted decline within 6 years giving the Scottish Wildcat a fighting chance against extinction.

To read more about the kittens, the Action Plan and to learn more about the species see the links below

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24613855

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-24208759

http://www.rzss.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/press-release?urlName=more-puuurr-fect-highland-kittens

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/wildlife/wildcatconservationactionplan.pdf

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/