ghj4. Australia is recovering post-bushfires Brightly-coloured lantana flowers are coming back after the fires, providing cover for mammals in Australia (Shutterstock) It wasn’t too long ago that the bushfires blazing across Australia were wiping out wildlife, flora and fauna by the millions. But today, a positive story is starting to emerge from our friends Down Under. Now that the fires have finally been put out, Australia is starting to look a lot less charred by the day, and increasingly vibrant and lush. Green shoots are bursting out of the ground at an incredible speed. Vines climb and twist around tree trunks. Brightly-coloured lantana flowers are providing cover for mammals. Insects buzz around the canopy, and birds can be heard calling to each other. Despite the tragic scenes we saw mere months ago, things Down Under are looking much brighter, offering a much needed glimmer of hope. Even when things look bad, they can and will get better. 5. There’s still nature to be discovered The new species of orchid was discovered by Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador (Mashpi Lodge) The folks at Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador were pleasantly surprised when their research and biology team found a brand new species of orchid. The orchid was discovered growing in the Mashpi Reserve that surrounds the eco-lodge. It has been named lepanthes mashpica, and is part of the Pleurothallidinae family of orchids. And that’s not the only beautiful discovery the lodge has enjoyed lately. They also recently discovered a nocturnal tree frog and a magnolia mashpi – an iconic tree type – in the reserve. This news reminds us that there is still much of the world awaiting discovery, and there’ll be many more beautiful new sites for us to set eyes on once lockdown is over. 6. The world’s busiest places can take a breather from overtourism Ad A lack of visitors will give coral reefs around the world the chance to recover from overtourism (Shutterstock) Indonesian authorities had already made the decision to close Komodo Island to protect the large reptiles that inhabit it. Thailand’s Maya Bay, on the island of Phi Phi Leh, was also forced to closed, due to damage caused by too many tourists visiting its surrounding coral reefs. And there are many more destinations all over the world, from Amsterdam to the Great Wall of China, that will benefit from the world coming to a temporary standstill. One place that has already reported positive results from a breather from tourism is Austria. The Austrian Alps are usually jam-packed with hikers and skiers this time of year. However, since COVID-19, the mountains have been cut off from the public, and nature has wasted no time reclaiming the land, with wildlife now bouncing over the slopes instead of people, according to Austrian Alpinist Lukas Furtenbach. It won’t be long until we see similar positive effects the world over. Over-trampled forests will grow back, coral reefs will recover, and sand dunes will have a break from walkers causing erosion. Hopefully, the breather will give these destinations the time to safeguard their natural resources, and put rules and regulations in place to monitor the numbers of visitors going forward – if they haven’t already.
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2. Venice looks more beautiful (and less polluted) than ever
Venice’s canals have cleared up since the lockdown due to COVID-19 (Shutterstock)
Venice has always been a hugely popular tourist destination. But with strict lockdown rules in place, the city is now a ghost town, with people only coming out to buy food and walk their dogs.
With the gondolas stopping their trips up and down the canals, and taxi boats halted from ferrying visitors back and forth – the usually murky canals have cleared up in an astonishingly short amount of time.
Dog walker’s days are being brightened up by turquoise-hued clear waters, which ripple over a rainbow-spectrum bed of now visible plant life and schools of fish.
Swans are often spotted swimming merrily around the neighbouring island of Burano – not news, but surely something to put a smile on your face.
P.S. Dolphins may not have returned, as some misleading social media posts suggested, but they were spotted off the coast of Sardinia, 500 miles away. Just as delightful…
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3. And a lack of pollution is improving views in India, too
The Himalayas (Shutterstock)
Since India went into lockdown due to COVID-19, the country has seen a significant drop in its pollution levels, with India’s Central Pollution Board confirming there has already been a vast improvement in air quality.
The result? Several people who live in northern India have reported that they can now see the snowy caps of the mighty Himalaya mountain range on the horizon, from over 200km away – a view that has been hidden by pollution for over 30 years.
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