It is better for nature if you do not buy exotic goods for which it is not known whether any endangered animal or plant was used to produce them When travelling to an exotic country, it is worth taking the time to find out which products can cause trouble with local law enforcement agencies and which can create a hassle in customs. Among other things, you should look at the limits set by CITES...

It is not necessary to call the Estonian Rescue Board when you see a snake in the garden. You should give the reptile a chance to leave – it will do so quickly It is not necessary to call the Estonian Rescue Board when you see a snake in the garden. You should give the reptile a chance to leave – it will do so quickly. In the future, however, it is worth taking some measures to prevent snakes from...

Be sure to not let the unwanted passenger get away Fortunately, a large animal cannot fit in a suitcase, but some smaller animals, such as a scorpion, gecko, smaller reptile, cockroach, snail, or spider may accidentally hide in a bag and travel to Estonia. What should I do if I get back home from a trip and find an unwanted passenger in my bag? If you think the animal that accidentally ended up in...

Bats usually end up in residential buildings from late spring to autumn Bats often live close to humans in cities and towns. It is common for them to spend the days in the attics, but some species like cramped conditions, so they squeeze themselves through openings a few centimetres wide, either under lining boards or into some wooden cracks. It may happen that a bat flies into a room and can no...

There are two general goals – the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment The Constitution of the Republic of Estonia establishes that the natural wealth and resources of Estonia are national riches which must be used sustainably. This requirement serves as basis for nature conservation goals. More specifically, the field of nature conservation is governed by the...

Most of the species that once existed on Earth are extinct The concept of extinct biodiversity includes species that have disappeared from the planet. Most of the species that at some point existed on Earth (99.9%) are extinct. Many of them have disappeared as a result of mass extinctions due to sudden global environmental changes. At the same time, the extinction of species for various...

The need for biosafety was recognised as soon as the first GMO was created The term biosafety (sometimes also biological safety) has several meanings in Estonian. In a narrower sense, it means the prevention of diseases, poisonings, or allergies caused by biological organisms. This approach is used in the fields of food safety [1] and occupational health [2], as well as laboratory rules [3]...

There is more and more talk of biodiversity-friendly tourism There is an increasing focus in the world on making informed choices to conserve natural resources and the environment. This also applies to the tourism industry, and includes saving and using water and energy wisely, reducing and sorting trash and waste, consuming local products, favouring environmentally friendly materials, and...

It is estimated that there are more than 40,000 species in Estonia The systematics of nature is based on the assumption that living beings form more or less different units – taxons. The central taxon, or the basic unit of systematics, is a species. A species is a set of organisms that are similar in some way. Members of a species are able to produce offspring with each other, but are generally...

There are 60 habitat types in Estonia that we must protect and preserve on Estonian territory The pan-European Natura 2000 network of protected areas was established on the basis of the European Union (EU) Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. Annex I of the Habitats Directive lists the natural habitat types in need of protection. Areas that occur in different locations but have similar...