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Recording the Sounds of Extinction

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Musician and naturalist Bernie Krause is one of the world's leading experts in natural sound. Krause has been recording "soundscapes" - the wind in the trees, the chirping of birds, the songs of humpback whales - for over forty years and has amassed the largest archive in the world. In doing so, Krause can chart how wildlife sounds have changed over the course of climate change. Listen for yourself: the silence speaks volumes.
Be The Change
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Listen to some of the natural sounds recorded by Bernie Krause at Wild Sanctuary.
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The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is the world's leading scientific collection of biodiversity media.
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Spend an hour in your garden or neighborhood park - how many distinct sounds do you hear? Can you identify them?
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Reflections (22)

Steven Chamberlain
Just here to back up Martha. Here is a link to 'Global Alert News' Please pass it on. Thank You
http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/geoengineering-watch-global-alert-news-march-4-2017/
Martha
This is beyond sad. Often, when global warming is mentioned the important component of geoengineering is not. There's no dispute global warming is occurring. It is. What's important to add to the conversation are the impacts of geoengineering also known as "climate engineering" or solar radiation management (SRM).

SRM involves aerosol dispersion of nano-sized particles that include aluminum, barium and strontium into the atmosphere under the guise of reflecting the sun's heat away from the earth. It's said to be in the"proposal"stages. Compelling evidence exists that it was covertly implemented decades ago. One result is instead of reflecting solar radiation away from the earth heat is trapped around the earth instead. HAARP the ionospheric heater in Alaska and others similar to it scattered around the world are implicated in this as well. What? The earth is warming and ionospheric heaters are being used? Hmmm....

The ongoing implementation of geoengineering continues to be a deep, dark secret kept by the science community who created it and who continue to adamantly deny its implementation. Check out www.geoengineeringwatch.org for more information on this dire threat to our earth and the life she's meant to support.
Clarisa Barua
It is not inspiring. It is so sad. Brings tears to my eyes. Thank you Bernie for bringing this to us.
Pete
I was very fortunate to live in a beautiful wooded area in Southwest Florida for a few decades. I was fascinated by the variety of wildlife, and often recorded the sounds, and videotaped a variety of activity myself, whenever I had the opportunity. I observed that the wild inhabitants changed from year to year, and of course seasonally. When larger predators such as panthers, eagles, or coyotes moved in, the large populations of smaller creatures would soon diminish. Then as the predators moved on, the populations of smaller creatures would recover. Curiously, colder winters usually meant an abundance of birds the following spring. In contrast, warmer winters meant far fewer birds. I finally realized that the snake populations did not die off in the warmer winters. As a result there were many more snakes feeding on young chicks, both in nests and those on the ground who were learning to fly. They also fed on eggs that had not hatched yet. Unfortunately, I also witnessed the devastating effect the exploding population of encroaching humans had on the wildlife in the area. The population grew from around 15,000 in 1985, to upwards of 200,000 in 2015. The once pristine wilderness was transformed to a sea of housing, hotels, businesses, and light manufacturing. Nature seems very resilient, but is it resilient enough to survive humanity? A consistent source of clean, fresh water, seems to attract a variety of wildlife who quickly come to rely on this resource, especially when no other is available nearby. A simple bird bath placed under the eaves of my roof, tends to provide enough to keep the local birds supplied. The shallow water has never created a mosquito problem, and it is regularly refilled by rain. In the drier weeks and months, I keep it filled for them. One person can expend enormous effort and accomplish a great deal. Many people can extend a slight effort and accomplish the same.
Sasha
What a shame that there is the "noisy" background music that undermines your message.
Ginny
Thank you for helping us hear what we are losing. I too remember the early morning calls of thrush, bob white quail and ring necked pheasants that are now gone in my area. Hopefully, your work will motivate all concerned to change in ways that save our environment.
Gowtham
A good informative video. Urgency of changes clearly notified.
Deborah Starr
I used to hear the song and calls of bobwhite quail, whippoorwill, ring necked pheasant and wood thrush along with the sounds they make while foraging in dry leaves or the sound of their wing beats as they flew up before my unwitting intrusion. Having walked the woods since a young girl and now over generations I have seen so many changes and noticed the absence of sounds associated with the birds I named above. There is more but I will leave it there for now.
Ranjeet Deshmukh
I am touched and numbed. What have we done to the planet Earth in last 50-60 years(shamed) .
Whatever is lost ( destroyed) cannot be brought back...Even if we want to pay the price it cannot be reversed?
In the 21st Century we live in, we know everything about everything. But what is the use ?
How many are ready to sacrifice to give up the life style? Ready to slash down the power bills and petrol/gas bills year on year, live with just minimum 2-3 pairs of suits/trousers and shirts. Drive a small car.
How to help the cause? Every Country should be assigned task to present the Annual Ecology Balance Sheet of Profit & Loss and Assets and liabilities in terms of quantifiable/logical factors and nos.
Oh God give us the energy to bring in the change …Amen. || Om Shantihi, Shantihi, Shantihi||
Cheryl Najecki
Thank you for the research work you've done and continue to do. Its so important for us to learn this and try to change our ways moving forward.
Anantha Agasthya
Thank you Bernie for the painstaking wonderful sounds of what was. It could be a target for ecological interventions. You have given us a deeper or more distinct feeling of the process that is silently becoming extinct.
We need more Bernie's to wake up the courage in us to be a small change. Recently I just started with a small drop in the ocean by keeping a little water for the birds around during the summer.
Marc Mullinax
Reminds me of https://onbeing.org/programs/gordon-hempton-the-last-quiet-places-silence-and-the-presence-of-everything/
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