What does Brown Bear eat in Estonia and in Europe?
Egle Tammeleht, Marju Korsten, Malle Leht, Ants-Johannes Martin, Ave Lind, Peep Männil, Harri Valdmann ja Urmas Saarma have researched the contents of gaster and excrements of brown bears and come to a conclusion about diet habits of our brown bears. Diet research plays an important role in understanding complex relationships in food chains. The excrements of 160 bears and gaster contents of 39 hunted bears were analyzed; additionally hair of 39 bears was used for stabile isotope analysis.
In all, 72 species of plants, 34 taxa of animals and one species of fungi were identified. Plants formed the majority (83%) in the tested samples, but contributed only for 44% of the energetic value of the food consumed. Ants were found to contribute a lot, and surprisingly even a new species of ants for Estonia was found from the samples!
It also appeared that bears living in the southern parts of Europe have a more vegetarian diet, while bears of Northern Europe are much more dependant of animals in their diet.

Estonian Nature Protection 100: A hundred years of bird banding in Estonia
Olavi Vainu gives an overview of the beginning of bird banding history and compares it to nowadays practice. During the hundred years, about 3.4 billion birds have been banded and there have been about 50 000 re-finds. The first birds were banded in June 1910 at the Telve Island located between Saaremaa and the Vilsandi Island by the ornithologists of the Riga Naturalists’ Society. In 1910ies some birds were banded also by the German barons. The second period was in 1921–1946 after the Estonian Ornithological Society was founded, the third one in 1947–1969 and the fourth one since 1970 until today.

The changed coasts of Vasknarva
Mihkel Järveoja, Tiit Hang, Raivo Aunap and Taavi Pae describe the repeating attempts to control flooding of the River Narva and Lake Peipsi, as well as emerged changes in the location of the coastline near Vasknarva. In 1930ies three transverse dams and one dam directing the current were built. As of now, the surroundings of the dams have become mainland and the dams have largely lost their regulating effect, but they still hinder the movement of coastal sediments of Lake Peipsi. The several color graphs illustrate the movement of coastline well.

Estonian Nature enquires
Urmas Sellis explains why the Estonian Ornithological Society doesn’t approve of using birds of prey in hunting.
Raivo Kalle and Renata Sõukand clarify the science of etnobiology and introduce their seminar-meeting at Padise in October, 2010.

The photo contest of „Eesti Loodus“ 2010

Interview: The best partner of the nature protector is healthy horse sense.
Toomas Kukk has interviewed Tõnu Talvi, a nature protector and zoologist.

Estonian Nature Protection 100: Johannes Maide – the man No 2 of the pre-war Estonian nature protection
Andres Tõnisson recalls the underrated, if not forgotten man of our nature protection history. Most of the time Maide worked as a secretary and treasurer at different state institutions related to nature protection. For about 5 years he worked side by side with Gustav Vilbaste, the one and only official nature protector of the time. Maide liked to play with number and made several researches of his own. He died in a shipwreck in 1944 while escaping from Estonia.

The 8th Wonder of the World in Cornwall
Toomas Jüriado shares his impressions of the Eden Project – unique botanical gardens in Cornwall, England, founded into a desolated clay mine. The giant greenhouses were built in late 1990ies and were officially opened in March 2001. The largest of the greenhouses represents tropical rainforest with about 16 000 plant specimen of over 1100 species. There is also a greenhouse for Mediterranean biome, a large outdoor garden and the Core – the Eden Project’s education center. The Eden Project complex is very popular, attracting about a billion visitors a year, and sets good examples to other gardeners and friends of horticulture.

Winter rituals of eagles
Jaanus Järva takes a glance at the life of two eagles in winter. The author has observed the behaviour of white-tailed eagles and golden eagles on carrions through several years. Golden eagle is a quite aggressive bird and easily chases of white-tailed eagle, even though the latter one is much bigger in size. The story is illustrated with abundant photos of the majestic birds.