Nude cyclists protest London bike safety

The Guardian UK reports on London's annual naked bike day event.

Last weekend 1,100 riders rode in the buff to bring awareness to bicycle safety along London's vehicle-filled roads.

"It's a bit of reclaiming the streets," said Sarah Reader, a 23-year-old from London. "I cycle ten miles a day and London's built up such a car culture.

"When I first heard of it I didn't think it was a political thing, but when you think about it, it will make cyclists visible.

"I think it will be incredibly liberating and it's a bit cheeky. We might start off with underwear then ditch it later on," she said.

Read the full story: Cyclists strip off in central London

Photo by Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images

London Zoo exhibits S American rainforest life

The Guardian reports on London Zoo's South American rainforest exhibit.

David Field, zoological director of London zoo, said: "Rainforest Life will transport people to other corners of the world by coming through the gates of London zoo. It is a dynamic, living ecosystem and you won't see the same exhibit twice. It will give people a real taste of these priceless forests that are disappearing fast."

The zoo hopes [the exhibit] will become a breeding centre for the endangered species it houses. Visitors to the exhibit will have the chance to experience the heat and humidity of the jungle from elevated walkways where they can view the canopy teeming with wildlife.

Read the full story: London zoo exhibit recreates living South American rainforest

Photo from London Zoo

Half of world's primates face "imminent extinction": report

The Guardian reports on the "imminent extinction" of half the world's primates. Habitat destruction is the main problem say the report's scientists

In a report highlighting the 25 most endangered primate species, conservationists have outlined the desperate plight of primates from Madagascar, Africa, Asia and Central and South America, with some populations down to just a few dozen in number.

Of the world's 634 primate species, 48% are classified as threatened with extinction on the IUCN's "red list" of threatened species. The latest report was compiled by 85 primatologists working in the field and will be launched today at Bristol zoo by a coalition of conservation groups including the IUCN and Conservation International and the International Primatological Society.

Read the full story: Almost half of all primates face 'imminent extinction'

Photo by Nora Schwitzer/Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation

UK cold temps bring bird-watching opportunity

The Guardian UK reports on the wildlife viewing during the country's big freeze.

Feeding birds have to hunt harder for food now that the ground is covered in six-feet of snow. But this promotes more opportunity for spotting them.

[All] sorts of unusual visitors are turning up in gardens, including redwings and fieldfares from Scandinavia, and reed buntings and yellowhammers from local farmland. There has even been a sighting of an escaped ­Senegal parrot feeding on apples in a Bristol suburb. Away from our homes, usually shy species such as snipe, woodcock, bittern and water rail are coming right out into the open to feed – ­making them vulnerable to attack by predators.

Read the full story: How the big freeze has brought some unusual visitors

Photo by David Boag / PIN

Maldives photos show environmental vulnerability

British newspaper the Guardian has an online photo exhibition of the popular tropical island getaway of the Maldives.

But these photos highlight the vulnerability the islands have to climate change and global warming. Erosion (picture left of a house on Maduvvari island, Raa Atoll), coral bleaching, tsunamis, and rising ocean height all affect these low-lying islands located southwest of India.

See the full slide show: Vulnerable: An exhibition on the fragile state of the Maldives

Photo by Saffah Faroog / Bluepeace

First shared bikes, now shared cars

Paris introduced the bike sharing program called Velib a year ago (with much success), now they plan to do the same with electric cars.

The Guardian newspaper reports that 4,000 electric cars, called Autolib, will be put to use around the city and its outlying areas - and it will be the first electric car sharing scheme in the world:

"Paris city hall said 700 Autolib pick-up points would be set up across the Paris area, 200 of which will be underground. A driver could pick up a car, for example, in the east of the city and drop it off in the west after a short journey."

Read the full story: Paris plans help-yourself green car hire