In a rare move to shun tourism profits for environmental protection, 10 popular dive sites have been shut down in a bid to slow a coral bleaching crisis

The parks department also recently ordered the closure of Koh Tachai, a popular island in the Andaman Sea, to let it recover from environmental damage caused by overcrowding. Thailand has shut down 10 popular diving sites in a bid to slow a coral bleaching crisis, an official said Thursday, in a rare move to shun tourism profits to protect the environment. The tropical country’s southern coastline and string of islands are home to some of the world’s most prized white sand beaches and scuba sites, and the booming tourism industry props up Thailand’s lagging economy. But warming waters and ever-growing swarms of visitors have damaged coral reefs and local ecosystems. The National Parks department has now indefinitely closed at least 10 diving spots after a survey found bleaching on up to 80% of some reefs. “The coral reefs are affected by unaware tourists – when they go diving they may touch or step on the reef. Closing those spots will help the reefs recover naturally,” National Park officer director, Reungsak Theekasuk, told AFP. The diving sites lie off beaches stretching from Rayong province in the east down to Satun in the far south. Coral bleaching, primarily caused by warming waters, has been wreaking havoc on the region for years. It occurs when corals come under environmental stress – such as stronger than normal sunlight and warmer sea temperatures – and respond by shedding the algae that give them their brilliant colours. Corals can survive bleaching but they become more vulnerable to further damage while the condition persists. Reungsak said the closed diving sites will be inspected ahead of peak tourist season, which starts in November. “Where we see there is still a crisis, we will have to keep the area and reefs preserved,” he said. The parks department also recently ordered the closure of Koh Tachai, a popular island in the Andaman Sea, to let it recover from environmental damage caused by overcrowding. Thailand’s vital tourism industry remains amazing facts - one of the few economic bright spots as the junta-led government struggles to kickstart the kingdom’s stumbling economy. Tourism accounts for around 10% of Thailand’s economy, and officials have said they hope to attract 32 million visitors in 2016.

• The Bald Eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird, up to 13 ft deep, 8.2 ft wide, and one ton in weight
• It is estimated that in the early 18th century, the Bald Eagle population was 300,000–500,000, but by the 1950s there were only 412 nesting pairs in the 48 contiguous states of the US. Populations recovered and stabilized, so the species was removed from the U.S. federal government’s list of endangered species and transferred to the list of threatened species on July 12, 1995, and it was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in the Lower 48 States on June 28, 2007
• The Bald Eagle reaches speeds of 35–43 mph when gliding and flapping, and about 30 mph while carrying fish. Its dive speed is between 75–99 mph, though it seldom dives vertically
• The Bald Eagle is partially migratory, depending on location. If its territory has access to open water, it remains there year-round, but if the body of water freezes during the winter, making it impossible to obtain food, it migrates to the south or to the coast
• Bald Eagles have powerful talons and have been recorded flying with a 15-pound Mule Deer fawn
• It has been estimated that the gripping power (pounds by square inch) of the Bald Eagle is ten times greater than that of a human.
• The highly developed talon of the Bald Eagle’s hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes
• The plumage of the immature Bald Eagle is brown, speckled with white until the fifth (rarely fourth, very rarely third) year, when it reaches sexual maturity
• The call of the Bald Eagle consists of weak chirping whistles, harsher and more shrill from young birds than adults. The movie and television industries will often substitute the call of a Red-Tailed Hawk when showing an eagle in flight.
• Bald Eagles can fly with fish at least equal to their own weight, but if the fish is too heavy to lift, the eagle may be dragged into the water. It may swim to safety, but some eagles drown or succumb to hypothermia
• Bald Eagle courtship involves elaborate calls and flight displays. The flight includesswoops, chases, and cartwheels, in which they fly high, lock talons, and free fall,separating just before hitting the ground
• The average lifespan of a Bald Eagle in the wild is around 20 years, with the oldest living to be about 30
• Adult eagles bring in a lot of fish for the 3 months their young are in the nest, and that can be quite an attraction to flies and other insects. Occasionally, insect loads are so bad in a nest, that a chick or two may die, due to stress and simply being bitten to death.