Latest environment news
Heat building up for Sydney as heat warning issued
Peter Hannam 5:08 PM Heatwave conditions are forecast for most of the state in coming days, with NSW Health advising people to limit physical activities and spend time in air-conditioned buildings.
Warning issued for large hailstones, damaging winds
Peter Hannam 7:17 PM Severe thunderstorms bringing the potential for large hailstones, heavy rainfall and damaging wind continue to pose a threat to the Newcastle region although a similar warning for Sydney has now been cancelled.
Development good for local school but could threaten local wildlife
Lucy Cormack 10:08 AM More than four hectares of remnant bushland could be cleared on Sydney's northern beaches for the expansion of a local primary school, which was once designated as a centre of excellence in environmental education.
Springvale mine approval faces challenge over impact to Sydney's water
Peter Hannam 9:10 AM Environmental groups have begun legal action to overturn the Baird government's approval of a Blue Mountains coal mine expansion.
National Parks Association supports culling wild horses in Snowy Mountains
John Thistleton National Parks Association says the NSW Government should cut to the chase on controlling Snowy Mountain's wild horses and cull them.
Heatwave hits capital
Clare Sibthorpe 11:30 PM Temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s are set to stick around this week. But there is relief on the way.
Last refuge for endangered pygmy perch
John Thistleton 11:30 PM A rare pygmy perch inspires landholders to change the countryside near Yass.
Figure 8 Pools Instagram craze drives risky behaviour in Royal National Park
Megan Levy 2:24 PM It's a picture-perfect rock pool tucked in a secluded area of the Royal National Park south of Sydney.
Spiders are a treasure trove of scientific wonder
Maggie Hardy 1:56 PM Australia has an incredible diversity of native spiders, including the potentially lethal funnel-web, the ubiquitous huntsman, and the charming peacock spider. Only two can be deadly for humans – the funnel-web and redback spiders – and we have antivenom for both.
Lion with teeth growing out of its forehead baffles biologists
Helena Horton 9:17 AM Biologists said they had never seen anything like it when a mountain lion killed in the US state of Idaho was found with a set of fully formed teeth growing out of its forehead.
Woman bitten on the nose by python during snake show in Phuket
Lindsay Murdoch 8:34 AM Video of a python that suddenly attacked a Chinese tourist at a snake show on the resort island of Phuket has spread quickly across Thailand's social media.
Who let the dogs out? Dogs on leashes allowed in more parks
Megan Doherty Dogs can go for a romp through Weston Park, Lennox Gardens and Black Mountain Peninsula - on a leash.
Warm weather and rain to return to Canberra
Clare Colley Canberra is tipped to get more than half its average monthly rainfall over just two days at the end of this week.
Why did the possum get PTSD?
Kimberley Le Lievre Wild animals who find themselves in some unusual situations are rescued by trained carers.
Native species could end up as collateral damage in bow fishing trial
Natalie O'Brien and Lucy Cormack Will the state's native species end up speared by a bow and arrow in bow fishing trial?
Humanity's impact on Earth creates Anthropocene epoch, scientists say
Sydney Pead Humans have produced enough concrete to thinly pave the entire surface of the Earth, while carbon dioxide emissions are rising 100 times quicker than at any time during the past 800,000 years.
Australia 'left in the dark' as Bureau of Meteorology's data fails
Peter Hannam Australia's main weather information services from the Bureau of Meteorology are down, affecting everything from temperature readings to radar imagery.
Major supermarkets ban products containing plastic microbeads
Rachel Browne Major supermarket chains have joined the backlash against microbeads, the tiny particles commonly found in beauty products which can damage the environment.
Libyan oil terminals on fire – seen from space
Chris Zappone Attacks by Islamic State militants on oil storage terminals on Libya's coast have started fires so intense the dark smoke is visible from space.
Investigator voyage to explore the 'anaemic' Southern Ocean
Lucy Cormack The Southern Ocean has an iron deficiency - and the possible cure is more spectacular than spinach.
Here comes the sun - and a heatwave for Sydney too
Peter Hannam Hang in there, Sydney, summer is about to return with a blast of sunshine and warmth.
Discovery of stick-thin Lady Gaga thrills scientists
Bridie Smith Scientists have for the first time been able to breed the largest stick insect to call Australia home - a monster measuring than half a metre long.
Search resumes for sailor washed off yacht near Broughton Island
Megan Levy and Nick Ralston A missing yachtsman who was washed off his boat off the NSW Mid North Coast had just completed a sailing race and was returning home when he and his crew were caught in wild seas, police say.
Gas leak community 'on the brink of pandemonium'
Ian Lovett How a single gas well leak has become an environmental catastrophe on an unprecedented scale.
NSW flooding leaves campers stranded, capital's wet weather clears for warm weekend
Clare Sibthorpe and Katie Burgess Around thirty campers remained stranded near Moruya on Wednesday night, due to the flooding caused by the storm that swamped the NSW south coast earlier in the week.
Sydney residents told to defer non-essential travel as big wet continues
Saskia Mabin Residents in Sydney and the Hunter are being urged to avoid any non-essential travel as the unseasonal big wet continues to cause chaos on the roads.
Dog dies after poisoning in Queens Park
Rachel Browne Christian Acuna lost his beloved dog Mila after she died from eating poisoned chicken in Queens Park.
Record hot end to 2015 for Australia as giant El Nino dominates
Peter Hannam Australia has posted its hottest end to any year as the impact of one of the biggest El Ninos on record began to be felt across the continent.
Sydney weather: one more wet day expected before rain eases off
Megan Levy Parts of Sydney have been saturated in a month's worth of rain in less than two days, and forecasters say one more day of the drenching conditions are expected before the unseasonal big wet gradually starts to ease.
NSW floods prompt 21 rescues
Motorists are continuing to ignore warnings from emergency services not to drive through floods, resulting in 21 rescues in two days along the NSW coast.
