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Ukraine
Russians Abandon Snake Island
Four months after occupying Ukraine at the beginning of the February invasion, Russian troops have withdrawn from Snake Island in the Black Sea. Thursday, Ukraine’s military claimed it had forced Russian occupying troops to flee, using a barrage of artillery and missile strikes while Russians fled in two small speed boats. Russia’s defense ministry stated it left the island in a “goodwill gesture,” and claimed it showed Moscow was not aiming to hinder the organization of a corridor for Ukrainian food exports by the United Nations. Regaining control of Snake Island could open the door to Ukrainian grain shipments from Odesa, an important step for the Ukrainian economy and the global food supply.
This map depicts the location of Snake Island, off the coast of Ukraine, which this week was abandoned by invading Russian forces. Click on the map to learn more.
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Nigeria
Fatal Attack and Kidnapping
Gunmen attacked a local mine in central Nigeria on Wednesday, killing security guards and abducting workers, including four Chinese nationals. According to local authorities, the total number of casualties are yet to be confirmed. The “bandits” are known to target infrastructure projects and mining sites as well as kidnap foreign workers for ransom. Earlier this year, three Chinese workers on a hydroelectric project were abducted in Niger in the same manner. China’s government has warned their citizens and companies to limit travel to “high-risk” areas in Nigeria and other African countries. Attacks by terrorist groups on villages in northwestern and central Nigeria to kidnap or kill residents have become more frequent in recent years.
This map depicts the location in central Nigeria where heavily armed gunmen shot and kidnapped mine workers. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: The Guardian
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World
Ancient Sources of Dog DNA
New research seeking to discover the genetic source of domesticated dogs has now traced the geographical origins of dogs to two distinct wolf populations, one in Eastern Asia and another in the Middle East. Researchers have reached a consensus that dogs originated from grey wolves, but the questions of where, when, how, and with whom remain mysteries. The major findings show dogs could have dual ancestry. One explanation for this theorizes wolves were domesticated more than once, however domestication could have also only happened one time, with later breeds then mixing with wild wolves in other locations.
This map depicts the sampling locations of ancient wolves used in the study to trace dogs’ genetic connections to ancient wolves. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Where must you go to find the “River of Five Colors” where the many different colors of the underwater bloom are visible when conditions are just right?
A: Caño Cristales, Colombia
Caño Cristales is a 62 mile (100 km) long river known as the “liquid rainbow” and is located in Colombia’s Serranía de la Macarena National Park, some 160 miles (250 km) south of Bogota. The naturally-occurring colors in the riverbed are produced by the aquatic plants, the Macarenia clavigera, a species of the river weed family. During the wet seasons, high and fast running waters make it difficult for the sun to reach the riverbed’s plants, and during the dry season, there isn’t enough water to support them. However, during the months in between these extremes, from July to October, when conditions are just right, the blooms turn red and mix with other plants to create the colorful effect. This happens where the Andes Mountains and the Amazon and Orinoco basins converge, a hotspot for biodiversity. The brightly-colored Caño Cristales River is the only place in the world where this phenomenon occurs.
Source
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Q: Which European beach, often referred to as the “Golden Cape,” is not only known for its turquoise blue waters, but also for its unique, ever-changing shape?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Tuesday’s DailyGeo.
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