For the Birds

The U.N. Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals was widened this week to include six types of whales, a rare Asian river dolphin, the great white shark, and a camel capable of living on salty water. The decision to increase protections for these and other animals came at the end of a meeting on the convention held this week in Bonn, Germany. To protect migratory birds from being chewed up by wind turbines or fried by power lines, delegates from around the world voted to urge countries to adopt bird-friendly building techniques such as lowering voltage levels and studying the placement and impact of wind farms. Most countries have either signed the convention or informally agreed to abide by its terms.