Up to three quarters of the unique cork oak forests of the Mediterranean could be lost within 10 years because of the increasing popularity of the screw-top wine bottle, says Steve Connor, Science Editor of The Independent , a newspaper published from London . The move away from traditional stoppers made of cork threatens the survival of one of Europe's most important wildlife habitats, Connor writes, quoting a study by WWF, the conservation group.

If the trend for plastic stoppers and screw tops continues, then just 5% of wine bottles sold in Britain in 2015 could be using corks, the report says. (Yearly losses to the wine and cork industry from cork taint are estimated to be about £684m, causing the shift to screw caps.)

For the complete article, go to http://www.independent.uk/environment