Wildlife populations plunge 73% since 1970: WWF
Wild populations of monitored animal species have plummeted over 70 percent in the last half-century, according to the latest edition of a landmark assessment by WWF published on Thursday......»»
Study shows urbanization has impacted the population genetic structure of the Eurasian red squirrel in Japan
Since many kinds of wildlife have started living in urban environments, urban environments have been recognized as places of biodiversity conservation. What kind of factors facilitate or prohibit wildlife from living in urban environments?.....»»
Hawk-eyed photographer snaps threatened bird feared lost
A hawk-eyed photographer has thrilled scientists by snapping a threatened bird of prey in Papua New Guinea, more than five decades since it was last officially documented, the World Wildlife Fund said Friday......»»
Endangered species rebounds in California a century after being wiped out
All on its own, an endangered species is making a fierce comeback in California, newly published state wildlife data show......»»
Thanks to humans, Salish Sea waters are too noisy for resident orcas to hunt successfully
The Salish Sea—the inland coastal waters of Washington and British Columbia—is home to two unique populations of fish-eating orcas, the northern resident and the southern resident orcas. Human activity over much of the 20th century, including red.....»»
How Front Range cow waste and car exhaust are hurting Rocky Mountain National Park"s ecosystem
For decades, gases from car exhaust and cow waste have drifted from Colorado's Front Range to harm plants, fish and wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park, and while a decades-long effort to slow the damage is working, it's not moving as quickly as.....»»
Greenpeace sounds alarm on microplastics ingested by Hong Kong wildlife
Microplastic particles turned up in the vast majority of waste samples taken from Hong Kong wildlife in a Greenpeace study, the group said Monday, suggesting that animals still ingest plastics even if they are not feeding in urban areas......»»
State-by-state data boosts bird conservation planning
New data summaries from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's eBird platform will help state wildlife planners assess the status of bird populations that live in or pass through their state—a crucial tool in protecting species......»»
Research shows queen conch populations in marine reserves replenish populations beyond the reserve in The Bahamas
A new study published in Conservation Science and Practice uncovers how breeding populations of queen conch (Aliger gigas) within a protected marine reserve, where fishing is prohibited, sustain populations beyond the borders of the reserve. This res.....»»
Bat population collapse linked to increased pesticide use and more than 1,000 infant deaths
Bats are considered a natural pesticide, widely relied on by farmers as an alternative to chemical pesticides to protect their crops from insects. But since 2006, many bat populations have collapsed in counties in North America due to an invasive fun.....»»
Wildlife trafficking ring killed at least 118 eagles, prosecutors say
A man helped kill at least 118 eagles to sell their feathers and body parts on the black market as part of a long-running wildlife trafficking ring in the western U.S. that authorities allege killed thousands of birds, court filings show......»»
Plankton mark seasons in the sea, just like leaves and flowers on land
Britain's seas are rich in wildlife, but many of its species can only be seen with a microscope. These are the plankton—tiny algae and animals found throughout the ocean that are the foundation of the entire marine food web......»»
Namibia"s drought cull of more than 700 wildlife under way
A Namibian government cull of more than 700 wildlife to cope with its worst drought in decades is under way, with nearly 160 animals already killed, the environment ministry said Tuesday......»»
From wild relatives to super tomatoes: Unearthing new genetic potential
Tomato breeding has historically depended on a narrow genetic pool, leading to decreased diversity and loss of valuable traits. Traditional methods and biparental populations fall short in harnessing the full potential of wild relatives, posing chall.....»»
The Mediterranean dried out 5.5 million years ago, offering sobering lessons for humanity today
What would happen if humans dried out the Mediterranean sea, turning it into a giant salt lake? Would its wildlife survive, and if so, how long would it take to recover?.....»»
Why every island"s wildlife ends up looking alike
Located to the east of Madagascar, the bountiful, volcanic French island of Réunion has sometimes been called a sister to Hawaiian volcanoes because of the similarity in their climate and geographical nature. Those familiar with its seemingly pristi.....»»
Investigation reveals global fisheries are in far worse shape than we thought—and many have already collapsed
When fish are taken from our oceans faster than they can reproduce, their population numbers decline. This over-fishing upsets marine ecosystems. It's also bad for human populations that rely on fish for protein in their diets......»»
Killings of invasive owls to ramp up on US West Coast in a bid to save native birds
U.S. wildlife officials beginning next year will drastically scale up efforts to kill invasive barred owls that are crowding out imperiled native owls from West Coast forests, under a plan finalized Wednesday that faces challenges from barred owls re.....»»
Citizen scientists can help save Australia"s threatened species if given more direction
Across Australia and around the world, citizen scientists are protecting species by recording sightings, surveying landscapes and collecting samples. No job is too big or too small. As wildlife ecologists, we are indebted to this army of volunteers......»»
From rhino horn snuff to pangolin livestock feed: A half-century of patents reveals the wildlife trade"s evolution
The bright blue blood of the horseshoe crab is used around the world to detect bacterial contamination in vaccines. Synonymous with luxury, sturgeon caviar has been patented as an antidote to impotency in China. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asia.....»»
"Amazon" algae shed light on what happens to populations when females switch to asexual reproduction
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and Kobe University discovered populations of female brown algae that reproduce from unfertilized gametes and thrive without males. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, they use.....»»