A public-private partnership in Mexico just announced that the current population of thick-billed parrots is approximately 2,500 individuals—at least 10% higher than that recorded 12 years ago. The number was determined in a recent population survey in a protected area in the state of Chihuahua, where once upon a time this charismatic species roamed north […]
Bird flu sweeps through zoos with ‘grave implications’ for endangered animals
Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered species, researchers have warned. As a growing number of zoos report animal deaths, scientists are concerned that infected wild birds landing in enclosures could be spreading it among captive animals. In the US, […]
Giraffes in Legal Limbo at Natural Bridge Zoo
The three female giraffes at Natural Bridge Zoo are caught in an uncertain situation. While technically owned by Rockbridge County, the giraffes have remained at the zoo since authorities seized them on-site last December. A letter from the Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit last month outlined that the giraffes would stay put for now due […]
Counting Crows (and more) for Audubon’s Christmas bird count
One of the longest-running citizen science projects in the world has kicked off its 125th annual event. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC), administered by the U.S.-based nonprofit National Audubon Society, takes place each year from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5. The annual bird census collects valuable data that scientists use to track the health and […]
One in 10 southern right whales alive in 1893 could have still been swimming today, study finds
In 1893, the World’s Fair was getting under way in Chicago, the world’s first number plates appeared on cars in Paris, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination would later spark the first world war, spent time hunting kangaroos and emus in the NSW town of Narromine. Also, according to researchers, up to 10% of southern […]
Massive Alaskan Bird Die-Off Shocks Scientists
Scientists have reported the most significant bird mortality event in modern history, with over 4 million common murres perishing in Alaska. This catastrophic loss, revealed in a recent study published in the journal Science, surpasses any previous known wildlife disaster, including the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill. The roots of this calamity are traced back […]
Almost extinct Caribbean lizard makes a comeback after island restoration
A tiny lizard found only on one tiny Caribbean island has seen a dramatic 1,500% increase in its population, after just a few years of island restoration efforts. In 2018, researchers estimated there were fewer than 100 individuals of the critically endangered Sombrero ground lizard (Pholidoscelis corvinus) on the small hat-shaped Sombrero Island, part of […]
UK to ban bee-killing pesticides but highly toxic type could still be allowed
Bee-killing pesticides are to be banned by the UK government, as ministers set out plans to outlaw the use of neonicotinoids. However, the highly toxic neonicotinoid Cruiser SB could be allowed for use next year, as ministers are considering applications from the National Farmers’ Union and British Sugar. This powerful pesticide poisons bees by destroying […]