Warm cities may provide the best conditions for the spread of invasive lanternflies. Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula), native to Asia, first arrived in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania. They have since spread across the Northeast and into the Midwest and Southeast. Scientists tapped into the citizen science platform iNaturalist to learn more about why […]
Hiker, 63, dies after being attacked by “stinging insects” on the trail
A 63-year-old hiker has died after being attacked by “stinging insects” on a Hong Kong hiking trail. According to the South China Morning Post, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a party of four was hiking on the Wilson Trail in the Pat Sin Leng mountain range. The group of two men and two […]
Turkmenistan Joins Global Effort to Protect Wildlife
Turkmenistan will become a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in January 2025. This move makes Turkmenistan the 185th country to join CITES, completing Central Asia’s representation in the treaty aimed at regulating wildlife trade and combating trafficking. Turkmenistan is home to a variety of […]
EU votes to weaken protection for European wolves
Wolves across Europe are set to lose their “strictly protected” status. The move is seen as a win for farmers concerned about loss of livestock, but conservationists warn that removing protections will jeopardize stable wolf populations. At a recent meeting of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, EU countries […]
Hawaiian crow that went extinct in the wild decades ago released on Maui
Five Hawaiian crows on Wednesday were released on Maui for the first time as part of an ongoing effort to return the species to its home, conservationists said. The Hawaiian crows, or alala, were last found on Hawaii‘s Big Island, but they went extinct in the wild in 2002, officials with the San Diego Zoo […]
Tule Elk at Point Reyes to Gain Freedom as Fence Removal Begins
After decades of debate and advocacy, the Tule elk of Point Reyes National Seashore will soon be free to roam beyond the confines of their enclosure at Tomales Point. The National Park Service is preparing to dismantle the two-mile-long, eight-foot-tall fence that has restricted the elk since 1978. This move comes after extensive public feedback, […]
That Cuban rodent species you never knew about? Turns out it’s two species
Hutias are a strange group of rodents living on various islands of the Caribbean. Although big, and sometimes looking a little plump, they’re active climbers and spend a considerable amount of their lives in trees. They look almost like a cross between a squirrel and a beaver, but are only distantly related to either. Instead, […]
Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists
It’s not just humans who get wiser as they age – animals do too, according to a growing body of research. The bigmouth buffalo fish can reach 127 years old, the Greenland shark 392, and some sponges can live for 10,000 years or more. And age is not just a number: as animals get older […]