Cockfighting has been illegal in Costa Rica for more than a century, but this violent tradition persists underground across the country. To make the birds deadlier, their owners often tie razor-sharp blades to their legs, known as gaffs or cockspurs. Aside from the roosters, which get seriously injured or killed during fights, another species has […]
The Burmese python problem: how 20ft predators are wreaking havoc on the Everglades
An invasive predator that can grow up to 20ft, weigh over 100kg and devour prey six times its size – it is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. That’s what residents of southern Florida have been struggling with for the past few decades, with the rapid growth of the Burmese python population in the Everglades. […]
Humpback Whale Sets Record with Incredible 8,000 Mile Journey
A humpback whale has shattered records by traveling over 8,000 miles from the coast of South America to Africa, marking the longest known journey for an individual whale. This extraordinary feat was documented in research published in Royal Society Open Science. Initially spotted near Colombia nearly a decade ago, the same male whale was identified […]
Invasive species are often threatened in their native ranges
Many species that are considered invasive in areas where they’ve been introduced may actually be threatened with extinction in their home ranges. A new study published in Conservation Letters explores this conservation paradox, asking whether or not nonnative species that are endangered in their native range should be protected or controlled. “We were interested in […]
Endangered seabirds return to Pacific island after century-long absence
Small seabirds skim the open ocean at night, patting their legs on the surface as they hunt for small fish. Now, for the first time in more than 100 years, endangered Polynesian storm petrels (Nesofregetta fuliginosa) have returned to a far-flung island in French Polynesia. These rare birds began exploring Kamaka Island just three weeks […]
Florida scrub-jays suffer effects of warming change
Florida scrub-jays are nesting earlier than they used to as a result of warming winters, which is impacting their populations. Scientists recently looked at long-term data on the federally threatened bird species from 1981 until 2018. They found that as winters have warmed, Florida scrub-jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens) are not only moving their nesting up a […]
Wildlife and humans face shared health risks from plastic pollution
Humans are surrounded by plastic. So are animals. While numerous studies have shown the wide-ranging health effects in humans linked to plastic, very few have looked at how plastic, especially microplastic, impacts wildlife. That’s beginning to change, contributor Sharon Guynup reports for Mongabay. “Plastic pollution has been found on every continent and in every ocean, […]
USFWS proposes new rules for recovery of Canada lynx
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is moving forward with Canada lynx conservation by taking two steps. The Service is proposing to revise the current habitat designation for the species. The new habitat designation would cover more than 19,000 square miles in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Washington and Wyoming. In addition, collaboration between the […]