A Georgia man known for his social media presence with exotic pets was arrested on October 17 after authorities uncovered an alleged illegal animal trading ring. JaeQuan Smith Devers, who went by “PetzonWheelz” on Instagram, was taken into custody following a raid on his home that revealed a collection of dangerous and tropical animals, including […]
International panel launches guidelines for ‘high integrity’ biodiversity credits
At the United Nations biodiversity conference currently underway in Colombia, an international panel has published a framework with guidelines to scale up “biodiversity credits,” an emerging financial mechanism to tackle the global loss of nature. Biodiversity credits are meant to be a way for companies to invest in projects that protect or restore nature, earning […]
High-flying life of Australia’s birds revealed in new detail – thanks to weather radars
The yearly travel plans of birds up and down Australia‘s east coast have been revealed for the first time, using the same tool that tracks the weather – a development experts say could have “profound” implications for conservation as more windfarms are built. Scientists have used weather radars to show that bird migration across eastern […]
Frogs Face Dire Threats from Climate Change and Habitat Loss
A recent study in Nature Climate change reveals alarming news for frog populations worldwide. Due to increasing aridity caused by climate change, scientists predict that by 2080 to 2100, between 7 percent and over one-third of frog habitats may become too dry for survival. If human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, isn’t curtailed, […]
As Nepal counts its snow leopards, even the best estimate is still a guess
KATHMANDU — Scientists and government officials have embarked on the uphill task of coming up with a number, or even just a range, for the population of snow leopards in the Himalayan country. To do so, they’re having to rely on several fragmented studies carried out during different periods of time in different landscapes across […]
Hedgehogs ‘near threatened’ on red list after 30% decline over past decade
Hedgehogs are now listed as “near threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list after a decline in numbers of at least 30% over the past decade across much of their range. While hedgehogs were once common across Europe, and were until now listed as of “least concern” on the red list, […]
A Community’s Bond with India’s Endangered Hoolock Gibbons
In the village of Barekuri, Assam, Mohit Chutia and his community share a unique connection with the endangered hoolock gibbons, the only ape species in India. Chutia, often called “bandar” (monkey) by locals, has formed a deep bond with the gibbons, treating them like family. The village is home to just 19 of these apes, […]
Polar Bears at Higher Risk of Contracting Some Pathogens
As the environment warms, polar bears are more likely to contract several pathogens than they were three decades ago. In a study published in PLOS ONE, researchers looked for antibodies for six pathogens in blood samples taken from polar bears in the Chukchi Sea from 1987-1994 and from 2008-2017. They found that five of the […]