The Christmas Island shrew, the only shrew found in Australia, is now extinct. While there have been no sightings of the shrew since 1984, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has declared the long-suspected reality tragically official. Unfortunately, the shrew is only one of many mammals lost forever in Australia. Since 1788, almost […]
World’s Most Important Whale Feeding Ground Under Threat
Sea Shepherd will return to Antarctica at the start of the new year as escalating industrial fishing pressure threatens what may be the most important whale feeding ground on the planet. A fleet of fourteen supertrawlers from six countries operate between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Orkney Islands, competing directly with fin and humpback […]
It’s the world’s rarest ape. Now a billion-dollar dig for gold threatens its future
Asmall brown line snakes its way through the rainforest in northern Sumatra, carving 300 metres through dense patches of meranti trees, oak and mahua. Picked up by satellites, the access road – though modest now – will soon extend 2km to connect with the Tor Ulu Ala pit, an expansion site of Indonesia’s Martabe mine. […]
These Rare Whales Had Never Been Seen Alive, Then Scientists Saw Two Near California
A lifelong whale researcher recently encountered a living pair of gingko-toothed beaked whales for the first time ever in the wild. The encounter advances the science of beaked whales enormously, for in addition to confirming the whole genome of the animal, it also linked this elusive species to a well-recorded whale song that can now […]
Poland’s Landmark Fur Farm Ban Signals A Humane Shift in Fashion
Poland has taken a decisive step that could reshape the future of global fashion and strengthen the movement to protect vulnerable animals. The country, once the second largest producer of fur in the world, has passed a law to phase out all fur farms within eight years. This change comes after decades of activism and […]
‘A precarious position’: almost 3,000 species at risk of disappearing from Wales, report finds
Almost 3,000 species ranging from glorious birds to tiny lichen are in peril in Wales because they are clinging on in a handful of locations or even fewer, a groundbreaking report has revealed. The report from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) highlights that, since the millennium, 11 species have already been lost to Cymru, including the […]
Why are conservationists alarmed about Botswana’s biggest elephant hunt?
Conservationists have raised the alarm about the Botswana government’s decision to increase its annual trophy-hunting quota for elephants, reigniting a debate over how the country should manage the world’s largest elephant population. Botswana, a largely dry nation which is home to 2.3 million people, has more than 130,000 elephants, nearly one-third of all elephants in […]
Owl Rescued From Cement Mixer Shows The Power Of Care For Wildlife
An unlikely rescue story out of Utah is reminding people just how resilient wildlife can be. According to CBS News, a young great horned owl is on the road to recovery after workers at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab spent days carefully removing hardened concrete from his feathers. The bird had accidentally fallen […]