Bats are in trouble. That’s not good for anyone who likes mezcal, rice or avocado

Bats are in trouble. That’s not good for anyone who likes mezcal, rice or avocado

If you’ve ever enjoyed coffee, tomatoes, corn, bananas, mangoes, walnuts, chocolate, tequila or mezcal, you may just owe bats a thank-you. While bats are often the subject of fear and scorn – they’re fixtures in Halloween decor and haunted-house imagery, and are frequently portrayed as harbingers of doom – their presence is often a sign […]

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New trackers bring prairie dogs’ little-known underground life to light

New trackers bring prairie dogs’ little-known underground life to light

To say tracking prairie dogs is difficult would be an understatement. The animals spend most of their time in burrows. Since conventional GPS collars don’t function underground, the movements and interactions of prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) have remained notoriously elusive to the researchers who study them. What do they do? How do they move within […]

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Mexican gray wolves boost their numbers, but a lack of genetic diversity remains a threat

Mexican gray wolves boost their numbers, but a lack of genetic diversity remains a threat

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – The wild population of Mexican gray wolves in the southwestern U.S. is still growing, but environmental groups are warning that inbreeding and the resulting genetic crisis within the endangered species will continue to be a threat to long-term survival. The warning came Tuesday as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and […]

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