Happening upon a snake in the yard can be a startling—to put it mildly—experience. Whether it’s an evolutionary instinct to jump back at the sight of a snake or another one of those ingrained cultural fears, a close encounter with the slithering kind usually shocks the system, even for those among us who admire the […]
Tag: amphibians
The Last Giraffes on Earth
The giraffe is nearly down. Two men have stretched a thick black rope in front of the animal, to trip her up. The giraffe hits the rope, and the plan seems to be working until she gains a second wind and breaks into a fresh run. Her body sways backward and forward like a rocking […]
Slash-and-burn farming eats away at a Madagascar haven for endangered lemurs, frogs
Deforestation is so rampant throughout Madagascar, an island far larger than California, that it’s easy to forget the impact of tree clearance in any one specific area of the country — the lemurs that lose their habitats, the orchids that no longer bloom, the people whose land becomes barren. But recent activity in the Ankeniheny-Zahamena […]
Study highlights ‘terrible’ signs of species decline from wildlife trade
Pangolins, orchids and chameleons — these are just a few species that are regularly traded in local and international wildlife markets, contributing to a global industry worth billions of dollars each year. But what is the wildlife trade’s impact on terrestrial biodiversity? A new study probes this very question. The study, published this week in […]
In Malaysian Borneo’s rainforests, powerful state governments set their own rules
Famed for its caves and karst ecosystems, Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysian Borneo’s Sarawak state is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to more than 81 mammal species, 270 varieties of bird and more than 130 reptiles and amphibians. In 2018, a wave of protest erupted when the public learned that the Sarawak government […]
Pet shops selling thousands of dangerous or endangered crocodiles, monkeys and venomous snakes
Britain’s pet shops are legally selling tens of thousands of wild animals including crocodiles, monkeys and venomous snakes and lizards as “exotic” pets, researchers have found. Most species involved are endangered species, potentially dangerous to humans or highly susceptible to serious welfare problems in captivity, an animal welfare charity said. All were “unsuitable as pets”. […]
Petition: Protect Frogs Around the World From Extinction!
Frogs play an important role in many ecosystems. They are bio-indicators, which means they indicate the health of their ecosystems with their permeable, porous skin that reacts to biological hazards such as contamination. They also help with insect control as a food source for carnivorous predators and eating smaller creatures. Sadly, frogs around the world […]
We’re Losing Turtles At An Alarming Rate – And That Has Larger Consequences
Given that turtles have been around about 220 million years and even outlasted the dinosaurs, a lot of people assume that we have nothing to worry about when it comes to turtles’ continued longevity. Sadly, that’s not the case. On the contrary, turtles are one of the most vulnerable vertebrate creatures on the planet at […]