Populations of the black-footed cat, a little-known feline in Southern Africa, have been declining for the last half a million years and exhibit very high degrees of inbreeding. This could increase their risk of a disease called amyloidosis, according to a new genetic study. “Frequently genomic studies focus on large charismatic cats so that small […]
Tag: climate change
Will ‘Trump Part II’ be the wakeup call needed toward more effective conservation? (commentary)
What a week. The global biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia (COP16) had just concluded. And then Trump got re-elected as President of the United States. Clearly the latter puts an enormous damper on the former. That is, if one believes that the Cali conference actually made significant progress in terms of tackling the biodiversity crisis. […]
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, […]
Arctic Animals Face Growing Disease Threats as Climate Warms
Karyn Rode, a seasoned research wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center, emphasizes the polar bear‘s role as a bellwether for broader ecological shifts. “Pathogens’ transmission pathways are changing, including in the Arctic,” Rode notes, highlighting the rapid environmental transformations underway. The region is warming at a pace four times the global […]
Polar bears are back in Britain. But should they really be living here?
A small boy calls out the sights as the train speeds through the Suffolk countryside from London Liverpool Street. “Tractor. Church. Pigs. Polar bear! Dad! A polar bear!” The dad doesn’t glance up. “We don’t have polar bears in this country.” But the boy isn’t dreaming. There they are: four polar bears lumbering across a […]
Climate change and agrochemicals pose lethal combo for Amazonian fish
Among the labs of Brazil’s National Institute of Amazonian Research, or INPA, is what’s known as the “room of the future.” Here, an extreme climate change scenario is being simulated according to projections by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The temperature is around 5° Celsius (9° Fahrenheit) hotter than the average […]
“It is no exaggeration to say that what happens in the next five years will determine the future of life on Earth,” new WWF report warns
Wildlife in crisis is a wake-up call for humanity. The World Wide Fund for Nature’s biennial Living Planet Report, released today, paints a dire picture of the planet’s health. The latest WWF report, A System in Peril, reveals a shocking 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020. This catastrophic loss over a […]
Top 11 Wildlife Conservation Books for Eco-Warriors
What do you think of when you hear the term “wildlife conservation”? Most probably, you are picturing a sanctuary for endangered species, and you are not wrong. However, there’s more to this type of natural organization. It also helps with preserving ecosystems, fostering biodiversity, and, in a more global sense, making sure that future generations […]