The spotted tree frog was already recovering from local extinction when the “Black Summer” wildfires of 2019 to 2020 raged through New South Wales (NSW) in Australia. Of 250 to 300 frogs once released into the wild, only about 10 survived. But now, the critically endangered species is receiving yet another lease on life. The […]
Tag: critically endangered species
Campaigners criticise European zoo proposals to cull adult male gorillas
Campaigners are hitting back at zoo proposals to cull adult male gorillas, arguing they should be returned to the wild instead. Overcrowding of critically endangered western lowland gorillas in zoos has led the influential European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (Eaza) to consider killing adult males of the species. Eaza is the body that regulates […]
Malaysian hornbill bust reveals live trafficking trend in Southeast Asia
In August 2021, authorities at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport discovered a shipment of eight hornbills, caged but alive, en route to international markets. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) seized the birds and arrested two men for failing to display valid documentation for possession of the birds. Among the haul was a […]
To count Sumatran rhinos in the wild, look for their poop, study says
JAKARTA — How do you tally the population of one of the rarest and most elusive animals on Earth? Follow the poop, of course. That’s the finding from a study that shows that Sumatran rhinoceros droppings can reliably predict the species’ remaining population and help inform conservation planning. The estimated global population of the Sumatran […]
Born to be wild: India’s first captive-bred endangered vultures set free
In February, the doors of an aviary in West Bengal’s Buxa tiger reserve were flung open. Eight critically endangered captive-bred white-rumped vultures cautiously emerged and within minutes were mingling with wild vultures, devouring the meat of carcasses left out by a team of researchers from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). The birds were raised […]
Israel to ban hunting of quail, place 3-year ban on hunting turtle doves
Israel is set to extend wildlife protections to two types of birds, banning the hunting of turtle doves for three years and banning the hunting of quail altogether, Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg announced Wednesday. The move to ban hunting of turtle doves for three years comes at the request for the Convention on the […]
Trophy-hunt law overhaul ‘will cause even more wildlife killing’, prompting activists to boycott talks
Conservationists have walked out of talks with ministers over a proposed shake-up of laws on trophy-hunt imports, claiming the changes will lead to “government-approved” wildlife kills. They say the plan – part of a radical overhaul of animal welfare legislation – opens the door to shooting critically endangered species such as black rhinos, elephants and […]
Growing Demand for Vulture Heads Threatens the Birds’ Survival in Africa
Across the continent, traditional healers are increasingly using the body parts of vultures, creating an illegal market that has experts alarmed. Last year, at dawn on March 26, an exhausted Mohamed Henriques slid into his airplane seat. He had just managed to make it onto the last flight that left Guinea-Bissau before the small West […]