Forestry officer Karim Kamisoko is not at his post. Instead of patrolling Bafing Faunal Reserve in southwestern Mali, he and his fellow rangers are 70 kilometers (43 miles) away, taking shelter from Islamist militants who have seized control of much of this part of southwestern Mali. Bafing Faunal Reserve covers 176,000 hectares (435,000 acres), its […]
Tag: endangered species
Indian Authorities Seize $1 Million Worth of Sperm Whale Poo Used in Perfumes
Authorities in Tamil Nadu, India seized 8 kilograms of sperm whale ambergris. Which is also called sperm whale poop or sperm whale vomit. Ambergris is the waxy substance created in the bile ducts of sperm whales. It has long been used to make perfumes and is served as a delicacy in some countries. The stuff […]
To spot wild-caught birds in pet trade, researchers zoom into isotopic detail
For pet enthusiasts, buying an exotic, rare or endangered species can be done legally, and many pet owners want to obey the law. The problem is that illegally obtained animals, captured from the wild, are often mixed in with legally obtained animals, making them indistinguishable to a buyer. Moreover, sellers sometimes lie about a pet’s […]
Six Tribes Sue Wisconsin Over Wolf Hunt
Six Native American tribes recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Wisconsin for its planned wolf hunt in November. The tribes say that the hunt violates their natural treaty rights as Wisconsin’s Natural Resource Board approved a 300 wolf quota, which is way too high, according to experts. The tribes also made an effort […]
Judge recommends tribe be allowed to hunt gray whales off Washington state
An administrative law judge has recommended that a Native American tribe in Washington state be allowed to hunt gray whales – a major step in its decades-long effort to resume the ancient practice. “This is a testament to what we’ve been saying all these years: that we’re doing everything we can to show we’re moving […]
Butterflies released in Finland contained parasitic wasps – with more wasps inside
When caterpillars of a beautiful butterfly were introduced on to the tiny island of Sottunga in the Åland archipelago, scientists hoped to study how the emerging butterflies would disperse across the landscape. But researchers did not realise that their introduction of the Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) led to the emergence of three other species on […]
Wisconsin Doubles Wolf Hunt Quota Even After Biologists Warn Of Serious Risk To Population
After biologists warned that a planned second hunt this year of 130 wolves in Wisconsin could endanger the species in the state, wildlife officials more than doubled the kill quota to 300 animals. The move follows a botched slaughter in February, when hunters killed 216 wolves — more than 82% over the quota allowed. The […]
Anti-poaching bodies call for stricter sentences for rhino poachers
Some anti-poaching organizations are calling upon the justice system to strengthen punishment against those found guilty of rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking. This comes after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment recently released statistics indicating that rhino poaching incidents committed in the country within the first six months of the year have […]