How is that fun?” asked US talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel in a segment about trophy hunting aired after Cecil, a well-known lion tagged by researchers, was killed in Zimbabwe by Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer in 2015. Kimmel choked up as he asked viewers to donate to Oxford University’s conservation research programme, and his shame and […]
Tag: extinction
Victory! Bobcats Are Protected From Hunting and Trapping in Indiana
Thanks to overwhelming public outcry, wildlife officials in Indiana have withdrawn a proposal that would have opened the state’s first hunting and trapping season for bobcats in nearly 50 years Bobcats were already nearly hunted to extinction by the mid 1900s, and were finally listed as endangered species in the state by the late 1960s. […]
5 of the Rarest Birds & Where to Find Them
Some of the most magnificent finds in nature are seldom seen, and birds are no exception. There may be more than 10,000 species of our fine feathered friends, but sadly, the number is dwindling. In fact, nearly 1500 bird species are facing extinction. For nature lovers, spotting a rare bird is a joyous experience, and […]
Incredible “Incubator Bird” to be saved by rat removal on Pacific island
Kayangel Atoll is set to become the first inhabited island in the Pacific nation of Palau to be cleared of rats. As well as a healthier ecosystem for fascinating Endangered birds, residents look forward to better livelihoods through increased crop yields. The Micronesian Scrubfowl Megapodius laperouse is a genius at inventing ways to keep its […]
The why, what, and how of deforestation
Forests are a key component of life on earth. In addition to providing shelter for 80% of land-dwelling species, they play an essential role in the carbon cycle, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. It is no exaggeration to say that deforestation is a threat to life on earth. A massive 15 billion trees are lost […]
Exploring “African Galapagos” uncovers mysterious rare birds
It’s not called the “African Galapagos” for nothing. The island of São Tomé, off the west coast of central Africa, is truly one of a kind. For a start, it has a remarkable level of endemism for such a small island: 17 of its 50 bird species are confined to that island alone. It is […]
Bowhead whales: jazz artists of the deep whose calls rival birdsong
How do bowhead whales in the unbroken darkness of the Arctic’s polar winter keep busy during breeding season? They sing, of course. From late autumn to early spring, off the east coast of Greenland, some 200 bowheads, hunted to the edge of extinction, serenade each other with compositions from a vast repertoire of song, according […]
‘Catastrophe’ as France’s bird population collapses due to pesticides
Bird populations across the French countryside have fallen by a third over the last decade and a half, researchers have said. Dozens of species have seen their numbers decline, in some cases by two-thirds, the scientists said in a pair of studies – one national in scope and the other covering a large agricultural region […]
Last male northern white rhino is put down
The last male northern white rhinoceros has died, leaving only two females with which conservationists hope to save the species from extinction. Sudan, the “gentle giant” who lived in the Ol Pejeta conservancy in Kenya, was put down on Monday after the pain from a degenerative illness became too great. He is survived by his […]
Pine Martens Could Save the UK’s Red Squirrel Population
The reintroduction of pine martens in Scotland has been controversial, but data from a new study revealsa potential bonus: These cat-sized predators could help the beleaguered red squirrel to bounce back. The study, which appears this month in the journal “Proceedings of the Royal Society B,” suggests that while pine martens prey on red squirrels, […]
