When you talk to animal lovers, zoos can be a controversial topic. Some see zoos as a place of education that allows the general public to encounter some of the most wondrous species in the world. But others see zoos as unnatural and intrinsically cruel to the animals trapped behind the bars. This debate extends […]
Tag: extinction
POLL: Should the Trump Administration be allowed to ignore the Endangered Species Act?
The Endangered Species Act is one of the most effective pieces of legislation in the United States. Roughly 99 percent of the species protected under the act have been saved from extinction — preserving biodiversity even as relentless development into animals’ natural habitats continues. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has unleashed a full broadside into the […]
Petition: Support the Wildlife Conservation and Anti-Trafficking Act
A new piece of legislation has been proposed that could mark a monumental step in wildlife protection and change the landscape and availability of illegal wildlife trade. The Wildlife Conservation and Anti-Trafficking Act of 2019 was proposed by Congressman John Garamendi and co-sponsored by Congressman Don Young at the end of January. The act was […]
Trump administration sabotages major conservation effort, defying Congress
Scientists and officials around the US have told the Guardian that the Trump administration has withdrawn funding for a large, successful conservation program – in direct contradiction of instructions from Congress. Unique in scale and ambition, the program comprises 22 research centers that tackle big-picture issues affecting huge swaths of the US, such as climate […]
Hotspots of exploitation: where are species under greatest threat?
By now, almost everyone knows that many rhinoceros species around the world are threatened with extinction because of commercial overexploitation for their horns, which are sold on the black market. Likewise, all pangolin species have been pushed to the brink of extinction, particularly by hunting for their meat and scales. Unsustainable exploitation is the greatest […]
POLL: Should there be a federal ban on the use of lead ammunition?
Lead has been public enemy number one for decades due to its negative health effects. Legislators have enacted laws to protect citizens, but they’ve neglected our nation’s emblem: the bald eagle. Recent cases of bald eagle poisonings highlight the need for a national ban on lead ammunition and fishing tackle. In early February, a bald […]
We’re Eating the Largest Animals off the Face of the Earth
We already know some of the earth’s largest animals are facing a range of threats from climate change and pollution to habitat loss, but according to a new study our demand for their meat is now one of the biggest threats to their survival. For the study, which was just published in the journal Conservation […]
Plummeting insect numbers ‘threaten collapse of nature’
The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review. More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. […]
