During my years studying chimpanzees in Gombe national park in Tanzania I experienced the magic of the rainforest. I learned how all life is interconnected, how each species, no matter how insignificant it may seem, has a role to play in the rich tapestry of life – known today as biodiversity. Even the loss of […]
Tag: invasive species
POLL: Should US Wildlife “Killing” Services Be Disbanded?
From foxes and falcons to otters and owls, the USDA program is doing away with wildlife in droves. Wow. Who knew that the Wildlife Services branch of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHS) was so busy? I stumbled across their “Program Data Report G – 2017” and honestly, it stopped me in […]
POLL: Should Florida’s invasive iguanas be killed off?
Florida is struggling with a fast-increasing population of invasive green iguanas that began as a small group of released and escaped pets. Thriving in the warm sunshine and humid climate, experts believe hundreds of thousands of nonnative iguanas now call the Sunshine State “home.” There, state conservation officials claim they threaten the wellbeing of native […]
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 […]
What can you do to help save the great barrier reef?
Even if you are nowhere near Australia you will probably know that the great barrier reef is under incredible pressure to survive, there are many issues negatively affecting coral reefs around the world including pollution (including plastics), unsustainable fishing, climate change, coastal development and invasive species. There are many things that you can do to […]
Is this Guam bird coming back from extinction in the wild?
It suffered deadly declines due to an environmental blunder by the military, then was rescued from the jaws of extinction by conservationists. This year it endured the threat of a missile strike, but what does the future hold for the Guam Rail? Earlier this year, the world held its breath as North Korea’s crosshairs were […]
POLL: Should invasive animal species be controlled by drowning?
One can understand New Zealand’s apparent frustration with invasive Australian brushtail possums. One can conjure up genuine sadness for the damage the possums cause through their unwavering appetite for birds’ eggs and one can feel real concern for the plight of the native species being edged out. Like many invasive species, they are a nightmare […]
‘Kill them, kill them, kill them’: the volunteer army plotting to wipe out Britain’s grey squirrels
One snowy dawn in March, I went hunting for squirrels in the Lake District. In the silent and empty woods beneath the Aira Force waterfall, the only thing moving was a solitary red squirrel, balanced on a nut-filled feeder hanging from a tree. If you grew up, as I did, with the grey squirrel, seeing […]
