Madagascar is home to dozens of species of charismatic lemurs who come in a range of sizes, colors and appearances, from the tiny mouse lemur to the largest indri, but a recent assessment found that one thing they all have in common is that nearly every species of lemur is now in danger of extinction. […]
Tag: iucn red list of threatened species
Scientists say endangered whale sharks can live up to 130 years
We know very little about the growth and reproductive biology of whale sharks, the world’s largest fish species. Because they’re listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, scientists are looking for ways to fill this gap in our knowledge without overly disturbing or distressing individual whale sharks. Scientists at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in […]
World’s Largest King Penguin Colony Has Declined by Almost 90 Percent
Scientists haven’t visited the Île aux Cochons, an island in the southern Indian Ocean, since 1982 when it had the distinction of being home to the world’s largest colony of king penguins, and the second largest colony of all penguins. At the time, there were estimate to be 500,000 breeding pairs, and over two million […]
Heartbreaking Red Panda Rescue Raises Concerns About the Illegal Pet Trade
Red pandas are unquestionably adorable, but unfortunately that could be causing them problems. A recent rescuehas raised concernsthat their cuteness is making them vulnerable in the illegal pet trade. In January, a random inspection of a vehicle by customs officials in Laos led to the discovery of six red pandas near the Chinese border. The […]
POLL: Should there be a tough crackdown on the trafficking of Pangolins?
Thai officials, acting on a tip, stopped two pickup trucks this week and made the heartbreaking discovery of 136 live pangolins, and nearly 1,000 pounds worth of their scales. Although these pangolins were lucky to be found while still alive, many others aren’t as fortunate. Sadly, these unique little creatures are being hunted to the […]
These Baby Orangutans Show the Heartbreaking Price of Wildlife Trafficking
We talk a lot about wildlife trafficking and the threat it poses as a broad issue, but we don’t always get to see the direct impact it has on individual animals. This week, the seizure of two baby orangutans who were destined to be pets has offered a heartbreaking glimpse into the real price being […]
Scientists Discover Rare and Endangered Cat in Borneo
Researchers working in Borneo have captured footage of one of the most elusive and least studied wild cats on earth. Bay cats, or Bornean cats, are about the size of a large house cat and can only be found on the island of Borneo. Very little is known about them, and they’ve continued to elude […]
Cheetah cubs were saved from the illegal pet trade just in time
Conservationists are applauding officials for taking swift action to rescue 10 young cheetahs from the illegal wildlife trade, who would’ve otherwise been destined to end up as pets. In all, 9 cubs and one adolescent were confiscated by the Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Rural Development (MoERD) with assistance from the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). […]