The Bornean subspecies of the Rajah scops-owl (Otus brookii) was first described from the montane forests of the Malaysian state of Sabah in 1892. Since then, however, its whereabouts have been a mystery. It was not until 2016 that a group of researchers documented the first sighting of a live individual in more than a […]
Tag: iucn red list
Turning the Spotlight on Asia’s Smallest Feline—the Elusive Rusty-Spotted Cat!
Weighing a mere 2 pounds (almost 300 times smaller than a tiger)—the Rusty-spotted cat is one of the smallest cat species in the world. However, what they lack in size, they make up for in being fierce hunters! The Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) is endemic to the dry deciduous forests, scrubs, and grasslands of India, […]
Stop the Illegal Wildlife Trade: Animal populations fall by 62% where wildlife trade occurs, study reveals
A major analysis of hundreds of species of animals has revealed the huge toll the world’s booming wildlife trade is taking on the natural world. Without urgent action, the world is facing “rampant trade-induced declines” of mammals, birds and reptiles, the authors of the research said. In places where the wildlife trade is active, species have […]
It’s not too late – yet – to save the Philippine pangolin, study finds
MANILA — Knowledge of the Philippine pangolin, the only pangolin species in the country, is scant. Sightings of the animal are rarer still. But unlike other pangolin species around the world that teeter on the brink of extinction, a new study suggests that with the appropriate conservation measures, the Philippines’ endemic pangolin still has a […]
Petition: 31 Species Declared Extinct in Latest IUCN Red List Update
The International for Conservation of Nature updated its red list this week and includes 31 newly extinct species. There was some good news in the released report as well, however. The European Bison is showing signs of recovering and is no longer listed as “Vulnerable.” The report highlights the success that conservation efforts have had […]
Scatological science: how poo analysis could help save endangered species
Across the world, conservationists, scientists and volunteers are racing to save thousands of endangered species. And for some, their efforts have not been wasted. A recent report found that conservation programmes have saved several bird and mammal species from extinction in recent decades. But the numbers of many data deficient species and sub-species continue to […]
For South America’s wilderness areas, COVID-19 brings risk and respite
The Bolivian government’s decision to close all national parks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March was supposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. But it’s also had unwanted consequences for the wildlife and for the financial viability of the very parks themselves, not just in Bolivia but across Latin America. Within days […]
New assessment shows Sri Lanka’s amphibians being pushed to the brink
COLOMBO —Adam’s Peakis Sri Lanka’s fourth-highest mountain and considered a holy site for people of multiple faiths, who flock there in their thousands during the pilgrimage season from December to May each year. The trail to the summit cuts across the biodiversity-rich Peak Wilderness Sanctuary. It was on the edge of this busy trail that […]