The Ambatovy nickel mine located in a biodiversity-rich Madagascar rainforest made up for the forest lost due to its operation, a recent study in Nature Sustainability concluded. The mine operators did so by reducing deforestation rates in nearby areas designated as “biodiversity offsets.” There are at least 6,000 large mining projects that impinge on forests […]
Tag: rainforests
Darwin’s hypothesis that birds’ feathers get more colorful closer to the equator proved by researchers
If you’ve ever traveled to a tropical location, you’ve probably noticed that the birds’ feathers are brighter than in other regions of the world. The hue of a bird’s plumage appears to vary depending on latitude. Phys.org reported that three European scientists who went on expeditions to the tropics during the 1800s — English naturalist […]
Tar Heel State man lucky to be alive after treatment for a snake bite from one of the world’s deadliest vipers
After treatment for a snake bite from one of the world’s deadliest vipers, an unknown North Carolina man is out of the woods. The Gaboon viper, one of the world’s most venomous snakes, may be found in Sub-Saharan Africa’s rainforests and savannas. However, while caring for the snake, this Tar Heel State man was bitten […]
Top 15 species discoveries from 2021 (Photos)
With humans sending probes to explore Mars and the sun, one might think we’ve already explored the full extent of our own planet. But scientists say we’ve only begun to find and describe the riches here on Earth. “I think most people believe that we know most species on Earth … but in the best-case […]
Campaigners criticise European zoo proposals to cull adult male gorillas
Campaigners are hitting back at zoo proposals to cull adult male gorillas, arguing they should be returned to the wild instead. Overcrowding of critically endangered western lowland gorillas in zoos has led the influential European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (Eaza) to consider killing adult males of the species. Eaza is the body that regulates […]
Extremely Rare Shelley’s Eagle Owl Photographed in Wild for First Time
The Shelley’s eagle owl (Bubo shelleyi) was photographed by Imperial College London researcher Joseph Tobias and freelance ecologist Robert Williams on October 16, 2021 in Ghana. The Shelley’s eagle owl is a large species of owl found in the rainforests of Central and Western Africa. This nocturnal bird is among the largest owls and the […]
To count Sumatran rhinos in the wild, look for their poop, study says
JAKARTA — How do you tally the population of one of the rarest and most elusive animals on Earth? Follow the poop, of course. That’s the finding from a study that shows that Sumatran rhinoceros droppings can reliably predict the species’ remaining population and help inform conservation planning. The estimated global population of the Sumatran […]
Camera trap pics of rare species in Vietnam raise conservation hopes
HO CHI MINH CITY — Camera traps placed in a remote nature reserve in central Vietnam recently captured images of rare muntjac deer, in addition to a number of other endangered species, raising hopes for the state of biodiversity there. The sightings took place in Phong Dien Nature Reserve in Thua Thien-Hue province, a rugged […]