Simultaneous wildfires since December 2024 have left Grampians, Little Desert and the Great Otway National Parks in Australia devastated. Scientists say it will take decades for plants and wildlife to recover. Michael Clarke, emeritus professor of zoology at La Trobe University in Melbourne, told Mongabay by email the area burnt in Little Desert alone is […]
Tag: threatened species
Leopards Each Have Their Own Unique Roar, Study Finds
Each leopard can be identified by their own unique roar, the first large-scale study of its kind has found. Using a combination of camera traps and recordings, the research team was able to identify the vocalizations of individual leopards with 93.1 percent accuracy, a press release from University of Exeter said. “Discovering that leopards have […]
Cloud Forest Animals Thrive After Invasive Rodent Eradication on Lord Howe Island–A World Heritage Site
In 2022, GNN reported on the return of wildlife seen on Lord Howe Island of Australia following an extermination campaign of rats. Now, an expedition to the island’s high forests has revealed stunning imagery of a one-of-a-kind ecosystem where 85% of plants are found nowhere else on Earth. “Ascending into this rare island cloud forest […]
Local groups drive creation of new Puerto Rico marine protected area
The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico recently gained a new marine protected area off the island’s central north coast. The MPA, named Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí or the Vega Baja and Manatí Underwater Gardens, spans 202 square kilometers (77 square miles) and is the culmination of a 16-year effort by a coalition […]
Inbreeding adds to growing threats to Africa’s smallest wildcat, study finds
Populations of the black-footed cat, a little-known feline in Southern Africa, have been declining for the last half a million years and exhibit very high degrees of inbreeding. This could increase their risk of a disease called amyloidosis, according to a new genetic study. “Frequently genomic studies focus on large charismatic cats so that small […]
Critical: Jaguars Injured During Raging Wildfires in Brazil Need Your Help Now!
Wildfires devastated Brazil’s Pantanal over the summer, scorching over 3 million acres—an area the size of New Jersey. The fires spread rapidly, endangering wildlife, including threatened species like jaguars. Many perished in the flames, while those who escaped suffered from severe burns and smoke inhalation. One such jaguar, Itapira, was found lying motionless in a […]
Polar bears are back in Britain. But should they really be living here?
A small boy calls out the sights as the train speeds through the Suffolk countryside from London Liverpool Street. “Tractor. Church. Pigs. Polar bear! Dad! A polar bear!” The dad doesn’t glance up. “We don’t have polar bears in this country.” But the boy isn’t dreaming. There they are: four polar bears lumbering across a […]
Earth Faces Unprecedented Extinction Crisis Threatening Thousands of Species and Our Future
The world is facing an unprecedented extinction crisis. Species are vanishing at an alarming rate, primarily due to human activities. Scientists warn that unless immediate action is taken, many more species will disappear forever. The Urgency of Protecting Biodiversity A recent study published in Frontiers in Science underscores the urgency of protecting Earth’s biodiversity. Researchers […]