Australian populations of threatened bird species fall 60% in past 40 years

Australian populations of threatened bird species fall 60% in past 40 years

Australia’s populations of threatened and near-threatened bird species have declined by 60% on average in the past 40 years, new research shows. The threatened bird index, which is produced by scientists working with the University of Queensland, reveals some of the largest declines were among species found in South Australia and Queensland. The index brings […]

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Appetite for frogs’ legs in France and Belgium ‘driving species to extinction’

Appetite for frogs’ legs in France and Belgium ‘driving species to extinction’

A voracious appetite for frogs’ legs among the French and Belgians is driving species in Indonesia, Turkey and Albania to the brink of extinction, according to a report. Europe imports as many as 200 million mostly wild frogs every year, contributing to a serious depletion of native species abroad. Scientists estimate that the Anatolian water […]

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Hear be kiwis: New Zealand celebrates as distinctive cry of iconic bird returns

Hear be kiwis: New Zealand celebrates as distinctive cry of iconic bird returns

It’s a frigid, early-winter night, and across the forests and farmlands of Northland, people are crouching in the dark. They’ve timed this night for the waning moon, so moonlight doesn’t disturb any visitors. Scattered through the night, they sit, silently, and listen. The sound they’re all hoping for is a high-pitched, piercing cry, or guttural […]

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