As the environment warms, polar bears are more likely to contract several pathogens than they were three decades ago. In a study published in PLOS ONE, researchers looked for antibodies for six pathogens in blood samples taken from polar bears in the Chukchi Sea from 1987-1994 and from 2008-2017. They found that five of the […]
Parrots missing from London zoo found behind Cambridgeshire garden
London zoo‘s “critically endangered” missing parrots have been found 60 miles away behind a family’s garden in Cambridgeshire. The escaped birds were tracked down after numerous sightings from local residents, and were eventually found in the back garden of a family in Buckden. They flew away once more before being traced to a field and […]
Jaguars Bid for Survival in Brazil’s Wetlands
As fires rage across the Pantanal in central-western Brazil, the world’s largest tropical wetland, jaguars are showcasing a remarkable ability to adapt to the intensifying threats of their environment. While countless species suffer from the impacts of these fires, jaguars survive by using riverside refuges and sustaining themselves on prey like caimans and capybaras, which […]
China’s plans to trace wildlife trade risks inflaming trafficking, critics warn
Chinese authorities are considering changes to wildlife trade regulations that govern the live trade in 18 parrot and reptile species, several of which are gravely threatened by poaching and illegal trade. The proposals involve the implementation of a “special marking system” of ID tags on bird leg rings or microchips inserted in reptiles to enable […]
Whales ‘relentlessly pestered’: tourism boom sparks new rules in French Polynesia
Lisette Muratore swam with humpback whales for the first time off the coast of Mo’orea, an island in French Polynesia, as part of a guided tour. She describes the experience as “overwhelming.” “You have a sudden realisation of the immensity of these creatures … seeing their wild beauty, it’s almost like there’s something sacred about […]
Petition: Tell the UK to List Elephant Riding Under Harmful Animal Attractions Abroad
Last year, UK MPs championed the rights of animals by passing the groundbreaking Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act, designed to halt advertisements for harmful animal attractions abroad, including elephant rides. Despite this progressive step, the law remains unenforced. Advertisements are rampant and elephant rides abroad are rising. Sign the petition to demand the UKs Parliamentary […]
New brown bear ‘stronghold’ in Nepal redraws species’ range map
KATHMANDU — Researchers have discovered brown bears in a part of Nepal not previously known to host the species, prompting a call to protect this area as a bear “stronghold.” The finding, based on camera-trap images, also expands the known range of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Asia. It could also mark out the […]
US man who killed eagles as part of wildlife trafficking ring faces sentencing
A Washington state man who pleaded guilty to killing at least 118 eagles as part of a wildlife trafficking ring that operated on a Native American reservation in Montana faces sentencing on Thursday before a federal judge. The trafficking ring sold eagle feathers and parts on a black market that exploits high demand among tribal […]