Bird flu sweeps through zoos with ‘grave implications’ for endangered animals

Bird flu sweeps through zoos with ‘grave implications’ for endangered animals

Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered species, researchers have warned. As a growing number of zoos report animal deaths, scientists are concerned that infected wild birds landing in enclosures could be spreading it among captive animals. In the US, […]

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One in 10 southern right whales alive in 1893 could have still been swimming today, study finds

One in 10 southern right whales alive in 1893 could have still been swimming today, study finds

In 1893, the World’s Fair was getting under way in Chicago, the world’s first number plates appeared on cars in Paris, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination would later spark the first world war, spent time hunting kangaroos and emus in the NSW town of Narromine. Also, according to researchers, up to 10% of southern […]

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Almost extinct Caribbean lizard makes a comeback after island restoration

Almost extinct Caribbean lizard makes a comeback after island restoration

A tiny lizard found only on one tiny Caribbean island has seen a dramatic 1,500% increase in its population, after just a few years of island restoration efforts. In 2018, researchers estimated there were fewer than 100 individuals of the critically endangered Sombrero ground lizard (Pholidoscelis corvinus) on the small hat-shaped Sombrero Island, part of […]

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UK to ban bee-killing pesticides but highly toxic type could still be allowed

UK to ban bee-killing pesticides but highly toxic type could still be allowed

Bee-killing pesticides are to be banned by the UK government, as ministers set out plans to outlaw the use of neonicotinoids. However, the highly toxic neonicotinoid Cruiser SB could be allowed for use next year, as ministers are considering applications from the National Farmers’ Union and British Sugar. This powerful pesticide poisons bees by destroying […]

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Warming Winters Threaten Florida’s Unique Scrub Jay

Warming Winters Threaten Florida’s Unique Scrub Jay

Florida’s iconic scrub jay, the only bird species found exclusively in the state, is facing new challenges linked to global warming. A recent study published in Ornithological Advances highlights how rising temperatures are complicating efforts to conserve this already endangered species. For decades, Florida scrub jay populations have dwindled due to habitat destruction caused by […]

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