Karyn Rode, a seasoned research wildlife biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center, emphasizes the polar bear‘s role as a bellwether for broader ecological shifts. “Pathogens’ transmission pathways are changing, including in the Arctic,” Rode notes, highlighting the rapid environmental transformations underway. The region is warming at a pace four times the global […]
With rare mammal tourism, observing means conserving (commentary)
At the turn of this century, seeing a wild jaguar was exceptionally difficult. People driving through the Jaguar Ecological Reserve in the Pantanal in Brazil would very occasionally get a glimpse of one crossing the road, but photographing them in the wild was considered almost impossible. The same was true for other large iconic cat […]
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 […]
8 of the Most Successful Elephant Conservation Projects
Elephants face severe threats from poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. These gentle giants play a critical role in maintaining ecosystems, making their Conservation essential for biodiversity and environmental health. Fortunately, numerous Conservation initiatives worldwide have achieved remarkable success in protecting elephant populations. 1. The Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) – Global Source: Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation/Youtube […]
Near-extinct North Atlantic right whales get a small population boost
The population of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale increased by five individuals, bringing the estimated total to 372 in 2023, according to an Oct. 22 report. The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population has declined since 2011. However, the slight rise in recent years may signal some stability for these ocean giants, […]
At Mexico’s school for jaguars, big cats learn skills to return to the wild
In the grasslands of Yagul, in the central valleys of southern Mexico’s Oaxaca state, a jaguar makes its way through the bushes. It stops suddenly, lowering its head and sharpening its gaze, stalking. With its eyes on its target, it stealthily pounces on it. Just a short run and a jump before the jaguar’s prey […]
Rodents May Use Sound to Enhance Their Sense of Smell
Recent research suggests that rats and mice might be fine-tuning their already impressive sense of smell through sounds that humans can’t detect. Scientists believe that these rodents could be using ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to influence their olfactory abilities in ways previously unknown. Eduardo Mercado III, one of the researchers behind the study published in Neuroscience […]
Cambodia’s once-massive national park continues to lose its forest
One of Cambodia’s largest protected areas, Botum Sakor National Park, continues to lose tree cover, recent satellite data show. Officially designated as a national park in 1993, Botum Sakor initially covered more than 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) of evergreen, semi-evergreen and mangrove forests. Older surveys from the 1990s and 2000s show that the park was […]