As one of the most iconic creatures in their ecosystems, moose have lumbered their way into the fabric of Canadian culture in Ontario. Recreational hunting, Indigenous well-being and the region’s ecosystem health all depend on these antlered giants. But in the last two decades, their population has declined by 20 percent. Now, a new collaboration […]
Lessons from the past may improve the future for manatees
While current manatee populations in Florida are threatened, their populations are higher than they ever historically were. Records show that manatee (Trichechus manatus) populations grew and began expanding across the Florida Peninsula during the same documented periods of human population increases, anthropogenic landscape changes, and social and policy changes. But with an increase in humans, […]
Clouded leopard sighting raises questions about conservation and research in Bangladesh
Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, Ganges river dolphins, langurs and hoolock gibbons, along with a few other endangered and vulnerable animal species, have been prominent in Bangladesh’s wildlife conservation scenario for the last few decades. Now, new animals have grasped the attention of some wildlife researchers and conservationists, as camera traps and wildlife census reveal the […]
Molly the Magpie and Dogs Face Uncertain Future After Court Decision
A magpie known as Molly, famous for his friendship with dogs Peggy and Ruby, may be separated from them again following a court ruling. The Supreme Court has revoked a special license allowing Molly to remain with his rescuers, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, just months after it was granted. Molly’s story began in 2020 […]
Rodenticides found in turkey vultures despite bans
Although California recently banned the use of anticoagulant rodenticides, turkey vultures in the state still have evidence of exposure to the chemicals in their bodies. Researchers studied the vultures’ exposure to eight different types of rodenticide in southern California from 2016 to 2021. The team found 11% of the birds they studied were exposed to […]
‘It’s nonstop’: how noise pollution threatens the return of Norway’s whales
From the moment that the biologist Dr Heike Vester presses play, the sound of the static of the fjord fills the room. First comes the constant, steady rumbling of a boat engine. Then, every eight seconds, like a foreboding bass drum, comes the explosion of seismic airguns – extremely loud blasts used in oil and […]
Ethiopian Wolves May Be Surprising Pollinators
Ethiopian wolves, known for their carnivorous diet, have been observed licking nectar from red hot poker flowers in the Bale Mountains. These wolves, with their white snouts dusted yellow by pollen, may play an unexpected role in plant pollination. Sandra Lai, an ecologist from Oxford University, and her team noted this unusual behavior, suggesting that […]
Invasive spotted lanternflies thrive in cities
Warm cities may provide the best conditions for the spread of invasive lanternflies. Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula), native to Asia, first arrived in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania. They have since spread across the Northeast and into the Midwest and Southeast. Scientists tapped into the citizen science platform iNaturalist to learn more about why […]