Conservation
Nature relies on a rich diversity of organisms to keep it in balance. Conservation plays a key role in ensuring that environmental equilibrium is preserved. Learn about the solutions spearheading our efforts to promote biodiversity, safeguard vital ecosystems, and protect endangered species.
Arabian leopard cub could help save the species from extinction
The Arabian leopard has roamed the Arabian Peninsula for more than 500,000 years, but due to habitat loss and human conflict, the species’ population has been pushed to the brink of extinction, with only about 200 animals now remaining in the wild. The birth of a recent cub, however, brings new Read More...
Farmers are more amenable to regionally-sensitive bee protection efforts
Farmers are inherently dependent on pollinators for successful crop yields, yet getting them to adopt bee-friendly practices is more challenging in some areas than others. A new study from University of Oregon researchers found that farmers are more likely to invest in bee-friendly practices if Read More...
Lidar allows researchers to tell how fat a bear really isーfrom a distance
Last week we celebrated the launch of Fat Bear Week 2021. You can check out the lineup of chunky contestants here, but today, we’re looking at some of the science behind these giant creatures. Researchers working in Brooks River in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve are using state of the Read More...
Hyenas offer surprising public health benefits in African cities
Hyenas are often portrayed as the villains of the savanna, but a new study from the University of Michigan demonstrates that these scavengers are more useful than we might think. The study, based in the Ethiopian city of Mekelle, counted the number of hyenas seen around town as well as the number Read More...
US restores protections for migratory birds
The US government has restored protections for migratory birds, reviving an old environmental law that prohibits hunting, killing, capturing, selling, or otherwise hurting these avian species. A rule from the previous administration rolled back protections for migratory birds, relaxing legal Read More...
Australia returns one of world's oldest rainforests to Indigenous people
This past Wednesday in a formal ceremony, the state government of Queensland, Australia, agreed to return four national parks to the Indigenous Eastern Kuku Yalanji people. The official decision follows four years of negotiations. One of these four parks is Australia’s Daintree Rainforest, one Read More...
Drone footage shows growth in California kelp forests
Kelp is a key pillar of marine ecosystems and a huge carbon sink, but along the California coast, populations have been dwindling in recent years. Overpopulation of sea urchins, which feast on kelp, as well as rising sea temperatures, have devastated these marine forests, but new drone images from Read More...
Fat Bear Week 2021: Meet the contenders
It’s that time of year again. Fat bear week is upon us and this year’s candidates do not disappoint. The National Parks Service has put together their collection of the chunkiest bears from Brooks River, Alaska. Katmai National Park and Preserve has partnered with explore.org to allow us to Read More...
Researchers identity three pregnant endangered southern resident orcas
Only 73 southern resident killer whales remain in the wild, and the species reproduces very slowly, making conservation efforts painstakingly slow. Fortunately, a pair of marine biologists with keen eyes spotted an encouraging sight in the waters off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. The Read More...
A new discovery about algae reproduction could help save coral reefs
The type of algae known as dinoflagellates are valuable for improving the health of corals in warming waters, and now, researchers from Rice University have discovered that they reproduce via sex, meaning that algae sex could be critical for the survival of coral reefs. The algae reproduce by Read More...