Facing Extinction, but Available for Selfies in Japan’s Animal Cafes

Critically endangered species and ones banned from international trade are among the hundreds of types birds, reptiles and mammals that researchers identified at 142 animal cafes.

#animal-abuse-rights-and-welfare, #breeding-of-animals, #conservation-science-and-practice-journal, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #japan, #regulation-and-deregulation-of-industry, #research, #restaurants, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

Sunflower Sea Stars Are Set to Get Protection Under the Endangered Species Act

Sunflower sea stars, hit by a “climate-fueled pandemic,” play a key role in keeping marine ecosystems balanced.

#biodiversity, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #starfish, #sunflower-sea-star

How Widespread Are These Toxic Chemicals? They’re Everywhere.

Researchers created a map showing where PFAS compounds, linked to cancer in humans, have been detected in wildlife. It spans the globe.

#animals, #biodiversity, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #environmental-working-group, #hazardous-and-toxic-substances, #pfas-per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances, #research

Horseshoe Crabs Are in Trouble. How Much Longer Can We Rely on Their Blood to Test Our Drugs?

An alternative test is urgently needed to protect horseshoe crabs and the birds that depend on their eggs.

#animals, #beaches, #biotechnology-and-bioengineering, #birds, #crabs, #drugs-pharmaceuticals, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #fishing-commercial, #hazardous-and-toxic-substances, #stents-medical-devices, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching

How Climate Change Is Spreading Malaria in Africa

The mosquitoes that transmit the disease dramatically increased their range over the last century as temperatures warmed, scientists reported.

#animals, #biology-letters-journal, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #malaria, #mosquitoes, #research

The Biggest Penguin That Ever Existed Was a ‘Monster Bird’

Fossils found in New Zealand highlight an era after the dinosaurs when giant flightless birds prowled the seas for prey.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fossils, #journal-of-paleontology, #new-zealand, #paleontology, #penguins, #research, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

These Extinct Elephants Were Neanderthals’ ‘Biggest Calorie Bombs’

A study of butchered bones from 125,000 years ago offers what researchers call “the first clear-cut evidence of elephant-hunting in human evolution.”

#animals, #archaeology-and-anthropology, #bones, #elephants, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #europe, #germany, #hunting-and-trapping, #mammoths-animals, #neanderthal-man, #paleontology, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

They Outlasted the Dinosaurs. Can They Survive Us?

Sturgeon are disappearing from North American rivers where they thrived for millions of years. And the quest to save them is exposing the limits of the Endangered Species Act.

#caviar, #conservation-of-resources, #delaware, #delaware-river, #delaware-state-university, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #fox-dewayne-a, #internal-sub-only, #national-marine-fisheries-service, #north-america, #rivers

How Rare Island Bunnies Do a Parasitic Plant’s Bidding

The world’s only wild black-furred rabbit has a very important job — distributing seeds for a parasitic plant.

#amami-oshima-japan, #animal-behavior, #balanophora-yuwanensis, #ecology-journal, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #flowers-and-plants, #forests-and-forestry, #fruit, #oshima-island-japan, #pentalagus-furnessi, #rabbits, #tokunoshima-island-japan, #your-feed-science

Why This Trilobite Had Neptune’s Trident for a Nose

A new paper suggests an ancient creature’s odd anatomical feature may be the earliest known example of specialized sexual combat in the animal kingdom.

#animal-behavior, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #nose, #paleontology, #proceedings-of-the-national-academy-of-sciences, #reproduction-biological, #research, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

Ecuador Tried to Curb Drilling and Protect the Amazon. The Opposite Happened.

A novel idea to leave the country’s vast oil reserves in the ground fizzled for lack of international support. Now, struggling under painful debt, the government wants to expand drilling in the rainforest.

#amazon-jungle, #credit-and-debt, #ecuador, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #income-inequality, #indigenous-people, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #third-world-and-developing-countries, #vis-photo, #yasuni-national-park-ecuador

Global Warming May Make You Miss These Parasites When They’re Gone

Warming temperatures in one part of the world seem to have driven down the parasite population, suggesting another unexpected way that climate change harms ecosystems.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #global-warming, #parasites, #proceedings-of-the-national-academy-of-sciences, #puget-sound, #research, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

What’s In (and Not In) the $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill

A big boost for the military, more aid for Ukraine, a preference for the lobster industry over whales and an overhaul of the Electoral Count Act are among the provisions in the 4,155-page bill lawmakers expect to pass this week.

#agriculture-department, #biomedical-advanced-research-and-development-authority, #centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #defense-department, #elections, #electoral-count-act-1887, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #federal-budget-us, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #fishing-commercial, #health-insurance-and-managed-care, #house-of-representatives, #hurricanes-and-tropical-storms, #law-and-legislation, #medicaid, #national-labor-relations-board, #national-oceanic-and-atmospheric-administration, #national-park-service, #organized-labor, #pensions-and-retirement-plans, #police, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #senate, #transportation-department-us, #united-states-defense-and-military-forces, #united-states-politics-and-government, #whales-and-whaling

Countries Adopt a Sweeping Agreement to Protect Nature

Delegates meeting in Canada, aiming to halt a dangerous decline in biodiversity, agreed on a deal to place 30 percent of the planet under protection.

#biodiversity, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #indigenous-people, #international-relations, #land-use-policies, #oceans-and-seas, #united-nations-convention-on-biological-diversity

No One Wants to Say ‘Put Down That Burger.’ But We Really Should.

If current eating and farming trends continue, the world will clear at least one and a quarter more Indias worth of land by 2050.

#agriculture-and-farming, #biodiversity, #bioenergy-and-biofuels, #earth, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #food, #forests-and-forestry, #invasive-species, #livestock, #sustainable-living, #united-nations, #united-nations-convention-on-biological-diversity, #vegetarianism

Those Adorable Endangered Creatures Are Not the Point

We treat conservation as an altruistic pursuit — a special interest championed by a passionate few — but it’s also a selfish cause.

#biodiversity, #cheetahs, #conservation-of-resources, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #forests-and-forestry, #rhinoceroses, #united-nations-convention-on-biological-diversity

Can Australia Save a Rare Reptile by Moving It to a Cooler Place?

An experiment to preserve the western swamp tortoise is the latest flash point in a debate over how far humans should go to protect nature as the world warms.

#australia, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #turtles-and-tortoises

A Penguin-Like Shape May Have Helped This Dinosaur Dive

The duck-size animal’s body was streamlined for pursuing prey underwater, researchers say. Other paleontologists say more work is needed to confirm the finding.

#communications-biology-journal, #dinosaurs, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fossils, #mongolia, #paleontology, #penguins, #research, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

The Return of the Jaguar in the Yucatán Peninsula

Thanks to Mexican conservation efforts, the jaguar is making a comeback in the Yucatán Peninsula. A traveler ventures into its habitat in the tropical jungles surrounding an ancient Maya city.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #jaguars, #travel-and-vacations, #yucatan-peninsula-mexico

A Planned Restart of a Crab Harvest Pits Conservation Against Industry

After a decade-long ban, the potential revival of crab harvesting in the Delaware Bay poses a threat to shorebirds, naturalists say.

#animal-migration, #animals, #birds, #conservation-of-resources, #crabs, #delaware, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-farming, #fishing-commercial, #maryland, #new-jersey, #regulation-and-deregulation-of-industry, #shortages, #virginia

A South Pacific Penguin Dumps One of Its Potential Chicks

On the Antipodes Islands in the South Pacific, researchers observed a strange parenting move in erect-crested penguins — laying an egg that’s doomed to die.

#animal-behavior, #antipodes-islands-new-zealand, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #new-zealand, #penguins, #plos-one-journal, #research, #your-feed-science

The 2022 Living Planet Index Is Out. Here’s How to Understand It.

The latest update to an important assessment found that populations had declined by an average of 69 percent since 1970. But that might not mean what you think.

#animals, #biodiversity, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #living-planet-index, #research, #world-wide-fund-for-nature, #zoological-society-of-london

Lights Out, America! (Songbirds Are Counting on Us.)

Up to a billion birds die in window strikes every year. But the best way to make the migration seasons safer overall is also the easiest.

#animal-migration, #autumn-season, #birds, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #environment

After 75 Years, Cheetahs Return to India in a Grand Experiment

Scientists aim to determine whether a predator population can be restored in a place where it was hunted into extinction.

#cheetah-conservation-fund, #cheetahs, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #india, #madhya-pradesh-india, #modi-narendra, #namibia

How Far Should We Go to Save a Species?

As scientists push the frontiers of conservation technology, some of their initiatives raise ethical questions.

#animals, #artificial-insemination, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #genetics-and-heredity, #global-warming, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching

To Save Whales, Don’t Eat Lobster, Watchdog Group Says

The group says that the shellfish, long considered a more responsible choice, cannot be considered a guilt-free meal anymore.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fishing-commercial, #lobsters, #monterey-bay-aquarium, #national-marine-fisheries-service, #seafood, #seafood-watch, #supermarkets-and-grocery-stores, #whales-and-whaling, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

The Dugong ‘Sea Cow’ Has Vanished from China’s Waters, Study Says

The study said the dugong, a vegetarian mammal that ranges across Asia and Africa, has essentially vanished from the country’s coastline.

#dugongs, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #far-east-south-and-southeast-asia-and-pacific-areas, #manatees, #research, #royal-society-open-science-journal, #south-china-sea

Harriet Hageman, Poised to Defeat Liz Cheney, Has Anti-Environment History

Harriet Hageman, who is challenging Representative Liz Cheney, worked for decades as a lawyer opposing environmentalists and federal regulations of resources in Wyoming.

#cheney-liz, #content-type-personal-profile, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #federal-lands, #hageman-harriet, #house-of-representatives, #land-use-policies, #republican-party, #united-states-politics-and-government, #wilderness-areas, #wolves

Pigs to the Rescue: An Invasive Species Helped Save Australia’s Crocodiles

Invasive species can damage the ecosystems they wind up in. But in parts of the world, endangered predators make hearty meals out of them.

#alligators, #animals, #australia, #biology-letters-journal, #crocodiles, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #everglades-fla, #florida, #florida-panthers-animals, #invasive-species, #pigs, #united-states, #your-feed-science

Modern and Ancient Crickets May Sing the Same Song

With a one-of-a-kind museum specimen, researchers recreated the chirp of ancient cricket relatives that droned alongside the dinosaurs.

#anatomy-and-physiology, #animal-behavior, #crickets, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #plos-one-journal, #research, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

The Outdoor Cat: Neighborhood Mascot or Menace?

To some, letting cats roam is unthinkable. To others, so is keeping them inside.

#animal-behavior, #animals, #birds, #cats, #endangered-and-extinct-species

At the Serpentine, a Show of Nature’s Healing Power

The climate crisis is inspiring — and requiring — new perspectives in thinking for the London gallery, starting with “Back to Earth.”

#art, #colombia, #elwha-river-wash, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #eno-brian, #flowers-and-plants, #gardens-and-gardening, #global-warming, #global-witness, #levees-and-dams, #london-england, #metzger-gustav-1926-2017, #obrist-hans-ulrich, #serpentine-galleries, #the-overstory-book

Monarch Butterflies Are Placed on IUCN Red List

Researchers cited climate change and habitat loss. But they also said the public can help give the insects a boost.

#agriculture-and-farming, #animal-migration, #biodiversity, #butterflies-and-moths, #caterpillars, #defoliants-and-herbicides, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #flowers-and-plants, #global-warming, #insects, #international-union-for-conservation-of-nature, #north-america

Australia’s Environment in Crisis, Report Says

Climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution and mining have contributed to a drastic decline in the populations of some wildlife species.

#animals, #australia, #biodiversity, #coral, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #great-barrier-reef-australia, #koalas, #reefs, #wildlife-die-offs

Did Nature Heal During the Pandemic ‘Anthropause’?

Covid precautions created a global slowdown in human activity — and an opportunity to learn more about the complex ways we affect other species.

#animal-behavior, #animals, #atlantic-ocean, #birds, #california, #canada, #conservation-of-resources, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #hawaii, #invasive-species, #mice, #noise, #roadkill, #roads-and-traffic, #san-francisco-calif, #snorkeling, #sweden, #travel-and-vacations, #turtles-and-tortoises, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

Biodiversity Crisis Affects Billions Who Rely on Wild Species, Researchers Say

The latest global assessment of the decline in plant and animal life found some bright spots but recommended significant changes to hunting and other practices to address the risks.

#biodiversity, #conservation-of-resources, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #indigenous-people, #intergovernmental-science-policy-platform-on-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services, #international-union-for-conservation-of-nature, #united-nations, #united-nations-convention-on-biological-diversity, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching

A Canine Companion So Nice It (Maybe) Evolved Twice

Two different ancient wolf populations contributed DNA to modern dogs, according to a new study.

#dogs, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #genetics-and-heredity, #pets, #research, #wolves, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

To Catch a Snake: Largest Python Found in Everglades Signals a Threat

The Burmese python caught by a team of trackers breaks a record and shows the invasive species surviving in Florida’s ecosystem despite efforts to remove those snakes.

#conservation-of-resources, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #environment, #everglades-fla, #florida, #invasive-species, #snakes

Let’s Pass the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

An “unthinkable level of bipartisan support” may just lead to a win for species in peril.

#conservation-of-resources, #democratic-party, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #environment, #law-and-legislation, #republican-party

Climate Groups Use Endangered Species Act to Try to Stop Drilling

Environmentalists say the government failed to study the threats to endangered species from climate change before issuing oil and gas drilling permits.

#air-pollution, #bureau-of-land-management, #carbon-dioxide, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #environment, #federal-lands, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #interior-department, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline

New Zealand’s Biodiversity Crisis Prompts Extreme Measures

A few years ago, the nation vowed to rid itself of most imported predators. But now some people are asking if that goal is feasible, or worth what it will cost.

#biodiversity, #conservation-of-resources, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #invasive-species, #new-zealand, #volunteers-and-community-service

Megalodon Extinction May Have Been Driven by Hungry Great White Sharks

The largest shark that ever lived may have vanished in part because the comparatively smaller great white had a taste for the same prey.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fossils, #isotopes, #nature-communications-journal, #paleontology, #research, #sharks, #teeth-and-dentistry, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science, #zinc

Dinosaurs Started Out Hot, Then Some of Them Turned Cold

Scientists directly measured the metabolic rate of extinct animals, which revealed that some giant dinosaurs became coldblooded.

#anatomy-and-physiology, #biology-and-biochemistry, #dinosaurs, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fossils, #nature-journal, #paleontology, #pterosaurs, #research, #temperature, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

Watch a Giant Stingray’s Safe Return to Its River Home

The Mekong River is home to enormous and endangered aquatic life. A 400-pound fish’s release shows how some conservation efforts in Cambodia are paying off.

#cambodia, #conservation-of-resources, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #mekong-river, #research, #stingrays, #wonders-of-the-mekong-project, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

In Romania’s Transylvanian Alps, See Bison on Safari

In Europe, “rewilding” is aiding the reintroduction of key animal species, including bison, which visitors can track in the forests and meadows of western Romania.

#biodiversity, #bison, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #rewilding-europe, #romania, #safaris, #transylvania-romania, #travel-and-vacations

Scientists Uncover a Shady Web of Online Spider Sales

More than 1,200 species of arachnids are part of a largely unregulated global marketplace, according to a new study.

#animals, #collectors-and-collections, #communications-biology-journal, #conservation-of-resources, #convention-on-international-trade-in-endangered-species, #costa-rica, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-wildlife-service, #international-trade-and-world-market, #scorpions, #spiders, #united-states, #vietnam, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching, #your-feed-animals, #your-feed-science

A Boxed Set for the Birds Hopes to Save Them, Too

A star-studded, 242-track trove of songs and poems inspired by birdsong is the latest project in a series of releases raising awareness about its own threatened sources.

#audio-recordings-downloads-and-streaming, #birds, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #for-the-birds-album, #music, #poster-randall

Mushrooms Took a Deadly Toxin From a Mysterious Source

Instead of evolving to produce poison, some distantly related fungi became toxic through a process called horizontal gene transfer, scientists say.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fungi, #genetics-and-heredity, #hazardous-and-toxic-substances, #proceedings-of-the-national-academy-of-sciences, #research, #your-feed-science

In Warming World Oceans Risk Mass Extinctions, Model Shows

A new study finds that if fossil fuel emissions continue apace, the oceans could experience a mass extinction by 2300. There is still time to avoid it.

#endangered-and-extinct-species, #fish-and-other-marine-life, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #oceans-and-seas, #research, #science-journal

20 Percent of Reptiles Risk Extinction, From King Cobras to Geckos

The first global analysis of its kind found that logging and farming are taking away reptile habitat at an unsustainable pace, exacerbating a worldwide decline in biodiversity.

#biodiversity, #crocodiles, #endangered-and-extinct-species, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #international-union-for-conservation-of-nature, #komodo-dragons-lizards, #nature-journal, #reptiles, #research, #wildlife-trade-and-poaching