Great News for Lions, Terrible News for Rhinos
Two important sets of numbers about large mammals have emerged in the past few days. One tells a story of conservation success whereas the other tale is far from that.
Extinction Countdown
News and research about endangered species from around the world
Prehistoric `Lizard of Great Sleepiness' Nearly Extinct in Vietnam and China
Are pet collectors about to drive another species into extinction? This time around it's the prehistoric-looking Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus).
Sustainability
Mesquite Invasion Threatens a Unique Species in India
It's almost barbeque season, which means that for many of us it's just about time to break out the mesquite. But mesquite isn't all that popular when it isn't providing a nice, smoky flavor to our burgers and chicken...
Sustainability
The Last 3 Bornean Rhinos Are in a Race against Extinction
Is there any hope of saving the Bornean rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) from extinction? Sadly, the chances of that happening seem to grow slimmer and slimmer.
Sustainability
Should Humpback Whales Be Removed from the Endangered Species List?
Have decades of protection allowed the endangered humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) to recover? That's the question asked this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)...
Sustainability
A New Tool for Conservation Genetics: Seal Placentas
It's a sad fact that as members of a species become rarer they tend to suffer from inbreeding. This lack of genetic diversity can lead to birth defects and other problems, making a species even more endangered as time progresses...
Sustainability
Critically Endangered Frog Claws Its Way toward Recovery
The evolutionarily unique frogs of Cameroon's Lake Oku have no tongues, claw-tipped toes and 12 full sets of chromosomes. What the Lake Oku clawed frogs (Xenopus longipes) don't have, however, is a lot of habitat in which to live...
Sustainability
Conservation Group Seeks Protection for Endangered Crayfish, Gets Newly Discovered Species as a Bonus
A funny thing happened on the way to the endangered species list. Five years ago the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) petitioned to protect an Appalachian crayfish species under the U.S...
Sustainability
Amazing Discovery: Nearly Extinct Bird Found Breeding in Japan
Higashijima Island doesn't look like much from the sky. This tiny, uninhabited scrap of land 1,000 kilometers south of the coast of Japan is only a few hectares in size.
Sustainability
Is Chocolate Driving Monkeys into Extinction?
Ten years ago the forests of Ivory Coast were full of the hoots and howls of more than a dozen primate species. No more. Today the west African nation is much quieter.
Blog Index
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A Blog About the Weird Wonderfulness of Life on Earth
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