The Biden administration restored protections to threatened species in the U.S. on March 29 — protections that had previously been rolled back in 2019 by the Trump administration. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) finalized three rules to protect threatened species […]
Researchers have discovered a variety of large plastic pieces in the guts of dead sea turtles found in the eastern Mediterranean. Some of these plastic items include bottle caps and a Halloween toy in the shape of a witch finger. A team led by the University of Exeter and the North Cyprus Society for the […]
In a positive sign for the protection and restoration of bald eagles, a pair of the iconic birds has been spotted nesting in Toronto for the first time in the city’s recorded history, reported the Toronto Star. Once a common sight in North America, bald eagles were hunted to near extinction in the 1950s. Use […]
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have completed an air tour management plan for Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico. As part of the plan, commercial air tours will be banned in and around the national monument. Commercial air tours are a type of flight that visitors can pay to […]
Quick Key Facts The Endangered Species Act To understand what “endangered species” means, it’s important to unpack the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which followed the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the first piece of federal endangered species legislation. Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1973, the ESA states that the federal government has a […]
Deforestation is making lizards in North America more vulnerable because of a lack of shelter from extreme temperatures, according to a new study. Led by scientists at University of Colorado Boulder and Tel Aviv University, the study found that forest loss, alongside climate change, could negatively impact 84% of lizards in North America by 2100. […]
Following decades of hunting and habitat destruction by humans, great apes are teetering on the edge of extinction. Five out of seven species of great apes — the closest living relatives to humans — have been listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as “critically endangered,” according to a new study by an […]
When combined with green spaces, solar panels can provide more benefits than generating clean energy. According to a new study, led by Lancaster University scientists in collaboration with the University of Reading, well-managed solar parks that feature solar panels and vegetation could boost pollinator populations and biodiversity. The researchers published their findings in the journal […]
In a “landmark” ruling, Bangladesh’s High Court has suspended all licenses for the adoption of critically endangered wild elephants, meaning they can no longer be legally taken into captivity or exploited, reported the BBC. The ban to protect the approximately 200 wild elephants remaining in Bangladesh was welcomed by animal rights groups. Nearly half the […]