There are now only 7,100 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) left in the world, according to a new study from the Zoological Society of London, Panthera, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The causes? The same ones as always — habitat loss and fragmentation, the “pet” trade, desertification (often driven by deforestation), and the over hunting of prey
With the population of the critically endangered black rhino only around 5,000, why did the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service (US FWS) recently issue sport-hunting permits to kill two black rhinos in Namibia? The permits, which cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each, will allow two wealthy American sport hunters to import their black
A significant proportion — 20-25% — of all well-known marine species are headed rapidly towards extinction, new research from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences has found. The new work — which made use of the most comprehensive conservation data available for both marine and non-marine organisms — demonstrates that marine
African forest elephants are fast approaching extinction, primarily as a result of poaching, but also other factors. The species has declined by an incredible 62% in just the last decade. This decline, throughout all of the species range in central Africa, has been largely as a result of the growing trade in ivory. A new
New research from environmental toxicologists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shows that California condors are exposed to harmful levels of lead regularly. The main source of this being from ingesting lead ammunition. This continual exposure to lead is preventing the condor’s recovery — if it wasn’t for condor recovery programs, this issue
Loss of biodiversity appears to negatively affect ecosystems as much as climate change, pollution or other major stressors. In some cases, it has reduced overall plant growth by over 10 percent. “Some people have assumed that biodiversity effects are relatively minor compared to other environmental stressors,” said biologist David Hooper of Western Washington University,
Grizzly bears and the many people working to protect them received great news recently: Last week, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave its long-awaited ruling on whether the Yellowstone grizzly bear should lose federal Endangered Species Act protection (ESA). Thankfully, the 9th Circuit ruled in favor of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, agreeing that
A former fellow writer on EcoWorldly.com (which is now EcoLocalizer), Rhishja Larson is the leading rhino expert I’ve ever run across. She knows rhinos! And, unfortunately, that means she knows more about the current rhino crisis than most.
Now, she and Saving Rhinos LLC have started a new campaign to bring critical rhino information and rhino crisis awareness to more people: Bust the Myth – Save the Species.
This is a cool video I thought I’d share with you animal & planet lovers (and especially you penguin lovers).
Well, Russia is one key actor threating grey whales with extinction, but it has also taken a step forward in protecting the critically endangered species. “Companies seeking oil extraction rights to a newly available concession off Russia’s Sakhalin Island will not be permitted to conduct activities while Western gray whales are present,” WWF wrote last week.
Some of the top green living, activism, and clean energy stories from the past day or so: Activism Greenpeace Gives Facebook “Unfriend Coal” Deadline Greenpeace has been pushing Facebook to “unfriend coal” and go the route of clean energy for awhile. Facebook, for the most part, hasn’t listened. Greenpeace is now telling Facebook it should
If you haven’t noticed, I haven’t covered Christmas that much yet. Just a post on a few green gift ideas (well, really, it was one idea but options from a few organizations) and a post on Climate Counts’ Striding Shoppers campaign. I have to say, I’ve been avoiding Christmas a little bit this year… largely
Endangered sea turtles are being burned alive in BP oil spill “clean-up” efforts. Bad enough, right? But why are rescue crews hired by BP to save and protect these turtles being blocked from doing so? Is this on purpose in order to burn costly legal evidence? Yes, you read that title correctly, endangered sea turtles
Organizers have announced a three-day music festival to take place in Port Lympne Wild Animal Park that will feature over 200 bands, visual artists, and poets. Half the profits from the event will be donated to the Aspinall Foundation.
