Gene Sequencing and Color Mapping Reveal Potential New Species among Flamboyant Panther Chameleons

Medicine & Technology May 26, 2015

Many species of snakes and lizards are able to change color, which helps them avoid detection, regulate their body temperature, and choose mates. But new research on panther chameleons shows that their colorful hides may not only aid in their survival, but might be concealing a range of species never before imagined.

Endangered Jaguars May Lose Designated Land if Area Ranchers Have their Way

May 24, 2015

In March 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service set aside just over 1,000 acres of land straddling the U.S. and Mexican border in an effort to bolster the rapidly dwindling numbers of jaguars. This beautiful spotted cat, who once roamed from Argentina in South America, all the way up to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, has now been practically wiped out in the United States. But that is irrelevant to the angry ranchers who believe providing room for the cats was "unlawful, arbitrary, and capricious."

Hunter Pays $350,000 for the Opportunity to Kill Endangered Black Rhino, And He's A Conservationist

May 21, 2015

Armed with a high-powered 500 Nitro Express rifle and a CNN camera crew, Texan Corey Knowlton ended his three-day trek through the dusty plains of Namibia by doing what he had travelled over 8,000 miles to do: shoot and kill a black rhino.

In Japan, Dolphin Controversy Continues Despite International Outcry

May 21, 2015

Officials from the small fishing village of Taiji, in Central Japan, remain defiant amidst protests that label their dolphin hunts as cruel. Despite international outcry, the slaughter continues.

Panda Poo Reveals a Mismatched Gut

May 19, 2015

In an ongoing attempt to boost the dwindling number of pandas on the planet (currently tallying just under 2,000), scientists have discovered what appears to be a physiological roadblock to the bear's good health: they possess the wrong type of gut.

Record-Setting Drought Forces California Salmon to Take to the Highway

May 18, 2015

California's record-setting drought has dried up large swaths of the San Joaquin River; bad news for the state's salmon. So in a desperate effort to save a generation of hatchlings, tanker trucks are being employed to transport the young fish downstream. With their normal passage blocked, the fish are now migrating via Highway 99.

Zoos Raise Awareness of Endangered Species by Making their Animals Disappear

May 16, 2015

May 15th marked the 10th anniversary of Endangered Species Day, which kicked off awareness events across the country. More than 200 zoos participated by restricting access to some of their endangered species, with the aim of giving visitors a glimpse of a world where such animals no longer existence.

AS GLOBAL TEMPERATURES RISE, SPECIES MAY PLUMMET

May 03, 2015

As if submersion of coastal communities by rising sea levels weren’t bad enough, scientists have recently added another frightening repercussion to climate change: the loss of species. Scientists are still quibbling over the number of species that may perish with rising temperatures, some claiming zero while others predicting a whopping 54%. In an effort to refine the predictions, Marc Urban, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut, has crunched the numbers, and although his results don’t spell the end for over half the world’s species, the numbers are still frightening.

The Quandaries of a Modern Ecologist—How Ecological ‘Flash Mobs’ Are More Like Magnets Than You Might Think

Apr 08, 2015

When it comes to ecological modeling, often the devil is in the details. But with so many complex theories at play, and so many realistic, natural variants it becomes an almost impossible task to decipher exactly it is that the researchers are trying to show us. This time the researchers made it easy for us.

A Century of Climate Change—How the Complex Landscape of the Appalachian Forests Will Fare

Apr 03, 2015

The tropical rainforests near the equator aren’t the only woodland areas affected by the effects of climate change. The Central Appalachian forests have been experiencing major effects such as heavy rainfall, drought and heat spells as well. And according to a new vulnerability assessment published today by the USDA Forest Service, the complex landscape reveals resilience to climate change in some areas, but also costly vulnerabilities in others.

New Fanged Frog Species Reveals Nurturing Side—First Live Tadpole Birth to Date

Jan 01, 2015

While most amphibians, in fact nearly every species known to man, are parents that lay clutches of eggs, one new frog species revealed that they too are of the nurturing variety.

Monarch Butterflies Could Soon Be Deemed “Endangered”

Dec 31, 2014

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced earlier this week that it is considering placing the monarch butterfly under the federal protection of the Endangered Species Act. And now, for the next sixty days, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hear comments from the public on the idea of listing the butterfly.

Endangered Subspecies of Giraffe Born in Chester Zoo, Raising Hope For The Future of The Species

Dec 31, 2014

The tallest terrestrial animal on the planet, giraffes, occupy the scorching plains of Sub-Saharan Africa. And, despite popular knowledge, "giraffe" is what scientists like to call an umbrella common name, consisting of, at least 9 different subspecies. And while some subspecies are more abundant than the rest, one particular subspecies that is quite endangered has new hope on the horizon. On December 29th, a Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti) calf, named Zahra, was born at the Chester Zoo in England, added some new genetic variation into the small population left in captivity of Rothschild's giraffes.

Great Lakes' Water Levels Cause Erosion Concern

Dec 31, 2014

The Great Lakes have been rising over the last two years, putting an end to a decade of lower than average water levels, and creating favorable conditions for both boating and commercial shipping. In fact, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say water levels in lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, and Ontario are all above seasonal averages for the first time in 16 years.

Seals May Use Earth’s Magnetic Field to Navigate

Dec 31, 2014

While past research has described the specie in great detail, a new study has found that Antarctic seals may be using the Earth's magnetic field as a natural GPS while hunting.