Bringing you the latest articles, opinion and analysis in the conservation world
Researchers in California have discovered an interplay between 3 species – due to invasive mice on the Farallon Islands are causing migrating burrowing owls to remain on the islands to eat them. But when the mice population crashes, they switch to preying upon the endangered ashy storm-petrel.
The largest botanical dataset ever has been created by scientists, who discovered that nearly 40% of land plant species are classified as ‘exceedingly rare’. And these species are found in areas that will be impacted by climate change.
Placing LED lights along the top of floating gillnets (fishing nets that have notoriously high levels of bycatch) reduces the chances of dolphins and turtles being caught accidentally. And, they do not reduce the catch for fishermen.
New research shows that the greatest boost to the survival of killer whale calves is their grandmothers who are no longer breeding, because they are free to focus their time and resources on them. As salmon populations decline, the grandmothers will play an increasingly important role in killer whale population.
The koloa, the only endemic duck remaining on the main Hawaiian Islands, is threatened by inbreeding with feral mallards. But a new study has found that its genetic diversity is high and conservation efforts have been successful.
The creation of corridors between restored patches of declining longleaf pine habitats in South Carolina has resulted in an increase in number of plant species within the fragments and a drop in number of species disappearing from them.
DNA samples from museum specimens have again proved useful in discovering what conservation actions can help endangered species. For the critically endangered regent honeyeater, the answer is to protect its Australian habitat.
An international team of researchers has documented the decline of insects in Germany, in many areas it is by one third. The decline is mainly in grasslands near to farmland, but is also in forests and protected areas.
Scientists trying to save endangered species are finding help in museum collections. It has been shown that using DNA specimens from old specimens to understand evolution and threats to their survival.
White-tailed sea eagles in Germany were tested for the stress hormone corticosterone, levels of which were particularly high in birds nesting close to roads and paths. This has implications for tourist use in areas of high eagle density.