Articles & Blogs - Page 2

Bringing you the latest articles, opinion and analysis in the conservation world

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  DNA Detectives Aid Rhinos

  For the first time, DNA markers have been used to provide forensic evidence to tackle poaching of the Indian rhino. A database has now been created to hold a catalogue of rhino DNA, which will also aid conservation efforts.

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  Sea Star Joins Critically Endangered List

  The iconic sunflower sea star has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature following a groundbreaking population study led by Oregon State University and The Nature Conservancy.

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  Insights from Humpback Whale Songs

  Humpback whales are charismatic and iconic animals, and an especially significant one in Hawaiian culture. Their songs have been studied following reports of unusually low numbers of whales in the archipelago, which will enable scientists to keep a close eye on their numbers.

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  Pandas Not Protecting Neighbours

  The long-held hope that conservation protections granted to pandas will extend to other threatened species in the same habitat has been called into question. New research calls for wider protection for animal communities and ecosystems.

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  Isolated Tigers May Need Genetic Rescue

  A number of threats such as habitat destruction and poaching have caused tiger populations to plummet. As they do so, their genetic diversity drops too. A new study has demonstrated what conservation can learn from study subspecies of tigers at the genetic level.

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  Conservationists May Spread Pathogens

  A common conservation strategy is to move individual animals from one location to another to boost population numbers and restore ecosystems. However, a new study shows that the dangers of this may, in fact, outweigh the risks.

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  Narwhal Tusks Reveal Pollution Threat

  Scientists have been studying the tusks of narwhals in the Arctic. They reveal that their exposure to toxic pollutants like mercury has increased since the 1960s due to sea-ice decline and human-caused carbon emissions.

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  Primate Protected by Speedbumps

  Cars are a significant threat to many species throughout the world, killing animals indiscriminately. Yet new research involving the Zanzibar red colobus shows that the installation of speedbumps on roads significantly reduces mortality levels.

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  Climate Change Threat from Coastal Lupine

  Research on an endangered coastal lupine plant shows that it is threatened specifically by climate change. Only four species from more extreme habitats have climate change listed as their main threat, however this study shows that even species from milder, temperate areas are at risk.

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  Starvation Threat for Orangutans

  Orangutans are facing threats from habitat destruction and climate change. A new study has shown that, because orangutans lose muscle mass when less fruit is available to them, it is vital to protect their habitats to ensure their survival.