Tag: Species

Large beetles like rhinoceros and stag beetles are very popular as pets and collectibles in Asia. Males are particularly sought after in some countries for the spectator sport of ‘beetle-wrestling’, in which they are made to fight each other. Most of the rhinoceros beetles traded are col...

The saiga antelope (Saiga tartarica) is a medium-sized, herbivorous mammal found on the steppes of Central Asia. Instantly recognisable by its trunk-like nose (which helps with thermal regulation and filtering dust), it is a nomadic animal that undertakes long seasonal migrations (Hoffman et al, 200...

In 2010, I released an extensive 430-page journal tailored for birdwatchers and bird photographers to record their observations. Despite its substantial size, the book sold remarkably well, offering ample space for noting the bird species, weather conditions, and locations. It also included a p...

This report describes part of an experiment that tested ChatGPT’s ability to identify bird species from images. This report provides a case study of ChatGPT’s new image capabilities [1]. I wanted to see how ChatGPT’s image recognition performance for birds could be improved by p...

One morning in 2020, I became convinced that the usual chorus of birdsong in my garden was getting louder. It was April — the first real taste of COVID lockdown — and I, like many others, was witnessing the quickening new life of spring with an added layer of awestruck appreciation. Thou...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced recently that they will delist 21 species from the Endangered Species Act because they are extinct. Found in 16 states and in the U.S. territory of Guam, most of these species were listed under the ESA in its early days in the 1970s and 80s, and had very ...

With global marine conservation efforts focusing on turning the promise of “30x30” — protecting 30 percent of both marine and terrestrial areas by 2030 — into reality, how do we ensure that new area-based protections work for the species that are closest to extinction? A r...

It’s no secret that human activities have put many of this planet’s inhabitants in danger. Extinctions are happening at a dramatically faster rate than they have over the past tens of millions of years. An estimated quarter of all species on Earth are at risk of being lost...

When I first began my research on sea turtle conservation and tourism in Hawai‘i several years ago, I remember an encounter with a sea turtle. I was swimming a hundred yards or so off the beach, trying to get some wide-angle landscape photos of my research site. Then I felt something brush ...

The cotton-top tamarin is a critically endangered primate found only in the tropical dry forests of northwest Columbia. A 2012 population study estimated that there were fewer than 7,000 of these miniscule monkeys remaining in the wild. Fortunately, these animals are not alone in their ...

Asdarkness falls over the plains of Zimbabwe, an American hunter fires an arrow at a lion named Cecil. He goes on to receive death threats and is forced into hiding. Elsewhere in the savannah, Maasai tribesmen poison a group of lions, killing two. They are later arrested, facing life imprisonment. O...

At the heart of the Endangered Species Act is a safety net for our nation’s wildlife, fish and plants on the brink of extinction. The Act protects thousands of endangered species and millions of acres of habitat. Too often we read about species-related crises and conflict, while success storie...

Our anthropocentric mode of thinking runs so deep that we very rarely even notice it. For example, I can’t count the amount of times I’ve been told that humans are special. People list all kinds of things they think that most other animals can’t do, like reflective thinking. ...

Beneath wraps of understanding In places far away beneath the trees Buried deep down under the foliage Where there’s no visitation from the breeze. And under the sparkling blue ocean In secret coral caves and hideaways In between the feathers of the heather On endless fields covered i...

The kakapo, a large, nocturnal, flightless parrot native to New Zealand, is another critically endangered species, with a population of fewer than 250 individuals. Habitat loss, predation by invasive species, and their low reproduction rate contribute to the kakapo’s endangered status....

Our planet is a home to an immense variety of life, each species playing a unique role in the ecological balance. However, several species are at the brink of extinction due to various human-induced and natural factors. In this article, we delve into the ten most endangered species as of 2024, shedd...

Keystone species, are those with a disproportionate impact on the structure and function of their respective communities. Much like the keystone in an arch, their presence supports the integrity of the entire system. These species may not be the most abundant, but they wield a unique influence that ...

Colorful, musical, airborne & clever. Birds are admired for their feathers, looks and even personalities. Scroll down to discover the 5 interesting species that need the recognition they deserve. 1. Resplendent Quetzal The Quetzal is not just the word for the currency of Guatemala, it&rsqu...

Rhinos are under serious pressure that is risking their survival. If all rhinos went extinct, then their habitats would forever be shifting towards decline. All keystone species are pivotal in their role for the eco-system. Rhinos are unique by the way they impact and change the landscape around the...

Everyone loves ducks, but how many people know what a “duck” actually is? In Tasmania, we have 11 species of native ducks, either full time residents or occasional visitors. Sadly for our ducks, they’re not as famous as a lot of our other native birds. A recent Victorian study foun...

Hibernating brown bears and chronically paralyzed spinal cord injury (SCI) patients are protected from immobility-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE). The mechanisms behind this protection were unknown. The researchers performed a cross-species analysis using brown bears, mice models, humans, an...

This snake species, named after Harrison Ford as a nod to his snake-fearing portrayal of Indiana Jones, is commonly called Harrison Ford’s Slender Snake. It was discovered in Peru in August 2023, as part of a collaboration effort between researchers from the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology, ...

What is an “invasive plant?” Colloquially, some gardeners call any plant that thrives and spreads with little or no care “invasive.” They will cast the term on both “weeds” (which are often native plants) and ornamental nursery plants that spread outside their app...

How does life colonize a desolate environment for the first time? Let’s say a volcano erupts and wipes out all life on an island. Is this island destined for desolation? Fortunately not, thanks to “pioneer species” who colonize bare earth after a disturbance, or when the environ...

Estimating the abundance of a species refers to the process of determining how many individuals of a species are present in a given area or region. Abundance can be measured in absolute terms, i.e., the total number of individuals present, or in relative terms, such as population density or the prop...