English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
UrduA new publication in FirstView in Oryx sheds light on the status of Mongolian gazelle populations across Mongolia, Russia, and China, revealing both successes and challenges in the conservation efforts of this iconic species
Tag: Wildlife
New Study Confirms FSC-Certified Forests Help Wildlife Thrive in the Congo Basin
a new study reveals compelling evidence that forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council®(FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo harbour a higher abundance of larger mammals and critically endangered species, such as gorillas and elephants, compared to non-FSC certified forests. The research was led by Utrecht University with support from WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and was published in Nature on 10 April 2024. It underscores the effectiveness of measures implemented in FSC-certified forest concessions to safeguard wildlife.
Mongolia’s Dzud Is a Severe Winter Weather Disaster Affecting People and Wildlife
As highlighted by both national and international media, a severe winter weather disaster—the phenomenon known as a ‘dzud’—during the 2023-2024 winter has presented unprecedented challenges for the people of Mongolia.
First Time Ever Observed: The Nesting of a Reintroduced Critically Endangered Siamese Crocodile
A new research paper in the Journal of Threatened Taxa has confirmed for the first time the nesting of a reintroduced female Siamese crocodile. Two hatchlings resulted from the nesting, and they are now being head-started, raised by conservationists in captivity until they are old enough to be successfully released into the wild.
US House Foreign Affairs Committee Advances Bipartisan Bill for Global Conservation
“USFICA would create a public-private partnership to save wildlife and wild places around the world. What that means is government funds would leverage private support, making public dollars go much farther. And those monies would go directly to protected areas and parks around the world.” John Calvelli, WCS Executive VP for Public Affairs
Animal hair structure changes from summer to winter to fend off freezing weather
Some animals can withstand frigid weather, thanks to the insulating properties of the hollow hairs that make up their coats. Little was known about the hairs, but researchers have now discovered that their inner structure changes with the seasons. They will present their results at ACS Spring 2024.
NASA Space Technology and Google Earth Engine Computing Power Are Helping to Save Tigers
A new computer platform called TCL 3.0 represents a breakthrough in how scientists measure and monitor changes in tiger habitat and provides a framework for monitoring other wildlife species across the globe.
WCS Joins Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi to Advance Conservation Efforts
The Wildlife Conservation Society was honored to be invited to participate in a high-level event today hosted by His Excellency Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, the President of the Republic of Mozambique, at Maputo National Park.
If we can’t untangle this mess, Norway’s blue industry will never be green
One recent study estimates that the total amount of fishing line lost annually could stretch from the moon and back. A new study from Norway shows that roughly one-third of lines could be recycled.
Five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers discovered in Colombia and Ecuador
A group of scientists led by researchers of Khamai Foundation discovered five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador.
CMS COP14, An Historic Opportunity to Protect the Guanaco Migrations
This iconic herbivore of the arid grasslands and the Andes Mountains in the Southern Cone, depends on vast and connected habitats to feed, reproduce, and rest.
Wildlife Conservation Society Delegation Heading to Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) CoP14
A Wildlife Conservation Society delegation is heading to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals CoP14, Feb. 12-17, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
New study suggests culling animals who ‘don’t belong’ can be a flawed nature conservation practice
New research published today in the journal Science has concluded that eradicating animals on the basis that they are not native in order to protect plant species, can be a flawed practice costing millions of dollars, and resulting in the slaughter of millions of healthy wild animals.
Chimpanzees use hilltops to conduct reconnaissance on rival groups – study
Chimpanzees use high ground to conduct reconnaissance on rival groups, often before making forays into enemy territory at times when there is reduced risk of confrontation, a new study suggests.
Illinois expert available for Bat Week
URBANA, Ill. — Bats come out of the shadows during Bat Week (Oct. 24-31, 2023), an international awareness campaign that aims to educate the public about bat conservation in the week leading up to Halloween. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign bat…
From the shadows to the spotlight – bring on the bats
More friend than foe, Halloween season a good time to dispel myths
Bats take spotlight during October’s Bat Week: Illinois expert available
URBANA, Ill. — Bats come out of the shadows during Bat Week (Oct. 24-31, 2023), an international awareness campaign that aims to educate the public about bat conservation in the week leading up to Halloween. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign bat…
New threat to Antarctic fur seals
Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. The study of fur seals, almost all of which live on the sub-Antarctic islands of…
New research reveals forgotten lives of Eurasian otters in Hong Kong
Researchers have gained new insights into the lives and losses of Eurasian otters in Hong Kong, as detailed in a paper published by Oryx—The International Journal of Conservation, published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of international wildlife conservation charity Fauna & Flora.
Study: Wild pig populations in U.S. can be managed
Recent conservation efforts have proven effective at controlling wild pig populations in the Southeastern United States, according to new research from the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Within 24 months of the start of control efforts in the study area located around the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, researchers found a reduction of about 70% in relative abundance of pigs and a corresponding decline in environmental rooting damage of about 99%.
Fern saves fish from microbes and leeches
Scientists from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University have found out unique properties of Asian plant, that help to struggle with vermin at fish farms.
UTA research: Wildlife loss five times slower in protected areas
Protecting large areas of land from human activity can help stem the tide of biodiversity loss, especially for vertebrates like amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds, according to a new study in Nature.
Uncovering Camel Spiders’ Hidden Evolutionary Secrets with a Modern Genetic Tree
In a new study led by the laboratories of Prof. Prashant Sharma of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dr. Efrat Gavish-Regev of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a team of researchers has uncovering the mysteries surrounding camel spiders (Solifugae), by successfully establishing the first-ever comprehensive molecular tree (phylogeny) of this enigmatic arachnid order.
Jackdaws switch friends to gain food – but stick with family
Jackdaws ditch old friends and make new ones if it helps them get rewards – but stick with family through thick and thin, new research shows.
Clever lapwings use cover to hide in plain sight
Ground-nesting birds called lapwings use the shape of their nests and surroundings to hide from predators, new research shows.
Lack of maternal care affects development, microbiome and health of wild bees
Most wild bees are solitary, but one tiny species of carpenter bees fastidiously cares for and raises their offspring, an act that translates into huge benefits to the developing bee’s microbiome, development and health, found York University researchers.
What’s the Real Story about Shark Populations in NY Waters?
The lack of evidence about shark biology, their prey, and changes in the ecosystems of New York area coastal waters is a driving force to expand research about sharks and their populations in the region, so say a team of scientists in an article published in the Journal of Fish Biology.
Do artificial roosts help bats? Illinois experts say more research needed
Artificial roosts for bats come in many forms, but a new conservation practice and policy article from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests the structures haven’t been studied rigorously enough and may harm bats in some scenarios.
COVID-19 virus is evolving rapidly in white-tailed deer
White-tailed deer across Ohio have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, new research has found – and the results also show that viral variants evolve about three times faster in deer than in humans.
Fire, disease threatening sanctuary plants for Australian wildlife
New research has revealed that Australia’s iconic grass trees – aka yaccas – play a critical role in protecting wildlife from deadly weather extremes, thereby ensuring their survival. But the grasses themselves are under threat due to back burning, clearing and disease.
Nauseous territory: outfoxing predators using baits that make them barf
In a world first experiment, Australian researchers have played a very clever trick on red foxes that could help curb millions of wildlife deaths every year.
City-Dwelling Wildlife Demonstrate “Urban Trait Syndrome”
City life favors species that are adaptable and not too fussy about what they eat, among other characteristics. A worldwide consortium of scientists calls the resulting collection of traits an “Urban Trait Syndrome.”
Out of the frying pan: Coyotes, bobcats move into human-inhabited areas to avoid apex predators — only to be killed by people
In Washington state, the presence of two apex predators — wolves and cougars — drives two mesopredator species — bobcats and coyotes — into areas with higher levels of human activity, with deadly results for the mesopredators.
Small wildlife surveys can produce ‘big picture’ results
Small-scale wildlife surveys can reveal the health of entire ecosystems, new research shows.
Shining a light on dark web wildlife trade
Using a database of more than 50 dark web marketplaces, a research team from the University of Adelaide identified 153 species of wildlife being traded on the dark web.
Kangaroo Island ants ‘play dead’ to avoid predators
They’re well known for their industrious work, but now a species of ant on Kangaroo Island is also showing that it is skilled at ‘playing dead’, a behaviour that University of South Australia researchers believe is a recorded world first.
Wildlife experts investigate spread of ‘zombie deer disease’
A white-tailed deer afflicted with chronic wasting disease — also frequently referred to as “zombie deer disease” — will appear abnormally thin, move sluggishly, and salivate excessively. There is no cure: chronic wasting disease (CWD) is contagious and always fatal, and it has been detected with increasing frequency in Virginia and other states, raising concerns about effects on the deer population.
Hope for salamanders? Illinois study recalibrates climate change effects
For tiny salamanders squirming skin-to-soil, big-picture weather patterns may seem as far away as outer space. But for decades, scientists have mostly relied on free-air temperature data at large spatial scales to predict future salamander distributions under climate change. The outlook was dire for the mini ecosystem engineers, suggesting near elimination of habitat in crucial areas.
Glacier National Park could provide climate haven for Canada Lynx
Glacier National Park is home to around 50 Canada lynx, more than expected, surprising scientists who recently conducted the first parkwide occupancy survey for the North American cat.
Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences
University of Illinois scientists have found gene variants in deer associated with the animals’ susceptibility to Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease.
Reliance on moose as prey led to rare coyote attack on human
Coyotes that fatally attacked a Canadian woman in 2009 were forced to rely on moose instead of smaller mammals for the bulk of their diet, and as a result of adapting to that unusually large food source, perceived a lone hiker as potential prey, a new study finds.
Hurricane’s effects killed sturgeon in Apalachicola River
As hurricane Michael churned through the Gulf of Mexico to make landfall near Florida’s Apalachicola River in 2018, it left a sea of destruction in its wake. The path was easy to follow on land, but debris and infrastructure failures also diminished the river’s water quality and led to the death of roughly half the gulf sturgeon population there.
Cheetah marking trees are hotspots for communication also for other species
Marking trees are important hotspots of communication for cheetahs: Here they exchange information with and about other cheetahs via scent marks, urine and scats.
Permanent daylight saving time would reduce deer-vehicle collisions, study shows
Adopting permanent DST in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions and likely prevent an estimated 36,550 deer deaths, 33 human deaths, 2,054 human injuries and $1.19 billion in costs each year. Deer-vehicle collisions would decrease under permanent DST because skies would be brighter later in the evening
Unlike turkeys headed for Thanksgiving tables, wild ones are vanishing as a WVU researcher hunts for clues
Wild turkey populations are disappearing in many states and a West Virginia University researcher is working to find out why.
Drones show potential to improve salmon nest counts
Struggling salmon populations could get some help from the sky. A Washington State University study showed that drone photography of the Wenatchee River during spawning season can be effective in estimating the number of rocky hollows salmon create to lay their eggs, also called “redds.”
Artificial intelligence answers the call for quail information
When states want to gauge quail populations, the process can be grueling, time-consuming and expensive. It means spending hours in the field listening for calls. Or leaving a recording device in the field to catch what sounds are made—only to spend hours later listening to that audio. Then, repeating this process until there’s enough information to start making population estimates.
But a new model developed by researchers at the University of Georgia aims to streamline this process. By using artificial intelligence to analyze terabytes of recordings for quail calls, the process gives wildlife managers the ability to gather the data they need in a matter of minutes.
Goats and Sheep Battle in Climate Crisis
A new study indicates previously unknown high altitude contests between two of America’s most sensational mammals – mountain goats and bighorn sheep – over access to minerals previously unavailable due to the past presence of glaciers which, now, are vanishing due to global warming.
Wildlife trade threatening unprotected animals
International trade in animals not regulated by multilateral agreements is putting them under increasing threat. More than three times the number of unregulated animal species are being imported into the United States compared to the number of regulated species. Closer monitoring of trade in these species is urgently required so that they may be protected.
Diverse landscapes at the heart of bee conservation
New research from the University of Georgia revealed that mixed land use – such as developments interspersed with forest patches – improves bee diversity and is leading to new solutions for bee conservation. The researchers hypothesized that development would negatively affect bee diversity, but the results of the study were surprising. They found that small amounts of development actually had a positive impact on the number of bee species present in a given area.