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WILDLIFE RESEARCH
COVID lockdowns accidentally created an experiment scientists could never have deliberately run: What happens when the roads and buildings stay, but the people disappear?The COVID-19 lockdowns accidentally created a rare real-world experiment for scientists, as human activity suddenly dropped while roads, bu...
In 2012, Alaska counted 58 pigeon guillemots on Naked Island as mink threatened nests. 11 years later following restoration, their numbers had jumped nearly 400%, reaching 288 birds in 2023Pigeon guillemot numbers on Alaska's Naked Island Group have significantly increased. This recovery followed a multiyear effort to remove i...
Beginning in the 1900s, U.S. hunters imported Eurasian wild boar for sport; today’s feral swine threaten firefly larvae and turtle nests across the SoutheastWild pigs are destroying firefly larvae and turtle eggs in southeastern parks. These invasive animals root up the soil, disrupting delicate...
In Texas, oyster-shell waste became reef “shell bags”; along Galveston Bay, the new shell reefs supported living oysters and helped stabilize shorelinesThe Galveston Bay Foundation has initiated a commendable recycling program to repurpose oyster shells from local restaurants for vital reef...
Washington state biologists reintroduced beavers on tributaries, and within years their dams slowed stream flow and rebuilt banks that resist erosionWildlife departments are making strides in reintroducing beavers to rejuvenate damaged stream ecosystems. These industrious creatures help ...
Teen invents a smart bandage that can tell early when Arizona’s giant saguaro cactus is dyingA 17-year-old Arizona student has developed KáktosPatch, a biodegradable smart bandage designed to detect bacterial necrosis in saguaro cac...
In Chicago, a Shedd Aquarium-backed team built floating gardens, and after years on the Chicago River, they've now spread to Bubbly CreekIn Chicago's Bubbly Creek, innovative floating wetlands are taking center stage in the fight against pollution. These modular systems not o...
Manatees are visiting Texas again but fossils suggest they may have been there thousands of years ago during the Ice AgeThis summer, Texan shores welcome an unusual sight: manatees. Historical fossils reveal that these gentle giants once swam in Texas waters ...
In the late 1800s, California introduced red foxes for hunting and fur farms; at Seal Beach, they drove light-footed Ridgway's rails down to just 5 pairs in 7 yearsIn the late 1800s, non-native red foxes wreaked havoc on the population of Ridgway's rails, bringing them perilously close to extinction. F...
In 2016, Dolly Parton gave $1,000 per month for six months to Tennessee wildfire victims, raising $8.9 million through My People fundThe world mourns the loss of country music legend Dolly Parton, who passed away peacefully at eighty in Nashville on August 25. From her mo...
In the early 1930s, New York State bought 340,000 acres of abandoned farmland for trees. 26 years later, the new forests had significantly reduced runoff, with their effect stable through 1967New York's reforestation program transformed abandoned farmland into dense woodlands. This initiative significantly reduced streamflow and ...
In 1972, Costa Rican conservationists established the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. 54 years later, it protects 10,500 hectares of cloud forest feeding two oceansCosta Rica's Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve boasts extraordinary biodiversity and unique water collection. Mist contributes significantly ...
In 2003, a businessman bought a 23,000-acre estate to restore it; now it's home to a million trees and red squirrelsBusinessman Paul Lister transformed Scotland's 23,000-acre Alladale estate into a wilderness reserve, planting one million native trees and...
Texas 7th-grader Caden Pohlkamp built an underwater robot to study 12 neighborhood ponds. His surprising discovery about fountains and healthier waterTexas seventh-grader Caden Pohlkamp built an underwater robot to study 12 neighborhood ponds and investigate what makes water healthier. Hi...
In 1981, Britain wanted to eradicate the invasive coypus which escaped from fur farms and grew to roughly 200,000 in population and damaged crops and wetlands; after years of trapping Britain made them disappear from the countryBritain once had roughly 200,000 coypus after the rodents escaped from fur farms and spread across East Anglia, damaging crops and wetlands...
In 1836, a pangolin from Nepal entered a London museum collection. 190 years later, scientists sequenced its preserved DNA and confirmed Manis aurita as a distinct species, giving conservationists a new tool against poachingA historic pangolin specimen from 1836 helped confirm Manis aurita as a distinct species. This discovery aids conservationists in identifyi...
In June 2026, Spain revealed a rare-earth deposit capable of meeting 33% of Europe’s needs. Now, the find could challenge China’s grip on critical minerals and strengthen continent’s push for mineral independenceA rare-earth deposit identified in Campo de Montiel, central Spain, could become an important source of materials for Europe’s electric veh...
Burmese pythons invaded Florida’s Everglades in the 1980s; decades later, the decline in raccoon, opossum and bobcat population number is staggeringBurmese pythons, an invasive species in Florida's Everglades, have caused severe declines in native wildlife over the past several decades....
In 1924, a couple travelled miles by boat to study Alaska's wildlife on their honeymoon. 18 years later, they reshaped 8.9 million Arctic acres for ecological conservationOlaus and Mardy Murie dedicated their lives to protecting America's wild landscapes. Their research and advocacy significantly influenced c...
In 2024, Australian scientists reported fitting five parrots with tracking devices; within 48 hours, the birds had removed every oneIn a fascinating study, scientists attached GPS devices to five wild little corellas in South Australia, only to find all were removed with...