Latest Endangered species Stories
The Snow Leopard Trust, a Seattle based wildlife conservation organization has reached the finals of the BBC World Challenge. The Snow Leopard Trust and two other finalists received the most votes from worldwide supporters of the 12 organizations selected to compete. By reaching the finals, the Trust will receive a minimum prize of $10,000 for conservation of the endangered snow leopard. The final results will be announced during an event televised by BBC World News on December 3rd....
Ecological tourism has no effect on the presence of large mammals in the Amazon, according to a study that for the first time compares the biological diversity of ecotourism zones with that of protected areas. Furthermore, it can help to protect the biodiversity of areas that are not officially protected yet are vital in the ecological framework. Since the UN began to promote ecological tourism at the end of the 1980's as a way of protecting the environment without resorting to its...
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-nine conservationists who have devoted their lives to saving the Earth's endangered species have been nominated to receive the biennial Indianapolis Prize, the world's leading award for animal conservation. The nominees' work spans the globe, representing a range of species and locale. The Nominating Committee will review the applications and select six finalists, who will be announced in the spring of 2012. The Prize Jury will then...
Organisms living on small islands are particularly threatened by extinction. However, data are often lacking to objectively assess these threats. A team of German and British researchers used satellite imagery to assess the conservation status of endangered reptiles and amphibians of the Comoro archipelago in the Western Indian Ocean. The researchers used their results to point out which species are most threatened and to define priorities for future protected areas. The study was published...
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said on Thursday that the Western Black Rhino of Africa has been declared officially extinct. The group said the Northern White Rhino of central Africa is also now "possibly extinct" in the wild and the Javan Rhino is "probably extinct" in Vietnam. "A lack of political support and willpower for conservation efforts in many rhino habitats, international organized crime groups targeting rhinos and increasing illegal demand for...
Growing acceptance for controversial strategies including 'conservation triage' The number of species being recognized as endangered is ever increasing and a new study, published in Conservation Biology, reveals the unanimity among conservation scientists of expectations of a major loss of biological diversity. The survey also shows a growing acceptance of controversial strategies such as triage, a decision to priorities resources and not to intervene to save some highly threatened...
The Wildlife Society's annual conference is from Nov. 5 to 10 on Waikoloa (the Big Island), Hawaii. USGS scientists are heavily involved in the conference’s sessions, workshops and talks. "The nation's wildlife and ecosystems provide a bounty of economically valuable services, aesthetic enjoyment and recreational opportunities to the American public," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "Our researchers are constantly bringing forth the best science to inform future management and policy...
Rhino poaching in South Africa averages more than one per day, surpassing 2010 record. Washington, DC (PRWEB) November 02, 2011 More rhinos have been killed in South Africa in the past 10 months than were killed in all of 2010, new poaching numbers reveal. Statistics from South Africa National Parks show that 341 animals have been lost to poaching so far in 2011, compared to a record total of 333 last year. South Africa’s grim milestone comes on the heels of an announcement by...
ATLANTA, Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of 10 young whooping cranes has taken to the air on an annual migration to help conserve the species, and Southern Company is standing behind them. As part of its commitment to environmental stewardship, Southern Company, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, has sponsored Operation Migration through the Power of Flight conservation program since 2008. Operation Migration's mission is to promote the conservation of...
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ruled that importing polar bear trophies to the U.S. is illegal given the species status as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This is a major coup for the iconic species which faces mounting threats and staggering decreases in population. "The decision issued today is an important step towards protecting and defending polar bears," said Jeff Flocken, D.C. Office...
Latest Endangered species Reference Libraries
Baird’s Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is native to Central America and northern areas of South America. It is among three species of tapir that is native to Latin America. Baird’s tapir was named after Spencer Fullerton Baird, an American naturalist who observed the creatures in 1843 on a trip to Mexico, even though W. T. White, another American naturalist, made the first documentation of the tapir. Commonly known as danta by people throughout its range, this tapir has been given other...
The Bonytail Chub (Gila elegans) is a species of freshwater fish native to certain areas of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah in the United States. Bonytail chub prefer backwaters with rocky or muddy bottoms and flowing pools, although they have been reported in swiftly moving water. They are mostly restricted to rocky canyons today, but were historically abundant in the wide downstream sections of rivers. It is the rarest of the endemic big-river fishes of the Colorado River. It...
The Gray Bat (Myotis grisescens), is a small bat that lives in caves throughout the southern United States. It usually chooses caves which are located within one mile of a river or reservoir. The range of the endangered gray bat is concentrated in the cave regions of Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, with occasional colonies and individuals found in adjacent states. The species' present total population is estimated to number over 1,500,000. The gray bat's range overlaps...
The Rothschild's Birdwing (Ornithoptera rothschildi), is a large butterfly from the birdwing genus endemic to the Arfak Mountains, Western New Guinea. The Rothschild's Birdwing has the most restricted distribution of all birdwings. Its preferred habitat is flowering meadows in an altitude from 6500 to 8800 feet. The females can reach a wingspan up to 6 inches. The forewings are dark brown to blackish brown with creamy white to grayish spots. The hindwings rimmed with black scales and have...
The beluga (Huso huso) is a species of anadromous fish in the sturgeon family (Acipenseridae) of order Acipenseriformes. It is found primarily in the Caspian and Black Sea basins, and occasionally in the Adriatic Sea. Heavily fished for the female's valuable roe"”known as beluga caviar"”the beluga is a large, maximum 19 feet (6 meters), slow-growing and late-maturing fish that can live for 150 years. The species' numbers have been greatly reduced by over-fishing or poaching, prompting...
