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Dwarf Giraffe Discovery 1/6/2021Dwarf Giraffe Discovery
One of the most incredible things about ecology, and science as a whole, is that we are constantly learning and discovering new things. It is hard to believe how many surprises are hiding in nature seemingly right under our noses. In 2015, a Nubian giraffe was spotted by wildlife biologists that stood only 9-feet and 4-inches tall. An average giraffe can stand more than 16-feet tall, so the short giraffe with a long neck and short legs stunned biologists. Then, in 2018, biologists spotted an Angolan giraffe with the same physical characteristics and there was only one way to describe this phenomenon... dwarfism. -
UK's Geothermal Sector Gets a Boost 1/5/2021UK's Geothermal Sector Gets a Boost
Most of the energy used across the world is produced from fossil fuels, or nonrenewable resources. In fact, in 2019, roughly 84% of the world's power was produced from burning fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, or natural gas release harmful emissions into the atmosphere that warm the global temperature and acidify the oceans. While we have relied on fossil fuels to power our planet for many generations, many organizations are starting to see the damage and do their part to reduce emissions. Renewable energy, like solar, wind, or geothermal, are seeing more demand, like in the UK where they are hoping to power thousands of homes using geothermal power in just two years. -
Animals Are Using Utah's Largest Wildlife Overpass 11/30/2020Animals Are Using Utah's Largest Wildlife Overpass
We cross bridges all the time to get from place to place, it is a standard part of our lives when there are so many un-crossable pathways. Unfortunately, as we develop more ways to get around, we create un-crossable pathways for wildlife. Major interstates often run through open wilderness areas that animals live in and migrate through. Human infrastructure has impeded animal movement globally and fragmented populations of species, making it harder for them to reach each other and can result in higher rates of inbreeding and poor health. Luckily, we are finding that, just as they work for humans, bridges may help animals move about their ecosystem even with our continued development. Check out the largest wildlife bridge in Utah and how it is helping animals safely migrate. -
Uganda Greenlights Clearing Bugoma Forest 11/5/2020Uganda Greenlights Clearing Bugoma Forest
The Bugoma Forest is a nearly 100,000-acre ecosystem between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. The forest is home to 500 chimpanzees and is a crucial corridor that allows dozens of species to move between habitats. It is one of the most biodiverse forests in Uganda. While most of the Bugoma Forest is protected, some portions are considered ancestral land and are not included under the protection. This past summer, clearing began on nearly 2,500 acres to be used for sugarcane plantations which are projected to increase the quality of life in the region. Maybe for the humans, but clearing these portions disrupts the pathways between ecosystems and can have detrimental effects for native wildlife. -
Gray Wolves Lose Endangered Species Protection 10/29/2020Gray Wolves Lose Endangered Species Protection
In a quiet decision made by the federal government, the gray wolf will no longer be protected by the Endangered Species Act. The conflict between man and wolf has gone on for more than a century and only intensified as the human population has rapidly expanded forcing wolves closer to people. Massive eradication efforts took place throughout the mid-1900s by both federal and private organizations. Luckily for the wolves and the ecosystem as a whole, gray wolves became protected by the Endangered Species Act in the 1970s. This listing has recently been removed, a decision which conservationists think will erase the decades of work and recovery. Thankfully, the Mexican gray wolf, a subspecies with a population of around 160 wolves, remains listed. -
California Wildfires Have Burned an Area Almost the Size of Connecticut 9/14/2020California Wildfires Have Burned an Area Almost the Size of Connecticut
With more than 70 fires burning all across the United States, our attention is focused on the west. California, Oregon, and Washington, along with several other states, are experiencing raging fires that are forcing people from their homes and burning towns to the ground. Along with the fire comes smoke; a massive, expansive cloud which has now made its way across oceans. The western United States is currently reported to have the worst air quality in the world. These fires are not 2020's fault. They are our fault; and they, along with other natural disasters, will get worse if we don't take action. It is time to make an effort every day to reduce our carbon footprint. -
Rewilding Jaguars in Argentina 9/1/2020Rewilding Jaguars in Argentina
The Ibera National Park is one of America's largest wetland ecosystems and was once home to the largest cat in the Americas, the jaguar. Like in many other parts of the jaguar's historic range, the influx of people and the development of agricultural lands has pushed them out. Starting with just a handful of jaguars, the Conservation Land Trust set to work on the Ibera Project in 2015 to bring the jaguar back to Ibera National Park. The goal of the project is to establish a population of roughly 100 jaguars throughout the wetland. The first reintroduction is set to occur before early 2021. -
Sharks Are Becoming Functionally Extinct Around The World 7/28/2020Sharks Are Becoming Functionally Extinct Around The World
More than 100 scientists have worked together to study underwater ecosystems all around the world to determine the projected fate of sharks. Data from 371 reefs have showed that the their fate may be more grim than originally expected. Their presence, or lack there of, has now shown that sharks have become functionally extinct, meaning there are not enough left for them to have their normal effect on marine ecosystems, a role which provides balance. By losing sharks, we are losing so much more. The cascade that follows the removal of a large apex predator can irreversibly effect many ecosystems. Learn more here! -
Shuttered Zoos are Hemorrhaging Money 6/8/2020Shuttered Zoos are Hemorrhaging Money
Since the mandatory stay-at-home orders began in March, Zoos and Aquariums have struggled to support their most important operating cost, caring for the many thousands of animals that reside there. Most zoos and aquariums rely almost entirely on ticket and membership sales to provide food and medical care to the animals. Without those sales, most are currently relying on donors to feed them. During zoo and aquarium closure, please considering donating to your local AZA accredited facility and be sure to visit when they open! Most are outdoors and are taking extreme Covid precautions. -
Notable Births and Expected Arrivals at Shedd Aquairum 6/5/2020Notable Births and Expected Arrivals at Shedd Aquairum
Zoo and aquarium born animals provide not only an abundance of cuteness, but also a wealth of information for wildlife biologists, and Shedd Aquarium is about to have a full nursery. This summer, they are expecting two Beluga Whale babies, along with a Pacific White-Sided Dolphin in the fall. Since the breeding season began, they have already welcomed four Magellanic Penguins, two Caiman Lizards, six cownose stingrays, six bonnethead sharks, and even more. Head to their website or social media for cute pictures! -
Mexican Wolf Population Gets Genetic Boost 5/28/2020Mexican Wolf Population Gets Genetic Boost
Historically, the endangered Mexican Wolf breeding program reintroduced wolves into the wilderness as adults who had been raised in captivity. In the past several years, scientists have discovered a new and more successful way to add new genetics to their wild population called cross-fostering. This process involves taking pups from captive litters and placing them in wild dens to be raised by wild wolves. This spring, a record of 20 captive born pups from a variety of zoos and breeding centers were successfully placed in wild dens in Arizona and New Mexico, adding numbers and unique genetics to the wild population.
Photo by Bill Driver -
Dogs Trained to Protect Wildlife have Saved 45 Rhinos 5/13/2020Dogs Trained to Protect Wildlife have Saved 45 Rhinos
In the past 10 years, an estimated 8,000 rhinos have been poached for their keratin horns to be sold on the black market. In South Africa, they have developed a new strategy to combat rhino poaching and it involves man's best friend. From beagles to bloodhounds, these dogs are trained from birth to detect, patrol, and apprehend any poachers. Since the dogs started working in February of 2018, they have prevented an estimated 45 rhinos from being poached. -
A Clear Path for Sea Turtles 3/22/2020A Clear Path for Sea Turtles
Given the COVID pandemic, I'm sure we are all in the need for some good news. And while the swans and dolphins in Venice may not have been real, there are countless animals who are expanding their horizons without the normal hustle and bustle of human life. One animal that is probably thankful for the public beaches being closed are sea turtles. This year, unlike so many years in the past, 97 critically endangered hawksbill turtles hatched and scurried to the ocean on a wide open beach in Brazil, with no humans to get in their way. -
Mexican Grey Wolf Population on the Rise 3/17/2020Mexican Grey Wolf Population on the Rise
The Mexican wolf is the smallest and one of the most endangered subspecies of grey wolves that exist. Historically ranging through portions of the southwest, their range was almost eliminated in the 1970s due to retaliatory hunting from farmers whose livestock fell prey to the wolves. In the late 1970s, recovery efforts began, but the first reintroduction did not take place until 1998. Each year, the wolves face the same issues they have always faced and conservationists race to enforce policy to protect the species. And in 2019, the wolves persevered and had a successful year.
Photo by Bill Driver -
New Belize Wildlife Corridors 1/27/2020New Belize Wildlife Corridors
It is well known throughout the conservation world that if you want to protect a species, you have to protect where it lives. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but what happens when the animal's territory covers hundreds of square miles, numerous habitats, and crosses state and country borders? These animals depend on wildlife corridors, an area designated for travel from one part of their range to another. An area where people cannot build cities or hunt on a whim. For many years, scientists have expressed a need for wildlife corridors if animals like Jaguars are going to be successful. And finally, they have made progress. As of January 22, 2020, Belize has declared a wildlife corridor through three nature reserves, a huge win for the variety of species which will have a safer life because of it. -
Observe the Most High-Stakes Blind Dog Date Ever 1/7/2020Observe the Most High-Stakes Blind Dog Date Ever
The African Painted Dog is one of the most endangered canines in Africa with only about 600 remaining. While the list of threats they face is extensive, one major issue that they're facing is habitat fragmentation. This means that what used to be one large habitat is now broken apart by communities and roads, which divides the whole population of painted dogs into different areas. Without different families able to reach each other, genetic diversity goes down and the painted dogs are less likely to be healthy. In this episode of Great Big Story, painted dog scientists have developed a new and creative way to create new packs and restore genetic diversity. Check it out! -
San Diego Zoo's Effort to Save the Northern White Rhino 11/26/2019San Diego Zoo's Effort to Save the Northern White Rhino
Within the white rhinoceros species, there are two subspecies. The southern white rhino is the most common rhino, with about 20,000 individuals. The northern white rhino is far more rare, consisting of only two females, a mother and daughter, who are under 24/7 armed guard in Kenya. No northern white rhinoceroses exist in zoos. While we may not have the physical being, scientists have preserved reproductive materials from this critically endangered subspecies, which may be used to bring them back from the brink of extinction. While it may sound like science fiction, the San Diego Zoo has already started putting it into motion. They welcomed their second southern white rhino baby through in vitro this November, a process which will hopefully soon be replicated using the genetics from northern white rhinos. This is a huge milestone in the subspecies recovery plan. -
How Social Media Supports Animal Cruelty 6/20/2019How Social Media Supports Animal Cruelty
We are all guilty of seeing an adorable photo of a sweet baby lion or a monkey playing the piano and hit that "like" button. But what most of us don't realize is hitting the "like" button is actually contributing to the illegal breeding and trading of so many helpless animals. Most of the time, these animals are living in improper conditions and not getting the appropriate nutrients or the ability to perform their natural behaviors. While you don't need to be an animal expert to learn what people and what posts to support, there are some key things to look for! Click here to learn how YOU can help protect animals from animal cruelty and the pet trade! -
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