— the listing decision classifies seven varieties of yellow-faced or masked bees as endangered, due to such factors as habitat loss, wildfires and the invasion of non-native plants and insects. these particular species are native only to hawaii and pollinate plant species indigenous to the islands. read article : bees added to US endangered species list for the first time
art ecology science & animals
THE VALUE OF NATIVE BEES
— population declines among wild bees are much more difficult to document than those in honey bees, which are for the most part managed commercially and whose numbers are carefully tracked by beekeepers. read article : bumble bee is proposed for U.S. endangered species status
KEEP TABS ON PROCEEDINGS
— even for experienced eyes, sifting through 200 documents to be considered at the upcoming convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) conference is a challenge. here is a sneak peak! read article : what to expect at CITES more : CITES cop17
LET’S GET TO WORK
the hawaiian crow (‘Alal?) use stick tool to extract food. ‘Alal? have relatively straight bills and highly mobile eyes — morphological features that may aid their handling of bill-held tools —”let this discovery serve to emphasise the importance to conserving these and other animal species so that we can continue to learn ever more about the range of their behaviour before they vanish for ever in the 6th great wave of extinction.” read article : tropical crow species is highly skilled tool user
WHAT’S FOR DINNER
— “the study suggests that 20 percent of all seafood globally is mislabeled, and that isn’t accurate,” he says. “the studies they looked at focused on commonly mislabeled species. the report distorts the findings by design.” read article : that fish on your dinner plate may be an endangered species
A RECLASSIFICATION
— giant pandas, along with tibetan eastern gorilla, moved off the endangered list and the species is now listed as vulnerable. the panda has benefited from years of targeted conservation efforts that have preserved its forest habitat. still, the iucn warns that climate change will threaten more than a third of the species’ bamboo habitat in the next 80 years without expanded conservation efforts. read article : gorillas face greater threat while pandas move off ‘endangered’ species list
THE FULL POTENTIAL
— “with the knowledge we have, we need more than that. we need a far more strategic, connected approach if we are going to get out of this mess. protected areas can have positive impacts on species extinction risk and population trends, but they need to be properly sited and managed to realize their full potential.” read article : protected lands and endangered species aren’t properly safeguarded
RARE FRIENDS
— in early august, a biologist returned from the south pacific with news that he encountered an old friend, one he hadn’t seen in over three decades. the university of washington professor had seen what is considered one of the world’s rarest animals read article : rare nautilus sighted for the first time in three decades
A FOXY RECOVERY
— biologists herald this the fastest recovery of a land mammal in the history of the endangered species act. — feral pigs were eradicated from santa cruz, opening the door for island foxes to flourish, which they have. initially, it was thought that santa cruz island had a carrying capacity of approximately 1,200 to 1,500 island foxes, but estimates show a population infusion of 2,100 animals on the largest, most biodiverse island off the california coast.
THE DEVIL AND THE QUEEN
— effective enforcement strategies rely on a complete program in which all levels of syndicates are targeted by appropriate experts, including rangers on the ground, aerial surveillance, prosecutors and investigators. engaging the support of the community is also an integral part of enforcement. read article : can smart collaboration stop the killing of endangered wildlife in tanzania?
A PLEASED INDUSTRY
— the permian basin petroleum association and other oil and natural gas industry groups sued the agency, claiming the designation was too strong. environmental groups also sued, claiming the government did not go far enough and that the lesser prairie chicken should have been listed as “endangered” instead of “threatened.” read article : lesser prairie chicken removed from endangered species list
THESE ARE PRIMITIVE WORLDS?
— the research teased out these details by using 21,946 fossil specimens from areas of nevada in the us and the yukon in canada that were once ancient sea beds to paint a picture of graptolite evolution. the analysis found that as ocean circulation patterns began to shift hundreds of thousands of years before the ordovician extinction, graptolite communities that previously included a rich array of both shallow- and deep-sea species began to lose their diversity and complexity. read article : zooplankton warn us, extinction has a tipping point
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