A grounded Russian shadow fleet tanker carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of crude is leaking oil off the coast of Oman, threatening a fragile marine protected area as bad weather complicates emergency salvage operations. According to maritime risk and response company Ambrey, specialists have boarded the stricken vessel with help from the Royal Air Force … Read more
Five vulnerable and endangered Australian seabird species face potential extinction if the H5 strain of bird flu reaches the continent, according to a federal government vulnerability review. Extreme Threat to Native Seabirds The federal government risk ranking places five native bird species at extreme risk of population collapse if infected by the H5 pathogen. According … Read more
The Trump administration has finalized a regulatory change to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) that narrows the legal definition of “harm,” effectively permitting industrial activities such as logging, mining, and oil and gas drilling on critical wildlife habitats. According to administration officials, the rule change is intended to align agency enforcement with a 2024 Supreme … Read more
Cyclone Senyar, which struck Sumatra in late November 2025, killed an estimated 58 Tapanuli orangutans, according to a study published in the journal Current Biology. The disaster, which also resulted in at least 1,200 human deaths and significant property damage, wiped out approximately 7% of the world’s rarest great ape population, highlighting the vulnerability of … Read more
The Cozumel fox, a species long feared extinct, has been confirmed alive following a 2023 photographic sighting in Mexico. Published in the journal Neotropical Biology and Conservation, the report confirms this is the first documented appearance of the elusive, dwarf-sized canine since 2001. Researchers warn the animal remains critically endangered, facing significant threats from habitat … Read more
Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) regularly dive to depths of 800 to 1,000 meters, challenging the long-held scientific belief that the species fasts during migration. Research from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) involving 37 satellite-tagged sharks suggests these animals actively forage in the ocean’s “twilight zone,” a region previously thought to be too oxygen-poor and … Read more
The Great Escape: What Mary the Tasmanian Devil Tells Us About Wildlife Management The disappearance of Mary, a two-year-old Tasmanian devil from Queensland’s Paradise Country wildlife park, has captured global attention. While the search for this elusive marsupial continues, her breakout highlights a growing challenge in modern conservation: how do we balance the welfare of … Read more
The Invisible Frontier: Why Our Global Health Future Depends on the Congo Basin Deep within the humid, sprawling markets of Kinshasa, the trade of viande de brousse—wild meat—continues largely unabated. While a giant swamp rodent or a smoked antelope might seem like a local culinary staple to some, it represents a high-stakes gamble in the … Read more
The Intersection of Wildlife Protection and Viral Vigilantism The recent case of a tourist facing federal charges for harassing an endangered Hawaiian monk seal has ignited a fierce debate about the role of social media in environmental justice. As digital connectivity grows, the line between public accountability and dangerous vigilantism is blurring, creating complex challenges … Read more
A Tiny Victory for a Species Lost to Time: The Sihek’s Path to Recovery In the quiet corners of the Smithsonian National Zoo’s conservation facility in Front Royal, Virginia, a small but significant miracle has occurred. Two sihek—or Guam kingfisher—chicks have hatched, marking a critical milestone for a bird that hasn’t been seen in the … Read more