Category: Conservation News - INTENTIONAL ECOLOGY

Conservation News ~ 3 April 2020

4/3/2020

Eurythenes plasticus, the new marine species named after the plastic it eats
New York Lawmakers line up behind $3Bn environment bond act
Studies reveal resilience in kelp forests
Indonesia road graft case lands Papua official, contractor in prison
As pangolina trade heats up, Nigeria urged to do more to crack down
Tax exemptions on pesticides in Brazil add up to US$ 2.2 billion per year
Win for conservation as African black rhino numbers rise
Desperate Saga Furs moves fur auction online with humiliating results
New species of feathery raptor found in New Mexico
Lawsuit launched to save endangered Southern Nevada butterfly
NOAA to use Cloud and AI to help protect endangered species
Zanzibar bans wildlife hunting in Jozani forest reserve
Antarctic ice melt related to tropical weather shifts
Road project in economically deprived Indonesian region threatens wildlife habitat
Plantation director in dispute with indigenous community is charged with illegal logging
Anglo American seeking to mine on indigenous lands in Brazil’s Amazon
White House weakens fuel economy standards, rolling back key US efforts against climate change
Earth’s Ozone layer is finally healing
Norway’s whaling season begins with a quota of 1,300 Minke whales to be slaughtered
Lawsuit filed to protect wolverines
Endangered sea turtled hatch on Brazil’s deserted beaches
For nesting Hawksbill turtles, this Philippine community is a sanctuary
New snake discovery in Sri Lanka is latest twist in slow-burning mystery
Mining activity in Indonesia takes a hit from COVID-19 pandemic
NC Refuge resident Red Wolf pair released as part of an attempt to create new breeding pair
Goats take over empty streets of seaside town
Lions once again thrive at Kenyan conservation park that was targeted by poachers
Turtle Back Zoo welcomes baby Amur Leopard
White House denies endangered species protection to bi-state Sage Grouse
Seychelles creates a marine reserve twice the size of Great Britain
China bat and dog markets reopened
CA Bill AB 2839 to protect and enhance California’s deserts
Great Barrier Reef suffes third mass coral bleaching event in five years
Indonesia risks timber trade with EU after scrapping license rules
Coconut farmers in Southeast Asia struggle as palm oil muscles in on them
Cruise ships dumped over 3 million pounds of trash in Alaska last year
With humans under lockdown, 8 Lakh Olive Ridley Turtles get to peacefully nest
New species of toad discovered in Cao Bang
Australia probably had the worst year in a century based on the environmental toll of 2019
More than 100 endangered animals rescued in Sharjah
Oat milk sales are up 477% due to coronavirus
Indian scientists building DNA database to protect the elusive red panda
Amazon announces four new projects to make its data centers greener
Brazil scales back environmental enforcement amid coronavirus outbreak
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to lose its reservation
China and Vietnam finally van wildlife trade due to coronavirus
Guarani indigenous people protest new Sao Paulo housing project that threatens Atlantic Forest in UNESCO Biosphere reserve
The Coronavirus could force mass slaughterhouse closures
Wildlife charity plans to buy UK land to give it back to nature
Trafficked pangolins can carry coronavirus closely related to pandemic strain
EPA dials back environmental enforcement during pandemic
Americans are flushing the Canadian boreal forest down their toilets
South Korea bans importation of Taiji’s dolphins

Conservation News ~ 27 March 2020

3/27/2020

National Parks in Africa shutter over COVID-19 threat to Great Apes
Yellow Fever is next great threat to Brazil’s Golden Lion Tamarin
Indonesia ends timber legality rule, stoking fears of illegal logging boom
Huge Victory for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as Federal Court rules DAPL permits violated law
New research suggests ancient Mercury had the right stuff for life
Oregon organization opposing Jordan Cove LNG send a huge thank you to Governor Kate Brown
New species of flying reptile with spiked teeth discovered
Analysis reveals new species in Smaug lizard group
Agency drafts conservation plan to protect Hawaii seabirds
Palm Oil giant Olam under scrutiny again over Gabon plantations
First possible COVID-19 indigenous cases detected near key Amazon reserve
Chilean authorities eye controversial Cruz Grande port project
In race for a sustainable alternative to plastic, Indonesia bets on seaweed
National parks pay the price as land conflicts intensify in Colombia
All microgastrinae wasps from around the world finally together in 1089-page monograph
Activist-led lawsuit alleges EPA glyphosate weedkiller approval violated Endangered Species Act
New genetic editing powers discovered in squid
Illegal wildlife trade goes online as China shuts down markets
Goldman Prize-winning Cambodian activist arrested, released in Cambodia
New player starts clearing rainforest in world’s biggest oil palm project
Scientists call for independent review of dam project in orangutan habitat
From vegetable plots in a Sri Lankan swamp, a forgotten eel emerges
Spain and Portugal take illegal ivory off the black market
Ancestor of all animals identified in Australian fossils
Pablo Escobar’s cocaine hippos may benefit Colombia’s environment
Green groups push for environmental protections in stimulus package
Russia lists Caspian seals and killer whales as endangered species after whale jail controversy
NASA pauses work on James Webb Space telescope due to COVID-19
Malawi government bans bush meat in the wake of COVID-19
Shell of bioluminescent shrimp not only glows but detects light
Peru uncovers organized crime network laundering illegally mined gold
Oil exploration at odds with peatland protection in the Congo Basin
New assessment shows Sri Lanka’s amphibians being pushed to the brink
Myanmar releases endangered turtles into Chindwin River
Scientists have discovered the origins of the building blocks of life
Critically endangered quoll safe from proposed solar farm developer
Fight over jaguar habitat in Southwest heads back to court
Federally protected lands reduce habitat loss and protect endangered species
COVID-19 prompts closure of Indonesian parks, and a chance to evaluate
Indonesian activists denounce a road being built illegally in leopard habitat
White House hires a trophy-hunting advocate to protect wildlife
To save Cross River gorillas, EU-funded program aims to empower communities
Geologists find lost fragment of ancient continent in Canada’s North
Study: Simply giving species some screen time raises awareness and interest in helping them
Number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico down by more than half
Wealth fund divests from Peruvian firm after indigenous group complaint
Spix’s Macaw return to Brazil
Fish sprouted fingers before they ventured onto land
International team discovers new species of ancient flying reptiles
Seven new species of colorful Peacock Spider join the dance party
Tiger King Joe Exotic is suing the government for almost $94 million
Coronavirus may mean Botswana’s hunting season is cancelled

Conservation News ~ 20 March 2020

3/20/2020

Cambodia scraps plans for Mekong hydropower dams
Three new species of chameleons emerge from century-old entanglement
Mexico’s deadly toll of environment and land defenders catalogued in report
Lawsuit seeks to finalize Endangered Species protection for Eastern Black Rail
Win for conservation as African black rhino number rise
China’s revised forest law could boost efforts to fight illegal logging
Study finds that sea turtles might be eating plastic because it smells like food
Arctic permafrost moving toward crisis, abrupt that a growing risk
The National Park Service has waived entrance fees
The coronavirus pandemic drastically reduced carbon emissions
Ancient worm finally pegged as new genus
As virus shuts down cities in Europe, pollution drops
Urban coyotes eat lots of cats and human garbage, poop study finds
Two new species of sawsharks found in West Indian Ocean
As Italy quarantines over coronavirus, dolphins appear in Venice canals
Amazon rainforest reaches point of no return
Researchers engineer the world’s first aerogels made from scrap tires
Birth of wild tapir offers hope for Brazil’s endangered ecosystem
Vietnam considers wildlife trade ban in response to coronavirus pandemic
Ecuador’s tallest waterfall suddenly disappeared
Madagascar off pace to meet Aichi targets
Lack of farmer training worsens Sri Lanka’s growing human-wildlife conflict
Dick’s Sporting Goods to phase out hunting department in over 400 stores
Mysterious ancient sea-worm pegged as new genus after half-century waste basket
Houston Toad/Endangered Species Act – Center for Biological Diversity Judicial Challenge to US
Palm oil firm has farmers jailed for harvesting from land it stole from them
Critics push back as cable car project for Indonesia’s Rinjani is revived
Smaller fragments of forest at risk of greater levels of deforestation
Costa Rican caterpillar decline spells trouble for ecosystems
4 Black teens build robot that can remove all plastics in every ocean worldwide
YC graduate Genecis Bioindustries turns food waste into compostable plastics
New plant species discovered in south China
EPA announces new biological evaluations for pesticides under Endangered Species Act
Chile’s biosphere reserves get supersized but protection isn’t a given
San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurant Lazy Bear goes vegan for nine days
NASA screens vegan film The Game Changers to prepare for vegan future in outer space
Satellite images reveal a dramatic drop in pollution during the corona virus quarantine
New fish species accidentally discovered on film
Endangered tiger salamander making a comeback in Maryland
17 large-scale solar projects planned in Upstate New York
Biodiversity hotspot in India’s Western Ghats reveals yet another undescribed species
VW says it will drop 30k ID.3 electric cars at once, will be cheaper than gas cars
Two suspected rhino poachers shot dead in KwaZulu-Natal game park
Australia MPs dismayed at NSW forestry logging unburnt habitat after bushfires
White House is thwarted by court in bid to log biggest national forest
Western Lowland Gorillas may be territorial
Brazil drastically reduces controls over suspicious Amazon timber exports
Fish stock plunder costing SA billions
Vietnam’s new conservation plan prioritizes trees and people – emissions? Not so much
Pipeline company to pay more than $60 million for 2015 oil spill near Santa Barbara
Florida poised to protect Gulf of Mexico’s largest seagrass bed
Major steps taken to implement the Endangered Species Act
San Diego Zoo researchers retrieve rhino’s eggs to recover critically endangered species
Supreme Court rejects Trans Mountain legal challenges
Conservationists cautiously optimistic after Bolivian government changes hands
Wind and solar plants will soon be cheaper than coal in all big markets around world
Heat stress may affect more than 1.2 billion people annually by 2100
Peruvian women unite against toxic metals pollution and win human rights prize
Chinese company claims eating dogs shows ‘cultural confidence’
Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion megacity, reaches its next phase
Six-fold jump in polar ice loss lifts global oceans
Next generation water splitter could help renewable power the globe
Young mountain lion killed trying to cross the 101
Wales launches 5m pound national forest scheme
Virginia becomes the first state in the South to target 100% clean power
A new mantis species rises from the ashes of Brazil’s national museum
New species of Musk Shrew discovered in Indonesia
Complaint alleges oil company left Peru communities’ environment in ruins
Record-high global tree cover loss driven by agriculture

Conservation News ~ 13 March 2020

3/13/2020

Arizona Gov signs bill cloaking endangered species info
Egypt launches project to plant mangrove trees along Red Sea coast
Canadian doctors link fracked natural gas to cancer and birth defects
Jaguar population rises in Igazu Falls region
In Afghanistan, a new national park carries hopes for conservation and peace
Remote South American kelp forests surveyed for first time since 1973
Discovery of smallest known Mesozoic dinosaur reveals new species in bird evolution
A possible end to ‘forever’ chemicals
Brazil drastically reduces controls over suspicious Amazon timber exports
Poachers kill two rare white giraffes
Record-high global tree cover loss driven by agriculture
Mild winter spurs bears to emerge from hibernation earlier
Chance encounter gives SF Zoo rare glimpse of a bald eagle it released 20 years ago
New EU rules could spell end of throwaway culture
New bug species named after Lady Gaga due to its wacky fashion sense
Brazil issues fewest number of environment fines in 24 years
Man held at Saigon airport with six kg of rhino horns
White House expected to seek aid for shale companies hit by oil rout
Oil and gas project threatens Brazil’s last great block of Amazon forest
SeaWorld loss doubles after $32M legal bill
Indonesian indigenous land defenders jailed in fight with pulpwood giant
Oil firm Shell to end its relationship with BFI and Southbank Centre
Coronavirus closures reveal vast scale of China’s secretive wildlife farm industry
N$300M boost for Namibian conservation efforts
New species of Pitcher Plant discovered in Philippines
Palau changes ocean sanctuary plan to allow Japan fishing
Yoshi the turtle reaches Australia in record-breaking swim
Mexico is literally destroying protected mangrove trees to build an $8billion oil refinery
Coronavirus epicenter Hubei bans the eating of wild animals completely
Eighty-six dolphins found dead on remote Namibian beach
France bans fracking and oil extraction in all of its territories
Florida senate just passed the largest shark fin ban in the US
Aldi CEO tells suppliers: 100% recyclable or compostable packaging is non-negotiable
Supreme Court to hear White House’s appeal about Endangered Species report
Endangered species found on Hong Kong supermarket shelves
Changes to NEPA could impact our public lands
Virginia lawmakers send historic energy bill to governor
Predators disproportionately impacted by human land use changes
Climate change threatens relationship between polar bears and ringed seals
New locust swarms forming in Somalia and Kenya – swarms hitting 20 countries
Climate change boosted Australia fire risk by 30%
Arctic ocean found teeming with new form of chlamydia
Hundreds of critically endangered Giant Sea Bass being released in ocean
Pesticides impair the brain development of baby bees
Kern County violating law by rubberstamping oil drilling
Oat milk sales spike by 686 percent in 2019
Fish wearing ‘marine skin’ sensors collect information 6,500 feet below the sea
Despite everything, US emissions dropped in 2019
Oakland just banned exotic animals in entertainment
Airlines are burning thousands of gallons of jet fuel flying empty ghost planes
Lehr discovers new lizard genus in Peruvian Andes
Oregon anti-environment group is awash in racism and violent threats
Public lands give refuge to endangered species
San Antonio Zoo successfully breeds one of world’s most endangered species
California orders permanent shutdown of oil drilling site near USC
US Coal use is plunging at fastest rate since Eisenhower era
New Right Whale protection measures announced by Canadian government

Conservation News ~ 6 March 2020

3/6/2020

US expands Mexican seafood import ban to save critically endangered Vaquita
British hedge fund billionaire Hohn launches campaign to starve coal plants of finance
China seizes over 20 tonnes of smuggled wildlife products
Fossil of new Eocene-period bird species unearthed in Utah
Two new mammal species identified in China’s Huangshan Mountain
California to consider placing mountain lions on endangered list
Tasmania sets world-leading target of 200 percent renewables by 2040
Tropical forests are losing their ability to absorb carbon
World’s biggest meat company linked to ‘brutal massacre’ in Amazon
Brazil to allow for automatic approval of new agrochemicals
Calls to declare koalas endangered as population declines by two-thirds in 20 years
Tennis icon Serena Williams launches vegan leather line to tackle animal cruelty
As a birthday gift to its king, Bhutan’s Prime Minister asks people to adopt stray dogs or plant a tree
Efforts to remove Gray Wolves from endangered species list face oppositions
Open letter to EU leaders on why their new climate law is ‘surrender’
Nova Scotia will officially be home to North America’s first whale sanctuary
Bolsonaro attacks Pope over pontiff’s plea to protect the Amazon
Alberta to close or reduce services in 20 parks as a result of budget cuts
After more than 240 days, Australia’s New South Wales is finally free from bushfires
Scientists have identified a new species of red panda
Following Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase announcements, Wells Fargo rejects funding drilling in the Arctic
Tech companies take down three million online listings for trafficked wildlife
Guam Rails are no longer extinct in the wild
More than 80% of Indian Ocean dolphins may have been killed by commercial fishing
A new island has been discovered in Antarctica
Judge voids oil and gas leases on almost 1 million acres of public lands
Climate crisis cutting short Australia’s winters and extending summers
Major Canmore wildlife corridor decision made in secret
DNA testing reveals Chattanooga Zoo’s Komodo Dragon produced offspring on her own
Broad CWD surveillance, hunter assistance help identify 65 CWD-positive deer in 2019
Rise in number of snow leopards brings cheer to wildlife enthusiasts
Luxembourg becomes first country to make public transport free
Welsh woman declares vindication after guerilla rewilding court case
Children as young as eight used to pick coffee beans for Starbucks
China pollution clears amid coronavirus slowdown
Anger as F1 teams get go-ahead to drive on Dutch nature reserve
UBC student discovers 17 new planets, including potentially habitable, Earth-sized worlds
Feds reject removal of 4 Snake River dams in key report
Threatened species continue to struggle after fires
New reptile that swam with the dinosaurs discovered by Vanderbilt professor
Newly discovered deep sea crustacean named after Metallica
Pennsylvania birds, butterflies, fish and other among species named in federal lawsuit
Adorable Cheetah cubs born via IVF to surrogate mother in world first
Aquarium of the Pacific welcomes a special sea otter and announces new role in helping sea otter pups
LAWSUIT FORCES White House to protect habitat for 12 coral species
Denver Zoo gives birth after more than 480 days of pregnancy
Landmark win in ‘Fight for Habitable Future’ as jury refuses to convict climate activists
Outdoor air pollution cuts three years from human lifespan
BC’s orphan fracking wells set to double this year
Two years on and Elon Musk’s Australian battery farm is going well
More accurate climate change model reveals bleaker outlook on electricity
Analysis shows climate finance not reaching most vulnerable
More than 3,200 US Dairy farms shut down in 2019
Washington bans suction dredging in habitat critical for salmon, other endangered fish
NGOs charge Brazil’s Bolsonaro with indigenous genocide at UN
Germany is turning 62 military bases into wildlife sanctuaries
Bill Gates just invested in lab-grown palm oil to save the rainforest
Brown University sells 90 percent of fossil fuel investments
Superyacht produces hydrogen from seawater as it sails
Old-growth logging on mountainside above Cathedral Grove illustrates urgent need for protection
Scientists found a caterpillar that eats plastic
Senators reach $2b deal to boost conservation, parks

Conservation News ~ 28 February 2020

2/28/2020

BP cutting ties with three US lobby groups over climate policies
Coke and Pepsi sued for creating a plastic pollution nuisance
Shenzen could be first city in China to ban eating of dogs and cats
Missouri farmer wins $265 million verdict against Monsanto
Lava flow tells 600-year- storyof biodiversity loss on tropical island
12 new species of amphibians were found in Abra de Zamora, Ecuador
Forest duff must be considered in controlled burning to avoid damaging trees
Palau’s marine secretary backfires, leading to increased consumption of reef fish
On anniversary of nun’s murder, Amazon land rights activists at high risk
Bolivia and Paraguay unite to protect critically endangered guanacos
Call for prosecution of Indonesian politician who kept baby oranguatan as pet
Barrage of mining requests targets Brazil’s isolated indigenous people
Heathrow third runway ruled illegal over climate change
China to dispatch army of ducks to Pakistan to devour locust swarm
Virginia lawmakers vote to ban offshore oil drilling
Rewilding project aims to give Thames its floodplain back
Two new ancient species of cockroaches found in cave in Myanmar
The Dept of Interior official says that the Border Wall helps environment
Online shopping can be worse for environment than driving to a store
Evidence does not support hunting as a way to control cougars
Protecting tropics could save half of species on brink
Manatee filmed being dragged along a road in Nigeria sparks outcry
Science shows nature makes children happier
Deaf moths evolved noise-cancelling scales to evade prey
Costa Rican indigenous land activist killed by armed mob
Moab’s Slickrock Trail spared from energy leasing as BLM withdraws plans
Canadian mining giant withdraws plans for C$20bn tar sands project
China permanently bans consumption of wild animals
Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai meet at Oxford University
Rare Red Colobus caught on camera in South Sudan
Oil and gas industry rewards US lawmakers who oppose environmental protections
Virginia state legislature passes landmark wildlife corridor bill
PepsiCo adopts stricter, greener rules for palm oil in products
Camera traps confirm presence of lowland gorillas in central mainland Equitorial Guinea for first time in over a decade
Coronavirus, trawls take a toll on shrimp fishery on Indonesia’s Jambi
Amazon tipping point puts Brazil’s agribusiness, energy sector at risk
Listening to marine mammals is helping scientists understand Arctic impacts of climate change
Global seed bank receives one-millionth variety
Nearly 50 rhinos killed in Botswana in 10 months as poaching surges
Stunning footage of snow leopard and her quadruplet cubs
India’s bird population going down sharply
Durham miners join Extinction Rebellion in protest against coal
Polar bears in Baffin Bay have skinnier, fewer subs due to less sea ice
Bengal Forest officials say that Rhino toll reaches five in Jaldapara National Park
Canada’s oil bust has left thousands of orphan wells, and not enough money for cleanup
JPMorgan Chase to pull support for some fossil fuels
$85 million initiative to scale up agroforestry in Africa announced
Threat to Assam rhinos as fake coronavirus medicine doing rounds
Jupiter’s atmosphere has far more water than previously thought
Kenyan Agriculture Secretary orders closures of all four donkey slaughterhouses
Solar storms may leave grey whales blind and stranded
Conservation prioritization can resolve the flagship species conundrum
Bernie Sanders and AOC unveil a Green New Deal for public housing
Oregon Zoo has first Condor Egg of 2020
World’s richest 10% are responsible for 50% of carbon emissions while poorest 50% produce 10%
Sea Shepherd rescue entangled whale in Vaquita refuge
Red-state Utah embraces plan to tackle climate crisis in surprising shift
Fossils reveal first known giant parrot
Equinor abandons plans to drill in Great Australian Bight
California lawmakers introduce legislation to fight tropical deforestation
Coronavirus outbreak hits Vietnam’s timber sector
On-billion-year-old green seaweed fossils identified, relative of modern land plants
Climate warning disrupts tree seed production
Tasmania’s underwater forests disappearing in our lifetime
Massive wildlands bill passed by House would preserve more than 416,000 acres in Southern California
World Wildlife Day is March 3
Mine waste dams threaten the environment, even when they don’t fail
Former UN climate chief calls for civil disobedience
Chinese government approves decision to ban consumption of wild animals
Myanmar survey finds record number of Ayeyarwady dolphins
Six new gecko species found in Western Ghats
New species of soil bacteria can fight soil pollutants
Lawsuit forces White House action on Emperor Penguins
Oregon denies Jordan Cove LNG on Eve of FERC decision
House Democrats urge banks to not fund drilling in Arctic refuge
Enigmatic small primate finally caught on film in Kenya
Tropical snakes disappear as fungal outbreak decimates their prey
Palode forest yelds new amaranthus species
California Attorney General files lawsuit against White House for failing to protect endangered species
New way to turn carbon dioxide into coal could rewind the emissions clock
28 people were arrested in Seattle for calling out Chas’s massive investments in the fossil fuel industry
Eagle trio sees parenting success in Illinois
Philippines races to save increasingly endangered hornbills
African penguin population plummets
Antarctic temperature rises above 20c for first time on record
The once-endangered Echo Parakeet has officially been downlisted to Vulnerable from just 12 birds in 1970 to 800 today
Himalayan wolf lopes toward recognition as distinct species
New parasitoid wasp species discovered in Amazon manipulate host behavior in complex way
UN accepts India’s proposal to save three endangered species
New Zealand opens Paparoa Track, first new Great Walk in 25 years
White House to approve strip mining on Tennessee’s protected Cumberland Plateau
Dry February sends California back to drought
New protections for jaguar and Asian elephant
Kellogg’s bans palm oil to save Orangutan after Brit siters’ campaign
Pets are rounded up and slaughtered to stop spread of coronavirus
Firms are making billions from highly hazardous pesticides
Iran upholds heavy sentences for conservationists convicted of spying
Investors drop demands after Tyson Foods commit to no deforestation
UN Human Rights Chief Slams Trump for Attacks on Environment, Refugees, and Children
Australian lion species discovered in Queensland's Riversleigh World Heritage area

Conservation News ~ 21 February 2020

2/21/2020

White House signs order diverting water to California farmers against state wishes
France to shut down its oldest nuclear complex by end of June
Wyoming governor releases new executive order on migration corridors
South American volcano showing early signs of potential collapse
Lehigh Valley Zoo announces the death of Mexican Grey Wolf, Alpha
Wyoming state leaders are looking to buy 1 million acres of land in southern Wyoming
Tanzania government issues guidelines on game meat trade
Three endangered Mexican Grey Wolves found dead in Arizona
Whale cams track swimming efficiency of ocean giants
Federal judge shuts down the largest oil refinery on the East Coast
The Dalai Lama says we have an ‘urgent responsibility’ to protect wildlife and the planet
America’s recycled plastic waste is clogging landfills
Astonishing Blue Whale numbers at South Georgia
Southeast Alaska fossil declared a new species and given a Tlingit name
Advocates warn new New Hampshire construction rule puts endangered species at risk
White House rolls back Endangered Species Act protections during trip to California
Indonesia records 21 new bird species
LA Zoo’s new baby gorilla could mean new hope for endangered species
Sea ice loss is making polar bears thinner and they’re having fewer cubs
EPA can’t kick scientists off Science Advisory Panels, court says
Costa Rica indigenous leader shot amid tensions over land rights
Oregon has passed the 1st hurdle to becoming the 6th state to ban wildlife killing contests
Thunberg mural to be permanently displayed in downtown Fargo
2020 Indianapolis Prize finalists announced
Forest fires push Bornean orangutans into harm’s way
Belize adopts comprehensive fisheries reform law
Cash-strapped farms are growing a new crop – solar panels
Otters spotted in southern Alberta city for first time in about a century
Colorado scientists say research suggests snake venom could cure cancer
Endangered gorilla community ravaged by exotic man-borne disease
Antarctica broke two temperature records in a week
Massacre in Nicaragua – four indigenous community members killed for their land
2020 a super year for environment, super year of biodiversity and will be a deciding year
Spain’s government just made its first-ever investment in vegan meat
US farm bankruptcies hit an eight-year-high
Two bald eagles rehabilitated and released in NEMO
New species of orchid discovered in Arunachal Pradesh
UN stamps featuring endangered species released
Gulf shrimpers fight for their livelihoods in fertilizer-fueled dead zone
Philippine fruit bats may be entirely new species
Extinction Rebellion protestors dig up Cambridge college lawn
Deepwater Horizon disaster had much worse impact than believed
New catalyst recycles greenhouse gases into fuel and hydrogen gas
Jeff Bezos establishes $10 billion ‘Earth Fund’ to combat climate change
Family seeks justice as probe into Indonesian activist’s death stalls
Kellogg announces stronger palm oil and deforestation policies, including precedent setting human rights defenders
Solar-powered barges can scoop up 50 tons of plastic from rivers each day
White House budget proposal reveals regressive environmental priorities
Bringing back Oregon’s sea otters gets Federal dollars for feasibility study
New green technology generates electricity out of thin air
Major UN meeting on wildlife to address critical threats to migratory species
New species of urban lizard found in Guwahati
Car ‘splatometer’ tests reveal huge decline in number of insects
Beavers cut flooding and pollution and boost wildlife populations, five-year study finds
White baby rhino discovered in Nairobi National Park
Oregon Governor calls for breaching 4 Snake River dams; Washington’s GOP House members outraged
Notorious palm oil producer uses new commitment to stop deforestation in Leuser ecosystem
Manufacturer to halt production of pesticide linked to brain damage in children
Global demand for Colombian shark dins triggers intense debate
Oil production on public lands exceeds 1 billion barrels
Rare European cave salamander stayed in same spot for seven years
Federal bill seeks to make companies responsible for plastic waste
Orphaned albino elephant recovers from poachers snare
Nike just launched vegan sneakers made from trash
New cockroach species named after Kalakkad
Affiliated tribes of northwest Indians and northwest tribal leaders stand together to protect the environment
Deadly fungus could decimate salamanders in the US Southeast
2.5 million pounds of radioactive fracking waste illegally dumped in Oregon landfill
White cuts NOAA’s and EPA’s budget by a third and completely defunds US Marine Mammal Commission
More than 60 shipping vessels stalled off BC coast due to rail blockades
Denmark took a mountain of trash and made a ski hill
Sanders, AOC bill would outlaw fracking by 2025
Jimmy Carter’s solar farm is powering half his home town
Indonesia targets pulpwood, palm oil firms in civil suits over 2019 fires
In Indonesian renewables bill, activists see chance to move away from coal
UK wildlife at risk due to regulatory gaps created by Brexit
For Indonesia’s Javan Deer, non-protected areas play key conservation role
Brazilian meat giant JBS expands its reach in China
Idaho Fish and Game approves year-round wolf hunts after weighing over 27,000 comments
Colorado River flow shrinks from climate crisis, risking ‘sever water shortages’
Paleontologists identify new Jurassic amphibian and name it Egoria
Two giant icebergs broke off Antarctica
Critically endangered Sumatran tiger found dead with neck caught in wire trap
JP Morgan economists warn of climate ‘catastrophe’
Citizen scientists name newly discovered snail species after Greta Thunberg
California sues White House administration over alleged failure to protect species
Great Indian Bustard, Bengal Florican classified as ‘endangered migratory species’
Urgent help needed for 113 species after fires
Oil and gas firms ‘have had far worse climate impact than thought’
Animal-rights coalition sues USDA for failing to protect sick pigs

Conservation News ~ 14 February 2020

2/14/2020

Via Rail cancels most trains nationwide, CN closes Eastern Canadian network as Indigenous protests continue
Once thought extinct, rare pochards take steps toward recovery
China announces plans to permanently ban wildlife trade
US Interior Dept. drops trophy hunting council amid court fight
US Senator Kamala Harris passes three bill to protect 1 million acres of land in California
NJ town shuts down road for salamander migration
Deforested Amazon areas are net emitters of CO2
Observations shared by bird watchers reveal migratory pathways of more than 600 bird species
Biggest turtle that ever lived had 10-foot shell with horns
Greta Thunberg gets her own TV series
A movement is growing to protect up to half the planet
Big polluters allowed to lift emissions without penalty
Three endangered Indian species to be added to Protected Migratory Species List
More environment-friendly power generators go online in Huntington Beach, Ca
A new Tyrannosaur species is discovered, called the Reaper of Death
Puerto Rican Butterfly, rare Virgin Islands Flower one step closer to Endangered Species list
California considers giving Mountain Lions greater protection under the Endangered Species Act
White House rubber stamps Arizona copper mine
EU accused of climate crisis hypocrisy after backing 32 gas projects
Air pollution from fossil fuels costs $8 billion per day
Bill banning balloon releases statewide passes in Maryland Senate
New species of chafer beetle discovered in Indonesia
Anand Singh gets forest ministry, despite facing 15 cases
#DropExxon go national with law student boycott
Dolphin found dead on Pensacola Beach, $20k reward offered
Prime Minister of Iceland calls for prioritizing “well-being” of citizens over GDP
Ecologist Exequiel Ezcurra receives AAAS Science Diplomacy award
Scientists find never-before-seen baby of rare rabbit on WhatsApp
10,000 rare black bees are feared dead in an act of vandalism at England’s Wisbech Castle
Heat trapped in urban areas tricks trees into thinking spring has arrived earlier
White House $4.8 billion budget proposal includes 26% cut to EPA
Expert panel says 113 species need urgent attention after Australia’s bushfires
Judge repeals wildlife agency’s approval of copper mine due to endangered species threat
Sick Hawaiian monk seal has infection spread by feral cats
365-millionyear-old lungfish unearthed in South Africa
Oregon timber, environmental groups agree to work on forest management plan
Jane Goodall plans to plant 5 million trees this year
Himalayan Glacier shows evidence of start of industrial revolution
Hotter, drier El Ninos linked to insect decline in the Amazon
Indonesia softens stance on WWF termination as programs fall into limbo
Updated shark tagging atlas provides more than 50 years of tagging and recapture data
Rhino poacher shot dead in Zimbabwe
New species of bat is found in roost
New species of marine worm found at Olympic venue
Justice department drops Antitrust probe against automakers that sided with California on emissions
Shots fired at Sea Shepherd ship in the Vaquita refuge
US government removes detailed pollution map from internet
Study casts doubt on Brazil’s plan to meet Paris Accord by replanting forests
Canadian court upholds Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
Countries with more female politicians pass more ambitious climate policies
Starbucks may phase out dairy to combat climate change
White House budget proposes $250 million for Everglades restoration projects
Climate change activists take entertainment industry to task at Hollywood sign protest
The EU wants to tax meat for the climate
Man found guilty of smuggling 450m worth of live eels out of UK
Patients at Wuhan’s coronavirus hospital given turtles to eat for dinner
Boaters in Florida broke the all-time record for killing manatees this year
Nike is dressing 2020 Olympic athletes in uniforms made of recycled shoe parts
BC predator cull would target 80 percent of wolves in caribou recovery areas
Brazil discovers two new species of plants older than dinosaurs
Climate activists bring Trojan Horse to British Museum in BP protest
The US Navy quietly shut down its task force on climate change
Washington state moves towards ban on bottled water extraction
Bolsonaro sends a bill to Brazil’s Congress that would open indigenous lands to mining, agribusiness
Costa Rica is nearly at 100% Renewable Energy for electricity
SeaWorld just banned dolphin surfing
Antarctica hits hottest temperature on record
China scientists identify pangolin as possible coronavirus host
Group seeks endangered species listing for Alaska lake seals
In the threatened Tongass National Forest a Native-owned corporation is being paid to leave some old-growth trees standing
Nantahala and Pisgah forest plan released
Two NYC students discover a new species of sea anenomes
New species of flies found in Lochaber forest
Indonesia accused of putting profit ahead of the environment with new bill
40,000 endnagered species condoms sent to top 10 'sexually satisfied' cities

Conservation News ~ 7 February 2020

2/7/2020

White House finalizes plans for drilling, mining in shrunken Utah national monuments
Morocco will no longer kill stray dogs
Arctic permafrost that plays greater role in climate change than previously estimated
Global warming is speeding up Earth’s massive ocean currents
A sea ice declines, polar bears are spending an extra month on land
Penguin calls found to conform to human linguistic laws
Women are the single largest exclusion in India’s farmer suicide data
Dead Sea dates frown from 2000-year-old seeds
Congressman Lowenthal introduces bill to protect Federal lands in Utah as wilderness
RCMP are raiding Wet’suwet’en Land Defender Camps
Famous Gray Wolf (Or-54) found dead in Calfornia
Bumblebees’ decline points to mass extinctions
New York City just announced intent to ban new fossil fuel projects
White House is blowing up a National Monument in Arizona to make way for the Border Wall
Endangered Corroborre frogs survive bushfires
Ten US refineries emit cancer-causing chemical above EPA limits
First squid MRI study shows brain completely similar to dogs
Rare Glass Frogs with transparent stomachs have been found in Bolivia for the first time in 18 years
Peruvian indigenous group wins suit to block oil exploration in Amazonian region
Latin America’s new leftist leaders are backtracking on the environment
EarthJustice is suing the USFWS to keep Florida Panthers on the road to recovery
Conservation groups join California in legal dispute over protecting bumblebees
Adani to plead guilty for giving false or misleading documents and may be fined up to $3m
Bjork and Microsoft use AI to create music that changes with the weather
Wildlife cam shows coyote playfully leading badger into tunnel near Santa Cruz mountains
Indonesia’s traveling dolphin circus shut down
Tim, Kenya’s iconic Big Tusker, passed away
New species are added to Texas’s threatened list
New thalattosaur species discovered in southeast Alaska
Population growth is damaging the environment in Oregon
Fireflies are under threat from habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution
White House credits economic progress to environmental rollbacks
California Gov. Newsom proposes water management plan to protect endangered species
Carbon emissions from Peruvian gold mining alarming
Forever chemical found in half of all cosmetics could kill seals and dolphins
Harvard faculty votes for divestment
Traditional forest product knowledge strengthens the forest economy in Brazil
Indigenous forest defenders around the world are dying anonymous deaths
Switzerland may soon ban all factory farms
Millions of birds killed by nighttime harvesting in Mediterranean
Black-footed ferrets can teach us about conservation successes
Fiji values conservation of wetlands for preservation of biodiversity
New orb-weaver spider names after French mathematician and spider aficionado
Mercury in dental fillings could be getting into water supply
US House panel Oks bill to undo White House changes to Endangered Species Act
Hunting is slowly dying off and that has created a crisis for the nation’s many endangered species
Indonesia-WWF split puts rhino breeding project in Borneo in limbo
Australians boo climate change sceptic senator
Restoration of a San Mateo County creek reopens a gateway for Endangered Salmon
Greta Thunberg is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize again
1,400 pounds of shark fins found by wildlife inspectors in Miami
EPA re-approves key Roundup chemical
Galapagos tortoise subspecies thought extinct lives on
Colombia struggles to rein in Amazon deforestation, despite foreign aid
Australian Defence Force flies in experts to assess corroboree frogs
Borneo locals win a court battle to bar a coal miner from their land
Profound evolution – wasps learn to recognize faces
Graeme Worboys, conservationist, receives the Order of Australia, on of the country’s highest honours
Red Fox study uncovers new species in Central Oregon
Judge orders feds to reconsider decision to not classify bat species found in WV as endangered
Crocodile spotted on the Great Barrier Reef
European crew wraps up mock moon mission on volcano in Hawaii
Every year, 50 million cleaner fish die in Norwegian fish farms
At famed Mexican butterfly reserve, second worker found dead
The Gingko Biloba tree achieves near immortality, more than 3000 years
Massacre leaves six indigenous people dead at Nicaraguan nature reserve
A rescued Green Sea Turtle pooped out plastic trash for weeks
Scientists found a 268-year-old whale
Man who stole lemur from zoo gets 12 years for Newport Beach burglaries
Endangered Florida Panther kittens find forever home at wildlife conservation
Gharials haven’t been seen in this Nepal park for 37 years but they’re back with babies
Man caught a JFK with smuggled birds from Guyana
New species of sea slugs found close to Maha, Gujarat shores
France moves to ban mass live-shredding of male chicks
Arizona quietly sells 16,810 acres to Freeport-McMoRan for mining waste
Sanders introduces bill to ban fracking

Conservation News ~ 24 January 2020

1/24/2020

Colorado River’s Humpback Chubmight be removed from endangered species list
New species of Allosaurus discovered in Utah
White House guts environmental safeguards for US Streams and Wetlands
Red Tide in Mexico kills nearly 300 endangered Green Sea Turtles
Four new species of adorable Walking Sharks discovered
White House weakened environmental laws after BP lobbying
Nevada man sentenced for trafficking in endangered species
Snakes could be the original source of the new coronavirus outbreak in China
Police boss arrested while hunting rhino with a Zambian poacher
Insecticides become more toxic to honey bees
BP’s CEO chides AOC and Bernie Sanders for their completely unrealistic Green New Deal ideas
US drinking water widely contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’
Starbucks CEO pledges to add more plant-based food options
Oregon Department of State Lands rejects Extension request on key permit for proposed Jordan Cove LNG
Scotland to reach this year 100% renewable energy goal
Thunberg blasts world leaders at Davos, telling them to ditch fossil fuels
New Zealand has been a life-raft for unique species
Closing the Ozone Hole has helped slow Arctic warming
Parks Canada says no to gondola proposed from Banff townset to Mount Norquay
Crystal Geyser pleads guilty to knowingly dumping arsenic into California’s public water
Liberia expands a key elephant park again
Mass tree planting along India’s Cauvery River has scientists worried
Montana pays record amount for predator losses in 2019
Wet winter is good for the common frog
British Colombia is now home to a new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area
EU lays out 1 trillion-euro plan to support Green Deal
New species of antibiotic resistant bacteria found in infected wound
Mongabay editor arrested in Indonesia
850 coyotes and foxes killed in 2-day multi-state wildlife killing contest
US Supreme Court has cleared the way for water crisis victims to sue Flint, Michigan officials
Game camera photographs Grey Wolf in new territory inside Jackson County
New species of Titi Monkey discovered in Brazil
Peruvian authorities seize vessel with 12.3 million seahorses
Oil and gas sector ‘losing its social license to operate’, UK boss warns
Madagascar launches massive planting drive, eyes 60 million trees
New colony of penguins discovered on a remote island in Argentina
RBA told to ‘mobilise all forces’ to save the economy from climate change
After roughly a century, bighorn sheep return to Pyramid Lake, Nevada
Black Rhino population shows steady growth
Fukushima reborn as Japan’s wind and solar hub
Microwaving sewage waste may make it safe to use as fertilizer on crops
Natural History Museum, London declares a planetary emergency
Indigenous people reveal ‘lost’ starry night toad to scientists
Deforestation clips howler monkey calls
Penguin species in Antarctica hit hard by climate change
Climate refugees can’t be returned home, says landmark UN human rights ruling
AI suggests Earth has had fewer mass extinctions than we thought
Pentagon causing toxic pollution by burning foam
Patagonia’s CEO is donating company’s entire $10m tax cut to fight climate change
Formulations of glyphosate-based weedkillers are toxic
California will be hit hard as White House weakens clean water protections
Bronx Zoo has been included Defense of Animals’ annual list of worst zoos for elephants
Dungeness crab larvae already showing effects of coastal acidification
China moves to phase out single-use plastics
Spain city mayor wants to turn zoo into environmental education centre and release ‘prisoner’ animals
Large African herbivores have helped to repair their environment
Contentious Jumbo Valley to become Indigenous protected area after feds provide $21m
Beloved lioness Isis dies at Brookfield Zoo after apparent fall
Feathers evolved 80 million years before birds appeared
A national park takes shape in Argentina as the forest disappears
One of four North Atlantic right whale calves spotted so far this breeding season struck by ship
New species of prehistoric scorpions may have been the first explorers of the land
Newhouse aims to change Endangered Species Act
$500,000 available for coral restoration projects in honor of Dr. Ruth Gates
EU unveils plan to dedicate a quarter of its budget fighting climate change with 1 trillion euro Green Deal
Sunflower Electric abandons proposed Kansas coal power plant
Norwegian company fires US executive amidst rising public sentiment against trophy hunting
Major companies pledge not to ship along controversial Arctic routes
New Mexico approves trapping of state wildlife, further endangering Mexican Grey Wolves
Carnival slapped with a $20 million fine after it was caught dumping trash into the ocean, again
Microsoft wants to capture all of the carbon dioxide it’s ever emitted
Tidal energy project in Canada gets green light from authorities
London’s new year fireworks left sky full of metal particles
Los Cerritos Wetlands Restoration draft EIR to be unveiled
Panera plans to slash meat to offer 50 percent plant-based menu
Wallace & Gromit’s creators make new animation to try to save the seas
Ocean cleaning device succeeds in removing plastic for the first time
Mediterranean sea ecology altered by invasive species
Climate change to drive massive investment shift
Greenpeace included with neo-Nazis on UK counter-terror list
Barcelona declares climate emergency, vows to halve emissions by 2030
Over 400 rare Asian giant softshell turtle eggs found in Cambodia
Florida to purchase 20000 acres of Everglades wetlands to prevent oil drilling
Philippine study finds microplastics inside a commonly consumed fish
US lumber company found importing high-risk Peruvian timber
Catastrophic Amazon tipping point less than 30 years away
Subsistence farming topples forests near commercial operations in Congo
Alien-like coral discovered in Japan’s Toba City recognized as new species
Newly-created northern White Rhino embryo could save species from brink of extinction
Protecting BWCA is better for economy than mining
Number of rare Arkansas Darters in rise at Wilson Springs Preserve
80% of Australia’s Blue Mountains and 50% of Gondwana rainforests burn in bushfires