Category: Conservation News - INTENTIONAL ECOLOGY

Conservation News ~3 July 2020

7/3/2020

New species of Ichthyosaur discovered
Scientists create first map of agroforestry and ecosystem services in Asia-Pacific
Raw sewage poured into Olympic Park wildlife haven
Feds agree to decide on Endangered Species Protections for Wolverines by August 31
Finland invests $2.3 million into national plant-based food industry
An overfished shark species will now finally get the protection it needs in the Pacific
No UN climate talks to be held in 2020, as interim meeting postponed again
Calls for swift action as hundreds of elephants die in Botswana’s Okavango Delta
The House of Representatives passed the Wildlife Corridor Conservation Act with $300 million funding
NASA’s new 3d mapping technique improves landslide hazard prediction
NASA’s ASTER sees Arizona’s Bighorn Fire burn scar from space
NASA’s new international ocean satellite completes testing
Ice melt linked to accelerated regional freshwater depletion
JPL mission breaks record for smallest satellite to detect an exoplanet
Over 40 new species described in 2020 by a research group
Gatekeepers of biodiversity hotspots facing COVID crisis
New gold rush brought to Brazilian Amazon
Indonesia lavishes $195m subsidy on palm biodiesel producers over smallholders
COVID halts matchmaking attempt for female Sumatran Rhino in Borneo
Corruption and palm oil in Sierra Leone
Storm sinks salmon cages containing over 875,000 fish
Ranchers, researchers mull using treated produced water for irrigation
An intrusive killer scorpion points the way to six new species in Sri Lanka
New species of bee named after Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield
Research shows the older you get, the more you care about the environment
Ontario extends logging industry exemption from endangered species law
Endangered Whale struck by 2 vessels off Jersey shore
NAU professor named Ecological Restoration Insitute’s new executive director
Evidence found of Natufian people eating snakes and lizards 15,000 years ago
Soil in Amazon found to host a large number of fungi types
California woman gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park after getting within 10 feet to take photos
Maps reveal what 8th continent, Zealandia, looks like underwater
Using technology, indigenous monitors in the Amazon combat environmental crime
Democrats to unveil bold new climate plan to phase out emissions by 2050
Whale freed from fishing net off Italian coast
Checklist of PA bees documents 49 new species and some that may be endangered
Petition seeks California Endangered Species protection for Quino Checkerspot Butterfly
Pune-based ZSI scientists discovers new moth subspecies
Efforts underway to save Florida’s largest bat
Feds say expect more bird deaths under new rule
Yakutia sets up nature reserve to protect polar bear population
Fossil reveals new species of Horned Gopher species
PA says 2 gas drilling companies committed environmental crimes
White House nominates controversial longtime acting head of land management bureau as director
Senate passes bill to give millions more veterans free lifetime entry to National Parks
New Protected Area in Mali one of Earth's Largest
Hundreds of dead dolphins washing up on French Coast
PETA rescues two pigs from slaughter in late activist Regan Russell’s honor
Environment groups urge Nippon Paper to scrap Victorian timber from supply chain
Adelle penguins could thrive as result of sea ice melting
India eyes private investment to open 41 new coal mines
US climate activists charged with ‘terrorizing’ lobbyist over plastic pollution stunt
Airborne mapping sheds light on climate sensitivity of California Redwoods
Dolphins learn foraging tricks from each other, not just from mom
California court sides with Miyoko’s, allowing free speech lawsuit against the State’s Food and Ag department
South Africa proposal to add rhino, elephants to list of animals that can be slaughtered for consumption
Federal judge strikes down unconstitutional North Carolina Ag-Gag law
Shy species detected through new DNA technique
Exploding Whale park memorializes blubber blast 50 years later
Half of the Earth is still free from human impact, but its not all good news
National parks are being overrun by invasive species
Carbon dioxide levels just hit 417ppm, highest in human history
Greta Thunberg looks to UN security council election for leverage on climate
Federal Agency kills endangered Mexican Gray Wolf father on behalf of livestock industry
Young monk seal on Kauai likely died after swallowing fish hook
The demographic decline of a sea lion population followed multi-decadal sea surface warming
National Park Service removes Robert E. Lee’s name from giant sequoia
White House to open 18 million acres in Alaska to oil and gas drilling
The first modern-day marine fish has officially gone extinct
Scientists unlock secrets of Ethiopia’s superfood in race to save it from warming climate
Washington Commission rejects petition for new rules to prevent wolf killing conflicts
Shelter in place leading to fewer California mountain lions becoming roadkill
Canada becomes first G20 nation to ban shark fin trade
Plants can absorb tiny plastic pieces through their roots
Revealed: legislators’ pro-pipeline letters ghostwritten by fossil fuel company

Conservation News ~ 26 June 2020

6/26/2020

Microplastics found for first time in Antarctica’s food chain
Global warming shortens spring feeding season for Mule Deer in Wyoming
2020 Human Development Report to focus on meeting people’s aspirations in balance with the planet
Almost 50 Blue Whales spotted off the coast of San Francisco
Early Plant DNA researcher at Chicago’s Field Museum dies at 35
Colombia’s capital city moves to completely ban bullfighting
Ford takes comprehensive approach to sustainability will be carbon neutral by 2050
Polls show most Americans want action on climate change; swing voters are moved by it
Adani lands conservation area ‘126 times’ bigger than mine
New velvet spider species is named after actor Joaquin Phoenix for his role in the Joker
Four new species of giant single-celled organisms discovered on Pacific seafloor
Pandemic cleaner air could reshape what we know about the atmosphere
A palm oil conglomerate pay $22m to an unnamed ‘expert’ in Papua
Whit Rhinos numbers increased 34,000
Maine has latest $150M Green Bonds purchase protects pristine water parcel
US unveils vision for more development in National Forests
Conservation creates more jobs than fossil fuel development
Tree-planting campaigns can reduce, not improve biodiversity
Most American believe the government should do more to combat climate change
Godzilla dust cloud from Sahara blankets Caribbean on its way to US
Long Beach and 13 partner cities and agencies, win class action lawsuit
Alaskan megaeruption may have helped end the Roman Republic
Dutch Parliament votes to shut down all 128 mink farms
Malawi court convicts 7 Chinese, 2 Malawians on wildlife crimes
Maasai farmers offer Kenya’s Wildlife a lifeline
Nebraska farmers return land to Ponca Tribe in effort to block Keystone XL
Residents hide as macaque gangs take over Thai city
Facebook allows climate denial to Flourish on its platform
Amazon launches $2bn clean tech venture fund
Researchers find three new species of geckos lurking under granite rocks in the Mysore Plateau
Government urged to tackle UK carbon emissions by working with nature
Trillion-dollar investors warn Brazil over dismantling of environmental policies
Illegal farms on indigenous lands get whitewashed under Bolsonaro administration
China and EU appetite for soy drives Brazilian deforestation, climate change
Indonesian court jails indigenous farmers from stealing from land they claim
Republicans, Democrats agree on opposing drilling off Florida’s Gulf, Atlantic coasts
Trudeau announces $100m investment in Canada’s plant-based protein industry
China’s annual dog-meat fair opens despite COVID
Pangolins return to region where they were once extinct
New Ocelot spotted at Laguna Atascosa
Endangered smoky mouse, feared wiped out during bushfires, found alive in Kosciuszko
Study shows positive YouTube videos of wolves linked to greater tolerance
Barcelona Opera reopens with an audience of plants
Indonesia resumes release of captive wildlife amid COVID
CocaCola is again the world champion in plastic pollution
Vatican calls on catholics to divest from fossil fuels
One-fifth of Earth’s ocean floor is now mapped
Manatee mother and calf released in Sarasota
New monkey species found hiding in plain sight
Undergraduate student discovers 18 new species of aquatic beetle in South America
Hello Kitty dives into campaign to protect coral reefs
French Citizens’ council on the environment proposes making ‘ecocide’ illegal
Endangered Australian fish routinely being sold in shops and restaurants
COVID lockdown reveals human impact on wildlife
A water crisis looms for 270 million people as South Asia’s glaciers shrink
Siberia Arctic hits 100 degrees Fahrenheit
British Colombia poised to lose ‘white rhino of old growth forests’
Stuck at home, scientists discover 9 new species of phorid flies
US demand for clean energy destroying Canada’s environment, indigenous peoples say
Assam’s endangered langurs observed to practice forced abortion
Italian team covers glacier with giant white sheet to slow melting
To recover from global recession, we must invest in nature
Last chance for the Persian Leopard: the fight to save the Iraqi Kurdistan forests
Researchers capture drone footage of African ‘tree lions’ in conservation study
Swiss researchers identify new bacteria in permafrost
New lizard species discovered by Uddhav Thackeray’s son
Floppy-nosed antelope has baby boom, raising hope for critically endangered species
One of the world’s rarest dolphins is rebounding in Pakistan
COVID is jeopardizing world’s protected areas
Agriculture secretary directs national forests be used for more mining, oil, and gas
Australia: Million hectares of endangered species' habitat cleared without federal approval

Conservation News ~ 19 June 2020

6/19/2020

New species of orchid native to Singapore discovered in Bukit Timah Reserve
New Species from World’s largest spider group found in Sri Lanka for first time
38 endangered Brazilian tree species illegally traded, poorly tracked
Iceland is undoing carbon emissions for good, turning C02 into stone
A robot sloth will survey endangered species
World has six months to avert climate crisis, says energy expert
Forest loss escalates biodiversity change
White House blocks tribes from protecting their waters
Mangrove collapse inevitable unless emissions are curbed
Chimps prefer human crops and it’s better for them
From a Philippine conflict hotspot, a new insect-eating plant emerges
Indonesia struggles to restore peatlands as fires strangle national parks
Canadian grocery store grows its own organic veggies on rooftop
PG&E ordered to pay $4 million for Camp fire that killed 84
Federal approval of oil well at Carrizo Plain National Monument sparks outrage
Globally renowned Kayapo Chief Paiakan passes away due to COVID
Creator of Conservation Biology, Michael Soule, passes away
New Jersey announces $400 million offshore wind port
SD Zoo baby pygmy hippo makes splashy debut
Planting non-native trees accelerates the release of carbon back into the atmosphere
Most of BCs massive old trees are ghosts, existing only on paper
European Rewilding Network becomes Belgian rewilding initiative
Gujarat now home to 674 lion, 29% increase in population
New species of mimicking spider camouflaged like a dried-up leaf discovered in China rainforest
BC mine proposed in critical caribou habitat shows how endangered species fall through the cracks
Trans Mountain pipeline spills up to 50,000 gallons of oil on indigenous land in BC
Peru declares new conservation area protecting almost 200 species found nowhere on the planet
Brazilian government taken to court for assault on environment, climate
Scottish salmon farmers to be banned from shooting seals
Wildlife advocated sue Forest Service over rising wolf body count in Washington
Lawsuit launched challenging Endangered Species Act denial for imperiled Sage Grouse
Senate Passes the Great American Outdoors Act
Emissions from 13 dairy firms match those of entire UK
Climate models underestimate CO2 emissions from permafrost by 14 percent
World’s rarest seal finds refuge on notorious prison island
40k Conservationists ask Utah to spare Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf
As EPA steps back, states face wave of requests for environmental leniency
A possible record number of Blue Whales at the Farallones
Supreme Court clears way for Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross Appalachian trail
New species extinction target proposed for global nature rescue plan
A new species of diamond frog from Northern Madagascar
Victorian government found to have failed to protect critically endangered grasslands
Magnetic Sponge MOF captures carbon with record energy efficiency
Ag Secretary announces Forest Service Policy changes during Missoula stop
Amazon River dolphin risks extinction if Brazil moratorium not renewed
New jumping spider species in the Philippines
NOAA Chief violated ethics code in furor over White House tweet
1,000 California Condor recently tagged
Extremely rare white Killer Whale named Iceberg
EPA’s new rule will protect polluters, not the environment
Poachers arrested for killing Endangered Silverback Gorilla
Nevada takes important step to protect Endangered Fish
Supreme Court leaves Clean Water Act intact
Effective conservation science must shift away from doomsday views and toward solutions
Experts see environmental, social fallout in Indonesia’s infrastructure push
Vietnamese agribusiness firm HAGL accused of clearing indigenous land in Cambodia
Conservation Fund acquires iconic Pine Forest in Western Maine
Novel endemic dogfish species discovered from Japan
Bipartisan Bill could help boost Florida’s growing EV market
Interior to push drilling in Florida waters after November election
Sea cucumber smuggler sentenced to 8 months in jail
90 percent of US could be powered by renewables in 2035
Anti-poaching dog beloved by Prince Harry retires after catching 200 criminals
Climate crisis to blame for $67bn of Hurricane Harvey damage
Environment Ministry unlocked many protected areas during the lockdown
Scientists discover that a squid can edit its own genetic code
Cape Leopard Trust shares rare sighting of three leopard cubs
Channel Island Fox has remarkable recovery story
New Zealand recognized all animals as sentient beings
BHP halts plans to destroy 40 sacred sites to make way for $4.5bn mine after public outcry
Robotic dolphin causing stir in aquariums while solving ethical dilemma
BC opens Sunshine Coast forest – home to Canada’s oldest trees – to logging
UK’s barn owls are growing in number, thanks to humans
Almost complete loss of early salmon runs at Fraser River slide in BC last year
French government to launch legal action against bear killers
New breeding pair brings glimmer of hope for world’s rarest primate
A nose-horned dragon lizard lost to science for over 100 years has been found
South African proposal to breed wildlife for slaughter courts disaster
Botanists study spots 42 new tree species in 10 years
Newly discovered spider species in Madagascar named after climate activist Greta Thunberg
Rwenzori Mountains Park partners with WWF to protect Endangered Species
Rare Gorilla Rafiki killed by Uganda hunters
14 straight months of rising Amazon deforestation in Brazil
Nature’s slow lanes offer hope for species feeling heat of climate change, other pressures
EPA loses major Clean Water Act case on Toxic Spill dispersants
Charges dropped against 22 Wet’seuwet’en Land Defenders
The International Space Station jut became a powerful tool for tracking animal migration
Agile, sickle-clawed new species of velociraptor-like dinosaur unearthed in Patagonia
China’s COVID interventions reduced nitrogen dioxide levels
Colombian farmers, ranchers join business to turn the tide on Amazon deforestation
An armada of 65k sea turtles caught on drone cam, flock to Great Barrier Reef
Indonesia to allow back destructive seine and trawl nets in waters
In Philippines Palawan, top cop linked to assault on environmental officer
Indigenous-led conservation signals path forward for Canada’s first marine protected area network

Conservation News ~ 12 June 2020

6/12/2020

Forest Service to expedite logging and habitat clearance in proposed wilderness on Pine Mountain
Elimination of Mexican Gray Wolf pack a blow to conservation efforts
NWT First Nations shares prestigious UN prize for environmental work
Report finds environmental activists worldwide face high risk of criminalization and violence
Plastic Rain is the new Acid Rain
Canadian conservation officer fired for refusing to kill bear cubs wins legal battle
Brazil revises deforestation data – Amazon loss topped 10,000sq km in 2019
Supertrawlers making a mockery of UK’s protected sites
Nature provides roadmap to potential breakthroughs in solar energy technology
Senegal rejects 52 new foreign fishing licenses
Four new species of millipedes discovered in Colorado Caves
White House trashes 50 year old environmental law, blaming COVID
Oregon Minnow saved by the Endangered Species Act
BHP to destroy at least 40 aboriginal sites, up to 15,000 years old, to expand mine
Marine energy devices likely pose minimal impacts to marine life
Milkweed, only food source for Monarch caterpillars, ubiquitously contaminated
Nicaraguan beef, grazed on deforested and stolen land, feeds global demand
China bans pangolin scales in traditional medicine
After 130 years, the rarest and thought to be extinct Dwarf Kingfisher was photographed in the Philippines
Saudi Aramco exec: capturing carbon emissions can help combat climate change
Two new species of iguanas found in Southern Antilles
NSW environment minister walks back suggestions clean air strategy has been dropped
Federal Court rejects EPA approval of widely used herbicide
COVID disrupts global fight to save endangered species
White House faces suit on order lifting endangered species protections
Report names the banks financing destructive oil projects in the Amazon
New list of animals on the brink of extinction
China has suspended debt repayment for 77 developing nations
Russian oil spill reaches pristine Arctic lake
Greta Thunberg calls Bolsonaro a ‘failure’ on COVID as NGOs sue his administration over Amazon destruction
10% of Chinese White Dolphins – 3 of remaining 32- have been killed in just 5 days
EPA Clean Air Panel dismisses his oil industry ties, slams Harvard study connecting air pollution and COVID risks
China may deploy ducks to battle locust
A new Riffle Beetle from Kyushu, Japan
Scientists propose new naming system for uncultivated bacteria and archaea
A new beetle species has been named after the Beatles
Endangered Status sought for Death Valley Region fish
Shuttered zoos are hemorrhaging money, and they want federal help for endangered species work they do
In COVID lockdown, Glossy Ibis finds prime nesting conditions in Sri Lanka
Lockdown allowed illegal fishing to spike in Philippines, satellite data suggests
Rare finless porpoises sighted in Hing Kong waters
Elizabeth Mrema is Convention on Biological Diversity new Executive Secretary
Powerful petrochemical lobbying group advanced anti-protest legislation amid pandemic
Ex-astronaut Kathy Sullivan dives to lowest point on Earth
Scientists discover strange new Tarantula species with ‘horn’ on its back in Southwestern Africa
Largest species of Asianopodus footprints found in Xinjiang
Eighteen rare, endangered horses born in China’s Xinjiang
Nearly half of Americans breathing unhealthy air
A massive oil spill in the Arctic has turned a river red
White House allows fishing in New England marine monument
Scientists use drones to capture striking footage of colony of 64,000 Green Sea Turtles
Two new dinosaurs found in fossils at State Museum of Pennyslvania
New species of carnivorous plant found in Kerala
Two new species from New Mexico help fill in Evolution of horned dinosaurs

Conservation News ~ 5 June 2020

6/5/2020

After century of mistaken identity, a Balinese gecko gets its own name
Tributes to Jose Rafael Garcia Acosta
In Memoriam to Guy Suzon Ramangason
Three new bird species discovered in Peru
US ranks 24th in the world on environmental performance
Baby orangutan born in Indonesia boosts numbers of the critically endangered species
Endangered species of seahorse returns to former stronghold due to lockdown
French researchers show that agroforestry can climate-proof grapes
Amazon deforestation gig economy booms despite COVID-19
New data shows world lost a Switzerland-size area of primary rainforest
Communities on Brazil’s ‘River of Unity’ tested by dams, climate change
New toxic seaweed species has exploded in Long Island Bays
Maine conservation groups want salmon listed endangered species list
EPA limits states’ power to oppose pipelines and other energy projects
More types of mosquito discovered in Yukon - that’s 33 and counting
New Pterosaur species identified from fossil found in England
State urged to include Atlantic salmon on endangered species list
Conservation efforts save endangered Hainan gibbon from the brink of extinction
Congo hit by a second, simultaneous Ebola outbreak
Japanese whale hunters killed 122 pregnant whales
New helmet orchid species discovered in Palawan
Court orders NS government to better protect endangered species
New species of Dumbo Octopus captured on camera at 4.3 miles down in the Indian Ocean
Top court rules Nova Scotia broke endangered species law
Guardians, 200 groups call on Congress to invest in Economic and Ecological recovery
EU’s greenhouse gas emission continue to fall as coal ditched
Department of Justice sued for withholding information about stabbing, shooting, and burning animals for medical research
Nobel laureates condemn judicial harassment of environmental lawyer
Plunging solar energy prices spell bright future for clean electricity
A Polynesian Paradise sacrificed its economy to stay virus-free
In Sri Lanka, bushmeat poachers haven’t let up during lockdown
Marijuana cultivation whittling away Madagascar’s largest connected forest
Teen creates fashion line while helping the environment
Court rejects Koch Brothers-funded Group’s attack on rare Texas arachnid
Southern California flower recovered, no longer needs Endangered Species protection
Antarctic Ocean reveals new signs of rapid melt of ancient ice, clues about future sea level rise
Climate could cause abrupt British vegetation changes
Indonesia to receive $56m payment from Norway for reducing deforestation
Rare beast visits the beach: Wolverine confirmed in Pacific Country
Yukon putting cart before horse by approving roads without completed land use plans
White House to sign order to waive environmental reviews for key projects
Argentine paleontologists discover new species of small carnivorous dinosaur
New species of frailejon discovered in Colombia

Conservation News ~ 29 May 2020

5/29/2020

Researchers have discovered a new subspecies of a beloved Australian bird
Dolphin mom adopts baby whale and takes care of it for three years
Cactus-dwelling couple proves rumors that Bald Eagles nest in saguaros
Climate change is driving widespread forest death and creating shorter, younger trees
European firms are investigating loophole to import Myanmar teak
Expansion of hunting on National Wildlife Refuges threatens imperiled species
Novel virus could spread rapidly among endangered orcas
Mining company blows up 46,000 year old aboriginal sacred caves
US lawmakers unveil bold $100billion plan to remake NSF
Small scale mining for gold has produced long-lasting toxic pollution from 1860s California gold rush
Vegan senator Cory Booker demands congress slow animal slaughter speed during COVID pandemic
Scientists record rarely heard sounds made by Narwhals
Campaigners in Myanmar’s Tanintharyi region oppose $21m conservation project
New iguana species found hiding in plain sight
Officials discover new species of crayfish for Ohio after 45-year search
The UN says Good health is an environmental right
US lets corporations delay paying environmental fines amid pandemic
St. Louis wildlife facility sends Mexican wolf pups to Arizona, New Mexico to help save the species
Endangered species, slender loris spotted near Tirumala
US States defend Endangered Species Act lawsuit
Humpback whales have made a remarkable recovery, giving us hope for the planet
New study shows why glass frogs have see-through skin
ESPRESSO confirms the presence of an Earth around the nearest star
New public lands rules will let Alaska hunters kill bear cubs in den
The coronavirus is pushing China toward a meatless future
Loggers injured a Brazilian environmental official, but Administration remained silent
Brazilian taxpayers subsidizing Amazon-clearing cattle ranches
A new sanctuary for the Sumatran rhino is delayed amid COVID measures
Manyana bushland clearing halted as protest group launches federal court challenges
NFWF announce release of Killer Whale research and conservation program 2020 request for proposals
Fossil of ancient long-tailed bird found in China
Mississippi River Delta marshes have hit a tipping point
White House again ok’s oil drilling in California’s Carrizo Plain National Monument
Portugal generated enough renewable energy to power the country for 1 month
Surgical masks wash up on Sydney beaches after 40 containers fall off cargo ship
Chattanooga Zoo’s Giraffe herd has arrived
Israel seals bat caves for visitors to shield endangered species from virus
New roads in Asia a significant threat to already endangered tigers
Army Corps tried end run around endangered species act
Engineers develop near-zero emissions engine technology
Antarctic Penguin poop emits laughing gas
COVID masks and gloves litter seabed in the Mediterranean
During height of pandemic, plant-based food sales increased by 90 percent
Global priorities for conservation of reptilian phylogenetic diversity in the face of human intervention
Dinosaur-dooming asteroid struck earth at ‘deadliest possible’ angle
Venezuala rejects illegal seizure, sale of CITGO in the US
US Department of Energy rushes to build advanced new nuclear reactors
Lionfish second species to threaten Aegean ecosystem
Sixteen nabbed for illegal hunting in Eastern Cape
Scientists find genes to save ash trees from deadly beetle
A rewilding success story in Gorongosa National Park
New species of Pygmy Seahorse about the size of a grain of rice discovered in Indian Ocean
A new critically endangered frog named after the ‘man from the floodplain full of frogs’
Okarito gecko species rediscovered decades later
Alberta minister says it’s a great time to build pipeline because COVID restrictions limit protests
Nesting loggerhead sea turtle found dead in Cape Hatteras National Seashore beach
Kangaroos are victims of the world’s largest commercial slaughter of terrestrial wildlife
Spain seeks to pass new climate law to reach net zero by 2050
Nestle is building a $100million vegan food factory in China
Irish man faces US charges on trafficking rhino horns
Youn climate activists call for EU to radically reform farming sector
Indonesia may bar citizens from working on foreign fishing boats after spate of deaths
Locusts will devour crops and livelihoods in Pakistan
Australia’s failing environmental laws will fuel further public health crises
Public returns to St. Peter’s square, Pope calls for Defense of Environment
Chinese customs seize 10.7kg of endangered species products
Wild donkeys to roam Danube Delta once again
Endangered shorebirds unsustainably hunted during migrations
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is going to be bad
Mink fur farms may have infected humans with COVID
COVID has erased 600k clean energy jobs in two months
Scientists say intrusion into nature led to pandemic
Southern reaches of Western Ghats yield 3 new plant species
New native grass species have been discovered on the Iberian Peninsula and Menorca
Endangered baby lemur born at San Jose’s Happy Hollow Zoo
Rare long-necked dinosaur that roamed the polar world unearthed in Australia
China’s air pollution is now worse than pre-COVID levels
Florida beachgoers have rare encounter with 800-pound leatherback sea turtle nesting during daylight hours
A proposed mine in Alaska will endanger brown bears
Kiwi included in proposed South African meat legislation
NRDC experts show us how we can slow the spread of Zoonotic disease
Researchers create global arsenic-in-groundwater maps to highlight threats
Rare white grizzly bear sighted in Canadian Rockies
For the first time, Washington will regulate Columbia-Snake River dams if they violate federal pollution rules
Algae is now growing on melting Antarctic snow due to climate change
Dam failure threatens a Dow chemical complex and Superfund cleanup
Ramu NiCo has been dumping millions of tons of toxic mine waste into Papua New Guinea’s waters
South Africa to probe Giraffe, Meerkat, Rhino shipments to China
New study finds goats respond to human cues the same way dogs do
Bumblebees clever trick fools plants into flower
UK approval for biggest gas power station in Europe ruled legal
Animal source for COVID continues to elude scientists
Assam students, environment activists launch online campaign to stop coal mining in elephant reserve
Brazil minister calls for environmental deregulation while public distracted by COVID
UC becomes nation’s largest university to divest fully from fossil fuels
Sea Shepherd files lawsuit to block New Zealand seafood exports to US in bid to protect Maui dolphin
Vegan food orders increase 104% in Hong Kong
2 degrees of warming will push most tropical rainforests above their safe heat threshold
South Africa’s abalone black market is being squeezed by COVID
Swiss parliament group demand subsidies for vegetables instead of meat
White House postpones New Mexico oil and gas auction
New House Bill looks to protect our rivers and other waterways by halting White House
Locals stage latest fight against PNG mine dumping waste into sea
Illegal logging mafia stripping hornbill habitat in NE India
Mining company pressing to enter Ecuador’s Los Cedros Protected Forest
Papuan farmer dies after police assault at palm oil company
Bottlenose dolphins spotted in Finland for first time in 70 years
12 ft SC alligator treated like an amusement ride by pest control agents before it was killed
Contentious Guatemala nickel mine ignores COVID lockdown
The BLM went out of its way to provide pandemic relief to oil companies
New Zealand ditches GDP for happiness and wellbeing

Conservation News ~ 22 May 2020

5/22/2020

New Frog species the size of a 5p coin already ‘critically endangered’
New species of dragonfly in the Konkan
New pygmy seahorse discovered, first of its kind in Africa
New program launches to help the environment, economy in Tucson
China to allocate $57bn to environment protection
Giant tectonic plate under Indian Ocean is breaking in two
Wildlife thrives in closed US national parks
Daily global CO2 emissions ‘cut to 2006 levels’ during height of COVID
A Philippine village on lockdown delivers nearly 300 turtle hatchlings to sea
Decades of tree data reveal forests under attack
Sprawling growth devours SC farmland
NRDC stopped a fracked gas pipeline in NY
More than 100 elephants die in Botswana in suspected anthrax outbreak
Traces from nuclear-weapons tests offer clues to whale sharks’ ages
Gold Coast whale rescuer escapes fine for saving calf
Woman attacked by bison at reopened Yellowstone National Park
EU pledges to raise $20bn a year to boost biodiversity
COVID stalls RSPB rescue of albatross chicks from giant mice
Projeto Harpia- Saving Amazon’s largest raptor for more than 20 years
North America’s looming salamander pandemic: are we ready?
Historic agreement gives Monarch butterflies the ‘right-of-way’
Ecuador’s Kichwa implement innovative approach to rainforest conservation
Indonesia may bar citizens from working on foreign fishing boats after spate of deaths
China offers buyout to wildlife farmers in response to pandemic
Tech made to find galaxies sets its sights on wildfires
Endangered Sumatran tiger found dead, ensnared in Riau
Wuhan has banned the eating of wild animals
Oceanographic conditions influence the origin of new species of sharks and rays
Analysis of bird species reveals how wings adapted to their environment and behavior
Endangered pygmy hippo born at Sd Zoo for first time in over 30 years
Judge declines to dismiss 18 states’ challenge to revised Endangered Species regulations
Pacific Fisher again denied endangered species protection in Oregon
Coca-Cola and Carlsberg introduce plant-based bottles that degrade in a year
Siberia experiences hottest spring on record, fueling wildfires
Land scarcity and disease threaten a multifaceted indigenous crop in Ethiopia
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund drops major Brazil miner, utility from its portfolio
In Indonesia’s new rice plan, experts see the blueprint of an epic past failure
Lobstermen turn to kelp farming in the face of climate crisis
EU to halve pesticides by 2030 to protect bees, biodiversity
New species of seaweed and algae discovered
Court tells Federal agencies to review coal mining impacts on endangered species
Court nixes Green Groups’ challenge to Endangered Species rules
The Arctic is unraveling as a massive heat wave grips the region
New Asian carp operation planned for East Peoria
Economists put a price tag on living whales in Brazil: $82 billion
In South Korea, centuries of farming point to the future for sustainable agriculture
Indonesian miners eyeing EV nickel boom seek to dump waste into the sea
Groundbreaking research rewrites Australia’s ancient history
First discovered deep creatures called Elvis worms – four new species
Caltrans to plant native trees under agreement for Niles Canyon project
Extinction of threatened marine megafauna would lead to devastating loss in functionality
Coal industry will never recover after COVID pandemic
Ancient rocks show high oxygen levels on Earth two billion years ago
Wildlife Services to cut back killings pending environmental review
Five new and rare little brown frog species discovered in China’s Yunnan near Myanmar
Historic land swap to benefit endangered species and mining finalized
US fund that supports Sumatran rhino research faces deep cuts
15,000 endangered turtles were smuggled to China, confiscated by Mexico
Moved from temple ponds to the wild, black softshell turtles walk towards revival
Conservation group cries foul over logging old-growth forest in Caycuse River watershed
3 billion people could live in places as hot as the Sahara by 2070 unless we tackle climate change
World’s biggest wealth fund dumps $3billion in fossil fuels
Naga tribes of Myanmar face loss of land and forest under new law
Equinor, Shell and Total sign off on building world’s first carbon capture network
Archaeologists uncover a lost world and extinct ecosystem
Legendary entomologist Terry Erwin passes away at age 79
New Tesla battery poised to reshape auto economics
Climate change is contributing to skyrocketing rates of infectious disease
Michigan adds invasive marbled crayfish to prohibited species list
Bizarre new species of parasitic fungi discovered on Twitter
Gender-based violence shakes communities in the wake of forest loss
To get COVID relief, companies in Canada will have to disclose climate impacts
Australia’s NSW south coast residents battling to save unburnt bushland ask Susan Ley to intervene
Happy heap of mountain gorillas sprawl in glade
Aircraft to spray invasive moths in northwest Washington

Conservation News ~ 15 May 2020

5/15/2020

Climate tipping point ecosystem collapses may come faster than thought
Canada’s Calgary Zoo to return to giant pandas after bamboo supply disruption
Scientists warn Congress against declaring biomass burning carbon neutral
Wildearth Guardians score big protections for wildlife in Montana
Watchdog demands prober after energy secretary admits White House pressed Feds to give oil companies access to Covid funds
UNEP steps up work on zoonotics, protecting environment to reduce pandemic risks
Most remarkable wildlife comeback across Europe
Outcry as loggers gut Cambodian reserve
Park rangers release 840 tortoise hatchlings from natural nests
White House’s executive order seeks controversial overhaul of seafood industry
2 critically endangered hirola calves were born at Kenyan sanctuary
200 escaped goats hoof it through California neighborhood
Drop in pollution may bring hotter weather and heavier monsoons
New worm species with jewel-like scales discovered in deep ocean darkness
Plant-based protein industry raises $741 million in investments during Covid
UK doctors urge public to go vegan to prevent future pandemics
AOC to co-chair Biden-Sanders campaign climate task force
Indigenous group wins case over illegal tree harvest
Scientists successfully develop ‘heat resistant’ coral to fight bleaching
State, tribe to suspend coal sales from US lands
At least $72 million in Coronavirus bailout loans went to big oil and gas companies
Large indigenous territories are necessary for culture and biodiversity in Brazil
Cambodian firm accused of creating a ‘monopoly in the timber business’
Coal snags $31 million in US stimulus loans for small business
Judge temporarily blocks White House’s California water plan
DOW sends letter to USFWS notifying them they are violating enviro laws by harvesting horseshoe crabs
Marine life declines for another year in contested, overfished South China sea
Microplastics discovered blowing ashore in sea breezes
Paris has a plan to keep cars out after lockdown
Invasive lake trout population declines in Yellowstone
Basin Fire burning 10,000 acres in critical tortoise habitat
Alaskan rainforests are a global lichen hotspot
Beetle penis field investigations lead to new species discovery in Norway
Federal Judge – pipelines must not cross streams without considering endangered species
Record global carbon dioxide concentrations despite Covid crisis
Pittsburgh region is a hotspot for air pollution and Covid deaths
Indonesia moves to end smallholder guarantee meant to empower palm oil farmers
Pollution returns to Houston, as coronavirus restrictions loosen
Lockdown could be the death of bullfighting in Spain
New proposed legislation aims to help at-risk farmers switch from animal to plant-based agriculture
WildEarth Guardian have sued Arch Coal over illegal pollution at West Elk coal mine
Coral reef resilience key to support the underwater cities threatened by climate change
Australian company just planted over 1000 Coral Reefs during Covid
Rhino killed as poaching attempts increase amid India virus lockdown
The largest solar project in the US gets green light
Edie Falco speaks out against NY Governor’s $25 million dairy bailout
The coronavirus is halting conservation programs and the impact could be devastating
New test identifies lobster hybrids
Land purchase finalized to prevent Everglades oil drilling
Mexican Spotted Owls still thriving in area burned by museum fire
Indonesia moves to end smallholder guarantee meant to empower palm oil farmers
Indonesian environmental poet and Dayak leader Yohanes Terang dies
Entomologist Terry Erwin passes
First biologist to study seahorses in the wild announced winner of the Indianapolis Prize
US fossil fuel giants set for a coronavirus bailout bonanza
As oil prices plummet, call to nationalize industry rises
WildEarth Guardians and partners have petitioned the Washington Fish and Wildlife commission for rules limiting wolf kills
US Beef industry stands to lose more than $13 billion due to COVID
More than 13k pounds of trash collected at Florida Beach just weeks after it reopened
White House is reversing nearly 100 environmental rules
COVID lockdowns are significantly impacting global air quality
Reports suggest the White House is moving forward with a legal draft to mine the moon
In the deep, dark, ocean fish have evolved superpowered vision
Post COVID, there’s no way back for Canada’s tar sands
Yet another state quietly moves to criminalize fossil fuel protests amid coronavirus
Canadian company positions for mining ban lift in Argentine province
Brian May urges Boris Johnson to tax meat to prevent pandemics
A 50% drop in meat and dairy consumption prevents 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gases
The emergence of heat and humidity too sever for human tolerance
Endangered pangolins for sale on Facebook amid potential link to coronavirus
Three new species of fishes found in Western Ghats
NC Zoo announces birth of five American red wolf pups
As COVID batters fishery, Indonesia’s sharks get a respite
White House signs Executive Order that will accelerate corporate ocean pollution
Coronavirus fears as China plans to entrench vast mink and fox fur industry
With the world distracted, the Amazon rainforest continues to burn
Rare blue dragons are washing up on the Padre Island National Seashore
Colorado AG, top water quality regulator vow to challenge new Clean Water Act rule
Kenya registers two rhino births
Amazon deforestation increases for 13th straight month in Brazil
Sri Lanka’s marbled rock frog may not be on brink of extinction
Garter snakes form surprisingly strong, human like friendships
Fishing can disrupt mating systems
Scientists discover bizarre-looking rock-like new species of Mata Mata turtle
Activists challenge Indonesia deregulation bill that threatens environment
Human-driven pollution alters the environment even underground
Judge rules lawsuit can proceed against Federal Bear baiting
Ninth circuit sides with Pentagon in case pitting Okinawa base and Dugongs
Insects decline on land, fare better in water
Brazil opens 38,000 square miles of indigenous lands to outsiders
World lost forest the size of Libya since 1990
Conservation groups file suit to block killing of coyote populations in Idaho
Indonesia lifts export ban on baby lobsters aimed to protect wild populations
Two bears were fatally hit by cars on the same freeway within 24 hours
Whale found tangled and trapped in rope dies at salmon farm
Workers face dilemma at Freeport’s Grasberg mine
Protestors gather to stop construction of Brevard Dollar General Store to save endangered species
White House denies Endangered Species protection for Pacific Fisher
Endangered bats are evolving to fight off an exotic fungal disease

Conservation News ~ 8 May 2020

5/8/2020

Three new species of Buthus-Scorpions discovered
Dan Nicholas Parks Red Wolves have babies
Massive erosion likely due to hydropower dam causes oil spill on Ecuador’s Coca River
The EPA just refused to reduce levels of soot during a pandemic made worse by air pollution
Elizabeth Warren backs Cory Booker’s bill to shut down factory farms
Pakistan hires thousands of newly-unemployed laborers for ambitious 10 billion tree-planting initiative
Discovering a new salamander, the Hickory Nut Gorge green
Amid Coronavirus lockdown, a spike in illegal logging in Tunisia
America’s renewable energy sources have produced more electricity than coal every day for 40 days straight
Authorities seize record 26 tons of illegal shark fins in Hong Kong
Dayak women of Indonesia resist gender inequality exacerbated by palm oil production
Journalist arrested for reporting on palm oil tycoon’s alleged land grab
Fracking effort closes in on impoverished Colombian communities
Forest clearing proceeds for dam in Sumatra despite locals’ land claim
St Louis becomes third US City to adopt bold standards to slash energy waste from building owners
Conservation in crisis: ecotourism collapse threatens communities and wildlife
Ricky Gervais- Pandemics come from eating things you fucking shouldn’t
Snow loss fueling harmful algal blooms
Lawmakers officially introduce bill to ban New York’s wet animal markets
As calls to shutter wildlife markets grow, China struggles with an industry worth billions
Germany’s Merkel wants green recovery from coronavirus crisis
Mulberry just banned exotic animal skins
Warren Buffett regrets $10bn bet on oil
Aiming for conservation and development in a corner of Mexico’s Mayan jungle
Arctic Edmontosaurus lives again: a new look at the ‘caribou of the Cretaceous’
New freeze-resistant trichinella species discovered in wolverines
Promiscous treatment of nature will lead to more pandemics
Two endangered species born at Buttonwood Park Zoo
Poachers kill more rhinos as coronavirus halts tourism to Africa
Whale that washed ashore in Ventura County towed out to sea
Researchers miss out on sperm whale superpod in Sri Lanka amid pandemic
‘Extinct’ toad rediscovery offers hope amid amphibian apocalypse
Former slaughterhouse workers will be trained to make vegan meat
As visitors vanish, Madagascar’s protected areas suffer a devastating
3 coal companies with ties to White House got $28 million in covid stimulus funds
Brazil sacks officials who curbed deforestation on Amazon indigenous lands
Painstaking mapping initiative helps indigenous Peruvians defend their land
Green recovery can revive virus-hit economies and tackle climate change
Climate journalism honored at Pulitzers
Thailand’s turtles have built the most nests in 20 years – on deserted beaches
3 new species of horned frogs discovered in NE India
Newly discovered ancient plant captures snapshot of evolution
Endangered Nashville crayfish native is the latest target of endangered species rollbacks
Lawsuit filed over Humboldt Marten endangered species listing
Rare Island Marble butterfly wins Endangered Species protections
Siberian wildfires have burned an area more than three times the size of Delaware
Women in Taiwan lead fight for green energy, less food waste
White killer whale seen in the Monterey Bay
SA Barbara Creecy gives go-ahead for mining on 10 Western Cape beaches
Plastics Industry request $1 billion bailout from Fed
Plant geneticists unravel key to pesky pigweed’s resistance to glyphosate
Officials in Charleston, SC have endorsed $2 billion plan to wall off historic downtown
In another significant ruling for Right Whales, a federal judge rules that Massachusetts is violating law
IUCN adds to voice to 108 organizations around the Globe urging end to harmful fisheries subsidies
More than 80% of Indian Ocean dolphins may have been killed by commercial fishing
Green stimulus can repair global economy and climate
Tiny pair of world’s smallest cat breed born in UK
In rare sighting, pod of dolphins spotted off Israel’s southern shores
Two new species of Streptanthus species discovered in California
As bioethanol demands rises, biodiversity will fall in Brazil’s Cerrado region
Huge flock of sheep overruns street during coronavirus lockdown in Turkey
One in four tree deaths in Blue Ridge mountains linked to invasive species
Llama antibodies could help treat COVID
Intensive farming increases risk of epidemics
Upstate Forever awarded $3.9 million USDA funding partnership grant
Nicaragua failing to protect indigenous groups from land grabs
North Pole’s largest-ever ozone hole finally closes
Invasive Asian Beetle infesting trees across New York State
Towering redwoods shown to buffer to climate change
Patricia Medici, won a Whitley Award for her work on Tapirs
Devastating simulations say sea ice will be completely gone in Arctic summers by 2050
Animal-rights groups demand fur ban as mink test positive for COVID
First brown bear for 150 years seen in national park in northern Spain
We Energies officials announce arrival of 1st peregrine falcon chicks of 2020 season
In Panama, ‘silvopasture’ ranching improves profits, sustainability, and biodiversity
Asian Giant Hornets invading Washington state, pose numerous threats to US
$300M clean energy fund to back fossil fuel hydrogen projects
Three new species of horned frogs discovered from the forests of Northeast India
Giant Panda gives birth at Dutch Zoo
Endangered Tigers face growing threats from an Asian road-building boom
Brazil to weaken environmental safeguards amid increase in deforestation
Rare pink dolphins spotted off Koh Phangan
As oil industry swoons, tar sands workers look to renewables for jobs
Rays, sharks, and dolphins enjoy new freedom as humans retreat from the oceans
Before becoming frozen wasteland, Antarctica was home to frogs
Diamond Offshore Drilling files for bankruptcy
Satellite imagery is helping to detect plastic pollution in the ocean
US delays oil pipeline approvals after environmental ruling
Iceland’s hunt for Minke’s whales has officially ended
Despite no tourism income, this Philippine community still guards its environment
Critics say Border Wall still going up when they can’t protest
Florida farmers are selling directly to consumer to avoid produce dumps
Colorado outlaws cruel and unsporting wildlife killing contests
Wolf killing faces 500k euro fine in Flanders
Judge vacates oil and gas leases on 145,000 acres in Montana
Unexpected burst of orange poppies in Mojave desert seen from space
From Sri Lankan rainforest, an unknown species of orchid has been described
LED lights halve unwanted fish in nets
USFWS agrees to accept petition to list dunes lizard as endangered
Latino civil-rights group calls for meat boycott to protect workers from COVID
Costa Rican suburb gave citizenship to bees, plants, and trees
Alarm over deaths of bees from rapidly spreading viral disease
Extra protections for endangered whales off California coast
Endangered Species Act protection sought for Bumblebee species

Conservation News ~ 24 April 2020

4/24/2020

Group alleges that EPAs COVID enforcement policy violates the ESA
Images from a dropped phone reveal the ugly truth behind Bonobo trafficking
Milan’s plant to limit cars after COVID lockdown lauded as Excellent Example
Toxic air over London falls by 50% at busiest traffic spots
Colombia want to plant 180 million trees
Satellite data show Amazon rainforest likely drier, more fire-prone this year
Forest fires in Indonesia set to add toxic haze to COVID woes
Manila gets its skyline back as air quality improves amid COVID
Pandemic shutdown is speeding up the collapse of coal
As oil plummets, climate activists say now is the time to mobilize for a Green New Deal
Once-in-a-millennium megadrought is happening now in the Western United States
Sweden becomes the third European country to close its last coal power plant
Baby rhino rescued in Assam’s Haziranga
Rice genetically engineered to resist heat waves can also produce up to 20% more grain
USF researchers tested 2,500 fish 10 years after Deepwater – there was oil in all of them
Supreme Court rules beaches can be protected from sewage that flows underground
In famed Chico Mendes reserve, Brazil nut harvesters fight to save the forest
Baby leatherback sea turtles thriving due to COVID beach restrictions
Clemson study finds winter cover crop mix improves crop productivity
Astronomers find formula for subsurface oceans in exomoons
International coalition urges scientists to leave animals out of COVID research
Publix is buying excess milk and produce from farmers and donating it to food banks
Summer’s bushfires released more carbon dioxide than Australia does in a year
Tyson shuts down largest pork factory amid COVID
With fishing fleets tied up due to COVID, marine life has a chance to recover
The US Court of International Trade ruled in favor to protect the endangered Vaquita
Thousands of acres of fruit and veggies are being left to rot in Florida fields
California delivers blow to White House’s plan for extinction in Bay-Delta
COVID underscores urgency of holistic community-based approaches to conservation
New study predicts the ocean ecosystem will collapse this decade
Ice-free Arctic summers now very likely even with climate action
American Robins now migrate 12 days earlier than in 1994
South Korea to implement Green New Deal after ruling party election win
WHO developing guidance on wet markets
Coca-cola and Pepsi falling short on pledges over plastic
Before the next pandemic, an ambitious push to catalog the 1.67 million viruses thought to exist in wildlife
Canada Goose is ditching virgin fur for good
Microplastics found for first time in Antarctic ice where krill source for food
On the brink of a coal boom, Papuans ask who will benefit
New species from the abyssal ocean hints at incredible deep sea diversity
Fight against Amazon destruction at stake after enforcement chief fired
Citi vows to stop working with thermal coal-mining companies
New ethane-munching microbes discovered at hot vents
Air pollution may be key contributor to COVID
Lewis MacAdams, famed crusader for the LA River, dies at 75
Lions reclaim territory shut down by COVID
The government is forcing airlines to fly nearly empty planes to get bailout money
Poachers kill 3 near-extinct giant ibises amid COVID pressure in Cambodia
Panic buying amid pandemic drives scarcity in medicinal herbs in Sri Lanka
Thailand’s captive elephants face starvation amid COVID tourism freeze
China’s pangolin black market exposed in bombshell David Attenborough investigation
Amazon invests $10 million to help conserve forests as part of climate change plan
ORNL researcher helps discover new species of cave snail
New species of wood snake emerges in the Western Ghats mottled in grey-brown
Bonnet Carre Spillway harms sea turtles, manatees and other endangered species
Scientists uncover principles for self-assembly
For first time ever, oil futures go below zero
Akagera Park loses one of five black rhinos from European zoos
Photos of wild tiger cubs in Thailand rekindles hope for species
COVID lockdown boosts numbers of Thailand’s rare sea turtles
NRDC and partners sue after EPA gives pass to polluters during pandemic
24 firms in China exposed for using endangered Leopard bones in traditional medicine
Four new species of beetles identified in Sri Lanka
Extinction of threatened megafauna would lead to huge loss in functional diversity
Fog Harp harvests water even in the lightest fog
New species of tiny blenny could explain origins of Hawaiian endemic fish
Judge – Endangered Species habitat on Big Island must be protected
COVID freezes research, threatening endangered species
Rare Snow Leopard pair spotted in Uttarakhand’s Nanda Devi
Camera trap provides first-ever official record of the critically endangered Sumatran tiger in Batang Angkola forest