‘Death sentence’: Trump administration to open habitats of endangered species to logging and mining
The Trump administration repealed a crucial part of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), finalizing a new rule that will open habitats of imperiled wildlife to development, logging, mining, and other uses. For the last 50 years, the landmark environmental law included a broader understanding of the word “harm”, which ensured that not just the plants […]
Pacific gray whales facing ‘catastrophic’ die-off as climate crisis hits food supply
Climate change is driving a gray whale “catastrophic mortality event” in the Pacific Ocean as melting sea ice depletes food sources and the animals starve, environmental groups warn. Meanwhile, a range of other issues, like ship strikes, oil spills, microplastic pollution, algal blooms and Russian harvesting are also probably contributing to the die-off that has […]
Do bees have inner lives? Slow-motion video reveals bumblebee behavior similar to ‘liking’ or ‘disliking’
When bumblebees taste something good, they reach out their glossa—or insect tongue—for a while afterwards, almost as if they are licking their lips. And when they don’t like something, the insects will shake their heads and wipe their mouths. Scientists who captured the miniature facial expressions on slow-motion video say the behavior is consistent with […]
Israeli plant-based meat breaks into three major U.S. grocery chains
As the global plant-based meat industry continues to shrink, Israeli company Chunk Foods is making inroads into three of the most influential supermarket chains in the United States. The company, which produces whole-cut plant-based meat using a natural fermentation process, has entered three major U.S. grocery retailers for the first time.
Found an injured animal? Independent wildlife rescue fills gap in animal care
Down an unmarked gravel road in Chapin, through an acre of forest, Heather Cooper nursed a raccoon named Freddy at the wildlife rescue she started. Hit by a car near her house, Freddy, who can only move in circles due to neurological damage, would not have lived long if Cooper did not find him.
Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary evacuates cats after roof collapses during strong storm
Safe Haven’s cats includes several with special needs, including some with spinal injuries. Over 100 people came out to help at the sanctuary in the hour after they posted about the roof collapse. They offered a helping hand, signed up to foster the cats, and showed their support.
Indraloka Animal Sanctuary rescues 43 hens
Responding to an urgent call for help, Dr. Leslie Interlandi and a member of Indraloka’s veterinary team traveled to the facility, where a flock of hens needed immediate placement. Rescuers were informed that birds remaining at the facility by the end of the day would be slaughtered.
How campaigners beat industrial farming in Denmark’s ‘pig election’
For the home of Danish bacon, an ultra-intensive farming country that produces about 30m piglets a year—against roughly 60,000 human babies—it was a huge moment: a Danish government, seeking existential reform of Denmark’s most iconic industry.
Tribe’s lawsuit seeks to block federal agencies from removing wild horses near California-Nevada border
A Native American tribe is suing to halt a planned wild horse roundup on and around its reservation near the California-Nevada border because federal agencies have not completed legally required tribal consultations.
Helicopters dump 6,000 logs into rivers in the Pacific Northwest, fixing a decades-old mistake
For decades, river restoration in the Northwestern United States followed a simple rule: if you saw logs in the water, take them out. Clean streams were seen as healthy streams, fast-moving water was seen as optimal, and wood was treated like a “barrier” to natural processes, particularly those of the local fish.
How wild horses lost their ‘wild’ designation, and with it, their rights to water
Developers and state agencies have been working to fence herds out of planned developments—which, unfortunately for the horses—also contain their historic watering holes, which has forced the horses out of the hills and into urban neighborhoods. The situation recently came to a head after the federal government provided a formal go-ahead to construct fencing around […]
A New York City tourist staple could be going away after 160 years
Carriage rides in New York City are heavily regulated regarding how much the horses can work, but advocates for Ryder’s Law argue that these regulations are not enough to keep horses and people safe. The bill, introduced in 2024, would ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with alternative vehicles. A hearing on the bill is […]