Trump and his oil-and-coal oligarchy should face sanctions for their war on the environment
The ecological disasters of the US-Israel war with Iran are already bad enough. The noxious smoke from bombed oil facilities, spills in the Gulf’s waters, the contamination of farmland and groundwater with toxic chemicals unleashed by explosions and their debris, the millions of additional tons of CO2 spewed into the atmosphere.
Rewilding giants: captive elephants re-homed in Europe’s first sanctuary
Europe’s first large-scale elephant sanctuary, which is opening to offer a more natural environment for some of the 600 animals still held in captivity across the continent, is to receive its first arrivals. Portugal’s last circus elephant will be moved to the animal charity Pangea’s multimillion pound sanctuary in the Alentejo east of Lisbon close […]
‘Save Willy Act’ introduced in California to help save whales in Bay Area
In a move that will certainly tug on the heartstrings of anyone that grew up in the 90s, Representative Sam Liccardo (D-CA) and other co-sponsors have introduced the Save Willy Act, aiming to protect the whales who enter the San Francisco Bay. The bill’s appropriate name is inspired by the 1993 drama Free Willy, in […]
‘They know they’re safe’: beagles saved from US research facility after protests
Big Dog Ranch Rescue and the Center for a Humane Economy negotiated a confidential agreement to purchase the 1,500 dogs for an undisclosed price from Ridglan Farms, where police used teargas and pepper spray to repel activists trying to take beagles from the facility last month. Protesters also broke into the facility in March and […]
Plant-based diets cut climate impact by more than half, randomized clinical trial shows
As climate change accelerates and global temperatures continue to rise, a new randomized clinical trial provides compelling evidence that one of the most powerful climate solutions may be on our plates. A study published in Current Developments in Nutrition shows that adopting a low-fat vegan diet reduces diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 55% and cumulative […]
At ‘Sloth World’ in Florida, wild sloths have died by the dozens
The animals, highly susceptible to illness when removed from their habitat, have been kept in a warehouse. More than 31 have died. On a busy tourist strip in Orlando, behind noisy bars and souvenir shops, 21 sloths in crates reached the end of a grueling international trip. Soon, they would all be dead.
Freshwater fish migrations are disappearing across the planet
Many people are familiar with the epic migrations of zebras and wildebeest across the Serengeti, but some of our planet’s most important migrations happen out of sight. The dorado catfish travels thousands of miles from the Andes to the Amazon. In the Mekong River, the 650-pound Mekong giant catfish once migrated hundreds of miles upstream. […]
Is the Galápagos damselfish extinct?
A recent paper by Jack Stein Grove and Benjamin Victor revisits the evidence and concludes that the species is now likely extinct. The paper, published in the Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation, assembles historical records, ecological context, and decades of unsuccessful searches to argue that the absence is no longer plausibly explained by oversight.
Meet the shrimp that creates shockwaves hotter than the sun’s surface
This shrimp is no bigger than your thumb, and it’s a master of physics. Here’s how it manages to create shockwaves and flashes of light hotter than the Sun. The pistol shrimp looks, at first glance, like nothing special. It’s no longer than a few centimeters, and it spends the majority of its life tucked […]
For the first time in any legal system, a country has recognized the legal rights of insects
Municipalities in Satipo and Nauta, Peru, have approved ordinances that recognize native stingless bees as legal subjects with rights to exist, thrive, and be defended in court. It is the first time any country has granted legal rights to an insect species. The ordinances apply specifically to stingless bees of the Peruvian Amazon and their […]
‘God squad’ waives endangered species law to allow U.S. drilling in Gulf of Mexico
A US government panel exempted oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a move which critics say could doom a rare whale species and harm other marine life. The Endangered Species Committee—which had not convened in more than three decades—voted to approve the request for the ESA […]
Healthy alternative to fish breaks through the Korean market
By 2050 the global seafood shortage could reach 35 million tons, which is three times the current annual EU consumption, so the hunt is on for an alternative. The market is keen to develop alternatives that can make an impact commercially, while retaining a small environmental footprint and meeting consumer demand for healthy food.
