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Updated: 1 hour 29 min ago

Natural World Heritage sites under growing threat, but bright spots remain

Sat, 11/10/2025 - 11:32
Many of these extraordinary places are increasingly at risk due to escalating climate change, invasive species, and and a lack of consistent funding to protect them. Jessica Beaudette, Visiting Scholar, Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Arizona State University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

And then there were none: Australia’s only shrew declared extinct

Fri, 10/10/2025 - 10:46
Australia’s only known shrew has been declared extinct. Its loss emphasises the need for national protection of Australia’s rare and unique wildlife. John Woinarski, Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Labor is close to a deal on environmental law reforms. There are troubling signs these will fall short

Fri, 10/10/2025 - 05:04
Labor is close to a deal on its environmental law reforms. Will they strong enough to protect nature? Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide Yung En Chee, Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Whiskers for warrens: why wombats have such whiskery snouts

Wed, 08/10/2025 - 03:54
Wombats’ whiskery noses help them snuffle for food, navigate burrows and sense friend or foe. Julie Old, Associate Professor in Biology, Zoology and Animal Science, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Why coral reefs damaged by blast fishing struggle to recover — even after decades

Fri, 03/10/2025 - 07:36
Blast-fished reefs are unlikely to recover naturally without human intervention. Satrio Hani Samudra, Data Manager, UCL Tries Blandine Razak, Researcher, School of Coral Reef Restoration, IPB University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From frog saunas to butterfly puddles: 8 ways to turn your homes into a wildlife refuge

Tue, 30/09/2025 - 19:23
Urban sprawl has forced native animals and humans to live close together. Here are eight ways to make your home a refuge for wildlife. Bethany Kiss, PhD Candidate, RMIT University Mark Jacques, Professor of Architecture, RMIT University. Director, Openwork Pty Ltd., RMIT University Sarah Bekessy, Professor in Sustainability and Urban Planning, Leader, Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group (ICON Science), RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

How to identify animal tracks, burrows and other signs of wildlife in your neighborhood

Mon, 29/09/2025 - 13:35
From snails to skunks, squirrels to cicadas, most of our neighbors are quiet and seldom interact with us, but they play important roles in the world. Steven Sullivan, Director of the Hefner Museum of Natural History, Miami University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As pine martens are reintroduced to south-west England, a new study shows why local people need to be involved

Tue, 09/09/2025 - 16:38
A new paper highlights the importance of assessing social feasibility before reintroductions of predators like pine martens take place to ensure success. Roger Auster, Lecturer in Environmental Social Science, Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Today more than ever, biodiversity needs single-species conservation

Mon, 08/09/2025 - 19:20
Climate stability and economic health depend on biodiversity. Yet this foundation is hardly mentioned as the federal government seeks to shore up Canada’s economic future. Chris Johnson, Professor of Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, University of Northern British Columbia Justina C. Ray, Adjunct professor, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Toronto Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What I’ve learned from photographing (almost) every British wildflower

Thu, 04/09/2025 - 13:29
The author, an obsessive plant hunter, has created a botanical resource for Britain like no other. Richard Milne, Senior Lecturer in Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’re still not measuring our reliance on nature as we rush to boost productivity

Tue, 26/08/2025 - 06:06
A healthy economy relies on healthy natural systems. But at the economic roundtable, this fact was all but absent. Michael Vardon, Associate Professor at the Fenner School, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Botanical time machines: AI is unlocking a treasure trove of data held in herbarium collections

Tue, 19/08/2025 - 06:08
Advances in imaging, text recognition and machine learning are transforming what can be done with collections of plants and fungi in herbaria and museums globally. Robert Turnbull, Senior Research Data Specialist, The University of Melbourne Joanne Birch, Senior Lecturer in the School of BioSciences, and Herbarium Curator, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Iran’s nature is under threat - here’s how better environmental stewardship can save it

Fri, 15/08/2025 - 15:47
Iran’s accelerating biodiversity crisis is a warning sign, but it does not exist in isolation. Shooka Bidarian, Media and Journalism Fellow, Sustainability and Climate at United Nations University Institute of Water Health and Environment, United Nations University Mark Maslin, UCL Professor of Earth System Science and UNU Lead for Climate, Health and Security, UCL Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The discovery of an extinct shelduck highlights the rich ancient biodiversity of the remote Rēkohu Chatham Islands

Wed, 13/08/2025 - 21:10
Many birds on Rēkohu Chatham Islands show how ‘island syndrome’ influences evolution – they are distinct but remain closely related to species on the mainland. Nic Rawlence, Associate Professor in Ancient DNA, University of Otago Alan Tennyson, Curator of Vertebrates, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Levi Lanauze, Chief executive of Hokotehi Moriori Trust, Indigenous Knowledge Pascale Lubbe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, University of Otago Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

My daily surveys suggest British earwigs are declining drastically

Mon, 11/08/2025 - 12:53
Cool autumns and dry springs could help earwig populations recover. John Murray, Senior Research Fellow, School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Research: Endemic anoa and babirusa show surprising resilience on small islands

Mon, 04/08/2025 - 04:04
Research genomic data shows that small island animal populations are more resilient than we thought. Sabhrina Gita Aninta, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Copenhagen Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Here’s how you can make your garden a safe and biodiverse space for urban wildlife

Thu, 31/07/2025 - 19:58
There is a wide range of simple actions anyone can take to regenerate and conserve biodiversity right at home. Ann Dale, Professor Emerita, Environment & Sustainability, Royal Roads University Sabrina Careri, Lab Manager and Senior Research Analyst, Ecological Design Lab, Toronto Metropolitan University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The giant cuttlefish’s technicolour mating display is globally unique. The SA algal bloom could kill them all

Wed, 30/07/2025 - 01:45
The SA government has convened an emergency meeting today to discuss taking cuttlefish eggs from the wild, due to the impending threat of the algal bloom which could wipe them out forever. Zoe Doubleday, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, University of South Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

‘Darkening’ cities is as important for wildlife as greening them

Tue, 29/07/2025 - 18:27
Our nights are getting brighter and we are all paying the price. Nick Dunn, Professor of Urban Design, Lancaster University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The golden oyster mushroom craze unleashed an invasive species – and a worrying new study shows it’s harming native fungi

Wed, 16/07/2025 - 16:00
Kits that help people grow their own golden oyster mushrooms at home may be one reason this nonnative species is now spreading in the wild. Aishwarya Veerabahu, Ph.D. Candidate in Botany, University of Wisconsin-Madison Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.