Sharks are taking a bite out of anglers’ catch in the Gulf of Mexico, but culling isn’t likely to help

Whether they’re going to cook a fish, have it mounted or just take a photo and then release it, anglers want more than a severed head. But with shark numbers rebounding, they’ve got competition.

James Marcus Drymon, Associate Extension Professor in Marine Fisheries Ecology, Mississippi State University • conversation
Aug. 20, 2024 ~9 min

Rat poison is moving up through food chains, threatening carnivores around the world

Modern rodenticides can kill rats with a single dose and readily pass up the food chain to larger carnivores. They are widely used and largely unregulated.

Meghan P. Keating, PhD Candidate in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Clemson University • conversation
Aug. 9, 2024 ~9 min


Oceans without sharks would be far less healthy – new research

A broad review of shark research shows that sharks play critical roles in keeping ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds healthy.

Michael Heithaus, Executive Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Education and Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
Aug. 1, 2024 ~8 min

Counter-drug strategies in Central America are worsening deforestation, threatening many species of birds

Central America’s forests are critically important habitat for many forest birds, including endangered species. Narco-traffickers are cutting down trees, leaving birds with nowhere to go.

Amanda D. Rodewald, Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University • conversation
July 23, 2024 ~7 min

Flirting with disaster: When endangered wild animals try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose

Conflicts between herders and the wild ancestors of their yaks, camels and reindeer are a serious threat to both people and wildlife, writes a scientist who has seen these clashes firsthand.

Joel Berger, Professor of Wildlife Conservation, Colorado State University • conversation
July 3, 2024 ~9 min

We’re using drones to map the temperatures of lizards and this could boost reptile conservation

New research documents how drones were used to track the temperatures of the Bay Islands anole lizard on the Honduran island of Utila.

Emma Higgins, Lecturer in Ecology, University of South Wales • conversation
June 20, 2024 ~6 min

Boat strikes are a major driver of whale strandings

New research digs into Increased whale strandings on the east coast of the United States, which remain a concern for biologists and citizens.

Gregory Filiano-Stony Brook • futurity
June 3, 2024 ~6 min

Returning a 170-year-old preserved lizard to Jamaica is a step toward redressing colonial harms

Not all reparations involve money. Returning unique scientific resources is also a way of showing respect and righting past harms.

Thera Edwards, Lecturer in Geography and Map Curator, The University of the West Indies • conversation
June 3, 2024 ~11 min


Otters use tools to protect teeth when prey is extra crunchy

Using tools like shells, rocks, and even trash allows sea otters to break apart larger prey without damaging their teeth, a new study shows.

Esther Robards-Forbes - UT Austin • futurity
May 20, 2024 ~5 min

New mapping could help protect one of the most endangered whales

A new study of North Atlantic right whales worldwide could help avoid harmful, even fatal, exposure to commercial fishing and vessel strikes.

Duke University • futurity
April 15, 2024 ~6 min

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