Author: Rachel Maddow

Herpetologist Brad Hollingsworth collects audio from a pond in the Santa Rosa Plateau using a small recording device.He retrieves an 18-hour memory card filled with sounds from birds, coyotes, and tree frogs.Hollingsworth analyzes the recordings with AI and confirms the red-legged frogs thrive while invasive bullfrogs remain absent. Red-Legged Frogs Face Decline Red-legged frogs, measuring 2 to 5 inches, once thrived along the California coast and Baja California.Gold Rush hunters and introduced bullfrogs decimated their population.Drought, development, and habitat loss further reduced their numbers, erasing 95% of their historical range in Southern California. Cross-Border Conservation Efforts In 2006, scientists discovered…

Boaters, fishermen, and swimmers across New England now share waters with great white sharks.Shark sightings in Maine have surged, though experts stress beachgoers face minimal risk of bites.White sharks often grow nearly 20 feet long, though most remain smaller. Local Fishermen Encounter Majestic Predators Clam digger David Lancaster used a drone to capture footage of a 12-foot shark near Scarborough beaches.He called the shark “magnificent” but warned swimmers to stay alert in the water. Great Whites Expand Their Range Northward Greg Skomal, a Massachusetts marine biologist, confirmed sharks now travel past Cape Cod into Maine and Canada.His team documented hundreds…

In late July, a ranger at Coquette Point in Queensland filmed a young cassowary struggling with fishing line in its beak.The bird tripped repeatedly over the line while trying to walk and forage, worsening the embedded hook.Ranger Stephen Clough said the cassowary belonged to a family that had begun approaching people for food. Human Interaction Increases Risk The flock’s habit of seeking human food prompted rangers to warn the public not to feed wildlife.Despite warnings, the young birds continued scavenging leftover bait and abandoned fishing gear.Rangers captured the injured cassowary, sedated it, and performed X-rays to assess internal damage. Fatal…

The Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and enforcement agencies launched Ops Bersepadu Khazanah in 2019.Director-General Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the initiative has achieved major results in combating wildlife crime.By July, authorities seized wildlife assets worth over RM39.3 million and detained 1,089 people in 778 cases.The operation involves Perhilitan, police, Customs, Forestry, Immigration, state agencies, and wildlife NGOs. High-Risk Species and Illegal Pet Trade Abdul Kadir said poachers target Malayan tigers, leopards, sun bears, and elephants for tusks and high black-market value.Poachers also capture monkeys, white-rumped shamas, siamangs, and slow lorises to sell as exotic pets.He reminded citizens…

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife tried to trap a mother black bear named Hope and her cub, Bounce.Officials linked Hope to at least a dozen home break-ins last month.On Wednesday evening, wildlife officers announced they planned to kill the mother bear to protect the cub.Officials later reversed their decision and decided to pursue non-lethal measures. Community Intervenes Neighbors confronted state wildlife officers the following day, shouting for them to leave.Hope and Bounce climbed a tree while officials stood below, looking up at the bears.The department initially classified Hope as a dangerous animal after repeated home break-ins.Ann Bryant, executive…

Kim Seung-ho surveys golden paddy fields from a small mountain, gazing toward North Korea’s distant horizon. He explains that artillery ceased decades ago, allowing nature to reclaim former military areas. The DMZ stretches 250 km across the Korean peninsula and remains 3.8 km wide. Despite its name, the zone remains heavily fortified, with landmines and military posts on both sides. South Korea’s National Institute of Ecology has cataloged nearly 6,000 species, including over 100 endangered animals. Wetlands shelter migrating cranes, and eastern mountains host Siberian musk deer and Asiatic black bears. Conservation Through Vigilance and Irony Kim leads a team…

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge will close part of the area for a planned prescribed burn. Burn Location and Scope Officials said the burn will cover land south of Highway 49 near the Doris Campground entrance. The fire will extend half a mile west along Highway 49 and move south into Doris Campground, affecting Loop A and semi-primitive camping areas. Temporary Closure for Safety Refuge officials prohibit entry to the affected areas during the burn. They expect to reopen the land at the end of the day when the burn finishes.

Artist Benjamin Von Wong creates a massive sculpture from plastic waste outside the United Nations in Geneva. The nearly six-metre piece, called the “Thinker’s Burden,” depicts a male figure atop Mother Earth, cradling a baby and clutching plastic bottles. A strand of DNA winds through the sculpture to highlight plastic’s health impacts. Volunteers help Von Wong add waste daily, showing the growing cost of inaction as treaty negotiations continue. Growing Installation Shows Urgency of Action Von Wong climbed the sculpture Monday to weave plastic bottles through the DNA and added a plastic toy car. By week’s end, he plans to…

Florida wildlife officials ask residents to help locate the rare rainbow snake, a nonvenomous species declining across the state. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) launched an initiative to collect sighting reports of rainbow snakes, which have become increasingly rare in recent decades. FWC research scientist Enge explained that each report provides critical data on the snakes’ current distribution and helps evaluate their health in Florida. Causes of Population Decline FWC attributes the rainbow snake’s decline to multiple factors, including its specialized diet. These semi-aquatic snakes primarily consume American eels, which also face decreasing numbers in Florida waters.…

Representatives from 185 countries will meet in Uzbekistan from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5, 2025. They will debate trade rules for sharks, African hornbills, hyenas, vultures, palm trees, and other threatened species. Delegates will vote to limit or ban international trade in animals and plants, including skins, heads, and fins. This session marks the 20th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Conference of the Parties happens every three years. It offers a chance to rein in the multibillion-dollar global wildlife trade. Trade remains the biggest threat to elephants, rhinos, tigers, and many other species.…