Have conservationists become too pessimistic for their own good—and the good of their cause? Tad Lo waterfalls in Laos. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Here's a challenge: take a conservationist…
This is the first part of series examining the impact of forest loss on Siberian tigers. Part II discusses in more detail what their shrinking habitat and low numbers may…
Around 100,000 elephants were killed by poachers for their ivory on the African continent in just three years, according to a new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy…
Tropical rainforest. Photos by Rhett Butler. Since 2008 Norway has been the single largest foreign donor to tropical forest conservation, putting more than 10 billion Norwegian Krone, or $1.6 billion,…
Bornean orangutan in Indonesia. August 19 is World Orangutan Day, a designation intended to raise awareness about the great red ape, which is threatened by habitat loss, the pet trade,…
Increased tree cover in Chile is due in large part to expansion of wood fiber farms At first glance, the statistics tell a hopeful story: Chile’s forests are expanding. According…
The only believed drawing of an Oceanic parrot (Eclectus infectus) from life made in 1793 in Tonga. Illustration by: Unknown. In a recent update of the IUCN Red List, scientists…
At around 7-8 cm long, the Mount Mabu pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon maspictus) is a relatively large species. Its name comes from the Latin for ‘painted man’, reflecting the striking green,…
Indonesia now has the highest deforestation rate in the world, topping even Brazil which has more than five times the natural forest cover. Background photo: rainforest in Sumatra. The Indonesian…
Protesters in Bali in June 2014. Photo by Anton Muhajir. In a reversal sparking outrage from locals, and concern from environmentalists, the Governor of Bali, Indonesia has given the green…
Russian 'intact forest landscape' loses 100,000 hectares in 12 years due in part to FSC-certified timber companies Russia’s trees fuel our increasing demand for wood-based products. The country’s vast forests,…
Forest conversion for an oil palm plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. Photos by Rhett Butler. U.S. food giant ConAgra has adopted a new sourcing policy that will exclude palm oil produced…
Reported kills for 2014 in Riau Province reached 22 by June, surpassing 2013 numbers by 63 percent There has been a spike in elephant deaths in Sumatra this year, and…
Forest and soybean fields in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Photos by Rhett Butler. Soy consumption in China and Europe is having significant ecological impacts in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso,…
Forest fires displacing wildlife, endangering human lives across Southeast Asia Every year, thousands of hectares of Indonesian forest are illegally burned by development companies. However, Indonesia’s Minister of Environment, Balthasar…
An illegal oil palm plantation established within a protected forest area in Sumatra, Indonesia. Photos by Rhett Butler. Seven palm oil giants have agreed to fund a study that will…
Nearly a quarter of two reserves' forest cover lost within the last 13 years In southeastern Nicaragua, abutting the coastal Caribbean town of Bluefields, lie two nature reserves - Cerro…
Illegal gold mining operation in Aceh, Indonesia. Photo by Junaidi Hanafi. The Governor of Aceh Province, Indonesia appears unwilling to implement a mining moratorium, despite repeated statements he intends to…
Researchers urge increased conservation attention for invertebrates, fragmented habitats A team of scientists from the United States and Germany has recently described seven new species of Malagasy giant pill-millipede. All…
Malayan tapir caught on camera trap in Khlong Saeng Wildlife Sanctuary. The Malayan tapir is listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. Photo by: Bruce Kekule. If someone…
Everyone knows the tiger, the panda, the blue whale, but what about the other five to thirty million species estimated to inhabit our Earth? Many of these marvelous, stunning, and…
Tropical rainforest. Photo by Rhett A. Butler. Governors from 13 states have pledged to reduce deforestation 80 percent by 2020 provided rich companies step forward with adequate levels of financial…
Peru lost nearly a quarter-million hectares of forest in 2012 In 1988, when British environmentalist Norman Myers first described the concept of a “biodiversity hotspot” - an area with at…
Shark fins are usually sliced off the animal while its still alive. Photo by: WildAid/Hilton. Shark fin demand has dropped precipitously in China in just a few years, according to…
Elephants in Namibia. Photos by Rhett A. Butler. Marking World Elephant Day, a designation intended to raise awareness about the plight of elephants that are being widely poached for the…
People from local communities may provide information on area wildlife that is as accurate, cheaper than traditional scientific assessments Figuring out what species live in a given area is important…
Shipment of Malagasy rosewood intercepted in Sri Lanka in early April 2014. Courtesy of Sri Lanka Customs. Voluntary guidelines established by the Chinese government won't be enough to curb rampant…
Deforestation for palm oil production in Riau, 2014. Photo by Rhett Butler. Half of the oil palm plantations in Sumatra's Riau Province are illegal, said Indonesia's top forestry official. Speaking…
BuDS method disperses eelgrass seeds, maintains genetic diversity Seagrass meadows form important parts of many ocean ecosystems, but is disappearing due to human impacts. However, a study published recently in…
Singkil Swamp Forest Wildlife newly burned for palm plantations in Trumon, South Aceh District, Aceh. Photo: Chik Rini. Oil palm plantations and other developments are threatening Rawa Singkil Wildlife Preserve—Aceh's…
