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EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By John R. Platt
A few months ago a group of scientists warned about the rise of "extinction denial," an effort much like climate denial to mischaracterize the extinction crisis and suggest that human activity isn't really having a damaging effect on ecosystems and the whole planet.
19th-century drawings of orchid species recently declared extinct in Bangladesh.
<p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/123423283/123424374" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smooth handfish (<em>Sympterichthys unipennis</em>)</a></strong><strong> </strong>— One of the few extinctions of 2020 that received much <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/smooth-handfish-extinction-marks-a-sad-milestone/" target="_blank">media attention</a>, and it's easy to see why. Handfish are an unusual group of species whose front fins look somewhat like human appendages, which they use to walk around the ocean floor. The smooth species, which hasn't been seen since 1802, lived off the coast of Tasmania and was probably common when it was first collected by naturalists. Bottom fishing, pollution, habitat destruction, bycatch and other threats are all listed as among the probable reasons for its extinction. Even though the local fishery collapsed more than 50 years ago, the remaining handfish species are still critically endangered, so this extinction should serve as an important wake-up call to save them.</p><p><a href="https://therevelator.org/plant-species-extinct-america/" target="_blank"><strong>65 North American plants</strong></a> — This past year researchers set out to determine how many plants in the continental United States had been lost. They catalogued 65, including five small trees, eight shrubs, 37 perennial herbs and 15 annual herbs. Some of these had been reported before, but for most this is the first time they've been declared extinct. The list includes <a href="https://therevelator.org/extinction-hotspot-appalachia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Marshallia grandiflora</em></a>, a large flowing plant from the American Southeast that was declared its own species this past year. Too bad it was last seen in 1919 (and has been confused with other species for even longer).</p>The original Marshallia grandiflora holotype. Smithsonian NMNH / Creative Commons
<p><strong></strong><strong>22 frog species</strong> — The IUCN this year declared nearly two dozen long-unseen Central and South American frog species as "critically endangered (possibly extinct)" — victims of the amphibian-killing <a href="https://therevelator.org/extinct-frogs-golden-goose/" target="_blank">chytrid fungus</a>. They include the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/56423/109538689" target="_blank">Aragua robber frog (<em>Pristimantis anotis</em>)</a>, which hasn't been observed in 46 years, and the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54542/109529302" target="_blank">Piñango stubfoot toad (<em>Atelopus pinangoi</em>)</a>, which mostly disappeared in the 1980s. A single juvenile toad observed in 2008 leads scientists to say this species "is either possibly extinct or if there is still an extant population, that it is very small (<50 mature individuals)."</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54498/54340769" target="_blank">Chiriqui harlequin frog (<em>Atelopus chiriquiensis</em>)</a> and <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/55201/54344718" target="_blank">splendid poison frog (<em>Oophaga speciosa</em>)</a> </strong>— Last seen in 1996 and 1992, these frogs from Costa Rica and Panama fell victim to the chytrid fungus and were declared extinct in December.</p><p><strong><a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-09-mite-extinctions-natural.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">15% of mite species</a> </strong>— This requires a lot more research, but a paper published this past August announced "evidence of widespread mite extinctions" since the year 2000 following similar disappearances of plants and vertebrates. Mites may not look or sound important, but they play key roles in their native ecosystems. If 15% of the world's 1.25 million mite species have been lost, we're talking more than 8,300 extinctions — a number the researchers predict will continue to rise.</p><p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ibi.12839" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Simeulue Hill mynas</strong></a> — An alarming paper called this an "extinction-in-process" of a previously undescribed bird that probably went extinct in the wild in the past two to three years due to overcollection for the songbird trade. A few may still exist in captivity — for now.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>17 freshwater fish from Lake Lanao, Mindanao, the Philippines </strong>— A combination of predatory invasive species, overharvesting and destructing fishing methods (such as dynamite fishing) wiped these lost species out. The IUCN this year listed 15 of the species as "extinct" following extensive searches and surveys; the remaining two as "critically endangered (possibly extinct)." The predators, by the way, are still doing just fine. Here are the 15 extinct species:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18888/90996412" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes disa</em></a> — last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15634/90997535" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes truncatulus</em></a> – last seen in 1973.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4135/90997158" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes pachycheilus</em></a> – last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15633/90997194" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes palaemophagus</em></a> – last seen in 1975.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18882/90996027" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes amarus</em></a> – Last seen in 1982.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18904/90997073" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes manalak</em></a> – Once a commercially valuable fish, last seen in 1977.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18886/90996370#assessment-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes clemensi</em></a> – last seen in 1975.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18889/90996574" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes flavifuscus</em></a> – last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18891/90996925" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes katolo</em></a> – last seen in 1977.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/20687/90997252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes palata</em></a> – last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18884/90996105" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes baoulan</em></a> — last seen in 1991.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18890/90996625" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes herrei</em></a> — last seen in 1974, when just 40 pounds' worth of fish were caught.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18892/90996974" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes lanaoensis</em></a> — last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12751/90997332" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes resimus</em></a> — last seen in 1964.</li><li><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18901/90997500" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Barbodes tras</em></a> — last seen in 1976.</li></ul>Some of the extinct species from Lake Lanao. Photo © Armi G. Torres courtesy IUCN.
<p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/17365/22123157" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bonin pipistrelle (<em>Pipistrellus sturdeei</em>)</a></strong><strong> </strong>— Scientists only recorded this Japanese bat one time, back in the 19th century. The IUCN listed it as "data deficient" from 2006 to 2020, a period during which its taxonomy was under debate, but a paper published in March <a href="https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4755.1.8" target="_blank">settled that issue</a>, and the latest Red List update placed the species in the the extinct category. The Japanese government itself has listed the bat as extinct since 2014.<strong></strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44792108/44798207" target="_blank"><em>Pseudoyersinia brevipennis</em></a> </strong>— This praying mantis from France hasn't been seen since 1860. Its declared extinction comes after some extended (and still unresolved) debate over its validity as a unique species.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/123986030/123986038" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Agave lurida</strong></em></a> — Last seen in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2001, this succulent was finally declared extinct in the wild this year after numerous expeditions searching for remaining plants. As the IUCN Red List notes, "There are only a few specimens left in <em>ex-situ</em> collections, which is a concern for the extinction of the species in the near future."</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136808736/137376234" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Falso Maguey Grande (<em>Furcraea macdougallii</em>)</a> </strong>— Another Oaxacan succulent that's extinct in the wild but still exists in cultivated form (you can buy these cacti online today for as little as $15). Last seen growing naturally in 1973, the plant's main habitat was degraded in 1953 to make way for agave plantations for mezcal production. Wildfires may have also played a role, but the species' limited distribution also made it easier to kill it off: "The restricted range of the species also made it very vulnerable to small local disturbances, and hence the last few individuals were easily destroyed," according to the IUCN.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/140416589/140416594" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Eriocaulon inundatum</em></a> </strong>— Last scientifically collected in Senegal in 1943, this pipewort's only know habitat has since been destroyed by salt mining.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/113204000/113309830" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Persoonia laxa</em></a> </strong>— This shrub from New South Wales, Australia, was collected just two times — in 1907 and 1908 — in habitats that have since become "highly urbanized." The NSW government still lists it as "<a href="https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=20230" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">presumed extinct</a>," but the IUCN placed it fully in the "extinct" category in 2020.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/147088627/149821996" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nazareno (<em>Monteverdia lineata</em>)</a> </strong>— Scientific papers declared this Cuban flowing plant species extinct in 2010 and 2015, although it wasn't catalogued in the IUCN Red List until this year. It grew in a habitat now severely degraded by agriculture and livestock farming.<strong></strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/113168368/185558142" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wynberg conebush<em> (Leucadendron grandiflorum)</em></a> </strong>— This South African plant hasn't been seen in more than 200 years and was long considered the <a href="https://wynbergresidents.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/remembering-a-lost-wynberg-flower/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">earliest documented extinction from that country</a>, although it only made it to the IUCN Red List recently. Its sole habitat "was the location of the earliest colonial farms," including vineyards.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/113166006/185559739" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Wolseley conebush (<em>Leucadendron spirale</em>)</strong></a> — Another South African plant, this one last seen in 1933 and since extensively sought after, including high <a href="https://www.proteaatlas.org.za/ldspir.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rewards</a> for its rediscovery. The IUCN says the cause of its extinction is unknown "but is likely the result of habitat loss to crop cultivation, alien plant invasion and afforestation." Oh yeah, and it probably didn't help that in 1809 a scientist wrote that the species possessed "<a href="https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/southern-africa/view/observation/545420/the-ugly-duckling-conebush-wolseley-conebush" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">little beauty</a>" and discouraged it from further collection.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/169838762/169838772" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Schizothorax saltans</strong></em></a> — This fish from Kazakhstan was last seen in 1953, around the time the rivers feeding its lake habitats were drained for irrigation. The IUCN did not assess the species before this past year.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/190888/1960457" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Alphonsea hortensis</em></a> </strong>— Declared "extinct in the wild" this year after no observations since 1969, the last specimens of this Sri Lankan tree species now grow at Peradeniya Royal Botanic Garden.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15006/22009211" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Lord Howe long-eared bat (<em>Nyctophilus howensis</em>)</strong></a> — This island species is known from a single skull discovered in 1972. Conservationists held out hope that it still existed following several possible sightings, but those hopes have now been dashed.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/126612397/126613386" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Deppea splendens</strong></em></a> — This IUCN declared this beautiful plant species "extinct in the wild" this year. All living specimens exist only because botanist Dennis Breedlove, who discovered the species in 1973, collected seeds before the plant's sole habitat in Mexico was <a href="https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=2209" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">plowed over</a> to make way for farmland. Now known as a "holy grail" for some gardeners, cultivated plants descended from Breedlove's seeds can be purchased online for as little as $16.95.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/54549/54358350" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pass stubfoot toad (<em>Atelopus senex</em>)</a> </strong>— Another Costa Rican chytrid victim, last seen in 1986.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/56782/54369332#threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Craugastor myllomyllon</em></a> </strong>— A Guatemalan frog that never had a common name and hasn't been seen since 1978 (although it wasn't declared a species until 2000). Unlike the other frogs on this year's list, this one disappeared before the chytrid fungus arrived; it was likely wiped out when agriculture destroyed its only habitat.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44791445/170111359" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spined dwarf mantis (<em>Ameles fasciipennis</em>)</a> </strong>— This Italian praying mantis was only scientifically collected once, in or around 1871, and never seen again. The IUCN says the genus's taxonomy is "rather confusing and further analysis need to be done to confirm the validity of this species." Here's what we do know, though: There are none to be found today, despite extensive surveys.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/140414966/140414986" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Scleria chevalieri</em></a> </strong>— This Senagalese plant, last seen in 1929, once grew in swamps that have since been drained to irrigate local gardens.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/33562/83804687" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hawai'i yellowwood (<em>Ochrosia kilaueaensis</em>)</a> </strong>— This tree hasn't been seen since 1927. Its rainforest habitat has been severely degraded by invasive plants and goats, as well as fires. It's currently listed as <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/5248" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">endangered</a> under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, but the IUCN declared it extinct this past year.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/38690/87708976#threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Roystonea stellate</em></a> </strong>— Scientists only collected this Cuban palm tree a single time, back in 1939. Several searches have failed to uncover evidence of its continued existence, probably due to conversion of its only habitats to coffee plantations.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/59376/54381158" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jalpa false brook salamander (<em>Pseudoeurycea exspectata</em>)</a> </strong>— Small farms, cattle grazing and logging appear to have wiped out this once-common Guatemalan amphibian, last seen in 1976. At least 16 surveys since 1985 did not find any evidence of the species' continued existence.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/126612753/126613426#assessment-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Faramea chiapensis</em></a> </strong>— Only collected once in 1953, this Mexican plant lost its cloud-forest habitat to colonialism and deforestation.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/31679/149812995" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Euchorium cubense</em></a> </strong>— Last seen in 1924, this Cuban flowing plant — the only member of its genus — has long been assumed lost. The IUCN characterized it as extinct in 2020 along with <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/35254/149816104#assessment-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Banara wilsonii</em></a>, another Cuban plant last seen in 1938 before its habitat was cleared for a sugarcane plantation.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/110097724/110113066#text-fields" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Aloe silicicola</em></a> </strong>— Last seen in 1920, this plant from the mountains of Madagascar enters the IUCN Red List as "extinct in the wild" due to a vague reference that it still exists in a botanical garden. Its previous habitat has been the site of frequent fires.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/157719927/89815479" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Chitala lopis</em></a> </strong>— A large fish from the island of Java, this species hasn't been seen since 1851 (although many online sources use this taxonomic name for other "featherback" fish species that still exist). It was probably wiped out by a wide range of habitat-degrading factors, including pollution, unsustainable fishing and near-complete deforestation around nearby rivers.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/140416686/140416698" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Eriocaulon jordanii</em></a> </strong>— This grass species formerly occurred in two known sites in coastal Sierra Leone, where its previous habitats were converted to rice fields in the 1950s.</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/152357598/154696297" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Amomum sumatranum</strong></em></a> — A relative of cardamom, this plant from Sumatra was only scientifically collected once, back in 1921, and the forest where that sample originated has now been completely developed. The IUCN says one remaining cultivated population exists, so they've declared it "extinct in the wild."</p><p><a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/115696622/115696628" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Lost shark (<em>Carcharhinus obsoletus</em>)</strong></a> — This species makes its second annual appearance on this list. Scientists <a href="https://therevelator.org/lost-shark/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">described this species in 2019</a> after examining decades-old specimens, noting that it hadn't been observed since the 1930s. This year the IUCN added the species to the Red List and declared it "critically endangered (possibly extinct)."</p>"Lost shark." Photo: PLOS One
<p><strong><em><a href="https://bioone.org/journals/the-bryologist/volume-123/issue-4/0007-2745-123.4.657/----Custom-HTML----iCora/10.1639/0007-2745-123.4.657.short?tab=ArticleLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cora timucua</a></em></strong><strong> </strong>— This lichen from Florida was just identified from historical collections through DNA barcoding. Unfortunately no new samples have been collected since the turn of the 19th century. The scientists who named the species this past December call it "potentially extinct" but suggest it be listed as critically endangered in case it still hangs on in remote parts of the highly developed state. They caution, however, that it hasn't turned up in any recent surveys.</p><p><strong><a href="https://allafrica.com/stories/202004190028.html?fbclid=IwAR33mKWioEaLjHXIBdJqOyB40tp90UA-DEi69IecBTMQ8SQUyt1fEOCGf4g" target="_blank">Dama gazelle (<em>Nanger dama</em>) in Tunisia</a> </strong>— This critically endangered species still hangs on in a few other countries, and in captivity, but the death of the last individual in Tunisia marked one more country in which the gazelle has now been extirpated and serves as a stark reminder to keep the rest from fading away.</p><p><em><a href="https://therevelator.org/author/john/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">John R. Platt</a> is the editor of The Revelator. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. He is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and the National Association of Science Writers. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/species-extinct-2020" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>.</em></p>- 503 New Species Identified in 2020, Including Endangered Monkey ... ›
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Drinking regular green tea is a lot like boiling kale and drinking the water. You get some of the nutrients, but most of it goes in the trash. With matcha tea, on the other hand, you consume the whole tea leaves and get all the nutrients. Plus, matcha is more nutrient-dense to begin with.
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<ul><li>Tested annually for pesticides and heavy metals like lead</li><li>Smooth mellow flavor with hints of chocolate, leafy greens, and snow peas</li><li>Small batch product made from hand-picked leaves<span class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></li></ul>MatchaBar Ceremonial Grade Matcha
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDkzODIwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDAxNjk3MX0.gcR7gkvP8zLaPQEOWVnrt4TpghTvWAgFvI1yilOj238/img.jpg?width=980" id="4336a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a1ae90855a0799a95c60e38a75fc27fa" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1346" data-height="1056" /><ul><li>Highest caffeine and antioxidant levels on the market, according to the brand</li><li>Small batch product that is hand blended </li><li>Graded by a certified Chasi tea master</li></ul>- 13 Herbs and Spices That Will Reduce Inflammation in Your Body ... ›
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Edinburgh Zoo May Have to Give up Giant Pandas Due to Budget Woes From Coronavirus, Brexit
The coronavirus pandemic may cost UK zoo visitors the only two giant pandas in the country.
Trending
By Malavika Vyawahare
Humans are driving species to extinction 1,000 times faster than what is considered natural. Now, new research underscores the extent of the planet's impoverishment.
A baby African elephant at Kruger National Park. Rhett A. Butler
A Bornean rhino. Jeremy Hance and Tiffany Roufs / Mongabay
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A new population of endangered blue whales has been hiding in the western Indian Ocean. According to NOAA, these gentle giants weigh up to 330,000 pounds and grow up to 110 feet long. The largest creature to have ever lived on Earth would seem hard to miss, but this group has been unknown to researchers – until now.
Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. NOAA
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Unless global food systems are transformed, the world could face severe ecological damage in just a few decades. A recent study in Nature Sustainability suggests that nearly 90% of land animals could lose some of their habitat by 2050 if current agricultural systems continue as is.
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By Karin Jäger
"They begin on a fall night, preferring the light of a full moon … Driven by the currents, they're pulled to the mouth of the river and out into the ocean," writes the WWF, rather poetically, of the European eel's long journey from the rivers of Central Europe to the far reaches of the Atlantic Ocean.
Think Beyond Borders to Protect Species
<p>When an animal crosses so many territories, how can it be protected? That's where the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS), sometimes known as the Bonn Convention, comes in. Every three years, the European Union and an additional 129 countries signed up to the CMS meet to discuss cross-border measures to protect eels and other animals on the move.</p><p>In February 2020, the convention met in Gandhinagar, India, where 10 migratory species, including the Asian elephant, jaguar and the oceanic whitetip shark, were added to the international wildlife treaty for the first time.</p><p>Nature's travelers face specific challenges, particularly as humans encroach more on animal habitat and carve up the landscape with roads and settlements, say experts. Wildlife needs to be taken into consideration at the planning stages of such infrastructure projects.</p><p>"Improving connections between habitats is important if we want to stop or even reverse extinctions," said Arnulf Köhncke, an ecologist with conservation group WWF. "You need to look at where an area cuts through as few migration routes and habitats as possible and plan and implement corresponding, cross-border (wildlife migration) corridors."</p><p>Such planning also requires cooperation between states.</p><p>Several bilateral agreements to protect migratory species already exist within the framework of the Bonn Convention. For instance, Chile and Argentina have committed to saving the endangered south Andean deer, which moves up and down the South American Andes, crossing through both countries as it does.</p>Unprecedented Global Biodiversity Loss
<p>Not all animals move across borders of their own accord. International trade in animals also requires international protection efforts. In the case of the eel, considered a delicacy from Europe to Asia, criminals smuggle young European "glass eels" in and out of countries, although international trade is strictly regulated under CITES, an international treaty governing trade in wildlife.</p><p>The trade is in animals caught in the wild. Breeding eels in captivity has so far proved impossible because of their complicated life cycle, which until recently, scientists still knew little about.</p><p>It's a lucrative gig and one that is driving down eel numbers. Although, the trade is regulated, enforcement is often lacking. People should avoid eating the animals, according to WWF. And we should avoid consuming too much fish and meat in general to halt species loss, says the conservation group.</p><p>Veronika Lenarz, who works with the secretariat of the Bonn Convention, agrees. But several major countries, like the USA, Russia and China, aren't party to the convention, while Japan refuses to sign up because of its whaling industry.</p><p>"We are in a crisis that threatens global biodiversity," said Lenarz.</p><p>In a major assessment of the world's wildlife published in September 2020, the UN warned of "unprecedented biodiversity loss" and said the global community had failed to fully achieve any of the 20 biodiversity targets set by the international organization 10 years ago.</p><p>While migratory animals are also impacted, not enough is known about many of the species to gauge to what extent. Researchers estimate there could be anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 migratory species, ranging from storks and butterflies, to dolphins and wolves.</p>Climate Change: An Ever-Present Threat
<p>Regions in which the climate is changing most rapidly and on a large scale present a particular danger for migratory species. The animals, following a deeply embedded evolutionary instinct, will search for seasonal habitats in search of food and shelter. However, food is increasingly scarce in these places due to climate change.</p><p>Some animals are adapting. Compared to 20 years ago, fewer migratory birds are flying to their wintering grounds. But because these nomads are dependent on the many different habitats they use as resting points on their journeys, they are more vulnerable than their settled counterparts. By staying put, they're also in increased competition for scarce winter food supplies.</p><p>And while animals can adapt, not many can keep up with the pace of climate change.</p><p>"Reports from the UN climate group IPCC show that only a few species can move with the speed of climate change. And often alternative habitats are already occupied by humans," said Köhncke from the WWF.</p><p>The climate crisis and species loss shouldn't be viewed as unrelated issues, because both are damaging to the planet, added Köhncke.</p><p>"Migratory species help to maintain life on Earth. They contribute to the structure and functions of ecosystems as pollinators and seed dispersers, deliver food to other animals and regulate the number of species," said Köhncke. </p>Creating Conditions to Thrive
<p>Ensuring the conditions for the survival of these species should be considered when planning measures for dealing with the consequences of climate change, he added, referring to the WWF study "Wildlife in a Warming World."</p><p>Published in 2018, the study found that around 50% of species in some of the world's key natural regions, such as the Amazon, could disappear if climate change continues unabated.</p><p>Reindeer for instance, some of which migrate in the northern hemisphere, are no longer able to find enough food. Usually in winter, the animals clear snow with their hooves to uncover the lichens and moss they feed on. But temperatures now vary wildly, causing snow to melt or fall as rain instead. When the ground cools again, ice forms and the reindeer cannot get to their grub. </p>Simple Solutions to Protect Endangered Species
<p>Looking to the example of Mexico, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has shown protecting endangered migratory species doesn't have to be complicated.</p><p>Industrial farming has contributed to the jaguar's habitat shrinking by 50% in South and Central America in the last century. As a result, they began roaming near villages looking for food and attacking villagers' dogs. People retaliated by killing them. The IFAW hired community members to build dog houses, meaning the canines are no longer out roaming at night when they could run into big cat predators.</p><p>However, with the global conservation failures of the past decade looming, all eyes will be on the UN Biodiversity Conference scheduled to take place in China in 2021 and whether it can pull off a plan for protecting migratory and non-migratory animals like.</p>- Monarch Butterflies' Migration Is at Risk but Plan Aims to Save It ... ›
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The New Guinea singing dog is a rare breed of dog that makes a unique howl similar to the song of a humpback whale. Sadly, however, scientists thought its call had been forever silenced in the wild.
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Two Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale Calves Are Spotted Off U.S. Coast
Like most of us, North Atlantic right whales have not had a very good 2020. First, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report found that there were no more than 366 of the critically endangered species left. Then, the first known baby born this calving season washed up dead on a North Carolina beach. But things are finally starting to look up.
<div id="9900e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0ed25edf946ea7dc6a9832ae46fa7b37"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1336048021696606211" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Great news! Yesterday, the second live right whale calf of the season was spotted (swimming with a pod of bottlenos… https://t.co/hjQzK7Ntrb</div> — NOAA Fish Southeast (@NOAA Fish Southeast)<a href="https://twitter.com/NOAAFish_SERO/statuses/1336048021696606211">1607373645.0</a></blockquote></div>
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The most polluted river in the world continues to be exploited through fishing practices that threaten endangered wildlife, new research shows.
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Trump Administration Rule Proposal Would Further Undermine Endangered Species Act
By Eoin Higgins
Environmental groups on Friday condemned the announcement of a new rule proposed by President Donald Trump that would further weaken the Endangered Species Act by making it easier to destroy habitats vulnerable species rely on for survival.