biodiversity

The most recent assessment of 14,669 threatened European plant and animal species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species has found that 19 percent are at risk of extinction. Some of the main reasons for the decline in biodiversity are habitat loss, changes in agricultural land use, overexploitation of […]

Often when we talk about the health implications of particular chemicals, the conversation tends to focus on the human impact, yet animals also suffer when harmful chemicals accumulate in their bodies and ecosystems.  A new map highlights how pervasive the problem is for wildlife around the world by showcasing the scientific evidence linking so-called flame-retardant […]

Large herbivores like elephants, moose and bison are some of the most recognizable and iconic species on the planet. But they’re not just impressive to look at — their consumption of plant matter and movement throughout the landscape provide great benefits to the ecosystems in which they live. In a new study, an international team […]

The threat of extinction and endangerment of species is accelerated by human activity like deforestation, hunting and pollution, as well as climate change and its various impacts like extreme weather and warming temperatures. A species’ importance to an ecosystem often isn’t noticed until it’s gone. When humans encroach on wild territory, we often disrupt the […]

Artificial light has made night streets safer for humans and is a convenience, but at what cost to wildlife? Artificial light at night (ALAN) can disrupt the circadian rhythm of wild animals, interfering with sleep and migratory patterns. It can lead species like moths, sea turtles and frogs dangerously astray and make animals more vulnerable […]

Two-thirds of the land-based biodiversity and 80 percent of the tropical forests in the world are located in three tropical forest basins: Congo, Amazon and Asia-Pacific. These rainforest ecosystems also provide the livelihoods for more than a billion people, a press release from WWF said. Last week, government officials and heads of state met for […]

An analysis of crops and croplands has found that 1.6 million acres of grasslands in the Great Plains of the U.S. and Canada were destroyed in just one year, in 2021. The amount of grassland plowed during this time is about the size of Delaware, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reported. The new Plowprint Report […]

A new editorial published in more than 200 health journals challenges health professionals and world leaders to look at global biodiversity loss and climate change as “one indivisible crisis” that must be confronted as a whole. The authors of the editorial call separating the two emergencies a “dangerous mistake,” and encourage the World Health Organization […]