September 6th, 2012

Tigers, extinct? It’s not only possible, it’s likely, especially in the many nations that have yet to take action on behalf of this majestic animal.

A tiger with trap marks (Photo: Chris R. Shepherd, IUCN)

[Read more →]

March 12th, 2012

Our oceans, long taken for granted, are being stressed by pollution, over-fishing and climate change. Plastic gyres, swirling pools of plastic refuse, occupy several spots in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The largest one, in the North Pacific, is estimated to exceed the size of Texas….These linked, but disparate problems — pollution, unsustainable fishing practices, jobs at risk — won’t be solved easily. That’s why several environmental and conservation groups working around the globe have formed the Global Partnership for Oceans. The groups hope that together they can work to save the marine environment before human pressures cause natural fisheries to collapse.

[Read more →]

January 9th, 2012

In a story that gives new meaning to the phrase ‘slow and steady wins the race,’ a giant tortoise long thought extinct appears to be still alive on one of the Galapagos Islands.
Scientists have determined that the tortoise subspecies Chelonoidis elephantopus, thought to have disappeared nearly 150 years ago, may roam the northern reaches of the island of Isabela, several miles from the tortoise’s native island, Floreana.

[Read more →]

September 21st, 2010

Siberian tiger in the wild. (Photo: Julie Larsen Maher/Wildlife Conservation Society)

Their numbers are dropping and their habitat is shrinking. Now, new research co-authored by a group of the world’s foremost wildlife organizations and experts presents stark information about the few remaining tigers surviving in the wild. There are fewer than 3,200 tigers roaming free on the planet. Of those, only about 1,000 are breeding females.

[Read more →]

January 15th, 2010

By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

The polar bear is the high-profile furry face of animals threatened by climate change. With Arctic ice melting at an increasing pace — due to global warming — its range and habitat is disappearing.

But, the polar bear is just one of many species endangered by a warming planet and other man-made threats. Beyond the tragedy of extinction of a species is the chain reaction in the environment triggered by that loss.

That complex web of life that connects people, animals, plants and places is known as biodiversity, and is the underpinning of life on Earth. To raise awareness of its importance to the planet, the United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity.

Courtesy IUCN / Staghorn coral thicket © L De Vantier

[Read more →]

August 21st, 2009

By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

It’s not all about lions and tigers and bears, you know.

They are the familiar furry faces threatened with extinction, so they get a lot of time in the spotlight.

But where are the little-known endangered creatures, the ones that don’t get a lot of press? How about those at-risk species that aren’t so striking or noble, the ones that are downright odd – or ugly?

Thus, we turned to ARKive, a global initiative that gathers film, photos and audio of all the world’s animals, plants and even fungi to create a digital library. With their help, we’ve gathered a photo gallery of 10 slightly strange species that may be living on borrowed time. It’s time for their their 15 minutes of fame:

[Read more →]