Extinction
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
The vaquita population continues to dwindle, a seesaw spans the U.S.–Mexico border, and Benjamins outnumber Washingtons.
Indigenous Communities Are Better at Preserving Biodiversity, Research Shows
A new study adds to research showing concrete links between Indigenous rights to land and sustainable conservation.
A New Study Finds That Cutting Down One Forest Can Make Neighboring Forests Hotter
These temperature rises can also lead to local extinction of the native species living in those regions.
What We Know and Don't Know About the State of Insect Populations in the U.S. and Europe
Despite the fact that insects make up most of the species on Earth, and much of the planet's biomass, they are significantly understudied compared to mammals, birds, fish, and much else.
What Happens When an Animal Is Declared 'Functionally Extinct'?
Koalas were recently given the distinction in Australia as their numbers have dropped to around 80,000. What's the future hold for these small herbivores?
The Trump Administration's Policies Are Fueling the Extinction Crisis
A new U.N. report finds one million species face extinction. The Department of the Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service are adding to the problem.
Fish and Wildlife Is 'Conserving' Imperiled Animals by Denying Them Protection
New documents show how quotas to delist or downlist endangered species may be influencing conservation decisions.
Extinction Rebellion Stages Demonstrations Around the World (in Photos)
Climate change protests around the world are stopping traffic and leading to widespread arrests.
To Stop Extinction, Start With These 169 Islands
New research shows that culling invasive, non-native animals on just 169 islands around the world over roughly the next decade could help save almost 10 percent of island-dwelling animals at risk of extinction.
Experts Say There Are Only 22 Vaquitas Left
The porpoise is closer to extinction than ever before.
Giant Bees and Tortoises, Gay Dads, FEMA Funding: Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
FEMA calls Trump's bluff, a study shows gay dads are excellent parents, and giant creatures are alive and well.
Gains for Gene Drives
Just because we have CRISPR doesn't necessarily mean we should use it.
The Tropics Are in Trouble
Plants and animals in the tropics are threatened by a range of issues, warn researchers writing in the journal Nature.
The Trump Administration Plans to Strip Key Protections From the Endangered Species Act
Proposed changes to the landmark legislation would limit protections for the thousands of endangered plants and animals covered under the law.
Deleting a Species
We are on the brink of being able to genetically engineer an extinction. Should we?
Dispatches: Five Essential Reads From the Past Week
A collection of some of our most important and timely stories, from a new cover story on efforts to reintroduce the grizzly to California to a FOIA-based investigation into the Department of the Interior's current priorities.
Could California Become a Zero-Extinction State?
California plant lovers are finding—and nurturing—species once presumed to be extinct in the wild.
What Caused One of Madagascar's Largest Lemur Die-Offs?
Teams of researchers are trying to uncover the cause of death for 31 Verraux's sifakas Lemurs—which could spell the end for the critically endangered species.
A Small Hydroelectric Dam Could Be the Beginning of the End for the World's Rarest Ape
With no more than 800 individuals left in a fragile habitat, the Tapanuli orangutan could face extinction not long after we became aware of its existence.
Panamanian Frogs Evolve to Cope With a Lethal Skin-Eating Disease
A new study finds populations of several frog species in Panama appear to be gaining resistance to a deadly pathogen that can lead to extinction.
The Carolina Parakeet Reminds Us to Do Better
One hundred years after its extinction, the Carolina parakeet is more than an extinct species. It's a reminder that we have one last chance.
The Perilous Future of Earth's Parasites
Climate change may drive as many as one in three parasite species extinct by 2070. That's very bad.
The Age of Biological Annihilation
A new study finds that the populations of thousands of vertebrates, many of which have yet to raise concern, are decreasing.
How a Mass Extinction Event Caused a Boom in Most of the Frog Species Alive Today
New research suggests that the mass extinction event that occurred 66 million years ago spurred something of an explosion of new frog species.