One of nature’s most majestic and awe-inspiring creatures, the western black rhino, has officially been labeled extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Read More:No More Black Rhinoceros: Extinction Claims A Graceful Giant
No More Black Rhinoceros: Extinction Claims A Graceful GiantNovember 12th, 2011 - Jill EttingerNational Zoo Welcomes New Baby Red PandehJuly 6th, 2010 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
Red pandas, native to the forests of the Himalayas, are classified as a “vulnerable” species, with anywhere from 2,500 to as high as 20,000 still living in the wild. Red pandas are difficult to find, so it’s hard to obtain accurate figures. Zoo officials say maintaining a thriving captive population of red pandas is an important part of preserving the species as numbers in the wild remain threatened. Luckily red pandas do well in captivity, with more than 800 in zoos across the world. Tate, the cub’s daddy, was actually transferred from a zoo in Nashville, in hopes that the two would mate – clearly it worked. Red pandas, like giant pandas, have a short window of time for the females to get pregnant, so the zoo keepers played some Marvin Gaye to help them out. Kidding. Momma and cub, who weighed 6.5 ounces, are doing fine, with Shama proving to be a good first-time mom, but just in case, workers have closed off the red panda section of the zoo. It’ll reopen when zoo keepers feel its safe to show off their newest arrival. A baby red panda? That’s cute overload! It may never be safe, for the public that is. People’s heads will explode! I’m barely keeping it together as it is. Fish2Fork Rates Best, Worst Restaurants for Sustainable SeafoodMarch 29th, 2010 - Laura Klein
For the past decade our oceans have been under constant attack and are now suffering from overfishing, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, endangered sea mammals and pollution. Overfishing is just one part of larger problem that needs to be fixed, but this is at the core of Fish2Fork’s mission. What makes the problems with our oceans so scary, is that the problem for humans is out of sight, which usually means out of mind. It’s kind of like a smoker. If a smoker could see the damage they were doing to their lungs everyday with each puff of a cigarette, they may not be so inclined to smoke. If we could see the damage we were doing daily to our oceans, perhaps we would be making different choices. Today, most restaurants give little or no information on where their fish comes from, which plays a large part in disconnecting a diner from their food. What if you knew before you went to a restaurant or ordered your sushi, sashimi, or fillet that what you were about to eat was the last of an existing species? Fish2Fork is hoping that consumers with a little bit of knowledge about the food they are about to eat, or the restaurant they choose, will make better choices and help protect our oceans and sea life. If you want to eat only sustainable seafood, check out Fish2Fork’s website. They have a growing database of restaurants that you can search before you leave home. Read More:Fish2Fork Rates Best, Worst Restaurants for Sustainable SeafoodBald Eagles Testing High for MercuryNovember 27th, 2008 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
You hear a lot about mercury contamination in fish, specifically shark and tuna, but researchers in New York’s Catskills have uncovered alarming amounts of mercury in the blood and feathers of bald eagle chicks. And the toxin build up is happening faster than the eagles can get rid of. This is bad for a couple reasons. Similar levels of mercury accumulation have been associated with reproductive problems in other parts of the Northeast. And since bald eagles are so sensitive to contamination, they are good barometers for the overall health of an environment. Coal is being blamed. Coal-burning plants release mercury. And when the wind blows it eastward it ends up in lakes, rivers and streams, contaminating the fresh water fish that bald eagles feed on with methylmercury, which can lead to neurological disorders in both animals and humans. Obviously, the peril of a national treasure is reason for concern. Especially since just last year bald eagles were removed from the federal government’s list of endangered species. These potential reproductive and neurological problems are not the best way to welcome them back. Via The New York Times. Read More:Bald Eagles Testing High for MercuryGlobal Warming Endangers Yet Another SpeciesDecember 15th, 2006 - Barbara Feiner
The latest casualty may be the world’s crocodile population. With temperatures on the rise, these animals have a harder time finding mates. For crocodiles, gender is not determined genetically, but by embryo temperature during incubation, according to Dr. Alison Leslie, chair of the University of Stellenbosch’s Department of Conservation Ecology in South Africa (pictured here with a baby croc). “A difference of 0.5º–1ºC in incubation temperature results in markedly different sex ratios,” says Dr. Leslie, principal investigator of Earthwatch’s Crocodiles of the Okavango Delta project. Research shows nest temperatures of about 32º–33ºC result in males, while lower or higher temperatures result in females. “More female hatchlings due to the cooler or hotter incubation temperatures could lead to eventual extirpation of the species from an area,” says Dr. Leslie, who monitors crocodiles’ diet, health, movements and reproductive biology. Populations have dwindled dramatically in Botswana because of hide hunters’ overexploitation and conflicts with nearby communities. “Even though crocodilians have been around for millions of years, and as important as these creatures may be in the systems they occupy, they are a much understudied species,” Dr. Leslie says. For more than eight years, in both Botswana and South Africa, she has been working with the Earthwatch Institute to change this. Next year, she will embark on a new study of crocodiles along Zambia’s Zambezi River. Photo: Susy Bunker/Courtesy of Earthwatch Read More:Global Warming Endangers Yet Another Species |
For the first time in 15 years, Smithsonian National Zoo can say, “I can has red pandeh.” Last month, resident 
Numerous global-warming studies have been published recently, so I want to focus on this critical issue about once a week. Organic living and environmentalism should go hand in hand, and the more information you have, the greater your ability to counter the arguments of climate-change skeptics.
