The Florida panther, once on the brink of extinction, has been slowly recovering in a case that has become a landmark in wildlife conservation. Known for its solitary nature and difficulty to
The Florida panther, once on the brink of extinction, has been slowly recovering in a case that has become a landmark in wildlife conservation. Known for its solitary nature and difficulty to observe, the panther is sometimes called the “ghost cat.” By the early 1990s, only 26 panthers remained in Florida, and the population showed serious signs of genetic decline. Many animals had deformed tails…
In 2012, while a large wildfire still burned above them, biologists entered a smoky canyon in southwestern New Mexico carrying plastic buckets and an electric fish-stunning rod. The fire, known as
In 2012, while a large wildfire still burned above them, biologists entered a smoky canyon in southwestern New Mexico carrying plastic buckets and an electric fish-stunning rod. The fire, known as the Whitewater-Baldy Complex, burned roughly 300,000 acres and was the largest in state history at the time. According to New Mexico wildlife officials, it destroyed nearly half of the Gila trout populat…
A sperm whale can dive beyond 2,000 meters, enduring pressure that would crush steel, yet researchers continue to find organisms living inside their bodies that are as remarkable as the animals
A sperm whale can dive beyond 2,000 meters, enduring pressure that would crush steel, yet researchers continue to find organisms living inside their bodies that are as remarkable as the animals themselves. Routine examinations of dead whales have produced discoveries that range from massive blockages caused by the animal’s own biology to parasitic worms longer than most vehicles.Sperm whales are t…
During one of California’s most severe droughts on record, juvenile coho salmon survived in small creeks of the Scott River watershed at rates several times higher than in normal years. The
During one of California’s most severe droughts on record, juvenile coho salmon survived in small creeks of the Scott River watershed at rates several times higher than in normal years. The difference came down to a simple intervention: hand-built structures designed to mimic beaver dams.In the summer of 2015, a team from the Scott River Watershed Council, led by executive director Betsy Stapleton…
The water pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench reaches roughly eight tons per square inch, and sunlight never reaches it. In 2018, researcher Shiba avoided the ocean entirely and searched
The water pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench reaches roughly eight tons per square inch, and sunlight never reaches it. In 2018, researcher Shiba avoided the ocean entirely and searched video archives instead, reviewing 5,010 old dives that had received little attention. One scene from 1998 stopped her completely.The trench was first discovered by the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Challenge…
A century ago, roughly one in four hardwood trees in the eastern United States was an American chestnut. The species was widespread, practical, and highly regarded for its wood and its annual nut
A century ago, roughly one in four hardwood trees in the eastern United States was an American chestnut. The species was widespread, practical, and highly regarded for its wood and its annual nut crop. In about forty years, a fungus introduced accidentally on imported seedlings killed an estimated three to four billion of these trees, making it one of the most destructive environmental events in A…
In 1980, five black robins remained on Earth. One female held two eggs, and the species’ survival depended on them. Don Merton, a New Zealand Wildlife Service officer, took those eggs. He had spent
In 1980, five black robins remained on Earth. One female held two eggs, and the species’ survival depended on them. Don Merton, a New Zealand Wildlife Service officer, took those eggs. He had spent sixteen years trying to save the birds. He could only hope the decision did not seal their fate.New Zealand evolved in isolation for millions of years without ground predators. Many native birds nested…
The Alameda Creek watershed in California is showing signs of recovery, with improved water quality linked to the return of trout and salmon. A concrete barrier that had blocked the creek for seventy
The Alameda Creek watershed in California is showing signs of recovery, with improved water quality linked to the return of trout and salmon. A concrete barrier that had blocked the creek for seventy years was removed in the fall of 2025, and within days, two chinook salmon were observed swimming upstream through waters that had been inaccessible since before the first moon landing.To understand t…
For 70 years, a concrete barrier sealed off Alameda Creek in California from the bay. The water behind it was widely considered lifeless, with no salmon or steelhead returning to spawn. In the fall
For 70 years, a concrete barrier sealed off Alameda Creek in California from the bay. The water behind it was widely considered lifeless, with no salmon or steelhead returning to spawn. In the fall of 2025, work crews finally removed that barrier, and within days, two Chinook salmon were observed swimming upstream through water that had been inaccessible to them since before the first moon landing…
Off the coast of British Columbia, a marine ecosystem that had collapsed into barren underwater landscapes has been gradually restored. The recovery did not come from chemical treatments, machinery,
Off the coast of British Columbia, a marine ecosystem that had collapsed into barren underwater landscapes has been gradually restored. The recovery did not come from chemical treatments, machinery, or government cleanup crews. It came from a predator that had been absent from these waters for over a century: the sea otter.For years, giant kelp forests stretched for miles along the British Columbi…