Posts from the ‘The Wildlife Society’ category

The Drone Debate

My cover story for the winter 2014 issue of The Wildlife Professional is now in print! You can check it out here.

Novel Breathalyzer Monitors Dolphin Health

A new tool that collects cetacean breath—or blow—may provide deeper insights into dolphin health and make testing easier for both researchers and animals, according to a study published last month in Analytical Chemistry.

World’s Largest Bat Colony Saved by Land Deal

Approximately 20 million migrating Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) roost in Bracken Cave every summer, but urban sprawl and accompanying light pollution threatened their habitat, until now.

Death of Rare Rhino Sign of the Times

The number of northern white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) left in the world now stands at six following the death of Suni, one of the subspecies’ last two breeding males. Park rangers at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy found the rhino in his enclosure on October 17.

Hemorrhagic Virus Threatens Spain’s Amphibians

The world’s amphibians cannot catch a break. Climate change, habitat loss, and the spread of chytrid fungus already contribute to declining populations. Now, a deadly virus is ravaging Spain’s toads and newts, and may spread to other amphibian species across a wide geographic range, according to a study published last week in Current Biology.

Study Reveals Actual Numbers of Illegal Elephant Kills

Ivory-seeking poachers are exhausting Africa’s elephant populations at an alarming rate, according to new research recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study provides the first reliable estimate of illegal elephant kills for the entire continent.

New Studies Reveal More About Sharks Big and Small

Deep-Sea Sharks Hunt Photons A dark and expansive habitat, the mesopelagic twilight zone of the deep sea is home to a variety of little-studied bioluminescent organisms…

Mysterious Illness Threatens Oregon’s Starfish with Extinction

A mysterious illness threatens to wipe out populations of purple ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) along Oregon’s coast, which could have potentially devastating effects on the coastal ecosystem.

Gray Wolf Pups Return to Oregon Cascades After 70 Years

A well-known gray wolf living in the Oregon Cascade Mountains mated and produced at least two wolf pups, according to officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). This marks the first time wolves have reproduced in the region since the 1940s.

Obama Administration Unveils Notable Climate Change Plan

On Monday, June 2, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a new proposal that would cut carbon emissions from existing power plants — something that has never been done before.