Conservation

Blue whales near the Seychelles were wiped out half a century ago by whaling.After sightings, scientists set up audio recording devices on the seafloor near the island nation.They found blue whales had returned to the area, and think the whales may be using it for breeding. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your…

Enlarge / Dr. Jane Goodall walking with local villagers and staff members of TACARE, one of the many programs of the Jane Goodall Institute. A few years ago, National Geographic released a beautifully filmed biopic called Jane on famed primatologist Jane Goodall. The film helped explain how someone with no scientific experience ended up in…

An ocean expedition revealed 100 never-before-seen sea creatures in underwater mountains near Chile. Some of the animals may be new species and include sponges, crustaceans, and mollusks. Scientists hope the region's rich diversity can be conserved.Much of the ocean is still a mystery, so often when a camera goes deep enough, it finds something new or…

Enlarge / Birds, with their different shapes, colorful plumage and fascinating behaviors, are a delight to people all over the world. They’re also in trouble. Just about anywhere you look, there are birds. Penguins live in Antarctica, ptarmigan in the Arctic Circle. Rüppell’s vultures soar higher than Mt. Everest. Emperor penguins dive deeper than 1,800…

How are our oceans doing? If you’ve been reading the headlines, 2018 has been a bit rough regarding wildlife and environmental news. The effects of climate change were impossible to ignore, marine national monuments were put on the chopping block, the National Ocean Policy was rescinded... must we go on? We look at some of…

In a 31 ft deep pool, open to the sky for the light-loving algae, a giant piston simulates the ocean's surge that kelp needs to draw nutrients from the water. Aquarist Jackie Petro feeds the fish, including small sharks. One of the primary challenges put forth at last week's Global Climate Action Summit was Land and…

Hebrides Overture’s disappearing notes highlight the plight of humpback whales. Felix Mendelssohn's The Hebrides was inspired by the composer's 1829 trip to the British Isles. His overture has now inspired collaboration between a Cambridge economist and a composer, using sound to call attention to the loss of biodiversity on Earth. Hebrides Redacted successively removes notes from…

Enlarge / The iconic spire collapses as smoke and flames engulf the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 15, 2019. Geoffroy van der Hasselt/AFP via Getty Images On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as the roof of the famed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris caught fire. The blaze spread rapidly, and…

Mediterranean Shipping Company rerouted its vessels to help protect blue whales near Sri Lanka. Conservation groups recommended the move after research showed it could help avoid whale collisions. Blue whales, which are endangered, grow to be 80 feet long and can live for 80 years. Loading Something is loading. The largest container line in the…

A new study found some of the forests in California's Sierra Nevada no longer match their climate. About 20% of conifers in the Sierra Nevada are experiencing "vegetation climate mismatch." The lead author said the trees are "cheating death" but that they won't survive a major disturbance. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up!…