biodiversity

Deforestation Could Put 84% of North American Lizards at Risk, Study Says

Deforestation Could Put 84% of North American Lizards at Risk, Study Says

Deforestation is making lizards in North America more vulnerable because of a lack of shelter from extreme temperatures, according to a new study. Led by scientists at University of Colorado Boulder and Tel Aviv University, the study found that forest loss, alongside climate change, could negatively impact 84% of lizards in North America by 2100. […]

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    Hedgehog Sightings Increasing in the UK After Years of Decline

    Hedgehog Sightings Increasing in the UK After Years of Decline

    According to a survey by BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, hedgehog sightings in the UK are finally on the rise after declining observations of these mammals since 2000. A separate report from 2022, State of Britain’s Hedgehogs, noted a marked decline in hedgehogs, particularly in eastern Britain. According to that report, rural hedgehogs had decreased 30% […]

    Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Coral Reefs’? Coral reefs consist of hundreds of thousands of coral polyps — marine animal invertebrates with hard calcium carbonate exoskeletons. Different species grow to form a variety of measurements and shapes — from the size of a pinhead to as large as a foot in diameter. Coral colonies are […]

    ‘We’re Wiping Out One of the World’s Oldest and Toughest Creatures’: Green Groups Urge Endangered Protections for Horseshoe Crabs

    ‘We’re Wiping Out One of the World’s Oldest and Toughest Creatures’: Green Groups Urge Endangered Protections for Horseshoe Crabs

    Horseshoe crabs have been on Earth for more than 450 million years — since before the dinosaurs. They are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than crustaceans and can live as long as 25 years. Despite having lived through ice ages, the breaking apart of the continents and many other geological and atmospheric changes […]

    4 Natural Wonders of the Pacific Northwest

    4 Natural Wonders of the Pacific Northwest

    If you’re looking to go on an adventure in the great outdoors, the variety of landscapes in the Pacific Northwest — from temperate rainforest and brilliant geological formations to expansive sand dunes and stunning river-carved canyons — are awe-inspiring for even the seasoned traveler. Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington State Named for the Hoh […]

    Mexico’s Maya Train Project Threatens Vulnerable Ecosystems, Including Ancient Caves

    Mexico’s Maya Train Project Threatens Vulnerable Ecosystems, Including Ancient Caves

    Mexico’s 966-mile Yucatán Peninsula Maya Train rail project — Tren Maya — is causing concern because of the potential for harm to environmentally sensitive areas like an ancient ecosystem of thousands of subterranean caves. In late 2023, a southeastern portion of the train service connecting Cancún opened, with the government announcing the remaining routes would […]

    Wetlands 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Wetlands 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Wetlands’? A wetland is exactly what it sounds like: ground that is covered by or saturated with water for all or part of the year. The water that makes a wetland can come from a variety of different sources, including ocean tides; freshwater sources like lakes, rivers, or ponds; underground […]