conservation

This new ‘army’ of spiders is named after Star Wars stormtroopers

By Vicky Stein

They wouldn’t survive the deserts of Tatooine or the frigid planet Hoth, but these newly described, tarantula-like spiders are named after the stormtroopers who marched through the “Star Wars” movies.

Skin poaching of Asian elephants, a crisis unfolding in Myanmar, could crush the species

By Nsikan Akpan

Asian elephants are 10 times more endangered than African savanna elephant and facing a new serious threat. Poachers are taking the skin of Asian elephants in Myanmar and turning it into ruby red jewelry.

Kenya racing to preserve rhino subspecies after last white male died

By Zachary Green

After the world's last male northern white rhino died in Kenya two weeks ago, scientists are hoping in vitro fertilization with the last two females can save the subspecies from extinction. The government is also using the rhino’s death as…

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Sudan, last male northern white rhino on Earth, dies

By Tom Odula, Associated Press

The world's last male northern white rhino, Sudan, has died after "age-related complications," researchers announced Tuesday.

Finding a complete dolphin skeleton to study isn’t easy, unless you have a dolphin graveyard

By Rashmi Shivni, Teresa Carey

This dolphin and whale graveyard may hold the secrets to cetacean lifestyles.

Cracking down on poaching with 3D-printed fake turtle eggs

By John Yang

One of the world’s most endangered species, the sea turtle, is under threat from human encroachment and poaching. But a conservation biologist has developed a strategy that could help save them. By placing 3D-printed eggs with GPS trackers in nesting…

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In war-torn areas of Africa, wildlife is a major casualty

By Rashmi Shivni

For half a century, more than 80 percent of wars occurred within biodiversity hotspots. Scientists knew war forced animal populations to decline, but they didn't know the extent--until now.

Meet the endangered plant named after rockstar Jimi Hendrix

By John R. Platt, Scientific American

The entire Hendrix’s liveforever species could be wiped out by a single tractor.

What will happen to Obama conservation efforts under Trump?

By PBS News Hour

In eight years, President Obama has permanently banned oil and gas drilling on hundreds of millions of acres of federally owned land and used his executive power 29 times to create new national monuments. William Brangham speaks with The Washington…

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