Earthfix

Want to help control invasive species? Eat a bullfrog.

By Cassandra Profita, EarthFix

A group in Oregon says major invasive predators like the bullfrog can become less of an ecological threat if people literally brought them to the table.

Arsenic-laced soil lingers where children play in Washington state

By Tony Schick and Courtney Flatt, EarthFix

At homes and day care centers throughout central Washington, children play in yards contaminated with lead and arsenic. The state’s Department of Ecology knows about this, and has for decades. But many parents and caregivers still do not, despite the…

Could a mushroom save the honeybee?

By Ken Christensen, KCTS9/Earthfix

In recent years, research has shown that rare fungi found in the old-growth forests of Western Washington can help fight viruses, including tuberculosis, smallpox and bird flu. What if the honeybee would see similar health benefits from wood-rotting mushrooms?…

Demand for super-sized clams keeps poachers and cops busy

By Katie Campbell, KCTS9/EarthFix

Big money and human health are at stake when it comes to Puget Sound's most lucrative clams and the people charged with protecting them.

Running elk ragged just to get their antlers

By Courtney Flatt, NWPR/EarthFix

Washington and Oregon have imposed rules to make sure that “shed hunters” don’t harm elk and deer. But not everyone follows those rules. Instead, some shed hunters cruelly endanger the health of deer and elk so they can be the…

This lab is like CSI … for endangered wildlife

By Jes Burns, OPB/EarthFix

While there are other labs around the globe that specialize in specific types of plants and animals, a forensics lab in Ashland, Oregon is the only one in the world dedicated to solving crimes against all kinds of wildlife.

Scientists solve mystery of West Coast starfish plague

By Katie Campbell, KCTS9/EarthFix

SEATTLE — After months of research, scientists have identified the pathogen at the heart of the starfish wasting disease that’s been killing starfish by the millions along the Pacific shores of North America, according to research published Monday.

Can Alaska’s waters be a respite for sick sea stars?

By Katie Campbell, KCTS9/EarthFix

A deadly disease has been wiping out West Coast starfish for more than a year. One place that has held off the disease the longest is Alaska. Researchers recently traveled there to search for new clues.

Scientists zero in on what’s causing starfish die-offs

By Ashley Ahearn, KUOW/EarthFix, Katie Campbell, KCTS9/EarthFix

Starfish are dying by the millions up and down the West Coast, leading scientists to warn of the possibility of localized extinction of some species. As the disease spreads, researchers may be zeroing in on a link between warming waters…