Nepal’s first bird sanctuary takes flight, raising hope for conservation

KATHMANDU — Conservationists have welcomed the declaration of Nepal’s first official bird sanctuary as a big boost for more than a dozen globally threatened species. The Ghodaghodi complex, a wetland in western Nepal’s Sudurpashchim province, was recently declared a bird sanctuary by the provincial and the Ghodaghodi municipal governments. More than 360 bird species, some […]

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A shot to the gut: American eagles poisoned by lead from bullets

Eagles, regarded by some as a symbol for American freedom, are being poisoned by lead from ammunition. Scientists sampled the blood from 1,210 living and dead bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) across 38 U.S. states over eight years. Nearly half of all the sampled birds showed evidence of repeated lead exposure, according to […]

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The last spotted ground thrush on Malawi’s lonely mountain

Mount Mulanje’s bare granite face looms above the lush surrounding landscape. Said to be the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lonely Mountain (home to Smaug the dragon), Malawi’s highest mountain also holds a treasure: a mating pair of spotted ground thrushes, one of the rarest birds in the world. “Ground thrushes are like the holy grail […]

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