Marine Conservation
Murdered Belize environmentalist helped boost marine conservation through technology
The conservation community is mourning after an environmentalist in Belize was killed in his home while celebrating New Year’s Eve. Jon Ramnarace, who worked on protected area patrol and marine conservation technology, was shot and killed alongside his brother David in the city of Belmopan on December 31. Their spouses were also shot but remain […]
Island shopping: Cambodian officials buy up the Cardamoms’ coast
KOH S’DACH, Cambodia — Bristling with coral reefs, marine life and palm trees, the islands dotting Cambodia’s western and southwestern coasts have long lured tourists and investors alike with white sandy beaches sloping into the azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Beyond the postcard views, limited regulation and the availability of 99-year leases for […]
Heat-sensing drone cameras spy threats to sea turtle nests
Sea turtles lumber from ocean to shore to lay their eggs in the sand. In some places, this effort is protected by humans who patrol beaches on foot, warding off poachers, predators and naïve tourists. But might there be a more effective way? Researchers used thermal infrared sensors mounted on drones to monitor sea turtle […]
Why are Florida manatees showing up in Cuba and Mexico?
Throughout the winter and spring of 2007, there were several curious sightings of a manatee and her calf in a power plant intake canal in the Cuban town of Santa Cruz del Norte, approximately 33 miles (54 kilometers) east of Havana. Manatees in Cuba aren’t known to frequent power plant canals. That kind of behavior […]
Sharing a marine reserve with fishers: Q&A with Belize Fisheries’ Adriel Castañeda
Glover’s Reef, part of the Belize Barrier Reef, is one of only four atolls in the Western Hemisphere. The rare, ring-shaped island of coral surrounds a lagoon 45 kilometers (28 miles) off the Belize coast, and takes up 35,000 hectares (86,000 acres). The reef is home to dozens of species of sharks, including the endangered […]
Afro-Colombian community safeguards pristine oceans with new protected area
An Afro-Colombian community on the southwest coast of Colombia has helped establish a new marine protected area that will create more sustainable fishing and hunting practices while ensuring that one of the country’s most undisturbed ecosystems withstands outside threats of deforestation and pollution long into the future. The Isla Ají marine protected area, which covers […]
Top 15 species discoveries from 2021 (Photos)
With humans sending probes to explore Mars and the sun, one might think we’ve already explored the full extent of our own planet. But scientists say we’ve only begun to find and describe the riches here on Earth. “I think most people believe that we know most species on Earth … but in the best-case […]