To cut emissions from cattle ranching, beef up the soil, study says

Flying this November into a remote region of the Orinoquía savanna in Vichada, Colombia, environmental biologist Jacobo Arango could spot the Hacienda San José cattle ranch that his team was using as an open-air laboratory. From the sky, he could see the farm’s greener hue of grass standing out against neighboring pastures. There, he and […]

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Fears for academic freedom as Indonesia doubles down on scientists’ ban

An orangutan.JAKARTA — Indonesian academics have called out the government for banning five foreign scientists after they questioned official claims of an increase in the country’s orangutan population, warning that the move sets a disturbing precedent for academic freedom. In a statement to the government, scientists grouped under the Academic Freedom Advocacy Team called the ban […]

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Population cycles explain white-lipped peccary’s ups and downs, study shows

animalsScientists say they have solved the mystery behind the periodic disappearance and reappearance of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) across huge areas of central and South America. A new study suggests that white-lipped peccary populations become so big that they over-shoot their resources, which weakens the animals and makes them more vulnerable to disease and […]

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Rare, critically endangered gecko making dramatic recovery in Caribbean

A rare gecko no larger than a paperclip is making a comeback in the Caribbean, thanks to conservation efforts by environmental groups and the government. The Union Island gecko (Gonatodes daudini), known for its jewel-like markings, has seen its population grow from around 10,000 in 2018 to around 18,000 today — an increase of 80%. […]

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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 […]

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More droughts are coming, and the Amazon can’t keep up: Study

The world’s largest rainforest makes its own weather. Up to half of all the rainfall in the Amazon comes from the forest itself, as moisture is recycled from the trees to the atmosphere and back again. So, what happens as droughts grow more severe and less rain enters the system? For every three trees that […]

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