Our research looked at data from the government’s annual baking competition. Upon close analysis, we find a dangerous lack of diversity and biases towards cute, cuddly mammals.
The pet trade has spurred a wave of bird imports, leading to escapes or even deliberate releases of exotic species into the wild. New research reveals the threat they now pose to native birds.
You might think of bunnies as ubiquitous, but it’s actually a relatively small group of species – and many of them are unique, little-known, and in trouble.
A new gecko species in New Zealand was named te mokomoko a Tohu in consultation with a local Māori tribe. This could be a good example for how taxonomists might approach the naming of new species.
Abi Gazzard, International Union for the Conservation of Nature; Connor Panter, University of Nottingham, dan Rosalind Kennerley, International Union for the Conservation of Nature
Rodents are the most numerous – and least studied – of all Earth’s mammals.
Dendrobium orchids are familiar to most people in bouquets, but they are in high demand in China for use in traditional medicines. Can Beijing find ways to grow these threatened plants sustainably?
Polar bears and wolves may get the glory, but small predators like weasels, foxes and their cousins play outsized ecological roles. And many of these species are declining fast.
Governments, scientists and conservation groups are working to protect 30% of Earth’s land and water for nature by 2030. Two scientists explain why scale matters for reaching that goal.
China has rich natural resources and is seeking to play a leadership role in global conservation, but its economic goals often take priority over protecting lands and wildlife.
Inbreeding usually leads to an accumulation of genetic defects, but evolution on a small archipelago may have helped the severely inbred Chatham Island black robin to avoid this fate.
It’s important that citizen science projects engage volunteers from across society, including young people. A new Australian initiative is doing just that.