Island Conservation
The people of Tasmania’s King Island aim to end the loss of native plants and animals through conservation efforts. King Island, part of Tasmania, Australia, is home to endangered and endemic species, including the Critically Endangered Orange-bellied Parrot: the Little Penguin: the Superb Fairy Wren: and the Platypus: Further decline of native vegetation would have serious consequences for the rare animals […]
The New Zealand Critically Endangered native plant Ngutukākā was pushed to the brink of extinction by invasive species but was saved by conservation efforts. The Critically Endangered Ngutukākā–or Kakabeak–is endemic to New Zealand. The plant was named for its flowers, which resemble the beak of the Kaka, an endangered bird native to New Zealand. The plant almost disappeared from the […]
Campaign hits major milestone in effort to protect rare and threatened birds like the ground dwelling Antipodean Parakeet. We are pleased to announce that the Million Dollar Mouse Campaign has achieved the near-impossible. The operations to remove damaging invasive mice to protect native species on Antipodes Island has been successfully completed by an international partnership. […]
The New Zealand Department of Conservation has successfully eradicated invasive ants from Tiritiri Matanga Island, New Zealand. If ants have ever invaded your home, you know what a nuisance they can be–it can be very difficult to completely get rid of these persistent pests. Now imagine trying to eradicate ants from an entire island. Sound impossible? It’s […]
Researchers find that humans have been altering the natural environment for thousands of years, call for conservation action. Recognition and criticism of man’s harmful impact on the natural world is becoming more and more prominent. Though this awareness may seem recent, the fact of human-induced environmental destruction is not. Research from the University of Oxford reveals that humans have […]
Critically Endangered Kākāpō, the world’s heaviest parrot, has had a much-needed breeding success this year. This breeding season, 37 Kākāpō chicks are surviving on predator-free island sanctuaries. The charming New Zealand native experienced a dangerous population decline in recent years due to the introduction of invasive predators. The Kākāpō is flightless–it lives and forages peacefully on […]
A chef in Miami Beach, Florida is taking conservation in an unexpected direction. What’s on the menu? Invasive species. Bun Lai is a chef in Miami Beach. He operates an environmentally-friendly restaurant. Lai offers a selection of invasive-species dishes. At a dinner last month, Mr. Lai served small bowls filled with citrus broth and those whelks, periwinkles […]
Three new lemur species have been identified in Madagascar, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. Scientists from the German Primate Center (DPZ), the University of Kentucky, the American Duke Lemur Center and the Université d’Antananarivo in Madagascar have described three new species of Mouse Lemurs. The identification of new lemur species has […]
Plaster of Paris seabird models are being used to encourage Little Terns to nest. Little Terns are seabirds that are found throughout Europe and in parts of Africa, India, New Zealand. Little Terns are migratory birds, and they travel to favorable nesting sites when breeding season comes around. Unfortunately, highly-populated beaches that serve as nesting […]
Five years of seabird research leads to unprecedented European Union (EU) and local protection of marine areas in Malta. Birdlife Malta has conducted research on seabirds for five years. The findings of the Malta Seabird Project have prompted the protection of marine areas which will benefit native seabirds. Previously, the cliff nesting sites in Malta […]