Endemic

Tag: Endemic

Canadian Island Bee Buzzes Toward Extinction

The Sable Island endemic Sweat Bee is threatened. Conservationists hurry to understand this small species better before a crucial pollinator is lost. The Sable Island Sweat Bee is a tiny ant-sized bee that many people may find unimportant. However, researchers have taken notice of its threatened status due to its sole habitat being Sable Island, […]

Written by on May 17, 2018

Cousin Island Celebrates after 50 years of Conservation Success

Seychelles Cousin Island has been an important nature reserve for 50 years and has helped save an endemic warbler from extinction. Seychelles Cousin Island is celebrating its 50th year anniversary since its designation as a nature reserve. Cousin Island is a small granitic island lying a little over a mile west of Praslin, which is […]

Written by on February 8, 2018

Saving the Giant Wētā, the “God of Ugly Things”

Conservationists in New Zealand work to save the Mahoenui Giant Wētā, a native Endangered insect threatened by invasive rodents. The Mahoenui Giant Wētā is one of the world’s largest insects. The mouse-sized insect is endemic to the Mahoenui region of New Zealand. Giant Wētā are considered by many to be ugly. They smell, and are uncomfortably large. The […]

Written by on June 28, 2017

New Species Discovery: the Gau Iguana

Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, The National Trust of Fiji, and NatureFiji-MareqetiViti have discovered the Gau Iguana, a new species. A new Banded Iguana species was discovered in Fiji on Gau Island. The Gau Iguana, (Brachylophus gau), discovered by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Taronga Conservation Society Australia, The National Trust […]

Written by on June 15, 2017

How Will Climate Change Facilitate Plant Invasion?

Scientists are assembling data to predict how climate change will drive plant invasions. With climate change in motion, plant species could migrate to regions that are changing to accommodate new species. Non-native (introduced) species are considered invasive when proof of harm to the ecosystem is observed. Climate change-driven shifts in abiotic factors–non-living features of the environment–could affect […]

Written by on June 2, 2017

Australia’s National Parks Work to Conserve Native Flora

National Parks in Australia are working hard to combat invasive species that threaten endemic plants. Australia’s native species face a number of threats–including fires, habitat loss, and invasive species. These have led to dramatic declines in populations of both flora and fauna. Celmatis dubia and Acacia equisetifolia, for example, are both at risk of extinction. […]

Written by on December 15, 2016

Towards Responsible Domestic Animal Ownership in Juan Fernández, Chile

Engaging Juan Fernández Archipelago communities to support responsible domestic animal ownership. Of all island clusters, the Juan Fernández Archipelago, 700 KM off the coast of mainland Chile, has one of the highest densities of endemic plants and animals. This high endemism led to its declaration as a Chilean National Park in 1935 and a UNESCO Biosphere […]

Written by on December 13, 2016

Scientific Sanctuary Maud Island, NZ, is Now Pest-free

Maud Island is a scientific sanctuary in the Marlborough Sounds. In 2013, invasive mice were discovered damaging the native ecosystem on Maud Island, New Zealand. Kakapo, native insects including weta, lizards, and the endemic Maud Island Frog were in need of conservation intervention. Maud Island biodiversity ranger Frank Higgott and his partner Sue Caldwell began a program to […]

Written by on October 13, 2016

New Zealand Wētā: Endemic, Diverse, Endangered

Wētā are giant insects that live in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world. There are many subspecies of Wētā; these can be found in trees, lowlands, caves, sand dunes, and soil. They look similar to grasshoppers, except for the obvious difference in size. New Zealand’s indigenous people, Maori, call Wētā “punga,” meaning the “spirit of […]

Written by on October 3, 2016

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