CONSERVATION

NOAA Okeanos Explorer program, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Creates Protected Zone for Atlantic Deep-Sea Corals

The Frank R. Lautenberg Deep Sea Coral Protection Area is off-limits for commercial fishing practices that affect the sea floor.

Crochet Coral Reef project by Margaret and Christine Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring, 2005-ongoing. Photo © Institute For Figuring

Crocheted Coral Reefs Raise Awareness of Real Reefs' Destruction

Sisters Margaret and Christine Wertheim started the Crochet Coral Reef project in 2005 when they learned pollution and global warming may soon completely destroy the Great Barrier Reef in their home country of Australia.

Patagonia to Donate $10 Million in Black Friday Sales to Environmental Causes

The company made five times more than was expected.

15 Naturalists Who Died in the Field

Countless scientists, naturalists, conservationists, and support staff have died in the pursuit of knowledge that could protect vulnerable places and species, and enable people to live safer, healthier lives.

Climate Change Might Ruin Fall Foliage

It may dull autumn’s vibrant red and yellow hues.

Christopher Michel via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

World’s Largest Marine Reserve Declared in Antarctica

International protections on the so-called "Serengeti of Antarctica" will hold for 35 years.

Cburnett via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Humans Have Already Killed 26 Panamanian Jaguars This Year

Shrinking territory has forced the big cats into close quarters with humans and livestock.

International Wildlife Conference Declines to Increase Protection of African Lions

The 182 countries in attendance failed to pass a total ban on the trade of lion parts.

Pangolins Are Now Protected By the World’s Strictest Trade Laws

The unusual creature is the most-trafficked animal on Earth.

Conservationist Recruits RC Cars to Protect the Desert Tortoise

Each "Guardian Angel" rover can be controlled from the web.

Feral Cats Are Key Contributors to the Sixth Mass Extinction

In the past 500 years, cats have played a role in the demise of 63 species.

RIP Monster, the Beloved Sloth Who Inspired a Scientist

A star of our story and video about zoologist Sam Trull's work with sloths, Monster was recently killed by an ocelot.

UK Zoo Welcomes Hundreds of Rare Montserrat Tarantula Babies

Zookeepers at the Chester Zoo are the proud foster parents of 200 tiny Monserrat tarantulas.

© CDO courtesy of the University of Arizona

How Living Inside Biosphere 2 Changed These Scientists' Lives

Taber MacCallum and Jane Poynter witnessed the most affecting solar eclipse of their lives in 1992. That's because as they watched the Sun disappear behind the Moon’s shadow, they were also watching their oxygen supplies slipping away.

Ohio Conservationists Unleash Hellbenders on Local Streams

Huge captive-bred salamanders will be released into streams in the hopes of replenishing threatened populations.

Take a Ride on China's New Panda-Themed Subway Train

Fittingly, it was built to attract visitors to the region’s famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

New Zealand Announces Massive Cull of (Almost) All Predators

“The Government isn't going to limit the number of cats people can own," said Prime Minister (and noted cat sympathizer) John Key.

Saving Gorgeous Butterflies, One Egg at a Time

Biologist Tim Wong is singlehandedly conserving San Francisco’s pipevine swallowtails…in his free time.

Watch a Darling Scottish Wildcat Kitten Emerge For the First Time

...and feel the wrath of its protective parent.

A ground squirrel at the San Diego Zoo. Markus Jöbstl via Flickr // CC BY-NC 2.0

15 Animals You’d Be Surprised to Find in Zoos

Zoos have grown into a vehicle for conservationism and education, which is why you may see honey bees and chickens alongside more exotic animals.

Kimberly Fraser/USFWS via Flickr Creative Commons // CC BY 2.0

Aerial Snack Cannons Could Help Save the Black-Footed Ferret

Vaccinating prairie dogs via drone-launched peanut-butter treats may help keep their predators in business.

MozamPete via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Zambian Government Resumes Cull of 2000 Hippos

Wildlife conservationists say the government’s reasons for the 5-year slaughter plan are, at best, unsupported by science, and at worst, corrupt.

Tiger Populations Are Rising for the First Time in 100 Years Thanks to Local Tribes

Indigenous communities in India are peacefully coexisting with tigers, helping to bolster the numbers of the endangered populations around them.

Explore a Pristine Marine World in the Virtual-Reality Film Valen’s Reef

The 360-degree film reveals a hard-won, vibrant ecosystem off the coast of Indonesia.

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