7/30/2026: India’s tigers are booming but concerns remain, elusive Sunda clouded leopards caught on camera, female chickadees prefer smart males, half of migratory bird species are declining, and more… Welcome to another edition of newsworthy stories about the state of biodiversity, the threats it faces and emerging solutions. These are the articles that caught my […]
The State of Nature Update #28 Read Post »
Sea otters survived centuries of hunting, but scientists now warn that persistent PFAS pollution could threaten one of the Pacific coast’s most important marine mammals. I was disheartened to read about a recent study that found that every sea otter examined by biologists along the coast of British Columbia was contaminated by toxic PFAS chemicals. The closer
Sea otters once escaped extinction. Can they survive forever chemicals? Read Post »
Ornamental flowers that brighten our gardens could be quietly harming butterflies in ways scientists are only beginning to understand, according to a new study Lush gardens full of vibrant flowers are a delight, fueling an ever-increasing demand for blooms in bold, vibrant colors to fill our gardens with. Commercial nurseries, happy to comply, keep creating
The hidden costs of beautiful gardens: How invasive plants rewrite butterfly romance Read Post »
7/9/2026: Ukraine’s embattled bison, Ice Age squirrel poop shows they ate dead mammoths, California’s wild horse roundup creates controversy, bats are confused by radiation, and more. Welcome to another compilation of newsworthy stories about the state of biodiversity, the threats it faces, and emerging solutions. These are the articles that caught my eye that I
The State of Nature Update #27 Read Post »
By raising hatchlings in captivity through their first winter, researchers hope more threatened turtles survive to adulthood. Years ago, when I worked for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, I had the pleasure of working with rare Blanding’s turtles, using telemetry to track them to learn more about their life cycles and how they used
How scientists are giving rare turtle babies a head start on life Read Post »