extinction

Rhinoceros on field with gentle sunlight behind him

Can a controversial in-vitro fertilization process save the northern white rhino?

The process is estimated to cost $9 millions and some have questioned the practicality of pouring such heavy financial resources into saving a species that is already at the brink of extinction, rather than using the money to protect existing healthy rhino populations:

Can a controversial in-vitro fertilization process save the northern white rhino?
passenger pigeon

Why did passenger pigeons go extinct?

Why did passenger pigeons go extinct?
The vaquita marina is a critically endangered porpoise species that lives only in the northern part of the Gulf of California. Scientists believe the population may be down to just 30 animals.

Adios, vaquita marina? Mexico's 'little sea cow' is being pushed to the edge of extinction.

Adios, vaquita marina? Mexico's 'little sea cow' is being pushed to the edge of extinction.
A student of Khmer descent learns Kinh language (the official Vietnamese language) at the Lac Hoa Primary School in Soc Trang province.

The language apocalypse is coming, and many tongues are already all but dead

The language apocalypse is coming, and many tongues are already all but dead
A pig-nosed turtle, which is becoming a favorite as an exotic pet.

Pig-nosed turtles are adorable — and that's made them the target of traffickers

Pig-nosed turtles are adorable — and that's made them the target of traffickers
The total number of wild animals in the world has dropped by more than half in just 44 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund's new Living Planet Report. The report compiled data for more than 10,000 vertebrate species, along with trends in humanity'

Global wildlife populations have fallen by half — a stat that says it all

As humanity's population has roughly doubled since 1970s, the earth has lost roughly half of its non-human animals over the past four decades. That's the sobering conclusion of a new report from the World Wildlife Fund, which pins the blame for that decline squarely on humans.

Global wildlife populations have fallen by half — a stat that says it all
A bald eagle spreads it wings. The eagle is just one of hundreds of North American birds now threatened by the effects of climate change

Even the symbol of America is now at risk from climate change

Half of North America's 650 bird species may be forced to change their current habitats because of climate change or perish — including the bald eagle and the common loon. A new Audubon Society study produced maps to show people which of their local birds are at risk.

Even the symbol of America is now at risk from climate change
Passenger pigeons

The long-extinct passenger pigeon might get the Jurassic Park treatment

The passenger pigeon was hunted out of existence a century ago, but it turns out extinction may not be permanent after all. Scientists are working on a way to use the numerous surviving passenger pigeon samples to re-engineer the living thing.

The long-extinct passenger pigeon might get the Jurassic Park treatment
Mount Redoubt eruption

Humanity is the great species killer

There have been five mass extinction events in the Earth's history, and a new book makes the case that humans are creating the sixth right now.

Humanity is the great species killer