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Ecology news
New Zealanders pick endangered black robin as Bird of the Year
A record number of New Zealanders turned out at the polls this month, not for national elections but to vote for their Bird of the Year—the critically endangered black robin.
Plants & Animals
25 minutes ago
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A humpback whale was spotted in a California river, 60 miles from its Pacific Ocean home
Denny Glover was hoping for a big catch when he went fishing with buddies on the Sacramento River, but he wasn't expecting a fully grown humpback whale.
Ecology
Sep 19, 2026
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154
Florida scrub-jays attempt to breed at unusually young age after large-scale translocation
For nearly two decades, biologist Lauren Deaner has worked with Florida scrub-jays, contributing to population recovery efforts and translocations. Now, as a doctoral researcher in UCF's integrative biology program, she is ...
Ecology
Sep 19, 2026
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'Plasticorals,' coral rubble fused with plastic, represent a new form of plastic pollution
During routine beach litter surveys on the subtropical island of Okinawa, Japan, researchers came across small, brightly colored specks in the pale coral rubble. Back at the lab, spectroscopic and microscopic analyses revealed ...
Ecology
Sep 18, 2026
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Small gardens are a big barrier to supporting nature—but better planning could protect UK wildlife
A new study by Chester Zoo and Nottingham Trent University scientists revealed that just over a third (38%) of more than 230 householders in Cheshire and North Wales were willing or able to introduce more wildlife-friendly ...
Ecology
Sep 18, 2026
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Baby orangutans in India expose 'frightening' scale of trafficking
Five baby orangutans abandoned in an Indian forest have exposed a "massive" exotic wildlife trade, with traffickers smuggling increasingly rare species into the country, experts say.
Ecology
Sep 18, 2026
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Trump administration makes major cuts to endangered species protections
President Donald Trump's administration will no longer treat the unintentional killing of protected wildlife as unlawful, officials confirmed Thursday, in a shift conservationists say could gut the Endangered Species Act ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Identifying old-growth forests in Northern Europe requires common scientific criteria
Old-growth forests are some of Europe's most valuable natural ecosystems, but they are also among the most threatened. Their role in conserving biodiversity, regulating the climate, preserving cultural heritage and supporting ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Threatened bumblebee populations in England and Wales face severe genetic declines
A new study reveals that an important pollinator is rapidly losing genetic diversity in Britain. Moss carder bumblebees were once widespread across the UK, living in flower-rich meadows, marshes and heathlands, where they ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Sixteen new fungus species found hiding in Thailand's flowers
Researchers have discovered 16 new species of fungus living unnoticed inside garden flowers and wildflowers across northern Thailand, more than quintupling the number of such fungi known to occur in the country. The findings ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Climate change is making it easier for invasive species to succeed
In 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 250 kilometers per hour (155 mph). It devastated communities and infrastructure, was associated with nearly 3,000 deaths and caused tens ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Capybaras in the desert? Fossil casts doubt on Atacama as world's oldest continuously dry region
Ask any zoo-goer and they will tell you that capybaras are adorable. Ask a scientist specializing in the rodents, which resemble oversized guinea pigs, and they will tell you they are obligate semiaquatic herbivores that ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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151
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents may be a hot spot for pregnant Antarctic krill
Antarctic krill are tiny shrimp-like creatures that were previously thought to mostly inhabit the upper layer of the Southern Ocean. Although they had occasionally been observed at deeper levels, they were never seen near ...
European ash pangenome could help researchers breed a generation of trees resistant to ash dieback
In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Forest Research and collaborating organizations present the first-ever European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) pangenome, ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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Wild honeybee populations in the EU are on the Red List for the first time
Populations of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) are under immense pressure in the wild in Europe. New research published in Conservation Science and Practice from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart and Agroscope ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 17, 2026
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Deep-sea crustaceans caught hitching rides on giant sea spiders
Some types of marine life appear to have it easy. While exploring thousands of meters below the waves in the Chilean Margin in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, scientists observed tiny shrimp-like crustaceans known as amphipods ...
Beaver reintroduction improves peatland water storage and drought resilience
A study led by a doctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool has found that beavers may help restore degraded peatlands by keeping landscapes wetter and making them more resilient to drought.
Plants & Animals
Sep 17, 2026
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Birds basking in natural 'saunas'
New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka shows some bird species may be taking advantage of natural geothermal "health spas."
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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New livestream brings remote Australian arid zone waterhole to the world
A new livestream from a remote waterhole in the Northern Territory is giving people around the world the opportunity to observe wildlife in real time.
Plants & Animals
Sep 17, 2026
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Study challenges estimates used to guide Atlantic menhaden fishing
Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), which supports a major commercial fishery along the U.S. East Coast and serves as essential prey for fish, seabirds and marine mammals, may be less able to sustain fishing pressure ...
Ecology
Sep 17, 2026
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More news
Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented
AI reveals novel nighttime feeding behaviors in right whales
Bubbles the food-stealing dolphin finds shortcut to easy meal
Other news
Loss of Y chromosome in men could be an early warning sign of cancer
Protein map reveals how red blood cells rapidly adjust to low oxygen
Physicists extend the search for quantum black holes at the LHC
Invasive little fire ants prefer cooked beef, seeds over tuna
Parakeets, male or female, love a good fight
