Poor genetic health threatens many species—but it's fixable
By the early 1990s, there were only around 20 Florida panthers left on the planet.
Plants & Animals
Aug 17, 2026
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Page 4: Research news on endangered species
An endangered species is a taxonomic group (typically at the species level) that faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future across all or a significant portion of its range, as determined by quantitative assessment criteria such as population size, rate of decline, geographic range, and degree of habitat fragmentation. In conservation biology and environmental policy, endangered status guides prioritization of management actions, legal protections, and resource allocation. Scientific evaluation commonly uses standardized frameworks (e.g., formal Red List–type criteria) based on demographic trends, reproductive rates, and known or projected threats, including habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change.
After commercial whaling nearly erased them, blue and fin whales are slowly reclaiming the southeast Atlantic
More than 40 years after the end of commercial whaling, new research reveals a recent increase in sightings of the world's two largest whale species in the southeastern Atlantic. The findings, published in the African Journal ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 15, 2026
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Bringing butterflies back from the brink of extinction
On a summer day in Michigan, a tiny Poweshiek skipperling butterfly—smaller than a quarter—takes flight over a restored prairie.
Plants & Animals
Aug 14, 2026
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Safe havens protect Australian mammals from invasive predators. Why aren't they working for other animal groups?
Feral cats and foxes now roam across almost all of Australia. These predators are a major reason why many species have been driven to extinction.
Plants & Animals
Aug 13, 2026
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DNA research highlights the genetic vulnerability of Asian elephants
The DNA of Asian elephants tells a concerning story. Although all four subspecies are under pressure, there are considerable differences in their genetic health. In an article published in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution, ...
Ecology
Aug 12, 2026
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History, not age, determines the genomic importance of ancient trees
Ancient trees—those that are remarkably old for their species—are declining worldwide, raising concerns about the loss of the ecological and evolutionary history they represent. Their exceptional longevity has long encouraged ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 12, 2026
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Genomics used to find endangered fish populations most vulnerable to climate change
Scientists have shown that genomics can help identify which wild populations are most vulnerable to climate change—offering practical guidance for conserving threatened species before declines become irreversible.
Plants & Animals
Aug 11, 2026
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Historical DNA reveals largetooth sawfish have lost much of their genetic diversity
The genetic diversity of the largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis), a critically endangered ray, has plummeted over the past century and a half, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological ...
Jackie, the California bald eagle who became an internet sensation, dies after illness
Jackie, the bald eagle who became an internet sensation and a symbol of the species' recovery in California, died Monday after being treated for an illness at a veterinary facility, her caretakers announced.
Ecology
Aug 11, 2026
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Roads and dams put European eels at risk, scientists offer strategy to save them
Roads, dams and other infrastructure built to make life easier for people have unintentionally made survival harder for another form of life—critically endangered European eels.
Plants & Animals
Aug 10, 2026
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