An endemic species is a taxonomic unit whose natural distribution is restricted to a defined geographic area, such as a specific island, mountain range, ecoregion, or political region, and does not occur naturally elsewhere. In biogeography and conservation biology, endemism is used to quantify spatial patterns of biodiversity, identify centers of diversification, and prioritize regions for protection. Endemic species often exhibit high levels of local adaptation and evolutionary distinctiveness but are also disproportionately vulnerable to habitat alteration, invasive species, climate change, and other anthropogenic pressures due to their limited range and frequently small, fragmented populations.
Australian Antarctic Program scientists are contributing to global understanding of the spread of H5 avian influenza (bird flu) with the release of findings from recent voyages to the remote sub-Antarctic Heard Island and ...
Ecology
Jun 18, 2026
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We often hear about glacier melting and predictions of what climate change could do. But very little is mentioned about the effects on ecosystems or the animals that call them home. To redress some of this imbalance, an international ...
It was something infectious disease expert Heather Ferguson never expected to see in her lifetime: a mosquito-borne virus originally from Africa spreading in Scotland.
Ecology
Jun 16, 2026
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104
Many insects will eat almost anything in their sight, such as certain beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, while others are remarkably picky eaters. For example, numerous insect herbivores will feed only on a single plant family ...
The fungus that causes sporotrichosis is typically transmitted among cats and results in serious lesions. Recently, it was found in the internal organs of wild animals. The study was published in March in the journal Mycopathologia.
Ecology
Jun 10, 2026
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A collaborative study has provided the most comprehensive assessment to date of the endangered Bornean ferret badger (Melogale everetti). Weighing only around one kilogram (2.2 pounds), the Bornean ferret badger is a small, ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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A publication has revealed the first photographic evidence and confirmed sighting of the Cozumel dwarf fox in more than 20 years. Published in the journal Neotropical Biology and Conservation by researchers Travis D. Bayer, ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 8, 2026
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151
When you picture a cave, you probably think of an environment devoid of life. But for most caves on Earth, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Plants & Animals
Jun 6, 2026
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A seven-year collaborative study has revealed alarming fluctuations in the health of Hawaii's endangered insular false killer whales, with some individuals losing nearly a quarter of their body weight in just a few months. ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 5, 2026
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20
As wildflowers go, the mountain jewelflower is demure, clever and quietly unbreakable. It has spread across many of California's iconic landscapes, from Sonoma wine country to the oak-dotted foothills, even over the Sierra ...
Plants & Animals
May 30, 2026
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