Biodiversity

"The loss of marshes, bogs and swamps is driving a rapid, global decline in dragonflies, researchers say.

Their plight has been highlighted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's latest Red List of Threatened Species, following its first comprehensive assessment of this colourful group of insects.

Wetlands loss is due to urbanisation and unsustainable agriculture, it says.

And now, 16% of the world's dragonflies are under threat of extinction. "

"On a moonless summer night in Hawaii, krill, fish and crabs swirl through a beam of light as two researchers peer into the water above a vibrant reef. Minutes later, like clockwork, they see eggs and sperm from spawning coral drifting past their boat. They scoop up the fishy-smelling blobs and put them in test tubes."

"The only reliable snowy owl breeding site in the United States has a conspicuous shortage of owls."

"The vital Kansas ecosystem is rapidly shrinking. Its future depends on private landowners like Lorna Harder."

"Starving manatees will soon be fed by hand in Florida, a rare ... intervention to save the marine mammals whose natural food is vanishing from the effects of pollution, state officials told Reuters."

"The nation’s highest bench today [Friday] rejected lobstering groups’ call to unwind fishing restrictions designed to protect endangered whales off the coast of Maine."

"INNER FARNE -- “This is what it’s all about,” said Richard Bevan, beaming. “To see this many seals when 10 years ago there would not have been any.”

"In a bid to secure the future of the near threatened species, 30 animals have been driven, flown and finally rehomed in Akagera national park"

"Getting stuck into the in-flight wine wasn’t an option for the 30 passengers flying overnight from South Africa to Rwanda. Crew members instead worked to keep the first-time air travellers placid and problem-free. The last thing anyone wanted was a 1.5-ton rhino on the rampage aboard a Boeing 747.

"The North American species is seeing an exponential increase in California, but the population is far short of normal".

"Billions of these tiny plastic pellets are floating in the ocean, causing as much damage as oil spills, yet they are still not classified as hazardous".