habitat

12 Stories

Not a Baaaad Idea for Cities Looking to Clean Up Land

Sheep increasingly are put to work grazing in urban communities to handle invasive species and more

(Newser) - Along the Cumberland River just north of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, tourists on party pontoons see something a little expected: hundreds of sheep nibbling on grass along the riverbank. The urban sheepherder who manages this flock, Zach Richardson, says sometimes tourist boats will go out of their way to let their...

Blazing Cargo Ship Carries 3K Cars, Could Be Devastating

One crew member is dead as officials work to save the ship from going down in a bird habitat

(Newser) - A fire on a freight ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars was burning out of control Wednesday in the North Sea, and the Dutch coast guard said one crew member had died, others were hurt, and it was working to save the vessel from sinking close to an important habitat...

The Koala Population Is Plunging, Group Says

Australian foundation finds 30% drop in 3 years

(Newser) - "Most animals decline towards extinction," an ecology professor in Australia said, "they don't go for a single reason." That fits the koala's predicament; a host of factors have combined to shrink its population. Most of the koalas' natural habitats in Australia have been cleared...

Left Alone, Rhinos Increase in Number

Lack of tourists and more investment have aided habitat in Nepal

(Newser) - Nepal has counted 752 one-horned rhinos in four national parks, the most in more than 20 years, and the pandemic could be one of the reasons for the increase. No survey has found more than 650 since 2000, CNN reports; the population was 645 in 2015. Listed as a vulnerable...

Bacteria May Be Weapon Against Cheatgrass Invading the West

Cheatgrass now 'dominates' the Great Basin

(Newser) - Cheatgrass is about as bad as it sounds. The invasive plant sends out roots in the spring that deprive nearby plants of water, then dries out in the summer as it transforms into extremely effective tinder for wildfires to then kill competing nearby native plants, not to mention the habitat...

Hundreds of Yellowstone's Bison May Be Slaughtered

And a $3.3M habitat-expansion program looks doomed

(Newser) - Yellowstone National Park's iconic bison herds are suffering their worst winter in several years, with almost 400 of the animals being held for possible slaughter—as an effort to expand their habitat seems poised to fail, the AP reports. Some 368 bison have been captured and placed in government corrals...

Sanctuary Counts Record Number of Bald Eagles

Pennsylvania site tallies 407 this year, shattering old mark

(Newser) - More good news on the bald eagle front: Bird watchers at a major Pennsylvania preserve counted a record number this year—407, beating the previous mark of 245 set only two years ago, reports AP . This year may end up being a statistical anomaly, but it's part of longer-term trend...

Feds Pitch Polar Bear Habitat

Critics complain move doesn't address main threats

(Newser) - The federal government has proposed designating 200,000 square miles of land, sea, and ice in northern Alaska as a critical habitat for polar bears. The move is "one step in the right direction to help this species stave off extinction," said an Interior Department official. He acknowledged,...

In Alaska, Melting Glaciers Cause Land to Rise

Glaciers receding 30 feet each year

(Newser) - Around Juneau, Alaska, climate change is causing an unexpected problem, the New York Times reports: As glaciers melt, the land is rising away from the sea. The change—10 feet in about 200 years—is enough to dry up local streams and wetland habitats, and is the result of land...

Endangered Frogs Find Their Noah

Amphibian Ark project aims to save 500 imperiled species

(Newser) - Half of all frog species are in danger of extinction, and conservationists are taking a page from the Bible in working to preserve them. A program called Amphibian Ark has named 2008 the Year of the Frog, and is working with zoos to harbor endangered species, including some that have...

Endangered Tigers Fading Fast
Endangered Tigers Fading Fast
Mar 12, 2008 8:51 AM CDT

Endangered Tigers Fading Fast

Numbers plummet as WWF calls for quick action

(Newser) - The World Wildlife Fund has warned that the world's tigers are in grave danger of extinction, reports the BBC. Experts believe tiger numbers have fallen in half over the last 25 years to as few as 3,500 worldwide, the WWF said. The South China tiger and the Sumatran tiger...

Balmy, With a Chance of Pythons
Balmy, With a Chance of Pythons
Feb 21, 2008 9:16 AM CST

Balmy, With a Chance of Pythons

Dumped American pets thriving in wild on global warming

(Newser) - Burmese pythons could rapidly establish a stranglehold on the southern US due in part to snake-loving global warming, according to a new government report. With climate change and more pet owners releasing unwanted snakes into the wild, the adaptable serpent could soon call home any area from Northern California through...

12 Stories