Washington’s Runaway Snow Geese
Mae West said too much of a good thing is wonderful. But she’d never seen the beautiful, marauding snow geese that swoop in each fall to take over Washington State’s Skagit Valley.
Cats vs. Dogs 01.24.2023 Spotlight - High in the Himalayas, a photographer searches for an elusive wildcat—and finds it in an unlikely hideout. 
The Newt Normal 01.13.2023 Photo Essay - Droughts, wildfires, floods, and other extreme weather events are putting an unprecedented strain on California newts. With help, scientists think these remarkable animals will be able to persevere. 
Trouble at Sea 01.11.2023 Article - For salmon in the North Pacific, has the ocean reached its limit? 
Bounding Toward Recovery 01.03.2023 Article - The Iberian lynx—one of the world’s most endangered cats—made a giant leap toward a comeback in just a few years, easing the way for other species to follow in its path. 
Making Nature Less Predictable 12.02.2022 Article - In their fight against the homogenization of nature, scientists and farmers are walking well-worn paths and using innovative approaches to help bring native pollinators back to California. 
Learning from the Ancients 11.22.2022 Opinion, Review - In his latest book, Elderflora, Jared Farmer chronicles a history of exploration and study, destruction and preservation that will keep humans and age-old trees intertwined for the long haul. 
Seeing the River for the Fish 11.03.2022 Article - Scientists and local communities are working to save an iconic but little-known species of fish in India—but first, they have to find it. 
Saving the Dragon’s Blood 10.12.2022 Article - Despite a range of threats, from droughts and cyclones to goats and militarization, Socotra's iconic trees are staging a slow, patient comeback—with the help of the people who know them best. 
Forest Orphans 10.12.2022 Spotlight - Swaddled symbols of hope and regeneration, orphaned flying foxes rest up and grow, preparing for their role as some of Australia’s most important forest stewards. 
A Way Forward with Wolves 09.10.2022 Article - Washington state’s long-running conflict between wolves and ranchers mirrors our society’s bigger ideological rifts. Some are trying to bridge the gap—using both horse and technology. 
Prince of Darkness 08.24.2022 Spotlight - Helmet jellyfish have taken over a Norwegian fjord, demonstrating the species’ tenacity and offering clues about environmental factors that can upend an ecosystem. 
Returning England’s Forgotten Frog 08.24.2022 Video - As scientists were discovering a surprising detail about an often-overlooked frog, the last local population of the species was winking out of existence. The extraordinary story of England’s pool frog and the effort to bring it back. 
The Saguaro Solution 08.18.2022 Article - Can a massive effort to replant cacti in the Sonoran Desert restore an ecosystem ravaged by fire? 
Tiny Dancers 08.18.2022 Spotlight - Even without true wings, a subspecies of Siberian flying squirrel endemic to Japan executes astonishing aerial acrobatics. 
Shot in the Dark 07.14.2022 Spotlight - Africa’s black leopards are shrouded in mystery, but groundbreaking photography is bringing them to light. 
Past the Salt 07.14.2022 Article - In San Francisco’s salty South Bay, an ambitious wetlands restoration project is seeking to balance a return to the ecological past with the realities of a changing future. 
The Big Picture 2022 06.08.2022 Photo Gallery - From the beautiful to the bizarre, this photographic showcase of life on Earth shines a light on some of our planet's most amazing species and places. 
Downward Spiral 06.04.2022 Article - The nautilus’s lineage made it through all five of Earth’s previous mass extinctions. But can it survive the Anthropocene? 
Love Train 06.03.2022 Spotlight - The Kangaroo Island echidna may seem bizarre, but the spiky mammal’s quirks have helped it survive cataclysmic change. 
Atonement in the Kitchen 06.03.2022 Article - One way to make sense of the senseless slaughter of roadkill? Salvage it for food. 
To Rewild a Rhino 05.10.2022 Article - In northeastern India, taking care of a vulnerable species also means looking after the humans who live alongside it. 
Sassy Sousliks 05.10.2022 Spotlight - Facing stiff odds and steep population declines across Europe, can these versatile and tenacious ground squirrels fight back? 
Undertakers of the Forest 05.02.2022 Spotlight - Tiny, shape-shifting slime molds have an outsized influence on the cycle of life. 
Clear Water Revival 05.02.2022 Photo Essay - In a biodiversity wonderland hardly known outside South Africa, a decades-long effort to restore native fish and their streams is starting to pay off—but new trouble could undermine this fragile comeback. 
Beautiful Ugly 04.22.2022 Spotlight - While the Asian sheepshead wrasse’s allure may be debatable, the fish’s color-changing, sex-changing abilities are hard to disregard. 
Keeping the Magic Alive 04.19.2022 Spotlight - Paired black-browed albatrosses perform elaborate bonding rituals, but climate change may lead to higher divorce rates. 
Ghana’s Sacred Monkeys 04.19.2022 Article - Myth and mystery have long protected two species of monkey and the West African forests they depend on, but for how much longer? 
The Tale of the Trojan Trout 02.21.2022 Article - Can the introduction of a modified invader save the West’s native fish? 
Potty Plant 02.21.2022 Spotlight - A carnivorous plant in Southeast Asia offers its leftovers to local fauna, and gets fertilized by those animals’ feces in exchange. 
City Owl, Country Owl 01.21.2022 Spotlight - Unlike their more iconic cousins, diminutive northern pygmy owls occasionally manage to raise families in urban forests—some little more than a stone’s throw from the local café. 
Snuggle for Survival 12.26.2021 Spotlight - Teamwork helps the world’s largest penguin species thrive under the harshest conditions. 
Breakfast with a “Garbage Bin” 12.02.2021 Spotlight - Socotra’s gregarious Egyptian vultures are a bright spot in an otherwise sobering global story. 
When Turtles Fly 11.30.2021 Article - A massive human-assisted migration lands stranded sea turtles back in warmer seas. 
Nomads of the North 11.24.2021 Photo Essay - A writer and photographer shares an intimate portrait of the annual migration and uncertain future of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd. 
Single Mom 11.24.2021 Spotlight - In a delicate ritual that might last only a few minutes, this female squid demonstrates remarkable self-sufficiency. 
Seeing Spots 11.12.2021 Spotlight - Spotted eagle rays’ distinctive markings are turning out to be important identifiers, and may become essential for their protection. 
Water Makes a Hive Thrive 11.04.2021 Spotlight - Just like us, honeybees can die if they get too hot. To cool off, they’ve devised their own kind of air conditioning, ferrying water home and then fanning it with their wings. 
Bringing out the Dead 10.28.2021 Article - By sinking a wide array of carcasses into the deep ocean and studying what turns up when they fall, scientists are learning about some of the world’s most exotic scavengers and the roles they play in the darkness. 
