Africa’s Conservation Conundrum
The trophy hunting industry in Africa is dying, and that should concern all of us. What, if anything, replaces it will prove critical for the protection of the continent’s wildlife and wild places.
The Big Picture 2020 05.05.2020 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. 
Farming Insects to Save Lemurs 03.19.2020 Article - A reimagined approach to an age-old practice is helping to fight malnutrition in Madagascar—and may have the added benefit of protecting the island nation's imperiled primates and the forests they call home. 
Saving Mexico’s Lost World 02.18.2020 Article - Microbes have lived in Cuatro Ciénegas for 500 million years. They’ve survived countless cataclysms and extinctions. But can they survive us? 
Records of Change 01.17.2020 Video - Thanks to foresight and meticulous records collected nearly a century ago, scientists are reconstructing a picture of some of Mexico's most important ecosystems before they were transformed. 
Race Against the Biological Clock 12.24.2019 Spotlight - It turns out some contests between predators and their prey are more genetically determined than others. 
Standing Guard 12.24.2019 Photo Essay - The population of this critically endangered bird has stabilized thanks to the conservationists who look after them, but what happens if the caretakers leave? 
Mexico City and its Sacred Salamanders 12.10.2019 Video - Important symbols of both Mexican culture and ecosystem health, axolotls are on the brink of extinction in the wild, but a return to ancient practices offers hope for their future. 
The Scent of Water 12.10.2019 Spotlight - Most mammals can’t smell underwater, but Eurasian otters may have a way of sniffing out prey even while swimming. 
A Great Escape 12.03.2019 Spotlight - Invasive American mink, having escaped from British fur farms over the past century, are now wreaking havoc on native species—but this lucky gannet got away. 
A (Proposed) Pipeline Runs Through It 12.03.2019 Article - The Atlantic Coast Pipeline would divide mountains, farmland, and sacred Native American land along its 600-mile route, but it's uniting a diverse community of activists determined to halt its progress. 
Refilling the Carbon Sink 11.12.2019 Photo Essay - Long seen as wastelands, Scotland’s bogs are now the scene of an intense restoration effort in which millions of exotic trees are being felled to fight climate change. 
Layers of Life 11.12.2019 Spotlight - On a crowded coral reef, species often make their homes on top of one another (literally), living lives that are tightly intertwined both biologically and evolutionarily. 
Beguiling Intruder 10.30.2019 Spotlight - Lionfish are hungry, long-lived, and extremely fertile invaders in their new-found Atlantic home. 
Song of the Mountain Chicken 10.30.2019 Article - These giant frogs—once a delicacy on two Caribbean islands—were almost wiped out by disease and natural disasters. But their resilience and years of dedicated conservation efforts have kept hope for the species alive. 
Restoring Harmony in Haida Gwaii 10.15.2019 Article - A collaboration between Haida tradition and Western science may offer a way to bolster both Haida culture and the marine ecosystem intertwined with it. 
Snake Fake 10.15.2019 Spotlight - For a plump caterpillar with no defensive body parts, masquerading as a deadly viper is an effective adaptation for survival in the Peruvian Amazon. 
Strength in Numbers 09.26.2019 Spotlight - A spirited game of tug-of-war is more than just a sweet moment among siblings—it’s a sign of an African wild dog pack with enough members to keep its pups both safe and well-fed. 
A Plague of Cactus 09.26.2019 Article - Across Kenya’s wildlife-rich Laikipia Plateau, a thorny enemy is advancing. But a tiny sap-sucking insect may help save the region’s animals and people. 
The Secret Garden 09.11.2019 Photo Essay - The crystalline rivers of the Serra da Bodoquena offer a window into Brazil’s freshwater biodiversity. But with deforestation on the rise, that window is becoming cloudier. 
A Precarious Perch 08.27.2019 Article - Swallow-tailed kites have lost much of their habitat in the southeastern United States, but thanks to an unlikely ally, their numbers are beginning to climb. 
Unexpected Playmate 08.27.2019 Spotlight - A young humpback whale is spotted off the coast of Sri Lanka. Is it a sign of a promising trend, or just a fluke? 
Bobcat Manor 08.14.2019 Photo Essay - Despite increasing hunting pressure, bobcats have proven themselves to be remarkably resilient in the face of human encroachment—and aren’t above raising their young in rural backyards. 
Enemy of My Enemy 08.14.2019 Spotlight - An Amazonian frog finds refuge under the watchful compound gaze of a surprising guardian. 
Lens of Time: Jaw Jumpers 07.30.2019 Video - Sometimes the best solution to a sticky situation is a quick escape, and few escapes are faster than a trap-jaw ant’s. 
Sucker Deception 07.30.2019 Spotlight - Mesmerizing bioluminescence is a rare trait—and a clever lure—for this deep-sea drifter. 
Ghosts of the Everglades 07.11.2019 Immersive - Clinging to survival in shrinking swamps, ghost orchids are so elusive that their pollinators have remained unknown—until now. One team’s findings may help to save both the flower and its threatened home. 
Raised in Rice Fields 06.26.2019 Article - California’s Chinook salmon have been losing habitat to agriculture for decades. Now, they’re getting a much-needed boost from strategically flooded fields. 
Handle With Care 06.26.2019 Spotlight - For one of the most heavily persecuted creatures on the planet, protection sometimes requires a very hands-on approach. 
Bounty Hunter 06.12.2019 Spotlight - When the Cape fur seals along the Namibian coast have their pups each December, the desert’s top scavengers become seal-hunting specialists. 
Hawaii’s Ancient Aquaculture Revival 06.12.2019 Article - In an ocean state that now imports half of its seafood, a determined group of activists is restoring the age-old aquaculture practices of Native Hawaiians. 
The Lobster Wars 05.29.2019 Article - In one coastal Mexican town, a sustainable fishery anchors the community. So why has Florida outlawed the same fishing methods? 
Assume the Position 05.29.2019 Spotlight - A master of disguise, this rainforest dweller doesn’t just wear the perfect outfit, it also performs the flawless impression of a tree branch. 
Hands Full 05.13.2019 Spotlight - Successfully raising a single infant is challenging enough that gorillas rarely have twins. But both of these babies are thriving, thanks to a few extra helping hands. 
The Big Picture 2019 04.30.2019 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. 
Deathly Beautiful 04.18.2019 Spotlight - This picturesque battle between a blue dragon sea slug and a Portuguese man o’ war is a matter of life or death—for both parties. 
Below the Bill 04.09.2019 Spotlight - One of the world’s largest birds has long been persecuted for both its outsized bill and its eating habits, but an ambitious cross-border plan is helping this threatened pelican bounce back. 
Mighty Mom 03.17.2019 Spotlight - One of the most attentive of all insect parents, this tiny treehopper fiercely defends her offspring until they're fully grown, using her thorn-shaped headdress as both shield and intimidation tool. 
Protected by Prawns 03.17.2019 Video - Restoring native crustaceans along West Africa’s Senegal River may be a critical step in controlling one of the world’s deadliest tropical diseases. 
