Life, Death, and Renewal in the Campo Rupestre Photo Essay 04.22.2021 In a little-known region of Brazil that calls to mind Tolkien’s Middle-earth, unique lifeforms have evolved to endure innumerable environmental challenges. Can they survive the country’s latest era of deregulation?
A New Hope Photo Essay 01.27.2021 Discovered a mere four years ago, the Skywalker gibbon quickly landed on the list of the world’s 25 most endangered primates. While its status remains precarious, the species is inspiring a newfound effort to protect and restore the forests of China’s Gaoligong Mountains.
A Novel Demise Spotlight 09.22.2020 Although we’ve marveled over carnivorous plants for centuries, the plants’ penchant for vertebrate flesh has been largely overlooked.
Layers of Life Spotlight 11.12.2019 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.
The Reservoir Article 12.12.2018 In Bangladesh, a bat-borne virus you’ve probably never heard of is poised to become the next pandemic—and medicine alone may not be sufficient to stop it. Is an ecological intervention the answer?
Open Wide Spotlight 10.09.2018 Their prey may be tiny, but these Indian mackerel need both gaping mouths and an assist from their school-mates to successfully snag a meal.
Facing the Day Spotlight 07.18.2018 Before embarking on an icy fishing expedition in the Southern Ocean, king penguins pause to soak up the morning’s first light.
Farm to Reef Photo Essay 05.08.2018 Cuba’s sustainable farming practices could provide a recipe for restoring struggling coral reefs around the world.
Taking Down Goliath Spotlight 03.08.2018 The world’s largest frogs are also among the most coveted in the African bushmeat trade. Can grassroots efforts save the goliath frog from extinction?
Connecting—and Protecting—the Dots Article 08.23.2017 A new approach aims to help nature persist even as a city creeps outward.
On Thin Ice Article 05.31.2017 While President Trump considers pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement on climate, the Arctic is telling us what’s at stake for our planet.
The Mending Article 03.14.2017 Argentina’s vast Iberá wetlands lost many of their largest species decades ago. Can an audacious rewilding plan rebuild a bygone world?
The Nursery Article 09.20.2016 Unlocking the habitat secrets of one of the planet’s most important salmon fisheries—and the specter of industrial development that threatens its very existence
A Forest Hidden by Fog Article 09.13.2016 Spellbound by an idea, a writer sets out to find the mythical cloud forest—and shines a bright light on an endangered ecosystem.
Cancer at Sea Article 08.23.2016 A mysterious disease afflicting California sea lions is helping scientists understand the causes of cancer in all animals—including humans.
Shark Haven Spotlight 08.02.2016 A lemon shark cruises through the submerged branches of a mangrove forest, oblivious to the many threats this critical habitat faces.
The Birds and the Bombs Article 06.28.2016 The fate of the Southeast’s longleaf pine forests, and the endangered woodpeckers that depend on them, may rest in the hands of the U.S. military.
March of the Flamingos Photo Essay 06.21.2016 In the harsh, hot soda lakes of East Africa, flamingos thrive, and now scientists are beginning to understand how these birds live where other species die.
Curbing an Onslaught of 2 Billion Cars Opinion 06.14.2016 Nature could soon be imperiled by twice as many vehicles and enough new roads to encircle the planet more than 600 times.
