species
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Science
North Korea’s illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species, research finds
In several different countries in Asia, bear bile farms exist. This practice has been criticised for its impact on wildlife populations and for its health and welfare of breeding animals. Images taken at a bear farm in Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves Powell The North Korean government is engaged in the unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade that includes species protected…
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Biology
A fully automated tool for species inference
Roadies results (accurate mode) evaluated on a data set of 240 placental mammals. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). doi:10.1073/pnas.2500553122 A team of engineers at the University of California, San Diego, helps researchers from a wide range of backgrounds understand how different species are evolutionarily related and support transformative biological and medical applications that rely on trees…
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Science
British dog owners prefer mating and importing to domestic pedigree species, research found
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain According to a study published in Companion Animal Genetics and Health, British pedigree dog populations shrunk by an annual decline of 0.9% between 1990 and 2021. The study highlights an increase in populations of mating and imported pedigree dogs since 1990, but finds that only 13.7% of domestic pedigree dogs registered for breeding between 2005 and…
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Biology
(Council) Room Bear: Who decides to remove the grizzly bear from the endangered species list?
Credit: CC0 Public Domain Now 50 years old, the Endangered Species Species Act (ESA) was once a rare beacon of bipartisan unification, and was signed into law with almost indifferent political support by President Richard Nixon. The purpose was clear. Protects at-risk species and allows for recovery using the best science available. However, as a case study on the Grizzly…
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Biology
1 Trillion Species, 3 Billion Years: How to Track the Evolution of Bacteria on Earth using AI
Credit: CC0 Public Domain There are about 1 trillion species of microorganisms on Earth. Most of it is bacteria. Bacteria are made up of a single cell. They have no bones and are not like large animals that leave clear signs in the geological records. This is something paleontologists who appreciate it in a few million years can study. This…
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Biology
Research reveals the use of tools in tropical fish species
Fish Foraging: All tools use the new world of the Harichoare, skilled. Credits: Brian Glatwicke, Kevin Bryant, Joanne Paulo Krajewski In an attractive new study published in the Journal Coral Reefs on March 26, 2025, scientists uncovered the belief that using tools is endemic to mammals and birds after documenting tropical fish that hit rocks with shells and hit rocks…
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Biology
New Manzanita species discovered in California are already at risk
Young A. Nipum flowers. Credit: Phytokeys (2025). doi:10.3897/phytokeys.251.139172 A new species of Manzanita, a California native shrub famous for its twisted branches and wildfire resilience, was discovered on the central coast, but its survival could destroy many of its already vulnerable population It is threatened by urban development. This finding is detailed in a study published in Phytokeys, where researchers…
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Biology
Ten new sponge species discovered in Kahne Bay, Hawaii
If you look closely at the newly described ocean sponge species Steretta Hokwanawana, its name comes from two Hawaiian words: hōkū (star) and wanawanawana (thorny or nasty), “Sorney Translated into “Stars.” This name was chosen to reflect this type of pointy microscope. Credit: Jan Vicente, HIMB. In a series of studies published this week and last month in Journals Peerj…
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Biology
Dingos are culled in Victoria: How much harm is the species to protect commercial interests?
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The Victorian government’s decision to allow dingos to be culled in the eastern state until 2028 has rekindled debate about what has been called Australia’s most controversial animal. Animal Welfare Group Animals Australia filed a lawsuit before the Victoria Supreme Court to challenge the decision. The incident will be heard this year. The group, which announced…
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Science
Where do invasive species spread and why? Researchers take a new approach to finding the answer
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Science makes it difficult for scientists to simulate spreads and predict where they will go next, as invasive species (such as spotted tilapia) are constantly moving. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will dig deeper to understand why certain locations are susceptible to invasions by non-native plants and animals, and…
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