Tag: threat

Palm Oil is Threatening the Elusive Clouded Leopard

August 24, 2017

Clouded leopards are some of the most elusive and understudied cats on the planet. They comprise two species: the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) and the Indochinese clouded leopard (Neofilis nebulosa). The latter felid (cat) inhabits portions of mainland Southeast Asia, China, and the Himalayan foothills – whereas the former is restricted to parts of … More Palm Oil is Threatening the Elusive Clouded Leopard

Environmental Group and Congressman sue Over Trump’s Border Wall

April 15, 2017

On April 12, 2017 the Center for Biological Diversity and Arizona Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva announced that they had sued the Trump administration over planned border security measures. This includes the proposed wall, road construction, increased human presence, heightened off-road vehicle use, and more. This is the first lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s intended border militarization efforts. … More Environmental Group and Congressman sue Over Trump’s Border Wall

Conservationists Decry South Africa’s Plan to Legalize Lion Bone Trade

March 10, 2017

South Africa recently proposed to legalize the trade in captive-bred lion carcasses. The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) announced that it plans to allow up to 800 lion skeletons per year to be exported. Conservation groups, such as Panthera, immediately decried the move. The DEA claims that allowing lion bones to be traded legally will … More Conservationists Decry South Africa’s Plan to Legalize Lion Bone Trade

Jaguars are More Threatened than they Appear, Study Finds

February 18, 2017

Currently, the jaguar (Panthera onca) is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. This is the second lowest threat level, right behind Least Concern. This global assessment is based on the jaguar’s wide distribution, as well as the fact that much of its territory in Amazonia remains intact. But a new study suggests that … More Jaguars are More Threatened than they Appear, Study Finds

Trump’s Border Wall Would be Disastrous for Jaguar Recovery

February 6, 2017

By now it is common knowledge that Donald Trump wants to build a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border. This would cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars, and experts say it would not stop people from illegally crossing the border (Owens, 2017; Center for Biological Diversity, 2017). What it would do is dismantle Southwest ecosystems – and … More Trump’s Border Wall Would be Disastrous for Jaguar Recovery

Trespass Marijuana Grows are Poisoning Northern California’s Mountain Lions

February 1, 2017

On December 1, 2016 I attended a talk hosted by tracker and Humboldt State University student Phil Johnston. In it, he spoke of a grave threat to Northern California’s mountain lions (Puma concolor): trespass marijuana grows. This is a serious problem that needs attention, and I recently sat down with Phil to learn more about … More Trespass Marijuana Grows are Poisoning Northern California’s Mountain Lions

‘Disappearing Spots’: Important New Infographic about Vanishing Cheetahs

January 12, 2017

On December 26, the wild cat NGO Panthera announced that cheetah populations are crashing globally. A study conducted by Panthera, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) found that only 7,100 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are likely to exist in the wild. While I have already reported on Panthera’s original press release, … More ‘Disappearing Spots’: Important New Infographic about Vanishing Cheetahs

Cheetahs are Racing Towards Extinction, Study Finds

December 27, 2016

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Panthera, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) recently collaborated on a comprehensive global survey of cheetah populations. Their findings are alarming. According to this press release from Panthera, there are only 7,100 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) left in the wild. They have lost 91% of their historic range, and 79% of wild cheetah populations … More Cheetahs are Racing Towards Extinction, Study Finds

Report Claims Traditional Asian Medicine Trade is Behind Dramatic Rise in Jaguar Killings in Bolivia

September 4, 2016

This past February I shared a story which claimed that the Traditional Asian Medicine trade was taking a heavy toll on Bolivia’s jaguars. Now this article, found on Fox News Latino, says the problem is worse than previously realized. The Fox News Latino story is based on a report released by the Bolivian Environment Forum, … More Report Claims Traditional Asian Medicine Trade is Behind Dramatic Rise in Jaguar Killings in Bolivia