Scientists define global conservation priorities for endangered carnivores

September 30th, 2009 Feds reviewing humpback whale endangered statusHONOLULU — The federal government is considering taking the humpback whale off the endangered species list in response to data showing the population of the massive marine mammal has been steadily growing in recent decades. Known for their acrobatic leaps from the sea and complex singing patterns, humpback whales were nearly hunted to extinction for their oil and meat by industrial-sized whaling ships well through the middle of the 20th century.

September 24th, 2009 LONDON - Reports indicate that a rare species of lotus is on the verge of disappearing from India. According to a report by BBC News, leading botanist Pramod Tandon said that efforts to save Nymphaea tetragona, found only in a small private pond in India, have not been effective.

August 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of scientists from Canada has uncovered alarming invasion of the round goby fish into Great Lakes tributaries, which is likely to make an adverse impact on endangered fishes in the region. The team, from the University of Toronto (U of T), the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the University of Guelph has identified a drastic invasion of round goby into many Great Lakes tributaries, including several areas of the Thames, Sydenham, Ausable and Grand Rivers.

July 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Humans can help in saving the world's most threatened bird species, called the white-shouldered ibis or waterbirds, from extinction, according to new findings by the University of East Anglia (UEA). The study by UEA conservation experts explores the exact reasons behind the decline of the critically endangered white-shouldered ibis.

July 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The successful reintroduction of a once extinct butterfly in Britain has led scientists to determine that intelligent countryside management could improve the survival chances of animal and plant species threatened by climate change. This is the conclusion drawn by scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) from a British study on saving the Large Blue butterfly (Maculinea arion).

June 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a bid to save wild tigers from extinction, the Smithsonian Institution and the World Bank Group plan to link relevant institutions in India, China, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand and other tiger range countries with global conservation science and professional training centres. The National Zoo's Conservation and Research Centre located in the Shenandoah Mountains in Front Royal, Virginia, will serve as one of the initial launch-pads for development of the proposed conservation and development network.

June 10th, 2009 LONDON - A massive logging scheme in Indonesia may result in elephants, Sumatran tigers and some of Asia's rarest orangutans plunging into a "dire and immediate" fight for their lives this summer. According to a report in The Times, plans are being finalized for a immense logging operation in Indonesia aimed at keeping the world supplied with cheap photocopying paper.

June 6th, 2009 LONDON - Scholars have come up with a definition of 'global health', which is often confused with public health or international health. In a commentary, Dr.

May 31st, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, it has been proven that the effects of a changing climate on a population of bighorn sheep can be mathematically predicted. Researchers from Germany, the US, and Mexico studied a population of bighorn sheep introduced to Tiburon island, Mexico, in 1975.

May 26th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have strengthened the forecasts of polar bear populations and their likely responses to climate change, by refuting criticisms of the scientific basis for listing the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act. The research, by a team of scientists from the U.S.

May 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of scientists, using a system of underwater hydrophones that can record sounds from hundreds of miles away, has documented the presence of endangered North Atlantic right whales in an area they were thought to be extinct. The scientists are from the Oregon State University (OSU) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

May 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have documented the presence of endangered North Atlantic right whales with the help of underwater hydrophones that can pick up sounds from hundreds of kilometres away. The discovery is particularly important because it is in an area where these whales were thought to be extinct and one that may be opened to shipping if the melting of polar ice continues, as expected, said researchers.

April 28th, 2009 Gov't revokes rule limiting species protectionsWASHINGTON — Federal agencies again will have to consult with government wildlife experts before taking actions that could have an impact on threatened or endangered species. The Obama administration said Tuesday it was overturning a rule change made in the final weeks of the Bush presidency.

April 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Conservation experts from 24 world-leading organizations have identified one hundred key scientific questions that, if answered, would help conserve global biodiversity. The organizations that identified the questions include the WWF (Worldwide fund for Nature), Conservation International and Birdlife International.

March 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The Wildlife Conservation Society's India Program (WCS - India) has released a unique training video on You Tube that showcases the latest scientific methods for estimating the numbers of wild tigers and their prey. Wildlife filmmaker Shekar Dattatri, in collaboration with Wildlife Conservation Society tiger scientist Dr.