Biodiversity

"An unusual visitor to local waters has caused a stir among the region's marine scientists: a gray whale. Researchers with the New England Aquarium's aerial survey team on Tuesday reported spotting the whale 30 miles south of Nantucket during a flight on Friday — a sighting they said is "incredibly rare," considering the species has been extinct in the Atlantic Ocean for more than two centuries."

"The plan to bring back the woolly mammoth — or at least a version of it — is ambitious but raises hairy questions".

"A federal agency is asserting legal rights to waters that feed the Okefenokee Swamp and its vast wildlife refuge, setting up a new battle with a mining company seeking permits to withdraw more than 1.4 million gallons daily for a project that critics say could irreparably harm one of America’s natural treasures."

"One by one, the crate doors swing open and five Arctic foxes bound off into the snowy landscape. In the wilds of southern Norway, the newly freed foxes could struggle to find enough to eat, as the impacts of climate change make the foxes’ traditional rodent prey more scarce."

"Unsustainable development threatens the health and diverse fish populations of the Mekong river, with one-fifth of fish species in Southeast Asia's main artery facing extinction, a report by conservation groups said on Monday."

"These live streams provide a front-row seat to wildlife across the globe".

"A revised CDC reporting system led to a 70 percent increase in reported cases of Lyme disease, but experts say more can be done."

"EPA should figure out the risks of pesticide-laced pet collars linked to thousands of injuries, according to an Office of Inspector General report released Thursday."

"How scientists, volunteers, and incarcerated women are finding hope and metamorphosis through supporting a struggling butterfly."

"On a late autumn day, a team of forestry workers spreads out among the burned trunks of giant sequoia trees. The 1,000-year-old trees in the grove are dead but still standing, killed in an extreme wildfire that raced through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks."