United States
I am a writer specializing in wildlife and environmental news.
Want to buy a puppy? Protect yourself from greedy banks and pet stores
Little was known about the tan dog when a community member first brought her to McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after finding her wandering around outside in January. But a note shelter staff found attached to the dog's collar quickly provided insight into her backstory.It read: "My name is Lilo.
In September 2020, Rick Haaland, the Pets for Life community outreach manager for the Leech Lake Tribal Police in northern Minnesota, answered a call about a large dog named Winston. The dog had gotten into an altercation with a porcupine and was covered in quills.
Rescuers believe plastic debris caused his buoyancy issue - a problem faced by sea turtles that is sometimes called "floating syndrome." In recent years, sea turtles have become closely tied to the plastic pollution crisis, through images of turtles entangled in plastic or with straws stuck in their nostrils.
India leaps into his pool, pouncing on a purple plastic egg-his favorite toy, according to his caregivers. After a few minutes, the tiger ambles over to his watering tub. Instead of taking a drink, he plops in and closes his eyes in contentment.
Danielle Tepper had always loved dolphins. When she went on vacation to Hawaii, she knew she had to see them firsthand. Tepper-now senior editor at the Humane Society of the United States-wanted to do it ethically, so she avoided captive dolphin attractions. Instead, she booked an excursion to swim with wild spinner dolphins.
Animal welfare advocates hope that recent enforcement actions against Tiger King personalities will help push through the bill, which seeks to ban cub petting operations and trade in big cats. Cub petting facilities - where visitors can directly interact with wild animals such as tigers and lions - gained national attention following the release of the Netflix docuseries Tiger King in March last year.
For communities across the world, 2020 has been a tumultuous year. The SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes COVID-19) spread from a few people at a Chinese wildlife market to over 72 million people by the end of the year.
Despite disturbing high-altitude habitat, climbers could be a valuable resource for bird conservation projects. Cliff-dwelling birds typically have it pretty good. Cliffs serve as a physical barrier, protecting birds from terrestrial predators as well as human disturbances. Cliffs also provide ample nesting sites, and the high-altitude can allow birds to spot potential threats as they approach from below.
Tourism is a powerful conservation tool, but when people get too close, it can also facilitate spread of dangerous pathogens. Find more of our Covid-19 coverage. The current coronavirus pandemic, which likely jumped to humans from a market selling wildlife for meat, has shown us that zoonotic diseases pose an urgent threat to people around the world.