Mastodawn

Herpetologists are calling for greater inclusion of amphibians in African conservation planning, in a recent letter published in the journal Science. The researchers note that amphibians — frogs, salamanders and caecilians — are especially important as early-warning detectors of ecological disruption, given their sensitivity to pathogens, thermal stress, pollution and hydrological changes in their wetland habitats.
#biodiversity #endangeredspecies #amphibians #ecosystem

https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/05/africas-amphibians-are-overlooked-in-conservation-planning-experts-warn/

Africa’s amphibians are overlooked in conservation planning, experts warn

Herpetologists are calling for greater inclusion of amphibians in African conservation planning, in a recent letter published in the journal Science. Africa is home to roughly 1,170 known species of amphibians, 99% of which are endemic. Some 37% of the amphibians are recognized as threatened with extinction. The researchers note that amphibians — frogs, salamanders […]

Conservation news

Moos of AboutZoos 9h ago

Vanessa Rojas 17h ago

New paper out! 🦇

We published data from 2015 to serve as a baseline from that time, before white-nose syndrome had spread across the continent. 194 North American bat experts assessed 21 threat categories. Pathogens and microbes ranked as the biggest threat across most regions. Habitat loss related threats also ranked high. Will be interesting to see what may change/stay the same in the future.

edit: Fixed link should give access
https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1n49D1R~eeCY3

#bats #conservation #wildlife #wns

Moos of AboutZoos 19h ago

TKSST • seethis.tv 🌈🪐✨20h ago

🦜🦉 The #kākāpō is a giant flightless #parrot that lives on just a handful of #NewZealand's offshore #islands.

These nocturnal #birds spend their days resting in #trees and waiting for darkness to return before they venture out to feed. A January 2026 #report confirms that only 236 of these parrots exist today.

👉 Learn more: https://seethis.tv/post/kakapo-endangered-flightless-night-parrot-video

#animals #conservation #cute #endangered #kakapo #ornithology #wildlife #nature #science #tksst #video

Moos of AboutZoos 21h ago

Human childbirth has long been considered exceptionally difficult. A common explanation is the so-called "obstetrical Dilemma": humans walk upright and have large brains, leading to a tight fit between the baby and the mother's pelvis. This is thought to make birth especially risky in our species. Recently this idea has been tested against data on birth outcomes from other mammals. And it shows our problems are not unique.
#evolution #reproduction #biodiversity #mammals

https://www.newswise.com/articles/human-childbirth-is-not-uniquely-difficult-among-mammals/?sc=c6313

Human Childbirth Is Not Uniquely Difficult Among Mammals | Newswise

Human childbirth is commonly viewed as uniquely difficult and dangerous. The reason: the combination of bipedalism and large brains creates a tight fit between the baby and the birth canal. Research at the University of Vienna has now shown that many other mammals – from domestic livestock to wild species – face similar birth problems and mortality. In some species, these complications even occur as often as in some human populations, such as hunter-gatherers without modern medical care. The

Moos of AboutZoos 1d ago

New research shows terrain complexity is an important factor when brush-tailed rock-wallabies choose habitat, and therefore important for successful reintroductions, as part of conservation efforts. The research provides crucial insight to help bring the critically endangered species back from the brink.
#biodiversity #conservation #endangeredspecies #rockwallaby #extinction

https://www.newswise.com/articles/complex-habitat-crucial-to-brush-tailed-rock-wallaby-survival/?sc=c6313

Complex Habitat Crucial to Brush-Tailed Rock-Wallaby Survival | Newswise

New research shows terrain complexity is an important factor when brush-tailed rock-wallabies choose habitat, providing critical insight to help bring the critically endangered species back from the brink.

Moos of AboutZoos 3d ago

'Ghost of the forest', the mountain bongo, returns to Kenya as conservation iets reintroduce this endangered Antelope into the wild.
#biodiversity #endangeredspecies #bongo #conservation

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ghost-forest-kenya-conservationists-reintroduce.html

'Ghost of the forest' returns to Kenya as conservationists reintroduce rare antelope into the wild

The mountain bongo has become the "ghost of the forest," hard to spot amid the dense shrubs due to its ability to camouflage.

Phys.org

Moos of AboutZoos 3d ago

Many zoos build concrete enrichment walls for their elephant's #welfare to stimulate their problem-solving and critical thinking. Holes in the wall allow elephants to reach through with their trunks for food, treats, or playful objects on the other side.
Zoo Atlanta enhanced the enrichment wall by adding an interactive audio component. A nearby speaker system emits distinctive low-frequency tones when an elephant sticks its trunk into a hole.
#zoo #enrichment #elephant

https://www.newswise.com/articles/zoo-atlanta-elephants-embrace-new-gt-designed-interactive-enrichment-wall/?sc=c6313

Zoo Atlanta Elephants Embrace New GT-Designed Interactive Enrichment Wall | Newswise

Georgia Tech is working with Zoo Atlanta to design an audio enrichment wall for African elephants.

Moos of AboutZoos 3d ago

鶏人｜Keijin 3d ago

Scorched earth, a sold-off future. Why do giant anteaters lose their homes to fire? Locals burn forests to survive, but the real villain is our global craving for cheap meat. Biting into a burger doesn't make you picture a burning ancient forest, right? If we lose more nature, we'll face climate chaos, not just climate change.

11年後のレッドリスト｜オオアリクイ：焼かれた土地、売られる未来【IUCNレッドリスト比較】

今回は、オオアリクイ（学名：Myrmecophaga tridactyla）が教えてくれた「火をつける理由」って話です。2014年の図鑑では、草原の生息地が自然の火災でも、人の手による火入れでも、火災の危険にさらされていることなどから、評価は「VU：危急」になっていました。そして最新のIUCNレッドリストを見ても、2020年や2024年に大規模火災が起きた、という話は出てくるんですけど、それでも評価は「VU：危急」のままです。だからオオアリクイは今も、言ってみれば「焼かれた土地、売られる未来」みたいな状態の中にいるんだと思います。この記事は短くて、5分で読めます。よかったら、最後まで読んでください。

11年後のレッドリスト｜2014年→2025年：IUCNレッドリスト比較

Moos of AboutZoos 3d ago

Lukas VFN 🇪🇺3d ago

Nocturnal Gardeners: The Case of Tent-Roosting Bats https://www.botany.one/the-jungles-heaviest-courier-service-the-case-of-tent-roosting-bats/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/btp.70179

"Unlike #birds, many #bats do not consume fruit where they find it; they capture it in flight and transport it to a safe refuge to eat in peace. In the case of tent-roosting bats, these shelters are plant leaves that the bats themselves modify to form a kind of tent or canopy... Tent-roosting bats of #Mexico's #Lacandon #Rainforest disperse up to 79.8 million large seeds annually"

Moos of AboutZoos 3d ago

The role of zoos in nature conservation:
The mission of contemporary self-respecting zoos consists of ex-situ conservation, supporting in-situ conservation, and raising public awareness about endangered species via education. Besides protection of endangered species, viable habitats are needed that sustain much more (e.g. ecosystems) than just an individual species that can be reintroduced in the wild.
#biodiversity #zoos #conservation #ecosystems

nature conservation
https://aboutzoos.info/zoos/close-or-rethink-zoos/nature-conservation

nature conservation

The role of zoos in biodiversity conservation via captive breeding, biobanking, species reintroduction in the wild, habitat restoration, co-operative projects in wild habitat, and more