desert

Scientists found a 9-million-year-old capybara relative’s tooth in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of Earth’s driest places; the water-loving animal adds evidence that the region once supported wetlands and a much wetter climate

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Scientists found a 9-million-year-old capybara relative's tooth in Chile's Atacama Desert, one of Earth's driest places; the water-loving animal adds evidence that the region once supported wetlands and a much wetter climate

The newly discovered tooth provides another reason to reconsider how the region looked in the distant past, the report claims. The Atacama Desert is a landscape where water is measured in millimetres, not rivers. Today, parts of this vast Chilean desert receive almost no rain, making the discovery of an animal that depended on plentiful … Read more

US biologists searching the Mojave Desert found six previously unknown Mojave poppy bee population groups; the new evidence helped determine the tiny specialist bee does not need endangered-species listing

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US biologists searching the Mojave Desert found six previously unknown Mojave poppy bee population groups; the new evidence helped determine the tiny specialist bee does not need endangered-species listing

US biologists searching the Mojave Desert have discovered six previously unknown population groups of the Mojave poppy bee, giving scientists a broader picture of the tiny insect’s distribution and helping the US Fish and Wildlife Service conclude that the species does not currently require protection under the Endangered Species Act, the agency said in an … Read more

Joshua Tree wildlife crossings planned in California’s Mojave Desert to curb wildlife-vehicle collisions; two State Route 62 structures to protect bighorn sheep, mountain lions and bobcats with $6 million-plus funding

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Joshua Tree wildlife crossings planned in California’s Mojave Desert to curb wildlife-vehicle collisions; two State Route 62 structures to protect bighorn sheep, mountain lions and bobcats with $6 million-plus funding

Two wildlife crossings are planned over State Route 62 near Joshua Tree National Park. (Photo: KTLA) Wildlife crossings are increasingly being used across the United States to help animals safely navigate roads and highways, while reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Now, two new crossings are being planned in California’s Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree National Park, in … Read more

In 1999, Pennsylvania teacher Ronald Sakolsky donated $5,000 to farmer Yin Yuzhen to fund her tree-planting efforts in Inner Mongolia; 27 years later, his contribution helped transform China’s Maowusu Desert into a forest of 50,000 trees

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In 1999, Pennsylvania teacher Ronald Sakolsky donated $5,000 to farmer Yin Yuzhen to fund her tree-planting efforts in Inner Mongolia; 27 years later, his contribution helped transform China’s Maowusu Desert into a forest of 50,000 trees

Pennsylvania teacher Ronald Sakolsky’s $5,000 donation helps transform China’s desert into a forest of 50,000 trees. (Photo: Getty Images) Ronald Sakolsky, a 69-year-old retired teacher from Pennsylvania, recently returned to China for the first time in 26 years and was stunned to see what had become of the once-barren landscape he had helped support. A … Read more

Scientists removed kangaroo rats from desert plots for 13 years, revealing how the rodents shape vegetation in the Chihuahuan Desert

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Scientists removed kangaroo rats from desert plots for 13 years, revealing how the rodents shape vegetation in the Chihuahuan Desert

PC: Connor Long/Wikipedia In the Chihuahuan Desert, kangaroo rats play an important role in shaping vegetation. Between 1977 and 1990, researchers excluded three kangaroo rat species from experimental plots to see how their absence affected plants and other animals. The 13-year experiment found that two grasses became significantly more abundant in plots without the rodents … Read more

Saudi Arabia released 313 desert gazelles; 20 years later, both species had established in a vast protected desert

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Saudi Arabia released 313 desert gazelles; 20 years later, both species had established in a vast protected desert

Across one of Saudi Arabia’s largest protected desert landscapes, a conservation experiment that began in the 1990s is still visible two decades later. A total of 313 captive-bred Arabian and sand gazelles were released into Uruq Bani Ma’arid, where their movements were first followed with radio tracking. When researchers returned in 2015–2016, a large camera-trap … Read more

In 1982, Israel released 28 wild donkeys to its desert; 44 years later, they created an oasis in one of Earth’s most extreme places

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In 1982, Israel released 28 wild donkeys to its desert; 44 years later, they created an oasis in one of Earth's most extreme places

Donkeys are more than just packs of animals and load carriers; these herbivores have the capacity to contribute more to the environment than most humans. Over four decades ago, authorities in Israel released 28 wild donkeys into the Ramon Crater, an extremely arid area of Israel’s Negev Desert. The animals’ daily habits completely transformed the … Read more

Volunteers spent 16 years restoring a damaged Arizona desert; 133 native plant species now thrive where invasive grass once ruled

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Volunteers spent 16 years restoring a damaged Arizona desert; 133 native plant species now thrive where invasive grass once ruled

An 18-acre stretch of Arizona desert that was once heavily disturbed and overrun by invasive buffelgrass has been transformed through 16 years of sustained restoration work by volunteers and conservation partners. The Waterman Restoration Project, located on Bureau of Land Management land within Ironwood Forest National Monument near Marana, began in 2010 after earlier attempts … Read more

New Mexico has protected nearly 11,000 acres along the Mimbres River as a new wildlife area, safeguarding historic water rights, rare river habitat and a 2-mile stretch of the desert stream

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New Mexico has protected nearly 11,000 acres along the Mimbres River as a new wildlife area, safeguarding historic water rights, rare river habitat and a 2-mile stretch of the desert stream

An elevated, high-definition view of the newly protected landscape surrounding the Mimbres River in southwestern New Mexico. Conservationists and state officials in New Mexico have completed a deal to buy nearly 11,000 acres of ecologically rich land along the Mimbres River, permanently protecting an important desert watershed and creating the state’s newest public conservation preserve. … Read more

Nancy Guthrie update: Expert explains why Tucson desert remains are unlikely to solve the missing mom case

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Human remains found near Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home have raised questions. (via REUTERS)

The latest human remains were found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard on August 17. The discovery raised questions because of the ongoing search for Nancy Guthriewho disappeared from her Tucson home months ago, on February 1. However, authorities said there is “no indication” that the remains are … Read more