In 1957, a South American moth was released in the Caribbean to control prickly pear; by 1989 it had reached Florida and was attacking native and endangered cacti

In 1957, a South American moth was released in the Caribbean to control prickly pear; by 1989 it had reached Florida and was attacking native and endangered cacti

According to scientists, the South American cactus moth primarily attacks Opuntia species, commonly known as prickly pear cactus. It can also occasionally affect Nopalea, Cylindropuntia and Consolea species. A pest once deliberately moved around the world to solve an agricultural problem has become a problem of its own. According to a report by the USDA’s … Read more

Ann Hammond spent years restoring her 12-acre Iowa property with native habitat; years later, a federally endangered bumblebee appeared among her flowers

Ann Hammond spent years restoring her 12-acre Iowa property with native habitat; years later, a federally endangered bumblebee appeared among her flowers

Representative image Image credits: Wikimedia Commons For years, Ann Hammond worked to transform her 12-acre Iowa property into a welcoming place for native plants and wildlife. The effort eventually brought an extraordinary visitor to her flowers: a rusty patched bumblebee, a species listed as federally endangered in the United States. As reported by Iowa Public … Read more

In 2026, a Florida wildlife centre brought in critically endangered red-ruffed lemurs; the project is now helping restore their disappearing Madagascar rainforest

In 2026, a Florida wildlife centre brought in critically endangered red-ruffed lemurs; the project is now helping restore their disappearing Madagascar rainforest

A wildlife centre in North Florida has welcomed two red-ruffed lemurs, turning encounters with the critically endangered animals into a way to support rainforest restoration thousands of miles away in Madagascar. The North Florida Wildlife Center in Lloyd, Jefferson County, is now home to four ruffed lemurs. Two of them, newly arrived red-ruffed lemur males, … Read more

Scientists tagged 14,000 endangered Australian moths with paint and eyelash glue to trace their migration; not one was found, and researchers say that may be good news

Scientists tagged 14,000 endangered Australian moths with paint and eyelash glue to trace their migration; not one was found, and researchers say that may be good news

Representative Image (AI-generated) More than 14,000 Bogong moths were tagged in an unusual attempt to uncover the secrets of one of Australia’s most remarkable insect migrations. Researchers marked the endangered moths in the Snowy Mountains and hoped to track where they travelled after leaving their summer shelters. Some were marked with non-toxic paint, while others … Read more

A farmer turned 70 acres of his Oregon barley farm into a wetland; now it hosts 140 bird species and endangered fish

A farmer turned 70 acres of his Oregon barley farm into a wetland; now it hosts 140 bird species and endangered fish

A farmer in southern Oregon transformed 70 acres of his 400-acre barley farm into a wetland in 2021, creating an unexpected refuge for wildlife while helping address agricultural water pollution. Karl Wenner, a co-owner of Lakeside Farms near Klamath Falls, worked with conservation agencies and other partners to convert flood-prone farmland into a managed wetland. … Read more

Australia’s endangered eastern quolls have welcomed new joeys; after vanishing from the mainland for 60 years, the species is now breeding again in a rare conservation comeback

Australia’s endangered eastern quolls have welcomed new joeys; after vanishing from the mainland for 60 years, the species is now breeding again in a rare conservation comeback

A study released 20 captive-bred eastern quolls at Tasmania’s 6,500-hectare Silver Plains conservation property. (Photo: Booderee NP) The eastern quoll, a small nocturnal marsupial once common across eastern Australia, is showing signs of recovery after years of decline. Captive-bred eastern quolls released in Tasmania have successfully reproduced, with one female carrying six joeys in her … Read more

More than 100 years ago, red mangroves were introduced to Hawaii; now crews are trying to eradicate them from nearly 2 miles of waterways to restore wetlands and protect endangered birds

More than 100 years ago, red mangroves were introduced to Hawaii; now crews are trying to eradicate them from nearly 2 miles of waterways to restore wetlands and protect endangered birds

Environmental crews and volunteers physically clear thickets of invasive red mangrove trees and tangled stilt roots from a coastal waterway in Kailua, Oahu Environmental teams in Hawaii have launched a major effort to remove invasive red mangroves from nearly two miles of waterways in Kailua. The project aims to reverse more than a century of … Read more

In 1885, New Zealand released European hedgehogs as garden pest killers; 140 years later, DOC calls them a major threat to native wildlife and one can empty an endangered tern colony of nesting birds

In 1885, New Zealand released European hedgehogs as garden pest killers; 140 years later, DOC calls them a major threat to native wildlife and one can empty an endangered tern colony of nesting birds

European hedgehog (Image Credit: Canva) What was once seen as a useful garden helper in New Zealand has become an unexpected threat to some of the country’s most vulnerable wildlife. European hedgehogs were deliberately introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century, with acclimatisation societies releasing them in the hope that they would help control … Read more

In June 2026, Washington began restoring 270 acres across two river islands; the project will reconnect the South Fork Skagit estuary to natural tides and hundreds more acres for endangered Chinook salmon

In June 2026, Washington began restoring 270 acres across two river islands; the project will reconnect the South Fork Skagit estuary to natural tides and hundreds more acres for endangered Chinook salmon

Construction begins on project to restore estuary habitat in South Fork Skagit River (Photo by: WDFW) Heavy earth-moving equipment began work in June 2026 on a major coastal restoration project in Skagit County, Washington. The project will remove old sea defences and breach river levees across two islands in the South Fork Skagit River delta.The … Read more

Australian family bought a remote island to run a sheep farm, now they are turning it into a $4.8 million conservation sanctuary for endangered wildlife

Australian family bought a remote island to run a sheep farm, now they are turning it into a $4.8 million conservation sanctuary for endangered wildlife

An Australian family who once built their life around sheep farming on a remote island are now helping give the same place a completely different future. Peter and Pamela Woolford took over Flinders Island off South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula and raised their family there while running a Merino sheep station. Nearly five decades later, the … Read more