wildlife

In 2003, Chicago’s mayor sent bulldozers to carve six giant Xs into an airport runway overnight, stranding 16 planes; 12 years later, the former airfield reopened with 40 acres of prairie, wetlands and wildlife habitat

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In 2003, Chicago’s mayor sent bulldozers to carve six giant Xs into an airport runway overnight, stranding 16 planes; 12 years later, the former airfield reopened with 40 acres of prairie, wetlands and wildlife habitat

Meigs Field in 1997 (Image Credit: Wikipedia) When Chicago residents woke up on March 31, 2003, one of the city’s most recognisable small airports had effectively disappeared overnight. Under orders from then-Mayor Richard M. Daley, construction crews arrived at Meigs Field in the early hours and carved six enormous X-shaped gouges into the runway, making … Read more

In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes; their population later grew to roughly 10,000 and threatened rare wildlife, but after decades of trapping Japan declared them eradicated in 2024

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In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes; their population later grew to roughly 10,000 and threatened rare wildlife, but after decades of trapping Japan declared them eradicated in 2024

In 1979, about 30 mongooses were released on Japan’s Amami Oshima to control habu snakes Japan has officially declared the successful eradication of the invasive small Indian mongoose on Amami Oshima, ending a decades-long ecological crisis on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island. According to an official announcement from Japan’s ministry of the environment, expert panels … Read more

Extreme drought is changing Britain’s wildlife – some effects won’t be seen until next year

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Extreme drought is changing Britain’s wildlife – some effects won’t be seen until next year

Ormskirk , While wildfires dominated the headlines this summer, the effects of extreme heat and drought are also visible on a much smaller scale: parched lawns, wilting and browning trees and dry ditches and bogs. These changes may look temporary, but for wildlife they can have consequences that last long after the rain returns. Extreme … Read more

In 2015, a storm flooded and destroyed a Virginia wildlife refuge beach parking lot; now officials are moving it 2.5 miles north so dunes and saltmarsh can reclaim the old site

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In 2015, a storm flooded and destroyed a Virginia wildlife refuge beach parking lot; now officials are moving it 2.5 miles north so dunes and saltmarsh can reclaim the old site

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (Image Credit: Canva) A severe storm in 2015 flooded and destroyed a recreational beach parking lot at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia, exposing the growing difficulty of maintaining visitor facilities on a shifting barrier island. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge is now relocating the recreational … Read more

In 2006, Joel Sartore began photographing one animal at a time; 18,000 species later, his Photo Ark has become a global conservation movement fighting to save wildlife from extinction

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In 2006, Joel Sartore began photographing one animal at a time; 18,000 species later, his Photo Ark has become a global conservation movement fighting to save wildlife from extinction

Joel Sartore started the project with a simple but powerful idea: to photograph animals one species at a time, creating a visual record before they are gone. (Image: Instagram/joelsartore) In a world where species can disappear before most people even know they exist, photographer Joel Sartore has spent two decades making sure wildlife is seen. … Read more

In 1951, a New Jersey couple bought 185-acres of land as a summer retreat after which an injured owl turned their property into a wildlife refuge

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In 1951, a New Jersey couple bought 185-acres of land as a summer retreat after which an injured owl turned their property into a wildlife refuge

Jim and Betty Woodford. Image Credit: Cedar Run Wildlife refuge In 1951, Jim and Betty Woodford bought 185 acres in what was then the largely undeveloped Medford Township, New Jersey, hoping to create a summer retreat. But the land became the foundation for a lifelong commitment to wildlife. According to the Cedar Run website, the … 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

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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 1944, a Vermont woman used money meant for a fur coat to buy a 150-acre farm; 20 years later she gave it to Audubon for wildlife conservation

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In 1944, a Vermont woman used money meant for a fur coat to buy a 150-acre farm; 20 years later she gave it to Audubon for wildlife conservation

Representative Image of a 150-acre Vermont landscape where a historic dairy farm has become a thriving nature preserve (AI-generated image) In 1944, Christine Hires, a member of the family behind Hires Root Beer, was vacationing in Vermont when she fell in love with the landscape and decided to buy a 150-acre dairy farm in what … Read more

A Florida couple bought a 45-acre swamp to protect it from development; 15 years later, 275 wood storks were nesting there in a thriving ecosystem filled with wildlife

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A Florida couple bought a 45-acre swamp to protect it from development; 15 years later, 275 wood storks were nesting there in a thriving ecosystem filled with wildlife

Jim Stevenson (left) and Tara Tanaka (right) at their wildlife sanctuary in Florida. A Florida couple made an unusual decision more than a decade ago when they bought a 45-acre cypress swamp beside their home in Tallahassee, Florida, rather than allowing the land to be cleared or developed. Jim Stevenson and Tara Tanaka purchased the … Read more

79-year-old UK grandmother refuses to sell part of her garden for $60m road project to protect a 500-year-old oak tree and local wildlife

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79-year-old UK grandmother refuses to sell part of her garden for $60m road project to protect a 500-year-old oak tree and local wildlife

A 79-year-old grandmother in Herefordshire, UK, is refusing to sell part of her garden for a major road project that could bring a 60mph route close to her home. Jean Harris, a retired school secretary and piano teacher, has point-blank refused to negotiate over the land needed for the proposed Southern Link Road, now being … Read more