Tuesday is World Elephant Day. 5 things to know about the world's largest land mammals
There are three species of elephants: the African savanna or bush elephant, the African forest elephant and the Asian elephant. The African savanna elephant and the Asian elephant are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The forest elephant is critically endangered.
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Saving South Africa's endangered sandfish
Once so plentiful that their annual migrations churned water into waves, the Clanwilliam sandfish – endemic to South Africa's Western Cape – have been in rapid decline for the past few decades. Meet the conservationists helping restore this threatened freshwater species.
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Ethiopian fossil Lucy leaves for her first exhibition in Europe
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — The human ancestor fossil known as Lucy left Ethiopia for display in a European museum, Ethiopian national media reported Friday, citing Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa. Lucy's skeleton, which is 40% complete, left Ethiopia on Friday and will be displayed at the Czech National Museum in Prague for approximately two months. Lucy was recovered in Ethiopia in 1974 from what was an ancient lake near fossilized remains of crocodiles, turtle eggs and crab claws. She was a member of Australopithecus afarensis, an early human species that lived in Africa between about 4 million and 3 million years ago. This is the second time Lucy has left Ethiopia. The first was in 2013, when she toured the United States. Lucy's fragmented bones will be exhibited alongside Selam, the fossil of an Australopithecus baby that is about 100,000 years older than Lucy and was discovered in the same region 25 years later. 'As an iconic specimen, she belongs to the whole world, so sharing her with the rest of humanity is something that everyone would love to see,' said Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University. While many experts believe Lucy's trip to Europe presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people in Europe and beyond, there are safety concerns about the transportation of her fragile bones. 'The fragmented bones of Lucy are truly unique and need utmost care. Traveling to Europe has its own risks,' said Gidey Gebreegziabher, an archaeologist and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Warsaw, Poland, 'She will also be exposed to different climate conditions, which could potentially have negative impacts on her preservation.' Even in Ethiopia, the public has only occasionally seen the real Lucy fossil. At the National Museum of Ethiopia, a replica of Lucy is exhibited while the actual remains are stored in a secure vault. 'I've seen how she was packed, so I have no worries about anything happening to Lucy anymore,' Yohannes said. Lucy's quiet departure on Thursday night also raises questions about transparency as many Ethiopians —who take pride in her — were unaware of her journey to Europe. 'It's unbelievable! The government appears to be deliberately sidelining its people from the narrative of their own heritage,' Gebreegziabher said. Bekele Reta, 43, a resident who lives just 50 meters (164 feet) from the museum where Lucy is housed, was unaware of Lucy's departure until he saw it on social media. 'I learned this morning on Facebook that Lucy has departed for Prague. It's unfortunate that most Ethiopians only have the opportunity to see her showcased elsewhere.' he said. Early this year, the director general of the Czech National Museum, Michal Lukeš, in a statement announcing the exhibition of Lucy and Selam, expressed his appreciation of the Ethiopians for agreeing to 'lend' the remains. 'These priceless exhibits give us a unique insight into the past and deepen our understanding of humanity's roots,' said Lukeš.
CNN
7 hours ago
- CNN
Mexico's bat man on saving the ‘most unfairly treated animals on Earth'
EDITOR'S NOTE: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. Bats have a bad reputation. Myths, folk tales, and negative media coverage mean people often link these flying mammals to vampires or blame them for disease outbreaks. But bat populations around the world are in decline, and without them, ecosystems lose key benefits like pest control, pollination and seed dispersal. Through education, research and advocacy, Rodrigo Medellín, a senior professor of ecology at the University of Mexico, has made it his mission to change the way people see these animals. Medellín's fascination with bats began at the age of 13, when he held one in his hands for the first time. 'That's when I decided to dedicate my life to their study and protection,' he says. Since then, caves have become his happy place. 'The peace, the darkness, the silence apart from the bat squealing. I feel relaxed in a cave and all I do is I try to convey this feeling to the people that are with me,' says Medellín, who is part of the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative and has won multiple awards for his work. He also founded of the Latin American Network for Bat Conservation, and Global South Bats, a network of bat scientists. There are over 1,400 bat species, which account for around a fifth of all known mammal species across the globe. They are the only mammals capable of powered flight, rather than just gliding, which allowed them to spread across the globe. They use highly developed echolocation to navigate and find prey at night, with some able to sense objects as small as human hair. Although certain species live for over 30 years, bats reproduce slowly – typically one pup per year. This makes it difficult for populations to recover from decline. 'They are very mysterious. Many people fear them, attack them, or despise them. They are probably the most unfairly treated animals on Earth,' says Medellín. Bats are often seen as symbols of evil and darkness, largely due to their association with vampires and the supernatural in Western folklore. Throughout history in Christian Europe, the bat has been associated with the devil, evil spirits, and witches. Eastern cultures tend to view them much more positively. For instance, in Chinese culture, they are considered symbols of luck and happiness. Still, the perception of bats has worsened with the emergence of Covid-19, which some believe originated in bats and they are often viewed negatively due to their association with diseases. 'Bats are certainly not fuller of diseases than your dog or cat. That has been horribly exaggerated,' Medellín explains. One of the most impactful services bats provide is pest control. Medellín notes that just one species along Mexico's northern borders numbers up to 30 million individuals, collectively devouring about 300 tons of insects every night. But they do much more than keep insects in check. Fruit-eating bats play a crucial role in spreading seeds as they fly long distances in search for food. 'By dropping seeds far from the parent tree, they help regenerate forests, maintain plant diversity, and support the life cycles of countless other organisms. The restoration of forests relies very heavily on bats,' Medellín says. Bats are also key pollinators for a wide range of plants, according to Medellín, including agave, the plant used to make tequila. Despite their critical ecological roles, populations worldwide face many challenges, most of which are caused by human activity. Habitat loss, wind turbines, pesticide use, and most recently, white nose syndrome – a fungal disease – have all taken a serious toll. As a result, many species are now listed as endangered or threatened. 'Imagine what happens if we lose bats overnight,' Medellín says. 'Without them, crops would be ravaged by hungry insects, and mosquito populations would surge, drastically changing our way of life.' He is committed to convincing people that bats are important for their everyday wellbeing and believes that greater awareness could transform attitudes and turn fear into fascination. Through initiatives like bat-friendly agave farming, long-distance migration tracking and international conservation networks, he's working to protect bat populations while highlighting their role in pollination, pest control and ecosystem health. 'I give people facts, images, evidence, and automatically they fall in love with bats,' he says. 'In my experience, anyone who had any contact with bats maintains that contact and starts expanding it.' 'If there is anybody who is still afraid of bats, I would like to invite you to learn a bit more,' he adds. 'They are going to win your heart.'
