Latest news with #WildlifeConservationSociety
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
AAPI Celebrities Best Red Carpet Looks Roundup
If there's one thing we Asians and Pacific Islanders know how to do, it's bring our A-game when it comes to dressing for a party. And red carpets are definitely no exception. In honor of Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I thought we could take a look at 21 of the most iconic red carpet outfits by some of our favorite AAPI celebrities. There are some old looks on here, and some recent ones, but all of them live in my brain rent free. Let's dive in, shall we? 1. Sandra Oh — SAG Awards, 2008 This look was inspired by a traditional Korean Hanbok, and I truly couldn't be any more obsessed. 2. Avan Jogia — Gold Gala, 2024 Designed by the one and only Sabyasachi. 3. Lucy Liu — Academy Awards, 2000 No one will ever look this good at the Oscars again. 4. Auli'i Cravalho — Academy Awards, 2017 She's like a beautiful seashell. 5. Ali Wong — SAG Awards, 2024 It's art. 6. Naomi Osaka — Met Gala, 2021 Gaaaaaaaag. 7. Harry Shum Jr. — Academy Awards, 2023 Outsold. 8. Brenda Song — Academy Awards, 2025 Ms. Tipton, pleeeeeaaaseee. 9. Nicole Scherzinger — Men In Black 3 Premiere, 2012 No one had ever done purple this good. 10. Drew Afualo — Academy Awards, 2023 I LOVE this yellow on her. 11. Gemma Chan — Cannes, 2021 Hello?!??!? 12. Olivia Rodrigo — Met Gala, 2022 Literally a fairy princess. 13. Saweetie — BET Awards, 2021 Get into this train. 14. Kelly Marie Tran — Gold Gala, 2025 This Thai Nguyen Ateliere look is everything. 15. Manny Jacinto — Emmys, 2021 The white suit to end all white suits. 16. Vanessa Hudgens — Met Gala, 2022 The puff sleeves were a tribute to her Filipina heritage. So fab. 17. Devon Aoki — Wildlife Conservation Society's Gala, 2010 Because Devon invented the color orange. 18. H.E.R. — Academy Awards, 2025 Almost didn't recognize my girl without the sunglasses. 19. Kumail Nanjiani — Eternals Premiere, 2021 Sherwani serve. 20. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Gold Gala 2024 Lehenga serve. 21. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Gold Gala 2025 Maitreyi gets two because both of these looks are generational. Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
Concerns over declining population of rare duck in Cambodia
This white-winged duck returned to its nest for two consecutive nights during a three-day research study. - Photo: Sam Veasna Company PHNOM PENH: Cambodia is home to fewer than 100 white-winged ducks, out of an estimated global population of just 800. A recent three-day field survey found only a single individual returning to its roost. Sam Veasna Conservation Tours, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), conducted a survey of the rare species in areas where they has been previously recorded. The research took place in the Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear Province from May 21 to 23, according to a statement released by Sam Veasna on Thursday (May 29). During the fieldwork, two teams — each consisting of five members — monitored the site. Over the course of the three-day observation, they recorded one duck returning to its roost tree for two consecutive nights. Unfortunately, it arrived after dark and departed before dawn, making it difficult to observe. Despite this, the mission confirmed that at least one white-winged duck (Anas scutulata) still returns to its traditional roosting site, underscoring the vital importance of large Chhertheal trees along riverbanks, home to this critically endangered bird. The ducks inhabit tropical forest areas with slow-flowing rivers and streams, preferring quiet, wetland zones such as seasonal pools and swampy grasslands for foraging. White-winged wild ducks nest in holes in tall trees in forests near streams, creeks an other bodies of water. - Photo: Environment ministry The statement explained that most of Cambodia's white-winged duck population is found in the north, especially in Preah Vihear. Their numbers are critically low due to human threats such as illegal hunting and trapping, habitat loss, agricultural and settlement expansion, and notably, very low breeding rates. Both organisations urged local residents in these regions to stop activities that harm the duck population, emphasising that fewer than 100 individuals remain in Cambodia. The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. According to the Ministry of Environment, there are only about 800 individuals left worldwide, with viable populations and breeding activity confirmed in the Kulen Promtep sanctuary. This species is present year-round in Cambodia. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
Business Wire
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Bronx Zoo Debuting New World of Darkness This Summer with Nocturnal Species from Around the World
BUSINESS WIRE)--The Bronx Zoo is opening the new World of Darkness featuring 25 nocturnal species on Saturday, July 12. The World of Darkness invites Bronx Zoo visitors to explore a nocturnal experience highlighting over 20 different habitats including tropical forests, wetlands, deserts, caves, and subterranean environments. Some of the featured species include sloths, pygmy slow loris, broad-snouted caiman, aye-aye, sand cats, naked mole rats, vampire bats and many other species. All the habitats in the World of Darkness are designed to showcase specialized adaptations and behaviors that allow these species to thrive in darkness. The World of Darkness first opened to the public on June 12, 1969, as the first major zoo exhibit to utilize a reverse light cycle. This innovation made it possible for visitors to see night-dwelling creatures during their active period. For the re-opening this summer of the exhibit, which closed in April 2009, the zoo built on its history of innovative lighting design and on the original concept of a reverse day-night cycle. The new World of Darkness features programmable LED lighting systems that simulate natural day-to-night transitions, with soft fades that mirror sunrise and sunset. Said Jim Breheny, Bronx Zoo Director and WCS Executive Vice President of Zoos & Aquarium: 'The opening of the new World of Darkness will once again provide Bronx Zoo visitors with a unique immersion experience to observe amazing creatures that have evolved to live and thrive in darkness. Many New Yorkers have great memories of the exhibit which originally opened in 1969. It was the first major zoo exhibit to feature nocturnal animals in a reverse light cycle. We have updated all aspects of the experience to ensure an amazing opportunity to enter a shadowy world rarely seen.' The exhibit, which will include English and Spanish graphic interpretation, will open to the public on Saturday July 12; and for Wildlife Conservation Society members, it can be previewed on Tuesday, July 8 (10AM-4PM), and Thursday, July 10 (1PM-4PM). World of Darkness is included in all Bronx Zoo entry tickets. Tickets can be purchased HERE. A link to the World of Darkness online can be found HERE. The Bronx Zoo The Bronx Zoo, located on 265 acres of hardwood forest in Bronx, NY, opened on Nov. 8, 1899. It is world-renowned for its leadership in the areas of animal welfare, husbandry, veterinary care, education, science and conservation. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is the flagship park of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) which manages the world's largest network of urban wildlife parks including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium. Our curators and animal care staff work to save, propagate, and sustain populations of threatened and endangered species. We have educated and inspired more than 400 million visitors at our zoos and aquarium since our opening and host approximately 4 million guests at our parks each year – including about a half-million students annually. The Bronx Zoo is the largest youth employer in the borough of the Bronx, providing opportunity and helping to transform lives in one of the most under-served communities in the nation. The Bronx Zoo is the subject of THE ZOO, a docu-series aired world-wide on Animal Planet. Members of the media should contact mdixon@ (+1 (347) 840-1242) for more information or with questions.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The world's sweetest dolphin is facing extinction—but it's not too late
On Myanmar's Ayeyarwady River, fishers tap the side of their boats and wait. If they're lucky, a gray dolphin with a rounded head and smirk appears. These are Irrawaddy dolphins—social, intelligent mammals that have fished alongside humans for generations. The dolphins herd fish toward the fishers' cast nets, and in return, they snag fish trapped near the edges or stuck in the mud at the bottom for themselves. One dolphin, named Gotama, is even known for giving a special signal—a flick of the tail—right before the fishers should cast their nets. She passed this signal on to her calf, to the delight of the fishers. 'This is a pretty rare phenomenon in the world in terms of human and wildlife cooperation. So, it's something we're not only interested in conserving on a species level, but also on a cultural level too,' says Brian Smith, a river dolphin expert and recently retired Wildlife Conservation Society researcher. 'It's a lesson to humanity about our relationship with wildlife.' While these fishers and their cast nets generally have a friendly relationship with the dolphins, not everywhere in the river is as hospitable. Tragically, gill nets—which hang vertically and trap fish by their gills—are entangling dolphins and driving them toward extinction. Without urgent action, these cooperative, curious creatures could disappear forever. 'If we don't get a handle on the accidental killing of these animals in fishing nets,' Smith says, 'particularly gill nets, the species is finished,' much like the Yangtze river dolphin, which disappeared from China's waters in 2006, despite conservation efforts, as well as Mexico's Vaquita dolphins, down to around 10 individuals. The Irrawaddy dolphins are more than just helpful fishing companions. They are a strong part of the community, supporting the ecotourism industry for the region, as well as playing a part in local folklore. One legend tells of two mischievous children sent to collect firewood. Lost and hungry, they find a shaman's hut. After eating enchanted rice and diving into the river for water, they transform into dolphins. When villagers find them, it's too late to reverse the spell. 'So, people kind of care for them because they feel they're like children,' says Danielle Kreb, a scientist with the nonprofit Yayasan Konservasi Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia. Irrawaddy dolphins also have a quirky trick—they spit water. It's not just for fun, though. They use it to herd fish into tight groups so they're easier to catch. Some scientists even think they might do it to impress a potential mate. Irrawaddy dolphins are unique among marine mammals because they are one of only six species that can live in freshwater. But they can also inhabit coastal waters—a trait shared by even fewer species. Their range includes patches of coastal waters of South and Southeast Asia, as well as three specific rivers: the Mekong in Cambodia, the Mahakam in Indonesia, and the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar. While the species as a whole is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the populations in these three rivers are considered critically endangered, with fewer than 100 individuals estimated in each. These rivers and coastal areas are often close to intense human activity, so in addition to gill nets, they face additional threats from pollution, habitat degradation from reduced or altered freshwater flows due to dams and embankments, coal-carrying ships, and illegal "electro-fishing"—a practice in which fishers send electric currents through the water to stun fish. This not only depletes the fish populations that dolphins rely on, but it can also injure or kill the dolphins themselves. One dolphin studied by Kreb in Indonesia's Mahakam River—where only about 60 individuals remain—was nicknamed Moose. Moose and her newborn calf, just minutes old, were both found dead. Testing later revealed they had been poisoned, likely by a pellet meant to kill fish. 'It's a really sad, sad case,' says Kreb. 'And it broke my heart because I felt I knew her very well. She had the sweetest face ever.' Kreb is leading local conservation efforts along the Mahakam River, focusing on outreach, education, and the use of acoustic pingers to reduce dolphin deaths. These small devices emit a high-pitched, irritating sound that deters dolphins by disrupting their echolocation, keeping them away from dangerous fishing nets. But the design required careful calibration, Kreb explains: The sound had to be strong enough to act as a warning, but not so intense that it drove dolphins away from critical feeding areas. These pingers are effective at a range of about 10 meters, she says. Since launching the program in 2021, her team has distributed around 270 of them across the river. To raise awareness and funds for dolphin conservation—including the River Guard Program, where local people are hired to patrol the river and remove the gill nets from the waters—a small team of scientists and supporters, including Smith, swam 120 kilometers along the Mekong River in March, through the heart of Irrawaddy dolphin habitat. They stopped in villages to join outreach events organized by WWF Cambodia, government agencies, and local officials. For Smith, conservation efforts need to focus on these small critical river populations, but also the last remaining stronghold of about 6,000 individuals in Bangladesh. He was part of the team that discovered this population in 2009, found mostly in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. 'The biggest contribution that could be made would be a long-term, sustainable effort to provide alternative livelihoods or supplementary livelihoods to the current fishers,' he says. 'And you have to have enforcement to make sure everybody's playing by the rules, establishing gill-net-free zones in the core areas of their distribution.' One of the great challenges in conservation is that often, what works isn't flashy or new—it's the 'same old, same old,' says Smith. But sustaining and strengthening those proven efforts is exactly what's needed to protect these animals. And this isn't just about saving species because they're rare or beautiful. It's about protecting something deeply meaningful to the communities who live alongside them, he adds. Smith remembers a young boy in the Irrawaddy region who worked with his father, cooperatively fishing with the dolphins. The whole village would playfully argue about who loved the dolphins most, until the boy finally said, 'Well, I love the dolphins more than I love my mother.' In the end, says Smith, this isn't just a biodiversity issue; it's also about 'conserving what's important to people.'
National Geographic
15-05-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
The world's sweetest dolphin is facing extinction—but it's not too late
Irrawaddy dolphins have captured hearts for generations for their adorable smirks and ability to help humans catch fish. Now it's our turn to help them. An orphaned Irrawaddy dolphin rests in the arms of its caretaker at the Marine Endangered Species Veterinary Hospital in Rayong, Thailand. Photograph By Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty On Myanmar's Ayeyarwady River, fishers tap the side of their boats and wait. If they're lucky, a gray dolphin with a rounded head and smirk appears. These are Irrawaddy dolphins—social, intelligent mammals that have fished alongside humans for generations. The dolphins herd fish toward the fishers' cast nets, and in return, they snag fish trapped near the edges or stuck in the mud at the bottom for themselves. One dolphin, named Gotama, is even known for giving a special signal—a flick of the tail—right before the fishers should cast their nets. She passed this signal on to her calf, to the delight of the fishers. 'This is a pretty rare phenomenon in the world in terms of human and wildlife cooperation. So, it's something we're not only interested in conserving on a species level, but also on a cultural level too,' says Brian Smith, a river dolphin expert and recently retired Wildlife Conservation Society researcher. 'It's a lesson to humanity about our relationship with wildlife.' Two Irrawaddy dolphins jump from the water. The dolphins are threatened by gill nets that trap fish in rivers. Photograph By Roland Seitre, Nature Picture Library While these fishers and their cast nets generally have a friendly relationship with the dolphins, not everywhere in the river is as hospitable. Tragically, gill nets—which hang vertically and trap fish by their gills—are entangling dolphins and driving them toward extinction. Without urgent action, these cooperative, curious creatures could disappear forever. 'If we don't get a handle on the accidental killing of these animals in fishing nets,' Smith says, 'particularly gill nets, the species is finished,' much like the Yangtze river dolphin, which disappeared from China's waters in 2006, despite conservation efforts, as well as Mexico's Vaquita dolphins, down to around 10 individuals. 'They're like children' The Irrawaddy dolphins are more than just helpful fishing companions. They are a strong part of the community, supporting the ecotourism industry for the region, as well as playing a part in local folklore. One legend tells of two mischievous children sent to collect firewood. Lost and hungry, they find a shaman's hut. After eating enchanted rice and diving into the river for water, they transform into dolphins. When villagers find them, it's too late to reverse the spell. 'So, people kind of care for them because they feel they're like children,' says Danielle Kreb, a scientist with the nonprofit Yayasan Konservasi Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia. Irrawaddy dolphins also have a quirky trick—they spit water. It's not just for fun, though. They use it to herd fish into tight groups so they're easier to catch. Some scientists even think they might do it to impress a potential mate. Irrawaddy dolphins are unique among marine mammals because they are one of only six species that can live in freshwater. But they can also inhabit coastal waters—a trait shared by even fewer species. Their range includes patches of coastal waters of South and Southeast Asia, as well as three specific rivers: the Mekong in Cambodia, the Mahakam in Indonesia, and the Ayeyarwady in Myanmar. While the species as a whole is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the populations in these three rivers are considered critically endangered, with fewer than 100 individuals estimated in each. The remains of an endangered Irrawaddy dolphin. Photograph By Sirachai Arunrugstichai These rivers and coastal areas are often close to intense human activity, so in addition to gill nets, they face additional threats from pollution, habitat degradation from reduced or altered freshwater flows due to dams and embankments, coal-carrying ships, and illegal "electro-fishing"—a practice in which fishers send electric currents through the water to stun fish. This not only depletes the fish populations that dolphins rely on, but it can also injure or kill the dolphins themselves. One dolphin studied by Kreb in Indonesia's Mahakam River—where only about 60 individuals remain—was nicknamed Moose. Moose and her newborn calf, just minutes old, were both found dead. Testing later revealed they had been poisoned, likely by a pellet meant to kill fish. 'It's a really sad, sad case,' says Kreb. 'And it broke my heart because I felt I knew her very well. She had the sweetest face ever.' Committing to conservation Kreb is leading local conservation efforts along the Mahakam River, focusing on outreach, education, and the use of acoustic pingers to reduce dolphin deaths. These small devices emit a high-pitched, irritating sound that deters dolphins by disrupting their echolocation, keeping them away from dangerous fishing nets. But the design required careful calibration, Kreb explains: The sound had to be strong enough to act as a warning, but not so intense that it drove dolphins away from critical feeding areas. These pingers are effective at a range of about 10 meters, she says. Since launching the program in 2021, her team has distributed around 270 of them across the river. To raise awareness and funds for dolphin conservation—including the River Guard Program, where local people are hired to patrol the river and remove the gill nets from the waters—a small team of scientists and supporters, including Smith, swam 120 kilometers along the Mekong River in March, through the heart of Irrawaddy dolphin habitat. They stopped in villages to join outreach events organized by WWF Cambodia, government agencies, and local officials. A caretaker calms an orphaned Irrawaddy river dolphin at the Marine Endangered Species Veterinary Hospital in Rayong, Thailand. When the dolphin's ready, it will be released to join its wild pod. Photograph By Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Getty For Smith, conservation efforts need to focus on these small critical river populations, but also the last remaining stronghold of about 6,000 individuals in Bangladesh. He was part of the team that discovered this population in 2009, found mostly in the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. 'The biggest contribution that could be made would be a long-term, sustainable effort to provide alternative livelihoods or supplementary livelihoods to the current fishers,' he says. 'And you have to have enforcement to make sure everybody's playing by the rules, establishing gill-net-free zones in the core areas of their distribution.' One of the great challenges in conservation is that often, what works isn't flashy or new—it's the 'same old, same old,' says Smith. But sustaining and strengthening those proven efforts is exactly what's needed to protect these animals. And this isn't just about saving species because they're rare or beautiful. It's about protecting something deeply meaningful to the communities who live alongside them, he adds. Smith remembers a young boy in the Irrawaddy region who worked with his father, cooperatively fishing with the dolphins. The whole village would playfully argue about who loved the dolphins most, until the boy finally said, 'Well, I love the dolphins more than I love my mother.' In the end, says Smith, this isn't just a biodiversity issue; it's also about 'conserving what's important to people.'
