Latest news with #extinction
The Guardian
a day ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Weatherwatch: How 60 species are just one cyclone away from extinction
Hurricane Dorian is thought to have been one of the worst natural disasters for the Bahamas, leaving at least 70,000 people homeless and causing more than $5bn (£3.7bn) in damage in 2019. But it wasn't just people who suffered. For one forest dwelling songbird – the Bahama nuthatch – this hurricane spelled the end. Now a new study reveals that a significant number of species that are endemic to a single island, like the Bahama nuthatch, are at increasing risk of extinction from severe tropical cyclones, with an estimated 60 species potentially one cyclone away from being wiped out. Researchers mapped all the severe cyclones (those with wind speeds above 200km/h) that have occurred since 1972 and worked out how many of these had hit biodiversity hotspots. To their surprise, they found three-quarters of severe cyclones struck biodiversity hotspots made up entirely of islands and 95% of these repeatedly pummelled the same five island regions: Japan, Polynesia-Micronesia, the Philippines, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean islands, and the Caribbean islands. Consulting the red list of most threatened species they report in the journal Biological Conservation there are 60 storm-threatened species that are present in a single location on a single island. Upping the conservation effort for these species is essential if we do not want the next severe tropical cyclone to be their last.
CBC
28-05-2025
- General
- CBC
How the Toronto Zoo is working to save 9 Canadian species from extinction
The Toronto Zoo is increasing its efforts to save some animal species from possible extinction. CBC's Clara Pasieka breaks down the details of the zoo's latest initiative.
Wall Street Journal
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Wall Street Journal
The French Open Draws a Line in the Sand Over Robot Umpires
Paris All over the red courts of Roland-Garros, a rare, nearly silent species roams the clay, battling against extinction.
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Nearly extinct ‘forgotten antelope' photographed for first time in DRC
A photograph of Africa's 'forgotten antelope' has been published for the first time as the elusive creature dives towards extinction. Fewer than 100 Upemba lechwe are thought to remain, with an aerial survey in the Kamalondo depression of the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo having recorded 10 individuals. Though the herd cantered too quickly out of sight to be recorded, one stopped for an instant, looking up at the scientists recording them. This allowed Manuel Weber, of Upemba national park's department of research and biomonitoring, to snap a quick picture, thought to be the first photo taken of a living Upemba lechwe since it was identified as a subspecies in 2005. The antelope stopped for 'literally a few seconds', Weber said. 'The feeling was unbelievable, I barely slept the nights before we found it, very worried that we would not be able to do the survey, that we would not find any (in that case we would be responsible for the extinction of a species), and the need to get that photograph to generate the awareness needed to save them,' Weber said. Findings published in the African Journal of Ecology provide the first population update in more than 50 years. 'This is a species on the very brink,' Weber, the lead author, added. 'The fact that they're still hanging on at all is extraordinary, but without urgent protection, they'll vanish.' The Upemba lechwe is now considered one of the world's rarest large mammals and is at imminent risk of extinction due to illegal poaching. The number one threat to its numbers is hunting, Weber said. 'Up to 22,000 individuals were counted in the early 1970s, that was before the Upemba lechwe was described as a species. In the early 1990s, the meat of dozens was shipped every week to Bukama, the largest city in the area, along the Lualaba River. 'I don't see any problem with meat harvesting by the communities in the landscape, but this is only possible when we have viable populations. The question is, how do we get back to those?' Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion The authors urge rapid intervention to protect the last animals of their kind, and hope that this photograph helps galvanise attention and resources to the forgotten antelope. 'I knew that we needed that photograph – otherwise we would have no way to get any media attention for the cause, and I was devastated after the first day, since we did connect with a few Upemba lechwe, but they were running for their life, so no way to capture them on camera,' Weber explained. 'It was in the morning of the second day, that a single individual stopped for just a few seconds – long enough for me to press the trigger – before running off like the other individuals we have seen. 'We hope this image becomes a rallying cry,' Weber adds. 'Because this may be our only chance to save this species.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Families need 3 children each to avoid extinction, study warns
[Source] A new study published April 30 in PLOS ONE finds that families need to have an average of 2.7 children to avoid extinction — far higher than the long-accepted replacement rate of 2.1. The research suggests that under current fertility trends, most family lineages in developed countries may vanish within a few generations. Fertility threshold redefined Conducted by researchers from Japan and the Philippines, the study used a 'branching process' model to simulate the fate of family lines over generations. The researchers found that when fertility rates fall below 2.7, the vast majority of lineages eventually die out, even in ideal conditions with equal birth sex ratios and low mortality. Traditional replacement models, based on a rate of 2.1, do not account for demographic randomness — namely, that some individuals will not have children. This variability increases the likelihood of a family line ending, even in large populations. The authors describe this overlooked factor as a critical flaw in how fertility sustainability has long been understood. Trending on NextShark: Impact on Asian populations The findings carry particular weight in East Asia, where fertility rates are already among the world's lowest. South Korea recorded a rate of just 0.69 in 2024, while Japan's was 1.20. These levels fall not only below the revised threshold but also far beneath the outdated 2.1 standard. A separate study in 2019 found that Chinese, Japanese and Korean families in the U.S. tend to have children later in life and primarily within marriage, contributing to persistently low fertility rates. Trending on NextShark: What's at stake According to the study, one overlooked factor that can raise the chances of a family's survival is a higher ratio of female births, which has been observed in humans and other mammals under environmental or psychological stress. While not a solution, this tendency may be nature's way of preserving lineages during hardship. The broader implication is that many family names and cultural heritages could disappear — even as overall population numbers remain high. The extinction of a family line, the researchers argue, is not just a rare occurrence but a predictable mathematical outcome when fertility falls below critical thresholds. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
