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Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Closeup of a handful of river herring underwater swimming toward the viewer, with silver bodies, yellow faces and beady black eyes.

American Icons: Reviving the River Herring

Previously millions strong, the river herring have nearly gone belly-up. But not all hope is lost.

A lionfish with elongated spines and red and white stripes swims through a reef.

Eight of the Worst Marine Invaders, According to Scientists

Lionfish, mitten crabs and "sea vomit." Meet eight marine species inadvertently brought to new territory that are taking the aquatic world by storm.

Yellow fish swim in front of coral reef

Too Many Coral Restorations Fail. Treating Them Like Experiments Could Help Them Succeed.

Scientists suggest a new framework for coral restoration that could help safeguard them in a warming world

Over a dozen blue crabs with red pincers piled in a wooden basket

Cannibalism Takes Major Bite Out of Young Blue Crabs, but the Shallows Offer a Refuge

Smithsonian study finds juvenile crabs rely on shrinking shallow-water habitats to escape cannibalism by adults

Left: Black and white image of a young man sitting at a desk, examining bird bones and holding a bird skull. Right: A young woman in an orange safety vest bends over a stream, collecting a water sample in a bottle.

Six Ways the Smithsonian Shaped Environmental Science in 60 Years

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center turned 60 this year. We're celebrating with six of our favorite stories since 1965.

A brown river otter walks beside a white tree, with autumn leaves covering the ground.

River Otters Unfazed by Parasites, Poop While Eating

North American river otters eat, play and defecate in the same place. And their unhealthy habits make them ideal for detecting future health threats in the environment.

Head and shoulders photo of Denise Breitburg, a woman with glasses and shoulder-length gray hair, with forested mountains in the background.

Wait, the Ocean Is Losing Oxygen? Q&A With Denise Breitburg

Marine ecologist Denise Breitburg explains how oxygen loss is crippling our oceans, and why it needs to be included as the tenth "planetary boundary"

A swarm of yellow fish and silver fish with yellow tailfins swim around a coral reef

Adult Fish Aren't Truly 'Protected' in Many Marine Protected Areas

To replenish adult spawners, marine protected areas need strong enforcement and climate-friendly design

Black monkey perches in a tree staring directly at camera

Eight Weird and Wondrous Discoveries From 2023

Life on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the true power of nature sanctuaries and more wild discoveries from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) at Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. (Credit: Keenan Adams, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

River Otters Take Party Pooping To A New Level

For river otters, pooping is a social event. And their droppings are providing a heap of information for biologists.

Lontra canadensis, the North American river otter. (Credit: Matthew Fryer)

The Secret Lives of River Otters (And Their Parasites)

If you live along the water but have never seen a river otter, it's probably because they're mostly nocturnal, and very shy. But these secretive creatures, and their parasites, hold lots of clues for scientists looking to understand disease.

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