Endangered Species

A monk seal in southern Greece. Females tended to give birth on beaches before human hostility drove them into hiding.

The Mediterranean Monk Seal Is Making a Comeback

The endangered sea creature, known for its reclusive nature, has re-emerged out of the shadows

A sadhill crane flies over the San Luis Valley.

Planet Positive

From stories about rebounding species to dispatches about green innovations, <em>Smithsonian</em> magazine shares environmental practices that are working.

Dill, Jalape&ntilde;o and Gherkin, the three newly hatched radiated tortoises at the Houston Zoo.

90-Year-Old Tortoise Fathers His First Offspring at Houston Zoo

Critically endangered radiated tortoises don’t reproduce often, so this is a win for the species

Between 2013 and 2017, 90 percent of the sunflower sea star population was wiped out from a disease called&nbsp;Sea Star Wasting Syndrome.

These Sea Stars Are Literally Wasting Away—but They May Soon Receive Protection

Sunflower sea stars have been recommended for Endangered Species Act protection as disease leads them to “disintegrate into gooey masses”

A screenshot of an interactive walkthrough of the Hantan River in Korea

See Google Street View Images of Korean Demilitarized Zone

Established in 1953, the off-limits area has become a haven for plants and wildlife

A female (left) and male (right) golden-shouldered parrot

Australia’s Most Endangered Parrot Faces an Unusual Threat: Trees

Native vegetation blocks the birds’ ability to see approaching predators

Northern quolls are the smallest of Australia&#39;s four quoll species.

Too Much Sex and Too Little Sleep Can Kill These Endangered Marsupials

A study finds male northern quolls forgo rest to travel up to 6.5 miles in one night in search of a mate—the equivalent of a human walking 25 miles

Researchers are using novel technologies to study polar bears, which live in the rapidly warming Arctic.

Five Revolutionary Technologies Helping Scientists Study Polar Bears

As climate change threatens the charismatic creatures, scientists are embracing innovations to help them understand and protect the bears

A captive-bred male lion at Warthog Safaris in Limpopo, South Africa. The breeding facility is one of an estimated 260 in the country.

Is It Ethical to Hunt Captive Lions?

In South Africa, the big cats are raised to be killed by hunters. Opponents are outraged, but advocates point to conservation benefits

The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit relies on sagebrush for food and shelter, but the shrub has nearly disappeared. It&#39;s also slow to regrow: it takes about two decades, or ten pygmy rabbit lifetimes.

Can Scientists Save the World’s Tiniest Rabbit?

In Washington State, the race is on to save a diminutive bunny as wildfires threaten its already shrinking habitat

This cross section of a sequoia in Yosemite National Park in California has markers identifying the dates of tree rings.

The Science Behind the Oldest Trees on Earth

How experts have determined that bristlecone pines, sequoias and baobabs have stood for thousands of years

One of the first-ever photos of a young pink iguana

First Recorded Pink Iguana Hatchlings Found on Galápagos Island

After a ten-month effort, researchers discovered the young endangered reptiles on a remote volcano

The northern long-eared bat was listed as threatened in 2015. It will officially be reclassified as endangered in January 2023.&nbsp;

Decimated by Fungus, the Northern Long-Eared Bat Is Now Endangered

A disease called white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America

Algoa Bay, South Africa, is home to nearly half of the world&rsquo;s remaining African penguins, whose numbers have fallen as much as 98 percent since 1900.

These Artificial Nests Are Helping African Penguins Beat the Heat

Ceramic nests deployed on penguin colonies in South Africa could shield the endangered seabirds from rising temperatures

Whole Foods will stop buying Maine lobster December 15.

Whole Foods Will Stop Selling Maine Lobster, Citing Risks to Endangered Whales

Fewer than 350 North Atlantic right whales remain, and the marine mammals can become entangled in fishing gear

One reader wonders: Have any Native American nations been governed by women?&nbsp;

Have Women Ever Run a Native American Nation? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

A fishing cat,&nbsp;Prionailurus viverrinus, in Koh Mon, Thailand, at a shrimp farm. Such facilities reduce the area inhabited by the shy animal, contributing to its decline.&nbsp;

Fishing Cats Face Many Human Threats. What Can Be Done to Save Them?

The wild felines in Asia are highly adapted to watery environs that are disappearing

This aye-aye is not picking its nose, at least at the moment.&nbsp;

This Primate’s Long Middle Finger Has a Startling (And Rather Gross) Use

The aye-aye, long seen as spooky, spurred scientists to probe into primate nose-picking

Two juvenile gray wolves in Washington

Six Endangered Gray Wolves Were Poisoned in Washington

Conservation groups are offering more than $51,000 for information on the killings

A golden-winged warbler perches on a branch in Minnesota. The bird&rsquo;s declining population worries ornithologists.

More Than Half of U.S. Bird Populations Are Shrinking

An alarming report indicates that dozens of species are likely to become federally endangered without preventive action

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