Animals

Conservationists Warn Hunting, Development Threaten New Species

10:25pm June 01, 2015

Crawford Allan of TRAFFIC, an anti-wildlife trafficking organization, tells NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates that the rarity of some of these species in Southeast Asia make them desirable to illegal trade.

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Tucker Jones, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, counts sturgeon in the Columbia River. He says only 1 percent of sturgeon survive the 15 to 25 years it takes for them to start reproducing.

As Caviar Prices Skyrocket, Sturgeon Poachers Invade Pacific Northwest

2:31pm June 01, 2015

by Cassandra Profita

Global sturgeon populations are collapsing — most notably in Russia, where caviar is known as black gold. That's fueling a market for illegal caviar and driving poachers to the Columbia River.

A gate blocks the entrance of a farm operated by Daybreak Foods, on May 17, 2015 near Eagle Grove, Iowa. The facility was reportedly struck by the current outbreak of bird flu. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsick says biosecurity measures are crucial to

Secretary Of Agriculture: Bird Flu Poses 'No Health Issue' To Humans

12:12pm May 31, 2015

The largest outbreak of avian flu in U.S. history is ravaging poultry at farms in the Midwest. Sec. Tom Vilsack says there's no risk of transmission to humans, but egg prices may rise.

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Dan Byers, an elite-cattle breeder, checks the heartbeat on a newborn calf, born from an embryo implanted in a surrogate heifer. Because the calf was delivered via C-section, he sprinkles sweet molasses powder on her to prompt the surrogate mother cow to

America's Elite Cows Don't Give Birth — Their Surrogates Do

2:38pm May 30, 2015

by Abby Wendle

Implanting cows with the embryos of genetically superior heifers is big business these days. It's helping elite cattle breeders and beef and dairy producers spread U.S. cow genetics around the globe.

Screengrab of DuJour Media's Instagram feed.

Look Who's Hanging Out With A Goat! It's Supermodel Chrissy Teigen

3:27pm May 29, 2015

by Jennifer S. Holland

She's not the only example of a cross-species friend. Goats pal around with hippos and giraffes, too. We probe the science of goat behavior to see what makes them such good friends.

Administration Announces Controversial Plan To Protect Sage Grouse

2:59pm May 29, 2015

by Nathan Rott

The Interior Department plans to conserve millions of acres of habitat for the greater sage grouse in 10 states. The move limits areas where petroleum and agriculture development can take place.

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Fish for sale in the fish market in Fraserburgh, Scotland.

World News

Cod Comeback: How The North Sea Fishery Bounced Back From The Brink

9:01pm May 28, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

A decade ago, fishermen trying to catch North Sea cod were coming up empty. Now, thanks to strict fishing rules put in place to halt the decline, this fish tale looks headed for a happy ending.

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Should chimps have the same legal rights as these lawyers? Steven Wise, president of the Nonhuman Rights Foundation, who is representing research chimps Hercules and Leo, says yes. Assistant Attorney General Christopher Coulston disagrees. They both made

National

Research Chimps Get Their Day In Court In New York

4:02pm May 27, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

But neither Hercules nor Leo, who are at the center of a legal battle over whether chimpanzees should have the same legal rights as people, were physically present in the Manhattan courtroom.

One of these things is not like the other: A 3-D printed model of a beige cowbird egg stands out from its robin's egg nest mates, though their shape and heft are similar.

Higher-Tech Fake Eggs Offer Better Clues To Wild-Bird Behavior

8:42pm May 26, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Faux eggs made with 3-D printers are better than sculpted versions, researchers say, because it's easier to systematically vary their size, weight and other features. Next goal: 3-D fragile shells.

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British Cities Act To Protect Ducks With Their Own Lanes

3:47pm May 26, 2015

In London, Manchester and other British cities, those strolling and biking along urban canals have to make way for ducks. White lines mark the new lanes with sprayed on silhouettes of ducks.

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