Articles for tag: biodiversity

Leaping Orca.

Marine Sanctuaries: Protecting Ocean Biodiversity

Jan Otte

Marine sanctuaries are designated areas within oceans, seas, and even large lakes that receive special protection due to their conservation, ecological, and cultural importance. These protected areas serve as havens for marine life, allowing ecosystems to flourish and recover from human-induced threats. Marine sanctuaries play a pivotal role in conserving ocean biodiversity, offering insights into ...

Island Intelligence: What Lei Day Teaches Us About Biodiversity in the Pacific

Island Intelligence: What Lei Day Teaches Us About Biodiversity in the Pacific

Annette Uy

Imagine standing on a sun-drenched Hawaiian beach, surrounded by the scent of fresh flowers woven into vibrant leis, the ocean breeze carrying stories from distant shores. Lei Day, a celebration rich with tradition, is more than a festival of color and song—it is a living expression of the Pacific’s astonishing biodiversity. Each lei, crafted with ...

a large whale with its mouth open in the water

Shape Shifters of the Reef: The Surprising Evolution of Plankton Eaters

Suhail Ahmed

New research shatters the myth of the “perfect” plankton-feeding fish revealing an astonishing diversity of forms defying evolutionary expectations. The Myth of the Perfect Planktivore For decades, marine biologists believed plankton-eating reef fish all evolved toward the same ideal body shape: But a groundbreaking 2025 study analyzing 299 species across 12 fish families reveals a ...

Grey Heron in Busan City, South Korea

Synurbization: How Animals Adapt to Coexist with Humans

April Joy Jovita

As urbanization continues to reshape landscapes, wildlife is adapting to thrive in human-dominated environments. This phenomenon, known as synurbization, highlights the resilience of certain species and their ability to coexist with humans. From foxes in ancient cities to dolphins near coastal power stations, these adaptations reveal the dynamic interplay between nature and urbanization. What Is ...

The Web of Life Isn't a Metaphor: It's an Actual Map of Survival

The Web of Life Isn’t a Metaphor: It’s an Actual Map of Survival

Annette Uy

When you step into a forest, you’re not just walking among trees. You’re entering a living network more complex than the internet, more interconnected than any social media platform, and more vital than the power grid that lights your home. Beneath your feet, above your head, and in every breath of air around you, millions ...

Mount Kinabalu: A Biodiversity Hotspot With Over 5,000 Species

Mount Kinabalu: A Biodiversity Hotspot With Over 5,000 Species

Annette Uy

Rising majestically from the heart of Malaysian Borneo, Mount Kinabalu stands as more than just Southeast Asia’s highest peak. This towering giant harbors one of the world’s most extraordinary biological treasures, sheltering over 5,000 documented species within its misty slopes and ancient forests. From carnivorous pitcher plants that devour insects to miniature orchids smaller than ...

Frog Chorus Environmental Monitors

Unlikely Allies: How Animals Are Helping Scientists Save Biodiversity

Annette Uy

In the depths of tropical rainforests, beneath the ocean’s surface, and across vast savannas, an extraordinary collaboration is taking place. Scientists are discovering that some of their most valuable research partners aren’t wearing lab coats or carrying clipboards. Instead, they’re covered in fur, feathers, scales, and shells. These animal allies are revolutionizing how we understand ...

Javan Gibbon

Forest Highways for Gibbons: How Tree Corridors Are Saving an Endangered Primate

Jan Otte

Deep in the misty mountains of Java, Indonesia, a peaceful revolution is under way one that might decide the fate of the Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch), a primate whose eerie songs once filled the forests but now fade into silence. With just 4,000 wild acrobatic apes left, victims of unrelenting deforestation and human development are ...

Mexico biodiversity

Community-Led Conservation: Protecting Mexico’s Biodiversity

Annette Uy

Mexico, a country renowned for its vibrant culture and rich history, is also a treasure trove of biodiversity. Home to a myriad of ecosystems, from lush rainforests to arid deserts, it supports an astonishing array of flora and fauna. However, this biological wealth is under threat from various human activities. Amidst the growing concerns, community-led ...