Controversial Railway Splits Kenya's Parks, Threatens Wildlife

With the bee population decreasing from 6 million hives to about 2.5 million hives since the 1940s, there has been an increase in discussion around the necessity of bees to the ecosystem. To help play their part in sustaining this vulnerable population, community members in Detroit formed a non-profit that cultivates urban beehives while partnering with small businesses to promote the use of the bees' honey.

Scientists and conservationists reintroduced the pool frog to England after proving that the species was once native to the country but had gone extinct. Members of the species, ranging from tadpoles to mature frogs, were collected in Sweden and then introduced to two different sites in England. The efforts have been successful, with populations dispersing on their own to other locations in the region.

Eastern Washington University recently built the first tall wood office building in the state joining hundreds of other large “mass-timber” projects in the United States. This growing industry constructs panels, beams, and columns from trees that need to be thinned to curb wildfires in forests. While wood buildings can be more expensive to build than ones constructed from concrete and steel, environmentalists are on board because wood can store carbon, which can help offset greenhouse gas emissions.

Around the world, scientists are eco-engineering urban waterfront areas to encourage marine species diversity. Seattle’s Central Waterfront area was recently enhanced with a textured and angled concrete sea wall to encourage the growth of algae and invertebrates, a built-up seafloor to attract juvenile salmon who like shallow water, and light penetrating glass bricks in the sidewalk, which boost seaweed growth and entice shade-avoidant salmon smolts. The project also enhances the human experience with more pedestrian access, better storm water management, and a new pier park with direct water access.

Vaccination against diseases such as rabies and canine distemper virus in dogs can have positive effects on public health and biodiversity. In Ethiopia, diseases spread from semi-feral dogs threaten communities of the endangered Ethiopian wolf. The non-profit Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program (EWCP) partners with the government as well as numerous international partners to inoculate dogs and educate villages in public health awareness. EWCP has also undertaken vaccination programs for populations of wolves, as well.

In Washington State, wildlife overpasses and tunnels across I-90 are going a long way to reduce traffic collisions with animals. Even before its completion, coyotes and other animals are using one overpass to cross safely. Such corridors have broad support across the country; however, such projects can be expensive.

In Washington State, wildlife overpasses and tunnels across I-90 are going a long way to reduce traffic collisions with animals. Even before its completion, coyotes and other animals are using one overpass to cross safely. These corridors have broad support across the country, though such projects can be expensive.

A conservation researcher from the Creative Conservation Alliance in Bangladesh has formed a partnership with the Mro people by training them to be parabiologists. They have learned to document and save threatened species. The Chittagong Hill Tracts has some of the greatest biodiversity in Bangladesh, and this work has led to the discovery and preservation of some species previously thought to be extinct.

In Ashland, Oregon exists the one of a kind U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory. Handling both federal and international trade crimes, the lab uses a combination of forensic tactics to identify species killed by alleged poachers and smugglers.

As bee populations continue to decrease, beekeepers and scientists are left searching for solutions to sustain the colonies that are left. One possible solution may be adding probiotics to the bee's diet. Similar to the way humans react to foods high in probiotics, the supplement appears to boost the bees' immune system and increase their resiliency to various pathogens.