Tag: wildlife

Wildlife: The Other High-Value Resource

by | 1.2.2013 at 5:10pm | 1 Comment
Photo Credit: Leo Douglas

As wildlife trafficking has become more lucrative, widespread and organized over the past few years, the definition of high-value natural resources should be modified to include the commercial values of wildlife and its products.

Reflections on an Ecological Study Abroad Experience

by | 11.15.2012 at 12:32pm
Coqui

“Everything is so alive in the forest. After a nice summer rain it teems with insects, birds and the famous coquis, Puerto Rico’s native frogs. The song of the coquis take a little getting used to, but they soon lull you to sleep in the humid nights,” says Jennifer Mendez, a student in the first class of the Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates in Puerto Rico.

Scientists Discover New Species of Monkey

by | 9.21.2012 at 2:58pm | 1 Comment
Portrait of Lesula - Photo by Terese Hart

In a gigantic and remote rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a team of scientists have discovered a new species of Old World monkey known as the “Lesula.”

Study Rainforest Ecology in Puerto Rico with SEE-U

by | 3.13.2012 at 2:33pm
A Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus) is one of the myriad birds native to El Yunque National Forest. Photo provided by Jason Sturner.

The SEE-U Puerto Rico course provides students with a total immersion experience into the ecology and dynamics of a fragile and threatened environmental system.

Crash Land Home for the Holidays

by | 12.20.2011 at 11:45am
Plate 404 of Birds of America by John James Audubon depicting Eared Grebe

As holidays approach and we plan our ‘seasonal’ migrations to see our families, many other species are making their own migrations — though with a few more snafus than we humans might hit.

The Buzz on Elephants

by | 12.1.2011 at 5:37pm | 1 Comment
African elephant Source: Wikimedia Commons, nickandmel2006

African-born, Oxford-trained biologist Lucy King recently won an award for a promising solution to a longstanding problem in Africa—elephants raiding crops.

How Coffee Affects Biodiversity

by | 11.21.2011 at 4:20pm | 2 Comments
Crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) in Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica - Photo by Steven G. Johnson.

S. Amanda Caudill is currently evaluating mammal biodiversity in coffee dominated regions in Turrialba, Costa Rica. Her findings will help determine which habitat parameters are important to the mammals and shape suggestions on how to enhance the habitat.

Two Wren Brains Are Better Than One

by | 11.7.2011 at 3:34pm
The Gibbon wolf pack pauses in the snowy landscape - Photo by Doug Smith

When researchers observed activity in the brains of plain-tailed wrens while singing, they discovered something striking: In both sexes, the neurons reacted more strongly to the duet song than individual contributions — they are seemingly wired to enhance cooperation.

White-Nose Syndrome is Driving Conservation Batty

by | 10.27.2011 at 3:36pm
Little brown bat with white-nose syndrome in Greeley Mine, Vermont, March 26, 2009.

Scientists report in a recently published article in Nature that the fungus Geomyces destructans found on bats afflicted with White Nose Syndrome is the primary cause of the disease. However, amidst all the muck of doom and gloom, researchers report in the July issue of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases that affected bats can be nursed back to health with constant medical attention, food, warmth, and water. With no signs of the infection slowing and more than one million bats succumbing to white nose syndrome in the past five years, the conservation community should be on high alert.

Executive Courses in Sustainable Coastal Economies, Urban Resilience, and Conservation

by | 10.21.2011 at 11:17am
cerc_cert_logo

The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation at Columbia University provides professionals with the knowledge and tools to be effective environmental leaders and decision makers in the 21st century. It is an evening program in which environmental issues are discussed, debated and examined, where participants develop an in-depth understanding of conservation science and practice through case studies and a focus on Environmental Policy, Management and Finance.