Simplicity in Solutions: 2011 Solution Search Winner

Johnson measures fish trap

A few years ago lobster fishers in Bermuda put holes in their traps to let unwanted fish escape. No one tested them to prove that these escape gaps worked. When Ayana Elizabeth Johnson was selecting her dissertation topic, her advisor … Continue reading

Ecuador, a country made up of great human and biological diversity

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A week or so after returning from visiting our China campaign managers in Kunming, I was back in the air again, this time heading west to Ecuador, a country of geological and geographic contrasts. From the offshore islands of the Galapagos … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: The endangered pygmy rabbits are breeding again after being wiped out from their natural habitat

The endangered pygmy rabbits are breeding again after being wiped out from their natural habitat (Huffington Post Green) The Oregon Zoo has successfully reintroduced 93 pygmy rabbits to its natural habitat, the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area in Washington, from which … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: Reserves alone cannot stop biodiversity collapse

Reserves alone cannot stop biodiversity collapse (Earth Times) Scientists are finding reserves are not enough to avoid the sixth mass extinction. We need to consume less and control population more. Our current reserve rates are two low (6 percent of … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: Scientists study the illusive snow leopard in Northern Afghanistan

Scientists study the illusive snow leopard in Northern Afghanistan (The New York Times) Snow leopards have the advantage of living in “one of the most remote and isolated mountain landscapes in the world,” away from the human threats other large … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: Migration tracking reveals a marine Serengeti

Migration tracking reveals a marine Serengeti, which could help protect biodiversity of hotspots (naturenews) “We didn’t really know these creatures had neighborhoods.” The study offers valuable information about where and when species overlap, which could help protect biodiversity in hotspots … Continue reading

Protecting cloud forests and endangered species in the Andes with reciprocal watershed agreements (Q&A)

In late 2009, the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) approached Rare to launch a series of campaigns in the Andes protecting the forest habitats of highly endangered species. In our search for communities that had curbed deforestation, Rare identified Fundación … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: Biodiversity is good for human health and disease prevention

A healthy argument for biodiversity “West Nile virus, for example, is carried by mosquitos. Infected mosquitos bite birds, the virus multiplies within the bird, resulting in a higher virus load, more infected mosqitos and eventually, more infected people. Several studies in … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: Biodiversity has real economic value

New report confirms that biodiversity has a real economic value “Preserving or better managing natural environments could have large economic benefits in developing countries as well as provide.” “Forests, fisheries, coral reefs, bee colonies and other natural assets carry large … Continue reading

Notes from a rare planet: The planet is hot and only getting hotter (2010 record year for temp)

2010 tied (so far) for warmest on record The planet is hot and is only getting hotter. “With more than two months to go, 2010 is on pace to tie 1998 as the warmest year in the historical record, according … Continue reading