In a single new scientific publication, 24 new species of lizards known as skinks, all from islands in the Caribbean, have been discovered and scientifically named. According to Blair Hedges, professor of biology at Penn State University and the leader of the research team, half of the newly added skink species already may be extinct or close to extinction, and all of the others on the Caribbean islands are threatened with extinction. Leer más.
Today’s blog post about working with sea turtles in Costa Rica is by Brian Drozd, a program officer at the U.S. Department of State. He has over 6 years of experience working for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where he worked on grants and communications in the Climate Change Division. His Master’s degree in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development enabled him to focus on sustainable tourism and conservation. Leer más.
The United States is home to more varieties of turtle than any other country in the world. But unregulated global trade is rapidly depleting our native turtles. Millions of wild-caught freshwater turtles are exported to Asian food and medicinal markets each year. Leer más.
Poison dart frogs are one of the planet’s most brightly colored animals. Depending on the species, they can be yellow, copper, gold, red, blue, green, black or a combination of those colors. Their showy colors and startling designs help warn predators of the danger they impose — a defense mechanism known as “aposematic coloration.” Within their skin, they store natural venom that can paralyze, or even kill, a predator. Leer más.
LOS ANGELES — A man was sentenced to nearly two years in prison Monday for smuggling dozens of live turtles and tortoises from Japan into the U.S. by hiding them in snack food boxes. Leer más.
