Wildlife

Insects are disappearing. "What does it mean for the rest of life on Earth?"

"A leafy little tunnel runs through the undergrowth along the Black River in the Seattle suburb of Renton: an otter trail. It’s in hidey-holes like this that river otters leave detailed evidence of human misdeeds. Just downstream, in the Duwamish River, droppings left by river otters reveal toxic PCBs and other industrial waste."

"Rapidly growing numbers of cases of chronic wasting disease are appearing on deer and elk farms and hunting ranches in Wisconsin at the same time the state has pulled back on rules and procedures designed to limit the spread of the fatal brain disease among its captive and wild deer."

"Many hunters are ditching traditional ammunition amid mounting evidence that it harms scavengers and pollutes the food people eat."

"Central African mountain gorillas came off the “critically endangered” species list on Thursday following a rare and dramatic recovery in numbers in the past decade."

"The Bureau of Land Management is moving forward with plans to work around a federal court order and offer tens of thousands of acres of greater sage grouse habitat in planned oil and gas lease sales early next year."

"The Republican-controlled House passed a bill Friday to drop legal protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states, reopening a lengthy battle over the predator species."

"YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — On a recent fall afternoon in the Lamar Valley, visitors watched a wolf pack lope along a thinly forested riverbank, ten or so black and gray figures shadowy against the snow. A little farther along the road, a herd of bison swung their great heads as they rooted for food in the sagebrush steppe, their deep rumbles clear in the quiet, cold air."