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Socotra Island in Yemen hosts unique Dragon’s Blood trees and rare wildlife found nowhere else on earth. Research showed that 37 per cent of its 825 plant species, 90 per cent of reptiles, and 95 per cent of land snails are endemic. Millions of years of isolation helped these species survive.
Exposure to PM2.5 pollution increases disease activity and flare risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients, a new study shows. Researchers tracked over 1,000 patients from 2021-2024. Lead researcher Eun Bong Lee said, “We would recommend these patients avoid prolonged exposure to poor air quality, particularly high PM2.5 levels,” to manage health.
A school of cownose rays appeared in New York City’s polluted Newtown Creek, marking a first for the industrial waterway. The Newtown Creek Alliance spotted the animals swimming together, raising hopes that cleanup efforts are working. Executive Director Willis Elkins said, "I had never previously heard of rays being seen."
Theo Quenee turned his South Florida rooftop into a greenhouse for 524 hurricane-scattered mangroves. After Hurricane Irma, the teen collected stranded seedlings from roads and debris. He carefully watered them until they grew strong. Friends and local groups later helped him replant these vital trees along the Florida Keys coastline.
Kazakhstan released its first tiger into the wild after 70 years, marking a historic return for the species. The native Caspian tiger went extinct in 1948 due to hunting and habitat loss. Now, the government hopes to restore the population by bringing in adult tigers from Russia to the steppe.
Researchers at the University of Delhi found microplastics in every freshwater fish sampled from the Yamuna river. The study of 220 fish showed 1,678 particles, with the highest levels in Delhi’s stretch. Because these plastics reached muscle tissues, experts worry about human health risks for those who eat these fish.
Across America's three coasts, 84% of wetlands are slowly submerging; only 16% are rising fast enough to keep pace with the sea. A new study showed these vital ecosystems are losing ground as tides rise. Glenn Guntenspergen said, "Our study provides wetland managers with new information to help them."
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi told the National Green Tribunal it resumed dumping drain silt at the Singhola site. The civic body said it acted "owing to the urgency of pre-monsoon desilting operations." They are now setting up a new processing facility nearby to stop another waste mound from forming.
The Himalayan Serow was recorded on camera for the first time in Dalhousie on Sunday, officials said on Tuesday. The rare animal was spotted during a forest patrol. "The video provides the first confirmed visual record of the animal in the region," said DFO Kuldip Singh Jamwal about the discovery.
Volunteers in Ceredigion are gathering vital wildlife data by identifying rare species across the region. Experts like Carys May and Steve Chambers track insects and plants to help conservation efforts. These recorders show us that there is no such thing as an ordinary field, revealing nature’s many inventive survival strategies.
A House of Lords report published on Wednesday calls to ban toxic pet flea treatments. These products contain chemicals that pollute UK waterways and harm wildlife. Guy Woodward said, "two sugar cubes of the concentrated active ingredient imidacloprid would be enough to exceed the predicted no-effect concentration in 400 pools."
Two penguin pairs colonised a South African beach in 1982; by 2026, about 2,528 birds shared Boulders with swimmers. Most growth came from adult penguins moving in from other struggling colonies. Restricted fishing in False Bay helped the birds find food, but the species remains in trouble after decades of decline.