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Past Presentation | In Racing Extinction, a team of artists and activists exposes the hidden world of extinction with never­before­seen images that will change the way we see the planet. Two worlds drive extinction across the globe, potentially resulting in the loss of half of all species. The international wildlife trade creates bogus markets at the expense of creatures that have survived on this planet for millions of years. And the other surrounds us, hiding in plain sight — a world that the oil and gas companies don’t want the rest of us to see. Using covert tactics and state­of­the­art technology, the Racing Extinction team exposes these two worlds in an inspiring affirmation to preserve life as we know it. From the Academy Award® Winning Filmmakers of "The Cove."

Past Presentation | This film dives into remote underwater locations to reveal the catastrophic effects humanity has had on the oceans. Illegal overfishing of sharks across the planet has deeper consequences that puts the Earth’s most important ecosystem in danger of collapsing, which threatens all life in, and above, the ocean. Stewart dedicated his life to conservation, saying: “Conservation is the preservation of human life. And, that, above all else is worth fighting for.” He taught the world to love the oceans and their creatures and not fear sharks through his iconic images of hugging and free diving with sharks and mantas.

A study using foraminifera fossils suggests that shifts in marine community structures can predict future extinctions, highlighting the role of historical data in forecasting climate...

Advanced computer modeling reveals that sustained human hunting contributed to the woolly rhinoceros’s extinction by blocking their migration to new habitats during post-Ice Age warming,...

The Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) is only found in one habitat in Australia, which is under threat from human activity. Now the species has been saved from extinction by hatching in captivity

The Key Largo tree cactus is the first locally extinct species due to sea level rise — but it won't be the last

In the crystal-clear streams of the Northern Territory lives a large turtle with a snout like a pig. This unique animal is one of the latest additions to the threatened species list.

Australia’s ancient Wet Tropics are enormously rich in species. But these tight-knit ecosystems might be at risk from cascading extinctions

Research on the critically endangered Arabian leopard indicates that reintroducing carefully selected, captive-bred individuals into the wild could substantially aid in the recovery of their...

Alliance says there’s not enough ambition in proposed laws to prevent extinctions, as promised by the environment ministerGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government is backing away from a promise to substantially transform how nature is protected in Australia and is planning some changes that would make things worse, according to eight of the country’s top environment groups.The conservation organisations said they were concerned the government planned to break up promised legislation for new environmental laws and defer some difficult reforms until after the next election, if it wins a second term.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundupInclude a “call-in” power that allowed the minister to take over a decision from a proposed environment protection agency (EPA) “at any time and for any reason”.Allow developers to make payments to a new “restoration contributions” fund to compensate for damage their projects caused to the environment. This would remove a requirement that environmental offsets provide a “like-for-like” replacement for ecosystems or species affected by a development.Fail to give the new EPA the “teeth” it needed to be an independent and effective environmental regulator. Continue reading...

A new study from the University of Cambridge suggests that interspecies competition significantly influenced the evolutionary trajectory of hominins, resulting in a “bizarre” evolutionary pattern...

Past Presentation | This film reveals the compelling story of the unlikely extinction of the passenger pigeon and explores the pigeon’s striking relevance to conservation issues today, such as the alarming depletion of shark species worldwide. For centuries, the sleek long-distance flier was the most abundant bird in North America and perhaps the world. On September 1, 1914, Martha, the last passenger pigeon in captivity, died in the Cincinnati Zoo, marking the end of the species, and the upcoming centenary of the extinction event.

The bald eagle population in southern Ontario has made a remarkable recovery after near extinction due to DDT, symbolizing hope for both wildlife and human health.Emma McIntosh reports for The Narwhal.In short:The pesticide DDT nearly wiped out bald eagles in North America, causing their numbers to plummet in the mid-20th century.Decades of conservation efforts have led to a significant recovery, with Ontario declaring bald eagles no longer at risk in May 2023.Despite the success, bald eagles now face new threats from climate change and emerging contaminants.Key quote: "If we’re not paying attention to what we’re doing, if we’re not careful about what we’re putting into the environment, we’re just going to repeat the story over and over again." — Jody Allair, Birds CanadaWhy this matters: The resurgence of bald eagles is a testament to the effectiveness of environmental regulations and conservation efforts. It speaks to a broader issue of how human activities impact both wildlife and human health, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and action. Read more: Pesticide DDT linked to increased breast cancer risk generations after exposure.

Evolution has gifted sharks with surprising adaptability, but climate change could be their death knell

Rising sea levels may cause the local extinction of three small, threatened vertebrates in southern Brazil. The post Could Brazil’s Catastrophic Flooding Cause Extinctions? appeared first on The Revelator.

Past Presentation | Planet Ocean Blues a personal take on the devastating impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine on marine species & Ocean ecosystems -- narrated by Mermaid Maribella, with original music by Nick Wyke Storyline This is a short film about a vast subject: the Ocean. Or more precisely, about the potential extinction of certain marine species in the Ocean Or even more precisely, about the potential extinction of marine species due to superstitious beliefs promoted by bogus practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Stories about the extinction of marine species due to TCM is the theme. Stories--because readers may not remember facts, but they do remember stories. The short film has strong elements of mockumentary satire, with Mermaid narrator and imagined characters. Three customised music tracks were composed and sung by Nick Wyke. The documentary narrative is based on two digital photobooks by Michael Buckley: ‘Planet Ocean Blues’ + ‘Xtinction Blues.’ Planet Ocean Blues is a groundbreaking documentary, being the first to investigate the wider spectrum of the impact of TCM on marine species -- the senseless plundering of sharks, manta rays, seahorses, Totoaba croakers, seals and sea-cucumbers -- under the guise of bogus traditional medicine cures.

Past Presentation | The Far Eastern, or Amur, leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the rarest subspecies of the cat family. Today the Far Eastern leopard is on the brink of extinction. With the example of Far Eastern leopard our film is discussing what is going on with biodiversity in the world, what are the key challenges humankind is facing today in this sphere. Are we facing sixth extinction? And what are the key features of humankind which can help to avoid that?

An international team of researchers led by the University of Potsdam has generated and analyzed the first high-coverage nuclear genome of the extinct blue antelope...

Tanya Plibersek says two new agencies will be established but a commitment to rewrite national environment laws has been pushed backGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government has further delayed a commitment to rewrite Australia’s failing national environment laws.The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said the government would introduce legislation in coming weeks to create two previously announced bodies – an environment protection agency and a second organisation called Environment Information Australia, which will provide public data on ecosystems, plants and animals.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

This month’s best and worst environmental stories also include a rebounding lynx, a climate lawsuit boom, and a spa for frogs. The post Sparrow Spared, Cactus Extinct, and More Links From the Brink appeared first on The Revelator.

Now Playing | A short movie explaining how sea lice coming from fish farms in British Columbia are harming wild salmon to the brink of extinction.

The United States has witnessed the local extinction of the Key Largo tree cactus due to sea level rise, a first in the country. The...

Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln studied North America’s fossil record over 66 million years, revealing insights into mammalian diversity and ecological shifts that could...

Shifting from native forest logging to sustainable plantations will help protect these essential forests and the many threatened species that depend on them.

Now Playing | Bats are struggling to survive, specifically in North America, where white nose syndrome is causing a sharp decline of certain species. Pertinent issues: climate change, habitat destruction, what can humans must do to prevent extinction.

Past Presentation | Gone and nearly forgotten in extinction, the Labrador Duck, the Great Auk, the Heath Hen, the Carolina Parakeet, and the Passenger Pigeon leave holes not just in the North American landscape but in our collective memories. Moved by their stories, sculptor Todd McGrain set out to create memorials to the lost birds—to bring their vanished forms back into the world. The Lost Bird Project follows the road-trip that McGrain and his brother-in-law, Andy Stern, take as they search for the locations where the birds were last seen in the wild and negotiate for permission to install McGrain’s large bronze sculptures there.

An end to extinctions. An environmental cop on the beat. Labor promised a great deal on the environment. But yesterday, they backed away from the main challenge.

Past Presentation | Elephant Keeper is the story of an elder indigenous mahout who is adjusting to a new job in ecotourism in the remote jungles of Sainyabuli Province, Laos. Senior mahout, Mr. Tong, arrives at the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) in search of work to support his family, and is paired with Mae Dok, the Center’s sweet and stubborn 60-year-old elephant matriarch. As he adapts to a new routine away from home, Mr. Tong finds a confidant in his elephant charge. The immersive contemplative nature of the cinematography allows the audience to feel present within the action and story in a complex narrative rich with visual metaphor and symbolism, exploring themes of Extinction & Conservation, Industrialization & Globalization, and Culture & Identity.

Now Playing | This film reveals how diverse environmental problems, from climate change to species extinction to ruined ecosystems, are all ultimately rooted in the “growth at all costs” attitude that pervades modern industrial society. Through beautiful and disturbing images and interviews with ecological scholars, spiritual leaders and activists, The Wisdom to Survive argues that the survival of humanity and most living beings on the planet will not come from technology, but from a profound raising of consciousness and deep spiritual transformation of humans who finally realize that we must live differently on planet earth.

Past Presentation | Conversations about planetary destruction, global pandemics and the extinction of so many species, are never easy to start. The fact is, we are all complicit, simply because we have been born into a time of consumerism, avarice and blind searching. And the only way we are going to make it through this terrifying time as a species is if we work together in harmony with the planet rather than in opposition to it. The Ghastly Fowl takes a look at where we are now and where we could go from here, focusing on responsibility rather than blame. A stark, beautifully animated short story that peels away the layers of the human psyche in a countdown towards the end, which could also be the beginning.

The number of species recognised as threatened with extinction in Australia now stands at 2,224Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastAnother 13 animals and plants have been added to Australia’s list of threatened species, sparking renewed calls for the federal government to quickly overhaul the country’s nature laws.The species newly listed as at risk include the pig-nosed turtle (listed as vulnerable), the Dalhousie catfish (critically endangered), Pugh’s sphagnum frog (endangered) and the Coffs Harbour Fontainea, a rainforest tree (critically endangered). Other species are freshwater fish, lizards, flowering shrubs, a daisy and an orchid species.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Retracing Darwin’s journey through South America, I had an ominous premonition about environmental crisis

Now Playing | Exists the ideal space-time with appropriate conditions for each organism fulfills its life cycle. Exists places to be fully habitats: The Eryngium Proteiflorum is an endangered endemic flower of the Mexican Transverse Volcanic Axis. Every being has its own space and time and the reflection on the human right to alter it takes relevance in a historical moment where protecting biodiversity can be a deadly battle, where the lives of those who fight for prevention are being taken, every human has its own metaphorical Eryngium. It is not just about a flower, it is about the idea that we can posses anything we want without considering its destruction. This film honors those who have no voice and whose future is plunging into extinction.

Now Playing | Planet Earth - a brief history - depicting the evolution of the planet from the Hadean period to the Anthropocene period. An evolutionary history of life on Earth. The Earth has undergone constant change in its 4.54 Billion year history with life evolving in response to those changes - in particular to the changing atmospheric compositions of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Species extinction has been a natural part of the evolutionary process of the planet however there are now thought to have been at least 8 mass extinction events in the history of the Earth - each of major consequence to life on the planet and of import to our modern understandings of climate change. This 6 minute animation has been created by paleoartist Bruce Currie and has been commissioned by the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum – Bathurst.

The Coalition has no climate policy. But Labor’s positions are undermined by its confused stance on gas and the delay of new environmental lawsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastFederal parliament is back for the next fortnight and I have a wishlist. Not for things that will happen – let’s not get ahead of ourselves – but for questions that could be addressed if the country is to treat the climate and extinction crises as seriously as our leaders claim they do.There is no shortage of discussion about nuclear energy due to the Coalition’s much-hyped but yet-to-appear plan to overturn a national ban and bring it to Australia. The issue got plenty of attention after a CSIRO-led assessment that it would be far, far more expensive than wind and solar backed by energy storage and new transmission lines.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Examining historical climatic shifts, researchers have identified how vegetation’s response to drastic temperature increases can extend the warming period for millennia. Disruption of the functioning...

As a young man in the 1990s, walking to school in New Delhi, Anant Sudarshan would watch the vultures perched along telephone wires, waiting for the discards of nearby leather tanning factories. So when the birds started to disappear, he couldn’t help but notice. What Sudarshan, who now researches environmental policy and economics at the […]

Don't worry, they're in no danger of extinction. But squirrels are confronting traumatic change, just like us

Sea level rise has eradicated a U.S. species for the first time. What's next?

Botanists express alarm that a rare plant, the Tiehm's buckwheat, won't survive where a lithium mine is planned

Scientists have discovered a virus that infects a deadly amphibian fungus, offering hope for combating a disease that has led to significant declines in frog...

Embarking on an 800-mile walk across the state of Florida, Nicholas Vazquez is a 23-year-old climate activist using unconventional tactics to raise awareness for climate change.

Another campaigner says state environment minister ‘refuses to do anything’ ahead of koala protection summit in SydneyGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastLongtime forest advocates have expressed disgust at the ongoing logging of koala habitat in northern New South Wales despite promises the state government would protect the species, with one seasoned campaigner calling the destruction a “profound tragedy”.In September last year, the Minns government ordered a halt to logging operations in certain high value koala habitat – known as “koala hubs” – in the proposed Great Koala national park.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Now Playing | Yes, trees can talk. They communicate through their roots. Please listen to what they have to say in this short film.

Past Presentation | Many know its name; few have seen it. Once present throughout Europe, the angel shark is now critically endangered. As unique as extraordinary, it reveals to us several secrets… little by little, and to those who take the time to listen

Warm-blooded dinosaurs arose about 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period, in response to changes in climate, according to a new study. The post Warm-blooded dinosaurs emerged 180 million years ago first appeared on EarthSky.

Past Presentation | Coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures has grown from isolated, regional events to a global threat. Duane began documenting increasing degradation of the ocean and he brought the issue to a larger audience with the hope that science and governments could save coral reefs, like a team of scientists working in Hawaii.

Past Presentation | Water shortages, hunger, peak oil, species extinction, and even increasing depression are all symptoms of a deeper problem – addiction to unending growth in a world that has limits. This film goes way beyond prescribing a bandaid to slow the bleeding and examines the cultural barriers that prevent us from reacting rationally to the evidence that current levels of population and consumption are unsustainable.

Now Playing | Becoming Fossil invites viewers to become time travelers through kaleidoscopic sensations of touch and elemental change. Join in and travel backward and forward in time around our small precious planet. Ride the waves of climate emergencies, and experience both extinction and resiliency in human and more-than-human touches.

Now Playing | Noah is so worried about climate change he can't sleep at night. His wife Hali is confident it's all going to be just fine. Should they even have kids?! Should they sell their CA house and move to a colder Alaska? How does one plan for the end of the world...?

Past Presentation | This story is told in the Ainu language, which has been deemed a critically endangered language by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Higashiyama, the home of the foxes, has become an illegal dumping ground. This has resulted in the decline of small animals, which the mother fox relied on as prey to feed her children. The fox comes down for the mountains in search of food to feed her children, and comes upon a human village.

Now Playing | Nestled in India’s northeastern Assam district, Kaziranga National Park contains the world’s highest density of the endangered Asian one horned rhino. Long plagued by civil unrest, this park is also ground zero for poaching and illegal trade of rhhorn. The film focuses on the efforts of journalist Uttam Saikia, who begins to serve as a mediator between the park and local poachers.

The successful breeding season offers more hope for the endangered species, which has come back from the brink of extinction due to captive breeding efforts

Past Presentation | Filmed in a fly-on-the-wall style, this raw and inspiring documentary follows 26-year-old Manoj Gautam, a modern day, third world hero on a passionate quest to protect animals and wildlife from cruelty and extinction. Inspired by the work of his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall, and with minimal resources and no formal training, Gautam is creating a network of allies across the country, busting animal smugglers, protecting fragile ecosystems, rescuing abused animals, and galvanizing an environmental movement.

Now Playing | Sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters - to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. It is an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, restored every year! But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible!

Past Presentation | Almost entirely self funded, this film is the director’s gift to the world. The award-winning filmmaker and producer also spent 4 years as a one­ woman ­crew exploring why and how we have inadvertently put our planet in peril. The film examines how our economic and production systems connect to climate change, species extinction, depletion of critical natural resources, and industrial control of food production. Solutions that could be implemented immediately are illustrated, from practical everyday fixes to rethinking the overarching myths of our time. While this film is intended to challenge viewers on many levels, it most of all offers hope.

Past Presentation | An animation short that informs and educates about the urgent issues that are threatening the future of wildlife and communities on the island of Madagascar. As an island nation of spectacular and unique biodiversity, Madagascar has over 80% of its animals and plants that are found nowhere else on Earth. Madagascar's Scars attempts to inform the viewer of the environmental crisis involving illegal logging, deforestation and hunting of the critically endangered lemur which threatens the future of the island, as well as offer hopeful solutions to protect the biodiversity and improve the lives of the Malagasy.

Now Playing | It is often said that we must tolerate wildlife, but what happens if we learn to thrive with them instead? What can this mean for the wildlife? What can it mean for the people of Florida? And what can it mean for the endangered Florida panther? Wildlife in Our Backyard shows us some of the problems facing the wildlife as well as the hope of a brighter future as we learn to share the landscape with them.

Past Presentation | For thousands of years, songbirds were regarded as messengers from the gods. Today, these creatures – woven inextricably into the fabric of our environment – are vanishing at an alarming rate. Under threat from climate change, pesticides and more, populations of hundreds of species have dipped dramatically. As scientists, activists, and bird enthusiasts investigate, amazing secrets of the bird world come to light for the first time in this acclaimed and visually thrilling documentary. Find out what’s killing our songbirds and what can be done about it. As in ancient times, songbirds may once again be carrying a message to humans – one that we ignore at our own peril.

Now Playing | Highlighting one of the coolest and most ambitious projects in the history of rare species conservation, this short film takes us to Kaua'i, Hawai'i, where a group of passionate plant people are working to save some of the rarest plants on the archipelago -- and tell us why we need a new generation of biodiversity lovers to help battle the extinction crisis.