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Imagine a lunar Noah’s Ark, but instead of two-by-two, it’s millions by millions — and instead of a big boat, it’s a frosty <keyword id="19899207" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moon" source="keywords">moon</keyword> crater. This intriguing idea is gaining traction among scientists who suggest using the moon as a celestial safehouse for Earth's <keyword id="20208424" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="endangered-species" source="keywords">endangered species</keyword>. Earth is bustling with life, with estimates suggesting up to 8 million species call our planet home. Yet, over 1 million of these are facing imminent extinction, often before we even get a chance to discover them. To combat this <keyword id="21547970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biodiversity-crisis" source="keywords">biodiversity crisis</keyword>, Mary Hagedorn from the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute proposes an innovative solution: a <keyword id="22642665" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lunar-biorepository" source="keywords">lunar biorepository</keyword>. This lunar library would store “fibroblast cells” — essential building blocks of animal skin that support tissues and organs. By cryopreserving these cells in the moon's naturally cold regions, we could potentially clone and revive species that might otherwise vanish forever. <h2>Freezing life in time</h2><keyword id="22542865" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cryopreservation" source="keywords">Cryopreservation</keyword> – the process of deep-freezing biological material to suspend its biological functions — may be a common theme in sci-fi, but you may be surprised to know that it is already a proven technology on Earth. The only problem is that our planet lacks natural cryogenic conditions, forcing us to rely on expensive, energy-intensive methods to keep samples frozen. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111772552" title="Newly discovered Moon caves could shelter astronauts as they set up lunar bases!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>That’s why scientists are looking at the moon's polar craters, where some areas haven't seen sunlight in billions of years. These permanent shadows maintain temperatures well below -196°C, creating a perfect environment for passive cryopreservation. Unlike Earth, where maintaining such conditions is a costly affair, the moon offers a naturally occurring deep freeze. If this lunar library sounds familiar, that's because it echoes the concept behind the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often dubbed the "<keyword id="4371119" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="doomsday-vault" source="Orion">Doomsday Vault</keyword>." Nestled in the Arctic permafrost, the Svalbard vault stores seeds from around the world, ensuring agricultural diversity in the face of global crises. <h2>A logistical mountain</h2>However, sending our endangered species' <keyword id="21903960" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="genetic-material" source="keywords">genetic material</keyword> to the moon isn't as simple as packing a suitcase. The logistical hurdles are as immense as the concept itself. Samples would need robust protection against space radiation and the rigours of space travel. Then there's the challenge of international collaboration and funding — a cosmic piggy bank of sorts to support such an ambitious project. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111684049" title="The next generation of customised space suits may be moulded around astronauts’ genitalia to filter water from urine!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Hagedorn and her team are already taking the first steps. Their work with the starry goby (Asterropteryx semipunctata), a carnivorous blue-speckled fish, aims to refine cryopreservation techniques for the lunar environment. This tiny fish might just be the pioneer in a journey that saves countless species from oblivion. As we grapple with an <keyword id="22642666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="extinction-crisis" source="keywords">extinction crisis</keyword> on Earth, the moon, with its ancient, ice-cold craters, offers a unique lifeline — a place where the essence of endangered species can be kept in suspended animation, awaiting a future where they might roam the Earth once more. The findings of this research have been published in BioScience and can be accessed <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/biosci/biae058">here</a>.

Scientists want to send our endangered species to the Moon to “save” them

<ul class="summary-list"><li>NASA says <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sun-more-active-solar-storms-auroras-power-outages-grounded-flights-2023-2">the sun is in the highly active "maximum phase"</a> of its 11-year solar cycle.</li><li>That means there will probably be big solar storms bringing beautiful aurora in the next year or so.</li></ul>Thanks to the sun, we're in the middle of the best time to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saw-northern-lights-surprising-photos-misleading-2024-5">see the northern lights</a> — and maybe the worst time to be a satellite.NASA announced Tuesday that the sun is in the "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-maximum-could-sooner-than-expected-2023-6">maximum phase</a>" of its 11-year solar cycle, which basically means it's hyperactive.Our once-quiet star has been roiling with plasma arcs and sunspots and occasionally erupting, shooting <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/second-giant-coronal-hole-sun-solar-winds-space-weather-aurora-2023-3">energized particles out into space</a> — sometimes in Earth's direction.When those eruptions wash over our planet, they can trigger <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-aurora-northern-lights-rare-appearance-south-solar-storm-2023-3">beautiful aurora unusually far from the poles,</a> in more populated regions, like Arizona or California.<div type="image" title="Shreveport" height="2268" width="4032" msid="114291827" hostid="261" sizebytes="508996"></div>But <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sun-polar-vortex-video-from-solar-plasma-break-2023-2">solar eruptions</a> can also endanger satellites, astronauts, and even power grids here on Earth.NASA expects a lot of those explosions in the next six months to a year along with the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-storm-earth-northern-southern-lights-auroras-how-to-see-2023-4">geomagnetic storms</a> they cause in Earth's upper atmosphere. That's how much longer the sun will likely be at maximum, but there's still potential for big eruptions in the ensuing years as the sun winds down."We anticipate additional solar and geomagnetic storms leading to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/northern-lights-sky-friday-us-solar-winds-giant-hole-sun-2023-3">opportunities to spot aurora</a> over the next several months, as well as potential technology impacts," Kelly Korreck, a program scientist in NASA's Heliophysics Division, said during the announcement on Tuesday.<h2 id="c28a25b0-3a8e-46c8-90f0-c090be8a9dfa">The problem with the aurora</h2>Solar eruptions, like solar flares or coronal mass ejections, don't directly harm anyone on Earth, but they disrupt a layer of the upper atmosphere called <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-launch-hole-ionosphere-earth-atmosphere-physicist-2023-7">the ionosphere</a>.Some technologies, such as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/no-gps-on-moon-nasa-esa-artemis-plans-to-fix-2023-1">GPS</a> and high-frequency radios used for navigation, rely on the ionosphere and experience blackouts during some solar storms.That can <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flying-becoming-more-miserable-climate-crisis-delays-costs-turbulence-2024-8">delay flights</a>, since planes use both satellite and radio communications. Indeed, a 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=8e26d9ff6e66f84cefbfeefdbced737cfc1cea9d00c54bc32fab88e9e3d96541&amp;postID=670eb5b8434c477c232fed0c&amp;postSlug=nasa-declares-sun-maximum-what-solar-storms-mean-technology-auroras-2024-10&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41598-023-30424-2">study</a> found that flights were 21% more likely to be delayed by at least 30 minutes during solar storms.Solar storms can also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-cycle-active-grounded-flights-downed-satellites-2024-8">push satellites out of orbit</a>.In very severe cases, solar storms can affect power grids. In 1989, a geomagnetic storm wiped out Quebec's electricity and caused other power-system issues in the US, UK, and Sweden.Nothing that major has happened in a while. But this solar maximum has been one for the books. In May, an <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-northern-lights-dazzle-night-sky-across-the-us-europe-2024-5">extreme geomagnetic storm </a>brought the northern lights as far south as Arkansas.<div type="image" title="northern lights night sky with pink and purple glow above silhouette of treetops" height="1500" width="2000" msid="114291826" hostid="261" sizebytes="115744"></div>It was "the strongest solar storm to reach Earth in two decades and possibly one of the strongest displays of auroras on record in the past 500 years," said Elsayed Talaat, the director of the Office of Space Weather Observations at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Unlike two decades ago, NOAA can better <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronal-hole-on-sun-blasts-solar-wind-toward-earth-2023-3">forecast geomagnetic storms</a> and industries can prepare for them before they strike. Still, the May solar storm disrupted high-precision GPS that some US farmers rely on, causing about $500 million in losses, according to Bill Murtagh, a program coordinator at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center."The bigger the storm, the more visible the aurora, the further south it's visible. At the same time, we can't be hoping for these big displays because with them comes the threat to our critical infrastructure," Murtagh said during Tuesday's announcement. "We always have to be careful with what we wish for. "<h2 id="7ab5ba6b-e0c1-46b9-a08a-6f2bc8739d3b">Why the sun is at maximum</h2>The sun has an 11-year cycle, where it builds from a quiet, placid minimum to a roaring maximum, then dies back down.The current <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/next-solar-maximum-2025-what-expect-cycle-2023-4">solar maximum</a> likely began in early 2023, as the sun began to display more and more sunspots, which are low-temperature regions on the sun's surface created by concentrated magnetic field lines.<div type="image" title="side by side images of the sun bright yellow smooth sphere. the left image labeled solar minimum is completely smooth. the right image labeled solar maximum has dark spots speckled across the sun's center." height="1080" width="1920" msid="114291824" hostid="261" sizebytes="33546"></div>"There's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sunspots-15-times-size-of-earth-solar-storm-into-view-2023-11">more sunspots emerging</a>, the magnetic field has more chances to interact and increase the probability of having a significant geomagnetic storm," Lisa Upton, the co-chair of the Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, which is an international panel of experts who have been keeping tabs on the sun, said during the announcement on Tuesday.NASA scientists couldn't confirm that the sun had reached maximum until they'd seen the number of sunspots start to plateau."It's by looking at the shape of that cycle, how it's progressed so far, and how we know that solar cycle progresses from our observations of the last 25 solar cycles, that we can really say that we're at the maximum phase now," Upton said.Eventually, scientists will be able to pinpoint an exact peak of the entire solar cycle, but not until many months after the maximum phase ends.

The sun is at its 11-year maximum. That means another year of eruptions that can endanger satellites, ground flights, and spark stunning auroras.

If you’ve ever wondered whether fish can suffocate in water, the answer is yes. Our planet's waters, from the tiniest pond to the vast expanse of the ocean, are experiencing a silent crisis: a rapid and dramatic decline in <keyword id="21181078" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oxygen-levels" source="keywords">oxygen levels</keyword>. This "<keyword id="22526914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aquatic-deoxygenation" source="keywords">aquatic deoxygenation</keyword>," as scientists call it, poses a major threat not just to marine ecosystems, but to the very fabric of human society and the stability of life on Earth. An international study in Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution, involving researchers from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, urges world leaders to recognise this oxygen loss as a new planetary boundary. <keyword id="22526915" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="planetary-boundaries" source="keywords">Planetary boundaries</keyword> are critical thresholds that, if crossed, can trigger large-scale and irreversible environmental damage. Just like we need oxygen to breathe, so do <keyword id="22526918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aquatic-ecosystems" source="keywords">aquatic ecosystems</keyword> — from microscopic plankton to bigger fish. The decline in <keyword id="21809938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dissolved-oxygen" source="keywords">dissolved oxygen</keyword> (DO) threatens the survival of countless species at all levels of the food chain. The study reveals a disturbing trend. Across all aquatic environments, from lakes and rivers to coastal waters and the open ocean, dissolved oxygen levels have dropped substantially in recent decades. <keyword id="22526916" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oceanic-oxygen-loss" source="keywords">Oceanic oxygen loss</keyword> may seem small at 2% since 1960, but due to the ocean's vast volume, this translates to a significant loss. Even more alarming is the case of specific regions, like the midwaters off Central California, where oxygen levels have plummeted by 40% in just a few decades. The research team warns that this isn't just an environmental concern; it's an economic and social one too. Billions of people rely on healthy aquatic ecosystems for food, income from fisheries and tourism, and clean drinking water. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111566431" title="June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The culprit behind this oxygen depletion is a combination of factors. <keyword id="19942740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming" source="keywords">Global warming</keyword>, fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, raises water temperatures, decreasing the amount of oxygen water can hold. Additionally, nutrient runoff from land use changes stimulates massive <keyword id="22526917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="algal-blooms" source="keywords">algal blooms</keyword>. These blooms, while initially appearing productive, consume vast amounts of oxygen as they decompose, creating oxygen-depleted dead zones. Dr Rose, lead author of the study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, emphasises the urgency of addressing this issue. Adding aquatic deoxygenation to the list of planetary boundaries will focus global efforts on monitoring, research, and policy changes to protect our vital aquatic ecosystems and, in turn, human society. The root causes are global warming and nutrient runoff from land use, explains co-author Dr Andreas Oschlies of GEOMAR. Warmer water hinders oxygen exchange between deep and surface layers, and nutrient influx fuels algal blooms that deplete oxygen further. These oxygen-depleted zones aren't just lifeless wastelands; they have a ripple effect that threatens our planet's health. Microbes in these zones produce potent greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane, contributing further to global warming and exacerbating the very problem they were created by. We are approaching critical thresholds, warns Professor Rose. Aquatic deoxygenation disrupts the delicate balance of Earth's climate system. Addressing the root causes, like climate change and unsustainable land practices, is crucial. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111609639" title="Groundwater temperatures could rise several notches by 2100, making it too hot to drink for millions!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Oxygen is disappearing from Earth’s water; this endangers marine life and human society!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Facebook has battled a wildlife trafficking problem on its platform for nearly a decade.</li><li>Despite efforts to moderate sales of endangered animals and ivory, sellers are easy to spot.</li></ul>Turns out, you really can find anything on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook">Facebook</a>.Used lawn furniture, homemade baked goods… <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-illegal-wildlife-trafficking-2016-9">endangered species</a>.It's not a new phenomenon. Outlets have been reporting on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-tried-smuggle-22-snakes-chameleon-luggage-plane-officials-2023-5">wildlife trafficking</a> on Meta's massive social media platforms for years, and Facebook has been working with the World Wildlife Fund since 2016 to cut down on the prevalence of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/animals-suitcases-bangkok-airport-wildlife-trafficking-2022-7">illegal trade of wildlife</a> and rare animal products like ivory.But despite efforts to moderate the content away, the sellers remain remarkably easy to spot.<a target="_blank" href="https://undark.org/2024/03/05/social-media-wildlife-trafficking/?mc_cid=888b095156&amp;mc_eid=1b17105ade">Undark Magazine</a>, an award-winning independent science and culture publication, this week reported on a surging market on Facebook for distinctive bowmouth guitarfish horns, sold as jewelry and other accessories, contributing to the demise of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wildlife-filmmaker-malaika-vaz-on-environmental-and-biodiversity-conservation-interview-2021-5">critically endangered</a> fish.In 2022, Vice News reported it took less than 24 hours to arrange the sale of an endangered tiger.Though <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta">Meta</a>, Facebook's parent company, was a founding member of the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online in 2018, it might be even easier now to find these illegal offerings than years ago, Business Insider found.<h2>20 minutes to monkeys</h2>It took BI less than two minutes to identify Facebook accounts selling the bowmouth guitarfish horns. Within 20 minutes of browsing various groups on Facebook, BI identified endangered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mystery-dallas-zoo-2-monkeys-missing-after-leopard-dead-vulture-2023-1">squirrel monkeys</a> for sale, as well as various exotic birds, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-volunteer-big-cat-rescue-carole-baskin-2020-6">caracal cats</a>, and several species of turtles, in addition to more traditional pets and livestock, including puppies, guinea pigs, and chickens.Some of the groups had more than 10,000 members.Representatives for Meta, Facebook's parent company, pointed BI to the platform's internal policy regarding <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/policies_center/commerce/animals">Land, Animals, and Animal Products,</a> which indicates that listings on the platform may not promote the buying or selling of animals, animal products, or land in ecological conservation areas.Pages identified by BI as violating the policy were removed, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed after a review of the content.Meta representatives did not respond to questions from BI regarding how posts that violate this policy are moderated or whether groups and posts in languages other than English have the same moderation practices.<h2>How social media drives exotic species sales</h2>Crawford Allan, the senior director of wildlife at World Wildlife Fund-US, told BI that since the pandemic, social media platforms have seen an explosion in exotic pet species sales online, with the illegal traders ranging from ill-informed sellers to organized crime groups. "It's difficult for online companies to keep up with the enormous volume of pet listings and the cunning methods criminals are using to avoid automated filters on social media," Allan said, adding that the biggest challenge is keeping ahead of the crime groups as they adapt.World Wildlife Fund has for years provided companies in its anti-trafficking coalition, like Meta, data to help identify new keyword search terms that illegal sellers are using, as well as images of illicit products and suspicious listings they detect so they can be removed. The 47 major tech companies in the coalition pledged to use WWF's insights to remove 80% of wildlife trafficking content from their platforms by 2020.However, research published that year by the <a target="_blank" href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e3a7fb845f8c668df48d437/t/5f8d9d26b6b09842cbd7eca7/1603116334186/ACCO+2+Clicks+Away+Wildlife+Sales+on+Facebook+Oct+2020+FINAL.pdf">Alliance to Counter Crime Online</a> found that despite conservationists' assistance, Facebook had "failed to keep its promise.""In just two mouse clicks, our researchers could locate substantial wildlife trafficking content," researchers behind the ACCO study wrote. "Mimicking the search process an average Facebook user might employ when looking to buy illegal wildlife products, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-bans-ivory-trade-to-help-end-horrendous-elephant-poaching-2017-10">ivory</a> or exotic pets, we found that traffickers are easily and openly operating on the platform."<h2>The economic ripples of extinction</h2>In addition to the climate crisis, wildlife trafficking is a substantial contributor to the rate at which we are losing species worldwide, according to the global nonprofit environmental organization <a target="_blank" href="https://rare.org/blog/how-does-wildlife-trafficking-impact-people-environment/">Rare Conservation</a>, which points to critically endangered creatures like the black rhino, African elephant, and Amur leopard as species that are near extinction due to their popularity in the wildlife trade.An ACCO expert in ape trafficking reported more than half of the world's trade of apes occurs on social media, with young primates fetching upwards of $20,000 for sellers. The group found that roughly 75% of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.counteringcrime.org/online-crimes/online-wildlife-markets-are-wiping-out-animals">illegal online trade of cheetahs</a> occurs on Meta's platform Instagram."Illegal wildlife trade is the second most significant threat to endangered species after habitat loss," Allan of WWF told BI, adding that social media platforms are now the dominant market for the illegal trade of endangered wildlife. "Thousands of species are exploited, with many populations being pushed to the brink of extinction to meet global demand."It isn't just the animals that suffer when they're trafficked to the brink of extinction — it hurts agriculture, destabilizes the markets around the industry, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/1-million-species-could-go-extinct-un-report-2019-5">risks global food security</a> by demolishing ecosystems, according to reporting by the United Nations.One study published in Global Environmental Change estimated the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959378014000685">economic benefits</a> we enjoy from our environment range from $125-145 trillion a year globally. Jill Atkins, chair in financial management at Sheffield University Management School at the University of Sheffield, told finance news outlet <a target="_blank" href="https://www.investec.com/en_za/focus/beyond-wealth/to-bee-or-not-to-bee-species-extinction.html">Investec</a> that while the impact caused by extinction is hard to calculate, the loss of a single key species could cost a significant portion of that $125-145 trillion — or wipe it out entirely."Facilitated by transnational organized crime networks, with links to drug, human, and weapon trafficking, illegal wildlife trade threatens not only wildlife populations," Allan told BI. "But our global security, human health, the livelihoods of local communities, and legitimate business operations."Correction: March 23, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the number of tech organizations that have signed WWF's anti-animal trafficking pledge. There are 47, not 30.

You can buy an endangered monkey on Facebook in 20 minutes

Jamaal Bowman may be the most endangered Squad member. He doesn't seem alarmed.

For the past few years, the plight of the <keyword id="20353453" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="northern-white-rhinoceros" source="keywords">Northern White Rhinoceros</keyword> has been a stark reminder of the fragility of life. With only two females remaining, <keyword id="20353452" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="najin" source="keywords">Najin</keyword> and her daughter Fatu, this magnificent species teetered on the brink of extinction. Unable to reproduce naturally, their future seemed bleak. But amidst the despair, a glimmer of hope emerged in the form of science and conservation. Researchers had collected precious eggs from Fatu and frozen sperm from the last male, Sudan, creating a genetic bank that could potentially resurrect the species. And now, in a groundbreaking feat, scientists have achieved the world's first in-vitro fertilisation (<keyword id="19910347" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ivf" source="keywords">IVF</keyword>) <keyword id="6357793" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pregnancy" source="Orion">pregnancy</keyword> in a <keyword id="49308" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="rhino" source="Orion">rhino</keyword>ceros. Sadly, the pregnancy ended after 70 days due to a bacterial infection. However, this milestone marks a crucial step towards reversing the Northern White Rhino's tragic fate. The key lies in the Southern White Rhino, a close cousin with a healthy population of around 20,000. Their shared biology makes them ideal surrogate mothers for the Northern White embryos, as Professor <keyword id="20353450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="thomas-hildebrandt" source="keywords">Thomas Hildebrandt</keyword>, Director of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, explains: "We have a closely related recipient, so their internal map is nearly the same." Despite the initial setback, the team remains resolutely optimistic. "With this achievement, we are very confident that we will be able to create Northern White Rhinos in the same manner and that we will be able to save the species," says Dr <keyword id="20353451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="susanne-holtze" source="keywords">Susanne Holtze</keyword>, a scientist involved in the project. The future of the Northern White Rhino remains uncertain, but the first IVF pregnancy has ignited a spark of hope. With unwavering dedication and the power of science, we might yet witness these magnificent creatures once again roam the African savannas.

First successful IVF rhino pregnancy could save the Northern White Rhinoceros from certain extinction

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A TV chef fried a fish on the endangered-species list on an Austrian show.</li><li>The IUCN has listed the Frauennerfling, or pigo, as "in danger" since 2013.</li></ul>An Austrian broadcaster that featured a segment where a chef fried an endangered species of fish has apologized following a series of complaints, the French news agency Agence France-Presse, or AFP, reported, via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.barrons.com/news/austria-fishermen-fume-over-protected-fish-fried-on-public-tv-e93be477?refsec=topics_afp-news">Barron's</a>.During the show, which came out last week, the chef whipped up a dish of potato salad with fish fritters, the report said.But the broadcaster, ORF, soon received complaints from anglers after they discovered the fish used in the dish was the endangered Frauennerfling, an endangered species, AFP reported.The Frauennerfling, also known as the "pigo" or by the scientific name "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fishbase.se/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=8418&amp;AT=Pigo">Rutilus pigus</a>," is a fish native to Italy and Switzerland.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.iucn.it/scheda.php?id=-1534241952">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a> has listed the fish as "in danger" since 2013."This is an extremely sad incident I have not come across in my career yet," Gregor Gravogl, the director of Lower Austria's fishery association, told AFP.The chef involved in the incident said it occurred due to "a chain of unfortunate events" that began when he "asked a friend to get him some fish" after he was asked to appear on the show at the last minute."I trusted my friend who had a licence to fish a related species and thought that also includes this fish," he said, adding that he was "terribly sorry."ORF also apologized for "cooking a fish which is protected all year round," claiming it'd had "different information," the report said.The recipe is still available on the <a target="_blank" href="https://noe.orf.at/magazin/stories/3246621/">ORF website</a>, though it now just says to include "fish fillet," but "preferably from a fisherman you trust."

A TV chef turned an endangered fish into fritters. Fishermen were furious, say report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Orcas strike again!</li><li>NOAA investigated the death of an endangered fin whale in California earlier this month.</li></ul>An endangered fin whale died on a California beach this month — and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-orcas-are-apex-predator-ocean-brain-scans-2023-5">orcas</a> would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for those meddling marine biologists.The marine murder mystery was solved this week when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed the results of an investigation into the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gray-whale-deaths-linked-to-melting-sea-ice-arctic-study-2023-10">whale's death</a>.The whale had been found near Pacific Beach in San Diego on December 10 after it washed ashore. A crowd gathered and tried to help the creature, but it died on the sand, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/killer-whale-signature-beached-whale-may-have-died-from-orca-bites-noaa/3385453/">according to NBC San Diego</a>.There were no signs the whale had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whales-follow-fishing-trawlers-great-risk-to-their-lives-2023-9">been hit by a ship</a>, so its death was a mystery, NOAA public affairs officer Michael Milstein told Business Insider.That is, until investigators discovered bite marks on the whale's fin."Fin whales are the second <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-whales-became-largest-animal-ever-2018-8">largest species of whale</a> after blue whales, so it was a formidable target," Milstein said.<div type="image" title="The &quot;rake mark&quot; wounds on the fin whale are a &quot;signature&quot; of killer whales, a NOAA spokesperson said." height="3456" width="4608" msid="106219945" hostid="261" sizebytes="1328092"></div>At first, it seemed like the zig-zag marks were from sharks, Milstein said. But investigators determined the wounds had a distinctive rake-like appearance, which points to one species: the orca."Killer whales are not all that common off Southern California but a group of about a dozen have been marauding along the coast, mainly preying on dolphins," Milstein said.It seems the bite wounds weren't fatal, Milstein noted. Instead, the fin whale may have beached itself in a panic trying to avoid the predators, he said."It's interesting to see this kind of wildlife drama play out offshore of a big urban area such as Southern California," Milstein told BI. "The ocean may look calm but some wild things happen under the surface!"In a way, the whale's death is a sign that conservation efforts are working, he added. The fin whale population has "rebounded" since it was driven to the brink of extinction by the whaling industry.With the fin whale population recovering — as well as other marine wildlife flourishing — killer whales have a veritable feast available.<h2>Orcas are intelligent apex predators of the ocean.</h2>Orcas are among the ocean's most skilled hunters.They normally scarf down on everything from walruses and seals to fish and sea turtles, but orcas have been known to go after bigger prey.Recent research suggested orcas off the coast of Australia <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/killer-whales-likely-ate-liver-half-eaten-great-white-shark-2023-10">'"slurped" out the liver</a> of a great white shark.And near Portugal and Spain, orcas have been repeatedly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/orca-encounters-happening-every-day-near-spain-and-portugal-2023-6">ramming into boats</a>, even sinking some.But don't worry, those orca are almost certainly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/orcas-not-looking-eat-humans-when-attacking-boats-wildlife-filmmaker-2023-7">not looking for a human snack</a>. Among the most likely explanations for the sudden surge in boat attacks: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-killer-whales-orcas-attack-sink-boats-2023-6?">they're just playing around</a>.

The death of an endangered fin whale was a marine murder mystery. Now, we have a suspect: orcas.

10 iconic animals that were at risk of extinction but rebounded after the Endangered Species Act passed 50 years ago

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Staff at a conservation group captured the birth of 15 Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings.</li><li>The rare species, found only in Myanmar, is one of the world's most endangered freshwater turtles.</li></ul>Fifteen tiny turtles in Myanmar just made waves across the scientific community after their birth was captured on camera by conservation workers in what appears to be the first official record of Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings.The rare species, named for bright orange spots on its shell reminiscent of peacock feathers, are found only in Myanmar and are highly sought after in East Asian food markets. In addition to being <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/species-of-exotic-turtles-have-been-poached-to-near-extinction-2023-4">overharvested as an ingredient</a> for stews and soups in the region, the quality of the turtles' environment has degraded over time, diminishing the resources available for the previously abundant species. <div type="image" title="Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings" height="3024" width="4032" msid="101264399" hostid="261" sizebytes="696706"></div>As a result, Burmese peacock softshell turtles are one of the world's most endangered freshwater turtle species. According to The Zoological Society of London's <a href="https://www.edgeofexistence.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edge of Existence Programme</a>, they are at significant risk of extinction.Local volunteers, in partnership with the conservation group Fauna &amp; Flora International, have been working since mid-2022 to increase the population of the turtles near Indawgyi, one of the largest inland lakes in Southeast Asia.This year, designated "turtle guardians" discovered five nesting sites for the <a href="https://www.insider.com/endangered-animals-us-2018-5">endangered creatures</a> around Indawgyi, fenced them off to prevent them from being damaged, and set up regular patrols to monitor the nests, according to a statement from Fauna &amp; Flora International.<div type="image" title="Adult Burmese peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia formosa) being released, Indawgyi." height="1065" width="1600" msid="101264400" hostid="261" sizebytes="80894"></div>According to the conservation group, the <a href="https://www.insider.com/two-headed-baby-turtle-south-carolina-2019-8">video of the turtles hatching</a> is the first known recording of the species born in the wild. After Fauna &amp; Flora staff took measurements and the turtles' weight, they were released back to the wild near Indawgyi.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/climate/tiny-bundles-of-hope-critically-endangered-turtles-hatch-in-myanmar.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> reported the discovery is "exquisitely thrilling," according to Fredric Janzen, a biology professor at Michigan State University specializing in softshell turtles but not involved in the project.The discovery comes several years after Fauna &amp; Flora worked to establish Indawgyi as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2017 to support the home of more than 160 bird species — some of which are globally threatened — as well as turtles, mammals, reptiles, primates, and fish endemic to the area."Working with local communities will be key to our success in addressing the threats to the critically endangered Burmese peacock softshell turtle. We are already seeing the results of collaborating with communities to manage and protect key nesting sites and habitat," said Zau Lunn, Programme Manager, Freshwater and Marine, Fauna &amp; Flora.Lunn added: "Our work to save this species, which is unique to Myanmar, has only just begun, but the discovery and release of these hatchlings is a great start and a wonderful example of how we can work together to save nature."

First ever video captures the adorable birth of critically endangered Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The island of <a href="https://www.insider.com/maui-hawaii-wildfires-update-photos-damage-2023-8">Maui</a> has been devastated by wildfires that began on Tuesday, August 8.</li><li>The Maui Bird Conservation Center was among structures that have been threatened by flames.</li></ul>On August 8, when wildfires first started to spread on Maui, one structure threatened by the flames was the Maui Bird Conservation Center in Makawao.The isolation of Hawaii means there are multiple species of birds that aren't found anywhere else on Earth, according to the <a href="https://www.mauiforestbirds.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project's website</a>.So, when fire started making its way towards the center on August 8, it could've meant disaster for these endangered birds and their delicate ecosystem. But, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/11/hawaii-fire-bird-center/">The Washington Post</a> reported, not all hope was lost.Jennifer Pribble, a wildlife care supervisor who lives at the center, told the Post that she saw the smoke heading her way early on August 8 and sprang into action — and her heroism was caught on camera.Security footage from the center shared by <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2023/08/11/nr23-126/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources</a> shows two people running towards the center then dragging a hose towards the flames.<a href="https://vimeo.com/853861911">MBCC fire - security cam footage</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/voyagercreative">undefined</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.Pribble said she and her neighbor knew that the grass was extremely dry, and if the fire reached it, they'd only have minutes to save the birds. Quickly, they brought out their own fire extinguishers and began spraying, Pribble said. They also used a hose before firefighters arrived, as the footage shows."In that moment, our instincts kicked in and we knew what we had to do," Pribble told The Washington Post. "The goal was to keep the fire from spreading toward the aviaries."Pribble also shared her story with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/11/climate/birds-fire-hawaii.html">The New York Times.</a> "We just went out and kept it under control the best that we could, just so it didn't cross back over the road, until the state firefighters could arrive," she said.<div type="image" title="the firefighters" height="898" width="1198" msid="102752701" hostid="261"></div>Losing the center, which is run by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, would be an immeasurable loss for the island and for bird conservation. The center is home to some of the last 'alalā, or Hawaiian crows, among other endangered birds, such as the 'akikiki, a small honeycreeper."Alalā are extinct in the wild, and only about five 'akikiki are known to remain there," Emily Senninger, a spokeswoman for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, told The New York Times.According to Senninger's statement to The Washington Post, all the birds are safe.Now, with the fire contained, the main concern is moving any birds away from trees that have fallen. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has not yet responded to Insider's request for comment.

Watch a worker at Maui's bird conservation center and her neighbor hold off wildfire to save critically endangered animals

<ul class="summary-list"><li>There has been an increase in skin disease in Pacfic north-west killer whales, a new study found.</li><li>There is a possible connection between the skin lesions and the declining condition of the orcas. </li></ul>Scientists are concerned after a recent study found that there has been a "dramatic" increase in skin disease in an endangered North American population of orcas, and they don't know why.In a <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0286551" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent study published in PLOS ONE</a>, researchers studied a "strong increase" in skin lesions in the population of southern resident orcas from 2004 to 2016. The exact underlying cause of the skin disease — often in the form of gray patches and targets — is unclear, and the researchers are worried about the implications for the fragile population of orcas living on the Pacific north-west coast. The "possible" relationship between these lesions and the "decreasing body condition" of the endangered, non-recovering population is a concern, according to the study. The study found that 99% of the animals examined exhibited the skin disease. <div type="image" title="Southern Resident killer whale showing gray targets in saddle patch on October 18, 2014." height="1359" width="1813" msid="101420966" hostid="261" sizebytes="133036"></div>"Before we looked at the data, we had no idea that the prevalence of these skin lesions was increasing so dramatically," Joseph K Gaydos, lead author of the study, <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/skin-disease-endangered-whales-concerns-scientists" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a statement</a>. "It's worrisome. Now we need to try and isolate the potential infectious agent." The scientist studied a vast number of photographs obtained by the Center for Whale Research that showed nearly 20,000 whale sightings in the Salish Sea — off the coast of British Columbia and Washington state.<div type="image" title="Killer whale in Salish Sea." height="1370" width="1827" msid="101420968" hostid="261" sizebytes="103886"></div>After ruling out certain environmental factors, the researchers suspect that the cause of the legions comes from an "infectious agent," which might indicate a decrease in "immunocompetence" — a reduction in the orca's immune system to fight disease — which they found "concerning," according to the study. The paper explores possible causes, including warming coastal waters and the effects of man-made organic pollutants or an increasing scarcity of chinook salmon numbers reducing their immunity. Still, it cannot yet draw any firm conclusions.Fewer than 75 animals remain in the endangered population of the southern resident orcas, so a better understanding of the impact of skin lesions on their health is crucial, according to researchers.The killer whales' failure to reproduce is another indicator of troubling times for the orcas of the Pacific north-west, and calves now being born to the group usually die within three years, per The Guardian.This comes during a growing interest in orcas after increasing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/portugal-orcas-sink-a-sailboat-and-ram-another-in-atlantic-2022-8">killer whale boat interactions</a> in other waters.

You Searched For "endangered" and got 12 results

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First ever video captures the adorable birth of critically endangered Burmese peacock softshell turtle hatchlings

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