Doreen Fräßdorf - Species Extinction

The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. (© See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-10-17 Doreen Fräßdorf

Study Questions the Myth of the Extinct Cape Lion as a Distinct Subspecies

A study published yesterday in Scientific Reports questions the taxonomic status of the Cape lion (Panthera leo melanochaita), which was driven to extinction around 1860. For a long time, this large cat was considered a distinct subspecies, characterized by its striking black mane that extended over its shoulders and belly,

Forest elephants in Gabon's Minkébé National Park lost 78 to 81% of their population between 2004 and 2014 due to poaching and the illegal ivory trade. (© Jean-Paul Boerekamps, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-10-11 Doreen Fräßdorf

WWF Living Planet Report 2024: Global Wildlife Populations Have Declined by 73%

The recently published WWF Living Planet Report 2024 highlights the alarming state of global biodiversity. The decline in animal populations is drastic and threatens the ecological balance. Vertebrate species such as mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles have been particularly affected, with significant declines since the 1970s. Shrinking vertebrate populations

This painting is a copy of the original, which was acquired by a merchant in Augsburg in the 19th century. The original likely dates back to the 16th century. It is unclear whether it depicts an aurochs, a crossbreed between a cow and an aurochs, or a cattle breed resembling the aurochs. (© Charles Hamilton Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-10-06 Doreen Fräßdorf

The Return of the Aurochs as the Tauros: From Extinction Back to the Pastures

For nearly 400 years, the aurochs, or urus, the wild ancestor of all modern domesticated cattle, has been considered extinct. However, it may soon reappear in the form of the Tauros, its selectively bred successor, in the UK. According to a report by BBC Countryfile, there are plans to reintroduce

Lyall's wren went extinct less than ten years after humans settled on Stephens Island. It is considered a classic example of the extinction of an island endemic species, which had no natural defenses against invasive predators. (© Vertebrate Zoology Curator, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-10-05 Doreen Fräßdorf

Human-Caused Species Loss: Global Impact Far Greater Than Expected

A study published in early October in the journal Science suggests that human-caused species loss has far-reaching consequences that were previously underestimated. The scientists highlight the fact that the extinction of bird species has not only wiped out ecological roles but also billions of years of unique evolutionary history. In

Ivory-billed woodpeckers were primarily found in the southern United States. The main causes for their population decline are attributed to hunting and the loss of their habitat due to widespread deforestation. (© Doreen Fräßdorf, photographed at the Natural History Museum in London, England, 2024)

2024-10-03 Doreen Fräßdorf

Biotech Company Plans to Revive the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by 2025

The U.S. biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences announced on October 1st its plan to revive the ivory-billed woodpecker by 2025, amidst the ongoing debate about whether this iconic bird species is truly extinct. The ivory-billed woodpecker was once a keystone species in the forests of the southern United States, playing a

The endangered night parrot reaches a body length of up to 25 centimetres. It occurs in small sub-populations in various regions of inner Australia. (© Elizabeth Gould (1804–1841), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-09-26 Doreen Fräßdorf

Australia: Largest Known Population of the Extremely Rare Night Parrot Discovered

An article published in September 2024 in the Journal of Wildlife Research reports the discovery of the largest known population of the night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) in the eastern Pilbara region of Western Australia. A team of Indigenous rangers and scientists tracked down a colony of about 50 birds –

The dwarf elephant species Palaeoloxodon cypriotes, found exclusively in Cyprus, weighed around 500 kilograms, while the dwarf hippopotamus Phanourios minor (pictured) reached only 130 kilograms. (© GeorgeLyras at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-09-21 Doreen Fräßdorf

New Study: Dwarf Hippopotamuses and Elephants in Cyprus Driven to Extinction by a Few Thousand People

New research reveals that dwarf elephants (Palaeoloxodon cypriotes) and dwarf hippopotamuses (Phanourios minor) on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus were driven to extinction after the arrival of Paleolithic humans around 14,000 years ago. A small population of possibly just 3,000 people was enough to wipe out these animals within a

Illustration from 1902. Rocky Mountain locusts belong to the suborder of Caelifera, which includes short-horned grasshoppers. (© Julius Bien (1826-1909) biography, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-09-20 Doreen Fräßdorf

Rocky Mountain Locust

Record: A swarm of 12.5 trillion locusts The correct biological term for animals that form large groups is “swarm,” but when it comes to large assemblies of migratory locusts, the term “plague” is used because they not only migrate but also devastate entire regions. Migratory locusts differ from ordinary grasshoppers

The long-nosed stubfoot toad (Atelopus longirostris) was also rediscovered in Ecuador in 2015, after being missing for 30 years. (© Luis Aurelio Coloma, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-09-19 Doreen Fräßdorf

Pristimantis ruidus: Frog Species Missing for 100 Years Rediscovered in Ecuador

During a 2022 expedition to the Molleturo forest in the Ecuadorian Andes, biologist Juan Sánchez-Nivicela and his team made a remarkable discovery: two tiny frogs that could not be immediately identified. Now, as the researchers report in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution, the frogs belong to the species Pristimantis ruidus,

Giant Haast's eagle attacking New Zealand moa

A Haast's eagle attacks already extinct New Zealand moas. The largest moas were the female South Island giant moas. They could reach a weight of up to 300 kilograms. (© John Megahan, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)

2024-09-17 Doreen Fräßdorf

Haast’s Eagle

The largest bird of prey in modern times Before humans settled in New Zealand around 700 years ago and introduced invasive species like cats and rats, there were no land-dwelling mammals on the islands – aside from three species of bats. Instead, the ecosystem was dominated by approximately 250 bird