Biodiversity

Things related to the web of life; ecology; wildlife; endangered species

Appalachian Lithium Deposit Could Replace 328 Years Of Imports: USGS

"The U.S. Geological Survey announced a massive lithium deposit in the Appalachian Mountains, large enough to replace years of imports of the mineral." "While the figure is an official USGS estimate, extracting the mineral poses major technical and environmental challenges."

Source: Snopes, 05/08/2026

"Ted Turner, A Media Mogul Who Tried To Repair The Land"

"Ted Turner built a media empire, then turned much of his wealth and attention toward land, wildlife, clean energy, and conservation. His vast private landholdings became working examples of restoration, from bison herds and native trout to longleaf pines and red-cockaded woodpeckers."

Source: Mongabay, 05/08/2026

Alaska Agents Can Kill Bears From Helicopters To Protect Caribou: Judge

"Alaska wildlife agents can resume shooting and killing black and brown bears — including from helicopters — as part of a plan to help recover a caribou herd that was once an important source of food for Alaska Native hunters, a judge ruled Wednesday."

Source: AP, 05/07/2026

"Trump Admin Opens Door to Resumed ‘Cyanide Bomb’ Use on BLM Land"

"The Trump administration has quietly opened the door to the resumed use of so-called “cyanide bombs” on Bureau of Land Management parcels across the country, according to an internal April 2026 memo."

Source: Public Domain, 05/07/2026

Tribes Sue To Halt Drilling In Black Hills Near Sacred Ceremonial Site

"Nine Native American tribes in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska are suing the federal government in a bid to stop exploratory drilling for graphite near a sacred site in the Black Hills."

Source: AP, 05/06/2026

Endangered Whale Protections May Be Delayed Until 2035 Under Trump Plan

"For roughly 380 right whales left in the North Atlantic, which can die after getting tangled in fishing ropes or hit by ships, the Trump administration said this month it wants to delay new protections by almost a decade in favor of commercial fishing interests."

Source: AP, 05/06/2026

Trump Admin Orders Rapid End to Some Hunting Rules on Federal Lands

"The Trump administration has directed national recreation areas, seashores, wildlife refuges and other public lands to immediately lift dozens of restrictions on hunting and trapping, internal Interior Department documents show."

Source: New York Times, 05/05/2026

In Subzero Temperatures, Protecting a Tiger in the Snow

The population of Siberian tigers, the second-largest subspecies in the world, took a turn for the worse after the fall of the Soviet Union. But an international team of biologists in remote Russia has been working to try to save the big cats. “Tigers Between Empires” traces that effort, in a new BookShelf review from contributing editor Jennifer Weeks.

SEJ Publication Types: 
Topics on the Beat: 
Visibility: 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Biodiversity