National Geographic
National Geographic: How GPS Can Help Save the World’s Most Endangered Sea Turtles
Wildlife Watch Tracking hawksbill turtles by satellite is yielding information crucial to the fight to save them from poachers, traffickers, and hunters. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED July 14, 2016 Hawksbill sea turtles, named for their pointed beaks, are teetering on the edge of extinction. With populations down to perhaps 10 percent of what they were…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Hong Kong Starts Countdown to Ivory Trade Ban
Hong Kong’s five-year plan for closing its ivory market will eliminate a legal loophole exploited by smugglers. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED June 27, 2016 Today Hong Kong has taken a major step forward in phasing out its ivory trade. The government submitted its proposed plan to the Legislative Council, which began debating the details. This is a…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Palm Oil’s Human Cost Alleged in New Report
Indonesian plantations are accused of exploitative labor conditions and other harmful practices by a coalition of nonprofit groups. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED June 8, 2016 Palm oil has oft been criticized for its alleged destructive impact on the environment—including clearing of tropical forests and peat swamps, destroying critical habitat for endangered species like orangutans, and contributing…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Rescued Circus Lions Airlifted to Safety in Africa
First posted on 2016-06-27 Wildlife Watch Rescued Circus Lions Airlifted to Safety in Africa Lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia are set to arrive back home in Africa. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 28, 2016 This lion and 23 others removed from circuses in Peru are being airlifted to South Africa, where a…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Abused Circus Tiger Gets Fairy-Tale Ending
His name is Hoover, and this big cat is about to enjoy a new life in Florida. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 21, 2016 Photograph by Animal Defenders International Alongside crates of asparagus, Hoover the tiger will be airlifted Friday from Peru to Florida, where he’ll settle into a new home in Tampa after…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Remembering the Woman Who Helped Bears in Distress
Bears smile just like we do, said Else Poulsen, who understood what makes them tick. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 20, 2016 Few people know bears as intimately as author and bear behavioralist Else Poulsen, who died on April 15 in her home in Ontario, Canada, after a battle with cancer. She was 61. If ever…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Inside the Secret Trade That Threatens Rare Birds
Singapore is a major transit hub for trade in threatened birds, especially African grey parrots. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 19, 2016 The Uganda Wildlife Authority safeguarded these African gray parrots before releasing them into a national park. A new study reveals that Singapore has been a major conduit for the trade in birds,…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Happy Ending for Smuggled Pangolins
Wildlife Watch 16 rare scaly anteaters are back in the wild after being rescued from Vietnam’s illegal wildlife trade. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED March 15, 2016 This story was updated to reflect that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today issued a preliminary finding to a scientific petition submitted by conservation groups, saying that Endangered Species Act…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Even This Incredibly Elusive Bird Isn’t Safe from Traffickers
Pittas are almost impossible to spot in the wild. Though legally protected, they’re a common sight in Indonesia’s notorious bird markets. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED Thu Feb 25, 2016 Pittas are a birdwatcher’s prize. Called “jewels of the forest” for their glorious plumage, these shy, secretive birds are almost impossible to spot in the wild. But…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Petition Seeks Ban on Trade in Fake Rhino Horn
Exclusive: NGOs express concerns that cultured rhino horn undercuts existing law and imperils wild rhinos. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED Wed Feb 10, 2016 Trade in bioengineered rhino horn shouldn’t be allowed. That’s the contention behind a petition filed today with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Center for Biological Diversity, a U.S.-based group that uses science and…
Read MoreNational Geographic: One Country Will Destroy Its Ivory—and Pray for Elephants
Sri Lanka also becomes the world’s first country to apologize that elephants are being killed for their ivory. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED Mon Jan 25 12:04:00 EST 2016 During the past several years, I’ve watched country after country destroy their stockpiles of confiscated elephant ivory, preventing that ivory from somehow slipping back into the black market and…
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