The SpaceX Dragon berthed to the International Space Station's Harmony module. Credit: NASA TV

Launched early morning Tuesday from Cape Canaveral in Florida, the capsule flew to within reach of the ISS’s robotic arm on Friday morning and was captured at 9:56 AM EDT.

The mission is a demonstration flight by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, as part of its contract with NASA to have private companies launch cargo safely to the International Space Station.

Dragon is a free-flying, reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The craft consists of 3 main elements:

• a nosecone to protect the vessel during launch
• a pressurized capsule for cargo requiring a pressurized environment (including, in the future, astronauts), plus avionics, the RCS system, parachutes, and other support infrastructure
• an unpressurized compartment for cargo not requiring a pressurized environment, plus the solar arrays and thermal radiators.

NASA’s $1.6 billion contract with SpaceX calls for a minimum of 12 flights, with an option to order additional missions for a cumulative total contract value of up to $3.1 billion.

Atmospheric carbon produced by the OECD* nations in 2011 declined 0.6%, while non-OECD countries saw an increase of 6.1% over the previous year.

China remains the largest carbon emitter, whose 9.3% increase in 2011 contributed the most of any nation to the global rise. India’s emissions rose by 8.7%.  Still, per-capita emissions in China and India remain well under the OECD average (63% and 15% respectively).

Carbon emissions in the U.S. in 2011 dropped 1.7%, primarily due to the power industry’s shift from coal to natural gas and an unusually mild winter. U.S. emissions have now fallen 7.7% since 2006 — the largest reduction of all countries or regions.

2011 CO₂ emissions in the EU declined 1.9%, as sluggish economic growth cut industrial production and a relatively warm winter reduced heating demand.

Japan’s emissions increased by 2.4%, largely as result of using fossil-fuel to partially replace electrical capacity lost as most of the country’s nuclear reactors where taken offline in the wake of Fukushima.

With India’s 2011 emissions moving ahead of Russia’s, the five largest carbon emitting countries are now China, the United States, the European Union. India, and Russia.

Implications for Global Warming

The 450 Scenario of the IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2011, which sets out an energy pathway consistent with a 50% chance of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 2°C, requires CO₂ emissions to peak at 32.6 Gt no later than 2017, i.e. just 1.0 Gt above 2011 levels.

The 450 Scenario sees a decoupling of CO₂emissions from global GDP, but much still needs to be done to reach that goal as the rate of growth in CO₂ emissions in 2011 exceeded that of global GDP.

“The new data provide further evidence that the door to a 2°C trajectory is about to close,” said IEA Chief Economist Fatih Birol.

Yet, a survey released this week reveals a public that is remarkably in agreement — and strongly in favor of a clean energy future.

Nearly 2/3 support extending current tax credits for renewable energy production and creating nationwide energy standards to promote renewables.

On the subject of exploiting the nation’s vast natural gas reserves using hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, 53% support more stringent environmental regulation while another 15% favor an outright ban.

Data from the National Journal Congressional Connection Poll, May 21, 2012

The question of whether the U.S. — meaning Congress — will extend the current renewable energy production tax credits before they expire at the end of this year is most pertinent. Initiated in 1992, the credits were intended to help the clean energy industry ramp up production and attract private investment to gain a foothold in a sector dominated by a mature fossil fuel industry.

If the credits are allowed to expire, as they did in 2004, proponents argue that the result could be devastating to renewable producers while costing as many as 37,000 jobs in the wind industry alone.

Thus far, extending the credits has attracted bipartisan support, but the matter is unlikely to be dealt with before the November elections and passage is by no means certain. In the meantime, producers are rushing to complete projects currently underway before the credits expire — and hesitant to begin new projects in the face of  uncertainty.

Whether the U.S. moves forward toward a renewable energy future or backwards, into a fossil-fueled past, has little to do with public opinion — and everything to do who gets elected.

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International for the National Journal and included 1,004 adults age 18 and older. Interviews were conducted May 17-20, 2012; margin of error was plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

At least 100 species become extinct each day. We never know which one will be next.
But it’s not too late to help those that are in danger of extinction.

Joel Sartore is a photographer for National Geographic Magazine and he says,  “It is folly to think that we can destroy one species and ecosystem after another and not affect humanity.  When we save species, we’re actually saving ourselves.”

The book is available in the ecology.com store.

Courtesy rarethebook.com

The researchers found a link between replacing native trees with non-native palms and the health of the manta ray population off Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific. Photo: Gareth Williams / Courtesy of Stanford University

Intricate, often invisible chains of life are threatened with extinction around the world. A new study quantifies one of the longest such chains ever documented.

Douglas McCauley and Paul DeSalles did not set out to discover one of the longest ecological interaction chains ever documented. But that’s exactly what they and a team of researchers – all current or former Stanford students and faculty – did in a new study published in Scientific Reports.

Their findings shed light on how human disturbance of the natural world may lead to widespread, yet largely invisible, disruptions of ecological interaction chains. This, in turn, highlights the need to build non-traditional alliances – among marine biologists and foresters, for example – to address whole ecosystems across political boundaries.

Swimming With the Rays

This past fall, McCauley, a graduate student, and DeSalles, an undergraduate, were in remote Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific tracking manta rays’ movements for a predator-prey interaction study. Swimming with the rays and charting their movements with acoustic tags, McCauley and DeSalles noticed the graceful creatures kept returning to certain islands’ coastlines. Meanwhile, graduate student Hillary Young was studying palm tree proliferation’s effects on bird communities and native habitats.

Aerial shot of Palmyra Atoll, one of the most remote and least-disturbed places on Earth.

Palmyra is a unique spot on Earth where scientists can compare largely intact ecosystems within shouting distance of recently disturbed habitats. A riot of life – huge grey reef sharks, rays, snapper and barracuda – plies the clear waters while seabirds flock from thousands of miles away to roost in the verdant forests of this tropical idyll.

Over meals and sunset chats at the small research station, McCauley, DeSalles, Young and other scientists discussed their work and traded theories about their observations. “As the frequencies of these different conversations mixed together, the picture of what was actually happening out there took form in front of us,” McCauley said.

The Ecological Chain

Through analysis of nitrogen isotopes, animal tracking and field surveys, the researchers showed that replacing native trees with non-native palms led to about five times fewer roosting seabirds (they seemed to dislike palms’ simple and easily wind-swayed canopies), which led to fewer bird droppings to fertilize the soil below, fewer nutrients washing into surrounding waters, smaller and fewer plankton in the water and fewer hungry manta rays cruising the coastline.

“This is an incredible cascade,” said researcher Rodolfo Dirzo, a professor of environmental science and senior fellow with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. “As an ecologist, I am worried about the extinction of ecological processes. This dramatically illustrates the significance of such extinctions.”

Equally important is what the study suggests about these cascades going largely unseen. “Such connections do not leave any trace behind,” said researcher Fiorenza Micheli, an associate professor of biology affiliated with the Stanford Woods Institute. “Their loss largely goes unnoticed, limiting our understanding of and ability to protect natural ecosystems.” McCauley put it another way: “What we are doing in some ecosystems is akin to popping the hood on a car and disconnecting a few wires and rerouting a few hoses. All the parts are still there – the engine looks largely the same – but it’s anyone’s guess as to how or if the car will run.”

By way of comparison, researcher Robert Dunbar, a professor of earth sciences and Stanford Woods Institute senior fellow, recalled the historical chain effects of increasing demands on water from Central California’s rivers. When salmon runs in these rivers slowed from millions of fish each year to a trickle, natural and agricultural land systems lost an important source of marine-derived fertilizer. These lost subsidies from the sea are now replaced by millions of dollars’ worth of artificial fertilizer applications. “Humans can really snip one of these chains in half,” Dunbar said.

Rob Jordan is the communications writer for the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

Composite Image Credit: Sara Pennak/IISE

The International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University and a committee of scientists from around the world announced their picks for the top 10 new species described in 2011.

This is the fifth year for the top 10 new species list, released May 23 to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who was responsible for the modern system of plant and animal names and classifications.

Selected from the hundreds of nominations submitted, the Top 10 list celebrates species exploration, biodiversity and the science of taxonomy. This year’s picks represent treasures from around the globe, from the deepest mines in Africa to the mountain heights of the Himalayas.

“The Top 10 is intended to bring attention to the biodiversity crisis and the unsung species explorers and museums who continue a 250-year tradition of discovering and describing the millions of kinds of plants, animals and microbes with whom we share this planet,” said Quentin Wheeler, an entomologist who directs the International Institute for Species Exploration at ASU.

Members of the international committee who made their selection from more than 200 nominations look for “species that capture our attention because they are unusual or because they have traits that are bizarre,” said Mary Liz Jameson, an associate professor at Wichita State University who chaired the international selection committee. “Some of the new species have interesting names; some highlight what little we really know about our planet,” she said.

To Learn More

For more detailed information about the Top 10 species list for 2011 visit http://species.asu.edu/. Nominations for the 2013 list (for species described in 2012) may be made online at http://species.asu.edu/species-nomination.

The International Institute for Species Exploration also publishes an annual State of Observed Species (SOS) report on human knowledge of Earth’s species. The latest report was released January 18 and is available online.

90 Percent of Species are Recovering at the Rate Specified by their Federal Recovery Plan

A new Center for Biological Diversity analysis of 110 endangered species finds that 90 percent are on track to meet recovery goals set by federal scientists. The review examined population trends of plants and animals protected by the Endangered Species Act in all 50 states, including gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains, Florida panthers, Aleutian Canada geese and California condors. Again and again, the analysis finds species on a positive trajectory toward recovery — and in some cases exceeding expectations.

“There are Endangered Species Act success stories in every state in America. No other law in the world has done so much to rescue species from the brink of extinction and put them on a path to recovery. Simply put, the Act has been remarkably successful.”

~ Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity

Critics of the Endangered Species Act contend it is a failure because only 1 percent of the species under its protection have recovered and been delisted. The critique, however, is undermined by its failure to explain how many species should have recovered by now. The report finds that 80 percent of species haven’t been listed long enough to reach their projected delisting date: On average, species have been protected for 32 years and have a typical expected recovery period of 46 years. Relying on data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and independent scientists, this report is a science-based rebuttal to attacks on the Act.

To objectively test whether the Endangered Species Act is recovering species at a sufficient rate, the Center for Biological Diversity compared the actual recovery rate of 110 species with the projected recovery rate in their federal recovery plans. The species range over all 50 states, include all major taxonomic groups, and have a diversity of listing lengths. 80 percent of species have not yet reached their expected recovery year.

The study’s findings are similar to a 2006 analysis of all federally protected species in the Northeast, which found 93 percent were stabilized or improving since being put on the endangered species list and 82 percent were on pace to meet recovery goals.

When judged in the light of meeting recovery plan timelines for recovery, the Endangered Species Act is remarkably successful. Few laws of any kind can boast a 90 percent success rate.

Success Highlights

Aleutian Canada Goose

Once nearly driven extinct by foxes introduced to their nesting islands in Alaska and by habitat destruction and hunting in California and Oregon, Aleutian Canada geese are today a clear success story. After a small population was found on a remote Alaskan island in the Aleutian chain, the goose was listed as an endangered species in 1967. Nonnative fox populations were controlled, nesting habitat was protected with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge’s creation in 1980, and wintering and migration habitat was protected in California and Oregon. The Aleutian Canada goose population grew from 790 birds in 1975 to more than 60,000 in 2005. It was downlisted to “threatened” in 1990, declared recovered and removed from the endangered list in 2001, seven years earlier than projected by its recovery plan.

Black-Footed Ferret

This 2-foot-long, black-masked member of the weasel family once lived in central grasslands and basins from southern Canada to Texas, but is now one of the most endangered mammals in North America. In the early 1900s, the U.S. ferret population was likely more than 5 million. But ferrets were almost wiped out in the 20th century after agricultural development and rodent poisons devastated their primary food source, the prairie dog. Thirteen years after they were listed as endangered in 1967, the last captive ferret died, and the animals were thought to be extinct in North America. Then in 1981 a small relic population was discovered in Wyoming. Between 1991 and 1999, about 1,200 ferrets from that population were released in Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona and along the Utah/Colorado border. At least two of those populations are established. Biologists estimate there are now a total of about 1,410 black-footed ferrets in the wild.

American Peregrine Falcon

The use of DDT and other organochlorine pesticides thinned American peregrine falcon eggshells, causing reproductive failure and population declines. In 1970, the American peregrine was listed as endangered and efforts to recover the species began. The use of DDT was banned in Canada in 1970 and in the United States in 1972. In the late 1970s, Alaska became the first place American peregrine falcon population growth was documented and, by 1980, populations began to grow in other areas. Efforts to reestablish peregrine falcons in the East and Midwest proved largely successful, leading to downlisting of the species in 1984. The banning of DDT, captive-breeding efforts and nest protections allowed falcons to increase from 324 breeding pairs in 1975 to 3,005 pairs as of 2006. The species was delisted in 1999.

American Crocodile

In pre-Columbian days, the coastal tip of South Florida was literally crawling with thousands of American crocodiles. By the time they were listed as endangered in 1975, hunting for sport and skins as well as overcollection for zoos and museums had reduced their numbers to as few as 200. With the entire population, including only 10 to 20 breeding females, living in one small area of northeastern Florida Bay, American crocodiles were in stark danger of becoming little more than a memory. But only eight years after gaining Endangered Species Act protection, populations had grown to about 1,000, and crocodiles had already returned to much of their historic range, from Biscayne Bay and Key Largo to Florida’s southwestern coast. In 2005 the crocodiles’ numbers reached 2,085, and two years later the species was downlisted to threatened.

Bald Eagle

The bald eagle first declined in the 1800s at the hands of trophy hunters, feather collectors, and wanton killing. It was already extirpated or at low numbers in most states by the 1940s when DDT and other organochlorines became widely used. DDT caused eagle numbers plummet further, and in 1967 the species was listed as endangered in the lower 48 states. The eagle was joined on the list by the American peregrine falcon, Arctic peregrine falcon and brown pelican in 1970. The listing of these large, charismatic birds rallied the nation to band the production and sale of DDT in 1972.

The banning of DDT, increased wetland protection and restoration, and an aggressive, mostly state-based reintroduction program caused eagle pairs to soar from 416 in 1963 to 11,052 in 2007 when the eagle was removed from the endangered list.

Gray Wolf

Wolves were listed as endangered in 1967, after decades of bounty hunting decimated their population in the lower 48 states. Successful recolonization of the Rocky Mountain region began in the early 1980s. Wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park and Idaho in the mid-1990s. By 2009 the population of wolves in the No. Rockies was about 1,679, up from 1,300 in 2006. The population expanded beyond the Rockies, returning to Oregon in 1999, and Washington in 2005. The U.S. FWS delisted the northern Rockies gray wolf in 2008, but the decision was overturned after conservationists argued that the recovery goal was insufficient to remove the threat of extinction. In 2011, for the first time in the history of the Endangered Species Act, Congress overruled the courts and ordered the delisting of northern Rockies gray wolves, and those in parts of Oregon, Washington and Utah. Wolf populations in Idaho and Montana are now subject to hunting and trapping seasons designed to severely reduce populations.

For more success stories, and further details on those above, visit On Time, On Target – How the Endangered Species Act is Saving America’s Wildlife, a project of the Center for Biological Diversity.

See a Regional Map of Species Recovery around the country.

Read the Full Report

Take action to help Defend the Endangered Species Act

Positive Air Quality Trends Continue, While Big Polluters and Congress Seek to Weaken Proven Clean Air Controls

The American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2012 report, just released, finds that in America’s most polluted cities, air quality was at its cleanest since the organization’s annual report began 13 years ago. This year’s report details the trend that standards set under the Clean Air Act to cleanup major air pollution sources—including coal-fired power plants, diesel engines, and SUVs—are working to drastically cut ozone (smog) and particle pollution (soot) from the air we breathe. Despite this progress, unhealthy levels of air pollution still exist and in some parts of the country worsened.

“State of the Air shows that we’re making real and steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air we breathe,” said Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO. “We owe this to the ongoing protection of the Clean Air Act. But despite these improvements, America’s air quality standards are woefully outdated, and unhealthy levels of air pollution still exist across the nation, putting the health of millions of Americans at stake.”

The job of cleaning the air is not finished. More than 40 percent of people in the United States live in areas where air pollution continues to threaten their health. That means more than 127 million people are living in counties with dangerous levels of either ozone or particle pollution that can cause wheezing and coughing, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death. Those at greatest risk from air pollution include infants, children, older adults, anyone with lung diseases like asthma, people with heart disease or diabetes, people with low incomes and anyone who works or exercises outdoors.

The Lung Association’s annual air quality report grades cities and counties based, in part, on the color-coded Air Quality Index developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to alert the public to daily unhealthy air conditions. The 13th annual report uses the most recent, quality-controlled EPA data collected from 2008 through 2010 from official monitors for ozone and particle pollution, the two most widespread types of air pollution. Counties are graded for ozone, year-round particle pollution and short-term particle pollution levels. The report also uses EPA’s calculations for year-round particle levels.
 Major improvements were seen in 18 of the 25 cities most polluted by ozone, including Los Angeles, which had the lowest smog levels since the report was first published in 2000. Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were among 17 of the 25 cities most polluted by annual particle pollution that experienced their cleanest years yet. Four cities—Pittsburgh, San Diego, Philadelphia and Visalia, Calif., had their lowest-ever, short-term particle pollution level. For the first time, Birmingham, Ala., Detroit, Mich., and York, Pa., dropped completely off the report’s 25 most-polluted cities lists. Santa Fe, N.M., ranked as the cleanest city in the nation.

Meanwhile, State of the Air 2012 finds that nearly four out of 10 people in the U.S. live in counties that received an F for air quality because of unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution, which can cause health problems that day, and even days after. When inhaled, ozone irritates the lungs, like a bad sunburn, and can cause wheezing, coughing, asthma attacks and can shorten life.

The report also finds that nearly 50 million Americans live in counties with too many unhealthy spikes in particle pollution levels, and nearly six million people live in areas with unhealthy year-round levels of particle pollution. Particle pollution is the most dangerous and deadly widespread air pollutant in America. This noxious mix of microscopic bits of ash, soot, diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals and aerosols can lead to early death, heart attacks, strokes and emergency room visits. Only eight counties received a failing grade for year-round particle pollution, further evidence of the continuing improvement even since last year’s report.

The trend toward cleaner air continued throughout this three-year period, even as the economy, energy use and driving began to rebound after the recession in 2008-2009. The reduced emissions result from standards set under the Clean Air Act since the late 1990s that have driven continued cleanup of coal-fired power plants and the turnover of the fleet of older, dirtier SUVs, pick-up trucks, vans, and diesel engines.

The Ongoing Fight to Defend the Clean Air Act

Although these air quality improvements clearly result from standards put into place under the Clean Air Act, big polluters and some members of Congress continue to propose to dismantle the law. Recent proposals in the Congress have included delaying implementation and blocking enforcement of parts of the law, and limiting EPA’s ability to consider all of the scientific evidence regarding the harm to public health. These challenges come despite EPA’s estimate that cutting air pollution through the Clean Air Act will prevent at least 230,000 deaths and save $2 trillion annually by 2020.

“We still need to fulfill the promise of clean, healthy air for everyone, and that can only become a reality through the full implementation of the Clean Air Act. The American Lung Association strongly opposes any efforts to weaken, delay, or undermine the protective standards the law provides,” said Connor.

The American people support the need for stricter limits on air pollution standards and the authority of the EPA to enforce these standards. A recent bipartisan survey found that about two-thirds of voters (66 percent) favor the EPA updating air pollution standards by setting stricter limits. Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of voters believe the nation does not have to choose between air quality and a strong economy.

“The American Lung Association has been leading the fight for clean air for decades, and we are as determined as ever to give every American the clean air they deserve to breathe every day,” said Connor.

To see how your community ranks in State of the Air 2012, to learn how to protect yourself and your family from air pollution, and to join the fight for healthy air, visit www.stateoftheair.org.

Nation’s Most Polluted Cities

10 Most Ozone-Polluted Cities

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
2. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
3. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
4. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
5. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
6. Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City, Calif.-Nev.
7. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
8. Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, Texas
9. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
10. Merced, Calif.

10 Cities Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution (Annual PM2.5)

1. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
2. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
4. Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
5. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
6. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
7. Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.
8. Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, Ohio-Ky.-Ind.
9. Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, Ky.-Ind.
10. Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.
11. St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, Mo.-Ill.

10 Cities Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution (24-hour PM2.5)

1. Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
2. Fresno-Madera, Calif.
3. Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
4. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
5. Modesto, Calif.
6. Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
7. Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield, UT
8. Logan, UT-ID
9. Fairbanks, Alaska
10. Merced, Calif.

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About the American Lung Association

Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association, a Charity Navigator Four Star Charity and holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lung.org.

Eastern Box Turtle

Founders Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson are the force behind World Turtle Day. “World Turtle Day was started 12 years ago to increase respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures. These gentle animals have been around for about 200 million years, yet they are rapidly disappearing as a result of the exotic food industry, habitat destruction and the cruel pet trade,” says Tellem. “We are seeing smaller turtles coming into the rescue meaning that older adults are disappearing from the wild, and the breeding stock is drastically reduced. It is a very sad time for turtles and tortoises of the world.” Tellem added that many sea turtles lost their lives in 2010 thanks to BP’s uncontrolled oil spill off the coast of Louisiana. “It’s a tragic example of putting profits before preserving our environment.

Gulf Coast Box Turtle

And turtles don’t just live in the sea, but in freshwater as well. There are only seven existing saltwater species, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), of which three are classified as Critically Endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and three as Endangered. Of the 263 species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles, 117 species are considered Threatened, 73 are either Endangered or Critically Endangered and one is Extinct.

Painted Turtles

But there is hope for the embattled reptiles. Many conservation groups including The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and WWF are working hard to protect the turtles. There are several areas of concern:

• Habitat loss and degradation
• Wildlife trade
• Collection of eggs and meat for consumption
• Incidental capture (bycatch)
• Climate change
• Pollution

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

American Tortoise Rescue’s mission is clear. “Our ultimate goal is to stop the illegal trade in turtles and tortoises around the world.  Our first priority here in the U.S. is to stop pet stores and reptile shows from selling illegal hatchling tortoises and turtles,” says Thompson. We also need to educate people who are unfamiliar with their proper care about the real risk of contracting salmonella from turtles. Schools and county fairs are no place for turtles. Wash your hands thoroughly every time you touch a turtle or its water, and do not bring live turtles into homes where children are under the age of 12.”

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

Here is a list of things anyone can do to help protect the remaining turtles and tortoises:

• Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild.
• Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured.
• If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.
• Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitat preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent off shore drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths.
• Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter.
• Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind less than four inches.  This is illegal everywhere in the U.S.

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

And in Costa Rica, a favorite nesting grounds of the Olive Ridley turtles, a unique conservation effort is underway, where scientists at the Douglas Robinson Marine Turtle Research Center have partnered with the local people in a unique method of protecting the turtle eggs.

These adorable cubs, who haven’t been named yet, are currently being nurtured out of the public’s view until they’re a little older. Within a few months they will move into their specially designed cave enclosed in glass, with their mother, Nindiri, so zoo visitors can watch them grow up.

They just weigh 5 pounds each, but will grow to be up to 250 pound adults. The jaguar is the largest of the Western Hemisphere’s big cats.

While their population is still abundant in the wild, the Jaguar is listed as a “Near Threatened” species on the IUCN Red List. This means that the panther population is slowly declining, due to habitat loss and other factors, and should be protected to avoid further decline.

Zoo captive breeding programs, like the one that produced these jaguar cubs, are an important part of endangered species conservation efforts. Establishing captive populations, in zoos, insures species survival. Some captive breeding programs also reintroduce animals back into the wild.