EXPLORE WILD HOPE

Black-footed ferrets nearly went extinct several times in the 20th century. Today, the current largest threat to their survival is a non-native disease called sylvatic plague.

Plants can’t move on their own, so they usually need a little help to spread their seeds far and wide. Animals that scatter these seeds — often by eating the fruit and pooping out the remains — are known as seed dispersers.

Corals are known for their vibrant hues, but when they get stressed, they turn a ghostly white in a process known as coral bleaching. To appreciate why this happens, you need to understand the unique relationship that forms the basis of coral reefs.

Dr. James Bogan is the Director for the Central Florida Zoo’s Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation, the only facility that breeds the eastern indigo snake for the sole purpose of reintroducing the offspring into regions where the population is believed to be locally extinct.

Christopher Jenkins has worked with Wildlife Conservation Society, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His current projects include land protection in longleaf pine ecosystems, ecology and conservation of timber rattlesnakes and the conservation of giant tortoises.

A flagship species is a creature that serves as the “face” of a conservation campaign to get people invested in the survival of one species can help preserve that creature’s habitat.

The sex of baby sea turtles is determined by the warmth of their nest, so conservationists in Australia are protecting hatchlings on the mainland (where dark sand means warm temps and more females) from threats—and help ensure more future mammas make it to the sea.

Dogs in Australia are sniffing out koala dung to help cities like Brisbane know where to put highway overpasses and reconnect isolated populations of the adorable marsupials.

Dogs are often thought of as humans’ best friends. But in Australia, they’re partnering with people to save other species from grave threats to the island continent’s unique fauna.

Olivia Woosnam’s career began in 2005 as an international environmental officer at the United Nations Environment Program in Europe, working on international environmental policy and the Sustainable Development Goals.