The fight to protect a reindeer species

Reindeer — known as caribou in the U.S. — are a staple of the holiday season, but one species of the animal isn't having a merry December. There aren't enough females for a new generation, and a fire almost wiped out a breeding facility in Canada. Here's what's being done to help the species recover, and how that can help maintain a healthy ecosystem.

Topics

School Santa gets visit from reindeer in hospice

Mick Hodgson is not able to be Santa for the first time in 20 years but loved the reindeer visit.
BBC News - 5h
A Mouse That Swims and Dozens More Species Are Discovered in a Peruvian Jungle

A 38-day expedition in the remote Alto Mayo region, where development threatens wild habitats, turned up one previously unknown animal after another.
The New York Times - 2d
LA Zoo hatches first-ever perentie lizards, one of largest lizard species in the world

Two new perentie lizards have hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo, the first of their species to be bred there
ABC News - 2d
Biden drops plan to protect transgender athletes

President Joe Biden is abandoning his efforts to provide some protections for transgender athletes as part of an administration-wide plan to jettison pending regulations to prevent President-elect ...
ESPN - 15h
‘Bizarre’ blob-headed fish and amphibious mouse among 27 new species found in Peru

Yahoo News - 1d
Germany enshrines reforms to protect independence of top court

Yahoo News - 2d
An aquatic mouse and an ugly blob-headed fish are among new species discovered in the Amazon

An amphibious mouse with webbed feet and an unsightly blob-headed fish are among the more than two dozen new species scientists discovered in a remote region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.
NBC News - 2d
Blob-headed fish and amphibious mouse among 27 new species found in ‘thrilling’ Peru expedition

Scientists surprised to find so many animals unknown to science in Alto Mayo, a well-populated region. . Researchers in the Alto Mayo region of north-west Peru have discovered 27 species that are ...
The Guardian - 2d
New Travel Protections For Passengers Flying With Wheelchairs

The Transportation Department has expanded the rights of airline passengers with mobility disabilities. The first changes will go into effect next month.
The New York Times - 4d
The fight to preserve the world's glaciers

Glaciers around the world are melting due to climate change. In response, the United Nations has declared 2025 the year of glacier preservation. In the Canadian Rockies, glaciers power a uniquely ...
CBS News - Dec. 14
How ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ Became a Hit

It started with a novelty songwriter stranded on a snowy night. Decades later, listeners still can’t get his tune, “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” out of their heads.
The New York Times - Dec. 14
Ocean heat killed half of population of Alaskan bird species: Report

Scientists have noticed an increase in marine heatwaves, which are periods of warmer-than-usual ocean waters.
The Hill - Dec. 13
Health Protections for Migrant Children in Custody Are Set to Expire

A 2022 legal settlement established requirements to protect the health of minors detained at segments of the southern border. It ends nine days after Donald Trump takes office.
The New York Times - Dec. 13
Discovery of six rare Mekong giant catfish in Cambodia raises hopes for endangered species

Find is ‘hopeful sign’ the species, one of world’s largest and rarest freshwater fish, is not at imminent risk of extinction. Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish — one of the largest and ...
The Guardian - Dec. 13
How Security Teams Protect Top Executives

Big companies are hurrying to adjust security protocols for top executives after the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO. Here’s how executive security teams approach the task.
The Wall Street Journal - Dec. 12
How to protect your packages from porch pirates

Front door surveillance cameras can help catch people stealing packages, but they don't necessarily help stop the thefts. Ash-har Quraishi takes a look at several ways people are trying to protect ...
CBS News - Dec. 10
Monarch Butterflies Are Recommended for Protected Status in U.S.

They would become the most commonly seen species to receive federal protection if the proposal is adopted.
The New York Times - Dec. 10
Biden proposes protections for monarch butterfly

The Biden administration is proposing protections for the monarch butterfly – though the protections face an uncertain future in the incoming Trump administration. The Fish and Wildlife Service ...
The Hill - Dec. 10
Monarch butterflies to be added to threatened species list in the US

US Fish and Wildlife Service extends protections to ‘iconic’ insects, who experts say may not survive climate crisis. The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a decision on Tuesday to extend ...
The Guardian - Dec. 10
Senate Democrats press Biden to strengthen immigration protections

A group of Senate Democrats is pressing President Biden to work to "protect immigrant families" in the final weeks of his presidency.
CBS News - Dec. 10
'Reindeer' volunteers bring holiday magic to Ukrainian children living on the frontlines

A volunteer group is trying to fulfill the holiday dreams of thousands of children living near the frontlines in Ukraine
ABC News - Dec. 8
Australia’s social media ban is a flawed approach to protecting children

The challenge is regulating not the platforms themselves, but the business model that underpins them.
The Hill - Dec. 7
Finding protection for Drake Maye: Top tackles set to hit free agency

The Patriots need to find a major upgrade at the offensive tackle position this upcoming offseason. Here are the top tackles scheduled to become free agents next spring.
Yahoo Sports - Dec. 6
Their Fertilizer Poisons Farmland. Now, They Want Protection From Lawsuits.

A company controlled by Goldman Sachs is helping to lead a lobbying effort by makers of fertilizer linked to “forever chemicals.”
The New York Times - Dec. 6
Canada Moves to Protect Arctic From Threats by Russia and China

Ottawa says its focus on the Arctic comes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “has shaken the foundations” of international cooperation in the northern region.
The New York Times - Dec. 6
United Healthcare CEO’s Killing Shows Companies’ Challenges in Protecting Top Leaders

From spending tens of millions on security to holding virtual shareholder meetings online, many businesses must take significant measures to keep CEOs safe.
Inc. - Dec. 6
Environmental Sensing Is Here, Tracking Everything from Forest Fires to Threatened Species

The internet of things turned every device in your house into a smart something. Now it’s coming for nature—to track forest fires and tree health or to listen out for threatened animals.
Wired - Dec. 6
Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists

Hunting bigger, more experienced animals eradicates memories and knowledge crucial to group survival, research suggests. It’s not just humans who get wiser as they age – animals do too, according ...
The Guardian - Dec. 6
Rocket Firm CEO Wants to Protect Satellites With Space Weapons

Yahoo News - Dec. 5
NATO is planning a fleet of sea drones to protect critical underwater infrastructure

Yahoo News - Dec. 5
Hispanic senators press Biden to protect immigrants before leaving White House

The Senate’s three current Hispanic Democrats are calling on President Biden to extend and strengthen humanitarian protections for certain groups of immigrants whose legal status could be stripped ...
The Hill - Dec. 4
Man severely injured protecting wife from polar bear attack

The man had serious injuries to his arm and legs, said police in Fort Severn First Nation, Ontario, Canada.
CBS News - Dec. 4
Pete Buttigieg on Airlines, Passenger Protections and Travel Advice

The outgoing transportation secretary talks about his record of holding airlines accountable, what might come next and whether to check a bag. (No.)
The New York Times - Dec. 4
Protection deal for Amazon rainforest in peril as big business turns up heat

Exclusive: With Brazil’s politicians, agribusiness organisations and global traders piling on the pressure, the highly successful 2006 Soy Moratorium is under threat. One of the cornerstones of ...
The Guardian - Dec. 3
Wolves to lose protection, as EU lowers bar for shooting wildlife

Downgrading species’ protection status for political gain puts decades of conservation efforts at risk, says WWF. Europe’s wolves will lose their “strict protection” status, alarming ...
The Guardian - Dec. 3
Scientists dissect ‘world’s rarest whale’ for clues on little-known species

Only seven spade-tooth whales have ever been documented, now work is beginning on a specimen that washed ashore in New Zealand in July. A spade-tooth whale – thought to be the world’s rarest whale ...
The Guardian - Dec. 3
This whale species is so rare it's never been seen alive. A dissection may decode its mysteries

Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species
ABC News - Dec. 2
Protecting or restricting? The effect of social media bans on the big dreams of young Australians

Australia is about to find out if stopping under-16s accessing platforms like Instagram and TikTok will protect against harmful content or stifle creativity and block opportunity. Follow our ...
The Guardian - Dec. 2
How a Buzzy Startup Made the iPhone of Beehives to Protect Pollinators

Beewise’s AI and robotics-powered BeeHome has the potential to fortify the global food supply by keeping bees healthy.
Inc. - Dec. 2