Category: Science

Sabotaging conservation in the US: this time it’s the next generation of conservation scientists

Posted on By Ali Gaster
Academic life, Conservation, Education, Policy, Science

Let’s be honest. Most of us working in conservation science got into it because we wanted to save something. We envisioned our research ultimately protecting a fragile ecosystem or an endangered species from the numerous threats thrown at them by humans. Looking at the current state of the United States, faced with climate impacts and … Read More “Sabotaging conservation in the US: this time it’s the next generation of conservation scientists” »

When is a take not a take? Yet another attack on Endangered Species by the Trump Administration

Posted on By Ali Gaster
Conservation, Policy, Science

“Felling a tree is not a take of the bats roosting in it unless the tree is felled for the purpose of killing or capturing them.” This is the example used by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik in a September 14, 2026 memo directing Service personnel to adopt a radically narrower interpretation … Read More “When is a take not a take? Yet another attack on Endangered Species by the Trump Administration” »

The Trump Administration’s latest attack on endangered species

Posted on By Ali Gaster
Conservation, News, Policy, Science

NOAA’s new seafood roadmap increases the threat to endangered whales There has long been a tension between commercial fisheries and marine conservation. But a new directive out of NOAA Fisheries indicates that the scales aren’t just tipping; they are being actively flipped over by the Trump Administration. On September 2, 2026, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator … Read More “The Trump Administration’s latest attack on endangered species” »

Why the new Trump order to shoot wolves is both illegal and a dreadful precedent for endangered species

Posted on By Ali Gaster 1 Comment on Why the new Trump order to shoot wolves is both illegal and a dreadful precedent for endangered species
Conservation, Science

On September 4, Donald Trump issued an executive order targeting the Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections of gray wolves and Mexican gray wolves. In the Oval Office he stated to an Arizona rancher that “you can shoot them as of today.” Video of this statement has now gone viral, with massive amounts of social media … Read More “Why the new Trump order to shoot wolves is both illegal and a dreadful precedent for endangered species” »

Aliens, Ridley Scott, and bad science

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Popular Culture, Science

I am a huge fan of the Alien franchise…mostly. Alien and Aliens were ground-breaking movies and instant classics. Alien 3 had good parts (mostly the great British actors shining up a quickly knocked out script). Alien Resurrection was … not great.  Alien: Romulus was pretty good, despite a dodgy CGI android and a practical effect … Read More “Aliens, Ridley Scott, and bad science” »

Toxic workplaces: the “tall poppy” problem in conservation and academia

Posted on By Chris Parsons 2 Comments on Toxic workplaces: the “tall poppy” problem in conservation and academia
Academic life, Conservation, Science

Are you in conservation or academia and have noticed these things happening? Somehow, those concerns never seem to involve the actual quality of their work. Welcome to the wonderful world of “Tall Poppy Syndrome”, where the flower that stands out above the others must be cut down. It is the peculiar phenomenon in which someone … Read More “Toxic workplaces: the “tall poppy” problem in conservation and academia” »

The conservation impacts of recreational fishing

Posted on By David Shiffman 1 Comment on The conservation impacts of recreational fishing
Conservation, Featured, Science

Fishing for fun, even “catch and release” fishing, can sometimes have a significant impact on fish species of conservation concern. When most environmentalists think about the impacts of fishing, they’re thinking about large-scale industrial commercial fisheries. These impacts are serious and absolutely deserve our attention, and indeed how to mitigate those impacts is the subject … Read More “The conservation impacts of recreational fishing” »

The Trump Administration’s latest attack on the Endangered Species Act

Posted on By Ali Gaster
Conservation, Policy, Science

There are three ways to destroy an environmental law. You can repeal it. You can withhold funds to enact or enforce the law. Or you can keep the law on the books, but rewrite the machinery that makes it work (i.e., you can sabotage it). Over the course of two weeks, the U.S. Fish and … Read More “The Trump Administration’s latest attack on the Endangered Species Act” »

Emergency room conservation: why waiting for the Endangered Species Act to save a species is a fiscal disaster

Posted on By Ali Gaster
Conservation, Policy, Science

Let’s talk about a pervasive zombie idea (a disproven idea that refuses to die) that continues to shamble through the halls of resource management. This is the belief that we shouldn’t spend money on conservation until a species is officially, legally designated as Threatened or Endangered. The logic behind this delay usually wears a suit … Read More “Emergency room conservation: why waiting for the Endangered Species Act to save a species is a fiscal disaster” »