Environment, conservation, wildlife, pets, health, travel and outdoor adventures.
I Was Robbed in Mexico. Don’t Make the Same Mistakes I Did
For many, Puerto Peñasco, a Mexican beach town just a few hours south of Tucson, is a popular spot to frolic in the ocean, get a tan and enjoy some authentic tacos for a weekend getaway. My trip last May didn’t go that way—I was scammed and robbed instead, with no way to contact my family.
Mexico City’s endangered axolotl has found fame—is that enough to save it?
In Mexico City’s trendy Roma neighborhood, Monstruo de Agua’s patio hums with young people chatting over smoked avocado ceviche, tempura mushrooms, and craft beers. Each beer at the microbrewery bears a label with an image of the quirky axolotl, complete with its crown of feather-like gills.
Think that GIF of the smoking chimp is funny? The chimp wasn’t laughing
While a GIF of an ape engaging in “human” behavior may seem cute, the animals used to create such images were often subjected to abuse.
The benefits of outdoor education aren’t accessible to all
On a frigid December morning in a snow-speckled forest clearing in New Mexico’s Sandia Mountains, a chorus of children bundled in snowsuits, hats and gloves attempted their best impressions of a bear snoring. “I can snort like a pig!” one chimed in as the others giggled.
Outdoor preschools grow in popularity but most serve middle class white kids
On a frigid December morning in a snow-speckled forest clearing in New Mexico’s Sandia Mountains, a chorus of children bundled in snowsuits, hats and gloves attempted their best impressions of a bear snoring. “I can snort like a pig!” one chimed in as the others giggled.
Invisible menace: Methane flares scorching birds at U.S. landfills
Waste facilities must dispose of methane gas by burning it off—but birds, particularly hawks and owls, are flying into the colorless flames.
Alligators make terrible pets: 'You're basically dealing with a dinosaur.'
A rise in the abandoned reptiles around the United States has raised concern among experts.
Meet Seven Lesser-Known Pollinators
There’s lots of buzz over bees, and for good reason—they pollinate most of the food we eat, from cashews to onions and watermelon. Three quarters of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollinators, but bees don’t have to go it alone.
For Freedom the gorilla, a months-long journey back to the wilds of Cameroon
After a painstaking search for a suitable release site, the ape, named Freedom, became the first rescued gorilla to be returned to the wild in Cameroon.
Air Force Contamination Adds Up Around the West
Across the West, the Air Force has been contaminating community drinking water since it began using PFAS in firefighting foams in the 1960s.
What Does Massive Flooding in the Midwest Mean for Wildlife?
The Midwest has been experiencing historic flooding since March, and while some wildlife is benefiting from the extra water, other animals are having a harder time getting by.
New Mexico Doesn’t Want to Be The Country’s Nuclear Waste ‘Garbage Can’
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing an application for an interim storage facility proposed by New Jersey-based Holtec International. The facility, which would be the first of its kind, would house high-level and low-level nuclear waste from reactors across the country near Carlsbad, New Mexico.
What to Do If You Witness Wildlife Crime While Traveling
While traveling abroad, tourists may face wildlife crime and abuses on many fronts, including at restaurants and in local shops. Travelers don’t have to feel helpless, however.
In Albuquerque, a Pollution Problem All Too Familiar to Communities of Color
Across the West, communities of color — four in five San Jose residents are Hispanic — suffer disproportionately from the output of polluting industries, and are more likely to live near Superfund sites and other places detrimental to their health. “It hurts,...