Sea Turtle Tasks: A Night in the Life of a Researcher

Seeing a sea turtle lumber onto a beach and lay its eggs is a spectacular experience and, for researchers, a lot of work. Follow them through a typical night on the beach.

Matthew L. Miller

In Synch: Char & Salmon Migrations in Warming Waters

In Southeast Alaska, salmon are changing their annual migration patterns due to warming waters. Will one of their main predators -- Dolly Varden char -- adapt to the change?

Matthew L. Miller

Winter Bird Feeding: Good or Bad for Birds?

Winter bird feeding is hugely popular, with more than 40 percent of U.S. households participating. But is it actually good for the birds? Ornithologist Joe Smith looks at the science behind this backyard activity.

Joe Smith

Urban Wild: Flying Squirrels of the Beltway

To see the southern flying squirrel, you don't make a trek into the wilderness or visit a national park. You need to visit a small nature preserve a short distance away from the bustling urbanity of the U.S. capitol.

Matthew L. Miller

The Hooting Season: Enjoying Great Horned Owls

The breeding and nesting season for most birds is months away. But not so for great horned owls. Here's what you need to enjoy the hooting extravaganza at a park near you.

Matthew L. Miller

The Great Turkey Shuffle: How Restoration Has Changed Gobbler Genetics

When reintroducing wild turkeys across the United States, conservationists paid little attention to turkey subspecies. Today, determining turkey subspecies can require the skills of a wildlife CSI team. What does this mean for turkey genetics -- and future conservation?

Joe Smith

Sea Turtles of St. Croix: Research Benefits Nesting Beaches

Nesting sea turtles have staged a dramatic comeback at a Nature Conservancy site on St. Croix. What's behind the success? Our blogger heads afield for a firsthand look at turtle research and monitoring.

Matthew L. Miller

The Penguins of Boulders Beach

Forty years ago, Boulder Beach in South Africa had no penguins. Today, tourists flock there to see thousands of these charismatic birds. A conservation success? Not quite. The real story is a bit more complicated.

Matthew L. Miller

Bison Return to Nachusa: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Reintroduction

Join our behind-the-scenes look at the science, restoration and planning necessary for a successful bison reintroduction.

Matthew L. Miller

Decoy: How Fake Birds Aid Real Research

To get a bird in the hand, you have to catch it first. One of the bird researcher's most trusted bird catching tools is the decoy — a fake bird. Ornithologist Joe Smith on why real birds so often fall for their wooden and paper mache likenesses.

Joe Smith

Quagga: Can an Extinct Animal be Bred Back into Existence?

In South Africa, there's an ambitious effort underway to restore the quagga. The one complicating factor? Quaggas have been extinct since the 1800s. Is this innovative conservation at its finest, or an expensive gimmick?

Matthew L. Miller

Safe(r) Spaces for Species under Climate Change

Climate change might change everything for conservation. How can we protect biodiversity as species move & adapt? New study says conserve "flexible" landscapes.

Marty Downs