Story | 19 Oct, 2021
Marine Heatwaves: a serious threat to marine biodiversity and livelihoods
Back in 2011, extremely warm water temperatures persisting over thousands of kilometres along the coastline of Western Australia caused coral bleaching, mass die-out of marine life and wiped out kelp forests. Since then, this phenomenon of abnormally high-water temperatures has been recorded in…
Story | 26 Feb, 2021
New IUCN-backed study finds gray whales at high risk from ship strikes in the North Pacific Ocean
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) – Ships operating in the North Pacific pose a serious threat to gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), according to the first scientific study that examines the impacts of vessel traffic on the species throughout its range.
Story | 01 Feb, 2021
Each year, the international community celebrates World Wetlands Day on the 2nd February, a day to put a spotlight on the state of our wetlands globally. Organised by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the 2021 theme focuses on the intrinsic link…
Story | 10 Aug, 2020
An ocean hero dedicated to vaquita conservation succumbs to COVID-19
IUCN is deeply saddened by the loss of Mexican conservationist Paco Valverde, who dedicated his life to protect the vaquita – the world’s smallest porpoise and most threatened marine mammal. Paco was regarded as an ocean hero who inspired his community to care for the marine environment on which…
Story | 12 Mar, 2020
Report: Blue Infrastructure Finance, where all win
All coastal and marine ecosystems are critical to human well-being and global biodiversity. Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds are examples of these. But urban and rural infrastructure investments are having a heavy negative impact on these systems, and it is…
Story | 30 Sep, 2019
BRIDGE: Hydrodiplomacy in Action
Globally, over 310 lake and river basins stretch across national borders. Around 60% of those lack any type of cooperative management framework. Good transboundary water management is crucial for peace, security, economic development and environmental…
Story | 03 Sep, 2019
Thailand introduces SMART tech to protect Asian elephants
In early May, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), together with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), organised a three-…
Story | 11 Jul, 2019
IUCN scientific panel calls for investigation of decline in prey of western gray whales
IUCN’s Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel is concerned that waters immediately outside the mouth of Piltun Lagoon in the Russian Far East may be losing their ability to support the recovery of Endangered western gray whales.
Story | 24 Apr, 2019
Scientific panel to continue advising industry on endangered gray whales in Russian Far East
Gland, Switzerland, 24 April 2019 - IUCN’s Director General has appointed a team of distinguished scientists to examine the impacts of oil and gas development and other threats on endangered whales found off the coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island…
Story | 06 Mar, 2019
Elephants and people: Exploring options for co-existence in Asia
Analysing and understanding the complexities of human-wildlife conflicts and applying appropriate implementation methods and processes adapted to the local context, are critical in the prevention and mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC).…