CONSERVATION NEWS
News, views and features from the front lines of conservation
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‘Small rock’ making big ocean conservation impact
By Max Marcovitch
September 25, 2023
The small South Pacific island nation of Niue recently launched a first-of-its-kind sustainable funding initiative that enables anyone to sponsor a square kilometer of its ocean waters — a sanctuary for humpback whales, sea snakes and gray reef sharks.
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‘Disaster’ deferred: Deep-sea mining talks postponed
By Max Marcovitch
August 1, 2023
After intense negotiations, discussions on commercial deep-sea mining have been postponed — at least for now. Environmentalists view the decision as a hopeful step toward protecting fragile marine ecosystems.
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How an extraordinary new effort is giving sharks ‘a fighting chance’
By Mary Kate McCoy
July 24, 2023
Earlier this year, three zebra shark pups became the first endangered sharks ever to be bred in captivity for the purpose of being released into the wild. They're part of a bold plan to bring sharks back from the brink of extinction.
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New study reveals seaweed’s hidden climate benefits
By Mary Kate McCoy
July 18, 2023
A new study found that seaweed forests may play a bigger role in fighting climate change than previously thought — absorbing as much climate-warming carbon as the Amazon rainforest. But not all seaweed forests are created equal.
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Study: Protecting the ocean benefits people and nature
By Will McCarry
June 22, 2023
Across the globe, marine protected areas help struggling fish populations and ecosystems recover and flourish. But what impact do they have on the people living nearby? A new study finds big benefits for both biodiversity and coastal communities.
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