Animal People's outlet for scientific press releases on subjects relevant to animal protection, from universities and other institutions not themselves registered on the Forum. All articles have been made publicly available by their authors, and contain information of value to animal protection causes: on habitat destruction and species extinction; evidence for animal intelligence, sentience, and suffering; negative impacts of animal exploitation industries; and others. Publication does not imply that Animal People condones the research or methods described, nor that the institution or researchers endorse the Animal People Forum. Click to see author's profile.
One surprising finding in this study was that when deciding how much to feed birds, people prioritized natural factors, such as cold weather, more than time and money.
You might think that mowing fields wouldn’t benefit monarch butterfly populations. New research from Michigan State University, however, shows that disturbances like mowing – at key times – might help boost the iconic butterfly’s numbers.
Pollinator populations are falling amid what has been termed an “insect pollinator health crisis,” and in the absence of sweeping international or federal action on this issue, it falls to state legislatures to come up with innovative solutions.
Duke University researchers have developed a new way to estimate lemur populations, providing valuable information for conservation efforts. So far, their population estimates are good news for some species and bad news for others.
Some scientists have suggested we need to protect half of Earth’s surface to preserve most of its species. A new Duke University-led study, however, cautions that it is the quality, not merely the quantity, of what we protect that matters.
Rather than venturing into new and alien habitats for the first time, large predators are re-colonizing ecosystems that used to be prime hunting grounds for them before humans decimated their populations.
A study by John Paulson and colleagues at Duke University found that elephants play an important role in Central Africa’s forests by dispersing seeds and nutrients and trampling foliage. A reduction in elephant populations would leave 96% of Central African forests susceptible to drastic change.
Microplastics pose a major threat to foraging sea animals, but if we can manufacture plastic so it unintentionally tastes good, we might also be able to manufacture it so it intentionally tastes bad.
El Rey Magnum’s breeder called the colt “a stepping stone to getting close to perfection,” but UK veterinarians warn of severe health risks from such extreme breeding.
This story, which involves a contentious lawsuit, showcases the unique power of agricultural waste to not only regenerate a forest but also to sequester a significant amount of carbon at no cost.
Deep-sea ecosystems and species can take decades or even centuries to recover from a disturbance. It’s more important than ever that we understand deep-sea ecosystems and have a good idea of what we stand to lose.
Increasingly large patches of tropical forest are being lost worldwide as governments and corporations clear more land to make way for industrial-scale agriculture, a Duke University study shows.