Humans are hardly the only animals in which males use aggression—or its threat—to intimidate females. Originally published in National Wildlife. For a PDF of the page layout, click here. ON THE SURFACE, FEMALE CHACMA baboons at Namibia’s Tsaobis Nature Park seem to have it pretty easy. Amidst the rocky hills that flank a dry river bed, […]
When Animals Grieve
Scientists are uncovering evidence that humans are not the only animals that mourn their dead. Originally published in National Wildlife. Click here for a PDF of the magazine pages. ON A CRISP SUMMER AFTERNOON in 2010, Robin Baird was conducting research off Washington’s San Juan Island when he and colleagues from NOAA Fisheries spotted a Southern Resident killer whale behaving […]
Going Native
Exotic garden plants can wreak unexpected havoc with indigenous species and ecosystems. Originally published in National Wildlife. AMONG THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA, few are as elegant as cedar waxwings, with their black costume-ball masks and yellow tail tips. “Whoever once gets within a good view of them and notes the exquisite coloring of the […]
The Gulf War
Click here for “The Gulf War,” published by the Food & Environment Reporting Network, June 2016. Alternately, click here for the shorter, newsier Texas Monthly version.
A Watertight Argument
J Nichols believes we’ll better understand the value of ocean conservation if we think about our emotional connection to the sea. Originally published in Duke Magazine. ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON THIS PAST MARCH, Wallace J. Nichols took out a cloth drawstring bag and distributed its contents: oversized glass marbles the color of a tropical sea. […]
Why the Passenger Pigeon Went Extinct
And whether it can, and should, be brought back to life a century after it disappeared. Originally published in Audubon Magazine. Reprinted in The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015, edited by Rebecca Skloot (Mariner Books, 2015). “Men still live who, in their youth, remember pigeons; trees still live who, in their youth, were shaken by […]
Journey to Turkey
Situated in one of the world’s most important migratory bird flyways, some of Turkey’s wildest places face threats from massive construction projects. Trying to provide a better way, one visionary biologist aims to put his country on the birder map. Originally published in Audubon Magazine. “THIS IS THE END OF THE WORLD,” field biologist Yakup […]
Could California’s Salmon Make a Comeback?
After years of decline, the rich human community that depends on California’s salmon runs may at last be rebounding. Originally published in onEarth. JON ROSENFIELD AND I BUSHWHACK through the scrubby willows that line the American River east of Sacramento. The air is crisp this October morning, and the timing of our visit should be just […]
What Do Birds Do For Us?
Some might not realize the tangible value of birds, but it would be foolish to underestimate how tough life would be without them. Originally published in Audubon Magazine. ODDS ARE, IF YOU’RE READING THIS MAGAZINE, you feel a moral and aesthetic imperative to support bird conservation. With an estimated 1,200 species facing extinction over the […]
The Tricky Academics of Eating
Martin Smith’s class poses a simple question: Should I eat fish? But answering it sends students into murky waters. Originally published in Duke Magazine. ON THE FIRST DAY OF HIS MARINE CONSERVATION course this past January, Martin Smith told his eight undergraduates that they would play a game. One student would wait in the hallway. […]
