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Animals

Bed of oyster shells
Sea Soundscapes Help Regrow Oyster Reefs

Dec 30, 2022

Scientists are amplifying the natural sounds of the sea via underwater speakers to induce baby oysters to swim toward desirable locations for regrowing oyster reefs.

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Seven monarch butterflies
Monarch Butterfly Now Officially Endangered

Sep 30, 2022

The latest update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species includes the migratory monarch butterfly.

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Wild buffalo
International Plan to Rewild Large Mammals

Sep 30, 2022

Large mammals are important ecosystem engineers, shaping natural processes and sequestering carbon, and scientists are planning to reintroduce these animals to the wild.

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Bumble bee pollinating on flower
Common California Bumble Bees Go Missing

Aug 31, 2022

The Western bumble bee, once easily spotted in California, could not be found in a recent survey led by the University of California-Riverside.

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Illustration of blue fish in circle
New Underwater Maps Track Fish

Jul 29, 2022 ● By Rachael Oppy

To better track the location and movement of marine fish in U.S. waters, The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is using a new interactive website.

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Skyline photo of city with skyscrapers and bridge illuminating lights into the night sky and reflecting off water
City Lights are Tough on Birds

Jun 30, 2022

North America hosts about 3 billion fewer birds today than in 1970. The causes include light pollution, climate change, vanishing habitat and pesticides.

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Young child feeding pig in field on farm
Attitudes Changing Toward Animal Rights

Jun 30, 2022

A new survey shows that children differ dramatically from adults in their moral views on animals, suggesting that speciesism is learned as we become socialized.

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Bee feeding off purple flower
Polluted Air Stumps Bees and Butterflies

Jun 30, 2022

Researchers have discovered that air pollutants can confuse pollinators that use odors to navigate and move around and communicate.

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Chainlink fence
The Harmful Effects of Fences on Wildlife and Ecosystems

May 31, 2022

Researchers looking at all the studies of the effects of fences have found that their profound impacts on wildlife and ecosystems are often ignored or greatly underestimated.

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Mother bird feeding baby bird in nest
Climate Change Causing Birds to Lay Eggs Earlier

May 31, 2022

About a third of the bird species nesting in Chicago are laying their eggs a month earlier than they did 100 years ago, and researchers think the culprit in this shift is climate change.

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Bumble bee on flower pollen
More Bad News for Bumblebees

Apr 29, 2022

A study indicates that streptomycin, an antibiotic sprayed on orchard crops to combat bacterial diseases, slows the cognition of bumblebees and reduces their foraging efficiency.

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Watercolor of an orange cat smiling with a brown bird perched on head
Saving Birds from Cats: Simple Strategies to Protect Feathered Friends

Apr 29, 2022 ● By Karen Shaw Becker

Domestic felines are the number one human-caused threat to birds in the U.S., but new studies suggest ways to let a cat enjoy the outdoors without endangering winged species.

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Underwater shot of salmon fish
Flip Side of Melting Glaciers May Benefit Salmon

Feb 28, 2022

More than 300 melting glaciers between British Columbia and Alaska have the potential to create 3,800 miles of new salmon habitat by 2100.

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Unfettered wild cat
Unfettered Felines Pose Toxic Hazard to Wildlife

Jan 31, 2022

A study has discovered that free-roaming cats are likely infecting other animals with Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis.

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Blandings Turtle
Nature Museums Offer Indoor Learning and Exploration in Winter

Dec 30, 2021 ● By Sheryl DeVore

Sometimes it’s just too cold to spend a lot of time outdoors exploring nature in winter. Local centers offer free indoor nature experiences for visitors that include holding a snake, studying animal tracks, watching birds at feeders or peering at bees in a hive.

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March 2025 Issue

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March 2025 Natural Awakenings Chicago cover
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