Here are three things people are talking about this week.
Tax bill attacks wildlife refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the largest swath of undeveloped land in the United States. Protected by law for decades, the region is now at risk and a tax bill is to blame for its peril.
Read all the details here at Popular Science.
What does this mean for you? Speak up! Acts like this set a precedent. “We left little to no footprints for thousands of years, and now this carbon footprint has the potential to affect the rest of the world from a place that was meant to be a refuge—untouched,” a rep for the Native Movement Alaska advisory board says. “The more we desecrate this part of the world the more the rest of the world will be affected by it.”
Party all night, sleep all day
Lions and tigers and bears are becoming night owls. All around the globe, human activity is driving mammals to become more active at night, according to new research. Likely driven by a fear of people, many animals shift their schedules toward nocturnality to avoid running into us.
Read the full study at Science Magazine.
What does this mean for you? That’s tricky! As Earth’s population scrambles higher, finding ways for wild animals and people to share habitats is important. Research could show the animals that may be most vulnerable in their new nighttime hours, perhaps guiding local policy and conservation efforts to protect them? Raccoons can’t vote, it’s up to us to make the changes happen for them.
It’s not too late to save a tiger
Fact: Environmental destruction could cause us to lose Malayan Tigers as soon as this year. There are only about 250 left, down from around the 3,000 alive and well in the 1950s.
Read the more about the numbers at the Eco Experts.
What does this mean for you? Act fast! If you're interested in learning more about these vulnerable species, check out the World Wildlife Fund's directory of endangered animals. And if you're compelled to make a donation toward crucial conservation efforts, you can do so here.
