The cow with the face of a bulldog

Scientists have used the latest genetic and anatomical techniques to study the remains of a cow with a short face like a bulldog that fascinated Charles Darwin when he saw it in Argentina 180 years ago.

Farmers’ illegal slaughter of wedge-tailed eagles must end

The growing slaughter of native eagles by farmers across Australia threatens their survival and could further upset the nation’s fragile eco-system.

Australian fish stocks are not in decline

Recent reports of a crash in Australian fish stocks are not supported by figures from the Commonwealth agencies which work hard to ensure catches remain at sustainable levels for the future.

What happens to wildlife in a city that never sleeps?

The soft dim glow of the sunlight reflecting off the moon is now outshone by bright streetlights, security lights and car headlamps in urban areas. These artificial lights can be more than 1000 times brighter than moonlight and their biological impact is increasingly visible.

Why Australia’s youth vote is the key to climate action

The government’s continued apathy in the face of climate change and environmental issues places the health of future generations at risk and young Australians want to have their say about it at the ballot box.

Australian fish stocks plunge by a third in ten years

Over-fishing is devastating Australian fish stocks, with the numbers of larger fish falling by a third over the last decade. Fish stocks only remain healthy in marine reserves, but the government plans to open them to fishing as well.

The future is fenced for Australian animals

Around the world, from New Zealand to Hawaii to South Africa, fences protect native animals from feral predators. Australia’s long fences also offer refuge to species that are long-gone from our national parks and wilderness areas.

Speeding natural selection in the name of conservation

A breeding experiment to genetically adapt quolls to resist toxic cane toads could lead to a new tool to help endangered creatures from corals to Tasmanian Devils

The pitfalls of generational thinking

The concept of generations has often been used by decision-makers and activists to portray the implications of climate change and international agreements enshrine ‘future generations’ as stakeholders in the decision-making of the present. However, as climate problems manifest themselves today, should we concentrate more on the present?

Logging burns conceal industrial pollution in the name of ‘community safety’

Rather than ‘hazard reduction burns’, a large proportion of the smoke which has fouled Melbourne this autumn was produced by the intensive burning of debris left behind after clearfell logging. This is essentially industrial pollution.

Pre-colonial Australia: natural wilderness or gentleman’s park?

Professor Marcia Langton explains why a book that rewrote the history of Aboriginal land management before British colonisation is on her list of the 10 greatest books ever written.

Marine protection zones help fish populations survive

An international study led by Monash marine ecologists has found that larger fish are much more important to feeding the planet than previously thought.