John R. Platt is the editor of The Revelator. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists.
Critically Endangered Tarantula Links India and Sri Lanka
For thousands of years a thin bridge of sand and rock connected mainland India with the island of Sri Lanka. The 30-kilometer stretch known as Rama's (or Adam's) Bridge disappeared centuries ago—probably after a cyclone in the year A.D.
Gorgeous Blue-Eyed Lemur Faces Extinction in 11 Years
One of the most recently discovered lemur species of Madagascar could also be one of the first to disappear. The striking blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons), which was only identified as a species in 2008, faces extinction in as little as 11 years due to rapid deforestation in its only habitat, according to research published [...]
Endangered Species and the Global Society: A Discussion with 360 Magazine
[View the story "360 Magazine Twitter Chat" on Storify]
Tiger Populations in Nepal Can't Grow without More Food and Space
Nepal has a lofty goal: The country wants to have at least 250 Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) within its borders by the year 2022. They've already made pretty amazing progress, growing the population from 121 in 2009 to 198 in 2013.
Rarely Seen Saharan Cheetah Revealed in Incredible Photos
It's not easy to get a glimpse of the critically endangered Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki), the rarest of the six cheetah subspecies.
Rescued Baby Orangutan Shines Light on Cruel, Illegal Pet Trade [Video]
The plight of an emaciated, possibly crippled baby orangutan has brought worldwide attention this week to the cruel practices that resulted in the endangered ape spending the first 10 months of his life in a chicken cage in Borneo.
A Record 1,215 Rhinos Were Poached in 2014
South Africa has finally finished compiling its report on the number of rhinos poached in the country last year and, as expected, the news is terrible.
Venus Flytraps Risk Extinction in the Wild at the Hands of Poachers
Earlier this month four men were arrested for poaching on the Holly Shelter Game Land preserve in North Carolina. Their arrest made national headlines, and history, as they became the first people charged with a felony for stealing Venus flytrap plants (Dionaea muscipula) from the wild.
The Real Paddington Bear: Cute, Unique and Endangered
As the new "Paddington" movie opens in U.S. theaters today, let's take a look at the real-life endangered species that inspired author Michael Bond's beloved books: the Andean spectacled bear.
Mexican Wolves Finally Get Endangered Species Status
North America's smallest and rarest wolves will finally have the full protection of the Endangered Species Act. Well, almost. Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) nearly went extinct 40 years ago.
Teeny, Tiny Relative of Komodo Dragon Discovered in Australia
Lizards don’t get much bigger than the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), which can reach three meters in length and may weigh as much as 70 kilograms.
Monarch Butterflies Could Gain Endangered Species Protection
The flutter of a single butterfly’s wings may or may not be capable of causing tsunamis, but the loss of millions of butterflies is definitely being felt here in North America.
The Best (or Worst) of 2014
I wrote more than 150 articles about endangered species in 2014. Very few of them could be considered “good news.” But be they good news or bad, here are some of the best “Extinction Countdown” articles of the past year.
Holiday Species Snapshot: Christmas Island Shrew
Many species don’t have anything to be thankful for this holiday season. Here’s one that may have already been lost. Species name: The Christmas Island shrew (Crocidura trichura) Where found: This miniscule mammal only exists—if it still exists at all—on Australia’s Christmas Island, a tiny dot in the Indian Ocean that is also home to [...]
Could Extinct Clouded Leopards be Reintroduced in Taiwan?
Two years ago, after an intense 13-year quest, scientists concluded that the Formosan clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa brachyura) had gone extinct in Taiwan.
Another Northern White Rhino Dies, Only 5 Remain
And then there were five. The death by old age this past weekend of Angalifu, a 44-year-old northern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) that lived at San Diego Zoo, reduces the world population of this critically endangered subspecies to just five, all of which live in captivity and none of which are breeding.
Butt-Breathing Turtle Now Critically Endangered
Few reptiles can breathe underwater. Australia is home to one of the exceptions, the white-throated snapping turtle (Elseya albagula), which can extract oxygen from water through its backside via a process called cloacal respiration.
Consumtpion of Egg-Carrying Females Endangers Rare Iguana
It’s a simple equation, really: If a species can’t reproduce, it will go extinct. A critically endangered species in Honduras faces that risk in a notable way.
As Sea Ice Disappears, Arctic Ringed Seals Could Get Largest Critical Habitat Ever
Arctic ringed seals (Phoca hispida hispida) could soon get a critical habitat more than twice the size of California within the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas.
Giraffes under Threat: Populations Down 40 Percent in Just 15 Years
One of the world’s most iconic and beloved animals is quickly disappearing. Fifteen years ago about 140,000 giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) roamed the plains and forests of Africa.
Life on the Volcano Is Increasingly Tough for These Hawaiian Birds
You have to hike a pretty long distance if you hope to see the critically endangered bird known as the palila (Loxioides bailleui), but if you’re lucky and work hard, you can walk their entire habitat in a single day.
Bluefin Tuna, Chinese Cobra and Others Added to Red List of Threatened Species
The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species was published Monday and, as you can imagine, it wasn’t good news. The Red List, the global inventory of species, now identifies 22,413 species as threatened with extinction around the world.
Critically Endangered Gecko Discovered in Madagascar
The island of Madagascar is home to a pretty amazing and diverse collection of geckos, with nearly 70 species from 10 different genera. Now you can add one more species to the list: Paroedura hordiesi, a highly camouflaged nocturnal gecko that was recently discovered in northern Madagascar.
Mapping Mistake Threatens 1,400 Chimpanzees and Newly Discovered Endangered Plant
How’s this for irony?: A newly discovered plant named after the reserve in which it is supposedly found is endangered because the reserve isn’t actually located where people thought it was.