A Living Will for Critically Endangered Species


This week's investigative reporting, analysis and environmental news.
The Revelator

No. 30, May 31, 2018

Hello Revelator readers,

What if animals could sign contracts and declare their wishes about their impending extinctions? It might look something like this: a living will for critically endangered species. It's gallows humor for a very serious subject.

On a different note, President Trump is still calling for his border wall, and that's going to cause problems for wildlife and people. In the biodiversity-rich Rio Grande Valley, the existing border barriers are already causing troubles for rare birds, plants, ocelots and other species. They're also putting local businesses at risk, as birdwatching tourists choose to vacation in places where wildlife won't be affected by walls. We take a look at how more border barriers could harm this important habitat.

Would you put your life on the line for a rhino or elephant? Around the globe, wildlife rangers do that every day, and at least 100 of them pay the ultimate price each year. Find out how this important job weighs heavily on the people protecting the world's wild spaces.

We end this week with a little bit of history: a look at the Wake Island rail, a flightless bird that went extinct as a direct result of World War II. It's a sad story, but one that deserves to be remembered.

In case you missed it:

Looking for a new book to read? Check out our list of the best eco-books published in May, including titles about climate change, whales, public lands and a whole lot more.

Send us your tips:

What other stories should we be covering? We welcome your ideas and inside scoops. Drop us a line anytime.

Coming up:

We have a lot more coming your way, including some surprising research that could help the world use fewer pesticides. Look for all of our newest links in next week's newsletter, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest headlines as they go live. And while you're on social media, we hope you'll share our stories with your friends.

Feel free to forward this newsletter, too — every new reader makes a difference.

That's it for this week. As always, thanks for reading.

John Platt

John R. Platt
Editor, The Revelator

  This message was sent to eamessages@biologicaldiversity.org.
Join the Center for Biological Diversity.


Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States