No. 41, Aug. 16, 2018

Hello Revelator readers,

Roads and grizzly bears don't mix. That's especially true in remote wildernesses such as the forests of Alberta and British Columbia, where the mining and logging industries have built half a million miles of roads through important habitat for grizzlies. This puts the bears in ever-increasing danger — not necessarily from vehicles but often from habitat loss, population fragmentation and deer hunters who feel threatened by the animals. A new report reveals the terrible extent of this problem and discusses how Canada can help solve it.

Remote wildernesses also help people, by the way, by providing a safe haven for the night sky. As we discussed this week, the new Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve showcases the importance of natural darkness while providing communities around the world with examples of how they, too, can reduce the threat of light pollution.

In other news, the shark-fin trade continues to be a major problem around the world. Several shark species have recently gained some international protection, but a new study reveals that protected scalloped and smooth hammerhead sharks are still heavily traded on Hong Kong's retail market.

Finally this week, does climate change make you feel a bit overwhelmed? You're not alone. We spoke with Kate Schapira, founder of the Climate Anxiety Counseling project, about how we can turn our anxieties and fears into actions for positive change.

In case you missed it:

Earlier this week Rep. Todd Rokita (R- Ind.) introduced a bill that would, believe it or not, remove all freshwater mussels from protection under the Endangered Species Act. This could affect dozens of at-risk species, as well as our rivers and streams. As we wrote earlier this year, mussel extinction sucks, and many people are working hard to prevent the disappearance of these incredible bivalves.

Send us your tips:

What other stories should we cover in the future? We welcome your ideas and inside scoops. Drop us a line anytime.

Coming up:

We have a lot more coming your way over the new few weeks, including articles and essays about national monuments, climate change and the importance of insects. Look for all 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.