The waters around the United States are home to many threatened species who need science-based conservation policies to save them from extinction. They won’t get that for the next four years.

The world still faces a growing extinction crisis, but that hasn’t stopped conservation efforts or individual overachievers. Here are some of the animals who made a difference.

The United Kingdom, a major European player in the global ornamental fish trade, offers a case study of this industry’s problems — and its potential solutions.

Marine biologist Monica Biondo has spent more than a decade studying the multibillion-dollar market for these colorful fish, which pulls thousands of species from the ocean each year.

As the fish swim back to places they haven’t reached for more than a century, scientists will watch for signs of the watershed’s recovery.

The 450-million-year-old fish is crucial for the Yakama Nation’s health and culture — and the region’s ecology.

Russia’s bombing of Kakhovka Dam in 2023 killed hundreds of people and tens of thousands of animals, but it’s also provided a potential ecological reset.

These beautiful ecosystems recently began to recover from overexploitation. Will Russia’s invasion once again push them over the brink?

Our culture has moved away from a fascination with the greenery around us. Experts warn that “plant blindness” could come with a cost.

As funding drops and institutions change, the study of plants appears to be withering on the vine. That’s letting critical skills go extinct.