
The Brewing Battle Over Africa’s Ivory
Many countries in southern Africa want to unload big stockpiles of ivory to fund conservation, even though the trade is banned.

LGBTQI Muslims in India Find Solace in Their Pets
“The first living being to know that I am a gay was my pet parakeet.”

The Last Fishermen of Kashmir
Once teeming lakes are fast disappearing and with them, a lucrative career for tens of thousands of people in the region.

In West Africa, Climate Change Equals Conflict
The region is the poster child for insecurities already brought on by global warming.

Forget Greenland, There’s a New Strategic Gateway to the Arctic
The Faroe Islands have a history of trading with everyone who will buy their fish. With growing tensions in the Arctic region, the islands are now receiving more attention from superpowers.

Yogi Bear’s Oddly Familiar Struggle for U.N. Recognition
The ursine rogue’s adventure at the United Nations captures the institution’s problems—and hopes.

Take a Breath, Thank a Whale
Like the Amazon rainforest, the planet’s whales play crucial roles as carbon captors. That’s just one reason to save them.

How Alberta Won the Rat Race
One Canadian province has virtually eliminated its vermin—and shows how others can too.

Let Slip the Dogs of Diplomacy!
A very brief recent history of animals in foreign affairs.

Chinese Smugglers Are Buying Up Hundreds of Thousands of Illegally Slaughtered African Donkeys
When they’re not smuggling ivory and rhino horn, Africa’s most notorious criminal syndicates are stealing farm animals to make a 2,500-year-old traditional Chinese remedy.

Is World Cat Day the Only Thing That Can Unify Our Fractured World?
Probably not. But here are some cats worth knowing from around the world anyway.

Iceland’s Hottest New Reality TV Show Is Just a Live Stream of Cats
It's called 'Keeping Up With the Kattarshians.'

The Very Hungry Caterpillar From Hell
A nondescript pest is threatening African food stocks — and could be headed to Europe and Asia.

Ukrainian Separatists Hold a ‘Most Patriotic Cat’ Competition
Though Kiev may contest the results of the competition, the contestants are paws-itively adorable.

Watch: Panda Tries Out Zoo-plomacy With a Snowman
Because soft diplomacy is more fun than hard power.

Kerry’s March to the Penguins
Why Secretary Kerry is Stopping in Antarctica Before Next Week’s Trip to Morocco for the U.N. Climate Change Summit

Innovations: Can China’s Super-Sensitive New Telescope Talk to E.T.?
Plus, a sub that stays dry, a B2-inspired battery, and a DNA scanner that catches poachers red-handed.

Freakish Lightning Storm Kills 323 Reindeer in Norway
Getting struck by lightning is, for humans, a statistical long shot. Less so for reindeer.

Stopping the World’s Most Rapacious Invasive Species, One Fillet at a Time
The Pacific lionfish has taken over the Caribbean, killing reefs and decimating local species. Could Whole Foods be the answer?

The Threat to America’s Electrical Grid Is Much Bigger Than You Can Possibly Imagine
But it’s not Russian hackers you should be worried about.