Animals

December 19, 2025

185 Countries Agree To Protect 70 Species of Endangered Sharks and Rays

At the 20th conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), more than 185 countries voted to increase legal protections for 70 shark and ray species. It was announced in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, that new protections under an international wildlife trade treaty are to be implemented, and they will take effect within three to 18 months.

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December 1, 2025

Gramma the Galapagos Tortoise, Oldest Resident of the San Diego Zoo, Dies at 141

Gramma, a Galapagos tortoise known for being the oldest animal in the San Diego Zoo, has died at about 141 years old. Born in her native habitat on the Galapagos Islands, her caretakers weren’t sure about her exact age. But what they did know is that she spent almost a century delighting visitors and serving as a beacon for conservation efforts around this endangered species.

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November 25, 2025

Photographer Shares Why His Animal Portraits Are Shot From Bottom Up [Interview]

Photographer Andrius Burba captures his animal portraiture from the bottom up. That’s not just an expression—it’s the basis of his ongoing project (now brand) known as Underlook. The premise is simple, but the logistics can be complex: Burba places a cat, dog, reptile, or even horse on a piece of glass and then photographs their bellies, feet, and whatever else they care to share with us.

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October 30, 2025

Composer Rewired an Old Pay Phone To Play Local Bird Sounds

Public pay phones may seem like relics of the past, but one structure still standing on Flower Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland, has been given a new lease on life as a piece of public art. In 2016, local resident, composer, and audio producer David Schulman transformed an old pay phone into an interactive art installation that plays recordings of different bird species from the area.

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My Modern Met

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