Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This August, we're exploring the science behind the animals that share our planet. From the behaviors and adaptations that help species thrive to the conservation efforts protecting wildlife around the world, animal awareness days like World Lion Day, World Elephant Day, International Cat Day, and International Wolf Day are an opportunity to celebrate biodiversity and discover the research helping us better understand and protect the species that call our planet home.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Oct-2026 19:17 ET (25-Oct-2026 23:17 GMT/UTC)

30-Apr-2026

 

More people are eating wild meat across Central Africa, raising urgency for sustainable wildlife management

University of Kent
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The first quantitative spatial and temporal analysis of wild meat consumption in Central Africa reveals a sharp increase in demand that is largely driven by urban populations, threatening wildlife populations and raising concerns about long-term nutritional security in rural areas.

Journal

Nature

30-Apr-2026

 

Hidden in the headlines: New study uses local news to assess wildlife poaching in Romania

Pensoft Publishers
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Published in the journal Nature Conservation, a University of Bucharest study analysed over 1,100 media reports to map the scale of wildlife poaching in Romania, filling a critical gap left by the absence of a centralised official database. The research emphasises that curbing these crimes requires moving beyond uniform enforcement to address specific motivations, while actively working to dismantle the quiet social tolerance that shields illegal activity

Journal

Nature Conservation

30-Apr-2026

 

Six research projects work together to reduce the lag between biodiversity data and action

Pensoft Publishers
Reports and Proceedings

Environmental decisions are made based on a picture of biodiversity that has already changed since it was recorded. A new policy brief argues that this lag is not an isolated glitch but a systemic issue in how data are collected and published.

30-Apr-2026

 

Seals get their hearts racing to detox after foraging trips at sea

Frontiers
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers discovered that fur seals that have returned onshore after foraging trips increase their heart rate – a measure of metabolic activity – for prolonged periods. These results imply that time spent on land is not simply spent resting, but actively recovering from physiological stress. For example, they may increase their metabolic rate on land to remove lactic acid and restore oxygen stores in skeletal muscle after diving for food.

Journal

Frontiers in Physiology

Funder

Australian Research Council Discovery Grant

29-Apr-2026

 

Study assesses impacts of drones on whale sharks

Murdoch University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In the first study to use biotelemetric data to assess the effects of drones on the natural behaviour of water-breathing marine species, researchers found drones flown above the ocean are unlikely to disturb whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.

Journal

Ecosphere

Funder

Estate of Winifred Violet Scott and The Jock Clough Marine Foundation, RAC Parks and Resorts, Three Islands Whale Shark Dive

29-Apr-2026

 

Biomonitoring the Anthropocene: NY's East River becomes a living biosensor

Programme for the Human Environment, The Rockefeller University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A year-long environmental DNA study of New York City’s East River involving single liter water samples revealed an unexpectedly detailed snapshot of life in and around the city, from weekly and seasonal shifts in fish species and abundance to urban wildlife activity and even New Yorkers’ diets.

The findings suggest that urban waterways anywhere could become continuous biosensors, tracking biodiversity, habitat restoration outcomes, and human impacts in real time.  

Journal

PLOS One

29-Apr-2026

 

Environmental DNA in NYC’s East River reveals clues about nearby human and animal residents

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Sequencing environmental DNA – or eDNA – from the East River in New York City can effectively monitor human diets and local wildlife, as well as the river’s fish populations, report Mark Stoeckle and Jesse Ausubel of The Rockefeller University, U.S., in study publishing April 29, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One.

Journal

PLOS One

29-Apr-2026

 

Citizen science data reliable for studying large, non-endangered wild cats

South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Study confirms public observations match professional records for common felid species, guiding better conservation monitoring.

Journal

Biological Diversity

Funder

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações e Comunicações, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás