Latest news with #endangeredSpecies
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mark Walter, Wife Kimbra Own Florida Wildlife Preserve Filled With Rare Species
Mark Walter and his philanthropist wife Kimbra Walter own a wildlife preserve in Florida filled with rare species. Mark Walter's net worth is estimated by Forbes at more than $6 billion, and the wildlife preserve is one of the couple's most unusual holdings. Walter also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Buss family entered into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter "for a franchise valuation of approximately $10 billion," ESPN reported on June 18. White Oak Conservation describes itself as a "refuge for rare species funded by philanthropists Mark and Kimbra Walter." "White Oak is a state-of-the-art, scientific education and conservation center in Northern Florida focused on saving and recovering populations of rare species, building assurance populations, researching animal health, convening experts and educating the next generation of conservation experts," the Walter Family Causes website says. A herd of Asian elephants arrived in 2021. 'We are thrilled to give these elephants a place to wander and explore,' said Mark and Kimbra Walter on the website. 'We are working to protect wild animals in their native habitats. But for these elephants that can't be released, we are pleased to give them a place where they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives.' "White Oak is widely respected among conservationists for its work in protecting and propagating endangered animals, specifically rhinoceros, cheetah, antelope and okapi (a rare giraffe relative)," the website says. "White Oak also works with state and federal agencies, including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to recover and release into the wild some of Florida's native inhabitants, including panthers and grasshopper sparrows." The website contains short bios for both Mark Walter and his wife. The wildlife preservation efforts are just part of their many philanthropic activities. "Mark leads TWG, an organization that invests capital and builds businesses. TWG owns and controls businesses in the following segments: financial services; renewables; sports, media and entertainment; art; eco-tourism and agriculture," the bio says. "Mark co-founded and is the CEO of Guggenheim Capital, LLC, a diversified financial services firm with more than $340 billion in assets under management." Kimbra Walter "is an attorney and philanthropist. She serves on the boards of trustees of the Lincoln Park Zoo, OneGoal, the Goodman Theatre and is active in TWF Causes's social impact and conservation work," the bio says. "She earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Northwestern in 1985 and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University." "Kimbra and Mark reside in Chicago with their daughter," the bio notes. The Walters sold their Lincoln Park mansion in Chicago for $4.2 million. Their current home, "is a 26,000-square-foot mansion that they built in the 2010s and now occupy," according to a 2024 article in the Chicago Tribune. "They built their current mansion across five city lots that they assembled over time, purchasing the land for a total of $9.1 million," that article Walter, Wife Kimbra Own Florida Wildlife Preserve Filled With Rare Species first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 19, 2025
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Ghost' Elephant Spotted for First Time in 5 Years
An African forest elephant — nicknamed the "ghost elephant" due to its incredibly infrequent sightings — was spotted in Senegal for the first time in five years earlier this June. Remote camera footage from Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal shows a lone elephant walking across frame — stopping to seemingly take a quick peek at the camera before moving on. The elephant, named Ousmane after a local park ranger, was last seen in January 2020. At the time, it was expected that this elephant was one of only five to 10 African forest elephants left in the 3,500 square mile park. Panthera, a conservation organization that owns the remote camera that caught Ousmane, released a statement following the finding. "This male is the only individual that's been photographed in the park since 2020," the statement reads, "And DNA analysis, collected through dung samples, confirms he's potentially the only individual left." View the to see embedded media. The elephant population in Senegal has been decimated over past decades due to poaching and continuous habitat loss. Niokolo-Koba National Park plays an integral role in maintaining the health of the elephant population as well as several other species. Niokolo-Koba is also home to the critically endangered West African lion as well as the largest population of leopards left in West Africa, according to Panthera. While Ousmane may be the only African forest elephant left in Senegal, preservation efforts may lead to the transport of others in the species — particularly female elephants — to help somewhat repopulate Niokolo-Koba National Park. 'Ghost' Elephant Spotted for First Time in 5 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 19, 2025
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Wildlife reserve welcomes birth of endangered white-lipped deer
A wildlife reserve has welcomed a new deer calf which is the first of its kind to be born in England. Watatunga Wildlife Reserve based in King's Lynn, Norfolk, said a male white-lipped deer calf had been born at the site on Tuesday, 10 June. Molly Ruder, reserve operations manager, said there are only 69 white-lipped deer in the European captive population, and only three sites in the United Kingdom have the species. "To see the very first calf born here in Norfolk, in a naturalistic setting that mirrors their wild habitat, is something we're incredibly proud of," she said. The 170-acre reserve is dedicated to the protection of endangered deer, antelope and bird species. Typically native to parts of China and Tibet, the white-lipped deer is listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) red list, and has had a 30% population decline due to hunting, habitat loss and overexploitation. The reserve is only one of 14 facilities in Europe to be involved in the white-lipped deer European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which aims to manage the genetic health of rare captive populations. It said the father came to Norfolk from Germany about five years ago and is not genetically related to the UK's existing population, whereas the calf's mother is a first-time parent. The new arrival has been described as a "confident little chap" and has been tucked away, hiding in the site's grasses. The reserve said the birth highlights Norfolk's growing role as a leader in UK conservation, and with the movement of animals between countries, adds significant value to global conservation efforts. Species360 confirmed the birth of the calf at the reserve was the only one in England, with a few births recorded in Scotland. Ms Ruder said: "This is what Watatunga is all about, creating the conditions for wildlife to behave naturally and thrive."We're not just here to showcase animals; we're actively working toward the long-term future of species that many people may never have heard of." The site said its second female white-lipped deer is heavily pregnant, with another birth expected "imminently". Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
LA Zoo welcomes 10 condor chicks, increasing California condor wild population
Moving towards an "ultimate goal of recovery" in California's condor population, the LA Zoo announced that 10 healthy chicks hatched during the zoo's 2025 California condor breeding season. All of the chicks will be candidates for release into the wild as part of the California Condor Recovery Program, under the leadership of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. One of the California condor chicks that hatched at the LA Zoo. Jamie Pham "The L.A. Zoo is dedicated to helping our partners increase the California condor's wild population to not only save them from extinction, but to also continue the hard work towards the ultimate goal of recovery," said Misha Body, Deputy Director of Animal Programs, Los Angeles Zoo. With a wingspan of nearly 10 feet, the California condor is one of the largest flying birds in North America. According to Fish and Wildlife, the bird has been protected as an endangered species by federal law since 1967 and by California state law since 1971. In the 1970s, only a few dozen condors remained in the wild. In the mid-1980s, all of the remaining condors were captured and taken to zoos to stop their population decline in the wild. Four of the chicks at the LA Zoo are being raised under a double brooding method, with two chicks being reared at one time by a pair of surrogate California condors. The zoo pioneered this breeding technique in 2017. "The care and well-being that our animal care team provides continues to be innovative and advances the success of the condor program every year," Body said. California condor eggs at the Los Angeles Zoo. JAMIE PHAM California condors are not on exhibit at the zoo, but guests can participate in California Condor Talk, held daily.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Science
- Sky News
Endangered rays, sharks and native oysters 'could thrive' despite climate change, report claims
Endangered rays, sharks and native oysters could thrive in seas around the UK in the decades ahead amid changing conditions in the oceans - but other common species could become rare, according to a study. Researchers looked at 19 threatened marine species in UK seas and the impact they could face from climate change. The results suggested an "overall increase" in suitable habitat for the study's selected species, although said any projected change for many was "relatively small". Some species will "move or shift" to new areas in response to rising ocean temperatures and this will have an impact on how they are managed and protected, the study added. Many species are anticipated to lose habitat with climate change, researchers said. Maintaining or increasing the numbers of vulnerable animals around the UK might require additional management methods. Projecting habitat changes into the future has "a number of uncertainties" and species may find "favourable" new areas, but the conditions could then "move" to zones which are "not suitable" for species to survive. The report, published in the Marine Biology journal, said although rays, sharks and oysters could become less threatened - there were risks for other species. "Spurdog, thornback and undulate rays and native oyster showed the largest increases in suitable habitat this century, whereas decreases were seen in the slender sea pen, ocean quahog, sea fan and fan mussel," said the report. "The increases were concentrated in the central and northern North Sea and the decreases to the south and west of the UK, as well as in the southern North Sea." Some species may thrive in new areas not currently protected from human disturbance, scientists said. But some currently protected sites "may no longer remain viable in protecting their designated features in the future". "Some of these changes may become apparent relatively quickly, with substantial changes in suitable habitat evident from the 2030s and 2040s," researchers said. The government is currently consulting on measures for fishing in Marine Protected Areas, which are designated parts of the ocean set up to protect habitats, species and ecosystems. Researchers at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science compiled the report in consultation with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Natural England, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
