MSNBC Enviromental News

Threatened butterfly vanishes from Florida refuge

In this undated photo, two Miami blue butterfly are shown at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys. No confirmed Miami blues have been seen on Bahia Honda since July 2010. For more than a year, Bahia Honda State Park biologist Jim Duquesnel traversed the nature sanctuary with two hopes. He wanted to see a Miami blue butterfly and rid the Florida Keys outpost of as many iguanas as he could.


Trump slams Scotland’s leader over wind farm

Donald Trump claims Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, seems "hell-bent on destroying Scotland's coastline" with a wind farm near his golf resort, British media report.Donald Trump claims Scotland's first minister, Alex Salmond, seems "hell-bent on destroying Scotland's coastline" with a wind farm near his golf resort, British media report.


Himalayan ice melt estimates get major downsizing

Are global warming skeptics being armed with a new weapon? Estimates from satellite monitoring suggest the melt rate from the Himalayas has been much less than predicted.Are global warming skeptics being armed with a new weapon? Estimates from satellite monitoring suggest the melt rate from the Himalayas has been much less than predicted.


Rhino dies in anti-poaching demo by conservationists

A conservation group demonstrating an anti-poaching method for reporters in South Africa accidentally killed the rhinoceros they were using in the demonstration.A conservation group demonstrating an anti-poaching method for reporters in South Africa accidentally killed the rhinoceros they were using in the demonstration.


Rhino dies in anti-poaching demo by conservationists

A conservation group demonstrating an anti-poaching method for reporters in South Africa accidentally killed the rhinoceros they were using in the demonstration.A conservation group demonstrating an anti-poaching method for reporters in South Africa accidentally killed the rhinoceros they were using in the demonstration.


US licenses first nuclear reactors since 1978

It's been 34 years -- and several nuclear accidents later -- but a divided federal panel on Thursday licensed a utility to build nuclear reactors in the U.S. for the first time since 1978. It's been 34 years -- and several nuclear accidents later -- but a divided federal panel on Thursday licensed a utility to build nuclear reactors in the U.S. for the first time since 1978.


Killer whales denied anti-slavery protection

A judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to give killer whales at SeaWorld constitutional rights.

WWF: Toilet paper destroys tiger, elephant habitat

Is your toilet paper wiping out forests used by tigers, elephants, orangutans and other wildlife? The World Wildlife Fund alleged that a major paper supplier is clearcutting in Indonesia.Is your toilet paper wiping out forests used by tigers, elephants, orangutans and other wildlife? The World Wildlife Fund alleged that a major paper supplier is clearcutting in Indonesia.


Satellites show how our icy world is melting

The average yearly change in mass, in centimeters of water, during 2003-2010, for all the world’s glaciers and ice caps (excluding Greenland and Antarctica). Glaciated regions with large ice loss rates stand out clearly.The melt-off from the world's ice sheets, ice caps and glaciers over eight years of the past decade would have been enough to cover the United States in about 18 inches (46 centimeters) of water, according to new research based on the most-comprehensive analysis of satellite data yet.


Calif. mine owner told he’s operating illegally

A bulldozer is seen at the Big Cut Mine near Placerville, Calif., on Jan. 25.California's Gold Rush was more than a century-and-a-half ago, but its Wild West spirit lives on in a dispute between government agencies and a landowner in the Sierra Nevada foothills.