![[A black and white cat perched on a rock wall watches three pigeons sitting on a vine.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2022/06/Screenshot-1303.png)
Outdoor cats have gained a reputation. In Disney movies, they’re charismatic. To humans, they’re curious and lovable. Some countries, like Turkey, have made cats a huge part of daily life. Istanbul alone has 125,000 free-roaming cats, fed and taken care of by residents. But to conservationists, they are a massive threat…
Tag: conservation
A beginner’s guide to Bloomington birds
![[Two round cardinals grip onto two iron bars.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2022/03/Female-and-male-cardinal.jpg)
Step outside in Southern Indiana and you’ll be greeted by a symphony of chirps, calls, and songs from a myriad of local birds. Home to over 400 species, Indiana is a birder’s paradise. Warblers, eagles, and owls alike call Bloomington home and are frequently spotted on the campus of IU Bloomington. Birds are a vibrant part of Bloomington culture, so it’s worth getting to know a few…
Red wolves are endangered, but how can we protect a species we can’t define?
Red wolves and grey wolves may have once been a single species. But throughout the 1900s, the interbreeding of coyotes and red wolves blurred the line between species. How can we determine whether red and grey wolves are the same or separate species? The question is a pressing one, if you consider that conservation efforts are based on species. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act was passed, creating the Endangered Species List, which mandates conservation efforts for every animal and plant on the list – based on species. Without a clear definition, conservationists don’t know what exactly they are trying to protect…
Primates: Nature’s grounds keepers
![[A young macaque enjoys some jackfruit up in the trees.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2019/07/jackfruit-4037499_1920.jpg)
Over the past few years, the iconic video below has become the face of orangutan conservation efforts: a young male orangutan confronting a bulldozer as it destroys the forest around him. Orangutan populations once stretched from the islands of Indonesia through Vietnam and into the south Asian continent. Fossils of orangutan ancestors have even been found all the way up into northern India! Today, wild orangutans can only be found in Sumatra and Borneo, two islands in Indonesia…
Clean Water, Healthy Town: The importance of the Monroe Watershed
![[A retention pool covered in grass sits in a large parking lot.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/12/33000475966_d1b290fae9_b-1.jpg)
Lake Monroe is one of the best spots in Bloomington: trails, water skiing, boating, what more could you ask for? But little did you know, Lake Monroe is a lot more than just a leisure activity. It is the main water source for Bloomington and the surrounding areas. Each day the Monroe Water Treatment Plant pumps an average of 15 million gallons of water for people to use. We bath in this water and even drink it. But where is all of this water coming from? It turns out the answer is all around us…
The highest price of fashion: Environmental destruction
This post was written by ScIU Social Media Intern Ava Steensland, an undergraduate student in The Media School at Indiana University. The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world. Here, we’ll take a closer look into tip number one from the ScIU post 7 Tips on How You Can Help the Environment,… Read more »
How Your Diet Impacts the Environment
![[A hand painted green, holding a leaf cutting.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/05/person-s-left-hand-holding-green-leaf-plant-886521.jpg)
The food you put into your body not only affects your own health, but also the health of our planet. The world’s food system accounts for about twenty-five percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Famous primatologist Jane Goodall once said, “you cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Are you making a difference?
What’s it like to work with primates? Interviews from the Ape Initiative
![[Bonobos in an outdoor enclosure, with several platforms, ropes, and other objects to simulate a more natural environment. ]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/01/65318852_1163514153847781_3133089543335444480_o.jpg)
In this post, ScIU blogger Chloe Holden interviews staff members at the Ape Initiative in Iowa. She covers topics like: What is it like working with nonhuman primates on a regular basis? What surprised you the most when you were getting to know the bonobos? What’s your favorite part about working with the bonobos? and others…
You’re not too important to pick up poop: The quirks and perks of working with primates
![[Pictured are the seven bonobo residents of the Ape Initiative. Starting in the top left to right is Kanzi, Maisha, Elikya and Nyota. The bottom row from left to right is Mali, Clara, and Teco.]](https://blogs.iu.edu/sciu/files/2020/01/bonobos-at-ACCI.png
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For the past three and a half years, I have been volunteering at the Ape Initiative as part of my research interests in primatology and cognition research. The Ape Initiative is a non-profit research and conservation facility that is home to 7 bonobos (Pan paniscus) and counting! Bonobos are one of the closest living relatives to humans, sharing about 98-99% of their DNA…
7 Tips on How You Can Help the Environment
This is part three in a series on primates and conservation. Check out parts one and two here. If you want to help with saving our environment and animal conservation efforts follow the tips below! Even the smallest efforts can make an impact on primate conservation, and help combat against the effects of global warming.