In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria’s assault on the Caribbean island of Dominica in 2017, researchers made a heartbreaking discovery: dead and dying hummingbirds scattered across the forest floor. Among them were purple-throated caribs (Eulampis jugularis), the specialized pollinators of the island’s Heliconia plants. This single storm threatened an evolutionary partnership millions of years in […]
  • More than 2,000 terrestrial vertebrate species face a high risk of extinction from natural hazards, including hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, according to a first-of-its-kind study.
  • Nearly 70% of the high-risk species live exclusively on islands, highlighting the particular vulnerability of island ecosystems.
  • Only 15% of high-risk species have specific conservation plans in place, while approximately 30% have their entire known range outside protected areas.
  • The study calls for increased investment in habitat protection, restoration, captive-breeding programs and species translocation to help vulnerable species survive in an era of intensifying natural hazards.

A study identified 2,001 species (834 reptiles, 617 amphibians, 302 birds and 248 mammals) that have at least 25% of their habitat in areas experiencing high impact from hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.