Biodiversity

Photographer Bryant Austin's eye -- and imagination -- were so captured by snorkeling close to humpback whales that he set himself to creating life-sized portraits of the creatures.

"Congress [April 14] approved a budget bill that includes a rider removing wolves in Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Utah from the federal endangered species list and sets the stage for near-term delisting in Wyoming. The measure returns control of wolf management to the states."

"Over the years, rat poison has spared [California] residents untold filth and disease. But a new generation of highly toxic, long-lasting poisons is killing not only rats, mice and ground squirrels, but whatever feeds on them, too."

"Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is introducing a plan today that would allow bison in Yellowstone National Park to travel north outside the park boundaries into Montana's Gardiner Basin during winter months."

"Canada's annual seal hunt opened Monday off northeastern Newfoundland in an area called The Front, but few sealers went to the ice amid low demand for seal pelts, poor prices and a European Union ban on seal products."

"A fatal bat disease has been confirmed in Kentucky for the first time, state and federal officials said Wednesday."

"Two of the most well-known penguin species in Antarctica -- chinstraps and Adelies -- are under pressure because a warmer climate has cut deeply into their main food source, shrimp-like creatures called krill."

"Two areas of Alaska's Cook Inlet will be designated as critical habitat for the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale, NOAA's Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Office announced [April 8]."

"A federal judge on Saturday rejected a plan negotiated between the government and wildlife advocates to remove most wolves in the Northern Rockies from the Endangered Species List."