Oftentimes, the perils of the environment seem overwhelming. Yet, this group, Defenders of Wildlife, offers a good example of tangible action that can be taken to protect nature. As the group's mission states, Defenders of Wildlife is "dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. We focus our programs on what scientists consider two of the most...

Provided by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with assistance from several sponsors, EarthTrends is an environmental information portal, offering searchable databases, data tables, country profiles, maps, and feature articles in ten topical sections. These include Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, Climate and Atmosphere, Agriculture and Food, and Forests and Grasslands, among others. The databases...

Eco-Index, a project of the Rainforest Alliance, is "a searchable almanac of current and past conservation projects in Mesoamerica, with project descriptions, goals, achievements, lessons learned, and more." With current, well-presented features covering a range of biodiversity conservation issues, Eco-Index offers an excellent way for conservation researchers and practitioners to keep abreast of...

This week's Topic in Depth focuses on a variety of themes related to endangered species around the world. The first Web site from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1) includes a searchable database of threatened and endangered species worldwide. The World Wildlife Fund International Species Programme Web site (2) details biology, habitat, and threats to a...

With a focus on interdisciplinary work, Endangered Species International has a set of core values that includes "passion for nature" and "optimism for solving the species extinction crisis." On their homepage, visitors can learn about their latest actions, see their latest photos from the field, and learn about their research projects. First-time visitors should click on the "Our Projects" area,...

Published by the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan, the Endangered Species UPDATE is an online forum for information exchange on endangered species issues. Organized as a journal, the UPDATE includes "a reprint of the latest issue of the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species Technical Bulletin along with complementary articles, an archive of...

The Environmental News Network (ENN) has as its primary goal to educate the world about environmental issues facing our Earth. People can freely read articles that change daily on the latest news that affects our planet, read stories from major environmental organizations, search past stories, learn about upcoming events on the provided calendar, listen online to EarthNews Radio, and more. An...

UK-based Butterfly Conservation presents the preliminary results of the Garden Butterfly Count (GBC), which enlisted the help of private residents to survey backyard butterflies and moths. Over 11,000 completed survey forms were returned to Butterfly Conservation at the end of the 2002 season, and the Web site provides a brief look at early results and analysis. The information is presented for a...

The International Snow Leopard Trust (ISLT), based in Seattle, Washington, "is the oldest and largest organization focused solely on developing successful strategies for protecting the snow leopard and its habitat." Visitors to the ISLT Web site can read up on interesting cat facts, find the latest related news, browse descriptions of global conservation efforts, and more. Click on Classroom to...

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has recently placed online three reports focusing on conservation efforts in the Asia/Pacific region. Offered in .pdf format, all three reports provide overviews of WWF's current (the reports were originally published in 1997 and 1998) and planned efforts in their respective areas of concern, both at the regional and national levels. While aimed particularly at WWF...