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Biodiversity

About This Collection

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is necessary for life to thrive on Earth.

Aldo Leopold, one of the great thinkers of conservation, observed more than half a century ago the importance of protecting species. "To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering," he wrote. Losing species is like throwing away one by one the engine parts of an airplane while flying.

Biodiversity is a major initiative of Conservation International.

Biodiversity conservation provides substantial benefits to meet immediate human needs, such as those for clean, consistent water flows; protection from floods and storms; and a stable climate. 

Curated by mokiethecat

Ringtails
May 28, 2018

Ringtails, often mistaken for cats or lemurs, are actually related to coatis and raccoons. These adorable, nocturnal creatures are Arizona's official state mammal, even appearing on driver's licenses.

Small and undeniably cute, ringtails possess oversized eyes and ears, perfectly adapted for nighttime foraging. Their diverse diet includes fruit, lizards, insects, snakes, birds and their eggs, mice, and squirrels.

Footage by Russ McSpadden / Center for Biological Diversity.