loss of habitat

An aerial shot shows the contrast between forest and agricultural landscapes near Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. (Flickr/Kate Evans)
Experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew have just published their second ever State of the World’s Plants report. They reveal there are 390,000 known species of plants, with over 30,000 being used by humans. Unfortunately, the report also says that 1 in 5 plant species are in danger of extinction.

In case you missed it … The rusty patched bumblebee has officially been put on the endangered species list, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says, after a delay and concerns that the species might not receive federal protection.