The Wildlife and Birdlife of Central America

The report revealed the 12 healthiest sea turtle populations in the world, which are large and currently facing relatively low threats. Five species, such as the hawksbill turtle and the green turtle have populations among these dozen thriving habitats which include nesting sites and feeding areas in Australia, Mexico and Brazil. Other areas that harbour healthy turtle populations include the Southwest Indian Ocean, Micronesia and French Polynesia.

Almost one year after the death of the last known wild jaguar in the USA in Arizona, The Sky Island Alliance have released the first photographs of a northern jaguar in the Mexican State of Sonora.

There are approximately 40,000 species of spiders in the world, all of which are thought to be predators that feed on insects or other animals. Now, scientists have found that a small Central American jumping spider feeds predominantly on plant food.

This major revision of the Dioptinae is the first systematic look at this group in almost a century. After studying over 16,700 specimens housed at 38 different institutions and private collections around the world, James Miller discovered and described 64 new species and seven new genera, bringing the total to 456 species in 43 genera.

The Vaquita porpoise, the smallest cetacean, is found only in the Gulf of Carolina. The population numbers just 2-300, and is under threat from fishing nets.

A rare female frog has been seen for the first time in 20 years during an expedition to Central America.

The salamanders, including a tiny dwarf salamander, were discovered on an expedition run by the Natural History Museum of London.

A large new butterfly species has been discovered in the Sonoran desert in Mexico.