In this edition of Nature Signals, we explore some of the latest stories shaping our understanding of biodiversity, wildlife and conservation around the world.
The episode begins with the wandering glider dragonfly, also known as the globe skimmer, which can cross oceans and travel up to 18,000 kilometers (11,000 miles) across multiple generations—making it the longest-known insect migration. We then examine how climate change is fueling bigger and hotter wildfires across the western United States, transforming local forests. But intentionally set prescribed burns may help protect fire-adapted ecosystems and giant sequoias, counteracting some of the devastating effects of warming temperatures.
The episode also looks at how animals are evolving in response to human environments, from changes in urban birds and lizards to declining aggression in raccoons. Another story considers whether animal cultures and learned behaviors should play a greater role in wildlife conservation and Endangered Species Act decisions.
Finally, we report on an ambitious bird flu vaccination program for little penguins in Australia, highlighting the growing conservation challenges facing wildlife.
The written article is available on my website here: ruththornton.com.
Key points:
0:40 - Globe-trotting dragonfly migrates farther than any other insect.
2:53 - Forest fires are getting hotter, transforming forests.
4:12 - Prescribed fires can help save giant sequoias from climate change-fueled forest fires.
5:35 - Proximity to humans supercharges evolution for some animals.
7:19 - Should we consider animals' culture in conservation decisions?
8:53 - 1,000 wild penguins get bird flu vaccines in Australia
Links to articles and other resources:
The Guardian, 8/8/2026, by Patrick Barkham: "Fearless and quietly astonishing': the dragonfly that migrates further than any other insect.
Mongabay, 11/10/2021, by Neha Jain: High-flying dragons: how the globe skimmer migrates across the Indian Ocean.
Troast et al., 2016: A global population genetic study of Pantala flavescens. PLoS One, 11(3): e0148949.
The New York Times, 8/23/2026, by Eric Niiler: Bigger, hotter fires are slowly erasing America's great forests.
Kodero, Felzer and Shi, 2024: Future transition from forests to shrublands and grasslands in the western United States is expected to reduce carbon storage. Communications Earth and the Environment, 5(78).
Anthropocene Magazine, 7/29/2026, by Warren Cornwall: How to save giant sequoias: burn the forest around it first.
Dixon et al., 2026: Previous prescribed burns saved thousands of ancient sequoias during historically unprecedented wildfires. Nature Communications, 17: 8558.
BBC, 8/6/2026, by Lucy Sherriff: Extreme evolution: The animals evolving at super speed to survive
The Revelator, 8/12/2026, by John R. Platt: Conserving Culture in Endangered Species.
Jennings, Harl and Carter, 2026: Implications of non-human animal culture for laws and policies affecting wildlife conservation in the USA. Oryx, 2026: 1-4.
The Guardian, 8/24/2026, by Petra Stock: How do you vaccinate 1,000 tiny penguins against bird flu in the wild? It's 'really tricky' but there is a way.
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