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A view half underwater looking to the coast with palm trees
Image: Aitor Sáez/DW

Habitat

Every species has its place. But what makes the planet's ecosystems so special? We explore the desert, venture inside the forest and dive into the ocean.

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All Content on this topic

A manatee in the water

River relations

Benin and Togo are working together to protect a refuge for rare species like the red-bellied monkey.
July 11, 2016
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Eco-at-Africa - The Environment Magazine

This time on eco@africa, we meet the company helping one of Rwanda’s biggest tea factories go green.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 9, 201626:07 min
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Saving the Mono River delta

How Benin and Togo are working together to protect their biodiversity.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 9, 201604:36 min
Saiga antelopes

Cracking a deadly mystery

Conservationists are battling to poaching and a new mysterious foe in an effort to save the Saiga antelope.
July 5, 2016
Indien Zyklon Phailin

Saving an island nation

DW interviews the president of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, on how her island nation plans to handle climate change.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 1, 2016
President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim. Copyright: Sonya Diehn for DW

Saving an island state

Environment, biodiversity, Mauritius, climate change, renewables, energy, decarbonization, President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Nature and EnvironmentJune 30, 201609:08 min
Gazelle entangled on the Mongolian – Russian border in 2010 (Picture: G Sukhchuluun)

EU border fences endanger wildlife

Intended to stop human migration, border security fences are the enemy of wildlife, as new findings show.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 29, 2016
globalideas Teaser – Mangroves2_ohneLogo

New life in old shrimp ponds

Mangroves once had to make way for shrimp ponds in Thailand - but now an initiative is bringing them back.
June 28, 2016
A woman in Thailand covers a rice paddy with hay

Drought in Thailand

Devastating droughts in Thailand show that organic farming could be the key to successful agriculture in the future.
June 28, 2016
Bildergalerie – Kohlmeisen

From color theory to wildlife photography

"With the camera, I get the opportunity to catch and preserve special moments and the beauty of nature."
June 27, 2016
Dessau: A field where apartments once stood

Rewilding Dessau

In Dessau, the population is shrinking - so now there's a concerted effort to replace apartment blocks with green space.
June 24, 2016
Großbritannien London Fishing for Leave Kampaqne an der Themse

Brexit: fears for the environment

It's official: Britain will leave the EU. This could lead to the scrapping of crucial environmental laws.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 24, 2016
Lionfish near Gilli Banta Island (near Komodo, Indonesia) - photo credit Alexander Vasenin

Poisonous fish spreads in Mediterranean

The invasive lionfish is spreading in the Mediterranean, warn conservationists. A possible solution? Eat them.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 22, 2016
Artikelbild Torfmoor

Wet carbon storage

Bogs store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests, making them crucial in the fight against climate change.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 21, 201602:54 min
Fish owl with Jon

'More roads mean more conflict with wildlife'

The WCS's Jonathan Slaght tells DW about working with logging companies in Russia's Far East on conservation issues.
June 21, 2016
Burning ivory in Kenya - photo credit AP/Ben Curtis.

EU battles illegal wildlife trade

Approval of a wildlife trade action plan helps even up the battle against a long list of foes.
June 20, 2016
Tasmanien See-Elefanten mit Tracking-Device

Tracking leviathans

June 16, 2016
Artikelbild Andenbär

Hungry hungry bears

Farmers are at war with bears in Peru. But some are trying to negotiate a truce.
June 14, 2016
Sitie Park in Vidigal Rio de Janeiro Brasilien

Dump turned paradise

In a Rio favela, residents turned a dump into a lush green park with ocean views.
June 10, 2016
Spanien Barcelona Seilbahn auf Port Vell

Seven cities striving to be more sustainable

Cities need to become more sustainable. DW looks at how this can happen.
June 9, 20168 images
Australien Neue Spinnenart entdeckt

Flamboyant dancer

June 9, 2016
Thailand Entfernung von Tigern aus Tiger Temple

Myanmar crack down on animal trade

Myanmar wants to combat rampant illegal wildlife trade in the lawless border town of Mong La. But that could be hard.
June 8, 2016
A manta ray

Is that manta ray in your soup?

Eating manta and mobula rays is not only threatening the future of the species, it also may be damaging our health.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 6, 2016
The biosphere reserve in Schorfheide, Germany.

Eavesdropping on nature

Scientists in the field of soundscape ecology could shed light on climate change by listening in on the animal kingdom.
June 3, 2016
BdW Global Ideas Sylt Seenelke

Abundant life

June 2, 2016
Artikelbild Fiamingo

Mumbai's threatened flamingos

A wildlife sanctuary in Mumbai attracts flamingos - but they are threatened by pollution and illegal slum encroachment.
May 31, 2016
Artikelbild Fiamingo

Mumbai's threatened flamingos

A wildlife sanctuary in Mumbai attracts flamingos.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 30, 201602:51 min
Sambia Bwumba Wald Regenwald Abholzung

Rainforest versus Highway

In Nigeria, communities and local government face off over a planned super highway.
May 28, 201601:31 min
Drill – Eyes

Primate protection

The drill is one of Africa's rarest monkeys. Two American scientists have spent 30 years trying to protect it.
May 24, 2016
A monkey behind bars

Monkeys of Morocco

In Morocco, conservationists use education and medical aid to encourage locals to help save the Barbary macaques.
May 24, 2016
Eyes of a drill monkey

Primate protection

The drill is one of Africa's rarest monkeys. Two American scientists have spent 30 years trying to protect it.
May 24, 2016

Morocco: Barbary macaques under threat

Barbary macaques are an endangered species. An NGO in Morocco is trying to protect them.
SocietyMay 23, 201607:20 min
Date tree

Living Planet

This edition of Living Planet takes us on a special trip in celebration of International Biodiversity Day.
May 19, 2016
Dattelpalme in Tunesien

Biodiversity - are we part of it, or a threat to it?

This week we visit wolves in Spain, an oasis in Tunisia, and Europe's last primeval lowland forest.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 19, 201629:59 min

Funding biodiversity

Searching for cash to save whales, dolphins and rare marine life.
May 17, 2016

Funding biodiversity

Searching for cash to save whales, dolphins and rare marine life.
May 17, 2016
Uganda Landschaft - Blick vom Mount Elgon

Ecosystem conservation

Former settlers move off Uganda's Mount Elgo learn how to farm their land without destroying the local ecosystem.
May 17, 2016
Four women walking along a river bank

Fighting for the planet

We meet groups from around the world who are trying to protect the environment and thereby, their traditions.
May 17, 2016
Jigalong ranger, Cedric Watson, conducting a ground burn

Mixing knowledge

In the Australian Outback, aboriginal rangers protect the land with a mix of modern and traditional skills.
May 17, 2016
Peten forest – Maya Bioreserve Guatemala

Maya descendants protect the forest

The Maya Bioreserve demonstrates how communities can effectively fight deforestation.
May 17, 2016
Edward Loure in the middle of a herd of sheep

Pastoralists in Africa fight for their rights

A community organization fights for the Maasai's traditional way of life in Tanzania.
May 17, 2016
Palau’s Rock Islands

Keeping Palau pristine

The tiny country of Palau has created a major marine protected area to keep the ocean healthy.
May 17, 2016
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Uganda - Protecting an Ecosystem

A UN project is promoting sustainable farming among communities moved off Mount Elgon in 1993.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 14, 201603:57 min
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My favorite: The potato

Teresa Huaytani Al is a vendor at the market in Cusco in Peru. Her favorite potato is the purple-colored Majtacha.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 12, 201601:57 min
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Velas, Village of Turtles

In India, a turtle is one of the avatars of Vishnu. A whole village is trying to save them.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 12, 201601:55 min
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The Forest of the Mayans

How the Maya are saving their forest with traditional knowledge
Nature and EnvironmentMay 12, 201601:42 min
Flamingos in Bombay, Indien

Living Planet: Goodbye Mumbai

Mumbai is one of the few metropolises in the world to boast urban flamingos. Every winter, these pink-feathered birds fly to mudflats on the southeastern shore of the city, and stay on through spring, after which they head back to their breeding grounds in the west. But a planned bridge is poised to cut through their habitat.
May 12, 201606:09 min
Solarpark Wolfenbüttel Schandelah ((Foto: IBC Solar)

Germany: green enough?

Abandoning fossil fuels is proving difficult. Now, green experts are calling on Germany to do its global green duty.
Nature and EnvironmentMay 11, 2016
Sky over Fort McMurray red with flames. (Photo: EPA/CHRIS SCHWARZ / GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA)

'Fire is natural and good for trees'

A wildfire expert explains why a small, controlled fire can be good to prevent disasters like the one raging in Canada.
May 10, 2016
BdT Deutschland Storch Karlsson

Amazing and dangerous avian journeys

On World Migratory Bird Day we take a look at some of the dangers faced by birds on the move.
May 10, 2016