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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

Iguazu-Wasserfälle in Argentinien

Global nature funding

Experts say tens of billions of dollars more are needed per annum to protect nature reserves worldwide.
May 6, 2016
Bali Touristen helfen bei der Freisetzung von Riesenschildkröten

Catch and release

May 4, 2016
Photo: Two Farmers in Yangshila, Nepal

'Vertical University'

A unique education project aims to restore the forests of Eastern Nepal by turning villages into learning grounds.
May 3, 2016
Artikelbild Nepal

Between reconstruction and conservation

Nepal is still trying to cope with the impact of the 2015 earthquake, while protecting the environment at the same time.
May 3, 2016
Artikelbild Kolumbien

Small loans, big goals

Microcredit is helping Colombian farmers to adapt to climate change and to protect the ecosystem.
April 26, 2016
Artikelbild Madagaskar

Madagascar's lemurs

Scientists are trying to save the severely endangered primates and the quickly disappearing forests they live in.
April 26, 2016
Photo of the rare Madagascar Pochard

The world's rarest duck

Environmentalists were thrilled to come across Madagascar Pochard in the depths of the Madagascan jungle.
April 26, 2016
Artikelbild Madagaskar

Madagascar's lemurs - soon losing their home?

Lemurs are endangered because their habitat is shrinking rapidly due to slash-and-burn farming.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 25, 201608:07 min

The Maya nut

This nut has many talents. Conservationist Julio Madrid is one of its greatest fans.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 21, 2016
Bildergalerie Schildkröten Grüne Meeresschildkröte

My favorite – The Green Sea turtle

It deserves to be kissed for the gentle creature that it is, says environmentalist Meteneou Antoine from Benin.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 21, 201603:18 min
Früchte des Brotnussbaums

My favorite – The Maya nut

This nut has many talents. Conservationist Julio Madrid is one of its greatest fans
Nature and EnvironmentApril 21, 201602:47 min
US actors Heard and Depp will never smuggle dogs again. Or so they promised.

Depp's dogs

"Declare everything when you enter Australia", that's the message from Johnny Depp.
April 19, 2016
Lionfisch / Rotfeuerfisch

Fighting lionfish

The Honduran island of Roatan is trying everything to control invasive lionfish - even hand-feeding them to sharks.
April 19, 2016
Myanmar Moken Kinder

Race against time in Myanmar

Sea nomads and scientists are banding together to save Myanmar's island paradise.
April 19, 2016

Myanmar: Protecting the Mergui Archipelago

Scientists are studying the Mergui Archipelago, with a view to safeguarding its biodiversity.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 18, 201607:26 min

Microloans for farmers in Colombia

Microloans in Colombia are helping farmers adapt to climate change and protect biodiversity.
BusinessApril 11, 201607:28 min
Kongobecken Regenwald Nebel Kongo Afrika

Forest surveyor

Biologists in the Congo Basin are going to great lengths to assess the remaining biomass and biodiversity in the region.
April 11, 2016
Tiger in Sundarbans

Wild tiger numbers on the rise globally

The number of tigers living in the wild has risen for the first time in over a century, a new global census shows.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 11, 2016
external

Forest surveyor

Biologists are exploring the savannas of the lower reaches of the Congo River to assess remaining biodiversity.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 9, 201604:22 min
Rhino without a horn

Smarter ways to fight poaching

Innovative software pits technology against poachers in a deadly game of hide and seek.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 7, 2016
Biokorridore in Costa Rica Global 3000

Connecting Costa Rica's wildlife

A network of new wildlife corridors is set to help animals move around Costa Rica.
April 5, 2016
Indien Westghats

Mysterious tadpoles discovered

Researchers have finally discovered the Indian dancing frog's elusive tadpoles that burrows underground.
March 31, 2016
Antarktis, MS Bremen

Antarctic Tourism: threat to the ecosystem?

Antarctica is the last landmass on Earth to be left almost completely untouched by humankind. The seventh continent is home to penguins, whales, seals and albatrosses. And an increasing number of cruise ships are taking people to see them. But could these vessels and the human visitors they carry pose a threat to the remote habitat of our southern creatures?
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 31, 201610:47 min
Paradise Bay, Antarctica © S.Weniger/M.Marek

Does tourism endanger Antarctica?

Tourism doesn't endanger Antarctica, but overfishing does.
March 30, 2016
A slow loris in a tree

Do viral videos hurt animals?

Videos of cute animals are an internet staple. But our love of sharing adorable monkey clips could be hurting animals
March 29, 2016
BdW Global Ideas Bild der Woche KW 46/2015 Orang-Utan-Baby

Say no to exotic pets

Why opting for a wild animal as a pet is rarely a good idea.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 29, 2016
Gemüse

Living Planet: Holiday food for thought

How environmentally friendly is the food on your plate? France bans supermarket waste, Greenpeace says no Arctic fish and chips, how choosing your cheese can help the environment - and Chilean wine goes sustainable.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 24, 201629:59 min
Käse Brie de Meaux

A cheesy choice

There are more than two thousand varieties of cheese. The difference is not just in the taste – some are more environmentally friendly than others. Dany Mitzman visited an eco-friendly cheese fair in Italy to find out more.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 24, 201606:10 min
Fisch Dorsch

Arctic fish and chips

As climate change melts the Arctic sea ice, industrial fishing fleets are advancing further north in search of tasty fish. Greenpeace expert Frida Bengtsson explains why that’s bad news for biodiversity.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 24, 201605:29 min
Photo of an olm underwater on a rock.

Saving a 'baby dragon'

Polar bears and pandas are the symbols of conservation. But not all endangered creatures are cute and charismatic.
March 22, 2016
Mexico's Isla Cozumel - a UNESCO biosphere reserve

UNESCO announces new biosphere reserves

UNESCO has expanded its network of model regions for sustainable development.
March 21, 2016
Pressebilder Greenpeace Wald in Polen, Bialowieza

Logging ancient Bialowieza forest

Polish ecological organizations are up in arms over government plans to reintroduce large-scale logging in Bialowieza.
March 21, 2016
Great tit perched on barbed wire holding a bit of fuzz in its beak (Photo: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Gerth)

Moving migration

The behavior pattern of many birds is to fly south for the winter. But this is changing - to the delight of birdwatchers
March 17, 2016
Gubernatoriana thackerayi crab (Copyright: Magnolia Press/Shailesh Bhotale)

Welcome into the world

While many species are going extinct, some newcomers have also shown up!
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 16, 2016
Spanien Stierkampf in Valencia

Animal entertainment: Tradition or cruel sport?

Bullfighting, dog racing and circuses - all entertainment for people, all harmful to animals.
March 15, 2016
A heavy-duty truck carrying large tree trunks

Forests protecting human health

Not only do certified forests allow consumers to access ethically sourced wood - they could also help prevent disease.
March 15, 2016
Artikelbild Global Ideas

Nature's value in a city

For a long time, Brazil's city planners ignored nature. But nature's pushback has forced them to rethink their strategy.
March 15, 2016
BdW Global Ideas Bild der Woche KW 10/2016 Indien Bangalore Wasserverschmutzung

Dead fish galore

March 10, 2016
Indonesien Affe Selfie Gerichtsprozess David Slater

Living Planet: The animals

The cute, the cuddly and the ugly.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 3, 201630:00 min
Blobfisch

Unbiased conservation

World Wildlife Day aims to promote the conservation of the world's flora and fauna. DW talks to biologist and comedian Simon Watt who says conservation efforts should be geared towards saving Mother Nature's more aesthetically challenged creatures.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 3, 201605:52 min
Globalideas Teaser – Müll – ohne Logo

Turtle village

Saving sea turtles in India with a mix of education, ecotourism and plastic patrols
March 1, 2016
Honigbiene

Pollinator decline threatens crops

Mangos, chocolate, apples and other produce could disappear as bees and other pollinator populations decline.
February 26, 2016
Dürre Rumänien Flussbett Fluss Danube Umwelt Klima

Romania’s Danube Delta faces threat to its biodiversity

The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river, stretching from Germany to Romania and Ukraine. The delta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which hosts more than 300 species of birds and over 40 species of freshwater fish. But only 20 percent of ecosystems in the river network have a "good or above" status. New plans are underway to improve water quality and flood protection in Romania’s Danube Delta.
Nature and EnvironmentFebruary 18, 201619:53 min
Sun sets over the Mekong

Cambodia’s last cranes

Conservationists are working to save the 1,000 sarus cranes left in the wetlands along the Mekong river.
February 16, 2016
A wild elephant tramples cars and motorbikes in the northeast Indian city of Siliguri.

Wild elephant rampages through city in India

A wild elephant rampaged through an Indian city, destroying scores of homes, cars and bikes but injuring no one.
February 10, 2016
Global Ideas #doingyourbit Kunst Biodiversität Manuel Gonzalez Costa Rica

Painting for awareness

A Costa Rican artist uses his brush to highlight his country's natural bounty.
February 10, 2016
Artikelbild Amboseli-Nationalpark in Kenia

Free rein for wild animals

Land reforms in Kenya are blocking wildlife corridors. A rental contract with local Maasai is providing a solution.
February 9, 2016
Teaser Amboseli-Nationalpark in Kenia

Free rein for wild animals

Land reforms in Kenya are blocking wildlife corridors. A rental contract with local Maasai is providing a solution.
February 9, 2016
Teaser Amboseli-Nationalpark in Kenia

Free rein for wild animals

Land reforms in Kenya are blocking wildlife corridors. A rental contract with local Maasai is providing a solution.
February 9, 2016
Deutschland Tier-Inventur im Tierpark Hagenbeck Esel

My favorite - the donkey

Donkeys are stubborn but they're reliable too. That's why they're haulage operator Rufino de la Cruz's favorite animal.
February 8, 2016