Americans and Western Europeans have had a lock on unsustainable over-consumption for decades. But now developing countries are catching up rapidly, to the detriment of the environment, health, and happiness, according to the Worldwatch Institute in its annual report, State of the World 2004.

After a new case of SARS was confirmed in China, officials there ordered the widespread culling of civets, an animal that has been linked to the transmission of the virus. But some experts now warn that the slaughter of a "scapegoat" species may be a terrible mistake.

One million species or more may head towards extinction if the continuing warming of Earth's climate results in the computer-predicted impact on their habitat over the next 50 years, an international group of scientists reported recently. They urged immediate reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions to try to minimize the potential catastrophe.

The California quail is a beautiful creature. The male has a scaled belly, black chin, and a big, black topknot sticking out of the top of his head. Birding columnist Mathew Tekulsky writes about an encounter with one of these birds at his home in the Santa Monica Mountains.

For six weeks, explorer Jon Bowermaster led an expedition across the high desert of southern Bolivia and northern Chile and Argentina known as the Altiplano. His team traveled with kayaks in search of water—an unusual quest for the driest spot on Earth.

Federal protection of endangered or threatened plants and animals is supposed to help their conservation, not hurt it. But researchers have uncovered evidence that many landowners, fearing land-use restrictions under the United States Endangered Species Act, deliberately make their properties unattractive for species that get listed.

Having been persecuted to the verge of extinction, the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) has staged a spectacular comeback in Britain. Now the country's commonest bird of prey, it can even be seen over London. Yet the return of this broad-winged hawk isn't welcomed by everyone.

Two landmark events were the focus of land conservation efforts announced recently: a wildlife management area was designated in North Dakota, where Lewis and Clark spent several days on their journey west. In Pennsylvania, land was set aside to build a memorial where Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001.

A giant crocodile in South Africa is revealing its secret whereabouts through instant messages to the cell phone of the scientist studying its habits. The new use of widespread communications technology allows researchers to dial up the whereabouts of the reptile whenever necessary.

Sharks and mysteries of the universe captured the imaginations of National Geographic News readers in 2003. The ocean's most feared predator, Bigfoot, and other unusual subjects accounted for half of the top ten news stories of the year and vied for the number one slot. Read the full list of the ten most popular reader stories of 2003. Full story and photo gallery:

A beautiful reptile once thought functionally extinct in the wild is back from the brink—barely. Can remote Cambodian mountains continue to shelter the Siamese crocodile?

North Atlantic marine creatures living along deep sea volcanoes known as seamounts are seriously threatened by expanding fishing activity, according to a three-year study. Environmentalists warn that commercial trawlers threaten orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) and other fish species.

At 17 pounds (8 kilograms), Cromo, an 8-month-old Iberian lynx bears a weighty responsibility. He is the only male Iberian lynx in captivity. Cromo's species faces extinction, authorities say, and more births are crucial.

Last week, Brazilian President Luiz da Silva announced the launch of a multi-year World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development. The initiative partners world governments, private sector sponsors, and non-profit organizations—including the National Geographic Society—that work to promote good tourism practices.

Amid considerable controversy, the National Park Service re-introduced gray wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s. Recent studies suggest that the 200-plus predators traveling in over 20 wolf packs are now providing some unexpected benefits to species ranging from coyotes (Canis latrans) to golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos).