Our Daily Planet: Wildlife Smugglers Busted and Arkansas Earthquake Swarm

Each weekday morning, OurAmazingPlanet takes the pulse of the Earth, reporting on natural phenomena and exploration news from around the globe.

Wildlife Smugglers Busted: Wildlife activists in central Africa have brought down a smuggling network and recovered hundreds of pounds of ivory, African gray parrots, tiger and lion skins, and turtle shells. [Related: Grim Trade in Tiger Parts Still Strong Globally, Report Finds .]

Is Seafood Safe?: The government has declared Gulf of Mexico seafood safe after the BP oil spill. Some scientists aren't so sure. [Related: Oceans in Peril: Primed for Mass Extinction? ]

Quake Swarm: What is causing the unusually frequent earthquakes in Guy, Arkansas? Geologists have a mystery to solve.

Wolverine Worries: Wolverines should be protected as an endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced. They'll have to wait in line, however, behind other, higher-priority species. [Related: 10 Species You Can Kiss Goodbye.]

Southwest Drought: Worst case scenario for the American southwest: A 60-year stretch of heat and drought, not witnessed since the 12th century.

Previously on Our Daily Planet: Metrodome Collapse and Cancun Climate Talks

Reach OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel at bisrael@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @btisrael.

TOPICS

Brett Israel was a staff writer for Live Science with a focus on environmental issues. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from The University of Georgia, a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, and has studied doctorate-level biochemistry at Emory University.