Our amazing planet.

Our Daily Planet: Ray Hunting and Texas Motorcycle Rides

News
By Brett Israel
published

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

Ray Hunting: Shark fin soup may be out, but rays are in. An alarming rise in manta and mobula ray hunting for use in soups could threaten the species. [Related: Prized Shark Fins May Be Banned in California .]

Logging Restrictions Back: A ban is back in effect for logging old stands of hemlock, cedar and spruce trees in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska [Related: All Yours: 10 Least Visited National Parks .]

Bottom Trawling: A group of nations has agreed to a treaty that targets destructive bottom trawling in international waters of the North Pacific Ocean.

Touring Texas: Spring is near, and one great way to see the outdoors up-close is on a motorcycle. Check out five great scenic rides through Texas. [Related: Gallery: 7 Scenic Summer Drives .]

Previously on Our Daily Planet: Chilean Earthquake and Louisiana's Deadly Tornado

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

Brett Israel
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.