Per Ericson, a leading scientist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, is making fascinating discoveries about species of birds from all over the world that will help conservation in the future - not only of birds but also of flora and fauna in their habitats.

Per Ericson, Director of Science at the museum in Stockholm, leads and develops research and collection activities and is a member of the museum's management team. He has been at the museum since 1991, when he was senior curator of ornithology. His research focuses on the early evolution of birds and higher-level relationships between them. In his work morphological data on living and fossil birds (such as the Presbyornithidae, a family of late Cretaceous and early Tertiary birds) are combined with molecular data. Ericson is also studying intraspecific variation and speciation processes, especially in tropical and subtropical birds.

By September 9, 2012, Hurricane Michael's wind speeds dropped from what they were two days earlier. A Category 1 hurricane, Michael had maximum sustained winds of 90 miles (150 kilometers) per hour on September 9. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Michael was located roughly 955 miles (1,535 kilometers) west-southwest of the Azores.

On September 9, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this natural-color image. A fairly compact storm compared to nearby Tropical Storm Leslie, Michael nevertheless sported the spiral shape and distinct eye common in hurricanes.

By September 10, Michael's wind speeds had dropped further, to 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour. The storm was headed west, but was expected to turn toward the northwest overnight and weaken further. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

To see more fantastic images click here.

Dear All,

I hope you will be able to join us for some of our upcoming events, details of which can be found below.

We also have an exciting collaboration with the Wellcome Collection in November - tickets will be free but booking will be essential, so please keep an eye out for info on how to book.

SAVING THE TIGER: TRADITION, INNOVATION OR BOTH? - TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER 2012

TV presenter Terry Nutkins, famous for appearances on BBC nature programmes like Animal Magic and The Really Wild Show, has died at the age of 66.

Born in London in 1946, Nutkins helped out at London Zoo as a child and later helped author Gavin Maxwell care for otters on the west coast of Scotland.

The wildlife expert spent seven years on Animal Magic and was later seen on Growing Up Wild and Pets Win Prizes.

AU's Center for Environmental Filmmaking
And Filmmakers for Conservation Present

The 8th Annual Fall 2012 Film Series

Hosted by Chris Palmer and Justine Schmidt

Free and Open to the Public

No Reservation Required

Wechsler Theater, 3rd Floor, Mary Graydon Center, American University 4400, Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016-8017

See film list here.

Radar Nishuli and his team are fighting for the lives of the few remaining silverback gorillas in the world, who live in a mineral-rich area of the Congo being exploited by coltan miners. Eco-tourism is a way for outsiders to experience these precious animals and support efforts to preserve their habitat.

Send your questions for the World Leaders Dialogues

The World Leaders Dialogues are the highlight of the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress. They will feature internationally-recognized experts, politicians and CEOs in a series of five moderated public debates that tackle the most strategic issues related to conservation and sustainable development.

You can influence the debate by sending your questions about the themes before 31 August 2012: