• Yusof Basiron, CEO of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, asks (ON HIS BLOG) that scientists compare the biodiversity of palm oil plantations to other agricultural habitats, not the rainforest they’re actually destroying. Corey’s not happy.
• Spending time in nature is “like a vacation for the prefontal cortex.” Duuude.
• Here’s an interesting piece from Fortune about the increasing ties between big NGOs (WWF, CI, Sierra Club) and Fortune 500 companies (Clorox, Coca Cola). On the one hand, it’s great that large companies seem to think that consumers want “greener” corporations. On the other hand, many NGOs are worried that taking donations from big companies may make them “run the risk of letting money cloud our judgment.”
• Some amazing photographs from a European Wildlife Photography award (beware severed monkey heads).
• Interesting thoughts on the unintended consequences of the ESA from ESABlawg. I wonder if ESA reform will happen in the next eight years.

Once again, I give you the Big Picture. October 4th was World Animal Day, and in honor of the occasion, Alan Taylor presents 38 photos of animals around the world, including our very own Giant Kangaroo Rat as taken by field tech and all-around great guy John Roser! These shots are incredibly moving, and a nice reminder of what conservationists are out there trying to protect. Good work, folks.