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Minneapolis ends river shipping to stop the spread of invasive carp. -

Congress ordered the permanent shutdown of the Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam to protect the northernmost stretch of the Mississippi River from Asian carp. This invader can outcompete native fish, with disastrous consequencesNPR

Fin whales are dying in Alaska. -

Researchers are baffled by the deaths of at least nine of these endangered cetaceans at the same time and place in the Kodiak Archipelago. The whales show no signs of injury and may have ingested a toxin of some sort. Huffington Post

The world may be entering a sixth mass-extinction event. -

A new study says that thanks to development, farming, and deforestation, the rate of extinction of species during the 20th century was up to 100 times higher than it would have been without human influence. The Guardian

A ton of ivory just got crushed in the middle of Times Square. -

Poachers kill 35,000 elephants each year for their ivory. But by pulverizing thousands of confiscated tusks and trinkets in an incredibly public location, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service hopes to send a message to wildlife traffickers and take the contraband off the market—for good. CBS New York

The Obama administration proposes new emissions rules for big trucks. -

Tougher fuel-efficiency standards are in store for garbage trucks, 18-wheelers, and heavy-duty pickups built after 2018. The trucking industry supports the move, which would also reduce fuel costs. Wall Street Journal

Scientists are eavesdropping on mating fish (to protect them, of course). -

With the help of local fishermen, biologists are locating cod spawning grounds by listening for underwater grunting noises. The scientists then know which areas to protect, and the fishermen know where they can fish without thwarting their precious cod's comeback. NPR