Leaves and Twigs: A Weekly Roundup of the Best Sustainability Stories on the Web

What captivated the conservation community last week? Stories of monogamous animals abounded, climate experts reflected on President Obama’s statements on climate change and a series of studies revealed threats to reptiles and other species. 

A Sumatran tiger cub. [Credit: Smithsonian National Zoological Park]

• Is “poverty tourism” eye-opening or exploitive? Tips to ensure respectful, rewarding travel experiences. [Sustainable Trip]
• The San Francisco Zoo is now home to a Sumatran tiger cub. There are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. [The Guardian]
• Owl monkeys form intimate bonds that might be the basis of human relationships. [National Geographic]
• “A disabled turtle pulled from a Japanese fisherman’s net several years ago has been given a new lease on life with the development of high-tech, prosthetic flippers.” [Huffington Post]
• Nearly half of all Millenials say that a company’s environmental reputation impacts their purchasing decisions. [Green Biz]
• The Zoological Society of London recently revealed that one-fifth of the world’s reptiles are at risk of extinction. [BBC Nature]
• A new report from Duke University reveals that the “percentage of Americans who believe in climate change has grown, and the majority of Americans support new regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”  [Huffington Post]
• Our climate program director reflects on President Obama’s recent statements on climate change. [Frog Blog]
• A slide show of 11 animals that mate for life, including gibbons, swans, angelfish and wolves. [Mother Nature Network]
• The coast of New Zealand is home to a newly discovered species of eelpout fish. [Huffington Post]
• Scientists from Carnegie’s department of global ecology have determined that the recent die-off of Colorado trembling aspen trees is the direct result of climate change. [Phys.org]