DiCaprio helps fight wildlife crime

During a long break he plans to take from the stress of acting, Leonardo DiCaprio is helping the World Wildlife Fund fight wildlife crime.

Illegal trade in animal parts threatens species such as elephants, rhinos, and tigers. Due to a loophole in Thai laws, Thailand has the world's largest unregulated ivory market. Criminals also sell illegally poached ivory from Africa, further devastating already threatened populations of rhinos and elephants.

• Leonardo DiCaprio launches fight against wildlife crime
• "Hands off my parts" (World Wildlife Fund)

Related:

• African poachers fill 11,000 Gabon elephants in less than a decade

Google Earth Engine

Scientists, researchers, and nationals are all partnering with Google to use its Earth Engine.

The resulting mashups of satellite data with imagery can help detect trends and also call attention to possible problem areas. Among the time-lapse views available:

• Deforestation of the Amazon
• Wyoming coal mining
• Columbia Glacier retreat (Alaska)

Pre-computed datasets include "Mexico percent tree cover". These use the free Google Earth 3D browser plugin.

• Google Earth Engine