Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, spending time with his daughters, and coffee.

Articles by Matthew Russell

Detailed close-up of a tortoise’s face and textured front leg resting on grass, bits of vegetation on its mouth.

Lost Galápagos Giants Reclaim Their Island and Revive a Fragile Sea

Conservationists released 158 young tortoises bred from rediscovered genetic lineages once thought lost forever. These slow-moving giants do more than graze. They spread seeds, reshape landscapes, and help restore ecosystems...

Lost Galápagos Giants Reclaim Their Island and Revive a Fragile Sea

Conservationists released 158 young tortoises bred from rediscovered genetic lineages once thought lost forever. These slow-moving giants do more than graze. They spread seeds, reshape landscapes, and help restore ecosystems...

Split image showing a close-up of an octopus on the left and a sea turtle swimming over plastic waste on the right.

How Plastic Pollution Hijacks Octopus Instincts and Scrambles Ocean Survival

Plastic waste in the ocean is everywhere. Hard plastics, fishing gear, bags, and microplastics float in gyres and wash along coasts. Sea life encounters them constantly. This pollution doesn’t just...

How Plastic Pollution Hijacks Octopus Instincts and Scrambles Ocean Survival

Plastic waste in the ocean is everywhere. Hard plastics, fishing gear, bags, and microplastics float in gyres and wash along coasts. Sea life encounters them constantly. This pollution doesn’t just...

A capybara and a tapir stare directly into the camera.

Zoo's Beloved Tapir and Capybara Die Side by Side After Years of Unbreakable Bond

At Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, a tapir and a capybara known for their deep companionship were put to sleep on the same day so neither would be left alone.

Zoo's Beloved Tapir and Capybara Die Side by Side After Years of Unbreakable Bond

At Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, a tapir and a capybara known for their deep companionship were put to sleep on the same day so neither would be left alone.

Man wearing a red cap and backpack speaking on camera in a mangrove forest.

Miami Man Pulls 35,000 Pounds of Trash From Choking Mangroves

Before dawn, he bikes miles to wade into mosquito-filled mud and haul out garbage most of us never see.

Miami Man Pulls 35,000 Pounds of Trash From Choking Mangroves

Before dawn, he bikes miles to wade into mosquito-filled mud and haul out garbage most of us never see.

Silhouetted industrial refinery structures and smokestacks release dark smoke against a vivid orange sunset sky.

White House Dismantles Core Climate Safeguards Nationwide

In a sweeping decision, the Trump administration rescinded the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.

White House Dismantles Core Climate Safeguards Nationwide

In a sweeping decision, the Trump administration rescinded the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.

Shelters Sound Alarm After Microchip Registry Shut Down Leaves Pets Stranded

Shelters Sound Alarm After Microchip Registry Shut Down Leaves Pets Stranded

Microchips are supposed to be permanent protection. But when a microchip company shuts down, that protection can unravel fast.

Shelters Sound Alarm After Microchip Registry Shut Down Leaves Pets Stranded

Microchips are supposed to be permanent protection. But when a microchip company shuts down, that protection can unravel fast.