Why I Write About Extinction

Reporting on species who are gone forever can be disheartening, but don’t let that stop you. After more than two decades on the extinction beat, I’ve learned this work can also be deeply rewarding.

Every extinct species has a story — not just of loss, but of the systems and decisions that led to that loss. These stories illuminate broader patterns of environmental degradation, policy failure, and sometimes the quiet heroism of those who tried to intervene.

The extinction beat connects you to the deepest questions in environmental journalism: What do we owe other species? How do we value what we’re losing? And how do we communicate urgency without tipping into despair?

I’ve stuck with this beat because every story teaches me something new — about biology, about policy, about human nature. And because the species that are still here need someone paying attention to what happens when we stop.