Visitors at Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway have been causing harm by placing coins in its rock formations. The National Trust recently removed over 20 kilos of coins due to the damage they caused. Experts highlighted that oxidization of the coins led to the disintegration of the ancient basalt columns. New measures have been implemented, including signs and donation boxes for visitors.

Western snowy plovers have returned to nesting at California’s Coal Oil Point Reserve after about 40 years. A conservation programme involving the Santa Barbara Zoo, UC Santa Barbara and the US Fish and Wildlife Service has released 212 birds since 2016. This year, 11 released plovers were fitted with radio and Bluetooth tracking devices to monitor their movements and survival.

Scientists have identified two new sea spider species in the Salish Sea, nearly 100 years after the last new species was formally described there. One has hairy legs and red eyes and can groom itself with comb-like appendages. The other often carries debris and tiny parasites on its body. Researchers say more species may remain undocumented.

Two yellow-bellied marmots were separately found far from their mountain habitat in San Francisco and Antioch in September. Wildlife rescuers believe the animals may have travelled inside vehicles from the Sierra Nevada or Lake Tahoe. After 18 days, both were released nearly 7,800 feet up near Lake Tahoe, while the cases highlighted the risk of marmots entering vehicles.