Animal offspring may survive better when their groups are in greater conflict with rival factions, research from the University of Bristol has shown for the first time. Battles between competing groups can lead to serious injury or death, and intergroup conflict has always been thought to have a negative effect on reproductive success. But findings […]
Tag: mongooses
Breeding success raises hopes for future of endangered African penguin
Two African penguin chicks have emerged from their nest beneath a boulder at a site in South Africa where conservationists have used lifelike decoy penguins and broadcast penguin calls to entice adult penguins to breed. Christina Hagen, the Pamela Isdell Fellow of Penguin Conservation at BirdLife South Africa, who leads the project, was on one […]
African wild dogs have evolved to “dwell in the cracks” of a landscape dominated by spotted hyenas and lions
Large carnivores are essential in Africa for ecological, economic, and cultural reasons, but human activities endanger them. Lions, hyenas, and African wild dogs are increasingly relegated to protected regions such as national parks. They must compete for the same food sources within these constrained locations. Of course, competition is nothing new. African wild dogs have […]
What the Mauritius kestrel can teach us about wildlife reintroductions
They were once considered the most threatened bird in the world: with just four remaining individuals on the island in 1974, the Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus) seemed doomed to extinction. Now, it’s a conservation marvel, acting as an example for the translocation and reintroduction of other species too. A team of scientists from five organizations […]