Planet Earth is home to over 2 million different species, all of which are at least somewhat unique. But while we humans have our intellect, which makes us truly stand out from the crowd, we’re not the only ones who have something of such impressiveness. For example, let’s take a look at Henry, a reptile […]
The Itombwe owl: Two birds and an identity crisis
Everything we know for certain about the Itombwe owl comes from just two individuals: one dead for more than 70 years, and the other also most likely dead by now. The second, a small, chestnut-colored owl, was netted by Tom Butynski’s team in 1996; a wild owl can expect to live 10 years. Butynski tells […]
Alleged Spy Beluga Whale Found Dead in Norway
A beluga whale nicknamed “Hvaldimir,” who gained international attention after being spotted near Norway wearing a mysterious harness, has been found dead in southern Norway. The whale’s body was discovered floating in Risavika Bay on Saturday by a father and son while they were fishing, according to the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. Hvaldimir first made […]
Mountain lion snatches 5-year-old boy during Labor Day picnic as horrified parents watch on
A family’s Labor Day celebration turned tragic on Sunday Aug. 31 their 5-year-old son was attacked by a mountain lion in Malibu park outside of Los Angeles. The attack happened at around 4:21 p.m. on Sunday in the Malibu Creek State Park about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The mountain lion attempted to […]
Kakapo Parrot is True Ancient Species of New Zealand, Paleontologists Say
“Our research had prompted a rethink of our native fauna,” said Canterbury Museum’s Dr. Paul Scofield. “Many of the species that we thought of as iconic New Zealand natives — a classic example would be the takahē — we now know are relatively recent blow-ins from Australia, arriving only a few million years ago.” In […]
Orangutan’s Daring Escape Prompts Zoo Safety Review
A four-second video clip has captured the attention of many as Kembali, a Sumatran orangutan, executed an impressive escape maneuver at a zoo. The agile primate was seen swinging from newly installed O-line ropes to an elevated platform, where he displayed a remarkable “cartwheel-like motion” to avoid a hot wire barrier designed to prevent such […]
Why don’t deep-sea animals implode? Here’s how they survive extreme pressures at the bottom of the ocean
Fish, squid, jellyfish and many other animals live in the abyss, thousands of metres below the surface, where the pressure is at least 150 times higher than inside a car tyre. So why don’t they implode? These animals don’t implode, but bring one to the surface and it may melt in your hand. Their cell […]
Highways prevent pumas from reclaiming their eastern U.S. range: Study
Pumas are unlikely to recolonize much of their historical range in the eastern U.S., a new study finds. It’s not a lack of habitat or food keeping out the pumas, also known as cougars or mountain lions. It’s the highways. Historically, pumas (Puma concolor) ranged coast to coast across nearly all of the Americas, stretching […]