“He stopped, looked at me, snorted – and charged. I turned and ran, but was unceremoniously catapulted by the irate beast”

“He stopped, looked at me, snorted – and charged. I turned and ran, but was unceremoniously catapulted by the irate beast”

What’s the most dangerous animal in China? The internet tells me it’s the Chinese cobra, but my own rather hair-raising research suggests that it is a seldom seen and poorly known species known as the takin, says Jonathan Eames. It all started in the Qinling Mountains in the north-west of the country, where I was […]

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‘The toll is huge’: El Niño-driven wildfires overwhelm Indonesia’s orangutan population

‘The toll is huge’: El Niño-driven wildfires overwhelm Indonesia’s orangutan population

The mother’s hands were peeling from walking on the torched ground. Her eight-month-old baby, which clung to her side, was dehydrated and thin. The pair, named Mama Abu and Abu (“ash” in Indonesian), were found in an oil palm subsidiary estate, rescuers say. The orangutan pair were saved last month from wildfires that are devouring […]

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“It was shocking.” Deep-sea scientists find unexpected creature 3,000ft below the ocean’s surface

“It was shocking.” Deep-sea scientists find unexpected creature 3,000ft below the ocean’s surface

A new study has found that reproductive female Antarctic krill actively use deep-sea hydrothermal vents as a habitat, suggesting these environments may play a role in the animals’ reproductive cycle. Researchers observed groups of the animals moving along mineral-rich fissures in the ocean floor, with every krill collected from the site found to be a […]

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In war-torn South Sudan, giraffes retain a surprisingly healthy gene pool

In war-torn South Sudan, giraffes retain a surprisingly healthy gene pool

Giraffes living in the South Sudan’s war-torn savannas are genetically healthy and connected to nearby giraffe populations by gene flow, despite decades of conflict, recent research suggests. These findings show that “regions of the world that have been affected by conflict can maintain a lot of biodiversity and should therefore not be overlooked by genetic […]

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These are the most dangerous caterpillars in the world – one even contains enough venom to kill a human

These are the most dangerous caterpillars in the world – one even contains enough venom to kill a human

From a South American caterpillar whose venom can interfere with blood clotting to a North American species capable of delivering an intensely painful sting, discover the world’s most dangerous caterpillars. Most dangerous caterpillars Fire taturana Nicknamed the assassin caterpillar, Lonomia obliqua (also known as a fire taturana or giant silkworm) is among the few caterpillars […]

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