Protecting vulture populations in Africa presents some unique challenges for conservationists. These slow-breeding and ecologically vital scavengers range over vast territories and are vulnerable to poisons targeting other species and expanding infrastructure like power lines. Creating “vulture safe zones” has emerged as a way to address these broad and varied threats, but putting them into […]
Author: Supertrooper
Founder and Executive Editor
A massive wave capsized my kayak, leaving me stranded in waters known for great whites. Then something peculiar happened
San Miguel Island, part of California’s Channel Islands National Park, lies 50km off the coast of Santa Barbara. The waters surrounding this windswept island teem with marine life, particularly seals and sealions – in fact, Point Bennett, on the island’s western tip, hosts the largest congregation of these animals anywhere in the world. On any […]
“The fish life has exploded”: 400,000 corals planted on dying reef in Bali. What happened next was remarkable
A diver in Indonesia was distraught at seeing coral reefs destroyed. So, he decided to do something about it. Many scuba divers will know the devastation of seeing coral reefs becoming bleached and dying. That was the case for Leon Boey, founder of Livingseas Asia, so he decided to do something about it. He’s now […]
The most desirable songbird in Indonesia is disappearing from the wild
SUMATRA, Indonesia — Armed with a machete, some sticky gum and a recording of birdsong on his phone, “Peni” makes his way into the forest. He’s searching for songbirds in the Sumatran jungle, specifically the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), known locally as murai batu. The popularity of murai batu has boomed in the past decade […]
“It came up with a mako shark in its mouth, eating some, then delivering the rest to – me. What happened next was extraordinary…”
Out of season, the chances of seeing wildlife might be lower but, the encounters can be even more incredible, as these wildlife lovers learned when they came face to face with orcas. Baja California Sur has turned into the world’s hotspot to see orcas up close – and that’s where we were headed, says Andi Cross. […]
How seabird poop helped fuel ancient civilizations in Peru
The Chincha Islands off the coast of Peru are home to many seabird species that cover their island homes with thick layers of poop, or guano. New research now suggests that ancient Peruvians in the Chincha Valley on the Peruvian mainland hunted these seabirds, collected their guano, and used it to fertilize their maize crops, […]
“He approaches slowly.” Filmmakers built a robot otter and released it into the Alaskan sea. What it saw was astonishing
Tool use was once believed to be exclusive to humans, but plenty of animals have since been seen using objects to help them forage for food, clean themselves and create shelter. One of these species is sea otters. While sea otters do eat fish, they prefer to eat clams, mussels and crabs. And as they spend […]
Loosely social animals at higher risk of decline than social species
Social interactions are crucial for the survival of most animal species. Living in groups helps animals spot predators, find food and raise more successful young than they could alone. Conventional wisdom has long held that highly social animals, like lions or capuchin monkeys, are highly vulnerable when their populations decline. But new research suggests that […]