During an expedition to southern Guyana in 2000, researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Kansas were surprised to see a red siskin flying overhead. A small bird with a bright red chest, the red siskin (Spinus cucullatus) had never been observed outside Venezuela, Colombia and Trinidad and Tobago. And even in those […]
Category: Wildlife
The Animals in Madagascar are Weird. Here’s Why!
Madagascar is one of the most biologically diverse regions on Earth. It is the fourth largest island globally, spanning approximately 600,000 square kilometers, akin to the size of Alaska. The island is situated about 300 mil es southeast of Africa, and its geographical isolation has led to a unique evolutionary path. Madagascar separated from Africa […]
Bear Cubs Tumble Down Mountainside As Mother Bear Defends Them From Attacking Male
Mother bears have to do what mother bears have to do. If you’ve ever wished to see how, “If you want them, you’re gonna have to go through me” would play out in the wild, this video should do the trick. Photographer Brad Josephs was out in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska when […]
Steady flight of kestrels could help aerial safety soar
A new joint study by RMIT and the University of Bristol has revealed secrets to the remarkably steady flight of kestrels and could inform future drone designs and flight control strategies. The study, “Steady as they hover: kinematics of kestrel wing and tail morphing during hovering flights,” was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. […]
Petition: Help Protect Endangered African Elephants
There are only a few species of animals – that we know of – that use unique names to refer to each other. Humans obviously fall into this category, as do dolphins and even sometimes parrots. And now we’ve learned there’s another majestic species that has this rare ability: wild African elephants. But African elephants […]
She’s the Oldest Common Loon in the World. She Just Had Her 42nd Chick
The soap opera continues: The world’s oldest common loon hatched two chicks this year, lengthening her record-setting streak as a successful mother. Fe (pronounced “fay”), a female loon who is at least 38 years old, had another fruitful breeding season at Seney National Wildlife Refuge on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Already the world’s most […]
Natural Disasters Put Some Species at Greater Risk of Extinction
Humans aren’t the only ones at risk from natural disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes can affect wildlife, too. For species already at risk of extinction, these natural disasters can add new perils. In a recent study, researchers identified species particularly at risk from natural hazards as well as the management actions that could protect […]
Petition: Help Save the Borneo Pygmy Elephant from Extinction
In tragic news, the Borneo pygmy elephant – the smallest living elephant – is teetering on the brink of extinction. With only about 1,000 of these majestic creatures left in the wild, urgent action is necessary. Deforestation, human-wildlife conflict, and increasing agricultural pressures threaten their survival. While the Malaysian and Indonesian governments have plans to […]