California has taken a historic step for animal protection by banning octopus farming. Now, the rest of the country must follow. The Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses (OCTO) Act prohibits the farming of octopuses for food and bans the sale of commercially farmed octopus in California. With this law, California joined Washington in recognizing that these […]
Category: Wildlife
Gene from High Altitude Yak Protected and Repaired Myelin Sheath in Early MS Study
A special gene that helps animals like the yak survive at high altitude could enable new treatments for multiple sclerosis after positive findings from a mouse model. The genetic mutation that enables yaks to live in environments with much less oxygen, and may hold the key to repairing nerve damage in conditions such as multiple […]
“It has huge back legs armed with dagger-like claws that can reach 12cm long.” 10 bonkers birds that break the rules of nature
While there are plenty of weird birds to be found in the natural world, this avian selection is particularly extraordinary. From the only bird that hibernates, to the bird that can kick a human to death, here are 10 birds that defy the norms of nature. Birds that break nature’s rules Livingstone’s turaco The bird with metal […]
From endangered to invasive: Rare ocelot spotted on Mexico’s Cozumel Island
In 2016, when biologists in Mexico reviewed their photo traps from Cozumel, a Mexican island in the Caribbean, they were surprised to see an ocelot, a wildcat considered endangered in the country. But curiosity soon turned to alarm: ocelots are effective predators of endemic species on the island, which have no experience or natural defense […]
Facebook shuts Indonesia groups after Mongabay and Bellingcat report illegal wildlife trade
This story was produced in collaboration with Bellingcat. JAKARTA — A new report by Mongabay and independent journalism organization Bellingcat has uncovered several Facebook groups selling protected species in Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. In a Facebook group whose Indonesian name translates to “West Bogor Animal Selling and Trading Forum,” […]
Elusive Nightjar Populations Doubled in 5 Years, a ‘Remarkable Comeback’ Conservationists Say
The population of one of England’s most-elusive birds is flourishing again thanks to conservation efforts in the south of the country. The nightjar, sometimes called the nighthawk, becomes active at twilight, and they’re famous for their chortling calls and fantastic camouflage. Their numbers declined some 51% between the 1970s and 2000s after substantial forest loss. The […]
Ginormous king penguin colony filmed on remote Atlantic island. The sound of it is ear-splitting
The sight of a seemingly endless gaggles of penguins is only one of the mind-boggling elements of an Antarctic voyage. Another is the ear-splitting cacophony of said colony. Although not all of us will be lucky enough to hear this din for ourselves, a recent video taken by adventurer Chris Long brought it to life perfectly. “That’s quite a […]
World Frog Day: New species described amid threats to amphibian survival
March 20 is World Frog Day. Frogs and toads have inhabited Earth for hundreds of millions of years, but 40% of amphibians species are now at risk of extinction, according to the latest conservation assessments. Every year, roughly 150 new amphibian species are described. But many are immediately listed as threatened or endangered due to habitat loss, disease and […]