Hutias are a strange group of rodents living on various islands of the Caribbean. Although big, and sometimes looking a little plump, they’re active climbers and spend a considerable amount of their lives in trees. They look almost like a cross between a squirrel and a beaver, but are only distantly related to either. Instead, […]
Saving ‘old and wise’ animals vital for species’ survival, say scientists
It’s not just humans who get wiser as they age – animals do too, according to a growing body of research. The bigmouth buffalo fish can reach 127 years old, the Greenland shark 392, and some sponges can live for 10,000 years or more. And age is not just a number: as animals get older […]
Vandals Paint Tortoises in Florida
Two gopher tortoises in southwest Florida are recovering after being spray-painted in a troubling act of vandalism. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples reported the incident on November 22, sharing that the tortoises were found with their shells covered in vibrant paint, including hot pink, royal blue, and gold. One tortoise even had paint […]
‘Bear’s-eye camera’ reveals elusive Andean bear cannibalism and treetop mating
In the mountains of Peru, where ancient cloud forests meet the Amazon Rainforest, an Andean bear made scientific history. For four months, a camera collar captured the wild male’s daily life, revealing behaviors never before documented in the Southern Hemisphere’s only bear species, from treetop mating rituals to unexpected acts of cannibalism. The study, published […]
World’s oldest-known wild bird lays egg in Hawaii at age 74
The oldest-known wild bird in the world has laid an egg at the ripe age of about 74, her first in four years, US wildlife officials said. The long-winged seabird named Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, returned to Midway Atoll national wildlife refuge at the north-western edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago and laid what experts estimate […]
Vivy the Orangutan Returns to the Wild After Recovery
Vivy, a young Bornean orangutan, has been released back into the wild after months of recovery from severe injuries. This critically endangered species is at risk, and Vivy’s story highlights the challenges they face due to human activities. The 12-year-old orangutan was found in Borneo on April 20, severely malnourished and near death, according to […]
Legal battle against controversial oil pipeline faces another setback
A critical legal case filed by four East African NGOs against a controversial oil pipeline is facing yet another delay, but the NGOs say they remain hopeful. “What we need is for the court to hear the case on its merit, and we believe we have presented good evidence,” Dickens Kamugisha, CEO of the Africa […]
Ecologists Preparing to Return Tigers to Kazakhstan in World-First Tiger Reintroduction Effort
In a historic step toward the first-ever restoration of the tiger population to a nation where they were once extinct, two captive Siberian tigers have been translocated from Anna Paulowna Sanctuary, Netherlands, to the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve in Kazakhstan. This remarkable event is part of an ambitious program led by the Government of Kazakhstan with […]