One of the rarest whales on the planet has continued an encouraging trend of population growth in the wake of new efforts to protect the giant animals, according to scientists who study them. The North Atlantic right whale now numbers an estimated 384 animals, up eight whales from the previous year, according to a report […]
‘Destructive’ swans in the crosshairs as California allows hunting
Hunters will soon be allowed to kill mute swans as part of an effort to cull the “destructive, non-native” species statewide, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Starting Jan. 1, anyone with a valid hunting license will be able to kill the invasive waterfowl at any time, according to an agency news […]
Petition: Demand Mental Health Evaluation and Animal Ban for Florida Man Who Killed His Peacocks
A man in Florida grew so angry with his neighbor that he decided to eat his own pet peacocks to try and upset her. Sign the petition to demand this man get the mandated mental health counseling he clearly needs! Apparently, his neighbor had a soft spot for these birds, and had been feeding them. […]
Bonobos transformed how we think about animal societies. Can we save the last of the ‘hippy apes’?
Afew dozen large nests appear in the mist of equatorial dawn, half-hidden behind a tangle of vines and leaves. That is where the bonobos sleep, 12 metres above the ground. But it has rained all night, and the primates are in no hurry to get up. It is 6.30am when the first head emerges. It gives […]
The True Tale of the Man-Eating Lions of Tsavo
The man-eating lions of Tsavo, also known as the Tsavo Lions or the Ghost and Darkness, were two male African Lions that famously went on a killing rampage along the railway line between Mombasa and Nairobi in Kenya. During their nine-month reign of terror, they killed an estimated 28 to 135 victims, making them one […]
Petition: Find and Prosecute Those Behind the Wild Donkey Arrow Attacks in California
A wild burro named Cupid is lucky to be alive after being found wandering with an arrow lodged in her chest. The weapon punctured her lung – one of at least six cruel attacks on burros in southern California since June. Animal services rushed Cupid into surgery, and she is now recovering. But the attacks […]
Beasts of the Sea: the tragic story of how the ‘gentle, lovable’ sea cow became the perfect victim
Iida Turpeinen is the author of Beasts of the Sea, a Finnish novel tracing the fate of a now-extinct species: the sea cow. Similar to dugongs and manatees, the sea cow was only discovered in 1741 by the shipwrecked German-born naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller but by 1768 it had already become the first marine species […]
VOTE for the Best Photo of the Month October 2025
Welcome to the “Best Photo of the Month” competition showcasing and celebrating the biodiversity of Planet Earth. Voting is easy and lots of fun. By popular request the number of images to be selected has been increased to six. First click an image and the slideshow will start automatically. Select the SIX images you like best […]