Between 2015 and 2024, global authorities seized 370 metric tons of pangolin scales and 193 metric tons of elephant ivory. The latest report from the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted trafficking networks, and that the lull has, surprisingly, endured. Seizures plummeted in 2020 and remain far below pre-pandemic highs, with […]
Dozens of Whales Saved by Locals After Mass Stranding on Icelandic Beach
From a country that’s typically in the news for hurting whales comes the story of a mass-stranding event with a happy ending. Around 60 pilot whales, known locally as grindhvalur, were found stranded on Ólafsfjörður beach last Sunday. Locals and emergency crews rushed to the remote area in a desperate effort to save the mammals, […]
Record number of hen harriers killed or missing
A record number of hen harriers have been killed or have gone missing in suspicious circumstances over the past five years, the RSPB has said. The protected bird species is one of the rarest in the UK, known for acrobatic “skydancing” courtship displays over the uplands, such as Forest of Bowland in Lancashire and the […]
As large scavengers decline, disease risk soars, study finds
Scavengers aren’t the most charismatic of animals, but they perform a vital task: by eating carrion, they remove dead animals from our environments. Yet large-bodied scavengers are declining worldwide, increasing the risk of the spread of diseases, according to a recent study. Researchers found that 1,376 animal species have been recorded in the scientific literature […]
Southern Resident Orcas Observed Grooming Each Other With Seaweed in First Documented Tool-Making by a Marine Mammal
Orca whales have been observed biting off lengths of kelp and using the strands to massage each other — the first known evidence of marine mammals making tools. A group of killer whales off the coast of the United States and Canada were seen removing the ends of seaweed stalks, putting them between their bodies […]
Missouri Deer Hunter Illegally Shoots Tagged Mountain Lion That Traveled 800 Miles From Nebraska
A Missouri deer hunter lost his hunting rifle, $2,000, and a year’s worth of hunting privileges after illegally shooting a mountain lion from his treestand during the 2024-25 hunting season. The big cat he shot had traveled nearly 800 miles from Nebraska, wearing double ear tags that identified it as part of a research project […]
‘Forgotten’ leopards being driven to silent extinction by poaching and trade
Leopards — solitary, enigmatic, nocturnal predators with golden fur splashed with dark rosette spots — have the widest range of any big cat. They’re found in a variety of habitats — rainforests, rocky mountains, grasslands and deserts — in both warm and cold climates. Worldwide, there are eight subspecies of leopards categorized based on their […]
Why Birds Really Sing So Loudly in the Morning
Anyone who’s ever been jolted awake by a chorus of chirping knows birds are busiest at dawn. But why they choose that early hour to be so noisy has puzzled scientists for decades. A popular theory claimed that birds sing more at dawn because their songs travel better in the still, humid morning air. Turns […]