In what is being described as an “important first step,” for marine protections in the island nation of New Zealand, 5 new marine preserves will enter into force next month. Surrounding a district called Otago near the southeastern tip of the South Island, 308 square miles of key marine habitats filled with charismatic species will […]
VOTE for the Best Photo of the Month July 2026
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 […]
“Ewwww!” A diver was filming a manta ray, when this happened
Even when you have regular encounters with incredible marine creatures, they still have an endless capacity to surprise. So, although dive instructor Keren Flor had seen an oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) leave a trail of bright yellow excrement behind before, she decided to hit record on her camera when spotting this striking phenomenon on a dive […]
Beavers restored a volcano-scarred river. Now it’s at risk again
More than 40 years after sediment from a volcanic eruption filled up a stretch of the North Fork Toutle River in the U.S. state of Washington, beavers are turning the smothered waterway into a thriving wetland. However, a planned infrastructure project now threatens to undo five years of restoration progress, reports contributor Isabel Gil for Mongabay. Following […]
It might look like a bit like your pet cat – but this fierce predator is a skilful swimmer who can sprint at 30mph and is anything but cuddly…
While at first glance you may think it resembles a domestic cat, a bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a much bigger and and more fierce hunter. It’s a medium-sized species of lynx, whose name comes from is short tail, which looks cut or ‘bobbed’. It roams the deserts and forests of Canada, the United States and […]
First sighting of African wild dogs in Malawi national park in more than 10 years
Four African wild dogs were recently spotted in Kasungu National Park in Malawi, making it the first confirmation of the endangered species in the park in more than a decade. The wild dogs appear to have travelled hundreds of kilometers from a park in eastern Zambia to reach Kasungu. Matthew Becker, chief executive of the […]
“The male torpedoed into it and it exploded into smithereens…” Ocean’s deadliest predator filmed ‘head butting’ massive fish so hard it explodes
In unprecedented footage, orcas have been filmed ramming one of the world’s heaviest fish so hard that it explodes. It’s thought that the bizarre behaviour could be a type of feeding strategy – or alternatively, maybe orcas just like blowing things up. Under the heat of the midday sun, a pod of orcas loitered in the sun-drenched […]
Gray whales are suffering catastrophic population decline in the Pacific Ocean
Gray whales are experiencing a potentially catastrophic population decline, a sharp reversal from what had been considered a conservation success. As of July 6, 2026, there were 145 gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) stranding deaths in the Pacific, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. The environmental non-profit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) estimates that for […]