Rather than culling animals amidst major disease outbreaks, a new study has found a potentially more effective alternative: vaccinations. At least that’s what researchers confirmed for curbing bovine tuberculosis in badgers in research recently published in the journal People and Nature. The findings are promising for not only protecting badgers but also cattle, which have […]
New Research Shows That Flamingos Don’t Spend More Time Preening Than Other Water Birds
Recent research challenges the long-held belief that flamingos preen their feathers more than other waterbirds. A study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science by the University of Exeter and WWT Slimbridge Wetland Center examined the feather care habits of five flamingo species. Contrary to popular belief, flamingos‘ preening habits are average compared to other waterbirds. […]
Mountain lion cub found with no sign of mom for days. So California rescuers step in
A resident found a baby mountain lion all alone in California — and even wildlife officials couldn’t find its mom . The California Department of Fish and Wildlife set up wildlife surveillance cameras and also searched on foot hoping to find the tiny cub’s mom, “but sadly no mountain lions were detected in the area […]
Out-of-Place ‘Devil Bird’ Wows Spectators in Maine, the First Anhinga Ever Seen in the State
In winter of 2022, Maine was accorded the honor of a visit from a Stellar’s sea eagle, a truly incredible raptor with an 8-foot-wingspan that may have been diverted from its migratory path as far away as Russia. Now, it’s the turn of this strange, long-necked “devil bird,” to send the state’s birdwatching community into […]
Peregrine Falcons Flourish in Yosemite with Aid from Climbers
Initially discovered in 1978 by climbers on El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite monolith, peregrine falcons had vanished from Yosemite since the last sighting in 1941. The discovery kick-started a series of Conservation measures that would pave the way for one of California’s most successful wildlife recovery stories. At the time, only 324 pairs remained […]
Residents warned after brazen alligators take over flooded cities
Southerners are being told to watch out for unexpected alligators in their backyards and swimming pools as Tropical Storm Debby deluges the East Coast. Several in South Carolina have filmed massive gators stalking their streets and taking dips in backyard pools since Debby made landfall on Monday. ‘There’s a seven-footer,’ Robert Moose Rini said from […]
A renewed bid to protect burrowing owls is advancing: What changed?
Western burrowing owls are diminutive, adorable and goofy—and conservation organizations have renewed calls for the state to protect them before it’s too late. Now, more than 20 years since a formal request was made, California wildlife officials appear to be listening. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently recommended that state wildlife policymakers consider […]
Animal Social Behavior Changes as They Get Older
As animals age, their social behaviors often change, a phenomenon observed in various species. Gregory Albery, an ecologist from Georgetown University, studied red deer on the Isle of Rum to understand this shift. His research revealed that older female red deer tend to associate with fewer individuals over time. The study aimed to determine whether […]