A magpie known as Molly, famous for his friendship with dogs Peggy and Ruby, may be separated from them again following a court ruling. The Supreme Court has revoked a special license allowing Molly to remain with his rescuers, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, just months after it was granted. Molly’s story began in 2020 […]
Rodenticides found in turkey vultures despite bans
Although California recently banned the use of anticoagulant rodenticides, turkey vultures in the state still have evidence of exposure to the chemicals in their bodies. Researchers studied the vultures’ exposure to eight different types of rodenticide in southern California from 2016 to 2021. The team found 11% of the birds they studied were exposed to […]
‘It’s nonstop’: how noise pollution threatens the return of Norway’s whales
From the moment that the biologist Dr Heike Vester presses play, the sound of the static of the fjord fills the room. First comes the constant, steady rumbling of a boat engine. Then, every eight seconds, like a foreboding bass drum, comes the explosion of seismic airguns – extremely loud blasts used in oil and […]
Ethiopian Wolves May Be Surprising Pollinators
Ethiopian wolves, known for their carnivorous diet, have been observed licking nectar from red hot poker flowers in the Bale Mountains. These wolves, with their white snouts dusted yellow by pollen, may play an unexpected role in plant pollination. Sandra Lai, an ecologist from Oxford University, and her team noted this unusual behavior, suggesting that […]
Invasive spotted lanternflies thrive in cities
Warm cities may provide the best conditions for the spread of invasive lanternflies. Spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula), native to Asia, first arrived in the U.S. in 2014 in Pennsylvania. They have since spread across the Northeast and into the Midwest and Southeast. Scientists tapped into the citizen science platform iNaturalist to learn more about why […]
Hiker, 63, dies after being attacked by “stinging insects” on the trail
A 63-year-old hiker has died after being attacked by “stinging insects” on a Hong Kong hiking trail. According to the South China Morning Post, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a party of four was hiking on the Wilson Trail in the Pat Sin Leng mountain range. The group of two men and two […]
Turkmenistan Joins Global Effort to Protect Wildlife
Turkmenistan will become a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in January 2025. This move makes Turkmenistan the 185th country to join CITES, completing Central Asia’s representation in the treaty aimed at regulating wildlife trade and combating trafficking. Turkmenistan is home to a variety of […]
EU votes to weaken protection for European wolves
Wolves across Europe are set to lose their “strictly protected” status. The move is seen as a win for farmers concerned about loss of livestock, but conservationists warn that removing protections will jeopardize stable wolf populations. At a recent meeting of the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, EU countries […]