Washington state just took a major step forward to protect the intelligent, sensitive, wonderful creatures that are octopuses. Its legislators passed the world’s first-ever law to ban Octopus farming, which is fraught with cruelty and environmental hazards. As the bill’s sponsor, state representative Strom Peterson, said: “Octopus farming leads to suffering and sickness for one […]
A Tennessee fisherman reeled in a big one. It turned out to be an alligator
MAYNARDVILLE, Tennessee (AP) – A fisherman at a lake in northeast Tennessee caught a surprise at the end of his line when he pulled up a 3- to 4-foot long alligator. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said their Union County wildlife officer Rick Roberts got a call from the angler on Monday describing the unusual […]
Empire of the ants: what insect supercolonies can teach us
It is a familiar story: a small group of animals living in a wooded grassland begin, against all odds, to populate Earth. At first, they occupy a specific ecological place in the landscape, kept in check by other species. Then something changes. The animals find a way to travel to new places. They learn to […]
Houston Woman Sentenced for Illegal Sale of Endangered Animals
A recent case in Houston has highlighted the grim reality of the illegal wildlife trade, particularly concerning endangered species. Savannah Nicole Valdez, a 21-year-old woman, has been sentenced to prison for her involvement in the illegal sale of exotic animals, including a spider monkey and toucans. Valdez’s sentencing came after a thorough investigation initiated in […]
‘Snake Hunter’ Bitten by Tiger Snake Is Facing Multiple Organ Failure
A snake hunter has been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a venomous snake, as a result of his equipment failing. Mark Pelley, a local of Victoria in southeastern Australia who goes by The Snake Hunter on Facebook—where he posts pictures and videos of his reptile-rescuing missions—was bitten by a venomous tiger snake on […]
Death tolls mount as elephants and people compete for land in Sri Lanka
Setting out from home to collect firewood on a cool spring morning last year, Harshini Wanninayake and her mother had no idea only one of them would come back alive. The pair were walking to a nearby forest from Eriyawa, a village in north-west Sri Lanka, when they heard a loud rustling close by. “It […]
New Species of Fluffy Beetle Discovered in Australia
Entomologists have discovered a remarkable new genus and species of longhorn beetle living in the subtropical rainforests of southeastern Queensland, Australia. Longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) are one of the most diverse animal families on the planet with over 36,000 recognized living species and 5,100 genera. The Australian fauna contains approximately 1,400 recognized species distributed amongst more […]
Great white shark chomps on whale carcass off Sarasota coast after swimming up to boaters’ with its jaws wide open
Boaters off the coat of Sarasota were surprised when a great white shark swam up to them and flashed its pearly whites before chowing down on a whale carcass several feet away. Video captured by Brian Jung and Daniel Delatorre on March 17 shows the shark gliding up to one boat that was 15 miles […]