The strange-looking Picathartes have lived in the Congo for 44 million years. Bald-headed birds that mate for life and breed in the rainy season, they build their nests out of mud on the underside of overhanging rocks on a cliff or cave roof to stay dry. This has also earned them the alternative name of rockfowls. The ground-loving birds have intriguing ways of […]
Endangered Persian Leopards Mount Comeback in Central Asia’s Most Reclusive Nation
Last year, a broad network of camera traps in western Turkmenistan was broadened in the hopes of better understanding the populations of an Endangered leopard subspecies. Powered by a Washington, DC conservation financier, from a country whose citizens are rarely allowed to visit Turkmenistan, the survey produced positive results. There are now an estimated 60-80 […]
From the only venomous primate to creatures that can kill you when they’re dead – meet 8 of the world’s weirdest deadly animals
From an animal that’s not actually one animal, to the world’s only venomous primate, there are some unusual deadly animals in the world. Whether they inhabit the world’s oceans, jungles or rivers, there are plenty of deadly animals that are more unusual than average. From species that can inflict harm when they’re no longer living, […]
Germany moves to legalise wolf hunting in response to livestock ‘bloodlust’
Wolf hunting will be allowed in Germany under legislation passed by the lower house of parliament in response to a rapidly growing population and a sharp rise in attacks on livestock. The return and growth of the wolf population in the last three decades has emerged as a wedge issue in Germany, the land of […]
Giraffes have ridiculously high blood pressure – much higher than humans. So why doesn’t it kill them?
Giraffes are best known for their very long necks, but we shouldn’t overlook the elongated limbs of the tallest animal in the world. They’re famed for the adaptation that allows them to reach succulent leaves in the acacia canopy that shorter animals can’t access. But this extreme feature comes at a cost: namely the energy required […]
Gentoo penguins the first birds on Australian territory to contract H5N1 as bird flu spreads
The gentoo penguin has become the first bird to test positive for the H5N1 bird flu on an Australian territory, with samples confirming the virus has spread on a sub-Antarctic island. The deadly and contagious strain of bird flu, which has already killed millions of seabirds, wild birds and poultry overseas, was confirmed in southern […]
“The blow was unbelievably powerful, like being hit with a baseball bat. To make it worse, one of her talons pierced my neck, leaving it numb and bleeding.”
The harpies were mythological spirits that took the dead to hell, but this harpy eagle was intent on taking James out. I was about to climb nearly 50m up a tree and I was having second thoughts, says James Aldred. My mission was to adjust a remote camera installed a few months earlier in a harpy […]
Southern elephant seals recover in Southern Africa, but global picture is mixed
The southern elephant seal population in South Africa has seen its conservation status improve from near threatened to least concern, with a recent assessment citing the absence of serious threats to the species’ breeding colonies. Elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are native to sub-Antarctic islands, including Prince Edward Island and Marion Island, which are part of […]