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 […]
“Beaching here could be lethal.” Dolphins in South Carolina have developed a genius – but deadly – hunting strategy. Watch the tense Attenborough-narrated footage
Famed for their intelligence, dolphins have developed an array of incredible hunting techniques. Whether using tools such as sponges and shells to access prey, or rounding up fish by creating mud nets or forcing them to form bait balls, they cooperate and share knowledge in unprecedented ways. But in South Carolina, USA, bottlenose dolphins have […]
No trees, no food, shot for fun … yet Serbia’s imperial eagles are making an improbable return
At the start of every spring, before the trees in northern Serbia begin to leaf out, ornithologists drive across the plains of Vojvodina. They check old nesting sites of eastern imperial eagles, scan solitary trees along field margins, and search for signs of new nests. For years, the work of the Bird Protection and Study […]
