Red squirrels have expanded their range across the Highlands by more than a quarter after a 10-year reintroduction programme moved hundreds to new homes. The species once came close to extinction in Britain when foresters killed them as pests and their natural habitat was destroyed. A deadly virus carried by invasive grey squirrels has hampered […]
Crocodile attacks lion cub on Zambian river. Here’s how its pride reacts…
Lions are one of the most powerful apex predators on Earth, able to take down animals far larger than themselves. That doesn’t mean they’re invincible, however. In footage captured for BBC’s Kingdom, a pride of lions and their cubs are forced to leave their nursery ground after wildfires rip through the grassland. On their way […]
A rare bright spot for whales: Decades of conservation pay off for endangered population in Canada
Populations of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus), playful animals that resemble large dolphins, stretch across the Atlantic Ocean, with each group of whales living year-round in a particular deep ocean canyon. Historically, commercial whaling targeted these animals, causing their numbers across the basin to collapse. Even as protections against whaling increase, northern bottlenose whale populations […]
Changes to polar bear DNA could help them adapt to global heating, study finds
Changes in polar bear DNA that could help the animals adapt to warmer climates have been detected by researchers, in a study thought to be the first time a statistically significant link has been found between rising temperatures and changing DNA in a wild mammal species. Climate breakdown is threatening the survival of polar bears. […]
Capybara Cafes Are Fueling A Dangerous Trend In The Exotic Pet Trade
According to a recent report from the Guardian, cafes across Asia are turning exotic animals into props for selfie culture, and experts say the trend is pushing the illegal pet trade to new heights. In Bangkok, visitors can now pay to cuddle capybaras, the gentle giants native to South America, even though these rodents belong […]
Ancient Origins Of Kissing Reveal A Surprising Connection To Nature
Kissing may seem like a modern expression of romance, yet emerging research shows it is rooted deep in our shared past with other species. According to Earth.com, scientists from Oxford examined primate behavior, oral microbes, and ancient DNA to understand how this intimate act began. Their findings suggest that early humans and even Neanderthals likely […]
To save jaguars from extinction, scientists in Brazil are trying IVF and cloning
MIRANDA, Brazil — We made three attempts to capture a jaguar after arriving at Fazenda Bodoquena in Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul state, on a Thursday afternoon in early September. Part of the team went to set up a snare trap near a cow carcass that had been found earlier that day. We were sure […]
A dead whale shows up on your beach. What do you do with the 40-ton carcass?
When a whale dies, its body descends to the bottom of the deep sea in a transformative phenomenon called a whale fall. A whale’s death jump-starts an explosion of life, enough to feed and sustain a deep-ocean ecosystem for decades. There are a lot of ways whales can die. Migrating whales lose their way and, […]