Some species in the ocean live their lives at a breakneck pace – at least, when they need to. Whether it’s to catch their dinner or avoid becoming dinner, many animals can swim incredibly quickly. But which are the fastest? Of course, it’s almost impossible to know exactly how fast a fish can swim, as […]
Petition: Protect Spain’s White Lynx Now
In southern Spain, a photographer captured something extraordinary: a white Iberian lynx, never before seen in the wild. Nicknamed “the white ghost of the Mediterranean forest,” this lynx, named Satureja, is now the focus of international attention and scientific curiosity. But her appearance is also raising alarms about the future of her species and their […]
This creature has one of the mightiest, most lethal weapons in the animal kingdom – and he uses it to impress the girls
Consider elephant tusks, elk antlers, rhino horns or the curved canines of the extinct sabre-toothed cat… these weapons may be enormous, but, proportionally, it’s the male fiddler crab that owns the mightiest weapon on record. The male’s larger claw can be half of its total body mass – the equivalent of carrying your entire bodyweight […]
Lethal dose of plastic for seabirds and marine animals ‘much smaller than expected’
New research has found that even small amounts of plastic can be deadly to seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals. While previous research has established that plastic can lead to mortality in many species, this new study identifies the types and amounts of plastic that pose the greatest danger, and estimates how likely an animal […]
‘Callous’ beheading of stag prompts police investigation
A council in the Republic of Ireland is seeking information following the “callous” beheading of a stag. Fingal County Council has issued an appeal for information after the headless body of the stag, that was part of a herd at Newbridge Demesne, Donabate in County Dublin, was found by staff on Thursday. The stag’s head […]
Petition: Investigate New Zealand Zoo’s Lion Killings Now
A privately-owned zoo in New Zealand, operating under the name “Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary,” recently shut down. And when it did so, its leaders decided to kill off two of its oldest lions, saying it would be too complicated to relocate them. Sign the petition to demand an investigation into this zoo’s actions and to demand […]
Nature’s weirdest defenders: From blood-shooting lizards to slime-spewing fish, 10 creatures that fight back dirty if attacked
Nature isn’t just red in tooth and claw – sometimes it’s downright bizarre. Across the animal kingdom, evolution has equipped creatures with an astonishing armoury of unconventional, often outrageous defence strategies. Some wrap themselves in mucus sleeping bags, others weaponise their own skeletons or bodily fluids – and a few simply out-slime anything that dares […]
Game of tiny thrones: Parasitic ants grab power by turning workers against their queen
Queens of some ant species have evolved an unusually hostile mode for colony takeover: they infiltrate colonies of other ant species and manipulate the worker ants into killing their own queen — their mother — then accepting the intruding queen as their new leader, according to a recent study. In the world of ants, where […]