NAIROBI — Cheetahs are known to be selective in their feeding habits — “clean eaters” that only go after the prime parts of their kill, such as the liver. But a new study has found that the large, slender, spotted cat found in Africa and parts of Western Asia can also scavenge. Unlike other African […]
Georgia officials warn of ‘zombie deer disease’ after first animal in the state tests positive
Wildlife authorities in Georgia are warning about ‘zombie deer disease’ after the state’s first case. A white-tail deer in Lanier County contracted the devastating neurological disease, according to officials with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division. Chronic Wasting Disease is the official name for the ailment, which is only known to affect […]
Awake in Winter: How Climate Change is Disrupting Black Bear Hibernation
Imagine stepping outside on a crisp winter morning and spotting a black bear rummaging through your trash can. Snow blankets the ground, and the air is chilly—conditions we associate with bears being fast asleep in their dens. But increasingly, that’s not the case. Across North America, black bears are staying awake longer into winter or […]
1 in 4 freshwater species worldwide at risk of extinction: Study
The most extensive global assessment of freshwater animals to date has revealed that a quarter of all freshwater animal species on the IUCN Red List are threatened with extinction. The largest number of these threatened species are found in East Africa’s Lake Victoria, South America’s Lake Titicaca, Sri Lanka‘s Wet Zone, and India’s Western Ghats […]
Nervous System in Octopus Arms is Separated into Segments, Study Finds
The octopus has a motor control challenge of enormous complexity. Each of its eight arms is a muscular hydrostat, a soft-bodied structure that lacks a rigid skeleton and moves with near infinite degrees of freedom. Moreover, the arms are packed with hundreds of suckers which can change shape independently. Even with this complexity, octopuses control […]
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Update to Grizzly Bear Endangered Species Act Listing and Management
DENVER — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a new and comprehensive approach to long-term grizzly bear recovery in the lower 48 states and the concerns of those living with and near bears. The Service is proposing a rule to clarify the geographic area where grizzly bears in the lower 48 states are […]
Mystery syndrome killing rainbow lorikeets and flying foxes leaves scientists baffled
Thousands of rainbow lorikeets and hundreds of flying foxes have been hospitalised in Queensland in the past year with a mysterious paralysis that can affect the animals’ ability to fly, swallow and even breathe. Lorikeet paralysis syndrome has struck birds in Queensland and New South Wales since at least 2012, and a similar syndrome was […]
New study reveals why some birds are all about that bass
Birds produce an impressive variety of songs and calls, but the biological and ecological factors that influence the pitch, or frequencies, that birds create hasn’t been well understood — until now. Previous studies haven’t come to a consensus likely because they were small in scope, focusing on an individual species or a specific range. But […]