In May 2015, more than 200,000 seemingly healthy saiga antelopes in the central steppes of Kazakhstan suddenly dropped dead. For the animals, and those charged with their conservation, the Mass Mortality Event was devastating. In the space of a few short weeks, something wiped out more than 60 per cent of the species’ global population, and more than 80 per cent of […]
First Nations in Canada call for emergency order to protect southern mountain caribou
“Under our Syilx Okanagan law, everything is sacred to us. We believe that Mother Earth is alive, all of kʷuləncutn, the creator’s creation, that it’s all alive,” Chief Dan Wilson of the Okanagan Indian Band, a Syilx Okanagan Nation, told Mongabay in a phone call. “That’s why the caribou are so important to us … […]
“It can fit in the palm of your hand, could kill you in minutes with a venom a thousand times stronger than cyanide – and there’s no antidote”
These cute cephalopods that fit in the palm of your hand could kill you in minutes with a venom a thousand times stronger than cyanide, says Melissa Hobson. What are blue-ringed octopuses? Blue-ringed octopus are a genus of octopus known for their iridescent blue markings. These iconic patterns only reveal themselves when the little octopus – which are smaller than a […]
Louisiana gears up for first recreational alligator hunt in more than 50 years
The first recreational alligator hunt in Louisiana in more than half a century is about to commence in the swamps of that state, with up to 5,000 hopeful trappers facing strict rules in order to snare a reptile. The state’s fish and wildlife commission banned alligator hunting in 1962 to allow the species to recover after decades […]
“It screams, chatters and whistles”. It might look like a dog but it definitely doesn’t sound like a dog with its freaky, spine-tingling vocals…
Sure, dogs bark, growl and howl. But did you know they can scream, chatter and whistle, too? The dhole or ‘whistling dog’ is a formidable and co-operative hunter that relies on these strange vocalisations to communicate with pack members across dense vegetation and bring down prey far larger than itself. With a russet coat and […]
Cougars cut deadly vehicle-deer collisions in the US by up to 76%, study shows
If you’re a black-tailed deer on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington, you’re always surrounded by friends and family. You are free-range, with abundant food to forage in familiar woods and meadows. But you’re also vigilant because you’re a prey species and your ideal habitat is also home to your top predators: […]
VOTE for the Best Photo of the Month August 2026
Welcome to the “Best Photo of the Month” competition showcasing and celebrating the biodiversity of Planet Earth. Voting is easy and lots of fun. By popular request the number of images to be selected has been increased to six. First click an image and the slideshow will start automatically. Select the SIX images you like best […]
“You’re looking at one of the wildest landscapes on Earth and watching a species that almost nobody has ever studied.“
Researchers have uncovered new information about a rare rodent known as the Wolffsohn’s viscacha, allowing them to reclassify the species from Data Deficient to Endangered on Argentina’s national Red List. The Wolffsohn’s viscacha (Lagidium wolffsohni) is a relatively large rodent, measuring approximately 470mm from head to rear, with the tail extending up to 305mm. Looking like a cross between […]