Tuesday was a sad day for our wild animals. The BBC reported that the badger cull will be extended into five new areas, although the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) would not confirm that the selections had been made. News that the already failed cull would be expanded is particularly disappointing to […]
Lions sync when they ovulate – but people don’t
While researching lions in Zambia, biologist Thandiwe Mweetwa noticed that lionesses within a pride will all have cubs around the same time. When she looked into it further, Mweetwa learned lionesses sync their fertility cycles so that they can all raise their young together. There’s a reason for that. “Synchronized estrus is thought to increase […]
POLL: Should microplastics be banned in cosmetics?
Cosmetics companies must be banned from using plastic microbeads in scrubs, toothpaste and beauty products because of the marine pollution they are causing, say a group of MPs. Members of the environmental audit committee have called for a ban within 18 months after hearing that trillions of tiny pieces of plastic are accumulating in the […]
Storms devastate monarch butterflies’ habitat in Mexico
Storms earlier this year blew down more than a hundred acres of forests where migrating monarch butterflies spend the winter in central Mexico, killing more than 7% of the monarchs, according to conservationists. Rain, cold and high winds from the storms caused the loss of 133 acres (54 hectares) of pine and fir trees in […]
POLL: Should Australia’s wild horses be culled?
A plan to cull more than 5,000 brumbies in the Snowy Mountains has received the support of leading scientists from around Australia. Forty-one scientists from 16 universities have written to the New South Wales premier, Mike Baird, to support the proposed cull of 90% of the brumby population in Kosciuszko national park. They are backing […]
POLL: Should there be a worldwide ban on fur farms?
Fur seems to be making a high fashion comeback, the September issue of National Geographic reports. “The current revival is a story of the fur trade responding to its critics and often outmaneuvering them, combined with increased demand from the newly wealthy in China, South Korea, and Russia,” writes Richard Conniff. After the animal welfare […]
Mystery of Bizarre Bird Deformities May Be Solved
Anchorage, Alaska – Scientists working with sophisticated DNA sequencing technology think they may have solved a 20-year-old mystery of what has caused thousands of Alaska’s wild birds to be afflicted with deformed, twisted beaks. The findings suggest that a newly discovered virus – poecivirus – may be the culprit behind the bizarre beak deformities in […]
Results of the Best Photo of the Week Ended 20 Aug 2016
We are delighted to announce the results of our latest photo competition. Dana Allen wins First Prize for his brilliant capture “Hold On”. Juan Carlos Vindas wins Second Prize for his outstanding composition “Resplendent Quetzal”. Third Prize goes to Dave Waddell for his excellent photo entitled “Mock Attack”. See detailed results below: (click on […]