Seven years after being returned to the forests of northern Sumatra from a rehabilitation facility, a female orangutan rescued from traffickers has been found nurturing a baby in the wild, giving new encouragement that reintroduced apes can establish breeding populations. “From victim of illegal wildlife trafficking to a mother in the wild, Bulan’s journey demonstrates […]
“This slashing can cause fatal wounds in humans…” 10 deadliest birds on the planet, including one with a highly lethal 12cm claw…
We don’t often think of birds as dangerous, says Dominic Couzens. That’s a mistake, because to their prey species they are, of course, completely deadly. Perhaps surprisingly, a few species can also be a peril to humans, and back in prehistoric times there were probably more. Here we will look both at the birds that […]
The Tiger Returns to Kazakhstan in First-in-the-World Rewilding Project a Decade in the Making
Kazakhstan has taken a massive step towards its long-held goal of re-establishing the tiger in the country by releasing a female Amur tiger into the Ile-Balkhash Nature Reserve. Established in 2018 for this exact purpose, what followed was a truly generational effort of reforestation and replenishing prey species of deer and antelope that the Caspian tiger, now […]
With deadly talons the size of a human hand and a prehistoric-looking beak, this is one of nature’s most terrifying giants, able to reach speeds of 100mph
The Steller’s sea eagle looks like a character that you might find in a fantastical children’s book rather than a real flesh-and-blood animal. It is jaw-droppingly huge, with striking dark and white feathers, a bright-yellow bill so large and powerful it seems almost prehistoric, and taloned feet roughly the size of a human hand. Found […]
Two US men charged for allegedly using snakes, a lemur and a monkey for exotic photoshoots
Two Baltimore, Maryland, men are facing charges for allegedly using exotic animals – including snakes, a lemur and a spider monkey – in photoshoots featuring three semi-clothed models and a ring of fire in a garage beneath a luxury shopping complex. Photographer Vernon Crowfey III, the 32-year-old owner of the company Photogeniks, was arrested in Towson, Maryland, […]
“Their teeth are barbed and hollow, and primed with a toxic cocktail strong enough to kill a human. Worst of all they spit out their teeth like poison darts”
Did you know most snails and slugs have teeth, thousands of them? Their teeth come in a huge variety of shapes and arrangements, suiting them to specific diets and allowing many species to evolve and co-exist. Why do slugs and snails need teeth? Herbivorous seaslugs have teeth shaped into serrated triangles or sharp blades to […]
Penguins and dolphins among nearly 400 Australian species under threat from bird flu as ‘true extent of disaster’ revealed
Almost 400 native Australian bird and mammal species have been assessed as being at a high risk – or worse – from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, a federal government assessment has revealed. Some of Australia’s most beloved animals – including species of penguins, fur seals, quolls, dolphins, more than 300 birds and the […]
It’s the size of Ireland and home to a whopping 400 million individuals – making it one of the most densely populated places on Earth
Earth is full of incredible wildlife spectacles, with thousands of animals gathering in one place – often putting on an awe-inspiring display. But if you want to find out the largest colony of mammals, you’ll have to turn to the history books. According to the Guinness World Records, zoologist and ecologist C H Merriam discovered […]