A heartbreaking decision by the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in New Zealand has reignited global debate over the ethics of keeping animals in captivity. According to CBS News, the sanctuary announced it would euthanize seven elderly lions after running into financial trouble and failing to find alternative homes for them. The big cats, aged between 18 […]
By Dr. Sarah Yosry, wildlife veterinarian and conservation consultant A herd of gazelles freezes as thunder rolls across the desert. A barn owl blinks beneath the steady hum of a highway. From the Arctic tundra to the urban outskirts, wild animals are adapting — or struggling to adapt — to the noise, heat, and pressure […]
The red-nosed cuxiu (Chiropotes albinasus) is a terrier-sized monkey whose diet is dominated by the unripe seeds of super-hard fruits. While you or I would need a hammer to access them, the cuxiu brings its own toolkit; enormous dagger-like canines, mounted on robust jaws and powered by massive jaw muscles. Combined, these give the glossy-black […]
Scientists studying the North Atlantic right whale have celebrated a year without mortalities in which four new whale mothers entered the breeding population. 11 calves were born this year, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium reported in a document released Tuesday. Covered by AP, the animals have now increased to 384 individuals thanks to increased […]
Starting January 1, California hunters will be allowed to kill mute swans year-round — and the move has sparked a heated debate among wildlife lovers and conservationists. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says the decision is part of an effort to manage the “destructive, non-native” birds, whose growing population is crowding out native […]
A vampire bat’s habit of regurgitating some of its bloody stomach contents to hungry roost-mates is a textbook example of reciprocal altruism – “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.” But it now seems that this sort of co-operation is more subtle than simple tit-for-tat. Vampire bats are most likely to share their blood […]
Antarctic krill are small, shrimp-like marine crustaceans (Euphausia superba). They feed on plankton and are the main food source for larger marine animals. The word “krill” comes from the Norwegian word “kril” meaning the small fry of fish. Why are they so important in Antarctica? In the Antarctic, they are the key species upon which […]
LUKU CENTRAL FOREST RESERVE, Uganda — Ornithologist Ivan Oruka stops suddenly near the foot of a cliff that’s streaked with the telltale whitewash of bird droppings. He quickly presses his binoculars to his eyes. Against the clear blue sky, on a bright September morning, at least 29 large birds circle effortlessly above on broad, dark […]