Caretakers released six Guam kingfishers, a bird species known locally as sihek, into the wild on Palmyra Atoll on Sept. 23, marking their first free flight in nearly four decades and a triumphant return from being classified as “extinct in the wild.” “Our Guam Sihek, a symbol of our island’s beauty, with their cerulean blue […]
Marine scientists have been taking samples from whale shark skin to try and determine the effect of pollutants on whale health. Researchers from The University of Western Australia and Flinders University examined the condition and health of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Lead researcher Dr. Mark Meekan, from UWA’s Ocean Institute, said […]
High rates of inbreeding among hooded vultures in Ghana and South Africa spell trouble for their future, according to a newly published study. The study found that despite wide differences in the population size of the birds in the two countries, both face similar risks associated with low genetic diversity. It underlined the need to […]
There are lots of beautiful, impressive, awe-inspiring animals out there. But some are just simply cute! Why is it that we find some animals cuter than others? The answer has evolutionary roots. Humans are biologically programmed to pay attention to babies – our own babies that is. The way they grab our attention is a […]
The government of Zimbabwe has ordered a cull of 200 elephants amid an ongoing drought and food shortages in the country. The order will be the first elephant cull since 1988. Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) has been tasked with the cull. Fulton Mangwanya, director general of ZimParks, said that the culling will be […]
Indian authorities are trying to capture the last member of a wolf pack they believe is responsible for killing children in northern India. But there are still many unanswered questions surrounding the attacks — and some experts are waiting for definitive evidence that the wolves are to blame. Nine children and one adult have reportedly […]
A national “butterfly emergency” has been declared by Butterfly Conservation after the lowest Big Butterfly Count since records began. An average of just seven butterflies per 15-minute count were recorded by participants in this summer’s butterfly count, the lowest in the survey’s 14-year history. It was the worst year on record for once-ubiquitous species, including […]
Condor #1061 had already beaten the stiff odds. Long one of the world’s most endangered species, there are fewer than 400 California condors in the wild of North America. And when avian flu hit the U.S. in 2023, only about 116 of the giant vultures were alive in their southwestern release territory. Avian flu killed […]