With over 8.7 million species of animals in the world, it’s perhaps no surprise that evolution has produced some particularly peculiar-looking ones. Ugly as some of them may be, these so-called weird animals often become some of the most loved and well know (especially in the age of the internet meme – looking at you blobfish!). There will […]
Tag: amphibians
“It has huge back legs armed with dagger-like claws that can reach 12cm long.” 10 bonkers birds that break the rules of nature
While there are plenty of weird birds to be found in the natural world, this avian selection is particularly extraordinary. From the only bird that hibernates, to the bird that can kick a human to death, here are 10 birds that defy the norms of nature. Birds that break nature’s rules Livingstone’s turaco The bird with metal […]
World Frog Day: New species described amid threats to amphibian survival
March 20 is World Frog Day. Frogs and toads have inhabited Earth for hundreds of millions of years, but 40% of amphibians species are now at risk of extinction, according to the latest conservation assessments. Every year, roughly 150 new amphibian species are described. But many are immediately listed as threatened or endangered due to habitat loss, disease and […]
Captive-bred Panamanian golden frogs released to the wild
Since 2009, no one has seen a Panamanian golden frog in the wild. These bright yellow frogs disappeared completely when an amphibian fungal disease, chytridiomycosis, swept through Panama reaching El Valle de Anton, the last stronghold of golden frogs. Researchers at the Smithsonian Institution predicted these declines based on the pattern of disease spread, but […]
This extremely rare starlit frog may be slipping into extinction – are wildlife photographers to blame?
A series of photography trips has left one of the world’s most visually spectacular frogs in peril. The rare galaxy frog (Melanobatrachus indicus), named because it looks like the cosmos on legs, is disappearing from India’s Western Ghats, with unregulated photography trips being named as the key culprit. Researchers have reported that several of the […]
Think toads are ugly? Think again – as these stunning beauties will change your mind
Who said toads were ugly? If ever one of these much-maligned amphibians was destined to become a prince, then surely one of the stubfoots (or harlequins) from the genus Atelopus of South and Central America could be it, says Stuart Blackman. These startling creatures are every bit as eye-catching as the region’s more celebrated poison […]
The barred owl’s westward migration threatens other species and a whole ecosystem
A new study of nearly 800 barred owls on the West Coast shows the invasive predator feeds on 29 species given special conservation status by federal and state governments. The list includes mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, according to an analysis led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who describe the wide-ranging pressure […]
Common toad is becoming uncommon in UK, study shows
They are an iconic part of Britain’s natural world, inspiring myths, fairytales and at least one of its most-loved children’s book characters. But the number of toads hopping through British grasslands, forests and gardens has almost halved in a generation. “Vast numbers of toads are being lost every year,” said Silviu Petrovan, a senior researcher […]