The Americas, which encompasses North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, has a huge variety of landscapes – and therefore animals. From imposing mountains to desert plains and tropical beaches, these habitats provide a home for all sorts of creatures. But have you ever wondered what the fastest land mammal in the Americas is? […]
Tag: Antelope
A South African reserve shows how carbon can catalyze rewilding conservation
TSWALU KALAHARI RESERVE, South Africa — From high on a promontory in the Korannaberg Mountains, a mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) peers down to the west across the green-dappled plain below, the sun rising behind. In the distance, wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) hunt in the veld, verdant after early rains. And nearby, white rhinos (Ceratotherium […]
“It looks like a porcupine, but has a bird-like beak, a pouch like a kangaroo and lays eggs like a reptile.” 10 weirdest, bizarrest mammals on the planet
Nature defies expectation, with animals boasting strange body parts or survival techniques. From the four-headed penis of the echidna to the pink shell of the pink fairy armadillo, there’s plenty to raise an eyebrow at. Here are some of the weirdest mammals on the planet. Weirdest mammals Echidna (Tachyglossidae) At first glance, the echidna might look like […]
“Their real super-power is their ability to shoot blood from their eyes.” The 23 weirdest, strangest animals on the planet – including the striped pyjama squid
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 […]
Gene from High Altitude Yak Protected and Repaired Myelin Sheath in Early MS Study
A special gene that helps animals like the yak survive at high altitude could enable new treatments for multiple sclerosis after positive findings from a mouse model. The genetic mutation that enables yaks to live in environments with much less oxygen, and may hold the key to repairing nerve damage in conditions such as multiple […]
An Empire of Nature: African Parks and Rwanda’s Nyungwe Forest
NYUNGWE NATIONAL PARK, Rwanda — It’s a cool morning in the montane rainforest of western Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. Sunbeams stream down from the canopy, glowing in the mist. Birdsong pierces the still air. Jacques Habimana, a baby-faced 23-year-old trail guide, stops abruptly, pressing a finger to his lips. He points toward the treetops. A […]
‘Extinct’ Graceful Oryx Thriving in the Saharan Wilds Thanks to Decades of Captive Breeding
Even as the final scimitar-horned oryx was felled for meat and leather on the Saharan dunes, a network of zoos, hunting reserves, and even a royal menagerie, guaranteed they would live on in captivity. Now, 9 years after these graceful antelope were first introduced back into the lands they once roamed, they have become one […]
Watch dramatic BBC footage shows desperate, ravenous leopard mother risking death for her cubs, high in the treetops
In Botswana’s wild Okavango Delta, leopards love to feast on large ungulates, such as antelope and zebra. The Delta is usually home to a rich array of flora and fauna, attracting huge populations of elephants, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, buffalo and antelope from across the region. The abundance of prey makes it a prime location for Africa’s […]