In many animal societies, elderly individuals are critical contributors to their species’ survival, a new study has found. That’s why wildlife conservation must account for older animals, researchers say. Keller Kopf, lead author and ecologist at Charles Darwin University, Australia, told Mongabay he wanted to counter the idea that “getting old is always a bad […]
Tag: Australia
Emperor Penguin Returns to the Ocean After Amazing Journey
An emperor penguin named Gus made an extraordinary appearance on an Australian beach, thousands of miles away from his icy Antarctic habitat. Officials confirmed that Gus was released back into the ocean after 20 days of recovery, marking the end of his remarkable journey. Gus was discovered on November 1 in Denmark, a coastal town […]
150 Koalas Die Every Year at “Roadkill Hotspot”
A recent study highlights a deadly stretch of Australia‘s Peak Downs Highway, where nearly 150 koalas were killed by vehicles in 2023 alone. This 50-kilometer section of road, which links Mackay to the Bowen Basin coal region, has become a severe risk for koalas as cars strike down these endangered marsupials at an alarming rate. […]
Koala deaths almost double in housing developments in south-western Sydney, data shows
Koala road deaths have nearly doubled in a development hotspot in south-western Sydney, according to conservationists who are demanding the Minns government improve protection for the endangered species in new housing areas. In a letter – signed by more than 20 community and national environment groups – to the New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, […]
‘Learn how to safely catch funnel-webs’: Sydneysiders tasked with hunt for venom as spiders’ breeding season begins
Hunting for potentially deadly, silky spider burrows in the back yard may not be on every Sydneysiders’ bucket list. But that’s the request of the Australian Reptile Park (ARP) as breeding season begins for funnel-webs, encouraging residents to search shoes, piles of laundry, pools and garden debris for spiders and their egg sacs. A social […]
From local pond to outback dunny, Australia’s biggest frog count is here – and researchers need your help
They moan, hum, whistle and click, and can be found almost everywhere, from the neighbourhood pond to the most remote outback dunny. From Friday to 17 November, people across the country are encouraged to take part in FrogID week, Australia‘s biggest frog count. The annual event, now in its seventh year, aims to collect thousands […]
Why don’t Tasmanian magpies swoop people? It’s not black and white
In Tasmania, no one has to wear an ice-cream container with eyes on their head when magpies are breeding. That’s because the magpies there don’t swoop – and no one knows why. Magpie Alert, a website that tracks and maps swoops and any resultant injuries, shows 3,271 reported swoopings and 426 injuries around Australia so […]
High-flying life of Australia’s birds revealed in new detail – thanks to weather radars
The yearly travel plans of birds up and down Australia‘s east coast have been revealed for the first time, using the same tool that tracks the weather – a development experts say could have “profound” implications for conservation as more windfarms are built. Scientists have used weather radars to show that bird migration across eastern […]