Hutias are a strange group of rodents living on various islands of the Caribbean. Although big, and sometimes looking a little plump, they’re active climbers and spend a considerable amount of their lives in trees. They look almost like a cross between a squirrel and a beaver, but are only distantly related to either. Instead, […]
Tag: monkeys
Freedom for Escaped Monkeys Sparks Debate on Animal Rights
Recently, 43 rhesus macaques managed to escape from the Alpha Genesis research facility in Yemassee, South Carolina, after an enclosure door was accidentally left open. Alpha Genesis, known for breeding and supplying monkeys for research, has faced similar incidents in the past. The facility was fined $12,600 by the USDA in 2018 for previous escapes. […]
Animals consume alcohol more often than previously known: Study
What’s new: Humans know a thing or two about drinking alcohol, but accounts of animals turning to booze have often been discounted as accidental, unnatural or rare. Researchers now argue in a new study that animals drinking alcohol, or more specifically ethanol, might be more commonplace in the natural world than previously thought. “We’re moving […]
Georgia Man Arrested for Alleged Exotic Animal Trading Ring
A Georgia man known for his social media presence with exotic pets was arrested on October 17 after authorities uncovered an alleged illegal animal trading ring. JaeQuan Smith Devers, who went by “PetzonWheelz” on Instagram, was taken into custody following a raid on his home that revealed a collection of dangerous and tropical animals, including […]
With rare mammal tourism, observing means conserving (commentary)
At the turn of this century, seeing a wild jaguar was exceptionally difficult. People driving through the Jaguar Ecological Reserve in the Pantanal in Brazil would very occasionally get a glimpse of one crossing the road, but photographing them in the wild was considered almost impossible. The same was true for other large iconic cat […]
Melioidosis Outbreak in Hong Kong Zoo Leaves 11 Monkeys Dead
A deadly bacterial infection, melioidosis, has claimed the lives of 11 monkeys at Hong Kong’s oldest zoo, causing significant concern for authorities. The bacterial disease, which is commonly found in moist clay soil, first killed nine monkeys earlier in the week, with two more succumbing over the weekend. This outbreak has prompted part of the […]
How Hurricane Maria Transformed a Monkey Society
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria unleashed its fury on Puerto Rico, leaving devastation in its wake. The nearby island of Cayo Santiago, home to hundreds of rhesus macaques since 1938, was not spared. Though devoid of human residents, the island’s primate inhabitants faced a dramatic upheaval. Lauren Brent, a behavioral ecologist at the University of […]
Howler monkeys `falling out of the trees like apples´ in sweltering Mexico
It is so hot in Mexico that howler monkeys are falling dead from the trees. At least 83 of the midsize primates, who are known for their roaring vocal calls, were found dead in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco. Others were rescued by residents, including five that were rushed to a local veterinarian who […]