Almost 400 native Australian bird and mammal species have been assessed as being at a high risk – or worse – from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, a federal government assessment has revealed. Some of Australia’s most beloved animals – including species of penguins, fur seals, quolls, dolphins, more than 300 birds and the […]
Tag: parrots
It’s one of the world’s most intelligent birds – whose curiosity – & taste for meat – led the New Zealand government to encourage their mass killing
As some of the world’s most intelligent birds, kea are extremely inquisitive, appear to enjoy problem-solving and engage in playful activities, seemingly for fun – qualities that endear them to us yet bring them into conflict. Endemic to New Zealand‘s South Island, kea have evolved over millennia to survive harsh alpine conditions. They became omnivores, […]
‘Flamin’ cockatoos’ have lost much of their habitat to bushfires. Can the species survive?
At the entrance to Wyperfeld national park, in north-west Victoria, more than a dozen pink cockatoos are sprinkled across a hedge row of pine trees like Christmas decorations. These are Aleppo pines, not the native conifers that the birds rely on for nesting habitat and as a primary source of food. Still, the feathered ornaments appear […]
Brazil police seize devices from bird expert in trafficking probe linked to Vantara zoo
A U.S. citizen suspected of international wildlife trafficking had three cell phones and a computer seized on May 1 as he arrived at Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. According to a statement released by the Federal Police, the action is a development in an investigation “probing the international trafficking of golden lion tamarins and other […]
Love Island: Rare berry bonanza spurs Kākāpō baby boom
The biggest berry bloom in New Zealand‘s forests in decades has set off a mating frenzy among the critically endangered Kākāpō, the world’s beefiest parrots. With the face of a Muppet and the physique of a Furby, the Kākāpō is an all-around preposterous creature. It’s nocturnal and lime green, and, as science-fiction writer Douglas Adams wrote, […]
An invasive guava is muscling out Madagascar’s forests — and lemurs are helping
Madagascar is renowned for its lemurs, which are threatened due to hunting and deforestation. Restoring native forests to ensure their survival is critical, but once damaged, forests in Madagascar are vulnerable to takeover by invasive guava trees — whose seeds the lemurs themselves are helping to spread. When the delicious strawberry guavas (Psidium cattleyanum) are […]
“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 […]
Facebook shuts Indonesia groups after Mongabay and Bellingcat report illegal wildlife trade
This story was produced in collaboration with Bellingcat. JAKARTA — A new report by Mongabay and independent journalism organization Bellingcat has uncovered several Facebook groups selling protected species in Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. In a Facebook group whose Indonesian name translates to “West Bogor Animal Selling and Trading Forum,” […]