In unprecedented footage, orcas have been filmed ramming one of the world’s heaviest fish so hard that it explodes. It’s thought that the bizarre behaviour could be a type of feeding strategy – or alternatively, maybe orcas just like blowing things up. Under the heat of the midday sun, a pod of orcas loitered in the sun-drenched […]
Tag: predators
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, […]
Bangladesh gets ready for its first release of tiger rescued from poachers’ trap
In a first, Bangladesh is preparing to release a tiger back into the wild after it was rescued from a poacher’s trap and provided with medical treatment. On Jan. 4 this year, the Forest Department rescued the female tiger (Panthera tigris), estimated to be around 10 years old, from the Chandpai and Sarankhola forest range […]
“When they use these spines, they puncture them really deeply into their attacker. They can deliver venom into the wound”
In a new study, researchers compared the features of 30 different stingray spines to find out why some break off while others remain sturdy Scientists have gained a fascinating insight into how stingrays‘ iconic spines differ across species and the trade-off between different features. “Stingray spines are highly modified scales,” says Emily Poulin, a PhD candidate […]
“One of the ocean’s fastest and most powerful predators.” Photographer witnesses elegant hunter prowling for prey
As a school of fish swirls above, a marlin prowls through the blue water, its distinctive stripes glinting in the sun. This is the stunning moment caught on film by wildlife filmmaker Alex Westover. Westover shared the spectacular video on Instagram with the caption “marlin magic”. He describes the event as “a rare encounter with one of the ocean’s fastest […]
It has a cloak, huge eyes and bright blue snot – AND that’s only the beginning…
Strange things lurk in the planet’s deepest, darkest corners. And it doesn’t get much deeper and darker than the bottom of the ocean, or stranger than Vampyroteuthis infernalis – the ‘vampire squid from hell’. As such it is one of the world’s weirdest sea creatures What is a vampire squid? Despite its name – inspired by its dark […]
Petition: Ban Cyanide Bombs on Public Lands Before Another Child or Animal Is Harmed
Imagine your child or dog running outside, exploring nature, only to accidentally trigger a hidden cyanide device designed to spray deadly poison. That terrifying scenario is now becoming more possible after the Trump administration reversed a ban on so-called “cyanide bombs” on public lands. These spring-loaded traps, known as M-44 devices, are meant to kill […]
A gobsmacking 500,000 babies born at one time in one place… That’s one colossal delivery room
The plains of the Serengeti turn into nature’s largest maternity ward every year between January and March, when up to 500,000 wildebeest calves are born over a period of just two to three weeks. In February, during the peak of the calving season, as many as 8,000 calves can be born in a single day—equivalent to a […]