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 […]
Researcher discovers new role played by manatees, ‘the gardeners of the Amazon’
MANAUS, Amazonas, Brazil — Located near the confluence of the Solimões and Japurá rivers, Lake Amanã, which means “the path of the rain,” is known as the home of the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis). During the dry season, when river levels drop, this mammal finds refuge and food there. It was on the beaches of […]
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 […]
Gray wolves spotted in California National Park for first time in 100 years – here’s everything hikers need to know
A pack of gray wolves has been sighted within the boundaries of California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park for the first time in nearly 100 years of federal protection. In a Facebook post issued by California Wolf Watch, “wolf coordinator” Axel Hunnicutt of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the pack is roaming the […]
‘Momentous’ sustainable fishing rules adopted for Atlantic Ocean swordfish
In the late 1990s, swordfish had been so overfished in the North Atlantic Ocean that its population faced the possibility of collapse. The dire situation sparked boycotts and conservation campaigns in honor of the highly migratory species, a predator that can move at nearly the speed of a cheetah and slash at prey with the […]
New Bill Aims to Protect Horseshoe Crabs
Horseshoe crabs, a species that predates the dinosaurs, play an essential role in ecosystems. Today, these ancient marine creatures face the threat of local extinction due to habitat loss and overharvesting for bait and biomedical uses. Efforts to protect their future have led to the proposed Horseshoe Crab Protection Bill in New York. If enacted, […]
Vulture poisonings in the Serengeti alarm conservationists
In July this year, conservationists from North Carolina Zoo in the U.S. and the Grumeti Fund in Tanzania went searching for a white-backed vulture in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park that had been tagged a few weeks earlier. Tracking data suggested the bird had died. The team traveled off-road to the southwestern edge of the park, […]
Cloud Forest Animals Thrive After Invasive Rodent Eradication on Lord Howe Island–A World Heritage Site
In 2022, GNN reported on the return of wildlife seen on Lord Howe Island of Australia following an extermination campaign of rats. Now, an expedition to the island’s high forests has revealed stunning imagery of a one-of-a-kind ecosystem where 85% of plants are found nowhere else on Earth. “Ascending into this rare island cloud forest […]