The superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), a ground-dwelling species of moist eucalypt forests in south-eastern Australia, engineers micro-habitats to host and fatten its prey — worms, centipedes and spiders — before returning later to feast, according to new research. “The superb lyrebird is a large ground-dwelling passerine bird, widespread in wet forests of eastern Australia and […]
Rodent for dinner? California officials urge residents to eat invasive nutria
Wildlife officials are encouraging California residents to add a rodent to their daily diet as part of efforts to control the invasive species‘ population. The nutria, a large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America, is threatening the state’s ecosystems by destroying habitats and outcompeting native wildlife. The nutria’s harmful impacts have prompted wildlife officials to […]
Spain’s rewilding of Iberian lynx at risk after lobbying by hunters and farmers
Only last year it was hailed as a conservation success story: the Iberian lynx, which had been close to extinction, had sprung back to life thanks to a two-decade-long effort to expand the population. Now, however, that progress is at risk after several regional governments in Spain acceded to pressure from farmers and hunters to […]
The Hidden Costs of Oil Spills: Urgent Action Needed
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 remains one of the most catastrophic environmental disasters in history, releasing over 4.1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Located just 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana, the spill had devastating effects on coastal ecosystems, impacting the shores of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. […]
Promise to phase out lead from UK game shooting has failed, study finds
A voluntary promise to phase out toxic lead shot in the UK has failed, meaning wildlife and human health are being put at risk, a study has found. The vow, made in February 2020 by the UK’s nine leading game shooting and rural organisations, aimed to benefit wildlife and the environment and keep toxic lead […]
Serial Poacher Somehow Gets a Lifetime Hunting Ban for the Third Time
A 34-year-old Oregon man was sentenced late last month for a flurry of game violations that included poaching a trophy-class bull elk and a trophy-class buck in Grant County. Prosectors say Travis Alexander Palmer killed both animals with a rifle during archery season. He also happened to be spotlighting from his vehicle on a public […]
Petition: Stop TripSavvy From Promoting Cruel Elephant Rides
Despite overwhelming evidence of the suffering that elephants endure when they’re used for rides, TripSavvy still fails to inform travelers about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides—including those at India’s Amber Fort, where abuse is well documented. Elephants used for rides at Amber Fort—many of whom have been found to be injured, ill, and elderly—are […]
In the drylands of northern Kenya, a ‘summer school’ for young researchers
ISIOLO, Kenya — A hot wind sweeps across the rocky brush of Camp Simpirre in northern Kenya’s Isiolo county. Baboons cross the pathway to the dinner hall; vervet monkeys patter across the tin roof that shades an assembled group of 47 researchers and academics from the beating midday sun. The night before, some were jolted […]