Shortly after 12.45pm, what remains of a 300-metre line goes taut. Somewhere beneath the murky green surface of Delaware Bay, on the eastern US coast, a sand tiger shark has taken the bait of a mackerel chunk. Marine researchers at the University of Delaware haul the line towards a small boat as the shark’s grey-brown […]
Why do cats stalk and pounce, rather than chase?
Hunting consumes a huge amount of energy and it is much more calorie-efficient for cats to sit, wait, stalk and pounce rather than travel long distances over difficult terrain. Why do cats stalk and pounce? Feline energy expenditure has been the subject of research by scientists from the University of California. They developed a high-tech […]
Vulture conservation project to target illegal killing and poisoning in Chad
Conservationists are launching a project to protect dwindling vulture populations in Chad amid a Central Africa-wide decline. Run by the nonprofit Sahara Conservation, the project is part of a larger EU-funded LIFE EV Safe Return program that focuses on protecting the endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus). Egyptian vultures migrate from their breeding sites in the […]
It has one enormous, weird head, lives high up in mountains and looks like it was designed as a mistake by AI
The Tibetan fox – also known as the Tibetan sand fox – is a distinctive, high-altitude hunter and one of the lesser-known members of the dog family. What do Tibetan foxes look like? With a narrow muzzle and tufted cheeks, the Tibetan fox has a narrow jaw and concave forehead, with much longer canine teeth […]
‘Shocking and sobering’: UK bird populations fall to lowest level on record
Wild bird populations in the UK have fallen to their lowest level since records began, figures show, with nearly half of species in decline. Figures produced by leading nature conservation bodies for the government show that average populations across 132 native breeding species fell by 19% between 1970 and 2025, with farmland birds and seabirds […]
Hundreds of baby whales are washing ashore dead – and the suspected cause is horrifying
Hundreds of southern right whale calves have been washing up dead on the coastline of Peninsula Valdés, Patagonia, since June this year and experts are desperate to find out why. “The record of an unusually high number of dead southern right whale calves off the coast of Peninsula Valdés has generated deep concern throughout the community,” […]
Belize looks to the deep sea to complete its 30% ocean protection pledge
Belize is turning to its deep waters to fulfill its pledge to protect 30% of its ocean and achieve the sixth milestone of its Blue Bond agreement. A draft marine spatial plan submitted on Sept. 8 for government approval proposes closing the final gap to 30% by establishing three offshore marine protected areas (MPAs). Officials […]
Why do cats purr? It’s not just a sign of happiness…
Do all cats purr? Purring is not only seen in domestic cats. Cats can be divided into those that can purr and the cats that roar. These sounds are mutually exclusive due to the structure of the larynx – often known as the voice box. In smaller cat species, such as cheetahs, cougars, domestic cats, […]