What’s new: Humans know a thing or two about drinking alcohol, but accounts of animals turning to booze have often been discounted as accidental, unnatural or rare. Researchers now argue in a new study that animals drinking alcohol, or more specifically ethanol, might be more commonplace in the natural world than previously thought. “We’re moving […]
Mayhem at New York airport after raccoon falls through ceiling: ‘The most LaGuardia thing’
Passengers awaiting an early morning flight at New York‘s LaGuardia airport were surprised by the sudden arrival of an unexpected extra flyer: a raccoon who fell through a terminal ceiling and proceeded to cause mayhem at a departure gate. Video of the animal’s abrupt appearance at a Spirit Airlines gate inside the airport’s Marine air […]
Blind Senior Dog Saves Volunteer from Rattlesnake
A senior dog named Moogan, despite being blind, has earned the title of “hero” for saving a volunteer at Utah’s Best Friends Animal Sanctuary from a potentially hazardous rattlesnake encounter. Dan Fishbein, the volunteer, was guiding Moogan along a sandy trail when the incredible event unfolded. Although Moogan relies on Fishbein to help him navigate […]
Droughts could change bird songs, creating new species, says study on Darwin’s finches
In the sunbaked Galápagos Islands, a male finch perches on a branch, hearing what sounds like another bird’s song. But something’s not quite right. The song is slower and simpler, like a familiar tune played at the wrong speed. The bird cocks its head, ruffles its feathers, but stays put. It’s just been fooled by […]
Iceland’s president urged to intervene over licence for Europe’s last whaler
A coalition of conservation and animal welfare groups are urging Iceland‘s president to step in and stop any plans the prime minister has to issue a whaling licence to Europe’s last whaler before the Icelandic election at the end of the month. Earlier this year, the country granted a one-year licence to Hvalur to kill […]
Unlikely Friendship in Scotland Captured in New Documentary
National Geographic is set to release a heartwarming documentary exploring the unusual connection between a Shetland resident, Billy Mail, and a wild otter named Molly. Their remarkable story began in 2021 when Mail encountered Molly as a starving pup near his home. He initially expected the young otter to flee, but Molly, desperate for survival, […]
Will ‘Trump Part II’ be the wakeup call needed toward more effective conservation? (commentary)
What a week. The global biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia (COP16) had just concluded. And then Trump got re-elected as President of the United States. Clearly the latter puts an enormous damper on the former. That is, if one believes that the Cali conference actually made significant progress in terms of tackling the biodiversity crisis. […]
From local pond to outback dunny, Australia’s biggest frog count is here – and researchers need your help
They moan, hum, whistle and click, and can be found almost everywhere, from the neighbourhood pond to the most remote outback dunny. From Friday to 17 November, people across the country are encouraged to take part in FrogID week, Australia‘s biggest frog count. The annual event, now in its seventh year, aims to collect thousands […]