Five years ago, a beluga whale equipped with unusual surveillance gear appeared in the waters of Norway, sparking rumors of espionage. Nicknamed Hvaldimir by locals, the whale’s strange equipment and potential connection to Russian intelligence raised many questions. But as new information emerges, a different story about Hvaldimir’s mission is starting to take shape. The […]
‘Learn how to safely catch funnel-webs’: Sydneysiders tasked with hunt for venom as spiders’ breeding season begins
Hunting for potentially deadly, silky spider burrows in the back yard may not be on every Sydneysiders’ bucket list. But that’s the request of the Australian Reptile Park (ARP) as breeding season begins for funnel-webs, encouraging residents to search shoes, piles of laundry, pools and garden debris for spiders and their egg sacs. A social […]
Social Media Could Boost Wildlife Conservation Efforts for Small Mammal Species, Experts Say
Photos of wildlife on social media have the power to boost conservation by depicting predators not only as beautiful, but as similar to domestic pets. A new study has found that, through their millions of followers, Instagram and Facebook can steer public engagement and awareness toward support for predators like wildcats, who are sometimes shot […]
Heartbreak as Beloved Squirrel P’nut is Killed by New York Authorities
P’nut the Squirrel, an internet sensation with a large following across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, has tragically passed away. This happened after New York‘s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) seized the pet earlier in the week and subsequently killed the seven-year-old gray squirrel. The DEC explained that P’nut, along with another rescued animal, Fred the […]
Dolphin Remains Found on New Jersey Beach Spark Investigation
Authorities are investigating after the discovery of a dolphin’s remains on a New Jersey beach. Last week, beachgoers in Allenhurst, located just north of Asbury Park, came across the disturbing scene. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) reported that the dolphin had been “butchered,” its body left in a horrifying state. According to the MMSC, […]
Shark bites off surfer’s leg in Hawaii
A shark bit a Maui surfer on Friday and severed his leg, authorities said. The man, 61, was surfing off Waiehu Beach Park on Friday morning when a shark bit him. Police officers who arrived to the scene first tried to control the bleeding with tourniquets. His right leg was “completely severed just below the […]
Yellowstone Plans to Remove a Record Amount of Bison This Winter
Yellowstone National Park officials are preparing for a substantial culling of their wild bison herd this winter, aiming to prevent population growth after last year’s milder conditions limited removal efforts. In a recent report, park managers proposed removing as many as 1,375 bison, a target close to the 2022-2023 winter removal of 1,551 bison, which […]
Inbreeding adds to growing threats to Africa’s smallest wildcat, study finds
Populations of the black-footed cat, a little-known feline in Southern Africa, have been declining for the last half a million years and exhibit very high degrees of inbreeding. This could increase their risk of a disease called amyloidosis, according to a new genetic study. “Frequently genomic studies focus on large charismatic cats so that small […]