A deadly strain of bird flu has officially made its way to Antarctica, raising serious alarm among scientists and wildlife advocates. According to New Scientist reporter Michael Le Page, H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in dead skuas along the Antarctic Peninsula, marking the virus’s first known impact on the frozen continent’s wildlife. Researchers from […]
“What is this thing doing right here?” – Washington hikers come across a giant octopus casually swimming just off the trail
Usually when we write about wildlife encounters on the trail, we’re covering stories of bear attacks or defensive moose, but a group of Washington hikers recently got the surprise of their lives when they came across a giant octopus just off the trail. “What is this thing doing right here?” asks Micah Moehller,in a video […]
It swims underwater, barks like a dog, has webbed feet and dives for its supper: Meet the peculiar cat that’s like no other
Fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) are one of the most unique and elusive wild cats in the world, renowned for their remarkable ability to hunt in water. Although they share similarities with other small cats, fishing cats have evolved a specialized skill set for fishing, making them stand out among their feline relatives. How big are […]
Petition: Stop the Extinction of Alaska’s Snow Crabs – Act Now
The alarming decline in snow crab populations in Kodiak, Alaska, has created an urgent need for conservation and climate action. For the second consecutive year, the snow crab fishing season has been canceled due to a drastic 90% drop in their numbers. This crisis not only threatens the local ecosystem but also the livelihoods of […]
‘Don’t call it zombie deer disease’: scientists warn of ‘global crisis’ as infections spread across the US
In a scattershot pattern that now extends from coast to coast, continental US states have been announcing new hotspots of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The contagious and always-fatal neurodegenerative disorder infects the cervid family that includes deer, elk, moose and, in higher latitudes, reindeer. There is no vaccine or treatment. Described by scientists as a […]
Sea lions sickened as toxic algae threatens California’s marine mammals
The number of marine mammals in California affected by a neurological toxin from algae has surged in the past week, in what could be another deadly year for animals such as sea lions, seals, dolphins and larger whales. According to the Marine Mammal Care Center, a rescue facility based in San Pedro, California, the facility […]
Lawmakers urge Trump administration to cancel owl-killing plan, say it would cost too much
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday urged the Trump administration to scrap plans to kill more than 450,000 invasive barred owls in West Coast forests as part of efforts to stop the birds from crowding out a smaller type of owl that’s facing potential extinction. The 19 lawmakers — led by Republican Rep. Troy […]
Petition: Stop Harvard’s Cruel Monkey Experiments Now
Margaret Livingstone, a Harvard University experimenter, has spent her entire 40-year career tormenting animals, including by tearing baby monkeys away from their mothers and sewing their eyes shut—or making sure they never see a human or monkey face in other ways—just to see how badly it damages their brain and visual development. Livingstone calls it […]