Jhaneel is a travel-obsessed blogger and content writer based in New York City.
You might want to think twice before visiting a tiger park on your next vacation. Thousands of tigers are being exploited for entertainment and profit at “tiger farms” masquerading as sanctuaries and zoos across Asia. Numerous investigations have revealed that the farms are little more than livestock facilities that breed tigers and sell their parts. […] More
The rusty-patched bumblebee was recently the first bee in the Continental United States to be listed as an endangered species, and scientists might have found one reason why: a parasitic fungus is literally making the males too fat to mate. Once ingested, the fungus (Nosema bombi) swells in the bumblebee’s tissues until the bee gets so […] More
Researchers in the Bahamas discovered a surprisingly well-preserved specimen of an extinct giant tortoise that died about 1,000 years ago. The tortoise species, named Chelonoidis alburyorum, is related to the Chaco tortoise from South America and the endangered giant tortoise which is found only on the Galapagos Islands. Caribbean giant tortoises, like this one, became […] More
Today we know orcas as large, ferocious predators who sit at the top of the ocean’s food chain and regularly feed on whales, sharks, dolphins, fish and other sea creatures. But an ancient and much smaller species of dolphin may be an early ancestor of the fierce killer whale. Scientists discovered a fossil specimen of […] More
You’ve probably heard of albino animals, but what about their opposite? Melanistic animals have an excess of a pigment called melanin that makes their skin, hair or fur very dark, or in some cases, completely black. Black King Penguin Penguins are easily identifiable by their trademark tuxedo coloring, but in extremely rare cases, melanism can make […] More
Image: Wikimedia Commons Some of the most deadly animals in the world pack a secret weapon: highly venomous fangs, teeth and stingers that can immobilize and kill attackers and prey. Not to be confused with poisonous animals (which deliver their toxins when touched or eaten), venomous animals actually inject toxic chemicals directly. Keep in mind […] More
Image: Mike Pennington One of Alaska’s most abundant species of fish is modifying its breeding patterns as a result of climate change, according to a recent study from the University of Washington. The three-spined stickleback fish — which makes up more than half the fish population in many Northern lakes — are breeding earlier and more often […] More
Image: Dr. Vazrick Nazari A biologist recently named a newly-discovered species of moth after President Donald Trump. Neopalpa donaldtrumpi has a cluster of yellow scales on top of its head that bears an uncanny resemblance to its namesake’s distinctive hairdo. The moths are also found in California and parts of Mexico, near where Trump’s […] More
It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but butterflies with transparent wings are in fact very real. Unlike other butterflies whose colorful wing scales help camouflage them or scare off predators, the aptly-named glasswing butterfly (Greta oto) has wings that are practically see-through, making them almost invisible to hungry hunters. The transparency comes […] More
Images: Jodi Frediani/ Caters News It’s a well-known fact that killer whales are skilled and vicious hunters who have no trouble taking on sharks, dolphins and various marine mammals. But it’s not often we get to see actual photos or footage of their well-coordinated kills. Rare photos from the Monterey Bay Whale Watch capture the moment […] More
Meet Kabu, an elephant in Thailand who was rescued in 2017 after years of abuse and poor conditions. For more than 20 years, Kabu worked in a mountain village, hauling logs along steep roads. Forced to continue working with an injured leg, she eventually developed a debilitating limp as the injury failed to heal properly. […] More
Invasive lionfish have taken over the world’s oceans, damaging ecosystems and leaving researchers scrambling to find ways to wipe them out. The problem began when lionfish were released from the aquarium trade in U.S. waters near Florida more than 30 years ago. Since then, the aggressive eaters have found their way all over the Atlantic […] More
