Did you know it snows in Africa? Yep, the usually hot and arid continent gets its fair share of winter weather at high elevations. In fact, after an unusually heavy snowfall blanketed South Africa last winter, safari-goers were treated to an unusual scene as various wildlife frolicked through what appeared to be a winter wonderland. […] More
Africanized honey bees are some of the planet’s most feared insects—but what makes them so dangerous? Often referred to as “killer bees,” these intimidating insects have developed a pretty nasty reputation for having caused up to a thousand human deaths. They were imported from Africa to South America in 1956 in an attempt to create […] More
Russia intends to open a “Jurassic Park-style” cloning facility to resurrect ancient creatures like the woolly mammoth by 2020. The $5.9 million “mammoth center” will be based at Northern-Eastern Federal University (NEF), an institution in Russia’s northeast region. The university, based in Yakutsk, has already located DNA from animals that were preserved in the region’s permafrost […] More
Scientists have deployed autonomous robots to annihilate hordes of coral-consuming starfish that are quietly destroying Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Over the last decade, a population explosion of ravenous crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) has led to widespread damage along the reef, which is already imperiled by other threats like pollution, coral bleaching, and hurricanes. The astronomical growth in the population […] More
Yet another invasive species is taking over the Sunshine State, and they’re leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Hordes of green iguanas, native to Central and South America and the Caribbean, are invading South Florida yards, parks, and swimming pools — joining other invasive reptiles like Burmese pythons, Nile crocodiles and giant tegus. Attracted to a […] More
Peregrine falcons are superstars of aerial precision, plummeting to the earth at up to 200 miles per hour to catch small birds in flight. But scientists have long wondered how exactly the birds manage to consistently hit their mark while plunging towards their prey at such breakneck speeds. Recent research sheds new light on their […] More
A roadside truck stop owner criticized for keeping an endangered tiger caged on his parking lot property has acquired two new exotic animals for display. Animal activists were horrified by the living conditions that Tony, a now-deceased endangered Siberian tiger, lived in for nearly 20 years at the Tiger Truck Stop. Car exhaust, constant traffic, […] More
New research reveals how a certain group of jumping spiders mimic ants to avoid being eaten. Small spiders are generally a much easier meal for predators than an army of aggressive ants armed with strong jaws, painful stings and their formic acid defense mechanisms. Spiders, despite their reputation, are actually quite vulnerable to predators — their […] More
In the last few months, poachers have killed 87 elephants for their tusks near a wildlife sanctuary in Botswana. Scientists say this is the largest elephant slaughter ever recorded in Africa. The nonprofit group Elephants Without Borders spotted the bodies with tusks missing near Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage region, while conducting aerial surveys […] More
Jacanas or “Jesus birds” are known around the world for their enormous feet and claws, which they use to effortlessly saunter across floating vegetation. Their long, thin toes spread weight evenly over a large area, which allows them to traipse along lily pads and other floating plants in search of fish, mollusks, crabs, and insects. […] More
Large flightless birds that once thrived in the forests of New Zealand may be one step closer to resurrection. Cousins to the ostrich and emu, moa were once New Zealand’s dominant herbivores, roaming the forests to feed on twigs and other plant material. Unlike other flightless birds, they are the only completely wingless birds known to have […] More
Just when you think you’ve heard it all, you find out there’s a parasite that eats the tongues of fish before setting up shop inside their mouths. The tongue-eating louse, or Cymothoa exigua, is a tiny crustacean that survives by severing the tongues of fish, then attaching itself to the leftover stub — essentially becoming the […] More
