A keystone species, bison once roamed the American Great Plains in the tens of millions, but were hunted to near extinction. Bison are known as ecosystem engineers because they perform many services for the habitats in which they live, like rolling around and packing down soil in wallows that collect rainwater and grazing on different […]
A new report from the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has found that more than 4,000 wildlife species are targeted worldwide for illegal trade, and about 162 countries have active illegal wildlife trading. According to the latest edition of the UNODC’s World Wildlife Crime Report, the third of its kind, more than […]
Scotland’s climate hasn’t historically been supportive to large mosquito populations, as it tends to be cooler. But now, scientists have discovered widespread populations of mosquitoes around Scotland, and they fear warming temperatures could lead to increasing public health risks from mosquito-borne diseases. Scientists at the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Virus Research found 16 different […]
Scientists have discovered that the highly intelligent and social chimpanzee continues learning and honing the use of tools well into adulthood. This ability could be vital for the evolution of complicated and varied tool use. In the study, the researchers said tool use is rare in animals, but they discovered that chimpanzees employed hand grips […]
Researchers have found promising signs for a possible increase of Antarctic blue whales, based on surveys spanning from 2006 to 2021. A team of scientists analyzed data they collected from seven acoustic surveys conducted in the Antarctic region over the 15-year timespan. They used “sonobuoys” to detect marine sounds and ultimately gathered about 3,900 hours’ […]
Long known to be the peaceful close relative of humans, scientists have discovered that the endangered bonobo is more complicated than previously believed. A new study has observed male bonobos acting aggressive more often than male chimpanzees within their own communities. The researchers also found that more aggressive males of both species had more mating […]
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced a ban on the selling and distribution of lab-grown meat in the state, the first law of its kind in the United States. With the ban, DeSantis said he would be saving beef from the “global elite,” reported BBC News. “Today, Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s […]
The range of venomous snakes could look a lot different globally by 2070, according to a new study. Climate change is leading to habitat loss, which is likely to push venomous snakes into new regions. An international research team, led by professor Pablo Ariel Martinez of the Federal University of Sergipe, studied data on 209 […]
Biologists have observed a Sumatran male orangutan using the sap and chewed leaves of a medicinal plant to treat an open wound on his face. While there has been previous evidence of self-medication behaviors in animals, it is the first known incident of an animal in the wild treating a wound with a “biologically active […]