Posts by Jennifer Huizen
The ferret still conceiving offspring 20 years after his death
A black-footed ferret dubbed Scarface lives on, siring two kits 20 years after his death. Researchers of both the human and ferret variety at the Lincoln Park Zoo have been working together for a long time, coming up with clever ways to overcome captive breeding obstacles like inbreeding and reduced fertility. In August the team from … Continued
Animals' art hits the auction block
Zoo animals pick up paintbrushes to help out their counterparts in the wild. Care for a piece of modern art passionately painted by a 34 year-old elephant? How about a meerkat group piece, or the slithery impressionist work of a 17-year old Ball python? If any of these items strike your fancy, and you’d like … Continued
Orphaned baby rhino gets happiest ending possible
The surge in ivory poaching is seriously hurting South Africa’s rhino population, but one baby rhino left motherless by hunters goes against the odds. Remember seeing pictures of a poor little orphaned baby rhino, snuggling up to a passing vehicle it mistook for a potential mum? Good news—things are definitely looking up for little the little … Continued
Rare whale takes off after extended stay in Australian lagoon
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park just hosted an unusual visitor for the past two months—a Bryde’s whale—but the reason for its stopover remains unclear. Back in June, a lone whale was spotted wandering around the network of coral that makes up the Elford Reef lagoon off the coast of Cairns, Australia. At first, authorities mistook … Continued
Thin polar bear smashes diving record
Polar bears are going to new lengths just to make ends meet, by swimming longer, walking further and now, diving longer. Polar bears are facing unprecedented habitat loss due to climate change, but a recent study in Polar Biology concludes this hasn’t dampened the bear’s efforts to endure, detailing the longest-ever polar bear dive. Coming in at 3 … Continued
Pesticides change spiders' personalities
Scientists have used the often slighted spider to prove that pesticides may have a much wider range of effects than first supposed. Since Rachel Carson’s 1962 classic Silent Spring, it’s become common knowledge that pesticides and wildlife don’t mix, but precisely how these toxic chemicals alter animals on an individual basis is a complexity far less … Continued
Sharks found alive and swimming inside an active volcano
Think you’re handling the summer heat well? Think again. Researchers just uncovered fish, jellies and sharks living inside an active underwater volcano. When Ocean Engineer Brennan Phillips came across Kavachi, an active underwater volcano in the South Pacific’s Solomon Islands, he knew he’d found an ecological goldmine. Phillips, whose specialty is deep-sea robotics, is always looking … Continued
Conservationists and techies race to #SaveTheCheetah
An unlikely partnership is hoping to change a major misconception about the awe-inspiring cat. Cheetah Mobile (CMCM), a leading Chinese mobile and utility application company, has joined forces with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) to raise awareness about the plight of the fastest land animal in the world—also Africa’s most endangered cat. Just 100 years ago … Continued
Snotbot: Giving researchers and whales some breathing room
Looking for a way to help out whales and researchers? Consider joining the Snotbot team. There’s been a lot of news about drones being used in conservation recently, but few projects get as good as this. Sir Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame just released a video in support of Ocean Alliance’s new Kickstarter campaign for Snotbot—the … Continued