Strange creatures: the giant cave cockroach
Unlike most invertebrates, the giant cave cockroach has a lifespan of two years. This is due to the insect’s amazing immunity, one that can fight off fungal infections by producing antibodies time and time again. This 8 cm long and 2-and-a-half cm wide creature prefers to live in colonies of about 200—and don’t worry, they’re … Continued
Baby animals: giant anteaters
Giant anteaters may be funny to look at, but they were built to fight and are armored with extremely sharp claws. Labeled vulnerable in the wild, these furry creatures weigh roughly 45 kilograms and have unusually large snouts and tongues. The better to smell you with, my dear. Their sense of smell is 40 times … Continued
Eastern gorillas are on the edge of oblivion, but giant pandas have bounced back
The world’s top conservationists this week warned that the eastern gorilla, the planets biggest primate, is on the very brink of disappearing forever. With extinction staring right into its anthropomorphic eyes, the species has been added to the organisation’s Red List. At its congress in Hawaii, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) … Continued
False killer whale flashes a smile at the camera
While traveling with Wild Side Tours off the coast of Oahu, Elizabeth Hartford captured this incredible footage of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) mother swimming along with her calf. This is a rare sighting, as these beautiful creatures are endangered and have seen a dramatic drop in numbers over the last 20 years, especially in Hawaii. … Continued
Paradise lost: Humans have destroyed a 10th of Earth's wilderness areas in 25 years
A new report has revealed that human activity has destroyed 10 per cent of the planet’s remaining wilderness areas in the last two and a half decades, and authors have warned that there will be no unspoiled areas left at all within a century if current behaviour continues apace. The shocking study—conducted by the University … Continued
Baby animals: gelada baboons
Humans can learn a thing or two from gelada baboons. Female geladas won’t put up with any nonsense from the males within their blended families, which are often filled with many distinct personalities. At the Dudley Zoo, they are a small family, but in the wild in the high mountain meadows of Ethiopia, foraging families … Continued
Strange creatures: crazy craniums
From the royal spoonbill with their spoon-shaped bills to the preening and parading Victoria crown pigeon, these distinctive birds all have peculiar and eye-catching characteristics.
Strange creatures: the axolotl
Although certain species, like lizards and spiders, can regrow parts of their bodies just the same, the axolotl can regrow certain areas that no other organism can. Cellular regeneration within brain tissue, jaws, internal organs, and parts of their spines has scientists truly amazed.
Strange creatures: the assassin bug
They weren’t given the name assassin for nothing. The assassin insect, also known as the kissing bug, includes 7,000 species and has a distinct method of hunting and killing its prey. Take care while sleeping—you don’t want a visit from this particular kissing species. But they’re not all bad; they serve some very important functions, … Continued
An ode to the immensity of Canada’s seasonally-changing wilderness
The camera slowly pans over a glacier. White clouds are seen swirl silently over icy cornices above, held hanging against a deep blue sky—waiting for release. The view shifts, moving under soaring evergreens, their pine needles matted with layer upon layer of fresh snow; wrapped up tight in winter’s hardship. These branches stand still in the cold crystalline … Continued
Baby animals: bear tapirs
You’re not likely to find the endangered bear tapir in the wild. Only 5500 of them remain in the wild making them a pretty rare sight. That is unless you visit the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona. Oh, and they like to eat poop.
The Riddle of Antimatter
Humans have come a very long way on our journey to understand the universe. From classical astronomers charting the movements of the stars, to the recent discoveries of the Higgs boson and gravitational waves, mankind’s progress in exploring the relationships between matter, space and time has been astounding. Despite these achievements, some of the most … Continued
Baby animals: black howler monkeys
At the Santa Ana Zoo, a troop of black howler monkeys are a close-knit bunch. The slow pace of life is similar at the zoo as it would be in the wild except for the fact that they’re endangered in the wild.
Baby animals: Asian small-clawed otters
When they’re first born, Asian small clawed otters weigh roughly 50 grams, the smallest otters out of the 13 species of otters found worldwide. Their survival tactic is to stick together and to maintain strong family ties.
Strange creatures: millipedes
Giant African millipedes may look scary, but they’re really just nature’s hippies. The multi-legged night crawlers are plant lovers and are the oldest known land creatures dating back at least 420 million years. The monster-sized millipedes grow in size and in number of legs as they feed and can drop their legs if predators attack. … Continued
Strange creatures: the peacock mantis shrimp
Don’t be fooled by the peacock mantis’s stunning colouring, the bottom crawler is known to be one of the ocean’s most aggressive hunters. It was built to fight and can strike a deadly blow in a fraction of a second.
The far flung origins of 8 common houseplants
Houseplants are a vital part of our indoor environments. Commonly overlooked, and all too often killed by neglect, vacations, and marauding housecats, indoor plants provide valuable services by absorbing toxins, improving indoor air quality, and soothing the forest-loving inner primate in all of us. Let’s take a look at the far-flung origins of 8 common … Continued
Strange creatures: the frogfish
Despite its name, the frogfish is all fish. The hairy invertebrate may prefer to blend in with its surroundings and move slowly along the ocean floor using its fins as little feet, but its bite is impressively quick. It can open its mouth, swallow its prey, and shut its jaw in 6 milliseconds, faster than … Continued
Baby animals: moose
European elk were extinct in the British Isles until 2007. Twin elk born at the Highland Wildlife Park doubled the species’ population in one fell swoop.
This incredible city is redefining how industry and animals interact
Those who were born in Linz half a century ago may remember a very different city to what visitors see today. Nestled on the banks of the River Danube, this capital of Upper Austria has been the site of a massive steel industry and chemical plants since the Second World War, making it one of the country’s most … Continued
Strange creatures: the aye-aye
The aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur that can be found in the treetops of Madagascar—and it’s seen as a bad omen. Its long, bony witch-like middle finger has created a legend in local folklore and usually results in the animal’s instant demise should it be spotted in the wild.
Strange creatures: the stargazer
With its skull-like appearance, the stargazer fish has a specialized organ behind its eyes that can produce an electric shock that stuns and incapacitates its prey. It lives throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans in relatively shallow waters and hunts at night.
Baby animals: reindeer
Reindeer, also known as caribou, are the only species of deer in which females have antlers. The antlers develop within two to three weeks of being born and are the second largest antlers of any deer after moose. In the wild, reindeer calves learn the herd mentality since they’re at their safest in large numbers.
9 totally terrific facts about sharks
No matter how frightened you may be of the ocean’s ultimate hunter there’s really no escaping how awesome and awe-inspiring these animals are. With more than 465 known species, sharks are the top of their food chain, apex predators just likes us. But they’ve been around a lot, lot, longer—thought to have originated some 300 … Continued
10 expressive animals whose faces are trying to tell us something
What a shame it is that animals can’t talk. If endangered or vulnerable species like gorillas and polar bears could explain how deforestation, global warming and other ecological catastrophes are affecting their future survival, perhaps decision makers around the world might act more rapidly to save these incredible creatures. Since they don’t have a voice, … Continued
8 ways to turn your garden into a wildlife sanctuary
You don’t need to go on safari in Africa or venture down into the depths of a South American rainforest to spot amazing animals. Gardens are important ecosystems, filled with a variety of extraordinary creatures. Follow these tips to increase your chances of getting up close and personal with your local wildlife. 1. Hedgehog shelters … Continued