Articles tagged with Wildlife
Conservation efforts focused on 25 EDGE Zones could protect one-third of threatened and unique tetrapod species. The study identifies areas with high levels of evolutionary distinctiveness and global endangerment as key to saving these species.
A new Conservation Letter reviews the impact of built environments on raptors, identifying vehicles, wind turbines, and windows as consistently problematic obstacles. Proposed solutions include flight diverters, bird-friendly products, and habitat management to reduce collision fatalities and support conservation efforts.
Researchers argue that studying group sleep can reveal insights into animal social structures and behaviors. By analyzing sleep patterns in groups, scientists can better understand the impact of sleep on individual and group fitness.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that 4 in 10 cat owners report their feline companions playing fetch, while 78% of dog owners say their canine friends engage in the behavior. The research also highlights differences in fetching behavior between breeds and demographic factors.
A team of experts discovered a dugongine sea cow attacked by an ancient crocodile and tiger shark, shedding light on prehistoric food chains. The fossils showed signs of both active predation and scavenging, providing new insights into the region's food chain networks during the Miocene epoch.
Scientists discovered the highest natural blood sugar levels in mammals, found in a species of bats that can survive on a diet rich in sugars. The study's findings suggest that these bats have evolved unique strategies for glucose regulation, which may hold potential for managing metabolic diseases in humans.
A new study by Lund University found that socioeconomic status plays a crucial role in determining children's relationships with nature, rather than their location. The research also showed that direct access to nature near home is linked to improved well-being and positive attitudes towards wildlife.
The Fundão dam collapse, one of the world's most significant environmental tragedies, has left a lasting legacy of devastation in Brazil. Researchers have found that the environmental damage has intensified over the years, threatening human and wildlife health.
A study sequenced the genomes of nearly 300 rabbits to understand their colonization success. Researchers found that domestication-linked genes are often eliminated in feral populations due to natural selection, leading to a mix of domestic and wild origin. This helps explain how domestic animals can thrive in the wild.
The center aims to harness new technologies to detect, investigate, and prevent pandemics at their source. It combines expertise from four UC Davis powerhouses: veterinary medicine, engineering, agriculture, and medicine.
Rewilding efforts in Europe could help countries meet conservation goals with 70% of opportunities in colder climates. Passive and active strategies are proposed to create self-sustaining ecosystems.
A new study found that Lake Erie walleye growth is influenced more by the size and experiences of their parents than by recent environmental conditions. The study analyzed data from 1982 to 2015 and found that cold winters and larger mothers were associated with faster growth in offspring.
A new study reveals disturbing practices in South Africa's captive lion industry, including evading detection and animal welfare violations. The research calls for the government to implement a comprehensive plan to transition away from current practices and end the industry.
A new study by UC Riverside demonstrates that calorie restriction does not significantly reduce voluntary exercise in mice. Researchers found that mice continued to run at similar levels regardless of the amount of food they ate, challenging the long-held belief that dieting drains workout energy. The study's findings have implications...
Researchers have trained dogs to sniff out Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the droppings of farmed and wild deer. This method offers a promising non-invasive approach for detecting CWD.
A Dartmouth study suggests that social rank determines whether animals prioritize short-term energy consumption over long-term health, with dominant monkeys consuming food quickly to maintain dominance, while lower-ranked monkeys invest time in washing their food to prevent tooth damage. The findings shed light on the disposable soma h...
A recent study maps landscape connections to optimize elephant movement corridors and reduce genetic isolation, addressing a major conservation priority in southern Africa. The research provides insights into how elephants navigate their vast home ranges and identifies key routes to maintain gene flow across protected areas.
New research reveals that flamingos are 'middle of the road' when it comes to preening time among waterbirds. The study found that captive flamingos actually spend less time preening compared to wild birds and other waterbird species like pelicans and gannets.
A global analysis of wildlife on money reveals that native fauna are depicted on 15.2% of banknotes, with a strong bias towards terrestrial species and bird and mammal representations.
Researchers detected SARS-CoV-2 in six common backyard species, including deer mice, Virginia opossums, and raccoons, with unique viral mutations found in some animals. The study highlights the need for broad surveillance and suggests that areas with high human activity may serve as points of contact for cross-species transmission.
Researchers documented male elephants using 'let's go' rumbles to signal group departures from a waterhole in Namibia. The vocalizations were initiated by dominant males and involved sophisticated coordination, suggesting the use of syntax and verb-verb combinations in elephant language.
Researchers found that chimpanzees' gestures follow a rapid-fire pattern of turns, similar to human conversations, with short pauses between gestures at around 120 milliseconds. This suggests shared underlying rules in communication and may indicate that human language is not unique.
A new study uses machine learning to analyze the genetic diversity of two amphibian species, finding that different processes shaped their evolution. The research suggests that population demographic events and contemporary landscape factors played a significant role in shaping the genetic variation of these species.
Jordan Brown, a postdoctoral research associate at UTA, received a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from the NSF to analyze bird specimens from European museums and track changes in air pollution levels. His research aims to understand how industrialization affected wildlife and contribute to the study of climate change.
A recent study by the University of Exeter warns that intensive livestock farming may raise the risk of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). The researchers highlight the need to consider social and economic factors in traditional assessments.
The ELTE Eötvös Loránd University has digitised over 431 animal skulls, including those of 152 dog breeds and 12 wild relatives. This unique collection is now available online, enabling researchers to conduct comparative anatomical and evolutionary studies.
Co-cultures refer to mutual cultural sharing between distinct animal species, influencing each other in substantial ways. These relationships have been observed between humans and nonhuman animals, as well as between different species of nonhuman animals, driving evolutionary adaptations and preferences.
The University of Montana has received a $3 million federal grant to investigate three North American bat species' adaptations to white-nose syndrome and climate change. Researchers will use computational models, bioinformatics, and ecological data to forecast bat movement across landscapes and understand population resilience.
A study published in Ecological Applications found that wolves' return to northeast Washington has had a limited impact on white-tailed deer populations. Habitat quality and cougar predation were the primary factors shaping deer populations, with wolf predation having a smaller effect.
Researchers from Max Planck Institute tracked the heart rates of male common noctule bats during flights, revealing a significant increase in heart rate from 6 to 900 beats per minute. The study found that bats consume up to 42% more energy in summer compared to spring, and develop unique strategies to survive in different seasons.
The e-COL+ project aims to capture and reconstruct France's natural history collections in 3D, covering nearly 6% of the world's total natural specimens. The project will provide modern equipment, create a comprehensive dataset of 3D models, and build AI tools to improve model reconstruction.
New research reveals surprising differences in songbirds' diets and gut microbiomes in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Contrary to expectations, birds growing up in radiologically contaminated habitats have a higher diversity of insects in their diet.
Researchers found that blue and great tits possess 'episodic-like' memory, recalling past experiences such as food availability, location, and timing. This ability may help the birds cope with environmental stress and fluctuation influenced by climate change.
Human disturbance disrupts leopard-hyena competition, favoring hyenas. The study shows that male leopards retain dominance over hyenas but female leopards change behavior due to size disadvantage. Human expansion poses threat to leopards' survival and ecosystem balance.
Researchers tracked free-ranging Egyptian fruit bats and found they possess high cognitive abilities, including episodic memory, mental time travel, and delayed gratification. The study revealed that older bats can estimate time passed since their last visit to a tree and avoid those with stopped bearing fruit.
Nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the bat brain encode information on multiple characteristics of other individuals, including sex and dominance hierarchy. This study sheds light on how the brain operates and generates thinking processes and behavior.
New research found that non-native burros are altering plant growth, reducing ground cover and foliage density, and negatively impacting native wildlife species in the Sonoran Desert.
A study found that heath goannas are more effective in removing blowflies from the landscape than introduced European mammals. This reduces the emergence of 'fly strike', a disease affecting sheep, and has significant implications for the Australian sheep farming industry.
A recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) in Finnish fur farms resulted in severe disease and widespread inflammation in infected animals. The virus caused significant adaptations to mammalian hosts, increasing the risk of potential human infection.
Chimpanzees have been observed seeking out specific plants with medicinal properties to treat their ailments, and further pharmacological testing has confirmed the presence of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic compounds. These findings highlight the importance of studying animal behavior in discovering new medicines.
A new study found that neonicotinoid-treated seeds led to an 8% drop in butterfly species diversity, with the pesticide also affecting monarch butterfly populations. The research calls for publicly available data on pesticide use to understand the causes of butterfly decline.
A study published in BioScience reveals substantial ecological impacts of elk and other ungulates following the removal of gray wolves from Yellowstone, Olympic, and Wind Cave National Parks. This has led to declines in long-term tree recruitment, influencing plant communities and ecological processes.
Researchers found that Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whales, a subset of the Eastern North Pacific population, have been getting smaller since around 2000. This decline could have major consequences for their health and reproductive success, and also raises alarm bells about the state of the food web.
Researchers confirmed that elephant calls contained a name-like component identifying the intended recipient through machine learning analysis. Elephants responded affirmatively to calls addressed to them and less so to those meant for others, suggesting an ability to learn and use arbitrary vocal labels like humans.
A new method developed by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center improves the accuracy of acoustic tracking in marine animals. The method uses a movement model to reconstruct animal tracks, even in regions with uneven receiver coverage.
A study by Kyoto University found that snow leopards consume the plant genus Myricaria in their feces when hungry. This suggests a link between prey and plant intake in these large alpine cat carnivores. The research provides insight into improved captive environments and suitable conservation plans for snow leopards.
A Penn State-led study found that female giraffes have proportionally longer necks than males, suggesting high nutritional needs drove the evolution of this trait. Giraffes adapt to reach leaves in trees by using their long necks, allowing females to access food with increasing demands as they mature.
Researchers found evidence of coevolution driving speciation in cuckoo species. Cuckoo chicks evolved to mimic host chicks to evade detection and exploit more hosts.
Researchers found isolated refuges in cities where species like wrentits, mourning doves, and gopher snakes thrive. Urban planning initiatives can support more biodiversity by creating habitat for species that avoid cities.
A new study highlights the human impacts of endangered species mating with domestic relatives, causing economic loss and death. Conservation efforts are also overlooked for marginalized pastoralist populations, who often lack effective defense against aggressive wild males.
A study found that the sweat bee H. rubicundus is less sociable in Scotland than in Cornwall, exhibiting genetic differentiation and isolation. The authors explored this phenomenon in the context of the species' adaptability to extreme latitudes.
A two-year study on nesting behaviors of Chimango Caracaras reveals that pairs share most parental responsibilities, including incubation, brooding, and food deliveries. This collaborative approach allows the birds to adapt to unpredictable food sources, which is unique among raptor species.
Harbor porpoises spend up to 60% of their day hunting small fish to stay warm in cold waters. New research shows that this strategy makes them more vulnerable to noise from motor boats and disturbances from humans.
Researchers tracked migrating eagles through an active conflict zone in Ukraine, finding they used stopover sites less and made large deviations from their usual routes. This study provides the first quantitative evidence that armed conflicts can impact animal behavior.
A new study reveals how the Ukraine war affected migratory eagles' behavior, with altered routes, reduced refuelling sites usage, and longer migration times. Researchers found that the conflict events exposed the birds to artillery fire, soldiers, and displaced civilians.
A UMaine graduate student's research found that small mammal personalities determine the effectiveness of pilferage in mice and voles. Deer mice were the most accomplished thieves, while individuals with lower body condition and female voles were more likely to pilfer.
A study found that tool use among sea otters allows access to larger prey, reducing tooth damage. Female otters, which are more likely to use tools, can consume prey up to 35% harder than males.
Researchers discover Striated Caracaras' playful behavior, showing they interact with objects for fun and explore novel items. The study sheds light on how these birds learn about their environment and could provide insights into the evolution of play in nature.
A new study has confirmed that killer whales take only one breath between dives, providing insights into their unique physiological habits. The researchers used drone footage and biological data from tags to gather information on the animals' habits, revealing that residents spend most of their time making shallow dives.
Researchers have found that a parasitic worm, Eleaophora schneideri, is likely contributing to the decline of moose populations in some regions. The study found microfilariae scattered throughout the brains of infected animals, leading to potential increased morbidity and mortality.