Elephant in utero
Just 3 months into development, this image captures a rare look at a male Asian elephant in utero: showing off already its telltale trunk and big ears. Elephant mothers spend 22 months in pregnancy before giving birth. The elephant photographer here, named George, is now 6 months old and doing well. Asian elephants are classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List. They are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and human and wildlife...
Founder of mongabay.com stumbles upon undescribed species in Indonesia
According to a New Guinea beetle specialist, an apparently undescribed species of Tmesisternus longhorn beetle spotted by mongabay.com founder Rhett A. Butler in West Papua. If you have information on this possibly new species, please contact us. Photo by: Rhett A....
The eagle owl
The newest resident of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Central Park Zoo in New York City is Flaco, an eagle owl (Bulbo bulbo). Native to Europe and Asia, eagle owls are one of the world’s biggest owl species with a wingspan up to 79 inches. The species is considered Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Photo by Julie Larsen...
Just how big is a giant earthworm?
A bottlecap allows one to see the true size, er length, of this giant earthworm photographed in Suriname. We haven’t been able to identify the species in this image. If you have ideas, please contact us. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler . Click to see more photos from...
Rehabilitating a kinkajou
A kinkajou (Potos flavus)–also known as a honey bear or cat monkey–being rehabilitated in Costa Rica. Despite it’s many creative monikers, the kinkajou is most closely related to raccoons and coatis in the eclectic and omnivorous Procyonidae family. The kinkajou is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, although it is thought the population, which spreads from Central to South America, is in decline. Photo...
Gorilla born at the London Zoo
Mjukuu with her new baby boy. Photo courtesy of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) . On October 26th, the London Zoo received a new arrival: a baby western lowland gorilla. The as yet unnamed boy was born to first-time mother Mjukuu. Zoological director, David Field, said the pair were doing ‘brilliantly’. Classified by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, western lowland gorillas, a subspecies of lowland...
Biodiversity matters
Today marks the opening of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nagoya, Japan. Ten years ago member states pledged to stem the tide of biodiversity loss. By all accounts they have failed. Now, they are back at the drawing board, attempting to find ways to save the diversity of life on Earth. The US is one of three nations that is not a member of the CBD. Biodiversity provides a number long-overlooked advantages to humanity,...
Symbiotic relationship between gecko and insect in Madagascar
BBC News highlighted an interesting relationship between a day gecko and a plant hopper insect in Madagascar. Apparently the lizard signals for food which is provided by the insect. The lizard repeatedly nods its head at the insect, called a plant hopper, until it flicks over small balls of honeydew for the gecko to dine upon. BBC says that in return, the lizard may offer some form of protection for the plant...
Non-Violence and Environmental Action
Currently, in the Antarctic seas, Greenpeace’s ship Esperanza is chasing Japan’s whaling fleet. Japan plans to take 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales for what they claim is scientific study, yet the whale’s final destination is Japanese restaurants and markets. Greenpeace believes in non-violent protest. By chasing the whaling fleet the organization is attempting to interrupt the hunt–the Japanese cannot...
Tasmanian devil populations severely diminished by bizarre cancer
The Tasmanian devil, that iconic marsupial predator of the Australian state of Tasmania, may soon meet its end. A surprising one. Once common throughout the continent, it is believed that devils became relegated to Tasmania sometime after the introduction of the dingo to Australia by Austronesian traders 2,000-3,500 years ago. Now foxes have been intentionally and foolishly brought into Tasmania which is dealing a huge blow to the...
More media coverage of Woodlark Island situation
The Woodlark islanders struggle to stop Vitroplant Ltd from logging seventy percent of their island for palm oil plantations has received new attention from organizations and media. The online organization forests.org has set up an action letter which anyone concerned by the issue may attach their name to have their opinion sent to 12 administrators involved. Over two thousand people from all over the world have sent protests for...
Does cryptozoology deserve its bad reputation? Probably.
To almost everyone, cryptozoology does not belong in the scientific world. It relies extensively on anecdotal evidence, is known to fall headlong into hoaxes, and includes Loch Ness Monster fanatics and those people who were convinced that that poor, dead, hairless coyote was a Mexican Goat Sucker. There are thousands of online communities devoted to Bigfoot, some of which organize large expeditions into the woods which, as far as...
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