News
We bring you the latest from around the World in wildlife and conservation news.
Elephant And Rhino Poaching On The Rise
Wildlife officials are saying that a very rare population of elephants found in Northern Mali is being targeted by poachers and their very survival is being threatened. In the last month authorities say that 19 Gourma elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks and it is estimated that the group now numbers between 350 to 500.
Penguins Only Have Bitter And Salty Taste Receptors
Scientists have discovered that penguins only have the ability to taste salty or sour food. According to the results of a genetic study the flightless bird lost three of the five basic tastes a long time ago as a result of evolution. Taste is vital for survival in most animals but may not be that important for penguins which tend to swallow fish whole say researchers.
Robins Extremely Sensitive To Artificial Light
A new study being undertaken by Glasgow University is hoping to understand why robins stay up all night singing in cities. According to Dr. Davide Dominoni, the reason why they do this could be because the city lights make the robins believe there is no end to the day. If that does end up being the case, the Dr. is recommending we reduce the amount of light pollution we emit at night.
Rarest Big Cat On Earth Sees Its Numbers Start To Recover
Things are certainly starting to look up for the critically endangered Amur leopard which is the rarest big cat on Earth. The Amur leopard is indigenous to parts of Northeastern China and Southeastern Russia and since 2007 has seen its population double according to WWF. According to the latest census data from a part of Russia which covers 60 per cent of the Amur leopard’s habitat, the population is estimated as being 57 which is up from the 30 that were counted during the previous census in 2007.
Record Number Of Rhinos Poached Last Year
In 2014, 1,215 rhinos were poached in South Africa setting a new record and representing an increase of 21 per cent over the previous year. To add insult to injury, over two-thirds were killed in the famed Kruger National Park. Over the last few years new records have continuously been set as a result of demand for rhino horns from countries such as Vietnam and China where there is a belief the horns have medicinal properties. As a result the market is very lucrative and has attracted criminal gangs who make use of sophisticated technology to kill their prey.
Zimbabwe Undertakes Controversial Plan To Export Baby Elephants
Wildlife officials in Zimbabwe say they intend to export as many as 62 baby elephants in order to raise finance for the country’s national parks, where poachers pose a threat to the species as a whole. Despite that fact, animal activists have been very vocal with their disapproval and say they want to know what is really going on.
Dolphins Have The Longest Memories In The Animal Kingdom
Move over elephants it would seem the dolphin has the best memory in the animal kingdom according to the latest research. New experiments suggest the bottlenose dolphin has the ability to remember the whistles of other dolphins they have encountered or lived with even after they have been separated for over 20 years. Each dolphin is identified by a unique whistle which acts just like a name, enabling these marine mammals to maintain strong social bonds.
Diving Can Be Dangerous For Marine Mammals
The Weddell seal has the ability to dive up to 2,000 feet below the surface of the sea. This is astonishing because at that depth, even most submarines would be crushed. Even more impressive is these seals can hold their breaths for up to 45 minutes in the icy waters of Antarctica, but the big question is whether there is any cost in doing so. A new study suggests that the mechanism which allows marine mammals to dive so deeply may in fact not be good for their hearts.