3+ day, 17+ hour ago   (408+ words) This first reintroduction marks a milestone in efforts to slowly establish a viable wild population in the West African country. After an absence of more than 20 years in the wild in Niger, the North African ostrich has returned to its…...

3+ day, 17+ hour ago   (341+ words) For blue-lined octopus, mating is a dangerous game. That’s why males inject females with venom before sex, according to a new study. Their saliva contains a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), which they use to paralyse their prey and protect…...

3+ day, 19+ hour ago   (538+ words) Wild pygmy raccoons have been filmed making and playing with pint-sized, papier-mâché footballs. The entrancing behaviour may be a rare example of wild animals making objects simply for fun. Pygmy raccoons (Procyon pygmaeus) are found only on the Mexican island…...

4+ day, 17+ hour ago   (349+ words) It would be a brave animal that took on the world's biggest creature In the ocean, different animals have their own unique self-defence strategies to help them survive predators. Some, like crustaceans have hard shells to protect their vulnerable parts....

4+ day, 17+ hour ago   (208+ words) Here's exactly how insects breathe without lungs If breathing is defined as the rhythmic movement of air into and out of the lungs, then insects don’t technically breathe as they lack the necessary organ. Instead, air passively enters their bodies…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago   (415+ words) The insect world is full of weird and wonderful evolutionary designs, and these remarkable species prove that butterflies are far stranger than you might expect The world of Lepidoptera is staggeringly diverse – and utterly eccentric. Evolution has pushed butterflies in…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago   (187+ words) Most jellyfish don't need proper eyes. Here's why box jellyfish do Most jellyfish are passive feeders, this means that species such as moon jellyfish don’t need proper eyes, and instead possess simple, light-sensitive ‘eye-spots’ or ‘ocelli’ that detect light and…...

6+ day, 3+ hour ago   (639+ words) In a beehive, it’s all about survival of the fittest – and it turns out the queen bee will go far to ensure she is the healthiest of them all. Scientists from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), have found…...

6+ day, 5+ hour ago   (146+ words) As temperatures rise due to climate change, bears may be more active during times where they were traditionally hibernating – and this change in behaviour could drive bears to seek out food in human-inhabited areas, according to a new study. Scientists…...

6+ day, 18+ hour ago   (254+ words) "At first he licked the doors and tyres, but then decided to spar with the hood. I didn’t feel safe trying to stop him" BBC Wildlife Magazine "At first he licked the doors and tyres, but then decided to spar…...