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☆ Ukraine's pilots are flying high-risk 'wild weasel' missions first developed in the Vietnam War by the USAF, says defense analyst
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Eastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 Wild Weasel fires off an AGM-88 HARM towards a Russian radar. (Summer ‘22) pic.twitter.com/IOeu7hzUxW — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 8, 2024The US Air Force pioneered SEAD tactics in the Vietnam War. The term "wild weasel" originated from Project Wild Weasel. This US Air Force anti-SAM strategy used direct attacks to suppress enemy air defenses, according to the National Museum of the US Air Force. But, he added Ukraine's tactics "go far beyond the classic wild weasel missions of Anti-Radiation Missile equipped aircraft."

Persons: —, UkrAF Su, McDonnell Douglas, Stuart Lutz, Gado, Seaman Anthony N, Frederik Mertens, Mertens, William LaPlante, Justin Bronk, Bronk, Russian SAMs, James Hecker, Kajsa Ollongren, Putin Organizations: Service, Ukraine's, US Air Force, Radiation, Business, Ukrainian Air Force, Air, National Museum of, US Navy, US, U.S . Navy, Communication, Hague, Strategic Studies, Radiation Missile, Defense, Washington DC, Wild, Technology, Royal United Services Institute, Russian SAM, United States Air Forces, Air Force, Space, Rygge Air Force Base, OLE BERG, Getty, Dutch Defense Locations: Ukraine's Soviet, Eastern Ukraine, Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, treetop, Vietnam, Libya, Iraq, Yugoslavia, London, Europe, Romania, Norway, AFP, Netherlands, Vilnius, Denmark, Crimea, Kerch

☆ Khloe Kardashian suspects her children are using whale drawings to make fun of her
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewKhloe Kardashian is convinced her two children, True and Tatum Thompson, are poking fun at their mom with whales around the house. In one post, Kardashian shared that the kids had left her a crudely drawn whale in the ocean. AdvertisementIn a second post, Kardashian revealed that she had found more whales among her daughter True's homework. Kardashian said on X last year that she dealt with a fear of whales for years and acknowledged that the trepidation was "totally irrational." AdvertisementLike many other cetaphobes, Kardashian said on X she is afraid of the usually peaceful mammal because of its "ginormous" size.

Persons: —, Khloe Kardashian, Tatum Thompson, Kardashian, Instagram, Tatum, I'm, she's, Khloe, Kim Kardashian Organizations: Service, Business, People, National Institute of Health

☆ Burned remains of Maya royalty marked the rise of a new leader, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The bones offer a rare glimpse of intentional corpse destruction in Maya culture to commemorate dramatic political change. Typically, Maya societies kept royal remains in accessible spaces where visitors could perform offerings. “Halperin is one of our most gifted field workers,” said Houston, who studies ancient Maya culture but was not involved in the research. Around the start of the ninth century when the remains were burned, carved Maya records described the deeds of a new ruler called Papmalil. Ritual desecration of royal remains by fire wasn’t unknown in Maya culture.

Persons: adornments, Christina T, Halperin, ” Halperin, “, —, . Halperin, Dr, Stephen Houston, “ Halperin, ”, Houston, ” —, ’, there’s, ” Houston Organizations: CNN, University of Montréal, telltale, Brown University Locations: Guatemala, Providence , Rhode Island, Guatemala City

☆ Opinion: The next pandemic threat demands action now
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Opinion Jaime M. Yassif | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Well, so far US officials are saying they believe there is minimal risk to the public from the latest iteration of bird flu. According to the Global Health Security Index, there are significant gaps in countries’ pandemic preparedness capabilities. Given the impact of Covid, it is deeply disappointing that national governments are not investing the necessary resources to build life-saving pandemic preparedness capacity. Making matters worse, Congress has made major cuts to pandemic preparedness funding, as part of the ongoing appropriations process. Playing the long game also means supporting the World Bank Pandemic Fund, which is designed to invest in long-term pandemic preparedness capacity of low- and middle-income countries.

Persons: Jaime M, Yassif, ”, —, we’ve, US Department of Agriculture —, It’s, Biden, Covid Organizations: Global Biological Policy, Nuclear Threat Initiative, CNN, Yassif Nuclear, US Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, US Department of Health, Human Services, CDC, US Department of Agriculture, Global Health, Brown, Pandemic Center, Gates Foundation, NTI, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, Global Health Security, Bank, Fund, pandemics Locations: Texas , Kansas, Texas, Colorado, Covid, United States

☆ Why New Zealand spent a small fortune to kill one stoat
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Introduced predators kill about 25 million native birds in New Zealand annually, with about 4,000 native species threatened or at risk of extinction, according to the DOC. Under the program, the government plans to eradicate rats, possums (a marsupial native to the Americas), weasels, ferrets — and the pesky stoat. Chalky Island and the neighboring Passage Islands have been predator-free since 1999 following the first ever stoat eradication campaign, according to the DOC. And for Fleming, the recent stoat incursion only underscores the importance of the Predator Free 2050 plan. “If we eradicate stoats from Aotearoa (New Zealand) completely we remove the costs of incursions, and our wildlife can thrive alongside us,” he said.

Persons: Rebecca Teele, ”, Aaron Fleming, Liu Yang, RNZ, —, pesky, Carolyn M, King, hitlist, Stephan Morris, stoats, stoats ”, Fleming Organizations: CNN, country’s Department of Conservation, New, Zealand, New Zealand Taxpayers ’ Union, Southern, New Zealand, University of Waikato Locations: New Zealand, Fiordland, Eurasia, North America, “, New, Americas, Aotearoa

☆ Ultra-rare, bizarre-looking blind mole photographed in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A rare, blind mole, about which scientists know relatively little, has been spotted and photographed in Australia, Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa – an indigenous organization that deploys rangers – said as it announced the “incredible news.”The northern marsupial mole was spotted in Martu Country, an area in northern Western Australia traditionally owned by the Martu – a group of Australia’s indigenous people. Also know as a Kakarrarturl, the marsupial mole is blind, with poorly developed eyes. Its close relative, the southern marsupial mole, is slightly bigger, at about 18 centimeters (seven inches), and found in central Australia. Joe Benshemesh, a marsupial mole expert and researcher at the National Malleefowl Recovery Group, called them “arguably the world’s most burrow-adapted mammal” in an article published in Australian Geographic, as they have evolved to withstand the harsh temperatures of the desert. The last reported sighting of a marsupial mole was in June near Uluru in central Australia.

Persons: Kanyirninpa, –, Joe Benshemesh, Benshemesh Organizations: CNN, Rangers Locations: Australia, Western Australia, Uluru

☆ World Nature Photography Awards 2024: Spectacular images of wildlife
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Mark Tutton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Rolex’s Perpetual Planet initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. London CNN —A dramatic photo of two gannets fighting for a fish in the waters off Scotland’s Shetland Islands has won first prize at the World Nature Photography Awards. Ivan Pedretti/World Nature Photography Awards“I love the contrast in colors between the white mountains and the black dunes with yellow grass,” he said in a statement. Launched in 2020, the World Nature Photography Awards (WNPA) were set up to promote photography and help the planet, planting a tree for each entry to the competition. As always, it’s such a joy to see the amazing caliber of entries into the awards.”

Persons: Tracey Lund, ”, “, Ivan Pedretti, ” Ivan Pedretti, Adrian Dinsdale Organizations: CNN, London CNN, Islands Locations: United Kingdom, Italy, Stokksnes, Iceland

☆ Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

And though there are Amazonian freshwater dolphin species alive today, they aren’t close kin to that ancient cetacean. There’s the South Asian river dolphin (Platanista genus) and the Amazon river dolphin (Inia genus), also known as the pink river dolphin, and the two groups include several species and subspecies. Researchers discovered the Amazonian dolphin fossil in 2018, near the Napo River in Loreto, Peru. At first, they thought it would turn out to be an ancient relative of modern Amazonian river dolphins. “That was a moment where everybody freaked out, because it wasn’t an Amazonian river dolphin,” Benites-Palomino said.

Persons: ”, Jorge Velez, ” Velez, Juarbe, Aldo Benites, Palomino, John J, Flynn, Palomino “, John, freaked, Benites, yacuruna, Rodolfo Salas, Gismondi, ” Benites, Pebanista, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, American Association for, Advancement of Science, Juarbe, of Los, International Union for, Nature, IUCN, University of Zurich’s Department of Paleontology, American Museum of, of, World Wildlife Fund, Velez, Scientific Locations: Peruvian, South Asia, America, of Los Angeles County, Loreto , Peru, New York City, Peru, of Lima, Amazonia

☆ Remote Island near Antarctica overrun with a million mice that eat rare seabirds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Mouse-Free Marion project plans to eradicate the rodents with rodenticide. They've got to all sorts of places," Anton Wolfaardt, the Mouse-Free Marion project manager, told The AP. Conservationists on Marion Island photographed a mouse sitting on the bloodied head of a wandering albatross chick feeding. "Marion Island's seabirds are members of a regional seabird community innately connected to the functioning and health of the sub-Antarctic region," he said. There are estimated to be over a million mice on Marion Island, The AP report said.

Persons: —, Prince Edward Islands, They've, Anton Wolfaardt, Marion, Wolfaardt, Keith Springer Organizations: Marion, Service, Associated Press, AP, BirdLife International, Guardian Locations: Marion Island, Antarctica, Cape Town , South Africa, Marion, South Africa

☆ Montana rancher paid $4,200 to clone a dead sheep and launched a farm of super hybrids worth up to $550,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A Montana rancher was charged with illegally selling offspring from a cloned sheep across state lines. There's nothing illegal about selling sheep for exorbitant prices — unless those animals are Marco Polo argali sheep, or in Schubarth's case, hybrids of Marco Polo argali sheep. Marco Polo argali sheep are native to central Asia and are considered threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Shortly thereafter, Schubarth allegedly got his hands on some of those sheep parts and, in 2015, paid a deposit of $4,200 to produce cloned sheep embryos from the dead argali's remains. AdvertisementIn May 2017, a pure argali sheep was born from one of those cloned embryos.

Persons: —, Arthur, Jack, Schubarth, Marco Polo, George Schaller, Joyce Tischler, Lacey, King, Matthew Polak, Dolly, it's, Alison Van Eenennaam, Davis, Van Eenennaam, Gregory Kaebnick, isn't, Rula Rouhana, Reuters It's, Kaebnick, didn't Organizations: Service, Department, Lewis & Clark Law School's Center for Animal Law, European Union, Getty, University of California, and Wildlife Service, The Hastings Center, Reproductive Biotechnology, Reuters Locations: Montana, Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Dubai

☆ 2 male humpback whales photographed having sex in scientific breakthrough
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Two humpback whales were photographed having sex for the first time, a new study said. Both of the humpback whales were male, the study added. AdvertisementTwo humpback whales were photographed having sex for the first time, a new study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science said. The image, which was captured off the coast of Maui, Hawaii, also marked the first documented case of sexual activity between two male humpback whales, per the study. It was captured in 2022 when a private boat observed two humpback whales "interacting with each other" and slowly circling it.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Mammal Science, Business Locations: Maui, Hawaii

☆ Dubai photographer reveals the UAE’s hidden wildlife
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Arya Jyothi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —In a country best known for its soaring skyscrapers, modern architecture and sprawling desert, wildlife isn’t always what comes to mind when people think of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Originally from India, Karingattil moved to Dubai 17 years ago and began photographing wildlife shortly after, specializing in macro photography, using extreme close ups. With the UAE’s president recently extending the country’s “Year of Sustainability” into 2024, Karingattil uses wildlife photography as a method of capturing the country’s biodiversity and sharing it with others. For Karingattil, conservation is an important aspect of wildlife photography, which he believes can serve as a powerful tool for advocacy. “By removing litter and debris, we can reduce the impact of human activities on the natural world.”

Persons: Anish Karingattil, Karingattil, ” Karingattil, “, ”, Herping, Andrew Gardner, Gardner, couldn't, Anish Karingattil Gardner Organizations: CNN, United Arab Emirates, “, Sustainability ”, Accounting, Biodiversity Conservation, Emirates Nature, Biological Diversity, Emirates Locations: UAE, Dubai, India, Emirates, dugongs, Australia

☆ The least-visited national parks in the United States in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Marnie Hunter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The state of Alaska — which covers 665,384 square miles (426 million acres) — is home to five of the 15 least-visited national parks for 2023. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska - 78,305 recreation visitsAmerica’s largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias encompasses 13.2 million acres — or about the size of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park and Switzerland combined, the Park Service says. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida - 84,285 recreation visitsThis island park in Florida is among 20 National Park Service sites that broke visitation records in 2023. Channel Islands National Park, California - 328,746 recreation visitsStretching over five islands and the surrounding ocean, Channel Islands National Park offer opportunities to hike, snorkel, kayak, birdwatch and more. While Pinnacles may rank among the 15 least-visited national parks, it gets very busy on weekends, holidays and throughout the spring, according to a notice on the park’s website.

Persons: Alaska’s Gates, “, ” Peter Christian, fa’asamoa, Gates, ”, Katmai, Brooks Camp, Elias, Lumir, Nabesna, McCarthy Organizations: CNN, &, CNN Travel, of, Park Service, National Parks, & Preserve, South Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, Lake Clark, National Park Service, Getty, Isle Royale, NPS, Wolves, Elias, Park & Preserve, Yosemite National, Voyageurs National, Voyageurs National Park, ” Voyageurs, Voyageurs, Service, Channel Locations: Alaska’s, Fairbanks, Alaska, of American Samoa, South, Samoa, Smoky, Wild Rivers, American Samoa, Honolulu, , Alaska, Isle, Lake Superior, Isle Royale, Park , Michigan, Brooks, , Washington, Wrangell, St, Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Switzerland, , Florida, Florida, Key, Fort Jefferson, , Nevada, Minnesota, Voyageurs National Park , Minnesota, Canada, Guadalupe, Park , Texas, Texas, Salt, , South Carolina, South Carolina, Congaree, There’s, Santa Cruz, , California, Southern California

☆ Mystery of whale song unraveled by scientists, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

How baleen whales, which include humpback whales, are able to sing underwater has eluded scientists since whale songs were first discovered more than 50 years ago. A baleen whale’s larynx is shaped differently from other mammals. This structural adaptation allows the leviathan to breathe massive amounts of air in and out when they go to the surface, according to the study. Air sacs also evolved in a way that may allow a baleen whale to recycle air while creating vocal sounds, according to researchers. This means that most boating noises mask calls between baleen whales, reducing the distance over which they can communicate.

Persons: Olga Filatova, “, ”, Coen Elemans, ” Elemans, Elemans, they’ve, Patricia Jaqueline, Karim Iliya, James Rule, Ellen Coombs, Peter Buck Organizations: CNN, University of Southern, London’s, Museum, Smithsonian National Museum of Locations: Bering, University of Southern Denmark

☆ Alaskapox: What to know about virus after officials report first known fatal case
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Amanda Musa | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Health officials in Alaska have identified the first known death linked to a recently discovered virus called Alaskapox. Since its discovery in 2015, seven Alaskapox infections have been reported, according to the state Department of Health. “This is the first case of severe Alaskapox infection resulting in hospitalization and death,” the health department said in a release last week. Still, there is a lot that isn’t known about the virus, McLaughlin said, including how it spreads from animals to humans and how long it has been around. “What has changed is clinician awareness and the general public’s awareness that Alaskapox virus is something that’s a possibility,” McLaughlin said.

Persons: ”, Joe McLaughlin, McLaughlin, Alaskapox, “, ” McLaughlin, Julia Rogers, ” Rogers, Rogers, Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN — Health, of Health, Alaska ., Alaska Department of Health, Epidemic Intelligence, US Centers for Disease Control, Health, The Alaska Department of Health, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: Alaska, Africa, Asia, Europe, Fairbanks, Kenai

☆ A 13-year-old found a 5-million-year-old fossil, and now there's a new species of walrus named in his honor
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Co-authors Robert Boessenecker and Sarah Boessenecker hold the Valenictus walrus skull. Robert BoesseneckerEleven years after Sheperd found it, Boessenecker named the newly-identified walrus species Valenictus sheperdi, after Sheperd's last name. But because the new skull was older and larger than other Valenictus species and had some physiological differences, Boessenecker suspected it was an unknown species. The smooth surface is part of the walrus skull emerging from the rock. AdvertisementThe walruses of CaliforniaMillions of years ago, over a dozen walrus species roamed the planet.

Persons: Forrest Sheperd, who's, Robert Boessenecker ., Robert Boessenecker, Sarah Boessenecker, Sheperd, Boessenecker, Sheperd's, I've, Forrest, clacking, walruses, it's Organizations: Business, Santa Cruz Museum, California, Los Locations: Santa Cruz , California, California, West, San Joaquin, Sierra

☆ ‘Save the Whales’ was a shining success. Now can humpbacks save us from ourselves?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Bill Weir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Antarctic Peninsula CNN —About 15 billion miles from where you sit, two 12-inch golden records are hurtling through outer space with multilingual greetings to the universe from 55 humans and one humpback whale. WWF's Johnson said the whales are not harmed by this -- to the whales, the dart feels like "a mosquito bite." It feels like “a mosquito bite” to the whales, Johnson said, but what they can test for is priceless: from stress hormones to toxins to — most importantly — pregnancy rates. Ten million copies were inserted into National Geographic magazine in 1979 — the largest single pressing in history — and a global movement to Save The Whales grew big enough to … save the whales. Seth Wenig/AP“I don’t think a wind turbine can kill a whale,” Friedlaender told CNN.

Persons: Anderson Cooper, Carl Sagan, ” Sagan, could’ve, “, Ari Friedlaender, Friedlaender, ”, Chris Johnson, ” Eva Prendergast, WWF's Johnson, Evelio Contreras, Bill Weir, Johnson, ” Friedlaender, Shepherd, WWF’s Johnson, Roger, Katy Payne, David Keyton, Frank Watlington, cetologist Scott McVay, Donald Trump, ” Trump, Seth Wenig, that’s, Biden, ” Johnson, Twain, CNN “, ” Brenda McCowan, Fred Sharpe, ” McCowan, ’ ” Sharpe, Natalia Botero, Acosta, ’, Maria Camila Medina Martínez, Julian Quinones, ” Carl Sagan Organizations: Antarctic Peninsula CNN, “, ” CNN CNN, University of California, International Monetary Fund, World Wildlife Fund, Ocean Endeavor, CNN, UC Santa Cruz, Shepherd Global, Norwegian Aker, United Nations, Geographic, Whales, International Whaling Commission, Atlantic, Republican, Templeton Foundation, Whale SETI, UC Davis Locations: Santa Cruz, Colombia, British, Antarctica, Norwegian, Southern, Orkney, Bermuda, Japan, Norway, Iceland, Atlantic, South Carolina, Lido Beach , New York, Davis, Alaska, Columbia, Colombian, Tribuga, United Nations, Palau, Chile, Maldives

☆ Scientists figured out which dog breeds live the longest
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Scientists in the UK investigated how a dog's breed, size, sex, and face shape affect lifespan. Flat-faced dogs, large dogs, and male dogs typically live shorter lives, the scientists discovered. Shown here are dog breeds that fall under the lowest 25% for longevity. AdvertisementAs a result, it may explain why the data suggested crossbreeds live shorter lives, McMillan said. Artificial breeding has shortened dogs' livesHuman-led dog breeding has led to new breeds that live shorter lives.

Persons: Shiba Inus, —, poochies, Bernards, Anita Kot, Presa, Cane Corsos, Cane Corso, Bernard, Kseniya Starkova, Kirsten McMillan, Kirsten McMillian, McMillan Organizations: Lancashire, Service, Dog's Trust, Lakeland, French bulldogs, pugs, Dogs Trust, America Kennel, Westend61 Locations: St

☆ These small male marsupials give up sleep for sex, then die after intense mating season, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Scientists based in Australia have found that mouse-sized male antechinus trade sleep to leave more time for reproductive activities during mating season, with one male who was monitored halving his sleep time during that period. Non-breeding dusky antechinus spend an average of 15.3 hours of the day asleep, according to the researchers. “Sleep restriction in breeding male antechinus is likely to be an adaptive behavioral response driven by strong sexual selection,” the paper said. To study the semelparous marsupials, researchers examined two antechinus species: dusky antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii) and wild agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) both captive and wild. Lesku said researchers would next like to examine how male antechinus deal with restricting their sleep for three weeks.

Persons: ” Erika Zaid, ”, Erika Zaid, Francesca Leonard, Zaid, John Lesku, antechinus, ” Lesku, Erika Zaid “, Volker Sommer, ” Sommer, Lesku Organizations: CNN, La Trobe University, “, University College London Locations: Australia, Melbourne

☆ Scientists clone second species of monkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Meet Retro, a cloned rhesus monkey born on July 16, 2020. Retro is only the second species of primate that scientists have been able to clone successfully. He was not involved in the latest research but has collaborated with some members of the research team on other primate studies. However, a rhesus monkey was cloned in 1999 using what researchers consider a simpler cloning method. Cloned monkeys can be genetically engineered in complex ways that wild-type monkeys cannot; this has many implications for disease modeling.

Persons: Falong Lu, ”, Lu, haven’t, Dolly, Miguel Esteban, Esteban, ” Lu, Zhong Zhong, Hua Hua, Lluís Montoliu, wasn’t, “ Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, State Key Laboratory, Molecular, Biology, of Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, “, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine, Covid, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Royal Society for Prevention, National Center for Biotechnology Locations: Shanghai, Beijing, Spain

☆ After Decades of Decline, a Feathered Icon Breeds in New Zealand’s Capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Pete Mckenzie | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the foot of a towering fern, Pete Kirkman pushed his hand through a curtain of dead branches into a burrow. Baffled by the daylight, the chocolate-colored nocturnal bird shook its pencil-like beak from side to side. “You’re OK,” Mr. Kirkman, a conservationist, said soothingly, as he made the discovery last week. He watched in delight as another hatchling charged out, searching for its sibling, and fell into his arms. Starting in the 1800s, millions were slaughtered by nonnative predators like stoats, a mammal related to the weasel.

Persons: Pete Kirkman, Mr, Kirkman Organizations: New, kiwis Locations: New Zealanders

☆ Stunning video shows Antarctic killer whales appearing to use icebergs as scratching posts, possibly to exfoliate their skin
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

National Geographic said it captured the first footage of killer whales rubbing up against an iceberg. AdvertisementOrcas living in the freezing waters of Antarctica have been captured in footage rubbing up against icebergs in what could be an innovative skincare technique. AdvertisementLike humans, whales and dolphins typically shed their skin continuously, and most of them have no problem doing this in warmer waters. The study found that some antarctic killer whales make an essentially nonstop, nearly 7,000-mile migration to warmer waters that takes six to eight weeks. While the reasons whales migrate remain a mystery, the study argued the evidence suggests "deferred skin molt could be the main driver of long-distance migration for antarctic killer whales."

Persons: —, Robert Pitman, Pitman, Andrew Trites Organizations: Service, National Geographic, Newsweek, Mammal, Oregon State, Mammal Institute, Pacific Northwest, Northern, Marine Mammal Research, University of British Locations: Antarctica, molting, Pacific, British Colombia, Canada, University of British Columbia

☆ Soviet whalers wiped out blue whales from part of the Indian Ocean 50 years ago. Underwater audio reveals the gentle giants have returned.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Blue whales near the Seychelles were wiped out half a century ago by whaling. They found blue whales had returned to the area, and think the whales may be using it for breeding. AdvertisementA population of blue whales near the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean that was wiped out half a century ago has returned after the area was protected, according to a new study. Like many whale species, blue whale populations were depleted by commercial whaling in the 20th century. After several reported sightings of blue whales near the Seychelles, scientists set out to determine if the species had really returned.

Persons: —, Kate Stafford, it's, Stafford Organizations: Service, Research, Oregon State, Mammal Institute, BBC, Soviet Union, International Union for, Nature Locations: Seychelles, Soviet

☆ Planting 'koala corridors' to save Australia's endangered marsupial
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jill Gralow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BANGALOW, Australia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - When Lucy was rescued from a rural property in New South Wales two years ago, she was suffering from chlamydia, a disease widespread among koalas. Today, she's one of the lucky residents of tree corridors in the Australian state dedicated to protecting the marsupial by preserving its rapidly shrinking habitat. "Our corridors are actually trying to get them away from humans, from cars, from dogs," said Linda Sparrow, president of Bangalow Koalas. [1/5]Lucy, an adult female Koala sits in a eucalyptus tree planted by Bangalow Koalas, in Bangalow, Australia in this undated image. Saul Goodwin/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsFounded in 2019, Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336,000 trees on 119 properties, contributing to koala conservation and boosting the local ecosystem.

Persons: Lucy, Linda Sparrow, Bangalow, Bangalow Koalas, Saul Goodwin, Handout, Sparrow, Lindy Stacker, Jill Gralow, Alasdair Pal, Miral Organizations: Australia, REUTERS Acquire, Australian Koala Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Thomson Locations: BANGALOW, Australia, New South Wales, Northern Rivers, Bangalow, Northern, Queensland

☆ Scientists discovered a new way these bats with shockingly large penises mate, and it's unlike anything ever observed in mammals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

By chance, researchers noticed that one bat species had a very large penis. In fact, the researchers explained in the paper, the male bat's penis is seven times longer and wider than the female bat's vagina. A scientific peep show and future bat porn boxThe researchers observed the serotine bat in the attic of a church and a bat rehabilitation center. The researchers observed 97 mating rituals. Then, the male bat held the female in an "extended embrace".

Persons: —, uglies, Nicolas Fasel, Fasel, Olivier Glaizot Organizations: Service, American Association for, Advancement of Science, University of Lausanne, Diversity Locations: Europe, Ukraine

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