Wild elephants continue to be at risk due to habitat depletion and illegal poaching for ivory. Unfortunately, there’s another problem as well, in the form of a virus called EEHV (elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus). Researchers are trying to understand EEHV in an attempt to save captive and wild elephants, and so far, it looks like it’s […]
Orca females share a trait with human females: they go through menopause. At about the age of 40, killer whales reach the end of their reproductive productivity, but it’s possible that they can live for decades longer than that. Now, researchers are understanding the role that these menopausal females play, and it turns out that […]
Hyenas are striking creatures, and just as fascinating. They are intelligent and live in complex societies. Hyena clans are ruled by an alpha female, and adult males rank lowest in social status, behind females and juveniles. Now, it seems that recent research shows that being low in the ranks can really stress animals out- in […]
Polar bear siblings living at the Oregon Zoo are helping researchers understand their wild counterparts in a unique way! By altering their diets and drawing blood from Tasul and Conrad, researchers are learning valuable information that could help with polar bear conservation. Tasul and Conrad were put on two different diets- a seafood diet and […]
Amur leopards are one of the rarest- and most endangered- big cats in the world. In 2007, a census showed 30 individual animals in Land of the Leopard National Park in Russia. A recent census, gathered from carefully placed cameras, shows that the population has almost doubled- they counted 57! With the large number of […]
Dogs helping scientists find tortoises, orcas and koalas? Is there anything man’s best friend CAN’T do? It’s pretty amazing to see the ways that dogs are helping us save endangered species, and now dogs are helping researchers determine population numbers of the Cross River gorilla. Unfortunately, the Cross River gorilla is so endangered that it […]
Researchers have unlocked some of the secrets of the social structure of sperm whales. These whales can be difficult to track, because more than half of their time is spent hunting squid far below the surface. But now, research has shed some light on the social relationships of these beautiful animals. Over the course of […]
Wyoming biologists have found a mule deer migration route as long as any known in north america. Researchers from the University of Wyoming, along with conservation groups are working hard to keep this 150 mile route from Hoback Junction to Rock Springs Wyoming, known as the Red Desert to Hoback Migration clear and free of development. […]
Most species of baleen whales are endangered. Fortunately, new research is focusing on helping these beautiful animals, and it all started with studying their skulls. Researchers created a 3D computer model of the skull of a fin whale to attempt to understand the way these whales process sound. By passing simulated sound waves through the […]
Tens of thousands of people have died from Ebola in several countries in Africa that has resulted in a huge push to develop vaccines, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Reports say that the disease is on the decline, but not completely gone for now. What about other populations in Africa? As the ebb and flow […]