Deforestation is stressing mammals out
Lots of us are feeling pretty anxious about the destruction of the natural world. It turns out, humans aren't the only ones stressing out—by analyzing hormones that accumulate in fur, researchers found that rodents and marsupials living in smaller.....»»
Naked mole-rat found to have lost infection-resistant proteins
Scientists have found that the naked mole-rat—an underground rodent that lives up to 40 years—has lost a number of CD1 functional genes. The CD1 gene family in mammals is responsible for protein synthesis that protects the body against infectious.....»»
Ancient DNA helps uncover the Iberian lynx"s potential secret weapon against extinction
Many large mammals have lost genetic diversity, often thanks to the actions of people shrinking their populations. The implications can be severe because without genetic diversity, a population does not have a "genetic database" to fall back on to ad.....»»
Amazon forest loses area the size of Germany and France, fueling fires
The Amazon rainforest has lost an area about the size of Germany and France combined to deforestation in four decades, fueling drought and record wildfires across South America, experts said Monday......»»
Environmental groups urge EU "high risk" label for Sarawak
Environmental and rights groups urged the European Union Tuesday to label Malaysia's Sarawak region "high risk" under controversial new anti-deforestation rules to be implemented from the end of December......»»
Deforestation in the Amazon is driven more by domestic demand than by the export market, finds study
Brazilian Legal Amazonia (BLA)—which comprises the entirety of the Amazon Basin located in Brazil and vast adjacent swathes of the Cerrado, spanning nine states—is more than 5 million square kilometers (km2) in area and corresponds to almost 60%.....»»
Scientists in South Africa say they have identified the first known outbreak of rabies in seals
Scientists in South Africa say they have identified an outbreak of rabies in seals that is believed to be the first time the virus has spread in sea mammals......»»
Backside breathing and pigeon bombers studies win Ig Nobel prizes
Mammals that can breathe through their backsides, homing pigeons that can guide missiles and sober worms that outpace drunk ones: these are some of the strange scientific discoveries that won this year's Ig Nobels, the quirky alternative to the Nobel.....»»
Germany joins criticism of EU anti-deforestation law
Pressure mounted on the European Union on Friday to delay a ban on imports of products driving deforestation, after Germany added became the latest country to request the rules be postponed......»»
Another rare Javan rhino calf spotted at Indonesia park
A new Javan rhino calf has been spotted in an Indonesian national park, the facility's head said Friday, further boosting hopes for one of the world's most endangered mammals after two other sightings this year......»»
Scientists discover crude oil decimates sea otter buoyancy
Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back. However, the charismatic c.....»»
Spiny mice point the way to new path in social neuroscience
Scientists have zeroed in on brain circuitry powering the desire of spiny mice to live in large groups, opening the door to a new model for the study of complex social behaviors in mammals......»»
Taiwan volunteers fight rise in whale and dolphin strandings
Taiwanese volunteers gathered around a large inflatable whale as they learned how to help beached sea mammals—an increasingly common sight across the island......»»
Harnessing AI to fight global deforestation
The new European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is intended to prevent goods marketed in the EU from contributing to the spread of deforestation. When a wood product is brought into the EU market, for example, there must be documentation of which ty.....»»
Companies are crafting new ways to grow cocoa, and chocolate alternatives, to keep up with demand
Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes......»»
Chocolate"s future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab
Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes......»»
How fruit flies use internal representations of head direction to support goal-directed navigation
Animal behavior is known to rely on transforming sensory information into motor commands, often influenced by an animal's internal needs. While in mammals and other large animals this process is supported by complex brain processes, simpler versions.....»»
Rare whale species observed during recent Antarctic expedition
Research by Wageningen Marine Research and partners on the relationship between sea ice and the Southern Ocean food web investigates various components of that food web, including the so-called "top predators," or seabirds and marine mammals. To map.....»»
What the unique shape of the human heart tells us about our evolution
Mammals, from the mighty blue whale to the tiny shrew, inhabit nearly every corner of our planet. Their remarkable adaptability to different environments has long fascinated scientists, with each species developing unique traits to survive and thrive.....»»
Environmental laws failing to slow deforestation, researchers say
Australia's environmental laws are failing to stop high rates of tree clearing to make way for agriculture, development and mining, according to University of Queensland research......»»
Some solitary mammals have surprisingly social lives: What one researcher has learned from a tiny south African rodent
We probably all know someone who lives a solitary life. But not everyone realizes that there are solitary individuals in the animal kingdom, too. Examples of solitary species are some shrews, and large predators, such as black bears (Ursus americanus.....»»