Why elephants have whiskers on their trunks
A team of zoologists from the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and Berlin Zoological Garden has discovered the purpose of whiskers on elephant.....»»
Boom in "ice ivory" trade of mammoth tusks presents new threat to elephants and environment
Conservationists fear a rise in the buying and selling of mammoth tusks, known as the "ice ivory" trade, poses a new threat to elephants......»»
Wild Asian elephants display unique puzzle solving skills
Individual innovation is considered one sign of intelligence within species, and elephants are among the animals that researchers have long taken an interest in because of their sophisticated approach to problem solving. A newly published study in th.....»»
Tree-hugging AI to the rescue of Brazilian Amazon
Small, artificially intelligent boxes tied to tree trunks in the Brazilian Amazon are the latest weapon in the arsenal of scientists and environmentalists battling destructive jungle invaders......»»
Kenya bets on carbon credits as it hosts climate summit
Deep within Kasigau, a sweeping wilderness of craggy hills and savannah roamed by elephants, a team armed with clipboards and measuring tapes is busy studying an unremarkable tree......»»
Logging is growing in a Nigerian forest home to endangered elephants. Rangers blame lax enforcement
Roaring chainsaws sent trees crashing to the ground, and bare-chested men hacked away at the branches beside a muddy road. Others heaved logs onto a truck, where they were tied in place with wire......»»
Want to fight climate change? Don"t poach gorillas (or elephants, hornbills, toucans, etc.)
Here's a climate solution we can all get behind: don't kill elephants. Or poach gorillas—or wipe out tapirs, hornbills, or other large-bodied wildlife that eat fruit and disperse large seeds. That's because a new paper by the Wildlife Conservation.....»»
Illegal logging turns Syria"s forests into "barren land"
On a riverbank in war-ravaged Syria's north, felling has reduced what was once a lush forest to dispersed trees and decimated trunks poking out from dry, crumbly soil......»»
New leaf-tailed gecko from Madagascar is a master of disguise
Leaf-tailed geckos are masters of camouflage. Some species have skin flaps around the whole body and head, as well as flattened tails. During the day, they rest head-down on tree trunks with these skin flaps spread out, and blend seamlessly into thei.....»»
Elephant ancestors" teeth evolved in response to long term changes in diet and climate in Africa
The latest study about of proboscideans (elephants and their ancient relatives) from the University of Helsinki provides proof that some proboscideans started to adapt to locally grass-rich environments in East Africa first by changing their behavior.....»»
Researchers explain how mushrooms can live for hundreds of years without getting cancer
The risk of cancer increases with every cell division. As such, you would expect long-lived species like elephants to get cancer more often than short-lived species like mice. In 1975, however, Richard Peto discovered that this is not the case, and t.....»»
Testing of wind sensing in rats shows sub-orbital whiskers play a role in assessing direction
A team of neurobiologists and neuroscientists at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory has found that sub-orbital whiskers play a role in helping rats determine which direction air movement is coming from and to respond accordingly. In their pa.....»»
Similar to humans, elephants also vary what they eat for dinner every night
Elephants eat plants. That's common knowledge to biologists and animal-loving schoolchildren alike. Yet figuring out exactly what kind of plants the iconic herbivores eat is more complicated......»»
Hot testicles may hold the secret to elephants" anti-cancer genes, suggests new study
A study published today in Trends in Ecology & Evolution unveils an intriguing connection between hot testicles and the evolution of potent anti-cancer genes in elephants......»»
Jumbo problem: Sri Lanka"s battle with plastic pollution
Heart-wrenching images of revered elephants and cattle eating plastic in Sri Lanka have prompted politicians to toughen pollution laws, but skeptical conservationists warn past bans were repeatedly ignored......»»
Why elephants have whiskers on their trunks
A team of zoologists from the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and Berlin Zoological Garden has discovered the purpose of whiskers on elephant.....»»
New book eyes Earth"s excavators, from microbes to elephants and dinosaurs
The ordinary person looks at Stone Mountain and sees a solid, unmovable monolith. Emory paleontologist Anthony Martin, who thinks in geologic time, sees something more akin to a giant sugar cube......»»
From enormous elephants to tiny shrews: How mammals shape and are shaped by Africa"s landscapes
Africa is the world's most diverse continent for large mammals such as antelopes, zebras and elephants. The heaviest of these large mammals top the scales at over one ton, and are referred to as megafauna. In fact, it's the only continent that has no.....»»
Human activities have reduced elephant habitat by nearly two-thirds since 1700, dividing population into smaller patches
Despite their iconic status and long association with humans, Asian elephants are one of the most endangered large mammals. Believed to number between 45,000 and 50,000 individuals worldwide, they are at risk throughout Asia due to human activities s.....»»
Secrets of the Elephants series reveals a unique, dynamic animal culture
Ars chats with wildlife conservationist Paula Kahumbu about her experience making the series. Enlarge / An African Savannah elephant roams through Kimana Sanctuary in Kenya in the new documentary series Secrets of the Elephants......»»
Elephants must adapt to a rapidly changing world in Secrets of the Elephants
Ars chats with wildlife conservationist Paula Kahumbu about her experience making the series. Enlarge / An African Savannah elephant roams through Kimana Sanctuary in Kenya in the new documentary series Secrets of the Elephants......»»