Animals
Bees in ‘lockdown’ to stop parasite spread
animalsThe NSW government has ordered a lockdown of bee hives after the discovery of a deadly foreign parasite that has decimated bee populations overseas
Meet the ugliest mutt on Earth
animalsAn ageing Mr Happy Face has won the World’s Ugliest Dog crown – now he’s winning fans around the globe with his story of survival and a second chance at love after being rescued last year
Classroom ‘doggie dates’ reduce stress
healthStress is bad for learning, behaviour, health and wellbeing – and there are many ways schools are trying to tackle it. But new research suggests the best way is having a canine classmate
Latest
World’s largest fish caught in Cambodia
A giant stingray weighing a whopping 300kg and measuring 4m long has been caught by Cambodian fishermen – and released back into the Mekong River
Deadliest snakes could save lives
Among the world’s deadliest snakes, Australia’s eastern brown and scaled viper could soon enjoy a popularity surge as a protein in their venom significantly slows patient blood loss after injury
Ancient giraffe ancestor was a headbanger
An ancient relative of today’s docile giraffe was a hardened, head-bashing battler, as males slugged it out in a bid to win a female mate around 17 million years ago in the grasslands of China
Elephant ‘Happy’ … but not a person
The US Court of Appeals has closed the gate on the question of whether Happy the elephant has the same rights under the law as a human being, ruling the ‘magnificent creature’ is not a person
Shark cam captures life and death struggles
Cameras fitted to tiger sharks in Western Australia are giving scientists an unprecedented view of the life and death struggles of the predators and their prey
New Kosciuszko koalas adapted to survive
A previously unknown koala population in Kosciuszko National Park adds ‘insurance’ against species extinction as rare sightings over the past 80 years make the discovery an even bigger surprise
Lion with mullet causes uproar at Chinese zoo
Even lions can have a bad hair day. Just ask Hang Hang. The big cat’s once glorious mane looks more like a mullet, with keepers blaming hot and humid weather
Megalodon loses food fight with great white shark
An epic clash between aquatic apex predators may have helped drive the megalodon to extinction once they were forced to compete for food with the fearsome and fast great white shark
Dig deeper on International Dinosaur Day
A Melbourne palaeontologist has shared some of his favourite dinosaur facts as the creatures take centre stage on their international day. WATCH THE VIDEO
Google AI to help rescue Great Barrier Reef
Global tech giant Google has teamed up with CSIRO scientists to tackle the crown-of-thorns starfish that preys on coral and is one of the top three threats to the Great Barrier Reef’s future
Waddle they think at school?
A Victorian family’s pet goose shows birds of a feather don’t always flock together, preferring the company of his humans and canine best friend
Leo’s a cut above in the charity stakes
Animal mad Melbourne boy Leo Saw is planning to cut off his prized mullet to raise money for the Lost Dogs’ Home
Monstrous megaraptor unearthed in Argentina
Boasting terrifying talons, one mighty big belly and a bulky body the length of a three-storey building, this Cretaceous era Argentinian dinosaur was once the apex predator of the Andes
Injured flying fox spreads her wings again
A broken wing is really bad news for a flying fox. But this girl is back gliding through the night thanks to life-saving surgery by vets from Werribee Open Range Zoo
Irwin family blazes digital art trail
No wilderness frontier is a match for the intrepid Irwin family and the new crypto universe is no exception, with the Australia Zoo wildlife conservationists launching a new digital art project
Super koala Jagger to the rescue
Scientists are breeding super koalas with healthy genes in a conservation project to boost endangered populations along Australia’s east coast
Crocs no match in trapdoor plant quest
Australian researches had to trek for three days in a crocodile-infested WA river to find a rare carnivorous plant that captures its prey with a trapdoor
Mercy the penguin’s second chance at life
Little penguin Mercy wasn’t in a good way before he was nursed back to health by Tasmanian wildlife keepers. WATCH THE VIDEO of his recovery and heartwarming release back into the wild
Spinosaurus’ underwater life was in its bones
Scientists have scratched their heads over Spinosaurus since the Cretaceous carnivore was first discovered – now a study has shed new light on how the giant dinosaurs hunted prey underwater
Bath time for rescued Tassie devil
A Tasmanian devil has been given a five-star spa treatment after being rescued from an oily pit in a mechanic’s workshop. WATCH THE VIDEO
Top dog Elmo is in full flight
A busy airport can be stressful, but Elmo the labrador is making the experience a whole lot easier for nervous flyers and travellers with special needs
How to have a native animal Easter
Australia’s beloved koala is now officially an endangered species – but families can help conservation efforts simply by downloading a free children’s book over Easter
Taxis jump queue to get queen bees to hives
An exclusive new chauffeur service delivers VIP levels of comfort and security to a very small but vital customer base – queen bees in need of a ride as they relocate with their hives
Ibis ‘bin chicken’ to the big time?
Worshipped by Ancient Egyptians, the ibis has been down on its luck since arriving in Australia – but all that might change after calls to make the nation’s ‘bin chicken’ an Olympic Games mascot
Baby squirrel monkeys for Taronga
Monkey mania has landed at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo with the birth of six highly sociable little squirrel monkeys, taking the total number of these critically endangered residents to 24
Flying dino had two tummies
New pterosaur fossils from the Late Jurassic period suggest these flying predators had two stomachs, great for digesting unlucky prey they gobbled in one gulp
How vampire bats got a blood diet
Scientists have figured out why vampire bats are the only mammals that live on blood alone, with a low-fat, low-carb diet keeping these ‘living Draculas’ flying high in the night sky
French fungus to the rescue of little penguins
The CSIRO hopes a French fungus will be the answer to controlling a weed that is threatening the nesting sites of Victoria’s little penguins
Insect wings inspire food safety solution
Dragonfly and cicada wings act as deadly armour against bacterial attack, giving scientists an unexpected blueprint for better protecting our food
Octopus fossil found with extra arms
A well-preserved, 10-armed fossil puts octopuses on Earth ahead of dinosaurs, more than 80 million years earlier than previously thought
World’s best Triceratops moves in
Dubbed the Mona Lisa of fossils, Horridus is the most complete and finely preserved Triceratops in the world. And it’s right here in Australia
Scientists decode what pigs are saying
Not just a pretty face, the pig is a smart, chatty animal with an emotional range communicated via vastly different grunts
Following a funnel-web’s footsteps
The secret life of male Sydney funnel-web spiders is being captured at night thanks to minuscule headgear the size of a grain of rice
Seals in hi-tech helmets help Antarctic study
Japanese researchers have fitted eight Weddell seals with hi-tech monitors to help survey the waters under the thick ice sheet of Antarctica
Tech exists to resurrect Tassie tiger
A bold plan to bring back the Tasmanian tiger in just 10 years is fuelling the scientific race to restore the lost species to life
T-rex may be three different species
Tyrannosaurus rex might have to make room on the dino royal throne, with experts believing there could be two more distinct species of T-rex dubbed the emperor and the queen
School’s out as Qld floods cause havoc
A deadly eastern brown snake became an unlikely saviour to mice and frogs during severe flooding, as Queensland closed nearly 1000 schools and the storms headed south to northern NSW
Red panda cubs born at Taronga
Cuteness levels have doubled at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo with the safe arrival of a pair of red panda cubs, whose early antics are being captured and shared via CCTV
Baby ghost shark looks like an alien
It looks like an alien from outer space and it’s almost as rare! This weird creature is a baby ghost shark, found by scientists off the coast of New Zealand
See ya later alligator!
Keepers had to recapture a large alligator that tried to make his escape from a NSW wildlife park during flooding rain. WATCH THE VIDEO
Flying reptile fossil has scientists ‘gobsmacked’
The discovery of a Scottish pterosaur shows the flying reptile grew larger much earlier than previously thought – and long before the Cretaceous period when they had to compete with birds
New dino study is nothing to sneeze at
An international team of researchers believes dinosaurs caught colds and other respiratory illnesses, just like humans
Ever wanted to peek inside a lion’s mouth?
A lioness has given wildlife fans an amazing close-up after chomping on a GoPro camera. WATCH THE VIDEO
Young dinosaur was crocodile’s last meal
The mortal struggles of Cretaceous Queensland have been vividly brought to life with the discovery of an ancient crocodile that ate a young dinosaur as its own last meal
Cloned Tassie tiger gets closer
The Tasmanian tiger’s path back from extinction is one step closer after the successful genome mapping of its closest living relation
Koalas to be listed as endangered
Bushfires, drought, disease and habitat loss have taken a toll on koala populations along Australia’s east coast, prompting their conservation status to be lifted to “endangered”
Parrot films high-flying getaway with stolen GoPro
A feathered thief has captured some spectacular aerial footage after swiping a family’s GoPro camera on a hiking holiday in New Zealand. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO
Robert Irwin’s close call with cranky croc
An aggressive crocodile named Casper had Robert Irwin running for safety at Australia Zoo in one of the “most intense” croc feeds he’s ever attempted. WATCH THE VIDEO
Check in at Bluey’s? Whackadoo!
Life has imitated art – with a bark – with the Heeler house from hit TV show Bluey being recreated as a weekend getaway ‘for real life’
Giant ‘sea dragon’ fossil found in UK
Britain’s largest and most intact ancient ichthyosaur fossil has been found in England – and it’s estimated to be 180 million years old
Fake poop has owls feeling right at home
Scientists have come up with some clever ways to make burrowing owls feel at ease in their new homes after being driven out of their habitat by property development
Face mask litter a major problem
Nearly two years since the pandemic began, the world is awash in discarded single-use face masks and this chief Covid protection poses a threat to wildlife and the environment
Bird sounds set for ARIA success
Endangered Australian birds could knock pop songbirds from their perch, with an album of birdsong in the running to debut in the ARIA Top 10
Pooch patrol solution to seagull woes
Man’s best friend has a new role: banisher of seagulls and protector of chips. Meet the dogs recruited to shoo marauding seagulls away from diners at the Sydney Opera House
Great Barrier Reef’s coral baby boom
Corals born during an innovative IVF project have reached maturity in time for a reproductive rush at the Great Barrier Reef’s annual mass spawning event
Seaweed for cows lowers climate cost
Seaweed shows promise as an additive to cut the methane produced by dairy cows, a major source of greenhouse gas
Pygmy hippo birth, hip hip hooray!
With fewer than 3000 pygmy hippos estimated to be left in the wild, the birth of a waddling little calf at Taronga Zoo is certainly cause for big whoops of welcome
Dino’s slashing tail weapon sets it apart
Palaeontologists have unearthed fossils from a dinosaur with a unique tail they have likened to a weapon used by ancient Aztec warriors
Robotic bird feet designed for drones
Engineers have built robotic graspers that can be fitted to drones to help them catch objects and perch on tree branches just like birds
Wild horses to be reined in
Brumby numbers will be slashed in Kosciuszko National Park in NSW under a plan to reduce environmental harms caused by wild horses
Cheetah Kulinda is just wild for zoo life
Life is never boring for cheetah Kulinda thanks to special enrichment programs designed to keep animals healthy and happy at our zoos
Hybrid coral could withstand heat
Coral that survived multiple mass bleaching events added to Great Barrier Reef’s mass spawning mix so heat-resilient hybrid could be born
Great white an underwater warhorse
Stunning images of a heavily scarred great white shark suggest a battlefield lies beneath the surface of the ocean
Assassin spiders dodge death
Kangaroo Island assassin spiders have been found alive almost two years after bushfires were feared to have wiped them out
Eagle recovering after dramatic surgery
A wedge-tailed eagle is on the mend after surgeons successfully operated on his broken leg – but not before he managed to give rescuers a real run for their money
Tiny puggle recovers at Taronga
A perfect little puggle abandoned on a NSW property is loving life with its ‘surrogate mum’ at Taronga Wildlife Hospital
Antarctic penguin swims to New Zealand
After his epic adventure from Antarctica to New Zealand’s South Island, Pingu the penguin is released for the return leg
Tiny frog species found in NSW
A new species of ‘hip pocket’ frog discovered in NSW has been granted immediate habitat protection – its rare features including males that carry tadpoles in pouches
Monster appetite of whales boosts ocean health
Baleen whales are gigantic climate change crusaders, thanks to their huge hunger for krill – now they just need their own natural environment restored
Farewell to penguin protector Tula
One of the first maremma sheepdogs specially trained to watch over the penguins of Middle Island – just like in the movie Oddball – has died at the age of 13
Lion cubs make their zoo debut
These cute cubs are sure to grab the lion’s share of the attention when they say hello to the world for the first time at Taronga Zoo
Cartoon celebrates a Verry Elleegant winner
Cartoonist Mark Knight reckons Verry Elleegant won the race and the fashion stakes at this year’s Melbourne Cup
Raven attacks delivery drone in Aussie capital
A battle of nature against the machine saw one riled up raven attempt to rumble a delivery drone in the skies above Canberra
Earliest evidence dinos lived in herds
An extraordinary fossil site in the South American region of Patagonia has provided the earliest evidence of dinosaurs living in herds
Ivory trade leads to tuskless elephants
Humans have sped up evolution in Mozambique where ivory hunters have caused an increase in the proportion of female elephants born without tusks
Top price of $10 million paid for triceratops
The preserved skeleton of a 66-million-year-old herbivore has set a new record price for triceratops sales, after a private American collector paid big bucks for ‘Big John’
Case of mistaken dino identity
A dinosaur thought to be the biggest meat eater of its time has been reclassified as a timid vegetarian after a footprint found in Queensland was re-examined
Fifth grader wins global photo prize
A 10-year-old boy from India has won a prestigious wildlife photography award. See his winning photo and other shots from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 competition
Dino demise was good news for snakes
The asteroid that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago was bad news for dinosaurs, but not for snakes that dined out on the mammals and birds that thrived after the removal of dino predators
Dogs learn words as quickly as toddlers
Most dogs know words like “sit” and “walkies” but new research shows smart pooches can also learn the names of toys as quickly as a one-year-old child
Animal numbers up in Africa
The first wildlife census in Kenya has found an encouraging rise in the African elephant population after important gains in the ongoing fight against poachers
Drones to patrol beaches and bush
A fleet of up to 1000 drones linked to a central command hub will be used to keep swimmers and wildlife safe along the east coast of Australia over summer
Giant marine fossil dubbed ‘the mothership’
Canadian Palaeontologists have discovered a 506-million-year-old marine fossil – a giant in its day that stalked prey along the ocean floor
Baby seahorses check in to harbour hotels
Special underwater “hotels” have welcomed more than 140 new guests as part of a project to boost wild populations of White’s seahorses in Sydney Harbour
Bold plan to bring woolly mammoths back to life
Scientists have announced an ambitious plan to bring woolly mammoths back from extinction after thousands of years
Coral atlas maps the world’s reefs
The Allen Coral Atlas delivers the first-ever detailed, digital map of global coral for conservationists and ocean lovers the world over
MooLoo to the rescue
Toddlers appreciate treats while toilet-training – and a new study has found calves like being rewarded for going in the right place too, clearing the path for lowering the climate cost of bovines
Young albatross makes epic journey to Australia
We can’t travel far at the moment, but there were no such restrictions on a young albatross that was tracked on a 36,000km round trip from its sub-Antarctic island home to South Australia
Cheeky duck learns human insult
Researchers got more than they bargained for when it came to studying old recordings of Ripper the Australian musk duck, who had learned to mimic a human in need of a swear jar
New plan to save Aussie animals
NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean marked Threatened Species Day by announcing a bold plan to end extinction fears for Australia’s best loved fauna and flora
Funny wildlife shots are something to smile about
Don’t worry, be happy! That’s the message from this little guy, one of the finalists in this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. What’s your favourite shot?
Fur seal is 25 and still going strong
A long-nosed fur seal that was tagged in Tasmania as a pup has turned up in Victoria after 25 years, much later than he was expected to survive in the wild
Lockdown dives produce winning nature snap
The 2021 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Scott Portelli formed a bond with this leafy seadragon after being stuck in South Australia during lockdown. Check out some of the competition’s top nature snaps
Mini-horse breeds happiness
Meet Jimmy, the handsome black miniature stallion who is winning hearts and spreading smiles with a skateboarder in tow
Four-legged whale fossil found in Egypt
The 43-million-year-old fossil of a fierce, four-legged whale species has been named after the ancient Egyptian god of death
Whale mums tour coast with calves
Mother Nature keeps delivering gifts through lockdowns and restrictions, lifting spirits coast to coast with these whale wanderers
Weird creatures that could be state’s official fossil
Some states are adopting official fossils to join their traditional animal and flora emblems. See what relics are in the running to become the official fossil of Victoria