Elephants are highly intelligent and social, forming close family groups and showing understanding, cooperation and empathy in their relationships. Now, an international team of animal behaviorists have confirmed that elephants greet each other with a complex array of gestures and vocal cues, depending on the individuals and circumstances. “Elephants live in multi-level societies where individuals […]
The range of venomous snakes could look a lot different globally by 2070, according to a new study. Climate change is leading to habitat loss, which is likely to push venomous snakes into new regions. An international research team, led by professor Pablo Ariel Martinez of the Federal University of Sergipe, studied data on 209 […]
Quick Key Facts Benefits of Native Plants A butterfly feeds on a native coneflower in a pollinator garden of the East Decatur Greenway in Decatur, Georgia. Thomas Cizauskas / Flickr Native plants are indigenous plant species that evolve naturally on land or in the water, and are an integral piece of thriving ecosystems, providing critical […]
Biologists have observed a Sumatran male orangutan using the sap and chewed leaves of a medicinal plant to treat an open wound on his face. While there has been previous evidence of self-medication behaviors in animals, it is the first known incident of an animal in the wild treating a wound with a “biologically active […]
The Biden administration announced plans to expand two national monuments in California: the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. The move, announced on May 2, will add protections to nearly 120,000 acres of land in the state. The expansion contributes to President Joe Biden’s target of conserving and restoring […]
A new study by researchers at University of Glasgow has found that pet parrots prefer video calling other parrots over watching pre-recorded bird videos. Animal-computer interaction specialists provided nine parrots and their caretakers with tablets to explore how video chats might expand the social lives of the birds, a press release from University of Glasgow […]
A first-of-its-kind study that analyzed hundreds of conservation actions around the world has confirmed that efforts toward preserving wildlife are resulting in measurable achievements. The international study, published in the journal Science, sought to assess whether conservation efforts were having any positive impacts on biodiversity. Researchers analyzed 186 studies, including 665 trials, and measured changes […]
Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Grasslands’? Grasslands — also known as savannas, prairies, steppes and pampas — are ecosystems found in parts of the world that do not get sufficient consistent rainfall to support forest growth, but get enough to avoid the landscape turning into desert. Often, grasslands are a transition ecosystem between deserts and […]
If you’ve ever listened to “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors, you know that before any music from instruments begins, there is the sound of heavy rain and thunder, giving the song an ambience created by the “music” of nature. Likewise, about halfway through “Blackbird” by The Beatles, the sound of a male blackbird […]