Animals
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Focus
Cocaine hippos and Kimberley donkeys
Introduced species turn the clock back on a history of extinctions.
The giant wombat may no longer roam the wilds of Australia, but wild donkeys certainly do. And in South America, gian...
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How to attract girls, if you’re a lemur
A fruity-smelling perfume seems to do the trick.
Male ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) appear to make themselves more attractive to females by secreting a fruity and ...
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It’s OK bro, I’ve got your back
This little bird helps large rhinos stay safe.
If you want a good example of the value of local indigenous knowledge, read on. In the Swahili language, Africa’s ...
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The emotional lives of mice
Machine learning detects distinct feelings from facial expressions.
Cartoonists have captivated generations by humanising mice, from the enigmatic Mickey Mouse and charming Stuart Littl...
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I count, therefore I am
For all animals, it seems, maths is survival.
From birds and bees to frogs, wolves and ants, it’s an enduring source of wonder that animals can count. This is not ...
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Why some frogs have crazy heads
Similar skulls evolved millions of years apart.
Most frogs look pretty benign, with round and friendly faces, but don’t be fooled. Below the surface, some sport faux...
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From lions to orcas, females outlive males
That’s even though males don’t age faster.
Whether you’re a female human, orca, lion or elephant seal, you have a fairly good chance of outliving many of your m...
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Bloody great mates
A reviled creature forms lasting social bonds.
Every human has a hatful of stories about the ways they formed friendships over the years – with university friends, ...
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Ticked off
Study suggests leaf litter is fine habitat for tick nymphs.
Many American homeowners clear their lawns of fallen leaves in autumn to avoid creating tick-friendly habitats. But a...
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The long-term effects of sexual competition
Love rivals risk having offspring with more harmful mutations.
Peering into the private lives of beetles has revealed that males who face tougher competition for females risk havin...
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Turtle ant soldiers use their heads
They're big enough to act as protective doors.
Turtle ant soldiers (Cephalotes) are tree-dwelling insects with strangely oversized heads, which they use to block th...
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Mongoose sheds insight on spread of disease
The research has implications for human behaviour.
By watching banded mongoose populations across a range of different environments in Botswana, Africa, researchers hav...