Australian duck mimics sounds—and slings insults
Not many animals are able to learn vocalizations. Parrots, hummingbirds and some songbirds can. So can whales, seals, bats and elephants. Ducks had never made that ...
Australia
Cane toads aren’t just invasive—they can also be cannibals
Invasive species can wreak havoc on native ecosystems. Sometimes, they can be their own worst enemies, too. In Australia, the cane toad (Rhinella marina) was ...
JWM: Wombat mange outbreak limited to north Tasmania
Sarcoptic mange hit the bare-nosed wombat population of central northern Australia hard. Narawntapu National Park used to be the go-to place for tourists and ...
Australia’s wildfires had a devastating toll
A year after Australia’s devastating 2019-2020 wildlife season ended, biologists are getting a grim picture of the impact on wildlife. Scientists say more than ...
Wild Cam: Unearthing bilbies’ benefits
Bilbies may look like rabbits, but that’s where the similarity ends. In Australia, where the marsupials are native, the government has spent enormous amounts of ...
Deadly cancer less of a threat to Tasmanian devils
A highly contagious face cancer was expected to devastate Tasmanian devil populations, but a new analysis paints a brighter picture. Researchers have found that the ...
Australia’s bushfires spell trouble for endangered species
Australia’s recent bushfires have burned habitat for native animal species, 21 of which were already listed as threatened with extinction. Scientists used ...
JWM: Tree plantations provide koala habitat — for now
Tree plantations could provide suitable temporary habitat for koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in southwestern Australia, since the animals move around ...
Wild Cam: Wombats face grim outlook in hotter, drier climate
It’s a tale of two wombats. Down to fewer than 200 individuals, the northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) is listed as critically endangered by the ...
Bushfires take toll on wildlife research
The recent Australian bushfires have exacted a toll not just on wildlife but on wildlife research. “Some studies have been set back months or years,” writes ...