Animals

Cape and Australian fur seals show dramatic increases in heart rate hours after returning to land, according to new research. The surges may help the animals recover from the physical stress of prolonged underwater foraging.

9. mai 2026 Rapportert av AI

The Western Cape SPCA is on high alert as an Orange Level 8 weather warning takes effect from Sunday until Tuesday, prompting preparations to assist animals at risk of flooding.

Two young cattle have escaped in Ascheberg, Coesfeld district, posing a risk to road users. The animals have been in the area west of the village and south of the B58 since Tuesday evening. Police are searching with a drone and thermal imaging camera.

6. april 2026 Rapportert av AI

Researchers led by Dr. Alireza Zamani of the University of Turku have identified four previously unknown tarantula species in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. These spiders are so distinct that they required a new genus, Satyrex, named after a mythological figure and Latin for king. Males feature the longest palps recorded in tarantulas, possibly to safely mate with aggressive females.

Archaeologists have identified the oldest genetically confirmed dog remains from a site in Turkey dating back 15,800 years, pushing the timeline for canine domestication by about 5,000 years. Additional remains from the UK, around 14,300 years old, show dogs were widespread across Europe during the hunter-gatherer era. The findings suggest early humans spread domesticated dogs through cultural exchanges.

24. mars 2026 Rapportert av AI

Researchers have documented sperm whales colliding head-on with their heads for the first time using drone footage from the Azores and Balearic islands. The behavior, observed among sub-adult whales, supports longstanding sailor accounts of aggressive whale encounters. The findings were published on March 23 in Marine Mammal Science.