Do predators boost herd health? Maybe not

Researchers used a tiny predator-prey-parasite system inside 20-gallon water tanks to test the healthy herds hypothesis.

Jim Erickson-Michigan • futurity
April 28, 2023 • ~8 min

Why prey animals often see threats where there are none – and how it costs them

False alarms are common in prey animals, but what causes them and how can they be avoided?

Mike Webster, Lecturer, School of Biology, University of St Andrews • conversation
March 2, 2023 • ~7 min

Wolf restoration in Colorado shows how humans are rethinking their relationships with wild animals

Less than a century ago, Colorado hunted, trapped and poisoned all the wolves within its borders. Today it’s restoring them – a change that reflects a profound shift in human thinking.

Christopher J. Preston, Professor of Philosophy, University of Montana • conversation
Feb. 28, 2023 • ~9 min

Reintroducing top predators to the wild is risky but necessary – here's how we can ensure they survive

New research studies the factors that determine whether large carnivore reintroductions will be a success.

Seth Thomas, Research assistant, University of Oxford • conversation
Feb. 17, 2023 • ~7 min

Why no one wants to eat the giant velvet mite

After observing that virtually no creature wants to eat a giant velvet mite, entomologist Justin Schmidt tasted one himself.

Daniel Stolte-Arizona • futurity
Jan. 25, 2023 • ~8 min

Hikers may create ‘landscape of fear’ for animals

Even hikers, not hunters, prompt many animals to find new ground in Glacier National Park, research indicates.

Sara Zaske-Washington State • futurity
Jan. 19, 2023 • ~6 min

Squirrelpox outbreak detected in north Wales – without a vaccine, the disease will keep decimating red squirrels

There is no single, straightforward way to safeguard the future of this native mammal at the moment – but here are some options

Craig Shuttleworth, Honorary Visiting Research Fellow, Bangor University • conversation
Dec. 21, 2022 • ~6 min

Weasels, not pandas, should be the poster animal for biodiversity loss

Polar bears and wolves may get the glory, but small predators like weasels, foxes and their cousins play outsized ecological roles. And many of these species are declining fast.

David Jachowski, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Clemson University • conversation
Dec. 5, 2022 • ~8 min

Wildfires reshape forests and change the behavior of animals that live there

Wildfires are remaking western US forests. Decisions about managing forests that have burned should factor in how fires change animal behavior and interactions between predators and prey.

Taylor Ganz, PhD Candidate in Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington • conversation
Oct. 19, 2022 • ~9 min

Why animals’ bright colors can be warning or seduction

Animals' bright colors can be a warning to predators or an appeal to mates. Scientists looked back in time to figure out why.

U. Arizona • futurity
Oct. 19, 2022 • ~9 min

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