Over 330 elephants suddenly collapsed and died. Scientists now have an explanation

Posted on September 22, 2020

The mystery surrounding hundreds of sudden elephant deaths in Botswana seems to have been solved and the findings bring an end to months of speculation on why at least 330 elephants were found dead in the northwestern region of the Southern African country earlier this year.

Initially, possible explanations over the deaths had ranged from poaching to anthrax to poisoning. Now, however, the country has pointed to toxic blooms of cyanobacteria, a naturally occurring neurotoxin and biological phenomenon which has increased due to climate change, according to Mmadi Reuben, principal veterinary officer at the Botswana department of wildlife and national parks.

Read the Full Story on ABC News.

Baby gorilla born at Bristol Zoo

Posted on August 31, 2020

A baby gorilla has been born at Bristol Zoo.

Keepers arrived to find the new arrival nestling in the arms of its mother.

Photographs taken just hours after the birth on Wednesday show Kala – a nine-year-old western lowland gorilla – cradling the newborn. Staff said both were “doing well”.

The zoo said Kala gave birth naturally with the baby’s father, Jock, nearby. Her first baby died last year a week after it was born.

Read the Full Story on BBC.com

Nerve agent fear as hundreds of elephants perish mysteriously in Botswana

Posted on July 2, 2020

Mystery surrounds the “completely unprecedented” deaths of hundreds of elephants in Botswana over the last two months.

Dr Niall McCann said colleagues in the southern African country had spotted more than 350 elephant carcasses in the Okavango Delta since the start of May.

No one knows why the animals are dying, with lab results on samples still weeks away, according to the government.

This Man Introduced His Wife To Wild Gorillas He Raised And Things Didn’t Go As Planned

Posted on February 7, 2020

In the summer of 2017, Damian Aspinall and his wife, Victoria, took the trip of a lifetime. As the chairman of the Aspinall Foundation — a group that protects the habitats of gorillas — he was excited to introduce his wife to two of the gorillas he had helped rescue and transfer more than a decade ago. Damian had been an integral part of the team that worked to rescue and transport two male gorillas, Djalta and Ima, to a new home. Having spent lots of time with the animals, Damian formed a special bond with them. But it had been nearly 14 years since Damian had seen the animals, and he was unsure how the strong animals would react to seeing him and his wife. He never expected the encounter to turn out how it did. Read the Full Story Here

Extracted eggs may stop extinction of northern white rhino

Posted on August 24, 2019

OL PEJETA, Kenya (AP) — Wildlife experts and veterinarians said Friday there is hope to prevent the extinction of the northern white rhino because they successfully extracted eggs from the last two remaining females of the species. The eggs will be used to reproduce the species through a surrogate.

Read the Full Article Here.

Woman Raises Her Child Among Wild Beasts, 20 Years Later This Happens

Posted on August 24, 2019

If you think you had an awesome childhood having fun in your local playground, then you are not ready to see where Tippi Degré lived for the first ten years of her life! We need to warn you that while the pictures that you are about to see are incredibly beautiful, they are also quite scary, especially #11 and #6.

Read the Full Article Here with some amazing photos!

Man Introduces Wife To His “Extended” Family- In The Jungle!

Posted on May 22, 2019

When we get married, we not only adopt our partner’s family, but we adopt their passions and interests. When Victoria married Damian Aspinall, it meant she’d have to get used to Damian’s lifelong love of animals. Not only was Damian the owner of two zoos, but he had helped raise two baby gorillas when he was still a child! Damian helped to rear the two baby gorillas until they were able to be released into the wild, an experience that bonded him so strongly to the gorillas that he still thought of them as part of his extended family. He even referred to them as his cousins!

Read the Full Article at Herald Weekly

The Heartwarming Story Of Baby Elephant – Ellie

Posted on February 15, 2019

Because of the friendship between the baby elephant and Duma the dog, the staff was able to breathe for a bit. The pressure to reintroduce the baby elephant into a herd of his own was lifted. They did not want to run the risk of rushing to return him to a herd before having a full recovery.

Read the Full Story at Herald Weekly.

‘Oldest known elephant in captivity’ dies at 88 in India

Posted on February 12, 2019

Dakshayani, thought to be the world’s oldest elephant in captivity, has died at the age of 88 in India.
Given the title Gaja Muthassi or elephant granny, Dakshayani took part in temple rituals and processions at the Chengalloor Mahadeva Temple in the southern state of Kerala.
But her vet said the elephant stopped taking food and died on Tuesday.
Keepers started feeding her pineapples and carrots in recent years after she began to have trouble moving around.

Read the Full Article at BBC.

(Photo by STR/AFP/GETTY)

This Animal Kills the Most Humans Every Year—and It’s Not the One You’re Thinking Of

Posted on February 5, 2019

When you think about a deadly animal, you may think shark, lion, or even a rhino. However, according to several studies, the deadliest animal in the world is much smaller and way more irritating. There are more than 100 varieties of this thing, and it feeds on human blood, transporting a vast array of diseases from one person to next. Figure it out, yet? That’s right—that buzzing, easy-to-squish mosquito is the deadliest creature, period.

Read the Full Article on Reader’s Digest.

(Photo by James D. Gathany / WikiMedia)