News
We bring you the latest from around the World in wildlife and conservation news.
Giant Tortoise Thought To Have Fathered Over 800 Offspring
Diego is a giant tortoise who is thought to be over a century old, but he has been doing his bit to ensure his species survives by having lots and lots of sex. Diego is a giant Galapagos tortoise who lives on the island of Española. The island is part of the Galapagos Archipelago and lies on its Southernmost tip. It estimated that he has fathered as many as 800 offspring.
Wild Elephants Only Get A Couple Of Hours Of Sleep A Night
According to the results of a new study wild African elephants sleep the least amount of time of any mammal. Scientists looked at two Botswanan elephants to elicit more information about the pachyderm’s natural sleep patterns. In captivity, elephants sleep between four to six hours a day, however in the wild, elephants sleep for only a couple of hours and mainly during the night. The elephants that were studied were both matriarchs of their herds and sometimes stayed awake for days at a time.
Blind Orangutan Receives Life Changing Surgery To Recover Eyesight
An orangutan who was shot 104 times by an air rifle and was blinded has undergone surgery in order to restore her sight. The ape name Aan had to have her left eye removed after it was ruptured in a cruel attack on a Bornean oil plantation back in 2012. Aan was showered with pellets and vets were able to remove most of them though 37 were left in her head effectively leaving her blind. A British vet has undertaken the task of restoring her sight by performing surgery on her right eye.
One Of The World’s Oldest Elephant Dies
One of the oldest elephants in the world recently passed away. The elephant named Indira was in her eighties and died in the Southern part of India according to forest officials. The officials said she had been unwell for quite some time and earlier in the month had stopped eating. A veterinarian at the elephant camp in the state of Karnataka that was caring for Indira estimated her age at between 85 to 90 years old. Elephants generally have a lifespan of about 70 years.
Genetic Copy Of Extinct Caspian Tiger Could Be Reintroduced
Soon you could spot a wild tiger roaming in Central Asia once again. One of the largest of big cats to ever live was the Caspian tiger which used to wander throughout large swathes of Central Asia, Iran, Turkey and North West China before becoming extinct. Researchers now reckon they have the ability to bring back a sub species that is genetically nearly identical to the Caspian tiger. Scientists have been discussing this possibility for more than ten years, however a recent study that was authored by researchers from the State University of New York and the World Wild Life Fund actually suggests a plan for the very first time.
Experts Worried About Decline In Cheetah Numbers
It’s no secret that many wildlife species in Africa are experiencing population declines. However, conservationists are particularly worried about the cheetah, the fastest land animal on the planet. It is estimated that there are about 7,100 cheetahs living in the wild, spread out across Africa and in a tiny sliver in Iran. The sad reality however is humans have been encroaching on their historic habitat pushing them out of 91 per cent of land they previously used to roam in.
World’s Oldest Killer Whale Believed To Be Dead
The world’s oldest killer whale known as Granny, estimated to be 105 years old and matriarch of small pod of Puget Sound orcas has not been seen for months and is presumed dead. Researchers say her death is a huge blow to what is already a struggling population. Ken Balcomb of the Centre for Whale Research in North America’s Pacific Northwest says his organisation considers her deceased. Mr Balcomb has been studying the pod for nearly forty years says he had last seen Granny with her pod North through the Haro Strait as they were on the hunt for food.
Man Fends Off Cougar Attack On His Pet Dog
If anyone should be considered for “Pet Owner of the Year” it should be Will Gibb. Mr Gibb deserves the award after managing to save his dog named Sasha by fighting off multiple attacks from a cougar. Yes, you heard that correctly! He single-handedly managed to ward off a cougar in attack mode. Mr Gibb rather innocently allowed his two husky’s Sasha and Mongo off his truck and into a Tim Horton’s parking lot where he was meeting his friend. A cougar suddenly appeared and attacked Sasha and Mr Gibb heard his cries and ran to investigate.