Oilsands to Wetlands

The media loves to bash the environmental record of the Alberta oilsands. Devastating scenes of scraped earth, over 1600 migrating ducks killed in contaminated tailings ponds, etc consistently find their way into news reports around the world. And may I say, rightly so. These environmentally degrading activities should be brought to the attention of everyone [...]

Furballs In Danger

Who would have ever thought we would use the words ‘rabbit’ and ‘endangered’ in the same sentence? After all, there is a reason for the expression ‘breeding like rabbits.’
In New Hampshire, the New England cottontail has been nearly wiped out due to habitat loss. These adorable little bunnies need lots of brush scrub to survive, [...]

Baby Animal Pictures

This blog is not about cute. It’s about the wild species in the world, their habitats and behaviors. It’s a semi-serious look at wildlife and the problems they face in today’s world.
However.
If you happen to be looking for ‘cute’, you can absolutely do no better than this website. Zoo Borns is a photo blog with [...]

Bug Bits

Insects of the world must have a new press agent. They’ve been all over the nature news lately – here’s a buggy summary from around the world.
Ecologists in Australia may have found a solution to the problem of introduced cane toads. Apparently the cane toads are far more susceptible to being killed and eaten by [...]

And This Would Be…?

Oh come on! No one took a guess at my little critter? Well, OK then.
This tiny little fellow is a pygmy marmoset, all14- 20 cm (5.5 to 6.3″) of him. This is the smallest monkey species in the world, and they live in the rainforest canopies of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. They weigh from [...]

Screwing With Ecosystems

Officials in Australia thought they had a good idea when they brought in the first cane toads. Various governments in Europe have eradicated their predators, and then complained bitterly when the rabbit population exploded.
Have we learned nothing?
States in the western USA are now contemplating the removal of the grey wolf from protection under the Endangered [...]

Ants vs Giraffes

Giraffes are well known as the tallest animals on land, reaching up to 17 feet tall. And we all know how big ants are.
Giraffes are adapted to exploit a food source out of reach of other hoofed animals. They feed almost entirely on leaves of acacia, mimosa, and wild apricot trees. The 18 inch purple [...]

Live Streaming Eagles

I’m sitting here at my computer in Alberta, listening to the occasional squawks of a bald eagle sitting on a nest in British Columbia, with American robins and frogs in the background. You gotta love the internet!
Hancock Wildlife Federation has set up a live streaming video of a bald eagle nest located in a high [...]

Little Bitty Kitty

Quick – how many of the 37 wild cat species can you name?
And how many wild cats can you name that weigh under five pounds as adults?
Although I’m tempted to stop there and make you wonder, I will tell you that the answer is two. Both the rusty spotted cat and black-footed cat weigh just [...]