The Umbrellabird Has Concerns Other Than the Rain
…and some awkward 19th century stories, too.
Endangered
The Scimitar-horned Oryx Likes Near-Desert, Dislikes Near-Extinction
It’s either far too hot or far too polite to fight.
The Whale Shark: The Other Kind of Money Shark
A shark that acts like a whale gets the worst of both worlds. Sigh.
The Visayan Spotted Deer Has Many Spots of Bother
It’s like if Bambi kept his blotches, but sadder.
(Un)luckily, the Orinoco Crocodile is Thick-Skinned
Fighting for conservation, or handbags at dawn?
Why the Nilgiri Tahr Prefers Tea
There’s a myth that goats eat everything. In the case of the rare Nilgiri tahr (pronounced nil-ghi-ri tar), it’s everyone …
Hector’s Dolphin Could Do Without the Hectoring, Thanks
There are few cooler ways to discover new lands than on the back of a dolphin. That’s what happened in …
Cainarachi Poison Frogs Have the Worst Fashion Police Ever
Like other poison dart frogs, the Cainarachi wears the colours of its martyr. Thanks to at least one kamikaze frog, …
Position: Forest Keeper. Candidate: Baird’s Tapir.
Interviewer 3: She’s late. Did she get lost in the jungle? Interviewer 2: [sighs] There aren’t that many pot plants …
The Volcano Rabbit Needs a Bunny Boom
Welcome to Opposite World, where rabbits are in one place rather than everywhere, on volcanoes instead of plains, and said …
The Onager is the Spirit of the Wild and as Stubborn as a Donkey
Much to my shame, I spent ages thinking “onager” was some kind of sports brand. It’s actually a sub-species of …
Rarer Than the Panda? No Wonder No One’s Heard of the Numbat!
Have you ever played that game Scattergories and had to think of an animal beginning with “n”? When everyone else …
No One Knows Why the Jamaican Flower Bat is Wilting
The “Jamaican flower” part inspires beautiful beaches, cartoonishly blue skies, lush palm trees and blazing colours. Too bad this bat …
The Hooded Vulture Thinks it’s People!
Someone has to do the dirty work. But you’re drinking coffee, so I’ll try to keep it clean. Fortunately, Africa’s …
The Chinchilla is Hairy, Lairy, and its Situation Scary
Stroking your lover’s hair can be romantic. For a chinchilla, pulling it is downright erotic. Of hair-raising value… That’s not …
Why the Blue-tailed Skink Needs a Christmas Miracle
The blue-tailed skink says “hi!” from Christmas Island! Rather than partying in the wild like the famous Christmas Island crabs, …
Sei Whale
Clocking 48kmh (30mph) or more is pretty impressive for the ninth largest living animal, and handy if some orcas come …
Okapi
The “African unicorn” can be as elusive as the myth. You would be too, if you lived in the real …
Northern Corroboree Frog
Should you ever find yourself standing on a high, wet heath in south-east Australia and shout loudly, either due to …
Hawai’i Creeper
A volcano is the only refuge this cute little bird has left. What kind of pig would destroy its habitat …
