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Honey locust thorns: ancient armor with modern bite
8 days ago•Source: BBC Wildlife Magazine
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Australia’s 13 Weirdest Animals and the Surprising Tricks They Use to Survive
A roundup of 13 of Australia’s most bizarre creatures—from the bum-breathing Fitzroy River turtle and the venomous platypus to Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, sea angels, and deep-sea oddities like the dumbo octopus and blobfish—each with remarkable adaptations that highlight the country’s extraordinary biodiversity and, in several cases, conservation concerns.
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Rhino Charges: Short Bursts at Top Speed and How to Evade
BBC Wildlife Magazine•1 month ago
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Glacier National Park records first fatal bear attack since 1998
A hiker in Glacier National Park, Montana, is believed killed after a bear encounter, likely the park's first fatal bear attack since 1998; the body was found near the Mount Brown trail as investigators assess ongoing bear activity in the area.
Big Backyard Snakes: Nonvenomous Rodent Helpers in Your Garden
Black rat snakes can reach up to nine feet, are non-venomous constrictors, and are beneficial garden predators that help control rodent populations. They may hiss or coil to mimic rattlesnakes when threatened, but pose little risk to people or pets; bites are rare and typically minor if they occur. Size and growth vary with food availability and climate, making a healthy yard a good habitat for these snakes, which can reduce pest problems without human intervention.
Manchineel: The Caribbean 'Tree of Death' That Blisters Skin, Blinds, and Kills
The Manchineel, native to the Caribbean and nearby regions, is nicknamed the 'Tree of Death' because every part of it contains potent toxins; rain can blister skin, sap can burn eyes causing temporary blindness, and its small apple-like fruits can be deadly (one apple reportedly enough to kill 20 people), prompting warnings marked by red crosses to keep people away.
Close-Up Encounter: Blue Dragon Nudibranch Feeds on Venomous Prey
A wildlife photographer captured close-up footage of a blue dragon nudibranch feeding on venomous prey near Gran Canaria, showing how it steals venom from victims like Portuguese man o’ war and Velella velella for defense; the scene occurred as winds pushed open-ocean species toward shore, offering a rare, bittersweet glimpse of these open-water creatures during their coastal journey.
Hedgerows and Orchards: a Slow Reclamation of an Upland Farm
A Guardian Country Diary entry follows an upland farmer planting a fruit tree every 200 metres along hedgerows and establishing a new apple and damson orchard at Low Park. While snow lingers on the fells, primroses bloom in the sheltered orchard and fungi appear on deadwood, highlighting a landscape in gentle transformation as the old farmstead and a nearby railway crossing are gradually reclaimed by moss, ferns, and nature, signaling that upland farming may one day become a memory.
Air-bubble armor lets alkali fly survive California's caustic Mono Lake
A BBC Wildlife feature explains how the alkali fly survives the toxic, salty waters of California's Mono Lake by living mostly underwater inside an air bubble, aided by a waxy, water-repellent cuticle; only its eyes touch the liquid, and it feeds on algae with grappling-hook claws, effectively wearing a natural armor for an extreme environment.
Earth's Giants: A Photo Tour of the World's Monumental Trees
A photo gallery spotlights the world’s most monumental trees, from the ancient, 5,000-year-old giants and the largest-volume General Sherman to towering redwoods, iconic baobabs, banyans, and other colossal specimens across continents, celebrating extreme size, age, and remarkable adaptations.
Cauliflower Coral Crown: A Mind-Bending Win for Close-Up Photographer of the Year
Australian photographer Ross Gudgeon won the grand prize at the Close-Up Photographer of the Year with an extreme close-up of a cauliflower-soft coral in Indonesia’s Lembeh Strait, captured using an underwater probe lens; the 7th edition drew over 12,000 entries from 63 countries across multiple macro and micro categories, highlighting tiny wonders from mayflies and stingless bees to moths and frogs in vivid, intimate detail.
Protective Moose Stops Bear Cub’s Attempted Prey on Calf
A viral wildlife clip shows a bear cub attempting to attack a moose calf in Alaska, but a protective 800-pound mother moose charges in and drives the cub away, rescuing her calf; experts note black bears prey on moose calves in some areas, and remind viewers to keep distance from moose mothers in the wild.
Bees Turn Up the Heat to Roast the Giant Hornet
BBC Wildlife explains how Japanese honeybees defend against the largest hornet by luring it into the hive and rapidly heating the surrounding air to about 46°C, roasting the intruder in a cooperative defense honed over millions of years on Honshu.