Paw Mane Fin

Scientists Discover the First Biofluorescent Turtle Ever

For the first time ever, scientists have discovered a turtle that exhibits biofluorescence, meaning it can emit light in varying degrees of color. Furthermore, this isn't some new species of turtle, but rather a hawksbill sea turtle off the coast...

Sunday's Red Supermoon Proved as Beautiful as it was Deadly for African Rhinos

On Sunday Night, the red lunar eclipse thrilled captivated viewers on four continents, but there was more than just sky gazing going on in Africa's Hluhluwe-Imfolozi wildlife reserve. Between Friday and Monday morning a vicious killing spree left eight of...

Sea Otters: Why They Are Still Endangered

This weekend marks the end of Sea Otter Awareness Week. In an effort to understand their plight, I delved into what scientists believe is killing them. Some of the numbers shocked me. And sea otters are crucial to countless species...

August is Check Your Tree Month

Trees are the natural habitat of countless species. We need to keep the trees we have and continue to plant new ones. One of the worst invasive species that destroys trees is the Asian longhorned beetle. And since 90 percent...

Opossums Are Beneficial to Have Around

This week, I was visited two nights in a row by an opossum. I've never seen one in Canada before. Opossums are essential to our environment and eco-system. They keep numerous garden pests and rodents at bay (including ticks that...

Saving Madagascar's Lemurs From Extinction

In 2013, the IUCN determined that almost 94 percent of all lemur species were threatened with extinction. This frightening statistic suggests that lemurs are the most endangered mammal group in the world. Find out what the Lemur Conservation Network (and...

Saving Madagascar's Critically Endangered Tortoises

Despite running a successful breeding program, the Durrell Wildlife Trust has resorted to engraving the shells of ploughshare tortoises. It's something that "goes against every grain and gene in our bodies to do this," admitted Richard Lewis (director of Durrell’s...

Saving the Endangered Black-Footed Ferret

The black-footed ferret was declared extinct in 1979 until a remnant population was discovered in 1981. By 1986, only 18 black-footed ferrets remained in the wild. However, a captive breeding program launched by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has...

Canada's Endangered Burrowing Owl is Making a Comeback

Since the early 1980s, the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC has been working tirelessly to re-establish the burrowing owl to its former habitat. By 2004, only nine were known to exist in British Columbia. This year, 68 yearlings were...

Can We Save the Iberian Lynx?

The Iberian lynx is the most endangered wild cat species in the world. At one point, there were less than 100 known to exist and only 25 fertile females. Thankfully, the dedication of highly specialized teams of wild cat experts...

Scientist Struggle to Find What Killed Half the World's Endangered Saiga Population

When we hear about huge losses in endangered species, it usually takes place over the course of months or years, and it is often blamed on humans. However, sometimes nature can be just as responsible for the devastation, and in...

Meet the Eastern Quoll: One of Australia's Rarest Native Animals

The eastern quoll is a perky, pink-nosed carnivorous marsupial that is only found on Australia's island state of Tasmania. Sadly, they are no longer found on the mainland but an ambitious effort by numerous organizations and the Australian government is...

Meet The Numbat: Endangered Species and Emblem of Western Australia

It has taken over two decades to increase the numbat population from 500 to almost 1000 remaining in the wild today. And Western Australia's endangered numbat isn't out of the woods yet. Since 1993, the Perth Zoo and Department of...

Meet The Quokka: A Happy-Looking Vulnerable Species

The happy-go-lucky quokka, one of the smallest Wallaby species in the world, has been in the news and trending lately. On social media, tourists have been posting their "quokka selfies." However, it's important that this vulnerable species is protected. The...

Whooping Cranes and Their Incredible Comeback

Whooping cranes are considered a conservation success story. But they aren't "out of the woods" yet. Just one ecological disaster could wipe them out forever. And it's taken over 40 years to bring their numbers back from the brink of...

Malaysia: Wildlife Watching

Malaysia is a remarkable country split into two parts separated by the South China Sea. Peninsular Malaysia borders on Thailand to the north and shares a maritime border with Singapore to the south. East Malaysia is on the...

Rarest Big Cat on Earth Is Making A Comeback

Things are starting to look up for the critically endangered Amur Leopard, otherwise known as the rarest big cat on earth. This leopard is indigenous to the southeastern parts of Russia and northeast China, but as of 2007 there were...

How Global Warming Is Threatening the American Pika

Pikas need to live in high mountain regions in areas that are cool and moist. They are highly sensitive to warm weather and cannot survive in temperatures above 75 degrees F (23 C). As such, pikas are considered highly susceptible...

Can We Save Canada's Northern Spotted Owl?

At one time, Canada was home to roughly 1,000 northern spotted owls. Today, there are only about 16 of them left in the wild. Ecologist Mark Boyce explained that 85 per cent of bird species that go extinct do so...

Elephant-Zebra? Nah, It's a Malayan Tapir

Tapirs have existed for about 20 million years. Once found on every continent (except Antarctica), their habitat is now fragmented and sparse. Currently, they are an endangered species but successful breeding programs are helping them bounce back. Find out more...

Polar Bears: Why We Need to Save Their Arctic Home

Polar bears are difficult to study, monitor and track in the arctic region. Out of 19 sub-populations, the Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) found reliable data for just over half. What we know for certain is that arctic ice is...

In The Wild