Author: OMN AI

Researchers will attempt to rear swallowtail butterflies from eggs frozen in liquid nitrogen, in a pioneering project that could help protect species at risk of extinction. The trial will involve freezing eggs of captive-bred European swallowtails at –196C, then thawing them to see if they can develop successfully into butterflies. Their survival will be compared with that of unfrozen eggs. If successful, the method could be used to preserve the eggs of the British swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus), a unique subspecies now confined to the low-lying Norfolk Broads. Rising sea levels threaten its last habitat, and 2024 marked its worst…

Rescuers freed a Steller’s sea lion entangled in a plastic strap in the Salish Sea.Drone footage revealed the strap cutting deeply into the animal’s neck, alerting conservation teams quickly.Scientists from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance helped coordinate the multi-agency effort to save the near-threatened mammal. Teamwork Powers Swift Intervention Marine experts from SeaDoc Society, The Whale Museum, and Vancouver Aquarium veterinarians joined the rescue operation.They sedated the sea lion, removed the plastic strap carefully, and monitored its recovery after the procedure.The animal swam and fed normally soon after, showing the success of coordinated wildlife intervention. Technology Combats Ocean Plastic…

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first major statement on climate change, condemning those who downplay the “increasingly evident” effects of rising temperatures. He reaffirmed the warnings of his predecessor, Pope Francis, and criticized critics who “ridicule those who speak of global warming.” Speaking at Castel Gandolfo near Rome, the Pope’s words served as an indirect rebuke of US President Donald Trump, who recently called climate change a “con.” Pope Leo urged citizens worldwide to take urgent action, warning there was no room for indifference or resignation. A decade after Laudato Si’ The Pope addressed a conference marking ten years since…

Chromosomes and biology play a roleAcross nearly all human populations, women live longer than men—a pattern echoed in many animal species. Evolutionary biology points to differences in sex chromosomes as one explanation. Because women carry two X chromosomes, harmful mutations on one can often be offset by the other, while men, with only one X, have less genetic protection. This “chromosome buffer” is thought to give females an advantage in longevity. Hormones, immunity, and reproductive trade-offsEstrogen is believed to shield cells against damage and strengthen the immune system, slowing age-related decline. In contrast, testosterone may increase risks, such as reduced…

Canada has rejected a request from Marineland in Niagara Falls to export 30 beluga whales to China, citing concerns the animals would face further mistreatment in captivity. Marineland, which has one of the world’s largest captive whale populations, has long faced criticism over conditions at its facility. Since 2019, 20 whales – including 19 belugas and one killer whale – have died there. The park, which did not open this summer, has said it intends to remove the remaining animals but has not responded to recent requests for comment. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in China had confirmed interest in acquiring the…

Raquel Celina Rodriguez steps carefully across the Vega de Tilopozo in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The wetland once held groundwater springs, but now the plain lies dry and cracked. She points to holes that were once water pools. “Before, the Vega was all green,” she recalls. “You could barely see the animals through the tall grass. Now everything is dry.” Llamas graze in the distance, a reminder of her family’s tradition of raising sheep. Climate change reduced rainfall and left little grass. But the crisis worsened when lithium companies arrived. Lithium beneath the desert Beneath the Atacama salt flats lie the…

The UK’s common toad population has dropped sharply, with new research showing numbers have almost halved in less than 40 years. An analysis led by the University of Cambridge found a 41% decline in toads recorded by volunteer “toad patrols” between 1985 and 2021. Similar monitoring in Switzerland revealed a one-third fall since 1973. Researchers say the reasons were not directly studied, but likely include road traffic, pond loss, urbanisation, and declines in invertebrates such as beetles, slugs and earthworms that toads rely on for food. Toad patrols count and move amphibians during their annual breeding migrations in spring, providing…

Rare Bird Succumbs to Avian Influenza A whooping crane, part of the endangered population at a Wisconsin wildlife refuge, has died after contracting avian influenza. The bird was being monitored as part of ongoing conservation efforts to protect the species, which remains critically threatened in the wild. Conservationists Respond to the Loss Staff at the refuge confirmed that the crane showed symptoms consistent with bird flu and passed away despite veterinary care. Officials are conducting tests on other birds at the facility to prevent further spread of the virus and are reinforcing biosecurity measures to safeguard the remaining population. Bird…

Colorado prepares to open the Greenland Wildlife Overpass on I-25, a major project to protect animals from highways.The state faces budget pressures as federal grants remain frozen and state funding has run out.Other completed, ongoing, or planned crossings include Colo. 9 near Kremmling, U.S. 160 west of Pagosa Springs, and I-70 near Vail Pass.Colorado and New Mexico collaborate on a crossing at Raton Pass along the I-25 border. Greenland Overpass and Road Safety Benefits The Greenland Wildlife Overpass spans six lanes, more than 200 feet long and wide, linking critical wildlife corridors.CDOT installed fencing and underpasses to guide elk, pronghorn,…

S. Balachandran, 47, pleaded not guilty to four counts of possessing and exporting protected wildlife.He appeared before Judge Ahmad Fuad Othman at the Sessions Court in Sepang on Tuesday.Authorities accused him of holding one agile gibbon and two cuscuses, protected under Schedules One and Two of Act 716. Potential Penalties Explained Balachandran risks fines between RM50,000 and RM100,000, or up to three years in prison, for illegal possession.He also faces charges for exporting the gibbon without a permit, punishable by fines up to RM1 million and 15 years imprisonment.Authorities charged him for exporting the cuscuses without a license, with penalties…