Some birds steal hair from living mammals, study finds
A new paper documents an unusual behavior among tufted titmice and their closest bird kin. A bird will land on an unsuspecting mammal and, cautiously and stealthily, pluck out some of its hair. Read more
Man's new best friend: What cats can teach us about human genetics and precision medicine
Although cats have lived alongside humans for millennia, it remains a dogs' world. This bias has historically bled into science as well. It's time for cats to get their day, argues veterinary medicine experts. Cats, they say, have the potential to be a valuable model organism for geneticis Read more
Why four-legged animals are better sprinters
Scientists have studied the characteristics determining the maximum running speed in animals. The model they developed explains why humans cannot keep up with the fastest sprinters in the animal kingdom. Based on these calculations, the giant spider Shelob from 'The Lord of the Rings' woul Read more
How a large cat deity helps people to share space with leopards in India
A new study documents how a big cat deity worshipped by Indigenous Peoples facilitates coexistence between humans and leopards. Read more
New method lets researchers rapidly monitor snow leopard stress levels in the wild
Biologists can now analyze snow leopard stress hormones in the field. Read more
DNA data and modelling reveal potential spread of invasive species
Scientists have found that a marine invasive species - a sea squirt that lives on rocky shores - could spread along 3,500 kilometers of South American coastline if climate change or human activities alter sea conditions. Read more
Tracking data show how the quiet of pandemic-era lockdowns allowed pumas to venture closer to urban areas
Researchers were able to clearly connect declining levels of human mobility during regional shelter-in-place orders with pumas' increased willingness to utilize more urban habitat areas. Read more
Natural history and conservation importance of Chinese mountain cat
In a large study of Chinese cats, genetic detectives highlight the evolutionary uniqueness and premier conservation importance of the elusive Chinese mountain cat (Felis silvestris bieti), found only in the Tibetan plateau of China. Read more
Preventing the break-in of the toxoplasmosis parasite
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite which, to survive, must absolutely penetrate its host's cells. Understanding how the parasite manages to enter host cells offers opportunities to develop more prevention. A team has now identified the key role of RON13, which is essential Read more
Cat-borne parasite Toxoplasma induces fatally bold behavior in hyena cubs
Best known for its presence in house cats and a tendency to infect and alter the behaviors of rodents and humans, the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is also associated with bold behavior among wild hyena cubs and risk of death during interactions with lions, finds new research. Read more
Black bears may play important role in protecting gray fox
Bears are known for being devoted and protective of their baby cubs, but research shows that they may also play a significant role in shielding gray fox from predators like coyotes, who compete with the fox for food and space. The research is one of the first studies to show how black bears provide Read more
Endangered wallaby population bounces back after ferals fenced out
Scientists have used a new conservation strategy to give the bridled nailtail wallaby a head start in life. Read more
Sequencing the genome of the leopard
They are some of the most beautiful, and elusive, animals on the plant. Leopards. In a major scientific step, the whole genome DNA sequence of 23 individual leopards have been interpreted. Read more
Discovering candidate for reflex network of walking cats: Understanding animals with robots
A group of researchers developed a quadruped robot platform that can reproduce the neuromuscular dynamics of animals, discovering that a steady gait and experimental behaviors of walking cats emerged from the reflex circuit in walking experiments on this robot. Read more
Engineers and biologists join forces to reveal how seals evolved to swim
Seals and sea lions are fast swimming ocean predators that use their flippers to literally fly through the water. But not all seals are the same: some swim with their front flippers while others propel themselves with their back feet. Read more
Newly identified giant saber-toothed cat roamed North America 5-9 million years ago
A giant saber-toothed cat lived in North America between 5 million and 9 million years ago, weighing up to 900 pounds and hunting prey that likely weighed 1,000 to 2,000 pounds, scientists reported today in a new study. Read more
Tiny cat-sized stegosaur leaves its mark
A single footprint left by a cat-sized dinosaur around 100 million years ago has been discovered in China by an international team of palaeontologists. Read more
