Biodiversity
Surprising twist in the war on weeds
Invasive plant species are working together against biocontrol measures, becoming stronger and smarter.
Category: Flora & Fauna
Biodiversity
Australia gives up on eradicating devastating wood-boring beetle
Authorities have ceased trying to eradicate the invasive pest that has destroyed 4500 trees in the one city where it has been detected.
Flora & Fauna
Peacock spiders: More than meets the eye
Evolution hasn’t only gifted peacock spiders with spectacular markings – these nimble arachnids are also remarkable athletes.
Flora & Fauna
Australia’s cutest mammal is now Australia’s cutest three mammals
The kultarr was thought to be a single widespread species, until now.
Flora & Fauna
Orcas filmed grooming each other with seaweed in rare case of ocean mammal tool use
Australian marine scientists say new research documenting orcas using seaweed as a tool for grooming is further evidence of the species’ complex social structures.
Flora & Fauna
Tiny moth solves decades-old pollination mystery
How a ‘weird group of boronias’ pollinate has puzzled botanists for decades. Now the mystery has finally been solved.
Flora & Fauna
Boobialla and the butterfly
It has the ring of a fairytale, but an endangered butterfly’s survival in Western Victoria isn’t the stuff of magic but rather a story of dedicated habitat restoration.
Flora & Fauna
Wild cockatoos learn to drink from water fountain
Sulphur-crested cockatoos have shown extraordinary signs of brainpower in a Sydney park, where they’ve been seen turning on water taps, and even queuing to take turns drinking.
Flora & Fauna
Chytrid fungus prompts mating surge
The rare alpine tree frog is fighting against the lethal fungus by breeding faster.
Flora & Fauna
Why do penguins porpoise?
Underwater in the freezing waters of Antarctica I watched awestruck as gentoo penguins effortlessly rocketed and swerved around me at speeds that were sometimes too fast to follow. Even more surprising was seeing the flock dash for the surface, leap clear of the water like dolphins, and hurry away.