Critter News

JUNE 13, 2009

The load included 173 bear paws, one python skin and the carcass of a pangolin — a type of sticky-tongued, toothless, nocturnal anteater that is a menu item in southern China. Bear paws are also considered a delicacy in southern China where exotic animals are favored by diners despite the impact on populations of endangered species.

Bears 100

Bears Pythons China Endangered Species 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2023

This is how it looks like: Or at sunset: A species I did not come for from Shanghai is the Black-crowned Night Heron. Its species name graydoni is in honor of Philip Newenham Graydon (1864-1940), a British planter in Sabah. Why that makes Mr. Graydon worthy of having a bird species named after him is a mystery to me.

Birds 246

Birds Elephants Eagles Rhinoceros 246

Animal Ethics

JANUARY 16, 2011

To the Editor: Re “ Snake Owners See Furry Bias in Invasive Species Proposal ” (news article, Jan. In addition to the effects of these invasive species on ecosystems, there are also compelling humane and public safety arguments for restricting trade. The trade is dangerous for people, but also for the snakes.

New York Times 40

New York Times Wayne Pacelle Humane Society Of The United States New York 40

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

The Python Caves. The Python Caves, as you’ll recall since you certainly read my article (and in some cases actually did, and even told me so and bought the book!) This means it has different species, and adds to the biological diversity of the park. Egyptian Fruit Bats. This is as close as we got.

Pythons 226

Pythons Bats Uganda Burundi 226

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2024

But there are, Ollerton thinks, 1,380 bird species that may be pollinators (and some 20,000 bird-pollinated flowers), and part of the purpose of his new book, the impressive (and delightful!) Ollerton’s penultimate chapter includes some dismal statistics about recent extinctions, and endangered and vulnerable bird species.

Denmark 264

Denmark Pythons Europe Birds 264

10,000 Birds

JULY 8, 2024

Still, one source states that this is the second-rarest of all crane species. What methods are effective to protect an endangered crane species? And now for something completely different (Monty Python). Other individuals seem to have seen Saturday Night Fever a few times too often and now think they are John Travolta.

China 246

China Japan Russia Pythons 246

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2022

eBird seems to be critical of this species’ work ethics, stating that “it flies lazily over open fields or marshes” Maybe the owl is just sleepy, not lazy. The species is listed as Vulnerable, with severe degradation of the wintering lake habitats in China cited as an important factor.

China 262

China Birds Pythons Breeding 262

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2022

For this reason, the species is evaluated as Vulnerable.” The Rufous-tailed Robin used to be called Swinhoe’s Robin but apparently, somebody decided that there were already too many bird species (6, according to the HBW) named after him. The Latin species name, however, is still elegans. And it is still justified.

Birds 260

Birds China Eggs Owls 260

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2012

The species is typical of many northern Queensland specialities, being common across New Guinea and just occurring in Queensland (and in the case of the Black Butcherbird, the fringes of the Northern territory as well). I am not sure what kind of snake it was but I think it was a harmless python.

Killing 219

Killing Guinea Pythons Australia 219

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2013

In fact the lake was too deep for a lot of bird species, but the track in the bush was very productive and our 200th bird after two weeks was the Red-capped Robin! The other snake was a Carpet Python lying on the trail at Kondalilla Falls. Of the 271 bird species I had 163 new ones to add to my year list and a total of 311 now!

Cattle 153

Cattle Birds Litter 2012 153

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2017

We saw three snakes in two days and one was a very large Black-headed Python moving across the highway as we were unable to slow down sufficiently to photograph it. Cattle can be anywhere! Of course another danger is the presence of snakes and crocodiles! Fuel sign at Borroloola.

Australia 100

Australia Kangaroos Cattle Reptiles 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

One of my favourite Monty Python sketches involves a rather enthusiastic documentary into the sordid sex lives of the mollusks. But I had pictures of moorhens to show and luckily for me I did find something to write about for this species. I’ll admit I haven’t thought much about moorhens in the past.

Pythons 165

Pythons Guinea Breeders Australia 165

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2024

My very first Rose-ringed Parakeet was sitting in my dad’s plain tree in the middle of “the winter of discontent” The Iron Lady was moving into power and The Clash were topping the charts.

Species 130

Species Netherlands Djibouti Pythons 130