India Narrative

Availability of abundant prey is vital for the conservation of a huge number of large predators and that is precisely happening in the Northern Territory of Australia. A report in smithsonianmag.com mentioned that the population of saltwater crocodiles of this region are thriving as they are getting to eat more feral pigs than earlier. Suggesting this in a study published in the journal Biology Letters, scientists have compared the bones of crocodile specimens which are 40 to 55 years old and kept in museum with those of the present-day reptiles and noted the change and shift in their diet over a period of time. In a statement, the Director of Griffith’s Australian Rivers Institute, Stuart Bunn said: “We measured the naturally occurring carbon and nitrogen isotopes extracted from the crocodile’s bones and other tissue which are derived directly from the animal’s diet. This gives truth to the old adage ‘you are what you eat’.” This comparison of the bones highlighted that the modern rep

Whenever an animal is seen licking its wounds most people react by saying that it is something natural for them to do so and that it helps heal the injury. All sorts of creatures, including dogs, mice, ants and cats do it. Why do they do it and does it truly help questions a report in livescience.com? Creatures indulge in this action since licking brings a sense of self-soothing and the spit has attributes that assuage. Dr. Benjamin Hart, who is a retired veterinarian and University of California, Davis professor emeritus stated that licking is an instinctual response which has come across through evolution and it gives relief from pain and irritation, while also accelerating the healing process. Yet in the case of pets including dogs this can be ineffectual as modern medical science enables better treatment of wounds. University of Minnesota’s animal behaviour expert and vet, Dr. Kristi Flynn observed that for animals "without thumbs or medication”, licking is "the best they

Sometimes an out of the box theory looks like a plausible explanation for something which seems bizarre. Take for example the small arms of the mighty and ferocious Tyrannosaurus rex which couldn’t be clarified despite many suggesting that they were used as slashing machines or helped in grasping the partner during mating, as per a report in sciencealert.com. Though it is really difficult to figure answers by looking at bones which are 66 million years old, a new study has come with a fresh hypothesis, which states that the short arms helped in bringing down the chances of accidental bites by other T. rex when these creatures indulged in eating frenzies. The smaller the size, the lesser were chances of it being bitten off! Elaborating on this new study, its author Kevin Padian, said: "What if several adult tyrannosaurs converged on a carcass? You have a bunch of massive skulls, with incredibly powerful jaws and teeth, ripping and chomping down flesh and bone right next to you. Wha

A close look at monkeys from whom humankind has evolved suggests that the love of people for alcohol stems from the liking these primates have for fruits which are ripe, states sciencealert.com report. Scientists discovered during their study of Panama’s black-handed spider monkeys or Ateles geoffroyi that they eat on a regular basis palm fruits that have ethanol in little amounts. Further, the samples of urine from two monkeys showed metabolites that were ethanol specific, thus proving that it was being absorbed and used by the body. Talking about this, Christina Campbell from California State University, Northridge, who is a primatologist said: "For the first time, we have been able to show, without a shadow of a doubt, that wild primates, with no human interference, consume fruit containing ethanol. This is just one study, and more need to be done, but it looks like there may be some truth to that 'drunken monkey' hypothesis." Proposed for the first time in 2000 by

“It is a butcher…do not get deceived by its look,” said my photographer friend. A beautiful bird with a dark black stripe across its eyes, it resembles Zorro, the hero with the black mask.  The bird with the mask of Zorro in front of my tele lens is called the Long-tailed Shrike. It is  also known as Rufous-backed Shrike. This myna or bulbul-sized bird is petite and attractively coloured, with a reddish-brown back, grey neck, white underparts and a black tail with white lining. A closer look, however, would probably diminish the cuteness factor a great deal. For starters the black bandit mask that runs across the shrike’s eyes, giving the little bird a decidedly sinister look. Also, the bird has a strong hooked beak like raptors, with a vicious downward curve. This beak is clearly not meant for nibbling forest berries on a nippy morning. It is designed for tearing flesh, as the Shrike is a complete carnivore. Read more

Right from the inception of life on the Earth, some or the other mighty predator dominated the world, it could be a mighty shark in water or a dinosaur on the land. Likewise, a report in sciencenews,.org talks about a sabre-toothed mammal which was among the first hypercarnivores, that existed 42 million years. This menacing creature whose size was that of a bobcat, stalked in the jungles and forests of those days located in today’s San Diego. As compared to the other animals that existed in that era, this was a hypercarnivore – it evolved to consume meat and probably only meat. What was distinctive about this creature or Diegoaelurus vanvalkenburghae as it is scientifically known, and which belonged to the now vanished and unusual Machaeroidine family, is its fangs which were sabre-like and its sharp and slicing teeth. Till now a dozen fossils or remains of other Machaeroidine have been discovered, which mostly are from Wyoming but some were found in Asia too. It was with the help of

  After having been confused with an existing species, the rose-veiled fairy wrasse found off the coast of the scenic Maldives islands, has been recognised as a separate genus. An article in smithsonianmag.com stated this fish which lives in the range from 131 to 229 feet below the surface has a vivid red-orange colour on its face which becomes yellow and violet when nearing the tail. The waters around the islands of Maldives boasts of species in hundreds but what makes the rose-veiled fairy wrasse or Cirrhilabrus finifenmaa, special is the fact that it is the first one to be described by a Maldivian scientist and that it has the singular distinction of having a scientific name derived from Dhivehi, a local language. The species had to wait for a formal description and recognition as in the past it was mistaken for the red velvet fairy wrasse or Cirrhilabrus rubrisquamis. The details of this new species have been published in ZooKeys, a journal. Also read:  New genus of tarantula hairy

  It is indeed a proud moment for Thailand as for the first time in 104 years a new genus of tarantula has been discovered in Asia. And it is indeed novel. As per a report in sciencenews.org, this newly found hairy spider is called bambootula. The reason is that it makes its home in bamboo which is stiff and tall and found in northern Thailand. The scientific name of the creature is Taksinus bambus. Talking about this species, Narin Chomphuphuang an arachnologist from Thailand Khon Kaen University said, it “is the world’s first tarantula with a biology tied to bamboo”. The hollow bamboo stems provide the spider with a hole or tunnel and obviously a readymade nest but the bambootula has a problem. It does not have the wherewithal, that is tools, to drill into the culms. For this it depends on animals like borer beetles and rodents or natural forces to make the openings. The creature once inside creates a “retreat tube” made of silk to keep itself secure and enabling it to move around wi

It is amazing to see spiders attack their prey in packs but it has always intrigued scientists as to how the coordinated offensive takes place. This is precisely what a team of researchers decided to study, says a report in sciencealert.com. Among 50,000 known species of spiders there are 20 which, contrary to their usual solitary life, live together in colonies. One of them is Anelosimus eximius, a social spider which lives in a large group of more than 1,000 individuals, who spin webs that span many metres. When a victim is trapped, these creatures harmonise their attack together enabling them to tackle prey much larger than them individually. Also read:  Beware of the snake’s hiss, the reptile means business Till now it was a puzzle as to how such coordinated effort takes place but new research reveals that using vibrations in the giant-sized webs is what helps these creatures to synchronise their attack on the prey. Senior author of this new study, Raphael Jeanson who is researcher

  The monstrous creature – Otodus megalodon – in 2018’s superhit sci-fi thriller “The Meg” remains etched in the memory of viewers because of its sheer menacing size. Now, a recent study as per a report in scitechdaily.com has disclosed that these extinct creatures also known as megatooth sharks became bigger in size in cooler environments than the warmer ones. In their study, Kenshu Shimada, a professor of paleobiology at DePaul University along with other co-authors looked afresh at the body size patterns of megalodon, the fossil shark which was present between 15 to 3.6 million years ago on Earth, over time and space. The scientists in their new study examined published records of geographic occurrences of the teeth of Meg in tandem with their estimated total body lengths. Whatever is known to science about this species is through teeth and vertebrae in the fossil record. It is scientifically accepted that these creatures were huge in size, and grew to a minimum of 50 feet in length

  Even with Global Position System, elaborate maps and precise calculation of distance and speed, many are still unable to locate their destination or reach on the appointed time. Yet, as per a sciencedaily.com report, this is not the case with pregnant northern female elephant seals or Mirounga angustirostris. Every year, between December and March, these creatures breed on the beaches located on the west coast of Canada, Mexico and the US. On becoming pregnant, the females leave these breeding beaches and migrate. They go on a journey of about 240 days over 10,000 kilometres across the Eastern North Pacific Ocean in search of food, before returning to the breeding beaches and giving birth within five days of arriving. Intriguing as it may sound, now a study that has been published in the journal Current Biology stated that this spectacular ability to navigate without any aid is due to the creature’s internal map sense, which plays the vital role of a built-in GPS. Also read:  Single

  A bird visiting the United States has caught the attention of all its avian lovers and why shouldn’t it be as this is the first time a bat falcon has been seen in the country, as per a report smithsonianmag.com. Bird lovers from all over have been visiting Texas to catch a glimpse of this bird which is normally seen in Mexico, and Central and South America. Talking about this species to Border Report, Jeffrey Gordon who was earlier president of the American Birding Association said: “It’s got everything going for it. It’s rare. It’s spectacular and it’s a bird of prey. It’s showing up in a great location. It’s the perfect storm in the birding world.” Also read:  Smart male sparrows shuffle their playlist to woo females! A small bird which is carnivore, the bat falcon’s belly is rust coloured while its throat is white. Their staple diet is large insects, birds, bats, and small rodents which they prey either at dawn or dusk. It is categorised as “Least Concern” by the International Uni

  The discovery and study of Jurassic period’s largest Pterosaur or flying reptile fossil had plenty of twists and turns. Discovered by a graduate student, Amelia Penny at Brothers’ Point, who was looking for dinosaur bones during low tide on Isle of Skye, Scotland in 2017, its excavation involved use of saw with diamond tips and it was nearly lost when the tide returned, mentions a report in sciencealert.com. This find of a lifetime was studied thoroughly and its anatomy revealed it to be an unknown species. Christened Dearc sgiathanach, a Scottish Gaelic name, it has double meaning -- “winged reptile" and "reptile from Skye” – since the Gaelic name of Skye means "the winged isle". Also read:  "Flying dragon" Thapunngaka shawi dominated Australian skies 105 million years ago This species had a wingspan measuring more than eight feet – a big size for a Jurassic period (201.3 million to 145 million years ago) pterosaur. Sharing details about this species in

  A low-lying continent 40 million years ago, that was once boasted of some striking animals could have played a vital role in helping Asian mammals to move to Europe’s southern part, suggests a new study states a report in sciencealert.com. The research published in Earth-Science Reviews refers to this place as “Balkanatolia” – placed between Asia, Europe and Africa -- which scientists say with the drop in the sea levels, around 34 million years ago, became a land bridge. In their study, palaeogeologist Alexis Licht and his colleagues from French National Centre for Scientific Research, mentioned that "When and how the first wave of Asian mammals made it to south-eastern Europe remains poorly understood.” Also read:  200 Million Years From Now, India, Somalia, Kenya and Madagascar may merge into a super-Continent The appearance of the bridge catalytic as 34 million years ago with the Eocene epoch coming to an end, a vast number of mammals native to Western Europe vanished with ne

The mention of dinosaurs usually brings up the image of big and/or fearsome creatures walking around on their four limbs but now scientists have come across an unusual type which has hardly any forearms as reported in sciencealert.com. This new species has been discovered by palaeontologists in Argentina and has been christened as Guemesia ochoai and determined with the help of a single skull. This has been suggested to belong to the family of abelisaurids – carnivores that had tiny arms and were found in India, Africa, Europe and South America. This group disappeared nearly 66 million years ago. Also read:  Austrian dinosaur Ankylosaurs was both deaf and slow moving G. ochoai’s skull discovered in Argentina’s northwest region is dated to be about 70 million years old and is one of its kind and what distinguishes it from other abelisaurids is its “remarkably small” braincase. This creature whose brain was 70 per cent of Carnotaurus genus which roamed South America’s southern tip was in

Antarctica was a place that was thought to be far removed from the effects of warming of the earth is now showing signs to the contrary. An article in smithsonianmag.com mentions that with the temperatures rising in the region, two native plant species are proliferating. The green cover on the continent from 2009 to 2019 has accelerated more than what it had in the last 50 years. This is complimented with the rise in air temperatures rising and decrease in seal population. Published recently in peer-reviewed scientific review Current Biology, the study highlights how warming of climate is increasingly impacting polar ecosystems. Talking to Gizmodo, the study’s lead author and an ecologist at the University of Insubria, Nicoletta Cannone, remarked: "Antarctica is acting as a canary in a coal mine.” Also read:  Climate change enables Gentoo Penguins to expand their habitat in the Antarctica The continent has two native flowering plant species. These are Antarctic hair grass (Descham

  Anybody will tell you that if a repertoire of songs is played in the same order more than once it becomes tedious. Hence, the sequence needs to be shuffled to break the monotony and that is what male sparrows do – remix and rearrange their songs to keep intact the love interest of the female, a report in smithsonianmag.com stated. As per the details of the study published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B, the songbirds keeping track of every new song they sing, change the order every half an hour to keep the females wondering. Also read:  Arctic’s amazing sponges feed on the remains of ancient extinct creatures Singing and songs are vital for the male sparrow as that is the way to win over a potential mate and battle for breeding territories. In order to know more about their songs, scientists went to the northwest Pennsylvania woods to record several hours of trilling and chirping. Following recording of more than 30 individual birds, they proceeded to their laboratory to chart

  New York’s Stony Brook University (SBU) team of researchers were in for a surprise when they spotted gentoo penguin colonies on Andersson Island of Antarctica and also on an archipelago which has remained unexplored and is located off the Antarctica Peninsula’s northern point. According to a report in smithsonianmag.com, these places are some of the southern-most for gentoo breeding. Interestingly, gentoo penguins favour places that are warmer to raise their offspring and till recently found these regions too icy for their choice. That doesn’t seem so now as change in climate is helping them to expand their habitat – “gentoofication” as some scientists refer to it as. Talking to Mongabay, Heather Lynch, said: “It’s may be a cliché at this point, but they’re the canary in the coal mine for climate change because they’re so closely tied to those sea ice conditions.” Read More

  Beautiful to look at as they don bright hues, the jumping spiders make a pretty sight yet there is one among them that despite being vividly colourful is unable to see and appreciate colour, according to an article in sciencedaiy.com It was Nathan Morehouse, who along with the Cynthia Tedore-led international team of researchers found this jumping spider. While Morehouse is an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, Tedore is research associate from the University of Hamburg. Examining the common jumping spider or Saitis barbipes which is found in Europe and North Africa Morehouse found that the males of the species have a furry red crown and legs. This seemed to be an addition to their complex courtship dances that they performed to romance females. David Outomuro the first co-author of the study observed: "We assumed they were using colour for communication. But we didn't know if their visual system even allowed them to see those colours.” Outomuro is a UC pos