Other Animals

Left to right: Susan Brown, DVM, me, and Chris Davis at a veterinary conference. As many of you might know, Chris Davis passed away in early October 2024, after a protracted battle with cancer. We will all miss her, and I thought it would be appropriate to end the year with a brief, though probably

In November 2024, the inaugural cohort of WCN’s Rising Wildlife Leaders Amazonia Program met in Colombia for the first time. All 24 of the up-and-coming conservationists in this new program participated in a week-long training workshop designed to forge new connections, build leadership skills, discuss conservation best practices, and promote personal growth and team-building activities.

Luis M. Chiappe, Guillermo Navalón, Agustín G. Martinelli, Ismar de Souza Carvalho, Rodrigo Miloni Santucci, Yun-Hsin Wu & Daniel J. Field, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons One of the links to our distant past is the discovery of fossils. The more intact these fossils are, the more we come to discover the truths of

Recently, Jean-Gaël “JG” Collomb, CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Network, and Peter Lalampaa, Executive Director of Grevy’s Zebra Trust, shared their hope for global leaders, funders, and policymakers to recognize wildlife conservationists as key contributors to climate change solutions. Climate change is a nuanced, complex crisis, and the effects of this crisis extend far beyond

The Macaw Society has been researching and advancing the conservation of the scarlet macaw (Ara macao macao) inside the Tambopata National Reserve, in southeast Perú, for over 20 years. Image courtesy of Greta Hardy-Mittel. Macaws tend to lay three or more eggs on average. But why does the first chick survive while the younger ones

Jean-Gaël “JG” Collomb, CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Network, recently appeared on the Species Unite podcast to discuss the intricacies of protecting endangered wildlife like lions, pangolins, and painted dogs, among others. WCN supports effective, locally-led conservationists all around the world, and JG spoke to the importance of WCN’s role as a convener between conservationists

In November 2024, Wildlife Conservation Network’s Partner Ewaso Lions hosted a week-long “Community-led Conservation” workshop in Samburu, Kenya with 18 distinguished conservationists from around the world to share insights and strengthen the pivotal roles that local communities play in conservation. Members of the Community-led Conservation workshop. This was a gathering of conservationists with invaluable insights

When Walt Disney Animation Studios’ classic, The Lion King, first debuted in 1994, Africa’s iconic big cat found a place in the spotlight and in the hearts of a generation. Yet in the 30 years since Simba’s adventures first illuminated the big screen, Africa has lost half of its lions. Habitat loss, human-lion conflict, and

Starling murmuration near the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Polk County, Oregon. Image courtesy of Brian Stone. Murmurations are incredible activities of starlings who take to the skies. Unbeknownst to them, they are creating stunning displays of what can only be described as gorgeous sky art. There are natural science and laws of physics

The truck pulled into the village and rolled to a stop, with conservationists from Spectacled Bear Conservation (SBC) jumping out to distribute supplies to outstretched hands. Deep concern enveloped this rural community as thick as the smoke wreathing the sky above. This year, Peru has endured a frenzy of wildfires raging across the Amazon and

Griffin popping the lid on an empty cup in preference to eating a free piece of pasta (a less favored treat, although he definitely likes it when it is in his food dish!). Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote a blog entitled “The Work Ethic,” which describes how many individuals, be they human or

Hundreds of thousands of birds with migratory habits fill the airways, all moving to warmer and more suitable climates and habitats to breed. When migration is complete, they will take to the skies and migrate back to their summer homes. It’s quite a sight to look overhead as many birds fly toward their intended destinations.

‘Tis the season of thoughtful giving, when we seek out the perfect gifts to light up the faces of our loved ones. But what if your gift could create ripples of joy far beyond the moment of unwrapping? That’s exactly what we’re offering in this year’s carefully curated gift guide. At Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN),

Image by Indonesian Parrot Project Founded in 2001 by Dr. Stewart Metz and Barbara Bailey, the Indonesian Parrot Project (IPP) has spent 23 years working in Indonesia to combat the illegal trade of endangered cockatoos, Eclectus parrots, lories, and other parrots. IPP has created successful programs for the rehabilitation, release, and final return of these

Webinar: : Avian Vet Insider: Chickens & Parrots – Can I Have Both? Date: Friday, December 6, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter)   Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash Color plays a vital role in birds’ lives, from backyard visitors to vibrant parrots. A recent study led by evolutionary biologist Roberto Arbore, PhD, has uncovered the genetic mechanism that produces parrots’ brilliant colors. Scientists discovered that a unique enzyme, ALDH3A2, influences parrots’ iconic red, yellow, and green hues

It might be surprising to learn that, as of 2024, the Bald Eagle isn’t officially America’s national bird. A proposed congressional act being considered would finally give it that formal recognition. The world over, we have become obsessed with visual representation, an image of something that says who we are. We designate specially designed flags

Chris Davis Virtual Celebration of Life-Memorial Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024 Time: 10 a.m. PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter) Register Now   Let’s celebrate a life truly dedicated to birds and the people who love them. We look forward to coming together in Chris’s memory. You are warmly invited to

Psittrichas fulgidus – Pesquet’s Parrot At Loro Park, TenerifePhotograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Meet the Dracula parrot, New Guinea’s most goth-inspired bird, with striking black and red feathers and a bald, vulture-like head that gives it an eerie, vampire vibe. Despite its dark nickname, this parrot doesn’t hide from

Hundreds of bird eggs and bird specimens on display at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, CA. Image by Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology For many animals, the life cycle begins with an egg. For birds, the egg is expelled and nurtured in nests until the life within it hatches and becomes world-aware.

October 28, 2024 By Wildlife Conservation Network WCN’s California Wildlife Program (CWP) is endorsing California’s Proposition 4 (aka the “Climate Bond”). Prop 4 would enable implementation of a wide variety of climate-related projects, including allocated funds for land and water conservation and “nature-based solutions” such as wildlife crossing infrastructure. While the measure would include substantial

A yellow-naped Amazon parrot perches in a tree. Image courtesy of One Earth Conservation. The Republic of Nicaragua is the third most populated and the geographically largest country in Central America. The largest freshwater lake in Central America is Lake Nicaragua, and in its center is Ometepe Island. This island is formed by two volcanoes

October 22, 2024 By Dr. Jim Sanderson, Director of Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation Imagine yourself in the year 1870 somewhere in Michigan. You read in a local newspaper that five years ago, an Italian museum collector discovered a new rare cat in the high Andes of Bolivia. The collector claimed the total population was

Webinar: Hurricane Helene – Before, During & After With Pet Birds to Protect Date: Friday, November 15, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter) Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special

Webinar: Translating Parrot: Behavior Misconceptions – Do I Have a Problem Parrot? Part 2 Date: Friday, November 8, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm PST (double-check your local time with this time zone converter) Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our

Don’t let the cuteness fool you. The Hooded Pitohui’s skin and feathers have batrachotoxins, which can inflict numbness and cause burning sensations if they come into contact with skin wounds or if ingested. Benjamin Freeman, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Let’s have a Spooktacular October by uncovering some of the world’s spookiest birds. First

Webinar: Species Spotlight: California Condor Care in the Wake of Avian Flu Date: Friday, November 1, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm PDT (double-check your local time with this time zone converter) Join us for a FREE, live, interactive webinar hosted by Laura Doering, former editor of Bird Talk magazine and Birds USA magazine. Our special guest,

On October 5, WCN held our fall Wildlife Conservation Expo, an annual October gathering of conservationists from around the world and our incredible community of supporters who help them make a lasting difference for endangered wildlife. We always look forward to these reunions, not just to hear about the latest updates from the field, but

Dr. Pepperberg had the opportunity to collaborate with her Austrian colleagues, who have a large aviary of Goffin’s cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana), to test each bird on a series of tasks that varied in postural, spatial, and cognitive demands. Lateralization has to do with using one side of the body (and/or brain) preferentially to do various

As the sinking sun pulled shadows over Kenya’s vast Tsavo landscape, Joseph Kyalo Kimaile watched four painted dogs drinking from a drying water hole. Last year, this pack had 18 individuals, and now only four remained. He didn’t know what happened to the others, so as Tsavo Trust’s Chief Conservation Officer, he was determined to