Wildlife
The bandicoot bandits causing a truffle kerfuffle
The unlikely gourmands are pilfering thousands of dollars of farmed black truffles a night, but a PhD student has been working to get them to change their ways.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Latest
The 250-year-old fish and the decision that’s ticked off conservationists
The “blue tick” is marketed as a guarantee that shoppers are buying sustainably harvested seafood, but questions have been raised over a recent assessment on the vulnerable orange roughy.
- by Mike Foley
When crocodiles attack: Why people become prey
Crocodiles were almost wiped out but have rebounded since protections were introduced in the 1970s. How common are crocodile attacks and how many people are killed?
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
The other national road toll: Cars kill 10 million native animals each year
Can cars that make barking noises, flashing lights and sirens and AI-assisted road signs help reduce roadkill?
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Exclusive
Marine life
‘Not doing what they should’: Shark nets a threat to critically endangered species
The state government has installed nets to deter sharks at Sydney beaches since 1937 and will do so again next month. But there is growing doubt about their effectiveness.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Exclusive
Royal National Park
Royal National Park a haven for native species, environmental stocktake shows
The biggest ecological survey to date for Australia’s oldest national park and adjoining areas found previously unseen mammal species.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Government’s ‘please explain’ to Gold Coast magpie couple over animated series
Molly was returned to the couple on the condition they had “no ongoing commercial gain from the bird or its image” but the couple’s manager insists a planned cartoon is above board.
- by Cameron Atfield
Exclusive
Renewables
The simple fix that could reduce bird deaths from wind farms
Painting one blade black, or using stripes, on wind turbines is proven to dramatically reduce bird strikes. There are also high-tech solutions helping endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles.
- by Caitlin Fitzsimmons
Black swans in ‘significant peril’ from bird flu
Australia’s poultry industry is grappling with an outbreak of H7 bird flu, but the H5N1 strain, which has spread to every other continent, could wipe out native species.
- by Mike Foley