Whale sharks are massive energy-crunching behemoths that, ironically, spend their lives in the most nutrient-poor oceans. Why? Here’s the first paradox of ecology that stumps most people. The richest, most …
This week, a paper appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal (de Kock et al 2023) [1]. The researchers found that generations of turtles had been …
I’d only ever seen whale sharks at the surface before. Swimming with whale sharks in Indonesia was something unexpectedly rewarding. This article is one of a few I’ll be writing …
Animal ImpactBirdsFarmlandFeaturedFood securityMigrationNature-based SolutionsRewildingWhy animals are important
Why are cuckoos important?
Common Cuckoos are an intercontinental migrant that join a throng of other European birds making their biannual journey to and from Africa. Hearing the first spring cuckoo call is always emotional. …
Where are Melbourne’s coral reefs? Did you know that a marine sanctuary in northern Port Phillip Bay is home to some of the best examples of our region’s coral reefs? …
What was thrilling about reading Wohlleben’s The Power of Trees was to expand on a notion I covered in a recent blog. That unlike animals, the ‘brain’ of trees – …
The fossil tooth fairy was smiling upon me today. After a snorkel we headed to bayside Melbourne to search for fossils. Soon after, I turned a rock, and found the …
How important are soil invertebrates? A new paper in Science Advances may have the answer. Researchers have estimated the abundance of all land arthropods (animals like insects, crabs, spiders and …
Last year there was one morning when Tasmanian Blennies seemed to be everywhere on the mussel beds in Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay. They were swimming over rocks in abundance. The …
We recently visited the Mount Rothwell Sanctuary in Melbourne’s west. Originally created by John Wamsley, this 420 hectare predator-proofed sanctuary was bought in 2004 and is currently operated by the …