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Resonating feathers produce courtship song in rare bird

Date published: December 9, 2009

Four years ago, a Cornell researcher reported a bizarre example of sexual selection in a rare South American bird: The male attracts the female by rubbing specialized wing feathers — more than 100 cycles per second — to create a high hum, similar to a sustained violin note. While the researchers speculated how the sound was created, they have since proven that the club-winged manakin's feathers resonate at a particular frequency to create the tone. A Wildlifewatch report.

Artificial refuges created to save the reptiles of Doñana, Spain

Date published: December 9, 2009

The Aznalcóllar mining accident more than 11 years ago, which contaminated part of the Doñana National Park, also damaged reptile habitat there. Now a team of Spanish researchers, who have been studying the reptile community since 2000, have shown, by setting up artificial refuges, that the disappearance of natural refuges had a serious impact on lizard and snake numbers. A Wildlifewatch update.

Fascinating study explores violent world of raptors

Date published: December 1, 2009

By the time the researchers finished, they were immersed in a violent world where some raptors dismember their prey and eat them alive. Depending on the type of raptor, the birds of prey break necks, pry open body cavities, pierce internal organs and strike killing blows. The three researchers examined hundreds of raptor claws, photographs and videos to understand raptor-prey interactions. Evelyn Boswell of Montana State University writes about the study.

Photographers RAVE about Yucatán

Date published: December 1, 2009

The International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) is a project-driven organization with a mission to translate conservation science into compelling visual messages. It works with leading scientists, governments, and conservation groups to produce the highest-quality documentary images of both the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the challenges facing it. An expedition of 32 leading ILCP photographers resulted in a portfolio of hundreds of images that serve as a warning of the conservation status of this area known as the heart of the ancient Mayan civilisation. A Willdifewatch report on the Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition or RAVE project.

Poachers turn gamekeepers in Cambodia eco-tourism projects

Date published: November 26, 2009

WWF has recruited former hunters in Cambodia to put their knowledge of the forest and expert tracking skills to good use. The overall aim is to establish an environment where wildlife can recover after years of hunting, poaching and neglect. Richer wildlife, conservationists hope, will attract tourists - and, in turn, create jobs for local communities. A IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) report.