animals

By Michael Le Page Rat on cobbled street in cityEyeEm / Alamy We are changing the world in a way that favours animals such as bats – the source of the new coronavirus – that carry more diseases. That is the conclusion of an analysis looking at what changes are occurring in ecosystems as people…

By Michael Le Page Wild hummingbirds were able to distinguish between bird feeders by looking at the colours emitted by a special lightNoah Whiteman Birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish may see kinds of colours we cannot even imagine, say researchers whose experiments with wild hummingbirds show they perceive five so-called non-spectral colours. Almost all of…

By Michael Marshall Humpback whales may benefit from a lack of cruise shipsDave Fleetham/Zuma Press/PA Images Overall, the pandemic poses many threats to wildlife worldwide, as conservation programmes struggle for funding and poachers make the most of reduced patrols. But there are some instances in which coronavirus restrictions may be benefitting certain species. Some of…

By Layal Liverpool Drunk bats would be a flight risk KEVIN ELSBY/Alamy Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, bats and other mammals with a diet that contains lots of fruit and nectar may be the best in the animal kingdom at metabolising their alcohol. Fruits and nectars are rich sources of energy that many animals rely on. However,…