Latest news with #JoelSartore
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Burmese pythons have bone-digesting cells that allow them to convert entire prey into nutrition; scientists reveal
Source: Joel Sartore In a remarkable discovery that deepens our understanding of how predators digest whole prey, scientists have found that Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) possess specialised intestinal cells that help process calcium from the bones of their meals. This research not only explains how these large snakes handle mineral-rich diets but also hints at a broader evolutionary adaptation among whole-prey eaters. The study, published on June 25 in the Journal of Experimental Biology , uncovers the mechanism behind how pythons manage the calcium overload that results from consuming entire animals—bones and all. How burmese pythons digest whole prey: Study explains Burmese pythons, native to Southeast Asia and invasive in parts of Florida, are ambush predators that feed on birds and small mammals. Uniquely, they swallow their prey whole and then retreat for days while their powerful digestive systems do the work. Though they may go weeks without eating, when they do feast, they must digest everything—including bones, which provide essential nutrients like calcium and phosphorus. However, this introduces a challenge: too much calcium can be toxic. To investigate this, researchers from the University of Montpellier in France, including co-author Jehan-Hervé Lignot, fed Burmese pythons three different diets: Whole prey (with bones) Boneless prey (low calcium) Boneless prey + calcium supplements They then studied the snakes' intestinal tissue to examine how each diet impacted calcium processing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Source: Live Science Bone-digesting intestinal cells discovery The team discovered narrow, specialised cells in the snakes' intestinal lining that appear to manage the digestion of bones. In snakes fed either whole prey or boneless prey with calcium supplements, these cells contained tiny particles made of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. However, these mineral particles were absent in snakes that were fed boneless prey only—confirming the link between these particles and calcium intake. The researchers believe these cells help remove excess calcium by forming solid particles, which are later expelled through the feces. This adaptation allows the snake to benefit from the nutrients in bones without suffering from calcium toxicity. Are these cells found in other animals Interestingly, after finding these cells in Burmese pythons, scientists also observed similar cells in other whole-prey reptiles, including: Other species of pythons Boas Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum) These reptiles share one thing in common: they swallow prey whole. However, scientists have not yet found similar calcium-processing cells in animals like dolphins or fish-eating birds, despite their similar feeding habits. What bone-eating predators might reveal next This discovery opens the door for further research into how different predators manage mineral overloads from consuming bones. As study co-author Lignot pointed out, animals such as marine mammals and bone-eating birds (e.g., the bearded vulture, Gypaetus barbatus) could possess similar adaptations—or entirely different mechanisms. Understanding these differences could help scientists learn how digestion, mineral processing, and evolutionary pressures shape feeding strategies across species. Also Read | Chihuahua becomes 'Glacier Hero' after saving owner from 26-foot fall into icy crevasse in Switzerland
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
17,000 animal species captured on camera for Nat Geo project
Photographer Joel Sartore talks about his involvement in The Photo Ark, a project he's leading in association with National Geographic. July 8, 2025
National Geographic
08-07-2025
- National Geographic
These flamboyant birds are the 17,000th species to enter Nat Geo's Photo Ark
Stunning photos of birds of paradise show evolution at its most extravagant. A growling riflebird, a type of bird of paradise, seen at Port Moresby Nature Park in Papua New Guinea. Photographs by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark Birds-of-paradise have captivated the planet with their elaborate plumage and idiosyncratic mating dances. Some species appear to shape-shift as they elongate plumes of feathers, fan their wings, or even hang upside down from a tree branch like a bat. There are about 40 species in the birds-of-paradise family, and all are native to either Papua New Guinea, its surrounding islands, or Australia. 'They're like no other birds on earth,' says Joel Sartore, National Geographic Explorer, photographer, and creator of Photo Ark. Since 2006, Sartore has been traveling the globe in a bid to document as many species as humanly possible. And as of this writing, he has approached a number that once seemed unthinkable—17,000 species lovingly coaxed into posing for his camera. Usually, Sartore and his team select one species to highlight as the milestone, but with birds-of-paradise, he says, 'It was just impossible for us to choose.' Recently returned from a trip to Port Moresby, Sartore tried to convey what it was like to sit in the presence of so many of these flamboyantly feathered creatures. 'Everything was interesting to me,' says Sartore. 'They were really calm, all of them, and usually if a bird's calm in my tent, they're pretty smart.' He recalled one bird-of-paradise in particular—an iridescent turquoise and purple bird known as the trumpet manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii mayrii)—that stared right back at him with its huge, cherry-red eyeball. 'He's seeing himself in the reflection of the light lens filter,' explains Sartore. This is one of the goals of every shoot Sartore does with his simple backgrounds and closeup approach: 'We go with the black-and-white backgrounds to eliminate all distractions and look animals in the eye. It also gives all animals an equal voice, because there's no size comparison,' he says. 'This little king bird-of-paradise,' says Sartore of a bright-red species only slightly larger than a dollar bill, 'he's as big as an elephant.' A trumpet manucode, Phonygammus keraudrenii mayrii, photographed at Port Moresby Nature Park. Looking across the assortment of birds featured here, you'll notice that each species is vastly different from the others, either in color, shape, or feather arrangement. And when these males start to strut for the local females, you'll see that each species also has its own way of wooing the opposite sex. So how did all these closely related birds become so strikingly different? 'Evolution by sexual selection has 'permitted' the evolution of extravagant feathers and behaviors because the fruit they eat is abundant, and the predators that often counterbalance extravagant evolution are absent,' says Edwin Scholes, an ornithologist, and founder and leader of the Cornell Lab's Birds-of-Paradise Project. Interestingly, while it's the male birds and their fancy feathers we tend to focus upon, it's the female birds-of-paradise that are doing the choosing—which means they're the ones actually responsible for the evolution of such extraordinary traits. Habitat and geography also play a role, of course. 'Birds-of-paradise are sedentary forest dwellers and don't disperse or migrate long distances, so even a lowland river valley is a barrier to a montane species. And none fly over open water to islands,' says Scholes. Separated from each other and unencumbered by predators, birds-of-paradise have been free to break off into ever more enchanting species. Some have incredibly oversized features, such as the ribbon-tailed astrapia, which has tailfeathers three times as long as its body. Others, such as the superb bird of paradise, can make their feathers click while dancing. And the growling riflebird? It's known for its, well, growl—something you definitely don't hear every day from a bird. One species, the lesser superb bird-of-paradise, has even been shown to sport feathers that absorb around 99.95 percent of all visible light—a quality scientists call ultrablack or superblack. Add it all up, and Scholes says birds-of-paradise are 'some of the most beautiful, bizarre, and diverse [birds] on the planet.' The good news for these fantastic birds is that they are doing better than many other species found in the Photo Ark. 'Thankfully, no species are currently in the critically endangered category,' says Scholes, though he admits some need more thorough assessment. While none of the species shown here are considered endangered, around one-fifth of all birds-of-paradise species are listed as either vulnerable or near threatened. 'The species that are most at risk or most vulnerable are those that are found only on relatively small islands just offshore from mainland New Guinea, and some that are found at the higher elevations of isolated mountain ranges,' says Scholes. Overall, Sartore says he hopes the images in the Photo Ark will remind people that there is so much life on this planet worth saving. 'We'll go wherever we can to just show people what life was all about and hopefully it makes a difference,' he says. 'That's kind of the whole point—just get people's attention, get them to think about something other than politics and sports for a little bit.' 'And that as these species go away,' says Sartore, 'so could we.'
National Geographic
01-07-2025
- Health
- National Geographic
Ticks are taking over city parks. Here's how to avoid them.
Lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) like the one pictured here were historically concentrated in the southeastern and south-central United States. But experts say they're creeping into unexpected new territories—including northern cities. Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Image Collection It's not just the hiking trail where you need to worry about ticks. These arthropods are now a problem in major cities—and they've brought disease with them. In the compact backyards of Staten Island, Maria Diuk-Wasser was surprised by what she saw. Ticks—and lots of them—nestled in wood piles, between leaves, and underneath bird feeders. It was more than she found in the previous year, and the year before that. Diuk-Wasser, a disease ecologist at Columbia University, had been tracking tick activity in the New York City borough for four years ending in 2021, and found that, year after year, ticks were expanding both in numbers and geographically. 'There were many more ticks in more of the parks, and more and more backyards,' Diuk-Wasser says. And early data suggest a similar phenomenon may be unfolding nearby in Queens and Brooklyn. What's happening across New York City is reflective of a larger trend: Tick populations are booming across the United States—as are tickborne diseases, like Lyme disease, which have more than doubled over the past two decades. And when there's an explosion of ticks, we inevitably see more of them crawling across cities, says Diuk-Wasser. Indeed ticks, as growing evidence shows, are an emerging urban threat. Here's what you need to know about where to find them—and how to protect yourself from tickborne diseases. How do ticks get into cities anyway? There are multiple species of tick, but in the United States, researchers are most concerned with four—the black-legged (deer) tick, the lone star tick, the dog tick, and the longhorned tick. Many have been venturing into regions they haven't historically called home, and they're multiplying. Back in Staten Island, for example, Diuk-Wasser and her team recently recorded a startling spike in deer ticks (long-term residents of the eastern U.S.), lone star ticks (which have historically been concentrated in southeastern and south-central states) and longhorned ticks (which were found for the very first time in the U.S. in 2017). 'They really spread in a matter of years. It was very fast,' she says. (Lyme disease is spreading fast—but a vaccine may be on the way.) Where guests are guardians But what's really alarming is the rise of the one species that causes Lyme disease—the black-legged deer tick. According to Diuk-Wasser, these arthropods can live in any area that's forested or contains leaf litter—the layer of dead leaves, twigs, and plant debris that provide ticks with the thick humidity they need to stay hydrated. That means a leafy park in the city can be just as attractive as the undisturbed woods they've commonly used as habitat. And ticks have moved into these parks by hitchhiking on the backs other animals. Ticks can exist wherever there are hosts—whether that be raccoons, mice, birds, squirrels, or possums. That's why you'll even find ticks in Central Park, a greenspace famously landlocked by concrete. But in order to truly thrive, ticks require deer. As such, the biggest factor that influences whether an urban tick community will swell is if there's a pathway for deer to enter. 'As long as deer visit, you will find ticks,' Diuk-Wasser says. For example, ticks were able to take up residence in Staten Island on the backs of the deer that swim to the borough from New Jersey. What's causing so many ticks to invade cities? Let's start with land use changes. Ticks long occupied the land where cities now stand, but were displaced in the 1800s as forests were knocked down for agricultural purposes—forced to go wherever trees were lush and leaves were moist. But as farming declined in the U.S. in the 1900s and people abandoned their pastures, areas near cities were reforested—and many towns and cities on the East Coast and up in the Great Lakes were built smack in the middle of those forests, says Nick Takacs, a Northeastern University biology professor who studies ticks. In the years that followed, wildlife—including deer and white-legged mice—returned, ticks in tow. 'We densely colonized a lot of their environments, so they had no choice but to adapt and live in the environments we shared,' Takacs says. Many of the animals that make for ideal tick hosts actually prefer to hunt and live near what's called "the edge"—the space where two habitats like the woods (that offer protection) and grasslands (rich with edible vegetation) collide. So as we've built sprawling cities near and in forests, wildlife has migrated to the edge and into nearby parks and backyards, transporting ticks with them, says Diuk-Wasser. It doesn't help that deer populations are multiplying due to increased hunting restrictions and fewer predators. The same is happening with mice. (This tick bite could make you allergic to red meat—and it's spreading.) At the same time, climate change is majorly impacting tick activity. Decades ago, ticks would die out come winter, but warmer weather has extended tick season. 'Adult ticks can be active in the winter if it's above 40 degrees, which happens all the time now,' says Diuk-Wasser. Additionally, regions that were once too frigid for ticks are now suitable for them. Until recently, deer ticks were mainly concentrated in the southeastern U.S., but they—and the pathogens they carry—moved north, planting roots all along the Eastern seaboard and into Canada. Ticks can now feed and breed year-round. They're proliferating—in rural spaces and urban ones. Even the deadly brown dog tick, which becomes more active and aggressive in extreme heat, is infiltrating California cities, says Janet Foley, a veterinarian and disease ecologist at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Once found in rural desert areas, these ticks are finding places to thrive in cities that are getting both warmer and dryer. 'The hotter it gets, the more likely they are to feed on anything,' she says. How should you protect yourself from ticks in cities? The odds you'll be exposed to an infected tick in a city park is on par with the chance you'll run into one on a wooded hike. In some cities, roughly 20 to 30 percent of baby ticks (nymphs) are infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, research shows. 'You do see cases where people acquired Lyme disease from urban parks,' says Foley. (How to protect yourself from ticks—and what to do if you're bitten.) Therefore, you should protect yourself in certain urban greenspaces the same way you would if you were hiking or camping. You don't need to worry as much about being bitten in Central Park (though, yes, it has ticks too), but if you're visiting a city park or backyard that wildlife can access from nearby woods? It's a good idea to use DEET, wear permethrin-treated clothing, and check yourself for ticks, says Diuk-Wasser. If you wander off the main trails, try not to brush alongside high grasses as that's where ticks cling to stems, waiting for you. This isn't to deter you from being in nature—it's just to inform you that ticks are all around us, even where there are taxis and stadiums. 'Our cities are not as domesticated as we thought they were,' says Takacs. 'We have to adapt to that.'
National Geographic
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
His portraits capture animals that are going extinct in the wild
This story appears in the October 2019 issue of National Geographic magazine. A naked mole rat. That was photographer Joel Sartore's first model in 2006 when he began making studio portraits of animals in captivity. The purpose: to capture for posterity species that someday might be extinct. To reflect the project's life-preserving mission, Sartore named it Photo Ark. By the time you read this, Sartore expects to have portraits of nearly 10,000 animals in the Ark. He plans to keep going to 15,000, which could take another 10-15 years. We asked him about his project, which we're featuring in this special issue on endangered wildlife. From National Geographic's Photo Ark and Joel Sartore, Vanishing: The World's Most Vulnerable Animals is available where books are sold and at Of the species you've photographed that have since gone extinct, what's one of the most memorable? I'd say the Rabbs' fringe-limbed tree frog, Ecnomiohyla rabborum. A few years ago there was one left alive, a male, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. He was a total sweetheart. I photographed him three times before he passed away [in 2016]. Making those photos felt epic because you know this animal is never going to come this way again. At those moments I think to myself, Don't screw this up. It may be this animal's only chance to have its story told well, and forever. How about a memorable species you photographed that was endangered but seems to be bouncing back? The Florida grasshopper sparrow is not out of the woods yet, but it's coming back. I love this one; it's a very small brown bird, and a handful of people cared about it enough to try to save it. There are many success stories: in the United States, the California condor, the black-footed ferret, the Mexican gray wolf, the whooping crane; and in Canada, the Vancouver Island marmot. They all got down to perhaps two dozen or fewer individuals, but they're all recovering now because people worked to protect their habitats and to start captive-breeding programs that saved those animals from extinction. What do you want people to know about the state of life on Earth? A recent intergovernmental report says that as many as one million species are already on their way to extinction. It's folly to think that we can throw away so much life and not have it affect humanity in a profound and negative way. The biggest question of our time is: Will we wake up and act, or will we stare into our smartphones all the way down to disaster? My goal is to get the public to care about the extinction crisis while there's still time to save the planet and everything that lives here.
