Latest news with #LoroParqueFoundation
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Orcas Caught 'Kissing' For Two Minutes With Tongue
We've recently seen orcas foray into the world of fashion by wearing dead salmon as hats. Now a pair of orcas has been caught 'French kissing', taking their apparent mockery of human habits towards another flavor of gross. The whales' slobber sharing was incidentally captured by citizen scientists who observed and recorded the wild orcas (Orcinus orca) nibbling on each other's tongues in Norway's Kvænangen fjords. Maybe the marine mammals used some kelp grooming tools earlier to prepare for this date? "The interaction… lasted nearly two minutes and involved repeated episodes of gentle, face-to-face oral contact," describe marine scientist Javier Almunia, director of the Loro Parque Foundation, and colleagues. Such behavior in orcas had only been observed in captivity previously, as recorded in a 2019 study (video below). "We documented the pattern 'gentle tongue bite', where an animal touches the other's tongue with his teeth but does not bite it," the researchers explained at the time. Related: Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) have also displayed mouth-to-mouth interactions in the wild. During a study on captive belugas, kissing behaviors were mostly initiated by the young animals, suggestive of play that might help refine motor and social skills. Neither species showed any signs of aggression during these interactions. So, while researchers caution it is difficult to draw conclusions from a single observation, they suspect the orcas could be using this behavior to help maintain social bonds. Alternatively, the 'kissing' could be a form of social grooming – as seen in primates – or even a type of begging behavior, Almunia and team speculate. It might also be a cultural trend, a game passing through the pod like the dead salmon hats, which only seem to occur in one cultural group of orcas. Along with kelp or pebble grooming, other signs of distinct orca cultures include regional differences in their dialects, food preferences, and hunting techniques. A group in the Mediterranean has even developed a habit of attacking sailing yachts. Whatever the purpose behind an orca's kiss, the recent spate of unexpected behaviors discovered in orcas makes one thing clear: there's still so much we don't understand about the remarkable animals we share our world with. This research was published in Oceans. Microbe 'Flavors' Tell Octopuses Which Babies Deserve Their Care A Mysterious Blob of Cold Water Defies Ocean Heat – Now We Know Why Scientists Discover 'Goblin Prince' That Roamed With Dinosaurs
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts celebrate as rare parrot makes miraculous comeback from brink of extinction: 'They're already ready to fly'
The red-tailed amazon, one of the rarest parrots in Brazil, has made a remarkable comeback thanks to the tireless efforts of environmental groups. As Mongabay reported, illegal wildlife trafficking and habitat loss had a devastating impact on the species, driving their numbers down to just 5,000 individuals by the turn of the century. However, a project to install hundreds of artificial nests on Rasa Island in Brazil has allowed their population to nearly double in 20 years, which led to its conservation status being upgraded from "endangered" to "near threatened" in 2017. Around 1,500 red-tailed amazons live on the island, but they have few nesting places left since locals use their preferred trees — the guanandis — to build shelters and fishing vessels. Mongabay explained that old trees have the best hollows for the birds to build nests, but since coastal communities claimed many of them, the parrots have moved to younger trees deeper in the forest. Because these trees lack natural hollows, conservationists from the Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education (SPVS), a nongovernmental organization, created artificial nests made of wooden boxes where the birds can roost. The project was a huge success, as all 15 nests installed in 2003 had occupants. With the help of the Loro Parque Foundation — another environmental organization based in Spain — red-tailed amazons on Rasa Island and several smaller islands were gifted 111 artificial nests. Because of the group's dedication, more parrots now live on Rasa Island than humans, suggesting a flourishing population. However, their conservation work is far from over, as researchers found the population of red-tailed amazons dropped from 2,500 to just over 450 individuals on the nearby Pinheiro Island in 2024. They believe tourism prompted some to relocate, while others have likely become victims of the illegal wildlife trade. Cameras have been set up throughout the islands to monitor nests, but this doesn't always stop traffickers. SPVS has started talking to locals about the importance of protecting the rare parrots and their habitats, and it has also put trackers on the birds to identify them if they are captured. While the tags help conservationists keep a close eye on the birds, they can still move freely around their new and improved island home. "They're already ready to fly," Elenise Sipinski, a researcher at SPVS, told Mongabay, referring to two chicks that were tagged. The group has taken a multifaceted approach to conservation, working on reforesting the mainland to ensure the parrots have a healthy habitat. In partnership with other NGOs and companies, the organization established three nature reserves covering a total of 47,000 acres, which provided the parrots ample space to roam and expand their populations. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Red-tailed amazons play a crucial role in dispersing seeds, which helps create and maintain biodiversity — this maintains the health of ecosystems humans depend on. By preserving their habitat, both humans and parrots win. "When you work with a charismatic species like the red-tailed amazon, you end up working on conservation as a whole. The only reason there are parrots is because there is forest," Sipinski said. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
