Latest news with #Panthera
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Meet this 5,00,000 years old predator: The real king of the Ice Age before the modern lions ruled
Present-day Lions are called the king of the jungle with proud tan-yellow fur and a huge mane that rules over the animal kingdom, but could one ever imagine who used to rule over the animal kingdom during the ice age, when the world was covered under the ice thousands of years ago? Long before kings wore crowns and lions roared across African savannas, another ruler walked the frozen plains of Ice Age Europe. Lions, too, had a predecessor. A massive, silent, and powerful king known as the cave lion and it was a true monarch of the mammoth steppe. These were larger than today's African lion variety, built to survive glacial winds and snow-covered landscapes, and this is not science fiction; some real proof of these ice age beasts has been found in the ancient caves of the icy landscapes of the Earth. A relic- fossil is kept in this museum During the ice age, the cave lion ruled over the mammoth steppes as the apex predator; genetic studies confirm it was a distinct species, different from today's African lion, and existed around 5,00,000 years ago. And a beautifully preserved skull displayed at France's Muséum de Toulouse, a skull from Montmaurin's Grotte de Coupe-Gorge, part of a nearly complete skeleton found in clay bed 3S. The Toulouse time capsule Digitally scanned in 2015, the skull was transformed into a 3D reconstruction, letting visitors virtually see the extinct lion in interactive museum exhibits, according to reports by ima-solutions. A Beast of Epic Proportions Standing up to 1.2 m at the shoulder and measuring over 2 m in body length, cave lions were larger than most modern lions, though slightly smaller than the earlier Panthera fossilis. Fossils show they had yellowish-grey coats, thick underfur for icy climates, and crucially, lacked manes, as confirmed by cave art in Lascaux and Chauvet. These formidable felines hunted giant Ice Age herbivores such as reindeer, bison, and even young mammoths. They often clashed with other carnivores like cave hyenas, wolves, and cave bears, who were all vying for limited resources. Multiple cave paintings also suggest that these predators interacted with humans, dating back thousands of years. Neanderthals and later Upper Paleolithic humans hunted them for meat and pelts, as shown by prehistoric skinning marks and cave paintings Carvings and paintings found in ancient caves Ancient carvings and cave paintings of cave lions have been found in the famous Lascaux and Chauvet Caves in France, dating back roughly 15,000 to 17,000 years. One particularly interesting drawing in the Chauvet cave shows two lions walking side by side. The larger one in the background appears to be male as it is drawn with a visible scrotum but no mane. This kind of detail has led researchers to believe that male cave lions likely didn't have manes at all, or if they did, they were very small, nothing like the thick manes we see on modern African lions. Mystery of Disappearance Cave lions vanished around 13,000 to 14,000 years ago. Theories suggest a combination of a warming climate, shrinking open habitats, diminishing prey, increasing competition with wolves, and human hunting pressure. Genetic studies even show a population bottleneck between 47,000–18,000 years ago. Their disappearance is also an indication of the collapse of the mammoth steppe ecosystem. Photos: Wikimedia commons
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Ghost' Elephant Spotted for First Time in 5 Years
An African forest elephant — nicknamed the "ghost elephant" due to its incredibly infrequent sightings — was spotted in Senegal for the first time in five years earlier this June. Remote camera footage from Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal shows a lone elephant walking across frame — stopping to seemingly take a quick peek at the camera before moving on. The elephant, named Ousmane after a local park ranger, was last seen in January 2020. At the time, it was expected that this elephant was one of only five to 10 African forest elephants left in the 3,500 square mile park. Panthera, a conservation organization that owns the remote camera that caught Ousmane, released a statement following the finding. "This male is the only individual that's been photographed in the park since 2020," the statement reads, "And DNA analysis, collected through dung samples, confirms he's potentially the only individual left." View the to see embedded media. The elephant population in Senegal has been decimated over past decades due to poaching and continuous habitat loss. Niokolo-Koba National Park plays an integral role in maintaining the health of the elephant population as well as several other species. Niokolo-Koba is also home to the critically endangered West African lion as well as the largest population of leopards left in West Africa, according to Panthera. While Ousmane may be the only African forest elephant left in Senegal, preservation efforts may lead to the transport of others in the species — particularly female elephants — to help somewhat repopulate Niokolo-Koba National Park. 'Ghost' Elephant Spotted for First Time in 5 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 19, 2025
New York Post
18-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
Mysterious, endangered ‘ghost elephant' seen for the first time in years: ‘Might now be the last'
No, this photo-bombing pachyderm is not an apparition, a phantasm or a spooky specter. He is the only African forest elephant to be spotted — via remote trail cam — in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park in five long years. The 'ghost' epithet can be applied to a range of endangered species, but ghost elephants in particular are described as being 'refugees in their own homelands, moving in secret between small patches of habitat,' by the Elephant Crisis Fund in its 2022 report on elephant population loss. 'They are being lost one by one to old age or conflict with people.' Advertisement Back in 2020, when he was last spotted, the infrequently photographed elephant Ousmane — named for a beloved former ranger of the Senegalese park — was thought to have lived alongside five to ten other African forest elephants. However, recent DNA analysis completed by wildlife conservation non-profit Panthera in tandem with the park confirms he's likely the only individual left, though several corroborating studies are pending. The park — which was once a hotspot for forest elephant activity in the region, with hundreds of documented elephants roaming the wooded region — works with Panthera to protect the region's many endangered species. Advertisement 'Darting and moving elephants to a secure location has been tried, in Ivory Coast for example, but capturing these elusive individuals is very difficult and there is no guarantee that they will remain wherever they are moved to,' elaborated the Elephant Crisis Fund in the same report. evenfh – Despite these efforts, elephant populations across the western coast of Africa are still impacted by issues like drought, poaching, the ivory harvest, habitat loss, and human-elephant contact. 'Elephants are under immense pressure in West Africa. Only a few populations of the pachyderms survive in this region. Niokolo-Koba National Park, where this individual was filmed, is the last area in Senegal where this endangered species survives,' Philipp Henschel, Panthera's West and Central Regional Director, told Newsweek. Elephants typically live in small herds arranged around their immediate 'families.' evenfh – Advertisement Though it's likely that Ousmane is the sole African forest elephant in Senegal, Henschel confirmed that the news isn't all bad. 'Panthera and our local partner, the park authority DPN, have gradually increased the protection of Niokolo-Koba National Park since the start of our joint park support program in 2017.' 'Detailed surveys are currently underway to assess if the elephant we recently filmed, Ousmane, is the sole survivor in the park and therefore Senegal. If this were found to be the case, we will assess the feasibility of translocating a herd of females into the park, so as to found a new breeding elephant population in Senegal,' concluded Henschel. According to the ECF, attempting to create breeding populations and establishing large protected areas with the support of local governments is the best way to restore plummeting populations, so perhaps a bigger backyard and a friendly female elephant are in store for 'ghost elephant' Ousmane.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
A camera trap in Niokolo-Koba National Park captured rare video of what might be the last remaining elephant in Senegal, last seen in 2019. The new footage was captured by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, and Senegal's Directorate of National Parks, and it shows Ousmane, an elephant named after a park ranger and known as the ghost elephant. 'Rare sightings, stealthy behavior and near-mythical status due to their low numbers have earned this lone bull the title of 'ghost elephant,'' a Panthera spokesperson told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. The black-and-white footage was captured as the elephant strolled by the camera at night, giving it a ghost-like appearance. IFL Science posted it on YouTube. 'When it was last spotted in January 2019, it was thought to be one of only 5 to 10 elephants remaining in the park – a drastic change from the hundreds that once called Niokolo-Koba home and a shocking reminder of the implications of poaching and habitat loss,' the Panthera spokesperson told For The Win Outdoors. 'Shortly thereafter, a scientific study by Panthera and DPN revealed the male is likely the only elephant left in Senegal, although an anecdotal report might suggest the presence of several elephants in the area.' Elephant numbers in Senegal have declined to near extinction, but this new sighting has 'sparked discussions of greater protections for the elusive elephants that remain, including whether it might be possible to establish a breeding population in the park,' IFL Science reported. Also on FTW Outdoors: Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3 months later Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors that 'there's hope for this lonely creature,' citing other successes. 'The Critically Endangered West African lions that also reside in the park are currently making a comeback – the lion population has more than doubled since Panthera's work began in 2011, driven by persistent anti-poaching and scientific monitoring efforts,' the Panthera spokesperson told For The Win Outdoors. 'That positive news is reflected in UNESCO's recent announcement removing Niokolo-Koba National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the strides that have been made in protecting wildlife that call the park home, such as one of only two remaining populations of lions in West Africa and the region's largest remaining leopard population. 'The footage also comes just months after another camera trap in the park captured images of the Endangered giant pangolin for the first time in 24 years, another development reviving hope for the near-extinct species.' Photo courtesy of Panthera. This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
A camera trap in Niokolo-Koba National Park captured rare video of what might be the last remaining elephant in Senegal, last seen in 2019. The new footage was captured by Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, and Senegal's Directorate of National Parks, and it shows Ousmane, an elephant named after a park ranger and known as the ghost elephant. 'Rare sightings, stealthy behavior and near-mythical status due to their low numbers have earned this lone bull the title of 'ghost elephant,'' Alyssa Cuevas, a Panthera spokeswoman, told USA Today/For The Win Outdoors. The black-and-white footage was captured as the elephant strolled by the camera at night, giving it a ghost-like appearance. IFL Science posted it on YouTube. 'When it was last spotted in January 2019, it was thought to be one of only 5 to 10 elephants remaining in the park – a drastic change from the hundreds that once called Niokolo-Koba home and a shocking reminder of the implications of poaching and habitat loss,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'Shortly thereafter, a scientific study by Panthera and DPN revealed the male is likely the only elephant left in Senegal, although an anecdotal report might suggest the presence of several elephants in the area.' Elephant numbers in Senegal have declined to near extinction, but this new sighting has 'sparked discussions of greater protections for the elusive elephants that remain, including whether it might be possible to establish a breeding population in the park,' IFL Science reported. Also on FTW Outdoors: Texas fisherman catches record bass, releases it 3 months later Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors that 'there's hope for this lonely creature,' citing other successes. 'The Critically Endangered West African lions that also reside in the park are currently making a comeback – the lion population has more than doubled since Panthera's work began in 2011, driven by persistent anti-poaching and scientific monitoring efforts,' Cuevas told For The Win Outdoors. 'That positive news is reflected in UNESCO's recent announcement removing Niokolo-Koba National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing the strides that have been made in protecting wildlife that call the park home, such as one of only two remaining populations of lions in West Africa and the region's largest remaining leopard population. 'The footage also comes just months after another camera trap in the park captured images of the Endangered giant pangolin for the first time in 24 years, another development reviving hope for the near-extinct species.' Photo courtesy of Panthera. This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'Ghost elephant' seen for first time in years; is it a lone survivor?
