Three wolves were slaughtered in the Drôme (Southeastern France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) by "wildlife enforcers" at the beginning of April 2020. Among them were two pregnant wolves!

These killings, ineffective against predation, also threaten the survival of the wolf species, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The 30 Million Friends Foundation calls on the public authorities to reinforce the effectiveness of measures to protect livestock, through more harmonious and balanced cohabitation.

Quarentine of humans has not always saved wildlife. This was evidenced by the slaughter of three wolves in the Drôme in early April 2020. " While the French citizens (were) under the coronavirus quarantine, others decided to go and kill the wolves, a protected species, in the midst of breeding season, Criticizes the Ferus Association. In total, 13 of the 560 wolves present in France have already been slaughtered since the beginning of 2020. If one of them was killed illegally by a poacher, the other 12 were "legally" killed, under French regulations which set the limit on wolves that can be killed each year. Although the wolf is protected by the Berne Convention of 1979 and the Habitats Directive of 1992, these same texts also provide for exceptions for certain reasons and conditions, from the prohibition on killing.

Two of the three wolves killed in April 2020 were pregnant wolves from two different packs. " If the shooting of females pregnant with a protected species is already wrong, it also means a high risk for the breaking up of the packs, " warns Ferus. Indeed, when an alpha is killed, the pack will disperse and the wolves, alone and weakened, will prefer to hunt the most vulnerable prey which constitutes the domestic herds. So the killings then have an opposite effect to what was expected. And as proof, the wolf attacks increase from year to year because of the increasing amount of exceptions from the prohibitions on killing wolves.

Moreover, in December 2019, the National Council for the Protection of Nature (CNPN) described the government's policy of limiting the growth of wolf populations to limit damage to domestic livestock as inadequate. " This type of practice has no scientific basis and to date has brought no real improvement, either in terms of social acceptance of the wolf, or better protection of herds ," warns the Council . This observation is confirmed by other scientific bodies: the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) and the scientific committee of the Nation Action Plan on the wolf in particular. " To allow this to continue, wolf killings would then be used to try to achieve social peace, to appease the owners of livestock.

By allowing the annual wolf removal rate to be 17% of the population - even 19% if the first rate is reached before the end of the year - (a total of 100 individuals!), the decree of January 3, 2020 pursues more of the practice of regulation than the conservation of the species." To allow the wolf population to adapt to future changes and thus ensure its long-term viability, a total of 2,500 to 5,000 adult wolves would constitute the minimum necessary, " recommend the MNHN and the National Hunting and Wildlife - now the French Office of Biodiversity - in their expertise on the future of the wolf population in France (03/2017). " This figure has been deliberately forgotten "Deplores the CNPN. Since French regulations authorize, alongside of defense killings (which aims to protect herds in the event of an wolf attack)... the practice of "just killing wolves", this can become entirely disconnected from the actual damage caused to cattle!


In addition, half of the 98 wolves slaughtered in 2019 were killed during the breeding/raising period of the pups. “Given the increasing number of wolves slaughtered, the fact that there is no longer any period of prohibition on killing, particularly during the breeding period, seems to be inconsistent with the status of protected species. The state of conservation remains vulnerable ', warn experts. Hence their recommendation, reiterated every year, aiming to lead a " more balanced policy in favor of the wolf population ".

The solution: Strengthen the alternative means of protecting herds

Ultimately, combating the predation of the wolf, while preserving the survival of the species, implies strengthening the effectiveness of the means of protecting livestock such as guarding, the use of protection dogs, the installation of electrified fences and limiting the size of herds. To achieve this, scientists recommend a more qualitative approach to these protective measures, in particular through support for the farmers and also the establishment of a vulnerability diagnosis - over the long term - in areas of high wolf predation. " The killing of wolves should not be decided until after this analysis has been made, recommends the CNPN.

But to do this, it would still be necessary to first make compulsory and systematic the technical support of farmers and the analysis of vulnerability (currently they are only implemented at the farmer's request). The administration would then have to verify, on the spot, the effective implementation of the protection devices. Finally, we should encourage the use of existing scaring devices: light devices ("foxlights"), electrical wires ("fladry") or repellant collars. According to experts, " the multiplication, recurrence and variation of innovative means - associated with the 3 essentials: humans, dogs, fences - will help keep wolves away from the herds, with greater success ".

Peaceful cohabitation with the wolf would therefore not be unrealistic if the public authorities and farmers concerned really gave themselves the means of alternative protection!

At some point in our lives, we all were told that fairies don’t exist and cartoons aren’t real. Fast forward to today—we have proof they all were wrong.

The most adorable baby possum was found in Australia and upon further investigation, the internet is convinced he’s a Pikachu. With no disguise.

A rescuer in Melbourne brought the orphan possum to the Boronia Veterinary Clinic, where she lit up the room with her bright yellow fur. It turns out, the golden color occurs due to a mutation that causes a low level of the pigment melanin, which gives them their normal color. Or there’s another explanation. The cute little bud belongs to a species of Pokémon and our life has been a lie. So, let’s take a look at this viral cutie pie down below and be sure to get your Pokéball ready.

This rescued brushtail golden possum went viral for her incredible orange-yellow coat

“She was brought in by a member of the public who found her on the ground. We suspect she had fallen off her mother’s back.” At the time, they estimated her to be around 5 months old and at that age should have still been living with and being looked after by mum.

Dr. Stephen Reinisch said that “she was a bit shy at first, as expected, given the strange situation she had found herself in, but was otherwise in good spirits and health.” The possum spent the night at the clinic and was then collected by a carer the following day.


The standard color for a brushtail possum is brown. “However,” Stephen explained, “they can have less common color variations like this special yellow possum.” He said that there are other possums with this same color mutation around, but they are much less common in the wild. “Their bright color makes them an easier target for predators as they do not camouflage as well as their brown counterparts.”


Caroline Dazey from the non-profit Wildlife Victoria said that there are more golden possums found in the state, especially on Melbourne’s fringes. “We do get calls about them, there are little pockets of them in Victoria.” However, the volunteers keep their location secret in order to keep them safe.
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A recording has been made of one of the world’s smallest (and cutest) cat sounds like for what’s thought to be the first time ever.

The tiny cat, known as a Chilean güiña, is half the size of your usual house cat and weighs just under six pounds. The animals are extremely shy and been dubbed a ‘mystery cat’ that ‘lives in the shadows’.

However, as part of National Geographic’s Photo Ark, more information about the güiña has been discovered, including a recording of the unique sounds it makes. The Photo Ark has been created by the National Geographic Society alongside photographer Joel Sartore with the aim of helping endangered species through ‘the power of photography’. One of those endangered species in the adorable güiña.

The güiña is the 10,000th animal to be part of the Photo Ark portfolio. The cat (named Pikumche) was recorded and photographed while in captivity at Fauna Andina, a licensed wildlife reserve and rehabilitation centre in south-central Chile. It’s thought that this is the only place in the world to have güiña’s in captivity – Pikumche is one of eight at Fauna Andina.

As well as Joel taking pictures of the sweet feline, he filmed what Pikumche sounded like – something thought to be the first ever recording of the cat.

Pikumche is two-and-a-half year old male and was orphaned when he was a kitten so was hand-reared at the centre. Because of this, he’s got used to being around humans and is unable to go back into the wild.


While Pikumche can’t be returned to the wild, from the sounds of the video he’s pretty content where he is. Fernando Vidal Mugica, founder of the centre Pikumche lives at, explained the noises the cat made are ‘likely expressions of pleasure or excitement’ and his meow was because the other güiña’s appeared.

Güiña’s, also known as Leopardus guigna, are classed as ‘vulnerable’ by the IUCN red list and were last assessed in 2014. The largest reason for their decline in numbers is due to loss of habitat.

Fernando added that the small cats rely on native forest to exist and that protecting it is the ‘main goal’. Joel started the Photo Ark back in 2006 in his hometown on Lincoln, Nebraska. He’s since gone on to visit 50 countries in his quest to create this photo archive of global biodiversity.

Apparently he wants to document a whopping 15,000 different species – with the güiña marking his 10,000th.
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'I'd swear they told their buddies to come,' says photographer Daryl Granger. As people across Canada find creative ways to pass the extra hours at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an Ontario couple has found a new hobby that has both humans and critters going nuts.

Daryl Granger and his wife Karen are both photographers who own and operate RoseLe Studio in Simcoe, Ont.

"We spend a lot of time in the backyard and we noticed, 'gosh there's a lot of squirrels,' so we thought 'why not set up a photo shoot,'" Granger told CBC News on Monday.

"As you know, everybody has a lot of time on their hands. We're used to doing creative photo shoots, but we couldn't because of the pandemic." In the span of four weeks, Granger has built two outdoor sets to attract squirrels to his yard, and he says a third one is in the works. "The first one, we named it Nutzy's Country Market and we built all the wooden food bins and everything," Granger explained.

"The last one [which was completed on Saturday] is a peanut butter factory, and I am working on one, a nut vault — so it will show the squirrels looking like they are trying to get into a bank vault filled with nuts."

Nutzy's Country Market features an assortment of nuts, including almonds, peanuts, and walnuts, while the peanut butter factory is filled with — you guessed it — peanut butter. The couple spends hours in their backyard each day watching the creatures explore and snack on the treats.


"All these squirrels have personalities. You just see them interacting on a set and it's like they're hungry for nuts. They climb all over things," Granger said. "Since we put the nuts there, I'd swear they told their buddies to come, I'd say the total we have is about 10. You see them coming from all different directions. We feed them nuts, so of course they're going to come."

Blue jays joined in the fun. In addition to the squirrels, Granger said there have also been some other special visitors.


"We had cardinals show up [and also] blue jays," Granger said. "Blue jays, they like peanuts. We had about four jays that kept coming into the set every now and then, and they weren't afraid of the squirrels. It's like they all want food."

Granger says he enjoys every moment of their new-found hobby. 'It's very entertaining. The sets are fun to build, and you have your time that you have to kill so I'll probably do it for a while," he said. "Even my dogs are getting used to it. They used to chase the squirrels but now they're getting better and they're lying beside me and watching the squirrels." The couple has been sharing their photos on their Facebook page, and based on the reactions, they have brought pure joy to many.


"Haha, I love this … I should do something for my chipmunks. They love their peanuts," was Jimi Green's reaction. For Brian Deryck, it was simply: "This is fantastic."

And Suzanne Avey's comment was: "This is exactly the kind of humour we all need right now. Thank you."
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A young fox’s private life was revealed to a woman when she kept tabs on what he got up to in her garden. The fox took up residence in Jen’s backyard last March, much to her delight. And this week, he appeared to have a new friend…a girlfriend.

Jen lives in England and said the foxes like their garden probably because all the neighboring properties have dogs and cats.

“Fortunately (or unfortunately as I want a cat!) we have neither,” said Jen. “Next door has three cats, and there are numerous huge dogs in neighboring gardens too! There’s a giant Rottweiler next door, two German shepherds on the other side, Staffordshire terriers to the right. We’re the only house without dogs so they probably feel safe!”

Jen has seen the young male fox mature. “He’s a young fox as we’ve seen him grow. He comes out most days and sunbathes. Our garden is about 200 ft long and enclosed. We leave the bottom of the garden wild. As there’s a pond down there too, we get quite a lot of wildlife around and he lives at the end of it. Hopefully they’ll have a den there!”

The female companion can be distinguished from the male as she has a slightly narrower face and smaller ears from her new beau.

Jen said that the foxes like to play together and as she works from home she was able to take photos of the pair playing together.


“I work from home and keep a camera on the windowsill in my office as he comes out most days, sometimes he comes quite close to the house.

“These pictures were taken about 200ft away. He sometimes come within about 20 or 30ft of the house but runs off if you open the door. I once got close when he was asleep when I needed to go to the shed but he ran away when he woke up.”

Jen does not feed them and does not want them to become reliant or familiar with humans, as it may endanger them.


“We’ve left the end of the garden wild with country flowers etc so get a lot of birds/butterflies as well as the foxes and hedgehogs, there were toads/frogs in the pond as well,” wrote Jen.

“The pond pic is from when we first moved in, the entire garden was pretty overgrown so it’s not exactly an ornamental pond and has seen better days!”

“I’m glad they run away if I open the door or go into the garden, as not everyone is welcoming of them as I am,” she wrote. “I don’t feed him either for that reason.”

Jen is thrilled the young male fox has found a mate. “I’ll be beyond excited if there are kits!”
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A Michigan man has been charged with 125 wildlife crimes following a months-long investigation by the Department of Natural Resources.

Kurt Johnston Duncan, 56, of Pickford was arraigned ­in Chippewa County’s 91st District Court on Wednesday on numerous charges including illegally harvesting 18 wolves over the past 18 months and killing and disposing of three bald eagles.

Wolves are protected in Michigan and are on the federal endangered species list. Bald eagles are protected under state law, as well as the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Duncan, who today pleaded not guilty to all charges, faces:

Up to 90 days in jail and $1,000 fine for each wolf.
Up to 90 days in jail and $1,000 fine for each eagle.
Restitution of $1,500 per eagle and $500 per wolf.
Up to 90 days in jail and $500 fine each for the other wildlife crimes.


“We had a team of conservation officers that worked well together throughout this investigation,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler.

“Investigations like this require a long-term commitment from everyone involved. I want to thank the prosecutors in this case who worked with our officers. We are happy with the outcome and hope this case sets an example to prevent future natural resource crimes.”


Duncan was served four search warrants in March. Other species involved in the charges include deer, turkey, bear and bobcat.

DNR law enforcement detectives said that Duncan was using the animals for a variety of reasons, including crafts, selling, or disposing of them, and stated that he was catching the animals because he could and “likes to do it.”

Conservation officers collected evidence to support the charges and identified additional suspects who are expected to be charged soon, according to the DNR.

Chippewa County prosecutors are seeking $30,000 in restitution to the state for the illegally taken animals. Duncan’s cash bond is set at $500.

Other conditions of Duncan’s bond include having no contact with co-defendants, no possession of a firearm or dangerous weapon, and no engaging in hunting or fishing.
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Heidi, a German shepherd from Australia, is being praised after she helped save her owner’s life when his boat sank.

On Thursday morning, police officers in Moreton Bay, Australia, were notified about a situation by a fisherman, who had spotted Heidi swimming in the bay next to a tackle box, a wetsuit, and more items that appeared to be from a boat that had gotten into trouble, according to a news release from the Queensland Police.

Heidi was quickly pulled out of the water and taken to a veterinarian for a check-up, while Brisbane Water Police initiated a rescue operation for her owner.

The pup’s owner, a 63-year-old man, was found “clinging” to a boat in Moreton Bay just hours later, according to the release. The man reportedly told police that the boat lost power on Wednesday evening and had filled up with water.

Heidi, who was found to be uninjured by the vet, had “amazingly” been treading water for about eleven hours while she waited for help, police said. Her owner was transported to a local hospital but had no serious injuries.

While she waited for her owner to return from the hospital, Heidi enjoyed some food and rest at the police department — and was even named an honorary police dog.


“We would take this opportunity to remind boaties to plan for the worst when they’re out on the water,” Senior Sergeant Jay Bairstow of the Brisbane Water Police said, according to the release. “Always wear [a] personal flotation device and ensure that your safety equipment [is] tested and in good order.”

He added: “Thankfully there was a happy ending to this search and Heidi was able to be our honorary PD for the day.”

American actor turned environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio has pledged his support for a gorilla conservation park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Virunga National Park needs $2 million (€1.8 million) in funding to stay afloat after suffering an attack in April of this year. A suspected Rwandan militia group allegedly killed 12 park rangers in the ambush. Ever since, the lack of security patrols has put the endangered mountain gorilla population at even greater risk.

In light of the covid-19 pandemic, gorillas are facing further challenges. Scientists worry that the health crisis poses an “existential threat” towards the survival of the species.

"Virunga urgently needs funds to protect the endangered mountain gorilla population, to provide support to the rangers and the families of rangers who have fallen in the line of duty, and to help deliver essential disease prevention efforts," the actor told BBC News.

"I had the great honour of meeting and supporting Virunga's courageous team in their fight against illegal oil drilling in 2013," he said.

DiCaprio has announced that he is donating towards the Virunga Fund via his organisation Earth Alliance. In a recent Instagram post, he wrote, “The future of Virunga hangs in the balance as it deals with the impacts of Ebola and COVID-19, and now this recent attack.”


Other contributors to the fund include the Emerson Collective, Global Wildlife Conservation and the European Commission.

Why save Virunga National Park?

Virunga National Park is the oldest nature reserve in Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world and home to the endangered mountain gorilla. In total, the park provides a habitat for several hundred species of birds, reptiles and mammals.

Two active volcanoes located in the park, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, have helped shape its unique ecosystem. Over 3,000 species of flora and fauna have been recorded so far, including animals like the blue-headed tree agama, the African elephant and the golden monkey, which is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

The Gorilla Organization is a UK-based charity working to protect our closest living relatives. Today, there are fewer than 1,200 mountain gorillas left in the world, so the charity encourages the public to adopt a gorilla for £3 a month to help save them from the threat of extinction.

They are building a ‘Gorilla safe zone’ in the DR of Congo basin rainforest by planting millions of trees. This is to help local communities and stop them entering the national parks where the last wild gorillas can survive.
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Bears and wolves on Alaska national parklands will be targeted by egregious sport hunting practices, based on a final rule released today and signed by Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.

The finalized rule reverses wildlife management regulations implemented for Alaska parks in 2015 after an extensive, multi-year public engagement process.

Under the final rule, national preserve lands managed by the National Park Service will allow:

Use of bait (donuts, grease-soaked bread, etc.) to draw in and kill brown bears;

Use of artificial light to enter dens to kill black bears, including females and their cubs; and

Trapping and killing wolves and their pups during denning season.


Statement by Theresa Pierno, President and CEO of the National Parks Conservation Association

“Amid the global pandemic, the Trump administration is declaring open season on bears and wolves, through their sport hunting rule on national parklands in Alaska. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt had the opportunity to halt this rule that includes baiting park bears but chose instead to ignore commonsense and opposition by members of Congress, scientists and tens of thousands of Americans.

“National preserve lands at Denali, Katmai, Gates of the Arctic and others are the very places where people travel from around the world, in hopes of seeing these iconic animals, alive in their natural habitat. Through this administration’s rule, such treasured lands will now allow sport hunters to lure bears with greased donut bait piles to kill them, or crawl into hibernating bear dens to shoot bears and cubs. Shooting hibernating mama and baby bears is not the conservation legacy that our national parks are meant to preserve and no way to treat or manage park wildlife.”

Additional Background:

In July 2017, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a memo directing the Park Service to reconsider regulations finalized in 2015. The memo called on the Park Service to examine “prohibitions that directly contradict State of Alaska authorizations and wildlife management decisions…for sport hunting and commercial trapping on National Park Service lands.”

The 2015 regulations created commonsense wildlife management rules, finalized by the Park Service after years of conflict with state of Alaska policies. In Alaska, predator control hunting strategies aim at reducing bear and wolf populations to allow moose and caribou populations to increase — for greater sport hunting opportunities. Such approaches are at odds with bedrock wildlife management regulations for lands managed by the National Park Service. After more than a decade of trying to work with the State of Alaska’s Board of Game to no avail, the Park Service finalized the 2015 regulations to specifically protect bears, wolves and other wildlife on national preserves from state predator control regulations.

In 2018, Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and 75 colleagues urged former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke last year to withdraw the draft rule. In addition, former Alaskan Governor Tony Knowles and more than 100 of the world’s top scientists and natural resource managers also wrote to Zinke, opposing the rule and calling for scientifically based management of these predators on Alaskan national park lands.
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A pack of dogs have been trained to protect South Africa's wildlife - and have already saved 45 rhinos from being poached.

Many breeds of dog from beagles to bloodhounds have been used to protect the endangered species from poachers. The dogs begin training from birth and learn how to handle all the pressures of real operations before beginning to work at 18 months old.

Sean Viljoen, 29, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has shared photographs of the dogs in action at the Southern African Wildlife College in Greater Kruger National Park. He is the owner of a production company called Conservation Film Company and aims to use tell the stories of those on the frontline of conservation, sharing their stories of hope.

Johan van Straaten, who is a K9 Master at the college, said: 'The data we collect for this applied learning project aimed at informing best practice, shows we have prevented approximately 45 rhino being killed since the free tracking dogs became operational in February 2018.

'In the areas where the Southern African Wildlife College patrol, the success rate of the dogs is around 68 per cent using both on and off leash free tracking dogs, compared to between three to five per cent with no canine capacity.

'The game changer has been the free tracking dogs who are able to track at speeds much faster than a human can in terrain where the best human trackers would lose spoor.


As such, the project is helping ensure the survival of southern Africa's rich biodiversity and its wildlife including its rhino which have been severely impacted by wildlife crime. South Africa holds nearly 80 per cent of the world's rhino.

'Over the past decade over 8,000 rhino have been lost to poaching making it the country hardest hit by this poaching onslaught.'

The dogs which include a Texan Black-and-Tan Coonhounds, Belgian Malinois, Foxhounds and Blue Ticks are trained to 'benefit required counter poaching initiatives' which includes free tracking, incursion, detection, patrol and apprehension dogs. Dog handlers Precious Malapane and Robynne Wasas are both part of the 'K9 unit fast response' team and help to train the anti-poaching dogs. Johan van Straaten added: 'They begin training from birth and are socialised from a very young age.

'They learn how to track, bay at a person in a tree and follow basic obedience.

'At six months we put all that training together more formally - they do have the necessary skill set to do the work at a younger age but are not mature enough to handle all the pressures of real operations.

'Depending on a number of factors dogs become operational at around 18 months old.'

On February 3, Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries reported that a total of 594 rhinos were poached in the country throughout 2019, Save The Rhino reported.

Poaching numbers peaked at 1,215 in 2014 but this is the fifth year in a row poaching rates have declined.
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If you’re looking for something wholesome and positive in this time of uncertainty, then this spectacle might be just the thing for you. While we can’t travel physically, we might as well travel through the beautiful pictures and videos other people share.

A Japanese photographer shared stunning footage from Nara Park back in April and it’s now making rounds around the internet. People are absolutely in awe. The video showcasing a tranquil scene with Sika deer enjoying the cherry blossoms and even shows one critter munching on a cracker that the photographer brought to the park.

Kazuki Ikeda was organizing a photoshoot that day, capturing beautiful shots for a couple before their wedding. And while the pair were the original focus of the shots, in the eyes of the internet users, the deer became the stars of the day.

Nara Park is a public park located in the city of Nara, Japan, at the foot of Mount Wakakusa. Established in 1880 it is one of the oldest parks in Japan. Administratively, the park is under the control of Nara Prefecture. The park is one of the "Places of Scenic Beauty" designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Over 1,200 wild sika deer freely roaming around in the park are also under designation of MEXT, classified as natural treasure. While the official size of the park is about 502 hectares (1,240 acres), the area including the grounds of Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, and Kasuga Shrine, which are either on the edge or surrounded by Nara Park, is as large as 660 hectares (1,600 acres).

While Nara Park is usually associated with the broad areas of the temples and the park proper, previously private gardens are now open to public. These gardens make use of the temple buildings as adjunct features of their landscapes.


The number of deer grew in the postwar period to around 1,200 in 2008, leading to concerns about environmental and crop damage and discussion of culling. In 2010 a man was sentenced to six months in prison for killing a deer with a crossbow.
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２０２０年、桜の季節の奈良公園#おうちで奈良旅 #奈良公園 #コロナで気が滅入るからみんなの動画で旅行しようぜ pic.twitter.com/qu4anqw7fU

— キキフォトワークス (@KikiPhotoWorks) May 11, 2020

In the Lakota creation story, beings emerged from the Wind Cave in South Dakota’s Black Hills—some in human form and some in buffalo form. There’s no difference between people and buffalo in this worldview.

“We’re Lakota people and that means we’re buffalo people,” said Wizipan Little Elk, the CEO of the Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO), the economic arm of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. “They’ve always taken care of us and we need to take care of them.”

And the Rosebud Sioux tribe will do just that with the commitment of 28,000 acres of native grassland for the creation of a new plains bison herd. With a capacity to support 1,500 animals, the Wolakota Buffalo Range will become North America’s largest Native American owned and managed bison herd.

The project is being advanced by a partnership between REDCO and WWF with support from Tribal Land Enterprise, the Rosebud Sioux Tribes land management corporation, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Over the next five years, the Department of Interior will send hundreds of bison over to the newly created space from federally managed herds. The historic project will increase the overall number of Native American owned bison by an impressive 7% nationally.

“We see it as a point of pride,” Wizipan Little Elk said. “That we can have the largest native managed and owned buffalo herd. We can show that socially impactful, socially responsible business with multiple bottom lines can work and that it creates multiple positive impacts locally and globally.”

Over the past five years, WWF has invested more than $2.2 million in bison restoration efforts with indigenous communities in the Northern Great Plains. This new opportunity, which aligns strongly with Lakota foundational values and beliefs, will offer a model for cultural and ecological restoration efforts by Native American nations across the US.


“This announcement matters for several reasons: it represents a homecoming for this iconic species, and it’s also a reunion with the communities who lived with them for centuries in a symbiotic relationship,” said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF. “We are honored to be partners in this effort with the Rosebud Economic Development Corporation and the U.S. Department of the Interior, and we look forward to seeing the bison return to the Rosebud Reservation later this year.”

The first transfer of bison from the Department of Interior herds will take place in the fall.

Massive herds of bison once roamed all the Great Plains and much of North America. Unsustainable western expansion decimated those populations in a matter of decades, but now projects like this are helping to bring large herds back. WWF’s goal is to restore 5 herds of at least 1,000 bison each in the Northern Great Plains by 2025.

For Wizipan Little Elk, this is a return to history and tradition—not only in terms of buffalo, but in terms of Lakota values. Of perseverance and self-reliance. Of resiliency, community, and family. And the project meshes well with other new initiatives happening on this land. Next year, the first native language immersion school on Rosebud will open. Lakota immersion classrooms will get to visit the buffalo herd as part of their education—a meaningful interaction that will link their past and future.

“I think when we look out and see those buffalo and their hooves touch the land, it’s going to be relatable for everyone,” Wizipan Little Elk said. “Especially given our history.”
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This is the impressive moment a fearless bobcat made a huge leap across a weir on a lake in Louisiana.

The extreme athletic feat of nature occurred in Pecan Island, Louisiana, United States, and has certainly caught the eye.

The bobcat managed to get from one side of the expanse of water to the other without getting wet. Travelling across the weir to avoid the water, the bobcat appears to hit an obstacle with a gap in the barrier.

But the imposing feline climbs on top of the structure and sets itself for a huge jump to clear the water. The bobcat composes itself before springing into the air in effortless fashion.

In one stunning move the bobcat reaches the weir on the other side with ease. Using its momentum from the leap the bobcat bounces along the top of the weir until it reaches a plank of wood, showing off its impressive athleticism once more.

The bobcat finishes off its adventure with a smaller jump from the plank of wood to the end of the structure.


The bobcat is an adaptable animal. It prefers woodlands—deciduous, coniferous, or mixed—but unlike the other Lynx species, it does not depend exclusively on the deep forest. It ranges from the humid swamps of Florida to desert lands of Texas or rugged mountain areas. It makes its home near agricultural areas, if rocky ledges, swamps, or forested tracts are present; its spotted coat serves as camouflage.


The population of the bobcat depends primarily on the population of its prey; other principal factors in the selection of habitat type include protection from severe weather, availability of resting and den sites, dense cover for hunting and escape, and freedom from disturbance.

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has released some of the best images of animals in funny poses submitted for this year’s competition.

The annual contest highlighting hilarious photos of animals in the wild, now in its sixth year, is free to enter and aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation.

For amateur and professional photographers, the contest — open for entries until June 30 — selects an overall winner and finalists for different categories from thousands of candid photos of animals in the wild.

They appear to be caught in comic, compromising situations, or making dramatic or silly faces when a photographer, at the right place, at the right time, was able to capture the humorous moment.

Every year, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight the funniest photos of animals taken in the wild. Talented photographers from around the world manage to capture moments where animals seem to be experiencing very human emotions or dilemmas.

Founders Tom Sullam and Paul Joynson-Hicks started the contest to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. They hope the pictures encourage people to shop responsibly, be mindful of their water use, and speak out about environmental issues — in addition to making people laugh.

Surprises are something we don’t expect to see⁠—that’s why they’re surprises. Well, this person got a surprise and a half. Twitter user @marcy_com recently stumbled on a rare find he didn’t see coming.

One fateful day, while he was on National Route 275, he found a cute puppy beside the road, all by herself. She appeared too young to take care of herself, so he called her Luna and made a decision to take her under his wing. For a while, at least. He responsibly decided to look for her owners on social media.

That’s where the unexpected half of the surprise really begins. Though no one claimed to be the owner of the puppy, the account buzzed with replies and reactions. Inarguably, Luna looks like a cute cub, so people commented mostly on that.

But among some of the replies, some doubt rose about her real identity. It started after he posted an extremely cute video where she barks very weirdly. “Uh, that’s a cute… puppy?” one person replied.

To another few, her face reminded them of a tanuki, a raccoon dog, in Japanese. Finally, as suspicion mounted, some began suspecting that Luna was in fact a fox cub. That’s when the “duh” moment came and @marcy_com realized why no owner had answered his call: it was a wild fox cub! Fun fact: a fox in Japanese is kitsune.

In Japan, it’s illegal to have foxes as pets, so @marcy_com searched for places that could take Luna in. She didn’t need to have owners, but that didn’t mean she didn’t need to be taken care of. He found a place called North Fox Farm in a Hokkaido town called Kitami. There, the experts have determined that she’s about one to two months old. She’s too young to forage for food or fend for herself, so she’ll spend her time there until she grows stronger.


Foxes are members of the dog family. A female fox is called a “vixen”, a male fox is called a “dog fox” or a “tod” and baby foxes are called “pups”, “kits” or “cubs”. A group of foxes is called a “skulk” or a “leash”. Foxes are the only type of dog capable of retracting their claws.
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結論から申し上げますと保護したのは「犬」ではなく「キツネ」でした。

ご指摘いただいた皆さま、ありがとうございました。

藁をもすがる思いで「北きつね牧場」様へ相談したところ、引き取ってくれるとのことでしたので、明日連れていく予定です。

この度は保護犬ではないのにお騒がせしました。 pic.twitter.com/CTEDmPdctL

— MARCY (@marcy_com) May 2, 2020

Wolf pups are quite small when they’re born and their size, coupled with a lack of defense skills at that young age, means they’re quite vulnerable to other predators. Luckily for these wolf pups, mom and dad were able to save the day when a bear got a little too close!

Note: All 4 pups are healthy and well.

"We got this crazy footage in early May 2020! The Paradise Pack pups are fortunate that their parents were nearby to fend off this bear. The pack only consists of a breeding pair (Wolves V077 and V085) and we know from GPS-locations that the pair are, at times, away from the den getting food at the same time meaning the pups are left alone. If the bear had visited when both wolves were away, the bear could easily have killed all 4 pups! The pack continued to use this den for 2 more days before moving their pups a short ways to another den." Voyageurs Wolf Project

The Voyageurs Wolf Project, which is a collaboration between the University of Minnesota and Voyageurs National Park, was started to address one of the biggest knowledge gaps in wolf ecology—what do wolves do during the summer?

Their goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the summer ecology of wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem in northern Minnesota. Specifically, they want to understand the predation behavior and reproductive ecology (e.g., number of pups born, where wolves have dens, etc) of wolves during the summer.

The GPS-collars reveal the locations of den and rendezvous sites, which is where pups are kept during the summer. By gathering detailed information on both the predation behavior and reproductive ecology of wolves, they are able to connect critical facets of wolf behavior during the summer to important ecological factors, prey populations, and human interactions.


Given initial results of our research—which was described as “a breakthrough" by international wolf experts—we have an unparalleled opportunity to provide critical information for the successful conservation and management of wolves, their prey, and the southern boreal ecosystem. This work benefits not only Minnesota’s iconic Northwoods, but boreal systems around the globe from North America to Asia.
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A woman going for a run on a southern Sydney beach has stumbled upon a rare bright-purple jellyfish washed up on the sand. Stephanie Paterson snapped a picture of the strange creature on Friday morning while running along Cronulla beach.

'It was its incredibly bright colour that made me stop,' Ms Paterson said online. 'Got a picture and just wondering if anyone knows what type this is. I've never seen one like this before.'

Murdoch University marine expert Mike Van Kuelen told Daily Mail Australia the mysterious creature appeared to be a Crown Jellyfish which are commonly found in tropical waters to the north. 'It's likely been pushed down to Sydney by the East Australian Current (EAC), which flows from the tropics to southern Australia.'

Mr Van Kuelen said that as waters warm from climate change the current has been pushing south and it is likely tropical species would be seen outside their normal habitat.

'We appear to be having a particular strong EAC this year, with a marine heatwave causing bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef over the last few months. An increase in the current like this usually pushes tropical species further south than normal.'

People commenting on the post were in awe of the stunning creature .


'Wow! How interesting and unusual. Thanks for sharing. Kids will love it.' one person said.

'So pretty!' another person said.

Another Crown Jellyfish was discovered washed up on a Byron Bay beach a few months ago. Pictures of that find were also posted online showing the vibrant purple colour and the dense lumpy section on top of a thinner wavy tail. Another expert previously told Daily Mail Australia there have been increasing reports of finding the species along the southern New South Wales coast.

Australian Museum Research Institute marine invertebrate expert Stephen Keable said the Crown Jellyfish are generally reported in Queensland from around Hervey Bay to Stradbroke Island.


'We have had records south to Bermagui and Narooma in NSW in the last five years,' Mr Keable said.

The images of the jellyfish from last year were posted on the Byron Bay Community Board Facebook page.

Plankton researcher Julian Uribe-Palomino from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) said although an examination would be needed to be completely sure what species it is, he thinks it is a Crown Jellyfish, known by the scientific name Cephea cephea.


The jellyfish, from the cepheidae family, is typically found in the deep ocean and rarely sighted near the shore let alone on it. They are typically found in the Indian and Pacific oceans, the Red Sea, the East Atlantic and the Atlantic waters off West Africa, according to the Atlas of Living Australia.

'Animals that live in open waters are not observed that often unless they are washed on the beach because of strong winds or ocean currents,' Mr Uribe-Palomino said.

The scientist encouraged anyone who finds such a creature to contact the Atlas of Living Australia with their photographs and information about their find.

'Encouraging people to submit information might help researchers to track species distribution and also to find the frequency of observation and seasonality of those animals,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
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