Wildlife

Scientists have discovered a new species of giant prehistoric crocodile that roamed south-east Queensland’s waterways millions of years ago, a finding which sheds more light on the evolutionary lineage of these large reptiles.According to the researchers, including Jorgo Ristevski from the University of Queensland in Australia, the new species, named Gunggamarandu maunala, is “one of the largest crocs to have ever inhabited” the continent.The genus name Gunggamarandu means “river boss,” and the species name maunala means “hole head” – referring to the large, hole-like openings located on top of the animal’s skull that served as a place for muscle attachment.“The name...

Mountain lions are no joke. We recently saw terrifying footage of a Utah hiker get stalked by a mountain lion for over 6 minutes while jogging in Slate Canyon. After a few false charges, she eventually scurried off back into the woods, but for this young hunter in Colorado, her encounter was far more frightening.

Crayfish exposed to antidepressants via contaminated water behave more "boldly," emerging from hiding quicker and spending longer looking for food, a study said Tuesday. The paper, published in the journal Ecosphere, highlights the unintended impacts human medicines can have in aquatic environments, as they alter food web dynamics and ecosystem processes. Previous research on the subject involved injecting the animals with antidepressants -- but the dose would have likely been higher than what they would have encountered naturally. "Our work shows that even at environmentally realistic concentrations, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (antidepressant) can change the behavior of crayfish," lead author Alexander "AJ" Reisinger of the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences told AFP.