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Animal Behaviour

Rare dolphin, only photographed six times, believed spotted in Australian waters

Researchers believe they have recorded one of the world's most unusually coloured dolphins for the first time in Australian waters.
Updated
A speckled dolphin.

Why farmers are being urged to make friends with venomous visitors

Usually snakes are unwelcome visitors on farms, but research suggests the benefits of their presence on agricultural land far outweighs the potential costs to farmers and graziers.
An eastern brown snake curled on the ground

How to safely return to swimming after a shark incident

Following any shark incident, understanding the minimal risk it poses, along with shark behaviour, can help alleviate your worries. Here's how to ease back into a swim with peace of mind.
Updated
Beach with two red and yellow flags poled down on either ends with a lifeguard surfboard in the foreground

Honshu the macaque successfully recaptured in Scotland after five-day adventure

The escaped snow monkey was in a member of the public's garden when it was caught.
A brown furry monkey with a red face looks sad behind three bits of wood.

Farmer says virtual fencing 'appropriate', but RSPCA says electric shock causes 'acute stress' to animals

Momentum is growing in one of Australia's largest cattle-producing states to overturn a ban on virtual fencing technology. However, a peak animal welfare charity says using electric shocks to train animals raises significant ethical and animal welfare concerns.
Updated
man standing in paddock with dairy cows behind him

'Sexually promiscuous' penguins are mating twice in one season as the climate changes

As rising sea levels lead to more fish in the ocean around Phillip Island, off Australia's southern coast, polyamorous little penguins are using the extra energy to breed.
A penguin standing on the sand with its mouth open

Warning of bull shark activity in Sydney Harbour as bite victim recovers from surgery

Shark researchers say there are likely more bull sharks in Sydney Harbour at the moment due to warmer water temperatures as a woman recovers after being bitten on Monday night.
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Bull shark swimming on the bottom of the river.

Sniffing out pizza and sneaky pool dips — a glimpse into the lives of retired police dogs

From finding a kilogram of illegal drugs in the back of a range hood and tracking people through kilometres of swampy bushland, these two pooches have done it all. Now it's time for their well-earned retirement, but what exactly does that involve?
A police officer kneeling down in front of a garden with a German Shepard

Sisters' 'lucky' encounter with a turtle is also a climate change 'wake-up call'

Turtles aren't usually seen in Tasmanian waters, but climate change means sightings may become more common.
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Turtle swimming in water.

Warning about displaced crocodiles issued after 3.5m saltie spotted in Cairns creek

Major flooding in the Far North last month may mean that crocodiles are on the move and residents are being urged to exercise caution in areas not usually inhabited by the reptiles.
warning sign about recent crocodile sighting at Cairns creek which is a popular swimming hole

Vets seek fresh feathers to get Stan the wedge-tailed eagle back in the air

A Byron Bay vet team is searching for a suitable feather donor for a procedure they hope will help get an injured wedge-tailed eagle soaring again.
ABC News Current

Hundreds of cownose rays filmed off NSW coast

A large gathering of hundreds of cownose rays off the NSW coast prompt questions from scientists, who know little about the sea creatures.
ABC News Current
Duration: 3 minutes 23 seconds

Drone operator films cownose rays that 'looked like glitter' in rare mass migration off NSW coast

Daniel Lukic's spectacular vision of a massive fever of rays off a Forster beach has caught the attention of a researcher, who says it may contribute to ongoing research about the species.   
Close up of fever of Australian cownose rays off Forster Main Beach

Researchers test native animal's problem-solving abilities

Researchers are using puzzles to analyse how animals problem-solve and determine which can best adapt to environmental changes.
ABC News Current
Duration: 1 minute 49 seconds

What's the smartest animal in the bush?

Bettongs, chuditch, quendas and antechinus as well as possums, skinks, kangaroos and echidnas were put through their paces to see which of our native animals could complete puzzles left in bushland.
Updated
A small mammal pulling a lever on the puzzle, causing a flap to lift up.

Numbats must eat 20,000 termites a day, but warmer days might make that impossible

New research shows numbats are overheating in high summer temperatures, and scientists suggest climate change could make things worse.
A numbat standing in a sun beam in a cracked hollow log, part of the log is like a veranda over it

The story of 'Giganto', the world's largest ape, and why it disappeared forever

For two million years, Gigantopithecus blacki roamed the forests of what is now southern China. A new study claims to discover when — and why — it went extinct.
ABC News Current

Scientists creating dictionary of saltwater croc sounds capture reptilian 'love song' on tape

Spouting water, hissing and blowing bubbles might not work for humans on the dating scene, but according to Sunshine Coast researchers, for saltwater crocodiles it's a different story.
A fat, black crocodile climbs onto a slightly raised concrete wall between two pools of water.

Do magpies target you? This eight-year-old's viral research could explain why

Emma Glenfield wants to know why magpies swoop. She's conducting some cutting-edge research — and displaying her results with Lego.
Sign showing warning about magpies swooping.

Girius has built a giant needle. It's putting stranded whales out of their misery

In his home workshop, Melbourne engineer Girius Antanaitis designed a way to help stranded whales who could not be saved. He wants to use his skills to make the world a better place, especially for wildlife.
A pair of gloves holding a metal implement and a beached whale in the background.

Wildlife care groups forced to euthanase abandoned flying fox pups amid shortage of volunteers to care for them

Wildlife carers say grey-headed flying foxes are "amazing creatures" — but the species is dying at an alarming rate, and they're running out of volunteers to help save them.
image of baby flying fox held in a wrap with a dummy in it's mouth

'Watch your back': 2.5-metre croc launches itself onto pontoon in front of fisherman

Rangers on Queensland's Capricorn Coast investigate a "dangerous" crocodile that has given a fisherman a fright, after spending weeks lurking the area and putting locals on high alert.
Two side by side images of a large crocodile in a creek

Queensland rain brings out all creatures great and small as water displaces crocodiles, snakes

Snakes, crocodiles, cane toads, crown-of-thorns starfish and venomous jellyfish are among creatures on the move in the wake of heavy rainfall in Queensland.
University of Queensland animal expert Dr Christina Zdenek 

How does extreme heat affect my pet? Here's how to keep them cool this summer

Our furry friends are just as susceptible as us humans to heat-related ailments. So here are some tips to keep your pets, no matter big or small, cool during the sweltering heat. 
A cat and a dog lying next to each other in the grass

New Year's Eve fireworks can be stressful and even deadly for dogs. Here’s how to look after them

From safe spaces to desensitisation, experts share their tips on how to help prepare your pets for very noisy events.
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A dog wearing headphones!