Lebanese monkey escapes across border, drives Israelis bananas!
A frisky little monkey has been spotted in northern Israel after apparently crossing the heavily militarized Lebanese /Israeli border.
Animals
Researching the deep of the sea with “Deep Heart” station
A first-of-its-kind deep-sea research station placed 50km (31mi) from the Israeli shore called DeepLev which combines “deep” with the Israeli meaning for heart which is “lev”. Reaching a 1.5km depth (~1mi) it is set to shed new light on the eastern Mediterranean marine environment and the implications changes in this ecosystem hold for humans. The […]
Urchins are real sea monsters invading the Mediterranean Sea
The Black Long-Spine Sea Urchin – a familiar creature from the Indian and Southern Pacific Oceans –is appearing the Mediterranean, with some serious implications for people and the ecosystem. Those who dive, snorkel or even just paddle in the coastal waters of the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean or the Southern Pacific Ocean, are well […]
Save the turtles – from people!
There is a vast number of captive turtles kept as pets in homes, and it is up to their owners to give these wild animals their freedom back. At the Gazelle Valley Park in Jerusalem, an unusual animal welfare initiative aims to protect the local turtle population. Turtles aren’t domestic animals and should live in […]
Golan wolves make local farmers howl with rage
Wolves are largely a protected species in Israel and are not creatures that one would expect to find in this part of the world. However, a sub-species of the northern grey wolf, originating in India is actually thriving on the Golan Heights, causing local farmers and cattle herders to literally be at war with these furry cousins […]
Please do not feed the sharks
An annual gathering of sharks near a coastal power plant in the North of Israel attracts beachgoers, divers and sailors alike Every Saturday in winter, curious spectators come together near the power plant in Hadera, on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, to witness the gathering of dozens of sharks. The spectacle takes place mainly between December and […]
Filling in the mystery of the newly discovered ghost whale
The map on where to find the world’s most newly discovered large whale species is rapidly beginning to be filled in. A new research paper, written by Dr. Salvatore Cerchio of the New England Aquarium and just published in Frontiers in Marine Science, shows that the elusive Omura’s whale has now been spotted in many […]
Can anti-freeze materials found in nature make stronger ice?
New research shows that some antifreeze proteins can do both Antifreeze is life’s means of surviving in cold winters: Natural antifreeze proteins help fish, insects, plants and even bacteria live through low temperatures that should turn their liquid parts to deadly shards of ice. Strangely enough, in very cold conditions, the same proteins can also […]
Tests for oil and gas kill dozens of giant sea turtles
Israel’s Sea Turtle Rescue Center rescued 15 sea turtles in recent weeks after dozens were found washed up on shore on Israeli beaches after a storm. About 20 had died. Normally over a course of a year the crew surveys about 250 turtles coming to shore. Within 3 days some 46 were counted, according to […]
Farting cows directly linked to global warming
Global warming and climate change weather patterns which may be causing monster hurricanes and typhoons are more than ever being brought to our attention as the dire results continue to wreck havoc the world over. This year’s COP24 Climate Change Conference ,being held in Katowice Poland, is bringing countries together again to try to find solutions to rising […]
The Great Reef is recovering
Positive news for a change! The Reef & Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC), a non-profit enterprising Australian organization, has reported substantial signs of recovery for corals affected by mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. A milder 2017-18 summer as well as cooperation between science, industry and government is supporting the recovery of the Reef […]
Holy cow! Prophecy fulfilled after red heifer is born at Temple of Israel
Last week in Jerusalem a baby cow was born. Watch the adorable infant scamper around her mother in a short video released on YouTube by the Temple of Israel, below. Why is this worth your attention? Because – according to some Jewish and Christian scholars – this tiny red calf may be ushering in the […]
Oman succeeds in first leg replacement for an Arabian Tahr
The first prosthetic leg replacement procedure for an Arabian Tahr has been carried out in Oman by an Omani veterinary team, the first such surgery successfully performed in the Arab World. The procedure is rarely attempted, particularly on a wild animal.
Meet the real Catwoman and her mission to protect California’s strays
A California woman riffed off that old saw of “turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse” when she chose to rebound from a difficult divorce by uprooting to a quiet new home near a tranquil river. She settled on a 6 acre parcel in 1983, where she often mused, “What am I thinking, single woman […]
The Arabian Sea’s Deadzone is Bigger than Florida, and it keeps growing
New research from the University of East Anglia has confirmed a dramatic decrease in oxygen in the Gulf of Oman part of the Arabian Sea. But the environmental disaster is worse than expected. The ‘dead zone’ was confirmed by underwater robots called Seagliders – which were able to collect data in areas of water previously […]
Put some faith in gardening with Piebird’s dirt church greenhouse
Anywhere you live, whether it’s the hot, dry desert, or the more temperate states like New York or anywhere in Canada, when you want to get those seedlings to grow and stay warm overnight or on cool cloudy days as summer is coming in, there is nothing like a greenhouse. Of course you can start […]
Cruel Cat Woman deported from Abu Dhabi
An Abu Dhabi court has ordered the deportation of a woman who kept 40 cats in a crammed room in her private villa. All the cats were in very poor health condition, with one found dead. If only she had satisfied her cat cravings by watching YouTube cat videos. Area residents had reported her to authorities […]
Researchers say we can’t ignore Internet cats anymore!
There are more than 92 million cat videos posted on YouTube, and they attract more views per video than any other category of YouTube content. Scientific studies have shown that simply watching cat clips can boost your energy and create positive emotions, so it’s no surprise that engaging an actual cat has a number of […]
10 wild facts about Israel’s eco and social contributions to the world
OK, so we know quite a bit about Israel; start-up capital of the universe; uber-friendly to vegans; and offering a portfolio of natural and historical wonders that could take a lifetime to fully explore. Here are a few more interesting facts about the Holy Land that you can impress your friends with: 1. An Israeli […]
Knit giant sweaters for rescued elephants!
Animal lovers in India are knitting sweaters for elephants at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Center located in Mathura, northern India. The wildly colored garments will help the rescued pachyderms, several of whom are handicapped, brave the region’s freezing cold winter weather. Green Prophet has a soft spot for knitting and crochet, and the […]
Venomous creatures adapt their sting when it doesn’t work
Many animals use venom to protect themselves from predators and to catch prey. Some, like jellyfish, have tentacles, while others, like bees and snakes use stingers and fangs to inject their prey with venomous toxins. For a long time scientists believed that an animal’s venom was consistent over time: once a venomous creature, always a […]
Botoxed camels disqualified from Saudi beauty contest
A dozen camels entered in an annual camel beauty pageant in Saudi Arabia were disqualified for use of Botox injections. According to the National online newspaper, judges discovered that 12 camels competing in the second annual King Abdulaziz Camel Festival had been injected with Botox in order to enhance their appearance, a cheating ploy to […]
Poultry poop could be a renewable energy source
Coincidental with millions of Americans mummifying their leftover Thanksgiving turkey in cling film, a new study by researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) says treated excrement from turkeys and chickens can provide an alternative source of energy when converted into combustible solid biomass fuel. Poultry poop biomass fuel can also reduce greenhouse […]
In Canada, PieBird gives honeybees sanctuary
Honey is a magical elixir. Mystical even. And our love for it goes way back to the earliest signs of advanced civilization. Archeologists have found pots of it in ancient tombs in Egypt placed there as a gift to the gods because it was so loved. Honey experts and beekeepers I’ve met say that honey […]
Egyptian zoo is a nightmare for animals
Elephants, lions, and wolves are by nature free, roaming creatures that form complex social relationships. In the wild we have hunted them to near extinction and we have tethered them to cages and private homes. But animals bred or purchased by any of Egypt’s seven national zoos are especially unlucky: every day, zookeepers mete out […]
