Photo: matejh/Depositphotos

Orangutans are majestic primates who share 97% of their DNA with humans. These deliberate and capable animals are known for their ingenuity and ability to use simple logic. Unfortunately, both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered due to deforestation, fires, poaching, and the illegal pet trade. Luckily, there are organizations like Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia (BOSA) that are working for the survival of the species.

While the non-profit works to protect existing rainforest habitat and rescue, rehabilitate, and reintroduce orangutans into the wild, a large part of its mission is to educate the public about these incredible animals. BOSA often posts videos that show the remarkable behavior of these primates, providing an important reminder of what we stand to lose if we don't come to their rescue.

In one video, we join volunteers as they meet up with rescued orangutans at a sanctuary in Borneo. It's incredible to see the primates in their own habitat, following the boat as it floats down the river and gratefully extending a hand to accept the food offered. Another informational video shows how orangutans build their nests. Their careful foraging and skillful weaving are just further demonstration of their intelligence.

Part of the important work BOSA does is to equip orphaned orangutans with the life skills they need to survive in the wild. It's a critical issue, as many orangutans lose their families at a young age. In this “jungle school,” orphaned orangutans learn to forage, recognize predators, build nests, and much more. Once they “graduate,” they are then able to be released into the wild. Clips of these orphaned orangutans fill the organization's Instagram feed and are an incredible look at how these primates learn.

With fewer than 14,000 Sumatran orangutans and 57,000 Bornean orangutans left in the wild, BOSA's work is more important than ever. Orangutans face an uphill battle. In just 16 years, from 1999 to 2015, more than half of Borneo's orangutan population was wiped out. According to BOSA, without effective habitat protection, the species will be extinct in 10 to 20 years. By donating to these organizations and learning more about these primates, you can do your part to turn back the tide.

Orangutans are incredible primates that are closely related to humans.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

Unfortunately, both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered.

By posting videos of their behaviors, Borneo Survival Australia hopes to raise awareness.

The non-profit runs a “jungle school” to teach orphaned orangutans life skills.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

Then, they are released into the wild.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Borneo Orangutan Australia (@bosaustralia)

Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Related Videos:

5 Critically Endangered Species and How You Can Help Protect Them

Zookeeper Cures Orangutan’s Morning Sickness With Pregnancy Tea

Orangutan Tries on Sunglasses After Tourist Accidentally Drops Them in Zoo Enclosure

Baby Gorilla Develops Unique Bond to Zookeeper After He Reared Him and Nursed Him Back to Health

READ: These Orangutan Videos Show off How Smart the Critically Endangered Primates Are

Photo: OndrejProsicky/Depositphotos (Not a photo of the actual polar bears.)

Many unique creatures call the Arctic home, but few humans have the luxury of ever getting face-to-face with these animals. In late March, meteorologist Katarzyna Kudłacz was making breakfast at her research station on the tiny island of Spitsbergen, when she realized that she had a small group of visitors watching her from outside the window. When she turned to look at them, she realized that her nosy visitors were polar bears.

Kudłacz and her fellow researchers at the Polish Polar Station Hornsund are no strangers to these creatures, as there are many just like them living in the area. Since they are wild animals, however, the researchers are careful to keep their distance. It is much more rare for the bears to come up to the windows of their station, which caused some surprise on the part of Kudłacz and her peers. Thankfully, they were able to peacefully drive the bears—a mother and two of her cubs—away from their station using noisemakers.

The research station posted photos and a video from their encounter on Facebook with the caption, “We didn’t need coffee to wake us up this morning.” As for Kudłacz, she isn't likely to forget her interaction with the curious bears anytime soon. “It was wonderful experience,” the meteorologist says. “But also a bit stressful.”

A meteorologist posted at a research station in the Arctic Ocean was startled to find a family of polar bears staring in through the window as they watched her make breakfast.

Polish Polar Station Hornsund: Website | Facebook
h/t: [The Dodo]

Related Articles:

Wildlife Photographer Captures Intimate Moments Between Mama Polar Bear and Her Cubs

Watch How a Polar Bear Delicately Crosses Thin Ice Without Breaking It

You Can Live with These Life-Sized Polar Bear and Cub Sculptures That Feel Like the Real Thing

These Polar Bears Are Living Their Best Life on an Abandoned Island

READ: Arctic Researchers Get Surprised by Polar Bear Visitors While Making Breakfast

While exploring a sunken shipwreck off the coast of the Tasmanian Peninsula, a group of divers stumbled upon an unusual sight. At first, they couldn't believe their eyes, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that they had discovered an extremely rare creature sheltering in the hull of the ship. The animal, which was a small, light pink aquatic creature, is known as a handfish. They are critically endangered, making this a very rare sighting.

Very little is known about the handfish, and researchers believe that this was the first sighting of the species in their natural environment. They are named for their hand-like fins, which they used to crawl along the bottom of the ocean floor. The species used to be more common, but their numbers have dwindled substantially due to pollution and habitat decline. This could explain why this particular fish was using a wrecked ship as its home. Researchers believe that they are also related to the anglerfish, but lack the threatening set of fangs that makes their counterpart so well known.

It is difficult to imagine how the divers must have been feeling when they came across the alien-like creature, but according to one of them, James Parkinson, he was delighted when he realized what he was looking at. “Once my eyes adjusted to what they were pointing at, I saw the handfish and realized immediately it was [a] pink handfish and that this was a significant discovery,” Parkinson said.

To read more about this unique animal, be sure to check out the Handfish Conservation Project website.

A group of divers off the coast of Tasmania recently found an incredibly rare handfish living in the hull of a shipwreck.

h/t: [The Dodo]

Related Articles:

World’s Deepest Fish Caught on Camera for the First Time at 27,000 Feet Deep

Japanese Man Nurses Fish Back to Health and Remains Friend for Life

5-Year-Old Girl Finds 152-Year-Old Shipwreck on Fishing Trip in Lake Michigan

National Park Service Releases Free Crochet Patterns for Adorable Fish Plushies

READ: Divers Discover Incredibly Rare Handfish While Exploring Sunken Ship

Photo: waitandshoot/Depositphotos

Earlier this year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) shared trail cam footage of a gray wolf letting out a remarkable howl. The video, uploaded on January 23, 2024, shows what appears to be a lone gray wolf howling at the moon and then cuts to it with the rest of its pack. It is believed that these wolves belong to the Yowlumni Pack, which was found in summer 2023 in “the Sequoia National Forest in proximity to the Tule River Tribe of California’s reservation and ancestral lands.” This particular pack has the distinct honor of being the first wolves spotted in Southern California in more than 150 years. They are also one of four new wolf packs discovered in the state of California in 2023.

Currently, gray wolves are considered a recovering endangered species, after they were almost hunted to extinction by settlers in the western United States. Interestingly, gray wolves were never formally reintroduced in California—researchers say that they made their way back on their own. It is believed that gray wolves naturally roamed towards areas burned by wildfires across the Golden State. (Wolves are known to create dens for birthing in burn scars, as the open area allows them to survey their surroundings better to spot other predators.) According to the CDFW, there are at least 44 gray wolves and seven active wolf packs in the state.

While many people in the state view the wolves' return as a good thing, it does pose concerns for ranchers and farmers. As an endangered species, it is illegal to injure or kill a gray wolf, even if it is attacking one's livestock. The same rules apply to pet owners, as wolves sometimes view domesticated dogs as competitors or prey. Fortunately, the CDFW is tracking the wolf populations in the region, and continuing to learn more about their habits. They write: “The key overarching objectives includes monitoring wolf populations, expanding scope of conservation, management and research focus, and manage and mitigate wolf-livestock interactions to minimize loss.”

A howling wolf captured on a California trail cam is believed to be part of the first pack of wolves found in California in over 150 years.

h/t: [PetaPixel]

Related Articles:

Trail Cam Captures the Candid Moment When a Wolf Family Strikes a Majestic Pose

Trail Camera Captures Spunky Skunk Doing a Handstand

Curious Bear Takes 400 “Selfies” Using Wildlife Trail Camera

READ: Howling Wolf Captured on Trail Cam Footage Is Proof of Wolves’ Return to California

Photo: isanbar/Depositphotos

On March 1, a whale was spotted swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts. Spotting whales around this time of year isn't unusual for New England Aquarium scientists, but something about this creature gave them pause. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that they were looking at a gray whale, which is a species thought to have been extinct in the Atlantic for nearly 200 years.

The gray whale is routinely found in the North Pacific, but has not been seen in the Atlantic Ocean since the 18th century, making the researchers' find extremely unique. Experts are not entirely sure why the animal disappeared from the region, but whaling could be a factor. Now, researchers say that the whale's sighting in the region is due to climate change, as the ice that normally dots the region hasn't been forming, allowing for easy travel.

According to researchers, there have been five spottings of gray whales in the Atlantic over the last 15 years, with the most recent being seen off the coast of Florida in December. The New England Aquarium believes that this is the same whale that was just spotted around Nantucket.

Gray whales are identifiable by blotchy coloration and lack of a dorsal fin. They are also expert migrators, traveling between feeding and breeding grounds every year. Like many other whales, a healthy gray whale has a particularly long lifespan for a wild animal, estimated to live between 50 to 70 years.

Earlier this month, a gray whale that was previously thought to be extinct in the Atlantic Ocean, was spotted about 30 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Photo: isanbar/Depositphotos

h/t: [Bored Panda]

Related Articles:

Researchers Report First Conversation Between Humans and Humpback Whales

Drone Footage Captures Humpback Whales Creating Stunning Fibonacci Spirals in Water

Kayaker Encounters Massive Whale Tail Sticking Up Out of the Water

First Ever Sighting of Humpback Whales Having Sex Features Two Males

READ: Whale Thought To Have Gone Extinct Nearly 200 Years Ago Spotted off Coast of Massachusetts

Photo: ©Galápagos Conservancy

The Galápagos are known as one of the most incredible natural environments on Earth. Full of rich flora and fauna, conservationists are particularly interested in preserving the incredible species found there. Among the most famous are the giant tortoises which roam the islands. These sweet, slow-moving creatures come in 13 species indigenous to the island and can live extremely long lives. Since only 15,000 across these species roam wild today, breeding programs are used to preserve these iconic reptiles. Recently, conservationists celebrated a success with the release of 136 juvenile tortoises into the wild.

The tortoises were bred at the Arnaldo Tupiza Chamaidan Breeding and Rearing Center on Isabela Island. Their health was top priority and each animal was chipped for tracking. Having reached ages between 5 and 9 years old, these young ones are ready to take their first step into the wild. The cohort of 136 tortoises were not easy to transport. A helicopter and giant net was used to delicately transport the heavy passengers to the Cerro Azul volcano's slopes on Isabela Island. Volunteers freed the youths, allowing them to establish new lives in the wild.

The tortoises play a critical role in the local ecosystem. They chomp on plants and keep growth in check, while also transporting seeds around the island. Dr. Jorge Carrión, director of conservation at Galápagos Conservancy, noted in a statement, “[W]e need to remain vigilant because this species is under threat from invasive species. Therefore, we will continue to closely monitor the situation.” The tortoises are prepared for their new lives, and tracking them will help keep a close eye on this magnificent and vital species.

Conservationists have accomplished a historic win in the Galápagos by successfully releasing 136 juvenile tortoises into the wild.

Photo: ©Galápagos Conservancy

The tortoises play a vital role in the environment and will be watched closely to make sure they remain safe.

Photo: ©Galápagos Conservancy

Galápagos Conservancy: Website

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Galápagos Conservancy.

Related Articles:

15 of the World’s Most Endangered Animals

Endangered Green Sea Turtle Suffering From Hypothermia Is Rescued in Oregon

World’s First IVF Rhino Pregnancy Might Save the Northern White Rhinoceros Species

Adorable New Addition to Utah Zoo Is Also World’s Deadliest Cat

READ: Conservationists Have Released 136 Juvenile Galápagos Tortoises Into the Wild

Photo: wrangel/Depositphotos

Gray nurse sharks, or sand tiger sharks, are a critically endangered species that can be found in the waters of Japan, Australia, South Africa, and the east coasts of North and South America. Given their conservation status, it's always an exciting moment when these sharks breed. A video shot by Australia's Wolf Rock Diving Centre is making the rounds online and has people fascinated by the behavior of these sharks during that process. That's because they display a behavior known as tonic immobility (TI).

Colloquially known as “playing dead,” this temporary state of paralysis occurs in many different animal species. This trancelike state involves a decrease in heart rate and limp muscles that can last anywhere from one to 15 minutes if left undisturbed. Often, it's a defensive strategy to fool a predator into leaving the animal alone. But for gray nurse sharks and a few other shark species, TI is also an important part of the courtship and mating process.

Mating in the shark world can be rough business. Male sharks will bite the female on her fins and gills to turn her over into a position suitable for mating. This also induces temporary paralysis, which is useful for the male as it's believed that they can better position their sperm to enter into the female's uterus if she's not moving. Researchers believe that this behavior developed over time as a way for sharks to protect themselves from injury during the mating process. And, in fact, gray nurse sharks aren't the only ones who behave in this manner.

Tonic immobility has also been observed during mating in other shark species, including the zebra shark. So, while it may appear strange to us, it's all in the norm of shark behavior. Once the mating is finished, the female shark will come out of the trance and continue on her normal routine.

Interestingly, tonic immobility is also used by shark conservationists, who use the phenomenon to handle or subdue sharks safely for breeding purposes or health checkups.

Divers in Australia captured gray nurse sharks going into tonic immobility during mating.

This paralysis is induced by male sharks who bite the females and then flip them over. It's believed the behavior helps keep the animals stay safe during mating.

Luckily, the trancelike state is only temporary, and the sharks return to normal shortly after.

h/t: [reddit]

Related Articles:

New Research Finds That Insects Can Possibly Feel Pain

Zookeepers Finally Solve the Mystery of How an Isolated Gibbon Got Pregnant

The Humpback Whale Has Swum Its Way Back From Endangered Status in Australia

Fascinating Discovery Finds That the White-throated Sparrow Species Has Four Sexes

READ: Learn Why Some Sharks Experience Temporary Paralysis While They Mate

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by National Geographic (@natgeo)

Humankind has pushed the northern white rhinoceros to the brink of extinction. Critically endangered, only two individual females are currently alive. In nature, this would be the end. The species would become a thing of the past, lost to time and human greed for rhino horns. However, modern science might just reverse the dismal course of events. Researchers have recently succeeded in using invitro fertilization (IVF) to implant a viable rhinoceros embryo in a closely related southern white rhino mother, simultaneously planting a seed of hope that this modern reproductive technology will save their northern brethren.

The northern white rhino was once abundant in northern Africa. However, the massive animals were hunted and poached for their keratin horns, which are sold on the black market. Recent efforts have included preemptively and painlessly removing the horns of rhinos to make them less attractive targets. However, for the northern white rhino it was largely too late. Since 2009, the only living members of the species have lived in captivity mimicking their natural environment at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. At that time there were four, two male and two female. But both males perished in 2014 and 2018 respectively.

That leaves only the females: Najin and Fatu. They are mother and daughter. With no males left, the future of the species now rests with 30 carefully preserved embryos already created and which are stored frozen in Europe. Impregnating rhinos is tricky due to the species’ immense size, so it was necessary to practice the skills. Therefore, researchers used IVF on southern white rhinos, who are much less endangered. Combining eggs and sperm from captive rhinos, they chose surrogate mothers. On the 13th try, the pregnancy stuck with a rhino named Curra, proving the technique can result in a viable, healthy embryo. Sadly, while the embryo was still developing, Curra was poisoned by Clostridia bacteria, which was brought up naturally by intense rain.

Despite this sad ending, the rhino IVF worked. Now it can be attempted with the northern white rhino embryos, the genetic children of Fatu and the deceased males. However, Najin and Fatu are unable to carry the baby rhino due to their health. Another southern white rhino surrogate will be selected. Scientists feel confident that their biology is similar enough to avoid issues. But this breeding plan must be supplemented by new genetics if it is to create a true new start for the species. Researchers plan to attempt creating sperm and egg cells from stem cells, so that they can promote genetic diversity. Samuel Mutisya, Ol Pejeta's head of research and species conservation, noted his organization was “committed to do all that is humanly possible to nurture, protect and recover the species.”

There are only two northern white rhino females left, so saving the species will take innovation and modern technology.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya (@olpejeta)

One of the last Northern White Rhinos at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. (Photo: Lengai101 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 DEED)

h/t: [BBC]

Related Articles:

Adorable New Addition to Utah Zoo Is Also World’s Deadliest Cat

Endangered Green Sea Turtle Suffering From Hypothermia Is Rescued in Oregon

Rare Saharan Antelope Is Brought Back From the Brink of Extinction

100+ Photographers Contribute Their Work To Raise Funds for 13 Orphaned Elephants

READ: World’s First IVF Rhino Pregnancy Might Save the Northern White Rhinoceros Species

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hogle Zoo (@hoglezoo)

When we think of fearsome wild cats, tigers, lions, and leopards are usually the first species that come to mind. As it turns out, the most dangerous cat isn't the largest. But it is very cute. Utah's Hogle Zoo introduced an 8-month-old black-footed cat, which has earned the title of “world's deadliest cat” due to its remarkable hunting success rate.

The young feline, named Gaia, is part of the North American breeding program run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Black-footed cats are considered vulnerable with about 9,700 animals left in the wild, so it is their hope that she will mate with the 3-year-old male at Utah's zoo named Ryder. The two cats are currently kept in separate enclosures until Gaia matures.

Although black-footed cats only weigh between two and six pounds, they are master hunters who catch their prey—usually rodents, reptiles, birds, and insects—60% of the time, which is all the more impressive considering large wild cats have an average success rate of 25%. “While animals like Ryder and Gaia may be found in Africa, far away from what we do on a daily basis… they become representatives of a conservation message that applies to everything here,” says Bob Cisneros, Hogle Zoo's associate director of animal care. Hopefully things go well between the two future love birds and conservation efforts go according to plan.

A black-footed cat named Gaia was recently introduced to Utah's Hogle Zoo.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Hogle Zoo (@hoglezoo)

Utah's Hogle Zoo: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

Related Articles:

Researchers Find That Cats Have Nearly 300 Different Facial Expressions

Trail Camera Catches a Sloth Surprisingly Fighting off the Attack of an Ocelot

Rare Wild Cats Found Living on Mount Everest Have the Expressions of a Cartoon Character

READ: Adorable New Addition to Utah Zoo Is Also World’s Deadliest Cat

The endangered sea turtle who washed ashore, now called Squirt. (Photo: Seaside Aquarium)

Green sea turtles are gentle giants of the ocean. Herbivores whose plant diet gives them their trademark green color, they roam the waters of the Earth. Certain populations of the green sea turtle are sadly dubbed endangered species. They weigh up to 350 pounds as adults and stretch up to 4 feet. But one individual member of the species proved much smaller, almost diminutive, when she washed ashore on an Oregon beach suffering from hypothermia. The 22-pound turtle was scooped up by rescuers from Seaside Aquarium, who immediately commenced lifesaving efforts for Squirt, as she is now called.

Squirt was found on Manzanita Beach on Saturday, January 6, 2024. Discovering a sea turtle on such a northern coastline is rare, and they are typically so cold that their heart rate is almost imperceptible. They must be rescued and stabilized before they can return to their watery home. After the Seaside Aquarium staff scooped up the turtle, they reported the following on their Facebook page: “When we arrived we were surprised by the turtle's small size. This little squirt was only 22 pounds, making it one of the smallest turtles we have seen. She was very active, moving her head up and down and when picked up would move her flippers as if she was swimming.”

They then took Squirt to Oregon Coast Aquarium where she will be rehabilitated before release. Adorable images of the turtle posted by the rescue show her snuggled under warm blankets to bring her temperature back up. She also fits perfectly in what appears to be a dog bed, flippers hanging over the edge. This lucky turn of events for Squirt is just one small part of a larger campaign for marine life. This involves cleaning up our waters and preventing plastic debris from harming wildlife, while fighting climate disaster. And for many like Squirt's rescuers, it means rescuing and warming cold turtles who wash ashore, as many did in Texas in 2021. Each little reptile rescued is a victory.

An endangered green sea turtle washed up on the Oregon coast suffering from hypothermia. A dedicated team of rescuers revived her.

Squirt warms up. (Photo: Seaside Aquarium)

They named her Squirt, because technically at 22 pounds she is tiny for her species.

Squirt is safe. (Photo: Seaside Aquarium)

Seaside Aquarium: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Oregon Live]

All images via Seaside Aquarium.

Related Articles:

Man Rescues Trapped Sea Turtle That Became Tangled in Tree Roots on Her Way to Lay Eggs

Tiny Turtle Zooms Around His House on a Speedy Set of Hot Wheels

Learn How to Draw a Sea Turtle Step by Step

Robert Irwin Gets Emotional Showing Baby Turtle of an Endangered Species Discovered by His Dad

READ: Endangered Green Sea Turtle Suffering From Hypothermia Is Rescued in Oregon