There’s shocking new evidence of rodenticide poisoning in Australia’s nocturnal predatory birds. High concentrations of the active ingredients were found in 92% of the 60 dead birds they tested.
Abi Gazzard, International Union for the Conservation of Nature; Connor Panter, University of Nottingham, and Rosalind Kennerley, International Union for the Conservation of Nature
Rodents are the most numerous – and least studied – of all Earth’s mammals.
Australia has more than 60 species of native rodents found nowhere else in the world. New research used museum specimens to find out how they got here.
With temperatures plunging, rodents have started seeking the warmth and food inside our houses. Here’s how to deal with them effectively and humanely – without accidentally catching native animals.
A new study shows that when free-ranging cats are more than a few blocks from forested areas in cities, such as parks, they’re more likely to prey on rats than on native wildlife.
The genome of hepatitis D doesn’t resemble any known virus, making its origin a mystery. But by mining virus sequences from genetic datasets, a new study may have found the answer.
Darcie DeAngelo, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Rats used in mine-clearing operations are changing the perception of the country’s military, which is viewed with suspicion after decades of civil war.
Framing cats as responsible for declines in biodiversity is based on faulty scientific logic and fails to account for the real culprit – human activity.
Climate change, globalization and concerns about rat poison soon could drive rat infestations to levels not seen in centuries. One way to curb them is getting humans to stop wasting food.
Cities often embark upon drastic and expensive eradication campaigns designed to rapidly rid the city of pests like rats. But are the surviving rats stronger or weaker than before?
Genetic analysis shows that urban rats prefer to stay near their relatives; however, some of them migrate. Knowing this could help with pest control efforts.