A newly discovered Australian ballista spider has evolved one of the most specialized hunting strategies ever seen. Instead of chasing prey, it builds a spring-loaded silk snare that appears to target a single species: The aggressive green tree ant. Scientists think the spider may even lure the ants into attacking the trap, causing them to trigger the catapult on themselves. It’s the first known spider whose web is designed for one prey species — and the first where the prey activates the trap.This article was originally published on Mongabay

Have you ever seen a wildlife photograph so spectacular that you’ve wondered if it was even real? Enter “photography game farms”: captive facilities where photographers can create photographs of wild animals, which they can then sell to stock sites, magazines and enter into awards. Photographers like @MelissaGroo are trying to put an end to this industry. As well as concerns about the conditions animals are kept in, many argue that photographs created in these facilities can give viewers a false impression of wild animal behaviour, as audiences are unaware images are staged.This article was originally published on Mongabay

Scientists, on two separate occasions, have observed orcas ramming into heavy sunfish with such force that the boney fish literally explodes. But why? Scientists, at least currently, have no idea. They could be doing it to portion of food to feed the pod. Or they might just be doing it because they’re bored. Scientists plan to observe more such events to study and understand this behavior better. Watch this video to learn more.This article was originally published on Mongabay

What do snakes, poisonous frogs, and wind turbines have in common? Scientists tested whether warning color patterns inspired by nature could help birds avoid deadly collisions with wind turbines. In video-game-style experiments, great tits, distinctive small birds, were shown different blade designs, including a new pattern based on the bold visual colors used by some animals to deter predators. The birds hesitated longer and approached less often when warning patterns were present — especially the bio-inspired design. Scientists hope that copying nature’s own safety signs could help make wind energy safer for birds.This article was originally published on Mongabay

When researchers mapped almost 100,000 square kilometers of South Africa, or nearly 40,000 square miles, they only found 83 mature adults. They called their project the Free-Roaming Cheetah Census, and it’s the most comprehensive survey of cheetahs ever conducted in the region. The cheetahs that inhabit the unprotected areas here move naturally across borders, going between South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. But farming, construction, development, and fences are making it harder for them to move around. Cheetahs need vast connected landscapes to survive. If they don’t mix with other cheetah groups, their genetic pool can be lost. There’s another big challenge for these animals: farmers. They sometimes kill cheetahs, because they believe cheetahs kill their livestock. But the researchers found that cheetahs hunt mostly wild prey. The species is currently listed as vulnerable, but the census suggests they should be reclassified as endangered in South Africa.This article was originally published on Mongabay

PATAGONIA NATIONAL PARK — Chile. Mongabay traveled to Chile’s Patagonia National Park to follow a women-led team on a mission to bring 13 Darwin’s rheas back to the wild in April 2026. Working with Rewilding Chile Foundation, these dedicated rangers care for the birds around the clock, facing harsh weather, predators like pumas, illegal livestock grazing, and other threats to the park’s fragile ecosystem. For more than a century, the Chacabuco Valley, where the park is located, was dominated by sheep and cattle ranching. Fences fragmented the vast Patagonian steppes and rheas (Rhea pennata) nearly disappeared. But one of South America’s most ambitious rewilding efforts is helping to turn the tide. Tompkins Conservation, the organization behind Rewilding Chile, acquired former ranchlands and began removing thousands of kilometers of fencing, allowing native wildlife to reclaim the landscape. Now, the team is preparing for another milestone: Releasing 13 Darwin’s rheas into the wild. Mongabay followed the rangers in the days leading up to the release, documenting their preparations, the challenges they faced, and their determination to give these birds the best possible chance of survival. Will they succeed? Watch the video to find out. Mongabay’s Video Team wants to cover questions and topics that matter to you. Are there any inspiring people, urgent issues, or local stories that you’d like us to cover? We want to hear from you. Be a part of our reporting process—get in touch with us here! Banner image: Darwin’s rheas. ©Romi Castagnino.This article was originally published on Mongabay

In a remote community in Malaysian Borneo, fishermen are facing an existential threat: their water source is being polluted. The fish they depend on is dying. Long Jawe village sits on the banks of the vast Bakun Reservoir. It is so remote that most residents only make the five-hour journey to the nearest town once a year, and visitors are rare. When the reservoir was created in the 1990s, the surrounding landscape was flooded. The community has since adapted to this enormous body of water, which is now crucial to their way of life, providing transport, food and livelihoods. But what happens when that water source becomes polluted? Join Conservation Entangled host Izzy Sasada as she travels to Long Jawe to investigate what could be behind the pollution.This article was originally published on Mongabay