A Little-Known Microbial World Inside Lions’ Guts
Faecal samples from wild lions in Namibia gave researchers a much clearer picture of their gut bacteria. Microbial…
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Research, conservation and new discoveries
A continuing selection of new studies, conservation projects and important developments connected to species in the archive.
Cattle Egrets Find New Feeding Opportunities Around Farms and Towns
Cattle egrets exploit insects flushed by livestock and machinery. A review of 173 studies links this flexibility with…
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Spotted Hyenas Repeatedly Moved Away From Lions in Five-Minute GPS Data
High-frequency GPS data from Namibia and Botswana showed a robust retreat bias in spotted hyenas around lions, while…
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DNA Methylation Shifted as Namibian Male Cheetahs Became Territorial
Paired blood samples from ten free-ranging Namibian males revealed widespread, predominantly increased DNA methylation after the same cheetahs…
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African Hoopoe Occupancy Showed No Clear Environmental Pattern While Fork-tailed Drongos Were More Common on Rocky Soils
A Namibian acoustic study found no clear occupancy response to the tested environmental variables in African hoopoes, while…
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Closer Relatives Among Hoopoes, Woodhoopoes and Hornbills Had More Similar Preen-Gland Microbiomes
Across eight taxa of hoopoes, woodhoopoes and hornbills, more closely related birds had more similar bacterial communities in…
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Most of the Modelled Suitable Cheetah Habitat in Southern Africa Lies Outside Protected Areas
Modelling across Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe found that about 69% of currently suitable free-roaming cheetah habitat…
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Local Mammal Site Use Fell in Burned Namibian Savanna During the First Five Months After Wildfire
Camera traps following 31 medium- and large-sized mammal species in eastern Namibia found that local site use in…
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H5N1 Confirmed in a Common Tern During Namibia Outbreak Affecting Around 40 Birds
Around 40 common terns were found dead or showing signs compatible with highly pathogenic avian influenza on the…
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Most Tracked Common Terns From One German Baltic Colony Used the Western Route; 18% Used the Eastern Route
Of 71 Common Terns tracked from the Riether Werder colony on Germany’s Baltic coast, 58 used a western…
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Collar Movement Data Revealed 90–96% of Lion Roaring Bouts
A 2026 study from Etosha used GPS collars, accelerometers and temporary audio loggers on seven lions to train…
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Ring Recoveries Mapped Two Major African Flyways for Western Palearctic Common Terns
Thousands of ringing recoveries showed western-breeding common terns mainly used the East Atlantic flyway, while central and eastern…
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Common Myna May Now Be Established in North-Eastern Namibia
Daily sightings, nesting behaviour and nocturnal activity point to probable local establishment of common mynas in Katima Mulilo.
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Southern Giraffe Accounted for 208 of 446 Single-Species Field Studies in an 80-Year Review
A review of 817 publications found that southern giraffes dominated field research, but demographic, geographic and other knowledge…
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Moving Territories Inflated Blue Waxbill Density Estimates Across a Long Breeding-Season Survey
Separate survey periods in northern Namibia estimated about 11–12 breeding pairs of blue waxbills per 100 hectares, but…
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Black Rhinos Changed Plant Preferences With the Seasons in Namibia
In a semi-arid reserve in northern Namibia, Dichrostachys cinerea fell from 47.2% of browsed dry matter in the…
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Puff Adder Venom Contains Regional Metalloproteinase Forms With Very Different Activity
A 2026 study found regional forms of a dominant puff adder venom metalloproteinase that differed strongly in how…
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DNA Revealed Moderate Dietary Overlap Between Lions and Spotted Hyenas in Etosha
DNA metabarcoding from the Greater Etosha Landscape identified 19 vertebrate prey species and found moderate dietary overlap between…
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White-backed Vultures Documented Feeding on Marine Carrion for the First Time
Four immature white-backed vultures were observed feeding on a Cape fur seal killed by lions at Möwe Bay…
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Red-billed Oxpeckers Use Stranded Hippos as Highly Tolerant Hosts
A 2026 study from Namibia found red-billed oxpeckers repeatedly using hippos confined to an isolated pool, with the…
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