FORGOTTEN HISTORY: 12 | History Defined

Iguanas Raft To Anguilla: scientists track 200-mile hurricane voyage; study reshapes island origins

Hurricanes in 1995 created a giant debris mat carrying living green iguanas. Fishermen on Anguilla discovered these iguanas, previously unknown to the island. Scientific analysis confirmed their journey across approximately 200 miles of open ocean. This event provided direct evidence for how island species colonize new lands. The iguanas established…

The Times of India · Sep 17

Island Becomes Private Reserve: One man restores Île aux Pommes; eider colony now thrives

A man's dedication transformed a small island into a thriving bird sanctuary. Gaston Déry began restoring Île aux Pommes in 1980, facing significant ecological challenges. His persistent efforts led to a remarkable recovery of eider duck populations over forty years. This private initiative resulted in the island becoming Quebec's first…

The Times of India · Sep 17

Stunning video captures mother whale grieving still born child: ‘She remained close to the calf’

Presumed mother whale approaches stillborn calf, touching it with her head and remaining still and eye to eye next to it for a minute

The Independent UK · Sep 17

Offspring from one of the world’s rarest trees finds new home in Scotland

The project has been an international collaboration.

Evening Standard · Sep 16

In 2008, rats were removed from Hawadax Island; seabirds and kelp returned

For two centuries, invasive rats wreaked havoc on the seabird populations and overall food web of Hawadax Island. Thanks to a successful eradication initiative in 2008, rats were completely removed. This allowed seabirds to repopulate, restoring their ecological functions and fostering the revival of untouched kelp-rich intertidal ecosystems. The project's…

The Times of India · Sep 16

Around 1850, sailors drove giant Galápagos tortoises to extinction, keeping them as live food because they could survive for up to a year without food or water; then scientists found mysterious ‘alien’ survivors in 2000

In an astonishing twist of fate, researchers found tortoises linked to a lineage believed to have vanished 150 years ago. Genetic testing revealed descendants of the Floreana giant tortoise, reviving hopes for this extinct group. Scientists have now introduced 158 young tortoises back to Floreana Island, preserving the genetic heritage…

The Economic Times · Sep 16

Meet Sophia Haakman, 16-year-old whose bird monitoring project found populations rose by up to 159% and is now headed to a national magazine

Sophia Haakman, a 16-year-old from Sarasota, Florida, transformed her childhood passion for nature into significant conservation work. She initiated a bird monitoring project which provided evidence of habitat restoration benefits. Her research findings will be published in a national birding magazine this fall. Haakman also co-founded a local chapter of…

The Times of India · Sep 16

Record heatwaves bring Britain’s second-best butterfly season in 16 years

Volunteers counted almost 1.4m common butterflies and moths, with painted ladies up 335% on last year

The Guardian - UK · Sep 16

India's Blackbuck Can Run at 80 km/h, But Speed Alone Cannot Save This Antelope Without Open Grassland

The Animal That Runs Like Almost Nothing Else on EarthA blackbuck at full sprint hits 80 km/h. It can hold 65 km/h for long enough to exhaust most predators. Among land animals, only the cheetah, now extinct in India as a wild resident, could reliably run one down. The Indian…

Times Life · Sep 16

Scrub Typhus Goes Undiagnosed for Weeks: Symptoms, Fever Patterns, and What to Track

What Scrub Typhus Actually IsOrientia tsutsugamushi, the bacterium behind scrub typhus, travels on the larval stage of trombiculid mites, chiggers, that live in tall grass, scrubland, and forest edges across India's northeastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. The mite bites, feeds for a few hours, and leaves.…

Times Life · Sep 16