The world's plant and animal species are going extinct at a rate 1,000 to 10,000 times faster than they did before humans came along. If that continues, we could lose one-third to half of all species by the end of the century. A variety of birds, frogs, fish, mammals — gone.

Those grim statistics come from a big recent study in Science, led by Duke University biologist Stuart Pimm. The paper was the most comprehensive attempt yet to calculate a "death rate" for the world's species — an update on work first begun in 1995.

Source: The world is on the brink of a mass extinction. Here's how to avoid that. - Vox

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It has long been publicised that older (5+ year old) animals are the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized at shelters. But the color of an animal’s fur is almost as stigmatized -- especially for black-coated pets.

This holds so true for black dogs, that a condition exists to describe the phenomenon -- Big Black Dog Syndrome; animal shelters use the term “BBD” to reference the larger, mixed-breed black dogs typically shunned by potential adopters. Black cats face an equally formidable bias: they are far less-likely to be adopted than grey, tabby, and white-coated cats, and have been castigated as “evil omens” for decades. But what are the reasons behind this?


Source: Why Don't People Adopt Black Pets?

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Animals are pretty much the coolest—for real, they’re the best. Whether you’re talking about cats, cows, crabs, or another animal, there are a million ways in which animals are funny, sweet, loving, sneaky, silly, and sometimes even downright weird.
Here are just a few of the ways in which the animal kingdom makes us say, “For real?!”

Source: Totally Awesome Animal Facts | Blog | peta2.com

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In South Africa, local legend has it that the elephants like to get drunk. They seek out the marula tree, overindulge on its sweet fruits, and enjoy the intoxicating effects of the slightly fermented juice.

Elephants aren't the only critters accused of indulging in the occasional cocktail or dose of drugs. Tales are told of wallabies getting high on poppy plants in Australia or dogs reportedly becoming addicted to the toxic substance secreted by cane toads. And stories abound of vervet monkeys on the Carribean island of St. Kitts, sneakily imbibing the brightly coloured cocktails of distracted tourists.

Source: BBC - Future - Do animals like drugs and alcohol?

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Sumatran rhinoceros

The spoon-billed sandpiper, three-toed sloth and a long-beaked echidna named after Sir David Attenborough are among the 100 most endangered species in the world, according to a new study.

The list of at-risk species has been published as conservationists warn that rare mammals, plants and fungi are being sacrificed as their habitats are appropriated for human use.

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You are about to experience the most detailed embryonic animal photographs ever taken. Using revolutionary four-dimensional scanning technology, scientists have shed light on the world of mammals inside the womb, including that of dolphins, sharks, dogs, penguins, and elephants. The images are from a National Geographic Documentary called “Extraordinary Animals in the Womb” and were captured by using a combination of three-dimensional ultrasound scans, computer graphics and small cameras to document the animals’ development from conception to birth. The documentary serves as “testimony to the strong relatedness of all mammals.”

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