Cocoa, the ingredient of chocolate, grows in tropical regions where forests are under pressure. Tropical agriculture is often associated with deforestation and the loss of biodiversity. At the same time, millions of small-scale farmers depend on it for their livelihoods. Is there a way to grow cocoa more sustainably?
For decades, the story has been that chimpanzees are a violent species while bonobos have earned a reputation as the peaceful ape. This contrast has been so influential that scientists use it to think about the origins of human nature itself. If chimpanzees represent the aggressive side of our evolutionary heritage, perhaps bonobos show an alternative path, one where cooperation and tolerance took the lead. But new research suggests the reality may be more complicated.
I'm a hybrid, you're a hybrid, ... We're all hybrids. No plug-in hybrids but crossbreeds between species. After all, thousands of years ago, our ancestors reproduced with Neanderthals. The result is that our genome still contains 1 to 2% Neanderthal DNA. Hybridisation does not always have to be disadvantageous but it can have benefits too.
Why do some birds boldly explore new objects, while others hesitate or stay away? A major new international study, published in PLOS Biology, has taken a deep dive into this question and revealed that a bird’s diet and migratory behaviour play a key role in shaping its fear of novelty, known as neophobia.
Did you know that as many as half of the cells in your body are not human cells, but bacteria? The majority of them live in your gut, and together they make up a complete ecosystem called the gut microbiome. These bacteria not only help you digest food, but also support your immune system and can even affect your mood.
How do you deal with stress? Are you going for a quiet walk in the woods, a yoga session, or are you going to dive into a creative hobby? Everyone experiences stress from time to time. Short-term stress is actually part of a healthy live, provided you are able to deal with it. Animals, like humans, have rich emotional lives and sometimes experience stress, and bonobos have their own solution to deal with that: SEX!
Can giving new things to explore improve the welfare of vultures? That’s the question we set out to answer in our latest study at Zoo Planckendael. In this new research, we tested whether giving zoo-housed vultures different types of environmental enrichment can encourage natural behaviours and improve their welfare.
Breeding centres play a vital role in the species' survival, producing young vultures for reintroduction to the wild. However, for these centres to be successful, the welfare of the birds must be a top priority. Good welfare directly influences their ability to breed and raise offspring, which in turn affects the species' conservation efforts.
How do animals feel? This is an important question for zoos, but it is rather difficult to answer. Animals cannot express their feelings in words, so how do we know how they feel? A recently published study takes a step in the right direction with an innovative method called the Qualitative Behavioural Assessment (QBA).
Peatlands are living archives that contain huge amounts of carbon as well as millennia of historical information. These unique habitats are also home to a distinct peatland biodiversity, including many endangered plant and animal species. Unfortunately, the majority of peatlands has been destroyed in the past, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
"Oops, we did it again". We do it over and over again and unfortunately, we are getting better at it: last year yet another 45 species were added to the list of extinct animals. Bad news for the giant tortoises of Galapagos, but also for lesser-known species with roaring names such as the Las Vegas leopard frog (yes, that's an animal too). Worse still, some million plant and animal species are at risk of suffering the same fate in the very near future. But maybe computers can help turn the tide.
Put an okapi male and female together, wait a while and before you know it they have a calf, right? Well, if only it were that simple. Sometimes things don't go as we expect when it comes to breeding with zoo animals. Oftentimes that is because we do not take into account that animals need to actually get to know their future partner.