Animal Behaviour

When Luke Simpson clocked in to work at Torrumbarry Weir for his early morning inspections one of the last things he probably thought he'd be doing would be winching an enormous goanna out of the water.

Wildlife officers believe the unwanted visitor had been snacking on the family's geese and posed a risk to children and pets as it was brought within metres of their home by rising waters.

Researchers believe they have recorded one of the world's most unusually coloured dolphins for the first time in Australian waters.

Usually snakes are unwelcome visitors on farms, but research suggests the benefits of their presence on agricultural land far outweighs the potential costs to farmers and graziers.

Following any shark incident, understanding the minimal risk it poses, along with shark behaviour, can help alleviate your worries. Here's how to ease back into a swim with peace of mind.

The escaped snow monkey was in a member of the public's garden when it was caught.

Momentum is growing in one of Australia's largest cattle-producing states to overturn a ban on virtual fencing technology. However, a peak animal welfare charity says using electric shocks to train animals raises significant ethical and animal welfare concerns.

As rising sea levels lead to more fish in the ocean around Phillip Island, off Australia's southern coast, polyamorous little penguins are using the extra energy to breed.

Shark researchers say there are likely more bull sharks in Sydney Harbour at the moment due to warmer water temperatures as a woman recovers after being bitten on Monday night.

From finding a kilogram of illegal drugs in the back of a range hood and tracking people through kilometres of swampy bushland, these two pooches have done it all. Now it's time for their well-earned retirement, but what exactly does that involve?

Turtles aren't usually seen in Tasmanian waters, but climate change means sightings may become more common.

Major flooding in the Far North last month may mean that crocodiles are on the move and residents are being urged to exercise caution in areas not usually inhabited by the reptiles.

A Byron Bay vet team is searching for a suitable feather donor for a procedure they hope will help get an injured wedge-tailed eagle soaring again.

A large gathering of hundreds of cownose rays off the NSW coast prompt questions from scientists, who know little about the sea creatures.

Daniel Lukic's spectacular vision of a massive fever of rays off a Forster beach has caught the attention of a researcher, who says it may contribute to ongoing research about the species.   

Researchers are using puzzles to analyse how animals problem-solve and determine which can best adapt to environmental changes.

Bettongs, chuditch, quendas and antechinus as well as possums, skinks, kangaroos and echidnas were put through their paces to see which of our native animals could complete puzzles left in bushland.

New research shows numbats are overheating in high summer temperatures, and scientists suggest climate change could make things worse.

For two million years, Gigantopithecus blacki roamed the forests of what is now southern China. A new study claims to discover when — and why — it went extinct.

Spouting water, hissing and blowing bubbles might not work for humans on the dating scene, but according to Sunshine Coast researchers, for saltwater crocodiles it's a different story.

Emma Glenfield wants to know why magpies swoop. She's conducting some cutting-edge research — and displaying her results with Lego.

In his home workshop, Melbourne engineer Girius Antanaitis designed a way to help stranded whales who could not be saved. He wants to use his skills to make the world a better place, especially for wildlife.

Wildlife carers say grey-headed flying foxes are "amazing creatures" — but the species is dying at an alarming rate, and they're running out of volunteers to help save them.

Rangers on Queensland's Capricorn Coast investigate a "dangerous" crocodile that has given a fisherman a fright, after spending weeks lurking the area and putting locals on high alert.

Snakes, crocodiles, cane toads, crown-of-thorns starfish and venomous jellyfish are among creatures on the move in the wake of heavy rainfall in Queensland.