Latest news with #Nephrurus
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Miami Herald
25-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Winged stowaways and rare predators: See latest special animal sightings
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses. Take a look at some recent animal encounters: Wildlife photographer captures 'rare' behavior in Australia. Watch the creature In the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, wildlife photographer Ross McGibbon captured a juvenile Northern knob-tailed gecko, Nephrurus sheai, exhibiting a rare behavior known as sand bathing. This behavior, where the gecko flicks dirt over itself, might be a grooming response or a defensive tactic against insects. | Published May 5 | Read More | 'Rare' predator appears on trail camera in second-ever sighting at Honduras park In Cusuco National Park, Honduras, a trail camera captured a rare sighting of a puma, marking only the second documented sighting in the Merendón Mountain Range. This sighting is significant for conservation efforts, as the park plays a crucial role in maintaining 'genetic flow' between puma populations. The discovery is seen as a conservation success, attributed to the efforts of park rangers and conservationists. | Published May 2 | Read More | Campers get home and find stowaway creature in car. 'I couldn't stop laughing' After a camping trip in New Zealand, a couple discovered a stowaway weka, a flightless bird, in their car upon returning home. The bird, known for its curious nature, had traveled over 180 miles from Buller Gorge to Christchurch. Wildlife officials safely returned the weka to its natural habitat, emphasizing the importance of preventing unintended animal transport. | Published May 5 | Read More | Rare creature named after 'hundred-eyed giant' spotted showing off at Thai park In Thailand's Kathun Wildlife Sanctuary, a trail camera captured a male great argus pheasant performing a courtship display. This rare sighting of the at-risk species, named after a 'hundred-eyed giant' due to its eye-spotted feathers, is a positive sign for the sanctuary's conservation efforts. The great argus's population is declining, making such sightings significant for wildlife officials. | Published May 14 | Read More | 'Predatory' bird and 'New Zealand's largest reptile' seen fighting in rare video On Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand, a wildlife ranger captured a rare video of a tuatara, the country's largest reptile, and a takahē, a flightless bird, engaging in a fight. The takahē, known for its omnivorous diet, chased and attempted to bite the tuatara, which managed to defend itself. This encounter offers a glimpse into the interactions between these 'iconic threatened species' and highlights the potential for restoring native wildlife. | Published May 15 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery and sightings of the most unusual and intriguing species. Check back for the latest stories.
Miami Herald
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Wildlife photographer captures ‘rare' behavior in Australia. Watch the creature
To be successful, wildlife photographers need more than the right kind of lens on their cameras and great editing software. Often, it's about being in the right place at the right time. For Ross McGibbon, a wildlife photographer specializing in reptiles and based in Australia, the place was arid Western Australia, and the time was about three weeks ago when he stumbled upon a little gecko. 'While exploring the remote Kimberley region of (Western Australia), I came across a juvenile Northern knob-tailed gecko (Nephrurus sheai), displaying a rarely documented behavior — sand bathing (flicking dirt all over itself),' McGibbon wrote in an April 14 Instagram post. His camera narrowed in on the small creature, and he recorded a video that was then posted on social media. 'Flying ants were occasionally landing on the young gecko, and it appeared to respond by tossing dirt across its body,' McGibbon wrote. The small animal digs its back feet into the sediment, then uses its front feet like scoops to pick up dirt and small rocks and launch it over its shoulder and across its body, its small, knobby tail lifting from the ground, according to the video. 'This could be a grooming response or a defensive reaction to irritation caused by the insects,' McGibbon wrote. 'It's also possible the gecko was trying to better camouflage itself after being disturbed — using dirt as natural cover.' There are still a lot of unknowns about the ecology and behavior of the knob-tailed geckos in this area because they are significantly understudied, McGibbon told Yahoo News Australia. The Kimberley region is 'extremely isolated,' he told the outlet, and the geckos are typically found in dry caves and rocky areas. 'Capturing this kind of behavior in the wild is quite rare, especially in such a young individual,' McGibbon wrote in his Instagram post. 'These moments are a reminder of how much there is still to uncover about the lives of Australia's lesser-seen nocturnal reptiles.' Nephrurus sheai, commonly known as the Northern knob-tailed gecko or the Kimberley rough knob-tail, is found north of the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia and across the northwestern part of the Northern Territory, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
