Rare

‘Heartbreaking and extremely rare’: Mother humpback whale carries stillborn calf through the ocean; scientists explain the unusual behaviour

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‘Heartbreaking and extremely rare’: Mother humpback whale carries stillborn calf through the ocean; scientists explain the unusual behaviour

A mother humpback whale was filmed repeatedly returning to her stillborn calf off Australia’s Gold Coast, displaying prolonged attention toward the newborn in an encounter researchers describe as the first scientifically documented case of such behaviour in the species. The footage, recorded in July 2025, is now detailed in a new study published in Discover … Read more

In 2023, a Kentucky farmer found an 1856 silver half dollar in his field; within an hour, he uncovered 800+ coins, including 18 rare 1863 Double Eagles, later sold for more than $3 million

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In 2023, a Kentucky farmer found an 1856 silver half dollar in his field; within an hour, he uncovered 800+ coins, including 18 rare 1863 Double Eagles, later sold for more than $3 million

The 700-plus gold coins, found in a cornfield in Kentucky, date to between 1840 and 1863 (Source: GovMint.com) A Kentucky farmer working in his field has uncovered an extraordinary collection of Civil War-era coins. He found more than 800 gold and silver coins, which later sold for more than $3 million (£2.36 million) through private … Read more

In 1837, New Zealand imported possums for a fur trade; 189 years later, aerial photos show they have damaged about half the vulnerable trees in one rare South Island forest

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In 1837, New Zealand imported possums for a fur trade; 189 years later, aerial photos show they have damaged about half the vulnerable trees in one rare South Island forest

PossumsRepresentative image In 1837, New Zealand introduced Australian brushtail possums in the hope of building a profitable fur industry. The animals were expected to provide valuable pelts and help create a new rural economy, but the experiment had consequences that stretched far beyond anyone’s expectations. Nearly two centuries later, possums have become one of the … Read more

In 1995, just 51 rare snakes survived on one tiny Caribbean island; 21 years later their population topped 1,100

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In 1995, just 51 rare snakes survived on one tiny Caribbean island; 21 years later their population topped 1,100

In 1995, the Antiguan racer was perilously close to disappearing from the wild. Just 51 of these rare Caribbean snakes were estimated to survive, all confined to tiny Great Bird Island off the coast of Antigua. The species had little room to recover. Yet what followed became an extraordinary conservation turnaround. Over the next 21 … Read more

After countless hours searching for rare seahorses in French Polynesia, a photographer captured an adult male beside two newborn juveniles; the image won Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026

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After countless hours searching for rare seahorses in French Polynesia, a photographer captured an adult male beside two newborn juveniles; the image won Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026

A photograph showing an adult male seahorse with two tiny newborn juveniles in the shallow waters of Mo’orea, French Polynesia, has won the grand prize at the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2026 awards. French underwater photographer Julien Anton spent countless hours searching through underwater seaweed beds with local naturalists before finding the trio. He … Read more

Underwater sensors caught a rare event off Cornwall: one porpoise became trapped in a net while two animals exchanged possible distress calls

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Underwater sensors caught a rare event off Cornwall: one porpoise became trapped in a net while two animals exchanged possible distress calls

Bycatch, the accidental capture of animals in fishing gear is considered the world’s greatest direct human-caused threat to dolphins and porpoises. Off the coast of Cornwall, a set of underwater sensors was listening to the ocean when it detected something researchers rarely get to see. According to an online report by Phys Org, two harbor … Read more

Six people buried in a rare Viking Age grave in Latvia show signs of violence and family ties, with DNA pointing to local Baltic ancestry

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Six people buried in a rare Viking Age grave in Latvia show signs of violence and family ties, with DNA pointing to local Baltic ancestry

A rare ninth-century grave in Latvia has revealed clues about violence, family ties and life during the Viking Age. Six people were buried at the Čunkāni-Dreņģeri cemetery in the Zemgale region, an unusual arrangement for a Semigallian burial ground where people were generally laid to rest alone. Sharp-force injuries found on the remains of three … Read more

Australia’s endangered eastern quolls have welcomed new joeys; after vanishing from the mainland for 60 years, the species is now breeding again in a rare conservation comeback

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Australia’s endangered eastern quolls have welcomed new joeys; after vanishing from the mainland for 60 years, the species is now breeding again in a rare conservation comeback

A study released 20 captive-bred eastern quolls at Tasmania’s 6,500-hectare Silver Plains conservation property. (Photo: Booderee NP) The eastern quoll, a small nocturnal marsupial once common across eastern Australia, is showing signs of recovery after years of decline. Captive-bred eastern quolls released in Tasmania have successfully reproduced, with one female carrying six joeys in her … Read more

Canada planted a pine forest where a rare savanna once stood; removing the trees later brought back a richer ecosystem

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Canada planted a pine forest where a rare savanna once stood; removing the trees later brought back a richer ecosystem

​Representative Image of a thriving savanna ecosystem flourishing after pine forest removal, with diverse native plants and insects (AI-generated image) A patch of rare savanna habitat in the Ottawa Valley has recovered remarkably well after decades under a planted pine forest, according to a study examining restoration efforts at a site called The Sandhills near … Read more

Rare manatees are turning up along the Texas coast this summer; some are lingering in busy marinas for freshwater, prompting warnings to boaters

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Rare manatees are turning up along the Texas coast this summer; some are lingering in busy marinas for freshwater, prompting warnings to boaters

manatees (representative image) This summer, an unusual visitor has been making waves along the Texas coast: the Florida manatee. Multiple sightings have been reported from Galveston to Port Mansfield, with some of the gentle giants lingering in busy harbours and marinas to drink from freshwater outflows. As temperatures soar, wildlife officials say the warm Gulf … Read more