If you are still coming to terms with the concept that monkeys are our ancestors, then you will be surprised to see a lungfish in the family tree. The lungfish occupies a unique place in evolution, some experts believing it to be a link between the fishes and the land...
Newcastle disease was first reported in poultry in Java in 1926 and later spread to Newcastle in England where it was first named. Warning Vet authorities and the NSW Department of Agriculture have urged bird enthusiasts to cancel all bird and poultry shows, pigeon...
Pat Parelli is an American horseman with a philosophy of natural horsemanship which has won admiration worldwide. His theory is based on the prey-predator concept. Pat Parelli says horses evolved as prey animals, that is they were animals which were hunted then eaten...
Owning a handraised bird can be a rewarding experience. Handraising birds yourself can be easier than raising kids because the whole process usually only lasts about six to ten weeks and then the birds are reasonably independent. There is a new book available called A...
Regent Honeyeaters (Xanthomyza phrygia) were once seen as yellow and black flocks of over a hundred birds about 200 years ago from southeast Queensland to Central Victoria. However, today they are on the edge of extinction with an estimated population between 1000 and...
In case you’ve ever wondered why dogs get up in the middle of the night and bark it is because, unlike humans, dogs and other animals do not have a day-night rhythm. Humans have a prolonged sleep of about eight hours each night but dogs have a number of naps...
Compared with many animals the sex life of the humble spider can seem bizarre to say the least. Before looking for a mate the male spider needs to prepare himself for the deed. First he builds a specialised sperm web used to catch a droplet of sperm which is then...
In 1990 a striped sheep was featured on ‘Burke’s Backyard’ that was black with white stripes. She was a one-off mutant (born in 1982) in the Canberra region. Don Burke conducted genetic research into the mechanism involved and the information and...
One of the most exciting events in owning horses is the birth of a foal. The next responsibility of the new ‘parent’ is introducing the foal to humans. Do the right thing and you have a valued companion, take the wrong advice and get a worthless...
The Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesuerii) is a member of the Agamidae, or dragon family and can be found throughout eastern and southern Australia, with some close relatives also occurring in the west. As its name implies, the eastern water dragon requires a...