The art of thriving

Gentle giant

Though capable of highly intimidating displays of power when threatened, the largest of the gorillas, Grauer’s gorilla, is generally calm and unaggressive.

There are about 16,000 in the wild, all in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. War in the DRC, which has killed more than 5 million people since 1998, has deterred tourists – a primary source of funding for the gorilla's protection.





New frog

This handsome, slender-legged tree frog, although known to be an Osteocephalus, may be new to science. Investigations are under way to check if it's been identified before.

With a species becoming extinct every 20 minutes, many disappear without a trace. Without studying each species, we cannot know what is lost to us when it vanishes.





Beach bum chameleon

The panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) of Madagascar loves sunbathing and mainly eats insects.

They change colour for camouflage and to communicate. When carrying eggs, females turn dark brown or black with orange striping to tell males they aren't interested in sex. When two males come into contact, they turn brighter colors to assert dominance. Often these battles end with the loser retreating, turning drab and dark.




On the lookout

The peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) is believed to have the most complex eyes in the animal kingdom. Each eye can perceive depth independently of the other by using three different parts of the eye, giving them "trinocular vision".

This allows the peacock mantis to detect semi-transparent prey, different coral patterns and the shimmering scales of hungry barracudas.

The shrimp is also renowned for its powerful claws, which can produce forces of thousands of times its own body weight.





Birdwatcher’s paradise

The Pantanal wetland in Brazil is home to more than a thousand species of birds, such as this red and green macaw (Ara chloroptera).

The Pantanal’s open environment makes wildlife viewing much easier than it is under the dense forest canopy of the Amazon. This is one reason that nonprofit organisations such as Conservation International promote ecotourism in the region as an important alternative to environmentally destructive forms of development.