Entire Mammal Genus on Brink of Extinction, Critically endangered African antelope is last species of its kind.

Link: Entire Mammal Genus on Brink of Extinction, Critically endangered African antelope is last species of its kind.

For the first time in 75 years, an entire genus of mammal may go the way of the dodo—unless a new conservation effort shepherded by Somalian herders succeeds.

The mystery of the magnetic cows: Researchers disagree over replication of study showing that cows line up with Earth's magnetic field

Link: The mystery of the magnetic cows: Researchers disagree over replication of study showing that cows line up with Earth's magnetic field

In 2008, the world’s media was captivated by a study apparently showing that cows like to align themselves with magnetic fields. But attempts to replicate this finding have left two groups of researchers at loggerheads, highlighting the problems faced by scientists working to replicate unusual findings based on new methods of data analysis.

Zoologger: The only cross-dressing bird of prey

Link: Zoologger: The only cross-dressing bird of prey

Species: Circus aeruginosus

Habitat: throughout Europe and western Asia, playing dress-up

Gliding over a bed of reeds in south-west France, a male western marsh harrier circles his nest. Scanning the surrounding area, he spots a second male on a nest just 400 metres away from his own.

Ordinarily this would be the start of a fight. Male marsh harriers are territorial, and don’t like another male to set up home within 700 metres of the nest. Yet the new neighbour merits nothing more than a long look.

Monkeys with larger friend networks have more gray matter

Link: Monkeys with larger friend networks have more gray matter

New research in the UK on rhesus macaque monkeys has found for the first time that if they live in larger groups they develop more gray matter in parts of the brain involved in processing information on social interactions.