Wildlife

Storks Nest in Britain After 600-Year Absence

Wild storks observed nesting in eastern England could be the first pair to breed in Britain for nearly 600 years.

The BBC reports the birds are nesting on a chimney at Norfolk’s Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens, near Great Yarmouth, and are engaging in mating rituals.

The last stork to be documented breeding in Britain was at St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, back in 1416.

Conservation efforts elsewhere in Northern Europe have resulted in a modest return of the birds, which now appear to have ventured across the North Sea to raise a proper English brood.

“We gave the storks a helping hand by building a structure for their nest on the hall’s front chimney,” said Ken Sims, director of the wildlife gardens. ”But they turned their back on our handiwork and have built their own nest on one of the rear stacks.”

Sims said the gardens had been trying to get storks to nest there for many years.

The storks nest in North Africa, across Europe and into Asia. They are known throughout the world as a symbol of fertility.

Dolphins Put Sponges on Snouts to Snag Elusive Snacks

Dolphins apparently use sponges as tools to snag food they could not otherwise grab.

This is the first direct evidence that dolphins can use tools to carve out unique places in the food chain.

Dolphins are often ranked among the smartest members of the animal kingdom. They engage in complex forms of communication, may recognize themselves in mirrors, can understand sign language, and can learn to poke an underwater keyboard to request toys to play with.