Communication is costly in Heaviside's Dolphins

Posted on July 20, 2018

Research led by scientists at the University of Pretoria (UP) has shed light on an evolutionary arms race with a twist. This research, conducted by Morgan J. Martin, a PhD student from UP has found that the small Heaviside’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) selectively switch between...

White rhinos communicate through their ablution habits

Posted on July 19, 2018

A study by a University of Pretoria researcher into the ablution habits of white rhinos in the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, has revealed that these animals use their place of defecation to communicate with each other and take decisions that can affect their ecology.

How adapting to different climates has helped a pest spread across the globe

Posted on July 08, 2018

The Mediterranean fruit fly can evolve rapidly to different environmental conditions, this suggests it will be well suited to cope with climate change.

Woody plants are changing Africa’s savannas — and this may have an impact on all of us

Posted on May 09, 2018

An increase in indigenous plant life does not sound like a bad thing, but when woody plants threaten to change savanna ecosystems (that cover approximately 13.5 million square kilometres of Africa alone), there is cause for concern.

The Great Karoo – a refuge for the trapdoor spider

Posted on March 06, 2018

The Karoo stretches 400 000 square kilometres over the provinces of the Eastern, Northern and Western Cape. Its vast, open semi-desert landscapes offer a sense of escapism and nothingness, guaranteeing peace and tranquillity for anyone who visits.

Hot birds in the hot seat

Posted on February 22, 2018

Prof Andrew McKechnie of the Department of Zoology and Entomology was recently awarded the South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology. The Chair is hosted by the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa and co-hosted by the University of Pretoria (UP).

Mammals move less in human-modified landscapes

Posted on February 02, 2018

Mammals move shorter distance in human-modified landscapes, which may affect ecosystems and society.

Forests are living on the edge – and this is not a good thing

Posted on November 21, 2017

The University of Pretoria's Dr Pieter Olivier is part of an international collaboration whose work was recently published in Nature. The study highlights how biodiversity is changing as a result of deforestation.