Showing results by author "Sandra Markle" in All Categories

Honeybees are a crucial part of our food chain. As they gather nectar from flowers to make sweet honey, these bees also play an important role in pollination, helping some plants produce fruit. But large numbers of honeybees are disappearing every year...and no one knows why. Is a fungus killing them? Could a poor diet be the cause? What about changes to bees' natural habitat? In this real-life science mystery, scientists and beekeepers are working to answer these questions...and save the world's honeybees before it's too late.

At one time, red wolves roamed the US from southern New York to as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. But as European settlers moved in, these wolves began losing their home range and were hunted as a threat. Red wolves became so rare by 1973 that they were given protection under the US Endangered Species Act. Then scientists came up with a daring plan: round up all remaining red wolves, launch a captive breeding program, and once the captive population was large enough, release red wolves to roam free in protected areas.

Acclaimed science author Sandra Markle offers a fascinating look at Gobi bears - the rarest bears on the planet. These adorable animals face threats ranging from illegal gold miners to climate change. Find out more about these bears, which are considered a national treasure in Mongolia, and learn what scientists are doing to help this critically endangered species.

Southern white rhinos are in trouble. For years, a rumor has been spreading that their horns can be used to cure cancer, and poachers have been targeting these gentle creatures. Sandra Markle takes listeners behind the scenes to see how civilians, volunteer organizations, and African governments are working together to protect rhinos.

In 2007 only 30 Amur leopards remained in the wild. Scientists knew they needed to do more to help these big cats. However, details of the leopards' wild lives in their high-altitude forest home were still a mystery. With the help of new technology and the cooperation of scientists and governments around the world, people have learned more than ever before about these rare cats. An innovative plan is under way to give Amur leopards a more secure future. Can these cats rebound from the brink before it's too late?

Top-selling science author Sandra Markle presents the story of whale sharks - the largest fish on the planet. Facing threats from commercial fishing as well as climate change, they were categorized as endangered in 2016. Find out how scientists are working to study and protect these gentle giants of the ocean.

Little brown bats do us a big favor. They eat huge numbers of insects! That helps limit the spread of diseases and the damage that insects do to farm crops. But in recent years, large populations of little brown bats have been dying off each winter. Is a virus killing them? Could climate change or pesticides be the cause? Or is it something else? Follow a team of dedicated scientists working to save the little brown bats in this real-life science mystery.

Late in 2013, snowy owls started showing up in places no one expected to find them - including Florida. What had caused so many of these majestic birds to leave their Arctic home and fly to southern Canada and the United States? Scientists quickly began working to find out. Author Sandra Markle brings together firsthand reports from the scientists involved along with stunning photographs of the owls to explain this rare event, known as an irruption.

In the cloud forests of the Amazon Basin, scientists are installing extraordinary numbers of camera traps in the hopes of learning more about an elusive species - woolly monkeys. No one knows for sure how many woolly monkeys are left in the wild. But they play a key role in their ecosystem, and without them the rain forest is in trouble. Join scientists on their quest to solve the mysteries surrounding the lives of woolly monkeys before it's too late. Scan QR codes inside the book to see and hear the monkeys!

Golden lion tamarins are found only in Brazilian forests. These small, remarkable monkeys once had plenty of space to roam and claim family territories. But years of deforestation caused their numbers to shrink. They were in serious danger of becoming extinct. To help, scientists studied the animals in zoo settings. But they faced several mysteries. Why weren't golden lion tamarins reproducing in zoos? If scientists reintroduced zoo-raised tamarins to the wild, would those monkeys survive?

Learn about animals, both domestic and wild, who have become heroes when they came to the rescue of humans.

Panamanian golden frogs aren't just cute, little, and yellow. They're also the national symbol of Panama. But they started to disappear about 15 years ago. What's killing them? Could it be a change in their habitat? What about pollution? Might it be a result of climate change? Follow a team of scientists working to save these frogs and protect frog populations worldwide in this real-life science mystery.

In the dark, Kristofer Helgen and a group of scientists peered up into the treetops of the Ecuadorian cloud forest. Staring back at them was a furry, four-legged creature. Could it be the mysterious, wild olinguito? Helgen had been studying the olingo, a relative of raccoons, for years. As he examined their pelts and skulls in museums, he noticed differences in a few. Through scientific investigating, he realized the different examples weren't olingos at all - he had discovered a completely new species.

African penguins waddle around nesting colonies in lower numbers than ever before. Despite South African government efforts to protect the penguin colonies and their ocean fish supply, young penguins still struggle to survive. Fuzzy chicks waiting for food in open nests may overheat in the sun or become prey. Others simply may not get enough food to survive on their own once their parents leave.

Using teamwork and keen eyesight, vultures soar thousands of feet above the ground in search of carrion to eat. Learn about the habits and life cycle of this iconic avian scavenger.

Wolverines are excellent scavengers with a keen sense of smell and the skills to find meals. Learn about the lives of wolverines, including how they search for food, find a mate, and raise their young.

With strong jaws and teeth, Tasmanian devils can eat the tough skin of the meals they scavenge. Discover how Tasmanian devils find food, raise their young as the next generation of scavengers, and more.

Jackals will eat almost anything. On the African savanna, they will even steal food from much bigger animals, like lions. Learn more about the lives of jackals.

Great white sharks can weigh thousands of pounds, and their enormous tail fins send them zooming through the water in pursuit of prey. Find out how these top predators hunt and raise their young.

Owls are one of the world's top predators. These stealthy hunters can fly nearly silently, see long distances, and easily hear prey. Discover the hunting behaviors of owls and see how they train their owlets.