Sea kayaker Freya Hoffmeister successfully rounded Cape Horn on Tuesday, completing the most difficult and dangerous stage of her planned two-year circumnavigation of South America. Hoffmeister, who became the second person and first woman to kayak around Australia in 2009, spent about 10 days on the crossing, and faced heavy winds and rough seas. The Husum, Germany-based paddler set out from Buenos Aires last August and plans to finish the 15,000-mile paddle before her 50th birthday in May 20... Read More
Elephant population in two of Tanzania's largest wildlife sanctuaries fell by almost 42 percent between 2006 and 2009, according to a new wildlife census by Tanzania's Wildlife Research Institute. Elephants numbers in Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park fell from 74,900 in 2006 to 43,552 in 2009. Conservationists believe that poachers in search of elephant tusks are behind the decline. According to TRAFFIC, a non-profit that tracks wildlife trading, law enforcement officials seized a ... Read More
Scientists from the University of Queensland on Tuesday announced that they had discovered the world's first hybrid species of sharks off Australia's eastern coast. The sharks are a mix of Australian black-tip sharks and common black-tips, which are able to survive in much colder waters than their Australian cousins. Scientists believe the hybrids may have evolved to cope with rapidly changing water temperatures. "It's very surprising because no one's ever seen shark hybrids before," said Uni... Read More
Race organizers at the Tour Down Under on Monday confirmed that Alejandro Valverde, the 2009 Vuelta a Espana champion who was banned from cycling for two years, will return to to competition in Adelaide, Australia later this month. In 2010, the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned Valverde for his involvement in the doping ring known as Operation Puerto. Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur has indicated that he expects the Valverde to do well. "I think he's a big threat - he's an intel... Read More
A massive manhunt for Benjamin Colton Barnes, the 24-year-old Army veteran who officials believe killed a National Parks ranger on Sunday, ended Monday evening when FBI agents found Barnes dead in a stream in Mount Rainier National Park. Police believe that Barnes likely died of exposure after evading a team of 150 law enforcement officials for more than a day. Barnes was discovered wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and only one shoe and was lying partway in Paradise Creek. Temperatures had dropped be... Read More
