FYI: This week’s Data Dump is not brought to you by Mutual Of Omaha. If you’d like to step in, that’d be great. If not, that’s fine, too. After all, I am not Marlon Perkins. As always, these stories all appeared within the last week. Enjoy! - jp
Why Science Hasn’t Solved Consciousness (Yet)
https://www.noemamag.com/why-science-hasnt-solved-consciousness-yet/
Fungi could be conscious. Here's what that means
https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/fungi-could-be-conscious
Memories without brains: Certain slime moulds can make decisions, solve mazes and remember things. What can we learn from the blob?
https://aeon.co/essays/what-can-slime-mould-teach-us-about-biological-memory
Fish driving cars and chimps doing maths: What teaching animals ‘irrelevant’ skills reveals about our own minds
https://lens.monash.edu/@science/2025/07/10/1387590/fish-driving-cars-and-chimps-doing-maths-what-teaching-animals-irrelevant-skills-reveals-about-our-own-minds
'Chimpfluencers' Are Sticking Grass in Their Ears And Butts in Latest Viral Trend
https://www.sciencealert.com/chimpfluencers-are-sticking-grass-in-their-ears-and-butts-in-latest-viral-trend
How changes in California culture have influenced the evolution of wild animals in Los Angeles
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-07-09/religion-politics-war-urban-animal-evolution-california
The Miracle Dogs of Chernobyl Have Evolved Into Something New, Studies Show
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a65365323/the-dogs-of-chernobyl-are-evolving/
Oldest known dog breed reveals hidden human history
https://www.popsci.com/environment/greenland-sled-dog-oldest-dog-breed/
On Killing a Coyote
https://lithub.com/on-killing-a-coyote/
Giraffes face silent extinction as trophy trade thrives
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-07-08-giraffes-face-silent-extinction-as-trophy-trade-thrives/
Fewer than 100k giraffes remain, as trophy hunters push them to extinction
https://www.primediaplus.com/2025/07/11/trophy-hunters-pushing-giraffes-towards-extinction-environmental-journalist
Fresh Push for Trophy Hunting Ban After British Hunters Bring Home Nearly 200 Endangered Animal Parts
https://theethicalist.com/fresh-push-for-trophy-hunting-ban/
We make our living from lion hunts in South Africa — why would we stop?
https://www.thetimes.com/world/africa/article/lion-hunts-south-africa-poaching-fw87w2bhm
Lions as pets – a new status symbol
https://minutemirror.com.pk/lions-as-pets-a-new-status-symbol-411750/
Pakistan confiscates 18 lions kept as pets in crackdown after attack
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/pakistan-confiscates-18-lions-kept-as-pets-in-crackdown-after-attack
Queensland’s horrific lion attack shows wild animals should not be kept for our amusement
https://theconversation.com/queenslands-horrific-lion-attack-shows-wild-animals-should-not-be-kept-for-our-amusement-260805
Have mountain lions returned to NY? Viral Rochester video sparks big cat questions
https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2025/07/10/mountain-lion-rochester-ny-video-sparks-big-cat-questions/84536020007/
'LA's loneliest bachelor': How a mateless Hollywood puma inspired the world's biggest animal bridge
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250709-the-hollywood-puma-behind-los-angeles-huge-animal-bridge
Herds over highways: Colorado’s largest wildlife overpass is now under construction above I-25
https://www.cpr.org/2025/07/09/i-25-wildlife-overpass-bridge/
Montana Passes Landmark Wildlife Crossing Legislation
https://mountainjournal.org/montana-passes-landmark-wildlife-crossing-legislation/
Where wild buffalo roam free — and collide with city life in Hong Kong
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250707073351.htm
Animals Adapting to Cities
https://theness.com/neurologicablog/animals-adapting-to-cities/
Urban Biodiversity: Can People and Wildlife Coexist in Growing Cities?
https://discoverwildscience.com/urban-biodiversity-can-people-and-wildlife-coexist-in-growing-cities-1-346021/
Lucca Becomes the First Smart City in Europe to Embrace Animals as Allies
https://www.unipi.it/en/news/lucca-becomes-the-first-smart-city-in-europe-to-embrace-animals-as-allies/
Saving scavengers is an under-appreciated public health win
https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/07/saving-apex-scavengers-is-an-under-appreciated-public-health-win/
How to help your garden wildlife in a heatwave: don't let them suffer in silence
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/how-to-help-your-garden-wildlife-in-the-heatwave
Extreme Heat Has Animals Trapped in a Climate Doom Loop
https://sentientmedia.org/animals-trapped-in-a-climate-doom-loop/
Climate Change Threatens Wild Vanilla Crops and Their Pollinators Due to Range Mismatch
https://www.azolifesciences.com/news/20250709/Climate-Change-Threatens-Wild-Vanilla-Crops-and-Their-Pollinators-Due-to-Range-Mismatch.aspx
Pollinator numbers are crashing. Here’s why it matters and how you can help.
https://greenvillejournal.com/community/pollinator-numbers-are-crashing-heres-why-it-matters-and-how-you-can-help/
Going Beyond Grass: Turning Lawns Into a Pollinators’ Paradise
https://therevelator.org/turning-lawns-into-pollinators-paradise/
The Bristol alleyways turning into pollinator paradises
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c3w4lz3eqplo
This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival
https://theconversation.com/this-tropical-plant-builds-isolated-apartments-to-prevent-battles-among-the-aggressive-ant-tenants-it-relies-on-for-survival-260674
Plants have microbiomes like humans do, now scientists have learned how they work
https://www.earth.com/news/plants-have-root-microbiomes-like-humans-do-vital-for-survival-defense/
New study shows tortoises experience feelings similar to our own
https://phys.org/news/2025-07-tortoises-similar.html
Fish Are Smarter Than You Think
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-minds/202507/fish-are-smarter-than-you-think