A new study concerning terminal ballistics of lead-containing and lead-free bullets shows that both materials are equally suitable for hunting in accordance with animal welfare. Lead-free bullets even leave smaller fragment clouds than leaded ones.

The recently extinct Caribbean monk seal (Monachus tropicalis) was one of three species of monk seal in the world. Its relationship to the Mediterranean and Hawaiian monk seals, both living but endangered, has never been fully understood. Through DNA analysis and skull comparisons, however, Leibniz scientists and colleagues have now clarified the Caribbean species’ place on the seal family tree and created a completely new genus. This is the first time in more than 140 years that a new genus has been recognized amongst modern pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses). The team’s findings are published in the scientific journal ZooKeys, May 14.

An international team of researchers led by scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Berlin examined the incidence of skull malformations in lions, a problem known to be responsible for causing neurological diseases and increased mortality. Their results suggest that the occurrence is a consequence of a combination of environmental and genetic factors. These findings were published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.