Buzz
Our planet is filled with an astonishing variety of creatures, from the tiny bumblebee bat to the massive blue whale. With such diversity, problems are bound to arise eventually. Whether it’s a battle between man and nature or a dispute within a species, the number of conflicts is almost as vast as the number of animals. But humans spend their time developing solutions for these issues, and some of them are truly bizarre.
10. Dog Perfume Made from Pig Scent
John McGlone had a Cairn terrier, a lovable dog that just wouldn’t stop barking. Frustrated, the Texas Tech scientist retreated to his lab and concocted a strange bottle of cologne that would silence dogs everywhere. Called 'Boar Mate' or 'Stop That,' McGlone’s unique spray contained a potent ingredient meant to quiet even the loudest Labradors and the most rambunctious Rottweilers: pig pheromones.
This particular pheromone, known as androstenone, is secreted by male pigs during mating season. Released through fat and saliva, it signals to the females that the male is ready. While sows find it alluring, dogs find it utterly repulsive.
Teaming up with a local canine research center, McGlone conducted a series of tests using spray bottles filled with different substances. Some contained placebos, others had a small amount of androstenone, and some were loaded with the pheromone. By the end of his trials, McGlone discovered that every dog fell silent when sprayed with pig-derived chemicals. The spray doesn’t affect a dog’s heart rate—it’s harmless, just very disorienting.
Though the effects only last for a minute, it’s a much better option than a shock collar, and McGlone’s creation might even save lives. The main reason dogs are surrendered to shelters is because they won’t calm down. “Stop That” might just be the answer to that problem.
9. Glow-In-The-Dark Reindeer
The frosty Finnish region of Lapland is home to the Rovaniemi Santa Claus Village, where reindeer roam freely. However, most of these creatures can’t fly, and when they cross roads at night, they often become victims of traffic accidents. Each year, between 3,000 and 5,000 reindeer are killed in highway collisions.
To protect their herds, reindeer breeders came up with a clever plan. In February 2014, ranchers painted 20 caribou with two types of special paint that reflect the lights of oncoming vehicles. One type is designed for the fur and fades away over time, while the other is applied to the antlers and lasts much longer.
If the experiment proves successful, the herders plan to paint all of their animals. Soon, Lapland could be filled with ghostly blue caribou glowing in the headlights.
8. The Mongoose Mystery
In early 2014, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo in Indiana faced an unexpected issue. Their banded mongooses weren’t getting along at all.
The problem began when one of the mongooses, Rikki, went for a routine checkup. After receiving a clean bill of health from the vets, Rikki was returned to his pen, but things quickly became tense. The other mongooses gave him the cold shoulder, and when he got too close, some even gave him a rough time. The zookeepers were confused. Just days earlier, everything had been fine.
Banded mongooses are highly social creatures. They live in groups of up to 40 individuals and care for each other by keeping watch and sharing food. Since all the mongooses look similar, they recognize one another by smell, and that’s where Rikki’s issue lay. After his checkup, his scent was altered, and his friends no longer knew who he was.
Zookeeper Nancee Hutchinson couldn’t restore Rikki’s original scent, but she found a way to help the rest of the troop. Hutchinson rubbed Vicks VapoRub on the ground and let all the mongooses roll in the menthol-infused medicine. When they finished, they all smelled the same, and Rikki was warmly welcomed back into the group with open paws.
7. The Men In Monkey Masks
New Delhi has long been plagued by rhesus macaques. With humans feeding them in hopes of earning favor from the monkey god Hanuman, these troublesome primates have made themselves at home in the city. They’ve overtaken the Indian parliament, raided homes across New Delhi, and even caused fatalities, including that of the deputy mayor.
In a state of utter desperation, the New Delhi government recruited 38 langur monkeys to scare off the macaques. Langurs are much larger than rhesus monkeys, and macaques are terrified of their bigger relatives. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t go as expected. Animal rights groups deemed it inhumane—toward the langurs—and the courts of New Delhi agreed. The monkey army was disbanded, forcing the city to come up with a new solution.
Still not ready to abandon the ‘monkey vs. monkey’ approach, the city council resorted to Plan B. They hired 40 young men to dress up as langurs and scare off the macaques. Officials described these men as “very talented,” as they donned monkey masks and suits, hid behind trees, and made loud monkey sounds to drive the macaques away.
The rhesus monkeys were expected to take the hint and return to the forests. If they didn’t, the city was prepared to turn to rubber bullets, which might be more effective but definitely less entertaining.
6. The Endangered Animal Sperm Bank
Every year, 200–2,000 species are lost, and scientists at Kyoto University are stepping up to address the issue. Led by Takehito Kaneko, they’ve developed an innovative method to preserve the sperm of endangered animals. Until now, liquid nitrogen was used to store reproductive cells at ultra-low temperatures, but the Kyoto team has found a way to freeze-dry sperm from a chimp, a slow loris, and a giraffe using a special preservative.
Thanks to this novel method, the sperm can now be stored at a more moderate 4 degrees Celsius (39 °F), significantly warmer than the freezing temperatures usually required, which also helps conserve energy. Even better, if there’s a power outage, the sperm will remain safe at room temperature temporarily.
The team at Kyoto has ambitious plans for their freeze-dried process. You could say they’re aiming for the stars—or at least, other planets. Their goal is to freeze-dry sperm from various endangered species and, in the future, use it to populate other worlds. However, they’re still working on the challenge of freeze-drying eggs.
5. Human-Scented Cow Cologne
Mosquitoes are more than just the annoying creatures that buzz around your head and spoil your outdoor adventures. They are, in fact, the deadliest creatures on Earth. The World Health Organization reports that 3.4 billion people globally are at risk for malaria, and it's all due to these pesky insects.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has put substantial funding into the fight against malaria. One of their initiatives, the mosquito laser, is designed to eliminate the pests, but recently, they've focused on an even smellier approach.
In early 2014, the BMGF gave a $100,000 donation to ISCA Technologies, a company that specializes in pest control and cow cologne. Cows are not susceptible to human malaria, so ISCA aims to create a human-scented cologne to attract mosquitoes away from people and toward livestock instead.
The scent lingers for months, and by applying insecticide to the cattle, any mosquito that dares to take a bite will be killed on contact. This not only protects the cows but also benefits them by confusing other pests that typically target livestock. It’s a win-win situation, unless you happen to be a mosquito.
Shark attacks are extremely rare events. According to Emily Graslie, Chief Curiosity Correspondent for the Chicago Field Museum, you are 10 times more likely to be bitten by a human in New York than to be attacked by a shark. While the media often exaggerate the risk of becoming a shark’s next meal, these attacks do occur, particularly off the coast of Australia, which holds the global record for shark-bite fatalities.
3. The End Of All Suffering
Nature is a magnificent yet merciless force. Many of the creatures we admire spend their lives hunting, suffocating, and killing those weaker than themselves. It’s a part of life, after all. Pain and death have always been woven into the fabric of existence. However, David Pearce envisions a world where this cycle is broken forever.
David Pearce, a British philosopher, is the author of the online manifesto, “The Hedonistic Imperative,” which proposes an audacious plan to eradicate the suffering of all living beings. His primary aim is to rid the planet of predators. Whether through their extinction or genetic modification, Pearce seeks to eliminate all carnivores—from the mighty great white shark to the tiny black widow spider.
There are two paths to this end. One involves eliminating predators via methods like immunocontraception. The other seeks to recondition carnivores through neurochips or genetic editing, giving creatures like bears and snakes a taste for salads. And herbivores won’t be left untouched. To rewire the planet’s ecosystem, animals like deer, rabbits, and turtles will need to learn to trust their natural predators.
Pearce argues, “Human and nonhuman animals are alike in an ethically critical respect. The pleasure-pain axis is universal to sentient life. No sentient being wants to be harmed—to be asphyxiated, dismembered, or eaten alive.” In his view, animals are cognitively similar to small children, and just as we wouldn’t allow a snake to devour a child, we shouldn’t permit it to consume a mouse either.
This British philosopher believes that, as intelligent beings with remarkable technology, it’s our responsibility to end the suffering of all creatures, regardless of their appearance. However, even if his plan were possible, it would come at a high cost. Imagining a world devoid of cheetahs, cobras, and crocodiles is a tough pill to swallow. Personally, this writer wouldn’t want to live in such a world.
2. The Speed Limit Solution
The Hine’s emerald dragonfly faces quite a struggle. These once widespread insects, found in seven states, are now only spotted in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin due to factors like urban sprawl and pesticide use. They tend to live in Door County, Wisconsin, which isn’t the best spot for them. After spending five years growing in fens and fields, they emerge in June, only to die by August—just in time for vacation season.
Door County is known for its beautiful beaches and orchards, but each year, more than 3,000 Hine’s emerald dragonflies fall victim to traffic. With only about 13,000 left, this is a significant toll. However, Amber Furness, a graduate student from the University of South Dakota, has proposed a simple yet effective solution: lower the speed limits.
In 2012 and 2013, Furness drove through Door County at various speeds, counting the number of dragonflies that hit her windshield. After two years of research, she found that driving at 48 kilometers (30 miles) per hour allows the dragonflies to simply bounce off the windshields and continue flying.
Local authorities in Door County are now considering her suggestion to lower the speed limit during the summer months. If they adopt it, the lives of the dragonflies Furness encountered won’t have been lost in vain.
1. The Beehive Fence
The myth that elephants are frightened by mice dates all the way back to ancient Greece. While it’s true that elephants aren’t particularly afraid of rodents, there is one tiny creature they absolutely dread: bees. Despite their tough 2.5-centimeter thick skin, elephants’ eyes and trunks are incredibly sensitive. So when they encounter a bee hive, they’ll flee in panic. This has proven to be a great advantage for farmers in Africa.
Since the UN’s 1989 ban on ivory trade, the elephant population in Kenya has seen a steady rise. However, with the human population also expanding, conflicts between farmers and elephants have escalated. As more human settlements extend into elephant territories, they find themselves competing for space. Elephants, often hungry, invade farms to feast on crops, and when farmers attempt to shoo them away, it can lead to tragic outcomes.
In an effort to minimize human-elephant conflicts, researchers from Save the Elephants have come up with a creative solution: bees. A beehive fence consists of hives hanging on support poles, connected by a long rope. When an elephant disturbs the rope, the hives swing, releasing a swarm of angry bees. This simple yet effective method sends the elephants running in fear, protecting both farmers and elephants alike.
Sure, getting stung isn’t pleasant for any elephant, but it’s certainly a much safer alternative than being shot. Plus, the farmers benefit as well, earning additional income from the honey produced by the bees.
