How best for an animal to defend itself against attack? Some succeed by virtue of their large size or ability to fight (think of a bear). But others take a more subtle path through the production of painful or poisonous chemicals. Predators prefer to avoid these animals, because consuming them is worse than consuming nothing.…

Many plants have elaborate mechanical defenses that deter herbivory. Bactris palms, for example, have a formidable spines covering the stems and leaves. For a large mammal, no part of the plant is safe to touch, but for small insects, defenses may be evaded. Evidently the cost of building spines is outweighed by the deterrent benefit.…

This forest is never quiet. Imagine an deep grunting coming from high in the canopy, in long pulses – this is the sound of howler monkeys. I made a recording today which you can listen to here. It is a very ominous sound if you don’t know what kind of creature is making it. Howler…

Fieldwork on BCI is full of small joys and large surprises in the forms of animals that share the island with us. Here a few of the herpetofauna we’ve encounted in the last two days. First, a lovely small frog – less than an inch long, but beautiful. The leaf litter here is very dry,…