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The Antarctica few ever see

PLUS, a wildlife vet on the frontline

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June 9, 2026 3:36am EDT

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Hairy-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis hirtipes) – Pilungah Reserve, QLD
Image credit: Nick Rains/Australian Geographic

In this newsletter: An epic month-long Antarctica expedition explores the icy continent’s rarely visited regions; an international wildlife vet’s experiences on the frontlines of the fight to save wildlife; a look back at the unceremonious end of Darwin’s once beloved pub; and more.

Candice Marshall
Digital Features Editor

TRAVEL & EXPERIENCES

The Antarctica few ever see

An expedition across Antarctica peels back its most secretive layers – one extraordinary human tale, frosty trail and whale tail at a time.

PEOPLE & CULTURE

The Jungle Doctor

This international wildlife vet charted her own course by championing issues close to her heart. She’s now inspiring others to do the same.

man using telescope with milky way in background

STORE

Winter skies are calling

Winter brings some of the year’s best stargazing conditions. With longer nights and crisp, clear skies, it’s the perfect time to explore the Moon’s craters, distant planets, sparkling star clusters and the sweeping band of the Milky Way. Whether you’re shopping for a budding astronomer or treating yourself, a telescope opens the door to a lifetime of discovery.

SHOP NOW

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

UN report warns of AI’s environmental cost

Artificial intelligence could soon use three per cent of the world’s electricity and more water than is used for drinking, a new UN report estimates.

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

Mozzies learn to link the smell of DEET with a blood meal

New research shows mosquitoes can be conditioned to be attracted to the key ingredient in many insect repellents, DEET.

HISTORY & CULTURE

Hotel Darwin: From ‘Duchess’ to demolition

Known as the ‘Grand Old Duchess’, Hotel Darwin survived the city’s bombing during World War II and Cyclone Tracy before its controversial demolition in 1999.

TREADING LIGHTLY

Shrew’d observations

What do African buffaloes and Australian flying-foxes have in common? For Roger Smith, they both offered a clear-cut reminder of life’s interconnectedness, he writes in his latest Treading Lightly column.

IN THE CALENDAR

World Oceans Day

Yesterday (8 June) was World Oceans Day. Take a deep dive into an ocean close to home, the Southern Ocean, and find out what makes it an ocean like no other.

IN THE NEWS

Tassie devil ‘on the run’

A Tasmanian devil missing from a Gold Coast wildlife park has made headlines across the country. While the search continues, learn a little more about these native carnivorous marsupials.

LEARN MORE

SPECIES HIGHLIGHT

Blue-ringed octopus

There are at least 10 different species of blue-ringed octopus in the world. The two best-known examples are the lesser (southern) blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa) and the greater blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata). All are actually a grey to beige or yellow colour when resting, displaying their iridescent blue rings when agitated or distressed.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The last of his species

In 2012, the world’s last Pinta Island tortoise died, aged over 100 years, on the Galapagos Islands. ‘Lonesome George’ remains a powerful symbol of conservation, beloved by many.

AG SOCIETY

Keep the honey possum thriving in the wild

The honey possum (Tarsipes rostratus) is the beneficiary species of our bimonthly fundraising campaign through May and June.

One of Australia’s most extraordinary mammals, every part of the honey possum's biology is shaped by flowers, tying it intimately to the unique landscapes of its south-west WA home. But much of its habitat has already been cleared, and increasing threats from fire, invasive species and fragmentation are placing growing pressure on the ecosystems it relies on. When flowering plants disappear, so too does the honey possum’s food source, and its chance of survival. But there is hope. Bush Heritage Australia is restoring vital habitat corridors, reconnecting landscapes and bringing life back to degraded areas. Within just a few years, honey possums are returning to these restored sites, proof that recovery is possible when we act early. Read more.

This work is painstaking and long-term, and it depends on support. By donating today, you can help protect the honey possum while it is still common, before it becomes another species in crisis. Your contribution will support habitat restoration, conservation science and on-ground action.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible.

DONATE NOW

Australian Geographic acknowledges the First Nations people of Australia as traditional custodians, and pays its respect to Elders past and present, and their stories and journeys.

MAGAZINE | SHOP | ADVENTURE | TRAVEL

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