Komodo Dragons Originally Evolved in Australia
October 1, 2009 www.plosone.org
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living species of lizard, averaging 7-10 feet in length and weighing around 150 pounds. Found only on a few small islands of Indonesia, they’re vulnerable to extinction as humans encroach on their tiny habitat. Originally, it was thought that komodo dragons evolved their enormous size because they live on a small island with no large natural predators – an example of “island gigantism”. The new study, published in the open-access journal PloS One this week, reorients V. komodoensis within a long paleobiogeographical history of giant varanids, which evolved in the Australasian region during the Pliocene and Pleistocene eras. According to the authors, fossil evidence and phylogenetic studies indicate Australia was the source of V. komodoensis, and komodo dragons are now the last relics of the giant reptiles that were once ubiquitous across Australasia.
After 75 Years, Brookfield Zoo’s Cookie the Cockatoo Gets a Break
October 1, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com By William Mullen
Chicago, IL – Cookie the cockatoo has been delighting visitors to the Brookfield Zoo since it opened 75 years ago. He came to the zoo as a one-year old from Australia, and is now 76 years old and suffering from osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. The pink cockatoo has his own fan club, receives fan mail on a regular basis, and celebrates his birthday at the zoo every year. Tim Snyder, the zoo’s bird curator, said the retirement will be good for the elderly Cookie. He’ll now spend his days in the birdkeepers’ office, and Synder says, “He seems to want that.” Zoo fans will still get their “Cookie fix”, as the zoo says they will put up photos and videos on its website for his fans and occasionally bring him out for public events like his birthday parties.
Parakeet Shooting Without a License Gets the Green Light in UK
October 1, 2009 www.telegraph.co.uk By Louise Gray
In an effort to control the spread of invasive ring-necked parakeets across the UK, wildlife watchdog Natural England has officially designated the birds as a pest, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. The designation allows landowners or other “authorized persons” to shoot any parakeets without a permit and to destroy nests or take eggs if they’re causing a nuisance. There are an estimated 20,000+ parakeets in the UK, mostly in London and the South East. Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, says, “Non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity and it is important that licenses can operate as an effective tool in helping to tackle the problem.” The parakeets have been causing problems for fruit growers and could potentially threaten native English species, like woodpeckers and kingfishers. Natural England is “an independent public body whose purpose is to protect and improve England’s natural environment”.
Study Finds Link Between Brain Size and Monkey Grooming Practices
October 1, 2009 www.physorg.com
Primates are very social and are known to participate in complex grooming rituals. A new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences compares the relationship between primate group size, brain size, neocortex size, and other social network factors. The authors found a link between the size of the brain, in particular the size of the neocortex, to the size and number of grooming clusters monkeys belong to. The neocortex is thought to be involved in “higher functions” of the brain, such as sensory perception, memory, and spatial reasoning. In the 11 species of Old World monkeys included in the study, those monkeys with a greater ratio of neocortex to overall brain volume belonged to fewer and smaller grooming clans, and were central parts of their more complicated social structures. Monkey species with larger neocortices typically live in groups of 25-50, while those species with smaller neocortices live in groups of 10-20. This association of larger neocortex ratio with overall enhanced social skills may be important in studies of human interaction as well, according to Professor Robin Dunbar, of Oxford University. She said, “These findings give us glimpses into how humans manage the complex business of maintaining coherence in social groups that are much larger than those found in any other primate species. Our neocortex is three times larger than that of other monkeys and apes, and this allows us to manage larger, more dispersed social groups as a result.” (doi:10.1098/rspb.2009.1409)
‘Ardi’ Sheds Light on Human Evolution
October 1, 2009 sciencemag.org By Ann Gibbons
1.2 million years before Lucy, there was ‘Ardi’. 15 years after the discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus in Ethiopia, researchers have finally revealed a detailed description and analysis of the fossilized remains. "We thought Lucy was the find of the century," says paleoanthropologist Andrew Hill of Yale University, referring to the famous 3.2-million-year-old skeleton that revolutionized thinking about human origins. "But in retrospect, it was not." Though A. ramidus isn’t the oldest hominid fossil ever discovered, the skeleton is rare and valuable because it is nearly complete, including hands, feet, and pelvic bones. The fossils reveal that Ardi walked upright, but had an opposable big toe. Therefore, she must have spent a lot of time in trees. Scientists have long speculated about chimp-like characteristics in early humans, but until now there were no fossil records to prove the theory. The find has generated an enormous amount of scientific interest, and Science magazine has open up their coverage to the general public free of charge. More information is at www.sciencemag.org/ardipithecus.
CA Delta Pumping Cutbacks for Endangered Species To Be Reviewed
October 1, 2009 www.hanfordsentinel.com By Seth Nidever
Two biological opinions pertaining to the preservation of habitat for endangered delta smelt, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other threatened aquatic species native to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Valley are now set to be reviewed by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), at the behest of the Obama administration and other concerned California stakeholders. The opinions ordered pumping cutbacks in the delta to protect the animals, but severe drought and water crises in California have complicated the situation for farmers and others who rely on delta water. State officials, water district officials, and others met in Washington D.C. this week for a hearing to consider ways to protect the species while still allowing irrigation to flow. Previous reviews by the NAS have taken over a year, so Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has requested to expedite the review, asking the Obama administration to ensure that it is completed within six months.
Nature Conservancy & US Army Partner to Protect Endangered Birds
October 1, 2009 www.mysanantonio.com By Joni Simon
San Antonio, TX -- The Nature Conservancy has entered into a five-year agreement with the U.S. Army to help protect the endangered golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) in Texas. The birds are found only in central Texas, though they migrate to Central America in the winter, and are endangered primarily due to habitat destruction as a result of human development. As the U.S. Army plans to expand Camp Bullis in the San Antonio area, they are legally obligated to set aside land for endangered species found on the property. The Nature Conservancy will help the Army enter into conservation easements with local landholders. Landholders with suitable undeveloped habitat for the warblers will be compensated in exchange for a permanent agreement to keep their land in pristine condition. This agreement follows a similar agreement between the Conservancy and the military at Fort Hood, also protecting the golden-cheeked warbler in Texas.
Uganda Uses Web 2.0 Technology for Gorilla Conservation
October 1, 2009 www.nydailynews.com
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has just launched an amazing new website, FriendAGorilla.org, allowing users to connect with the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla berengei) from the comfort of their own homes. Ecotourism in Uganda is a major source of conservation revenue, but not everyone can afford the hefty price to visit the gorillas in person. On the new site, you can connect with the gorillas on Facebook and Twitter, linking your accounts to allow UWA to post gorilla updates on your behalf to all of your online contacts. For only $1, you can sponsor (“friend”) individual gorillas, selecting your favorites based on extensive biographies and photos. Using GoogleMaps mashups and satellite data, you can track the exact location of gorilla families in the park. The site has gorilla desktop photos available for free download, and PDFs of gorilla facts and articles. UAW organizers say they hope the site will generate $100,000 for gorilla conservation in the first three months. Mountain gorillas are critically endangered, and the Bwindi Forest’s ~370 gorillas represent roughly half of the global population.
Loss of top predators causing surge in smaller predators, ecosystem collapse
October 1, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Primary, or “apex”, predators such as wolves, cougars, lions, and sharks, have declined catastrophically over the past 200 years, due to deliberate or inadvertent human intervention. Delicate ecosystems are now feeling the effects of this shift, as numbers of 60% of “mesopredators”, such as coyotes, rays, and baboons have exploded. Researchers say this problem is global, growing, and severe, and not easily solved. For example, hunters and ranchers who feared livestock attacks by wolves deliberately reduced wolf populations in some areas to the level of endangering the species. Coyote populations were previously kept in check by wolves, but now they run rampant and attack domestic sheep, antelope, and even pets. Attempts to control coyotes have been hugely expensive and ineffective. Similar problems are occurring in Africa, where packs of baboons are harassing people and destroying gardens without the large populations of lions and leopards to keep their numbers down. William Ripple, professor of forest ecosystems and society at Oregon State University (OSU), points out, “This issue is very complex, and a lot of the consequences are not known. […] But there’s evidence that the explosion of mesopredator populations is very severe and has both ecological and economic repercussions. The OSU findings are published in the October issue of Bioscience. The researchers find that “the economic impacts of mesopredators should be expected to exceed those of apex predators in any scenario in which mesopredators contribute to the same or to new conflict with humans.” Among the other findings:
An illustration showing the effects of mesopredator explosion is on OSU’s Flickr photostream.
Re-examining Darwin’s thoughts on species
October 1, 2009 www.physorg.com
James Mallet is a professor of biology at University College London who is writing a book on speciation. He’s set out to “rehabilitate” Darwin’s reputation on species, after it was tarnished by Ernst Mayr (in Mallet’s view). Ernst Mayr was the director of Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology through most of the 1960s, and he frequently used quotes from Darwin to support his view of speciation – that is, that species are clearly distinct entities, evolutionarily separated by accumulated differences that marked them as such. Mallet argues that Darwin’s thinking was actually much different, and more in line with current thoughts on speciation. Darwin saw more of a continuum of lesser distinctions, like varieties, races, hybrids, and others. Mallet cites examples of single species, such as the pea aphid, with differenct “races”, living on different host plants, that are considered the same species and hybridize despite different lifestyles. Recently discovered viable hybrids of wolves and coyotes, or of blue whales and fin whales, lend credence to this more muddied view of speciation, and Mallet wants to be sure Darwin is given due credit.
Baby Pudu Born at the Detroit Zoo
October 1, 2009 www.clickondetroit.com
Detroit, MI -- Detroit Zoo’s new baby pudu is out on display now, in the pudu habitat across from the anteaters and tapirs. Born on August 24, the little male is one of only 28 pudus in U.S. zoos right now. Pudus are native to South America, and can reach heights of 15 inches and weights of up to 30 pounds, making them the world’s smallest dear species.
Cincinatti Zoo Monitors Gorilla Facial Tumor
October 1, 2009 www.wlwt.com
Cincinatti, OH -- 28-year-old Western lowland gorilla Muke is being closely monitored by zookeepers, who are concerned about a large tumor on her face. The zoo’s medical team operated on her last year, and they plan to bring that same medical team back in a few months to take another look at the tumor. Primate team leader Ron Evans says, “Even if it were cancer, it’s not operable,” but the zoo wants to be sure she stays healthy as long as possible. Muke is still raising her three-year-old son, Bakari, and Evans notes, “It’s very important that (Bakari) have his mother available to him as long as possible. It takes gorillas quite a few years – probably 10, and with silverbacks 15 years – to reach full size and there’s a lot of lessons they have to learn like humans.”
Oakland Zoo Baboons Move Into New Panda Exhibit
October 1, 2009 www.insidebayarea.com By Angela Hill
Oakland, CA -- Five hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) at the Oakland Zoo have moved into a new $1 million, 8,100 square foot exhibit that opens to the public on Saturday. The new exhibit is temporarily called Baboon Cliffs, and it features a nursery, air-conditioned holding areas, office space for zoo staff, and a large public viewing deck. If that seems like a lot for the small troop, it is. The space was originally designed as a panda habitat, part of the zoo’s decade-plus negotiation process with China to obtain a pair of the coveted bears. One of China’s prerequisites was a panda-ready facility. Former Oakland Councilmember Henry Chang was one of the driving forces behind the panda deal, and he traveled to China several times for negotiations, arranged funding for the new exhibit, and visited the San Diego Zoo’s panda facilities for design ideas. Chang retired from the council earlier this year and now plans to focus more of his time on the panda procurement. He said, “We’re working very hard on it. And now that I’m retired, I have more time to work on it. The next time you see those gates open, a few pandas will crawl out of the hole.” Once the pandas arrive (in at least another year, if not longer), the baboons will get their own new baboon-specific habitat.
U.K. Honey Bee Study
October 1, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
Researchers at the Rothamsted Institute in Hertfordshire are embarking on a three-year study into how food supplies affect honey bees and their resistance to disease. It is hoped the research will devise new ways of keeping colonies healthy. They plan to look at how nutrition is related to a hive's ability to resist disease. The bees will be allowed limited foraging expeditions, and at the same time diseases in the hive will be monitored.
Buenos Aires Zoo Releases Crowned Eagles
October 1, 2009 english.ntdtv.com
ARGENTINA -- The crowned eagle is one of South America’s most endangered species. Now, three of them at the Buenos Aires zoo are about to be released into the wild. On Wednesday (September 30) these eagles went through the final exercises with their handlers. "Basically with the rehabilitation, it's not like we have to teach them how to hunt. They already know how to do that. What we do is, through a series of exercises, is get their muscle tone back so they are truly in physical condition to live." Each bird will be released where they were found in the coming weeks. They will be fitted with transmitters that will allow researchers to track their movements over the next five years. This group consists of an adult male, an adult female and an immature female. They were picked up in three different Argentine provinces. The male was found a year ago in the northwestern province of Catamarca with a gunshot wound and rehabilitated by bird handlers. The adult female was captured in San Juan province while the immature female was rescued from La Pampa province after her parents died. The slate-grey colored bird can be found in Paraguay, south-east Brazil, and the Argentine Pampas. Habitat destruction and hunting have whittled their numbers to less than 1,000 birds.
Brookfield Zoo Cockatoo Retires
October 1, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com
Cookie, a 76-year-old Major Mitchell's cockatoo, is the only animal left at the Brookfield Zoo that was there when the zoo opened. He came as a 1-year-old from his native Australia, strutting and whistling for visitors. For those who called out his name, he'd squawk back "Cookie," "Cookie-coo" or a simple, shrill "Hi!" "He gets fan mail all the time," said Tim Snyder, the zoo's bird curator. Depending how much Cookie likes them, keepers have to be careful around his razor-sharp beak. "He mostly likes the female keepers," said Snyder. In 2007 Cookie was diagnosed with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Earlier this year, keepers noticed his appetite improved and he relaxed when he was off-exhibit, so they decided to let him "retire" about 10 days ago to the birdkeepers' office, where he gets constant attention. "He seems to want that," said Snyder, though the zoo will put up videos and photos on its Web site for his fans and occasionally bring him out for public events like his June birthday party.
Video of Przewalski’s Horse Born at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
October 2, 2009 www.zooborns.com
Nuruu, a male Przewalski’s horse was born on September 15 at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. He was named after the Khustain Nuruu National Park in Mongolia, where the critically endangered Przewalski’s horses are being reintroduced into the wild. A sister, Ula, was born to Nuruu’s parents last year. The video shows Nuruu closely following his mother, Tuuli, and gives viewers background information about the plight of Przewalski’s horses.
Orangutan Birth at Philadelphia Zoo
October 2, 2009 www.myfoxphilly.com
After months of anticipation, the Philadelphia Zoo is celebrating the birth this morning of a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii). Veterinary and animal care staff are monitoring mom and baby closely, and all appears to be going well. 16-year-old mom Tua has been in constant contact with the baby, carrying and grooming it. This is the first baby for Tua and her 13-year-old mate Sugriwa. The Philadelphia Zoo supports orangutan conservation through its Footprints Program, partnering with the Kinabatangan Forest Restoration Project to plant new habitat for orangutans in Borneo.
Wildlife Disease Photo Galleries
October 2, 2009 wdin.blogspot.com
The Wildlife Disease New Digest Blog has collected a number of image and video galleries that may be helpful to those interested in wildlife diseases. The site says, “A number of these resources provide a broad selection of natural resource images, but on some of the sites, visitors can find specific wildlife disease or wildlife species images using the provided filters and categories.” Galleries include photos of white nose syndrome in bats and avian influenza.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo’s Asian Elephant Calf Video
October 2, 2009 www.zooborns.com
ZSL elephant keeper Andy Durham provides a colorful video monologue about the recent birth of a female Asian elephant calf at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. In addition to elephant birth details, he discusses the calf’s first day or two of life and adjustment, while video of the calf and mom plays. Watch to the midpoint of the video for adorable baby-elephant-falling-asleep-while-standing footage. Asian elephants are an endangered species, native to South and Southeast Asia, where they are suffering from loss of habitat and conflicts with the humans who share their environment.
26 Countries Formally Condemn Icelandic Whale Hunt
October 2, 2009 www.telegraph.co.uk By Louise Gray
The US, UK, and 24 other countries have issued a “demarche”, a formal diplomatic position, against Iceland’s recent decision to maintain their quota of up to 200 fin and 200 minke whales for the 2009/2010 season. Iceland recently killed 79 minke whales and 125 fin whales, both of which are endangered species. Since the ban on commercial whaling was enacted more than two decades ago, fin whales haven’t been killed in such high numbers. UK wildlife minister Huw Irranca-Davies points out that Iceland could make more money from whale watching than from killing the animals. Most of the whale meat will be exported to Japan, which already supports its own controversially heavy whaling industry.
Livestock Grazing Helps Native Plant Recovery from Fires
October 2, 2009 www.sciencedaily.com
Rangeland in the western U.S. is susceptible to invasion by non-native annual grasses such as cheatgrass and medusahead. A 14-year study compared rangelands grazed by livestock and rangelands where livestock had been excluded since 1936. In the grazed rangelands, cattle generally consumed about 40 percent of the available forage, while plant litter had piled up in the ungrazed lands. In 1993, scientists conducted a controlled burn on all the sites, which all had similar vegetation profiles and were nearly free of cheatgrass. Measurements conducted in 2005, 2006, and 2007 revealed that cheatgrass had infested many of the ungrazed sites, but not the grazed ones. Native bunchgrass cover was almost twice as thick on those sites. Hence, the conclusion that the buildup of plant material on the ungrazed land had fueled hotter fires, killing off the native perennial grasses and allowing the quick-growing cheatgrass and other invasives to move in opportunistically. Before human development, the rangelands were historically burned on a regular basis once or twice each century, which naturally kept the plant litter in check. Results from this study are in the journal Ecological Applications. (doi: 10.1890/09-0111.1)
Teton Trek Exhibit With 3 Grizzlies Opens at Memphis Zoo
October 2, 2009 www.wreg.com By Melissa Moon
Memphis, TN – The new $16 million Teton Trek exhibit at the Memphis Zoo will have its grand opening October 10th, but zoo members got a preview today. The exhibit spreads over four acres, and includes three grizzly bears that were orphaned in Montana, as well as its own geyser. The opening comes just after the opening of a five-geyser exhibit last month at the North Carolina zoo. Teton Trek is intended to introduce Memphis area residents to the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park, where the grizzlies were found. The exhibit also includes four young wolves, sandhill cranes, and trumpeter swans, as well as a water habitat where the grizzlies can fish for bass in front of visitors.
Tracking Green Sea Turtle Migration
October 2, 2009 dailyuw.com
University of Exeter scientists are part of the first team to monitor a sea turtle's journey from the Turks and Caicos Islands. The adult female green turtle, named ‘Suzie’ by local fishermen, was fitted with a satellite transmitter tag. She has visited three UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean since her 900km journey, which began in September. Dr Annette Broderick and NERC-funded PhD student, Tom Stringell, both from the School of Biosciences on the University's Cornwall Campus, worked with scientists from the Marine Conservation Society and local agencies on this project. “Tracking sea turtles not only informs conservation management, but is a great educational tool. Before her release Suzie visited local school children and they are now following her progress on the web.” Each of the territories takes a different approach to the management of their turtle fisheries. The Turks and Caicos Islands’ laws prohibit the take of nesting females and their eggs on the nesting beaches, but allow the capture at sea of any turtle with a shell over 20 inches at any time of the year. In the BVI, the laws prohibit the take of nesting females and their eggs on nesting beaches, but allow the capture at sea of green turtles with shells over 24 inches and hawksbill turtles with shells over 15 inches in length, but only during an open season from December to March. The Government of Anguilla, however, imposed a 15-year, temporary ban on all turtle fishing in 2005 in order to allow their turtle populations to recover. The project is carrying out research into the turtle populations and turtle fishery in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), and the satellite tagging work aims to reveal the full ranges of the turtle populations found there. Suzie's tag only transmits when she surfaces to breath, and satellites orbiting in space receive the signals and calculate her location. The Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project team hope to tag a total of six turtles in TCI and will track their migrations remotely via the internet using SEATURTLE.ORG's ground-breaking programme known as STAT. STAT communicates with the satellite system to plot online maps of the turtles movements each day. Suzie's progress can be tracked here: http://www.mcsuk.org
African Cattle To Be Vaccinated Against East Coast Fever
October 2, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A vaccine is being mass-produced in a drive to protect African cattle against a deadly tick-transmitted parasite that causes East Coast fever and kills one cow every 30 seconds – with one million a year dying of the disease. Calves are particularly susceptible. In herds kept by the pastoral Maasai people, the disease kills from 20 to over 50 per cent of all unvaccinated calves. 25 million cattle are at risk in the 11 countries where the disease is now endemic, and endangers a further 10 million animals in new regions such as southern Sudan, where the disease has been spreading at a rate of more than 30 kilometres a year. The vaccine could save the 11 affected countries at least £175 million a year. The immunization procedure is called "infection-and-treatment" because the animals are infected with whole parasites while being treated with antibiotics to stop development of disease. The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), at the request of the Africa Union/Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and chief veterinary officers in affected countries, have produced one million doses of vaccine, and with UK£16.5 million provided by DFID and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the charity GALVmed is fostering innovative commercial means to begin the registration, commercial distribution and delivery of this new batch of the vaccine.
Toxic Snow Takes Toll on Tadpoles
October 2, 2009 www.usgs.gov
Pesticides can travel hundreds of miles and turn up in some unexpected places. Scientists from the USGS and Southern Illinois University are linking declines in frog populations in the Sierra Nevada mountains with pesticides used on farms in the San Joaquin Valley. These pesticides can travel by wind to contaminate the snow falling in the Sierra Nevada. When the snow melts in the spring, pesticides in the runoff contaminate areas where foothill yellow-legged frogs and Pacific treefrogs breed. In the study, the pesticides endosulfan and chlorpyrifos slowed tadpole growth and development. Chlorpyrifos also affected functioning of the nervous system, and endosulfan caused developmental abnormalities. These factors can alter behavior and make tadpoles more vulnerable to predators.
Ardipithecus – Last Common Ancestor with African Apes
October 2, 2009 www.sciencemag.org
Genomic comparisons have established the chimpanzee and bonobo as our closest living relatives. Evidence from Ardipithecus ramidus now suggests that the last common ancestor lacked the hand, foot, pelvic, vertebral, and limb structures and proportions specialized for suspension, vertical climbing, and knuckle-walking among extant African apes. If this hypothesis is correct, each extant African ape genus must have independently acquired these specializations from more generalized ancestors who still engaged in arboreal climbing and bridging. The specialized locomotor anatomies and behaviors of chimpanzees and gorillas are poor models for the origin and evolution of human bipedality. The picture emerging from Ardipithecus ramidus is that this last common ancestor had limb proportions more like those of monkeys than apes. Its feet functioned only partly like those of apes and much more like those of living monkeys and early apes such as Proconsul (which lived more than 15 million years ago). Its lower back was mobile and probably had six lumbar vertebrae rather than the three to four seen in the stiff backs of African apes. Its hand was unpredictably unique: Not only was its thumb musculature robust, unlike that of an ape, but its midcarpal joint (in the wrist) allowed the wrist to bend backward to a great degree, enhancing its ability to move along tree branches on its palms. None of the changes that apes have evolved to stiffen their hands for suspension and vertical climbing were present, so its locomotion did not resemble that of any living ape. The hominid descendant of the last common ancestor we shared with chimpanzees (the CLCA), Ardipithecus, became a biped by modifying its upper pelvis without abandoning its grasping big toe. It was therefore an unpredicted and odd mosaic. It appears, unlike Au. afarensis, to have occupied the basal adaptive plateau of hominid natural history. Authors Lovejoy, Suwa, Simpson, Matternes, and White say that “It is so rife with anatomical surprises that no one could have imagined it without direct fossil evidence.” The October 2 issue of Science is devoted to the science of Au. ramidus.
Sumatran Orangutan Born at Philadelphia Zoo
October 3, 2009 www.philly.com By Tom Avril
Tua, the the Philadelphia Zoo’s 16-year-old Sumatran orangutan delivered a baby yesterday at 8 a.m. Tua cleared mucus from the baby's nostrils. As happens in the wild, the mother also ate the placenta, said Kim Lengel, general curator at the zoo. "She's got the baby kind of tucked in close to her. She's made a nest." The first-time mother is engaging in proper maternal behavior and all seems well so far. The father is Sugriwa. It is the zoo's first baby orangutan in 17 years. There are now 83 sumatran orangutans in North American zoos with the new addition. They are seen as ambassadors for educating people about their wild brethren, and they also serve as a living storehouse of genetic information.
Cataract Surgery for Metrozoo Gorilla
October 3, 2009 www.miamiherald.com BY ELINOR J. BRECHER
Josephine, a 42-year-old, 160-pound grandmother no longer socialized with the other gorillas and lagged behind at feeding time. The cause was thick cataracts in both eyes – nearly immobilizing her. But Friday, a team of veterinary and medical specialists donated their services to restore her sight. Alcon Laboratories sent equipment, supplies and a technician. Dr. Frank Spektor, the Kendall ophthalmologist adapted a procedure he performs on humans to the needs of a gorilla. He was assisted by zoo vet Dr. Christine Miller, Dr. Tim J. Cutler of Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists in Wellington, and Dr. Lorraine Karpinski of Pinecrest Veterinary Hospital -- veterinary ophthalmologists who have done cataract surgery on dogs, cats, horses, even birds. Miller, the zoo vet, drew blood, inserted a catheter in her right arm and a breathing tube down her throat, and listened to her heart. Spektor struggled to navigate Josephine's ridgy brows and cheeks with a handheld keratometer -- a scanning device that transmits cornea measurements to an ultrasound screen. The measurements dictate what power the lenses should be. Because the cataract was so thick and milky, the membrane covering it like plastic wrap wasn't easy to see. In a procedure more common with dogs than people, according to Cutler, they injected blue dye into the membrane for contrast. That made it easier to cut a tiny round hole in the membrane through which they would extract the cataract and then insert the replacement lens. A machine, operated by a foot pedal, injects fluid and ultrasound vibrations into the eye, emulsifying the cataract -- "turns it into a milkshake,'' Cutler said -- then vacuums out the goo. After inserting the lens and then closing the hole with a single nylon suture, the doctors proceeded to do the second eye. The entire operation took 3 hours. The procedure, although rare, has also been done at zoos in Dallas and Salt Lake City.
Behavioral Ecology - Winged warnings
October 3, 2009 www.nature.com By Graeme D. Ruxton
Animals gain various anti-predatory benefits from forming groups. One such benefit is that an individual in a group can be alerted to danger by a group-mate, rather than by detecting the predator itself. But the reliability of these alarm calls is often unclear, in that they could use the technique to reduce competition for food. Although the evidence for deception is equivocal, false alarms may be common if there is little cost to producing the alarm call when no predator is present. In many species, group members that detect a predator do not give an obvious alarm vocalization, but simply flee. A recent article in Proceedings of the Royal Society by Hingee and Magrath shows that the rattle-like whistling sound generated by the flapping of a fleeing crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) can be reliably associated with flight in response to a predator, and that this information is used by group-mates to trigger their own anti-predatory behavior. The whistling sound is generated by the movement of air across the wing. Because birds must take flight to produce the signal, the high energetic cost of flapping flight will discourage false alarms. Flock-mates can differentiate between the noises made by different types of flight, and in the authors' experiments they took flight in response to a playback of sound emitted by birds in alarmed flight but not to the sounds that birds make in other, non-predator-driven, departures from the flock.
Great Ape Trust May Move Some Operations to Blank Park Zoo
October 3, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com
DES MOINES, Iowa - Officials at the Great Ape Trust are considering moving some of the group's orangutans and research work to Des Moines' Blank Park Zoo. Such a move could be part of the zoo's proposed $40 million expansion plan. Zoo CEO Mark Vukovich says it would cost about $6 million to pay for facilities to accommodate the orangutans and staff from the ape trust. Ape Trust is considering the move, in part because flood-prone conditions at its southeast Des Moines location have made expansion impractical. The ape trust is responsible for 11 orangutans, six live at the ape trust and five are elsewhere.
Ecuadorean Immigrants Expelled from Galapagos
October 4, 2009 www.nytimes.com By SIMON ROMERO
PUERTO AYORA, Galápagos Islands —The booming human population of the Galapagos archipelago, 600 miles off Ecuador’s Pacific coast, has doubled to about 30,000 in the last decade. The growth is already harming the ecosystem that allowed the islands’ more famous inhabitants —giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies to evolve in isolation before mainlanders started colonizing the islands more than a century ago. The growth has become enough of a threat to the environment that even the government, which still welcomes growth in the tourism industry, has expelled more than 1,000 poor Ecuadoreans in the past year from a province that they feel is rightfully theirs, and it is in the process of expelling many more. But the measures are feeding a backlash among unskilled migrants. The United Nations put the Galápagos on its list of endangered heritage sites in 2007. Scientists here said people had already done significant damage, pointing to fuel spills, the poaching of giant tortoises and sharks and the introduction of invasive species — including rats, cattle and fire ants — that threaten animals endemic to the Galápagos. Even seemingly benign human activities like owning a pet can have outsize consequences here. “With people come cats, and with cats come threats to other animals found nowhere else in the world,” said Fernando Ortiz, coordinator of the Galápagos program for Conservation International.
Solar Power for Wildlife Research
October 4, 2009 www.sfgate.com By David R. Baker
Stephan Gold, a San Francisco building contractor, assembles solar-power kits for wildlife researchers in the field. As a volunteer for the Wildlife Conservation Network in Los Altos, he works with the researchers to figure out the equipment they'll need, gathers it from companies willing to donate to a worthy cause, boxes it up with instructions and ships it to far-flung corners of the world. Since he started in 2006, Gold has shipped 11 of his solar kits to conservation projects in the wild. But they work, giving researchers a reliable way to power their computers, blood-sample freezers and satellite data transmitters. Field researchers often rely on diesel generators for juice. But generators can be loud - a problem if you're studying wildlife. And in many places in the developing world, fuel isn't always available. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants, uses one of Gold’s systems. "It revolutionized our life out there," Douglas-Hamilton said. "We now have a completely clear flow of power there night and day." Rebecca Klein, managing director for Cheetah Conservation Botswana, used one of the kits to power a new camp in the Kalahari. In the rainy season, if it's cloudy for days on end, yes, you have to be careful about your power usage," she said. "But that hasn't happened too often." Gold, who owns Electra Plumbing and Construction, has been a solar aficionado for years. His donors include BP Solar, Beronio Lumber, OutBack Power Systems and Solar Depot. Some of the companies donate the equipment outright, while others supply it at or below wholesale cost. He collects panels, invertors, wiring, rechargeable batteries, solar water heaters. The researchers who receive the gear are chosen by Gold on behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Network, and not all of them get the same equipment. A kit bound for Tanzania, will be different from one shipped to Mongolia. Gold tries to make sure every kit is self-contained. For more information on the Wildlife Conservation Network's solar power initiative, go to www.wcnsolarproject.org.
Faculty of 1000 Supports Animal Research
October 5, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
In a recent commentary, "We must face the threats", in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers Dario Ringach and David Jentsch spoke out against animal rights extremism. They urged the scientific community to stand together and fight misconceptions about experiments using animals. That their plea has been heard is clear from the unanimously positive response it received on the Faculty of 1000 Biology website. Faculty of 1000 Biology is an online service where leading researchers from around the world review papers in their field that catch their eye. Faculty members choose the articles they highlight and rarely has a paper received as much attention and praise as this piece on animal rights extremism. Within a week it became the most highly-rated paper of the past few years. Corrina Darian-Smith of Stanford University calls it "a must read and an inspiration for us all". Murray Sherman of the University of Chicago and Peter König of the Institute for Cognitive Science in Germany both recommend the article for a wider audience than just scientists, König suggesting it become part of school curricula.
Calgary Zoo Tiger Mauling
October 5, 2009 www.edmontonsun.com By JENNA MCMURRAY
Police and Calgary Zoo officials are investigating an incident where two men were attacked by a Siberian tiger after allegedly breaking into zoo property around 1 a.m. this morning. The two men, both aged 27, are believed to have scaled an eight-foot fence to gain access to the zoo and then climbed over a 42-inch fence outside the tiger enclosure and approached the cage where the zoo's three tigers live. Zookeepers believe Vitali, a two-year-old male tiger, hooked onto one of the men's arms with his claws. Though it is not known how this happened, zoo officials said tigers cannot reach outside the cage so the men were likely pressed up against or reaching inside the cage. Both men suffered injuries in the attack and were taken to hospital after calling the personal cell phone of one of their friends who happened to be an on duty security officer at the zoo. Vitali has been examined by the zoo's vet and is now back on display.
New Vet Hospital for Roger Williams Zoo
October 5, 2009 www.andavisitor.com By Jan Mariani
PROVIDENCE, RI – The Roger Williams Zoo has begun construction of a new veterinary hospital, slated for opening in late 2010. Compared to other zoos of its size, Roger Williams Park Zoo has an impressive veterinary staff, including two full-time veterinarians and veterinary technicians. But over the years they have been challenged by the space limitations in the basement of what was originally a working barn. The current hospital requires that a variety of medical functions be performed in the same space. The new hospital, with 55% more square footage, will provide appropriate and separate facilities for each function. The setting for the new hospital will be removed from other zoo operations, providing a quieter area for care for sick and quarantined animals, as well as excellent access to a dedicated service road and secured gate. This is important for more efficient animal handling for new acquisitions or dispositions. Construction will cost approximately $3.8 million.
International Zoo Leaders Convene in St. Louis
October 5, 2009 www.stltoday.com By Kim McGuire
More than 200 of the world's top zoo officials are in St. Louis this week for the Worldwide Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conference., which is being sponsored by the St. Louis Zoo. This year's theme is "Zoos and Aquariums: Global challenges, opportunities and strategies". Much of the conference focused on maintaining species biodiversity worldwide, particularly in biodiversity "hot spots," most of which are in tropical rainforests. Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, said a hot spot that is home to a number of animal species found nowhere else in the world. The effort to protect those species, he said, got a huge boost when Madagascar's president pledged in 2003 to triple the amount of land in designated protected areas. In December 2008, Conservation International was on the verge of declaring Madagascar a success story when, a month later, a former disc jockey staged a government coup, overthrew the elected president and declared himself the new leader. The country's conservation efforts have since stalled, but he advised zoo officials not to give up on biodiversity-rich countries. Simon Stuart, chairman of the species survival commission for IUCN said the organization has been compiling lists of animals and plants threatened with extinction since 1948. Last year, the group reported that one in every four animals was threatened with extinction. Stuart said zoos can play a major role in reversing those trends, especially because they have such a broad audience reach. More than 600 million visitors pass through the zoos and aquariums in the association's network each year.
$9 Million in Ocean Grants to National Aquariums
October 5, 2009 www.noaanews.noaa.gov
NOAA today announced 11 grants totaling more than $9 million that will create new education projects in aquariums across the nation. The projects will educate visitors about the ocean and encourage better stewardship of the marine environment. The grants were made to the following AZA accredited organizations:
*Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, Calif.: “Aquarium of the Pacific's Ocean Science Center,” $985,306
*Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, Monterey, Calif.: “Climate Change and the Ocean: Awareness to Action,” $913,593 and “A National Coalition of Aquariums Educating about Climate Change,” $502,050
*National Aquarium in Baltimore, Inc.: “A National Coalition of Aquariums Educating about Climate Change,” $484,184
*New England Aquarium Corporation, Boston: “A National Coalition of Aquariums Educating about Climate Change,” $504,726, and “Summer Science in New England: Ocean Education through Informal Science Centers,” $342,232
*North Carolina Aquarium Society, Raleigh: “Using Marine Mammals to Communicate Solutions to Ocean Issues,” $580,339
*Sea Research Foundation (in association with Mystic Aquarium), Mystic, Conn.: “Exploring Inner Space: Linking Aquariums with Ocean Scientists,” $1,799,964
*Shedd Aquarium Society, Chicago: “Shedd‐NOAA Partnership for Student, Teacher and Public Engagement,” $1,100,000
*Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga: “Connecting Tennessee to the World Ocean,” $1,275,903
*The Florida Aquarium, Inc., Tampa: “Climate Change Community Outreach Initiative,” $627,082
The projects were selected based on the importance, relevance and applicability of stated goals; technical and scientific merit; overall qualification of the proposing applicants; feasibility of the project to meet time and cost goals; and whether the project provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy related to NOAA’s mission to protect the nation’s natural resources.
John Ball Zoo Budget Crisis
October 6, 2009 www.mlive.com
GRAND RAPIDS -- John Ball Zoo could increase its daily admission prices by $1 next year and close during the winter months to help Kent County offset declining revenues. If the commission approves the $1 hike, it would be the second fee increase in three years. Prices increased by $1.50 in March 2008 to $7.50 for adults and $5.50 for children "Even if we were to increase the ticket price, we are still a very reasonable opportunity for most families," said zoo director Bert Vescolani, adding that the attraction offers discounted days. Vescolani said attendance drops off significantly during the winter, and he's submitted a proposed budget that would save the county more than $778,000 in 2010 by increasing fees, eliminating the winter hours and making other adjustments. The zoo's total 2009 budget was about $4.5 million, offset by about $1.5 million in fees. The zoo has 36 full-time employees but hires a number of seasonal workers.
Habitat Protection for Polar Bear Sought
October 6, 2009 www.nytimes.com by Allison Winter
The Interior Department has sent its proposed rule to establish protections for the polar bear to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. The habitat protections will add another layer in what has become a complicated process for protecting the bear, fraught with concerns and legal complaints from environmentalists and industry groups. The habitat protections could create more controversy over how federal officials should deal with climate change that is changing the bear's current habitat and what level of protections the bears need from oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. Melting sea ice is the greatest threat to the polar bears. But both the Bush and Obama administrations balked at setting national climate policy under the auspices of the Endangered Species Act or using the act itself to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. An exception included in the polar bear's listing rule allows oil and gas companies to operate in the bear's habitat, prompting environmentalists to sue the administration. "The [habitat designation] would have to cover not only the habitat where the polar bear already exists, but the habitat that the polar bear lost," said Bill Snape of the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that sued over the bear. "And it is going to have to do something to take into account global warming and Arctic melting." The settlement, filed in federal court in California last year, sets a deadline of June 30, 2010, for Interior to designate critical habitat.
Loggerhead Shrike Conservation on San Clemente Island
October 6, 2009 www.latimes.com
At a cost of $20 million, the Navy has been trying since the early 1990s to revive the loggerhead shrike on its San Clemente Island, the southernmost of California's Channel Islands. This subspecies is often called the most endangered songbird in North America, and a male named Trampas is the king stud of the shrike community. Hatched in captivity in 2001, Trampas has sired 62 chicks in eight breeding seasons. From those chicks have come 93 grandchicks, 61 great-grandchicks and 25 great-great-grandchicks. His progeny have their own group name: the “Trampines”. Once the population was barely a dozen, but now there are 80 breeding pairs in the wild and an additional 63 individual birds in captivity as part of a breeding program run by the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research. Trampas’ territory is near the zoo's research facility on the eastern edge of San Clemente Island. "He gives you a front-row seat to shrike mating behavior," said Jaelean Carrero, a research coordinator for the zoo's shrike effort. This year, his mate suffered a broken wing, possibly caused by an attack from a nest-raiding raven. Although airlifted to the veterinary hospital at the San Diego Zoo for treatment, she could not be saved. Back on the island, Trampas found a new mate but no chicks came of their coupling. Trampas is known as SB424. His nickname was given to him by a zoo researcher in honor of a childhood pal from Oklahoma. Susan Farabaugh is the conservation program manager. The island's southern end is used as an aerial and ship-to-shore bombardment range; at the other end, Navy SEALs from Coronado and Marines from Camp Pendleton practice amphibious assaults. As the shrike population has increased, the military has been allowed greater use of the bombardment area, even if it means some shrikes nesting there might be killed -- a process called "incidental take." Since 9/11, training has increased on the island, which is 24 miles long and up to 4 miles wide. A $20-million "combat town" was built for exercises simulating the kind of house-to-house fighting that Marines encountered in Fallouja, Iraq, in 2004. More than 300 military personnel live on the island, along with several researchers from the zoo, five endangered or threatened animal species and six endangered or threatened plant species. Colorado State University has a Navy contract to study the fox population.
Two Slender-horned Gazelles Born at Living Desert
October 6, 2009 www.mydesert.com
The Living Desert today announced the birth of two female slender-horned gazelles, a critically endangered species that was once one of the most common gazelles in the Sahara Desert. The first baby, weighing 3.1 pounds, was born on Sep. 24. The second, weighing 3.6 pounds, was born on Sep. 27. Both are doing well. Once found in Algeria and Mauritania and eastward to Egypt and Sudan, the slender-horned gazelle is endangered and believed to be decreasing under pressure from hunting and increased human activity. The only animals now surviving in the wild live in inaccessible desert locations or on preserves. "Over the years there have been 41 slender-horned gazelle births at The Living Desert," said Liz Hile, curator of animals.
Ganges River Dolphin Conservation
October 6, 2009 economictimes.indiatimes.com
There are fewer than 2,000 Ganges River Dolphins, according to Mr Parikshit Gautam, director of WWF-India’s freshwater and wetland programme. The freshwater dolphin, a blind species, is mainly found in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems in India. Construction of dams and barrages, increase in pollution-levels, indiscriminate fishing, the dreadful prospect of the mammal getting entangled in nets — all these factors have contributed to a reduction in their numbers in two river systems. In the Ganges, the dolphin mainly found in the Bijnore-Narora section in Uttar Pradesh and the Vikramshila sanctuary in Bihar. Thanks to greater involvement of the community and stakeholders and application of modern technology, WWF-India has been able to save these mammals from getting depleted. A recent census undertaken by WWF-India team estimated that there were 53 dolphins in this stretch of the Ganges, which has more than doubled since 1996 when WWF-India initiated this project. With the Centre declaring it as a national animal, hopes that more steps would be taken to protect them have soared. The tiger is a national mammal and peacock is a national bird.
Toronto Zoo Releases Black-Footed Ferrets in Canada
October 6, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
For the first time in more than 70 years, black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) are now living wild in Canadia. Last Friday, the Toronto Zoo released 34 black-footed ferrets into the prairies of Grasslands National Park in southern Saskatchewan near the U.S. border. The endangered species—once "probably the rarest mammals on Earth," according to the Black-Footed Ferret Recovery Program—disappeared from Canada in 1937, and was thought to have gone completely extinct around 1974. About half of this batch of released ferrets were born in the Toronto Zoo's ferret breeding program, and then temporarily transferred to a similar facility in the U.S., where they had a chance to practice their hunting and survival skills in a controlled environment before being released into the Canadian wild. The chance discovery of the world's last population of around 130 ferrets near Meeteetse, Wyo., in 1981 kicked off a long conservation saga that has now led to successful reintroductions in eight U.S. states, Mexico and now, at last, Canada. It almost didn't happen. Soon after its discovery, the Meeteetse population was devastated by canine distemper and sylvatic plague (a variation of bubonic plague). The world's last 18 M. nigripes were captured between 1985 and 1987, and formed the core of a breeding program that today finds the species' numbers at around 1,000 individuals, a quarter of which now live in the wild. Luckily for the Canadian ferrets, their new home is not only abundant with prairie dogs, their main food source, but is also currently plague-free. This is just the start for the Canadian population. Another 30 to 40 ferrets will be released into the wild annually for the next few years.
How Trees Respond to Increased CO2
October 6, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A recent article by Dr. Abraham Miller-Rushing and his colleagues at Boston University was published in the October issue of the American Journal of Botany, and explores how increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) may be affecting trees and, ultimately, our ecosystem’s water and carbon cycles. It is known that increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 changes the stomata or pores on the surface of plant leaves. Stomata allow air (containing CO2) to pass into the leaf while water vapor passes out. Plants use carbon dioxide to produce sugars during the process of photosynthesis. With increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2, stomatal density decreases while rates of photosynthesis increase. The decrease in stomatal density results in decreased water loss through the leaves. “This can alter ecosystem-scale water and carbon cycling," Miller-Rushing said. "For example, soil moisture, runoff, and river flows might increase and drought tolerance in individual plants might improve." The relationship between atmospheric CO2 concentrations and stomatal density is so constant over the long term that scientists are able to use stomatal density of fossilized leaves to determine historical atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, short-term responses to changes in CO2 concentrations have previously been found to be much more variable. "We currently do not know how the anatomy and water relations of individual trees will respond to changes in climate and atmospheric concentrations of CO2 over their lifetimes," Miller-Rushing said. The study analyzed the stomatal density on leaves, the length of the cells that surround the stomata, and the leaves' efficiency of water use in 27 trees growing at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston, for the past century. By examining several dried specimens from each plant that had been collected over the past hundred years, they were able to assess these characteristics in a temporal framework. Intrinsic water use efficiency did not change significantly over time, suggesting that it may not respond to changes in CO2 concentrations over the lifetimes of individual trees, possibly because of compensating changes in stomatal density and guard cell size. As understanding the rippling impacts caused by various changes to the environment becomes increasingly more important, proper methodology to address these questions has become essential. The full article is at: http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/96/10/1779
Greater Bamboo Lemur Populations Found
October 7, 2009 news.mongabay.com
A scientific expedition has found one of the Madagascar's rarest lemurs in a region where it was once thought to be extinct. With help from local communities, scientists spotted the Greater Bamboo Lemur (Prolemur simus) at 11 sites in Ankeniheny-Zahamena, a remote expanse of rainforest northeast of Madagascar's capital city of Antananarivo. Ankeniheny-Zahamena will soon be declared the Indian Ocean island's newest protected area. The species, which feeds almost exclusively on Giant bamboo, was believed to be extinct prior to its rediscovery in the 1980s. Its population is estimated 100-300 in the wild. The survey was conducted by the Aspinall Foundation; Conservation International; Association Mitsinjo, a community-based conservation organization that trains guides and runs reforestation projects; and GERP.
Dudley Zoo Enclosures on World Heritage List
October 7, 2009 www.dailymail.co.uk
A new international watch list highlighting greatest world heritage sites includes the ancient city of Machu Picchu – and animal enclosures at Dudley Zoo. The 12 modernist Tecton buildings at the zoo are ranked among the world’s most important buildings considered to be at risk, according to the latest biannual list from the World Monuments Fund. Built between 1935 and 1937, they include six animal enclosures. The report says, “The buildings help define the zoo’s identity and unique character while remaining a significant architectural achievement.” The watchlist names 93 sites thought to be under threat in 47 countries
Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan
October 7, 2009 www.epa.gov
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces availability for public review and comment of the Draft Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan (Draft Plan). The Draft Plan addresses the Sacramento River winter-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), the Central Valley spring-run Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) ESU, and the Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Central Valley Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the Draft Plan. Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on December 7, 2009. Please send to Brian Ellrott, National Marine Fisheries Service, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 8- 300, Sacramento, CA 95816. Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to CentralValleyPlan.SWR@noaa.gov . Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following identifier: "Comments on Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Draft Plan.’’ Electronic copies of the Draft Plan are available on-line on the NMFS website.
Alligators Display Mating Habits of Birds
October 7, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
LOUISIANA - - A ten-year-study by scientists from the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory reveals that up to 70% of alligator females living in the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (RWR) in Louisiana chose to remain with their partner for many years. Drs. Travis Glenn, Ruth Elsey, Tracey Tuberville and Stacey Lance, didn’t expect to see such fidelity given how open and dense the alligator population is at RWR. They found that 70% of re-trapped females showed mate fidelity. This new discovery gives a new insight into the complex mating system of the alligator. Parental care is typically lacking in most reptiles, but not crocodilians who display parental care though nurturing young and defending the nest. In 2001 multiple paternity was discovered as the alligator mating system, yet it remains unknown as to how this benefits the species. Crocodilians are the sole surviving reptilian archosaurs, a group of ancient reptiles that includes dinosaurs and gave rise to birds. It is this evolutionary relationship to birds which means crocodilians are in a unique phylogenetic position to provide information about the ancestral mating systems of both birds and many dinosaurs. The study appears in the current Molecular Ecology.
Dama Gazelle Born at National Zoo
October 7, 2009 www.nbcwashington.com
Female Adara and male Rajih are the parents of a new baby girl who was born Friday, Oct. 2. The calf kiddo weighed 11 pounds at birth. The dama gazelle population is listed as critically endangered. The Species Survival Plan is currently managing 120 dama gazelles in the United States.
3 Lion Cubs Born at Columbus Zoo
October 7, 2009 www.vindy.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A healthy boy and two girl African lions were born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium two weeks ago. The three cubs weigh between 5.7 pounds and 6.7 pounds. The cubs were born to first-time mother Asali and father Tomo.
Pudu Birth at Detroit Zoo
October 7, 2009 www.dailytribune.com
ROYAL OAK —The birth of a male pudu on August 24th at the Detroit Zoo brings the captive population to 28. The baby’s mother arrived from another zoo in February as a mate for the Detroit Zoo’s lone male. The two were paired at the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Population Management Plan for pudus. The PMP is a cooperative management plan to ensure genetically healthy, diverse and self-sustaining populations of threatened and endangered species. Scott Carter, the zoo’s director of conservation and animal welfare, said the pudu is the world’s smallest species of deer.
City of Amarillo Expands Zoo
October 7, 2009 www.newschannel10.com By Larry Lemmons
AMARILLO, Texas – The Amarillo zoo will become larger as the city has renewed its commitment to its expansion. Today, more than $100,000 was given to the zoo by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help pay for a new education center. October 24th will be the first day a fee will be collected for admission into the zoo. Three dollars for adults, one dollar for kids. The new Herpetarium will also open that day. Larry Offerdahl, the Director of Parks and Recreations says, “Well, we want to double the size of the zoo over the next ten to fifteen years, but charging a very modest fee, to come out to the zoo and they know that 100 percent of that fee is going into the zoo improvement fund.” The new Education Center will provide programs for kids all over the Panhandle and is the next step toward getting accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Ultimately the zoo will have a permanent vet. Offerdahl says, “We’re going to operate a clinic and have a small hospital at the zoo. This will also be a public/private partnership.”
California Condor Release at Pinnacles
October 7, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Bill LaMarche
PORTLAND, OR – The California condor’s former range extended across much of North America during the Pleistocene Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago. By 1940, that range had been reduced to the coastal mountains of Southern California, and in 1967 condors were added to the first federal list of endangered species. In 1987, the 17 condors remaining in the wild were brought into captivity and a captive-breeding program was developed. The Oregon Zoo’s condor recovery efforts take place at the Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation, in rural Clackamas County. The center is currently home to 38 condors and has produced 23 fertile eggs since it was established in 2004. Of the 23 eggs hatched in Oregon, 19 chicks have survived; two eggs were sent to other facilities for hatching. In 2001, the Oregon Zoo became the third zoo in the nation to join the California Condor Recovery Program. California condor captive-breeding programs are also operated at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, the Los Angeles Zoo and the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey. Recently, a young female condor, Ewauna, was released in California’s Pinnacles National Monument, joining 22 other wild condor residents in the 26,000-acre park. Oregon Zoo officials expect condors Yak’Mo and Kalak-ala also will be released in the coming weeks at sites in Southern California and the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona, respectively. Ewauna (No. 481), Yak’Mo (No. 496) and Kalak-ala (No. 487), all female, were hatched and raised at the zoo before being transferred this summer to the Peregrine Fund’s World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho, in preparation for their release. The California Condor Recovery Program began reintroducing birds to the wild in 1992, and thanks to continued efforts from its recovery partners, there are now more than 160 condors flying free in California, Arizona and Mexico.
Bird Vision Study
October 7, 2009 www.physorg.com
QUEENSLAND, Australia – Scientists at Queensland University have shown that birds' amazing flight and landing precision relies on their ability to detect “edges”. Although a lot is known about the visual cues that help birds navigate when flying over long distances, this is the first study to reveal how budgies navigate from moment to moment and choose where they land, said researcher Partha Bhagavatula. “Our results reflect studies on edge detection in bees and primates and suggest that edge detection is critical to helping all animals, including humans, move around. Color vision is important when it comes to recognizing objects, but these findings suggest you don’t need it in order to do many day to day tasks,” said Professor Mandyam Srinivasan. “Birds can see in all three of the human primary colors – red, blue and green – and also ultraviolet, but their edge detection skills appear to be color-blind,” said Bhagavatula. This suggests that the ability to detect edges may have evolved before color vision in birds and may be more useful for navigating in their environment. The findings also suggest that edge detection may be the key to creating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and flying robots that can dodge objects while travelling through cluttered environments, a biomimicry application that is in high demand. The study will be published in PloS ONE on 7 October, 2009. It is freely available at: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007301
Scarlet Ibis Diet Determines Part of Color
October 7, 2009 www.eznc.org
Scarlet ibises are a bright red birds with blue-black wing tips. The diet of the birds partly determines their color: It is caused by a pigment (canthaxantine) that is present in shrimps and small crabs. Besides shrimps and crabs, the bird’s diet consists of crayfish, small snakes, frogs, insects and invertebrates. In zoos, a pigment is mixed in with the ibises’ food to retain their beautiful red colour, because the food in zoos does not always contain enough natural pigment. Red ibises (Eudocimus ubber) are ostrich-like birds. Their natural habitat is the entire north side of the Amazon river basin, including Suriname. The red ibises breed in large colonies. They search for food in shallow waters along the coast and in mud.
Emerging Disease Surveillance Project in EU
October 7, 2009 www.sciencedaily.com
Sixty-one per cent of known pathogens are zoonotic – diseases that have crossed over from animals to humans. Avian influenza (H5N1), rabies, plague, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and more recently swine flu (H1N1) are all examples. Experts at The University of Nottingham plan to develop a pan-European surveillance system to monitor emerging and re-emerging infections in wildlife with EU funding of €6m. 13 partners and a network of over 22 wildlife specialists in 24 European and neighboring countries are participating in the program entitled: ‘Novel Technologies for Surveillance of Emerging and Re-emerging Infections of Wildlife (WildTech)’. They hope to develop cutting edge molecular technologies which will enable a single sample from a wildlife species to be tested for multiple pathogens in a single experiment.
USDA Plan for Yellowstone Animal Disease
October 7, 2009 www.forbes.com
BILLINGS, Mont. -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking comments on a proposal to designate the Yellowstone region as a special management zone for the animal disease brucellosis. The disease causes cows and wildlife including elk and bison to prematurely abort their young. Eradicated elsewhere in the nation, brucellosis has turned up at least seven times over the last decade in parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. In the past, infections in cattle led the USDA to impose to statewide trade restrictions. Under the new proposal, the Yellowstone area would be separated from the rest of the three states for purposes of managing the disease.
Book Review: Zoos in the 21st Century
October 7, 2009 www.wiley.com
San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research P.I., Ron Swaisgood provides a detailed review of a new book: Zoos in the 21st Century: Catalysts for Conservation. It is part of the Cambridge University Press series on conservation biology, and tackles the diverse issues facing zoos attempting to reinvent themselves as conservation organizations. This edited volume stems from a symposium, Catalysts for Conservation, held in London in 2004. The review appears in the journal Conservation Biology, Volume 23, No. 5, 2009
Nominees for Indianapolis Prize Announced
October 7, 2009 www.indystar.com By Tom Spalding
29 individuals that have dedicated their lives to saving the Earth’s endangered species have been nominated for the $100,000 2009 Indianapolis Prize:
Gerardo Ceballos, Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico: Leader in designing conservation strategies for endangered species and threatened ecosystems;
Nigel Collar, BirdLife International: Researched and compiled a unique and comprehensive dataset on globally threatened bird species
Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Save the Elephants: Founded Save the Elephants;
Karen Eckert, Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network:
Ruth M. Elsey, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: American alligator sustainability
George Fenwick, American Bird Conservancy: Founded American Bird Conservancy;
Rodney Fox, Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions/Fox Shark Research Foundation: Miracle survivor of one of the world's worst shark attacks; regarded as a world authority on Great White Shark
Birute Mary Galdikas, Orangutan Foundation International:
Paul Garber, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: research, conservation involving Latin American monkeys
Jack Hanna, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Public face of zoos
Maurice Hornocker, Selway Institute; Conservation of large carnivores, including the first-ever field investigation of cougars.
Rick Hudson, Fort Worth Zoo; International Iguana Foundation; IUCN Turtle Survival Alliance:
Lisa Hywood, Tikki Hywood Trust: Zimbabwe's wildlife
Rodney Jackson, Snow Leopard Conservancy:
Jana Johnson, Moorpark College, The Butterfly Project:
James Earl Kennamer, National Wild Turkey Federation:
Thomas H. Kunz, Boston University: conservation and teaching of bat ecology, behavior.
Amanda Lollar, Bat World Sanctuary: Established Bat World Sanctuary,
Dr. Edward Louis Jr., Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo: Island biogeography, including the discovery of 30 percent of known lemurs to date.
Laurie Marker, Cheetah Conservation Fund: Founder
Stephen McCulloch, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution: Created legislation to fund several ongoing marine mammal research and conservation programs
Rodrigo Medellin, University of Mexico: Bat research
Gregory Rasmussen, Painted Dog Conservation: Founder
Dr. Patrick T. Redig, The Raptor Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of MN
Lente Lidia Roode, Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre: Established Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre,
Patrick Rose, Save the Manatee Club:
Carl Safina, Blue Ocean Institute:
Simon Stuart, IUCN-World Conservation Union: Developed the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria
Amanda Vincent, The University of British Columbia: First person to study seahorses underwater.
San Diego Zoo’s Panda Naming Contest
October 7, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com By Jeanette Steele
The San Diego Zoo’s newest giant panda cub, is now 2 months old. From October 12-19, visitors to the Giant Panda Research Station will be able to suggest a name. The names should be in Chinese (Pinyin), have an English translation, be symbolic in meaning. The zoo’s panda team will choose several of the suggestions and submit them to the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association for review. Once approved, the names will be posted on the zoo's Web site, sandiegozoo.org, and its Facebook page, for a final vote. The results will be announced at a special ceremony on November 17th. According to Chinese tradition, a panda is named 100 days after it is born.
Night-Vision Cameras Monitor Tasmanian Devils
October 7, 2009 www.abc.net.au
Devil Island was opened 16 months ago as another measure to protect the endangered species against the deadly facial tumor disease. Night vision cameras have been installed at Bicheno to see how the animals, introduced into free range enclosures are coping, to monitor their health and see who might be pregnant. The Primary Industries Minister David Lllewelyn said, "Several similar facilities are planned around the state and this information will help to develop these new facilities and it's hoped they'll be ready for the next breeding season in 2010."
Albatross – Orca Relationship
October 7, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk By Jody Bourton
Scientists report in the journal PLoS ONE that miniaturised cameras attached to the back of black-browed albatrosses have revealed the birds fly in groups and forage with killer whales. Professor Akinori Takahashi from the National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan said, "Finding the interaction of albatrosses with killer whales in the open ocean is unique, because it provides a clue to explain [how] some fish species unavailable within the diving range of albatrosses often appeared in their diet," he explains. By following killer whales, the scientists believe the birds benefit from the mammal's own foraging and hunting behavior. "Albatrosses can not dive deep, and prey remains from killer whales or the fish driven to the surface by whales would be good source of food," Prof Takahashi suggests. The albatrosses may also save energy by scavenging on stationary prey items left by killer whales rather than pursuing live prey on the surface or by plunging into the sea.
Francois’ Langurs & Giant Otters at LA Zoo
October 7, 2009 www.mercurynews.com
LOS ANGELES—Two giant otters and two Francois' langurs arrived at the LA Zoo on Wednesday. The male and female monkeys came from the San Diego Zoo. They are native to the rainforests and wetlands of China, Vietnam and Laos. The population of Francois' langurs has been cut in half over the past 35 years, because of hunting and loss of habitat. The giant otters are native to the rain forests and wetlands of north and central South America. They are also threatened by loss of habitat and hunted for their pelts, with only 1,000 to 5,000 left in the wild.
Beluga Whales Declining in Alaska
October 7, 2009 www.physorg.com
The Cook Inlet beluga whales, which swim mainly off Anchorage, are considered a genetically distinct population and don't mix with the other four beluga groups in Alaska. A recent survey by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found that their number is declining after two years where numbers appeared to have stabilized. Down to 321 animals, from an estimated 375 animals in 2007 and 2008. Barbara Mahoney, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Anchorage, said a critical habitat proposal will be issued this month and a recovery team is being put in place. Overharvesting by Alaska Natives is believed to have contributed but numbers continued to decline even after hunting was sharply curtailed in 1999. There has been no subsistence hunt for the past three years. None is planned for the immediate future. There were about 1,300 Cook Inlet belugas in the 1980s but numbers had declined to an estimated 653 in 1994. Numbers reached an all-time low of 278 in 2005. Alaska's other four beluga groups are not endangered and number thousands.
Primate Evolution & Fear of Snakes
October 7, 2009 entertainment.timesonline.co.uk By Lynne Isbell
Primates, especially monkeys, apes and humans, see better than most mammals; our vision boasts depth perception and the ability to detect color. Snakes matter to primates because they poison us, or constrict us to death. Because of this, our primate ancestors “uniquely benefited from clearly seeing and identifying objects that were close by and in front of them”. Monkeys tested in the lab were nonchalant when shown digitally altered videos of other monkeys responding fearfully to flowers. But when they were shown tapes of monkeys who were scared of snakes, even if snake-naive themselves, they too became afraid. Primates are evolutionarily prepared to fear, detect and respond to snakes. Lynne Isbell’s Snake Detection Theory involves chronology and biogeography. Snakes and primates co-evolved at just the right times and in just the right places to make sense of the evolving vision changes. Comparative neurological analysis nicely tracks the animal co-evolution: New World monkeys, who had less exposure to venomous snakes, exhibit more varied visual systems than do their Old World counterparts. Isbell also argues that thanks to snakes, declarative pointing emerged, and led, she suggests, to a cascade of events that equipped Homo sapiens with language abilities.
Busch Gardens Keeps Name After Sale
October 7, 2009 travel.latimes.com
Anheuser-Busch’s sale of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens to the Blackstone Group in a $2.7 billion deal should have little to no impact on the operation of the theme parks, officials said. The Busch Gardens parks in Tampa, Fla., and Williamsburg, Va., will retain the Busch name as part of the deal, said Jim Atchison, president and chief executive of Busch Entertainment. The Clydesdale horses stabled at SeaWorld parks in Orlando, Fla., San Antonio and San Diego eventually will be redeployed to other Budweiser marketing initiatives. All the parks will continue to serve Anheuser-Busch InBev beers, with the option to switch to other brands in the future. Blackstone, which owns Legoland parent Merlin Entertainment and half of Universal Studios theme parks, will operate the former Busch parks as a discrete stand-alone entity.
Study of Retrovirus Evolution in Primates
October 7, 2009 www.physorg.com
In a paper published in the November issue of the Journal of Virology, Tony Goldberg, a veterinarian and epidemiologist at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, notes the discovery of three new retroviruses in Ugandan red colobus monkeys. Retroviruses are viruses that are similar to the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). "These are extremely different from what we've seen before in other primates, even in other red colobus." Initially, he and his colleagues simply intended to document what viruses currently exist in red colobus monkeys in Uganda. They wanted to compare viruses from monkeys in east Africa to those in monkeys from west Africa. Upon finding the new viruses, they asked Nelson Ting at the University of Iowa to compare the genetics of red colobus monkeys from western and eastern Africa. "He found 4.5 million years of separation between the two geographically separated primate groups," Goldberg says. "This is a very big difference, and it may mean that the evolution of the viruses is linked to the evolution of the monkey host — an example of 'host-virus co-evolution. We are still discovering new pathogens out there that may have zoonotic potential." He continues to explore how the disturbance of primate habitat (deforestation, forest fragmentation, etc) alters the rate of infectious disease transmission. His goal is to find keys to preventing future epidemics and protect human and animal health, and also protect shared environments. Collaborators on the project include the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative in San Francisco.
SeaWorld Sold to Blackstone Group
October 8, 2009 dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com
The Blackstone Group is investing up to $1 billion of equity in its deal to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev’s U.S. theme parks, which includes the three SeaWorlds and two Busch Gardens across the country, Reuters reported. Anheuser-Busch and the private equity firm announced the deal Wednesday, saying Blackstone would pay $2.3 billion and give Anheuser-Busch InBev the right to up to $400 million of buyout shop’s initial returns. Reuters said that price includes up to $1 billion of equity, as well as a $950 million term loan, $450 million of mezzanine financing and a $100 million undrawn revolver. [The Belgian brewing giant InBev said last year when it purchased Anheuser-Busch that it planned to sell the company's non-core assets.]
North American Ash Tree is Threatened
October 8, 2009 www.nytimes.com
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Mark Widrlechner, the horticulturist for the federal Agriculture Research Service in Iowa is heading an effort to collect tens of millions of ash seeds from across the U.S. that can be frozen and ready to plant when researchers figure out how to kill or control the emerald ash borer. The process is tedious since seeds must be hand-picked from branches only in the fall. But scientists hope to avoid what happened to the American elm, chestnut and butternut trees, which were nearly wiped out by disease. Widrlechner said the ash borer is especially devastating because it can kill very young trees and reduce the possibility that the species develop a tolerance. In Kansas and Nebraska, they account for 25 percent to 35 percent of trees and up to 60 percent in some North Dakota communities. In Iowa alone there are an estimated 88 million ash trees, state experts said.The insect is native to Asia and was first identified in the U.S. in 2002, when it was spotted in Michigan. It's now found in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Crews have collected at least 2 million seeds from stands of green, white, black, blue and pumpkin ash -- only about 10 percent of the number needed to ensure the diversity of each species is represented, Widrlechner estimates. A similar but smaller project by the Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University is under way for the Eastern and North Carolina hemlocks, which are threatened by the Hemlock woolly adelgid.
Critical Habitat for the California Red-Legged Frog
October 8, 2009 www.epa.gov
The U.S.F.W.S. announces the reopening of the comment period on our September 16, 2008, and April 28, 2009, proposal to revise the designation of critical habitat for the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii). We also announce the availability of a revised draft economic analysis (DEA). We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed revision of critical habitat and the associated revised DEA. Comments previously submitted on this rulemaking do not need to be resubmitted. These comments have already been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule. Comments must be received on or before November 9, 2009. Submit to the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R8-ES-2008-0089. OR U.S. mail: : Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R8-ES-2008-0089; Division of Policy and Directives
Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. For further information contact: Susan Moore, Field Supervisor, U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825; telephone 916-414-6600. You may obtain copies of the original proposed revision of critical habitat and associated DEA on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or on the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office Web
page at http://www.fws.gov/sacramento
Northern Spotted Owl Permit Application
October 8, 2009 www.epa.gov/
The USFWS announces the reopening of the public comment period for the Oregon Department of Forestry's (ODF) enhancement of survival permit (permit) application. The permit application includes a proposed programmatic safe harbor agreement (Agreement) between ODF, the U.S. Department of Agriculture—Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Service. The requested permit would authorize ODF to extend incidental take coverage with assurances through issuance of Certificates of Inclusion to eligible landowners willing to carry out habitat management measures expected to benefit the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), which is federally listed as threatened. We are reopening the comment period for 30 days. The original notice of availability was published in the Federal Register on July 21, 2009 (74 FR 35883), and contains additional information regarding the permit application. Previous comments need not be resubmitted. To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by November 9, 2009. Submit your written comments to State Supervisor, Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2600 SE. 98th Ave., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97266; telephone (503) 231-6179. Include your name and address in your comments and refer to the ``Spotted Owl Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement.'' You may also view the documents on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/species/
Critical Habitat for Southwest Alaska DPS Northern Sea Otter
October 8, 2009 www.epa.gov
The USFWS is designating critical habitat for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) In total, approximately 15,164 square kilometers (km2) (5,855 square miles (mi2)) fall within the boundaries of the critical habitat designation. All the critical habitat is located in Alaska. This rule becomes effective on November 9, 2009. The final rule and final economic analysis are available for viewing at http://regulations.gov. Detailed color maps of areas designated as critical habitat are available for viewing at http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/seaotters/criticalhabitat.htm. Supporting documentation we used in preparing this final rule is available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone 907/786-3800 For further information contact: Douglas M. Burn, Wildlife Biologist, Marine Mammals Management Office.
Revised Critical Habitat for the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse
October 8, 2009 www.epa.gov/
The USFWS proposes to revise designated critical habitat for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius preblei) in Colorado, where it is listed as threatened in a significant portion of the range (SPR) The proposed revised critical habitat is located in Boulder, Broomfield, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer and Teller Counties in Colorado. Approximately 418 miles (mi) (674 kilometers (km)) of rivers and streams and 39,142 acres (ac) (15,840 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed revised designation. The proposed revised designation would therefore add 184 mi (298 km) of rivers and streams and 18,462 ac (7,472 ha) to the existing critical habitat designation of 234 mi (376 km) and 20,680 ac (8,368 ha). To ensure that we are able to consider your comments and information, we request that you provide them to us by December 7, 2009. You may submit comments by one of the following methods: The Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov OR U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: [FWS-R6-ES-2009-0013]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. For further information contact: Susan Linner, Field Supervisor, Colorado Ecological Services Office; mailing address P.O. Box 25486, DFC (MS 65412), Denver, CO 80225; telephone 303-236-4773;
Possible Zoological Park in Charlotte, NC
October 8, 2009 www.charlotteobserver.com By Steve Lyttle
A local organization is trying to enlist support for the idea of building a 250-acre zoo in the Charlotte area. The proposed Charlotte Zoological Park would house animals from at least four continents, including exotic creatures such as tigers, polar bears and elephants.
Robert Mussen, a leader of the effort, said the Charlotte Zoo board already has a design plan: exhibits for North America, South America, American Forest and African Savanna, along with a petting zoo and other educational areas. The Carolinas already have two large zoological parks – each about 80 miles from Charlotte. The North Carolina Zoo, in Asheboro, has about 500 acres dedicated to animal exhibits. And the Riverbanks Zoo sits on 175 acres in Columbia. Details at: www.charlottezoologicalpark.com
Critical Habitat Reduction for Peninsular Bighorn Sheep Challenged
October 8, 2009 www.mydesert.com
Environmental groups sued the federal government Wednesday, alleging the USFWS’s more than 55 percent reduction in protected habitat for the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep was unsupported by the agency's own science and was done to accommodate urban sprawl. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for Southern California, seeks to restore a protected critical habitat status of nearly 845,000 acres for the sheep. USFWS is seeking to reduce protected sheep habitat to about 377,000 acres. Essential migration corridors and other areas that scientific studies have determined are essential to the bighorn's survival and recovery were removed in the federal modifications, the environmental groups contend. The removed areas include alluvial terraces and canyon bottoms around the Coachella Valley that U.S. Fish and Wildlife itself has, in the past, contended are critical to the survival of the endangered Peninsular bighorn, the environmentalists said. USFWS claims tthe protected habitat acreage reductions were “because of improved mapping techniques and more precise information about the habitat use by sheep, and new conservation planning efforts.” Once the most numerous of desert bighorn, the U.S. population of Peninsular bighorn sheep dropped from 1,171 sheep in 1974 to just 276 by 1996. The species was listed as an endangered population by the federal government in 1998. Since then, the sheep's population has rebounded to 800. According to biologists, dense chaparral that grows at higher elevations in the mountains restrict the sheep to lower slopes, forcing the species to live in the narrowing band between expanding urban areas in the Coachella Valley.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon Hatches at London Zoo
October 8, 2009 www.guardian.co.uk
The first Victoria crowned pigeon to have been bred at the London Zoo hatched last month. It left the nest for the first time this week and has been exploring the surroundings of the Blackburn Pavilion exhibit. The species is renowned for its dedicated parenting, mates for life with both parents continuing to care for chicks up to three months after they fly the nest. The species originates from New Guinea, and are the largest members of the pigeon family. Senior curator John Ellis said, "ZSL (Zoological Society of London) is part of a European breeding programme for this species, and our chick will help form a very important captive, back-up population."
Oldest Male Jaguar Euthanized at Jacksonville Zoo
October 8, 2009 jacksonville.com By Roger Bull
Bruno, the oldest male jaguar at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, has been euthanized. The 16-year-old cat had been suffering from a central nervous system disease since August, said Nick Kapustin, the zoo's senior veterinarian. The cat showed some improvement with treatment, he said, but in the past two weeks, his condition deteriorated significantly and he could no longer feed himself. Bruno came to the zoo in 1998 after he had been captured for killing cattle in Venezuela. Though he was designated for breeding, he never showed any interest and attempts at artificial insemination using his semen were not successful, either. His death leaves the zoo with seven cats in its Range of the Jaguar exhibit, including 17-year-old Gigi who came with Bruno from Venezuela.
Latest Climate Report from UCLA
October 8, 2009 www.sciencemag.org
A new climate report in the journal Science states that the last time carbon dioxide levels were this high was at least 15 million years ago. "The last time carbon dioxide levels were apparently as high as they are today — and were sustained at those levels — global temperatures were 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they are today, the sea level was approximately 75 to 120 feet higher than today, there was no permanent sea ice cap in the Arctic and very little ice on Antarctica and Greenland," said the paper's lead author, Aradhna Tripati, a UCLA assistant professor in the department of Earth and space sciences and the department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Carbon dioxide is an important agent for driving climate change throughout Earth's history. It has been known that modern-day levels of carbon dioxide are unprecedented over the last 800,000 years, but the finding that modern levels have not been reached in the last 15 million years is new.
Tiger Rescued from Poachers in Malaysia
October 8, 2009 www.physorg.com
A 5-year-old tiger was released from a snare by WWF Wildlife Protection Unit workers. He is being treated at the Malacca Zoo and vets are hopeful that they might not need to amputate the animal’s leg. The poachers are suspected to be from Kelantan. The rescue should set alarm bells ringing for the remaining wild Tigers in the Belum-Temengor forests, one of the last strongholds for this species, said a WWF Malaysia and TRAFFIC joint press statement. Illegal hunting in the Belum-Temengor area is rampant and the demand for tigers continues to drive criminals into the forest to kill the remaining ones. The Belum-Temengor forest complex is one of three priority areas identified in Malaysia’s National Tiger Action Plan. It is also part of an area of global priority for Tiger conservation. But the area lies close to the porous Malaysia-Thai border and is easily accessible because of the 80 km long Gerik-Jeli highway that cuts across the landscape, providing hundreds of easy entry points for poachers.
10,000 Cheetahs Left in the Wild
October 8, 2009 www.santacruzsentinel.com by Jory John
SANTA CRUZ -- Dr. Laurie Marker, founder of the internationally recognized Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, said there are only about 10,000 cheetahs left in the world, making them an endangered species. "When I first got to Namibia in 1978, farmers were killing 800 or 900 cheetahs a year," she said. Marker set up her foundation in Namibia, where the cheetahs would have the best chance of survival. She went door to door, working with farmers, asking about their problems with predators. Marker then developed a model farm and started an extensive research program. This led to more than 20 years of work alongside the Namibian farmers. To help Namibian farmers and cheetahs coexist peacefully she breeds the Anatolian shepherd dog, which protects the livestock, so the farmers don't feel like they have to kill the cheetahs. In 1994, she brought a group of these dogs to Namibia. Since then, she's given dogs to more than 350 to farmers. Marker also noticed an invasive thorny bush in Namibia, which was growing due to poor livestock management, she said. "We found cheetahs whose eyes had been scratched and they couldn't see," Marker said. "Of 850 cheetahs, only 3 percent were catching livestock. In 2000, we started harvesting the bush," she said. "We put people to work. We made a fuel log that's high heat and low emissions, an eco-log." There are only about 60 cheetahs left in Iran.
Eagle Gardens Project in Scotland
October 8, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
The Eagle Gardens project has received a £637,000 grant from the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). The plan is to build a bird of prey visitor and conservation centert at the unused Ancrum quarry. The proposals also include a "free-flight" aviary which could allow 50 vultures to nest in the rock walls of the near circular quarry. A total of £1.5m is needed in order to proceed and fundraising is about to begin to secure the additional money required. A vulture enclosure would form the centerpiece of the quarry plans. The 35-acre site would have space for 250 eagles, owls and other birds of prey in 100 enclosures. Andrea Bathgate and Mike Eccles have worked for 2 years on the project. "The project is based on an established blueprint. We have a unique collection of 250 birds, some already in Scotland and some waiting in mainland Europe, where we have been breeding birds of prey successfully for over 30 years," said Bathgate.
WCS Opens New Center for Global Conservation
October 8, 2009 www.yournabe.com
The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Center for Global Conservation, designed by FXFOWLE Architects, is a state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot “green” facility is now the home of more than 100 WCS conservationists, researchers and support staff working to save wildlife and wild places. The facility has been awarded the Gold level of LEED Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. The center represents a synthesis of state-of-the-art technologies in energy efficiency and water management. The U.S. Green Building Council also recently awarded a Gold LEED Certification to WCS’s Madagascar! exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. The building's east-west orientation takes full advantage of natural lighting (reducing the need for artificial illumination). The microturbine plant that generates electricity for the building captures heat in water, which is then used for heating needs. Consequently, the building’s energy consumption is some 48 percent less than a traditionally powered building of similar size. The building is designed to harmonize with the landscape in the northern part of the science campus. The three-story structure was located to maximize its relationship with the existing trees in the park. It incorporates elements of nearby rock outcroppings and the natural topography, as well as renewable and recycled materials. The building includes a green roof, an 18-inch layer of local grasses and shrubs, which helps to blend the center into the landscape and reduces temperatures inside the building. The C.V. Starr Science Campus where the new building sits at the Bronx Zoo includes WCS’s Wildlife Health Center, headquarters for the Global Health Program, and will soon include additional facilities for a special care unit and animal husbandry facilities.
Woodland Park Zoo’s New iPhone App for Visitors
October 8, 2009 seattletimes.nwsource.com By Brier Dudley
The Woodland Park Zoo has released a first-of-its-kind zoo iPhone application that allows visitors to track their location on zoo grounds, discover more about the animals, and access daily activity schedules to make the most of their next zoo visit. Bringing the zoo straight to your iPhone or iPod Touch at home and on zoo grounds, the application features:
GPS-enabled zoo map with "Near Me" recommendations for animal exhibits, play areas, concession stands and restrooms,
Daily schedule of zoo activities including zookeeper talks, children's programs and animal fact sheets,
Special promotional offers redeemable at concession stands,
"Friend Finder" to locate other iPhone users in your party on zoo grounds,
Zoo news and happenings,
Easy access to Facebook and Twitter so you can share your zoo experience.
The application, designed in collaboration with Austin-based developers Avai Mobile Solutions, is available now to download for $0.99. iPhone users can go to the iTunes App Store and search for "Woodland Park Zoo" to download. Proceeds from each application sale go toward the zoo's animal care, education, conservation and operations.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Gets $1.4M In Grants
October 8, 2009 www.ksbw.com
MONTEREY, Calif. -- The Monterey Bay Aquarium has received two grants worth more than $1.4 million for initiatives about the impact of climate change on the oceans. The grants, which are from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, are to encourage individual action to the problem of climate change on oceans. One of the grants, worth $913,953, supports "Climate Change and the Ocean: Awareness to Action," which is a suite of programs to help with aquarium's upcoming climate-focused exhibit called "Hot Pink Flamingos: Stories of Hope in a Changing Seas." The exhibit is scheduled to open March 27, 2010. A second grant worth $502,050 supports the aquarium's participation in a coalition of aquariums that educate about climate change. The grant will help in efforts to create a virtual reality theater show that incorporates Google Earth technology. The grant will also be used to give staff and volunteers additional training on how best to motivate people to take action against global climate change.
Zoos Protest Madagascar Government
October 8, 2009 www.mercurynews.com
ST. LOUIS—The Missouri Botanical Garden, The Saint Louis Zoo, Chicago’s Field Museum, the California Academy of Science, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums are among more than a dozen signers of a letter to the transitional government of Madagascar. The letter says the government bans the exploitation of precious woods while permitting the large-scale export of illegally harvested wood. The letter also says the country's political problems have encouraged gangs of lumbermen who sell for export. The group is also asking consumers of rosewood and ebony products to boycott Malagasy wood.
Crocodile Deaths in South Africa
October 8, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By Naomi Lubick
In the winter of 2008, rangers collected 170 dead Nile crocodiles in Kruger Park’s Olifant river, sometimes at a rate of 20 per week. A survey at the end of this May showed only 400 crocs living in the park’s gorge, down from at least 1,000 in 2008. Some kind of pansteatitis—an inflammation of adipose tissue -- is killing the animals. Their tails were swollen with hardened, enlarged fat deposits, which stiffened and immobilized them and left them unable to hunt. The disease may not be limited to crocs. Scientists found the same kinds of fat deposits in fish in the Olifants River. And in the river’s gorge just upstream from Massingir Dam in Mozambique, which also has seen croc declines, and birds were absent, raising the possibility that they, too, have been victims of the same mysterious agent. In June a team led by Henk Bouwman of North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, in South Africa reported that test results from crocodile tissues revealed a large number of toxins: DDT, PCBs, dioxins and brominated flame retardants. Peter Ashton, a water resources specialist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in South Africa and the University of Pretoria, believes one possibility could be related to dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria found upstream in the catchment, which might be releasing toxins similar to those that cause red tides in marine environments. Danny Govender, a disease ecologist for South African National Parks cites changes to the river’s ecosystem that stem from infrastructure outside the park, including hundreds of coal-mining operations upstream, where crocodiles have disappeared almost completely, and a dam downstream of the gorge.
New Facility to Study Avian Behavior
October 8, 2009 communications.uwo.ca By Paul Mayne
The world’s first hypobaric climatic wind tunnel for bird flight opens this week at the University of Western Ontario’s Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR). Funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund and private partners, the $9.2-million facility allows researchers to assess birds’ abilities to adapt to their environment. While there are two other bird tunnels in the world – located in Europe - AFAR is the only one that can simulate altitude, up to seven kilometers or more. The 13,000-square-foot facility and its hypobaric climatic wind tunnel will allow for study not only of the aerodynamics of bird flight in high altitude conditions, but also how changes in the environment affect birds’ neural and physiological systems, and their reproduction and migration patterns. Researchers can also study flight while altering air pressure, moisture and humidity. Researchers hope to gain insights into conservation efforts, ecosystem health, disease and how birds respond to climate change.
Tim Flannery Seeks Help for Australian Species in Europe
October 9, 2009 www.smh.com.au
Professor Tim Flannery has flown to Europe to seek support for a chain of privately owned conservation parks in Australia, saying he is ''appalled'' that the Australian Federal Government has backed away from saving single endangered species. The scientist and chairman of the Copenhagen Climate Council warned that the continent is in the grip of a ''biodiversity crisis'' and called for successful expatriate Australians - and wealthy Britons - to help buy back pastoral leases in key natural areas to safeguard species on the brink of extinction. ''The great eucalypt forest, with trees 300 feet high, can only exist with the partnership of a humble fungus. The fungus unlocks nutrients underground that allow the tree to grow to a huge size in poor soil. And what spreads it? A tiny rat kangaroo that is now highly endangered all round Australia. Why should we worry? Because everything is interrelated.'' A longtime director of the little-known Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Professor Flannery has given a proportion of his salary for many years to the body. Founded nearly two decades ago by the English-born, now Australian-based millionaire financier, Martin Copley, the charity has become the biggest non-government owner of conservation land in Australia with more than 2.1 million hectares shielding threatened wildlife and ecosystems.
Obituary: Gerald 'Red' Thomas; Zookeeper
October 9, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com By Blanca Gonzalez
Gerald D. “Red” Thomas was born Nov. 25, 1936, in Strawberry Point, Iowa. Thomas was a zookeeper for the San Diego Zoo for nearly 40 years. While Joan Embery became the public face and goodwill ambassador of the zoo, Mr. Thomas was with her from the beginning and played a key role behind the scenes in helping make the San Diego Zoo world famous. “Joan was the glitz and Red was the glue,” said friend Ron Ringer, a senior keeper at the zoo. “He had a good animal sense and was a calming influence.” Mr. Thomas died of pneumonia and congestive heart failure Sept. 26 at Kaiser Hospital in San Diego. He was 72. He started his zoo career as a janitor in 1961 and worked his way up to senior keeper. He was an animal trainer and keeper when Embery joined the zoo staff in 1968. Embery said Mr. Thomas was always willing to share his knowledge and was protective of her. “I was a woman entering a man's field, and he made it easier. He had my back,” she said. When Embery started appearing with zoo animals on TV, including “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, Mr. Thomas was usually there with her. “He was often the guy behind the curtain,” Embery said. “I was in the limelight, even though we were doing the same job. He didn't have an ego problem." Thomas and Embery trained an elephant, Carol, to hold a paintbrush in her trunk and “paint” on a canvas. Carol was the first of many San Diego Zoo animals to appear with Embery as guests of “The Tonight Show.” Mr. Thomas, a former Marine, didn't have formal animal training but was good at doing things on the fly. Mr.Thomas helped start the American Association of Zoo Keepers and the Elephant Managers Association. At a 1987 convention of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, Mr. Thomas and six others who founded the group were honored for their work. The organization, which provides mentors, training and information exchanges, eventually grew to more than 2,000 members. After retiring from the zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1999 for medical reasons, Mr. Thomas would occasionally visit the animals, especially the elephants, his daughter Nancy Murphy said. “He would talk to them and they would trumpet back.” Services were held Oct. 3.
Status of San Diego Zoo’s Male Panda Cub
October 9, 2009 latimesblogs.latimes.com
The San Diego Zoo's giant panda cub was given a clean bill of health in his sixth veterinary exam, performed Thursday. The zoo's senior veterinarian, Dr. Tracy Clippinger, said the cub's eyes and ears are now fully opened, and she expects him to begin crawling over the next two to six weeks. He weighs 7.7 pounds and measures 21.3 inches in length. The Zoo is asking the public for name suggestions. (In a similar contest, the Chiang Mai Zoo's cub was given the name Lin Ping, which means "forest of ice" in Chinese and also references a river in Thailand, the Ping, and the name of the cub's mother, Lin Hui.) Beginning Saturday, San Diego Zoo visitors can submit name suggestions at the Giant Panda Research Station. According to the zoo's blog, names should "be in Chinese (Pinyin), have an English translation, be symbolic in meaning" and must be submitted between Oct. 10-19. For those who can't visit in person, a link will be added to the zoo's website to allow suggestions to be submitted online. The names must be approved by the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Assn, and finally, the public will vote to choose between the name finalists on the zoo's website and Facebook fan page. The winning name will be announced Nov. 17.
Camera Trap Survey of Tanzania’s Carnivores
October 9, 2009 www.physorg.com
Scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) have carried out the largest survey of Tanzania's carnivores, using a novel approach making use of over 400 camera trap locations. The research reveals that many species, including the leopard, are particularly fussy about where they live, actively avoiding certain areas. Surprisingly, all the species surveyed tended to avoid croplands, suggesting that habitat conversion to agricultural land could have serious implications for carnivore distribution. Dr Sarah Durant from ZSL says that until now, many of the species had been under reported because of their nocturnal habits, or because they live in heavily forested areas. The strength of the new technique to document habitat preference of elusive species is highlighted by camera trap observations of bushy tailed mongooses - including the first ever records of this species from one of the most visited areas in the country. These data can also be used to understand how Tanzania's carnivores may respond to habitat changes caused as a result of environmental change. Dr Nathalie Pettorelli from ZSL adds that, "All species were affected by rivers and habitat, and the analysis provides important information relevant to the examination of future impacts of climate change." The project continues to map carnivore distribution across the country, working closely with the wildlife authorities to support local conservationists and to generate information that is used to inform conservation planning. The study is published in the journal Animal Conservation.
Monarto Zoo Plans Safari Tourism
October 9, 2009 news.theage.com.au
ADELAIDE, Australia – Opened in 1983, Monarto Zoo is seeking private investors to help fund a new eco-tourism resort. The zoo wants to offer visitors to the new facilities a wildlife experience similar to those provided by large African game parks according to Zoos SA chief executive Chris West. "It will combine eco-tourism and have a direct conservation benefit by featuring African animals in a natural setting and providing space and resources to help save native Australian species from extinction." The Monarto Zoo recently acquired another 500 hectares of land so it could offer four-wheel drive safari tours in what is now the largest reserve outside Africa. It also plans to offer overnight accommodation as well as a restaurant service.
India Surveys Prospective Cheetah Habitat
October 9, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
The Indian government has approved a survey of 7 sites which can accommodate the cheetah, in an effort to reintroduce the animal in the country. The sites are in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh and include national parks, sanctuaries and other open areas. The cheetah became extinct in India nearly a century ago.The Wildlife Trust of India is leading the project. The sites will now be surveyed extensively to find out the state of the habitat, the number of prey and prospects of man-animal conflict to finally determine whether they can accommodate the cheetah. "The return of the cheetah would make India the only country in the world to host six of the world's eight large cats and the only one to have all the large cats of Asia." If one or more sites are found to have favorable habitat and prey for the cheetah, India will then possibly have to import the cat from Africa, because the numbers of the Asiatic cheetah which are available only in Iran have dwindled to under 100. The vast majority of the 10,000 cheetahs left in the world are in Africa.
SeaWorld GM Confident of Blackstone Support
October 10, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com By Roger Showley
Andy Fichthorn, general manager of SeaWorld has reassured his 3,000-plus employees about the recent change in ownership. The park plans to open a multimillion-dollar dolphin show in May. SeaWorld's last major expansion was adding the “Journey to Atlantis” ride in 2004. Although Blackstone officials have not promised any set amount of money for reinvestment they say they understand that theme parks cannot remain popular if they remain static. SeaWorld San Diego is one of 10 theme parks Blackstone acquired when it bought Busch Entertainment Corp. from Anheuser-Busch InBev for $2.7 billion. The beer giant had acquired four SeaWorld parks, including San Diego's, in 1989 for $1.1 billion from the publisher Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. HBJ had acquired the chain in 1976. The SeaWorld in Ohio has subsequently closed. Blackstone's holdings include:
•Three SeaWorlds, two Busch Gardens, a zoo and water parks from the Busch group. They will be added to four Center Parc “holiday villages” — short-stay vacation spots in British forests, including Sherwood Forest.
•A 55 percent stake in Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns four Legoland parks in Carlsbad, Britain, Denmark and Germany; nine Madame Tussauds wax museums around the world; and 44 other attractions.
•A 50 percent stake in Universal Studios' two theme parks in Orlando, Fla.
•The Golden Door spas, including the original in Escondido.
While that collection sounds bigger than Disney, it's just a small part of Blackstone's overall activities, which encompass commercial real estate, hedge fund management, financial advisory services and a piece of the Weather Channel. In its latest financial statement, the company said it had $93.5 billion under management and 1,340 employees, but its stock is worth half what it was when it went public in 2007. The company posted a quarterly loss of nearly $598 million on June 30. The company looks for businesses it can grow and improve operationally, while leaving existing management in place. Kelly Cunningham, senior economist at the National University System Institute for Policy Research in San Diego, said SeaWorld ranks as the most popular theme park in San Diego, fourth in California, 12th nationally and 21st internationally.
Florida’s Monkey Jungle Adopts Upselling Strategy
October 10, 2009 www.miamiherald.com
Miami Seaquarium charges $139 to wade with its dolphins and $200 to swim with them. Jungle Island, which originally opened as Parrot Jungle in 1936, now offers paid encounters with penguins ($30) and lemurs ($45), plus VIP tours that cost $240 a head. At the Miami Metrozoo, behind-the-cages tours start at $33, and you can pay $145 to work as a zookeeper for a day. But until two weeks ago, the only way to buy some extra interaction at 74-year-old Monkey Jungle in southwest Miami-Dade County, was to buy a 75-cent box of raisins for feeding the tamarins, macaques, capuchins and other primates that live in the park. Visitors pay $29 to enter Monkey Jungle mostly walk the same 10 acres Joseph DuMond purchased, and they feed raisins to descendents of the six he released there in 1933. The monkeys prowl the caged pathways that weave through the park looming over holes in the top where tin cups dangle from chains. Visitors drop raisins inside, and the monkeys yank them skyward for a snack. Divided into three tribes, the most dominant monkey pack of the moment prowls the pathways by the park's entrance because that's where visitors have full boxes of food. The weakest of the three gets relegated to the end of the trail. The dominant tribe also stars in the park's signature show -- "The Wild Monkey Swimming Pool'' -- where the monkeys munch on fruit staffers toss into a shallow pond by a spectator gallery. Now a new $89 "Rainforest Adventure'' will offer guests a private tour and feeding session with a colony of squirrel monkeys.
International Conference to Conserve Kashmir Stag
October 11, 2009 www.newkerala.com
SRINAGAR, India -- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday inaugurated an international conference for the conservation of Hangul, the critically endangered Kashmir stag, in Srinagar. The conference is hosted by WWF and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in collaboration with Wildlife Institute of India and Wildlife Protection Department of Jammu and Kashmir. The Hangul or Kashmir stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu) a sub-species of European Red Deer is a critically endangered deer, as its population has declined from an estimated 2000 in 1947 to mere 170 to 200 in recent years, due to poaching, excessive grazing of livestock and forest fires. It is unique to Kashmir and the last genetically viable Hangul population of the world is at present restricted to Dachigam Park in Srinagar. "The aim of this conference is that we want to adopt management and conservation techniques being used around the world for red deer species," said Khurshid Ahmad, Conservator with the Wildlife Protection Wing of the Forest Department.
Folk Beliefs Aid Hoolock Gibbon Preservation
October 11, 2009 www.assamtribune.com By Kabita Duarah
BAREKURI (TINSUKIA), Oct 11 - Folk beliefs and preservation of oral tradition have made it possible for the hoolock gibbon to survive with human populations. There are 29 hoolock gibbons – India’s only ape – at Barekuri, in an area of 21 villages. The Hoolocks have been protected and cared for by the villager’s religious beliefs that call upon them to care for all living creatures. If a hoolock gibbon is heard crying during the night, the purohit (priest) of the Barekuri Bornamghar and his disciples must assemble at the Bornamghar and cut the betel nut and leaf to ward off all evils that might befall their village. Umakanta Chutia, the purohit of the Bornamghar, said that once the hoolock gibbons had been crying for a fortnight and after that the State had gone through one of the nightmarish phases marred by widespread violence in its contemporary history. Killing of a hoolock gibbon is considered a sin here that will have far reaching repercussions on the destiny of the community, so the people do not harm them even if they come in herds and eat all the fruits in the backyard. “Our people do not cut the trees because the hoolock gibbons live on trees and it is bad luck if a hoolock gibbon is seen by anyone walking on the ground,” said Chutia. The people listen to the cries of the hoolock gibbons here to determine the time of the day, then the flurry of activity begins. “The biggest threat to the existence of the hoolock gibbons in our village has come from oil exploration,” said Dambaru Chutia.
Preserving a Bison Herd’s Pure Bloodlines
October 11, 2009 www.rapidcityjournal.com/ By Patrick Springer
HOT SPRINGS, South Dakota – A small fence between Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park has separated neighboring bison herds for decades. But now blood tests by experts from Texas A&M University indicate that the buffalo roaming Wind Cave National Park are rare - so rare that they are among only two public herds in the nation credited with having no cattle genes. After testing more than 10,000 bison, the team is confident that only two public herds - in Wind Cave and Yellowstone National Parks - lack evidence of cattle genes. The Wind Cave herd is estimated at 525, and unlike Custer State Park, roundups at Wind Cave are not open to the public. Geneticists believe that virtually all of the 500,000 buffalo alive today descended from a "breeding bottleneck" of fewer than 150 bison that were alive in the late 1880s, when the population dwindled to between 500 and 1,300 bison. Their recovery is a great conservation success story, but DNA testing has shown that pureblood animals are surprisingly rare. The cattle ancestry in most bison today, invisible to the naked eye, stems from experiments from a handful of ranchers who tried to produce hybrids combining traits of buffalo and cattle. The two neighboring park herds are prime examples of the two strands of American bison alive today - those saved by conservationists and those saved by ranchers. The Wind Cave park herd's roots come from 14 bison donated in 1913 by the New York Zoological Society. Six more buffalo were imported from Yellowstone National Park in 1916. The herd is one of several conservation herds established through the efforts of the American Bison Society. Now that the Wind Cave herd has been recognized for its lack of cattle "introgression," the park is working with conservation groups to expand the population there.
New Gorilla Facility Opens
October 12, 2009 www.google.com By Kate Brumback
The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education, or GRACE, Center is set to open in March, about a year after construction began. It's a joint project of the Atlanta-based Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and several other organizations. Fossey made researching the African gorilla population, and rescuing them from poachers her life's mission. The Californian lived for roughly 10 years at Karisoke, a research camp she established in Rwanda, before she was killed there in 1985. "Gorillas in the Mist" is set to be shown for the first time in about 20 years at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center on Oct. 17 as part of a fundraiser for the gorilla fund. The center will house orphaned gorillas who may have behavioral, developmental, physical or psychological problems after being rescued from poachers. The other organizations partnering with the gorilla fund in this project are the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the national park authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. See www.gorillafund.org for more information
New Facebook Offering: Super Cute Zoo
October 12, 2009 www.prleap.com
A new social game Super Cute Zoo can now be played through Facebook. Drawn from cute animal videos on YouTube and studies of animal behavior, Super Cute Zoo gives players a chance to build their own zoo by collecting cute animals from around the world. Players can teach otters to play basketball, build a tree house for golden lion tamarins, or host a sloth marathon. Super Cute Zoo combines the fun of virtual pet worlds with the clear goals of social role playing games. Super Cute Zoo is available at apps.facebook.com/supercutezoo
Indonesia Safari Park Gets Eastern Grey Kangaroos
October 12, 2009 www.thejakartapost.com
Visitors to Bogor's Indonesian Safari Park will meet 6 female eastern grey kangaroos sent last week from Australia Zoo. They are due to be released into the Puncak-based compound on Wednesday. Three staff members from Australia Zoo in Brisbane - veterinarian Tim Portas, Australia Zoo Manager Laurie Pond and animal curator Kelsey - also came to Bogor to keep an eye on the new arrivals. All the kangaroos sent are female, because the Australian government was still unsure whether they will survive in Bogor and did not want them to breed yet. Should the first six remain healthy, Australia Zoo plans to send a total of 15 kangaroos. Three of the park's veterinarians spent a month learning about treatments for Kangaroos at the Australia Zoo, in anticipation of the arrival. The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is found in southern and eastern Australia, and has a population of several million. A large eastern grey male typically weighs around 66 kilograms and stands up to 2 meters tall. The Australian government rarely allows their endemic animals to leave the country.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Collaborates with MBARI
October 12, 2009 www.montereyherald.com By Gwyneth Dickey
Monterey Bay Aquarium’s popular live show, “Mysteries of the Deep” features live footage of Monterey Canyon from research vessels at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The popular show is a collaborative project between the aquarium and MBARI. MBARI shares its scientific research with the aquarium, and the aquarium gives the institute wide exposure through its two million visitors every year. The aquarium was originally intended to conduct research and educate the public, but it attracted so many visitors, that it was clear that research would not be feasible there, so founder David Packard, opened a separate facility (MBARI) specifically to study Monterey Bay and its canyon in 1987. George Matsumoto is coordinator of research and education at MBARI. MBARI scientists often host the live "Mysteries of the Deep" show, and occasionally give lectures about their research. And now, MBARI is offering a behind-the-scenes look at their cutting-edge deep-sea research, where visitors can see what it's like to explore the ocean from the pilot's seat of a robotic submersible. A new aquarium exhibit, opening in March, is also a collaboration with MBARI. "Hot Pink Flamingos" will feature animals that are being adversely affected by climate change. The exhibit will highlight stories of individuals and communities that have made efforts to fight climate change. Other Aquarium collaborations include:
A joint project with Stanford University, Southern California Marine Institute and CSU-Long Beach, tagging white sharks and tracking them, improving the world's understanding of these animals.
A similar project with Stanford, gathering data on the migrating and reproductive behavior of the bluefin tuna. Data will be directed toward policymakers and fishing agencies so they can make better decisions about fishing the tuna.
With UC-Davis and UC-Santa Cruz researchers, studying the southern sea otter. (Looking at infection, disease and pollution as possible culprits in the species' slow population growth.)
Cornell Study on Bird Hippocampus
October 12, 2009 www.physorg.com By Lauren Gold
Caged birds may still sing, but being in captivity for just a few weeks can reduce the volume of the hippocampus by as much as 23 percent, according to a new Cornell study. The hippocampus is the part of the brain involved in spatial learning and memory tasks. Researchers Bernard Tarr and Tim DeVoogd, found that the hippocampus is highly sensitive to some or all of the environmental conditions that change in captivity -- including, among other things, social stimulation, exercise, food-storing opportunities and stress. To test the effect of captivity on the birds, a total of 20 wild black-capped chickadees were caught in the late fall of two successive years. The researchers injected each bird with BrdU, a chemical that marks newly forming brain cells; then tagged and released 10 of the birds and housed a corresponding 10 in the lab. About five weeks after the first capture, the researchers recaptured the tagged wild birds and compared their hippocampal volumes to those of their lab-housed counterparts. They found that lab-housed birds had, on average, 23 percent less hippocampal volume (relative to total brain size) than the recaptured birds. The article is online at the Journal of Developmental Neurobiology Web site and will appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal.
Minimum Population Targets May Be Too Low to Prevent Extinction
October 12, 2009 www.physorg.com
A new study by University of Adelaide and Macquarie University scientists entitled "Pragmatic population viability targets in a rapidly changing world" appears in the journal Biological Conservation. Lead author Dr Lochran Traill, from the University of Adelaide's Environment Institute states, "Often, conservationists aim to maintain tens or hundreds of individuals, when thousands are actually needed. Our review found that populations smaller than about 5000 had unacceptably high extinction rates. This suggests that many targets for conservation recovery are simply too small to do much good in the long run." A long-standing idea in species restoration programs is the so-called '50/500' rule. This states that at least 50 adults are required to avoid the damaging effects of inbreeding, and 500 to avoid extinctions due to the inability to evolve to cope with environmental change. "Our research suggests that the 50/500 rule is at least an order of magnitude too small to effectively stave off extinction," says Dr Traill. "This does not necessarily imply that populations smaller than 5000 are doomed. But it does highlight the challenge that small populations face in adapting to a rapidly changing world." Team member Professor Richard Frankham, from Macquarie University's Department of Biological Sciences, says, "Genetic diversity within populations allows them to evolve to cope with environmental change, and genetic loss equates to fragility in the face of such changes." "We shouldn't, however, necessarily give up on critically endangered species numbering a few hundred of individuals in the wild. Acceptance that more needs to be done if we are to stop 'managing for extinction' should force decision makers to be more explicit about what they are aiming for, and what they are willing to trade off, when allocating conservation funds." The paper is online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.09.001
Herbivorous Spider Discovered
October 12, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
There are approximately 40,000 species of spiders in the world, all of which have been thought to be strict predators that feed on insects or other animals. Now, scientists have found that a small Central American jumping spider has a uniquely different diet: the species Bagheera kiplingi feeds predominantly on plant food. The spider inhabits several species of acacia shrubs involved in a co-evolutionary mutualism with certain ants. The ants fiercely guard the plants against most would-be herbivores, while the acacias provide both housing for the ants via swollen, hollow spines and food in the form of nectar (excreted from glands at the base of each leaf) and specialized leaf tips known as Beltian bodies. The Bagheera spiders are "cheaters" in the ant-acacia system, stealing and eating both nectar and—most remarkably—Beltian bodies without helping to defend the plant. The spiders actively avoid patrolling acacia-ants, relying on excellent eyesight, agility, and cognitive skills. Although they do occasionally prey on small invertebrates, the authors confirmed through both field observations and chemical analyses of the spiders' tissue that these arachnids eat a primarily vegetarian diet and almost all of the prey that the spiders do eat are acacia-defending ant larvae. The research, led by Christopher Meehan of Villanova University and Eric Olson of Brandeis University, will appear in the October 13 issue of Current Biology.
Epizoo Data Viewer Map Produced by USGS
October 12, 2009 wildlifedisease.nbii.gov
The Epizoo Data Viewer summarizes information on mortality events (epizootics) in wildlife gathered by members of the Field Investigations Team at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Complete data from 1975 to 2003 are included, as well as some data from earlier years. Click the 'Query' button in the top navigation bar to pull up a search form. In the 'State' drop-down box select California and click on ‘Execute’ to view case reports. Click on a Disease to identify reports available.
Protecting the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee
October 12, 2009 www.edennewspaper.com
There are only about 5000 Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) remaining in the wild. Recently, workshops were held in Limbe in Cameroon and Calabar in Nigeria to protect the subspecies. Dr. Bethan Morgan, head of the Central Africa Programme of Institute For Conservation Research, Zoological Society of San Diego, said the workshop was aimed at bringing together government, Non Governmental Organizations and other interested parties to try to formulate a conservation action plan to ensure the ape’s future. Dr. Morgan said, “We have always protected these animals. It has been protected as long as the wildlife laws exist in Cameroon. It is only recently (1997) that we realized that it is so special that it is only living in Cameroon and Nigeria. And so we really need to increase work done on these chimpanzees by both government and NGOs. This is a collaboration between every one who works for the protection of wildlife,” she continued. Dr. Morgan said there are marked genetic differences between the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee and other chimpanzees, adding that “we are presently trying to identify if there are any morphological characteristics. The Limbe workshop brought together Regional Delegates of Wildlife and Forestry and Environment and Nature Protection from the North West, South West, West and Centre regions where the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee is basically found in Cameroon. Other participants came from WWF, Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, and the Zoological Society of San Diego.
Critical Habitat for the Arroyo Toad (Anaxyrus californicus)
October 13, 2009
www.epa.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to revise designated critical habitat for the arroyo toad (Anaxyrus californicus). The previous final rule designated 11,695 acres of critical habitat and was published in the Federal Register (FR) on April 13, 2005. We now propose to designate approximately 109,110 ac of lands located in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties, California, which, if finalized as proposed, would result in an increase of approximately 97,415 acres of critical habitat. We will consider comments we receive on or before December 14, 2009. You may submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal or U.S. Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R8-ES-2009-0069, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.
For general information on the proposed designation and information about the proposed revised designation in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, northern Los Angeles County, and the desert portion of San Bernardino County, contact Diane Noda, Field Supervisor, or Michael McCrary, Listing and Recovery Coordinator, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003; telephone (805) 644-1766. For information about the proposed revised designation in the remaining portions of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, as well as Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties, contact Jim Bartel, Field Supervisor, Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 6010 Hidden Valley Road, Suite 101, Carlsbad, CA 92011; telephone (760) 431-9440.
Saving East Africa’s Mara River Basin
October 13, 2009 www.nytimes.com By PETE BROWNE
A $3 million three-year program is being financed by the United States Agency for International Development in partnership with the East African Community, a regional intergovernmental organization linking Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The program aims to restore and protect the Mara River basin’s rich biodiversity — a key component of the tourism industry on which several countries in the region depend. The area faces extreme environmental issues from drought, deforestation and civil conflict. The Mara River basin spans both the Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara game reserve – home to many of East Africa’s rare and exotic wildlife species. Larry Meserve, USAID’s director in East Africa, said, “the safari tourism industry in Kenya and Tanzania will be severely affected unless Africans manage their watershed ecosystems.” Tourism is vital for the economies of Kenya and Tanzania. Tourism accounts for 10 percent of gross domestic product in Kenya, and 16 percent in Tanzania.
Banggai Crow Rediscovered
October 13, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Known to science only by two specimens described in 1900, a critically endangered crow has re-emerged on a remote, mountainous Indonesian island. Two new specimens were found on Peleng Island in 2007 by Pamela Rasmussen, an Michigan State University assistant professor of zoology. An ornithologist who specializes on the birds of southern Asia, Rasmussen studied the two century-old specimens known as Corvus unicolor in New York's American Museum of Natural History. She compared them to the new crow specimens in Indonesia's national museum, to lay to rest speculation that they were merely a subspecies of a different crow. The more common Slender-billed Crow, or Corvus enca, also is found in the Banggai Islands, and likewise is all black. "The morphometric analysis I did shows that all four unicolor specimens are very similar to each other, and distinctly different from enca specimens. We also showed that the two taxa differ in eye color -- an important feature in Corvus," Rasmussen said. "Not only did this confirm the identity of the new specimens but also the specific distinctness of Corvus unicolor, which has long been in doubt." Professor Mochamad Indrawan of the University of Indonesia, and chairperson of the Indonesian Ornithologists' Union, conducted ecological field studies. He was assisted by collaborator Yunus Masala and by the Celebes Bird Club, members of which secured the new specimens that are now catalogued at the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense in Java.
“Uncanny Valley” Effect in Humans & Monkeys
October 13, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Realistic-looking robots and computer avatars often evoke negative responses in humans. Princeton University scientists showed monkeys these computer-generated images of monkeys and saw a similar response. Monkeys, they found, also are unsettled by images that are realistic but synthetic, a response known as the "uncanny valley" effect. The uncanny valley hypothesis was introduced by the Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori in 1970. The "valley" refers to a dip in a graph that charts a human's positive reaction in response to an image on one axis and a robot's human-likeness on another. People like to study other human faces, and also enjoy faces that clearly are not human, such as a doll's or a cartoon figure's. But when an image falls in between -- close to human but clearly not -- it causes a feeling of revulsion. Karl MacDorman, an associate professor in the School of Informatics at Indiana University, believes the results will be of broad interest to scientists and non-scientists, including "ethologists, animal behaviorists, cognitive psychologists of human perception, evolutionary psychologists, primate social cognitive neuroscientists, humanoid roboticists and human character animators." Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the uncanny valley as a valid phenomenon, there are no clear explanations for it. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.
Cost of Protecting U.S. Endangered Species
October 13, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
Protecting endangered species is an expensive proposition. The U.S. federal and state governments spent $1,537,283,091 toward conserving threatened and endangered species in 2007, plus another $126,086,999 in land purchases for habitat preservation, according to a new report from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). A comprehensive report for fiscal 2007 (October 2006 to September 2007) is at: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/pdfs/expenditures/2007_expenditures.pdf. The report defines conservation to incorporate "any and all actions taken by Federal and State agencies on behalf of threatened or endangered species" (research, census, law enforcement, habitat acquisition and maintenance, propagation, live trapping, and transplantation).
• Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), which appears on the list multiple times because it is endangered at multiple sites - $165 million
• Other species of salmon— chum, coho and sockeye—required another $78 million in total spending, and the 11 populations of threatened steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a close relative of the salmon - $128 million.
• Steller sea lion, western population lion (Eumetopias jubatus) - $53,232,788.
• Gray wolves (Canis lupus), which lost much of their ESA protection this year, received $4.3 million in 2007.
• The endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) - $6.3 million. One of the main threats facing the bat is the deadly white-nose syndrome, which was discovered during the fiscal year this report covers.
• Two hotly debated fish, the Delta smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) - $6,678,869 and the moapa dace (Moapa coriacea) - $120,534
• The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) - $4,788,873. With an estimated population of just 100 adults, (nearly $4,800 per animal)
• Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) left the Endangered Species list in June 2007. During their last fiscal year of protection - $9.5 million
* California condor - 1,916,457
FWS represents only about 7 percent of total federal expenditures related to the Endangered Species Act. The Federal Highway Association spent $34,977,711. The Army spent $45,093,322, while the Army Corps of Engineers spent $211,976,370. The Department of Energy's Bonneville Power Administration spent a whopping $533,223,325. Even the Bureau of Indian Affairs spent $75,000. This is all just a drop in the bucket of the total funds required to protect endangered species. Millions come from NGOs and private organizations, and many states have their own endangered species lists, which cover some species not included on the federal ESA.
WCS Humpback Whale Study
October 13, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
After 15 years of research in the waters of the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and an international coalition of organizations have published the largest genetic study of humpback whale populations ever conducted in the Southern Hemisphere. Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Ocean Giants Program was lead author of the study that collected skin samples from 1,527 whales from fourteen sampling sites with biopsy darts fired from crossbows. The darts harmlessly bounce off the marine mammals as they surface to breathe. Samples came also from skin which is continually sloughed off by the animals and collected by the research teams. The samples were sent to the AMNH Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics for analysis. The research team specifically focused on mitochondrial DNA, which is passed through maternal lines of a population, in order to measure interchange between groups. In addition to examining the population boundaries of humpbacks in the Southern Hemisphere, the study also gives scientists some insight into the mysterious and mercurial nature of marine ecosystems, with currents, water depth, and other unseen factors serving as shifting conduits and barriers between marine populations and ecosystems. The results of the massive analysis appear in PLoS One. Other contributors to the study include: Columbia University; University of Pretoria; Environment Study of Oman; Instituto Baleia Jubarta and PURCS (Brazil); University of Cape Town; Marine and Coastal Management (South Africa); Faculdade de Biociências; Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (Gabon); Association Megaptera (France); Université de La Rochelle (France).
USGS Report: Giant Invasive Snakes
October 13, 2009 www.usgs.gov
A new report authored by Dr. Robert Reed and other USGS scientists, details the risks of nine non-native boa, anaconda and python species that are invasive or potentially invasive in the United States. Native U.S. birds, mammals, and reptiles in areas of potential invasion have never had to deal with huge predatory snakes before. The reticulated python is the world’s longest snake, and the green anaconda is the heaviest snake. Both species have been found in the wild in South Florida, although breeding populations are not yet confirmed for either. Breeding populations have been confirmed in South Florida for Burmese pythons and the boa constrictor, and there is strong evidence that the northern African python may have a breeding population in the wild as well. “Compounding their risk to native species and ecosystems is that these snakes mature early, produce large numbers of offspring, travel long distances, and have broad diets that allow them to eat most native birds and mammals,” said Dr. Gordon Rodda. In addition, most of these snakes can inhabit a variety of habitats and are quite tolerant of urban or suburban areas. Boa constrictors and northern African pythons, for example, already live wild in the Miami
The report notes that there are no control tools yet that seem adequate for eradicating an established population of giant snakes once they have spread over a large area. Making the task of eradication more difficult is that in the wild these snakes are extremely difficult to find since their camouflaged coloration enables them to blend in well with their surroundings. “We have a cautionary tale with the American island of Guam and the brown treesnake,” said Reed. “Within 40 years of its arrival, this invasive snake has decimated the island’s native wildlife—10 of Guam’s 12 native forest birds, one of its two bat species, and about half of its native lizards are gone. The python introduction to Florida is so recent that the tally of ecological damage cannot yet be made.”
USGS researchers used the best available science to forecast areas of the country most at risk of invasion by these giant snakes. Based on climate alone, many of the species would be limited to the warmest areas of the United States, including parts of Florida, extreme south Texas, Hawaii, and America’s tropical islands, such as Puerto Rico, Guam, and other Pacific islands. For a few species, however, larger areas of the continental United States appear to exhibit suitable climatic conditions. For example, much of the southern U.S. climatic conditions are similar to those experienced by the Burmese python in its native range. However, many factors other than climate alone can influence whether a species can establish a population in a particular location, the report notes. The 300-page report provides a comprehensive review of the biology of these species as well as the risk assessment:
Indian or Burmese Python (Python molurus)
Northern African Python (Python sebae)
Southern African Python (Python natalensis)
Reticulated Python (Python [or Broghammerus] reticulatus)
Boa Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
Yellow Anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
Beni or Bolivian Anaconda (Eunectes beniensis)
De Schauensee’s Anaconda (Eunectes deschauenseei)
The full report is at www.fort.usgs.gov
San Diego Zoo Releases 12 Hawaiian Forest Birds
October 14, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com By Susan Shroder
SAN DIEGO — Twelve puaiohi (a small Hawaiian thrush) were born and raised at the San Diego Zoo. They are on the federal list of endangered species and were released yesterday into a high-elevation wilderness preserve in Kauai – the only area they inhabit. 15 years ago, only 200 puaiohi were left in the wild. The zoo's bird conservation center (part of the Institute for Conservation Research) started receiving puaiohi eggs from the preserve in 1996. A total of 188 captive-bred puaiohi have been released into the Kauai forest during the past decade. The released birds are banded for identification and fitted for a radio transmitter that allows researchers to document their movement and survival. Other partners in the program are USFWS, USGS, and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Bat Conservation Workshop at Oregon Zoo
October 14, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Bill LaMarche
On Nov. 3, the Oregon Zoo, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are hosting a daylong bat conservation workshop. Most of Oregon’s 15 bat species are listed by the Oregon Conservation Strategy as species in need of help. Anne Warner, Oregon Zoo conservation manager, said, "They all play important parts in Oregon ecosystems." The workshop is intended for professionals whose work affects bats (either directly or indirectly), including land and park managers, wildlife management officials, conservation groups, land-use consultants and contractors, health officials, researchers and educators. During lunch, renowned wildlife photographer Michael Durham will talk about some of his adventures taking pictures of bats and other "denizens of the dark." Cost to attend the workshop is $30, which includes lunch and snacks. Visit www.oregonzoo.org for more information.
Study of Helping Behavior in Chimpanzees
October 14, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
The evolution of altruism has mainly been explained from ultimate perspectives — I will help you now because I expect there to be some long-term benefit to me. However, a new study by researchers at the Primate Research Institute (PRI) and the Wildlife Research Center (WRC) of Kyoto University shows that chimpanzees altruistically help conspecifics, even in the absence of direct personal gain or immediate reciprocation, although the chimpanzees were much more likely to help each other upon request than voluntarily. Dr Shinya Yamamoto said, "While humans may help others without being solicited, the chimpanzees rarely voluntarily offered an effective tool to a struggling partner. Indeed, simple observation of another's failed attempts did not elicit voluntary helping in chimpanzees." Helping upon request may be a more economical and effective strategy. Altruistic behavior by definition produces no direct immediate benefit to the actor; making a request is a clear indicator to the actor that the recipient requires help, minimizing the risk to the actor of unnecessarily behaving altruistically. In this sense, "help upon request" is an ideal strategy since the helping is always helpful and not wasted. This type of altruism may have initially driven the prevalence and development of altruism during human evolution. The findings are published October 14 in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.
U.S. Considers Penguin Protection
October 14, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
There are no wild penguins in the U.S. But last December, the USFWS proposed protecting seven penguin species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Six of the species would be declared "threatened," whereas the seventh, the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), would be listed as "endangered." Meanwhile the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has announced plans to file another lawsuit to protect three penguin species not covered in the December proposal: The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), is the world's largest and most ice-dependant penguin species; it has seen population drops of nearly 50% since the 1970s. The other two species, the northern and southern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi and E. chrysocome), actually had been recognized in the FWS's December proposal, but only for a few populations of the southern species. Listing of penguins under the ESA would make import or export of the species illegal without an ESA permit, and would also require federal agencies to ensure that any action carried out, authorized or funded by the U.S. government would not jeopardize the continued existence of the protected species.
Noise Pollution Study
October 14, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
Sounds produced by vehicles, oil and gas fields and urban sprawl interfere with the way animals communicate, mate and prey on one another. Even the animals living in protected National Parks in the US are being exposed to chronic levels of noise. A scientific review has been published by three scientists based in Fort Collins, Colorado published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution. They detail the extent to which noise pollution is now harming wild animals. "Many animal species evolved hearing sensitive enough to take advantage of the quietest conditions, and their hearing is increasingly compromised by noise," said Dr Jesse Barber. That intrusion can have a significant impact on the way wild animals communicate. Great tits sing at higher frequencies in response to urban noise, so they are better able to hear each other. Female grey tree frogs exposed to the sounds of passing traffic take longer to locate and find calling males, while European tree frogs call less overall. Noise pollution can also effect the ability of many animals such as owls and bats to find and hunt their prey. In the US alone, between 1970 and 2007, the US population increased by approximately one-third. Traffic on US roads tripled, to almost 5 trillion vehicle kilometers per year, while air traffic also more than tripled between 1981 and 2007, say the reviewers. Shipping noise has similarly increased, according to recent reviews of the effects that artificial noise has on marine mammals such as whales. Even National Parks are becoming increasingly affected. Despite being protected against the sprawl of towns and cities and other forms of development, noise carries into the parks from surrounding roads and planes flying overhead. Noise is audible during more than one quarter of daylight hours at more than half of 55 sites in 14 National Parks studied to date. At 12 sites, anthropogenic noise can be heard more than half the time.
Houston Zoo Offers iPhone App
October 15, 2009 houston.bizjournals.com By Greg Barr
The Houston Zoo is one of only two zoos in the world (the other is Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle) to offer an iPhone locator application to help visitors navigate their zoo. “We wanted the application to be a personalized guide for our guests, giving our visitors instant information about all the zoo has to offer so they can make the most of their visit,” said Kelly Russo, Houston Zoo director of interactive marketing. The application, designed in collaboration with Austin-based Avai Mobile Solutions, is available at the iTunes App Store. Visitors can start at the “Plan Your Day kiosk", to look up animals and plot their course. Available at no charge, the Zoo iPhone application displays guests’ locations on the zoo grounds using real-time GPS coordinates and allows visitors to access photos and videos of exhibits and animals and access daily “Meet the Keeper” presentations. The application home page also includes a link to a live Twitter stream.
Kew Now Has Seeds from 10% of World's Wild Plants
October 15, 2009 www.physorg.com
The banana from China, Musa itinerans, is an important staple for wild elephants and is also useful for breeding new types of the fruit, but is under threat as its jungle habitat is cleared for commercial agriculture. It became the 24,200th species of wild plant with seeds stored in the Millennium Seed Bank, a nine-year-old conservation project run by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and institutions in 54 countries. With it the project reaches its target to collect, bank and conserve seeds from 10 percent of the world's most under-threat wild plant species -- although it is already working towards a new goal of 25 percent of plants by 2020. Professor Stephen Hopper, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in west London said, “About 60,000-100,000 species of plant are threatened with extinction -- a quarter of the total -- largely because of human behavior, whether through the clearing or over-exploitation of land or climate change." The seed partnership -- the largest of its kind in the world -- focuses on collecting those plants most at risk and storing them for future use in conservation or for research. Since 2000, more than 3.5 billion seeds have been collected and stored in air-tight containers in the temperature-controlled vaults at Kew's seed bank near Ardingly, southern England, as well as in their countries of origin.
New Wildlife Program: Nat Geo Wild
October 15, 2009 www.nytimes.com By Bill Carter
Fox Cable Networks and the National Geographic Channel announced Thursday that they will start a new program service that would focus on natural history and wildlife. A spinoff of the National Geographic Channel, it will be called Nat Geo Wild. The new service will concentrate on programs about animals in the wild. It is an extension of a network that has already found success internationally, with outlets in about 50 countries, including England, France and Germany. Wildlife coverage has always been among the most popular offerings of National Geographic in its magazine and on television, and the company already has a substantial library of natural history programs. Mr. Schiffman said the new channel would have access to that library but added that it had already commissioned a wide range of original programs. The new channel is expected to make its debut this spring and will be on the channel that currently is the home of the Fox Reality Channel.
Bat Mimicry
October 15, 2009 www.nature.org
Mirjam Knörnschild at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany and her colleagues recorded a total of 337 songs from 17 pups of the greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) in Costa Rica and compared them with 57 territorial songs from six adult males belonging to the same harems as the pups. Acoustic analysis showed that as the pups matured, their calls developed into territorial songs that were similar to those of harem males. The team ruled out relatedness, gender and physical maturation as factors. The bats learned through imitation. The study appears in Biology Letters.
Where US Science Stimulus Money is Going
October 15, 2009 www.nature.com
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, passed by Congress in February 2009, provides about US$787 billion of stimulus funding to boost the country's economy. The journal Nature looks at where $52.65 billion of the money for science is being directed. Billions of dollars have been poured into the research agencies, with the largest chunk going to the Department of Energy ($36.7 billion) for much-needed programs in energy efficiency, environmental clean-up and research. At other agencies, such as the NIH ($10.4 billion), the National Science Foundation ($3 billion), and USGS ($140 million) stimulus money has allowed managers to fund a backlog of individual grants and accelerate planning for major infrastructure projects such as the NSF's real-time ocean. However, this influx of funds will largely end a year from now. The Obama administration is hoping to ask Congress to double the budgets of basic-research agencies over ten years, but it's far from clear whether Congress will grant such a request.
8 Different Primate Species Born at Singapore Zoo
October 15, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Biswajit Guha
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Zoo has successfully bred eight threatened primate species this year. The Goeldi’s monkey is classified as vulnerable; the lion-tailed macaque and the chimpanzee are classified as endangered, and the purple-faced langur and cotton-top tamarins are considered critically endangered by the IUCN. It is the zoo’s third purple-faced langur birth and the seventh Goeldi’s monkey birth. All of the young primates are with their mothers in their respective enclosures, with the exception of the purple-faced langurs, which are housed in the Primate Breeding Complex, off-exhibit. Mr Biswajit Guha, Assistant Director of Zoology says, “Captive breeding of endangered animals is an important pillar of Singapore Zoo’s mission towards wildlife conservation. The births reaffirm the work of our zoologists and vets, who have created ideal living conditions for the animals by carefully observing their behavior and managing their diets and habitats. The park has the largest collection of primate species globally.” To date, the Singapore Zoo has successfully bred a long list of animals, including the orangutan, proboscis monkey, king cobra, rhino iguana, Malayan tiger and Malayan tapir. Many animals have been exchanged with other reputable zoos for coordinated breeding programs.
Edmonton's Valley Zoo Gets $43 M Makeover
October 15, 2009 www.cbc.ca
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton city council approved $43 million Wednesday to pay for some of the items in the Valley Zoo's master plan. Most of the money will go to the sea mammals exhibit, once described by councillors as being in "embarrassing" condition. The money will help complete outdoor pools for the sea lions as well as an indoor holding facility, isolation tanks and interpretation exhibits. The zoo will also get a new information centre, ticket window, café, gift shop and education classrooms under the funding. There also will be a new path system between exhibits, which will include a stream showing off the various ecosystems in Alberta. Valley Zoo director Denise Prefontaine hopes to put the sea-mammals project out to tender this fall and start construction in the spring, with completion scheduled for 2011. The city has asked other levels of government to pay for other items in the zoo improvement plan.
New Elephants Acclimate at San Diego Zoo
October 15, 2009 www.sdnn.com
The two elephants brought to the San Diego Zoo from a private collection in Texas have both gained about 300 pounds and are building trust with their handlers. Jewel and Tina, who are believed to be in their mid-40s, were removed from their owner by the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture and brought to San Diego in August. In recent examinations, the elephants willingly raised their legs to allow their feet to be cleaned and placed on a platform used for x-rays, a sign of increasing trust with their handlers. “When they first arrived, Tina wouldn’t let us near her rear end,” said Victoria Zahn, a senior keeper. “Now she presents her back feet perfectly so we can scrub and care for them — this is all part of the trusting relationship we are building with them.” Both animals remain in quarantine, and won’t be brought out for public viewing in the Elephant Odyssey exhibit until they clear all their health checks.
Cincinnati's Manatees Due for Release in Florida
October 15, 2009 news.cincinnati.com By John Johnston
The Cincinnati Zoo's manatees, Slip and Lil' Joe, arrived here four years ago, and since then, 12,521 people have spent the night with them as part of the zoo education department's Sleep with the Manatees program. Now the animals will return to Florida on a DHL Express cargo jet, and eventually released into the wild. The zoo will get two replacements, but probably not until next spring after upgrades are made to the 140,000-gallon tank and mechanical systems at Manatee Springs. Slip and Lil' Joe, both males, will be the sixth and seventh Cincinnati Zoo manatees to be set free as part of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Manatee Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release program, which began in 1973. It had returned 289 manatees to the wild as of last year. Cincinnati is one of three participating zoos outside of Florida. An aerial survey of Florida manatees earlier this year counted 3,800 animals, the highest number since 1991. But manatee deaths - often caused by collisions with boats - also are rising. In Florida, the manatees will spend at least several months at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo learning to survive in the wild. That will include adjusting to a diet of aquatic plants. Dates for their release into Florida waters have not been set. When that happens, the animals will be monitored by radio transmitters attached to their bodies. They will be periodically examined. Animals that show signs of injury or ill health can be temporarily returned to captivity until they're ready for another release.
Sustainable Restoration of Vincennes Zoo
October 15, 2009 www.inhabitat.com By Bridgette Meinhold
VINCENNES, France -- A historic zoo built in Vincennes, France, in 1934 will soon undergo a major renovation. Backed by the French government, the Prime Minister has pledged to help engage a public/private partnership with a focus on conservation, education and awareness. The renovated zoo will feature six “biozones” to replicate endangered areas of the world. Run partially on solar power, the zoo will showcase several green buildings and sustainable landscape design. Originally designed by Architect Letrosne and inspired by Hamburg’s zoo by Hagenbeck, with a large artificial rock landmark that was overtly artificial. The new renovation will focus on creating natural habitats and replicate: savanna, equatorial African rain forests, Patagonia, French Guiana, Madagascar, and Europe. Each of these biozones will be a chance to describe the conservation efforts going on in these areas to educate and bring about awareness of environmental issues. The zoo’s landscape will be designed by TN PLUS Landscape Architects and the buildings will be designed by Beckmann N’Thepe. With help from two zoo specialists – Jean-Mark Lernould, former director of Mulhouse Zoo, and chairman of CEPA; and Monika Fiby, a zoo consultant, and project manager of the ZooLex Zoo Design Organization from Austria. the park is shaping up to be a model for new zoo construction and design. Solar power will be used to partially power the 14.5 acre park and renovations are expected to cost around €135 million. Regardless of your views on zoos and captivity of animals, this is an impressive and exciting concept for a zoological park.
"Safari Wild" Seeks State Approval
October 15, 2009 www.tbo.com
TAMPA BAY, Florida -- Polk County growth managers last week signed off on the final development approval for "Safari Wild". But because the project sits in the Green Swamp area, Florida's Department of Community Affairs will have 45 days to review the development package. The Green Swamp is a vast series of swamps, bogs, forests and pastures. It feeds four major rivers and provides drinking water for much of Central Florida, and is protected by state law. "If this project is not in compliance with the Green Swamp regulations, they can appeal that development order and it would go to an administrative hearing,'' said Polk County Growth Management Director Thomas Deardorff. According to the animal park's plans, Safari Wild will house 1,000 animals and entertain up to 500 visitors a day. On its Web site, former Lowry Park Zoo CEO Lex Salisbury, who is a partner in Safari Wild, says that the park will "allow for a new and improved guest experience with animals." Neighbors who see the park as a full scale commercial tourist operation hope the state rejects the plan.
Possible New Zoo For Vegas
October 15, 2009 www.ktnv.com
Entertainment options in Downtown Las Vegas could be expanding, in the form of a new zoo and some crocodile wrestling. The project would be run by the family of the late Steve Irwin who died three years ago after being hit in the chest by a stingray's barb. Representatives from the Australia Zoo in Queensland met this week with Mayor Goodman about opening a similar operation in Downtown Las Vegas. Whether the city would sell or lease the land to the Irwin group is still unknown. The city is waiting for a proposal. But one thing they do know is that it would be very different from the controversial Las Vegas Zoo that recently came under fire from the Humane Society of the United States after a hidden camera investigation. In addition to crocodiles, the zoo would have wombats and platypuses and koalas said Mayor Goodman.
Lay-Offs at Louisville Zoo
October 15, 2009 www.courier-journal.com By Sheldon Shafer
The Louisville Zoo will lay off 12 full-time employees across all categories, from education and administration to group sales and maintenance, leaving the zoo with about 120 full-time workers to help cover an estimated $1.2million revenue decline. The layoffs will be in addition to the elimination of jobs for two full-time and 18 part-time employees effective Nov. 1. Those jobs are being eliminated as part of city-wide cuts made in this fiscal 2009-10 budget to help deal with a revenue shortage estimated at $7million related to the recession. The zoo's revenue decline includes an estimated $400,000 from shutting down its train ride after a June 1 derailment that sent 22 people to the hospital. The state's Department of Agriculture ride inspectors continue to investigate the wreck, which has resulted in several lawsuits. It is uncertain when, or if, train rides will resume. Director John Walczak said other factors contributing to the revenue problem include declines in group rentals for picnics and meetings, individual and corporate contributions, and the amount of money visitors spend at the zoo. He believes revenue will be ~$9.1 M for the fiscal year that ends June 30, compared with about $10.3million last year. The zoo generates about 80 percent of its annual budget, with $2.3 million coming from the city's general fund.
Bird Species Share Nest Boxes in U.K.
October 15, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says it has received a surprising number of reports of different species sharing nest boxes. Barn owl nest boxes attract the most unusual tenants, with reports of kestrels and jackdaws moving in. Sharing blue tits, great tits and pied flycatchers have also been spotted. RSPB is urging people to put up nest boxes now, ahead of the breeding season next spring to avoid species harassing another. Experts believe a number of reasons could explain the phenomenon. Multiple cavities in some nest boxes could lead to the birds fledging from one cavity and returning to roost in the 'wrong hole' that is already occupied. Birds may also unwittingly lay their eggs in the active nest of another species, and, of course, a lack of nesting sites in some areas. Many larger birds which nest in holes in trees or in buildings are experiencing difficulties as older structures are knocked down or converted.
New Wind Turbine Design
October 15, 2009 www.enn.com
Designed by artist Laura Sink, the Natura Levo is a vertical axis wind turbine with two non-traditional blades that catch the wind from any direction. The technology will move to scale prototype testing through an alliance with Renewable PowerTech Inc. The wind turbine design features a variable input electrical generator, matching wind speed with generating efficiency. The missing link on the green generation side was a small wind turbine that people can live with. Natura Levo wind turbines will also serve to power EV (electric vehicle) Charging Stations. The wind turbines will replenish the draw on the grid from electric vehicles and will be deployed throughout the country. A picture of Natura Levo is at http://www.renewablepowertech.com/wind_turbines.html
“BirdLife International” Adopts Web Site Advertising
October 15, 2009 www.birdlife.org
BirdLife’s Chief Executive, Dr. Marco Lambertini announced, “We’ve decided to run adverts on our website to help fund our urgent global conservation action. It’s just like placing adverts in a magazine or newspaper, but is greener and cheaper to administer”. The adverts are displayed on every webpage, and are carefully vetted to be from ethically sound companies, with a well designed format which doesn’t detract from the website’s content. “In consultation with BirdLife Council this is part of a strategy to diversify income”, added Dr Lambertini. “In this time of great financial uncertainty, all charities are looking for new ways to ensure that their work continues to get done. The world’s economy might be faltering, but conservation threats continue to grow!” The advertising and creative solutions are purchased through advertising partner Digital Spring.
Bontebok Hunting Permit Request
October 16, 2009
www.epa.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites the public to comment on the following applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. Written data, comments or requests must be received by November 16, 2009. Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for review, by any party who submits a written request for a copy of such documents within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, Virginia 22203; fax 703/358-2281. For further information contact Division of Management Authority, telephone 703/358-2104. The following applicants each request a permit to import the sport-hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the
survival of the species.
Applicant: Frank M. Cole, Sidney, NE, PRT-223386
Applicant: Dennis F. Gaines, Connelly Springs, NC, PRT-227937
Applicant: Bobby Whiteaker, Pineville, AR, PRT-228645
Applicant: Deborah M. Filpula, Rancho Cordova, CA, PRT-229192
White Rhino Born at Colchester Zoo
October 16, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
A white rhino calf was born to mom Cynthia on October 3, at the Colchester Zoo in Essex. Named Zamba, he is believed to be the first white rhino born in the UK through artificial insemination (AI). The father to the calf, Simba, died at the zoo in April. Zamba's birth was made possible by a pioneering artificial insemination treatment developed by experts at the Leibniz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin.
U.S. Seeks Limits on Polar Bear Hunting
October 16, 2009 www.startribune.com By Dina Cappiello
WASHINGTON - In a proposal filed this week, the U.S. Interior Department is asking other countries to support a ban on the commercial trade of polar bears and to strictly regulate trophy hunting. The request, if approved, would give the bear the most stringent protection afforded under an international convention to protect endangered species. It would also upgrade protections for the bear internationally for the first time since 1975, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, required export permits for the polar bear. Since then, mounting scientific evidence has shown that Arctic sea ice is melting and suggests that global warming may cause the disappearance of summer sea ice in 30 years. In May 2008, the U.S. classified the polar bear as a threatened species, the first with its survival at risk due to global warming. The determination made all but subsistence hunting illegal. Since the early 1990s the market for polar bear carcasses and parts has increased. From 1992 to 2006, approximately 31,294 live polar bears, carcasses or parts were exported to 73 different countries, according to data collected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Skins are the most popular export item, and Canada is the largest commercial exporter.
Snow Leopard Breeding Program
October 16, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
Between 4,000 to 6,000 snow leopards exist in the wild. About 550 live in captivity in zoos. The species's limited genetic range has weakened the animals' immune systems and left them susceptible to a variety of diseases, such as pneumonia, enteritis from salmonella, and two different papillomaviruses, "which cause them to develop squamous cell carcinomas on their skin and in their mouths," Barr says. The big cats also have problems similar to those in overbred domesticated animals, like hip dysplasia and colobomas (eye lesions). Next month, a team from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., will begin a year-long project to develop a DNA-based breeding program for the snow leopard. Principal investigators Margaret Barr, Kristopher Irizarry and Janis Joslin have received a $100,000 IMLS grant to develop the new breeding program. As part of its research, the team will collect and store DNA samples from up to 100 snow leopards from North American captive populations. "Some of these samples will be used to generate a sequence of the snow leopard genome and to begin to identify genes that might play a role in the snow leopard's increased susceptibility to some diseases," Barr says. Prior to that, the team plans to organize a workshop for several groups interested in snow leopard conservation, including "zoo curators and veterinarians involved in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP); key members of some SSPs for other endangered animals; geneticists and experts in genomics; immunologists; and reproductive physiologists," Barr says. The team will use the workshop to come up with a "comprehensive strategy for applying functional genomics to animal conservation issues."
Migratory Route of Eleanora’s Falcon Discovered
October 16, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Satellite tracking has allowed a research team to uncover the mysteries of the migration of Eleanora's falcon for the first time. In total, the bird flies more than 9,500 kilometers across the African continent from the Balearic and Columbretes Islands before reaching the island of Madagascar. Some of the previously-obscure secrets now revealed by the scientists show that these falcons migrate by both day and night, and cross supposed ecological barriers such as the Sahara Desert. Tagged by researchers from the Universities of Valencia (UV) and Alicante (UA) in the colonies of the Balearic Islands between 2007 and 2008 and in the Columbretes Islands in the province of Castellón in 2008, the falcons started their migrations in the autumns of 2007 and 2008. During the two-month migration, the biologists received hundreds of position signals for the adults (throughout 10 countries) and the juveniles (in 14 countries). Their migratory route to return to Europe in the spring once again crosses the African continent, but they follow a completely different path from that used for the autumn migration, flying for more than 1,500km non-stop over the Indian Ocean from Madagascar to Somalia, a phenomenon that has never before been described in birds of prey of this genus, and which pushes them to the limits of their physiological capacity.
Third Bongo Born at Norfolk Zoo
October 16, 2009 www.wavy.com
NORFOLK, Va. – A third bongo was born on October 13. Mother Betty went into labor while on exhibit around 4:30 p.m., and several zoo visitors had the amazing opportunity to witness the birth and see the baby take its first steps. Zookeepers named the male calf Baxter. Baxter follows females Elka and Jade. They join the Virginia Zoo's herd of three adult females, one adult male and now five juveniles and newborns for a total heard size of nine bongos.
Free Admission to San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park for Kids
October 16, 2009 eastcountymagazine.org
“Kids Free Days” for children 11 years old and younger has been expanded and is now available all during the month of October. Come check out two fun, new play areas at the San Diego Zoo, and experience “Radical Reptiles” at the Discovery Station in the Wild Animal Park at San Pasqual.
LA Zoo’s Pachyderm Forest Progressing
October 16, 2009 la.curbed.com by Adrian Glick Kudler
The Los Angeles Zoo's new Pachyderm Forest exhibit has been in a jeopardy a few times. Last December the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee voted to stop work on the exhibit, but the full City Council turned that decision around a couple months later. And now there's a lawsuit pending that charges Los Angeles Zoo with abusing elephants. Despite the controversy, the last phase of construction is more than a third done, and the zoo is projecting an opening in November 2010. The new space will be made up of three connected yards on more than six acres (which is more than seven times the size of the current space). Elephants will enjoy "waterfalls for washing and playing, waterholes for bathing, a variety of natural surfaces for walking and standing that will promote foot and joint care, and natural topographic and planted environments." Visitors will enter through one of "five distinct asian-inspired gateways" and learn about the threats to Asian Elephants in Thailand, Cambodia, India, and China. The architect is Portico Group, who also designed the zoo's China Golden Monkey exhibit. The zoo’s only elephant at this time, 23-year-old Billy, will be moving into one of the completed parts of the Pachyderm Forest soon, and the zoo plans to bring in one more male and three females for from other U.S. zoos. Drawings at la.curbed.com
National Zoo’s Sells Out Adult Halloween Party
October 16, 2009 www.washingtoncitypaper.com
The National Zoo’s first adult (not to be confused with adult-themed) Halloween bash has already proven to be as popular as the zoo’s kiddy nights are each year. Night of the Living Zoo, an adults-only night presented by Magic Hat on October 30, sold out over two weeks ahead of time, at $25 a ticket. The folks at FONZ (the Zoo’s Friends Association) and Magic Hat ask guests to come in costume to enjoy a night of decked-out animal houses, palm readers, fire eaters, illusionists, live music, and dancing. Food and Magic Hat beer will also be available for purchase. Magic Hat “elixirs” featured at the event include their standard #9 “Not Quite Pale Ale” as well as three seasonal releases: Lucky Kat, an American IPA, Howl, a Black Winter Lager, and the Winter ‘09 Odd Notion, an American-Style Sour Ale this time around.
Biomimicry: Cheetahs, Geckos and Spider Robotics
October 16, 2009 www.wired.com By Priya Ganapati
Robotic designer Sangbae Kim, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, looks to the animal kingdom for ideas for creating mobile robots. Locomotion and movement are the core parts of an animal’s life. “Animals have to find food, shelter; move towards water or away from a predator,” he says. “Moving is one of their biggest functions, and they do it very well.” Some roaches can move at nearly 50 times their body length in one second, which, scaled up to human levels, can be around 200 miles an hour. Roaches don’t control their legs very carefully, says Kim. They have six small legs that are thrown about 15 times a second. “They are relying a lot on their mechanical property to move forward,” he says. “At the same time it’s also not about being extremely precise in how they place their legs.” Studying the movement of roaches led to the development of hand-sized hexapedal robots or a new family of ’sprawl’ robots. The robots are designed to test ideas about locomotion dynamics, leg design and leg arrangement. The iSprawl, which was the first bio-robot designed by Kim, can cover 7.5 feet per second. iSprawl has a battery and electric motor, and a power transmission system that converts rotary motion to leg thrust. It also has a push-pull cable transmission system. Kim and Stanford professor Mark Cutkosky have designed the Stickybot, a robot that has foot pads based on a gecko’s feet, and iSprawl, a robot whose motion is inspired from cockroaches. Kim’s latest project is a robot inspired by the cheetah. The idea is build a prototype robot from a lightweight carbon-fiber-foam composite that can run at at least half the cheetah’s top speed of 70 miles per hour. Current wheeled robots are efficient, but can be slow in rough terrains. For instance, iRobot’s PackBot, which is used by the U.S. military, can only travel at speeds of up to 5.8 miles per hour. The biggest challenge in this project won’t be the structure, but getting enough power from a motor to get to the desired speed quickly, says Kim. See: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/10/animal-inspire-robotic-designs/
USFWS White Nose Syndrome Plan
October 18, 2009 www.citizen.com By ROBERT M. COOK
White nose syndrome has wiped out an estimated 1.5 million bats and killed off the entire bat population in some locations. It has rapidly spread from the Albany, N.Y., area, where it first appeared in caves in the winter of 2006 and 2007, to nine states from New Hampshire to West Virginia. It is expected to show up in bat caves this winter in Kentucky, Tennessee and other Midwestern and Southern states, and biologists think it may reach the West Coast within two to three years. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's draft plan to help states deal with the disease can be reviewed at www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html. Agency officials said last week that they hope to finalize the plan by late fall, before the syndrome starts showing up in new sites this winter. Bats eat thousands of pounds of agricultural pests and nuisance species like mosquitoes every summer, and both the food production and timber industries could be affected.
Siberian Tiger Monitoring
October 18, 2009 news.mongabay.com By Jeremy Hance
After a decade of stability, the Siberian Tiger Monitoring Program (a collaboration between the Wildlife Conservation Society and several Russian government organizations) has found evidence that the Amur tiger's (Siberian Tiger) population may be falling. This year's annual survey, which covers only a portion of tiger habitat in Russia, found only 56 adult tigers: a forty percent decrease from the average of 95 tigers. Yuri Dunishenko, a scientist at the All-Russia Wildlife Research Institute in Khabarovsk, and a coordinator of the Siberian Tiger Monitoring Program, said, "Deep snows this past winter may have forced tigers to reduce the amount they traveled, making them less detectable, but nonetheless, we’ve seen a 4-year trend of decreasing numbers of tigers and this is most likely due to poaching." Amur tigers are poached for the lucrative black market in tiger parts, including tiger skins, meat, and other body parts for use in traditional Chinese medicines, even though the effectiveness of these medicines has never been proven. Researchers also found that tiger prey—red deer and roe deer—is also declining.
Innovation at the San Diego Zoo & Wildlife Park
October 19, 2009 www.sci-tech-today.com By Jessie Scanlon
In 2008, despite more than 4.5 million annual visitors and $200 million in annual revenues, and a operating profit of $13 million, the San Diego Zoo & Wildlife Park’s Chief Financial Officer Paula Brock told the executive committee, that the long-standing model of funding conservation research and educational initiatives from entertainment revenues [tickets, food, and merchandise] and donations couldn't be maintained- -- The zoo had to innovate. And it has, by identifying new ways to connect with visitors and finding lucrative revenue sources such as long-term business consulting and events like a recent sold-out biomimicry conference and a planned expo showcasing eco-friendly products. The organization’s goal was to position itself as a world leader in conservation to attract more funding. Lara Lee of Jump Associates, a growth-strategy firm, asked them to think about how they could develop a sustainable growth strategy by identifying new revenue streams to fund conservation and grow the business. Lee's team talked to employees from all departments about the organization's strengths and weaknesses, and then asked visitors about their perceptions of the zoo and attitudes towards conservation. They found, for instance, that while visitors care about the planet, they didn't use the word "conservation" and they didn't know exactly how to proceed. Combining that input with a broad rethinking of the zoo's competitors in the conservation arena -- from other zoos and traditional conservation organizations to entertainment and retail brands -- Lee created an "opportunity map," or a visual representation of the marketplace. The map had four quadrants defined by two axes. The 12-member zoo team chose individual needs vs. the world's needs as the horizontal axis, and direct vs. indirect involvement as the vertical axis. "By re-examining the conservation landscape through the needs of ordinary people, we discovered that the San Diego Zoo's key competitors aren't obvious players like the Bronx Zoo or even Disney's Animal Kingdom -- they're organizations like Whole Foods and Discovery Communications that also meet people where they are on issues of conservation," says Lee. The Zoo team saw 14 areas of opportunity -- with a cluster around the idea that many people and companies want to do right by the planet, but aren't sure how. Jump created a strategic plan to help the zoo executives prioritize new projects.
Step One: building the zoo's strengths and credibility. Bringing corporate executives together with Zoo experts to discuss the issues. Building partnerships with the City and Biomimicry Institute.
Step Two: connecting people with conservation. Connecting with younger consumers – more web site videos; a zipline ride at the Wild Animal Park
Step Three: cultivating conservation leadership through the zoo's venture business office, expanding its consulting business with clients such as the USFWS, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; using its facilities to showcase sustainable technologies and products; making conservation more accessible to millions of visitors. Debra Erickson, associate director of communications says, "There are 11 more strategies to build conservation funding just waiting to be developed."
49-Year-Old Toledo Zoo Chimpanzee Dies
October 19, 2009 toledoblade.com By Megan Gilbert-Cunningham
Fifi, a 49-year-old female chimp, died Friday at the Toledo zoo after a rapid decline in health. Randi Meyerson, the zoo's curator of mammals said, "Fifi came to the zoo in 1963 at the age of 3 and was a well-liked member of the community with a strong personality.”
On Thursday she started showing signs that she was stiff and tired. Chief Veterinarian Chris Hanley examined her and started her on medication, which improved her condition and on Friday morning she was moving better and was more active. By the afternoon, however, she had become disoriented, deteriorated rapidly, and died. A necropsy revealed possible blood vessel abnormalities in the brain, and further tests are pending to determine a cause of death. The loss of Fifi leaves just one chimpanzee at the zoo, the 50-year-old male named Harvey. Fifi was one of the oldest female chimps in the North American zoo population. The Toledo Zoo plans to work with the chimpanzee Species Survival Plan, to decide the best social situation for Harvey now that he is alone. Harvey came to the zoo in 1971, but left for a few years to Baltimore in a failed attempt to get him to breed.
San Francisco Zoo Struggles Financially
October 19, 2009 www.sfexaminer.com
The San Francisco Zoo currently faces a deficit of some $3 million, on top of about $2 million in debt, and so on Thursday the Recreation and Park Commission, which oversees the zoo, decided to let the facility itself call the shots on hours of operation when the weather becomes wet and windy. Furthermore, the commission says the Zoo should close at 4 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. from November to March. “At times, we have less than 10 visitors between those hours,” zoo Director Tanya Peterson said. It is hoped that the savings will be around $3,500 a week. Since the tiger mauling in 2007 and the recession, admission has dropped, visitor spending is down and donors have invested less in the zoo. Earlier this year, the facility could not make payments on a $2 million combined tab owed to the Recreation and Park Department to cover the pay of city employees who work at the zoo and to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for bills. The organization has offered early retirement options to about 35 of its 225 employees. Only 18 are expected to accept.
Audubon Zookeepers Join Teamsters
October 19, 2009 www.nola.com By Bruce Eggler
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Audubon's zookeepers have voted 17-14 to join Teamsters Local 270. Despite the close vote, the zoo's management has decided not to challenge the election results, and the union will now be certified as the workers' official bargaining agent. Audubon has a total staff of about 600, including 450 full-time workers. The Teamsters represent zookeepers and other workers at several of the country's best-known zoos, including the San Diego Zoo and Chicago's Brookfield Zoo. "The Audubon Zoo workers were being treated poorly, and they knew about the union zoo in Chicago and how working under a Teamster contract has made things better for them, " said David Negrotto, president of Local 270. Dale Stastny, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Audubon Nature Institute, said Audubon's management advised the workers against joining the union, pointing out raises they have received and what he said is a generous health care package. He said the zoo's top executives have focused so intently since Hurricane Katrina on rebuilding Audubon's damaged facilities and trying to increase attendance that they failed to communicate to some workers the "bigger picture" of Audubon's post-Katrina financial challenges. Stastny said he and other top Audubon officials "were caught essentially by surprise" when notified by the National Labor Relations Board of the zookeepers' petition for an election.
Protective Regulations for Killer Whales in the Northwest
October 19, 2009
www.epa.gov
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is extending the public comment period for proposed regulations to prohibit vessels from approaching killer whales within 200 yards and from parking in the path of whales for vessels in inland waters of Washington State. The proposed regulations would also prohibit vessels from entering a conservation area during a defined season. The proposed rule was published July 29, 2009, opening a 90-day public comment period and noticing two public meetings. In response to requests from the public, on September 17, 2009, we published a notice in the Federal Register announcing an additional public meeting. We are issuing this notice to announce an 80-day extension of the public comment period in response to requests to provide more time for the public to review the proposed regulation and provide comments. We recognize that by extending the public comment period, we will not have sufficient time to issue a final rule prior to the 2010 summer boating season. We continue to believe that it is important to address the adverse effects of vessel traffic on killer whales in the near future. Written or electronic comments on the proposed rule and draft Environmental Assessment (EA) from all interested parties are encouraged and must be received no later than January 15, 2010. Comments on the proposed rule, draft EA and any of the supporting documents can be submitted via: E-mail: orca.plan@noaa.gov, or mail to Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Northwest Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. The draft EA and other supporting documents are available on Regulations.gov and the NMFS Northwest Region Web site. For further information contact: Lynne Barre, Northwest Regional Office, 206-526-4745; or Trevor Spradlin, Office of Protected Resources, 301-713-2322.
Reducing Biodiversity Loss by 2010
October 19, 2009 www.nature.com
In 2002, more than 120 countries adopted a target to achieve a "significant reduction" in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. That aim will not be met, says Georgina Mace, director of the Centre for Population Biology at Imperial College London. The next generation of targets will aim for a more positive outcome and set more easily measurable goals, says David Cooper of the Convention on Biological Diversity secretariat in Montreal. The targets are likely to aim for a complete halt to biodiversity loss by 2050, and to set more modest interim targets for 2020. The new targets will be designed to encourage countries to address the underlying drivers of biodiversity loss, such as climate change and unsustainable land use, Cooper says. They will also recognize the socioeconomic value of 'biodiversity services', such as tourism revenue generated by coral reefs or the carbon sequestration value of a forest. The new goals are being agreed through a set of international negotiations, to culminate in Japan in October 2010. There, governments will also consider whether to set up an Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to bridge the gap between science and policy. Science advice is currently slow to reach policy-makers, says Steiner, and too piecemeal when it gets to them. Scientists also need to find better ways of estimating biodiversity loss, Mace says. Writing in Science last month, a team led by UNEP's Matt Walpole identified serious shortcomings in the indicators used to measure progress towards the 2010 target, such as monitoring changes in species' status on the IUCN’s endangered 'red list' or in the size of protected areas. But the indicators do not include any measurement of the effects of climate change on biodiversity, and few address the societal benefits of safeguarding species. Cooper adds that scientists need to better integrate data to provide a more holistic picture of biodiversity trends. "We need to develop a monitoring system," he said. Launched in 2008, the Biodiversity Observation Network of the Group on Earth Observations aims to be a one-stop shop for information on biodiversity. It will release indicators, generate maps of priority areas, provide conservation plans and report on trends in uses of biological resources. Chairman Bob Scholes, of South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, says the network will start producing a "strong element" of this bigger picture in two to three years' time.
Prospect Park Offers Parent-Child Science Workshops
October 19, 2009 www.brooklyneagle.com
PROSPECT PARK — The Prospect Park Zoo Education Department is offering a very unique parent-child workshop: science-time. Known as SPARKS (Supporting Parents in Advocacy, Reform, and Knowledge in Science), the workshop offers a unique opportunity for parents to help make science accessible for kids through hands-on activities, animal encounters, and other interactive teaching methods. With science test scores of U.S. students — particularly those in urban public schools — failing to meet national standards, cultural institutions like the Prospect Park Zoo are seeking innovative ways to supplement classroom learning. SPARKS parents learn about the scientific method, multiple intelligences theory, and how standards are used in schools, all while doing hands-on activities that they can take home to do with their kids. SPARKS parents will also go behind the scenes at the zoo, meet some zoo animals, study animal behavior and learn about doing worm-composting with children. The two-day workshops run from 9 to 4:30 each day. It is for parents of pre-schoolers and elementary schoolers and for adults only.
Endangered Species Numbers and Politics
October 19, 2009 www.time.com By BRYAN WALSH
A new paper in the journal Biological Conservation by a team of Australian researchers claims that current conservation policy tends to underestimate the number of individuals needed in a population of endangered species to remain viable. Lead author, Lochran Traill feels animal populations should number in the thousands for survival — not in the hundreds, which is what most conservationists aim for. Small, dispersed populations are more easily wiped out, and more susceptible to inbreeding, which leads to a decrease in genetic diversity and further pushes the species toward extinction. So the goal is to boost species' numbers, and the long-standing rule for such conservation is 50/500 — meaning that 50 adults in a population are required to avoid the risks of inbreeding, and 500 are needed to avoid extinction due to sudden environmental change. But the new study estimates that a better rule would be 5,000 — meaning no fewer than 5,000 adult individuals are needed to keep a species safe from the threat of extinction. Increasing species numbers, however, may not be possible. The main hurdle, not surprisingly, is politics. The needs of a real conservation effort may require a level of animal protection beyond what is politically possible. That puts conservationists in a bind. Do they push for the tighter levels of protection that might successfully preserve endangered species or do they accept what is politically feasible? Traill writes, "We suggest that most vulnerable species are not really being managed for viability, but conservation targets in most cases merely aim to maximize short-term [species] persistence and fit with complex political and financial realities." [The 50/500 rule is quite simplistic. For a more complete explanation of the IUCN’s species criteria see: www.iucnredlist.org]
H1N1 Found in Pig at Minnesota State Fair
October 19, 2009 www.usda.gov
WASHINGTON- - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed the presence of 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus in a pig sample collected at the Minnesota State Fair submitted by the University of Minnesota as part of a cooperative agreement research project funded by the CDC. Additional samples are being tested. Vilsack said, “There is no scientific basis to restrict trade in pork and pork products. People cannot get this flu from eating pork or pork products. Pork is safe to eat." The infection of the fair pig does not suggest infection of commercial herds because show pigs and commercially raised pigs are in separate segments of the swine industry that do not typically interchange personnel or animal stock. USDA continues to remind U.S. swine producers about the need for good hygiene, biosecurity and other practices that will prevent the introduction and spread of influenza viruses in their herd and encourage them to participate in USDA's swine influenza virus surveillance program. The USDA’s 2009 pandemic H1N1 efforts is available at www.usda.gov/H1N1flu
National Academy of Sciences Energy Study
October 19, 2009 www.nytimes.com By MATTHEW L. WALD
WASHINGTON — Burning fossil fuels costs the United States about $120 billion a year in health costs, mostly because of thousands of premature deaths from air pollution, the National Academy of Sciences reported in a study ordered by Congress. The damages are caused almost equally by coal and oil. The estimates do not include damages from global warming, which has been linked to the gases produced by burning fossil fuels. The authors said the extent of such damage, and the timing, were too uncertain to estimate. Nor did the study measure damage from burning oil for trains, ships and planes. And it did not include the environmental damage from coal mining or the pollution of rivers with chemicals that were filtered from coal plant smokestacks to keep the air clean. The study lends support to arguments that society should pay extra for energy from sources like the wind and the sun, because their indirect costs are extremely small. But it also found that renewable motor fuel, in the form of ethanol from corn, was slightly worse than gasoline in its environmental impact. The study found that operating nuclear plants did not impose significant environmental costs, although uranium mining and processing did. But 95 percent of uranium mining takes place in other countries, the study said. Canada and Australia together account for 44 percent of world production. The committee did not put a dollar value on the risk of a nuclear accident that would produce environmental damage. It also noted the uncertainty of the cost of long-term disposal of high-level wastes.
The committee said environmental damage from gasoline and diesel fuel cost 1.2 cents to 1.7 cents per mile. The study did not calculate the military cost of protecting fuel imports. As for wind energy, the study said it killed birds but not enough to seriously affect populations. A possible exception was raptors, birds of prey that ordinarily eat species whose numbers are being reduced by spinning turbine blades. The study was not kind to ethanol. A mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline, or E85, showed slightly higher damages to environment and health than ordinary gasoline, because of the energy required to raise the corn and make ethanol from it. Electric vehicles and vehicles using synthetic diesel fuel, also ranked poorly. The electric vehicles might do better if emissions of heat-trapping gases had been factored in, because they have lower carbon dioxide emissions per mile than gasoline-powered cars. But the cars running on artificial diesel would look slightly worse in that analysis, the study said.
Chydrid Fungus Workshop in Panama
October 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A workshop at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama has dramatically improved the ability of conservationists and regulatory agencies to monitor the spread of chytridiomycosis. This disease is probably responsible for the extinction of nearly 100 frog species since the 1970s. During the past decade, the epidemic swept from the highlands of Costa Rica through western Panama. It is now moving toward eastern Panama from Colombia. "The fungus spreads so rapidly because humans ship nearly 100 million amphibians around the world each year, mainly for food and pets, with virtually no disease testing," said Kerry Kriger, executive director of the U.S. non-profit, Save The Frogs! and course instructor with Sandra Victoria Flechas from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. This hands-on course trained 22 scientists on the frontlines to use a genetic technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction, PCR, which detects even single fungal spores. Kriger said, "The beauty of PCR is that you don't have to kill the frog or take a skin sample to test for the disease." Researchers run a cotton swab over a frog to pick up any fungal DNA, and use quantitative PCR to evaluate the sample. The technique was developed by Donna Boyle and colleagues in Australia in 2004 and modified by Kriger who made it more rapid, cost-effective and wrote a simplified protocol for scientists with no specialized training. The Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, supported by a consortium of zoos and research institutes and coordinated by the Smithsonian's National Zoo, is building a new Amphibian Rescue Center at Summit Nature Park near Panama City. "During the next several months we will collect frog species on the brink of extinction. We'll use quantitative PCR to make sure that the center's rescue pods—frog habitats made from retrofitted shipping containers—stay fungus free," said Roberto Ibáñez, Smithsonian staff scientist and local director of the project.
Marine Conservation Plan for Southern California
October 19, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com By Mike Lee
The Marine Life Protection Act, is a 1999 law that mandates redrawing California's conservation zones to increase populations of fish, shellfish and other sea life. By Thursday, a statewide Blue Ribbon Task Force is expected to choose a conservation plan for Southern California — technically labeled as the South Coast. Then the California Fish and Game Commission will review that pick starting in December and likely make a final decision in 2010. Fred Keeley, a former assemblyman and co-author of the protection act, said, “Thoughtful, precautionary management of our fish and other marine wildlife (is) essential if we want to continue to reap their benefits.” The South Coast is the third of five areas to be remapped along California's 1,100-mile coastline, after the Central and North Central regions. Revamping of the whole network should be done by 2012. The South Coast region stretches from the U.S.-Mexico border to Point Conception, northwest of Santa Barbara. It's home to more than 20 million people and lobby groups for almost every ocean-related activity. The main proposed closures are off Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla and Sunset Cliffs. Currently, 42 marine protected areas cover about 182 square miles along the South Coast. Each of the three proposals before the panel would more than double that territory. The plans differ in the specific spots proposed for closure. Those variations have a big effect on short-term financial projections. The blueprint backed by most anglers would cause a 10.3 percent decline in profits for commercial fishermen in Southern California, while the one supported by most conservationists would lead to an 18.9 percent decline.
Asian Yellow Pond Turtles Hatch in U.K.
October 19, 2009 www.northamptonchron.co.uk
NORTHAMPTON, UK -- Several years ago, two male and two female adult Asian yellow pond turtles were lent to Moulton College by Woburn Safari Park as part of their zoo transfer and captive breeding program. Last year, the College became one of a highly select group of animal collections in the UK to successfully get a female turtle to lay eggs. After a 6-month incubation period, the egs were found to be fertile with two males and a female hatchling. They will be cared for at the Animal Welfare Centre until they have grown to their adult size, and can be moved to a new collection. The species, Mauremys mutica is found in the ponds and slow-moving streams of China, Japan, and Vietnam.
Cattle Family Tree is Established
October 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Pairing a new approach to prepare ancient DNA with a new scientific technique developed specifically to genotype a cow, a team of international researchers, has created a very accurate and widespread "family tree" for cows and other ruminants, going back as far as 29 million years. The research revealed domesticated cattle moving sequentially through Turkey, the Balkans and Italy, then spreading through Central Europe and France, and ending in Britain. Supporting evidence for a second route of ancient cattle moving to Europe via the Iberian Peninsula was also found. "We studied 678 different animals, representing 61 different species, and using the new Illumina cow 'SNP chip,' or 'snip chip,' we were able to generate some very precise genetic data for which the chip was not designed," said Jerry Taylor, a professor of animal science in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. "Our SNP chips allow scientists to examine hundreds of thousands of points on an animal's genome simultaneously. When we applied this technique to 48 recognized breeds of cattle, we were able to construct a family tree and infer the history of cattle domestication and breed formation across the globe." The research, which is being published in this week's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Ruminant Lineage Study
October 20, 2009 www.adelaide.edu.au
ADELAIDE, Australia -- Researchers from the University's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) worked with an international team of genomics researchers to analyze the genetic mutations of an ancient bison, preserved in permafrost, as well as many modern cattle breeds, deer, antelopes, and giraffes. Their findings were published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ACAD Director Professor Alan Cooper says, "The entire ancient bison genome was screened using a bovine SNP-chip - which maps changes at 54,000 specific sites across the genome at once. This is the first time such a technique has been used to examine the genetic variation of any extinct species." The bovine SNP-chip was used to scan the genomes of 61 different ruminant species and 48 cattle breeds, to create a detailed evolutionary history for this complex group, which has proven difficult using traditional genetic studies. "Understanding how different genes create variation controlling growth efficiency, levels of marbling (intramuscular fat), and disease resistance could have a large economic impact for farmers who raise cattle throughout the world," says Professor Taylor. ACAD post-doctoral researcher Dr Kefei Chen has since used the approach to analyse the genomes of the extinct aurochs, the ancestor of modern cattle, as well as early domestic cattle from China, Russia and Europe as part of a research program funded by the Australian Research Council.
Spotted Seal Distinct Population Segment Ruling
October 20, 2009
www.epa.gov
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), has completed a comprehensive status review of the spotted seal (Phoca largha). Based on the findings we conclude the spotted seal exists as three (3) distinct population segments (DPS) within the North Pacific Ocean. These are the southern, Okhotsk, and Bering DPSs. Based on consideration of information presented in the Status Review, an analysis of the extinction risk probabilities for each of these DPSs, we have determined the southern DPS is likely to become endangered throughout all or a significant portion of its range in the foreseeable future, and should be listed as a threatened species. The Okhotsk and Bering Sea DPSs are not in danger of extinction nor likely to become endangered throughout all or a significant portion of their ranges in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, we are now issuing a proposed rule to list the southern DPS of the spotted seal as a threatened species. No listing action is proposed for the Okhotsk and Bering Sea DPSs. Because the southern DPS occurs outside the United States, no critical habitat can be designated. We request comments and information related to this proposed rule and finding. Comments and information regarding this proposed rule must be received by close of business on December 21, 2009. Send comments to Kaja Brix, Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources, Alaska Region, NMFS, ATTN: Ellen Sebastian. You may submit comments, identified by "RIN 0648-XR74'' by any one of the following methods: Federal Rulemaking Portal or mail to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK, 99802-1668. The proposed rule, maps, status review, and other materials relating to this proposal can be found on our Web site. For further information contact Kaja Brix, NMFS Alaska Region, (907) 586-7235; or Marta Nammack, NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, (301) 713-1401.
Three U.S. Cities Vie for Australia Zoo
October 20, 2009 news.smh.com.au By PETRINA BERRY
Representatives from the Sunshine Coast zoo met with Las Vegas authorities last week to discuss plans for building another $40 million Australia Zoo in the next two to three years. Florida and Los Angeles are two other locations under consideration. Australia Zoo director Wes Mannion said, "This will enable Australia Zoo to educate millions of people on the importance of conservation and wildlife protection. The benefits from this project will go toward our wildlife projects in Australia and around the world." Australia Zoo is currently expanding its African exhibit on the Sunshine Coast, which will open Christmas next year.
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park Festival
October 20, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com
PAIGNTON, UK - The second Green Solutions Festival takes place at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park from Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November. The nine day event is dedicated to demonstrations, competitions, games and activities aimed at reducing our impact on the environment. All arts, technology, food, horticulture and entertainment, will be green themed:
*An Eco-Fayre featuring a range of green businesses will be in the Education Center. Exhibitors include the Totnes Nappy Company, Sustainability South West, Vectrix electric bicycles, South West Water and the Met Office.
* Segway South West will be offering people a “glided tour” on their green machines.
*The Energy Saving Trust is bringing their environmentally-friendly driving simulator to help people learn how to drive in a greener manner.
*Saturday 24th October is “350”, an international day of action against climate change being held in anticipation of the Copenhagen talks. (350 parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere, is regarded by scientists as the safe upper limit for humanity – a limit currently being exceeded.).
* Sunday 25th October local artist Anne Radu will lead arts activities
* Monday 26th October Valcent (eu) Ltd. will be running a unique mini hydroponics activity for children with pots and seeds.
* Tuesday 27th October Devon County Council and top international mountain biker Andrei Burton will be promoting cycling in Devon and showing off some amazing stunt riding skills.
* Wednesday 28th October South Devon College staff and students will be holding cooking demonstrations, composting, recycling and the benefits of buying local produce.
The Young Green Inventor of the Year competition will be held in Jungle Fun, with the winner receiving a zoo adoption of their choice and a Paignton Zoo goody bag. More information is at www.paigntonzoo.org.uk.
“Cut and Gut” Social Event for Zoo Volunteers
October 20, 2009 www.brandoninfo.com
The Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History will host its pumpkin carving event, Cut & Gut, starting at 9 a.m. this Wednesday. Zoo staff and community volunteers will cut, gut and carve over 250 pumpkins that will be used during the Zoo’s “ZooBoo” to line the sidewalks and “Hall of Flames.” ZooBoo is from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, and from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25. Elizabeth Whealy, President and CEO of the Great Plains Zoo said, “We have literally hundreds of volunteers helping us carve pumpkins. It’s a huge social event for our volunteers, and they get amazingly creative, producing almost 300 hand-carved, lit Jack o’ lanterns that are a highlight of ZooBoo.”
Stephen’s Kangaroo Rat Release
October 20, 2009 blogs.pe.com
The San Diego Zoo’s field scientist with the Institute of Conservation Research released 41 Stephen's kangaroo rats to a reserve in the Temecula area, last Sunday. This species of rodent is found only in Riverside and San Diego counties and plays a vital role in maintaining the area's ecosystem. They disperse native plant seeds, helping to control the spread of exotic plants, and dig burrows used by other small creatures.
Helsinki Zoo's Will Feed their Cats Local Rabbits
October 20, 2009 newsroom.finland.fi
Helsinki Zoo said Tuesday it would begin feeding locally trapped European rabbits to their cats. The Asiatic lions, snow leopards and lynxes will be the first to switch to the local diet, but the zoo said nearly all carnivores could be fed rabbits caught in Helsinki's parks. The European rabbit is a non-native species in Finland. The capital region's thriving pest population is thought to have sprung from escaped or released pets.
Elephant Extinction by 2025 From Ivory Poaching
October 20, 2009 www.washingtonpost.com By John Frederick Walker
CITES banned ivory trade nearly 20 years ago in 1989 to prevent continued poaching of elephants. Since then, however, CITES has allowed a few one off sales of ivory from elephants that died natural deaths. Now, estimates of the number of elephants now being poached across the African continent range as high as 37,000 a year. [The International Fund for Wildlife Welfare says the number is 38,000] This illegal wildlife trade could potentially drive elephants in Africa to extinction by 2025, and IFWW is calling for a total ban of all ivory sales. Some conservationists maintain that a legitimate and legal ivory trade could benefit elephants. Countries with large populations of elephants could sell the ivory from deceased individuals and use the profit for conservation, including more anti-poaching patrols. But legal buyers (currently, in China and Japan) can never be certain of origin. "That keeps the black market alive, preventing legal ivory from undercutting illicit supplies and crippling organized poaching," according to John Frederick Walker, in a Washington Post op-ed piece. Others say that any ivory sold legally sends the wrong message and allows demand to remain high in China and Japan, providing poachers with the wealthy clientele they need to make elephant killing worthwhile. The full article is at www.washingtonpost.com
Bushmeat Trade Rises as Forest Cover Declines
October 20, 2009 www.panda.org
CAMBRIDGE, UK - New analytical techniques have revealed that the scale of bushmeat trade in Central Africa may be much larger than originally thought, according to a study published today by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. The study, based on an analysis of food balance sheets provided by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s statistical database FAOSTAT, indicates that bushmeat hunting rose considerably in the Congo Basin between 1990 and 2005, despite the overall decrease in forest cover in Central Africa. Cameroon appears to be exceeding—by more than 100%—an estimated sustainable offtake of 150 kg of game meat per square kilometer of forest, and Gabon and the Republic of Congo are both close to this limit. The greatest rise in bushmeat production was in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the yield rose from 78,000 tons in 1990 to 90,000 tons in 2005. In the Republic of Congo, production almost doubled, from 11,000 to 20,000 tons per year in the same time period. "While the FAOSTAT bushmeat data are probably underestimates says Stefan Ziegler, Program Officer with WWF Germany, and author of the report, “Wildlife is a significant and direct source of protein for more than 34 million people living in the Congo Basin and bushmeat hunting is a key component of many peoples’ livelihoods in Central Africa.”
Fewer Loggerhead Sea Turtles Nesting
October 20, 2009 oceana.org
WASHINGTON – Oceana, a group dedicated to the conservation of the ocean, announced yesterday that 2009 was one of the worst years on record for loggerhead sea turtle nesting from North Carolina to Florida. In Florida for example, loggerhead nesting decreased by more than 15 percent in 2009. Kerri Lynn Miller, marine scientist at Oceana said, "The downward trend will only continue unless permanent protections are established." Florida accounts for nearly 90 percent of loggerhead nesting in the United States and is one of the two largest nesting hot spots for the population in the world. Florida’s loggerhead nesting population has decreased by more than 40 percent in the last decade and 2009 marked Florida’s fourth lowest nesting season on record.
Hearing Structure Found in Blue Morpho Butterfly
October 21, 2009 www.bristol.ac.uk
BRISTOL, U.K. -- A simple ‘ear structure’ sits at the base of the wing of the Blue Morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides) and looks like a sheet of stretched rubber. This oval-shaped tympanal membrane, with a dome in the middle, is attached directly to sensory organs and is responsible for converting sound waves into signals that can be picked up by nerve cells. Using a tiny laser beam, researchers from the University of Bristol, scanned the surface of the membrane while it was in action, and found that lower pitch sounds cause vibrations only in a part of the outer membrane while higher pitch sounds caused the entire membrane to vibrate. The unusual structure and properties of the membrane mean that this butterfly ear may be able to distinguish between low and high pitch sounds, and measurements of nerve recordings suggest the butterfly is unusually sensitive to low pitch sounds compared to other insects with similar ears. The structure of the membrane could mean the butterfly can hear a greater range of pitches, which lead researcher Katie Lucas and her colleagues believe, may enhance the abilities of these butterflies to listen for birds. (Lower pitch sounds may detect the beating of birds’ wings, while higher pitches may tune into birdsong). The paper “Auditory mechanics and sensitivity in the tropical butterfly Morpho peleides (Pampilionoidea, Nymphalidae)” appears in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Spider Web Glue
October 21, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Scientists in Wyoming report an advance toward a new biobased adhesives and glues — "green" glues that replace existing petroleum-based products for a range of uses. Omer Choresh and colleagues note that much research has been done on spider web silk, which rivals steel in its strength. However, scientists know comparatively little about web glue, which coats the silk threads and is among the world's strongest biological glues. Past studies revealed that spiders make web glue from glycoproteins, or proteins bits of sugar attached. The scientists analyzed web glue from the golden orb weaving spider, noted for spinning intricate webs. They identified two new glycoproteins in the glue and showed that domains of these proteins were produced from opposite strands of the same DNA. "Once the cloned genes are over expressed in systems such as insect or bacterial cell cultures, large-scale production of the glycoprotein can be used to develop a new biobased glue for a variety of purposes." A report on the study is in the October issue of ACS' Biomacromolecules.
Food Recycling Law in San Francisco
October 21, 2009 www.npr.org
Tossing food scraps in your garbage is now a crime in San Francisco. A new city law requires residents to discard food waste in city-provided food recycling bins. Food scraps go into sealed compost bins that get picked up by the city. Corso says the program has significantly trimmed the building's garbage costs. Garbage officials in the city have been stunned and heartened by the tons and tons of food waste that is already streaming in. After picking up curbside food scraps, garbage trucks head to the south of the city to the Organics Annex, the heart of the citywide food waste operation. The city's environmental officer says the Organic Annex is already processing about half of the city's food waste, which is more than 500 tons per day. Composting your food scraps is probably the single most effective thing you can do as a citizen in the United States today. San Francisco turns all of that food refuse into compost, which is then sold to Bay Area farms and vineyards. The program is the latest effort in one of the most aggressive recycling campaigns in the nation. San Francisco currently keeps 72 percent of its garbage stream out of the landfill by recycling cans, bottles, construction material and cooking oil. Blumenfeld says that even though the program officially launches Wednesday, he's not surprised by how many people are already fully participating.
Lawsuit Against Wind Farm Builders
October 21, 2009 www.nytimes.com By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, AP
GREENBELT, Md. – Two environmental groups have filed suit against a proposed $300 million West Virginia wind power project that they say will harm a tiny, endangered bat, arguing that the developers should be required to obtain permits under the Endangered Species Act. The developers admit bats will be killed by the turbines, but say the endangered Indiana bat will not be among them, because no one has ever seen one at the site. Penn State University bat researcher Michael Gannon said surveys using nets at the site have not captured an Indiana bat, but recordings indicate the endangered bat is at the site. Gannon told the judge that of the 160 recordings that he reviewed, he was able to make an identification of 42, including three he thought were the endangered Indiana bat, although he could not say whether the recordings were of three separate bats or the same bat on three occasions. The defense attorney questioned the accuracy of audio recordings, and said the burden of proof rested with the plaintiffs and a better solution was what he called "adaptive management" of the project if it is found to affect the Indiana bat.
Extinct Mega Spider Alive in Africa
October 21, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com
The world’s largest orb weaver spider has been discovered, lurking malevolently in the jungles of Africa. Matjaž Kuntner of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Jonathan Coddington, of the Smithsonian Institution, describe the spider in PLOS One and name it Nephila komaci. The bodies of females average 3.8 cm while the legs are 10 cm long each. Webs from the spider are likely to be over a meter across, capable of trapping bats, birds “The genus Nephila already contained the largest orbweaving spiders, but N. komaci now becomes the largest Nephila species known,” they write. A specimen of this huge spider was first collected in 1978 from Sodwana Bay in South Africa but two subsequent expeditions to find more were unsuccessful, leading scientists to conclude that either the animal was a hybrid or it had become extinct. Then a second animal, originally hailing from Madagascar, was discovered in a museum in 2003. Two additional females and a male were recently collected in Tembe Elephant Park by South Africa colleagues, and it is now clear that N. komaci is a valid, new extant Nephila species.
New Seafood Guide Released by Monterey Bay Aquarium
October 21, 2009 www.nytimes.com
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A campaign to persuade consumers, chefs and food distributors to choose seafood that is healthy for people AND not in threatened ocean fish stocks was launched Tuesday by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The latest version of the aquarium's popular ''Seafood Watch'' recommendations on which fish and shellfish to eat and which to avoid were announced by Executive Director Julie Packard. ''The state of our oceans and global seafood is in crisis but the tide is turning,'' Packard said in an interview at the California Science Center, where the aquarium will have a role in a future exhibit. She said ''the big picture is not getting any better,'' but cited ''a growing scientific consensus that global fisheries can recover.'' The guide seeks to combine the concepts of healthy eating -- such as choosing a fish without bad contaminants but with beneficial omega-3 fatty acids -- and a species' sustainability due to abundance, proper management and the way it is captured or farmed to avoid harming the environment. The pocket-size guides urge consumers to ask where a fish is from and whether it was farmed or caught. A ''State of Seafood'' report also released by the aquarium Tuesday asserts that this year, for the first time, people will eat more farmed fish than wild-caught fish.
Singapore Zoo Breeds Jaguars
October 21, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Biswajit Guha
SINGAPORE- Two jaguar cubs have been born at the Singapore Zoo this year to father Kahn and mother Angel. Prior to these births, two cubs Shamu and Shala, male and female, were born in 2003. Cubs are usually weaned at about 3 months.The jaguar is the third largest cat after the tiger and lion, and the only great cat found in South America. Unlike the leopard, the jaguar’s rosettes have one or two spots in the centre (of each rosette), while the cheetah has solid round or oval spots. Five jaguars reside in Singapore Zoo’s Cat Country.
Minnesota Zoo Pursues Strategic Plan
October 21, 2009 www.twincities.com
The Minnesota Zoo's board today increased the amount it hopes to raise for its Heart of the Zoo strategic plan. Previously projected at $80 million, $126 million will be needed for a project that is larger in scope than originally planed. Zoo Director Lee Ehmke said the timeline for the plan, now in its fifth year, will also be extended and will be implemented in three phases. The first phase includes an education center, a new south entry to the zoo, a penguin exhibit and a renovated indoor theater for the zoo's bird show, which will be built in an old whale pool. Officials are asking the Minnesota Legislature for $18 million in 2010, and if the zoo receives its request, construction on phase one will begin next summer. The second phase will be a new visitors center with new ticketing and restrooms. The zoo also will remake its snow monkey exhibit and the connecting passageways to the Tropics and Minnesota trails. A new exhibit of African rock animals — including meerkats— will be a part of the visitors center. Exhibits of bison, elk and cranes outside the entryway — not a part of the original formal plan — make up the bulk of phase three. Ehmke said the exhibits have been part of the zoo's longer-range goals and officials are now including them in the Heart of the Zoo plan."These are all the things that need to happen to make the entrance and education center and all the other parts of the zoo work together," Ehmke said. The zoo has raised $48 million of the total so far, which has paid for a renovated Minnesota Trail, its award-winning Russia's Grizzly Coast exhibit, a nature-based playground called Woodland Adventures and a renovated Central Plaza.
Protection for Checkerspot Butterfly
October 21, 2009 www.sfgate.com
The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service declared that there are so few bay checkerspot butterflies left that the species should be classified as endangered. Once common in San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, according to research by Stanford University biologist Paul Ehrlich, who began studying the checkerspot in 1959, it has undergone a steady decline. Al Donner, USFWS assistant field supervisor said that by 1987, when it was listed as threatened, the butterfly was found only in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. "Now it only occurs in Santa Clara County. As far as we now know there are none left in San Mateo County. Even in the areas they exist in Santa Clara, the numbers have gone down pretty significantly." Most of the survivors are limited to Coyote Ridge, a long ridgeline near Highway 101 between San Jose and Gilroy. The die-off is believed to be the result of climate change and the covering of habitat by houses and highways. The Stanford studies found that the favorite plant food of checkerspot caterpillars has been dying out as a result of the earlier than normal browning of grasslands in the Bay Area. The checkerspot was the only one of 51 species studied over the past five years in California, Nevada and southern Oregon that met the criteria for being uplisted. The arroyo toad, Santa Cruz cypress and Modoc sucker, went from endangered to threatened. No changes were recommended in the status of 47 other species, according to the legally required reviews. A 520,000-acre Santa Clara habitat conservation plan is being prepared in an effort to save the checkerspot, 14 other animals and 15 rare plants.
Topeka Zoo Cited By USDA
October 21, 2009 cjonline.com BY JAMES CARLSON
In August, the USDA issued a report citing multiple noncompliance issues related to animal deaths at the Topeka Zoo. Among those findings were that a black leopard died after he was administered a medication later found to be fatal over long periods, and a hippo suffered a fatal seizure hours after she was discovered in 108-degree water. A separate review by Kansas State University veterinarians, confirmed that the 108 degree water on October 2006 was too hot and a "significant factor" in the animal's death. The USDA inspection on Sept. 28 cited the zoo for noncompliance items related to seven animals' deaths from January 2007 through July 2008 -- a Pallas cat, a rabbit, an antelope, a mouse deer and three bats. Zoo director Mike Coker said his facility has implemented new policies for checking the water temperature of the pool. Of the most recent inspection report, he said new animal care record-keeping policies should alleviate the confusion raised by the USDA's findings. Coker is now writing a weekly report to USDA detailing animals coming in and leaving the collection, animal care issues of the week. He has instructed all of his staff to keep more detailed reports of animal care.
Critical Habitat for Buena Vista Lake Shrew
October 21, 2009
www.epa.gov
The USFWS proposes to revise our designation of critical habitat for the Buena Vista Lake
shrew (Sorex ornatus relictus) Our proposal is the same as the proposed critical habitat we published on August 19, 2004 (69 FR 51417). In total, approximately 4,649 acres within the boundaries of the proposed revised critical habitat designation. The proposed revised critical habitat is located in the Central Valley floor of Kern County, California. We will receive information on or before December 21, 2009. Submit comments by one of the following methods:
The Federal eRulemaking Portal or U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket no. FWS-R8-ES-2009-0062; Division of Policy and Directives
Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. We will not accept e-mail. For further information contact: Daniel Russell, Acting Listing Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825; telephone (916) 414-6600
Edinburgh Zoo Polar Bear Moves to 4 Acre Compound
October 21, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
EDINBURGH, Scotland -- After 25 years at the Edinburgh Zoo, 27-year-old polar bear, Mercedes has moved north to the Highland Wildlife Park and a new 4 acre habitat. A public appeal helped to raise £75,000 to fund the transfer and the Royal Army assisted in building the bear's new home and a nearby visitors' car park. David Windmill, chief executive of the Edinburgh Zoo said, "We have been gradually moving animals that are better suited to colder climates from Edinburgh Zoo up to the Highland Wildlife Park and Mercedes is the latest of these moves. "The animal collections at both parks will continue to evolve and visitors can expect to see new species introduced in the coming months." Polar bears are the largest living land carnivores. They can eat a diet pretty much entirely composed of seal blubber without getting heart disease, as seal fat is naturally polyunsaturated. Mercedes' move north has also brought the animal closer to where the only remains of a polar bear that was resident in Britain about 18,000 years ago.
Monitoring Australia’s Marine Ecosystem
October 21, 2009 www.sciencealert.com.au
PERTH, Australia -- “Ecosystems respond to multiple pressures and threats in complex ways,” according to Dr Keith Hayes. “Identifying reliable and robust indicators of change from among the many species and characteristics of the system is a challenging task.” In a pilot project undertaken for the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts (DEWHA) last year, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) identified indicators for five ‘key ecological features’ named by the Commonwealth Government for the South-West Marine Region off Western Australia’s coast. The indicators were different for each feature, but they included things like numbers of sea birds, area of coral compared to algae, and phytoplankton size. Such indicators will help provide a firm scientific basis to feed into State of the Environment reporting at regional, national and international scales. CSIRO’s approach uses qualitative modelling, supported by asset and threat mapping, to understand the drivers and pressures on ecological features, and to predict how these features will respond to changes over the next five to 15 years.
Cultural Differences in Wild Chimpanzees
October 22, 2009 www.physorg.com
A study posted online October 22nd in Current Biology shows that neighboring chimpanzee populations in Uganda use different tools to solve a novel problem: extracting honey trapped within a fallen log. Kibale Forest chimpanzees use sticks to get at the honey, whereas Budongo Forest chimpanzees rely on leaf sponges—absorbent wedges that they make out of chewed leaves. "The most reasonable explanation for this difference in tool use was that chimpanzees resorted to preexisting cultural knowledge in trying to solve the novel task," said Klaus Zuberbühler of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. "Culture, in other words, helped them in dealing with a novel problem." "Culture" in this sense refers to a population-specific set of behaviors acquired through social learning, such as imitation. That's in contrast to an animal or human learning something on his or her own through trial and error, without taking into account what others around them do, or behaviors that are "hard-wired" and require no learning at all. Behavioral differences among animal populations have been taken as evidence of culture.
Palm Oil Plantations Isolate Orangutan Populations
October 22, 2009 www.physorg.com
In Borneo, an island split between Malaysia and Indonesia, there are about 50,000 to 60,000 orangutans left in the wild, 80 percent of them in Indonesia and the rest in Malaysia's Sabah and Sarawak. A 2007 assessment by the United Nations Environment Program warned the apes will be extinct in the wild within two decades if current deforestation trends continue. Malaysia is the world's second-largest exporter of palm oil after Indonesia, and the industry is the country's third largest export earner, earned $19 billion dollars last year. Palm oil is found in one in 10 products on supermarket shelves, including bread, crisps and cereals as well as lipstick and soap. "The major issue we face with orangutans today is what we called the fragmented population," said Marc Ancrenaz from the environmental group Hutan. "There are 11,000 orangutans in (Sabah) but they are split up in many small populations, and many of these populations are not connected any more," he told the conference near Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah. Representatives from the top industry body, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), said they should not be held accountable for the dwindling orangutan population. Its chief executive officer Yusof Basiron said that if the world stopped using palm oil, biodiversity would suffer further because substitutes like rapeseed and soyabean would require more land to be cleared. Sabah Wildlife Department director Laurentius Ambu said that wildlife corridors, which would enable orangutans to move across the landscape, are vital if the apes are to co-exist with palm oil. The MPOC pledged to help to fund the corridors, but as there is no binding commitment, and no funding, many environmentalists are sceptical. Ancrenaz said there is no way to stop the spread of palm oil, which environmentalists say
Chinese Alligator Vocalization Study
October 22, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com
There are fewer than 150 wild Chinese alligators alive today. They are among the most vocal crocodilians. "It sounds like thunder and can travel a long distance," said Xianyan Wang, a hydrobiologist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Theorizing that the vocalization might be a way for individual males to attract females, he recorded the songs of male and female alligators and then played them back to captive alligators of different genders, one by one, in a water-filled testing arena at the semi-wild Anhui Research Center for Chinese Alligator Reproduction in the city of Xuancheng. The researchers expected females to move toward the speaker that was playing recordings of male calls, but instead, neither gender moved and about 75 percent of the alligators actually joined the recorded song. This response suggests that alligators don't sing to compete for mates, but Wang feels the choruses must have something to do with sex because they increase during mating season. He plans to test alligators in the wild and to study alligator singing outside of mating season, when, presumably, the songs are about something other than seduction. Wang’s findings will be published in the October 2009 issue of The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Funding Available
October 22, 2009 targetednews.com by GEMA VIANA
WASHINGTON, -- The USFWS has 35 discretionary cooperative agreement or grant opportunities for programs focused on the protection of rhinoceroses and tigers. The estimated total program funding available was cited as $1,200,000, although no specific amount for this award was indicated by the agency. This funding opportunity is open to state, county, city, township and special district governments; institutions of higher education; non-profits; individuals; and government agencies responsible for rhinoceroses and/or tigers conservation and protection and any other organization or individual with demonstrated experience in rhinoceros and/or tiger conservation. A funding opportunity notice from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service states, "The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation through:
* Applied research on rhinoceros and tiger populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring;
* Development and execution of rhinoceros and tiger conservation management plans;
* Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros and tigers or regulate the use and management of their habitat;
* Conservation education and community outreach;
* Enhanced protection of at-risk rhinoceros and tiger populations;
* Efforts to decrease human-rhinoceros and human-tiger conflicts; - Habitat conservation and management;
* Protected area/reserve management in important rhinoceros and tiger range;
* Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs;
* Transfrontier rhinoceros and tiger conservation; and
* Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills.
The funding opportunity number is AFECF2010 (CFDA 15.620). It was posted Oct. 15 with an application closing date of Nov. 1. Contact Tanya Lee at tanya@targetednews.com for more information.
Critical Habitat for Polar Bear
October 22, 2009 prweb.com
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Obama administration is setting aside 200,541 square miles in Alaska and off its coast as ''critical habitat'' for polar bears. Barrier island habitat includes coastal barrier islands and spits along Alaska's coast, and is used for denning, refuge from human disturbances, access to maternal dens and feeding habitat, as well as travel along the coast. Sea ice habitat is located over the continental shelf, and includes water 300m and less in depth. Terrestrial denning habitat includes lands within about 20 miles of the northern coast of Alaska between the Canadian border and the Kavik River and about 5 miles between the Kavik River and Barrow. The world's top scientific experts on polar bears, the Polar Bear Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), recently concluded that the IUCN Red List classification of the polar bear should be upgraded from "Least Concern" to "Vulnerable." That was based on the likelihood of an overall decline in the size of the total population of more than 30% within the next 35 to 50 years. The principal cause of this decline is climatic warming as it melts away the polar bears' important sea ice habitat. At the Polar Bear Specialist Group Meeting this summer, the experts concluded that eight polar bear population groups are now in decline, up from five in 2005. "Polar bears are not land animals - they evolved over thousands of years to be sea ice specialists. They need the ice to hunt for seals, their primary food. Take away the ice and you take away the bears," said Geoff York, senior program officer for Polar Bear Conservation at WWF.
850 New Underground Species Found in Australia
October 22, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com
Until now, most of the Australia's arid regions hadn't been explored by invertebrate experts, in part because the underground springs and microcaverns--some smaller than 0.4 inch wide--were thought to be devoid of life, said Steve Cooper of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide."We are only just beginning to discover that groundwater is the host of many diverse ecosystems with an extraordinary array of previously unknown species." Cooper received funding for his work from the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration, and co-presented the research at the Darwin 200: Evolution and Biodiversity conference in Darwin, Australia, in September 2009.
Hunters & Anglers Want Climate Change Legislation
October 22, 2009 greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com By JOHN COLLINS RUDOLF
Climate activism by national hunting and fishing groups is growing. These conservative-leaning groups that are close to nature are expressing growing concern with the impacts of climate change on wildlife. One goal of hunting and fishing groups is to secure dedicated funding for state wildlife agencies for “adaptive management” practices, which aim to reduce the impact of climate change on wildlife and wilderness areas. A recent poll by the National Wildlife Federation, which counts more than 420,000 members across 42 states, found that 66 percent of hunters and anglers surveyed believed that global warming was already occurring. A Gallup poll in March 2009 found that only 53 percent of the general population shared the same view.
Chytrid Fungus Slows Frog's Heart Rate
October 23, 2009 www.abc.net.au By Annabel McGilvray
The chytrid disease has contributed to the extinction of nine frog species in Australia and 200 worldwide. Now a team of microbiologists has determined that the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis causes a loss of electrolytes which in turn saps muscle power throughout the frog, eventually stopping the heart. The disease also affects the frog's skin and its symptoms include difficulties in balance, problems in motor skills, convulsions and paralysis. Theories have ranged from suffocation as a result of the skin damage, to poisoning by a paralyzing toxin secreted by the fungus, or a fatal immune reaction. The work by Australian and US researchers was led by Dr Jamie Voyles of James Cook University, and appears in today's edition of the journal Science. Blood tests of infected frogs showed that all the organs were working as they should and all the levels were normal, except for electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, which are really vital to lots of functions of the cells. The disease reduced the concentration of sodium and potassium in infected green tree frogs by 20% and 50% respectively. As the concentrations fell, the frogs' hearts slowed and eventually stopped.
Whale Communication Studies
October 23, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Sperm whales are able to spot individual “rhythms” in the ocean’s marine mammal chatter -- impossible for the untrained human ear to do. A group of marine biologists at the Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center has developed a tool that can spot these rhythms and identify individual animals. George Ioup at the University of New Orleans and colleagues have developed a way to analyze calls produced by various marine mammals. Their technique groups similar-sounding clicks to isolate the calls of individual animals. Natalia Sidorovskaia of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and colleagues have discovered that whales change the intervals between echo-locating clicks in a way that seems to prevent cluttering the echoes from these calls. The research will be highlighted at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) next week in San Antonio.
UC Davis Launches PREDICT to Control Zoonoses
October 23, 2009 www.eurekalert.org By Jonna Mazet
UC Davis has launched an international effort to find and control infectious diseases like H1N1 flu, avian flu, SARS and Ebola. The global early warning system, named PREDICT, will be developed with funding of up to $75 million over five years and is one of five new initiatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). UC Davis' primary PREDICT partners, which have formed a global consortium to implement PREDICT around the world, are: Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Trust, Global Viral Forecasting Inc., and Smithsonian Institution. "Predicting where new diseases may emerge from wild animals, and detecting viruses and other pathogens before they spread among people, give us the best chance to prevent new pandemics," said Jonna Mazet, the UC Davis scientist leading PREDICT. Mazet directs the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center within the new One Health Institute at the School of Veterinary Medicine. The PREDICT team will be active in global hotspots where important wildlife host species have significant interaction with domestic animals and high-density human populations. Emerging-disease authority Stephen S. Morse of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health will serve as director of PREDICT.
Notable outbreaks of these animal-to-human diseases, or zoonoses , include:
-The 1918 influenza pandemic, which was probably caused by a virus that jumped from birds, killed over 50 million people globally;
-The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which moved from chimpanzees to people, now infects more than 33 million individuals;
-Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which emerged in 2003 from southern China "wet markets" where wild animals are sold for food; and
-The recent outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1, or "bird flu."
In a global pandemic today, a quarter of the world's population could be infected and between 51 million and 81 million people could die, with the toll in the United States exceeding 400,000 deaths. World economic losses are estimated to exceed $4 trillion.
Escaped Hippo Killed in Mexico
October 24, 2009 www.google.com
VERACRUZ, Mexico — A 2,200-pound hippopotamus that escaped from a private zoo in early September has been shot to death after more than a month on the run in the countryside of southeastern Mexico. The hippo was shot near a river outside the town of Alamo in Veracruz state. Enrique Lobato, the animal protection official, says the hippo escaped from a ranch in early September. He says the owner had a permit to keep the animal but faces fines for not keeping it in the right living conditions.
Polar Bear Versus Development in Alaska
October 25, 2009 www.nytimes.com By STEFAN MILKOWSKI
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell is fighting the 2008 listing of the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act, even as federal managers proposed designating more than 200,000 square miles of land and ice as critical habitat for the bears. He charges that USFWS acted illegally by listing the polar bear as threatened based on future climate and population predictions. The state filed legal briefs in federal court as part of an ongoing lawsuit seeking to overturn the listing. The global population of polar bears is estimated at 20,000 to 25,000. According to the Polar Bear Specialist Group, a team of researchers and managers from five circumpolar nations, just one of the 19 subpopulations of bears is increasing, eight are declining and three are stable. There is insufficient data to assess the remaining seven.
Fresno Zoo Helps Save California Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog
October 25, 2009 www.fresnobee.com By Marc Benjamin
The Fresno Zoo started making plans last year to provide a home for mountain yellow-legged frogs, which are a federally endangered species in Southern California and are a "species of concern" in Central and Northern California. 106 tadpoles, rescued from a stream in the recently burned San Gabriel Mountains east of L.A., have been sent to a new temporary home at the zoo. Andy Snider, the zoo's director of animal care and conservation is a nationally known frog expert, and the zoo has spent about $6,000 in equipment for the frog project and likely will spend thousands more as the frogs continue to grow. The tadpoles should be at the zoo for about two years, the time it takes for them to mature into frogs. It's the first time the Fresno zoo has participated in a conservation program with other zoos involving local or regional species. Fifty years ago, the frogs were found in 160 separate populations in Southern California, but that number is down to nine known locations -- a drop of about 95% -- said Frank Santana, a research technician for the San Diego Zoo's Institute of Conservation Research.
Polar Bears Lick Cream Cheese off Exhibit Window
October 25, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Bill LaMarche
PORTLAND, OR – The Oregon Zoo celebrated “International Day of Climate Change” on October 24, by providing their polar bears with a tasty cream cheese mural painted on their exhibit window. Julie Christie, marine life keeper said "It's a great treat for them -- and for visitors, who get to see the bears [lick it off] with just a pane of glass separating them. This intimate interaction helps illustrate the bears' magnificence; it also helps people understand what's at stake should global warming continue." The environmental day of action was organized by “350.org” The number signifies a safe limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, measured in parts per million - the current amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 390 ppm and rising 2 ppm each year.
ZSL Tsaobis Baboon Study
October 25, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Victoria Picknell
LONDON, UK - A new study from Zoological Society of London’s Tsaobis Baboon Project has been published in the journal Animal Behaviour. Scientists studying groups of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in the Namib Desert, discovered that the baboons are more likely to work as a team when there is a higher ratio of pregnant females to single females in the group. Dr Andrew King, lead author says, “We found that synchrony in our baboon groups was higher when they were travelling in ‘risky’ woodland habitats – this makes sense as it means they are able to stick together and more easily communicate. But, surprisingly, we also found that the reproductive states of females played an important role in determining synchrony.” Many single female baboons cause chaos in a group, distracting the males, while many pregnant females exert a calming influence. With no males to hassle them the pregnant females can concentrate on foraging to find enough food to meet their increasing appetites, bringing about higher group synchrony. Working as a cohesive group is important since it allows individuals to detect predators more easily and concentrate on finding enough food to survive. The ZSL Tsaobis Baboon Project is a long-term study of a desert baboon population in Namibia. Work is carried out in affiliation with the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia. More information is at www.zsl.org.
Nigeria-Cameroon Chimp Action Plan
October 26, 2009 www.ngrguardiannews.com
Dr. Bethan Morgan, head of the Central African Programme, Institute for Conservation Research Zoological Society of San Diego maintains that a small subspecies of chimpanzee survives only in small fragments in Nigeria and Cameroon. It is found in the southwest and Delta areas of Nigeria, and in the forest close to the Nigeria - Cameroon border and the Cross River State National Park. There are only about 5,000 of this Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzee left in the wild. Most are in Cameroon, with 1,000 to 2000 in Nigeria. In February, 2010, Nigeria and Cameroon will have a joint meeting to create an Action Plan designed to protect this endangered sub-species. Mr. Alade Adeleke, Director Technical Programmes of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), says, "This action plan will be put together to sensitize actions of government, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), private organizations, research institutions and will be a fund raising tool to support chimpanzee conservation".
New “World of Zoo” Video Game
October 26, 2009 www.reuters.com
A new interactive video game, “World of Zoo” is now available for Wii ($39.99), Nintendo DS ($29.99) and Windows PC (19.99). The Animal Creator feature allows players to create an unlimited number of animals and customize each one. Players can learn about their animals through facts provided by National Geographic. Each animal is completely unique with different personalities and behaviors. For more information on this game, visit www.worldofzoo.com.
Bristol Zoo Aquarium Renovation
October 26, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com
BRISTOL, UK – The renovated Bristol Zoo Aquarium alerts visitors to the link between sustainable seafood choices and marine conservation, and advocates marine stewardship. New features include a huge replica shark’s jaw, replica giant clams, a ‘meet the keeper’ video, a scale model of a fishing trawler, an interactive children’s play area with marine related puzzles and aquatic puppets, and displays about fish sustainability. Back on display is the long snouted seahorses (Hippocampus reidi). Notoriously difficult to breed, the Zoo’s expert aquarists have been able to establish the right rearing and breeding conditions for the seahorses to thrive. Funding came from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and the Bristol-based Project AWARE Foundation - a non profit organization working with divers and water enthusiasts to conserve underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Jo Gipps, Director of Bristol Zoo Gardens, said, “We are committed to measuring and reducing our environmental impact, as well as encouraging our visitors to do so.”
Wolf –Elk Predation Study
October 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Although most wolves in Yellowstone National Park live to be nearly six years old, their ability to kill prey peaks when they are 2-3 years old, according to a study led by University of Minnesota researcher Dan MacNulty. MacNulty is a postdoctoral student with Craig Packer, the world's foremost authority on lions. Because wolves lack the physical attributes to kill prey swiftly, they rely on athletic ability and endurance, which diminishes with age. By comparison, mountain lions, with their short snouts, powerful muscles and retractable claws, are designed to kill. Not surprisingly, the cats live and hunt alone. In Yellowstone, wolves, who hunt in packs, depend on elk for survival. The park's elk population is shrinking and wolves are being blamed, but MacNulty says that number of elk fluctuates based on the age structure of the wolf population. The higher the proportion of wolves over age three, the lower the rate at which they kill elk. For every 10 percent rise in the proportion of wolves older than three, the kill rate declined 10 to 15 percent. He notes that the drop in the elk population is also attributable to drought and to grizzly bears. MacNulty now plans to create mathematical models to study the long-term effects of fluctuations in the age structure of Yellowstone's wolf population on the elk population. His collaborators include Douglas Smith (Yellowstone Center for Resources); John Vucetich, Michigan Technological University) David Mech (USGS); Daniel Stahler (Yellowstone Center for Resources) and Craig Packer (University of Minnesota). The study was recently published online by Ecology Letters. The study will appear in the journal's December print issue.
Animals Now Being Infected with Human Pathogens
October 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Researchers from The Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh have shown that a strain of bacteria has jumped from humans to chickens. It is believed to be the first clear evidence of bacterial pathogens crossing over from humans to animals and then spreading. The study identified a form of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus – of which MRSA is a subtype – in chickens, and found that the bacteria originally came from humans. Genetic testing showed that the bacteria crossed over from one species to another around 40 years ago, coinciding with a move towards intensive poultry farming practices. Dr. Ross Fitzgerald said, "Half a century ago chickens were reared for their eggs, with meat regarded as a by-product. Now the demand for meat has led to a poultry industry dominated by a few multinational companies which supply a limited number of breeding lines to a global market - thereby promoting the spread of the bacteria around the world." In comparison to the corresponding form of Staphylococcus aureus in humans, which was isolated to one geographical area, the strain in chickens was spread across different continents. Further research will look at analyzing other livestock for emerging pathogens and diseases which may have come from humans.
Second Breeding Season for Migratory Songbirds
October 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A second breeding season has been found to occur during the annual cycle of five songbird species that spend summers in North America and winters in tropical Central and South America. These species migrate at night when there are fewer predators and breed during their stay in temperate regions of the United States and Canada. They also squeeze in a second breeding season during a stopover in western Mexico on their southward migration, said Sievert Rohwer from the University of Washington. Rohwer said, "We saw these birds breeding and we were completely surprised." Migratory double-breeding has been observed in two Old World bird species on their northward migration, but this is the first documented observation of "migratory double breeders" in the New World, and the first anywhere for the southward migration, Rohwer said. But during July and August in three consecutive summers, 2005-2007, the researchers found individuals from five species – yellow-billed cuckoos, orchard orioles, hooded orioles, yellow-breasted chats and Cassin's vireos – that were breeding rather than molting. Females of all five species examined in July had dry and featherless brood patches, indicating they had bred earlier that summer. (To more efficiently transfer heat to eggs, the abdominal brood patch becomes featherless and thickened with fluid when females are incubating, but as the young mature it dries out and remains featherless.). In the Mexican breeding ground, there was a complete absence of young birds, indicating the females had not bred in the area of the thorn forests. "For western North America, the conservation implications are pretty serious," Rohwer said. "Biologists know theoretically that they should pay attention to these migration stopover sites, but they've been largely ignored for their conservation implications." Rohwer is lead author of a paper describing the findings, published the week of Oct. 26 in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Black-footed Ferrets Surviving Plague
October 26, 2009 yankton.net By CHET BROKAW, AP
PIERRE, South Dakota — One of the nation’s largest colonies of endangered black-footed ferrets is surviving despite the disease that has hit their home in a vast stretch of prairie dog towns south of Badlands National Park. Since the sylvatic plague was discovered in the Conata Basin in May 2008, the disease has wiped out black-tailed prairie dogs, the ferrets’ main prey, in about half their former range, said Randy Griebel, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands in southwestern South Dakota. However, many of the ferrets have been protected by efforts to vaccinate them and to stop the spread of the disease by dusting with insecticide that kills the fleas that carry the plague, Griebel said. The plague is considered the biggest danger to ferrets’ survival in the Conata Basin and a dozen or so other sites that still have ferrets. Officials estimated that at least 290 ferrets lived in the Conata Basin before the plague hit, and they believe a third or so have been killed by the disease. Travis Livieri, founder of Prairie Wildlife Research captured 220 last year for vaccination and expects to get more than 200 this year. The black-footed ferret once was considered extinct, but a captive breeding program succeeded after a colony was discovered in Wyoming in 1981. Since then, ferrets have been reintroduced at sites in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Kansas and Mexico. The plague has hit most of the prairie dog colonies that are home to ferrets.
New Wildlife Acoustic Monitoring System
October 26, 2009 finance.yahoo.com
CONCORD, Mass -- The new “Song Meter SM2” audio recorder and data logging platform designed by Wildlife Acoustics is now available. New features include:
Twice the storage capacity with 4 high capacity flash card slots
Half the power consumption - can record almost 250 hours on 4 D-size
Integrated temperature sensor and data-logger
Expandable to host a variety of microphones, ultrasonic capabilities for recording bat and cetacean echolocation calls, and SDIO ready for future capabilities like GPS time synchronization and wireless telemetry
Additional improvements like modular microphones, configurable preamplifier, external power options, improved weatherproofing, and LED status indicator
Terrestrial Acoustic monitoring:
The SM2 Terrestrial Acoustic Package is optimized for monitoring birds, frogs, and other terrestrial wildlife vocalizing in the audio (20-20,000Hz) frequency range. It has two removable weatherproof and highly sensitive omni-directional SMX-II microphones. With just 4 D-size batteries, it can record up to 250 hours on a programmable schedule spread out through several months at a time. Longer deployments are also possible with an optional external power source. The recorder includes a built-in temperature sensor and data-logger, and can accept a second analog sensor input to monitor other environmental conditions such as soil temperature, water level, rainfall, etc.
Genetic ID for 8 Tuna Species
October 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A new paper published October 27 in PLoS ONE, provides a method to accurately distinguish between all eight tuna species from any kind of processed tissue. Tunas are among the most endangered commercially exploited fish in the world. The paper, 'A Validated Methodology for Genetic Identification of Tuna Species (Genus Thunnus)', co-authored by Dr Jordi Viñas, a fish genetics specialist at Girona University in Spain and Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries of WWF Mediterranean, proposes for the first time ever a genetic method for the precise identification of all eight recognized species of tuna. The analysis of the DNA sequence variability of two unlinked genetic markers, one a hypervariable segment of the mitochondrial genome and the other a nuclear gene, enables full discrimination between all eight tuna species.
Santa Barbara Zoo’s Giraffe Breeding Program
October 26, 2009 www.edhat.com
SANTA BARBARA, CA, -- The Santa Barbara Zoo’s male giraffe, Taru, was euthanized Friday, October 23. At age 17, he had lived longer than most male giraffes. Taru was born at the Oklahoma City Zoo on June 23, 1992, and came to Santa Barbara in 1993. He was a Baringo (or Rothschild’s) giraffe, a species found in Uganda and in western Kenya. He produced four offspring. One is still living: Eritrea, born in February 2000, and recently transferred to the Tulsa Zoo as part of a national cooperative breeding program of the AZA. Gemina, the Zoo’s famous “crooked necked giraffe,” passed away last year at the age of 21. Taru and Gemina produced a female offspring in 1999, but she is deceased. The Santa Barbara Zoo is currently making a transition from exhibiting Baringo giraffes to Masai giraffes, as part of a regional program of giraffe management with several West Coast zoos including Los Angeles and San Diego. Two young female Masai giraffes will arrive in Santa Barbara within the next few months from the Los Angeles Zoo. The Zoo’s remaining Baringo giraffe, Sulima, is 20, and will stay for the remainder of her life.
Kanpur Zoo Proposes Leopard Rescue Center
October 26, 2009 timesofindia.indiatimes.com By Abhinav Malhotra
KANPUR, India -- Kanpur zoo authorities plan to send a proposal to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for establishing a rescue center at Kanpur zoo. Because of increased human interference, poaching, shortage of feed, climate change, delayed monsoons and lack of drinking water, the forests are no longer the comfortable and safe zones for the wild animals. Many leopards, tigers, hyena and other wild animals have left forests in the past and surveys say the trend is still continuing. Thus, there are many more animal-human encounters now than in the past. Zoo director K Praveen Rao said, "The leopards, brought to the rescue center, will be kept here till they are fit to be rehabilitated to their original habitat. The main aim is protection of leopards in the state reduction of man-animal conflicts. This will be possible with a leopard rescue center at Lucknow zoo initially and thereafter at the Kanpur zoo." Another senior zoo official informed that it would only be in emergency that tigers were kept there. The Kanpur and the Lucknow zoos are at capacity in terms of retaining leopards. Kanpur zoo has eight leopards now and Lucknow zoo has 11.
Conservationists Disappointed in Senate’s Climate Bill
October 26, 2009 www.nytimes.com
Despite pressure from conservation and agriculture groups, Senate Democrats made few changes to natural resource and farming provisions in the climate and energy bill unveiled Friday. The bill includes the same percentage of emission allocations for domestic wildlife and natural resource protection as the House version, far less than environmental groups had hoped. Domestic natural resource protection would get 1 percent of the allowances each year from 2012 to 2021, increasing to 2 percent from 2022 to 2026 and 4 percent annually after that. That is the same amount as contained in the House-passed version of the bill. A coalition of nearly 600 conservation, outdoor and recreation groups had requested 5 percent of the total allowance value to federal, state and tribal agencies to take actions needed to conserve natural resources. Although estimates remain difficult, 5 percent of allowances could be worth from $3 billion to $5 billion annually. The environmental groups included: Defenders of Wildlife, the National Wildlife Federation, Wilderness Society, National Parks Conservation Association and Nature Conservancy. Conservation groups had also asked House lawmakers for 5 percent but received less.
The Senate bill also would create a National Climate Change Adaptation Program within an existing interagency effort, the U.S. Global Change Research Program. Separately, the bill would require the development of an overarching federal policy on natural resources adaptation to possible effects of climate change, including ocean acidification, drought, flooding and wildfire. Federal resource agencies and states also would have to develop their own individual plans. The bill also would establish a National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center within the U.S. Geological Survey and a National Climate Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
International efforts to prevent tropical deforestation get 5 percent between 2012 and 2025, falling to 3 percent from 2026 to 2030 and 2 percent per year after that. Those are the same amounts included in the House-passed bill. One gain for farm and agriculture conservation groups in the bill is the expansion of a supplemental program that could help pay for conservation projects on land that might not qualify to participate in the offsets program. USDA and the Interior Department would set up a new incentives program to give financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and forest land for projects the reduce greenhouse gas emissions or measurably increase carbon sequestration. The program would be available to "early actors" who started conservation projects years ago but would not be able to qualify for the offsets since their projects have been ongoing. Farmers who could not participate in the carbon market because of other regulations would also be eligible.
Australia’s Camel Problem
October 26, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com
Australia is home to the largest herd of feral camels in the world. About 12,000 dromedary camels were brought to Australia in the mid-19th century to carry people and supplies during the exploration and development of the Interior but after the advent of the automobile, they were abandoned and left to fend for themselves. They adapted very well and now number in excess of 1 million and cause approximately U.S. $13 million in damage to infrastructure each year. If the population is not radically diminished, it thought that the camels could permanently destroy Australia's fragile desert ecosystem. The Australian government is preparing for a camel control program which is now in the planning stages. About 25-thousand camels are killed each year here, and much of the culling is carried out by marksmen in helicopters and on the ground. The long-term aim is to reduce the camel population by as much as two thirds.
National Zoo’s Bat Conservation Program
October 27, 2009 www.infozine.com By Laura Misjak
WASHINGTON, D.C. - There are 45 bat species in the U.S., and six are endangered. The Interior Department will give the National Zoo $322,000 during the next two years to ensure the survival of a population of 40 endangered Virginia big-eared bats. Researchers at the zoo will also study White Nose Syndrome, the fungus that has killed more than a million bats. First found on bats in a New York cave in 2006, in the past three years, it has spread to nine states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia - and 81 known sites. The syndrome has a 90 percent mortality rate and attacks bats while they are hibernating, when their immune systems are suppressed. The bats eventually die from malnutrition, but it's not known whether the fungus contributes to their emaciation or if it's because they awake early from hibernation and can't find food. Other animals found in the caves - insects, snakes, birds and raccoons that eat the bats - don't appear to be affected by the diseases. Damp caves seem to attract more WNS cases, and bat species that migrate for the winter aren't affected. The grant is part of $800,000 allocated to support WNS research. Interior has spent $4.3 million on WNS research since 2007, and a web site has been created to explain the crisis.
Virginia big-eared bats are found in only nine caves in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. As insectivores, (one bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour) they are more difficult to care for than fruit-eating bats, and this is the first federally backed effort to raise insect-eating bats. They will be collected the first week of November, before they go into hibernation. Each will be implanted with a microchip and monitored around the clock, according to Luis Padrilla, the zoo's Conservation and Research Center veterinarian in Front Royal, Va. The Center ran a similar program 20 years ago with the black-footed ferret. Only 18 ferrets existed at the time due to human interference, and the center brought the species' population up to more than 500 after 20 years. Jeremy Coleman, an endangered species biologist working with the Interior Department, says It will be difficult to bring bat populations up to what they were before the syndrome because bats only produce about one pup a year. He personally thinks WNS is an invasive disease - from outside of the U.S.
Translocation of Ursus arctos in France
October 27, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Guillaume Chapron from the Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and colleagues from Washington State University, and the French Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, report that translocations are needed to establish a viable population of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in France. French brown bears are currently found only in the Pyrénées mountains in two sub-populations: the growing central population, created from a previous translocation and the endemic western one, which is believed to be in decline because of excessive human-caused mortality and inbreeding. Field data collected from 1993 to 2005 indicates that the western sub-population had much lower reproductive success than the central sub-population. They suggest this could be the consequence of the western sub-population being inbred or having a male-biased sex ratio. In species with extended parental care, a male-biased sex ratio can induce sexually selected infanticide, a behavior in which males attempt to kill unrelated cubs to induce estrous in females, maximizing their opportunity to breed. The researchers used a population model to compute how many bears should be released to ensure viability, and showed the population could recover provided an adequate number of new females are translocated. The findings are reported in the October 28 issue of PLoS ONE, and suggest that relocating new bears doesn't just boost the population size but can also reverse some of the causes of the population decline. The usual recommendation when planning a translocation is that it should not take place until the causes of the decline have been reversed.
Global Warming Cycles Threaten Primates
October 27, 2009
www.eurekalert.org
Two Penn State University researchers have carried out analyses of the effects of global warming on endangered primates. The research will be published October 28 in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. The research concentrates on the way the oscillating weather patterns directly and indirectly influence plants and animals in the tropics. The scientists focused on the large-bodied monkeys of South America, choosing one species from each of the four genera of Atelines. They examined abundance trends and dynamics in populations of the muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus, formerly B. arachnoides) of Brazil, the woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha) in Colombia, Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), which was studied on Barro Colorado Island in Panama, and the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) in Venezuela. All the species live in social groups and spend most of their time in the trees of tropical forests, using their limbs and prehensile tails to move around or to suspend themselves from branches. The monkeys differ in the proportions of fruit, flowers, and leaves in their diets. Woolly monkeys and spider monkeys predominantly eat fruit, howler monkeys specialize in leaf-eating, and muriquis also eat leaves but consume more fruit than howlers. Through their modeling using previously collected ecological data, they found that all four monkey species showed drops in abundance relating to large-scale climate fluctuations. Global warming already has produced a rise of 0.74 degrees over the last century, and an additional increase of 1.8 to 4 degrees Celsius is anticipated over the next century. "El Niño events are expected to increase in frequency with global warming," explains Post. "This study suggests that the consequences of such intensification of ENSO could be devastating for several species of New World monkeys."
Perth Zoo’s Carnivore Diet
October 27, 2009 www.watoday.com.au
PERTH, Australia -- Carnivores at Perth Zoo devour more than 46,500 whole mammals a year, according to WA Government estimates.
- 17,400 adult mice,
- 800 adult rats,
-144 kangaroo carcasses
-144 sheep carcasses
Additional to the 46,788 whole mammal bodies the zoo expects to buy:
- 13,800 'weaner' (or juvenile) mice,
-12,000 'pinkie' (foetus) mice, 600 'fuzzy' (adolescent) mice,
-1600 pinkie rats and 300 weaner rats.
- 13,520 kg of horse with the skin on and bones in;
- 1820 sheep hearts;
- 72 cow hearts;
- 760kg of kangaroo meat and tails;
- 1080kg of poultry; and
- an undisclosed number of kangaroo cubes.
Controlling Invasive Argentine Ants
October 27, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
BERKELEY -- Native to South America, the Argentine ant has taken hold in numerous countries worldwide, including Australia, Japan and the United States. In California, the ants have pushed out native ant species and caused ecological havoc. The Argentine ant has been blamed for exacerbating problems with some agricultural crops in the state, and for the decline of the coast horned lizard, which feeds exclusively upon the native ant species decimated by the invader. In their native habitat, Argentine ants use their aggression to engage in inter-colony warfare with each other as they compete for resources, and their colonies remain small. Part of what makes the Argentine ants such successful invaders is that outside their South America homeland, the fighting among them largely stops. U.C. Berkeley researcher Neil Tsutsui says, "If you take ants from San Diego and put them next to those from San Francisco, they'll act like they've known each other all their lives. They are part of a massive supercolony that extends hundreds of miles, nearly the entire length of California." Now UC Berkeley and UC Irvine researchers have been able to narrow down and synthesize seven chemical molecules that trigger aggressive behavior among the Argentine ants. In a controlled experiment, ants coated with the 'enemy' chemicals generated significantly greater instances of flared mandibles, biting and other attacking behavior than ants coated with the control chemicals. Despite this finding, Tsutsui says that significant barriers exist before a pest-control substance based upon these chemicals is ready for the market. "These are custom chemicals that are very costly to synthesize at this stage, and we are a long way from having large enough quantities to deploy in the field.”
Nine Young Whooping Cranes Released
October 27, 2009 www.fws.gov
Nine young whooping cranes were released October 24 on central Wisconsin’s Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. The cranes are part of the Direct Autumn Release (DAR) project conducted by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an international coalition of public and private groups that is reintroducing this highly imperiled species in eastern North America, part of its historic range. There are approximately 77 whooping cranes in the wild in eastern North America thanks to WCEP’s efforts. Whooping crane chicks for DAR are reared at Necedah NWR by biologists from the International Crane Foundation and the USFWS. The juvenile birds are released in the company of older cranes after fledging, or developing their flight feathers and learn the migration route from these older birds. In addition to the nine DAR birds, 20 whooping cranes are currently being led south by project partner Operation Migration’s ultralight aircraft. The ultralight-led birds are currently in Juneau County, Wis. Whooping cranes that take part in the ultralight and Direct Autumn Release reintroductions are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., and at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis. Chicks are raised under a strict isolation protocol and to ensure the birds remain wild, handlers adhere to a no-talking rule and wear costumes designed to mask the human form. More information is at: www.bringbackthecranes.org.
Tulsa Zoo Employee Cuts
October 27, 2009 www.kjrh.com
TULSA, Oklahoma -- Mayor Kathy Taylor announced several cuts to help keep the city's budget balanced. 37 people are being laid off. 21 of those positions are police officers. City leaders hope 18 of the soon-to-be laid off officers can be re-hired with the COPS grant. The majority of the remaining positions will be eliminated at the Tulsa Zoo, the Performing Arts Center and in the information technology department. Other cuts include eliminating the police and fire department academies, grounding both police helicopters and reducing overtime across the city.
Naked Mole Rat Life History Study
October 27, 2009 www.nytimes.com By NICHOLAS WADE
Naked mole rats live in underground colonies with a queen, her harem of favorite males, soldiers to defend the tunnel system and workers to keep excavating in search of food. Their life span is extremely long for a rodent. Mice live a couple of years but mole rats can live 28 years. The long life is probably a consequence of their protected existence. Mice have a short life span because they have many predators. Gray squirrels have fewer enemies and can live for more than 20 years. The naked mole rat lives an even more protected lifestyle. The queens never come to the surface. Even the workers are exposed only when they need to shovel dirt to the earth’s surface. A colony’s principal danger is other mole rats who may break into the tunnel system, or a kind of civil war that occurs when a queen dies. Other females, barren while the queen lived, regain their fertility and fight until one is victorious. Mice are very prone to cancer (In some strains, 90 percent of them die of tumors), but the mole rat doesn’t seem to get cancer at all. Dr. Vera Gorbunova and colleagues at the University of Rochester, have taken a first step toward understanding the genetic basis of the mole rat’s surprising immunity to cancer. They have found that the rats’ cells have a double system for inhibiting irregular proliferation, compared with the single system in human cells. Their study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Nepal Expands Critical Tiger Habitat
October 27, 2009 www.physorg.com
The Government of Nepal has announced an expansion of Bardia National Park in the Terai Arc Landscape by 900 sq km, which will increase critical habitat for tigers. The announcement was made at the inaugural session of the Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal also stated that the government would establish a National Tiger Conservation Authority as well as a Wildlife Crime Control Committee. Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal, said "We are confident that by embracing innovative conservation strategies Nepal will succeed in doubling its number of endangered tigers." Earlier this year the first nation-wide estimate of the tiger population revealed the presence of 121 breeding tigers in the wild within four protected areas of Nepal. "In making these commitments at a global forum before the 12 other tiger range countries, the Government of Nepal has set an important precedent for others to follow," said Mike Baltzer, Leader of WWF's Tiger Initiative. The Kathmandu Global Tiger Workshop is the first in a series of political negotiation meetings occurring throughout the year and leading up to a final Heads of State Tiger Summit in September 2010, which is the Year of the Tiger.
Chytrid Fungus Detection & Control
October 27, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
Since it was first observed in 1999 chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bd ) has been found on all six continents with amphibian populations. Kerry Kriger, founder of the ‘Save the Frogs Foundation’, recently conducted a course at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, to teach a method to detect and quantify the number of Bd zoospores present on frogs' skins. He has also made the information available for free online. The highly detailed protocol uses quantitative (real-time) polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to identify the fungus and its concentration on a frog. The protocol also provides examples of how to properly swab frogs of various sizes to obtain samples for testing. "There are only a handful of laboratories and scientists in the world knowledgeable in qPCR chytrid-detection techniques, which is a major hindrance to amphibian disease research," Kriger says. The protocol soon will be translated into Spanish and other languages and is online at: http://savethefrogs.com/chytrid/qpcr.html Scientists from 16 countries have signed up with ‘Save the Frogs’ to receive updates. To control the fungus, Kriger advocates removing frog legs from restaurant menus and lobbying for rules to control the pet industry. "The pet and food trade are significant contributors to the amphibian disease problem by transporting millions of amphibians around the world each year," Kriger says. The group also wants to test frogs before they can infect other populations. "We will be working with government agencies to ensure that proper disease testing regulations are put in place," he adds. According to Amphibian Ark, after the fungus hits a community, 50 percent of amphibian species and 80 percent of individuals can be expected to disappear within one year. So far, no cure or prevention for the fungus exists.
GM Peas Can Protect Chickens From Common Parasite
October 28, 2009 www.scidev.net
Genetically modified peas that can protect chickens against a common parasite called Eimeria, were developed by Sergey Kipriyanov and colleagues at Novoplant GmbH, a German plant biotechnology company. Scientists inserted a gene that caused the plants to produce an antibody that stops the parasite invading the chicken's gut cells. The peas can be ground into flour and then added to cheap chicken fodder, making the approach suitable for rural poultry farming in developing countries, the researchers say. Even in chickens infected with high doses of the parasite GM pea flour reduced infections, say the researchers. "This work demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of using antibody-expressing GM crop seeds to control infectious diseases." Previous work has shown that plants can be engineered to trigger chickens to produce their own antibodies against diseases, but the scientists say this is the first time that crops have been altered to produce antibodies themselves. Kipriyanov says that immunisation through food is easier than traditional methods such as injections. In addition, the method protects the chickens immediately. The research was published last month (September) in BMC Biotechnology.
Cincinnati Zoo Receives LEED Award
October 28, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com
CINCINNATI, OH - – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Historic Vine Street Village, which opened in May, received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) NC Platinum certification – the highest rating awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Cincinnati Zoo is now the first zoo in the country with multiple LEED projects and the 2nd zoo in the country to receive LEED Platinum certification. Locally, this is the first LEED NC Platinum for Cincinnati and the third for the State of Ohio. Mark Fisher, Cincinnati Zoo Senior Director of Facilities said, “We have lowered our utility bills by over a million dollars in the last few years, spending less than half that amount to achieve those savings. The tired old myth that going green is not affordable is ignorant.” The Cincinnati Zoo’s first LEED-certified building was the Harold C. Schott Education Center, which opened in 2006. With the success of the Education Center, the Zoo pledged to pursue LEED certification on all new construction projects. The Cincinnati Zoo is the first zoo in the U.S. to make such a commitment. It claims to be the greenest zoo in the U.S.
Status Review for Northern Leopard Frog
October 28, 2009 www.epa.gov
The USFWS is reopening the comment period to determine whether the Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates [=Rana] pipiens) population should be designated as ‘Threatened’ in the Western United States. This action will provide all interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit information and materials on the status of the northern leopard frog. Information must be received on or before November 27, 2009. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal or U.S. mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R2-ES-2009-0030; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. For more information contact: Steven L. Spangle, Field Supervisor, by U.S. mail at Arizona Ecological Services Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2321 West Royal Palm Drive, Suite 103, Phoenix, AZ 85021; telephone 602-242-0210.
6,300 Panda Name Suggestions
October 28, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com
The San Diego Zoo received more than 6,300 name suggestions for their male panda born 12 weeks ago. The names were delivered in person by zoo-goers or submitted through the zoo's Web site over a 10-day period earlier this month. The five finalists will be posted Saturday on Zoo’s Web site, and people can vote for their favorite through Nov. 3. The winning name will be announced during a Nov. 17 ceremony.
N.C. Zoo Needs $2 million to Expand Polar Bear Exhibit
October 29, 2009 www.newsobserver.com BY MARTHA QUILLIN
N.C. Zoo has launched a campaign to raise $2 million to expand their polar bear exhibit and bring in more polar bears. The N.C. Zoo Society has raised $1.2 million, including $250,000 from members of its board of directors and $350,000 from their family members and foundations, to help pay for the expansion. Additional state funds will be needed to double the existing polar bear exhibit and off-exhibit holding space to accommodate more animals. The total cost of the project will be about $4.5 million. When the polar bear exhibit opened in 1994, zoo keepers thought the bears just needed a big pool. They now know that polar bears are curious and like to stay busy. They need a lot of stimulation and a lot of space. To qualify for more bears, the park must bring the exhibit up to current standards. The zoo now has two polar bears, both males, which can't be exhibited at the same time because they might fight. The park would like to have as many as five more bears.
Using Cell Phones to Collect Field Data
October 29, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Computer scientists at the University of Washington have used Android, Google’s new open-source mobile operating system, to turn a cell phone into a data-collection device. Cell phones have been used in the past to collect data in the field, but when the phone got outdated, so did the software. Instead of creating a tool for a single phone, the UW team built something that will provide a reusable platform to collect all types of mobile data. Their free suite of tools, named Open Data Kit, is already used by organizations around the world that need inexpensive ways to gather information in areas with little infrastructure. This fall the Jane Goodall Foundation in Tanzania and the Brazilian Forest Service signed up to use it to monitor deforestation. Open Data Kit's tools can collect data; store, view and export data on remote servers; and manage devices in the field from a central office. The output is compatible with emerging data standards such as the Open Medical Records System, which aims to coordinate health records in the developing world. Phones running Open Data Kit can record location in seconds, scan a barcode rather than requiring the numbers to be entered by hand, and upload the data automatically using a cellular network. The tool is described in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' Computer magazine. Gaetano Borriello, UW professor of computer science and engineering, and Adam Lerer, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are co-authors.
Giant Insects at Louisiana Zoo
October 29, 2009 www.thenewsstar.com By Hope Young
A new permanent exhibit, The Hall of Small, at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo debuts on Saturday. Zoo director Joe Clawson thinks kids are going to love it. "They are fascinated with bugs, and we are going to present them in so many different ways." What was the old primate building has been remodeled and redesigned to look and feel like you are eye-level with ants, scorpions, praying mantis, dragon flies and other insects. The walls are painted with giant blades of grass as tall as trees; the praying mantis looks like it's seven feet tall and the ant could be six feet long. Adding to the effect is that these creatures are robotic, which means they move arms, legs heads, wings and more, just like the real thing. "The kids are going to feel like they have gone down to the level of bugs," Clawson said of the Animatronic Insect Exhibit. With the robotic giant insects and the live small ones, the zoo will also show visitors what insects looked like millions and millions of years ago.
Protection for Snub-nosed Langurs
October 29, 2009 english.vovnews.vn
The northern mountainous province of Ha Giang has decided to zone off over 2,000 ha of land to create a nature reserve to preserve snub-nosed langurs (Rhinopithecus avunculus), one of the world’s 25 most endangered species. The reserve is in Khau Ca forest and covers Tung Ba and Thuan Hoa communes in Vi Xuyen district, Minh Son commune in Bac Me district and Du Gia commune in Yen Minh district. The forest reserve is estimated to have about 100 snub-nosed langurs, the largest community of the species. In the province’s Tung Vai and Cao Ma Po communes, Quan Ba district, there are nearly 20 snub-nosed langurs.
Critical Habitat for Polar Bears in the U.S.
October 29, 2009
www.epa.gov
The USFWS proposes to designate approximately 200,541 square miles as critical habitat in Alaska and adjacent territorial and U.S. waters to protect the Polar Bear. Comments must be received on or before December 28, Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal or U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R7-ES-2009-0042; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203. You can view detailed, colored maps of areas proposed as critical habitat. Hard copies of maps may be obtained from the Marine Mammals Management Office. For more information contact: Thomas J. Evans, Marine Mammals Management Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone 907/786-3800; facsimile 907/786-3816.
Report on Panda Science
October 29, 2009 rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org
Ron Swaisgood of the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research summarizes the giant panda research presented at the 2009 International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) in Beijing. Reports addressed topics ranging from spatial ecology to molecular censusing, from habitat recovery in newly established reserves to earthquake-induced habitat loss, from new insights into factors limiting carrying capacity to the uncertain effects of climate change, this symposium displayed the vibrant and blossoming application of science to giant panda conservation. Swaisgood urges more direct application of emerging science to giant panda management and policy.
International Tiger Meeting Report
October 29, 2009 www.chinadaily.com.cn
KATHMANDU -- Wild tigers are still found in 13 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, but there are believed to be only about 3,500, down from about 100,000 a century ago. Delegates from 20 countries discussed conservation strategies as well as challenges such as poaching, illegal trade in tiger parts and man-animal conflicts. Wildlife experts said Wednesday that tigers could become extinct in the wild in two decades unless the world ramps up conservation efforts to halt the decline in their population. Asia is a hotspot for the illegal wildlife trade, which the international police organization Interpol estimates may be worth more than $20 billion a year. Skins sold on the black market, can fetch up to $20,000. John Seidensticker, chief scientist at the Smithsonian National Zoo's Conservation Ecology Center, said tiger habitat had declined by 40 percent in the last decade due to destruction of forests.
USDA Serves Complaint Against Former Elephant Exhibitor
October 29, 2009 www.aphis.usda.gov
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have taken the first step in bringing enforcement action against former elephant exhibitor Wilbur Davenport by serving him with a formal legal complaint. Alleged violations include: repeated instances in which Davenport failed to handle the elephants as carefully as possible; failure to ensure the safety of the elephants and the public; failure to provide the elephants minimally adequate veterinary care and failure to adequately feed the elephants. Davenport had been exhibiting three elephants-- Jewel, Tina and Queenie--for years. Our animal care inspectors and investigators were monitoring the elephants’ conditions during that time. On Aug. 20, Davenport surrendered his USDA exhibitor license and APHIS took custody of Tina and Jewel, who had been losing substantial amounts of weight. Tina and Jewel were taken to the San Diego Zoo, where they are now living in the company of other elephants. Queenie remains the legal property of Davenport. Davenport has 20 days to file an answer to the complaint. Once he files an answer, he can either negotiate a settlement with USDA or request a hearing before a USDA administrative law judge. Possible outcomes at such a hearing include civil penalties and license revocation, if USDA issues a revocation. A copy of the complaint is at www.usda.gov
Amphibians Rarely Warn of Pollution
October 29, 2009 www.nature.com By Matt Kaplan
Amphibians are believed to be sensitive to pollutants because of their highly permeable skins which maximize their exposure to the environment. They inhabit land and water, and eat both plants and animals at various stages of their life cycles. Their health is commonly used to give a rough assessment of pollution levels in an area. To investigate how resilient amphibians really are, Jake Kerby at the University of South Dakota and colleagues analyzed more than 28,000 studies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Aquatic Information Retrieval database (part of its ECOTOX system). The studies detail the effects of various chemical agents on aquatic species, including insects, bivalves, fish and amphibians. They found that compared with other animals, amphibians are no more vulnerable than other species. The researchers looked at four types of environmental toxins: heavy metals, inorganic compounds, phenols and pesticides, and found that amphibians were much less sensitive to chemical exposure from heavy metals, inorganics, and pesticides than many other species. The most sensitive group proved to be brachiopods, which declined dramatically in the presence of heavy metals and inorganic chemicals. Insects, unsurprisingly, were the most sensitive to insecticides, whereas amphibians were most sensitive only to the phenol chemicals. The results appear in Ecology Letters.
Funding Crisis Endangers Amur Leopard
October 30, 2009 www.newkerala.com
Several international wildlife conservation organizations have offered aid to Russia to protect the about 30-35 wild Amur leopards. The species is listed as a critically-endangered but the area that supports half of this population--Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve in the south-western Primorski region in Russia-- has been suffering due to severe lack of funds. 24 of the reserve’s 35 employees are on a forced vacation and the reserve lacks funds to pay for fuel and other basic necessities for those who volunteered to work despite the salary delays. The reason for this acute financial crunch has been attributed to a well-intended but poorly-executed reorganization of the protected areas in the range of the Amur leopard. The reorganization had aimed to bring together three protected areas - which provide refuge to half of the remaining wild Amur leopards - under one improved management structure. The Barsovy and Borisovkoe Plato refuges were combined to create the Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge in October 2008, by Vladimir Putin. The responsibility of managing Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge was transferred to Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve. However, both Leopardovy Wildlife Refuge and Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve now lack funds to support conservation of the critically-endangered Amur leopards. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, Phoenix Fund, Zoological Society of London, Tigris Foundations as well as individual donors have all offered help.
Dogs Trained to Track Endangered Species
October 30, 2009 dalnews.dal.ca
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Canada -- A novel training protocol was refined at Dalhousie’s Canid Research Lab. Three former shelter dogs have been trained to recognize and track the scent of endangered species, with a remarkable 90 to 100 per cent success rate in the lab. All the dogs live in homes as pets, in addition to volunteering for their part-time ‘jobs.’ Senior instructor Simon Gadbois is an expert in the behavioural endocrinology of canid—a group that includes the domesticated dog, wolves and foxes—and he’s excited about the many potential applications of the research.
Study of Polar Bear-Grizzly Hybrid
October 30, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
"Hybrids between polar and brown bears in the wild are very rare. Only one confirmed case is known," says Dr Ute Magiera, the conservation coordinator of Osnabruck Zoo in Germany. However, a small number of hybrid bears do exist in zoos in the Czech Republic, Israel, Russia, Spain, Poland and Germany as a result of grizzly bears, a subspecies of brown bear and polar bears being held in the same enclosures. At Osnabruck Zoo, both species were kept together since 1980, producing no offspring. Then in January 2004, a female brown bear gave birth to two brown/polar bear hybrids at the zoo. Now Dr Magiera, Dr Alexandra Preuß of the University of Osnabruck and Osnabruck Zoo and colleagues studied a female and a male bear hybrid (brown bear Ursus arctos x polar bear Ursus maritimus). Behavioural and morphological comparisons between the hybrids and the two parent-species were made. The published details appear in the scientific journal Der Zoologische Garten. Physically, the hybrids have a range of characteristics. In terms of overall size, they fall between the larger polar bear and slightly smaller grizzly. They have longer necks more typical of polar bears, but also display small shoulder humps reminiscent of brown bears. The size and shape of their heads is intermediate between the thicker-set brown bear and more slender-headed polar bear. Hybrids have visible tails, like polar bears, whereas those of brown bears are barely apparent. The bears' feet are also an intriguing blend. The soles of the hybrids' feet are partially covered in hair. Polar bear feet are covered in hair to insulate them from the ice, whereas brown bears have hairless soles and clearly visible toes. But most intriguing is the bears' hair. The shaft of a brown bear's hair is either solid or full of small hollow regions, depending on where the hair is on the bear's body. The hair of a polar bear is almost completely hollow, with large empty regions within its core. The hair of the hybrid bears display a blend of both. Hair on the paw of the male hybrid is solid. But dark hair on the male's back is hollow, but with smaller empty regions than found in polar bear hair. The hair on the female contains a range of hollow regions.
Behaviorally, the two hybrids have much in common with polar bears. They lay down just as polar bears do. When given large toys to play with, such as tractor wheels or barrels, both bears used their front legs to stamp on the object, just as polar bears stamp onto ice to break through to seal dens. The hybrids also used their teeth to hurl jute-bags from left to right, as polar bears may hurl prey. Brown bears given similar bags do not show this behavior. The male hybrid bear has been sterilized. But if the female proves fertile, it suggests that hybrid bears could continue to breed in the wild if their ranges overlap more, says Dr Magiera. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) split into distinct species around 200-300,000 years ago. Generally, their modern ranges don't overlap; the brown bear is found in the montane forests of the Holarctic and tundra, while the polar bear frequents the Arctic. However, in some regions of the Canadian Arctic and Siberia, brown bears do venture on to pack ice, potential bringing them into contact. Some experts say that global warming and diminishing ice packs will lead to polar bears spending more time on the mainland. While some think that a few populations of polar bear may return permanently to their original mainland habitat, others say that climatic changes will happen too fast for the bears to adapt.
Pittsburgh Zoo Rhinos Ready to Mate
October 30, 2009 www.post-gazette.com By Don Hopey
Two black rhinoceroses are ready to meet and mate for the first time at the Pittsburgh Zoo. 14-year-old Jomo, who was born at the San Diego Zoo and came to Pittsburgh when he was a year old, will meet Azzizi, a 10-year-old female born at the Cleveland Zoo. Barbara Baker, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium president and chief operating officer, held a news conference outside the rhino yard today to alert zoo visitors that they could be witness to some rough behavior. "When in the mood," Dr. Baker said, "rhinos are very aggressive toward one another. They will roar, chase, and even hit each other before they actually mate. The entire breeding event can last anywhere from two to three hours and can sometimes be violent." Black rhinos are considered endangered in the wild where they number about 4,240. There are 30 in North American zoos, and the AZA Species Survival Plan, which recommended the breeding in Pittsburgh, has set a target of 4 to 7 births per year, a number needed to maintain a 3 percent birth rate, which will sustain the population. The goal is to grow the black rhino population to 72 rhinos.
Endangered Species Permit Applications
October 30, 2009 www.epa.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. Written data, comments or requests must be received by November 30, 2009. Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for review by any party who submits a written request for a copy of such documents within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, Virginia 22203; fax 703/358-2281. For further information contact: Division of Management Authority, telephone 703/358-2104.
Applicant: Jacksonville Zoological Society, Jacksonville, FL, PRT-072219. The applicant requests reissuance of their permit to import three giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) from the Government of Guyana for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, PRT-218242. The applicant requests an amendment to their permit to acquire from Coriell Institute of Medical Research, Camden, NJ, in interstate commerce cell line and DNA cultures from chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), bonobo (Pan paniscus), gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), agile gibbon (Hylobates agilis), buff-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae), white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys), pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus), siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus), ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), white sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), and fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Wild Cat Education & Conservation Fund, Occidental, CA, PRT-227438. The applicant requests a permit to import one male captive-born cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) from DeWildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, DeWildt, South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species, Myrtle Beach, SC, PRT-230259. The applicant requests a permit to import one male and one female captive-born cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) from DeWildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, DeWildt, South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Michael S. Clifford, New York, NY, PRT-230659. The applicant requests a permit to import the sport-hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Major Biopark Planned for Colombia
October 30, 2009 www.stltoday.com
Saint Louis based design firm AFH Design, LLC presented the completed master plan for the new Biopark Pereira which will be located in Colombia. The park is both a zoo and botanical garden and it will join several other major themed attractions in the “coffee triangle” of Colombia, within driving distance of the countries three major cities, Medellin, Cali and Bogota. The total cost of the project is expected to be $100 million dollars. It will occupy a 110 acre site, most of which is currently used for agricultural purposes. Plans for the biopark define seven zones in which specific bioregions in Colombia and around the world are interpreted. The South American bioregions include the arid Caribbean Coast, the Amazon Basin, the Andes Cloud Forests, the Rocky Coasts of Chile and Peru. Bioregions in Africa and Asia will also be included, featuring Tropical Africa, the African Savannah and the Mangrove Coasts of Asia. The aim was to provide state of the art immersive bioregions that interpret the habitats, and the animals that rely on those habitats, and to interpret stories about current or historical cultures that have either learned to embrace the animals within the bioregion, or are in conflict with them. Each bioregion will be represented by an “ambassador” animal, plant and culture. The ambassador animals include jaguar, Bengal tiger, flamingos, Humboldt penguin, Andean bear, chimpanzee and lion. The bioregions interpreted represent over 70% of the biodiversity on our planet. There will be seventy five exhibits in total, with nearly 800 animals, plus 20 butterfly species exhibited in a free flight aviary. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2010, and the park will be built in phases. The first phase will be open to the public in 2011.
Adelaide Zoo Will Receive Pandas in 2009
October 30, 2009 news.xinhuanet.com
BEIJING - Adelaide Zoo will receive a pair of giant pandas from China by the end of this year, according to Chinese state media. Male panda, Wangwang, was born on Aug. 31, 2005, while the female, Funi, was born on Aug. 23, 2006. The pair will come from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong. After the May 12 earthquake last year, Wangwang and Funi were taken to Ya'an Panda Breeding Base from the Wolong center, which was seriously damaged. They have been in isolation since Sept 21. The administration is sending the pair to Adelaide for a10-year co-study as a goodwill gesture promised by President Hu Jintao during a visit to Australia in September 2007. The Australian zoo finished work on its panda enclosure in September and training of its panda keepers and veterinarians has been completed. The zoo has also trained specialists in cultivation of the panda's primary food, bamboo, along with experts in panda breeding, transportation and management.
Google Earth Pro is Introduced
October 30, 2009 news.idg.no by Rebecca Wanjiku
Google has unveiled its “Google Earth Pro” in time for the December climate change conference in Copenhagen. The software is available through the Google Earth Outreach Program, which lets local NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) and other public-benefit organizations visualize their projects and demonstrate their impact. "Nonprofit and public benefit organizations in Africa can access the knowledge and resources they need to organize their data, build their maps, tell their story through geographic visualization using Google's Geo Tools," said Karin Tuxen-Bettman and Tanya Keen, of Google Earth Outreach. The Save the Elephants organization has used the software to show efforts taken to protect the last of the Mali Desert Elephants. The Mali project uses KML touring, a feature in Google Earth 5.0. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants in Samburu, Kenya, says, "Google Earth links perfectly with our remote tracking system in Africa; when an elephant stops, it sends a signal to the station," said Douglas-Hamilton. "We are at a crucial stage and we need to make use of the technology to help in decision making.” The “Mapping Africa's Protected Areas Project”, has mapped parks and reserves in Southern and East Africa. The maps show features such as park boundaries, tracks, and various images. The project offers previously unavailable data about land and wildlife in protected areas in Africa.
Biomimicry: Animal Robots
October 30, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com By Rachel Kaufman
Researchers worldwide are developing robots that look and act like aquatic creatures. Gymnobot developer William Megill of the University of Bath, U.K. has developed a biomimetic fish based on the knifefish. "In a fishlike fish, the whole of the animal is muscle--its propeller," he said. "That's not particularly conducive to putting in circuit boards." To allow more room for cameras and other electronics, he copied the knifefish, which keeps its body rigid to sense electric currents in the water. In the same way, his gymnobot uses its lower, bladelike "fin" to propel itself through the water while the body remains rigid. Megill hopes it can be used to study marine life near the shore, where a propeller would kick up too much sediment or get tangled in weeds.
Sea Birds Killed by Ocean Slime
October 30, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com By John Roach
Hundreds of birds are washing up on the shores of the U.S. Pacific Northwest coated with a foamy sea slime this fall. The slime, which comes from algae blooms in the ocean, destroys the waterproofing ability of the birds' feathers. Unlike oil spills, the algae blooms occur naturally when there is an upwelling of nutrients and warmer-than-usual ocean waters. Recently the blooms have been larger, longer and more frequent. Jay Holcomb, executive director at the International Bird Rescue Research Center said hundreds of birds have died, from hypothermia or predation. Nearly 500 of the slimed birds have been transported to the rescue center in Fairfield, California, which was specially built to care for coastal wildlife contaminated with oil. Many of the slime victims have been released. Several hundred more birds are also being treated at facilities in Oregon and Washington State.
North American Raptors Susceptible to H5N1
October 30, 2009 www.usgs.gov
American kestrels are extremely susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), indicating that other raptors may also be at risk if the virus reaches North America. In a new USGS study, all kestrels inoculated with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus died within seven days of inoculation, regardless of the virus dose. “Our concern is that raptors like bald eagles, peregrine falcons and the endangered California condor would be at risk if highly pathogenic H5N1 reaches North America,” said Jeffrey Hall, a research virologist at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and lead author on this study. The virus could reach North America via migratory wild birds, which are typical prey for these susceptible birds. If endangered and threatened raptors are as sensitive as kestrels, they are highly likely to die if infected with the virus. “Surveillance for highly pathogenic H5N1 is extremely important,” said Jonathan Sleeman, director of the National Wildlife Health Center. The study is available free online from PLoS ONE and is entitled “Experimental infection of a North American raptor, American kestrel (Falco sparverius), with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1).”
San Diego Zoo Panda Naming Contest
October 31, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com
Out of the 6,331 names submitted for San Diego Zoo’s new baby panda the most popular English name was “Bob” — obviously not a contender. Other rejects were Ron Burgundy and Zoo Zoo. Names like Pequeño, Herbie, Watermelon, Wubbzy and Pandy also missed the shortlist. One popular Chinese submission was Gao Yun. Gao was in honor of the new panda’s father, Gao Gao, which means “big big,” and his mate, Bai Yun, which means “white cloud.” This has been the name-selection procedure for the two previous pandas, too. The Chinese government picked out the name for Hua Mei, which means “China USA.” The panda team at the zoo named the second panda Mei Sheng, which can mean either “born in the USA” or “beautiful life” because Chinese words often have multiple translations. The unnamed cub’s sisters are Su Lin, which means “a little bit of something cute,” and Zhen Zhen, which means “precious.” Although the public votes on the names, the Chinese government gets final approval. All the names are in Pinyin, which is the system for translating Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet. Go to http://mandarintools.com/worddict.html, select Pinyin and type in each word separately.
Starting today, the public will be able to vote at http://sandiegozoo.org/pandacam for:
Fu Sheng, which means “blissful San Diego”;
Xiao Long, or “little dragon”;
Xiong Wei, or “extraordinary bear”;
Yong Xiang, or “eternally blessed”; and
Yun Zi, or “son of cloud.”
[NOTE: 4 different names appeared on the San Diego Zoo Web Site:
Li Hua or "Beautiful china"
Ming Zhu "Bright Treasure"
Zhen Zhen "Precious"
Xiao Li "Little Beauty"]
Toxin Evolved From Digestive Enzyme
October 31, 2009 www.physorg.com
Harvard researchers show that independent but similar molecular changes turned a harmless digestive enzyme into a toxin in two unrelated species -- a shrew and a lizard in a study appearing in the journal Current Biology. Lead author Yael T. Aminetzach suggests that the work has important implications for our understanding of how novel protein function evolves by studying the relationship between an ancestral and harmless protein and its new toxic activity. "The venom is essentially an over activation of the original digestive enzyme, amplifying its effects," she says. "What had been a mild anticoagulant in the salivary glands of both species has become a much more extreme compound that causes paralysis and death in prey that is bitten."
New Management for Hattiesberg Zoo
October 31, 2009 www.hattiesburgamerican.com
HATTIESBERG, Mississippi - The city is handing over a portion of the zoo's oversight to the Hattiesburg Convention and Tourism commissions. The partnership, officials said, will make the zoo a more marketable attraction and ultimately save taxpayers money in the near future. "Right now, it takes a little over $1.2 million to operate the zoo," Mayor Johnny DuPree said Friday. "We have to subsidize somewhere around $800,000 a year." By entering into a four-year contract with the city's convention and tourism commissions, the city is hoping to eventually save a minimum of 20 percent of the city's costs. The contract takes effect Wednesday. DuPree said, "For the first two years we'll continue subsidizing the zoo as we have, and in the third year we'll review things and see where we are." Rick Taylor, executive director of the Hattiesburg Convention and Tourism commissions, said he's confident their management will translate into future success for the zoo. "We have an opportunity to get in, market and develop it, and then we'll certainly look for sponsors to determine where we go forward in terms of enhancing the zoo and making it more attractive so people will want to come back to it," he said. "We will sit down with zoo professionals and go through their master plan and see how some of the elements we feel will help increase attendance at zoo fit into that plan," Taylor said. "The zoo is one of two in the state. From a marketing standpoint, there's nothing more attractive than having a unique product."
Adelaide Zoo Benefits from Panda Diplomacy
October 31, 2009 www.chinadaily.com.cn By Huang Zhiling
CHENGDU, China -- The news that Adelaide Zoo will receive 2 pandas in December 2009, follows recent heightened tension between Beijing and Canberra over alleged Australian government restrictions on Chinese investment in mining. On top of that, ties were further strained when an Australian mining executive was arrested in China. Beijing also recently criticized Canberra's decision to grant an entry permit to Rebiya Kadeer, who it believes was behind the July 5 riot in Urumqi, in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, that claimed 197 lives. The pandas, both born in captivity at the Wolong Nature Reserve, will spend 10 years at the zoo as part of a breeding program. President Hu Jintao said the pandas represent friendship between the countries. "I would like to stress that this is the first time that a pair of Chinese giant pandas have ever settled in Australia and, to be more specific, in the Southern Hemisphere," he said. Former Prime Minister John Howard said Australia welcomes the gesture from China. "It's important, when you're talking about billions of dollars of resource contracts and you're talking about tens of thousands of students, it's also important to find in the relationship, the warmth and exhilaration that can come from the temporary residence of such lovely creatures," he said. China has been raising pandas through artificial insemination and breeding programs for nearly 50 years. It set up a loan system in 1984 under which foreign zoos can house pairs of bears in the captive breeding program. 210 have now been bred in captivity.
National Zoo Loses 2 Scimitar-horned Oryxes
October 31, 2009 www.nbcwashington.com By ASHA BEH
WASHINGTON — The National Zoo announced that a 17-year-old female oryx died on Oct. 24. The animal had been anesthetized two days earlier for a routine health assessment, but during her recovery became agitated and died while being anesthetized a second time for an emergency follow-up exam. A 16-year-old male oryx died of cardiac and respiratory arrest at the zoo's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Va., on Oct. 14. He also died while being anesthetized for a routine reproductive exam. The zoo now has one remaining oryx on exhibit and a herd of 13 surviving at its research center. The scimitar-horned oryx is extinct in its native northern Africa.
Why Animals Have So Many Different Colors
October 31, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Fish, birds and insects all display rich color diversity. Darwin attributed this diversity to sexual selection, meaning the traits increased an animal's ability to attract mates. But Gregory Grether and Christopher Anderson of UCLA emphasize another evolutionary factor. “The cost of attacking the wrong type of male and of being attacked by the wrong type of male favors diversity of coloration, birdsong and chemical cues, to identify rivals," Grether said. Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz suggested in 1962 that the diverse coloration of coral reef fish was likely due to selection against fighting with the wrong species. But the idea never really reached the level of attention in evolutionary biology that it deserved. Grether and Anderson studied several species of damselflies in Mexico and Texas. The research appears in the Oct. 28 issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences They also collaborated with Kenichi Okamoto to construct a mathematical model of what happens when species with similar secondary sexual traits come into contact. The model, published in the November 2009 issue of the Journal Biological Reviews, predicts rapid evolutionary shifts in secondary sexual traits and also in what the animals recognize as competitors.
Coral Reef Conservation
October 31, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
NOAA and The Nature Conservancy have entered into an agreement to protect the health of the nation's increasingly vulnerable coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. The four-year agreement will dedicate $3.6 million in NOAA funding and $3.6 million in matching funds from The Nature Conservancy to address the top three threats facing coral reef ecosystems: climate change, overfishing, and land-based sources of pollution. The 36 projects supported through the four-year partnership agreement will carry out activities related to the following categories:
Developing place-based management strategies and plans
Developing resilient marine protected area (MPA) networks
Measuring the effectiveness of reef management efforts
Developing sustainable finance plans and
Building capacity among reef managers at the global scale.
New Zealand Endangered Species Sanctuary Opens
November 1, 2009 tvnz.co.nz
DUNEDIN, New Zealand -- After 9 years of work, Orokonui Ecosanctuary in Dunedin officially opened to the public. Native flora, fauna and animals are proteced by a state-of-the-art welded mesh pest control fence, a canopy and a trip wire which lets staff know if the perimeter has been breached. Keeping pests out is vital so staff can reintroduce native species like the saddleback, the south island kaka and the otago jewelled geko. "We're hoping to introduce kiwi, tuatara, even nesting sea birds," says manager Chris Ballie. Founder Ralph Allen, envisaged the project almost 20 years ago. It is the third eco-sanctuary of its kind in New Zealand, but the only one in the South Island. The energy efficient building cost over $1 million and even has its own water treatment plant. Visitors can interact in the learning centre before heading outdoors to a 300 hectare living classroom.
Sarawak’s Muru Dam Will Put More than 100 Species at Risk
November 1, 2009 thestar.com.my By STEPHEN THEN
MIRI, Sarawak -- Some 19 species of mammals and 99 species of birds, will have their habitats destroyed because of the construction of the Murum Hydro-Electric Dam in central Sarawak. Site clearing, road building, hill blasting and transportation of raw materials has already begun with completion expected by 2013. Researchers from Sarawak’s Centre for Technology Transfer and Consultancy at Universiti Malaysia recently studied the impact that the dam will have on the ecosystem. Fifteen bird species are classified as rare. Sixteen species are protected and six species, mainly the Hornbill and Argus Pheasant, are totally protected under the Sarawak Wildlife Protection Ordinance. Protected mammals include the Western Tarsier, Borneon Gibbon and Giant Squirrel. The Naked Bat, Red Langur and Borneon Gibbons are threatened species. Some 39 species of these birds are endemic to Borneo and 23 of these species are already threatened. Endangered bird species in Murum include the Lesser Fish Eagle, Indian Cuckoo, Red-Bearded Bee-eater, Great Slaty Woodpecker, Black-thigh Falcon and many species of hornbill found only in Sarawak. The clearing of the access road into Murum Dam site from the Bakun Hydro-Electric Dam some 70 km away has already affected many of the animals and birds along the route, according to the report. Noise pollution, clearing of the timber and the loss of the plants and insects has already caused the mass migration of some birds. The University team proposed that a wildlife rescue mission be carried out soon to save and relocate these animals, especially the mammals that would not be able to migrate to higher grounds once the area was flooded. There are at least four giant timber consortiums carrying out logging operations in area, as well as several huge oil-palm plantations that had converted post-logged regions into massive oil-palm estates.
L.A. Zoo’s New Elephant Exhibit
November 1, 2009 www.dailybreeze.com By Dana Bartholomew
L.A. Zoo’s Pachyderm Forest exhibit, twice approved by the City Council, is 44% complete and larger than most elephant exhibits in the U.S. The San Diego Zoo’s new Elephant Odyssey has 2.5 acres for eight elephants. Pachyderm Forest will be 6 acres. At the entrance there will be an introduction plaza, and a large pool where elephants will be able to swim. The deep pool is adjustable and will help teach future calves to swim. On the periphery will be areas themed for Asian elephant habitats in the wild - Thai, Cambodian, Indian and Chinese. A central two-story elephant barn - topped by a Thai-style peaked roof – will occupy 17,000 square feet of flexible stalls and medical equipment to weigh and treat bulls, cows and calves. Throughout the grounds, and built into the waterfalls, are pockets for "elephant enrichment items" - food - that will allow them to forage as they do in the wild. A kiosk will elicit funds to help the 30,000 Asian elephants remaining in the world.
Exhibit opponents are fighting the Zoo with a lawsuit (Filed in August 2007 by actor Robert Culp and real estate agent Aaron Leider.) The suit maintains the project is a waste of taxpayers' money, but is focused "upon stopping illegal abuse and injury of elephants." Animal Rights critics claim 14 elephants have met early deaths at the zoo and its emerging exhibit is too small for the pachyderms. Legal scholars say that although Culp may have the advantage of a jury trial, there is no national precedent for closing a major elephant exhibit. The zoo's past treatment of elephants will not be on trial, they said, but whether pachyderms will be housed in an unfit or damaging exhibit - whether its surface is too hard, or its corral too small. Richard Cupp, an animal law expert at the Pepperdine University School of Law who has studied the case, said the Zoo may be in a strong legal position because its previous exhibits have not been declared substandard. But, "this could be a landmark case, particularly if the jury comes back and makes a factual determination that this exhibit is inadequate," Cupp said. "That would have strong implications for other zoos across the country."
Ocelot Population in U.S.
November 1, 2009 www.chron.com By Steve Sinclair
TEXAS – Ocelots, an endangered species since 1972, exist in a couple of pockets in South Texas — Laguna Atascosa and ranchland to the north in Kenedy County. After a recent ocelot road casualty at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife refuge, traps and cameras were set up to determine if a companion adult or kittens were with it, but none were found. “It was a female ocelot that hadn't previously been reported,” said refuge manager Sonny Perez. The estimated number of ocelots remaining in the United States has fallen from less than 80 to less than 50. A decade ago, the estimated number was fewer than 100. Michael Tewes, coordinator of the Feline Research Program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute in Kingsville, said the small population is cause for concern. “No doubt that the population decline is very serious in Texas. Our models suggest they will disappear (from Texas) in the next 50 years unless we intervene with support and rescue methods. We want to increase the population by restoring habitat and working with willing land owners to expand ocelot habitat on their property,” Tewes said.
Top Predator Conributes to Plant Biodiversity
November 2, 2009 www.eurekalaert.org
The carcasses of moose killed by wolves at Isle Royale National Park enrich the soil in "hot spots of forest fertility” around the kills, causing rapid microbial and fungal growth that provide increased nutrients for plants in the area. "This study demonstrates an unforeseen link between the hunting behavior of a top predator—the wolf—and biochemical hot spots on the landscape - another important contribution large predators make to the ecosystem they live in. It demonstrates what can be protected or lost when predators are preserved or exterminated. Wildlife biologists from Michigan Technological University studied a 50-year record of more than 3,600 moose carcasses at Isle Royale. They measured the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels in the soil at paired sites of wolf-killed moose carcasses and controls. They also analyzed the microbes and fungi in the soil and the leaf tissue of large-leaf aster, a common native plant eaten by moose in eastern and central North America. The nitrogen levels in plants growing on the carcass sites was from 25 to 47 percent higher than the levels at the control sites. Since large herbivores, like moose, are attracted to nitrogen-rich plants, the carcass sites become foraging sites, further supplementing soil nutrients from the urine and feces of the animals eating there. The strong and unexpected connections between wolves, moose and the biogeochemistry of their ecosystem are important to policy makers involved in predator management and to a public increasingly concerned about conservation. The report appears in November 2009 issue of the journal Ecology. The research was supported by the NSF and the EPA.
Blue-faced Honeyeaters at Pueblo Zoo
November 2, 2009 www.chieftain.com By TOM GALUSHA
PUEBLO, Colorado -- The plan to keep two new blue-faced honeyeaters in the Pueblo Zoo’s Ecocenter's Rain Forest exhibit has been changed because they attacked other birds. Now the clutch-mates live in the World of Color building. Zoo curator Marilyn McBirney said, "Their mom died while incubating them at the Brookfield Zoo. After they hatched in May 2007, a team of 12 keepers working day and night, hand-raised them, feeding them pinkie mice, nectar and vitamins.” At the Pueblo Zoo, keepers provide special nectar solution and hand-feed them worms. "They are bold and inquisitive," says McBirney, “and will come right up to check out zoo visitors.” Unique to the southwest Pacific, honeyeaters have radiated into about 174 species that occupy most niches and habitats in Australia and southern New Guinea. Although all species eat nectar and pollen (not honey), they supplement their diet with fruit and insects. They are important pollinators. The more nectarivous species have long fine bills for dipping into flowers, while shorter-billed species generally eat greater quantities of invertebrates. A long tongue, fringed at the tip with bristles, darts out 10 times per second to soak up their favorite food from flowering plants. They do not hover, like American hummingbirds, but flit between perches, stretching up or sideways, or hanging upside down, to get at the blossoms. In Australia, this shorter-billed honeyeater feeds mostly on insects and other invertebrates.
New Zoo Policy Suggestions for Malaysia
November 2, 2009 thestar.com.my By S.M. MOHD IDRIS
SAHABAT ALAM MALASIA, Penang -- More than 30 animal establishments (zoos, mini-zoos, aviaries, bird parks or crocodile farms) exist in almost every state in Malaysia. Before thinking of transforming the National Zoo into a “world-class zoo,” priorities should be placed on the many facilities with poor or mediocre conditions. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has received a number of complaints from visitors about small cages, dirty exhibits, and bored, listless animals. Guidelines for zoos are merely administrative with no legal force, and only cases of cruelty are dealt with under the Wildlife Protection Act. With no law ensuring minimum standards for zoo animals, the majority of these zoos are set up for nothing more than profit or entertainment. A new zoo policy should aim to abolish those which are badly run or fail to fulfill basic animal welfare requirements. There should be tighter enforcement of the Zoo Licensing Act; doing away with “Special Permit” enabling zoos to acquire animals in the CITES I category. An official advisory panel on captive animal welfare should be established and all zoos required to pay into a guaranteed closure fund which would underwrite operational care costs in the event of a zoo closing.
Sarawak Symposium on Orangutan Conservation
November 2, 2009 thestar.com.my By SHARON LING
KUCHING, Sarawak – At a 3-day regional symposium onf orangutan conservation, State Forestry Director, Datuk Len Talif Salleh said there were currently about 2,500 wild orangutans in Sarawak. “What is important is that the figure has been stable for a number of years. This means that our efforts have been successful in stabilizing the orangutan population. In fact, we want to increase the population to 3, 4 or even 5 thousand in the years to come.” The goal of the meeting was to develop an orangutan strategic management plan for Sarawak. Len said greater public awareness on the need to protect orangutans had contributed to the state’s conservation efforts. Len also said orangutans were only found in Maludam, the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary and Batang Ai National Park and not throughout the whole state. He said the state practiced a clear land-use policy whereby certain areas were earmarked for economic development and others for conservation. Keynote speaker Dr Birute Galdikas said deforestation and habitat destruction were the main threats facing the orangutan. “There are approximately 30,000 orangutan in Kalimantan Tengah, including about 6,000 each in the Sebangau and Tanjung Puting national parks." Threats such as poaching and illegal logging are major problems, but nothing compares to oil palm. Dr Galdikas said oil palm developers should leave part of the forest untouched when clearing land for plantations, which would be sufficient for orangutan to live in.
North American Fish Populations Shift with Climate Change
November 2, 2009 www.physorg.com
About half of 36 fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, many of them commercially valuable species, have been shifting northward over the last four decades, with some stocks nearly disappearing from U.S. waters. Janet Nye, a postdoctoral researcher at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., looked at annual spring survey data from 1968 to 2007 for stocks ranging from Atlantic cod and haddock to yellowtail and winter flounders, spiny dogfish, Atlantic herring, and less well-known species like blackbelly rosefish. "During the last 40 years, many species have been shifting to the north where ocean waters are cooler, or staying in the same general area but moving into deeper waters than where they traditionally have been found," Nye said. Ten of the 36 stocks examined had significant range expansion, while 12 had significant range contraction. Changes in a species range can be affected by both temperature changes and fishing pressure, with heavily fished stocks appearing more sensitive to climate change and often showing a larger shift. 17 of the 36 stocks occupied increasingly greater depths, and 3 stocks occupied increasingly shallower waters. However, the temperature at which each stock was found did not change over time, suggesting that fish are moving to remain within their preferred temperature range. "They all seem to be adapting to changing temperatures and finding places where their chances of survival as a population are greater." The study has been published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series.
Platypus Genome Analysis
November 2, 2009 www.physorg.com
University of Adelaide geneticist Dr Frank Grützner and his team have authored five of 28 papers which appear in two special issues of the Australian Journal of Zoology and Reproduction Fertility and Development. The articles shed new light on the extraordinarily complex platypus sex chromosome system. "We looked at how the 10 sex chromosomes find each other during sperm development in platypus," Dr Grützner says. "We discovered that a remarkably organized mechanism must exist in platypus, where sex chromosomes from one end pair first and then they go down the sex chromosome chain, just like a zipper. There is nothing random about it." Dr Grützner and his colleagues also isolated and analyzed the sequence of the male-specific Y chromosomes. "Previously we knew nothing about the Y chromosomes because only the female platypus genome was sequenced. The data we found has given us valuable clues about the evolution of Y chromosomes in all mammals." All 28 published articles in the CSIRO journals have arisen from the Boden Research Conference, "Beyond the Platypus Genome", was hosted by the University of Adelaide in November 2008. The papers represent a wide range of monotreme research, from genome to field biology, population genetics and captive breeding, evolution to immunology, venom, sperm and milk in both the platypus and echidna.
Falklands Wolf Mystery
November 2, 2009 www.physorg.com
The Falklands wolf (Dusicyon australis) was the size of a coyote, but much stockier, with fur the color of a red fox. They had short muzzles, like gray wolves, and thick, wooly fur. They were the only native mammal on the Falkland islands - 480 kilometers from the South American mainland. They became extinct because they were perceived as a threat to settlers and their sheep. Scientists have been curious about their evolutionary history and now, a team of UCLA researchers, has compared DNA from four of the world's dozen or so museum specimens to DNA of living canids. Team leader Graham Slater said that the wolf's closest living relative was the maned wolf—a long-legged, fox-like South American canid. The researchers also found that the four Falklands wolf samples shared a common ancestor at least 70,000 years ago, which suggests that they arrived on the islands before the end of the last ice age and before humans ever made it to the New World. "The divergence of the Falklands wolf from its closest living relative, the maned wolf, occurred over 6 million years ago," Slater said. "Canids don't show up in the South American fossil record until 2.5 million years ago, which means these lineages must have evolved in North America. The problem is that there are no good fossils that can be assigned to the Falklands wolf lineage in North America." A possibility does exist in a species from Patagonia called Dusicyon avus, which went extinct 6,000 to 8,000 years ago. Slater’s coauthor Alan Cooper is investigating the connection at the University of Adelaide.
European Mink Study
November 2, 2009 www.physorg.com
Researcher Maria Teresa Cabria-Garrido’s PhD thesis is entitled, “Development and application of molecular markers for the study of biology and conservation of the European mink, Mustela lutreola." Cabria developed a method for identifying species on the basis of non-invasive samples gathered in the field, to differentiate the presence of this endangered species with respect to other mustelids such as the polecat M. putorius or the American mink, Neovison vison. Cabria applied certain molecular tools to the DNA analysis of the intestinal cells found in the feces of the animals. The technique developed enabled identifying two haplotypes or genetic patterns for the European mink (AA, AB), two for the polecat (AC, AD) and just one for the American mink (BC), all specific for the species. These patterns are different from those obtained from other species of mustelids that leave similar trails. Ms Cabria also studied the levels of genetic diversity in various populations of European mink. To facilitate the undertaking of this study she drew up a genomic library specific to the European mink. Certain molecular markers were also used to investigate the process of hybridization between the European mink and the polecat.
Europe May Get Solar Power from Sahara
November 2, 2009 www.enn.com
A $400 billon plan to provide Europe with solar power from the Sahara desert moved a step closer to reality with the formation of a German consortium of 12 companies to carry out the work. Known as the Desertec Industrial Initiative (DDI), the project was first announced in July. The DII has gained support from a wide variety of political and governmental institutions in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, and hopes to deliver solar power to Europe as early as 2015. DII aims to provide 15% of Europe's electricity by 2050 or earlier via power lines stretching across the desert and Mediterranean Sea. The solar technology involved is known as concentrated solar power, (CSP) which uses mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays on a fluid container. The super-heated liquid then drives turbines to generate electricity. Desertec also plans to connect North Africa to Europe with new high voltage direct current cables which transport electricity over great distances with little energy loss. More information at www.desertec.org.
Swine Genome is Sequenced
November 2, 2009 www.physorg.com
The genome of a red-haired Duroc pig from a farm at the University of Illinois has now been sequenced. U of I professor Larry Schook, leader of the international collaborative project, said, "Because the native wild animals are still in existence, it is a really exciting animal to look at to learn about the genomic effects of domestication." The Duroc is one of five major breeds used in pork production around the world and is one of about 200 breeds of domesticated pigs. There are also numerous varieties of wild boar, (non-domesticated pigs that are believed to have originated in Eurasia.) The effort cost about $24.3 million, with support from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and many other American, Asian and European funders. One of the requirements of participation was that the findings be made public, with no proprietary interests allowed. The draft sequence, which is about 98 percent complete, will allow researchers to pinpoint genes that are useful to pork production or are involved in immunity or other important physiological processes in the pig. It will enhance breeding practices, offer insight into diseases that afflict pigs and will assist in efforts to preserve the global heritage of rare, endangered and wild pigs. It also will be important for the study of human health because pigs are very similar to humans in their physiology, behavior and nutritional needs.
2,800 Species New IUCN Red List
November 2, 2009 www.fox11az.com
GENEVA, Switzerland— The IUCN surveyed a total of 47,677 animals and plants for this year's "Red List" of endangered species and determined that 17,291 of them are threatened with extinction. More than one in five of all known mammals, over a quarter of reptiles and 70 percent of plants are under threat, according to the survey, which featured over 2,800 new species compared with 2008. Craig Hilton-Taylor, who manages the list said "many more millions" of species yet to be assessed could also be under serious threat. The only mammal to be added to the list this year is the Eastern Voalavo, a rodent that lives in the mountainous forests of Madagascar. IUCN classified it as "endangered". Almost 300 reptiles were added this year, including the Panay monitor lizard and the sail-fin water lizard, both of which are hunted for food and threatened by logging in their native Philippines. The Kihansi spray toad of southern Tanzania is now thought to be extinct in the wild, and 1,895 other amphibian species could soon disappear because of an aggressive fungal disease known as chytridiomycosis. Scientists are particularly worried about the unusually large Rabb’s fringe-limbed tree frog, which glides through the forest using its big webbed feet to steer safely to the ground. It is the only known frog species where the tadpoles feed off skin shed by the male while he guards the young, and it only became known to science 4 years ago. Zoo Atlanta scientist Joseph Mendelson was part of the group that identified the frog as a distinct species. He said it is likely that dozens or even hundreds of other amphibians have become or are going to be extinct before they are even discovered.
Impact of Timber Harvests on Amphibians
November 2, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
COLUMBIA, Mo. –University of Missouri researchers have discovered that removing all of the trees from a section of the forest has a negative effect on amphibians during their later life cycles, but some positive effects during amphibians’ aquatic larva stages at the beginning of their lives. Without shade over the pond, algae grew faster in direct sunlight and productivity in the pond increased. The larval amphibians ate the increased algae and grew larger and faster. However, this benefit was temporary; when amphibians left the pond, they were more likely to die. Without a canopy, adult populations “cook” and die. To lessen the negative effects during the later life stage, Professor Ray Semlitsch recommends partial or selected cuts to forests rather than completely removing trees from an area. The ultimate goal is not to stop the harvest of trees, but to find techniques that can sustain economically valuable timber harvests and protect forest ecosystems, including many species of amphibians. Amphibians may be critical for the transfer of nutrients, such as nitrogen from ponds and streams into the uplands for consumption by plants and other animals. The study, “Effects of Timber Harvest on Amphibian Populations: Understanding Mechanisms from Forest Experiments,” was recently published in BioScience.
Metroparks Zoo Gorillas Get a Heart-Healthy Diet
November 2, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The male gorillas at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, "Bebac" and "Mokolo" have a new menu that includes dandelion greens, romaine, green beans, endive and alfalfa hay -- about 10 pounds of veggies a day. Gone from their diets are processed biscuits, a long-time staple for gorillas in zoos. Instead, apples, bananas and flax seed supplement the diet. "This new diet has higher levels of fiber than traditional gorilla diets and reduced simple sugars,” said Christopher Kuhar, Ph.D., the Zoo’s curator of primates and small mammals. A cardiac ultrasound on Bebac revealed that the 25-year-old gorilla’s heart disease has improved since February 2008, when he was first diagnosed and started receiving human heart medications, including beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors. The ultrasound on Mokolo, 22, showed his heart disease has progressed since being diagnosed a year-and-a-half ago. He started treatment with ACE inhibitors in February 2008 and now will start taking beta-blockers, as well. Dr. Pam Dennis, the Zoo’s epidemiologist, is a leader of the Gorilla Health Project, which aims to improve the overall health of gorillas nationwide.
Biology-Chemistry Collaboration for Amphibian Health
November 2, 2009 breezejmu.org by Amanda Caskey
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Microbial ecologist and biology professor Reid Harris and chemistry professor Kevin Minbiole, both from James Madison University have studied the effects of beneficial antifungal skin bacteria on amphibians for five years. Along with research teams of graduate and undergraduate students, they are examining natural strategies to protect these amphibians. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes the fungal disease chytridiomycosis by disrupting the flow of electrolytes in the amphibian’s skin causing heart failure. Recent studies on frogs have found that the levels of potassium and sodium are greatly reduced in the infected. Frogs must maintain a proper flow of these ions or the electrical regulation of the heart will break down.
Biologist, Harris has identified some skin bacteria that protect salamanders and frogs from the fungus. Chemist, Minbiole and his team have identified chemicals produced by these bacteria that are key agents for protection. “So far we have found three naturally occurring chemicals on salamander skin using salamanders directly from the JMU Arboretum,” Minbiole said. Other field data have shown that a higher proportion of Rana muscosa, or mountain yellow-legged frog, has survived the presence of Bd in its environment has “had at least one species of anti-chytrid bacteria on the skin.” “During this experiment, 100 percent of inoculated [amphibians] survived exposure to Bd and those without this protection died,” said Albert Mercurio, a 2009 JMU graduate. One ultimate goal is to be able to re-introduce amphibian species now in “survival assurance colonies” to the wild. “They can’t be re-introduced now because the Bd is still present in nature, and the frogs are susceptible,” Harris said. “We hope to protect these frogs with beneficial bacteria and allow their re-introduction.”
Lion’s Taste for Human Flesh Analyzed
November 2, 2009 www.nature.com By Lizzie Buchen
Between March and December 1898, a pair of male lions terrorized people in the Tsavo region of Kenya. Lions normally consume grazing animals such as zebra and wildebeest, but in 1898, drought, pestilence and hunting left the Tsavo region of Kenya barren of the lions' prey. The lions dragged people from tents at night, killing 28 laborers and an unknown number of native Taita — estimates range from none to 107. After nine months of this, the beasts were finally killed. Justin Yeakel, an ecologist at U.C. Santa Cruz, and his colleagues analyzed the lions' remains and found that the pair probably consumed about 35 human victims, with one of the animals devouring the “lion's share”, while the other stuck to a more traditional diet. "We would expect that if they're within a cooperative coalition, they would be consuming similar things. This shows that lion behavior is even more flexible and complex than we originally thought." It is the first time that different food preferences have been seen within one coalition of social carnivores. Yeakel analyzed the ratios of carbon isotopes in the lions' tissues, which should reflect the isotope ratios of their prey. Browsing animals, such as giraffes and antelopes, have different ratios of carbon isotopes to grazers because their food — shrubs and trees versus grasses — carries out different types of photosynthesis. The findings appear in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Stanley Ambrose, an anthropologist at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, is wary of the conclusions. The different prey possibilities have similar isotope ratios, he says. As a result, "a wide range of proportions of available prey items" could account for the lions' isotope ratios, including "many or no people, even during the period before they became man-eaters". Craig Packer, an animal behavioral scientist at the University of Minnesota, says "Their divergent diets are mostly relevant for illuminating this one particular case, which makes it difficult to extrapolate to other lions.” Yeakel acknowledges that the model shows that humans could have made up 4–56% of the dominant maneater's diet. Humans probably made up ~30% of his diet. “Regardless of the specific numbers, Yeakel says, the findings "highlight the behavioral plasticity that can result when organisms must adapt to a severely changing environment".
2009 IUCN Red List Released
November 3, 2009 www.panda.org
GLAND, Switzerland: The 2009 Red List update, was issued today by the IUCN, and shows more than one-third (36 percent) of the 47,677 species assessed are threatened with extinction. The planet’s amphibians are the most threatened of all species with 1895 of 6285 species threatened with extinction. Amanda Nickson, Director of the WWF International Species Programme, said “This failure and the mechanisms to overcome it will need to be the dominant agenda item on next year’s meeting of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.” It is estimated that less than 3200 tigers exist in the wild. This top predator residing at the top of its food chain - occupies less than seven percent of it’s original range, which has contracted 40 percent from 10 years ago. Significant international meetings next year to address biodiversity loss and the threats to planetary life support systems include a major Conferences of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
2009 Statistics:
•Total species assessed = 47,677
•Total Extinct or Extinct in the Wild = 875 (2%) [Extinct = 809; Extinct in the Wild = 66].
•Total threatened = 17,291 (36%) [Critically Endangered = 3,325; Endangered = 4,891; Vulnerable = 9,075].
•Total Near Threatened = 3,650 (8%).
•Total Lower Risk/conservation dependent = 281 (<1%) [this is an old category that is gradually being phased out of the Red List]
•Total Data Deficient = 6,557 (14%)
•Total Least Concern = 19,023 (40%)
NOTE: The overall percentage of threatened species has gone down by two percent. This is not because the status of the world’s biodiversity is improving, but because we have assessed more species. In the past, Red List assessments often focused on species that were already thought to be threatened, but as the Red List grows to include more complete assessments across entire groups, we are beginning to have a better idea of the relative proportion of species which are threatened against those which are not threatened.
Leatherback Turtle Habitat Threatened in Puerto Rico
November 3, 2009 action.sierraclub.org
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Sierra Club and its coalition partners will challenge Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuño's proposed cancellation of a 3,000 acre "nature reserve" designation held since 2008 by the island's Northeast Ecological Corridor. Governor Fortuño removed the designation of nature reserve in order to allow for large-scale, unsustainable development in the area, including more than 4,500 residential and tourist units and four golf courses. The Corridor is one of the most important U.S. nesting grounds for the critically endangered Leatherback, the world's largest sea turtles. More than 50 rare, threatened, endangered and native species have been documented in the Corridor, including the Snowy Plover, the Brown Pelican, the Puerto Rican Boa, the Hawksbill Sea Turtle and the West Indian Manatee. Developers are proposing to build 2 mega resorts: one with 3,450 residential and tourist units and 2 golf courses one with1,450 residential and hotel units and two golf courses. The resorts would result in massive deforestation, the filling of wetlands, channelization of rivers, and the removal of coastal vegetation, significantly impacting the species and other living resources that depend on the Corridor.
Milwaukee Elephant Uninjured After Fall into Moat
November 3, 2009 www.whiotv.com By Jay Olstad
MILWAUKEE - Ruth, an African elephant weighing about 8,000 pounds celebrated her 29th birthday by falling into a 6-foot moat at the Milwaukee County Zoo on Monday. Fortunately she was uninjured but was stuck for about 4 hours. Since Ruth had never been in the moat, she wasn't trained to climb out. But zoo keepers were able to coax her over to a set of stairs with treats, including pumpkins, and she was able to climb out. Zookeepers realized she had slipped on an edge of the moat that had become rounded and are now making sure there are no more rounded edges.
Happy Hollow Zoo Receives $70 million Makeover
November 3, 2009 www.mercurynews.com By Linda Goldston
SAN JOSE, California -- The Happy Hollow Zoo has been closed since July 9, 2008 for a $70 million renovation. Curator Valerie Riegel, says the entire 12 acres of exhibits and rides have been updated. Four acres house several new animal exhibits, a large barn, an Educational Center, a new gift shop and the Picnic Basket Restaurant — 1,500 square feet of shopping and a sit-down restaurant replaces the trailer that previously served food. When the project is finished, Happy Hollow will be the first zoo in the country to be LEED certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition to having seven "green" roofs on buildings with rooftop gardens of native plant species, the zoo will have radiant flooring for cooling and heating. Hay bales were also used in the construction of the Education Center. Other new features include:
* Lemur Woods exhibit, featuring endangered lemurs with a parallel play area for kids so they can "hop, jump and move like a lemur"
* Redwood Lookout, a play area for all age groups, built to model a Ranger lookout station nestled in the Redwoods with slides, swings, ropes and climbing area.
* Giggles Grove, the new rides area for children, featuring the Kiddie Swings, Kids Steam Ride (kid-powered ride), Frog Hopper and returning ride favorites, the Granny Bugs and Mini Putts.
* A rock-climbing wall for children.
82 Green Sea Turtles Hatch at SeaWorld San Diego
November 3, 2009 www.msnbc.msn.com
82 green sea turtles hatched on Shipwreck Beach at SeaWorld in October. Park workers didn’t incubate the eggs. (In 2003, 21 sea turtles hatched with incubation). The babies started hatching on Oct. 5. Since then, they have been getting a diet of squid, krill, shrimp and special pellets. It will be up to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the USFWS to determine whether the new turtles stay at SeaWorld and whether they will allow the turtles to mate again next year. SeaWorld has 30 adult sea turtles in its collection, including three green females and one male. They have all been at the park since the 1960s so they are around 40 or 50 years old, or middle age for the creatures, which live to be well past 100 years. SeaWorld's green sea turtles have reached sexual maturity and all three females may have buried eggs in the sand on the park's Shipwreck Beach, according to Tim Downing, assistant curator of fishes. Genetic testing will determine whether one turtle laid all the eggs or there were multiple mothers. A single clutch has between 100 and 120 eggs, and the eggs incubate for three months, with the gender of each baby being determined by the temperature of the sand. There are seven species of sea turtles in the world and they are all endangered or threatened.
Disney Invests $4 Million to Save Forests
November 3, 2009 greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com By SINDYA N. BHANOO
The Walt Disney Company announced Tuesday that it has made a $4 million investment in forest conservation projects to decrease carbon dioxide emissions. The money will go to Conservation International for reforestation projects in the Tayna and Kisimba-Ikobo Community Reserves in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Alto Mayo conservation project in Peru. The $4 million is one of the largest corporate donations ever made to an international effort known as Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). The REDD program rewards countries that preserve forests with carbon credits that can then be sold for cash on the global carbon market. Toby Janson-Smith, the senior director of forest carbon markets at C.I. hopes that Disney’s donation will help draw attention to REDD as climate legislation is debated in the U.S. Congress, and as December’s United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen approaches. Disney is donating additional funds to two other non-profit groups: two million dollars will go to a Nature Conservancy reforestation project in the Lower Mississippi Valley, and $1 million will go to The Conservation Fund’s sustainable forestry work along California’s North Coast.
17,291 of 47,677 Assessed Species Threatened with Extinction
November 3, 2009 www.birdlife.org
21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 12% of birds, and 28% of reptiles, 37% of freshwater fishes, 70% of plants, 35% of invertebrates assessed so far are under threat.
Of the world's 9,998 birds, 137 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, with 192 Critically Endangered, 362 Endangered and 669 Vulnerable.
Of the world's 5,490 mammals, 79 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, with 188 Critically Endangered, 449 Endangered and 505 Vulnerable
There are now 1,677 reptiles on the IUCN Red List, with 293 added this year. In total, 469 are threatened with extinction and 22 are already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild. New to the list this year: 165 endemic Philippine species.
1,895 of the planet's 6,285 amphibians are in danger of extinction, making them the most threatened group of species. Of these, 39 are already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, 484 are Critically Endangered, 754 are Endangered and 657 are Vulnerable.
There are 12,151 plants on the IUCN Red List, 8,500 are threatened with extinction, with 114 already Extinct or Extinct in the Wild.
Study of Emperor Penguin Foraging Habits
November 3, 2009 www.sciencealert.com.au
With the help of satellite trackers, the foraging habits of emperor penguin chicks will be studied by Australian scientists this summer. Researchers from the Australian Antarctic Division plan to fit tracking equipment on several chicks at the Amanda Bay Colony, near Davis station. The trackers will provide real-time data on where the fledglings travel and how deep they dive. Seabird ecologist, Dr. Barbara Wienecke, said previous research has focused on the feeding behavior of adult birds. "We know the adults can travel up to 140 km a day and dive to a depth of more than 500 meters in search of fish. What we don't know is how these amazing skills are developed, so by tracking the fledglings we will be able to record from their very first dive to when they become highly-skilled predators. If the top few meters of a particular area are fished out this could have a huge impact on the juvenile emperor penguins which may not have the ability to dive deeper for their food," she said.
Distinct Populations of White Sharks in N. Pacific
November 3, 2009 www.physorg.com
White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are usually thought to cruise thousands of miles alone, but Stanford researchers have found that they have maintained such a consistent pattern of migration that over tens of thousands of years, the white sharks in the northeastern Pacific Ocean have separated themselves into a genetically distinct population. The Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) program combined satellite tagging, passive acoustic monitoring and genetic tags to study the species. The researchers followed the migrations of 179 individual adults or sub-adults between 2000 and 2008. The sharks were individually tagged at sites along the central California coast. The acoustic tag was detected when the shark swam within 820 feet of a listening station, while the pop-up satellite tag recorded information about location, temperature and depth -- relaying it back to the laboratory when the tag released itself from the shark. The electronic tags revealed that the sharks spend the majority of their time in three areas of the Pacific: the North American shelf waters of California; the slope and offshore waters around Hawaii; and an area called the "White Shark Café," located in the open ocean approximately halfway between the Baja Peninsula and the Hawaiian Islands. (Each area supports large colonies of seals and sea lions). The study was authored by Barbara Block and Salvador Jorgensen and appears in the Nov. 3 Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Forbes List of Most Toxic U.S. Cities
November 3, 2009 www.greenbiz.com By Jonathan Bardelline
Forbes ranked U.S. cities based on the number of Superfund sites in the principal city, number of facilities that release toxic chemicals, amount of toxic chemicals released in the area and air quality ranking. Most toxic: Atlanta, followed by Detroit, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Jacksonville, Baltimore and Portland. The least toxic city was Las Vegas followed by Sacramento, Riverside, Austin, Seattle, San Diego, Virginia Beach, San Jose, New York and Phoenix.
Yellowstone Bioblitz
November 4, 2009 www.nytimes.com
HELENA, Mont. -- A one-day study of Yellowstone National Park in late August found more than 1,200 species, including several never known to exist in the park. Some 125 scientists and volunteers spent 24 hours canvassing an area in northern Yellowstone during the ''bioblitz'' -- documenting as many species as possible over the course of a day. Ann Rodman, a Yellowstone scientist who helped organize the event, said the study ''lets people see the value of Yellowstone is not just the big mammals we preserve that people drive down the road and see." The initial report showed a rich biodiversity including 46 kinds of bees, 373 plant species, 86 mushroom types, five kinds of bats, 24 butterflies and more 300 kinds of insects. It is not a complete picture of what's living in the park - only the species found on that particular day and in an area that is just a fraction of the park's 3,400 square miles. But it provides enough for comparative use in the face of climate change and other stressors that can sometimes cause rapid changes and declines. These brief and intensive inventories of species have been held in at least 40 national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains between North Carolina and Tennessee, Maine's Acadia National Park and New Mexico's Valles Caldera National Preserve. Scientists say they provide important snapshots for future researchers tracking the effects of climate change, human development and other stressors.
Domestic Dog Nurses African Painted Dog Pups
November 4, 2009 www.pittsburghlive.com
PITTSBURGH - A dog from a city animal shelter is acting as a surrogate mother for nine African painted dogs born at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. The litter's mother, Vega, who was 10, died from a ruptured uterus after giving birth to 10 puppies on Oct. 22. One died shortly after birth, three females and six males survive. The puppies' father, Puck, leads the pack at zoo's painted dog exhibit. The mortality rate for painted pups in the wild is only 50%, and staff has been communicating with Painted Dog Conservation, a nonprofit in Zimbabwe, for advice on raising the litter. Dr. Stephanie James, the zoo's director of veterinary service, says the only other litter of wild dogs to be hand-raised in captivity was in the United Kingdom. Karen Vacco, the zoo's assistant curator for mammals said the pups should be weaned in about 2 weeks and if they are healthy enough, they will be introduced into the exhibit space, which can hold as many as 15 dogs. Only about 3,000 African painted dogs are left in the wild in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. About 140 African painted dogs are living in other U.S. zoos with breeding programs - but none are doing well, James said.
Baldness in Female Spectacled Bears at Leipzig Zoo
November 4, 2009 latimesblogs.latimes.com By Lindsay Barnett
Veterinarians at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany are trying to determine why the zoo's female spectacled bears have suddenly lost nearly all their fur. There has been speculation that a genetic defect could be responsible, but beyond the obvious hair loss and its accompanying itchiness, no other symptoms have been noted in the affected bears. They have retained tufts of fur around their faces and chests. Spectacled bears, with eyeglass-shaped markings around their eyes, are South America's only native bear. Population estimates range from as low as 2,400 to as many as 20,000 and they are listed by the IUCN as “Vulnerable”. Russell Van Horn, an applied animal ecologist with the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research, says, "Thirty percent of its habitat has been lost since the 1990s, and 3 to 6 percent more habitat is lost each year."
Genome Zoo of 10,000 Vertebrates
November 4, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
SANTA CRUZ, CA-- An international consortium of scientists plans to assemble a genomic zoo for every vertebrate genus. Known as the Genome 10K Project, it involves gathering DNA specimens of thousands of animals from zoos, museums, and university collections throughout the world, and then sequencing the genome of each species to establish its complete genetic heritage. Launched in April 2009 at a three-day meeting at the U.C. Santa Cruz, the project now involves more than 68 scientists. Calling themselves the Genome 10K Community of Scientists (G10KCOS), the group outlined its proposal for the project in a paper to be published online November 5 in the Journal of Heredity. The project was conceived by the paper's three lead authors: David Haussler, professor of biomolecular engineering at UC Santa Cruz; Stephen J. O'Brien, chief of the Laboratory of Genomic Diversity at the National Cancer Institute; and Oliver A. Ryder, director of genetics at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research and adjunct professor of biology at UC San Diego. According to O'Brien, the cost of genome sequencing has been dropping steadily over the past decade, making the sequencing of 10,000 genomes a realistic possibility. "The original cost of sequencing the human genome by a major international consortium was over a billion dollars," he said. "With the latest sequencing technology, it now costs $50,000 to $100,000 per genome."
An extraordinary online database of samples from more than 16,000 different species of vertebrate animals (living mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes, as well as some recently extinct species) is already available at sampledb.genome10k.org. The project is expected to lay a foundation for understanding the genetic basis of recent and rapid adaptive changes within vertebrate species and between closely related species. "The risk of extinction is lessened for species for which we have a genome sequence, because it enables studies that can provide important information relevant to conservation," said Oliver Ryder of the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research. The consortium has established guidelines for sample collection, preservation and documentation, and adherence to national and international statutes regulating biological specimens. Where possible, specimens for each species include both males and females and reflect geographic diversity or diversity within localized populations. The collection will include more than a thousand frozen samples of fibroblast cells derived from 602 different vertebrate species. These cell samples, maintained by the San Diego Zoo, the National Cancer Institute, and the world's cell repositories, are a valuable resource for genetic studies, according to Ryder. "When you sequence a whole genome, it may be 3 billion bases, of which only a few percent code for genes. If you want to quickly learn something about the genes, you can sequence the RNA transcripts of the genes. These cells are robust sources of high-quality RNA," Ryder said.
Sequencing 10,000 Vertebrate Genomes
November 4, 2009 www.nature.com By Erika Check Hayden
David Haussler, of U.C. Santa Cruz, Stephen O'Brien of the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, and Oliver Ryder, director of genetics at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research in Escondido, California, decided to organize the Genome 10K project after realizing that one of the major obstacles to non-human sequencing projects has been collecting and organizing specimens. After an April meeting in Santa Cruz to bring in other scientists, the team now has a database of samples from more than 16,000 species from 50 institutions. The scientists are also planning a pilot project to sample portions of the genomes of a small subset of these species. The group is looking for funding for the main phase of the project, which could cost anywhere from US$10 million to $100 million, depending on the costs to process and sequence each sample. The team anticipates that sequencing costs will drop below $10,000 per genome within a few years, making it feasible to sequence the entire genomes of 10,000 vertebrates within this budget. David Maddison, who studies beetle phylogeny at Oregon State University in Corvallis, points out that, so far, only one beetle species has had its genome sequenced, despite there being about six times as many beetle species as there are vertebrates. O'Brien agrees that invertebrate-genome sequencing is "a valuable area that should also be considered for whole-genome-sequence assessment". Other scientists are already planning a large invertebrate sequencing project.
Kihansi Toads Declared Extinct in Tanzania
November 4, 2009 www.thisday.co.tz
According to the IUCN, the Kihansi spray toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis) has thus moved from ’critically endangered’ to ’extinct in the wild’. It no longer exists at Kihansi Falls in the Kihansi Gorge, in eastern Tanzania. In 1999 the population was at least 17,000 but by mid-January 2004, only three individuals could be seen and just two males were heard calling. Its decline was due to the construction of a hydro-power dam upstream of the Falls that removed 90 per cent of the original water flow to the gorge, thereby hugely reducing the volume of spray, particularly in the dry season, as well as altering the vegetation composition. An artificial gravity-fed sprinkler system was set up to mimic the natural spray, but was not ready by the time the water was cut off in 2000. By the time the sprinklers came on nine months later, the ecosystem had already dried up. The IUCN says in its recent update that the fungal disease chytridiomycosis was probably responsible for the toad’s final population crash. Captive breeding of the Kihansi toads is ongoing in the Toledo and New York Bronx zoos. The population of toads in captive breeding comprised a total of 460 individuals by February 2007. Efforts to reintroduce the toads at Kihansi will be preceded by an assessment of the species’ habitat status and the efficiency of the artificial sprinkler system currently in place.
Ecosystem Reconstruction / Rewilding
November 5, 2009 www.nature.com By Emma Marris
The Oostvaardersplassen, in the Dutch coutryside, was designed by Frans Vera, to replicate Europe’s prehistoric past. The 6,000 hectare reserve was reclaimed from the sea in 1968. As substitutes for now-extinct wild horses (tarpans), he acquired Konik horses from Poland, descendants of wild Tarpans. For extinct aurochs, wild ancestors of modern cattle, he substituted Heck cattle, a line developed by two German brothers in the early twentieth century. The herds now number in the hundreds and graze alongside a red-deer population of about 2,000. Next, Vera wants some European bison and boar. It isn't a tourist attraction; but has succeeded as a conservation area. Several bird species rare to Western Europe, like the white-tailed eagle, have moved in.
Similar rewildling schemes in locales such as New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the Russian Far East aim to do more than hold the line against further environmental destruction. They are attempting to recreate the ecological workings of previous eras, often those of the Pleistocene from 2 million to 10,000 years ago. Because many of the fauna in these systems are now extinct, the schemes often turn to proxies to fill abandoned roles: grazing, browsing, defecating and culling the herd. The designers admit that every rewilding project will be only an approximation of a past ecosystem. With taxon substitutions and incomplete sets of plant and animal functional groups, many of these systems evoke the past more than they replicate it. Oostvaardersplassen, for example, contains none of its lost predators, such as bears or wolves, yet other reintroduction experiments have shown that such predators can alter the entire ecosystem. When wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, the elk soon learned to feed only in areas where they could see wolves if they approached. As a result, areas with bad sight lines were soon thick with willow and cottonwood seedlings.
Josh Donlan, director of the conservation consultancy Advanced Conservation Strategies in Midway, Utah, is a champion of Pleistocene rewilding projects. He says these reintroductions offer a huge opportunity to do science, not only to learn about the ecology of the past, but also to feed back into the projects. Donlan and others have proposed that Pleistocene reserves be created in North America, where African and Asian animals could fulfill the roles of the large mammals that went extinct on the continent about 13, 000 years ago. The proposal would have two conservation goals. Lineages of species that have been driven to extinction would have a chance to return to North American ecosystems and start to evolve along their own unique path, and species would be saved from extinction in their home countries. Elephants, for example might eat large fruit such as the osage orange, dispersing their seeds naturally as mastodons. This vision of vast areas populated with camels, wild asses and lions has generated strong responses from the public, both for and against. Stuart Pimm, a conservation biologist at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and one of the few scientists to have set foot in the Oostvaardersplassen, says, "They've got it right and a lot of things have come back as a consequence." As for the scientific goals, he says, "The idea that we have to do neatly replicated experimental design with little squares doesn't capture the whole range of what science does."
Pets and Swine Flu (H1N1)
November 5, 2009 consults.blogs.nytimes.com
On Nov. 2, test results confirmed that H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, had been transmitted to a household cat in Iowa by human family members ill with the virus. The cat was tested for H1N1 at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and results were positive for the virus. All family members, including the cat, have since recovered. Several pet ferrets also recently became infected with the virus by human family members. There has thus far been one fatality, of a ferret in Nebraska. H1N1 was previously known to have been transmitted to both pigs and turkeys by infected humans. The H1N1 influenza virus contains genetic material from four different influenza viruses, including human, swine and avian influenza viruses. It was first reported in March of this year in humans in Mexico. The virus was reported in Canadian swine in May, and in turkeys in Chile in August. There have been subsequent reports of infected swine and poultry in multiple geographic areas. People with flulike symptoms can protect their pets with the same precautions used to minimize transmission of virus between humans such as washing hands thoroughly, particularly before handling the pet or preparing food; covering coughs and sneezes; and avoiding close contact with the pet during the course of illness. There is no evidence to date that any human has been infected with influenza by a pet, or of infection being transmitted from one cat to another, from a dog to a cat, or vice versa.
Sloth Bear Dies After Surgery at National Zoo
November 5, 2009 www.washingtonpost.com By Lori Aratani
The National Zoo's oldest male sloth bear, Merlin, died Wednesday after surgery to repair a partially twisted spleen. Zoo officials said Merlin had a history of gastric volvulus, or a twisted stomach. Initially he seemed fine, but later had difficulty recovering from the anesthesia, vomiting blood-tinged fluid that afternoon. A necropsy was performed to determine the cause of death. Merlin was born at the Zoo in December 1981. For the past several years, he shared quarters with two females, Hana and Khali, fathering seven cubs. 6,000 to 11,000 sloth bears are estimated to remain in the wild. They are classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List.
Cincinnati Indian Rhino Pregnant After AI
November 5, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Tiffany Barnes
CINCINNATI, OH -- Dr. Monica Stoops is the Reproductive Physiologist at the Cincinnati Zoo’s Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW). She is responsible for developing the Artificial Insemination technique using frozen sperm in rhinos. Over the past eight years, CREW scientists have refined semen collection in the rhino and developed a successful method of freezing rhino sperm. Sperm has been collected from the top genetically valuable male Indian rhinos at zoological institutions throughout North America. In 2005, sperm was collected from the Bronx Zoo’s 38-year-old male Indian rhino, Vinu and stored at -320°F in the CREW CryoBioBank for four years. In June 2009, it was thawed and successfully utilized to impregnate 18-year-old female, Nikki. She has now completed 133 of the 480-day rhino gestation period. Three years ago, Nikki was the first endangered rhino species to become pregnant through artificial insemination with frozen-thawed sperm. Unfortunately, after completing a full term pregnancy, Nikki delivered a stillborn calf. (Approximately 50% of Indian rhinos that become first time mothers over the age of 10, experience a stillbirth.) With only 60 Indian rhinos in captivity in North America and approximately 2,500 remaining in the wild, successful breeding is important to maintain the genetic diversity necessary to keep a healthy, self-sustaining population. Unfortunately, natural breeding attempts in captive Indian rhinos can result in severe aggression between the male and female. AI solves that problem and can be an effective way to infuse genes from non- or under-represented rhinos. This research was supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. [CREW’s CryoBioBank consists of thousands of cryopreserved tissues from over 75 animal species and over 135 plant species.]
Topeka Zoo Will Be Reviewed by AZA
November 5, 2009 www.wibw.com
TOPEKA, Kansas -- The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has agreed to conduct an independent, top-down review of the Topeka Zoo which was sought by city manager Norton Bonaparte after several animal deaths. The review should begin within two weeks.
Phoenix Zoo Opens $5 Million Komodo Exhibit
November 5, 2009 phoenix.bizjournals.com
Two Komodo dragons, Geia and Ivan, will be featured in a new $5 million exhibit opening November 11 on the Tropics trail. The zoo began a capital campaign last year with a goal of raising $20 million by 2012. It has raised almost $10 million so far, and “Land of the Dragons” is the first exhibit to be completed using funds from that campaign. Other projects using capital campaign funds include updating water and fire lines; regrading Harmony Farm for better drainage; paving the Children’s Trail to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and building a lighted walking path from Phoenix Municipal Stadium to the zoo to eliminate the need for shuttles during ZooLights season. Also in the future: a new orangutan holding facility and exhibit, a new oasis entrance, volunteer and staff headquarters, and meeting rooms and classrooms.
Genome Sequence for Domestic Horses
November 5, 2009 www.physorg.com
The genome sequence of the domestic horse has been completed by an international team of researchers that includes scientists at the University of California, Davis. Findings will be reported in the Nov. 6 issue of the journal Science. The researchers noted that there are more than 90 hereditary conditions that affect both humans and horses. Because horses share these conditions, which include infertility, inflammatory diseases and muscle disorders, the horse is an important model for improving the understanding of human diseases. The horse genome is somewhat larger than the dog genome and smaller than the human and cow genomes. In comparing the horse and human chromosomes, the researchers discovered that 17 out of 32 (53%) of horse chromosome pairs are composed of material from a single human chromosome, while only 29 percent of dog chromosomes are composed of material from a single human chromosome. This indicates that fewer chromosome rearrangements separate humans from horses than separate humans from dogs. Surprisingly, on horse chromosome 11 they found the existence of an evolutionarily new centromere. Centromeres are key structural features of chromosomes that are necessary for the movement of chromosomes when cells divide. The functional but evolutionarily immature centromere in the horse may provide a model to study factors responsible for how centromeres function.
Horse Genome Published
November 5, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
An international team of researchers has found the genome of the domestic horse, Equus caballus, to have remarkable similarities to humans and more than one million genetic differences across a variety of horse breeds. Researchers analyzed DNA from an adult female Thoroughbred named Twilight, as well as a variety of other horse breeds, including the American quarter horse, Andalusian, Arabian, Belgian draft horse, Hanoverian, Hakkaido, Icelandic horse, Norwegian fjord horse, and Standard bred breeds. The team surveyed the extent of genetic variation both within and across breeds to create a catalog of more than one million single-letter genetic differences (called "single nucleotide polymorphisms" or SNPs). In a first proof-of-principle of the power of trait mapping in horses, the researchers harnessed the SNP catalog to localize the candidate mutation in the Leopard Complex or "Appaloosa spotting," in which horses' coats are mottled with striking patches of white, either with or without colored spots. Horses carrying this trait often suffer from a form of night blindness, a disorder that also afflicts humans. The researchers narrowed the list of genetic suspects in horses to 42 associated SNPs, including two candidate mutations residing near a gene involved in pigmentation. Senior author of the report in Science is Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, scientific director of vertebrate genome biology at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and a professor of comparative genomics at Uppsala University in Sweden.
Binghamton Zoo Regains AZA Accreditation
November 5, 2009 www.pressconnects.com BY DEBBIE SWARTZ
BINGHAMTON -- The Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park is celebrating its re-accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The 134-year-old facility lost it in 2005 due to turmoil involving its previous leadership and finances. "AZA standards are the highest in the world," said Kris Vehrs, executive director of the AZA. "In the last 10 years, we've denied accreditation to 23 institutions." Binghamton's zoo joins 220 AZA accredited institutions, 206 of which are in the United States, she said. That's a small percentage of the 2,500 zoos licensed by the USDA.
How to Take a Gorilla’s Blood Pressure
November 5, 2009 www.11alive.com By MARC PICKARD
The death of Willie B, Zoo Atlanta’s iconic gorilla, 9 years ago, has caused the zoo to focus on the mystery of heart disease in gorillas. Atlanta’s director of veterinary services Dr. Hayley Murphy says, "About forty two percent of the animals are affected, and those animals go on to die from the disease itself. We don't really know what causes cardiac disease," Dr. Murphy said. "Our theory is it's blood pressure. But we can't prove that until we get awake blood pressures." The traditional way to get a gorilla's blood pressure is to anesthetize it. But anesthesia puts stress on a gorilla's body and skews the results. Ozzie, one of Zoo Atlanta's male gorillas, and his keeper Jodi Carrigan have been working together for seven years. Ozzie is 48, the second oldest male in captivity. "How I was going to train a three hundred and fifty pound gorilla," Carrigan said, "to stick his arm into a voluntary blood pressure reading and let it tighten up around there and get a reading." After a design team from Georgia Tech invented a gorilla blood pressure sleeve, it took Jodi Carrigan five months to convince Ozzie to do it. Now Ozzie puts his arm in the sleeve and keeps it there, while veterinarian Michelle Moses feeds him pudding. Zoo Atlanta is the first and only zoo in the world to do awake gorilla blood pressures.
Guidelines for Wind Farm Developers
November 5, 2009 www.nytimes.com
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has released recommendations for protecting wildlife during wind energy development, including restrictions in sage grouse habitat and in big game winter range and migration corridors. The draft document provides ''advanced disclosure'' of potential wildlife concerns. The department advises the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council on permit applications for major projects in the state, including wind farms. The draft document includes recommendations for collecting data and evaluating wind development's effects on wildlife. It also includes recommendations for mitigating effects on wildlife. Gamo said he considers it a ''living document'' that will be updated as scientific study reveals more information. There's a shortage of study on wind development's affect on animals including sage grouse, elk and mule deer. Citing existing studies, the report says amphibians and reptiles, bats, birds and mammals may be influenced in different ways by wind farms. Those could include disturbance from the shadow flicker of spinning turbine blades, the noise made by spinning blades, and displacement by construction activity and new structures, to name a few. The report's ''best management practices'' recommendations include seasonal construction suspensions like those for oil and gas development. It recommends suspending construction from Nov. 15 to April 30 on big game crucial winter habitat and from March 15 to June 30 within two miles of occupied sage grouse breeding grounds in non-core habitat.
Cooperation Between Non-Kin in Animal Societies
November 5, 2009 www.nature.com
Research over the last 30 years shows that cooperation in animal societies most frequently involves kin and is seldom highly developed in groups consisting of unrelated individuals. In many cases where non-kin do cooperate with each other in natural populations, one or both partners seem likely to gain immediate benefits from their behavior and evidence that cooperation has temporary fitness costs is rare. Author Tim Clutton-Brock suggests that cooperation is maintained by reciprocity and researchers should explore the evolution of mutualistic interactions and manipulative tactics. This major review article has an extensive bibliography, citing 101 references.
Conservation in Zoos and Aquariums
November 5, 2009 www.zoobiology.com
The current issue of Zoo Biology (Volume 28, Number 5) deals with the importance of zoos and aquariums to the conservation effort. Although International Zoo Yearbook, Anthrozoos and a few others publish work related to education and learning, there is no dominant, peer-reviewed journal in North America for zoo and aquarium educators. This has resulted in a very decentralized approach to information dissemination within the field. This issue of Zoo Biology provides a snapshot of the types of research currently being conducted in zoos and aquariums.
Chicago Museums and Zoos Launch PR Campaign
November 6, 2009 www.reuters.com By Wendy Koziol
CHICAGO-- Fourteen museums and zoos in the Chicago region are collaborating to raise public awareness of how they contribute economically, educationally and culturally. The "Museums Work for Chicago" web site lets the public know how they can get involved in supporting Chicago-area museums and zoos. The public is invited to participate in the campaign by visiting a museum or zoo, becoming a member, volunteering or making a donation. Chicago's top 14 museums and zoos produce an estimated $1 billion in economic impact in Illinois annually. An estimated 26,670 full-time equivalent jobs were generated in 2008 due to their expenditures and their audiences. Estimated state and local tax revenue generated by Chicago-area museums and zoos in 2008 totaled more than $88 million. Last year nearly 1.4 million students visited a Chicago museum or zoo free of charge. Illinois teachers can receive training and programs that help bring museums' and zoos' vast resources and knowledge into the classroom. In 2008, 13.8 million people visited Chicago-area museums and zoos, with more than half visiting free of charge. The 14 partners are: Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago Children`s Museum, Chicago History Museum, Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, DuSable Museum of African American History, The Field Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Science and Industry, National Museum of Mexican Art, The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Audubon Zoo’s Swamp Fest
November 6, 2009 www.nola.com By Molly Reid
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Audubon Zoo was one of the first in the country to shift from the exotic animal paradigm to featuring native species. The Swamp Exhibit which opened in 1984 remains one of the zoo's most well-known exhibits and has spawned the creation of the Louisiana Swamp Festival, better known as Swamp Fest, with Cajun and Creole music, food and ecology. "We were the first among the United States zoos to do a cultural, native exhibit," said Rick Atkinson, curator of the swamp exhibit. The idea for the exhibit started with a federal study conducted with the assistance of the Audubon Institute and local ecologists, zoologists and planners. "The first mention of a Louisiana exhibit was in that federal study," released in the early 1970s, Atkinson said. At the time, everyone in the zoo business wanted everything to be primordial with no man-made interference, but in Louisiana, there's a mutual coexistence of man and swamp. The swamp exhibit replicates the architecture one would find down on the bayou." The five-acre exhibit is at the farthest point of the zoo, close to the Mississippi River levee and a world away from the tigers and lions in the Asian exhibit. Alligators live in one of the lagoons. The other holds birds and turtles. An indoor exhibit houses Gulf fish and tableaus of local life, such as a Garden District porch stoop with a mailbox where the rat snakes like to hang out. The zoo's 1999 renovation gave the swamp exhibit two white alligators, a Cajun dance hall and a gift shop. The exhibit is so true-to-life, it regularly hosts visiting herons, egrets and ducks who migrate through Louisiana. Wild raccoons and a pair of hawks are welcome guests. "We have a group of barred owls that have been here almost since the beginning of the exhibit," Atkinson said. And this weekend, 'Swamp Fest' celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Amur Tiger Cub at Great Plains Zoo
November 6, 2009 www.ksfy.com
Callie, a 30lbs Amur Tiger is the only surviving cub from a litter of 6 born 3 months ago at the zoo. She's been hand-raised and will be weaned in a couple of weeks which is when she'll begin the transition to her new home. The Amur Tiger is an endangered species with only 13 alive in captivity and only 400-500 surviving in the wild.
GPS Study of Snow Leopard and Bharal in Himalayas
November 6, 2009 www.massey.ac.nz
MASSEY UNIVERSITY, New Zealand – Nepal’s Himalayan mountains are one of the last refuges for species such as snow leopards, brown bear, wolf, and lynx. Their keystone prey species is the bharal or blue sheep. Detailed information on population estimates and distribution for snow leopards AND blue sheep is vital for conservation management, but to date there has been little study of the home range, movement and habitat use of blue sheep in this region. A project led by Nepali PhD student Achyut Aryal plans to use GPS technology to track the movements of 10 sheep in different herds for two years across the vast, inaccessible area they inhabit. (Altitudes from 3000m to 6500m with a climate characterized as cold desert, dominated by strong winds and high solar radiation.) Population estimates for the snow leopard worldwide are currently between 5000 and 10,000.
Horse Genome Analysis - Implications for Przewalskii Horse
November 6, 2009 www.sciencemag.org
The history of horse domestication differs in important ways from that of the domestic dog but is similar to that of the cow. Horses do not appear to have undergone a tight domestication bottleneck, and the presence of many matrilines in domestic horse history has been postulated. Screening the horse Y chromosome has revealed a limited number of patrilines, consistent with a strong sex bias in the domestication process. Scientists were unable to phylogenetically separate E. przewalskii from the domesticated horses, despite its different karyotype (2N = 66 versus 2N = 64 for the domesticated horse), whereas the donkey (E. africanus) is clearly a distinct taxon. This suggests that either intermixing of E. przewalskii and E. caballus occurred after subspecies separation or that E. przewalskii is recently derived from E. caballus. Results demonstrate that horse population history has led to across-breed haplotype sharing, increasing the feasibility of across-breed mapping. [Oliver Ryder of the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research is one of the authors of this article that appears in the Nov 6th issue of the journal Science].
3rd International Barcode of Life Conference
November 6, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
350 experts from 50 nations are meeting in Mexico to discuss the latest applications of DNA barcoding. In animals, the DNA "barcode" is a short region of a gene in the mitochondrion, a structure present outside the nucleus in cells of all multi-cellular animals. In 2003, scientists agreed on a 645 base pair region of the COI gene that mutates quickly enough to distinguish closely-related species but slowly enough that individuals within a species have similar barcodes. The sale of wild African bushmeat, including antelope, buffalo, zebra, warthog and wild pig, is an industry estimated to have netted $15 billion worldwide last year. When smoked or sundried, only DNA barcoding can differentiate bushmeat from domestic animal meat like beef, goat or pork. Dr. George Amato of the American Museum of Natural History in New York has been building the DNA barcode library of endangered species and law enforcement agencies are increasingly asking for his help. This year, scientists hope to decide on how to deal reliably with plants, and crackdown on illegal timber trading and better regulation of herbal medicines. Current barcoding projects include:
* The International Barcode of Life Project, headquartered in Guelph, Canada, will present new research showing that eight bat species feed on over 300 types of insect – one of the largest food webs ever revealed.
*Specimen holdings of the world's natural history museums, many collected in the 18th and 19th centuries, the DNA sequence of which is essential for validating current taxonomic research. (mini-barcodes (130 DNA base pairs instead of 645) can accurate identify many fauna species and may be readily obtained from specimens up to 200 years old)
*The bees of the world, vital pollinators of crops and flowers: some 10% of roughly 20,000 described species have now been barcoded;
*Grasses of the world -- wheat, rice, and maize, and many of the world's most problematic invasive species;
*Mexican cacti, many species of which are threatened and protected species under pressure from poaching
*The birds of Argentina (a surprisingly large 573 species identified from 2,087 specimens so far) and Bolivia (a project that has turned up evidence of several "cryptic" bird species: indistinguishable except via genetics);
*Shore flies of Utah's Great Salt Lake – they remove an estimated 90 million kg of organic matter from the lake bottom and an important food source for both resident and migratory birds. In summer, its estimated nearly 1 billion flies inhabit each kilometer of lakeshore.
*Land snails of South American forests (Megalobulimus), a source of food since ancient times
*Heliothinae moths of Australia, a group of some 365 species, including some of the world's most injurious crop pests and serious biosecurity threats;
*Fishes of India (nearly 1,570 marine species and 650 freshwater species), Mexico (roughly 2,200 marine and over 500 freshwater species) and Russia (122 freshwater species barcoded to date);
*Freshwater fishes of Canada and the United States, a project that has barcoded over 6,000 specimens from some 750 North American species (85% of the known species from this region).
*Fish parasites of Canada
*Marine macroalgae of Canada
In the UK, the Natural History Museum, London, has partnered with an educational charity to engage 1000 schoolchildren in 'Project BarkCode,' barcoding up to 10,000 UK trees starting in 2010. The project will shed light on the effects of sampling density on DNA barcode performance where the overall number of species is both known and low but where frequent hybridization can lead to identification difficulties. Educational objectives include student participation in 'real science,' rather than repeating canned experiments with known outcomes. In Canada, students nationwide collected fish samples from stores and analyszed the resulting DNA data, revealing significant market "mislabelling" of seafood.
2 Female Gorillas Move to Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
November 7, 2009 jacksonville.com
Quito the Jacksonville Zoo’s 28-year-old silverback gorilla will soon meet two female gorillas from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Twenty-year-old Bulera and her daughter, 13-year-old Madini, arrived safely Saturday after a 19-hour van trip with three keepers. After the standard 30-day quarantine, keepers will slowly introduce the three primates, said Craig Miller, the zoo's curator of mammals. The process usually takes two to three weeks. Tracy Fenn, the zoo's supervisor of mammals, said that for about 11 years, since the Great Apes exhibit opened, they've been trying to acquire females to create natural, mixed-sex groups. Quito, has never gotten along with the zoo's two younger male gorillas, Lash and Rumpel, and it's time for him to have some positive group interaction. There are five western lowland gorillas at the Jacksonville Zoo, part of a population of about 350 in captivity in the U.S.
Flu Worry at Theme Parks
November 8, 2009 www.nytimes.com By MICHELLE HIGGINS
Theme park officials acknowledge the fears of some people about visiting a crowded place like a theme park but say that measures they have put in place to fight the spread of the H1N1 virus meet or exceed the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Disney has ordered more than 200,000 individual hand sanitizers for Disney World and is offering free seasonal flu vaccinations, providing H1N1 information and flu prevention tips to workers and maintaining high sanitation standards. Michael Hankins, chief physician at the Walt Disney World Resort in the Orlando area, said, “If a sick child uses, say, Goofy’s costume as a tissue, a handler (one of the employees who act as the eyes and ears of the characters in costume) can instruct the character to change into a fresh costume. And visitors who display serious symptoms can be referred to a park’s first-aid center for medical assistance." Other theme parks say they are following similar measures. About 17 million people visited the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World last year, according to the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM. Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif., had about 14.7 million visitors; Universal Studios in Orlando, 6.2 million; and SeaWorld in Orlando, 5.9 million.
Niger’s Giraffe Population Rebounds
November 8, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
The giraffe population of Niger, which was on the verge of extinction just 10 years ago, is now on the rise and the giraffes are moving into new habitats. From a herd of 50 animals, their numbers have risen to around 200 due to the government’s conservation efforts. The giraffes are a specific sub-species that only inhabit the tiny area close to Niger's capital, Niamey. Julian Fennessy, of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, says they live side by side with farmers just 60km from the city. "They are drinking from the same water pans as cattle. It is quite a remarkable synergy that the people have with the giraffe, and it is the last wildlife left in this whole area." As their numbers rise, the giraffes are on the move, and conservationists have been given a grant to buy collars for the animals to monitor their movements. The government of Niger hopes the giraffes will help build the country's tourism industry.
West Australia’s Endangered Species
November 9, 2009 www.news.com.au By Norelle Towie
Australia has the worst rate of mammal extinction of any country in the world and almost one in four mammals are at risk of disappearing completely. There are 749 Australian plants and animals listed as threatened and over 22 per cent of the nation's mammals under threat - by far the highest figure among all developed nations. The report reveals 55 species of mammals, 49 species of birds, 40 species of reptiles and 47 species of amphibians in Australia are under threat. Thirty nine plants and animals were listed as already extinct or extinct in the wild in Australia. Quokkas, numbats, ring-tail possums, black-flanked rock wallabys, dugongs and green turtles have been listed as threatened on the IUCN's Red List for 2009. Species endemic to the South-West such as the woylie, sunset frog, Gilbert's potoroo and Carnaby's black cockatoo are some of the most endangered. Since 1964 Carnaby's black cockatoo numbers have plummeted 50% while there are only 50 Gilbert's Potoroo left in the wild making it one of the world's most endangered.
Australian Researchers Study Beak and Feather Disease
November 9, 2009 www.abc.net.au
Beak and feather disease affects both common and endangered Australian bird species. Associate Professor Raidal at Charles Sturt University has received a grant to look at how the virus gets into parrots and cockatoo species and threatens endangered species here and overseas. He is hoping to hear from anyone who has seen birds in the wild with abnormal feathers. "We've recently seen disease type situations in ravens, cassowaries, silver gulls even albatross, so that the more we look at the whole evolution of this virus family the more we'll understand it." The disease is very common in species like galahs and sulphur-crested cockatoos. "They basically can't fly because the virus kills the birds' feathers and they end up being almost completely naked." Raidal’s lab is doing all the tests that are required to identify this infection in birds and we get samples from all over the world actually for diagnosis," he said. "Its also a big problem in New Zealand and Indonesia and anywhere where there is native [parrots and cockatoos]."
Conservation of the Ethiopian Wolf
November 9, 2009 news.mongabay.com By Jeremy Hance and Rhett Butler
The rare Ethiopian wolf has survived on a few mountain “islands” rising over 4,000 meters above sea level on both sides of the Great Rift Valley. But the threat of climate change and a shifting agriculture frontier may exterminate them. Argentine-born Claudio Sillero is the world's foremost expert on the Ethiopian wolf. In 1995, he founded the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP), working with both the Ethiopian government and local communities to protect the wolf and other highland species. "Domestic dogs not only compete for food, chase them, and transmit rabies and canine distemper to their wild cousins, but may even hybridize with them," Sillero says, calling domestic dogs the most "real and immediate threat to wolves". EWCP has given rabies vaccines to over 60,000 dogs and is working to ban dogs within the National Park.
Deer Jumps Into National Zoo Lion Exhibit
November 9, 2009 www.washingtonpost.com
A deer was fatally injured Sunday after jumping into a lion enclosure at the National Zoo, as visitors looked on. The highly unusual incident occurred about 2:50 p.m. Spectators watched as the deer eluded the much larger lions, before it reached temporary safety in a moat at the edge of the outdoor enclosure. The incident was captured on video and posted to YouTube. After the animal was rescued by zoo personnel, "it was pretty evident that the deer would not survive," and it was euthanized.
Animal Rights Group Attacks San Antonio Zoo
November 9, 2009 www.dallasnews.com
SAN ANTONIO – California-based “Defense of Animals” filed a complaint last week with the USDA against the San Antonio Zoo, claiming the zoo's treatment of its only elephant violates federal law. Catherine Doyle, a member of the group and Mel Richardson, who worked at the zoo as a veterinarian in the early 1990s – cited a litany of complaints, asserting that the elephant, “Lucky” is suffering from a lack of companionship and that her enclosure is too small and its surface is too flat and hard, resulting in painful arthritis in her feet and legs. The 49-year-old Asian elephant has lived at the zoo for 47 years in an exhibit that spans about half an acre. Her previous companion, a female African elephant named Alport, died in November 2007 after tearing a knee ligament and falling. After one of Dallas Zoo’s elephants died in 2008, critics also demanded that the remaining elephant be moved to an animal sanctuary. But the elephant remains in Dallas, and was joined in March by Gypsy. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums renewed a variance last year allowing the San Antonio Zoo until March to find Lucky a companion.
Seed Collecting and Assisted Migration of Plants
November 10, 2009 www.nytimes.com By ANNE RAVER
CHICAGO — Scientists from the Chicago Botanic Garden plan to collect seeds from different populations of 1,500 prairie species by 2010, and from 3,000 species by 2020. The goal is to preserve the species and, depending on changes in climate, perhaps even help species that generally grow near one another to migrate to a new range. “In 50 to 100 years, because habitats or climates are so altered, we might end up trying to move species in a restoration context, in assemblages of species,” said Pati Vitt, a conservation scientist and curator of the Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank at the botanic garden. “Seeds only disperse a few hundred yards, half a mile at most,” said Kayri Havens, the botanic garden’s director of plant science and conservation. “They’ll need our help if we want to keep those species alive.” Dr. Vitt and Dr. Havens oversee the new Rice Science Center, which has laboratories and a 420-square-foot seed vault housing collections of 800 Midwestern species — some made up of 300,000 seeds. The prairie effort is part of a Bureau of Land Management project called Seeds of Success, which intends to collect seeds of the entire flora of the United States, except for species already under protection and recalcitrant species, or those that cannot survive long-term storage – about 14,000 native plant species. Seeds of Success, started in 2001 in response to a Congressional mandate to plant native seed in restoring public lands destroyed by wildfire. The more ambitious initiative began in June 2008. A consortium of botanic gardens and other institutions have sent 65 teams across the country, and have collected groupings of 3,200 species so far. “We hope to collect 20 populations across the species’ range so we can get 95 percent of the genetic diversity of the species,” said Peggy Olwell, the plant conservation program manager at the bureau. Seeds of Success sends one collection of every species to the Millennium Seed Bank Project, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in Britain, which intends to collect 25 percent of the world’s flora by 2020.
Seeds are also stored at the National Center for Genetic Resource Preservation in Fort Collins, Colo., and the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station in Pullman, Wash. The Dixon seed bank at the Chicago Botanic Garden houses not only species from the tallgrass prairie, but also natives of the bogs, dunes and other ecosystems in the prairie region. It also includes the working collections of species singled out for restoration. “In the Midwest, we have about 200 that are going to be very important,” Dr. Havens said. “These are the matrix species, or species that can be used in restorations after disturbance to really stabilize the community.” In a paper to be published in the journal Biology Conservation, Dr. Vitt, Dr. Havens and three other scientists outline a framework for assisted migration, calling first for a globally unified seed banking strategy, which involves collecting genetically diverse populations of each species, accompanied by provenance data like GPS coordinates, soil type and the structure of the surrounding plant community. They also propose how to predict where species can be relocated. The scientists are just beginning to test their theories in seven climate change gardens planted this fall across the country. Each contains genetically identical clones of plants grown from seed collected in four hardiness zones (4, 5, 6 and 7). Three sites are in the Chicago area, with the others in Boston; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Seattle; and Washington. Students and volunteers will collect data on the species, and can compare their gardens with others through a webcam system. “If plants grown from seed collected in Zone 4, 5 or 6 can’t withstand Texas conditions,” Dr. Havens said, “that’s a good sign they’re going to become extinct here.” Collecting all the native species in the United States, as well as developing restoration techniques and growing huge amounts of seed will take about 10 years and cost about $500 million.
Other scientists argue that tinkering with the complexity of habitats is courting disaster — and huge expense. “Even given our best science, we’re not good at predicting which species will be invasive,” said Jason S. McLachlan, a biologist at the University of Notre Dame who has studied postglacial population spread. “And it’s going to be especially complex as climates change." The American beech, for example, was so rare during the ice age that it is rarely found in fossils. “It may have been one of those rare and unusual species we think about saving with approaches like assisted migration,” Dr. McLachlan said. Now, the beech is so abundant in Eastern forests, he said, it is shading out “almost all other species.” Dr. McLachlan and other scientists have formed a working group on managed relocation, financed by the National Science Foundation and the Cedar Tree Foundation, to open up the discussion to citizens, economists, natural resource managers and policy makers.
Pig Cognition Study
November 10, 2009 www.nytimes.com
In the current issue of Animal Behaviour, researchers present evidence that domestic pigs can quickly learn how mirrors work and will use their understanding of reflected images to find their food. The researchers cannot yet say whether pigs might rank with apes, dolphins and other species that have passed the famous “mirror self-recognition test” , thought to be a marker of self-awareness and advanced intelligence. But University of Cambridge researchers led by Donald M. Broom decided to check for a similar sort of awareness in pigs. They began by exposing seven 4-to-8-week-old pigs to five-hour stints with a mirror and recording their reactions. The pigs pointed their snouts toward the mirror, vocalized, looked at their image from different angles, and looked behind the mirror. Next, the researchers put the mirror in the enclosure, along with a bowl of food that could not be directly seen but whose image was reflected in the mirror. They then compared the responses of the mirror-experienced pigs with a group of mirror-naïve pigs. On spotting the virtual food in the mirror, the experienced pigs turned away and within an average of 23 seconds had found the food. But the naïve pigs took the reflection for reality and sought in vain to find the bowl by rooting around behind the mirror. Other researchers have found that pigs can remember where food stores are cached and how big each stash is relative to the rest. They’ve shown that a pig will follow another pig if the second pig shows signs of knowing where food is stored, and the pig being followed will try to deceive the pursuing pig and throw it off the trail. Pigs are among the quickest of animals to learn a new routine, and can jump hoops, bow and stand, spin and make wordlike sounds on command, herd sheep, close and open cages, play videogames with joysticks, and more. Pigs are also slow to forget. “They can learn something on the first try, but then it’s difficult for them to unlearn it,” said Suzanne Held of the University of Bristol. Pigs were domesticated from the wild boar in Asia and Europe more than 8,000 years ago, but have retained much of their foreboar’s smarts. Dr. Richard W. Byrne, a professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of St. Andrews attributes pig intelligence to the same evolutionary pressures that prompted cleverness in primates: social life and food. Wild pigs live in long-term social groups, keeping track of one another as individuals, to protect against predation. They also root around for difficult food sources, requiring a dexterity of the snout not unlike the handiness of a monkey.
National Zoo Creates Frozen Coral Repository
November 10, 2009 www.washingtonexaminer.com By BRETT ZONGKER
WASHINGTON — Scientists at the National Zoo have created the world's first coral genome repository to help prevent endangered coral species from going extinct. Zoo research scientist Mary Hagedorn is pioneering the freezing and storing of coral sperm and eggs. In collaboration the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and SECORE project, scientists have frozen the sperm of 450 individuals from the endangered Elkhorn coral in the Caribbean. That could allow scientists to reseed the oceans with coral in the future. The zoo also is working to grow Elkhorn coral in captivity that could be reintroduced to the wild. Coral reefs are prime ocean nurseries and feeding grounds. They're threatened by rising water temperatures and CO2 levels.
Possible Extinction for Koalas in 30 Years
November 10, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
Development, climate change, bushfires, and chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, are threatening koala populations in Australia’s eastern and southern forests. The Australian Koala Foundation’s recent survey showed the population could have dropped by more than half in the past six years. Previous estimates put the number of koalas at more than 100,000 - but the latest figures suggest there could now be as few as 43,000. The foundation collected field data from 1,800 sites and 80,000 trees to calculate the numbers. In one area in northern Queensland estimated to have 20,000 koalas a decade ago, a team of eight people could not find a single animal in four days of searching. Foundation chief Deborah Tabart is hoping the new figures will persuade the government's Threatened Species Steering Committee (TSSC) to list the koala as threatened. Committee chairman Bob Beeton says a decision is not likely until mid-2010.
Topeka Zoo Gorilla Dies from an Aneurysm
November 10, 2009 cjonline.com By James Carlson
The Topeka Zoo's male gorilla died "from a rupture of an aortic aneurysm," according to zoo director Mike Coker. 17-year-old M'Bili was found dead Saturday morning in his enclosure. Kansas State University veterinarians conducted the necropsy. Histiopathy results, such as blood work and organ sample tests, are pending. The death comes in the midst of controversy at the facility. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported on Aug. 28 and Oct. 21 about two USDA inspections faulting the zoo for lax veterinary care and inadequate record keeping in the deaths of multiple animals. Among those findings were that a hippo died after being found in 108-degree water, a leopard died after he was administered a medication later found to be fatal and a Pallas cat and rabbit died after being infested with maggots. In October 2005, Kuba died after zoo workers shot it with a tranquilizer dart before a scheduled transport out of state. An independent review of the zoo's operations is planned by the AZA.
Paignton Zoo Works to Save Cassowaries
November 10, 2009 www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk
SOUTH DEVON, U.K. -- The Paignton Zoo has been keeping cassowaries for more than 30 years and has bred 17 of them. Currently there are five birds in the collection, one of the largest groups in Europe. Curator of birds, Jo Gregson is a founding member of the International Cassowary Recovery Team, which has been set up to coordinate a DNA study of the cassowary. Only around 1,500 survive in the wild in Australia. "There appear to be three distinct forms of southern cassowary,” she said. “We are launching this long-term research project using DNA from wild and zoo animals to find out if the genetic evidence supports this." Scientists from the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust's research department, as well as scientists and bird keepers from around the world will be involved. The zoo is also supporting Operation Big Bird, part of the cassowary project to establish a 250km wildlife corridor in the lowland tropical forest of northern Queensland to help the birds walk safely through their habitat.
Why Other Animals Avoid Skunks
November 10, 2009 www.news.ucdavis.edu
Predators with experience of skunks avoid them both because of their black-and-white coloration and their distinctive body shape, according to UC Davis wildlife researcher Jennifer Hunter. The study was published online Oct. 21 in the journal Behavioral Ecology. She prepared taxidermy mounts of skunks and of gray foxes, an animal about the same size but a distinctly different shape. Some of the stuffed skunks she dyed gray, and some of the foxes she dyed black-and-white. She then placed the animals at 10 sites around California -- in locations where skunks were abundant as well in areas where they were uncommon -- and monitored them with infrared video cameras. In locations where wild skunks were not commonly found, predators such as bears, mountain lions, bobcats and coyotes would approach, lick, roll on or attempt to drag away the stuffed skunks as well as the stuffed foxes. But in places where skunks were common, potential predators gave anything skunk-like, either in shape or color, a wide berth. The results suggest a much stronger learning component in prey recognition than was previously thought, Hunter said. She was also surprised to find that body shape, not just color, was important. Previous studies, mostly conducted in the laboratory rather than in the wild, had suggested that animals have an inbuilt tendency to avoid brightly colored or multicolored prey. While numbers of most animals are controlled by predators above them in the food chain, skunks may be a rare example where the main check on their numbers comes from disease, food supply or lack of habitat -- factors that depend mainly on the number of skunks themselves.
DNA Dating Accuracy Questioned
November 10, 2009 www.physorg.com
Adelie penguins have survived in Antarctica for thousands of years, and provide excellent frozen DNA samples. "After studying their entire mitochondrial genome," Dee Denver, an evolutionary biologist with the Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing at Oregon State University, says, "We believe that traditional DNA dating techniques are fundamentally flawed, and that the rates of evolution are in fact much faster than conventional technologies have led us to believe. For the genetic analysis to be accurate, you must have the right molecular clock rate. We now think that many genetic changes were happening that conventional DNA analysis did not capture." This conclusion has come from the study of many penguin bones that were well preserved by sub-freezing temperatures in Antarctica. These penguins live in massive rookeries, have inhabited the same areas for thousands of years, and it was comparatively simple to identify bones of different ages just by digging deeper in areas where they died and their bones piled up. For their study, the scientists used a range of mitochondrial DNA found in bones ranging from 250 years to about 44,000 years old. "In a temperate zone when an animal dies and falls to the ground, their DNA might degrade within a year. In Antarctica the same remains are well-preserved for tens of thousands of years." A precise study of this ancient DNA was compared to the known ages of the bones, and produced results that were far different than conventional analysis would have suggested. Researchers also determined that different types of DNA sequences changed at different rates. The study appears in Trends in Genetics.
Cameras Monitor India’s Gharials
November 10, 2009 english.people.com.cn
Only about 1,000 gharials are believed to exist in India's Chambal and Yamuna rivers, and the species is almost extinct in several other neighboring nations (Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh) as well. Scientists at the Gharial Conservation Park in Lucknow are attaching small light-weight video cameras to newly realeased gharials to learn more about their habits. The cameras will record pictures every four seconds and monitor movement and behavior. The device can record diving depths, swimming speed and also the frequency of the movement according to Katyufoomi Sato, associate professor at Tokyo University whose team developed the camera. The camera remains attached to the gharial's head for four hours before automatically detaching. Wardens at the conservation park will collect the devices and the data will be transferred to a computer for in-depth analysis. If the project, which is being conducted with the help of the WWF, yields positive results, conservationists plan to release more gharials with cameras, increasing the time before release to 48 hours.
Natural History Researchers Create “Scratchpads”
November 10, 2009 www.physorg.com
Researchers at London's Natural History Museum have created a social networking tool called 'Scratchpads' where natural historians can get together and share their data. A paper on this new platform appears in a supplement on biodiversity informatics published today in the open access journal, BMC Bioinformatics. Vincent Smith, Simon Rycroft, David Roberts and colleagues created the data-publishing framework for groups of people to create their own natural history-based social networks. Users create a virtual workbench to study aspects of an organism much as Darwin did during his lifetime, and anyone can get involved. To date the system serves over 1100 registered users across 100 sites, spanning academic, amateur and citizen-science audiences. Users have generated over 130,000 content nodes in the first two years. The Scratchpads infrastructure combines databases, network protocols and computational services to bring people, information and computational tools together to perform and publish natural history.
AZA Partners with Polar Bears International
November 10, 2009 www.earthtimes.org
The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and Polar Bears International (PBI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to educate zoo and aquarium visitors on the impacts of climate change on polar bears and the arctic ecosystem they depend on. PBI is providing funding, resources, educational programming and guest speakers, including the world’s leading polar bear scientists, to the zoos to create or enhance educational Arctic displays. AZA is committing to utilize these resources to grow stewardship in their communities and increase research which may assist in the conservation of polar bears in the wild. Robert Buchanan, President of PBI said, “Zoos and aquariums are a critical educational force for the future survival of the species. Currently, 180 million people visit AZA-accredited institutions each year – people who already care about animals and who need to know what must be done to conserve them in the wild. Most people will never see polar bears in their native habitat, which is why seeing them in zoos can be such a powerful experience. Unless we can inspire people to lower their carbon footprint and reverse the climate change that is causing arctic sea ice to melt, zoos will be among the few places where polar bears will survive.”
There are currently 32 AZA-accredited zoos in North America where people can experience the majesty of polar bears: Albuquerque Biological Park, Bronx Zoo, Buffalo Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Denver Zoo, Detroit Zoo, Erie Zoo, Henry Vilas Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, Maryland Zoo, Memphis Zoo, Milwaukee County Zoo, North Carolina Zoo, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Oregon Zoo, Parque Zoologico de Leon, Philadelphia Zoo, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Reid Park Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Diego, Seneca Park Zoo, Toledo Zoo, Toronto Zoo, Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum.
Yellowstone Bison May Go to Ted Turner’s Ranch
November 10, 2009 www.nytimes.com
BILLINGS, Montana -- Officials from six government agencies have recommended that 75 to 80 bison would be moved to Ted Turner's 113,000-acre Flying D Ranch. They would be kept on a 12,000-acre parcel and separated from other animals. The herd is expected to grow to about 300 animals over the next several years. Roughtly 150 bison would be returned to Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department after a five-year study expired. The remainder would become Turner's property. A Turner representative said keeping those bison was necessary to offset an estimated $480,000 in costs including veterinary care, disease testing, fencing and lost grazing opportunities. The animals in question were spared from a slaughter program intended to protect Montana's cattle industry from a disease carried by many bison. The plan was to use those animals -- considered disease-free -- to repopulate public and tribal lands across the West with free-roaming bison. But after other offers to take the animals fell through or were judged insufficient, state and federal officials said Tuesday that Turner's private ranch was the best option. A smaller group of eight to 14 bison would go to Guernsey State Park in Wyoming. Turner already owns about 50,000 bison, most of them domesticated, and his restaurant chain Ted's Montana Grill serves buffalo burgers. Some conservationists and at least one federal agency oppose the plan. A USDA veterinarian also criticized the move, saying it went against the original intent of the bison relocation program launched in 2005. Turner claims that the Yellowstone bison would not be harvested for their meat. However, their offspring could be sold as seed stock for new herds or bred with other Turner-owned bison to improve their genetics.
Leatherback turtles tend to be "right-handed"
November 10, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk By Matt Walker
There is growing evidence that even lower vertebrates prefer to use one side of the body more often. Such preference is known by scientists as a "lateralised functional behaviour", and it usually indicates that an animal's brain function is also lateralised, with one side of the brain dominating control of certain tasks. We call this asymmetry in the use of the leatherback's flipper 'flipperedness' because 'handedness' is used in primates, 'footedness' in birds and 'pawedness' in rodents. Studies on relatively small numbers of reptiles have shown that some species display lateralised behaviour. Cottonmouth snakes (Agkistrodon piscivorus) tend to prefer to coil one way more than the other, while upturned Mediterranean tortoises (Testudo hermanni) prefer to right their bodies to one side. In a new study published in Behavioural Brain Research, Annette Sieg of Drexel University in Philadelphia discovered that female leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) prefer to use their right rear flipper rather than their left when clearing out a chamber to lay their eggs. Then as they lay their eggs, they move one rear flipper back over the opening from which the eggs emerge, called the cloaca, obscuring it, perhaps to prevent the eggs being spotted by predators.It is the only time when leatherbacks use a single flipper to perform a particular task. Overall, the turtles preferred to use their right hind flippers 54% of the time. Although the preference is subtle, it is statistically significant, revealing a bias in flipper use at the population level.
Komodo Dragons at the Phoenix Zoo
November 11, 2009 www.abc15.com
The Phoenix Zoo’s new “Land of the Dragons” exhibit will feature 2 adult Komodo dragons. 15 year-old female Gaia has previously produced offspring by parthenogenesis (the eggs are never fertilized by a male, but instead duplicate the genetics of the mother). She comes from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Kansas. Ivan, the male is also 15 and comes from the Gulf Breeze Zoo in Florida. He has never been housed with another Komodo dragon, and Phoenix Zoo keepers are eager to train him. Dan Subaitis, Director of Animal Management said fewer than 5,000 dragons remain in the wild. Adult animals can eat up to 80 percent of their own body weight in one sitting, but poaching of their main prey, the Sunda deer has decreased the Komodo dragon population. Phoenix’s hot, arid climate and occasional monsoons provide a well-adapted home for the Indonesian reptile. The outdoor portion of the exhibit will include two large windows for guests to see the animals from various vantage points. Heated rocks next to the windows will lure the Komodo dragons for up-close viewing. On hot days, the animals can cool off in a 7,000 gallon pool. When the temperature is below 65 degrees, they can stay in their indoor "bedrooms," which have additional viewing windows. The indoor areas will also act as nurseries for any offspring.
Risk of Zoonotic Disease from Importing Wildlife
November 11, 2009 www.cdc.gov
The United States is among the world's largest importers of live wild animals and imported >1 billion individual animals during 2000–2004. Little disease surveillance is conducted for imported animals; quarantine is required for only wild birds, primates, and some ungulates arriving in the United States, and mandatory testing exists for only a few diseases (psittacosis, foot and mouth disease, Newcastle disease, avian influenza). Other animals are typically only screened for physical signs of disease, and pathogen testing is delegated to either the US Department of Agriculture (for livestock) or the importer. Imported wildlife remain a major public health threat, as exemplified by the importation of Ebola virus in primates from the Philippines, monkeypox from imported African rodents, and possibly HIV from chimpanzees in central Africa. Wildlife importation also poses a great threat to domestic wildlife and the US agriculture industry. Although a large proportion of imported animals are destined for biomedical research (in which potential occupational risks are largely understood and quarantine procedures likely mitigate risk), a greater proportion (even among the high-risk genera) are destined for commercial use and therefore could expose a wider group of persons to zoonotic diseases. Education of professionals likely to come in close contact with imported animals (e.g., veterinarians, importers, pet store employees), as well as the general public, should emphasize the risks for contracting zoonotic diseases from wildlife and pets and the need for proper hygiene, safety procedures, and personal protective equipment. The full report is at www.cdc.gov.
Brown Pelican Comes Off Endangered Species List
November 11, 2009 www.oregonlive.com
After being hunted for its feathers, facing devastating effects from the pesticide DDT and suffering from widespread habitat loss, the brown pelican was declared an endangered species in 1970 before Congress passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973. And its struggle for survival, initially due to hunting for its feathers, led to the birth of the National Wildlife Refuge System more than 100 years ago. That's when President Theodore Roosevelt created the first refuge at Pelican Island in Florida. Today, the bird is prevalent along the coasts of Oregon, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, California, and Washington and it is slated from removal from the Endangered Species List. It will still be protected by other laws, such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
DNA Study of Africa’s Kipunji Monkey
November 11 2009 www.redorbit.com
The kipunji (Rungwecebus kipunji) was unknown to science until 2003, when it was discovered in a remote region of southern Tanzania, in 2 small forest fragments totaling less than 7 square miles. Census data indicate there are just over 1,100 individuals left in the wild. Roughly 1,000 live in the Southern Highlands, and 100 remain in the Udzungwas. The first genetic analyses revealed that kipunji represented an entirely new genus of primate, Rungwecebus. Now, thanks to additional DNA samples collected from dung and tissue scientists have a more complete picture of the genetic makeup of this monkey. The Southern Highlands population contains bits of DNA that are similar to baboons. This suggests that the two species interbred at some point after they diverged, according to researcher Tim Davenport of the Wildlife Conservation Society. The Udzungwa population showed no traces of baboon DNA. "We thought the DNA from the second population would match the first one, but instead we got something quite different," said Trina Roberts of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center in Durham, NC. The findings help to settle a debate over kipunji's status as a new genus of primate. "They're still separate taxa — they're not baboons, they're still kipunji," said Bill Stanley of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. "But there's a little bit of baboon DNA that shows up when you analyze their DNA." The scientists have published their findings in Biology Letters.
Missouri Botanical Garden Publishes 32nd Volume of Flora of China
November 11, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
ST LOUIS -- The Missouri Botanical Garden, in collaboration with ten institutions around the world, has published the 32nd volume of the Flora of China, an international collaborative project to publish a comprehensive catalog of wild plants in China. The volume, dedicated to the Orchidaceae (orchid) species, is the definitive work on all Chinese wild orchids, written by 15 of the world's best experts from China, U.K., U.S., Netherlands, and Australia. The book describes in English, 1,388 orchid species in 194 genera, with 11 genera and 491 species found nowhere else in the world, according to Nicholas Turland, associate curator and co-director of the Flora of China project. There are only 208 orchid species in 71 genera in the U.S., and in Europe, 113 species in 35 genera. China contains about 31,500 species of vascular plants (about ten percent of the world's total), compared with some 19,500 in the U.S. and Canada combined and about 12,500 in Europe. Information about Chinese plants is essential to the study of the evolution of North American and European plants, because several groups that were widespread in the northern temperate zone in prehistoric times now survive only in China.
Since 1988, the Flora of China project has involved hundreds of Western and Chinese scientists, and by 2013 will have described in detail all wild plants of China, both online and in 24 printed volumes of text and a further 24 of illustrations. Chinese plants are important to the world because of their medicinal value. For thousands of years, the Chinese have used plants extensively for medicinal purposes. Several thousand Chinese species are actively traded and used medically. Other Chinese plants are important sources of drugs, waxes, and oils, all of them useful. The Flora of China will provide a ready means of locating, understanding, and utilizing these plants. Volumes of the Flora of China project are jointly published by the Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis) and Science Press (Beijing). All of the published information is freely available online at flora.huh.harvard.edu. The Missouri Botanical Garden is the non-Chinese coordination center. Other centers in the West are the Smithsonian Institution; the California Academy of Sciences; Harvard University; the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the Múseum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
Griffin Vulture Sanctuary in Coatia
November 11, 2009 news.yahoo.com By Lajla Veselica
BELI, Croatia – Griffon vultures are extinct in many European countries and are endangered in Croatia, but a sanctuary in the village of Beli on the Coatian island of Cres has rescued, healed and released 95 birds since it was set up in 1993. For the first time, two of the vultures have been equipped with satellite transmitters which can stay on for years, providing data on their location, altitude, speed and course. Others are marked with cheaper rings and wing-tags for identification and monitoring, which is how one of the Croatian birds was discovered in Chad, in central Africa. Goran Susic, a 51-year-old ornithologist runs the sanctuary. When the project began there were only around 20 pairs of vulture griffons on Cres. It has now been raised to some 70 pairs, more than half the species' total number of pairs in Croatia where they live on four northern islands. Still, their survival is at risk because of the decline of sheep farming - the scavengers eat mainly sheep carcases. Croatia's griffon vultures are the only ones which nest as low as 10 metres above sea level, often secreted in high cliffs from where their young all too easily fall into the waves below. The birds of prey fly across Europe and parts of Asia at a height of 6,000 to 7,000 metres (19,800 to 23,100 feet) and speeds up to 160 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, until they are five years old. Then the survivors return to nest on Cres, where a pair, mating for life, has one young every two years on average. Griffon vultures do not have a sense of smell but compensate for that with perfect sight. They communicate using wing signals at a distance of up to 10 kilometres. Griffon vultures are endangered in all European countries except in Spain, home to 18,000 pairs representing 95 percent of the species in Europe. Many countries where they were extinct, such as Bosnia, Bulgaria, France, Israel and Italy, have programs to reintroduce them.
Why Chimps Can’t Speak
November 11, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
If humans are genetically related to chimps, why did our brains develop the innate ability for language and speech while theirs did not? Scientists suspect that part of the answer lies in a gene called FOXP2. When mutated, FOXP2 can disrupt speech and language in humans. Now, a UCLA / Emory study reveals major differences between how the human and chimp versions of FOXP2 work, perhaps explaining why language is unique to humans. Published Nov. 11 in the online edition of the journal Nature, the findings provide insight into the evolution of the human brain. "Genetic changes between the human and chimp species hold the clues for how our brains developed their capacity for language," said first author Genevieve Konopka, a postdoctoral fellow in neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "By pinpointing the genes influenced by FOXP2, we have identified a new set of tools for studying how human speech could be regulated at the molecular level." The discovery will provide insight into the evolution of humans' ability to learn through the use of higher cognitive skills, such as perception, intuition and reasoning.
Bonobo Born at Jacksonville Zoo
November 11, 2009 jacksonville.com
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A baby bonobo was born November 6, at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. This is 24-year-old Kuni’s fourth offspring. She has been at Jacksonville since 1993. The father is one of two resident males, Akili or Mabruki, both of whom were recommended by the Association of Zoo and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan to breed with Kuni. A DNA paternity test is planned for when the baby is older. Kuni is unrelated to other breeding bonobos in U.S. captivity, so she and her baby are particularly important.
California’s Kelp Forests Study
November 11, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
The kelp forests off southern California are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on the planet, yet a new study indicates that today's kelp beds are less extensive and lush than those in the recent past. The kelp forest tripled in size from 20,000 years ago to about 7,500 years ago, then shrank by up to 70 percent to present day levels, according to the study by Rick Grosberg, professor in the Department of Evolution and Ecology and the Center for Population Biology at UC Davis, with Michael Graham of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory and Brian Kinlan at UC Santa Barbara. The study was published online Oct. 21 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Male Manakin “Sings” by Vibrating Feathers”
November 11, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com
Scientists have found that the sharp, violin-like sounds made by the male club-winged manakin—a tiny bird that inhabits the Andean cloud forest come from a suite of specially evolved, vibrating feathers. To determine how the manakin was making its bizarre sounds, Kimberly Bostwick, curator of birds and mammals at Cornell University speculated that the bird was vibrating a club-shaped wing feather against a neighboring ridged feather. She knew from previous work that the frequency of the sound made by the manakin was 1500 hertz—1,500 cycles per second. If the two feather types were making the sound, they should resonate when vibrated at the same frequency during laboratory experiments. Her team used lasers to monitor vibrations as they were oscillated by a lab device called a mini-shaker. The special feathers vibrated at exactly 1500 hertz—proving they were responsible for the sounds. She also found that individually the manakin's "regular" feathers didn't resonate like the special ones. But when the nine feathers closest to the special feathers were still attached to the ligaments, they vibrated at around 1500 hertz, harmonized with the club feathers, and amplified the volume of the sound. The study appears in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Internet Philanthropy and Social Networking
November 12, 2009 www.nytimes.com
According to a survey last year by the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, about 8 in 10 of the top 200 American charities said they used social networking, up from about a third in 2007. And 9 in 10 said they thought that their use of social networking was successful, up from 7 in 10 in 2007. Internet companies are also giving charities new opportunities to expand online. Last spring, YouTube gave nonprofit groups the ability to add “call to action” links to their Web videos that allow viewers to jump right to their Web sites — and their online donation boxes. Last fall, Facebook added philanthropies like WWF and Project Red to its gift store, allowing users to easily spend a few dollars to give a gift on behalf of a friend on the social network. “Causes”, the Facebook application was created two years ago. Anyone can create a cause and link it to an actual registered charity. When Facebook users post the cause to their pages, announcing a donation or just their support, they automatically convey that action to all their friends on the social network. The implicit message: their friends should support the cause, too. “People can care about changing the world. But what gets them to act is pressure and social reward.” Joe Green, one of the creators of “Cause” reports that 90 million people have joined at least one cause on Facebook and have donated a total of $17 million. Randi Zuckerberg, director of market development at Facebook, points out that the use of social media and philanthropy is still new and experimental, and that the value of this kind of activity may not yet be quantifiable. “In the old-fashioned view, getting involved meant one of two things, giving time or money,” she said. “Now there are a dozen things you can do in between, including giving your reputation. I think when we look back and can quantify it, we’ll see it’s pretty valuable to tell your network you are validating a viewpoint on something.”
San Diego’s Panda Cub Gets Teeth
November 12, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com BY SUSAN SHRODER
The San Diego Zoo’s feisty panda cub made it difficult for veterinarians to get his measurements during Thursday’s weekly exam. He pushed up on his legs and moved across the exam table, making it harder for veterinarians to measure him. “He's definitely starting to show his personality; in fact, at one point he even barked at us,” said Beth Bicknese, a senior zoo veterinarian. “He's getting more strong and wiggly, and it does make getting precise measurements on his body a little more challenging.” The cub, who was 99 days old Thursday, weighs 12.5 pounds and is 2 feet long. His tail, which has a black spot at the tip, is 3.5 inches long. The cub cut his first two teeth – lower front canines. “Now it's going to be a race to see if his incisors in the front come out next or if it's going to be his molars in the back, because they're both really close to popping out,” Bicknese said.
Fast Track Solar Project Could Endanger Mojave Desert
November 12, 2009 www.nytimes.com By SCOTT STREATER
Although the federal government's determination that a 400-megawatt solar thermal power plant will not cause significant harm to a pristine strip of the Mojave Desert, the draft environmental impact statement released last week indicates that even with extensive mitigation, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System project will destroy rare plants and permanently alter prized views from the nearby Mojave National Preserve. It will also annually consume an estimated 32 million gallons of groundwater in a region where water is scarce. Moreover, one of the central strategies for mitigating the project's environmental damage -- the relocation of protected desert tortoises -- is projected to kill nearly one out of every six animals that are transported, according to the draft EIS document. "It's a good project in the wrong location," said Ileene Anderson, a staff biologist for the Center for Biological Diversity, which has criticized a similar Mojave tortoise relocation effort involving the Army's Fort Irwin. Greg Suba, conservation program director with the California Native Plant Society, said "The question is why are they going on wild public lands first? Our organization and many others understand why we need renewable energy, and why large-scale utility projects will need to be part of the initial equation. But why put these big-scale projects in the intact wildlands first?" As proposed, the Ivanpah project would cut through 4,073 acres of undisturbed land, "substantially affecting many sensitive plant and wildlife species and eliminating a broad expanse of relatively undisturbed Mojave Desert habitat." Some of the impacts would be offset by the developer's planned purchase and preservation of 8,146 acres nearby, but such mitigation would not replace "permanently lost" habitat for tortoises and other species, BLM found.
California Academy of Sciences Breeds Dwarf Cuttlefish
November 12, 2009 www.physorg.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- The California Academy of Sciences is the first institution in the U.S. to successfully breed the dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis). To date, more than 350 have hatched, with most being sent to other aquariums and research institutions. The Academy’s captive breeding program was pioneered by Academy biologist Richard Ross. "By establishing a stable breeding population," Ross explains, "our hope is to make it easier for aquariums to showcase cuttlefish and their remarkable characteristics without impacting wild populations." Although called "cuttlefish," – they are actually members of the class Cephalopoda, which also includes octopus, squid, and the chambered nautilus. Cephalopods have highly developed brains, nervous systems, and eyes. The dwarf cuttlefish is native to the Indo-Pacific region and is able to rapidly change its skin color, frequently flashing moving patterns across its skin. Behind the scenes at the Steinhart Aquarium, the hundreds of tiny hatchlings are hand-fed at least twice a day. Ross found that a diet of live meals beginning with mysis shrimp, and increasing in size with age was required to successfully raise the animals. Since North American waters do not house any native cuttlefish, only a handful of species are currently seen in zoos and aquariums in the United States. The Academy also participates in captive breeding programs for African penguins, and golden mantella frogs.
Study of California’s Manzanita
November 12, 2009 www.physorg.com
Tom Parker has spent more than 30 years researching west coast plant life, and is an expert on Manzanita, a native shrub. This fall he is spending nights in the field, tracking mice, meadow voles and kangaroo rats, which he believes are squirreling away Manzanita seeds and helping these plants adapt to fire conditions. "What's critical is that they bury the seeds at a depth that the seeds can survive the heat if a fire breaks out,” he said. Parker's experiments near Monterey and Santa Cruz attract rodents with trays of fruit and track their footprints using fluorescent powder visable under UV light. "We want to get the rodents to bury the seeds so we can see how many they are burying in one cache and how deep they are burying them," Parker said. "There is usually a mess of fluorescent powder on the ground where the rodents have been stamping down the soil on top of their seeds." Parker plans to replicate the depth and distribution of the seeds in lab experiments to test whether the rodent's caches are improving the plants' survival rates. As an insurance policy against fire, Manzanita species rely on underground stores of seeds that repopulate the area after a fire. Through such natural means as wind or gravity, botanists believe it takes as many as 25 years for adult shrubs to develop a seed bank in the soil, but the process could be much faster if rodents are involved. North America's West Coast is home to more than 2,000 species that only grow in this region, including the 60 species in the Manzanita, or Arctostaphylos, genus. In recent years, Parker and colleagues have described two new Manzanita species, one of which has just 100 plants in its population. Parker has just assumed a new role as President of the California Botanical Society for 2009-12.
Falkland Island Wolf DNA Analysis
November 12, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
UCLA scientists Robert Wayne and Graham Slater have analyzed DNA from five Falkland Islands wolves, including one collected by Darwin, and calculated how long ago they shared a common ancestor. "It was at least 70,000 years ago — well before humans came to the New World," Slater said. "The Falkland Islands wolf clearly precedes any possible human occupation of the New World, which dates back some 12,000 to 13,000 years." Darwin hypothesized that the wolf, which became extinct in 1876, may have come to the islands on icebergs, and Wayne and Slater think he may be right. "A large, wolf-size animal could perhaps live on a large iceberg with penguins and sea birds and maybe seals — enough prey to survive the voyage," Wayne said. The researchers also report that the closest relative to the Falkland Islands wolf, is a South American dog species called the maned wolf, which looks nothing like the Falklands species. "The closet living relative of the maned wolf is the bush dog, which is even more different," Slater said. "These three are a strange group." The maned wolf, occupies grassy plains in Brazil and Argentina. The bush dog, lives in South American rain forests. "The divergence was fairly ancient, more than 6 million years," Wayne said. The research was federally funded by the National Science Foundation and was published Nov. 3 in the journal Current Biology. In previous research, Wayne and colleagues used molecular genetic techniques to determine that the first Americans to arrive in the New World more than 12,000 years ago brought domesticated dogs with them. They have also found that dogs have been living in close association with humans much longer than any other domestic animal, have confirmed that dogs evolved from wolves and have confirmed that today's domestic horse resulted from the interbreeding of many lines of wild horses in multiple locations and was not confined to a small area or a single culture. They also showed that nearly half of North American wolves have black coats as the result of historical matings between black dogs and wild gray wolves.
India Will Move All Elephants to Wildlife Parks
November 12, 2009 economictimes.indiatimes.com By Neha Lalchandani
India’s Central Zoo Authority (CZA) issued a notice on Monday that all elephants in the country should be sent to national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves as soon as possible. According to Dr B K Gupta, evaluation and monitoring officer of CZA, there were 140 elephants in 26 zoos and 16 circuses on March 31 2009. "Of these, Mysore and Trivandrum have the largest number at 9 and 8 respectively. Delhi and Mysore are the only two zoos that have African elephants. The decision was taken after evaluating conditions of elephants at various zoos and circuses. “We found that circuses especially were not following standards set under the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992," he said. Delhi Zoo's Asiatic pachyderms, Rajlakshmi and Hira, and its sole African elephant Shankar will be moved to Jim Corbett National Park. A N Prasad is the CZA director of Project Elephant.
Animal Orientation/Migration Theories
November 12, 2009 sciencenow.sciencemag.org By John Bohannon
Turtles, birds, and butterflies can migrate thousands of miles free of landmarks. Some scientists believe that microscopic iron crystals in a bird's beak help it navigate by sensing the alignment of the metal relative to Earth's magnetic field. Others suspect a magnetic-sensing chemical reaction within the eye. When struck by light, a protein in the eye called cryptochrome changes into one of two states. The ratio of these two states depends on the orientation of cryptochrome to magnetic fields. Two new studies support the latter idea. In the first, a team led by Henrik Mouritsen, a German biologist appears in the October 29th Nature. The second study, by Erin Hill and Thorsten Ritz, biophysicists at the University of California, Irvine, was published this week in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. According to Ritz, even using the cryptochrome in a single cell, a bird should be able to sense its orientation relative to Earth's magnetic field. "But what that cell looks like is still unknown," he says, so the real arrangement of cryptochrome remains a mystery. Kenneth Lohmann, a behavioral biologist and an expert on turtle migration at the University of North Carolina, believes it's still possible that both theories of the internal compass debate are right.
India’s Elephant Move
November 13, 2009 www.nytimes.com
NEW DELHI -- All elephants living in Indian zoos and circuses will be moved to "elephant camps" run by the government's forest department and located near protected areas and national parks. They will be able to roam and graze freely, but "mahouts," or traditional elephant trainers, will still keep an eye on them. Some elephant experts are skeptical about moving the elephants to wildlife preserves, many of which are under pressure from the encroaching human population. India has an estimated 28,000 wild elephants living in forest reserves and national parks, mainly in the southern and northeastern parts of the country. Another 3,500 elephants live in captivity, many of them in temples, or working in logging camps where they are used to lift timber. No decision has been made about them.
The Economics of Ecosystem and Biodiversity (TEEB)
November 13, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
BRUSSELS, Belgium – The economic invisibility of ecosystems and biodiversity is increased by our dominant economic model, which is consumption-led, production-driven, and GDP-measured. It is now up to governments to provide fiscal or other incentives to move us from short-term opportunism to long term stewardship. The right policies can help us move toward a resource efficient economy. A new report prepared by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (an initiative of the UN Environment Programme), calls on policy-makers to accelerate, scale-up and invest in the management and restoration of ecosystems. It also calls for more sophisticated cost benefit analysis before policy decisions are made.The report is available at www.teebweb.org and outlines a ten-point plan to meet the multiple challenges - fuel, food, and the economy of a planet of six billion people, rising to nine billion by 2050.
New Snail Species Named after Steve Irwin
November 13, 2009 news.sky.com
Queensland Museum scientist Dr John Stanisic, discovered a new species of tree snail in the north Queensland and has named it after the late Australian adventurer, Steve Irwin. "In contrast with its more drab coloured ground-dwelling relatives, “ he said, “Crikey steveirwini is a colourful snail, with swirling bands of creamy yellow, orange-brown and chocolate giving the shell an overall khaki appearance. It was the khaki colour that immediately drew the connection to the late Crocodile Hunter." The 44-year-old Steve Irwin was known for exclaiming "Crikey" when confronted with a particularly deadly animal, and habitually wore a khaki shirt and shorts during his on-camera encounters with the natural world. He was killed in September 2006 in a freak accident involving a stingray as he filmed an underwater documentary off Australia's northeast coast. The extremely rare snail has only been found in three places, on the summits of high mountains in far north Queensland and at altitudes above 1,000 meters.
“Movement Ecology”
November 13, 2009 www.physorg.com
Ran Nathan, an ecologist at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is combining work in biology, ecology, environmental science, physics and mathematics into a theory of Movement Ecology to help study how and why living things move from place to place in order to survive and thrive. He edited a 76-page special section on the topic in the Dec. 9, 2008, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Movement research is accelerating. Nearly 26,000 scientific papers on the subject have been published in the last 10 years. New technologies such Global Positioning Satellites, as well as tiny radio transmitters that can be attached to crabs, birds and butterflies, are providing an unprecedented ability to observe their movements. "Even in the past year, things that were not possible a year ago have become possible," Nathan said. "We have very good transmitters and new devices that enable us to track movement more precisely." George Wittemyer, an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, plotted the travels of African elephants in dry weather and wet, and in protected and unprotected areas. The movements of our human ancestors are also a subject of vigorous study and dispute. Anthropologists still don't know for sure when our species, Homo sapiens, left Africa, or what route they took through the Middle East and Asia to Europe, Siberia, Alaska, North America and eventually down to the tip of South America.
Audit Critical of Oregon Zoo
November 13, 2009 www.oregonlive.com By Eric Mortenson
The Oregon Zoo's construction projects in the past five years have been plagued by cost overruns, delays and disjointed management, according to a recent audit, calling into question the zoo's ability to handle multiple projects funded by a $125 million construction bond voters approved last year. Auditor Suzanne Flynn said the bond program is "at risk" unless Metro, which operates the zoo, coordinates spending and construction schedules with a comprehensive master plan. The nine projects planned under the bond measure are "ambitious and complex," and the zoo will be hard-pressed to assure the safety of guests and proper care for animals during 10 to 12 years of construction that will "affect almost every corner of the current zoo site," she said. Cascade Canyon, the 2007 project linking the mountain goat, bear, cougar and bobcat exhibits, began construction with a design that was 10 percent higher than budgeted and ended with a $400,000 cost overrun. Predators of the Serengeti had a cost overrun of $1.6 million that wasn't discovered until the project was nearly finished. Preliminary design for the new Vet Hospital would cost $2 million more than the $9.2 million allocated. Flynn, an independently elected Metro official, found no evidence of fraud but concluded that the zoo was in no shape to manage the construction bond projects. Since March, Metro has hired a bond program manager, a construction manager and a bond planner to take charge of the projects. An Oregon Zoo Bond Advisory Committee, staffed with community construction, land-use, animal care and facilities experts, was appointed in July to provide additional oversight. Zoo Director Tony Vecchio resigned last summer to take a similar job at a zoo in Jacksonville, Fla. Mike Keele, a key figure in the zoo's renowned elephant breeding program, is interim director.
St. Louis Zoo’s Electronic Holiday Polar Bears
November 13, 2009 www.stltoday.com
Trogolo Co.in DuQuoin Illinois, is of one of the nation's largest providers of commercial holiday decorations. The company has installed electronic polar bears in the empty St. Louis Zoo Polar Bear exhibit as part of the Zoo's Wild Lights exhibition. [The zoo's last polar bear, Hope, was euthanized in April when veterinarians found she had cancer. In May 2005, Churchill died while undergoing stomach surgery. Five weeks later, Penny died from an infection.]
Edmonton Zoo Adopts New Fitness Program for Elephant
November 13, 2009 www.cbc.ca
Lucy, the Valley Zoo's Asian elephant, is being put on a fitness regime to lose 1,000 pounds. The program was based on an evaluation by U.S. veterinarian Dr. James Oosterhuis that the zoo commissioned in September. Animal rights groups have waged a campaign over the past couple of years urging the zoo to move Lucy to an elephant sanctuary in the United States. Groups like Zoocheck believe that Edmonton's cold climate is undermining Lucy's health. In September, zoo officials said they would not be moving Lucy after Oosterhuis determined a transfer could kill her. Instead, additional staff hours will be devoted to providing Lucy with more daily exercise, along with a new rehabilitation therapy program and a study on how to increase the animal's indoor exercise space for cold weather. More information is at www.valleyzoo.ca
San Diego Zoo’s Panda Will Be Named on Day 104
November 13, 2009 www.nbcsandiego.com By MICHELLE WAYLAND
According to tradition, the panda can be named when he turns 100 days old. However, the San Diego Zoo is waiting until next Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. to announce the name in a special ceremony.
The panda will be called one of these five names.
1. Fú Shèng, which means blissful San Diego
2. Xiǎo Lóng, which means little dragon
3. Xióng Wěi, which means extraordinary bear
4. Yǒng Xiǎng, which means eternally blessed
5. Yún Zǐ, which means son of cloud
The zoo received 6,331 submissions of name suggestions through their website.
Pandas Will Come to Singapore in 2011
November 13, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Isabel Cheng
SINGAPORE - Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), parent company of Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo will receive a male and female Giant Panda from China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), The pandas are scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2011, and will be housed at River Safari, the fourth and latest nature park to be developed by WRS. To support this conservation effort, CapitaLand Limited, one of Asia’s largest real estate companies with a strong presence in China for 15 years, has pledged a conservation donation to support the 10-year collaborative program. “With WRS' Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre established in 2006, we have the necessary infrastructure in place – the latest technology in veterinary equipment and an animal management team with extensive field experience - to care for the giant pandas. During the next two years, zookeepers will receive training on the husbandry, nutrition and housing of pandas. River Safari will be located along Mandai Lake Road, adjacent to Night Safari and Singapore Zoo. The new attraction will be Asia’s first river-themed animal park with boat rides, freshwater habitat displays and close-up multi-sensory experiences with the aim to creating greater awareness of freshwater habitat conservation. The development will be built with environmental sensitivity and minimal impact on the Mandai Nature Reserve area.
Singapore’s Pandas
November 13, 2009 www.chinadaily.com.cn
The two pandas slated to come to Singapore in 2011 are a 1-year-old female and 2-year-old male. Both come from the Wolong nature reserve in Sichuan province and are expected to be in Singapore for a decade. Singapore now joins a handful of other countries to receive the bears through the latest instance of "panda diplomacy", in which the pandas have proven to be crowd-pleasers wherever they go. Experts from China are also expected to help trainers in Singapore handle the furry visitors, while select bamboo - the staple diet of pandas - will be planted and a special enclosure set up to house the bears.
Oregon Spotted Frog Release in Washington State
November 13, 2009 www.yelmonline.com
To help restore Washington state’s populations of endangered Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa), approximately 80 frogs, now nine months old, will be released into Dailman Lake on Fort Lewis on November 17. The frogs were collected from the wild in March as fertilized eggs and head-started at Oregon Zoo and Cedar Creek Corrections Center to improve their chances of survival. (Through the Sustainable Prisons Project, two inmates from Cedar Creek nurtured 67 frogs.) They will join 424 frogs released at the site earlier this fall, which were head-started at Woodland Park Zoo. Native to the Puget Lowlands extending from the Canadian border to the Columbia River, the Oregon spotted frog is near extinction due to loss of habitat, non-native predators and disease. It was listed as a Washington-state endangered species in 1997 and is a candidate for federal listing. The reintroduction of the frog into a portion of its historic range is a five-year pilot program developed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Partners include: Woodland Park Zoo, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Oregon Zoo, Washington State Dept of Transportation, USFWS, Washington State Department of Corrections, Evergreen State College, Port Blakely Tree Farms, Washington Department of Natural Resources, NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance, U.S Geological Survey, Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre and The Nature Conservancy.
Vienna’s Panda Cub Returns to China
November 13, 2009 www.google.com
VIENNA — Fu Long, the first panda conceived naturally in Europe, will leave Schoenbrunn Zoo next Thursday. The giant panda, whose name means "Happy Dragon" in Mandarin, is to be transferred to the Bifengxia Base in the Sichuan province, which is home to 60 other pandas. Fu Long turned two last August.
Minnesota Zoo Dolphin Is ‘Expecting’
November 14, 2009 www.startribune.com By Paul Walsh
APPLE VALLEY, Minnesota -- Allie, 22, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin arrived at the Minnesota Zoo in January 2008 from the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Her pregnancy was confirmed during an ultrasound last Friday. Semo, the father, has been at the zoo since 1991. He is 45 and is thought to be one of the oldest male dolphins in human care. Marine mammal supervisor Diane Fusco said that a strong heartbeat was detected. Allie's previous calf was stillborn in March from complications during labor. Only 70 percent of dolphin calves survive their first 30 days. The Minnesota Zoo is also home to dolphins April, 42, and Spree, 7. April is Allie's mother, and Spree is Semo's daughter. The zoo is temporarily housing three dolphins from the Brookfield Zoo while their oceanarium is being renovated
Bronx Zoo Turns 110
November 15, 2009 www.nydailynews.com By Jacob E. Osterhout
110 things every New Yorker should know about the Bronx Zoo:
1. The Bronx Zoo opened to visitors on November 8th, 1899.
2. On opening day, the zoo featured 843 animals in 22 exhibits.
3. The zoo borders the south side of the New York Botanical Garden.
4. Most of the land on which the zoo was built was previously owned by Fordham University.
5. Fordham sold it to the city for $1,000 stipulating that the lands be used for a zoo and garden.
6. More than 236 million guests have visited the zoo since its opening.
7. With 265 acres, the Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States.
8. The zoo employs over 750 full-time staff per year.
9. Theodore Roosevelt and William Hornaday, the Bronx Zoo's first director, helped form the American Bison Society (ABS) at the zoo in 1905.
10. The buildings in Astor Court were designed by the firm of Heins & Lafarge
11. The African Plains exhibit opened in 1941 and was the first to allow guests to view predator and prey in a naturalistic setting.
12. The zoo is the largest employer of youth in the Bronx.
13. Approximately 2.15 million guests visit the Bronx Zoo each year.
14. The Bronx Zoo is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which protects more than 200 million acres of wild land in 65 countries.
15. The zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals representing more than 600 species.
16. In 1906, a Congolese pygmy named Ota Benga roamed the zoo's grounds for a time and lived in the monkey cage.
17. Overlooking the Buffalo Range, the Rocking Stone is a rough cube of pinkish granite roughly seven feet high and 30 tons that is balanced perfectly on a granite base and cannot be moved.
18. In 1999, the Congo Gorilla Forest opens as the first exhibit that directly links a zoo-based experience with WCS field conservation projects.
19. Tiger Mountain opened in 2003, allowing guests to view animal enrichment activities that help keep the animals stimulated and engaged by presenting them with choices in their environment.
Read more at www.nydailynews.com
White-Nose Syndrome
November 15, 2009 www.boston.com By Stacey Chase
At least 1 million bats in the past three years have been wiped out by a “white-nose syndrome” in what US scientists are calling the most precipitous decline of North American wildlife in human history. “We’re at the vanguard of an environmental catastrophe,” says Tim King, a conservation geneticist with the US Geological Survey in West Virginia. “There’s very little definitive information available at this point. Everybody’s just scrambling, with very limited resources, to help stop this.” The little brown bat, historically among the most common of North American bats, has been the hardest hit of the six afflicted species. The others are: the big brown bat, the Eastern small-footed bat, the Northern long-eared bat, the tri-colored bat (formerly known as the Eastern pipistrelle), and the Indiana bat. The mass deaths are difficult to quantify because wild bats are almost impossible to count, but to scientists monitoring hibernation sites, serious declines are as undeniable as they are unprecedented. Population counts at two dozen small winter colonies in Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont show they have plummeted from 48,626 bats to 2,695 -- an average 94.5 percent decline -- since the outbreak began.
Researchers strongly suspect but have not proved that the sickness is caused by a newly identified cold-thriving soil fungus aptly named Geomyces destructans. The hallmark of the syndrome is a skin infection that creates holes in and scarring of the bats’ wing membranes, causing them to lose elasticity. David Blehert, director of diagnostic microbiology at the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin is lead author of the report that identified the fungus. Initial white-nose studies have produced two consistent findings: The fungus has been found on bats at every site where mass deaths have occurred, and most of the dead bats are emaciated. The leading hypothesis is that the fungus irritates the bats’ skin, arousing them more frequently than normal in hibernation to groom it off. Those actions squander their fat reserves until, ultimately, they starve to death. Other aberrant behaviors include clustering near cave entrances where it’s coldest, perhaps an attempt to lower body temperatures to conserve energy, and flying around outside in winter, in daylight, possibly in a desperate search for food.
All the bat species under siege by white-nose syndrome voraciously feast on night-flying insects like moths, beetles, and leafhoppers that damage agricultural crops and defoliate trees. Fewer bats could increase the need for pesticides -- which could set off other unforeseen environmental consequences. Bats also devour mosquitoes, and more mosquitoes mean greater exposure to the diseases they transmit, like West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis. Some have tried to draw connections between white-nose syndrome and other, equally mystifying wildlife diseases such as the chytrid fungus that has killed off dozens of frog species over the past three decades and the colony collapse disorder that has decimated about a third of US honeybee colonies in the past few years. Scientists have found no links, but all the phenomena, taken together, serve as an ominous warning.
L.A. Zoo Rhino Fights Skin Cancer
November 16, 2009 www.nbclosangeles.com and www.prnewswire.com
LOS ANGELES -- Randa, a 40-year-old Indian rhinoceros, was recently diagnosed with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (a form of skin cancer) under her horn. Leah Greer, Randa's primary veterinarian, worked with oncology surgeons and radiation oncologists from UCLA Medical Center, as well as scientists from Xoft, Inc., makers of the Electronic Brachytherapy technology. "I don't know that we would have been able to reach such a positive prognosis without [this new technology]," Greer said. Electronic Brachytherapy delivers x-ray-based therapy directly to cancer sites with minimal radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
Penguins & Seals Produce New Patagonian Sea Atlas
November 16, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
NEW YORK -- The Wildlife Conservation Society and BirdLife International have released the first atlas of the Patagonian Sea – a huge South American ecosystem ranging from southern Brazil to southern Chile. Data for the atlas was gathered by a team of 25 scientists working over a 10-year period – many supported by the National Research Council of Argentina. Thousands of individual uplinks were recorded from satellite transmitters fitted on 16 species of marine mammals including five species of albatross, three species of petrel, four varieties of penguin, two fur seal species, the South American sea lion, and the southern elephant seal. The atlas reveals key migratory corridors that span from coastlines to deep-sea feeding areas off the continental shelf hundreds of miles away. The 300-page book is titled “Atlas of the Patagonian Sea: Species and Spaces” and is in English and Spanish. It will be used to help inform potential policy decisions in the region such as managing fisheries and charting transportation routes of oil tankers. Dr. Claudio Campagna runs the Wildlife Conservation Society's "Sea and Sky" initiative. John Croxall is Chair of BirdLife's Global Seabird Programme.
Visitor Sues Brookfield Zoo After Slipping
November 16, 2009 www.mysuburbanlife.com
BROOKFIELD, IL - The Chicago woman suing the Brookfield Zoo for injuries suffered during a visit to the dolphin exhibit in 2008 has amended her original complaint. Originally she stated she was walking outside the exhibit when the dolphins splashed water on her, causing her to slip and fall. The amended complaint states the “salt water from the dolphin pool erodes the concrete deck and painted portion of the deck, making it very slippery,” and the zoo knew the deck was slippery prior to the lawsuit and failed to put an epoxy surface on the pool deck, as well as “failed to warn the spectators before they exited the exhibit of the very slippery nature of the deck.” The lawsuit still claims zoo employees “recklessly and willfully trained and encouraged the dolphins to throw water at the spectators in the stands, making the floor wet and slippery.”
Madagascar Pochard Hatched in Captivity
November 16, 2009 www.iol.co.za
The Madagascar pochard (Aythya innotata) was feared to be extinct in the late 1990s, but 20 of the rare diving ducks were discovered in 2006 on a remote lake in northern Madagascar. In early October of this year, a team monitoring them reported that three females were preparing to lay eggs. Duck specialists from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust flew to Madagascar with special incubation equipment before the eggs began hatching, and eight ducklings are now said to be doing well. Meanwhile, conservationists are attempting to secure two more clutches of eggs from the wild in the next few weeks. The U.S. Peregrine Fund and the government of Madagascar are also involved in the effort.
John Ball Zoo Considers Temporary Closing
November 16, 2009 www.wwmt.com
KENT COUNTY, Michigan - Cuts at the county level are forcing changes at the John Ball Zoo. With revenue dropping, Kent County commissioners had to trim spending in just about every department. For the zoo it means $778,000 less in its 2010 operating budget. To make up the difference John Ball Zoo is considering shutting down for a few months. The zoo is also looking at ways to boost revenue while it's still open, either adding educational programs or bumping up prices at the gate.
AZA Accreditation for Potawatomi Zoo
November 16, 2009 www.wndu.com
SOUTH BEND, Indiana -- The Potawatomi Zoo was again accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is in a better position to apply for grants. "We're looking at the possibility of some new exhibits, creating a 5 to 10 year master plan and looking at how we can broaden our base of support so that all of the burden does not lie on the taxpayers of South Bend," said Marcy Dean, Director of Potawatomi Zoological Society.
Tweaking the IUCN-Proposed REDD Plan
November 16, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Dr. Stuart Pimm and an international group of prominent scientists argue in the November 17th journal Current Biology, that the new REDD strategy to protect our planet may not live up to its full potential. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) consists of 192 countries seeking to develop intergovernmental policies to deal with climate change. They will meet in Copenhagen in December to complete an agreement to slow global warming by reducing carbon emissions caused by deforestation. Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) proposes to compensate tropical forest countries if they reduce their rate of deforestation, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Pimm and colleagues point out that if REDD emphasizes reducing deforestation rates, governments are likely to focus on areas that are cheapest to protect, and that areas with high biodiversity might not be cost-competitive. Furthermore, forests with the greatest density of carbon might not be the most essential locations for biodiversity conservation. There is also concern that deforestation processes will not be effectively abated but simply displaced to other areas. The authors propose that rules to assess, conserve, and perhaps even financially support biodiversity should be included in the text of the Copenhagen agreement. "Biodiversity, itself, is essential to ecosystem adaptation. “[Its important to ensure] that REDD policies not only reduce carbon emissions but also conserve biodiversity," says Dr. Pimm.
Increase In Illegal Elephant Ivory Trade
November 16, 2009 www.panda.org
CAMBRIDGE, UK -- Illegal trade in ivory has been increasing in volume since 2004, but moved sharply upward in 2009, according to seizure data analyzed by the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS). The surge suggests an increased involvement of organized crime syndicates, connecting African source countries with Asian end-use markets. The ETIS analysis identifies Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Thailand as the three countries most heavily implicated in illicit ivory trade. Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique in Africa and Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam in Asia were also important nodes.
PETA Honors India’s Central Zoo Authority
November 16, 2009 timesofindia.indiatimes.com By Vijay Singh
MUMBAI -- The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has announced that it will give the 2009 Proggy Award for International Leadership in the Field of Animal Rights to India's Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in recognition of their decision to ban the use of elephants in zoos and circuses. "Proggy'' is short for "progressive''. India, which is home to an estimated 23,900 to 32,900 wild elephants, will no longer permit elephants to be imprisoned in zoos and circuses. PETA India has repeatedly complained to the CZA about the poor conditions for captive elephants in India. The elephants will be transferred to elephant camps located near protected areas, and run by the forest department. PETA India Founder Ingrid E Newkirk said she will present the award next month.
Lucknow Tiger Cubs Survive on Goat’s Milk
November 16, 2009 www.dnaindia.com by Deepak Gidwani
LUCKNOW, India -- Two cubs, just seven days old, were separated from their mother after two other siblings died over the past week. Two keepers are now looking after them at the zoo hospital round the clock. The cubs were the first born in 14 years according to zoo director Renu Singh. She said the surviving cubs are being are fed 25-30 ml every three hours from infant bottles. Ipshita, which gave birth to the four cubs on November 8, and her mate Shishir, are both Royal Bengal tigers, from Orissa's Nandan Kanan Wildlife Park. Ipshita is about five years old and this is her first litter. "That could be the main reason why she could not look after her cubs well," says zoo vet Dr Utkarsh Shukla. He ruled out "rejection" by the mother as a possible cause of early deaths. "She was keeping the cubs close to her all the time but was not feeding them properly."
San Diego Zoo & China’s Panda Partnership Part 1
November 16, 2009 www.sandiego6.com By Sharon Chen
SAN DIEGO & SICHUEN, CHINA - An important partnership exists between the San Diego Zoo and the Bi Feng Xia, wild animal park and Panda Research Center. Dr. Tang Chun Xiang, Assistant Director of the reserve says it was a relationship that began more than a decade ago. “September 12, 1996 was when we sent over the pandas Bai Yun and Sze Sze.” With that loan, a program began with zoos all over the U.S. and other countries. Pandas are sent out on loan as long as two conditions are met, research and any panda cubs born must return to China when they are mature. Ron Swaisgood, Director of Animal Ecology at the San Diego Zoo. explains that, “Since Bai Yun and Sze Sze came to San Diego, 5 panda cubs have been born. When those pandas reach about 3 years of age, they go back to Wolong, where they have a breeding program. Through this partnership we're getting 10, 15, 20 cubs born every year, it’s a very big success.”
One year ago, an 8.0 earthquake struck at the heart of Sichuan, killing 70,000 people, injuring millions and leaving the Wolong Panda Reserve devastated. “One panda died, one disappeared and one got hurt, there is still one missing to this day,” said Dr. Tang. Today the pandas have moved to Bi Feng Xia Panda Reserve, temporary facility. “We hope to have a new facility built in the next five years -- two to three years at the earliest,” says Dr. Tang. Much of rebuilding Wolong is dependent upon fundraising. “We have so much to be thankful after the earthquake there’s so many organizations working together to help China Rebuild,” says Dr. Tang. San Diego Zoo is one of these organizations, not only are they helping with fundraising, they are also researching design. “We're working with Wolong to develop plans what the new breeding center will look like,” said Swaisgood.
Endangered Species Permit Applications
November 16, 2009 www.thefederalregister.com
Written data, comments or requests must be received by December 16, 2009.
Applicant: Ricardo E. Longoria, Encinal, TX, PRT192403. The applicant request renewal and amendment of his permit authorizing take, interstate and foreign commerce to include Elds deer (Recurvus eldii), red lechwe (Kobus leche) and Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) from his captive herd for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species. This notification covers activities conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: Pauline L. Kamath, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, PRT218825. The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Etosha Ecological Institute, Okaukuejo, Namibia, for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities conducted by the applicant over a 5year period.
Applicant: Molly M. Hedgecock, High Point, NC, PRT220671. The applicant requests a permit to import the sporthunted trophy of one leopard (Panthera pardus) taken from the wild in the Central African Republic, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Brooks J. Puckett, Plano, TX, PRT226347. The applicant requests a permit to import the sporthunted trophy of one male blackfooted cat (Felis nigripes) taken from the wild in the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: David K. Reinke, Crawford, CO, PRT229051. The applicant requests a permit to import the sporthunted trophy of one male black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) taken from the wild in Namibia, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., PRT231152. The applicant requests a permit to export one male and one female captiveborn Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) to Howletts Wild Animal Park, United Kingdom, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester, NY, PRT231594. The applicant requests a permit to export one male bredin captivity Brazilian ocelot (Leopardus pardalis mitis) to the Granby Zoo, Quebec, Canada, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Wilson W. Crook III, Kingwood, TX, PRT223349
Applicant: Jorge L. Medina, Hawthorne, CA, PRT228690.
The following applicants each request a permit to import the sport hunted trophy of one male scimitarhorned oryx (Oryx dammah) culled from a captive herd in the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Edward D. Pylman, Byron Center, MI, PRT230602
Applicant: Robert B. Spencer, Gilmer, TX, PRT231522.
Each applicant requests a permit to import the sport hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management.
Applicant: David E. Clapham, M.D., Ph.D, Department of Cardiology, Children's Hospital Boston, MA, PRT227386. The applicant requests a permit to import tissue samples and biological specimens created from tissue samples collected from wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus) for the purpose of scientific research.
USFWS Proposes Regional Landscape Conservation Cooperatives
November 17, 2009 features.csmonitor.com By Mark Clayton
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing a new “adaptation management” plan to help save wildlife in a warmer world. They want to create eight new regional landscape conservation cooperatives (LCCs), the first of up to 20 nationwide that will involve multiple partners. Along with the USGS and others, FWS is now holding regional conferences on how to shape the cooperatives. Dan Ashe, deputy director said, “We have to be able to be more predictive, to be able to look into the future to how climate change is affecting species like the grizzly bear, polar bear, or coho salmon.” Last month, Congress provided $25 million in new funding for the cooperatives, each of which will have a core staff of scientists to create models of probable regional climate impacts and provide scientific analysis for future wildlife management plans. Using advanced computer models, LCC scientists will report how global warming could change regional ecosystems decades from now, allowing researchers to calculate whether a recovery plan in a species’ home range makes sense. That might make it possible to determine if a wildlife corridor is possible, or whether more drastic measures – such as translocating a species are necessary.
Climate impacts can appear suddenly, even for species that had been recovering well. The grizzly bears of Yellowstone National Park are an example. Their numbers had been rebounding, but now climate change-linked beetle infestations and disease have killed 60 percent of the white bark pine in Yellowstone – and much of what’s left is expected to be dead in five to seven years. White bark pine nuts are a critical food that helps grizzlies get fat enough to overwinter. With the white bark pine gone, some 300 to 400 grizzlies need to spread out to other areas to find food. Bears are already turning to elk as a food source and getting shot by frightened elk hunters as a result. Grizzlies will need more “connected habitat” – corridors or even islands of land where they can safely move between mountain range habitats as they forage more widely for food, she says. “Connectivity” is a buzzword among biologists like Dr. Wiens. Enabling wildlife to migrate to survive the heat is about more than just north-south corridors. It’s recognizing “environmental gradients” – mapping climate impacts across now-protected areas and other types of land use, and “how land use and protection can be designed to enhance movement along the gradients,” he says.
Unpublished data released by the USGS indicates that by 2100, climate change will drastically alter the biological environment (biomes) of many of the 520 national wildlife refuges in the US. At least 65 percent of the refuges would be sharply different biomes than today, with 9 percent straddling their current zone and 26 percent remaining the same. Such warming is widespread, with more pronounced effects in the Arctic, where sea ice hit record low levels in 2007, 30 years sooner than climate models had once predicted. Last month, FWS identified more than 200,000 square miles as critical habitat for the endangered polar bear. “We’ve listed the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act here in the US, but we can’t begin to conserve them just within our own borders,” Mr. Ashe says. “We are having to reach out to nine countries that manage them to put together an adaptation strategy.”
New Veterinary Hospital For Hogle Zoo
November 17, 2009 www.sltrib.com By Matthew LaPlante
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Hogle Zoo’s new $3 million L.S. Skaggs Animal Health Center opened Tuesday. The new clinic features more space, environmental controls, which can be set to a broad range of individual species, and state-of-the-art holding pens. Zoo officials say they expect the building, which includes rooftop solar arrays, lots of natural light and recycled building materials and furnishings, to be certified at the highest level of environmental friendliness by the U.S. Green Building Council. Hogle's lead veterinarian, Nancy Carpenter said the new hospital has the space to accommodate the growth anticipated as the zoo adds new animals and exhibits as part of its master plan. Last November voters approved a $33 million bond issue for improvements to the state's largest animal park, paving the way for a new exhibit featuring polar bears, seals and other Arctic wildlife. About half the construction costs were covered by the ALSAM Foundation, a charitable organization sponsored by drugstore magnate L.S. Skaggs. Susie Balukoff, Skagg's daughter and president of Friends of Zoo Boise, the fundraising arm of Idaho's largest zoo, said the Boise animal park often looks to Hogle as a source of ideas for the future.
Asian Black Bear Conference at Taipei Zoo
November 17, 2009 www.asiaone.com
TAIPEI, Taiwan - An international seminar on Asian black bears begins today at the Taipei Zoo. "The two-day seminar will bring together about 30 elite Asian black bear researchers from Taiwan and 15 other countries to discuss topics related to the animal also known as moon bear or white-chested bear," said an official of the Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute under Taiwan's Council of Agriculture. The seminar will focus on the bear's ecological habits, physiology, behavior, evolution, human-interaction, conservation and management. The institute is organizing the seminar in cooperation with the Forestry Bureau, the Yushan National Park Headquarters and other agencies. Most of the 18 Asian countries to which the animal is endemic have listed the Asian black bear as a protected species and several of them, such as Taiwan, South Korea and Pakistan, have listed it as endangered.
Sabah’s Pygmy Rhinoceros Conservation Project
November 17, 2009 www.bernama.com By Manik Mehta
BERLIN, Germany -- Sabah’s pigmy rhinoceros is only 1.3 meters tall and is highly endangered. A subspecies of the Sumatran rhinoceros, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrisoni , only fifty remain. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Zoological and Wild Animal Research, the Leipzig Zoo, the Malaysian government, the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Borneo Rhino Alliance are initiating an extensive program for the protection and reproduction of the animal. The Malaysian government and Borneo Rhino Alliance have already set up a breeding station, but Dr. Petra Kretzschmar from the Leibniz Institute says, "First we must examine whether the animals are capable of reproducing." There are indications, according to the German researchers, that the fertility of the animals may have been compromised from using pesticides to cultivate palm oil trees. An experienced team of doctors headed by Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute would like to try artificial insemination. The Leipzig Zoo is ready to train local workers at the breeding station and will offer an education program to the local people to understand the importance of saving the rhinoceros as well as its tropical forest habitat. In 2011, the Zoo will open a Gondwana Land which will be a replica of the tropical forest and the animal species living in it. The Sabah Rhino Conservation Project will be featured in the tropical hall of Gondwanaland.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Tortoise is Actually a 'He'
November 17, 2009 www.newsnet5.com
CLEVELAND -- A 400-pound tortoise named Mary has lived at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for 50 years. During an exam earlier this month, veterinary staff found that Mary was actually a male. Zoo staff thought Mary was female because the tortoise has a flatter shell and shorter tail than most males and also weighed less than the zoo's other Aldabra tortoises, Tom and Tim. All three tortoises arrived at the Cleveland Zoo in 1955 from their native habitat of the Seychelles Islands, off the coast of Africa. They are estimated to be between 75 and 100 years old.
USFWS Released Endangered Species Candidates
November 17, 2009 oscnewsgazette.com
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its Candidate Notice of Review, a yearly appraisal of the current status of plants and animals that are considered candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Four species have been removed from candidate status. Two are plants from Puerto Rico - Calliandra locoensis and Calyptranthes estremerae; the troglobitic groundwater shrimp found in Puerto Rico, Barbuda, and the Dominican Republic; and the fat whorled pondsnail from Utah. The Service removed these species after a review of the information found that they do not face threats to an extent that ESA protection is needed. Five species have been added: The Florida bonneted bat, currently found at 12 locations in central/south Florida; the rabbitsfoot mussel, the Kentucky gladecress, a plant found in Bullitt and Jefferson Counties, KY; the Florida bristle fern (Trichomanes punctatum floridanum), found in small areas of Miami-Dade and Sumter Counties, FL; and the diamond darter, a small fish found only in portions of the Elk River, WV. Eight species have a change in priority. There are now 249 species recognized by the Service as candidates for ESA protection. The Service is soliciting additional information on these candidate species, as well as information on other species that may be eligible for addition to future candidate updates. All candidates are assigned a listing priority number based on the magnitude and imminence of the threats they face. When additional discretionary funding is available, the Service addresses species with the highest listing priority first. The eight changes in priority announced in today’s notice are based on new information in the updated assessments of continuing candidates. Two species have had their priority increased while six species have had their priority lowered. The complete notice and list of proposed and candidate species that appears in the Federal Register and can be found online at www.fws.gov.
San Diego Zoo's Panda Cub is Named
November 17, 2009 www.ktla.com
A special ceremony was held November 17, 2009 at the San Diego Zoo to announce the name of their 104-day-old Giant Panda cub. 6,331 names were submitted and 17,521 votes cast over a three day voting period. The final five names were:
Fú Shèng, which means blissful San Diego, received 12% of the vote
Yŏng Xi ăng , which means eternally blessed, received 14% of the vote
Xióng Wěi, which means extraordinary bear, received 20% of the vote
Xiăo Lóng, which means little dragon, received 26% of the vote
and Yún Zĭ which means son of cloud, (mother Bai Yun’s name means white cloud) was the winner with 28% of the vote.
A YouTube name pronunciations guide is at www.youtube.com
Yún Zĭ is the fifth healthy cub delivered by 17-year-old Bai Yún. The father is Gao Gao. The two mated naturally in April. In 1999, Bai Yún's first cub, Hua Mei, became the first giant panda conceived by artificial insemination in the western hemisphere. Her brother, Mei Sheng, was born in 2003. Su Lin, born in 2005 and Zhen Zhen, born in 2007, are still at the San Diego Zoo.
San Diego Zoo & China’s Panda Partnership Part 2
November 17, 2009 www.sandiego6.com By Sharon Chen
SAN DIEGO & SICHUEN, CHINA - Panda Keeper Kathy Hawk described the San Diego Zoo's first-born panda cub, Hua Mei: “She was a little terror, she had no fear, she seemed to be born in front of the camera.” Mei Sheng “didn't like us at all; in fact he would growl and chomp”. Kathy spent four years raising brother and sister. As part of a research partnership with China, when a cub reaches 4 years of age they return to China. The siblings now live at Bi Feng Xia Panda Reserve in Sichuan, China. Animal Reproduction Expert Huang Yan says, “These two pandas are very good pandas. Hua Mei has had many babies and Mei Sheng, we started training him and he can already mate.” Hua Mei has produced a total of seven pandas; 3 sets of twins and one single cub, born July 7th is now 3 months old. “There have been 111 pregnancies with 160 something cubs born,” said Dr. Tang. “140 of those survived - an overall success rate of 90% for pandas born in captivity”.
Study of New Zealand’s Giant Moas
November 18, 2009 www.science.unsw.edu.au
New Zealand broke away from Gondwana at least 60 million years ago and a wide variety of moas subsequently evolved there, ranging in size from a large turkey to the three-meter tall Dinornis, which weighed up to 300 kg. The evolutionary history and relationships between moa species has long been subject to debate, with past studies suggesting that up to 64 species and 20 generic groups existed. Now a new study has determined that moas should be grouped into only three families, six genera and nine species. The most recent species were relatively modern, evolving in the South Island only after the uplift of the Southern Alps between 5 and 8.5 million years ago. Periodic land bridges, created by geological events and sea-level changes, allowed some of these species to cross over to the North Island. The many species of moa are thought to have descended from a common ancestor of other large living flightless birds that evolved on separate southern landmasses when Gondwana broke up: the ostrich in Africa; the emu and cassowary in Australia; the rhea in South America; and New Zealand's kiwi. Another presumed relative was the extinct giant elephant bird in Madagascar. "The prolonged geographic isolation of New Zealand and the paucity of terrestrial mammals created a unique ecosystem dominated by an estimated 245 species of birds, providing an unparalleled opportunity to observe evolutionary processes," says Dr Trevor Worthy, a palaeontologist from the UNSW School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, who was one of the 11 members of study team.
Giant Lungless Worm Found in Guyana
November 18, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com
GUYANA -- Until recently, scientists thought salamanders were the only amphibians that lack lungs. But in 1995 researchers found the first known lungless caecilian, and in 2008 another team reported a tiny, land-dwelling, lungless frog. Now a new wormlike caecilian —named Caecilita iwokramae—has been found in Guyana. It is strikingly different from the other known lungless caecilian. It lives on land and is 4.4 inches long, while its lungless relative is fully aquatic and reaches 27.5 inches in length. Marvalee Wake, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, has speculated that "losing lungs might decrease body diameter and help [Caecilita] to burrow better, but they may [have lost] them simply because they no longer need them." But given the diversity among lungless creatures, she added, "we are going to see a lot more lunglessness as we look closer at the amphibians." Findings appear online today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Himalyan Black Bear Study
November 18, 2009 www.afp.com
SRINAGAR, Kashmir – Wildlife experts in the 54 square mile, Dachigam national park on the outskirts of Srinagar are fitting black bears with satellite-tracking collars to study their behavior and help conserve the endangered animals. "This is the first time in India that Himalayan black bears have been fitted with a GPS collar," said wildlife warden Rashid Naqash. There are only 300 bears remaining in the region and so far, three of them -- a male, a female and a cub – have been collared. Three more are likely to receive collars soon, said Naqash. Once the bears are caught, their age, weight and sex are recorded and the tracking system is fitted before they are released back into the wild. A transmitter in the collar sends a signal to a satellite which relays the location of the animal to ground stations. Wild bears have killed more than two dozen people in the past four years and left 150 injured. "We can always monitor their movements and sound an alert once they start moving towards the human habitations," said Naqash.
Rare Croc Found in Cambodia
November 18, 2009 abcnews.go.com By Michael Casey
CAMBODIA -- Once common throughout Southeast Asia, the Siamese crocodile or crocodylus Siamensis is locally extinct in 99 percent of the areas it once roamed and is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. Much of the wild population has been wiped out by habitat loss and poaching, and they now face the new threat of hydropower dams being built in two of their three known habitats. Recently, researchers retrieved DNA from 69 crocodiles housed at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center in Takoe province and found that nearly 50% of the crocs were the rare Siamese crocodiles. "For the first time we have a captive population of animals that we know are 100 percent purebred Siamese crocodiles," said Adam Starr, who manages the Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Program, a joint effort between the government and Fauna & Flora International. Starr said the discovery would give conservationists new options for breeding and reintroducing the crocodiles into the wild, most likely in places not affected by the dams. He said up to 60 crocodiles a year could be released into areas where they once thrived. DNA analysis, which was done at Thailand's Kasetsart University, is necessary because it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between Siamese crocodiles and the hybrid crocodile species that are also housed at the center.
Critically Endangered Ray is Two Species
November 18, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By John Platt
The common skate (Dipturus batis), already critically endangered, has now been found to actually be two species, so both are more at risk than previously thought. According to a paper to be published this week in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, the common skate is actually the flapper skate (D. intermedia) and the blue skate (D. flossada). This long-standing misclassification has led to miscounting of skates caught by commercial fishermen, and allowed the flapper skate to be overfished. Flapper and blue skates were previously considered two species until 1926, when researcher R. S. Clark recognized only D. batis as a valid species. Samuel Iglésias of France's National Museum of Natural History spent two years examining skates to reassess the classification, including looking at systematic molecular data, along with the species' life history and fishery statistics. Iglésias hopes his research will lead to added protections for both species. "Without revision and recognition of its distinct status," he said, "the world's largest skate, D. intermedia, could soon be extinct."
Antifungal Bacterium on Salamander Skin May Protect Against Lethal Fungus
November 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is the fungal pathogen responsible for the lethal chydrid fungus skin disease in amphibians. Some species, however, remain relatively symptom free during infection. Immune factors, antimicrobial peptides, skin-associated microbial species, and behavior are all believed to attribute to the survival of some species over others. Researchers from James Madison University and Vanderbilt University, report in the November 2009 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, that naturally occurring bacteria on the skin of salamanders produces an anti-Bactrachochytrium dendrobatidis metabolite called violacein. Violacien was found on 3 of 7 wild-caught red-backed salamanders at concentration levels capable of inhibiting the fungus. The researchers then added the bacterium (Janthinobacterium lividum) to the same species of red-backed salamanders and then exposed them to B. dendrobatidis. Results showed that adding J. lividum to the skin of the salamander increased the concentration levels of violacein and contributed to their survival following exposure to the fungus.
Frog Leg Trade Could Spread Chytrid Fungus
November 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
More than one-third of the nearly 6,000 amphibian species are threatened with extinction—and disease is one of the main causes. The parasitic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or amphibian chytrid attacks keratin proteins in the skin of amphibians, causing respiratory and neurological damage and eventually death. There are several hypotheses about how amphibian chytrid has spread around the world, but the trade in amphibians for food, bait, pets and laboratory animals has been identified as the most likely means. Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution found that from 1996 through 2006, more than 100,000 metric tons of frog legs were imported from both wild and farmed sources (approximately 100 to 400 million animals per year) fueling a $40 million/year culinary trade. The scientists found no recorded cases of the extinction of a frog species caused by collection for food. However, given the growing importance of aquaculture to supply frog legs to global markets, the team stresses that the risk of disease spread through poorly regulated amphibian trade is probably an even greater risk to amphibian biodiversity than the direct population effects of overharvesting. The team's findings are published in the November 19 issue of Frontiers in Ecology. Lead author, Brian Gratwicke, says, "amphibian chytrid has been listed as a likely threat in 94 cases out of the 159 extinct and potentially extinct amphibian species.” The origin of amphibian chytrid is unknown, but one theory is that it originated in Southern Africa and was distributed worldwide in the 1950s through the trade of the African clawed frog for pregnancy-testing and other amphibian trade. Some species are apparently resistant to the fungus, and it is not always associated with amphibian declines. The most dramatic declines have been observed in mountainous parts of Central and South America and Australia.
Killing Trout to Save California Yellow-Legged Frog
November 19, 2009 www.ens-newswire.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- Non-native trout were introduced into the naturally fishless lakes of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks to make the area more attractive to anglers. But when fish are present, they eat tadpoles, force frogs into marginal habitat, and fragment their population. The high mountain lakes are some of the last remaining strongholds of the yellow-legged frogs. These were once the most abundant frogs in California, but they have since disappeared from over 90 percent of their former ponds. The nonprofit organization Save The Frogs is urging the National Park Service to quickly remove the trout. The Park Service says, "Scientists have investigated the role of other causative factors in their decline, such as acid deposition, UV-B radiation, and disease, but predation is clearly the main problem. There are 560 lakes and ponds within the parks that contain introduced trout, and removal of these non-native species from up to 15 percent of these sites will be considered. Up to 82 lakes and 56 miles of streams are being considered for trout removal. A preliminary project to eradicate trout from 11 lakes in the two parks since 2001 has allowed the recovery of yellow-legged frogs at these lakes. Now Park Service officials want to broaden the campaign to restore the frogs throughout the two parks - while leaving the fish in many lakes that are popular with anglers.
Odd Croc Fossils Discovered in Sahara
November 19, 2009 news.nationalgeographic.com By Christine Dell'Amore
WASHINGTON—Five ancient crocs have been discovered in the Sahara by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Paul Sereno.
The five fossil crocs inhabited the southern land mass known as Gondwana some 100 million years ago. Sarcosuchus imperator, popularly known as SuperCroc, was the first and largest of the crocs Sereno found in the Sahara. Most of them walked "upright" with their arms and legs under the body like a land mammal instead of sprawled out to the sides, bellies touching the ground. Papers will be published in the journal ZooKeys and in the November 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine. The crocs also will star in a documentary, "When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs," 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, on the National Geographic Channel.
Orangutans Will Leave Great Ape Trust
November 19, 2009 www.desmoinesregister.com BY PERRY BEEMAN
DES MOINES, Iowa -- The orangutans at the Great Ape Trust will be shipped to a Midwestern zoo in 2013. The research facility was forced to abandon its plan to house four types of great apes - bonobos, orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees - because of major flooding last year that caused $1.25 million in damage. Federal officials informed the ape trust it was unlikely any new construction would be approved at that site. The Trust tried to work out a deal with Blank Park Zoo. But Mark Vukovich, Blank Park Zoo CEO, said the $12 million to $18 million estimated cost of orangutan quarters was too much to spend on one exhibit. That amount of money would build three or four other exhibits, he said. In addition, the ape trust wanted spending on conservation and education in a tough fundraising climate. So, it is rumored that the Indianapolis Zoo may get the orangutans. The Indianapolis Zoo announced in 2007 that it would open a major great-ape exhibit in 2013. It was unclear if the zoo would take all six orangutans now living in Des Moines and five others, also owned by the trust that are now in a California facility. James Aipperspach, the ape trust's director of operations said Great Ape Trust will continue research involving six bonobos at the Des Moines campus.
Corn Genome is Sequenced
November 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Corn is the top U.S. crop and the basis of products ranging from breakfast cereal to toothpaste, shoe polish and ethanol. The corn genome is a hodgepodge of 32,000 genes crammed into just 10 chromosomes. In comparison, humans have 20,000 genes dispersed on 23 chromosomes. The $29.5 million maize sequencing project began in 2005 and is funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. departments of agriculture and energy. The genome was sequenced at Washington University's Genome Center. The overall effort involved more than 150 U.S. scientists with those at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and Iowa State University in Ames playing key roles. Plants often have more than one genome and corn is no exception. The maize genome is composed of two separate genomes melded into one, with four copies of many genes. As corn evolved over many thousands of years, some of the duplicated genes were lost and others were shuffled around. A number of genes took on new functions. Corn is the third cereal-based crop after rice and sorghum – and the largest plant genome to date – to have its genome sequenced. The U.S. produces 44 percent of the world’s corn.
Corn Genome Optical Map
November 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
This week, 100 authors contributed to a paper describing the maize genome in the November 20 issue of the journal Science. Corn, or maize, has one of the most complex sequences of DNA ever analyzed. Publication of the genome is expected to advance knowledge of corn's ancestry, and also guide breeders trying to extract even more productivity from a crop that is expected to produce more than 200 million tons of grain from more than 87 million acres in the United States this year. David Schwartz of the University of Wisconsin says, "Traditional sequencing must work on small chunks at a time, but the maize genome is incredibly complex, full of repeats. It's like buying a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle; from looking at one piece, it's hard to know if you are looking at the dwarf's foot, or Snow White's face. Our optical maps, just like the box cover, give the big picture that allows the sequencers to link up their smaller pieces into a complete genome." Shiguo Zhou and Schwartz are the principal authors of an article in PLoS Genetics, explaining how they made the optical map of corn.
Turkey – Heritage vs Broad-Breasted White
November 19, 2009 www.physorg.com
According to the USDA, 45 million turkeys are eaten by Americans each Thanksgiving, and more than 99% of grocery-store turkeys are the Broad-Breasted White breed. The white color is more natural for chickens, while it's a mutation for turkeys. The Broad-Breasted White can't fly or mate naturally, and is artificially inseminated. "Commercial turkeys have undergone tremendous genetic selection for breast size and breast meat yield," according to R. Michael Hulet, professor of poultry science at Penn State. “They also have been selected to grow quickly. While heritage turkeys may take 25 to 30 weeks to grow to 25-28 pounds, the commercial breeds become 40 pound birds within 18 weeks.” With the trend in locally raised food, the "heritage turkey" is experiencing a surge in popularity. Heritage breeds include: Black Spanish, Bourbon Red, and Slate. But whether a turkey is wild, commercial or heritage, they are all Meleagris Gallopavo, a species native to North America. Turkeys were domesticated in Mexico and taken to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, where they were selectively bred before being brought back to the Americas. The European breeds are the ancestors of both the Broad-Breasted White and the current heritage turkeys, which resulted from crossing European breeds with American wild turkeys. (And don’t forget the soybean alternative, Tofurky - Glycine max)
Evolution of the North American Ecosystem
November 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
15,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, North America's large animals —mammoths, mastodons, camels, horses, ground sloths and giant beavers — began their slide to extinction. And when their populations crashed, an entirely new ecosystem emerged as broadleaved trees once held in check by herbivores dominated the landscape. Then, the accumulation of woody debris sparked a dramatic increase in the prevalence of wildfire, another landscape shaper. This new picture of the ecological upheaval of the North American landscape just after the retreat of the ice sheets is detailed in a study published today (Nov. 19) in the journal Science. The study does not resolve the debate over what caused the extinction of 34 genera or groups of large animals, but it does seem to rule out the hypothesis that a meteor or comet impact some 12.9 thousand years ago was responsible for the extinction of North America's large animals. The decline was a gradual process, taking about 1,000 years. The researchers used dung fungus spores to establish a precise sequence of events, showing that the crash of ice age megafauna began before plant communities started to change and before fires appeared widely on the landscape. Establishing that the disappearance of the megafauna preceded the massive change in plant communities, provides critical new insight into the dynamics of extinction and its pervasive influence on a given landscape.
St. Louis Zoo Presents Awards at Marlin Perkins Society Dinner
November 19, 2009 www.stltoday.com By Deb Peterson
Ian Craig, strategic advisor of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Northern Rangelands Trust and Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, was given the zoo’s Conservation Award. Craig began running Lewa Downs, his parents’ cattle ranch in northern Kenya, in 1977. Since then he has become a major catalyst in saving the Grevy’s zebra, black rhino and other wildlife species close to extinction. The zoo began working with the wildlife conservancy in 1997 to preserve the Grevy’s Zebra. The zoo’s Corporate Award was given to Wells Fargo Advisors, which - along with its predecessor organizations - has been a 16-year member of the Perkins society and a participant in the zoo’s annual fundraising events. The corporation’s most recent contribution was Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation’s pledge of $2.5 million to fund the South Arrival Experience at the zoo. The zoo also said it is grateful for the involvement of the company’s employees over the years as leaders of the board and as zoo members. The zoo’s Foundation Award went to the Coovert Foundation in thanks for the group’s support for more than 25 years. The Coovert Foundation has underwritten the fundraising events, A Zoo Ado and ZOOFARI, for many years, and recently made a gift to the rhino viewing area in the River’s Edge exhibit. The zoo’s Individual Award went to Jay Henges in recognition of his service as a zoo trustee from 1993 to 2004, and as a commissioner since 2001. Henges and his wife, Carolyn, are 16-year members of the Marlin Perkins Society. Henges also serves on the Missouri Department of Conservation Commission.
Metrozoo Jaguar Dies During Medical Procedure
November 20, 2009 www.miamihearald.com
One of Miami Metrozoo's two jaguars died Wednesday during a medical procedure designed to stop his stomach problems. He was 3 years old. Palenque, who weighed 129 pounds, was part of the zoo's newest exhibit, Amazon and Beyond. Since Palenque's arrival at the zoo in August 2007, he has had intermittent troubles eating his food (a combination of horse meat, vitamins and bones). On occasion, he showed symptoms of larger gastrointestinal problems. The zoo was awaiting necropsy results Thursday.
Calgary Zoo Conservatory Reopens
November 20, 2009 www.calgaryherald.com
CALGARY- After a $25-million facelift, a larger, greener Enmax Conservatory has opened at the Calgary Zoo. A showcase both for plants and for alternative energy, the ambitious renovation project began in 2008. It includes an environmentally-friendly greenhouse, several display areas, a new classroom, a formal garden display and a spacious banquet area. The north side of the conservatory is home to the “Garden of Life,” which illustrates the connection between plants and people. On the south side, a flower display area will also house butterflies from early spring through fall. The revamped conservatory is also significantly more energy efficient than its predecessor, and is home to solar panels, a cogeneration unit that provides both heat and power from an engine the size of a dishwasher, a micro wind turbine and a solar thermal system. Calgary Zoo president and CEO Clement Lanthier, called the conservatory an “oasis of calm” and hopes it will teach visitors about the importance of plants and energy and how this is intertwined with the habitats of the animals.
Reid Park Zoo Elephant Exhibit on Track
November 20, 2009 www.elephant.co.uk
The Tucson Zoological Society is now just $1 million away from its target, having already raised $5 million for the new elephant habitat at Reid Park Zoo. Construction of the seven-acre area, to be named Expedition Tanzania, could begin in 2010. The zoo already accommodates two elephants, and hopes to acquire up to four more. This expansion will help the zoo develop a successful breeding program. A group called Save Tucson Elephants is hoping to block the plan and argues that the exhibit "will not adequately address the vast spatial and social needs of elephants". They want the zoo to relocate the two existing elephants to a sanctuary in Tennessee.
Trained Dogs Find Javan Rhinos in Vietnam
November 20, 2009 www.earthtimes.org
HANOI -- Biologists working with trained dogs have confirmed that critically endangered Javan rhinos remain alive in the Vietnamese jungle. WWF biologists in Vietnam and the country's forest service began using the dogs to survey a national park on November 10 and within 5 days had found 7 rhino dung samples. The Javan rhinoceros was believed to be extinct on the South-East Asian mainland until 1988, when hunters in Vietnam shot one. Biologists think fewer than 10 of the animals remain in Vietnam. The sniffer dogs were trained by Pack Leader, a US organization that specializes in dogs for wildlife surveying. They were first exposed to Javan rhino dung in Indonesia before being brought to Vietnam for the survey. Becker said the organization was keeping secret the name of the national park where the rhinos were found, to protect them from poachers.
U.N. Calls For More Environmental Protection in Wartime
November 20, 2009 www.nytimes.com By PETE BROWNE
A report released this month by the United Nations Environment Program and the Environmental Law Institute calls for stronger international laws to protect the environment during times of war. The report found that although existing laws of war — their wording is imprecise. Internal conflicts within nations are not covered by existing legislation. The study called for new legislation to address this and highlighted the need for laws to protect economically important ecosystems like aquifers, agricultural lands, parks, national forests and habitats of endangered species. Of course, whether warring parties will make much effort to observe United Nations environmental rules is an open question. The Worldwatch Institute, a Washington-based research group, claims that, ”Research has shown that it costs much less to prepare communities for disasters than it does to repair them in the aftermath of such an event. Policymakers should keep this in mind as they consider the magnitude of resources they will allocate to establishing and enforcing environmental protection statutes in pre-, post- and current conflict areas.”
Disney Movie “Old Dogs” Uses Santa Ana Zoo
November 20, 2009 ocresort.freedomblogging.com
The Disney movie “Old Dogs,” opens next week. It stars Robin Williams, John Travolta, and Seth Green. The zoo scenes were filmed last summer at the Santa Ana Zoo. Set workers changed the sign at the front entrance to make it the “Burlington Zoo” and transformed an exhibit that usually houses howler monkeys into a gorilla enclosure. They also brought in three or four live penguins and turned the zoo’s Tierra de las Pampas exhibit into a penguin-perfect snow scene. The gorilla holding Seth Green was just “Hollywood magic”. Zoo employees got used to seeing its animatronic head and other parts lying around between shoots. A few also saw it in action – flinging a tire at stunt doubles for the lead actors. The filming shut down the zoo for four days. The production company paid about $13,000 to compensate the zoo for lost ticket revenue, concessions, staff overtime and security. The zoo also received some Frisbees, t-shirts and other promotional tie-ins that it will be giving away in the coming days.
Controlling Catalina Island’s Buffalo Population
November 20, 2009 www.contracostatimes.com By Kristin S. Agostoni
CATALINA ISLAND, California -- In 1924, a film crew moved 14 bison onto Catalina Island for a movie. Not only were the animals cut out of the silent film, they were left behind. To trim the population that once numbered 600, the conservancy that oversees most of the island has sold bison to an auction house and shipped them to South Dakota Indian reservations. But now a birth control program will be instituted to manage the population. The goal is to reduce the annual growth of the herd from nearly 10 percent to 4 percent, about equal to the annual mortality rate. The ideal population to protect the island’s ecosystem and ensure the health of the herd would range from 150 to 200 animals. The porcine zona pellucida vaccine will be administered annually to female bison over the age of 2. The contraceptive has been administered for years among deer, elk, wild horse and other bison populations. But Catalina's application of the vaccine marks its first use on a wild bison herd, says Dr. Jay Kirkpatrick of the Billings, Mont.-based Science and Conservation Center at ZooMontana. Kirkpatrick, who has been a consultant on the use of wildlife contraception since 1988, has been training conservancy scientists. The process can be reversed by not administering the vaccine in subsequent years. The birth control program will cost $200,000 over the next five years, cheaper than shipping the bison away. (Last month, 150 of the animals were sent to a reservation at a cost of about $100,000.) At $24 per dose, the PZP shots will be more cost effective in the long-run than having the animals relocated. In Defense of Animals Southern California regional director, Bill Dyer says IDA will contribute a quarter of the inoculation costs over the five-year period.
Renovated Kiwi Exhibit At Mt. Bruce Wildlife Centre
November 21, 2009 www.stuff.co.nz By Tanya Katterns
MASTERTON, New Zealand -- The Mt Bruce Wildlife Centre is a 940 hectare forest that is home to New Zealand's most endangered species – the kiwi. The facility plans a $1.5 million upgrade and expansion their nocturnal house. Twenty-year-old flood-prone kiwi enclosures are to be overhauled and renovated and the centre's Operation Nest Egg program will be shifted from its spot out of the public eye to the new kiwi house. For the first time, visitors to the centre will be able to watch kiwi eggs hatching. Next April, 30 kiwi from Little Barrier Island will be relocated to Mt Bruce – doubling the kiwi population in the forest. The project is the second stage of an overall upgrade. A year ago the colors, sights and sounds of an ancient forest were recreated indoors as part of a $1.4m redevelopment of the visitor centre. The Campbell Island teal now thrives back in its home territory and populations of little spotted kiwi, North Island robin and shore plover have been established again. Last year four little brown kiwi were killed by invading ferrets.
Senkwekwe Center Will House Mountain Gorillas
November 21, 2009 edition.cnn.com
The only two baby mountain gorillas in captivity -- orphaned two years ago after their mothers were slain in massacres -- will soon be romping in a special sanctuary, the Senkwekwe Center now under construction in Virunga National Park, where about 200 of the world's remaining 700 mountain gorillas live. Authorities began building the center in July 2007 but had to stop work after rebels invaded the park during the long-running civil war that raged in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Work resumed in September as hostilities subsided. The center is expected to be ready for occupancy by March. The babies, Ndeze and Ndakasi, were found in 2007 when they were 2 months old, one on her slain mother and the other on the back of her brother, who was alive when the baby was found. Park rangers who found the babies took them to the city of Goma, where they have been living on a site with a house and trees. The Senkwekwe Center is a 2.5-acre plot of forest three miles from the mountain gorilla habitat in Virunga. Emmanuel de Merode, director of Virunga National Park, said that along with sheltering the baby gorillas, the center offers "a unique opportunity to enable the local population to see gorillas, and provides a launch pad for the veterinary activities that are conducted throughout Virunga." The center will have a 40-by-40-meter interior holding facility, visitation platforms, an education center and veterinary facilities. The wildlife authority is raising $100,000 for the completion of the center, and donations will be matched by the United Nations Foundation.
Beetle Threatens Monarch Butterfly’s Hibernation Site
November 21, 2009 www.physorg.com
Monarch butterflies annually migrate each winter from Canada to Mexico. But the trees they favor, oyamel firs, are being attacked by beetles. Some 8,000 oyamel fir trees were cut down in July in an effort to remove beetles. "We are working to determine how many trees have been affected," said Homero Gomez, president of El Rosario Sanctuary, in the western Mexican state of Michoacan. Local residents, who help manage and maintain the sanctuary, have asked the authorities to fight the new intruder by using natural substances and without felling trees. The Monarchs fly 2,800 miles -- 50 miles per day -- arriving in early November in the high mountain massifs of Mexico's transvolcanic belt, where they hibernate until February in huge colonies. Thousands of tourists come to observe their majestic aerial dances in the El Rosario Sanctuary, home to five million trees of various species.
Genetic Study of Western Gorillas in Zoos
November 21, 2009 www.bioone.org
Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) were imported from across their geographical range to North American zoos from the late 1800s through 1974. The majority were imported with little or no information regarding their origin or their genetic relatedness. In a recent genetic study, researchers from the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research were able to delineate clusters of individuals among a sample of founders of the captive North American zoo gorilla collection. They found the majority of North American zoo founders to be distributed into two distinct clusters, and that some individuals are of admixed ancestry. Their data also show that the genetic diversity estimates in the founder population are comparable to those in wild gorilla populations (Mondika and Cross River), and that pair-wise relatedness among the founders is no different from that expected for a random mating population. However, the authors urge the need for incorporating genetic relatedness estimates in the captive management of western lowland gorillas. The article appears in the December issue of Conservation Genetics.
How a Butterfly’s Proboscis Works
November 22, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A butterfly's proboscis looks like a straw but it works more like a paper towel. The insects' liquid food -- drops of water, animal tears, and the juice inside decomposed fruit -- spans nearly three orders of magnitude in viscosity. Pumping liquid through its feeding tube would require an enormous amount of pressure. "No pump would support that kind of pressure," says Konstantin Kornev of Clemson University. "The liquid would boil spontaneously." Instead of pumping, Kornev's findings suggest that butterflies draw liquid upwards using capillary action -- the same force that pulls liquid across a paper towel. The proboscis resembles a rolled-up paper towel, with tiny grooves that pull the liquid upwards along the edges, carrying along the bead of liquid in the middle of the tube. Kornev has been recently awarded an NSF grant to develop artificial probes made of nanofibers that use a similar principal to draw out the viscous liquid inside of cells and examine their contents. Through biomimicry, he hopes to copy this piece of insect anatomy to make small probes that can sample the fluid inside of cells. Kornev will present his work next week at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society's (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics.The presentation is titled: "Butterfly proboscis as a biomicrofluidic system".
Tipperary Sanctuary History
November 22, 2009 www.dailytelegraph.com.au
NORTHERN TERRITORY, Australia -- Warren Anderson, a millionaire property developer, established Tipperary Sanctuary in 1986. Mr Anderson was accused of animal neglect for failing to adequately feed two of his rhinoceroses in 2003 and was subsequently arrested at gunpoint, but later exonerated. The territory government was forced to publicly apologize and pay Mr Anderson an undisclosed sum of money. Mr Anderson eventually tried to sell the animals and the property. Mareeba Wild Animal Park in Queensland was to take most of the animals. But the deal hit difficulties when the Mareeba sanctuary was raided in March 2004 by the Australian Federal Police, investigators from the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and the RSPCA. The owner of Mareeba, David Gill, fled to the UK, leaving the pending transfers in limbo. Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA) at that time offered to relocate the animals caught up in the legal dispute. A spokesman for ARAZPA said a small number of animals were later successfully transferred to Mareeba Wild Animal Park, which has since been sold and is now the Cairns Wildlife Park. It unknown how many animals were transferred since no animal inventory list for Tipperary existed. Kevin Gleeson, the owner of Mary River Australian [Hunting] Safaris, said he purchased about 300 animals from Mr Gill, including herds of critically endangered African scimitar horned oryx and addax (The scimitar horned oryx is extinct in the wild and efforts are under way to reintroduce it.) Mr Gleeson said the scimitar horned oryx herd had doubled in size since being transferred to his property, about 300km south of Darwin, and that none had been taken as trophies to date. "I've got to be able to afford to feed and keep that animal, so sustainability is the key," he said.
Oakland Zoo’s Volunteer Program
November 23, 2009 www.sfgate.com
The Oakland Zoo has more than 85 docents - trained volunteers who lead tours and interpret animal and conservation exhibits for zoo visitors. There are three training modules, each one covering one of the three main areas: African Savannah, Rainforest and Children's Zoo. Training modules last five weeks, including a Wednesday night lecture and a Saturday morning session at the zoo. ZAMs are given binders with factsheets on all the Zoo’s animals: how they arrived at the zoo, their adaptations, their names and native habitats. Volunteers need to complete one module to become a Zoo Ambassador or ZAM and all three modules and a final docent exam to become a docent. The minimum requirement is 50 volunteer hours per year - 40 with the public and 10 hours nonpublic. Not every docent pursues animal handling certification with the education animals, and it's considered a special privilege due to the many protocols. www.sfgate.com
Giraffe Injures Neck in Move to Tulsa Zoo
November 23, 2009 www.tulsaworld.com By SARA PLUMMER
A 5-year-old female giraffe from the Wilds Zoo in Ohio sustained a neck injury while being transported to the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma on October 18th. She has been eating, moving and interacting with the other giraffes in the exhibit despite the noticeable crick in her neck. She was initially treated with pain and anti-inflammatory medications for the injury. “We have been easing back on those, but making sure she is comfortable,” said zoo veterinarian Kay Backues. “She’s giving no indications she’s in a lot of pain.” A giraffe’s neck has seven vertebra, the same number as most mammals, including humans. The vertebra are much longer, with a strong ligament along the back of the neck that holds the giraffe’s head up. Because of Amali’s misalignment, the ligament seems to be working against the vertebra. Keepers have been monitoring Amali constantly since she arrived and have been training her to go into the restraint chute so X-rays can be taken to determine whether the condition can be treated or if the injury is permanent. Other zoos have had giraffes with similar injuries including the zoo in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Louisville, Ky. Both injuries happened when the giraffes were young and they did not get better as the giraffes developed. An equine surgeon from Oklahoma State University will do a visual examination of Amali to see if surgery is a possibility.
New Columbus Zoo Director Chosen
November 23, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com
COLUMBUS, OH -- The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has selected Dale Schmidt as the new Executive Director. Dale, the Zoo’s Chief Operating Officer, has served as Interim Director since the untimely passing of Jeff Swanagan in June 2009. Dale came to the Columbus Zoo in October 2008 from the Oregon Coast Aquarium, where he served as President/CEO. Prior to his five-year stay in Oregon, Dale was Executive Director of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Vice President of Operations at The Florida Aquarium. He also served as a consultant to the Georgia Aquarium and learned to love the industry at Busch Gardens and Universal Studios. Dale received his undergraduate degree in natural sciences from the University of South Florida and is active in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
New Chameleon Discovered in Tanzania
November 23, 2009 www.redorbit.com
TANZANIA -- Dr Andrew Marshall, from the Environment Department at the University of York, was surveying monkeys in the Magombera Forest when he disturbed a twig snake eating a chameleon. The specimen was collected, tested and compared to two others found by scientists in the same area and has now been named Kinyongia magomberae (the Magombera chameleon). Dr Marshall, who is also Director of Conservation Science at the Flamingo Land theme park and zoo, is leading a research project investigating changes in the Magombera Forest which is an important resource for people in the area and home to wildlife, including endangered red colobus monkeys. The research paper entitled: ‘A new species of chameleon (Sauria: Chamaeleonidae: Kinyongia) from the Magombera forest and the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania’ is published in volume 58(2) of the African Journal of Herpetology.
Horse Genome Project Web Site
November 23, 2009 www.uky.edu
The Horse Genome Project is a cooperative international effort by over 100 scientists in 20 countries to define the genome, the DNA sequence, of the domestic horse. On the left-hand side of the page, visitors can make their way through five sections, including "The People", "The Horses", "Genomics 101", and "Applications of Genome Study". "The Horses" area is a good place to start, as it gives an overview of the animals being used in the project. In "Genomics 101", interested parties will find an overview of some basic terms used in the field, such as gene, allele, and mutation. The "Applications of Genome Study" area focuses in on how their work will be used to benefit the health and welfare of horses.
New Lowland Gorilla Population Needs Protection
November 23, 2009 www.physorg.com
A new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society says that western lowland gorillas living in a large swamp in the Republic of Congo—part of the large population of more than 125,000 gorillas discovered last year—are becoming increasingly threatened by growing humans activity in the region. WCS researchers recently surveyed the Raphia swamp forests in the Republic of Congo and found higher gorilla densities than expected. Using methodologies based on counting the nests constructed by gorillas and the decay rates of these temporary structures, the researchers calculated that the study area (measuring 379 square miles) contained an estimated population of 5,042 gorillas, more in fact than previous estimates for the site. The result is one of the highest density estimates ever calculated for gorillas—more than 13 gorillas per square mile. The swamp also supports large numbers of chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, elephants, and other rain forest species. The study appears in the November issue of the journal Oryx. The authors include Hugo Rainey, Emma Stokes, Fiona Maisels, Samantha Strindberg, Fortuné Lyenguet, Guy-Aimé Malanda, and Bola Madzoké from the Wildlife Conservation Society: and Domingos Dos Santos from the Republic of Congo Minstčre de l'Economie Forestičre. They recommend protection of the swamp forests adjacent to the southwest border of Lac Télé Community Reserve after recent surveys confirmed that high densities of the great apes still exist in the remote location.
Elephant Control Device
November 23, 2009 www.physorg.com
An Indian engineer has created a device to stop an elephant attack. Zachariah Mathew's Violent Elephant Control Gear has been designed to provide a humane alternative to sedating the animals, which are often used in religious festivals. "During these festivals, sometimes an animal might act out," said James George, marketing manager for Senzo Engineering, in Mumbai. "People close by fire sedative shots. They don't want to kill the animal but just bring it under control. Due to panic and fear, instead of one or two shots, they fire three, four, five, six and the animal gets an overdose." Mathew's device involves attaching a fibreglass box weighing six to eight kilograms (13 to 18 pounds) to one of the elephant's back legs. At the first sign of the animal turning violent, the mahout or elephant driver can activate the battery-operated device by remote control, sending a nylon belt contained inside to wrap around the tusker's other hind leg. "The elephant is a very clever animal. He knows he won't be able to move. He won't run at a great speed that may damage his leg." George said the device will retail for about 25,000 rupees (540 dollars).
Orangutan Electronic Surveillance in Malaysia
November 23, 2009 news.mongabay.com
SABAH -- Laurentius Ambu, wildlife department head in Sabah state on Borneo island, said three rescued orangutans had coin-sized transmitters implanted in their necks in September. (Each transmitter is about 35 millimeters in diameter and 10 millimeters wide. It is placed in the neck area where the skin is thick and has fat deposits. It can be turned on and off using a magnet without having to surgically remove it first.) They now live in a sanctuary that houses 250 orangutans in Sabah. Researchers plan to release the animals and monitor their activities. Laurentius said Sabah has about 11,000 of the 50,000 to 60,000 orangutans left in the wild. 80 percent of the world population is in Indonesia and the rest in Malaysian's eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo island. A 2007 assessment by the United Nations Environment Program warned that orangutans would be virtually eliminated in the wild within two decades if current rates of deforestation continue. Orangutan habitats in Malaysia and Indonesia are disappearing as their jungle homes are cleared for logging and to make way for plantations.
5 African Painted Dogs Weaned at Pittsburgh Zoo
November 24, 2009 www.philly.com
PITTSBURGH - Five African painted dogs born October 25th at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium have been weaned from the domestic dog who served as a surrogate mother. The pup’s mother died of a ruptured uterus shortly after delivering a litter 9 on Oct. 25. One pup died at birth, and four of the nine remaining pups died over the next 11 days. The mortality rate for painted pups is 50 percent, even when born in the wild to a healthy mother.
AAP Foundation Opens New Primate Rescue Centre in Spain
November 24, 2009 www.prnewswire.com
ALMERE, The Netherlands and VILLENA, Spain, -- The Dutch AAP Foundation officially opens a new rescue centre today in Spain called AAP Primadomus. Dr. Jane Goodall, a campaigner for chimpanzees, will host the opening ceremony, with guests attending from all over Europe. Primadomus is situated in Villena, approximately fifty kilometers West of Alicante. The centre will offer a permanent residence for chimpanzees and other primates that have no place else to go. AAP cooperates with government institutions and other animal welfare organizations to rescue these animals. Earlier this month, ten chimpanzees known as 'Donkey's group' were the first inhabitants to move to Primadomus. These chimps were rescued from circuses, unscrupulous zoos and private owners. Primadomus will eventually offer permanent housing to approximately 150 animals from around Europe.
Siberian Tiger Report Released by WCS
November 24, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
The Siberian Tiger Monitoring Program, which is coordinated by the Wildlife Conservation Society in association with Russian governmental and NGOs, conducts annual tiger surveys at 16 monitoring sites scattered across the tiger’s range. The monitoring area, which covers 9,000 square miles, represents 15-18 percent of the existing tiger habitat in Russia. Only 56 tigers were counted this year. Deep snows may have forced tigers to reduce the amount they traveled, making them less detectable, but the report notes a 4-year trend of their decreasing numbers and a 40 percent decline in numbers from a 12-year average. The total number of Siberian tigers across their entire range was estimated at approximately 500 individuals in 2005, having recovered from less than 30 animals in the late 1940s. "While the results are indeed bad news in the short term, we believe the overall picture for Siberian tigers remains positive," said Colin Poole, director of Asia Programs for the Wildlife Conservation Society. "There is an enormous amount of good will for saving Siberian tigers. We just need to translate this into action." WCS's conservation work in this region has been generously supported by 21st Century Tiger, E. Lisk Wyckoff, Jr. and the Homeland Foundation; Save The Tiger Fund – a partnership of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the ExxonMobil Foundation; US Fish and Wildife Foundation; Robertson Foundation; Panthera; and the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation.
China Moves to Protect Pandas from H1N1
November 24, 2009 www.ap.org
BEIJING – A panda research center in northwestern China has been closed to visitors as a precaution to protect the endangered species from catching swine flu. There have been reports from veterinary and federal officials in the United States of cats and ferrets catching the disease. Cold temperatures and heavy snowfall over the last week at the Shaanxi Wild Animal Rescue and Research Center in Shaanxi province have increased flu symptoms and the number of H1N1 cases among zoo employees. The center has stopped recruiting new volunteers and banned employees with flu symptoms from approaching the pandas. The center, one of four giant panda reserves in China, is home to 21 giant pandas. The first H1N1 flu death in Shaanxi was reported Nov. 20, and at least 13 other people are critically ill with the virus as of Monday. China is moving aggressively to vaccinate vulnerable groups, such as students, with the start of winter and the flu season. The country has officially reported nearly 70,000 illnesses with 53 deaths from swine flu, but health experts suspect the real number of cases could be higher.
Rehab Centers Struggling to Save Penguins
November 24, 2009 www.washingtonpost.com By Juliet Eilperin
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA -- More than half of all penguin species rank as either endangered or vulnerable to extinction, according to the IUCN. Climate change is one of the main threats to penguins' existence. The Magellanic penguins are traveling about 25 miles farther during incubation and going farther from their nest to raise their chicks than they did a decade ago. Overfishing is another driver. Humans are collecting krill -- an important part of the penguin's diet -- in ever-increasing numbers and taking other fish in a way that transforms the ecosystems that have sustained the birds for centuries. And oil pollution continues to injure penguins from Argentina to South Africa. In 1994, rescuers took in 10,000 penguins soiled by the sinking of the Apollo off South Africa's coast, 5,000 of which survived. Six years later 19,000 were contaminated by a similar sinking of a ship called the Treasure, 17,000 of which lived. (An unknown number of penguins died in the field each time.) Penguins are particularly vulnerable to petroleum spills because they swim low in the water, must surface regularly to breathe, do not fly, are less able to detect and avoid petroleum than other seabirds, and often encounter discharges of petroleum when they are at sea. Petroleum pollution has killed thousands of penguins in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, South America, and even Antarctica. Rehabilitation centers such as the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds -- and the 25 that exist in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay -- have saved a significant number of penguins. Studies have shown the population of African penguins, a separate species, is 19 percent higher than it would have been without such efforts, but its overall population has still declined 90 percent over the past century.
San Diego Zoo 2010 Calendar Draws Criticism
November 25, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com BY JEANETTE STEELE
BALBOA PARK — The San Diego Zoo has made global warming the theme of its 2010 calendar, which is sent to nearly 250,000 households in the November edition of ZOONOOZ magazine. The zoo has published a calendar yearly since the 1970s and this is the first time people have complained about the topic, according to editor Karen Worley. Ron Swaisgood, director of applied animal ecology at the zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research, said the zoo provides entertainment to visitors, but it also wants to use its high profile in the community to help protect wild animals. “When there’s good, sound science behind things, we want to step up and let people know and even advocate for change,” Swaisgood said. The zoo has expanded its conservation programs in recent years and now works on several regional projects, such as saving San Bernardino National Forest’s mountain yellow-legged frog, in addition to its famous breeding programs for pandas and California condors. The calendar message is tied to the zoo’s plans to unveil a renovated polar bear exhibit next year with a focus on climate change.
Causes of Desert Tortoise Malady
November 25, 2009 www.sltrib.com
ST GEORGE, Utah – The 62,000-acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve was created in 1996 to protect the desert tortoise, designated as a threatened species. A growing number of them are contracting what is believed to be a bacteria that produces symptoms similar to the common cold in humans. To study this upper respiratory tract disease, reserve officials got funding from the Washington County Commission to have a veterinary pathologist conduct necropsies on up to six tortoises. (A veterinarian pathologist in Auburn, Ala., was chosen to perform the necropsies at $1,500 a piece. Results could take up to six months.) No one knows why the incidence of the illness is increasing, but Ann McLuckie, a wildlife biologist with the reserve said drought or fire can result in less food for the tortoises, which can make them more susceptible to disease. In a recent survey, several tortoises were found with clinical signs of the disease including runny noses and loose skin. “Once a tortoise contracts the disease, they have it forever,” McLuckie said, “but symptoms are not manifested when they have enough food and water. The disease appears to affect only adult tortoises and could be transmitted during mating when the normally solitary animals engage in rituals that include touching their bobbing heads. She said "Only necropsies can help confirm the exact strain of bacteria causing the disease and help determine how lethal and widespread an outbreak might be." Since 1990, about 400 of the tortoises have been located in the area now encompassed by the reserve, which is laced with 130 miles of hiking trails and open to the public. Bob Sandberg is administrator of the reserve.
Importance of Genetics to Conservation Plans
November 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
A population and phylogeographic genetic study of the water vole (Arvicola sapidus) throughout its entire range (France and the Iberian Peninsula) has been completed by Alejandro Centeno Cuadros at the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC) in Sevilla, and the Department of Animal Biology of the University of Granada. This research has shown that it is necessary to study the DNA in three hierarchical scales: individual, population and species, in order to understand the current genetic distribution of animal species. Centeno Cuadros obtained DNA from bones of water voles preyed on by raptors and museum material, fur of water voles from national and international scientific collections, and fresh tissue obtained in populations of water voles in the Doñana Natural Region and in the Río Bergantes. Researchers believe the origin of this rodent species occurred in Iberia in the late Middle Pleistocene (250,000 years ago) as a result of isolation in the Iberian Peninsula of its ancestor species, which fled from advancing ice from North to South Europe during the Mindel Glaciation. The water vole is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. The study was published in Molecular Ecology, 18, 3652-3667.
Recent Chytrid Fungus Research
November 26, 2009 www.ecoworldly.com by Michael Ricciardi
In the 1980s, amphibian researchers conducting species inventories in Australia began noticing dramatic (up to 50%) declines in the populations of certain frogs. Soon, other researchers on other continents were also noting declining species counts, and even near extinctions. Curiously, the frog species that were most affected were those whose habitats were at higher elevations. After extensive study and analysis, a fungus found on many of the endangered frogs (or dominant in their local habitat) was identified: Batrachochytrium dendrobatitis (BD), a member of family of fungi referred to generally as chytrids. Some chytrids are uni-cellular and possess a flagellum (a whip-like tail that provides locomotion). Results of a recent study conducted by amphibian experts (Longcore et al, reported in this month’s The Scientist), found chytrid fungi, surprisingly, “dominating” high-altitude, wet soils. Many species of the fungus were found in locations with little organic matter (something that frogs generally need). However, the BD fungus–believed to be the lead culprit in global frog declines–was not found amongst any of the sampled habitats. This absence of the frog-killing pathogen was of equal surprise to the researchers, but nevertheless, the strong presence of a related fungal species offered an important clue to its widespread appearance in other extreme environs. Mountain tops frequently experience high winds. Many fungi, as part of their life/reproductive cycle, produce spores which can be easily blown aloft and transported over great distances. Such spores, or asexual “resting structures”, are quiescent, protective packets of genetic material that are resistant to heat and dessication (loss of water), and whose growth is triggered only when the spore has found the most favorable environment (such as where frogs inhabit). It is not known currently if the BD fungus possesses this same facility, but if it is shown to, this could help tie together the two biggest known clues: the association of declining frogs with BD, and, frogs that inhabit more extreme environs seem to be the ones experiencing the most dramatic declines. Earlier studies (Lips et al) in Panama and Costa Rica also show that, at higher elevations (above 1000 meters), frog populations were practically decimated by chytridiomycosis (the disease caused by the BD fungus), while below this elevation, many frog species were still unaffected by chytrid fungi.
Quince Mil, Peruvian Conservation Hotspot
November 26, 2009 www.time.com By Lucifer Chauvin
Quince Mil, in Peru's southern jungle, will soon be connected to the world by a new highway. “It is a great opportunity for people throughout the valley to get their products to markets," says mayor Mario Samanez, who expects the blacktop to finally reach the town in mid-2010. An economist predicts that the road will generate close to $2 billion for local communities in the coming two decades. The government forecasts that the highway could add a full percentage point to GDP. He is also worried that it could spark the destruction of the area's pristine forests because of gold found in rivers. There are already more than 100 requests for mining concessions around Quince Mil (five have been formally granted). U.S.scientists are also working in the zone. "This is a biological hotspot. There is so much out there just waiting to be identified," says John Janovec, a botanist from the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. He is the coordinator for the Andes to Amazon Biodiversity Project that has documented new species of bugs, birds and plants. He has a revolving door program that continuously brings in other specialists. In early November he was sharing Quince Mil with Russ Van Horn, a leading expert in bears from the San Diego Zoo, and Eric Christenson, a botanist from Florida specializing in orchids. Van Horn is setting dozens of camera traps to document nocturnal animal activity. Read more at www.time.com
Poachers Wipe Out Sierra Leone’s Elephants
November 26, 2009 www.physorg.com
Poachers "wiped out" the entire elephant herd of 6 elephants in Sierra Leone's only wildlife park according to Ibrahim Bangura, senior superintendent of the agriculture ministry's Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit. Police said 10 poachers were arrested after the discovery of the elephant carcasses and those of four buffaloes in Outamba Kilimni national park, near the border with Guinea. "We believe the killing was done between September and October and this is a great blow to all of us," said Bangura. Tourism Ministry officials said a military unit has been stationed near the park after frequent incursions by poachers from Guinea and Mali.
Using Sound to Estimate Cryptic Species Abundance
November 26, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Birds communicate by singing or calling, and biologists have long counted these sounds to get an index of bird abundance. But it is much harder to work out the actual density of a bird population because existing methods need observers to measure either the distance to each bird, or whether they are within a set distance from the observer. Researchers Deanna Dawson of USGS and Murray Efford of the University of Otago, New Zealand have devised a way to estimate population density by combining sound information from several microphones. A sound spreading through a forest or other habitat leaves a 'footprint'. The size of the footprint depends on how quickly the sound attenuates. Mathematically, there is a unique combination of population density and attenuation rate that best matches the number and 'size' of the recorded sounds. They used computer methods to find the best match, and thereby estimate density. Their research is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The technique will also work with whale song and could improve ability to monitor whale and dolphin numbers.
Study of Artificial Refuges for Reptiles
November 27, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
The Aznalcóllar mining accident more than 11 years ago contaminated part of the Doñana National Park. Nine years ago, researchers from the University of Granada and the University of Barcelona began studying the reptile population in the Doñana ecological corridor. At that time it was found to be "very impoverished", with only one (the European gecko) of the 13 reptile species present in the surrounding areas. Despite all the landscape restoration work done after the disaster, the habitat had lost almost all the natural refuges for land fauna. So the team carried out a five-year experiment to show the need for refuges that provide protection against predators, and microclimate conditions. 120 groups of artificial tree trunks were placed on a 24-hectare experimental site. The modified area with the artificial refuges showed faster recuperation of the reptile community in terms of diversity and abundance of species than the control area that didn't have any artificial refuges. After the refuges were installed, the reptile community grew from just one species, in 2000-2001, to six species in 2006. It also increased in abundance from one individual per unit effort to more than five. The biologists also deduced that colonization by reptiles of the Guadiamar Green Corridor was transversal rather than linear, in other words it didn't actually act as a corridor for the reptiles, or at least not during the initial stages of colonization. According to the researchers, the reptile populations colonizing the Corridor came from areas immediately bordering it, not from the source areas that the Corridor is supposed to connect, these being the marshes of the Guadalquivir in the south and the Sierra Morena mountain range in the north. The study was published in the journal Restoration Ecology.
Hammerhead Shark Vision Study
November 27, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Michelle McComb, Stephen Kajiura and Timothy Tricas, from Florida Atlantic University have conducted a study to find out how wide a hammerhead's field of view is and whether they have binocular vision with such widespread eyes. They found that the scalloped hammerheads had the largest monocular visual field, (182 deg.), and the bonnethead had a 176 deg. visual field, which was bigger than that of the pointy nosed blacknose and lemon sharks, at 172 deg. and 159 deg., respectively. The team then plotted the visual fields of both eyes on a chart of each fish's head to see whether they overlapped, and they did. The scalloped hammerhead had a binocular overlap of 32 deg. in front of their heads (three times the overlap in the pointy nosed species) while the bonnet head had a respectable 13 deg. overlap. When the team measured the binocular overlap of the shark with the widest hammerhead, the winghead shark, it was a colossal 48 deg. The hammerheads' wide heads certainly improved their binocular vision and depth perception. Finally, the team factored in the sharks' eye and head movements and found that the forward binocular overlaps were an impressive 69 deg. for the scalloped hammerheads and 52 deg. for the bonnetheads. The bonnethead and scalloped hammerheads have an excellent stereo rear-view - a full 360 deg. view of the world. The study was published on November 27 in the Journal of Experimental Biology at jeb.biologists.org.
Giant Pandas Arrive At Adelaide Zoo
November 29, 2009 www.smh.com.au By Tanalee Smith
ADELAIDE, Australia -- Giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi arrived at their new home in Adelaide yesterday. They were transported by climate-controlled semitrailer to a new $7.25 million, 25 acre enclosure at the Adelaide Zoo. They will spend the next month in quarantine in the enclosure, which includes refrigerated rocks to help them handle the Australian summer heat. Their first public appearance will be on December 13, when Governor-General Quentin Bryce officially opens their new home. Zoos South Australia chief executive Chris West said the pandas' 10-year stay (a long-term loan as part of a global giant panda genetic breeding program), is expected to generate $544 million for the South Australian state economy over 10 years, with an anticipated 262,000 overseas visitors and 1.3 million Australians visiting Adelaide to see the animals. The pandas already have their own website and sponsorship details for fans to buy bamboo, which they can consume at the rate of up to 40 kilograms a day. The female panda, Funi, which means Lucky Girl, is three years old. The male, Wang Wang, is four. They had lived at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, destroyed by the Wenchuan earthquake in May last year. Wang Wang's mother, Mao Mao, died in the quake.
San Diego Zoo Scientists Use Stem Cell Technology
November 29, 2009 www.voiceofsandiego.org By Jonathan Parkinson
Scientists at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research are working on two separate projects that employ new stem cell technologies. Oliver Ryder, director of genetics, heads a group that wants to reprogram adult cells from endangered drill monkeys and northern white rhinos into stem cells. Using a type of virus called a retrovirus, scientists introduce genes into the DNA of an adult cell that cause it to behave like an embryonic stem cell (a versatile cell that can divide to form any other cell type in the body). The group is collaborating with stem cell researcher Jeanne Loring and her lab at the Scripps Research Institute. Reprogrammed stem cells are one of today's hottest research areas, but there are risks. Retroviruses can occasionally cause a cell to become cancerous. Fortunately, the San Diego Zoo has an additional resource that could help detect defects in the reprogrammed cells. The Frozen Zoo, initiated in the 1970s, is one of the largest animal biobanks in the world, with DNA and tissue samples from more than 8,400 individual animals. By comparing the chromosomes in the reprogrammed cells to normal chromosomes from the same species, scientists can check for certain kinds of abnormalities.
Barbara Durrant, director of reproductive physiology and her research team are using a different stem cell technology. They've transferred male germline stem cells (cells that divide to form sperm in the testes) from adult quail to embryonic chickens. Once these chickens reach adulthood, they become cross-species sperm donors, producing not only chicken sperm but quail sperm as well. Ultimately Durrant’s group wants to work with endangered birds such as the California condor. "We can take germ cells from an animal who has never reproduced or is too old to reproduce and produce sperm," said Durrant. These methods also allow researchers to collect germ cells after the animal has died, culture them and preserve them.
The San Diego Zoo has participated in a couple of attempts to clone endangered species in the past; a banteng at the Wild Animal Park was successfully cloned in 2003. The older and more common methods of cloning, however, are extremely inefficient. Producing Dolly the sheep took hundreds of attempts. Stem cells could provide an easier and more efficient method of cloning. Although cloning can't save endangered animals from serious threats like habitat loss or poaching, it could assist in breeding efforts by duplicating valuable animals in a zoo’s collection or cloning from cells of dead animals stored in biobanks like the Frozen Zoo. While a few researchers elsewhere have talked about the possibility of resurrecting long-dead creatures like the woolly mammoth, Ryder and the San Diego Zoo aren't interested in those kinds of projects. "We focus on reducing the risk of extinction for species that are here now, as opposed to bringing back species that are extinct," Ryder said.
Lack of Carrion is Decimating European Vulture Population
November 30, 2009 www.guardian.co.uk By Giles Tremlett
Stringent regulations to control Mad Cow disease in 2002 meant the carcasses of dead cows, goats, sheep, and other livestock, could not be left in the open, and vultures were deprived of the carrion critical to their diet. Now they must do much of their feeding at managed carrion centres set up by authorities. "The effects of this policy include a halt in population growth, a decrease in breeding success, and an apparent increase in mortality of young age classes," a group of Spanish researchers said in a letter to the journal Science. Population growth has flattened out over the past decade after two decades in which they flourished. The number of griffin vultures in Spain, for example, increased from 3,500 pairs to 18,000 between 1979 and 1999. Last year 20,000 pairs were counted but there is evidence that populations have begun to decline rapidly. One observatory near Segovia, central Spain, reported a 40% drop over five years. Another observatory in La Rioja, northern Spain, reported an 80% drop, and says local vultures have stopped reproducing completely. Spain, which is home to 90% of Europe's griffin, cinereous and bearded vultures, has asked the European Union to relax the ban on leaving dead livestock where they fall. "For centuries there was no problem in leaving carcasses out," said Juan Antonio Gil, of Spain's Bearded Vulture Foundation. "The vultures cleaned them up. Now carcasses have to be collected and disposed of centrally, with all that means in terms of costs and the energy used," he said. Rather than spend money on tractors, trucks and diesel fuel, he said, the task could be done for free by vultures.
Toronto Zoo's Fundraising Falls Short
November 30, 2009 www.thestar.com
The Toronto Zoo's 10-year, $250 million fundraising campaign is estimated to generate just $16 million over its first five years. A report from acting chief executive Peter Evans showed the zoo will raise no money at all toward its capital campaign this year, and forecasts only $731,000 next year. If the zoo raises, as projected, $16.2 million over the first 5 years of the 10-year campaign, it would need to pull in $233.8 million over the final five. The board voted to terminate its relationship with the Toronto Zoo Foundation a year ago, amid complaints the foundation didn't have what it took to raise that kind of money. The foundation has since dissolved, after spending more than $60,000 in legal fees in 2008 to wind up the operation. Another $14,000 was spent on public relations consultations in that year. The zoo board is in the final stage of hiring a director of development, who will be the zoo's chief fundraiser. It's also seeking a permanent executive director to replace Calvin White, who retired in May. Giorgio Mammoliti, who heads the fundraising committee, is currently in China exploring the idea of securing a pair of pandas for the zoo.
Arapaima Fish Die at National Zoo
November 30, 2009 www.washingtonpost.com By Lori Aratani
Arapaima fish are one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. They live in the Amazon and Orinoco Basin in South America and typically grow to be 6 to 7 feet in length. The fish have been a part of the National Zoo’s Amazonia exhibit since 1993. On November 19th one of the adults was found dead, and on the 27th a second adult died. Both were approximately 17-years-old. A third adult is now in poor health and is being treated with antibiotics. A fourth juvenile fish appears to be healthy but is also being treated with antibiotics. The necropsy was inconclusive, and there was no apparent malfunction of the aquatic equipment. The catfish and pacus, which share the exhibit, do not appear to be affected.
African Naked Mole Rat Physiology
November 30, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Two University of Illinois at Chicago researchers report in the Dec. 9 issue of NeuroReport that adult naked mole rat brain tissue can withstand extreme hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, for periods exceeding a half-hour - much longer than brain tissue from other mammals. Professors John Larson, and Thomas Park, studied naked mole rats living about six feet underground in big colonies of up to 300 members. The living conditions for the animals is tight and the limited air supply is high in carbon dioxide and low in oxygen. The species showed systemic hypoxia adaptations in the lungs and blood, as well as neuron adaptations that allowed brain cells to function at oxygen and carbon dioxide levels that other mammals can’t tolerate. "In the most extreme cases, naked mole rat neurons maintain function more than six times longer than mouse neurons after the onset of oxygen deprivation," said Larson. All mammal fetuses live in a low-oxygen environment in the womb, and human infants continue to show brain resistance to oxygen deprivation for a brief time into early childhood. But naked mole rats, unlike other mammals, retain this ability into adulthood.
AZA Conservation Grants Awarded
November 30, 2009 www.earthtimes.org
SILVER SPRING, MD -- The AZA has announced that the AZA Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF) has awarded $170,000 to nine wildlife conservation initiatives. The AZA CEF supports the cooperative conservation-related scientific and educational initiatives of AZA members and their partners. Every major type of conservation and animal care initiative is represented — research, field conservation, education and outreach, animal welfare, animal health and animal management. Many CEF projects are collaborations among AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and state, federal and international wildlife agencies, academia and other conservation organizations. Since 1991, AZA’s CEF has supported more than 290 projects worldwide with nearly $5 million in funding. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) and the Walt Disney Corporation have provided supporting funds to the CEF for over a decade, which significantly increases the number of projects funded by the CEF each year. After a competitive review of over 80 applications, nine projects were funded for 2009. These include:
1. Effects of Disease Treatments on Captive Coral Health Ilze Berzins, John G. Shedd Aquarium / The Florida Aquarium
2. Quantifying and Validating Animal Care Takers’ Insights as a Tool for Continuous Monitoring of Zoo Animal Welfare Nadja Wielebnowski, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo Jessica Whitham, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo
3. Translocation as a Tool to Reintroduce and Supplement Florida Scrub-Jay Populations on Restored Conservation Lands Michelle Smurl, Brevard Zoo
4. In-situ and Ex-situ Conservation of the Critically Endangered Acroporids through Public Aquaria and Coral Reef Scientists Mike Brittsan, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Mark Schick, John G. Shedd Aquarium Kathy Vires, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
5. Daily Travel Distance of African elephants (Loxodonata africana) in Botswana Matt Anderson, San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research
6. Establishing a Captive Breeding Facility for Malagasy Amphibians Jennifer Pramuk, Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
7. Genetic Analyses of Amphibian Chytrid Fungus and the Global Extinction Crisis William Modi, Zoological Society of San Diego Erica Rosenblum, University of Idaho
8. Reintroduction of the Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog Ron Swaisgood, Zoological Society of San Diego Jeff Lemm, Zoological Society of San Diego
9. A Citizen Science Training Model for Investigating the Presence or Absence of Amphibian Chytrid Fungus in Amphibian Populations Penny Danielewicz, Buffalo Zoo Tiffany Vanderwerf, Buffalo Zoo
Endangered Species Permit Applications
November 30, 2009 www.thefederalregister.com
The public is invited to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species. Submit your written data, comments, or requests for copies of the complete applications to Lisa J. Lierheimer, Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority. Written data, comments or requests must be received by December 30, 2009
Applicant: Lemur Conservation Foundation, Myakka City, FL, PRT231674. The applicant requests a permit to import 6 captivebred red collared lemurs (Eulemur collaris) from the Hamerton Zoo Park, England, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: University of New Mexico, Museum of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque, NM, PRT084874. The applicant requests the renewal of their permit for the export/ reexport and reimport of nonliving museum specimens and nonliving herbarium specimens of endangered and threatened animals and plants species that were previously accessioned into the applicant's collection for scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: University of California, Los Angeles/Center for Tropical Research, Los Angeles, CA, PRT215520. The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from Centro de Investigacions en Ecosistemas de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, for the purpose of enhancement of the species through scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5year period.
Applicant: National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., PRT231151. The applicant requests a permit to import one male and one female captiveborn clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa) from Howletts Wild Animal Park, United Kingdom, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: William J. Butler, Juntura, OR, PRT232558. The applicant requests a permit to import the sporthunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Dr. Beth Shapiro, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, PRT220509. The applicant requests a permit to import blood and tissue samples from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) each of the 19 subpopulations for scientific research purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: John Downer Productions LTD, Bristol, United Kingdom, PRT 229154. The applicant requests a permit to photograph northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in Alaska, from boats and using aerial devices, for commercial and educational purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1year period.
Applicant: Pontecorvo Productions LLC, Seattle, WA, PRT230255. The applicant requests a permit to photograph polar bear (Ursus maritimus) dens in Alaska for commercial and educational purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1 year period.
Highway Warning System for Wildlife
November 30, 2009 www.seattlepi.com
MOSCOW, Idaho -- Idaho transportation officials have installed a solar-powered infared detection system along a 2,200-foot section of mountainous highway to keep motorists and moose apart. At an elevation of 3,050 feet, the area is known for its migrating wildlife. When deer or moose pass through the infrared beam, a flashing beacon goes off to warn drivers that animals may be on or approaching the roadway. The beacon runs for about 40 seconds each time the beam is interrupted by an animal. The beacon is on top of a yellow warning sign that shows the image of a jumping deer. Crashes involving animals can be deadly. Two Inland Northwest motorists have died this year after their vehicles collided with animals. One accident involved a moose on Interstate 90 near Liberty Lake, and the other involved a deer in Pend Oreille County. The $200,000 installation was financed by federal economic stimulus funds. The equipment came from a company in Minnesota where as many as 10,000 vehicles a year are involved in accidents with deer. Other segments of highway could get the warning systems if this one is successful.
Endangered Species Permit Applications
November 30, 2009 www.thefederalregister.com
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invites the public to comment on the following applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals. DATES: Written data, comments or requests must be received by December 30, 2009.
Applicant: Lemur Conservation Foundation, Myakka City, FL, PRT231674. The applicant requests a permit to import 6 captive-bred red collared lemurs (Eulemur collaris) from the Hamerton Zoo Park, England, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: University of New Mexico, Museum of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque, NM, PRT084874. The applicant requests the renewal of their permit for the export/ reexport and reimport of nonliving museum specimens and nonliving herbarium specimens of endangered and threatened animals and plants species that were previously accessioned into the applicant's collection for scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: University of California, Los Angeles/Center for Tropical Research, Los Angeles, CA, PRT215520. The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from Centro de Investigacions en Ecosistemas de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, for the purpose of enhancement of the species through scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., PRT231151. The applicant requests a permit to import one male and one female captive-born clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa) from Howletts Wild Animal Park, United Kingdom, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: William J. Butler, Juntura, OR, PRT232558. The applicant requests a permit to import the sporthunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Dr. Beth Shapiro, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, PRT220509. The applicant requests a permit to import blood and tissue samples from polar bear (Ursus maritimus) each of the 19 subpopulations for scientific research purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5 year period.
Applicant: John Downer Productions LTD, Bristol, United Kingdom, PRT 229154. The applicant requests a permit to photograph northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in Alaska, from boats and using aerial devices, for commercial and educational purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1year period.
Applicant: Pontecorvo Productions LLC, Seattle, WA, PRT230255. The applicant requests a permit to photograph polar bear (Ursus maritimus) dens in Alaska for commercial and educational purposes. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1year period.
Polar Bear Death Caused by Equine Herpesvirus
November 30, 2009 www.vetpathology.org
A 12-year-old female polar bear at the San Diego Zoo developed a sudden onset of muscle tremors, erratic circling, increased blinking, head shaking, and ptyalism, which progressed to partial and generalized seizures. Diagnostic tests were inconclusive, and the animal eventually had to be euthanized. A necropsy conducted by scientists from the Zoo’s Wildlife Disease Laboratories found the first occurrence of an equine herpesvirus crossing taxonomic lines to cause a fatal infection in a carnivore. This case is significant because of its potential to help us understand host-switching by pathogens, which is critically important for zoo animal management as well as being an important contribution to the field of emerging infectious diseases. The article appears in Vet Pathol. 2009 Nov;46(6):1138-43.
Ethiopia’s Gelada Monkeys
December 1, 2009 www.smithsonianmag.com By Abigail Tucker
Gelada monkeys live in large herds in the Simien Mountains of northern Ethiopia. In the 1970’s, their population was estimated at 100,000 to 200,000, but much land has been converted to farms since then. Jacinta Beehner, a University of Michigan biological anthropologist is conducting a ten-year gelada study, and estimates that there may be as few as 20,000. The noisy herds have a wide variety of vocalizations, with falsetto cries, explosive barks and soft grunts. Unlike most monkeys, geladas favor soft, protein-rich fescue grasses, shoveling away with both hands for hours each day. At night they disappear over the edges of cliffs to sleep on tiny ledges, safe from leopards and hyenas. Photographers Fiona Rogers and Anup Shah, visited Beehner's camp in Simien Mountain National Park for a month to photograph the animals. Male geladas are the size of large dogs, weighing 50 to 60 pounds. Females are about half as big. Both sexes have a bald, hourglass-shaped patch of skin on their chests that telegraphs a male's social status and a female's reproductive stage. Depending on hormone levels, the color ranges from eraser pink to fiery red. Males' patches are brightest during their sexual prime, and females' chest patches blister when they are in estrus. (They are also called "bleeding-heart baboons," though they are actually monkeys.) Beehner's focus is the evolution of social behavior, and geladas are very social. Herds can be up to 1,200 individuals. But most interactions occur within a harem, composed of a leader male, two to a dozen females and their young. The females are related to each other, and they sometimes turn on the leader if he is grooming them insufficiently, not protecting them or otherwise shirking his duties. Groups of bachelor monkeys lurk outside the herds. Every so often, a leader male, herding his harem and emitting high squeals, challenges a bachelor, which responds with a "roar bark." According to protocol, the leader tears around, raising a miniature dust storm, with the bachelor in pursuit. The ritual concludes when the leader leaps into a tree, rattles the branches and shrieks "Yeow-Yeow-Yeow!" The bachelor skulks away. "They are showing how strong and fit they are," Beehner says. "It's all about showmanship." If a leader is deposed he may be allowed to stay with a harem, where he cares for the young but loses mating rights.
Mule Deer Study by Idaho Fish & Game Department
December 1, 2009 www.localnews8.com
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – The IDFG will begin capturing mule deer across the state starting next month, to outfit them with radio collars. The Department hopes to collar 66 does and 330 fawns between December and mid-January. There are almost 1,000 active radio collars on mule deer in Idaho, helping biologists determine survival rates, habitat use and migration patterns. Some of the mule deer will be captured using clover nets, in which deer walk into a netted box. Others will be driven by helicopters into nets at the bottom of draws or placed in tall vegetation. When deer return to the high country during late spring and summer, fixed wing aircraft are used to locate many of the animals. When a collared deer stops moving for four hours, its collar emits a fast-paced beeping to help biologists locate the animal and determine why it died.
India’s Big Elephant Move is Questioned
December 1, 2009 www.deccanherald.com B S Srivani
The Central Zoo Authority’s recent order to move all elephants to elephant camps, national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves, has created much confusion and many wildlife enthusiasts and environmentalists argue whether such a move is appropriate or scientific. Two prestigious national parks - Bandipur and Nagarhole - come under the Tiger Project and are considered to be core critical tiger habitats. Development activity or any kind of human activity is banned in these parks. The Nagarhole park has 35-40 domesticated or tame elephants while Bandipur has five. Once zoo elephants join the camps, it is natural to suppose that human activities will increase. Zoo elephants are on a systematic diet and have regular medical check-ups. Shifting to camps will drastically alter their routine. Moreover, the emotional attachment an elephant develops towards its mahout, the kavadi and their families is hard to be replaced by strangers in a new environment. It is not clear whether the mahouts and the kavadis would go with the elephants to the camps, if they get the same salary and perks, and what happens to their families in such a situation. Then again, what happens to the African elephants after the Asian elephants are removed from the premises? The camp elephants have to be let out into the forest for foraging or grazing and it is clear that there is not enough food at Murkal camp. The elephants will also utilize the water-holes in the surrounding area, affecting other wild animals. Nocturnal animals give the water bodies a wide berth if the elephants are around. Then, there is also the possibility of contracting diseases. Diseases, commonly found in livestock, may spread to the wild animals, once they come into contact with each other. Pet elephants may spread diseases like septicemia, jaundice and anthrax. Wild tuskers are known to be regular 'visitors' to the camps whenever there are female elephants around. The possibility of these tuskers contracting diseases cannot be ruled out. Most of the wildlife experts and environmental activists are unanimous in their opinion that the Zoo Authority order is not only unscientific but also unnecessary.
U.S. Moves to Prevent a Global Pandemic
December 1, 2009 www.avma.org
The U.S. Agency for International Development announced Oct. 22 the start of its Emerging Pandemic Threats program. The five projects in the EPT program are as follows:
• PREDICT: The University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Wildlife Trust, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative are expected to receive funding from USAID of up to $75 million over a five-year span to implement a global early warning system. The goal is to more broadly address the role of wildlife in facilitating the emergence and spread of new diseases. The award builds on USAID's current monitoring of wild birds for the H5N1 influenza virus.
• RESPOND: A coalition of technical resources comprising the Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine; Development Alternatives, Bethesda, Md.; the University of Minnesota's School of Veterinary Medicine; Training and Resources Group, Arlington, Va.; and Ecology and Environment Inc., Chicago, is expected to receive up to $185 million in a five-year cooperative agreement with USAID. The project's aim is to strengthen countries' capacity to identify and respond to new disease outbreaks in a quick and sustainable manner.
• IDENTIFY: The World Health Organization, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) will work through existing grants to support the development of laboratory networks and strengthen diagnostic capacities in those areas thought most likely to be the source of emerging diseases.
• PREVENT: The Academy for Educational Development, Washington, D.C., and Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, San Francisco, would be awarded up to $70 million in a five-year agreement with USAID to build a behavioral-change communication response to infectious diseases and support efforts to characterize high-risk practices that increase the potential for spreading such diseases
• PREPARE: The International Medical Corps will provide technical support for simulations and field tests of national, regional, and local pandemic preparedness plans.
Dr. Jonna A. Mazet is the UC-Davis scientist leading the PREDICT component of the program. She directs the Wildlife Health Center within the new One Health Institute at UC-Davis' veterinary school. Two years ago, USAID commissioned a National Academy of Sciences expert advisory panel on how to improve and sustain global capacity for surveillance and response to emerging zoonotic diseases. The panel released its report, "Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response to Emerging Zoonotic Diseases," Sept. 22. The document calls for the United States to take the lead against global pandemics, working with global health organizations to establish a surveillance system that better integrates the human and animal health sectors, resulting in improved early detection and response. Thus, the EPT program was born.
Overfishing Linked to Algal Blooms
December 1, 2009 www.nature.com by Matt Kaplan
Nitrogenous fertilizers and detergents have long been known to cause algal blooms that block sunlight and strangle ecosystems, but a study now reveals that overfishing of large predatory fish is also playing a key part. In a new study, Britas Klemens Eriksson and a team from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have established that when predatory fish are prevented from accessing a given area, algae in that area becomes much more prevalent. The effect proved to be true when nitrogenous pellets were not in the system. Eriksson speculates that the effect results from the disruption in the food chain. Top-predatory fish feed on mid-level predatory fish, which in turn feed on invertebrate herbivores such as snails and crustaceans. These are the animals that control the algal community. Knock out the top predators, and mid-level predators develop huge populations which, in turn, reduce the numbers of algal-eating species, allowing blooms to grow unchecked. The team report in Ecological Applications that the most effective way to fight algal blooms is to take an ecosystem perspective and restore depleted fish communities.
Analysis of the International Shark Attack File
December 1, 2009 news.ufl.edu
The International Shark Attack File, housed at University of Florida’s Florida Museum of Natural History, contains more than 30 years of data from shark attacks. After a detailed analysis of the data, scientists can now say with a degree of certainty whether an attack was by a 14-foot tiger shark or a 9-foot bull shark, a distinction that has unforeseen emotional, ecological and even monetary benefits, said George Burgess, director of the File. The ability to make predictions from bite patterns is important to understanding the behavioral underpinnings of shark attacks and their prey habits, said Dayv Lowry, a biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, who did the work as a graduate student at the University of South Florida. Sharks are equipped with organs on the underside of their snouts – gel filled pits called ampullae of Lorenzini – that allow them to detect electromagnetic fields from their intended food. The analysis is published in the November issue of Marine Biology.
How Flowering Plants Evolved to Dominate Earth
December 1, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Flowering plants are the most abundant and ecologically successful group of plants on earth. One reason for this dominance is the relatively high photosynthetic capacity of their leaves. Using measurements of leaf vein density and a linked hydraulic-photosynthesis model, Dr Tim Brodribb and Dr Taylor Field of the University of Tasmania and University of Tennessee reconstructed the evolution of leaf hydraulic capacity in seed plants. Their results revealed that an evolutionary transformation in the plumbing of angiosperm leaves pushed photosynthetic capacity to new heights. The reason for the success of this evolutionary step is that under relatively low atmospheric C02 conditions, like those existing at present, water transport efficiency and photosynthetic performance are tightly linked. Therefore adaptations that increase water transport will enhance maximum photosynthesis, exerting substantial evolutionary leverage over competing species. The evolution of dense leaf venation in flowering plants, occurred around 140-100 million years ago, allowing these plants to play a fundamental role in the biological and atmospheric functions of the earth. "Without this hydraulic system we predict leaf photosynthesis would be two-fold lower then present," concludes Brodribb. "Without this evolutionary step land plants would not have the physical capacity to drive the high productivity that underpins modern terrestrial biology and human civilization." The study appears in the journal Ecology Letters.
Shark Fins Traced With DNA Forensics
December 1, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
STONY BROOK, NY -- New DNA research has, for the first time, traced scalloped hammerhead shark fins from the Hong Kong market back to the sharks' geographic origin. In some cases the fins were found to come from endangered populations thousands of miles away. Published online today in the journal Endangered Species Research, the findings highlight the need to better protect these sharks from international trade, a move which will be considered by CITES at its March 2010 meeting in Qatar. The work was led by the Guy Harvey Research Institute and the Save Our Seas Shark Center at Nova Southeastern University and the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University. The U.S. has proposed that CITES list the scalloped hammerhead and five other shark species under the organization's Appendix II, which would require permits for, and monitoring of, all trade in these species across international boundaries. Knowing the species and geographic origin of fins being traded would allow management and enforcement efforts to be allocated more effectively. The new research paper, "Tracking the fin trade: genetic stock identification in Western Atlantic scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini)," is published in a special theme issue of Endangered Species Research entitled, "Forensic Methods in Conservation Research." DNA samples from 62 scalloped hammerhead shark fins that had been obtained in the Hong Kong were analyzed. By examining each fin's mitochondrial DNA sequence -- a section of the genetic code passed down by the mother and traceable to a sharks' regional birthplace -- the researchers were able to exactly match 57 of the 62 fins to an Atlantic or Indo-Pacific ocean origin. The team also analyzed mitochondrial sequences taken from 177 live scalloped hammerheads in the Western Atlantic and determined that the species is further divided into three distinct stocks in this region: northern (U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico), central (Belize and Panama), and southern (Brazil). The scientists traced 21 percent of the Hong Kong fins back to these Western Atlantic stocks. Scalloped hammerheads in the region have been categorized as endangered by the IUCN since 2006. This coastal species appears to have collapsed in the western North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Rhino Poaching Surges in Asia & Africa
December 1, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
GENEVA, Switzerland – Rhino poaching worldwide is on the rise, according to a new report by TRAFFIC and the IUCN. The trade is being driven by Asian demand for horns and is made worse by increasingly sophisticated poachers, who now are using veterinary drugs, poison, cross bows and high caliber weapons to kill rhinos, the report states. Since 2006, 95% of the poaching has occurred in Zimbabwe and South Africa, according to new data. "These two nations collectively form the epicentre of an unrelenting poaching crisis in southern Africa," said Tom Milliken of TRAFFIC. The report, which was submitted to CITES ahead of its 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP15) in March, documents a decline in law enforcement effectiveness and an increase in poaching intensity. The situation is most serious in Zimbabwe where rhino numbers are now declining and the conviction rate for rhino crimes in Zimbabwe is only three percent. The report also raises concerns regarding the low and declining numbers as well as the uncertain status of some of the Sumatran and Javan rhino populations in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. "Sumatran and Javan rhino range countries need to increase efforts to better assess the current status of many of their rhino populations - enhance law enforcement and prevent further encroachment and land transformation in rhino areas - and improve biological management of remaining rhinos to ensure the few remaining Sumatran and Javan Rhino numbers increase," said Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Asian Rhino Specialist Group. The report does note that in some areas populations of rhinos are increasing.
America’s Top 10 Species Suffering from Global Warming
December 1, 2009 www.ens-newsletter.com
WASHINGTON, DC – A new report was released today that focuses on 10 species or groups of related species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act and under threat from global warming. An 11th species, selected in an online poll, is the polar bear, which is listed as threatened under the act. The global warming threats to these species include increased disease, diminished reproduction, lost habitat and reduced food supply.
Besides the species listed in the report, Huta points out that climate change is dangerous to a host of other species such as the Pacific walrus, the pika, the wolverine, the Boreal toad, Mason's skypilot, and the bearded, ringed and spotted seals. All literally losing ground to climate change. America's Hottest Species [PDF]
North Pole Wolf Ecology
December 1, 2009 www.usgs.gov
David Mech, a USGS wolf researcher, has been studying the Ellesmere Island wolves for the last 24 years during summer, which is pretty much the month of July. This year, Mech and Canadian researcher Dean Cluff utilized satellite collars to find out what arctic wolves do in winter in areas when it is dark 24 hours a day and temperatures can fall to -70 degrees Fahrenheit. When Mech first visited Ellesmere Island in 1986, he found that the wolves were tame because of little interactions with people. Since then, the wolf researcher has taken advantage of this unusual circumstance to uncover facets of wolf behavior and ecology that can't be learned anywhere else. This information supplements his other wolf research during the rest of the year in areas like Minnesota and Yellowstone National Park.
Mech encountered Brutus in 2003. He leads a pack of 12 adults and 6-12 pups and like all arctic wolves, the 9-year-old is mostly white. Brutus' collar collects and stores 2 locations per day, obtained via Global Positioning Satellites (GPS). Every 4 days the collar uploads the data to ARGOS satellites that email Brutus' location at a particular time and date to the researchers' computers. Unlike the VHF radio collar, which is still widely used to locate animals and birds, the GPS collar "listens" to the signal from a constellation of satellites and can calculate, by triangulating its own location, precisely where the animal is. Since the researchers left Ellesmere, the wolf has "emailed" 145 locations. So far, Brutus and his pack have covered an area of 740 square miles. And, said Mech, one day recently Brutus traveled about 21 miles (straight-line distance) in no more than 12 hours. "He no doubt went around steep Blacktop Mountain, which would have required travel of much more than 21 miles." The pack preys almost exclusively on muskoxen and arctic hares, and it has an unknown number of growing pups. Pups are usually kept at rendezvous sites until they reach adult size and can travel with the rest of the pack. In more southern areas, this occurs in about October, but in the Arctic researchers don't know when that occurs.
Elephant Matriarch Dies at Toronto Zoo
December 1, 2009 www.thestar.com
Tara, the 41-year-old matriarch of the Toronto Zoo's dwindling elephant herd mysteriously fell and died Monday at 11 a.m. Seemingly healthy, and the biggest of the zoo's elephants, she was spotted around 8 a.m. alone on the ground in her pen, said Eric Cole, supervisor of the zoo's African Savanna. Five months ago, Tessa, a 40-year-old, died after being knocked by another elephant as she rushed to get some hay. Another member of the herd, Tequila, 38, died in September 2008. The elephant’s normal lifespan is 40 to 45 years. As with Tessa, zookeepers tried unsuccessfully for hours to get the 3,855-kilogram female back on her feet. Tara's body was moved to the outdoor paddock where she was surrounded by Toka, 40, the new matriarch, along with Iringa, also 40, and Thika, 30, for a ritual that has been likened to a human funeral. Tara came to Toronto from the South Africa on a Polish ocean liner 35 years ago. She became the herd's "boss" about four years ago, after the passing of Patsy. With Tara gone, Cole said the zoo will be keeping an eye on the herd. "Whenever we lose an elephant, we have to assess how the loss will affect the dynamic of the group." The zoo will conduct a post-mortem examination with help from the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph.
Western Pond Turtle Exhibit at Oregon Zoo
December 1, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Bill LaMarche
PORTLAND, OR -- Just a decade ago, western pond turtles had nearly disappeared from Washington, their native habitat, with only 150 turtles left in the wild. Today, researchers estimate there are about 1,400. For almost a decade, the Oregon Zoo has been working to save them, rearing them in a protected environment until they are big enough to be released into the wild. Visitors can now view recent hatchlings at the zoo's conservation station, located in the Cascade Stream and Pond Building. Over the next nine months, zoo keepers will monitor and weigh the turtles. Once they reach a suitable size of about 70 grams, the turtles will be returned to the wild and monitored for safety. The Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project is a collaborative effort of the Oregon Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and USFWS. Every summer, wildlife recovery workers monitor female turtles in the field to determine where they will dig their nests. Once the turtles have laid their eggs, workers cover the nests with wire "exclosure" cages that help prevent predators from eating the eggs. The eggs are then allowed to incubate naturally, and hatchlings are collected in the fall. Unlike wild turtles, the zoo turtles are fed and kept warm throughout the winter, so by their summer release, the 10-month-olds are as big as wild 3-year-olds – big enough to avoid being eaten by predators like non-native bullfrogs.
Breeding Elephants at Pennsylvania Sanctuary
December 2, 2009 www.philly.com
FAIRHOPE, Pa. -- Officials at a southwestern Pennsylvania sanctuary run by the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium say they hope to begin breeding captive elephants next summer. Two females, Bette and Kallie, moved to the sanctuary from the Philadelphia Zoo last July. Jackson, an African bull elephant, will be mated with them at the 724-acre center in Fairhope Township, Somerset County. Barbara Baker, the Pittsburgh Zoo's chief executive, said the normal gestation for elephants is 22 to 24 months. By waiting until summer, the calves should be born during warmer weather in April, May or June 2012, instead of winter. Baker has also traveled to Africa to obtain additional sperm samples for possible use. Animal-rights activists say breeding Kallie and Bette, who are nearly 30, is too risky.
Fish DNA Samples Donated to Genome 10K Project
December 2, 2009 www.kake.com
The University of Kansas is donating fish tissue samples to the Genome 10K project, an international effort to map the DNA of 10,000 animal species. The samples will come from the university's Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, which has collected thousands of fish over the last 25 years. While zoos, museums and other institutions around the world are donating material, the Kansas donations are expected to make up 20% of the total data.
Great Bend Zoo Selects New Director
December 2, 2009 www.gbtribune.com
GREAT BEND, Kansas -- Great Bend officials have hired a man from Florida as the new director for the Great Bend Zoo. Scott Gregory, the former wildlife director of the Calusa Nature Center in Fort Myers, Fla., will begin his new job on Monday. Gregory replaces Mike Cargill, who resigned Sept. 11 after 16 years with the city.
Bighorn Sheep Die-Off Worsens
December 2, 2009 www.ravallirepublic.com by PERRY BACKUS
EAST FORK, Montana -- The East Fork bighorn sheep herd was established in 1972 when 35 sheep were transplanted there. Last spring, Craig Jourdonnais, FWP”s Bitterroot-based biologist counted 185 during an aerial survey. An outbreak of pneumonia in the herd has worsened over the past week. Some of the infected animals have been shot in an effort to slow the spread of the disease. Others were found already dead. “Any hope for a moderate infection rate is waning,” said Jourdonnais. The disease is nearly always fatal In the past, some bighorn herds infected with pneumonia in Montana have seen dramatic die-offs in the 60 to 70 percent range.
Jourdonnais said he’s found sheep that were too weak to stand. Others in earlier stages of infection are able to take just a few steps before stopping. “They are laboring just to move,” he said. The biologist has found a few small herds away from the main wintering area that appear healthy at this point. Tissue samples will be collected from dead bighorns over the next few weeks. The samples are sent to the FWP laboratory in Bozeman where they are used to identify the pathogen that could potentially help biologists locate the source of the disease. There are no known vaccines to prevent pneumonia in wild sheep. It’s a bad time of the year for the disease to show up in bighorn sheep. The rams are in the rut and are on the move. “They are highly social animals,” Jourdonnais said. “They are touching each other, licking each other and fighting with each other."
Antwerp Zoo’s Multi-Species Enclosure
December 2, 2009 www.eznc.org
Lions, Meerkats and Yellow Mongooses will be sharing an enclosure at the Antwerp Zoo in hopes of stimulating natural behavior. The new enclosure will mimic a piece of Kalahari desert by 2011. Each species in the exhibit will have its own private area where the other species cannot come, in addition to an area that is shared by all three species. Also in this shared part of the enclosure sufficient hiding places will be created for the Meerkats. The zoo will also supply the lions with plenty of food and not dependent upon catching Mongooses and Meerkats for dinner. Meerkats and Yellow Mongooses are also predators. In the wild they eat poisonous snakes and scorpions. The conversion fits in well with the development of a breeding program for the African lion that is being established by EAZA.
Dietary Study of 3 Hapelemur Species
December 2, 2009 www.interscience.wiley.com
Cyanide is generally lethal to mammals at high dosages and not often considered as a component of herbivorous mammalian diets. The three Hapalemur species in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, however, are notable exceptions. The Hapalemur species are year-round bamboo specialists that consume plant parts that are known to contain high levels of cyanide. In a study published in the January 2010 edition of the American Journal of Primatology, Chia Tan from the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research and other scientists tested 102 food, urine, and fecal samples for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) during two ‘‘pre-dry’’ seasons (April 2006, May 2007). Of the foods tested, only bamboo contained cyanide, but results differed among bamboo species and plant parts of the same species. Cyanide was present in almost all urine samples but rarely in fecal samples. This suggests that dietary cyanide is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract of the Hapalemur species and excreted, at least in part, by the kidneys.
Prairie Dogs Not Endangered
December 2, 2009 www.startribune.com By Matthew Brown
BILLINGS, Montana.- - Black-tailed prairie dogs were denied protection under the Endangered Species Act on Wednesday after federal officials concluded the species shows signs of rebounding. Decades of poisoning, shootings, the plague and loss of habitat to agriculture are blamed for a dramatic drop in prairie dog numbers since the early 1900s, from roughly one billion animals to an estimated 24 million today. In 2007, the New Mexico-based environmental activist group WildEarth Guardians petitioned the USFWS to list the animal as threatened or endangered. But the agency said Wednesday the population is slowly spreading despite continued pressure from sickness and deliberate killings. Black-tailed prairie dogs — burrowing animals that reach a little over a foot long and weigh up to three pounds — once occupied an estimated 50,000 square miles and ranged across at least 11 Central and Western states. Regarded by most farmers and ranchers as a nuisance, the animals are considered a keystone species among biologists. They are a primary food source for rare animals such as the black-footed ferret and their abandoned burrows serve as nests for owls. Prairie dogs now occupy about 3,750 square miles within a range that stretches from Montana and North Dakota south to New Mexico, Texas and Arizona.
Sarawak Wants Slow Loris Survey
December 2, 2009 thestar.com.my By SHARON LING
KUCHING -- The state Forest Department is seeking the help of institutions of higher learning to conduct research on slow loris, an endangered species found in Sarawak. Department deputy director Ali Yusop said the slow loris was so elusive that its ecology and habitat in Sarawak were not yet fully known. “We welcome experts from institutions of higher learning to conduct studies to help us find ways of preserving its population,” he told reporters at a workshop, attended by 150 participants from government and conservation agencies, and organized by the Forest Department and Britain’s Oxford Brookes University to enhance awareness of the slow loris and provide identification training for forestry and wildlife officers. The slow loris protected under Sarawak’s Wildlife Protection Ordinance and not permitted to be commercially traded.
Biodiversity Loss Affects Global Disease Ecology
December 2, 2009 www.uvm.edu
"Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss," — driven by the replacement of local species by exotic ones, deforestation, global transportation, encroaching cities -- can increase the incidence and distribution of infectious diseases in humans," according to a new multi-authored study in the December issue of BioScience titled, "Biodiversity Loss Affects Global Disease Ecology." “Diseases that used to be local are now global," says Joe Roman, biologist at the University of Virginia. "Diseases like West Nile Virus now spread around the world very quickly, and infectious diseases thought to be in decline — like malaria — have reasserted themselves and spread.” The authors reviewed all the studies and show that emergence or reemergence of many diseases [West Nile virus as well as malaria, the African parasitic disease schistosomiasis, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and several others] is related to loss of biodiversity. The standard argument for protecting biodiversity is often that, there are medicines out there and you don't want to destroy a forest where you might have a cure for cancer," Roman says, "and that's true — but I don't think that's as compelling as the fear that if you cut down the forest you or your kids are more prone to infectious diseases."
Dallas Zoo Fundraising
December 3, 2009 www.dallasnews.com By DAVID FLICK
On October 1, The Dallas City Council transferred management of the Dallas Zoo to the private Dallas Zoological Society. The city still retains ownership of the zoo. Since then, about $2.25 million in private funds have been pledged, by four donors. Currently zoo officials are trying to raise $1.5 million for the new Giants of the Savanna project. To raise funds the Zoo is forming a “Savanna Society”. Membership will require at least a $10,000 pledge to support the project, said Dallas Zoological Society president Michael Meadows. About $25 million of the $30 million cost for the Savanna exhibit will be funded by a bond issue that voters approved in 2006, and $5 million more has been pledged by private donors. The added $1.5 million – which includes a $500,000 pledge from the Eugene McDermott Foundation – will allow additional improvements. The 11-acre Savanna project is the most ambitious addition to the zoo since the Wilds of Africa exhibit opened nearly 20 years ago and is expected to open to the public in May. The African grasslands habitat will include a restaurant and a natural-looking habitat populated by animals such as elephants, giraffes, ostriches, warthogs and zebras, and a pride of five young lions, according to Gregg Hudson, CEO of the newly created Dallas Zoo Inc.
Yellowstone Bison Will Move to Ted Turner Ranch
December 3, 2009 www.nytimes.com
BILLINGS, Montana -- The head of Montana's wildlife agency has given preliminary approval to a plan calling for 74 bison from Yellowstone National Park to go to billionaire Ted Turner's private ranch. Officials hope to eventually use the bison to establish new herds on public lands. But conservationists see the move as privatizing Montana wildlife. The bison have been held in federal quarantine for the past several years to make sure they don't have the animal disease brucellosis. Turner offered to hold them for five years -- the duration of the quarantine program -- in exchange for keeping 90 percent of their offspring. That could amount to about 190 animals to offset his costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the quarantine in Corwin Springs, Mont., also opposes the move. Officials recommended the moved last month. Final approval must be given by Fish Wildlife and Parks chief Joe Maurier. Turner already owns about 50,000 bison, most domesticated, on ranches throughout the West. His restaurant chain Ted's Montana Grill serves buffalo burgers, although Miller has said the Yellowstone bison are prized for their pure genetics, not their meat. The animals would be kept on a 12,000-acre parcel within the billionaire's 113,000-acre ranch south of Bozeman. Fourteen more of the animals would be shipped to Guernsey State Park in southeastern Wyoming and kept on about 1,500 acres, said state park administrator Dominic Bravo. He said their offspring could be distributed to other state parks or interested public landowners.
2 Tons of Snakes, Tortoises Seized in Cambodia
December 3, 2009 www.nytimes.com
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Cambodian police confiscated two tons of live snakes and tortoises and arrested two men trying to smuggle the slithering cargo up a river from Cambodia to Vietnam, authorities said Thursday. Police intercepted the boat Wednesday on the Bassac River in southeastern Cambodia just before it crossed into Vietnam. They found 3,640 pounds (1,655 kilograms) of snakes, mostly pythons, and 263 tortoises that weighed a combined 697 pounds (317 kilograms), said Col. Chan Savouen, deputy police chief of Kandal province. Police arrested two Cambodians, aged 17 and 20, who said they were hired to transport the cargo but did not know the identities of their employers. They said some of the reptiles had been illegally hunted in Cambodia and others were trafficked from neighboring Thailand. The snakes and tortoises were released into the wild on Wednesday, he said. Vietnam is often used as a transit point for trafficking illegal wildlife from Southeast Asia to China to feed its market for exotic pets and foods.
Bird Call Study
December 3, 2009 www.news.ucdavis.edu
Birds' alarm calls serve both to alert other birds to danger and to warn off predators. And some birds can pull a ventriloquist's trick, singing from the side of their mouths, according to a UC Davis study. Jessica Yorzinski, a graduate student in animal behavior at UC Davis used a ring of directional microphones around a birdcage to record the songs of dark-eyed juncos, yellow-rumped warblers, house finches and other birds as they were shown a stuffed owl. All the birds were captured in the wild, tested, banded and released within 24 hours. Overall, the birds' alarm calls were relatively omni-directional, suggesting that they were given to warn other birds in the vicinity. However, the main species tested -- juncos, warblers and finches -- all showed an ability to focus their calls in the direction of the owl, so these calls could also function to warn off a predator. House finches were the least directional in their calls. They are also the most social of the species tested, Yorzinski noted. Some of the birds were able to project a call in one direction while their beak was pointed in another. The study was published Nov. 18 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B and was funded by the National Science Foundation.
UC Davis Helps Orphaned Mountain Gorillas
December 3, 2009 www.news.ucdavis.edu
On December 1, mountain gorillas Ndakasi and Ndeze were moved into a new forest sanctuary to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The move was coordinated by the UC Davis-based Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, which has been providing veterinary care for the orphans since they were rescued in 2007. UC Davis wildlife veterinarian Mike Cranfield is the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project's executive director and co-director of the Mountain Gorilla One Health Program. The Mountain Gorilla One Health Program was established at UC Davis in April with funding from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. UC Davis wildlife veterinarian Kirsten Gilardi, co-director of the Mountain Gorilla One Health Program, said it is too soon to know whether the orphans might ever live free. These two young females and two other orphans are the only mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in captivity in the world. An estimated 750 mountain gorillas survive in the wild. "Whether or not Ndeze and Ndakasi can be returned to the wild will be the decision of the Congolese wildlife and park authorities, and will depend on the gorillas’ development over the next several years," Gilardi said. "Moving them to this new, much more naturalistic setting is certainly a step in the right direction, and a vast improvement for their current well-being." The orphans' new home is Senkwekwe Center, built near Virunga National Park headquarters in Rumangabo. The facility was constructed by the Congolese wildlife authorities (known locally as the ICCN, for Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature) in part with significant donations from the nonprofit group Canadian Friends of the MVGP. Named after Ndeze's silverback father, who was also killed in 2007, the sanctuary encloses 2.5 acres of natural forest and includes a 1,600-square-yard interior holding facility where the babies are currently staying. Under round-the-clock care by ICCN staffers, Ndakasi and Ndeze will be able to explore an environment filled with trees they can climb and planted with native foods they can eat. "The orphans seemed to adjust to their new surroundings right away," said Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project regional veterinary manager Jan Ramer. "Within 15 minutes they had pulled down a banana tree and started eating it.” One of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project's veterinarians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eddy Kambale, will stay with the orphans at Senkwekwe Center for a week to make sure they continue to adjust well to their surroundings. He and fellow Congolese Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project veterinarian Jacques Iyanya will also follow up with regular health checks.
“BirdsEye”: A New App for Bird Watchers
December 3, 2009 www.getbirdseye.com
BirdsEye, a new application for the iPhone and the iPod touch, is now available. Using content from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Academy of Natural Sciences and bird expert Kenn Kaufman, this new application was developed by Birds in the Hand, LLC. It provides
information on where specific birds have been observed and directions to the sites. The new app offers a list of birds seen near your location and a map of birding hotspots for any point in North America - the contiguous 48 states, Canada, and Alaska. BirdsEye includes images and audio for 470 of the species that are most frequently observed in North America. Even for elusive birds, additional content is available — more than 847 species. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library archive, the largest collection of bird and animal sounds in the world, provided bird sounds, while the VIREO collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences provided the images. Kaufman wrote text for each species. BirdsEye accesses real-time observations that bird watchers submit online to eBird, a citizen-science project of the Cornell Lab and Audubon. Users of eBird file up to two million bird observation reports each month.
Bird Evolution Due To Human Activity
December 3, 2009 www.physorg.com
Feeding birds in winter can have profound effects on the evolutionary future of a species according to a report published online on December 3rd in Current Biology. The report shows that what was once a single population of birds known as blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) has been split into two reproductively isolated groups in fewer than 30 generations, despite the fact that they continue to breed side by side in the very same forests. The reproductive isolation between these populations, which live together for part of the year, is now stronger than that of other blackcaps that are always separated from one another by distances of 800 kilometers or more. The split that the researchers observed followed the recent establishment of a migratory divide between southwest- and northwest-migrating blackcap populations in Central Europe after humans began offering food to them in the winter. The two groups began to follow distinct migratory routes—wintering in Spain and the United Kingdom—and faced distinct selective pressures. "The new northwest migratory route is shorter, and those birds feed on food provided by humans instead of fruits as the birds that migrate southwest do," said Martin Schaefer of the University of Freiburg. "As a consequence, birds migrating northwest have rounder wings, which provide better maneuverability but make them less suited for long-distance migration." They also have longer, narrower bills that are less equipped for eating large fruits like olives during the winter.” Schaefer says it isn't clear whether the ecotypes will ever become separate species; in fact, he doubts they will because the habits of humans will tend to change over time. Even so, the findings do speak to the long-standing debate about whether geographic separation is necessary for speciation to occur and It doesn't have to take millions of years.
AZA Review of Topeka Zoo Is Underway
December 3, 2009 www.wibw.com
A special review of the Topeka Zoo got underway today at the city of Topeka’s request. The team of three AZA inspectors is being led by Gary Gettis, director of the Port Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington. He is joined by two veterinarians, Dr. Tom Meehan with Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and Dr. Eric Miller with the St. Louis Zoo. All have been part of AZA accreditation inspection teams in the past and have read the past reports questioning care at the Topeka Zoo. Gettis says he expects they'll spend 15 hours a day together both Thursday and Friday. The city's requested they focus on four areas: animal care and husbandry; the veterinary program; management and operations; and safety procedures and practices. However, Gettis says they won't close their eyes to anything they see. Their final report won't make specific recommendations, but Gettis says by providing observations and suggestions, the zoo’s governing authority can make appropriate changes. The team hopes to issue its report to the city before the end of the year.
Urinalysis in Asian Elephants
December 3, 2009 www.bioone.org
Information on the evaluation of urine in elephants is scattered and limited, although considerable evidence exists that elephants develop urinary tract disease. In addition, arthritic or ailing elephants are often treated with potentially nephrotoxic medications. A standard urinalysis involves determination of urine concentration, reagent strip (dipstick) analysis, and sediment examination. Bacterial culture is an additional option. Because evaluation of urine is a noninvasive diagnostic technique that can provide useful information about the urinary tract, establishing normal parameters for urine provides a useful diagnostic and monitoring tool. Researchers from Ringling Brothers and the University of Florida collected urine from 22 healthy female adult Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and analyzed it to determine normal biochemical and microscopic parameters. The elephant urine was less concentrated than that of other mammals. Because of the variability in urine, baseline values for elephants within captive herds should be obtained and regular assessments should be performed over time to allow trending of data. The study appears in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine / December 2009, pages 659-666.
Sun Bear Maternal Care Study
December 3, 2009 www.bioone.org
Suzanne S. Hall and Ronald R. Swaisgood of the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research provide data on the mother–cub relationship and early behavioral development in a sun bear, and summarize changes as the cub ages. They also provide developmental milestones documented in 2 cubs born in 2004, and in 2006 at the San Diego Zoo and compare them with those available in the literature. They conclude that the maternal care behavior of sun bears appears to be active, more like the giant panda and different from the passive maternal care displayed by American black and brown bears during the denning phase. The study appears in the journal Ursus 20(2):143–151
Clicker-Training Fish
December 3, 2009 www.examiner.com
In her book, "Reaching the Animal Mind" Karen Pryor describes teaching a fish to swim through a hoop using clicker training principles of positive reinforcement and operant conditioning. The fish she trained was a cichlid, commonly called an oscar. She purchased the oscar at a local aquarium store. She picked this particular species for her subject because they are fearless, they have a good appetite, and they grow quickly. This species of fish does not mind living alone as opposed to the type of social fish that lives in schools. For these reasons she felt the oscar was a good candidate for clicker training. Since oscar could not hear the sound of a clicker under water she chose to splash the water with her finger. Other clicker trainers working with aquarium fish use a flash of light from a flashlight or a laser pointer. The reward was bit of food, first for approaching the hoop and gradually shaped the behavior to swimming through the hoop.
Reintroduction of Puerto Rican Crested Toad by Detroit Zoo
December 4, 2009 www.zandavisitor.com By Patricia Janeway
ROYAL OAK, Michigan - The Detroit Zoo’s breeding program for the critically endangered Puerto Rican crested toad has yielded the best results in 10 years with 3,701 tadpoles. The Zoo kept 20 tadpoles for future breeding at the National Amphibian Conservation Center and shipped the rest to Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, for release into the wild. The Detroit Zoo has been working to preserve the Puerto Rican crested toad (Peltophryne lemur) since 1999. Last year, the Zoo shipped 2,000 tadpoles for release. "Establishing a new population of amphibians in their natural environment is enormously gratifying and one very important way that the National Amphibian Conservation Center helps to save amphibians,” said Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott Carter. The award-winning National Amphibian Conservation Center is a state-of-the-art facility that boasts a spectacular diversity of frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians. The Wall Street Journal dubbed the attraction “Disneyland for toads”.
Sixteen Other Zoos Around the World Have Giant Pandas
December 4, 2009 abcnews.go.com By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
The Smithsonian's National Zoo will lose its giant panda, Tai Shan, in 2010. But for those willing to hop on a plane or take a long drive there are other places to see pandas, including three other zoos in America and 13 other places around the world.
The San Diego Zoo is home to four pandas: female Bai Yun and male Gao Gao, who are the parents of several pandas including Su Lin and Zhen Zhen who are both still in San Diego.
Zoo Atlanta is also home to four pandas: female Lun Lun and male Yang Yang and their offspring Mei Lan and Xi Lan.
The Memphis Zoo hosts Ya Ya and Le Le, who share a three-acre, $16 million exhibit space with several other species native to China.
The Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City is home to three female giant pandas.
In Europe, Zoo Berlin is home to Bao Bao, a male born in 1978.
In Austria, Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo is home to Fu Long, born in August 2007. His parents, Yang Yang and Long Hui had been at the zoo since March 2003.
Woodland Park Zoo Penguin Exhibit Wins Design Award
December 4, 2009 thesunbreak.com
Woodland Park Zoo’s Humboldt penguin exhibit has won a design excellence award from the Seattle Design Commission. Twenty Humboldt penguins occupy the new state-of-the-art 17,000 square-foot exhibit. It features shoreline cliffs, viewable nesting burrows, rocky tide pools, crashing waves, and a beach recreating the desert coast of Punta San Juan, Peru — home of the largest colony of wild Humboldt penguins. Seattle City Light paid for an energy efficient ground-based geothermal heat pump that uses the Earth’s below-ground temperature to keep the exhibit’s water at a penguin-friendly 55 degrees year round. Seattle Public Utilities paid to install an innovative water filtration system. Those features will save nearly 22,000 kilowatt-hours of energy and 3 million gallons of water per year. That’s the equivalent of heating five, new two-bedroom townhouses and saving 24 million pints of drinking water each year. The exhibit is also designed to contain and recycle all stormwater runoff thereby preventing the pollution of natural water sources like Puget Sound. For more information visit www.zoo.org.
Tulsa Zoo Giraffe with Crooked Neck Dies
December 4, 2009 www.kjrh.com
Amali, the five-year-old female giraffe at the Tulsa Zoo has died during a procedure to determine the extent of her recent neck injury. Amali hurt her neck during transport from her home zoo in Ohio October 18, said Zoo officials. Doctors treated her for a possible soft tissue injury but the condition of her neck worsened. "It became evident in the last few weeks the misalignment of her neck was becoming more severe; but without X-rays we could not determine the exact nature of the neck injury we were trying to treat, or if any treatment would be helpful," said Dr. Kay Backues, Tulsa Zoo Veterinarian. "This procedure involved risk. Our responsibility was to exhaust treatment options, and without X-rays, we couldn't diagnose the injury or prognosis for Amali's life", said Dr. Backues. When the procedure ended, Amali's condition deteriorated and she died despite emergency treatment efforts.
New Winnepeg Polar Bear Facility Is Planned
December 4, 2009 www.winnipegfreepress.com
WINNEPEG, Canada –The Winnepeg government has designated $31-million toward a new $5 million Arctic exhibit at Assiniboine Park Zoo and a separate state-of-the-art polar bear research centre. Current plans call for the exhibit featuring caribou, arctic fox, snowy owls, and musk oxen to open by 2013. The new polar bear facility will be the jewel in the crown. It could also see injured or young, orphaned polar bears housed there temporarily. The center will then co-ordinate the placement of these animals in qualifying zoos. Orphaned cubs are recovered every four or five years. "As the population shrinks, every individual counts," Jack Dubois, director of the province's wildlife branch. There are about 935 polar bears living in the western Hudson Bay area with just under 15,500 countrywide. The Assiniboine Park Conservancy chairman said that support from the province now allows the group to approach Ottawa and private donors to raise further funds for the zoo's $90-million redevelopment. The project may qualify for federal economic stimulus cash. "We're obviously wanting to meet with the minister of the environment, Jim Prentice, and talk to him about the educational component of this, and its importance not only to Manitoba, but to Canada and the world of this polar bear research." Construction on the new, state-of-the-art polar bear enclosure and research centre is expected to begin in 2011. The enclosure will also include a polar bear rescue shelter and be the headquarters of Polar Bears International, a U.S.-based conservation group.
Sumatran Rhino, Emi, Died of Liver Failure
December 4, 2009 www.fox59.com
CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Zoo officials say the death three months ago of an endangered Sumatran rhino was caused by liver failure resulting from an ailment known as hemochromatosis. 21-year-old Emi had an excess of iron in her system. Zoo officials say they're not aware of another documented case of a Sumatran rhino dying from the disease, which has been found in other captive wild animals and occurs in humans and domestic animals. Emi had lived at the zoo for 14 years and was key to its program that successfully produced the first Sumatran rhino calves born in captivity in more than a century. She had given birth to three offspring, starting in 2001.
Pandas Will Stay in Atlanta
December 4, 2009 www.accessatlanta.com By Howard Pousner
GRANT PARK -- Based on a deal similar to one that the San Diego Zoo made with the Chinese government, Zoo Atlanta officials needed to raise $2.5 million to extend their pandas’ stay for five years. They had $2 million before launching their public “Give So They Stay” drive. (More than $1 million came from anonymous corporate and individual donors, and the remainder from cuts in panda expenses, including trimming an insurance policy, a move approved by Chinese officials.) The “Give So They Stay” drive raised $260,000 of the final $500,000, and the Zoo now plans to raise the rest with a special membership offer -- $99 for 2 adults and up to 4 children. The new, $2.5 million loan ($500,000 per year for five years) would cost Zoo Atlanta half the $1 million yearly fee it's paid for a decade. While parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang, both 12, and boy cub Xi Lan, 1, would remain in Atlanta, 3-year-old Mei Lan will depart for China early in February to her new home at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China. Kelly wants to celebrate her departure by reflecting on the success of giant panda conservation efforts at four American zoos (including San Diego, the National Zoo in Washington and the Memphis Zoo) and zoos worldwide, as well as at Chinese reserves.
Vienna Zoo Orangutan Posts Facebook Pictures
December 4, 2009 www.dailymail.co.uk
Nonja, 33-year-old orangutan at the Vienna zoo has acquired more than 20,000 fans on Facebook since the zoo launched an online photo album of her work on Tuesday. The Vienna Tiergarten zoo set up the project to help keep Nonja and her three companions entertained in their enclosure. Nonja is using the Samsung ST 1000. This camera has a point-and-shoot feature that automatically uploads the photos to Facebook. The camera was originally released over the summer outside the U.S., and features GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The camera has been modified to dispense a raisin whenever she presses the shutter button so rather than waiting around for the perfect shot, she’d rather take random images to get a quick snack. Nonja’s page is at www.facebook.com.
Maryland Zoo Cookbook
December 5, 2009 wjz.com
SALISBURY, Md. ― Maryland zoo has created a successful cookbook called Recipes from the Salisbury Zoo: Culinary Delights for Man and Beast. Zoo docent Chip Foster led its creation. Recipes came from friends and supporters of the zoo and in addition to almost 200 recipes the book includes animal photos and animal diet and behavior facts. For example, at the zoo, sweet potatoes and apples go to the sloth; the spider monkeys get peanut butter sandwiches as a treat. The cookbooks cost $10 and benefit the zoo's department of education. The zoo ordered 340 copies and has already sold 200.
“Hottest Species in America”
December 5, 2009 kauaiworld.com
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i creeper, or ‘akikiki, tops the list of “Hottest Species in America” as compiled in the report produced by the Endangered Species Coalition in conjunction with a coalition of groups including the American Bird Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity. The rest of the list: 2. Elkhorn coral of Florida’s reefs; 3. Bull trout in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington; 4. Canada lynx, found in the mountains of Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming Washington, and Wisconsin; 5. Pacific salmon in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington; 6. leatherback sea turtles that breed in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and are found offshore of Atlantic, Gulf Coast and Pacific states including Hawai‘I; 7. Grizzly bears in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming; 8. Bog turtle of Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia; 9. The lone plant on the list, the Western prairie fringed orchid, is still found in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota; 10. The flatwoods salamander found in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
Hunt for Sumatran Rhino in Sarawak National Park
December 5, 2009 news.asiaone.com
KUCHING - A 50-member expedition will comb the Pulong Tau national park in northern Sarawak for the Sumatran rhinoceros, last seen over 50 years ago. The team from the Sarawak Forest Department, WWF Malaysia and timber company Samling Sdn Bhd will begin the 10-day search on Monday. "The last reported sightings of the animal were at Sungai Adang, Long Seridan and Batu Lawi in the Upper Limbang area in the 1950s," said state Forest Deparment director Datuk Len Talif Salleh "We are not sure whether there are any rhinos still roaming in Pulong Tau, though footprints were found near the foot of Gunong Batu Lawi in 1996." A recent picture thought to be of a rhinoceros taken by a camera trap near Batu Lawi last year was too grainy to make a proper identification. With the help of the Sarawak Timber Association, the Forest Department now has 10 quality cameras that have already been set up near the foot of Batu Lawi. There is no historical record of a rhino population in Sarawak. The animal was only known to roam in Sabah.
Mexican Wolf Recovery at Crossroads
December 6, 2009 news.yahoo.com By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN,
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A decade has passed since the federal government began returning endangered Mexican wolves to their historic range in the Southwest. It hasn't worked out — for the wolves, for ranchers, for conservationists or for federal biologists.
Four ranches have gone out of business since the wolf reintroduction began and another four are expected to do the same before next summer. The region has been hit by drought and cattle prices aren't what they used to be, but farmers claim that pressure from environmentalists and hundreds of livestock kills by Mexican gray wolves over the past decade have only made things worse. Environmentalists argue that grazing practices are part of the problem and the wolf reintroduction program has failed because of mismanagement by the federal government. Bud Fazio, coordinator of the Mexican gray wolf reintroduction program, hopes there is some middle ground. The Mexican wolf, a subspecies of the gray wolf was exterminated in the wild by the 1930s. The government began reintroducing wolves in 1998 along the Arizona-New Mexico line, in a territory of more than 4 million acres interspersed with forests, private land and towns. There are about 50 wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico, but that's half of what biologists had hoped to have by now. Federal, state and other officials involved in wolf recovery are scheduled to meet next week in Albuquerque to begin discussing the future of the program, Fazio said. A recent settlement with environmentalists called for an end to a three-strikes rule that allowed wildlife managers to trap or shoot wolves that had killed at least three head of livestock within a year. The settlement also made clear that the USFWS has control over the program, rather than a committee formed in 2003 to bring other agencies into the recovery effort. The original rule that established the reintroduction program still allows managers to remove problem wolves, but Fazio said officials will now consider many factors — such as the wolf's genetic value to the program and its reproductive success — before making decisions on keeping an animal in the wild.
Singapore Zoo Breeds Komodo Dragons
December 6, 2009 www.afp.com
SINGAPORE — Singapore Zoo has successfully bred a healthy 16-inch hatchling - the first Komodo dragon born in an Asian zoo outside Indonesia. Assistant director of zoology Biswajit Guha said the breeding of Komodo dragons in captivity "is fraught with difficulties due to incompatible pairings, a lack of experience in egg incubation and over-representation of males in zoos." Komodos can grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh up to 310 pounds. They are listed as "vulnerable" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Only 3,000 remain in the wild, according to The Nature Conservancy, which does field work in the area.
San Francisco Zoo’s Live Stream Gorilla Preserve
December 7, 2009 www.prnewswire.com
BURLINGAME, Calif. -- BitGravity, Inc., is powering the San Francisco Zoo's live stream of the Jones Family Gorilla Preserve. This is the first time an AZA member has live video stream in high definition from its grounds to visitors on its Web site. BitGravity's 1080p live streaming provides the public with a clear view of the six gorillas--Oscar Jonesy (male silverback), Bawang, Monifa, Zura, Nneka and infant Hasani--while outdoors during the day.
U.S. Postage Stamp Will Raise Funds for Endangered Species
December 7, 2009 news.yahoo.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House just passed a bill to raise funds to save iconic endangered species. The Multinational Species Conservation Fund’s Semipostal Stamp Act of 2009 directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special stamp at a premium of at least 25 percent more than the cost of a first class stamp, with the extra money going to conservation of rhinos, tigers, elephants, great apes, marine turtles and potentially other endangered species in future. It will allow the general public to contribute to funding for programs authorized by Congress and administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Any costs associated with the issuance of the stamp would be recaptured by the U.S. Postal Service, and there will be no cost to U.S. taxpayers. Funds raised from the sale of the stamp would support projects in the field that control poaching and smuggling through better law enforcement, as well as improved scientific monitoring, habitat preservation, and prevention of human-animal conflicts.
Carbon Footprint of Copenhagen Summit
December 7, 2009 www.timesonline.co.uk
Despite their best efforts, organizers have estimated the carbon footprint of the climate summit at 40,000 tonnes of CO2 – enough to power a small city for the duration. A total of 15,000 delegates and 5,000 journalists are accredited for the conference, although many will not turn up until the negotiations hit their critical phase with the arrival of ministers next week, followed by their leaders on the final day. The Bella congress centre on the outskirts of Copenhagen where it is being held is powered by two wind turbines, although they do not produce enough energy to keep all the plasma screens, computers and coffee machines going inside. Denmark prides itself on its energy efficiency, however: it has the lowest carbon intensity of any EU state. Since 1980 its GDP has increased by 78 per cent but it has managed to keep its carbon emissions stable. Since 1990 they have fallen by 13 per cent. To offset all the extra greenhouse gases being pumped out as a result of the climate summit, the Government is financing the construction of 20 brick-making kilns in Bangladesh, which will cut 100,000 tonnes of C02 emissions a year.
Wildlife-Impacted-By-Climate-Change
December 7, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
NEW YORK —The Wildlife Conservation Society today released a list of animals facing new impacts by climate change as nations gather in Copenhagen to address climate problems. The new report is titled "Species Feeling the Heat: Connecting Deforestation and Climate Change." It profiles more than a dozen animal species and groups that are facing threats due to changing land and sea temperatures; shifting rain patterns; exposure to new pathogens and disease; and increased threats of predation. The report also highlights the huge role of deforestation in climate change. Nearly 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are the result of deforestation, more than the output of all the world's trucks, trains, cars, planes, and ships combined, so protecting the remaining swaths of the world's forests can help put the breaks on climate change. Species include: Bicknell's thrush, flamingos, Irrawaddy dolphin, musk ox, Hawksbill turtle. In 2010 the United Nations will launch the International Year of Biodiversity. The Convention on Biodiversity, which emerged from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, recently admitted that none of its 2010 biodiversity targets have been met, underscoring the dire situation wildlife around the world face from burgeoning threats such as climate change.
Language Origins Seen in Monkey Calls
December 7, 2009 www.nytimes.com By NICHOLAS WADE
Human language is incredibly complex. One common feature is the process of adding another ‘unit’ (a prefix or suffix) to a word to change its meaning. A recent study in PNAS suggests that the ability to combine sounds and words to alter meaning may be rooted in the Campbell's monkey (Cercopithecus campbelli campbelli). By studying this species in the Ivory Coast's Tai National Park a Scottish team led by Klaus Zuberbuehler found that adult males have six types of call, each with a specific meaning, but they can string two or more calls together into a message with a different meaning. The team found that ‘boom’ calls were sounded when a falling branch had been spotted or to initiate group travel. ‘Kraks’ were only given after a leopard had been sighted, and ‘hoks’ signaled a crowned eagle above the canopy. But further analysis revealed that while booms were always unaltered, the monkeys sometimes added an "oo" to their kraks and hoks - and this transformed the information they were conveying. The meaning of monkey calls was first worked out with vervet monkeys, which have distinct alarm calls for each of their three main predators: the martial eagle, leopards and snakes. But the vervets did not combine their alarm calls to generate new meanings. If the Zuberbühler team’s observations are correct, the Campbell’s monkeys can both vary the meaning of specific calls by adding suffixes and combine calls to generate a different meaning. Their call system, the researchers write, “may be the most complex example of ‘proto-syntax’ in animal communication known to date.”
Farming Tuna
December 7, 2009 www.enn.com
By the end of this year, an Australian company says it will begin selling small amounts of southern bluefin tuna hatched in its fishery. A Japanese firm breeding the more prized Pacific bluefin hopes to start sales in 2013 and ship 10,000 fish by 2015. Tuna are much harder to rear than the widely farmed salmon and shrimp. They are large and need room to swim. They only spawn under certain circumstances. In some experiments, fewer than 1 percent of the fry survive, and those that do eat so much that they could wipe out other fish species. The bulk of the tuna farmed today is not bred from eggs; it is caught in the sea and fattened on farms, which does nothing to save nature's dwindling stocks. Atlantic bluefin, found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, are disappearing so rapidly that Monaco is pushing to list it as an endangered species at an international meeting in Qatar in March. The U.S. says it will back the proposal. Japanese consume 80 percent of the world's Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna. The survival rate for hatched Pacific bluefin is between 0.4 and 6%. Unlike other fish, which can pump oxygen better through their mouths, tuna must swim continuously at up to 80 kph to absorb oxygen through their gills. Baby fish, which are not developed enough to brake or steer, often die after colliding with the nets that cordon off tuna farms in coastal waters.
China Sets Up Two More Reserves for Pandas
December 8, 2009 en.ce.cn
Northwest China's Shaanxi Province has set up two more national level nature reserves to protect the habitat for a giant panda species unique to the Qinling Mountain Range. The new reserves bring the province's total to six in the Qinling Mountains. The new Sangyuan Nature Reserve covers 13,806 hectares in the heartland of the Qinling Mountains. At least seven giant pandas were recorded there in the third national census of the endangered species, from 1999 to 2003. The newly established Qingmuchuan Nature Reserve is 10,200-hectares and is home to giant pandas, golden monkeys, takins, vultures and leopards. There are four existing nature reserves for giant pandas -- Foping, Changqing, Taibai and Zhouzhi. The Foping reserve, founded in 1978 on the southern slopes of Qinling, has 110 to 130 giant pandas, the largest density among all China's nature reserves. Pandas were first spotted in the Qinling Mountains in 1964, a century after the bears were reported in Sichuan, home to most of China's pandas. Compared with their peers in Sichuan, Qinling pandas are smaller in population -- approximately 300 compared with more than 1,300 other pandas living elsewhere in China. These pandas also have smaller skeletal frames, larger side teeth and traces of brown instead of the typical black-and-white on other pandas.
Baboon Organization and Warfare
December 8, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk By Matthew Walker
Baboons live in complex male-led societies. Scientists have identified four levels at which baboons organize themselves. At the smallest level, a dominant male baboon will control a harem of females. A number of these one-male units, as scientists call them, may organize into clans of monkeys. Units and clans can gather into much larger social groupings, which are called bands. The monkeys within each band coordinate their activities, acting as a cohesive social unit. Many bands also hang out as part of a huge troop. A single troop of Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) can contain several hundred individuals. Dr Amy Schreier of Duke University and Dr Larissa Swedell of the City University of New York reported last month in the American Journal of Primatology that have discovered more about a fourth level of social organization among the baboons. As well as troops, bands and single-male units, baboons also organize themselves into clans, a discovery first made in the 1970s by researcher Jean-Jacques Abegglen at another site, Erer Gota. The researchers cannot yet be sure, but they suspect that clans are collections of related males. When a band splits up, usually because of scare food, males tend to break away along clan lines, forming inter-related groups. At a site called Filoha in the Awash National Park of lowland Ethiopia, scientists including Dr Mathew Pines have been studying how the interactions between these different groups of baboons play out. A film crew from the BBC Natural History Unit spent five weeks at the site recording the action. Four baboon troops live at the cliff in Filoha (2 small and 2 large). The 2 large troops with over 200 monkeys usually co-exist but the demand for females can trigger inter-troop warfare.
Alaska Sea Lion Count Up AND Down
December 8, 2009 www.juneauempire.com By Dan Joling
ANCHORAGE - A count of Alaska's Steller sea lion pups indicates the state's two populations are headed in different directions. Pups in the eastern population, living along Alaska's Panhandle, are thriving. "The population may even be close to removal from the threatened species list," according to Lowell Fritz, a biologist at the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle. The western population, from Prince William Sound to the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea, continues to struggle. Most of the world's sea lions live in Alaska. The western stock declined by 75 percent between 1976 and 1990, leading to their listing as endangered. “Disease and contaminants have diminished as suspects,” Fritz said, “but other factors including environmental changes, nutritional stress or changes in prey compositions contribute.” The eastern population, which extends from Alaska's Cape Saint Elias into California, was counted last year at between 45,000 and 51,000 animals. The population has more than doubled since it was declared threatened in 1990. Pup production in the western population increased from 9,950 in 2005 to 11,120 this year but varied greatly by area. Fritz said the surveys indicate some mingling of the populations. Recent genetic samples indicate that western females have moved to southeast Alaska and are breeding with the eastern population. Likewise, the easternmost rookery of the western population showed 200 more pups than four years ago.
IUCN Strategic Plan – Post 2010
December 8, 2009 cmsdata.iucn.org
In 2002, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted a Strategic Plan to achieve a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. In 2005, The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment concluded that 60% of ecosystem services worldwide have become degraded, mostly in the past 50 years, primarily because of land- and ocean-use practices. Fisheries worldwide have collapsed and at the species level. The IUCN Red List informs us that 22% of the world’s mammals; nearly one third of amphibians; one in eight birds; 27% of reef building corals; and 28% of conifers are threatened with extinction. Species extinction rates are up to 1000 times those in pre-human times and are expected to increase. Because 2002 goals have not been met, a preliminary consultation process was initiated in July 2009 to seek the views of IUCN Members, for a post-2010 biodiversity target framework [PDF]. A new Strategic Plan [PDF] is being developed for the CBD based on comments received. The formal draft strategic plan for the CBD will be released in February 2010.
How Arctic Food Webs Affect Mercury Levels in Polar Bears
December 8, 2009 www.ns.umich.edu
ANN ARBOR, Michigan— Mercury is a naturally occurring element, but some 150 tons of it enter the environment each year from human-generated sources such as coal-burning power plants, incinerators and chlorine-producing plants. Mercury is picked up by microorganisms, which convert some of it to methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in fish and the animals that eat them. As bigger animals eat smaller ones, the methylmercury is concentrated—and sitting at the top of the food chain, polar bears amass high concentrations of the contaminant. To discover how mercury moves through different food webs— particularly in the Arctic, where snow and ice contribute to mercury deposition— Travis Horton of the University of Canterbury and Joel Blum of the University of Michigan studied polar bear hair samples from museum specimens collected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before mercury emissions from human-generated sources began to escalate. By looking at three chemical signatures—nitrogen isotopes, carbon isotopes and mercury concentrations—the researchers learned that polar bears get their nutrition (and mercury) from two main food webs. At the base of one web are microscopic plants that float on the surface of the ocean (known as phytoplankton). The foundation of the second web is algae that live on sea ice. The study showed that polar bears that get most of their nutrition from phytoplankton-based food webs have greater mercury concentrations than those that participate primarily in ice algae-based webs. The study appears in the December issue of the journal Polar Research.
Scripps Researchers Determine Ebola Virus Mechanism
December 8, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
LA JOLLA, CA, -- After a 3-year-study, Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the structure of a critical protein from the Ebola virus, which, though rare, is one of the deadliest viruses on the planet killing between 50 and 90 percent of those infected. Described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the research reveals how a key component of the Ebola virus, called VP35, blocks the human immune system, allowing the virus uncontrolled replication. The structure represents a major step forward in understanding how the deadly virus works, and may be useful in the development of potential treatments for those infected. Team leader, Erica Ollmann Saphire, said, "This new understanding of the mechanism that Ebola virus uses to evade the immune system opens the door for developing drug therapies."
Safe Harbor Agreement for California Species
December 9, 2009 www.gpoaccess.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application for an enhancement of survival permit for the federally threatened California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii) and federally endangered least Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) and southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) under from the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy (Applicant). This permit application includes a proposed safe harbor agreement (Agreement) between the Applicant and the Service. The Agreement and permit application are available for public comment. Comments must be received on or before January 8, 2010. For more information contact Eric Morrissette, Safe Harbor Coordinator, Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, telephone (805) 644-1766.
The USFWS has worked with the Applicant to develop this proposed Agreement for the conservation of the California red-legged frog, least Bell's vireo, and southwestern willow flycatcher on the properties subject to the Agreement (Enrolled Properties), which are owned or
managed by the Applicant. The Enrolled Properties include: (1) The Ventura River--Rancho El Nido Preserve, (2) the Ojai Meadows Preserve, (3) the Ventura River--Confluence Preserve, and (4) the San Antonio Creek Preserve, all in Ventura County, California. Within the 1,687 acres of land within the Enrolled Properties, habitat for the California red-legged frog, least Bell's vireo, and southwestern willow flycatcher will be restored, enhanced, and managed under a written agreement between the Applicant and Service. We expect that the activities proposed in the Agreement will result in an increase in suitable habitat for these species and provide for their increase in number and expansion into additional areas that are currently not occupied, thus resulting in a net conservation benefit for the three species.
This Agreement provides for the restoration, enhancement, and management of aquatic, riparian, and upland habitat suitable for the California red-legged frog, least Bell's vireo, and southwestern willow flycatcher on the Enrolled Properties. The proposed duration of the Agreement is 30 years, and the proposed term of the enhancement of survival permit is 30 years. The Agreement fully describes the proposed management activities to be undertaken by the Applicant and the net conservation benefits expected to be gained for the California red-legged frog, least Bell's vireo, and southwestern willow flycatcher.
The objective of such activities is to enhance populations of California red-legged frogs, least Bell's vireos, and southwestern willow flycatchers by increasing the amount and quality of suitable habitat on the Enrolled Properties. Take of California red-legged frogs, least Bell's vireos, and southwestern willow flycatchers incidental to the aforementioned activities is unlikely; however, it is possible that in the course of such activities or other lawful activities on the enrolled property, the Applicant could incidentally take California red-legged frog, least Bell's vireo, and southwestern willow flycatcher, thereby necessitating take authority under the permit.
New Head of Prague Zoo
December 9, 2009 praguemonitor.com
The Prague Council has appointed natural scientist Miroslav Bobek, new director of the Prague zoo. Bobek, 42, former director of the Czech Radio Online and editor-in-chief of Czech Radio's Leonardo radio station, will head the zoo as of January 2010. He will replace Petr Fejk who headed the zoo over 12 years and who left in October to become the head of the Czech National Building in New York. Under Fejk’s leadership, the Prague zoo became one of the most frequently visited Czech institutions. Some 1.2 million people annually visit it. Bobek, graduated from Prague's Charles University Faculty of Natural Sciences, and has proposed that the zoo present animals in the context of biotopes. He said he wanted to use new technologies for the presentation and communication with visitors, and improve services to visitors, including transport services.
USDA Revises Veterinary Accreditation Program
December 9, 2009 www.aphis.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2009--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has revised its National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP). “The NVAP program leverages non-government-employed veterinarians’ medical expertise, as well as their relationships in the communities and industries they serve, to help USDA more effectively provide regulated animal health services,” said John Clifford, APHIS veterinary services deputy administrator. “The revisions to this important program will help better protect U.S. animal health in the face of current complexities in business, trade and travel.” The new program creates two accreditation categories based on the species on which accredited duties will be performed in place of a former single category. It includes requirements for supplemental online training to ensure accredited veterinarians receive the latest information necessary to support APHIS’ animal health safeguarding efforts. The revisions also call for accreditation to be renewed every three years where previously accreditation did not require renewal. The renewal requirement ensures that accredited veterinarians will have the most up-to-date information on foreign animal and zoonotic diseases and the risks associated with them. The NVAP also will offer program certifications that will allow veterinarians to participate in program-specific APHIS activities. Veterinarians accredited before Feb. 1, 2010, must apply to continue their accreditation in the revised program. If they do not apply, their accreditation will expire. The NVAP is a voluntary program. Participation is not mandated by the federal government, however, more than 80 percent of all U.S. veterinarians, or about 71,000, are accredited. Information about the accreditation program can be found on the NVAP Web site.
Tigers Maul Trainer at Hagenbeck Zoo
December 9, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
BERLIN — Three Bengal tigers attacked Christian Walliser, a 28-year-old trainer at the private Hagenbeck Zoo after he tripped and fell during a performance Tuesday night. Three of the five tigers performing in “Pagel’s Dinner Circus” for 170 guests, clawed and bit him. The tigers shredded his left hand and inflicted serious head and upper body injuries, leaving him with life threatening injuries before circus employees could restrain the animals with fire extinguishers and water hoses. Walliser was initially treated by two doctors in the audience before being rushed to a Hamburg hospital. The trainer had raised two of the five tigers in the cage from birth.
Brookfield Zoo’s Great Bear Wilderness Exhibit
December 9, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com By Gerry Smith
Next spring, five Brookfield Zoo bears will move into a new 6-acre Great Bear Wilderness Exhibit with spacious outdoor yards, dens with skylights and a 15-foot waterfall spilling into a temperature-controlled pool. The $27 million exhibit will open May 8, 2010 and will also include bison, bald eagles, ravens and Mexican gray wolves. The Zoo hopes to showcase the positive stories behind the conservation movement by featuring animals that nearly went extinct but have made a comeback because of efforts to protect them. "Each one of those animals has a conservation story," said Stuart Strahl, president and CEO of the Chicago Zoological Society. "What we want to convey is that there are solutions to conservation problems. It requires people like us to solve them." The bears are Arky, 25, a female polar bear; Aussie, 24, a male polar bear; Hudson, 3, the offspring of Arky and Aussie; and Jim and Axhi, two 15-year-old male grizzly bears who were orphaned as cubs in Alaska. Arky may be pregnant and will have access to an igloo-shaped maternity den and a shallow pool where she can teach her cubs how to swim before releasing them in one of the 80,000-gallon pools. Visitors can watch polar bears swim in the pools up-close through an underwater viewing area while learning how climate change is affecting their natural habitats.
New Ownership for Zoo Northwest Florida
December 9, 2009 www.fox10tv.com by Christina Leavenworth
GULF BREEZE, Fla. -- The Zoo Northwest Florida will re-open under new management and with a new name. It closed last August because operators didn't have the money to keep it running. "We're adding fencing, we're tearing down old cages that are 25-years-old. We are also moving animals around in different areas, preparing, painting, getting the train back, getting licenses and permits," said Pat Quinn, the founder of the Zoo. "It's a major undertaking, this is not a small business. It takes $2 million a year to operate this business," Quinn said. As soon as it closed, he began looking for new owners and found an old student of his, Eric Mogensen, who currently owns Virginia Safari Park. March will be the earliest possible re-opening date.
Topeka Zoo Director Retires
December 9, 2009 www.ktka.com By Ben Bauman
TOPEKA, Kansas— Topeka Zoo Director Mike Coker is retiring after almost 33 years of service. Since January 1977 he has held numerous positions, including zoo curator, and became director in November 2001. Dennis Taylor, Performance Management Coordinator for the City, will oversee the operations of the zoo until an interim zoo director while a nation-wide search is conducted to find a permanent replacement. Coker's retirement comes after completion of a two day review of zoo operations by a team from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. City manager Norton Bonaparte had requested the review after a USDA inspection was critical of zoo procedures. Topping the list of concerns were the deaths of seven zoo animals from January 2007 to July of 2008. The findings of the AZA review are expected in about a month.
Melbourne Zoo Opens “Wild Sea” Exhibit
December 9, 2009 media-newswire.com
Melbourne Zoo’s newest exhibit, Wild Sea, is a world class marine home for fur seals, penguins, fish, and invertebrates. The new seal pool is more than five meters deep and more than three times bigger than the previous pool. Visitors can watch the seals from a viewing area or see them swim, dive and interact underwater. The new penguin pool is surrounded by sand dunes that replicate the coastal habitat of Phillip Island and it is the first time that penguins can be viewed swimming underwater. The penguin and seal pools have state-of-the-art equipment to create waves and currents for the animals to enjoy. The exhibit also includes a series of aquariums that house a number of Victorian fish species offering an insight into Victoria’s marine life, including Port Jackson Sharks and Fiddler Rays. The Brumby Labor Government invested $20 million towards the Wild Sea exhibit. The Melbourne, Werribee and Healesville Zoos are the state’s biggest visitor attraction and play a vital role in educating children about the Victorian environment and endangered species. The Wild Sea exhibit will officially open on December 9th.
Wellington Zoo’s New Hospital Opens
December 9, 2009 tvnz.co.nz
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The Wellington Zoo has opened its new $6 million dollar animal hospital with a theater where the public can watch operations. Veterinary Science Manager Dr Francois Lampen says it is a state of the art surgery center on par with human surgery and sterility standards. Insects are quickly blown out of the theater by a pressure system. Referred to as “The Nest” , another feature is a salt water pool to house the albatross, seals or sea lions. There are enclosures for a variety of sick animals - from chimpanzees to lions. Windows give the public a pretty good view, but in addition, cameras in the ceiling in the theater will also capture the entire operation close up and broadcast to TVs outside. "I will designate a person that will speak to the people outside. They've got an intercom outside so any questions they can ask live and we will hear them and we will answer them as they ask them," says Lampen. The first patient to be operated on at the hi-tech facility was Tahi the kiwi. It was a simple micro-chipping. "The Nest", is part of a 10-year redevelopment of the 103-year-old zoo. Zoo CEO Karen Fifield said it was a great opportunity to get the public involved. The hospital will also soon begin treating injured native animals brought in by the public.
National Zoo Receives Japanese Salamanders
December 9, 2009 search.japantimes.co.jp
HIROSHIMA (Kyodo) -- Six rare Japanese giant salamanders were sent last week from Hiroshima to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. The two 19-year-old females and four 11-year-olds — two males and two females — were all born at Asa Zoological Park. Asa first bred the species in 1979 and has bred them almost every year since then using artificial facilities to replicate nesting burrows hidden in riverbanks. A detailed contract was concluded between the two zoos in 2006. Edward Bronikowski, National zoo's senior curator in animal programs, visited Asa with a Smithsonian veterinarian to observe the animals as they underwent predeparture health checks. The largest is a 19-year-old female that is 93 cm long and weighs 5.8 kg. Japanese giant salamanders can grow to up to 150 cm in length and weigh more than 40 kg. Two of the six giant salamanders will be on public display in a large aquarium set into rocks, which forms part of Asia Trail, a series of naturalistic exhibits that is also home to red pandas, sloth bears and clouded leopards. The other four will be housed elsewhere in breeding facilities modeled after those at Asa, but Bronikowski says one important distinction will be that the U.S. zoo will attempt to breed them indoors in a closed system. Asa's breeding aquariums are outdoors and utilize water supplied from a natural stream. At the Washington zoo, the water in the enclosures will be kept below 15 degrees year-round and will mimic seasonal variations in river water temperature in Japan. Bronikowski admitted this posed some "engineering challenges" for the zoo, especially when it came to keeping such a large volume of water as cool as a Japanese river in wintertime, but he said those challenges have been overcome.
Safari West Cheetah Tests Positive for H1N1
December 9, 2009 www.pressdemocrat.com By ROBERT DIGITALE
Female cheetah, Gijima, tested positive last month for the H1N1 virus. Staff at Safari West noticed her coughing, acting lethargic and showing no interest in food on November 5. She is one of four cheetahs among Safari West's 700 animals, including giraffes, addax antelopes and Grant's gazelles. Safari West is located off Porter Creek Road in the hills above Larkfield. Director Nancy Lang and her husband Peter own the 400-acre wildlife preserve. A spokesman for the AZA confirmed that the cheetah is the first case of swine flu in an exotic animal to come to the group's attention. Spokesman Steve Feldman praised Safari West for quick action and for helping alert other zoos and wildlife preserves to the news. He also emphasized that the animals in zoological institutions don't present a risk of infecting people. “This is not a public health issue as much as an animal health issue,” Feldman said.
Another Drug Fatal to Vultures
December 9, 2009 journalwatch.conservationmagazine.org
Vultures in South Asia have been dying from eating livestock carcasses tainted with diclofenac, a veterinary drug. Now researchers have found that a similar drug called ketoprofen is also fatal to the birds. Both treatments fall into a category called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). While diclofenac is known to cause kidney failure and death in vultures, evidence of such effects had not been found for ketoprofen. Wild vultures could be exposed to these ketoprofen levels if they eat carcasses of recently treated livestock, say a team of researchers in a recent article in Biology Letters. The birds that died of ketoprofen ingestion showed kidney failure symptoms similar to those of diclofenac-treated birds. The use of these drugs needs to be more heavily regulated, the team warns, or certain vulture species in Asia could go extinct.
Gibbon Conservation Program
December 9, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk By Matt Walker
KALAMATAN, Borneo -- Gibbons are among the most endangered of all apes, living in tropical and sub-tropical forest in and around India and China, including the islands of Borneo, Java and Sumatra. All 16 gibbon species are under threat, with 15 classed as endangered and four of them critically so. Male and female gibbons usually mate for life, reaffirming their bond with complex mating songs. But across southeast Asia, gibbons are captured and illegally held as pets. Chanee Brule, a 29-year-old Frenchman runs a sanctuary in Kalimantan, and is trying to rehabilitate and return captive apes to the wild. In addition to running the sanctuary he broadcasts a radio station from it, Radio Kalaweit, which has been dubbed "Radio Gibbon". He has acquired an active audience of young people in the region with his pop music and also educates them about ape conservation. As a result, he receives a significant number of tips about gibbons that are being illegally held as pets, or have been abandoned by their owners. Brule and his team rescue them, but can't return alone to the wild, as they will be attacked by other pairs defending their territory. So Brule attempts to pair up gibbons with the right partners. "One gibbon tends to dominate within each pair, and the dominant partner can be either the male or female." says Brule. "If both gibbons want to dominate they will fight until one dies," he says. These pairs are then released into the forest together. He releases siamang pairs on the island of Marak off the coast of Sumatra, where he is setting up a new sanctuary. Brule's work is partly funded by the International Primate Protection League, a worldwide charity headquartered in Summerville, South Carolina, US.
Human Salmonella Outbreak Associated with Frogs
December 10, 2009 www.cdc.gov
Amphibians such as frogs and reptiles such as turtles, are recognized as a source of human Salmonella infections. 50 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium between June 24, 2009 and November 21, 2009, have been reported from 25 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (1), California (3), Colorado (2), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (2), Maryland (2), Michigan (3), Minnesota (1), Missouri (2), Mississippi (1), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (1), New York (1), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (3), Tennessee (2), Texas (3), Utah (6), Virginia (1), and Washington (2).
Endangered Species Permit Applications
December 10, 2009 www.thefederalregister.com
The following applicants have applied for recovery permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. We are soliciting review of and comment on these applications by local, State, and Federal agencies and the public.
Permit No. TE225693. Applicant: Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, Captain Cook, Hawaii. The applicant requests a permit to remove and reduce to possession Prithchardia affinis (loulu) in conjunction with seed collection and phenology studies on National Park Service land on the island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE003483. Applicant: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. The permittee requests a permit amendment to remove and reduce to possession (collect) Cyanea glabra (haha) and Pritchardia affinis (loulu) in conjunction with assessing genetic diversity and population structure on the islands of Hawaii and Maui in the State of Hawaii for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Scientists Request Endangered Species Policy Review
December 10, 2009 www.scientificamerican.com By Noelle Straub
Nearly 130 scientists today asked the Interior Department to change a policy set in 2007 under the Bush administration. Then-Interior Solicitor David Bernhardt recommended agencies focus on plants and animals most at risk in their current locations, rather than throughout their historic range or in other locations where species may be healthy. The scientists want Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to rescind that memorandum. They say it sharply limits the scope of the Endangered Species Act by limiting analysis to species' current range and by specifying that species will be listed only in the portion of range considered significant. Duke University's Stuart Pimm, Michigan Tech University's John Vucetich and the Center for Biological Diversity's Noah Greenwald headed up the letter. They say the policy is limiting protections for species including the gray wolf and Colorado River cutthroat trout. "Ignoring loss of range when determining whether species require protection as endangered species makes little sense," Pimm said in a statement. "Resetting the clock to the present day could result in many species that have lost significant portions of range being wrongfully denied protection." An Interior spokeswoman said the department is reviewing the letter.
Titi Monkey Born at Salisbury Zoo
December 10, 2009 www.delmarvanow.com
SALISBURY, UK -- Threatened mainly by habitat destruction, the Titi monkey is one of 36 species of primates found in the Amazon region. With only 48 Titi monkeys in AZA accredited zoos, the Salisbury Zoo exhibits two adults, a juvenile (born in 2008) and a new youngster, born November 23. Pairs usually mate for life, and like some other South American primates, the father takes over the care of the infant after it is 2 days old. He carries it, grooms it, shelters it with his body when it rains. He only returns it to the mother to nurse. This occurs for 4 to 5 months. Youngsters typically remain with the family until they are about 3 years old, even when other babies are born. The zoo’s family group will remain together for another year or so.
St. Louis Zoo Elephant Treated for Herpes Virus
December 10, 2009 www.stltoday.com by Diane Toroian Keaggy
ST. LOUIS -- Asian elephant Jade has experienced a recurrence of the potentially deadly virus that struck last February at the St. Louis Zoo. The rest of the zoo's herd remains healthy. Mammal curator Martha Fischer said, "We didn't expect a relapse because none of the other survivors (of this virus) have had notable relapses. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus or EEHV kills most of its victims within days. Jade, however, surprisingly rebounded from the illness and had been symptom-free until late November when keepers noticed she was sleeping more than usual. A blood sample sent to the National Zoological Park's elephant herpes research laboratory confirmed the virus' presence. Jade, almost 3 years old, then experienced other telltale signs — the swelling of the head, loss of appetite and a discolored tongue. Those symptoms have since disappeared, and she is now eating and sleeping regularly. Jade's 3-year-old half-sister, Maliha, is showing no symptoms of EEHV, but is being treated with oral antiviral medication as a precaution. Maliha did not show symptoms of EEHV last year, but had a faint positive response for EEHV. There is no cure or vaccine for EEHV. The virus poses a major crisis to the world's zoos and is responsible for about half of the deaths of young elephants. Researchers don't know why some elephants are vulnerable or how it is transmitted, though evidence exists that the virus passes from mother to calf. Jade's case has sparked research worldwide. Last month, the virus killed an elephant at England's Chester Zoo. Earlier this year, two elephants died at the Whipsnade Zoo, also in England. Calgary Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, the Houston Zoo and the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Mo., also have lost elephants in recent years.
Pygmy Hippo Born at Colchester Zoo
December 10, 2009 www.telegraph.co.uk
ESSEX, UK -- A healthy female pygmy hippo was born November 27 at Colchester Zoo. The eight-year-old mother arrived at the zoo in 2002. Since then she has lived separately from the male, Freddy, because the animals are not usually social, said a zoo spokeswoman. ''Mixing pygmy hippos is always a very precarious matter as they can be remarkably territorial and aggressive animals, therefore their keepers carefully worked out when Venus would be in season and most attractive to Freddy before slowly introducing them to each other,'' said the spokeswoman. ''Mother and baby have been doing well and have built a tight bond with the baby suckling strongly. Venus has proven herself to be an excellent mother, constantly checking to keep her baby in her sight."
Designing Wildlife Corridors
December 10, 2009 live.psu.edu By DeLene Beeland
Wildlife conservation professor Richard Yahner of Penn State University says, " A lot goes into designing a wildlife corridor so that the target animal will actually use it." Wildlife corridors are usually designed with “umbrella species” in mind, he explains. These are large animals with widespread popular appeal like wolves, mountain lions, or elk. Protecting their habitat, which is often large, can extend protection to smaller species that share the same space, like songbirds and foxes. Yahner says there is not a lot of agreement on how wide corridors should be, but he suggests that they should be no less than the focal animal’s home range, and the habitat it contains should meet the focal animal’s needs. For example, a 1,988-mile long proposed corridor would link ecosystems from Yellowstone National Park to Canada’s Yukon Territory - 502,000-square miles. Such expansive corridors protect multiple species, but also ensure genetic diversity by allowing gene flow between distant wildlife populations. Corridors can’t be too long or some species won’t use them, and they should appear to be natural, meaning they should have an asymmetrical shape with elements of randomness.
Scientists also need to consider the ecology of the animals movement. Migratory birds may only need isolated stopover points at measured intervals, but migratory butterflies might need a continuous corridor to get from Mexico to North America. In 2000, Mexico created the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve within a pivotal forest that was suffering fragmentation. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the reserve links to other conserved forests and provides vital over-wintering habitat that monarchs need for their journeys. Sometimes, animals just need help crossing a road. Yahner said that in Florida, the state with the highest concentration of roads per square mile, wildlife underpasses help the Florida panther move throughout its habitat. An underpass in panther habitat may also help black bears, bobcats, alligators, marsh rabbits or coyotes to slip safely beneath busy roads. Banff National Park in western Canada uses wildlife overpasses to help elk, moose and bears move between the eastern and western sides of the park, which is bisected by a four-lane interstate. These designs also benefit drivers by reducing collisions with large wildlife. Camera traps and monitoring for tracks and scat are among the methods researchers use to document how animals use corridors.
50 Million Americans Have Had H1N1 Flu
December 10, 2009 www.cdc.gov
1 in 6 Americans have had swine flu from April through mid-November according to Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 10,000 have died. About 80 percent of those deaths were in people ages 20 through 59, and 45 percent were obese. The swine flu pandemic has so far hit in two waves in the United States: First in the spring when it was first identified, then a larger wave that started in the late summer. Experts believe that between 5 percent and 20 percent of Americans get seasonal flu each year. About 15 percent of Americans have had swine swine flu. Even though tens of million of Americans have had swine flu, the majority haven't, so it's still important to get a vaccination. The study is being published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Real Christmas Trees Are “Greener” than Fakes
December 10, 2009 www.enn.com
Most Christmas trees for sale these days are grown on tree farms for the express purpose of being cut. Live trees actively photosynthesize as they grow from saplings, which removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The tree farms that grew the trees also replant after the trees are cut. Artificial trees, on the other hand, don't come out even in the carbon balance. Petroleum is used to make the plastics in the trees and lots of carbon dioxide-creating energy is required to make and transport them.
Equid Evolution – Studying ‘Ancient DNA'
December 10, 2009 www.adelaide.edu.au
Only the modern horse, zebras, wild asses and donkey survive today, but many other lineages of equids have become extinct over the last 50,000 years. Professor Alan Cooper, Director of the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) at the University of Adelaide, says that despite an excellent fossil record, the number and nature of extinct species is still unknown. A new study published in the October issue of PNAS used bones from caves to identify new horse species in Eurasia and South America, and reveals that the Cape zebra, an extinct giant species from South Africa, was simply a large variant of the modern Plains zebra. (The Cape zebra weighed up to 400 kilograms and stood up to 150 centimeters at the shoulder). "The Plains zebra group once included the famous extinct quagga, so our results confirm that this group was highly variable in both coat color and size." Lead author of the paper, Dr Ludovic Orlando from Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyon says the group discovered a new species of the distinct, small hippidion horse in South America. "Previous fossil records suggested this group was part of an ancient lineage from North America but the DNA showed these unusual forms were part of the modern radiation of equid species," Dr Orlando says. A new species of ass was also detected on the Russian Plains and appears to be related to European fossils dating back more than 1.5 million years. Carbon dates on the bones reveal that this species was alive as recently as 50,000 years ago. "Overall, the new genetic results suggest that we have under-estimated how much a single species can vary over time and space, and mistakenly assumed more diversity among extinct species of megafauna," Professor Cooper says.
New Polar Bear Book
December 10, 2009 www.nytimes.com By BRUCE BARCOTT
Author Bruce Ellis has published a compendium of facts and lore about the Polar Bear. Polar bears have a nose more powerful than a bloodhound’s. They can smell seals, their main prey, through two feet of ice. This olfactory sensitivity is what makes pepper spray so effective against an attacking bear. Polar bears are known to roam great distances in a constant search for food. In 1992, a radio-collared female traveled from the Beaufort Sea off Alaska to northern Greenland via the North Pole, covering 3,538 miles in four months. Polar bears are capable of short bursts of speed up to 35 miles an hour. Usain Bolt’s top speed is around 23 m.p.h. Their fur is too coarse for the pelt market, and their meat isn’t very tasty (eating polar bear liver, which contains toxic levels of vitamin A, can kill a person), so there wasn’t much point in shooting a polar bear except as a trophy. Overhunting was so severe in the 1960s that scientists feared the species was headed for extinction. In 1976 the Arctic nations banned all polar bear hunting except by indigenous peoples. Though it’s not a perfect solution — some guides now make a living by selling their permits to trophy hunters. The polar bear population bounced back so quickly that in 1984, it was declared “saved”. Now it is endangered from climate change. Polar bears aren’t good land-based hunters. The energy expended chasing a reindeer, for example, can negate the energy gained by eating the meat and fat. Global warming is thinning the ice and quickening the spring melt. In the 1980s the Arctic ice sheet was 15 feet thick. By 2003 it had shrunk by about half. The ice breaks up in Hudson Bay three weeks earlier now than it did in 1984. That means three fewer weeks of eating for the local polar bear population, which declined by 22 percent between 1987 and 2004. The USFWS listed the polar bear as a threatened species last year after a protracted political battle (oil companies feared the listing would limit access to new oil fields in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea, 30 million acres of polar bear habitat, so the Bush administration stonewalled the listing until after it had auctioned off the oil leases). Two-thirds of the world’s polar bears — some 22,000 — could disappear by midcentury. Some scientists hope that viable populations might survive along the northern Greenland coast and in the Arctic archipelagos of Canada.
Endangered Species Permit Requests
December 10, 2009 www.thefederalregister.com
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites the public to comment on applications for permits to conduct enhancement of survival activities with endangered species. Please send your written comments by January 11, 2010, to Program Manager, Endangered Species, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE. 11th Avenue, Portland, OR. For more information contact: Linda Belluomini, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, at the above address or by telephone (503-231-6131).
Permit No. TE225693. Applicant: Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, Captain Cook, Hawaii. The applicant requests a permit to remove and reduce to possession Prithchardia affinis (loulu) in conjunction with seed collection and phenology studies on National Park Service land on the island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE003483. Applicant: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Honolulu, Hawaii. The permittee requests a permit amendment to remove and reduce to possession (collect) Cyanea glabra (haha) and Pritchardia affinis (loulu) in conjunction with assessing genetic diversity and population structure on the islands of Hawaii and Maui in the State of Hawaii for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Newly Discovered Carnivore Dinosaurs
December 11, 2009 www.sciencemag.org
In the December 11, 2009 issue of Science, a team of paleontologists introduces the Triassic dinosaur Tawa hallae, an animal that may answer longstanding questions about the earliest years of dinosaur evolution. Fossils collected at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, are some of the most complete and best preserved dinosaur skeletons from the Late-Triassic time period. The two- to four-meter-long skeletons of Tawa display characteristics that exist in both of its contemporaries, and features found in neither, implying a separate lineage. Unlike many theropods, Tawa's lineage does not lead directly to birds. The recent findings support the hypothesis that dinosaurs first originated in what is now South America and soon after diverged into theropods, sauropodomorphs and ornithischians (a line that includes a range of body types, including Stegosaurus and Triceratops). Only after this divergence did dinosaurs disperse across the Triassic world more than 220 million years ago. Sterling Nesbitt of the University of Texas at Austin, is the lead author on the paper. Nesbitt and his colleagues observed three distantly related carnivores in the fossil-rich, Late Triassic beds, implying that each carnivore descended from a separate lineage before arriving in North America, instead of all evolving from a local ancestor.
Wildlife - Human Disease Connection
December 11, 2009 www.nwhc.usgs.gov
The U.S Geological Service and the USFWS have made their new publication “Disease Emergence and Resurgence: The Wildlife-Human Connection” freely available online. The 400 page publication focuses on disease emergence in wildlife, the general importance of wild animals as sentinels for disease emergence, and critical issues regarding wildlife as sources for zoonotic disease (diseases transmissible between humans and animals). A section on “How to Find and Access Published Information on Emerging Infectious Diseases” discusses how to navigate the literature, both popular and scientific, related to zoonoses. Appendices include extensive tables related to chapter topics, and the book is indexed and includes a glossary.
Atlanta Zoo Director Named Head of National Zoo
December 11, 209 www.bizjournals.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Smithsonian's National Zoo has named a new director. Starting February 15, the president and CEO of the Atlanta Zoo, Dennis Kelly, will administer the institution's 163-acre facility in Rock Creek Park and the 3,200-acre Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, VA. Kelly has led Zoo Atlanta for the past six years and was the driving forces behind the zoo’s 25-year master plan, the renegotiation of a deal to keep the zoo’s pandas in Atlanta and capital improvements throughout the park. Kelly also raised $40 million in public and private funds to support the zoo. A national search for Kelly’s replacement will begin immediately.
Northern White Rhinos Returned to Wild
December 11, 2009 www.iol.co.za
PRAGUE -- The Dvur-Kralove zoo in central Czech Republic plans to transfer four endangered Northern White rhinos to a Kenyan reserve in a last-ditch attempt to save the species. "We must offer them this last chance, in their natural environment in Africa," said director Dana Holeckova. According to experts there are only eight remaining Northern White rhinos in the world. A sub-species of the White Rhino, they all live in captivity - six at Dvur-Kralove and two more at San Diego Zoo in the United States. The last birth was at Dvur-Kralove in 2000. It is hoped that returning the animals to the wild will affect the hormonal levels of the female rhinos allowing them to breed, said Holeckova. The four rhinos - two males and two females - will be transferred by air to Kenya's Ol Pejeta reserve on December 19.
Buffalo Zoo Female Gorilla Moves to Memphis Zoo
December 11, 2009 www.wivb.com By Eli George
BUFFALO, N.Y.-- Kwizera, one of the Buffalo Zoo's four female gorillas, has been transferred to the Memphis Zoo on a breeding loan. Kwizera, a 21-year-old western lowland gorilla, was accompanied by Buffalo Zoo veterinarian Dr. Kurt Volle, and Memphis Zoo primate keeper Nancy Charles. Kwizera will be off exhibit for approximately one month and then will be introduced to the Memphis Zoo's two female gorillas, Kebara and Penny. Once they have established a strong bond, the group will also be integrated with the male, Mwelu. Kwizera has already proven to be a good mother to daughter Sidney, who remains at the Buffalo Zoo. Kwizera's pairing with Mwelu was recommended by AZA through the gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP). This program is designed to maintain genetic diversity within gorilla populations housed in zoos. The Buffalo Zoo has also received a breeding recommendation for Kwizera's daughter, Sidney, and male, Koga, who was transferred from the Memphis Zoo in 2007. While Koga gets along well with females Becky (Kwizera's sister) and Lily (Kwizera's niece), Sidney has quickly become his favorite. Since 1990, nine surviving gorilla babies have been born at the Buffalo Zoo. The most recent birth was Lily, who was born in 2000.
Spider Money Born at Palm Beach Zoo
December 11, 2009 www.tcpalm.com
WEST PALM BEACH — An critically endangered spider monkey born at Palm Beach Zoo is now three weeks old and can now be seen with his mother, Raven, at the zoo's Primate Island exhibit. Raven gave birth high in the large ficus tree on Primate Island. The baby is clinging to his mom and successfully nursing. It is difficult at this stage of development to determine the sex of the baby but zoo experts said they believe the baby is a boy. Raven was born at the Palm Beach Zoo on October 10, 1993. This is her first baby.
Bushmeat Sold On Open Market in U.S.
December 11, 2009 www.abcnews.go.com By DAN HARRIS and ALMIN KARAMEHMEDOVIC
Poaching has become the number one threat to iconic, endangered animals like elephants, gorillas, bonobos, hippos, zebras, antelope and monkeys. But it's not elephant tusks they're after. It's food. Africans are literally eating away their natural heritage. Andrea Turkalo, a researcher for the Wildlife Conservation Society who's studied elephants in the Central African Republic for 19 years, has seen this phenomenon take shape. It's called bushmeat, and even though it's illegal, we found it openly sold in public markets. It is estimated that a million metric tons of bushmeat is eaten every year in Africa. Crawford Allen, who investigates the illegal animal trade for WWF says, "We know that [bushmeat's] readily available in the U.S.: in Queens, in parts of Washington, D.C., parts of Minneapolis, St. Paul – because people have a passion for bushmeat. They want that taste from home." ABC’s “Nightline” presents information on the crisis tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET.
National Zoo’s Bird Friendly Coffee
December 11, 2009 www.zandvisitor.com By Enica R. Thompson
WASHINGTON, DC -- Bird Friendly Organic Coffee, a product of the National Zoo’s Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, earned nearly $3.5 million in 2008. The majority (61 percent) of all Bird Friendly coffee roasted was consumed in the United States, followed by Japan (36 percent) and Canada (3 percent). Bird Friendly coffee is produced on farms with a shade cover that provides a substantial and vital habitat for migratory and resident birds in tropical landscapes, which are increasingly threatened by deforestation. The volume of Bird Friendly coffee sold in the United States between 2000 and 2008 increased from fewer than 2,000 pounds to 200,400 pounds. There are 44 roasters in the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan that carry Bird Friendly coffee imported by 16 companies. The Zoo has partnered with coffee roaster Golden Valley Farms (West Chester, Pa.) to serve its Bird Friendly-certified organic coffee in the Zoo’s three restaurants as of Dec. 1, 2009.
Bighorns Will Be Moved to Wyoming
December 13, 2009 cbs4denver.com
SINCLAIR, Wyo. -- The Wyoming Game and Fish Department next month plans to work with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to capture 40 bighorn sheep and transplant them to the Seminoe Mountains in south-central Wyoming. The agencies hope to capture 10 rams and 30 ewes from Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake and move them to Wyoming to bolster the faltering Seminoe/Ferris Mountain herd. Earlier this month five rams and 15 ewes captured in Oregon were released into a remote site near Morgan Creek, about 30 miles north of Sinclair. One of those bighorns has died, but officials say the others appear to be doing fine. State officials say the Seminoe/Ferris sheep herd once numbered in the hundreds, but decades of drought, disease and poor forage reduced it to about 20 bighorns.
Concerns About Canadian Zoos
December 13, 2009 www.nationalpost.com By Linda Nguyen
OTTAWA – Concerns about Canadian zoos have been fuelled by a wave of animal deaths, most recently a female capybara was killed in a hydraulic door accident at the Calgary Zoo. Bill Peters of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) said there's been a "real dramatic change" in the concept of what zoos are and their societal contributions. But out of an estimated 300 zoos -- including sanctuaries, wilderness parks and roadside petting attractions -- across the country, only 26 have volunteered to be accredited by CAZA standards.
Panda’s DNA May Explain Its Herbivory
December 13, 2009 www.nature.com By Jane Qiu
GUANGDONG PROVINCE, China -- An international team of geneticists sequenced the genome of a three-year-old female panda named Jingjing, and found that she lacks any recognizable genes for cellulases — enzymes that break down the plant material cellulose. "The panda's bamboo diet may be dictated by its gut bacteria rather than by its genetic composition," says Wang Jun, deputy director of the Beijing Genomics Institute, who led the sequencing project. The researchers also discovered that the T1R1 gene, which encodes a key receptor for the flavor of meat, has become an inactive 'pseudogene' due to two mutations. "This may explain why the panda diet is primarily herbivorous even though it is classified as a carnivore," says Wang. The research, published in the journal Nature, shows that pandas have about 21,000 genes and 21 pairs of chromosomes, including one pair of sex chromosomes. Of all the mammals that have been sequenced, pandas are most similar to dogs — with 80% similarity — and are only 68% similar to humans. But the bear's genome has undergone fewer genetic changes over time than those of dogs and humans, suggesting that it evolved more slowly. The study also shows pandas have a high degree of genetic diversity — about twice as much as humans. "This shows that the panda has a good chance of survival despite its small population size," says Wang. The panda genome is the first in a string of sequencing efforts by the Shenzhen institute. The team has also produced a draft genome map of the polar bear, and has started sequencing the genome of the Tibetan antelope.
New Species of Coral & Sponges Found Near Hawaii
December 14, 2009 www.nytimes.com
HONOLULU -- New and dramatic species of coral and sponges have been found in the Pacific during deep sea dives near the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Submersibles operated by the Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory discovered the species in early December in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. They found the species during dives nearly 1 mile deep. Christopher Kelley, the lab's program biologist, called sponges found at dive sites off Middle Bank, some 120 miles northwest of Hawaii, ''absolutely bizarre.'' ''We don't know what they are, and this is a fantastic opportunity to try and help the monument and determine what some of the deep water resources are.''
Czech Northern Rhino Plan Critiziced
December 14, 2009 www.radio.cz By Chris Johnstone
The Dvůr Králové Zoo’s plan to fly 2 male and 2 female Northern White Rhinos to a well protected reserve in Kenya has caused controversy. The European Association for Zoos and Aquaria described it as a costly and high risk operation which should be investigated in more detail. EAZA believes the rhinos will have a high likelihood of contracting local diseases with the stress from the journey making them even more susceptible. Recently, EAZA posed questions about the liklihood of cross breeding with local rhinos. But Pavel Moucha, curator of the Czech zoo says, “We have kept this subspecies in our zoo for more than 30 years, but have bred only five babies during that time. Basically, the female rhinos have low hormone levels in captivity. They are not able to turn on the males. Even if they do achieve this they are not able to become pregnant.” Moucha believes that in the wild the nine-year and 25-year-old females will act more naturally. The older female’s biological clock is running down and she may only be able to produce three or four young if everything goes well. The Czech zoo is also working on another project involving embryo transplants to save the Northern White but this is still at a theoretical level with no clear indications that it can succeed. “We call this project ‘Last chance for the Northern White Rhino’ because there are only eight rhinos known in captivity and none in the natural environment,” Moucha said. Two Northern White Rhinos will remain at the Zoo and the San Diego Zoo has two.
Koala Diseases – Chlamydia and KIDS
December 14, 2009 edition.cnn.com
QUEENSLAND, Australia -- A recent report by the Australian Koala Foundation claims the Australian koala population has dropped from 100,000 to fewer than 43,000 in the past six years and koalas could be extinct within 30 years. At least 700 koalas are brought each year to the Australian Wildlife Hospital near Australia Zoo. The majority have Chlamydia, a disease which attacks their eyes and bladder. Most would die in the wild but at the Wildlife Hospital they receive a two month course of antibiotics and are returned to their natural habitat -- within a kilometer of where they were found. Besides Chlamydia, another disease that is spreading rapidly among the marsupials is koala AIDS or KIDS (Koala Immune Deficiency Syndrome). It is similar to AIDS in humans. The immune system of the animals is weakened and they are made susceptible to cancer and other deadly infections. The hospital's head veterinary scientist, Dr. Jon Hanger, discovered the retrovirus and says it's just as severe as human AIDS but affects koalas more quickly. Hanger believes most of the animals carry the virus, but only some are predisposed to it becoming full-blown KIDS. In addition, land clearing, urbanization and the removal of eucalyptus forests are causing koalas to lose their homes and making them more prone to encounters with cars and dog attacks.
IUCN Report: Climate Threat To Endangered Species
December 14, 2009 www.iucn.org
A new IUCN report, "Species and Climate Change:; More than just the polar bear," looks at 10 most vulnerable species:
Staghorn corals: Impacted by bleaching and disease. They highlight impacts of rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification due to climate change.
Ringed Seal: Reproduction is being disrupted as the ice upon which they live and breed melts. They highlight impacts of Arctic ice melt due to climate change.
Leatherback Turtle: Nesting beaches are being washed away, while rising sand temperatures during egg incubation lead to disproportionately lower numbers of males. They highlight impacts of increasing air and sea temperatures, rising sea levels and changing ocean currents due to climate change.
Emperor Penguins: Will lose sea ice platforms for breeding and face changes in food
availability. They highlight impacts of rising sea temperatures and melting sea ice due to climate change.
Quiver Trees: Losing populations in the equator-ward parts of their distribution range due to drought stress. They highlight problems that all plants and slow-moving species face in keeping up with rapidly accelerating changing climate.
Clownfish: The fish’s coral reef habitats are under severe threat and their ability to find their protective host anemones is being disrupted. They highlight impacts of coral reef degradation, increasing ocean acidification and warming oceans due to climate change.
Arctic Foxes: Habitat loss, competition and predation from Red Foxes, together with changes in population cycles of their prey. They highlight climate change’s disruptive effects on interactions between species.
Salmon: The fish’s freshwater habitats are facing warming and altered seasonal flows, while food availability in their marine ranges may shift. They highlight the effects of rising temperatures on both freshwater and marine ecosystems, and illustrate how climate change impacts on
wild species can have a direct effect on economies.
Koalas: Eucalyptus leaves are declining in nutrient richness. They highlight effects of elevated CO2 levels on plants and on the animals that rely on them for food.
Beluga Whales: Refuge from humans is declining as Arctic sea ice melts, and also face new competitors, predators and diseases. In addition to melting sea ice impacts, they highlight climate change’s indirect effects of worsening existing threats from people.
The full report is at: cmsdata.iucn.org [PDF]
‘Keyhole’ Surgery Performed on Reindeer
December 14, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
A reindeer named Eskimo at Edinburgh Zoo has undergone pioneering keyhole surgery to remove one of his testicles that had been lodged in this abdomen since his birth. He had been displaying submissive behavior and was being bullied by the other male reindeer in the herd. He had also started to show some unusual and delayed antler growth and development. Removing the testicle will stop any abnormal hormone production and should see Eskimo return to normal. Although keyhole surgery is routine in humans, the standard procedure in animals is still open abdominal surgery. Romain Pizzi, a veterinary surgeon for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, based at Edinburgh Zoo, said, "Laparoscopic surgery is still very uncommon in veterinary medicine, even amongst common species such as dogs, cats and horses. This procedure was only really possible thanks to a cutting-edge designed retractor which we were able to use in this case.” Eskimo was standing and eating lichen again within 10 minutes of recovery from the anaesthetic.
Tool Use In an Invertebrate – The Octopus
December 14, 2009 www.physorg.com
A report in the December 14th issue of Current Biology adds an octopus to the growing list of animal tool users. The veined octopus has been observed to gather coconut shells for use as a shelter or lair. "There is a fundamental difference between picking up a nearby object and putting it over your head as protection [like the hermit crab] and collecting, arranging, transporting (awkwardly), and assembling portable armor for protection," said Mark Norman of the Museum Victoria in Australia. The researchers observed the behavior of 20 veined octopuses. On four occasions, individuals traveled over considerable distances—up to 20 meters—while carrying stacked coconut shell halves beneath their body.
Animals That Use Tools
December 14, 2009 www.livescience.com By Charles Q. Choi
1. Chimpanzees: Stone hammers found at a chimp settlement in the Ivory Coast dating back 4,300 years. Capable of making spears to hunt other primates, and tools to forage for army ants.
2. Crows: Craft twigs, leaves and even their own feathers into tools. Drop stones in pitchers to raise the height of water inside, just like in Aesop's fable.
3. Orangutans: Have developed and passed along a way to make improvised whistles from bundles of leaves to help ward off predators (First animal communication tool).
4. Elephants: Intentionally drop logs or rocks on electric fences to short them out. Plug up water holes with balls of chewed bark to keep other animals from drinking. Asian elephants modify branches to swat at flies.
5. Dolphins: A group of bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, carries marine sponges in their beaks to stir ocean-bottom sand and uncover prey. Spend more time hunting with tools than any animal besides humans.
6. Sea Otters: Use stones to hammer abalone shells off rocks and crack the shells open.
7. Gorillas: Use branches as walking sticks to test water depth and trunks from shrubs as makeshift bridges to cross deep patches of swamp.
8. Octopuses: Veined octopus uses coconut shells as portable armor. Stacks discarded coconut shell halves like a pile bowls, sits atop them, makes its eight arms rigid like stilts, and then “walks” the stash across the seafloor, using them for shelter later when needed.
9. Macaques: Macaques living near a Buddhist shrine in Lopburi, Thailand, pull out hair from visitors to use as floss to clean their mouths.
10. Rodents: Degus (small rodents closely related to chinchillas) can be taught how to use rakes to obtain food.
California’s Water Problems
December 14, 2009 today.uci.edu
IRVINE, California -- Satellite-based findings by UCI, and NASA reveal that since October 2003, the aquifers for California’s primary agricultural region – the Central Valley – and its major mountain water source – the Sierra Nevada – have lost nearly enough water combined to fill Lake Mead, America’s largest reservoir. "Groundwater in these basins is being pumped for irrigation at rates that are not sustainable if current trends continue,” said Jay Famiglietti, UCI Earth system science professor. “This is leading to declining water tables, water shortages, decreasing crop sizes and continued land subsidence. The findings have major implications for the U.S. economy, as California’s Central Valley is home to one-sixth of all U.S. irrigated land and the state leads the nation in agricultural production and exports.”
EPA Will Spend $13 Million to Stop Asian Carp
December 14, 2009 www.jsonline.com By Dan Egan
Less than two weeks after fishery experts spent about $3 million to poison the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in a desperate attempt to beat back an Asian carp invasion of Lake Michigan, the federal government has announced it will spend another $13 million on the problem. That money will come from the recently passed $475 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and much of it will go to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers so the agency can build emergency berms and plug various waterways in the Chicago area to keep the carp from riding floodwaters into the lake. Earlier this year the Army Corps turned on its new $9 million electric barrier on the canal, which is considered the primary pathway for the fish to make the jump from the Mississippi River basin to the waters of the Great Lakes. But the carp recently migrated up the adjacent Des Plaines River, and that river has a history of flooding its banks and spilling into the sanitary and ship canal. The distance between the two waterways is, in places, only a matter of yards. Some of the $13 million also will go toward further DNA testing of area waterways to figure out where the fish may be.
Climate Wizard Database
December 15, 2009 www.sciencedaily.com
Climate Wizard, a new web tool, is a joint effort of University of Washington, University of Southern Mississippi and The Nature Conservancy. A description of the tool can be found in the current issue of PLoS ONE. Evan Girvetz, lead author says, "Climate Wizard is meant to make it easier to explore climate data in an interactive, visual way. It lets users focus on states, countries or regions around the world and apply different scenarios to generate color-coded maps of changes in temperature and precipitation that can, in turn, be used to consider such things as moisture stress in vegetation and freshwater supplies." Users can choose from a number of parameters. For example, one can look at the climate of the past 50 years or projections for mid-century, the 2050s, or toward the end of the century, the 2080s. Among other variables, one can generate maps based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes' estimates of greenhouse gas emissions being high, medium or low in the future. Girvetz was the project's analytical lead, taking 16 climate models and organizing the data from them so they could be queried. Climate Wizard was funded by and initially developed for The Nature Conservancy planners and scientists wanting climate change information when considering such things as priorities for habitat protection efforts.
Al Ain Zoo Analyzes Addax Herd’s DNA
December 15, 2009 gulfnews.com
AL AIN, U.A.E. -- The African addax is a critically endangered antelope that has experienced a drastic 80% decline in its population over the past 21 years due to uncontrolled hunting, drought and habitat loss. There are now fewer than 300 addax in the wild. Some 1,600 addax exist in zoos and private collections. Al Ain Wildlife Park is home to 50 addax and recently announced the birth of a healthy baby on September 18. "We are extremely proud to be part of the conservation efforts aimed at ensuring these beautiful animals exist," said Farshid Mehrdadfar, manager of animal collections. Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort is part of the Sahara Conservation Fund. As part of this effort, the park is initiating a DNA assessment of its addax herd with a leading zoological society.
Baird’s Tapir Born at Franklin Park Zoo
December 15, 2009 www.boston.com By Stefanie Geisler
BOSTON, MA -- On Dec. 5, a 21-pound Baird’s tapir was born at the Franklin Park Zoo. Named Tupelo, her mother is 5-year-old Abby, and 20-year-old Milton is her father. John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO said, “There are only 20 or 22 males in captivity in North America, and 10 or 12 females. So there’s a great need for females to balance this population, and to make sure we continue having a growing population in captivity.’’ Tupelo is expected to make her debut in the zoo’s Tropical Forest in a few weeks.
NC Zoo Gorilla Euthanized
December 15, 2009 www.charlotteobserver.com By Richard Stradling
Donna, a gorilla at the N.C. Zoo who had been battling cancer for 2 1/2 years, was euthanized Monday after a relapse. She was 42. She had a full hysterectomy in August 2008 by an oncologist at Duke University Medical Center and two doctors from the N.C. Center for Reproductive Medicine, but tumors reappeared in her abdomen and grew in recent months, said Mike Loomis, the zoo's chief veterinarian. Zoo veterinarians and staff determined Monday that the cancer was not treatable and that Donna's condition would only worsen. Donna, a Western Lowland gorilla, was born in 1968 and came to North Carolina from a zoo in St. Paul, Minn. in 1990. Another female gorilla at the zoo, Katie, 36, is also being treated for an abdominal tumor. Her treatment has included radiation therapy at the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Loomis described her prognosis as "guarded." Meanwhile, Nikosi, the zoo's 18-year-old male gorilla, remains on exhibit and is in good health. Zoo officials say two young female gorillas are scheduled to arrive during the first half of 2010 from the San Diego Zoo and Oklahoma City Zoo.
Tulsa Giraffe Autopsy Reveals Pregnancy
December 15, 2009 www.tulsaworld.com By P.J. LASSEK
TULSA, Oklahoma -- 5-year-old Amali suffered a severe and non-reversible injury to her neck when she was shipped from Ohio to Oklahoma in October. She died while under anesthesia Dec. 3 to determine the extent of her neck injury and whether anything could be done to intervene. Zoo Director Terrie Correll said that an autopsy showed not only that Amali’s neck was broken and there was extensive muscle damage, but that the young giraffe was two to three months pregnant when she died. The zoo hired Safari Enterprises Inc., “an experienced USDA licensed animal transporter with a specially-designed trailer,” she said. And the transport driver did not report any incidents that could have led to the animal’s injury during the 48-hour trip from Cumberland, Ohio. The USDA is conducting a “focused inspection” of the animal shipment, which includes the transport company and the city will request a copy of the finding. Correll said a report on Amali’s injury also was sent to the AZA and the organization has determined that the standards for animal transport were met “and no further action is necessary at this time.”
Penguin Fingerprinting at ZSL
December 15, 2009 www.prlog.org
Researchers from The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the University of Sheffield have identified genetic markers that can be used to track the movement of penguins and ultimately determine whether Antarctica’s changing climate is driving them from their favored breeding sites. By collecting penguin feathers and extracting their DNA, scientists can now determine the relatedness between different birds within a colony, enabling them to follow the movement of individuals and populations. The markers have already been used to make a population map of macaroni penguins around South Georgia and are now being expanded to all species of penguin on the Antarctic Peninsula. Penguin specialist Tom Hart says, “Knowing how penguins are responding to climate change is vital to conservation efforts. If we understand how their populations are changing, we can do something about it, such as making sure that our protected areas are in the right place for penguins in 100 years time.” Penguins are not only threatened by climate change, but are also under increasing pressure from direct competition with fisheries.
Species Distribution Models of Limited Value
December 15, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
LEIPZIG, Germany -- Species distribution models are of only limited use in predicting the future distribution of mammals. This is the finding of a study of the climate niches of 140 indigenous European mammals. The researchers analyzed data on species distribution, climate, land cover and topography, as well as the phylogenetic information of the species. Judging by the large differences in climate niches even for closely related species, mammals seem to adapt fast to changing climatic conditions. This in turn makes predictions based on current distributions unreliable. Writing in Biology Letters, a journal of the British Royal Society, scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) say that since many mammals around the world are endangered by the loss of their habitats and by chemicals and traffic, climate change is just one of many threats. “Evolution of climate niches in European mammals” is available at rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org.
The HALI Project Addresses Emerging Zoonoses
December 15, 2009 www.plos.org
In this week's PLoS Medicine, Jonna Mazet (University of California, Davis) and colleagues describe their work in the Tanzania-based HALI Project, which adopts the "One Health" approach to address emerging zoonoses, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. In 2006, the Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) project was initiated to test the feasibility of the One Health approach in rural Tanzania and to find creative solutions to these problems by investigating the impact of zoonotic disease on the health and livelihoods of rural Tanzanians living in the water-limited Ruaha ecosystem. HALI, from the Swahili word for state of health, addresses these complex disease and natural resources issues on a platform that recognizes that the health of domestic animals, wildlife, and people is inextricably linked to the ecosystem and natural resources on which all depend.
Nearly 40,000 new cases of tuberculosis (human, bovine, or atypical strain) are diagnosed per year in Tanzania, with anywhere from 21% to 77% of Tanzanian tuberculosis patients also infected with HIV. The extrapulmonary form of tuberculosis (EPTB) in people, often associated with BTB infection from animals, accounts for 20% of the reported cases in Tanzania. Therefore, bovine tuberculosis became a focal disease for the HALI project due to its high livestock prevalence, scarcity of wildlife data, and the large, susceptible HIV-infected human population living in close association with livestock and wildlife. Additional priorities for HALI were determined to be diseases impacted by water supply. HALI's Multilevel Approach includes testing of wildlife, livestock, and their water sources for zoonotic pathogens and disease; environmental monitoring of water quality, availability, and use; assessing wildlife population health and demography; evaluating livestock and human disease impacts on livelihoods of pastoralist households; examining land and water use impacts on daily workloads and village economies; introducing new diagnostic techniques for disease detection; training Tanzanians of all education levels about zoonotic diseases; and developing new health and environmental policy interventions to mitigate the impacts of zoonotic diseases.
Copenhagen Climate Talks So Far
December 15, 2009 www.nytimes.com
The conference so far has been marked by sharp disagreements between China and the United States and deep divisions between rich and poor nations. China, the world's largest polluter, is grouped with developing nations at the talks, but the U.S. doesn't consider China to be in need of climate-change aid. The U.S. has offered a 17 percent reduction from 2005 emissions levels by 2020. That amounts to a 3 percent to 4 percent cut from 1990 levels -- the baseline year used by many countries. China has pledged to cut ''carbon intensity'' -- a measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production -- by 40 percent to 45 percent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels. Since China's economy is expected to double in size in coming years, that pledge means China's emissions will only increase by nearly 50 percent. Neither the U.S. nor the Chinese offers impressed the 27-nation EU, which has promised to reduce its emissions by at least 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 -- and go up to 30 percent if others make comparable commitments. Japan and Russia have already promised 25 percent cuts. Scientists have warned that the world's commitments so far fall short of what is needed to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels and head off the worst of global warming. They say global warming will create rising sea levels, increasing drought, more extreme weather and the extinction of some species.
Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Program
December 15, 2009 www.examiner.com By Sara McGrath
The Woodland Park Zoo’s Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) will be featured tonight on a segment of ABC World News and ABC Nightline. The zoo's Dr. Lisa Dabek has taken part in an expedition in the cloud forests of the Huon Peninsula in Papua New Guinea. The expedition team fitted two wild tree kangaroos with collars carrying tiny National Geographic Crittercams. The cameras captured hours of video from the perspective of the tree kangaroos and provide new insights into the natural behavior of wild tree kangaroos. More information is at www.zoo.org.
Micronesian Kingfishers at St. Louis Zoo
December 15, 2009 www.ksdk.com
FOREST PARK, Missouri -- Two of only 113 Micronesian kingfisher birds left in the world are on display at the Bird House at the Saint Louis Zoo. The male and female birds are from the Brookfield Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo. The kingfisher, previously found in Guam, was nearly exterminated by the brown tree snake. The few dozen birds that survived were captured and taken to U.S. zoos for a breeding program to prevent extinction. The Saint Louis Zoo was one of the founding members of the breeding program and has housed kingfishers in an off-display area of the Bird House since 1985. The zoo has hatched 41 chicks, some of which now live on Guam at a breeding facility there. It is hoped that the kingfishers can be re-introduced once the snakes have been removed from Guam.
New Species of Warbler Discovered in Vietnam
December 15, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk By Matt Walker
A species of warbler named the Limestone leaf warbler was first sighted in the forests of Vietnam and Laos in 1994, but was thought to the same as a different species 1000 km away. Professor Per Alstrom of the Swedish Species Information Centre, said, "Initially, the bird was identified as a Sulphur-breasted warbler. Later it was realized that its songs differed markedly from the songs of the Sulphur-breasted warbler, and further studies were undertaken." Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society's Lao Program and Birdlife International in Indochina confirmed the bird's unique identity. The new species is smaller, with shorter wings, rounder wing tips and a proportionately larger bill. DNA analyses also suggest that it is more closely related to the Yellow-vented warbler (Phylloscopus cantator) from eastern Himalayas, northern Laos and adjacent part of China, which is quite different in plumage. In the past two decades, 19 new species of Phylloscopus warbler have been identified. Despite being unknown to science, the Limestone leaf warbler is quite numerous. Professor Alstrom's team believes that the bird inhabits limestone karst habitats in Vietnam and Laos, and may also breed in several locations in southern China. One other new species, the Bare-faced bulbul (Pycnonotus hualon), was described earlier this year from central Laos. Its habitat is similar to the Limestone leaf warbler, which highlights the ecological importance of the region.
Panama Frog Rescue
December 15, 2009 wdin.blogspot.com
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are founding members of “Project Rescue and Conservation of Amphibians of Panama”. Recently they collected about 20 harlequin frog (Atelopus limosa) and 20 tree frogs (Hyloscirtus colymba) at Cerro Brewster Chagres National Park in Panama. The frogs were tested for chytrid fungus and it is hoped that a captive breeding population of these 2 species can be established at Park City Summit. Other species are being proteced at the Amphibian Conservation Center in El Valle (founded by the Houston Zoo and led by Edgardo Griffith.) The Houston Zoo, the African Safari in Mexico, Zoo New England, the Park City Summit in Panama, the Defenders of Wildlife also support this project. More information is at amphibianrescue.org.
Northern White Rhino Move Logistics
December 16, 2009 www.google.com By KAREL JANICEK
PRAGUE — Two male rhinos, Sudan and Suni and two female rhinos called Najin and Fatu will move from the Dvur Kralove Zoo to Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday. They will live on the Kenyan Ol Pejeta conservation area, where zoo authorities hope they will breed. Four other northern white rhinos were living in Congo's Garamba National Park, but they have not been seen since August 2006. They were the last remaining northern white rhinos in the wild. The Czech zoo has taken care of Northern white rhinos since the mid-1970s when two males and four females arrived from Africa. The 36-year old Sudan was one of them. Four white rhinos were born in the zoo since then, but the last was Fatu, born June 29, 2000, (daughter of Najin, 20) and despite efforts, including repeated artificial insemination, none have been born since then. Three of the four have had their horns shortened to prevent possible damage during transport. The horns are expected to grow back again. The Safari Archa 2007 NGO plans a protest rally in the regional city of Hradec Kralove Wednesday. Roman Komeda of the organization said the transport posed "a huge risk" for the rhinos, charging the plan was "incompetent" and its purpose made "no sense" because there were no other white rhinos in the Kenyan park and the white rhinos could only breed with southern white rhinos living there. He said his organization has asked a court to stop the move.
Cameroon Gorilla Captured on Film
December 16, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Classified as Critically Endangered, the Cross River gorilla is the rarest of the four subspecies of gorilla, with fewer than 300 across its entire range in Cameroon and Nigeria. It is one of two subspecies of western gorilla, the other being the western lowland gorilla. The eastern gorilla includes two subspecies: the eastern lowland gorilla, and the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains and southern Uganda. The Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary was created in 2008 with the help of the Wildlife Conservation Society. The small 19.5 square kilometer reserve contains a genetically important segment of the Cross River gorilla population - 16 individual animals. While many populations of gorillas are threatened by poachers, the gorillas of Kagwene have been protected by the local belief that the apes are people and therefore cannot be hunted or consumed. With the assistance of WCS's Cameroon Program, a film crew from the Hamburg-based NDR Naturfilm filmed the elusive ape earlier this year in a stand of montane fig trees. "These gorillas are extremely wary of humans and are very difficult to photograph or film," said Dr. Roger Fotso, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society's Cameroon Program. Funders for efforts to conserve Cross River gorillas include: the USFWS, Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (the German Development Bank), the Arcus Foundation, WWF, the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, the Taronga Foundation, the Kolmarden Fundraising Foundation, and the North Carolina Zoo.
Salton Sea Ecosytem Monitoring Project
December 16, 2009 www.usgs.gov By Keith Miles
The Salton Sea is critically important for wintering and breeding waterbirds, but faces an uncertain future due to water delivery reductions imposed by the Interstate and Federal Quantification Settlement Agreement of 2003. In 2006, a 50-hectare experimental complex that consisted of four inter-connected, shallow water saline habitat ponds (SHP) was constructed at the southeastern shoreline of the Salton Sea and flooded with blended waters from the Alamo River and Salton Sea. The present study evaluated ecological risks and benefits of the SHP concept prior to widespread restoration actions. This study was designed to evaluate (1) baseline chemical, nutrient, and contaminant measures from physical and biological constituents, (2) aquatic invertebrate community structure and colonization patterns, and (3) productivity of and contaminant risks to nesting waterbirds at the SHP. These factors were evaluated and compared with those of nearby waterbird habitat. The 150 page USGS report is at pubs.usgs.gov.
Bar-Coding Grass Species
December 16, 2009 www.physorg.com
Researchers from Adelaide, North America, Africa, China and Europe are collaborating to create genetic barcodes for up to 20,000 grass species around the world, using a genetic marker found in the DNA. "Grasses are the foundation of human civilization," says Professor Andrew Lowe from the Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity at the University of Adelaide. "Wheat, barley, rye and oats are all grasses, as are many important pasture species used to graze domesticated animals, but they are notoriously difficult to identify in the wild." Professor Lowe says the Grass Barcoding of Life Project (GrassBoL) will develop a standard method of genetic identification for grasses and their relatives, benefiting many different areas of research, including ecology, agronomy and evolution. "Being able to rapidly identify these grasses in their natural habitats will allow us to adapt to climate change by choosing appropriate staple crops for shifting climates," Professor Lowe says. The driving force behind the project is Dr Hugh Cross from the State Herbarium of South Australia and a University of Adelaide affiliate. Dr Cross presented his early barcoding work on 100 Australian grass species at a recent meeting in Mexico, where an international agreement was reached to share data and scientific outcomes. Funding valued at $350,000 has been provided for the project by the International Barcode of Life, Australian Biological Resources Study and the Federal Government's Taxonomy Research & Information Network. "We agreed to cooperate to develop barcodes for over 20,000 species of plants," Dr Cross says. All information will eventually be made available online for scientists.
Charities Get Creative as Gifts Lag
December 16, 2009 philanthropy.com by Holly Hall
According to a new poll by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a third of the charities surveyed nationwide expect their donations to decline by 10 percent or more by the end of 2009. The poll of 395 charities conducted online in the past week also found that charities of all sizes seem to be affected by the economic downturn.
*Catholic Charities USA is running $2.6 million behind its goal to raise $7.1 million.
* The Salvation Army raised ~$1.9 billion last year but its Red Kettle drive is 8% lower this year.
* At MIT, gifts to the annual fund are running $250,000 behind last year.
Many charities are doing better in obtaining large gifts from some of their wealthiest donors but that is not enough to stave off a decline in overall contributions. Many organizations are adjusting their approaches to soliciting. For example, the Salvation Army has introduced ways for people to use their iPhones or Facebook pages to give to its Red Kettle drive and to encourage friends and relatives to donate. And JCPenney has created an online version of the Angel Giving Tree program, which has for the past 40 years collected money in the chain's stores to provide gifts to the Salvation Army. Some charities are benefiting from an upturn in the stock market, especially as donors who bought stock in the past year seek ways to avoid capital-gains taxes.
Endangered Species Permit Applications
December 16, 2009
www.access.gpo.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. Comments on these permit applications must be received on or before January 15, 2010. Submit comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Program Manager, Region 8, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2606, Sacramento, CA 95825 (telephone: 916-414-6464; fax: 916-414-6486). Please refer to the respective permit number for each application when submitting comments. For further information contact: Daniel Marquez, Fish and Wildlife Biologist; telephone: 760-431-9440
Permit No. TE-148556. Applicant: Deborah M. Van Dooremolen, Las Vegas, Nevada. The applicant requests an amendment to an existing permit (April 9, 2007; 72 FR 17576) to take (harass by survey) the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailli extimus) in conjunction with surveys in Clark County, Nevada, for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-231424. Applicant: Seth A. Shanahan, Las Vegas, Nevada. The applicant requests a permit to take (harass by survey) the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailli extimus) and Yuma clapper rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis) in conjunction with surveys in Clark County, Nevada, for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-231425. Applicant: Robert C. Fletcher, San Diego, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey by pursuit) the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of the species in California for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-231427. Applicant: John R. Ivanov, Pasadena, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (harass by survey and monitor nests) the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailli extimus) and least Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) in conjunction with surveys and population monitoring throughout the range of each species in California for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-170381. Applicant: Bill Stagnaro, San Francisco, California. The applicant requests an amendment to an existing permit (February 13, 2008; 73 FR 8344) to take (harass by survey) the light-footed clapper rail (Rallus longirostris levipes), the California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus), and the Yuma clapper rail (Rallus longirostris yumanensis) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of the species in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-802089. Applicant: Patricia Tatarian, Santa Rosa, California. The applicant requests an amendment to an existing permit (November 7, 2002; 67 FR 67863) to take (attach radio transmitters, radio track, release, collect voucher specimens; and construct, place, and monitor artificial egg laying structures in the wild) the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) in conjunction with research, surveys, and population monitoring activities throughout the range of the species in California for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-231612. Applicant: James M. Steele, Clearlake Oaks, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey, capture, handle, translocate, and release) the San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) in conjunction with surveys and habitat enhancement activities in San Mateo County, California, for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-012973. Applicant: ECORP Consulting Incorporated, Rocklin, California. The applicant requests an amendment to an existing permit issued on June 14, 1999, to take (capture, collect, and kill) the Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), the longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna), the Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus wootoni), the San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis), and the vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of each species in California. The applicant is requesting to take (collect soil containing Federally listed fairy shrimp cysts of the above- mentioned species, translocate, and inoculate cysts into restored vernal pools) in conjunction with vernal pool restoration and population enhancement activities throughout the range of each species in California for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-233291. Applicant: Margaret R. Mulligan, San Diego, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey by pursuit) the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of the species in California for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-797267. Applicant: H.T. Harvey and Associates, Los Gatos, California. The applicant requests an amendment to an existing permit (February 16, 1996; 61 FR 6253) to take (capture, measure, hair-clip, and release) the giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens), and take Tipton kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides) and Fresno kangaroo rat (Dipodomys nitratoides exilis) in conjunction with surveys and population studies throughout the range of each species in California for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-233332. Applicant: Maya E. Mazon, Oceanside, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey by pursuit) the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of the species in California for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-233331. Applicant: Bureau of Land Management, Arcata, California. The applicant requests a permit to remove/reduce to possession Erysimum menziesii ssp. eurekense (Humboldt Bay wallflower), Layia carnosa (beach layia), and Arabis macdonaldiana (McDonald's rockcress) from Federal lands in conjunction with botanical surveys and voucher/seed bank collection activities in Arcata County, California, for the purpose of enhancing their survival.
Permit No. TE-233367. Applicant: Laura E. Gorman, Redondo Beach, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (survey by pursuit) the Quino checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha quino) in conjunction with surveys throughout the range of the species in California for the purpose of enhancing its survival.
Permit No. TE-233373. Applicant: Mary Anne Flett, Pt. Reyes Station, California. The applicant requests a permit to take (harass by survey) the California clapper rail (Rallus longirostris obsoletus) in conjunction with surveys and population monitoring studies in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma Counties, California, for the purpose of enhancing its survival. We invite public review and comment on each of these recovery permit applications. Comments and materials we receive will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
Endangered Species Permit Applications
December 16, 2009
www.access.gpo.gov
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites the public to comment on the following applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species. Written data, comments or requests must be received by January 15, 2010. Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for reviewby any party who submits a written request for a copy of such documents within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, Virginia 22203; fax 703/358-2281. For further information contact: Division of Management Authority, telephone 703/358-2104.
Applicant: The Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ, PRT-230742. The applicant requests a permit to re-export one captive-born male jaguar (Panthera onca) to Centro Ecologico de Sonora, Mexico, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: Virginia Safari Park and Preservation Center, Inc., Natural Bridge, VA, PRT-228648. The applicant requests a permit to import two female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) captive-born at De Wildt Cheetah Breeding Centre, De Wildt, South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Applicant: National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, PRT-233622. The application requests a permit to export one male captive-bred giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) born at the zoo in 2005 and owned by the Government of China, to the China Wildlife Conservation Association under the terms of their loan agreement with China. This
export is part of the approved loan program for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species through scientific research as outlined in National Zoo's original permit (MA 007870).
Applicant: John Meldrum, Metamora, MI, PRT-233599/
Applicant: Carl Wagner, Harwood, MD, PRT-234069. The applicants each request a permit to import the sport-hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
67 Species May Warrant Protection Under ESA
December 16, 2009 www.fws.gov
After a 90-day investigation the USFWS finds that 67 species may warrant listing under the ESA The 67 species occur in 16 states and Mexico. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, the Service is soliciting information from state and federal natural resource agencies, Tribes and all interested parties regarding the 67 species and their habitat. To see the list of species, or to learn how to provide information, see the Federal Register notice. For further information contact Nancy Gloman, Assistant Regional Director, Southwest Regional Ecological Services Office, 500 Gold Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102; telephone 505/248-6920; facsimile 505/248-6788. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), please call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339.
Species for which information in the petition and otherwise readily available is substantial and
indicates that listing as threatened or endangered may be warranted. None are California speces.
| Scientific name | Common Name | Range | Group |
| Aspidoscelis arizonae | Arizona Striped Whiptail | AZ | Reptile |
| Notophthalmus meridionalis | Black-spotted Newt | TX, Mexico | Amphibian |
| Eurycea robusta | Blanco Blind Salamander | TX | Amphibian |
| Eurycea tridentifera | Comal Blind Salamander | TX | Amphibian |
| Eurycea sp. 8 | Comal Springs Salamander | TX | Amphibian |
| Eurycea neotenes | Texas Salamander | TX | Amphibian |
The list also includes Nine fish, 4 clams, 16 snails, 12 insects, 1 arachnid, 4 crustaceans, 14 flowering plants and 1 moss.
Endangered Species Permit Application
December 16, 2009
www.gpoaccess.gov
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. Endangered Species File No. 14506. Llewellyn Ehrhart, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162368, Orlando, Florida 32816, has applied in due form for a permit to take green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles for purposes of scientific research. Comments must be received on or before January 15, 2010.
The application and related documents are available for review by selecting "Records Open for Public Comment'' from the Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species (APPS) home page, and then selecting File No. 14506 from the list of available applications. These documents are also available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices: Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 713-0376; and Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309. For further information contact Amy Hapeman or Patrick Opay, (301) 713-2289.
Reindeer Won’t be Listed Under ESA
December 16, 2009 www.prnewswire.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has failed to respond to a petition submitted by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to list two High Arctic caribou species (also known as reindeer) on the Endangered Species Act. Listing these species would provide protections and raised awareness to the global plight of caribou and reindeer populations. Of 43 global reindeer and caribou populations studied in the past decade, 34 have declining populations linked to climate change. Peary caribou numbers have dropped from 50,000 in the late 1960s to fewer than 7,800 today. Climate change is altering weather in the High Arctic and caribou are dying when they can't access the food they need to survive.
Details of Zoo Atlanta’s Panda Deal
December 17, 2009 www.ajc.com
When Dennis Kelly became CEO at Zoo Atlanta In 2003, the facility was $19.5 million in the red. Even though the pandas had boosted membership and attendance, their $1.1 annual rental was prohibitive. Now he has negotiated a new contract with the Chinese. The Zoo will pay China $570,000 yearly during the next five years. Other cuts include trimming required annual research allocations from $100,000 to $30,000. A required $50,000-per-year panda life insurance policy will now be self-insured by Zoo Atlanta at a much lower rate. Finally, a "cub tax", in which the zoo paid the Chinese one-time fees of $310,000 upon the birth of Mei Lan and Xi Lan, will no longer be charged if parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang produce additional offspring. The deal is an agreement in principal, awaiting only final Chinese approval. Kelly will be leaving Zoo Atlanta to run the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington in mid-February. During his six-year tenure, he has raised $40 million in public and private funds, and the zoo, which now operates with a $20 million annual budget, is debt-free today. Pulling that off, however, has required the facility to proceed cautiously with big-ticket improvements. Its most expensive project over the last decade, in fact, was the $8 million panda habitat. Other enhancements, such as the rebuilt Orkin Children's Zoo and a carnivores complex that has just broken ground, have cost $2 million and under. The zoo is now in the early stages of raising funds for a reptile-amphibian facility to replace the one designed in 1959 and an animal hospital that are roughly estimated at $18 million and $8 million, respectively. Meanwhile, the zoo continues its public Give So They Stay panda campaign for $500,000, to go along with $2 million it previously raised privately or identified through budget cuts. The zoo has raised nearly $55,000 in the last two weeks, to bring the drive's total $314,631. The recent boost has come from a special membership offer -- $99 for two adults and up to four children (who do not have to live in the same household).
10 Panda Exhibit at Shanghai’s 2010 World Expo
December 17, 2009 www.chinaview.cn
SHANGHAI -- Ten giant pandas will go to Shanghai, host of the 2010 World Expo, for a year-long display next year. Six females and four males, including two twins, were all born in the Ya'an Bifeng Gorge Breeding Base in the southwestern province of Sichuan after the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12 2008. They will go on display in the Shanghai Zoo in the first half of 2010 and on display in the Shanghai Wildlife Zoo in the second half. The zoos have built new or renovated existing exhibition areas and established bamboo supply bases to ensure sufficient food for the pandas, said Cai Youming, deputy head of the Shanghai municipal forestry bureau. China maintains 62 giant panda nature reserves covering 3.2 million hectares that is home to 70 percent of all pandas in the wild, according to the State Forestry Administration.
Little Rock Zoo’s Elephant Manure Recycler
December 17, 2009 www.pbcommercial.com By CHUCK BARTELS
The Little Rock Zoo received a $13,000 grant to buy a machine that processes the dung of its 2 elephants into compost. Zoo horticulturist Tom Frothingham said it was difficult to find a machine that could handle the texture of elephant leavings, but he located a Mennonite farmer in Canada who had built a similar machine, so the zoo paid him $12,000 to make another. The rest of the money went toward printing color brochures on composting. Horticultural technician Mary Christine Coon said it takes two years for the elephant dung to decompose sufficiently for use in the gardens. The elephants' keepers haul the manure from the animals' enclosure to the compost area. The area has a dozen bays where piles of waste are in varying states of decomposition. The dung is mixed with raked leaves, weeds and other plant matter and left to decay. It is turned at least once a month with a tractor. The new machine has a hopper that sends the manure mixed with decomposed plant matter into a mesh tumbler. What amounts to fine potting soil drops through the mesh, and the larger mass is expelled into a separate heap. That material will go back into the compost bays so it can decompose further. The zoo could compost more than elephant dung, but the volume of waste that the pachyderms produce makes that unnecessary
Another NC Zoo Gorilla Dies of Cancer
December 17, 2009 www.newsobserver.com BY RICHARD STRADLING
Katie, a 36-year-old western lowland gorilla, was euthanized Wednesday morning after her battle with abdominal cancer took a sudden turn late Tuesday. Donna, another gorilla who had been fighting the same cancer, was euthanized Monday at age 42. A third female gorilla, Hope, 35, was put down in March after suffering a variety of health problems. Katie came from the San Diego Zoo in 1989. She had been receiving treatment for months, including radiation therapy at the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Zoo officials believe the deaths of Donna and Katie were coincidental. 18-year-old male named Nikosi, the zoos one remaining gorilla will be joined by two young female gorillas next year. In January, gorilla keeper Robyn Rousseau will travel to the San Diego Zoo to accompany newcomer Jamani to North Carolina; a few months later, Acacia is expected to arrive from the Oklahoma City Zoo.
San Diego Zoo Map Designed by ‘Hunt Design’
December 17, 2009 www.pasadenastarnews.com By Kevin Smith Staff Writer
Hunt Design has completed a park-wide naming and signage system for the 100-acre San Diego Zoo that's designed to make navigating the area easier and more intuitive. The Pasadena-based firm was initially hired to focus on the zoo's directional signs. But after observing how visitors snake their way through the park, Hunt realized that many guests were losing their orientation. Hunt's solution was to craft an entirely new naming system for all of the zoo's streets, paths and trails, based on how people give directions to each other. Hunt Design also recommended descriptive new trail names with clearly marked "trail heads" at both ends of each trail. Each trail connects to a street, further aiding the wayfinding process. Wayne Hunt said, "The zoo has a mature tree canopy, and that takes away any kind of orienting." Jennifer Bressler, who worked closely on the new "wayfinding" strategy, said the zoo also has a variety of elevations, with some paths offering relatively steep uphill climbs. "We treated this a lot like the park work we do," she said. "We created trail maps that give you a highlighted blowup of the trails so you can see what to expect when you take a trail or path." The right-hand side of the maps also contain a "walking the zoo" section that provides a summary of what visitors can do along the trails. The blowups give older zoo visitors the opportunity to take an alternate and less physically taxing route to animal exhibits that might not be as physically taxing. Debra Erickson, the zoo's associate director of marketing, said the new sign system has made the zoo experience more pleasurable for visitors. A recent survey found that 95 percent of visitors to the zoo found their way around "fairly well or very well" using the new signage. Hunt has also begun work on a similar signage program for the Wild Animal Park. That project is scheduled to be completed in May.
The Future of Genomic Science
December 17, 2009 www.physorg.com
A new report, "Large-Scale Sequencing: The Future of Genomic Sciences?" is based on a colloquium convened by the American Academy of Microbiology in September 2008. The report outlines recommendations for large-scale microbial sequencing efforts directed toward cultivated isolates and single cells, as well as a community-scale approach to characterize a set of defined ecosystems of varying complexity. Thanks to new technologies, the cost and effort of sequencing is within reach for even the smallest labs, and the ability to sequence the genomes of a significant fraction of microbial life may be possible. The report outlines a five-pronged, coordinated initiative to exhaustively describe six different microbial ecosystems, designed to describe all the gene diversity across genomes. In this effort, the report says that sequencing should be complemented by other experimental data, particularly transciptomics and metabolomics data, all of which should be gathered and curated continuously. A full copy of the report is at academy.asm.org.
Langley Conservation Center Under Fire
December 17, 2009 www.ctvbc.ctv.ca
LANGLEY, British Columbia -- Gordon Blankstein owns the Mountain View Conservation Centre which spans 25 acres and is home to 50 species of rare and endangered animals, including the fishing cat and Vancouver island marmot. Twenty-one people, including four current employees, have now levied complaints against the Centre for euthanizing animals using inhumane methods. The group has documentation from the facility showing a total of 207 animals have died at the facility in the past five years. The employees say they are only coming forward now because they recently became unionized, and feel their jobs will be protected. Mountain View was co-awarded the Conservation Award by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) in 2006. B.C.'s Ministry of Environment will conduct an investigation.
Black Jaguars Born At Warsaw Zoo
December 17, 2009 www.thenews.pl
A litter of black jaguars were born one week ago at the Warsaw Zoo to melanistic jaguar, Beata, who is almost all black, and to the spotted jaguar Kali. “The cats will remain at the Warsaw zoo for the next year or so, then they will be sold to a zoo in South Korea or Lithuania,” says Olga Bonikowska, zoo spokesperson. This is Beata’s third litter – all of which have turned out healthy, though this litter still awaits medical tests and vaccinations. It is rare for jaguars to successfully breed in captivity.
Persian Leopards Still Exists in Iran
December 17, 2009 www.presstv.ir
The latest photographs of the Persian leopard in the Iranian national parks prove there is still hope for the survival of this endangered species. The species had not been observed since 2002, but 8 photos were recently taken of 3 Asiatic leopards. Photo at www.presstv.ir
Ocean Zoning May Aid Whales Recovery
December 17, 2009 www.redorbit.com
The annual censuses conducted by the Center for Whale Research indicate that the endangered southern resident killer whale population found in the waters of British Columbia, Canada and Washington State, USA now numbers only 87 animals. In addition to high contaminant levels, food limitation and repeated disturbance from boats represent serious threats to the whales' recovery. Scientists in Scotland, Canada and the US have proposed a new method to identify priority areas for whale conservation. The team's findings are published in Animal Conservation. Throughout the study, lead author Erin Ashe mapped locations where killer whales were observed feeding. "Protecting even small patches of water can provide conservation benefits, as long as we choose the spots wisely," said Ashe. "We followed individually recognizable whales for hours on end and mapped where they were engaged in resting, feeding and social activities." The team realized that feeding habitat is important to these whales for two reasons. Chinook salmon, the preferred prey of the whales, has also declined in the region and the whales are thought to be food-limited. Also, killer whales are more responsive to whale watching boat traffic when engaged in feeding activities than when they are traveling. The authors observed that these two conservation threats are linked, so mitigation measures ought to consider the threats simultaneously. They argue that management strategies to protect feeding hotspots should confer greater conservation benefit than those that protect habitat generically.
15-42% of Mammals Lost in North America
December 17, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
If the planet is headed for another mass extinction like the previous five, each of which wiped out more than 75% of all species on the planet, then North American mammals are one-fifth to one-half the way there, according to a UC Berkeley, and Penn State University analysis. By combining data from three catalogs of mammal diversity in the United States between 30 million years ago and 500 years ago, the researchers show that the bulk of mammal extinctions occurred within a few thousand years after the arrival of humans, with losses dropping after that. Although modern humans emerged from Africa into Europe and Asia by about 40,000 years ago, they didn't reach North American until about 13,000 years ago, and most mammal extinctions occurred in the subsequent 1-2,000 years. "The optimistic part of the study is that we haven't come all that far on extinction in the past 10,000 years," said co-author Anthony Barnosky, UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology. "We have this pulse when humans had their first effect about 13,000 years ago, but diversity has remained pretty steady for about 10,000 years." The analysis appears online this week in the open-access journal PLoS One.
China Builds Another Panda Breeding Facility
December 18, 2009 english.people.com.cn
China began to build a fourth giant panda breeding base in northwestern Shaanxi Province on Friday. The Qinling giant panda breeding base will cost 69.54 million yuan (10.2 million U.S. dollars), and will cover 287 hectares, according to Zhang Shenian, head of the provincial forestry department. The base will have eight breeding pens and 10 "kindergartens" for cubs, and the 22 pandas which will live there after the base is built are expected to have at least eight cubs a year. The total population of the base could reach 40 in two years, according to Zhang. The Qinling subspecies of giant panda in Shaanxi has smaller but rounder heads than the Sichuan subspecies. A total of 273 Qinling giant pandas now live in their 606,800-hectare habitat. The other breeding bases include one in Sichuan's capital Chengdu, the famous Wolong Nature Reserve, also in Sichuan, and the Beijing Zoo.
USFWS Won’t List Lynx in New Mexico
December 18, 2009 www.durangoherald.com by Sue Major Holmes
ALBUQUERQUE - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday the Canada lynx in New Mexico warrants federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, but the agency will not act immediately because it must finish work on other higher-priority listings. It said it would add the cat in New Mexico to the candidate species list when priorities allow. Lynx have been reintroduced in Southwest Colorado over the last 10 years, and some have wandered into New Mexico. Although the federal government lists the elusive, tuft-eared animals as threatened in Colorado and 13 other states, they have no federal protection in New Mexico. This leaves the lynx at the end of the line of about 330 species already awaiting addition to the endangered or threatened species lists. Fish and Wildlife has said New Mexico was not included in the listed area because of a lack of a historic record of lynx in the state and lack of sufficient habitat and prey. Suitable lynx habitat is limited to northern New Mexico's San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains, which are contiguous to Colorado mountains where lynx live and have reproduced.
African Leaf-Eating Monkeys Vulnerable to Climate Change
December 18, 2009 www.physorg.com
New research reveals that populations of monkeys and apes in Africa that depend largely on a diet of leaves may be wiped out by a rise in annual temperatures of 2°C. The study by researchers from Bournemouth, Roehampton and Oxford Universities suggests that the species most at risk are the already endangered gorillas and colobine monkeys. The study published online in Animal Behaviour pinpoints which species are most threatened by climate change in a series of new global maps. The maps show current and predicted distributions of primates, comparing the populations according to their diet and the amount of enforced rest they are predicted to need. The researchers warn that Old World monkey populations in Africa will be hardest hit even by a very modest 2°C increase in global mean temperature, especially those whose diets are mainly leaf-based such as the beautiful colobine monkeys. In contrast, New World monkeys in South America will be virtually unaffected by a rise of 2°C in mean temperatures. However, even the South American species will begin to suffer if temperatures rise as much as 4°C because suitable habitats will then become increasingly fragmented, and small fragmented populations are more liable to risks of extinction. These predictions are based on analyses of ecological constraints that determine how much time animals are forced to rest. We often worry about deforestation and hunting as the two main factors threatening the extinction of primate populations, but these results suggest that even if we find ways to solve these problems, it may not save some species of monkeys and apes from extinction. Instead, we perhaps should worry about ensuring that we provide these species with habitats that are more in tune with their capacities to cope with climate change.
Climate Deal Falls Short
December 18, 2009 www.nytimes.com By HELENE COOPER and JOHN M. BRODER
COPENHAGEN — Leaders have concluded a climate change deal on Friday that the Obama administration called “meaningful” but that falls short of even the modest expectations for the summit meeting here. Europeans said the deal does not require enough of the United States, China and other major emitters and could put European industries at a competitive disadvantage because the European Union is already subject to a carbon emissions constraint program. The accord drops the expected goal of concluding a binding international treaty by the end of 2010, which leaves the implementation of its provisions uncertain. It is likely to undergo many months, perhaps years, of additional negotiation before it emerges in any internationally enforceable form.
Scientific Breakthrough of 2009: Ardipithicus ramidus
December 18, 2009 www.sciencemag.org By Ann Gibbons
Ever since Lucy was discovered in 1974, researchers wondered what her own ancestors looked like and where and how they might have lived. Lucy was a primitive hominin, with a brain roughly the size of a chimpanzee's, but at 3.2 million years old, she already walked upright like we do. Now comes Ardi, a 4.4-million-year-old female. Her discoverers named her species Ardipithecus ramidus, from the Afar words for "root" and "ground," to describe a ground-living ape near the root of the human family tree. Although some hominins are even older, Ardi is by far the most complete specimen of such antiquity. The 125 pieces of her skeleton include most of the skull and teeth, as well as the pelvis, hands, arms, legs, and feet. (The 47-million-year-old fossil of the early primate called Ida is also remarkably complete, but she is not a direct ancestor to humans, as initially claimed during her debut this year.) When the first fossils of Ardi's species were found in 1994, they were immediately recognized as the most important since Lucy. But the excitement was quickly tempered by Ardi's poor condition: The larger bones were crushed and brittle, and it took a multidisciplinary team 15 years to excavate Ardi, digitally remove distortions, and analyze her bones. Ardi's skeleton was finally unveiled in 11 papers in October (Science, 2 October, pp. 60–106). Her discoverers proposed that she was a new kind of hominin, the family that includes humans and our ancestors but not the ancestors of other living apes. They say that Ardi's unusual anatomy was unlike that of living apes or later hominins, such as Lucy. Instead, Ardi reveals the ancient anatomical changes that laid the foundation for upright walking. Not all paleoanthropologists are convinced that Ar. ramidus was our ancestor or even a hominin. But no one disputes the importance of the new evidence.
Ecological Genomics
December 18, 2009 www.sciencemag.org By Elizabeth Pennisi
Last month, about 90 researchers and students gathered to discuss progress in ecological genomics—the application of genomic techniques and resources to the study of ecology. Some are applying tools such as microarrays or RNA interference to their favorite study animal or plant. Others are developing genetic maps and databases of gene fragments for non-model organisms, with the goal of eventually sequencing those genomes. These efforts are pinpointing genes involved in ecologically relevant traits, and researchers are beginning to figure out the roles those genes play in an organism's function and evolution. "It's not enough to identify a list of candidate genes for adaptation; you now need to integrate a functional approach," says Jay Storz, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Nebraska.
Comparison of Prehistoric & Modern Koalas
December 19, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
New koala findings published in the current issue of The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology suggest that the two species of koalas from the Miocene (24 to five million years ago) did not share the uniquely specialized eucalyptus leaf diet of the modern koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). The shift to a wholly eucalyptus diet was an adaptation that probably came later as Australia drifted north, causing its rainforests to retreat and Eucalypts to become the dominant tree of most Australian forests. Modern koalas are among the largest of all arboreal leaf-eaters. To attain this remarkable condition on a diet of eucalyptus leaves, a notoriously poor and somewhat toxic food source, the tree-dwelling marsupials developed unique anatomical and physiological adaptations including specialized chewing and digestive anatomies and a highly sedentary lifestyle. The dramatic differences between the skulls of extinct koalas from the Riversleigh rainforests in Queensland and modern koalas, especially in the facial region, are probably related to the change to a tougher diet of eucalyptus leaves. Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the CSIRO made dozens of detailed anatomical comparisons between the brush-tailed possum, the modern koala and the two fossil species (Litokoala kutjamarpensis and Nimiokoala greystanesi).
Koalas are most closely related among living marsupials to wombats but the two species diverged some 30-40 million years ago. Among fossil koalas there are 18 named species representing five genera spanning the period from the late Oligocene (37 million years ago) to the present. However, they are generally scarce in the fossil record. The fossil species unearthed from the Riversleigh World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia reveal similarities in the back of the skull between the modern and fossil koalas, but substantial differences in their teeth, palate and jaws. The researchers also believe that the prehistoric koalas produced loud "bellows" based on similar large bony prominences – the auditory bullae – that enclose structures in the middle and inner ear. However the auditory bullae of the extinct Nimiokoala and Litokoala species are not as exaggerated as in the modern koala. "Modern koalas are extremely sedentary and vocal animals," says Mike Archer, UNSW Professor and team member. "They produce low frequency vocalizations that pass through vegetation and can be heard up to 800 meters away – far exceeding the home range limits of male koalas. The fossil koalas share similar large bony ear structures to the modern koala and would have been well adapted to detecting vocalizations in the rainforest environment of Riversleigh in the Miocene era." The unique cranial configuration of the modern koala is therefore the result of accommodating their masticatory adaptations without compromising their auditory system.
Maui Parrotbill Population Is Doing Well
December 19, 2009 www.honoluluadvertiser.com By CHRIS HAMILTON
WAILUKU, Maui - The critically endangered Maui parrotbill is doing well, perhaps even thriving, in the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's Waikamoi Preserve. Nature Conservancy scientists estimated there are about 20 of the chunky yellowish, insect-eating birds per square kilometer in the windward preserve near the summit of Haleakala. That means the estimated population of about 500 is holding steady or possibly even increasing, according to spokesman Grady Timmons. "They only have a natural habitat of about 19 square miles, all located in East Maui," Timmons said. A member of the Native Hawaiian honeycreeper species, the bird has been relegated to the higher elevations since its natural habitat has fallen to agriculture and development. Avian flu, malaria and rats that eat the birds' eggs also have taken a toll. Ornithologist Dusti Becker, who is project coordinator for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, said she was surprised by the results of the population survey, which she led. A previous study had placed the density of the bird population at about half of what the most recent survey found. However, scientists cautioned that the findings were limited to a two-week survey done in September. Covering the 400 acre area, the two-person teams reported hearing or seeing dozens of parrotbills, including juvenile birds. "We can say with confidence that Waikamoi hosts a breeding population," said Nature Conservancy Maui Director Mark White. The scientists hypothesized that Nature Conservancy efforts in recent years to fence off the preserve from wild pigs and goats and remove invasive plants and replace them with native species likely contributed to the parrotbill population hike. The Waikamoi Preserve is 5,230 acres. The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii has been managing the property, which is owned by Haleakala Ranch, since the nonprofit received a permanent conservation easement from the ranch in 1983. About 25 percent of the parrotbill population is found in Waikamoi and most of the rest is in the Hanawi Natural Area Reserve in East Maui, also on the slopes of Haleakala. More information is at mauiforestbirds.org.
Copenhagen Accord - Key Points
December 19, 2009 www.guardian.co.uk By Jonathan Watts
Temperature: "The increase in global temperature should be below two degrees." (More than
100 nations wanted a lower maximum of 1.5C)
Peak date for carbon emissions: "We should co-operate in achieving the peaking of global and national emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that the time frame for peaking will be longer in developing countries …" (This phrase was criticized for being too vague)
Emissions cuts: "Parties commit to implement individually or jointly the quantified economy- wide emissions targets for 2020 as listed in appendix 1 before 1 February 2010." (For the US, this is a 14-17% reduction on 2005 levels; for the EU, a still-to-be-determined goal of 20-30% on 1990 levels; for Japan, 25% and Russia 15-25% on 1990 levels. (2050 targets were dropped)
Forests: "Substantial finance to prevent deforestation; adaptation, technology development and transfer and capacity." (More than 15% of emissions are attributed to forest clearing)
Money: "The collective commitment by developed countries is to provide new and additional resources amounting to $30billion for 2010-12. Developed countries set a goal of mobilizing jointly $100billion a year by 2020 to address needs of developing countries." (The agreement leaves open the questions of where the money will come from, and how it will be used.)
Brokering the Copenhagen Deal
December 20, 2009 www.usatoday.com By Eric J. Lyman and Brian Winter
The two-week, 193-nation environmental summit in Copenhagen ended with what President Obama described as a "meaningful" first step to combating global warming. In a three-page document called the Copenhagen Accord, rich nations, including the United States, agreed to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, and offered voluntary emissions goals rather than binding targets. The final draft of the accord dropped a long- term goal of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. The Copenhagen deal was possible only after Obama held a meeting late Friday with the leaders of a handful of countries including China, Brazil, India and South Africa. "We all had the (same) draft in our briefcases, and (Obama) said to take it out and to find the points we could agree on. It started like that," said Sergio Serra, Brazil's climate change ambassador. In Copenhagen, talks focused on Washington's demand that China, India and other countries submit to international monitoring to ensure emissions targets are met. Some U.S. labor unions, including the AFL-CIO, have expressed fears that, Chinese manufacturers could continue to use cheap but polluting energy sources such as coal and enjoy a cost advantage over their American counterparts. The final agreement included language that will allow the United States to review what (those countries) are doing. Ultimately, all but a handful of the 193 countries — Venezuela, Cuba, Sudan and Saudi Arabia among them — went along with the decision to accept the document. The real work of coordinating international efforts to reduce carbon emissions will primarily occur after the Copenhagen summit, and will likely be with a much smaller group of nations (the roughly 30 countries responsible for 90 percent of global warming emissions.) Obama and other world leaders said the negotiations will focus on another meeting the United Nations will organize next December in Mexico City. This smaller group of nations will meet periodically to tackle a narrower agenda of issues, like technology sharing or the merging of carbon trading markets, without the chaos and posturing of the United Nations process. (A version of this already exists in the 17-nation Major Economies Forum, which has been a model of decorum and progress compared with what the world saw unfold at the climate talks.)
Malaysian Authorities Rescue 130 Pangolins
December 20, 2009 www.physorg.com
Malaysian wildlife authorities have rescued 130 pangolins and arrested two men attempting to smuggle the protected species, destined to be sold to restaurants and medicine shops. The pangolins seized were worth 40,000 ringgit (11,500 dollars). On Thursday Malaysian marine police on Thursday rescued 62 pangolins. Pangolins are indigenous to the jungles of Indonesia, parts of Malaysia and areas of southern Thailand. The animal's meat is considered a delicacy in China, but it is classified as a protected species under CITES.
Copenhagen – The Verdict
December 21, 2009 www.scidev.net
The Copenhagen Climate Accord — a political "statement of intent" forged by four major developing country economies (Brazil, China, India and South Africa) and the United States, backed in principle by the European Union and "noted" by the rest of the world during the final session of the conference — states that signatory nations will build clean-energy economies and help the most vulnerable nations adapt to the effects of climate change.The accord envisages a Copenhagen Green Climate Fund — approximately US$30 billion a year between 2010 and 2012 — to help developing countries prepare for climate change, develop and integrate new technologies into development plans and protect their forests. By 2020 the accord envisages US$100 billion a year for mitigation and adaptation — far below what bodies like the World Bank estimate is needed. And crucial questions, such as where the money will come from, remain unanswered. During the Copenhagen meeting the European Union pledged US$3.6 billion annually to a quick-start fund, Japan has promised about US$5 billion annually for three years and other nations have said they will contribute. In the area of forests, experts were vexed that their progress finalising texts relating to REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) was thwarted by the lack of a legally binding way to drive them forward. But the text does include clear safeguards of indigenous people's rights and against forest conversion into plantations. It also makes explicit mention of natural forests. And during the conference Australia, France, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States pledged US$3.5 billion towards cutting deforestation in poor countries. Experts who had been working on technology transfer to developing countries were also frustrated at the lack of a binding outcome, but did at least include the decision to establish a "technology mechanism" to enhance action on technology development and transfer. This was an important concession to developing countries who have been demanding for many years such an institutional reinforcement of the technology transfer pillar under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
San Diego Zoo Expert Says It’s Too Late to Save Northern White Rhino
December 21, 2009 www.google.com By Jason Straziuso & Sue Manning
OL PEJETA CONSERVANCY, Kenya — Four northern white rhinos that haven't reproduced in years were flown from the Czech Republic to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on Sunday. The Zoo’s curator suggests this is their “Last Chance to Survive.” However Randy Rieches, curator of mammals for the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park says, "It makes no sense to move them at this point in time. It's way too little, too late." said Rieches. The Wild Animal Park has two northern whites. The last northern white calf born was in 2000. The male and female in San Diego have never mated and there is no chance they can reproduce, Rieches said. Rhinos operate on a three-year reproductive cycle and when they get out of sync, reproductive pathology and tumors begin, Rieches said. "They feel that by locating them in another environment, they might start cycling again. That's a gamble at best. If you add in the reproductive pathology, I think you might get better odds in Las Vegas," Rieches said. As plans were made to move the rhinos, Rieches said he shared his opinions with officials at the Dvur Kralove Zoo and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. The northern white rhino is the most highly endangered mega-vertebrate on earth. Risking the few that are left, even though they are not reproducing, while taking funding from other endangered rhinos was a bad idea, said Rieches, who sits on the board of the International Rhino Foundation. Rob Brett, the director of Fauna and Flora International, which helped arrange and finance the rhinos' move, said the money donated for the project — from the vice chairman of Goldman Sachs in Australia — was not transferable, though Brett said if it had been his money he would have spent it to protect black rhinos in Zimbabwe. Conservancy officials also plan to spend $90,000 a year for security due to Kenya’s poaching problems.
Berry White, a woman known as the "rhino whisperer" who helped prep the mammals for their move said, "Yes, of course a lot of money was spent (moving the rhinos), but people wanted to spend money on this project." White said female rhinos can breed until they are 30. The two females moved to Kenya are 9 and 20 years old. Animal experts say the northern whites haven't bred in zoos because they form sibling relationships with the opposite sex. Even if the two female northern whites do successfully breed, they may not produce a pure genetic offspring. Brett said that breeding with southern whites was "inevitable," and that the goal simply was to pass on as many northern genes as possible. Northern whites are resistant to the tsetse fly and can survive where the fly lives; southern whites cannot. Noah Wekesa, Kenya's minister of forestry and wildlife, said in 1973 Kenya had 20,000 black rhinos. By 1989 there were only 285. Today, the population is up again, with 609. There are about 336 southern white rhinos, too. The longevity record for a northern white rhino is 44 years and 10 months, Rieches said. The oldest of the four rhinos now in Kenya, 38-year-old Sudan, is the only one of the four born in Africa. The other three were born in captivity. The rhinos will remain penned in the Kenyan park as they acclimate to the climate and vegetation. They will be given more room to roam in coming weeks and eventually released to the entire park.
King Penguin Chick Born at Edinburgh Zoo
December 21, 2009 news.scotsman.com By VICTORIA RAIMES
The first King penguin chick to be born in six years, is now out of its protective pen and is ruling the roost, with the 12 other penguins – ten males and two females – battling for his affection. The newcomer is the nephew/niece of Edinburgh Zoo's most famous penguin, Nils Olav, who was last year awarded a knighthood by the Norwegian King's Guard. The egg's arrival in August came as a complete surprise to zoo keepers, as king penguins normally lay in June and July. Some of the zoo's penguins were so desperate to play father to the surprise delivery that they had to be given fake eggs to distract them. King penguins are notoriously difficult to breed, because non-parents can get jealous and rowdy and will try to snatch eggs, often resulting in them getting cracked or damaged. Lesley Garland, penguin keeper said, "We kept the parents and egg in a special enclosure. We didn't want to risk losing another baby, because a penguin couple only produce one egg every two years, and because we only have two females it is particularly difficult to achieve success." Edinburgh Zoo is world famous for its penguins after becoming the first zoo in history to breed captive penguins in 1919.
Poisonous Prehistoric 'Raptor' Discovered in China
December 21, 2009 www.eurekalert.org
Sinornithosaurus (Chinese-bird-lizard) was a raptor with long, grooved fangs that lived in prehistoric forests of northeastern China 128 million years ago. Discovered by researchers from China and the Kansas University, this is the first report of venom in the lineage that leads to modern birds. It is a close relative to Velociraptor and the four-winged glider called Microraptor. It was about the size of a turkey and had special depressions on the side of its face thought to have housed a poison gland, connected by a long lateral depression above the tooth row that delivered venom to a series of long, grooved teeth on the upper jaw. This arrangement is similar to the venom-delivery system in modern rear-fanged snakes and lizards. The researchers believe it to be specialized for predation on birds. The venom most likely sent the victim into rapid shock, shrinking the odds of retaliation, escape or piracy from other predators. The research team said it was a low-pressure system similar to the modern Beaded lizard, Heloderma, however the prehistoric Sinornithosaurus had longer teeth to break through layers of feathers on its bird victims. The findings will be published in the early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences during the week of Dec. 21.
Mojave Desert National Monuments Planned
December 21, 2009 www.latimes.com By Louis Sahagun
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) says she plans to introduce legislation today to establish two national monuments on roughly 1 million acres of Mojave Desert outback that is home to bighorn sheep and desert tortoises, extinct volcanoes, sand dunes and ancient petroglyphs. Its centerpiece, Mojave Trails National Monument, would prohibit development on 941,000 acres of federal land and former railroad company property along a 105-mile stretch of old Route 66, between Ludlow and Needles. The smaller Sand to Snow National Monument, about 45 miles east of Riverside, would cover about 134,000 acres of federal land between Joshua Tree National Park and the San Bernardino National Forest in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Its diverse habitats range from desert scrub to yellow pine forests 9,000 feet above sea level. The legislation, which had been delayed by efforts to resolve conflicts among environmentalists, off-roaders and renewable energy interests, would also designate 250,000 acres of public land near the Army's training center at Ft. Irwin as wilderness; add 41,000 acres to the southern boundary of Death Valley National Park and add 2,900 acres to northern portions of Joshua Tree National Park.
Aspinall Gorilla Reintroduction at Lesio-Louna
December 21, 2009 www.independent.co.uk
Two female baby gorillas, were brought to the Lesio-Louna reserve in the Congo Basin shortly after witnessing the brutal slaughter of the rest of their family group at the hands of poachers. They were so traumatized that they clung to each other in fear and bared their teeth at anything or anyone who ventured close. At the time, few thought it possible that the two sisters, named Likendze and Matoko, would ever be successfully reintroduced into the wild. But seven years later they have been, and the two have given birth within three weeks of each other, producing the ninth and tenth babies born to "rewilded" gorillas. The Aspinall Foundation, has managed 2 gorilla rescue and rehabilitation projects for more than 20: one in Congo-Brazzaville and another in the neighbouring state of Gabon, where wild populations were almost hunted to extinction in the 1950s. Due to deforestation, the Ebola virus, and the bush meat trade, the number of Western Lowland gorillas has fallen from millions to as few as 150,000. If the decline continues at its present rate, it is likely that the animal will be extinct by 2020.
The Lesio-Louna Gorilla Reserve is 170,000 hectares in size and enclosed by three rivers, which are natural barriers that prevent the animals escaping the reserve and coming into contact with nearby villages. Outside the main site is a nursery area where the young orphans learn the basics of foraging. Each night they are placed in an enclosed dormitory until they start trying to break down the door – a sure sign they are ready to be reintroduced to the wild. "Inevitably they'll meet up with other reintroduced gorillas in the reserve, and there'll be a lot of swapping of females. It's a very fluid situation between the groups, and although we've been doing this for more than 20 years we're still amazed at what happens – it's like a constant soap opera every day, said project director, Amos Courage. "The fact that the mothers are now raising these babies is fascinating because they're all orphans – we don't know how much experience of mothering they would have remembered from their early memories." In 2005, an international treaty outlining a strategy to save the world's great apes was signed by the 23 states that have primate populations within their borders, as well as donor countries led by Britain.
Beluga Whale Calf Born At Shedd Aquarium
December 21, 2009 www.wbbm780.com
CHICAGO -- A baby beluga whale calf was born on Sunday, Dec. 20th at the Shedd Aquarium. Naya, successfully gave birth to a calf at 2:25 p.m. Sunday, with assistance from Shedd's animal health and animal care experts. This is the first time a beluga whale calf has been successfully birthed with human assistance at Shedd, and only the fourth known in the zoo and aquarium community, the release said. "Without our physical intervention, this calf might not be with us today," said Ken Ramirez, senior vice president of animal collections and training. This is the second successful beluga birth within a week at Shedd, as Puiji gave birth to a male calf last Monday. Shedd experts have been closely monitoring both Naya and the new calf, along with Puiji and her calf. The newborn calf is male, 5 feet, 6 inches in length, and weighs 152 pounds. The calf was separated briefly from Naya for observations, but has been reunited with its mother Monday morning, according to Ramirez. There are still several milestones the calf must reach in its first days and months, including bonding with the mother and nursing, the release said. Dr. Caryn Poll, DVM, led the animal health team's efforts in assisting with the birth.
Arkansas Elephant Sanctuary
December 21, 2009 www.usatoday.com By Dena Potter
Riddle's Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary, located 45 miles north of Little Rock, will celebrate its 20th year of operation in 2010. It is owned by Scott and Heidi Riddle, who met while working at the Los Angeles Zoo and opened the sanctuary in 1990. Scott has trained and managed elephants for 44 years. About 6 times each year they offer a 3-day “Elephant Experience Weekend” for $700, including meals and lodging, where visitors can interact with the sanctuary's eight African and Asian elephants. The group bathes them, feeds them and learns to give elephant pedicures. The sanctuary occupies 330 acres and most of the buildings were built with grants or donated funds. Besides the weekends, the sanctuary opens to the public for a few hours the first Saturday of every month. There's enough interest that they could open it all the time, but Heidi said they are more concerned with caring for the elephants. The sanctuary has long taken monthly blood samples from each of its elephants. The data is used in research, such as one study on herpes, which remains the No. 1 killer of both African and Asian elephants. They also have been active in a study try to develop a repellant that will keep elephants away from crops in India and other areas of the world where the human-elephant conflict is killing off the elephants. The Riddles started with three of their own, and at one point had more than a dozen elephants. Miss Bets is the third African elephant born at the sanctuary, all to first-time mothers. Asian elephant Hank is the nation's No. 1 semen donor.
Panda Cub Yun Zi Leaves His Den
December 21, 2009 www.sdnn.com
The giant panda cub born 4 1/2 months ago at the San Diego Zoo stepped outside his den Monday to explore an outdoor area off-limits to the public. Yun Zi explored the bushes, roughhoused with his mother and tried to climb tree branches in the outdoor exhibit. Yun Zi was born on Aug. 5. He is the fifth cub born to Bai Yun at the San Diego Zoo. Her first cub, Hua Mei, was born in 1999, followed by Mei Sheng in 2003, Su Lin in 2005 and Zhen Zhen in 2007.
Indian Rhino Comes to Mesker Park Zoo
December 22, 2009 www.courierpress.com By Seth Grundhoefer
EVANSVILLE, Indiana — A 23-year old female Indian rhinoceros named Mechi was brought to the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanical Garden on November 14, as a replacement for Jordie, the zoo's male Indian rhinoceros, who died in November 2008. Mechi comes from a conservation center in White Oaks, Fla., on Nov. 14, and although still in quarantine, she is already on display inside the Kley Building on zoo grounds. Mechi left White Oaks because it was discovered she had polyps on her uterus and was no longer able to breed. She has given birth twice and has a daughter in the Cincinnati Zoo.
California Mountain Yellow-legged Frog Habitat Protected
December 22, 2009
The Williamson Rock area of about 1,000 acres north of the Angeles Crest Highway in the vicinity of Cooper Canyon, has been closed since Dec. 2005, and will be extended until December 31, 2010 according to the Forest Service. Friends of Williamson Rock, a nonprofit group of climbers "committed to preserving climbing access and activity, as well as protecting the natural environment of the Williamson Rock area," has cooperated with the closure since December 2005, according to its Web site. "Please do not attempt to access Williamson Rock during the closure," the group states on its Web site. "It is imperative that we act as a group — that is the reason Friends of Williamson Rock was formed.'' The group is working with the Forest Service, the U.S.G.S., the U.S.F.W.S., a climbers' advocacy group called the Access Fund and other private agencies to restore climbing access and other recreational activity at Williamson Rock, according to its Web site. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, which lies within the closed-off area, allows hikers to take a detour around the area by leaving the trail northbound at Eagles Roost and taking the highway to Cloudburst Summit, according to the Forest Service.
Wildlife Trade Threatens Asia’s Rare Species
December 22, 2009 www.nature.com
The international wildlife trade is a major driver of biodiversity loss in southeast Asia, according to a Dutch conservation biologist, V. Nijman. Southeast Asia is a hub of the international wildlife trade, and globalization and the increased buying power of many countries in the region is increasing the demand for rare species — as pets and for medicines and food. Nijman calculated that of the 35 million animals exported between 1998 and 2007, 16 million were seahorses and more than 17 million were reptiles. Some 30 million of these animals were caught in the wild, with the remainder coming from breeding programs. With the exception of birds, exports for all groups of animals increased or remained stable; the bird trade in southeast Asia declined dramatically in response to outbreaks of avian influenza. According to CITES, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and China are the biggest exporters of wild-caught animals, and Japan and the European Union are the most significant importers, through the pet trade. CITES, which regulates trade in protected species, went into force in 1975. Under the treaty, currently signed by 175 countries, including all of southeast Asia, certain rare species can be exported legally only if the authorities can show that their trade is not adversely affecting animal populations in what is known as a non-detriment finding. But many developing countries lack the capacity to make non-detriment findings. Nijman suggests that small tariffs on official exports could help to raise money for the biological and ecosystem research needed to make non-detriment findings, as well as the enforcement of the CITES treaty. Nijman’s paper, to be published online this week in Biodiversity and Conservation.
Kew Botanists Discover 250 New Plant & Fungi Species in 2009
December 22, 2009 www.physorg.com
“It is not widely known that 2,000 new plant species are discovered worldwide each year,” says Stephen Hopper, director of Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in London. More than 250 new plant and fungi species were discovered and described by botanists from Kew in this, the botanical organization's 250th anniversary year. The new species come from a wide-range of fascinating locations including Brazil, Cameroon, East Africa, Madagascar, Borneo and New Guinea. Nearly a third are believed to be in danger of extinction. The full list of over 290 new discoveries can be found on www.kew.org, together with profiles of selected species, an interactive map and a link to a specially created Google Earth layer.
Orchids are probably the world's largest flowering plant family. 38 new orchid species were added this year. Borneo's forests are being devastated by widespread logging for timber and oil palm plantations. 15 new species were discovered this year in logging areas in Borneo. 24 new species of palm were discovered. Some are enormous forest canopy trees, such as the 25m tall Cyrtostachys bakeri, in Papua New Guinea, but most are slender, elegant palms from the rainforest undergrowth. Twenty of the new palms come from Madagascar, which is home to 188 palm species. Less than 10% of Madagascar's original vegetation remains and a further 200,000-300,000 hectares of forest are destroyed every year. As a result, 90% of Madagascar's palms, including all of the 20 new species, are threatened with extinction. Seven wild coffee species, mostly native to the mountains of northern Madagascar, are new to science. Kew estimates that 70% of wild coffee species are in danger of extinction due to habitat loss and climate change. Dioscorea strydomiana, a tuber that sprouts multiple shoots each spring, is a critically endangered species from South Africa with only two populations of about 200 plants known in the wild. The species is regarded as a cancer cure in the region where it grows and as a result is under threat from over-collection by medicinal plant collectors. Fourteen species of the blue dye indigo producing genus Indigofera were described as new in 2009. Of the 14, 11 are highly localized and are threatened with extinction. More than 100 new species come from East Africa and southern tropical Africa. There are 20 new Brazilian species including a striking red passionflower with edible egg-shaped fruits. It is thought to be pollinated by hummingbirds. And, finally a Knee-high eucalyptus was discovered in SW Australia, one of two new eucalyptus species.
First Dog Diagnosed with H1N1 Swine Flu
December 22, 2009 www.cbsnews.com
A dog in suburban New York is the first in the U.S. confirmed to be carrying the same strain of swine flu that is infecting humans. The 13-year-old mixed breed male apparently caught the virus from its owner. The dog, suffering breathing problems, was taken to the Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center in Bedford Hills, New York, on Dec. 13. Michael San Filippo, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association, said the diagnosis of the 2009 H1N1 virus was confirmed at two labs, including Iowa State University's. The CDC reported this month that swine flu appears to be waning among humans. It said infections were widespread in 25 states, down from 48 in late October. Among pets, cats and ferrets have previously been found to catch the swine flu strains from humans, and at least one cat and one ferret have died, San Filippo said.
Safe Harbor Plan for Sacramento River
December 22, 2009 www.sacbee.com By Matt Weiser
A new habitat protection plan will help endangered wildlife along 222 miles of the Sacramento River by encouraging rural property owners to lend a hand. The so-called "safe harbor" agreement covers a huge stretch of California's largest river from the Red Bluff Diversion Dam south to Verona, just north of Sacramento's Natomas basin. It is likely the largest program of its kind in the United States in terms of river miles covered, said Al Donner, spokesman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which brokered the agreement. The Sacramento River has lost about 95 percent of its riparian - or riverside - habitat over the past century due to land development and flood-control projects. A goal of the safe harbor program is to reverse that decline with help from private property owners, who control most of the land along the river. Greg Werner is the Sacramento River project director for the Nature Conservancy, which also owns land along the river. The agreement targets seven species native to the Sacramento River that are protected by the Endangered Species Act: Swainson's hawk, valley elderberry longhorn beetle, giant garter snake, western pond turtle, bank swallow, yellow-billed cuckoo and willow flycatcher. The nonprofit Sacramento River Conservation Area Forum, based in Red Bluff, will manage the program and serve as a buffer between landowners and the federal wildlife agency.
Oldest Captive Gorilla Turns 53
December 22, 2009 www.nytimes.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium celebrated the 53rd birthday of Colo today. The International Species Information System says she was the first western lowland gorilla born in a zoo and is now the oldest gorilla in captivity. She has lived at the Columbus Zoo since her birth on Dec. 22, 1956, when she weighed in at 3 pounds, 5 ounces. Her name was chosen in a contest and is short for Columbus, Ohio. The zoo says she suffers from arthritis but her heart appeared strong when tests were done this year.
African Countries Set to Fight Over Ivory Sales
December 22, 2009 news.yahoo.com By Boris Bachorz
NAIROBI – Elephants used to roam the African continent in the millions; today they number somewhere between 400,000 and 600,000. More than half are found in southern Africa with just a few thousand, or sometimes a few hundred, in most western, central and eastern African countries. The animals have disappeared in Burundi, Gambia, Mauritania and Sierra Leone. When CITES convenes from March 13-25, 2010, Tanzania and Zambia plan to ask for authorization to sell 90 and 22 tons of ivory respectively. This request for an exemption to the 1989 ban on ivory sales, has rekindled a war between countries. The last CITES conference in June 2007 led to confrontations between African countries but eventually prolonged the moratorium on ivory sales by nine years while allowing Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana to make a one-off sale of 108 tons to buyers in China and Japan. Elephant protection groups argue that this legal sale increased demand for ivory. In Kenya, the number of elephants killed by poachers rose from 47 in 2007 to 214 in 2009. But Tanzania authorities estimate that their elephant population rose from 55,000 in 1989 to 137,000 in 2006. "Elephants are increasingly becoming a nuisance to poor farmers who are progressively becoming opponents to their conservation. The sale of ivory seized or collected from animals that have died a natural death is the best way of making the population aware of the value of the animal," the Tanzanian government says. In response, Kenya and DRC, have submitted a counter amendment asking for the moratorium to be extended to 20 years from nine and call for a ban on any sales outside of southern Africa. "The illicit trade in ivory, which has been increasing in volume since 2004, moved sharply upward in 2009", according to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. “The large-scale ivory seizures suggest an increased involvement of organized crime syndicates in the trade,” TRAFFIC says.
Fight Over Solar Power on Mojave Desert
December 22, 2009 www.nytimes.com By TODD WOODY
The mere prospect of Senator Dianne Feinstein’s bill to create two Mojave Desert monuments in California has derailed several massive solar power plants planned by Goldman Sachs and other developers. But Mrs. Feinstein, a California Democrat, has included provisions in the bill that could accelerate renewable energy development and ease tensions over endangered species that are slowing other solar projects outside the monument area. Mrs. Feinstein’s bill would allow transmission lines to be built through existing utility rights-of-way in the monument to transmit renewable energy from other desert areas to coastal metropolises. That will not likely sit well with some of the senator’s environmental allies. (Nor will a provision that permanently designates areas of the desert for off-road vehicle use.) The legislation also features a pilot program to assemble huge tracts of land -– at least 200,000 acres — to be used as endangered species habitat to make up for areas lost to renewable energy production. Currently, developers must acquire other suitable habitat for the desert tortoise in order to build. That sometimes means that large intact areas are lost and replaced with scattered patches of habitat. Under the legislation, developers could make up for disturbed habitat by paying a fee to the “mitigation bank” rather than having to find, buy and get approval for replacement land. The legislation would also require federal agencies to accelerate their approval of renewable energy projects and lease applications for use of federal land. But it would ban renewable energy production on donated federal land outside the monument areas unless an application was submitted before Dec. 1.
Brookfield Euthanizes African Elephant
December 22, 2009 www.chicagobreakingnews.com
Christy, a 29-year-old African Elephant who arrived at the Brookfield zoo in 1984, has been euthanized. Necropsy findings concluded that Christy had a structurally abnormal right kidney, roughly one-tenth the size of a normal kidney, as well as an enlarged left ureter -- non-treatable conditions most consistent with congenital defects. In 2007, Christy was diagnosed with the enlarged ureter, but there was no indication that she had degenerative kidney disease. Mike Adkesson, associate veterinarian for the Chicago Zoological Society, said, "I had been following that condition closely. But she showed no clinical problems with it after that until the past few days, when we saw a downturn in her physical condition. She became increasingly lethargic, and we began to see signs of fluid accumulation and then complete renal failure. She went into a really rapid decline in the past few days." The zoo brought in outside elephant and large-mammal specialists over the weekend, he said, and they all agreed that Christy's condition was irreversible, leading to the decision Tuesday morning to euthanize her. In May, Christy’s long-time companion, Affie, a 40-year-old female African elephant, died, and in August a 26-year-old female named Joyce, was brought in from a zoo in Vallejo, Calif. Now a new companion must be found for Joyce.
Smartest Animals of the Decade
December 22, 2009 www.huffingtonpost.com By Frans de Waal
Frans de Waal provides 10 examples of animal intelligence. Dophins are a glaring omission:
Groups Petition for CO2 Cap
December 22, 2009 www.enn.com
WASHINGTON -- More than 100 groups have issued a letter supporting a legal petition filed earlier this month by the Center for Biological Diversity and 350.org that would require EPA to scientifically establish national safe limits for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act. The petition seeks to have greenhouse gases designated as "criteria" air pollutants and atmospheric CO2 capped at 350 ppm, the level leading scientists say is needed to stop catastrophic warming. Organizations endorsing the petition include Friends of the Earth, Audubon chapters, Colorado Interfaith Power and Light, Eco-Justice Collaborative, Community Coalition for Environmental Justice of Seattle, Clean Air Carolina, and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment. The Obama administration has proposed emissions reduction targets of just 3 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, far below the cuts of approximately 45 percent necessary to get back to 350 ppm. Our current atmospheric CO2 level is 385 ppm. The administration has said its hands are tied by the weak cap-and-trade bills proposed by Congress. In a report titled Yes, He Can: President Obama's Power to Make an International Climate Commitment Without Waiting for Congress, the Center concludes there is no legal requirement to wait for Congress before the president can take action to cut emissions. The administration expressed its goal as a 17-percent reduction from the 2005 greenhouse gas emission level. The United Nations and most of the world express reduction goals based on 1990 levels. A 17-percent reduction from 2005 is equivalent to a 3-percent reduction from 1990.
Beluga Whale Calf Euthanized at Shedd Aquarium
December 23, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com By William Mullen
A male baby beluga whale, born in a difficult birth Sunday at the Shedd, died at 10:44 a.m. after it began showing signs of swimming erratically and having difficulty breathing. The calf had been separated from its mother early Tuesday and placed for observation and treatment in the Oceanarium medical pool. "This morning, we became more concerned since he continued to be disoriented in his swimming and still had not reached two critical milestones of bonding with mom and nursing," said Ken Ramirez, senior vice president of animal collections. A veterinary team gave the calf oxygen and medication, but its condition never improved. Preliminary findings from an animal autopsy after it died revealed no conclusive cause of death, Shedd veterinarian Caryn Poll said. The mother, Naya, shows no sign of ill health but remains under observation. She had a difficult 21-hour labor when she delivered a stillborn calf in 2002.
Solving California’s Water Crisis
December 23, 2009 www.nytimes.com
FRESNO, Calif. – The federal government released a new action plan Tuesday aimed at solving California's water crisis and restoring the vast freshwater estuary that provides drinking water to millions of households. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said six federal agencies would make it a top priority to study the factors harming fish, boost water deliveries to cities and croplands and supply drought aid to farmers. The six agencies will coordinate with state authorities to restore the ecosystem -- considered one of the most vital wildlife habitats on the West Coast -- and speed the flow of water through state and federal canals south of the delta, officials said. They also will support efforts to overhaul the state's antiquated water system as laid out in a $11.1 billion package of water bills passed by the state legislature last month. Now that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed the legislation, the bond measure to fund it will go before voters in November for final approval. In recent years, legal battles over dwindling supplies have interrupted and reduced irrigation flows to the fertile San Joaquin Valley and Southern California homes, once federal officials determined that the giant pumps sending water south were grinding up native fish. As part of the new plan, the EPA will study other factors that also may be harming the ecosystem, including invasive species, sewage overflows and degraded wildlife habitat.
Ocelot Protection in Texas
December 23, 2009 www.nytimes.com
RAYMONDVILLE, Texas -- It is believed that fewer than 50 ocelots remain in south Texas. The Nature Conservancy hopes to give them 1,300 more acres of mesquite, huisache and other shrubs with a conservation easement it has bought from south Texas rancher Frank Yturria. Yturria, 86, spent much of his life clearing such scrub on the thousands of acres of open grasslands where his cattle graze, stopped clearing some of those areas decades ago when he realized ocelots live there. He has also made three other easements adjacent to his San Francisco Ranch, less than 15 miles inland from the Laguna Madre, and this more than doubles the amount of land he has set aside. These easements are part of only two documented ocelot breeding grounds in the country. The other is at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, about 25 miles to the south. Conservationists hope to preserve a corridor connecting the San Francisco Ranch and the other breeding ground at Laguna Atascosa so the two groups of cats can interact and avoid inbreeding. Study of ocelot DNA in the two locations has found no evidence of interaction. Last winter, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documented 11 ocelots on the ranch's existing conservation easements. Most of the easement's cost was paid with a grant from the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, a federal source. Additional money came from the Robert J. Kleberg Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation and the El Paso Corporation. USFWS will manage the land in partnership with the conservancy. Ocelots are about twice the size of a house cat and also are found in Central and South America. A male ocelot, and two or three females traveling with it, ideally would have about 1,200 acres of habitat, said Sonia Najera, the conservancy's south Texas program manager. Much of south Texas has been cleared for farming and ranching over the years. Now some landowners have started dotting their pastures with large wind turbines, but the Yturria land covered by the easement will be preserved in perpetuity.
Michigan Takes Invasive Carp to Supreme Court
December 23, 2009 www.nytimes.com By TARYN LUNTZ
Experts fear that the invasive Asian carp, which have been traveling up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers for decades, will devastate the $7 billion Great Lakes fisheries. The 100-pound fish have voracious appetites and rapid reproduction rates that could ravage native lake species. Michigan's lawsuit asks the high court to immediately close the O'Brien Lock and Dam in the Calumet-Sag Channel and the Chicago Controlling Works in the Illinois River, a stopgap measure aimed at keeping the fish at bay. But the state also has asked the court to permanently sever the man-made link between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes, a move long urged by environmental groups and opposed by the shipping industry.
Endangered Pheasant Found in Vietnam
December 23, 2009 vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
THUA THIEN-HUE — World renowned ornithologist Vo Quy has confirmed that a rare pheasant discovered by a railway worker recently is a female Lophura edwarsi – classified as an endangered species. Endemic to the rain forests in the central provinces of Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue, It had been trapped by a hunter and had a wounded leg. Forest rangers brought the 52cm long bird with a wingspan of 31cm, and 14cm long legs, to the forest management station of the Bac Hai Van Nature Reserve. The Ha Noi National Zoo has been contacted to find a solution for conserving and breeding this rare bird, or it may be released into the forest in northern Hai Van Pass, where it was discovered.
Miller Park Zoo Sells $20,884 In Reindeer Dropping Ornaments
December 23, 2009 www.usatoday.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) — Bloomington's Miller Park Zoo has raised $20,884 this holiday season selling necklaces and ornaments made from reindeer droppings. The zoo had such success last year selling Christmas ornaments made of the reindeer droppings that they started making jewelry this year. The droppings are dime-sized, dehydrated, sterilized and spray-painted with glitter. They're called "Magical Reindeer Gems." The Miller Park Zoological Society says this year they made about 300 necklaces and more than 2,000 ornaments. Society spokeswoman Susie Ohley says the money will go to help the city-owned zoo.
Reindeer Information from NatureWatch
December 23, 2009 enature.com
Reindeer live in in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Arctic. In Eurasia (and the North Pole) they are called reindeer and in North America more commonly caribou, but they are all the same species. The wild herds of Alaska and Canada are known for their mass migrations, while large numbers of those in Eurasia are domesticated, raised for fur, meat, milk, and as work animals. They are physically well suited to pull a sleigh full of toys and a right jolly old elf. Reindeer and caribou are unique among deer in that the females, as well as the males grow antlers. And while mature males shed their antlers in the fall, the females retain their antlers from one spring till the next. So the reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh must be females or youngsters. Of course, it's entirely possible that a male reindeer with the power to fly also has the power to keep his antlers through the holidays. The caribou of North America can run at speeds of almost 50 miles per hour and may travel 3,000 miles in a year. It has amazingly adaptable footpads. In the summer, when the tundra is soft and wet, the footpads become spongy like the soles of tennis shoes and provide extra traction. In the winter, when snow and ice coat the North, the pads shrink and firm up, while the rim of the hoof, like an ice skate's blade, bites into the ice and crusted snow to keep the animal from slipping - the perfect footwear for an animal that needs to come to a flying stop on an ice-encrusted rooftop in the dark of the night! The reindeer’s coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer-haired overcoat. The outer coat consists of hollow, air-filled hairs that give the animal such buoyancy when it enters water that only the lower two-thirds of its body submerges. A caribou or reindeer swims with ease and good speed, and migrating herds will not hesitate to swim across a large lake or broad river. If Santa ever decides to take to the seas rather than the air, he is in good hands!
ESA Revision Being Contemplated
December 24, 2009 www.nytimes.com
USFWS is considering wide-ranging revisions to the 1973 Endangered Species Act according to service director, Sam Hamilton. Regulatory revisions could provide new definitions for some key provisions, including those addressing critical habitat and consultations between service biologists and other agencies over projects that could harm protected animals and plants. Hamilton also wants to find new ways to encourage landowners to protect species, expanding on the new "safe harbor" program that promotes private habitat protection while allowing normal land-use practices, like farming. "Our focus is on trying to recover endangered species; our goal is to try to get them off the list."
San Nicolas Island Feral Cats
December 24, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com
A joint effort by the Navy, Humane Society, USFWS and the California Department of Fish and Game has saved the feral cats that roamed on San Nicolas Island, one of the Channel Islands, about 60 miles off the coast of Ventura County. The cats were preying upon birds and competing with native species including the Channel Island fox and federally threatened island night lizard. Now they are being flown, approximately 15 at a time, to the 4,000-square-foot “Fund for Animals Rehabilitation Center” in Ramona where they are given shots and spayed or neutered. The fenced habitat enclosure cost $60,000, and charter plane fares, food and staff to care for the cats added to the cost. DoGreatGood.com donated $100,000 to fund the project. Most are adults and not adoptable. They have never seen humans before and will not approach their keepers. Kittens are different and 3 have been adopted, according to feral cat coordinator, Kim D’Amico. To adopt a kitten call (760) 789-2324.
Annual Christmas Bird Count
December 26, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com
NORTH COUNTY —The 100 or so volunteers coordinated by the Buena Vista Audubon Society have two goals: to try to earn bragging rights by spotting a rare species and to document the bird population, which is part of a larger effort to track the effects of climate change and urban development. Today’s bird count will cover a 15-mile circle from Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad northward to parts of Camp Pendleton, westward to a few miles out in the ocean and eastward to Kit Carson Park in Escondido. Andy Mauro, a board member of the Buena Vista Audubon Society, said the latest bird count will continue a tradition that began more than a century ago as an antidote to the Christmas bird hunt. Since then, bird-watchers and avian experts have returned to the same count circle every year to conduct a census. This year, the Greater San Diego region was divided into seven census tracts. Each covers a 15-mile radius, and each is sponsored by one or more conservation groups. Four tracts have been completed this month — in San Diego, Anza-Borrego, Lake Henshaw and the Salton Sea. After today’s count, ornithologists will have two more to complete — in the Escondido and Rancho Santa Fe areas — in January. During the event today, bird-watchers can expect to spot up to 40,000 individual birds from 180 to 210 species. Many will be migratory waterfowl, such as the ruddy duck, green-winged teal, shoveler and pintail.
Habitat loss is the predominant challenge in the San Diego bird-count area, said Philip Unitt, curator of the Department of Birds and Mammals at the San Diego Natural History Museum. The San Diego census tract starts at the mouth of the Sweetwater River in Chula Vista and stretches westward to the tip of Point Loma, northward to Balboa Park and Chollas Reservoir, southward to the Tijuana River Valley and eastward to Sweetwater Reservoir. Although bird-counters reported seeing 207 species in the San Diego tract, they spotted only six Tricolored Blackbird, which used to have a local population of 1,000 two to three decades ago, Unitt said. The bird’s nesting sites — grasslands and marshlands — are disappearing. Bonaparte’s gulls, which used to spend winter in the San Diego area, now come in much smaller numbers. That’s probably because they have cut short their migration routes to winter in northerly grounds that are warming up, Unitt said. In contrast, the Eurasian collared dove, which adapts well to urban environments, has been flocking to the San Diego area, resulting in the highest count in 57 years.
NC Zoo Will Expand Polar Bear Exhibit
December 27, 2009 www.news-record.com By Jason Hardin
ASHEBORO, N.C. – N.C. Zoo’s polar bear habitat is extremely popular with visitors. Zookeepers use a snow machine in the exhibit when temperature and humidity conditions allow, usually four to six times per winter, to entertain their 2 bears. David Jones, zoo director, wants to make the exhibit even better and create a polar bear breeding program. The $4.7 million project will accommodate some of the critical elements female bears crave in raising cubs: space and privacy. The highly mobile polar bears continually roam in search of food, sometimes covering as much as 2,000 miles in a year. “If you put a polar bear in a small cage, the animal begins to show all kinds of behavioral disturbances,” Jones said. One of the zoo’s bears, a male named Wilhelm, displays such behavior, as he was rescued from a Caribbean circus several years ago. “We’re trying to stay 10 years ahead of the game,” Jones said. Providing more space isn’t just good for the bears — it also makes for a more rewarding experience for visitors. Currently there are 80 polar bears in captivity. Jones hopes to obtain a pair from Canada. The plan is to begin construction late next year or early 2011 and to open the exhibit in 2012.
New Genomic Catalog of Earth’s Microbes
December 28, 2009 www.nytimes.com By CARL ZIMMER
There are about 5,400 species of mammals on the planet, but a spoonful of soil may contain twice as many species of microbes. They can dwell in habitats where humans would quickly die, including acid-drenched mines and Antarctic deserts. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 150 million species of microbes. Yet the genomes of only about 1,000 species of microbes have been sequenced. That leaves 99.99999 percent to go. Making matters worse, the genomes scientists have sequenced are clustered together in groups of closely related species, leaving vast stretches of the microbial tree of life unexplored. To shed light on this void, the Joint Genome Institute at the Energy Department has started what it calls a “genomic encyclopedia.” Jonathan Eisen, an evolutionary biologist at the University of California, Davis, is the lead author of a paper appearing in the Dec. 24th issue of Nature. He and Hans-Peter Klenk, a German microbiologist and other researchers at the Joint Genome Institute describe the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea. (Bacteria and Archaea are two of the major branches of the tree of life. The third branch contains eukaryotes, which includes animals, fungi, plants and protozoa.) The scientists selected 200 species to analyze. Once they had sequenced 56 genomes, they tallied up how many new genes they had found: tens of thousands. But more importantly, they found 1,768 new gene families — sets of genes that share a common ancestor. Dr. Eisen expects that many of these new genes will lead to important research. One gene, from a microbe that lives in salt flats, encodes an enzyme that can cut up cellulose in the presence of lots of salt. This type of enzyme might be useful for extracting biofuels from plants.
Students Identify Household Species
December 28, 2009 www.sciencedaily.com
MANHATTAN, NY -- Guided by DNA "barcoding" experts at The Rockefeller University and the American Museum of Natural History, Grade 12 students Brenda Tan and Matt Cost, discovered 95 animal species in their immediate environment (fridges, furniture, sidewalks, shipping boxes, and feather dusters, etc.) They also found a lot of apparent consumer fraud in progress, finding that the labels of 11 of 66 food products purchased at local markets misrepresented the actual contents. The January edition of BioScience magazine will report on their "DNA House" project, detailed as well online. Among other things, Tan and Cost also found an invasive species of insect in a box of grapefruit from Texas. And they might get to coin a Latin name for what could be a new species or subspecies of New York cockroach revealed by DNA barcoding. The work builds on the 2008 "sushi-gate" findings of two other Trinity School students, Kate Stoeckle and Louisa Strauss, who found one-quarter of fish they bought at markets and restaurants in Manhattan were mislabeled. Some labels hid endangered fish species but most misrepresented cheap fish species like tilapia, sold as expensive species like tuna.
New Oregon Zoo Director - Kimberly Smith
December 28, 2009 www.zandavisitornews By Bill LaMarche
PORTLAND, OR -- The Oregon Zoo's governing agency, Metro, has announced that Kimberly A. Smith will serve as the zoo's new director, beginning March 1. Smith has 25 years of zoo experience, most recently serving as the vice president of animal care at Brookfield Zoo She will lead the zoo as it undertakes $125 million worth of bond-related improvements over the next 10 to 15 years. Smith has built her exceptional reputation in the zoo community because of her collaborative approach to conservation. Her highest profile efforts came when she was curator of birds at the Milwaukee Zoo. She worked closely with USFWS, along with state and local wildlife officials, on several local conservation initiatives including successfully releasing trumpeter swans to the wild, as well as participating in recovery efforts for piping plovers and whooping cranes. She was involved in the design and construction of the $27 million Great Bear Wilderness and a $4 million dolphinarium renovation at Brookfield. She also designed and managed the $1.3 million expansion of Brookfield's outdoor elephant habitat. Within AZA, she has chaired and vice chaired many conservation-related committees. She currently serves on the prestigious Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee and the Ethics Board. Also noteworthy are her conservation partnerships with state and federal wildlife officials on numerous native-species recovery efforts. Smith began her career at the Phoenix Zoo and has worked at several accredited museums and zoos, including the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Dallas Zoo and the Milwaukee County Zoo. She holds a master's degree in science from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee and a bachelor's of science in zoology from Arizona State University.
Zoo Atlanta Partners with Center for Behavioral Neuroscience
December 29, 2009 www.examiner.com Kristina Bjoran
Georgia State University’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) and Zoo Atlanta forged a collaborative partnership in late 2003. Projects have included a study on gorilla cognition and tool-use and giant panda breeding. The biggest project, the Orangutan Learning Tree, was unveiled in 2007 and is an exhibit at Zoo Atlanta where orangutans have access to a large touch-screen computer where they can perform certain cognitive tasks while visitors outside observe. The visitors also have a computer screen in the viewing area where they can compare their cognitive abilities to those of the apes. This exhibit, funded by GSU’s CBN, IBM and one anonymous donor, allows CBN and Zoo Atlanta researchers to learn about the cognitive processes of the great orange apes. The partnership will continue to focus on conservation efforts and educating the public on the importance of understanding cognitive ape behavior.
Zoo-Thousand and Ten Promotion
December 29, 2009 www.norwichbulletin.com
PROVIDENCE, RI – Roger Williams Park Zoo is ringing in “zoo-thousand and ten” by offering half priced admission for all on New Year’s Day, January 1. And when New Year’s Day is done, visitors can still enjoy a winter visit with the animals at a discount - the Zoo is offering half-priced winter admission from the start of the Zoo Year through February 28. Half-priced admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (62+) and $3 for children (ages 3 – 12). Zoo members and children under three are always free.
Obama Administration Faulted for Not Listing Endangered Species
December 29, 2009 www.nytimes.com by SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—A group of environmentalists pledged Monday to file petitions and lawsuits over the next 36 days to persuade the Obama administration to make protection of endangered plants and animals a priority. Listings under the Endangered Species Act have reached an all-time low, while the number of plants and animals that need protection is growing, said Nicole Rosmarino, the wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. Environmentalists accuse the Obama administration of lagging behind previous administrations in listing species under the act. The Bush administration, for example, averaged seven listings per year over its two terms. By comparison, only three new U.S. species were listed in 2009, while the number of species proposed for protection and those waiting on the candidates' list stands at more than 330. More than 1,300 U.S. species are currently listed as either threatened or endangered. The Center for Biological Diversity also launched an effort in December to protect 1,000 of what it considers the most endangered species by getting them on the list during President Barack Obama's first term. The group also is seeking court action on 280 species and has warned it will sue over an additional 144 species, including the plains bison and the California golden trout.
Cheetah Dies of Pancreatic Cancer at Oregon Zoo
December 29, 2009 www.oregonlive.com
A necropsy on a two-year-old cheetah that died Sunday at the Oregon Zoo revealed an enlarged pancreas and liver problems. Scooter became ill around Christmas day, and died Sunday afternoon. Zoo veterinarian Lisa Harrenstien said, "It appeared his abdomen hurt and he didn't want to move much. During the exam, we became suspicious of pancreatic disease and had planned exploratory surgery if the extensive fluid therapy we prescribed wasn't successful." Necropsy results revealed an enlarged, abnormal pancreas, which may indicate pancreatic cancer, and the animal's liver was also abnormal, suggesting veno-occlusive disease, a common ailment in cheetahs but very uncommon in other species. Chris Pfefferkorn, Oregon Zoo general curator, said, "Both Scooter and his brother, Suseli, have been popular with visitors since the opening of our new Predators of the Serengeti exhibit in September." Officials said the two cheetahs arrived at the zoo on August 20, and had acclimated well to their new home. Cheetahs typically live up to 17 years in zoos, but only 8 to 10 years in the wild. There are no immediate plans to bring another cheetah to the zoo.
Legoland Plans Expansion
December 29, 2009 www.signonsandiego.com BY MICHAEL BURGE
CARLSBAD, California -- Celebrating it’s 10th birthday this year, 128-acre Legoland California is privately owned by Merlin Entertainments Group. It boasts 15,000 Lego models and more than 50 rides and amusements, including the 36,000-square-foot Sea Life Aquarium. “We can’t really talk about specific numbers, but (2008) was a record year,” general manager Peter Ronchetti said. In 2008 Legoland opened the Sea Life Aquarium (which charges a separate admission). Now there are plans to build a 250-room, 137,000-square-foot hotel based on the Lego theme. Legoland is in the process of obtaining the required permits and plans to build when the hotel industry rebounds. It also intends to open a 5-acre water park in time for the 2010 summer tourist season. It will be the world’s first Lego-themed, interactive water park and will charge a separate admission, which is yet to be determined. Asked what will make Legoland’s water park distinct from The Wave in nearby Vista or Knott’s Soak City in Chula Vista, Ronchetti said, “None of them do what we’re going to do — focus on young children, educational, constructive play.” Legoland’s aim is to provide entertainment for families with children 2 to 12 years old. He noted that many of Sea Life’s viewing windows are at kneecap level for adults, eye level for children, exemplifying the park’s child-friendly approach. “It’s unlike any other aquarium,” Ronchetti said. “Kids can physically poke their heads up inside a tank.”
Tourism took a belly-flop in San Diego County in 2009, with revenue per available hotel room down 21.6 percent compared with last year, according to the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, indicating that occupancy and room rates are down significantly. Total visitor spending in the county was $6 billion through October, compared with $6.9 billion through the same period last year, according to the bureau. “Our (countywide) occupancy declines have been anywhere from 7 to 16 percent over the last 12 months, October 2008 to October 2009,” said Cami Mattson, president of the North County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Rates have been down anywhere from 11 percent to 15 percent.” Robert Niles, an editor at Themeparkinsider.com , said Legoland has a sound game plan and is sticking to it. “The fact that they’re expanding is helping them to increase attendance even as the economy is down.” He also said the Carlsbad location is a plus, because it’s on the doorstep of Orange and L.A. counties. “They tend to be countercyclical — when the economy is bad, that’s good for Southern California parks,” Niles said. “Disneyland (attendance) is up a little bit; Legoland is up.” Ronchetti said the park isn’t oblivious to the economy’s decline, so they have offered special packages, such as two-for-one deals. “This year of all years it’s been very important to be out there with a great offer,” Ronchetti said. “We like to encourage that — give the best value for the money that we can.”
Saving Washington’s Bighorns
December 29, 2009 www.yakima-herald.com
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Fourteen years ago, a pneumonia outbreak among bighorn sheep in Hells Canyon along the Snake River killed about 300 bighorns, and wildlife experts are hoping to prevent that from happening again in the Yakima River Canyon. Since the first week of December, about 10 bighorns on the west side of the canyon have died from pneumonia and dozens more have become infected. State wildlife officials are hurriedly developing a strategy to prevent the disease from wiping out not only the 150 or so bighorns on the ridges west of the canyon, but neighboring herds across the Yakima River (roughly 100 animals), on Cleman Mountain (about 200) and in the Tieton area (also about 200). Because the outbreak is so contagious and fatal, the idea of killing the herd is quickly moving from possible to inevitable -- which would mark the first time the state has tried to control an epidemic among bighorns by killing large numbers. Jeff Tayer, regional director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, said, "We wouldn't hesitate to eliminate parts of this herd to save the rest if we thought that was practical and would work. There's been a number of things tried to contain this disease, but it's very contagious and the animals move around a lot, which is a bad combination."
Molecular Cytogenetics of the California Condor
December 29, 2009 www.online.karger.com
An evolutionary cytogenetic comparison of 5 species of birds (California condor, chicken, zebra finch, collared flycatcher and black stork) belonging to divergent taxonomic orders has been completed by researchers at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research. Seventy-four clones from a condor BAC library containing 80 genes were mapped to condor chromosomes using FISH, and 15 clones containing 16 genes were mapped to the stork Z chromosome. Maps for chicken and finch were derived from genome sequence databases, and that for flycatcher from the published literature. Gene content and gene order were highly conserved when individual condor, chicken, and zebra finch autosomes were compared, confirming that these species largely retain karyotypes close to the ancestral condition for neognathous birds. The research appears in the December, 2009 journal Cytogenetic and Genome Research.
Grizzly – Polar Bear Zoo Hybrid
December 30, 2009 www.eznc.org
Only one hybrid between a polar and grizzly bear has ever been spotted in the wild. In 1996 a hunter in Canada shot it. In various zoos across the world there are only a few polar grizzlies. At the Osnabruck Zoo a grizzly bear and a polar bear shared an enclosure. Nothing happened for 24 years, until the female grizzly gave birth to two hybrid cups in 2004. Shortly after their birth the two cubs were moved to another zoo. This way they were not able to learn any behaviors from their parents. The polar grizzlies were studied by zoo staff and scientists from the University of Osnabruck. The cubs show physical characteristics of both parents. Their size is in between that of the larger polar bear and the somewhat smaller grizzly bear. Their neck is just as long as that of the polar bear, but their shoulders resemble more those of the grizzly bear. Their head shape is a mix of both species and their paws show mixed features. The soles are partly covered in hair. The soles of polar bears are completely covered in hair (for insulation), while the soles of brown bears are completely hairless. The hybrids have visible tails, like polar bears. The tail of the grizzly bear is hardly visible. Also the hybrid’s hair is a remarkable blend. Polar bear hairs are hollow, those of brown bears are not. The hybrids have both types of hairs. In their behavior the polar grizzlies mostly resemble polar bears. When given large objects to play with (barrels or tractor wheels), they stamp on it with both front legs, just as the polar bear does to break ice. Jute bags are hurled like prey. Brown bears do not show this behavior. The male polar grizzly has been sterilized. It is not yet known whether the female polar grizzly is fertile. The results of this study were published in Der Zoologische Garten.
Detroit Zoo’s Lion Exhibit Renovation
December 30, 2009 detnews.com
ROYAL OAK, Michigan -- The Detroit Zoo has announced plans to raise $1 million to make over the lion habitat. Plans call for filling in a dry moat barrier that gives visitors an unobstructed view of the animals and replacing it with a glass wall, which will nearly double the space for the lions and afford visitors a closer look. Warming rocks near the glass will bring the lions closer to the visitor viewing area and trees, plantings and rocks in the visitor area will mirror those in the lions' habitat, making the experience seem that much more immersive. The zoo has 6 lions: Bikira, Katie and Percival, along with three others rescued from a Kansas junkyard in April. The renovation project is in the design phase, and work will begin in the spring. It is scheduled to be completed later in the year.
Virginia Zoo Superintendent Retires
December 30, 2009 www.wtvr.com
NORFOLK, Va. -- The superintendent at the Virginia Zoo is retiring after 33 years. Gary Ochsenbein helped found the zoo society and began the process and fund raising that led to its accreditation and partnerships with other zoos to breed endangered species. Also a geologist, he helped to sculpt African plains and Asian tiger caves at the Norfolk zoo, which is home to more than 350 animals. Ochsenbein also created the water plaza at the zoo's entrance and brought in a one-third scale replica of the country's first transcontinental railroad.
Experimental Tagging of Twycross Zoo Penguins
December 30, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
LEICESTERSHIRE, U.K. -- The macaroni penguins at Twycross Zoo are being fitted with a new type of tag that records light levels and times for up to three years. Scientists plan to evaluate the tags effectiveness before using them to track the movements of penguins in Antarctica. The British Antarctic Survey developed the 1.5g data logger built into a soft leg ring, after previous tags proved dangerous for the wild birds. Bands had been fitted to penguins' flippers, but they affected flight and increased the chances of the birds dying, while metal or plastic rings fitted to their legs were causing cuts and sores. If the new tags work, they will be used to track the winter movements of wild macaroni penguins from the colony at Bird Island, South Georgia, during 2010. Scientists say most species spend the winter entirely at sea and are capable of travelling thousands of miles from their colonies.
Silvery Marmosets Born in Czech Zoo
December 30, 2009 praguemonitor.com
JIHLAVA, South Moravia, CTK -- Two silvery marmoset (Callithrix argentata) young were born in the Jihlava zoo on December 20, the first time this rare monkey species has been reproduced in the Czech Republic. Only two zoological gardens breed the species in the Czech Republic. The other one is in Olomouc, north Moravia. The Jihlava zoo breeds ten species of clawed monkeys, the biggest collection in the country. The twins were born to a female imported from Szeged, Hungary, in September 2008. Half a year later the father was obtained from Broxbourne, England. Besides the clawed monkeys, the Jihlava zoo also focuses on felines and reptiles. This year it succeeded in reproducing all three species of leopards it breeds.
Cross-border Conservation Study
December 30, 2009 www.physorg.com
A new study led by Dr. Salit Kark, and published in a recent edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that there could be a $67-billion savings in costs if conservation efforts of endemic vertebrates were coordinated across all the highly threatened Mediterranean ecosystem, compared with an uncoordinated plan. The amount saved is estimated as 45% of the total cost. A coordinated plan with just the European Union (EU) countries would also lead to substantial savings compared with no coordination across the Mediterranean Basin's countries. The authors also discuss the limitations of coordinating efforts. "Because countries belonging to the European Union cover nearly half of the area of the Mediterranean Basin, we estimated the costs and benefits of conservation when efforts are coordinated across the whole Mediterranean and compared this to an EU partly coordinated plan and with the current situation where each country does its own thing," Dr Levin, a Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing expert, said.
New Marine Acoustic Listening Devices
December 30, 2009 www.physorg.com
Over the past decade, the tools available to acquire and analyze passive acoustic data have imiproved, and have substantially increased the ability of researchers to collect and use acoustic information. In this month’s Marine Ecology Progress Series, Sofie Van Parijs, a bioacoustician at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, and other researchers describe two types of acoustic sensors, real-time and archival. Real-time sensors are mounted on surface buoys, usually anchored or cabled to the ocean bottom, or deployed as arrays towed from a surface vessel. Archival sensors are affixed on bottom mounted buoys equipped with hydrophones to continuously record ocean sounds for long periods of time, often up to three months, before the sensors are temporarily recovered and their batteries refreshed. Some archiving sensors can be mounted on individual animals. The use of passive acoustic monitoring is increasing as improved reliability and lower hardware and software costs provide researchers with a set of tools that can answer a broad range of scientific questions. This information can, in turn, be used in conservation management and mitigation efforts. While most of the new technologies have been applied in studies of whales and dolphins, the researchers say the sensors can also be used in studying pinnipeds, sirenians (manatees and dugongs) and fish.
Boat Strikes Threaten Manatee Recovery
December 30, 2009 www.enn.com Miyoko Sakashita
SAN FRANCISCO -- The USFWS has finalized new stock assessments for manatees that puts the population of Florida manatees at about 3,800 and a Puerto Rico population at 72. According to the Service's stock-assessment report on the Florida manatee population, each year about 87 manatees are killed by humans in the state. This is more than seven times the number of manatees that the Service estimates can be killed without impairing the species' recovery. Boats are the primary threat to manatees, which are frequently struck and killed, or seriously injured, by speeding vessels. Almost 90 percent of the manatees killed by humans were a result of such boat strikes. Manatees are also threatened by water-diversion structures such as dams and entanglement in marine debris, including derelict fishing gear.
Pet Mallard Lives to Age 22
December 30, 2009 news.bbc.co.uk
Edwina, a 22-year-old mallard, thought to be one of the oldest recorded living ducks, has died. She was rescued by a British couple as a duckling and lived with them until her death. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) said the oldest known wild mallard in the UK is 20 years and five months. The oldest known wigeon stands at 34 years, the oldest gadwall at 21 and the oldest teal at just over 18 years. But the oldest wild duck on record is a sea-duck called Eider at 35 years and six months. The birds' ages have been calculated through the BTO's ringing scheme. (A network of over 2,400 trained and licensed volunteers currently ring over 800,000 birds every year. On average only one in every 50 birds ringed are subsequently found and reported). Ringing and nest-reporting software is at www.bto.org.
Miller Park Zoo Sumatran Tiger Euthanized
December 30, 2009 www.chicagotribune.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Authorities at Bloomington's Miller Park Zoo say they have euthanized 18-year-old Besar, one of the zoo's Sumatran tigers, because his year-long bout with renal failure had severely undermined his quality of life. Sumatran tigers have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. Besar was the eighth oldest of the 85 in accredited American zoos. He celebrated his 18th birthday in March. Besar arrived at Miller Park in 2003 from the San Diego Zoo. About 400 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, but illegal poaching reduces their number by about 10 percent each year.
"Noon Years Eve" at Toledo Zoo
December 31, 2009 www.toledoonthemove.com
TOLEDO -- "Noon Year's Eve" at the Toledo Zoo starts at 11:00 a.m. Thursday. Since midnight comes too late for little ones, they can watch the ball drop at the stroke of noon, and celebrate with a toast of apple juice. There will be lots of activities, too, like an ice carving demonstration and crafts. This year's event lasts until 1:00 p.m. [Cleveland Metroparks Zoo also has a celebration for children]