Animals

[CaaC (John)+]

I got to see our daughters adopted pet rat named badger, as the daughter said they call these type of pet rats Dumbo Rats because of their ears, the rat was very friendly and she snuggled into my cheek and gave my beard a wee tug. 

 

  

[CaaC (John)+]

New whale species called the 'Black Baird's beaked whale' is discovered off the coast of Japan

SLIDES - 1/4

Japanese scientists have confirmed that a new whale species has been identified as 'Black Baird's beaked whale' after carrying out DNA testing.

The new species has often been spotted by whalers in the North Pacific Ocean but it has never before been officially recognised as it continued to elude researchers.

But the carcasses of several unidentified whales continued to wash up on the shores of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, while others were caught by fishing vessels.

Researchers were able to carry out DNA testing on the remains of six-stranded beaked whales that were found on the coasts of the Okhotsk Sea.

They then discovered that they were, in fact, a complete new species - identified as Black Baird's beaked whale (Berardius minimus).

This new species is similar to the Baird's beaked whale but is instead is smaller, is darker in colour and has a shorter beak. 

The maximum body size recorded among the black species so far is 6.9 metres, compared to 10 metres among their better-known cousins.

All species of beaked whale are hard to document since they prefer deep ocean waters and have a long diving capacity. 

Professor Takashi Matsuishi of Hokkaido University led the research team.

He said: 'There are still many things we don't know about [this species].

'We still don't know what adult females look like and there are still many questions related to species distribution, for example. 

'We hope to continue expanding what we know.'

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/new-whale-species-called-the-black-bairds-beaked-whale-is-discovered-off-the-coast-of-japan/ar-AAH2fab

[Carnivore Chris]

I personally couldn't be against this badger cull more. It's fucking ridiculous how a government can decide which animals die and which live. Badgers are supposed to be protected animals and you or I couldn't go out there randomly killing them now as it would be (rightfully) deemed a criminal offence. Yet the government are ok to kill them?

Nevermind culling Crows, Gulls, Badgers, Foxes, Magpies, or whatever else it is they are culling this week. When I look around, it's humans who are massively overpopulated in this country. It's to the point where they are now destroying natural, untouched land(which is usually breaming with wildlife) in order to build (shite as fuck) new houses.

This is only just scratching the surface though. They are killing curlews too(which they try and hide) and these are an endangered bird. But because they like to be around near airports, they have culls on them. They kill any type of animal if it suits them.

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by The Rebel CRS

[CaaC (John)+]

Newly discovered species of electric eel can produce the most powerful electric shock of any animal

VIDEO

It's an update to the electric eel family tree that's been over 250 years in the making.

The electric eel was first described by the famed Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1766.

But after years of hanging out on its own as the only species in the genus Electrophorus, researchers have now discovered that the electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, is in fact not one species but three.

What's more, one of the newly described species of eel, Electrophorus voltai, has been recorded generating an electric shock of 860 volts.

It's far above the 650V previously recorded for the electric eel, making E.voltai the most powerful electricity-generating animal in the world, the authors report in Nature Communications today.

FULL REPORT

 

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by CaaC (John)
Spacing correction

[Cicero]

I always wondered where in the evolutionary journey did the eel manage to generate electricity 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Cicero

[CaaC (John)+]

Dolphins exposed to 'cocktail of pollutants' in the English Channel

Dolphins living in the English Channel are exposed to a "cocktail of pollutants", say scientists.

A study found some of the highest recorded levels of toxic chemicals and mercury in the bodies of bottlenose dolphins off the French coast.

Researchers say more needs to be done to tackle the "invisible" problem of lingering pollutants in the oceans.

The Channel is home to one of the last remaining large European populations of bottlenose dolphins.

• Stranded whales: Numbers on the rise around the UK
• Dire outlook for many killer whales
• Dozens of dead whales found beached in Iceland.

Researchers took tissue samples from more than 80 dolphins living in waters off Normandy and Brittany.

They found high concentrations of mercury in the skin and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, in blubber.

Other industrial chemicals, such as dioxins and pesticides, were also found in blubber samples, which together may act as a "cocktail of pollutants", they said.

The chemicals are passed down from mother to calf.

"Our results indicated the important transfer of PCBs by females to their young, which may raise concern for the population," said the team of researchers led by Dr Krishna Das of the University of Liege, Belgium.

The scientists say the bottlenose dolphin's habitat - an area known as the Normanno-Breton Gulf - should become a special area of conservation to protect the population.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, chimes with data from investigations of strandings, said ZSL's Rob Deaville, of the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme.

"As apex predators, bottlenose dolphins are at higher risk of exposure to some of the chemicals mentioned in this study - and as many of the European coastal populations of bottlenose dolphins are relatively small in size, they may, therefore, be under greater conservation threat," he said.

PCBs, used in plastics, paints and electrical equipment, were banned several decades ago, but persist in the environment, where they can build up in the blubber of dolphins and whales.

The chemicals have been found in the blubber of bottlenose dolphins washed up on beaches around Europe.

One killer whale found dead off Scotland in 2016 contained among the highest levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, ever recorded.

'Shocking' pollutant levels in UK whale.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49675283

[SirBalon]

WOW! 

 

[CaaC (John)+]

38 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

WOW! 

 

Bloody amazing that and beautiful, it's like a birds-eye view of Space close up and some of the galaxies in a cluster of colour moving around.  

Edited September 14, 2019 by CaaC (John)

[CaaC (John)+]

Like I said @SirBalon, that jellyfish changing shape is like looking at star clusters in our galaxy.

 

 

[SirBalon]

10 minutes ago, CaaC (John) said:

Like I said @SirBalon, that jellyfish changing shape is like looking at star clusters in our galaxy.

 

 

To be honest, when I picked up the post I just made on that jellyfish, I thought about opening a new thread titled; Our Planet, Mother Nature & The Miracle

But seeing as the animal thread exists already I gave in and just posted it here although the debate and argument is totally on a different scale and scope. Mother Nature, her majesty, her ultimate dominance of everything that exists is indeed a miracle because she has a template of which she then recreates her magic as you have finely depicted on the comparison with outer space (also hers) and her favourite child, the planet Earth.

[CaaC (John)+]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

Mother Nature, her majesty, her ultimate dominance of everything that exists is indeed a miracle because she has a template of which she then recreates her magic as you have finely depicted on the comparison with outer space (also hers) and her favourite the planet Earth.

Mother Nature creates beauty buddy and some human beings just completely fuck it up like cutting down rain forests in the like of the Amazon just for profit making money to swell their company coffers, funny and horrible old World we live in nowadays.

[CaaC (John)+]

Photos: 2019 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards finalists

SLIDES - 1/36

[Carnivore Chris]

I was walking past a pet shop just before and heard loads of parrots, so I went in there and saw one which was cool as fuck. It seemed quite tame too(it'd be easy to tame atleast as it didn't seem bothered) and I might buy it. I actually have a big cage(with an open top, so it is always open once the bird has adapted to its surroundings) as I bought it a while ago when I was thinking of buying a ring-necked parakeet.

Thing is, it seemed friendly with another parrot in the cage, so I might get both as it feels harsh to separate them. The only problem is, it's better to buy birds individually, as they're easier to tame that way, and then introduce it to another one once it's tame.

Honestly, it was class and only costs 100 quid. It's 12 month old, male and doesn't seem bothered about humans. I've forgot the exact species but there were Senegalese Parrots in the same cage as it and I'm not sure whether they are of the same family or whatever. The fella in the shop told me the name of it, but I forgot it.

Edited September 17, 2019 by The Rebel CRS

[Carnivore Chris]

The 1 at the front @nudge, @Bluewolf, @CaaC (John)

[CaaC (John)+]

World's biggest amphibian 'discovered' in the museum

A newly-identified amphibian is possibly the largest on the planet, according to DNA from museum specimens.

Reaching nearly two metres in length, the South China giant salamander is critically endangered in the wild.

Scientists say renewed conservation efforts are needed if the animal is to be saved from extinction.

Harvesting for the luxury food trade has led to a collapse in numbers across China.

Previously considered a single species, analysis of specimens, living and dead, suggests there are in fact three species found in different parts of China.

The South China salamander is the largest of the three, which researchers suspect it is the largest amphibian alive today.

Prof Samuel Turvey of ZSL (Zoological Society of London) said the decline of numbers in the wild has been "catastrophic".

"We hope that this new understanding of their species diversity has arrived in time to support their successful conservation, but urgent measures are required to protect any viable giant salamander populations that might remain," he said.

Co-researcher, Melissa Marr, of the Natural History Museum London, said measures must be put in place that preserves the genetic integrity of each distinct species.

"These findings come at a time where urgent interventions are required to save Chinese giant salamanders in the wild," she said.

What is the Chinese giant salamander?

Giant salamanders were once found across a large area of central, eastern, and southern China.

Over-exploitation has increased in recent decades, to supply a domestic luxury food market.

A large‐scale farming industry has developed, which may threaten wild populations through poaching and the spread of infectious diseases.

What did the research find?

Scientists used museum specimens to look at the genetic history of the Chinese giant salamander, a family tree so ancient that the animal is regarded as a "living fossil".

• 'Living fossil' heading for extinction
• Zoo unveils smuggled giant salamander
• The nuns helping save a sacred species - BBC News.

The idea that the South China giant salamander was a separate species was first proposed in the 1920s, then abandoned, based on an unusual animal that was kept at London Zoo.

The team used the same animal, which is now preserved as a specimen in the Natural History Museum, to define the characteristics of the new species.

The research is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49692583

[Harry]

Check out these baby Crocs

https://twitter.com/JTSHEEPS35/status/1174280558932877312?s=09

[CaaC (John)+]

We've heard of the Pink Panther but...

 

Black panther found roaming French rooftops

A black panther found roaming the rooftops near the northern French city of Lille like a stray cat on Wednesday evening was captured after being cornered inside a home, local authorities said.

The regional fire department tweeted pictures of the big cat, one of which showed it peering in the top-floor window of a three-storey red-brick building.

Another showed it staring out over the city, ears pricked, like one of the stone gargoyles that jut out over the facade of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris.

"Called out... for a dangerous animal, the northern fire service was confronted with a big feline roaming the gutters," the fire service tweeted.

The regional La Voix du Nord newspaper reported that the panther, which had escaped from a private apartment, "stopped sometimes to watch a train pass or a cat slinking by on the pavement below."

The police first threw up a security cordon around the building, and when the cat slipped into the window of an apartment believed to be its home, a veterinarian was called in to dart it with a tranquillizer.

The panther's owner meanwhile is believed to have escaped through the same window, fearing being charged with illegal ownership of a wild animal.

After being tranquilised, the ink-black feline, which is believed to be five to six months old, was taken away in a cage and handed over to France's animal protection league.

French police regularly report finding big snakes, lion cubs and other wild animals in private homes.

They are often alerted by videos circulating on social media offering the creatures for sale.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/black-panther-found-roaming-french-rooftops/ar-AAHxkOA

[Vegan Kel]

[Cicero]

Had a discussion several months ago how we’re all guilty of that hypocrisy 

[Eco]

2 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Had a discussion several months ago how we’re all guilty of that hypocrisy 

Bit of hypocrisy indeed, however I think it's completely an out of site, out of mind. If we were forced to kill our own food, then their would be a lot more vegans. 

Yesterday the wife and I were out at a festival, and a BBQ joint had two roasted pigs there, that they would pull the meat out of as people ordered. So many thought it was badass, but I was rather appalled by it. 

[Carnivore Chris]

8 hours ago, Vegan Kel said:

In that case, you don't give a shit about the environment or wildlife if you dispose of or have disposed of literally anything containing plastic, use paper or wood, drive cars(or use any form of public transport), go on aircrafts, own a cat or use anything containing palm oil.

I haven't heard you once mention the Badger cull in this thread, speak about the worryingly low numbers of Hedgehogs these days, or how there has been such a low number of Hen Harrier chicks hatching this year.

Vegans are largely dickheads, they don't preach about what matters the most.

[Carnivore Chris]

5 hours ago, Eco said:

Bit of hypocrisy indeed, however I think it's completely an out of site, out of mind. If we were forced to kill our own food, then their would be a lot more vegans.

We wouldn't, we'd go out and kill to eat using instincts. If we had to kill our own food, that would mean we lived much more primitively and if that was the case, vegans wouldn't have seen any videos about pigs on youtube to become vegans in the first place.

But either way, for as harsh as it is, farming animals for food is much better than killing your own as that way you aren't creating an imbalance in nature. It's worse eating sea food(not like I have anything against it) to be honest as that comes from natural resources as opposed to being farmed for the purpose of food. There is a reason why Herring Gulls, Cormorants, Oyster Catchers, etc are moving more inland and living around man-made lakes, etc, as there is a much larger food source for them there.

In terms of farming, there needs to simply be changes made to factory farming, rather than stopping eating meat altogether as not everyone could live on vegan diets if we are being realistic.

Edited September 20, 2019 by The Rebel CRS

[Vegan Kel]

2 hours ago, Carnivore Chris said:

In that case, you don't give a shit about the environment or wildlife if you dispose of or have disposed of literally anything containing plastic, use paper or wood, drive cars(or use any form of public transport), go on aircrafts, own a cat or use anything containing palm oil.

I haven't heard you once mention the Badger cull in this thread, speak about the worryingly low numbers of Hedgehogs these days, or how there has been such a low number of Hen Harrier chicks hatching this year.

Vegans are largely dickheads, they don't preach about what matters the most.

 

I certainly don't buy into the 'climate change' scam like many vegans (and non-vegans) do and if the 'powers that be' were remotely arsed about the environment they would use biodegradable hemp plastic instead. 

I don't see what mentioning badger culls or hedgehogs has to do with the fact that people like yourself claim to care about animals yet pay to have them bred into existence for a short life of misery because you can't change your eating habits, eating habits that cause many of the biggest killers for humans such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

If it was natural for humans to eat meat we wouldn't get diseases from eating it, we'd eat it raw, we'd find roadkill appetising and we wouldn't have the long intestines/chewing mechanism that herbivores have

 

[CaaC (John)+]

 

 

[nudge]

A baby zebra with a very unusual and completely beautiful genetic mutation has been spotted on the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya. Finally settles  the age old debate of whether a zebra is a black horse with white stripes or the other way around