Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted September 25, 2019 Subscriber Posted September 25, 2019 These animals are in danger of disappearing SLIDES - 1/41 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 2, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 2, 2019 Collecting polar bear footprints to map family trees Scientists from Sweden are using DNA in the environment to track Alaskan polar bears. The technique which uses DNA from traces of cells left behind by the bears has been described as game-changing for polar bear research. It's less intrusive than other techniques and could help give a clearer picture of population sizes. Environmental DNA (eDNA) comes from traces of biological tissue such as skin and mucus in the surroundings. Scientists and now conservationists are increasingly using such samples to sequence genetic information and identify which species are present in a particular habitat. It's often used to test for invasive species or as evidence of which animals might need more protection. In another application of the technique, geneticist Dr Micaela Hellström from the Aquabiota laboratory in Sweden worked with WWF Alaska and the Department of Wildlife Management in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) to collect snow from the pawprints of polar bears. They tested the technique on polar bears in parks in Sweden and Finland. FULL REPORT Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 2, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 2, 2019 Snorkeler films rare underwater encounter with large elephant seal off the coast of Cape Town VIDEO Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 4, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 4, 2019 More than a quarter of UK mammals face extinction More than a quarter of mammals are facing extinction, according to a detailed and devastating report on the state of the natural world in the UK. It also said one in seven species were threatened with extinction, and 41% of species studied have experienced decline since 1970. Providing the clearest picture to date, the State of Nature report examined data from almost 7,000 species. It drew on expertise from more than 70 different organisations. These included wildlife organisations and government agencies. The report said 26% of mammal species were at risk of disappearing altogether. A separate report outlined the picture in Scotland, where the abundance and distribution of species have also declined. Scotland saw a 24% decline in average species abundance, and about one in 10 species threatened with extinction. A quarter of moths have been lost, and nearly one in five butterflies. Their numbers continue to plunge. The State of Nature report shows, in grim detail, that almost one in five plants are classified as being at risk of extinction, along with 15% of fungi and lichens, 40% of vertebrates and 12% of invertebrates. It paints a picture of what conservationists call "the great thinning", with 60% of "priority species" has declined since 1970. There has been a 13% decline in the average abundance of species studied. Our wildlife is also changing more and more quickly. Researchers found more than half of species had either rapidly decreased or increased in number over the last 10 years. Daniel Hayhow from the RSPB, lead author of the report, said: "We know more about the UK's wildlife than any other country on the planet, and what it is telling us should make us sit up and listen. We need to respond more urgently across the board." FULL REPORT Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 4, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 4, 2019 I would love to see a fucking poacher caught in a trap with nothing to defend their selves and watch the wildlife rip or trample them to death. © Ann Wang / Reuters Ayeyar Sein, a four-month-old baby elephant who lost her parents to poachers, rests after her daily wound cleaning in Wingabaw Elephant Camp, Bago, Myanmar, on September 30, 2019. She was rescued from a hunter's snare last month. Quote
Carnivore Chris Posted October 4, 2019 Author Posted October 4, 2019 @CaaC (John) Speaking of animals on the decrease, you never see Hedgehogs anymore, but when I was walking up my Nan's street last night on my way to her house, I saw one walking just near her street. Seeing them used to be quite a common sight, whereas I can't remember that last time I had seen one until the other day. 1 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 4, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 4, 2019 34 minutes ago, Carnivore Chris said: @CaaC (John) Speaking of animals on the decrease, you never see Hedgehogs anymore, but when I was walking up my Nan's street last night on my way to her house, I saw one walking just near her street. Seeing them used to be quite a common sight, whereas I can't remember that last time I had seen one until the other day. Why are Hedhogs declining Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 6, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 6, 2019 Walking fish and flying lemurs: Bizarre animals you’ve never heard of SLIDES - 1/45 Quote
Teso dos Bichos Posted October 9, 2019 Posted October 9, 2019 From Toowoomba to Harpersville, Alabama. ! @Toinho @Harry she owns a grooming/boarding business 10 minutes away from my house. Obviously she loves animals especially dogs and I was more than glad to help my buddy's dad pour a few concrete slabs for her. Never in a million years I would of guessed our town had a gorgeous aussie that lives in a camper alone and a few minutes away from the best blow in the area/bbq restaurants HEAVEN!!... the only day I didnt help out, she decided to open the gate in her sleeping attire. Animals are such a blessing. Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 12, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 12, 2019 Norfolk RSPCA centre saves 50th seal with injuries from rubbish A grey seal rescued on the North Sea coast has become the 50th to be treated by a wildlife centre for injuries caused by discarded man-made rubbish. The animal, a male named Scylla, was found with an infected wound caused by a fishing net embedded around his neck. The RSPCA centre in Norfolk said 2019 could be a record year for seal rescues "for all the wrong reasons". "It's hard to describe how much pain and distress this can cause a seal," said manager Alison Charles. "They are weighed down by this huge mass of netting, which must make it hard for them to swim, and then the net starts to cut and embed into their neck too. "The injuries are horrendous, sometimes inches deep, and all the while the seal is becoming weaker and weaker and cannot feed so their suffering continues and they slowly starve to death. "It is just horrific." FULL REPORT Quote
Teso dos Bichos Posted October 17, 2019 Posted October 17, 2019 Secret video shot inside German testing lab shows monkeys screaming out in pain WARNING: DISTRESSING FOOTAGE - The upsetting footage, taken at a lab in Hamburg, also shows cats and dogs that0 Monkeys scream out in pain in secret footage recorded at ‘German laHorrifying footage showing monkeys screaming in pain inside a German laboratory has prompted calls for a change to EU laws.The distressing video, released by animal rights activists, also shows cats and dogs that appear to be bleeding and even dying after undergoing cruel tests. The video was secretly shot inside Laboratory of Phramacology and Toxicology (LPT) in Hamburg, by an undercover worker from organisations Soko Tierschutz and Cruelty Free International (CF)I). The monkeys are seen crying like newborn babies while they hang from metal harnesses strapped to their necks. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/secret-video-shot-inside-german-20584332?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mirror_main&fbclid=IwAR0nau1NCc5_qhxGT5YKwmAMtDW4DpJBXhMWOYfJCLTesDkHYuFTTy85zV8 Am I surprised it's coming from Germany? Hell nah... it makes me sad and mad at the same time to know someone can be that fucked up and go to sleep at night. Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 26, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 26, 2019 Good on the Bear, training a Bear to look like idiots just for food, they should ban the likes of this and the fucking morons who train them for entertainment. A 16-year-old brown bear named Yashka attacked his handler during a performance with a travelling circus in Russia. https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/animals/circus-bear-turns-on-trainer-during-russian-show/vi-AAJm0td Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted October 31, 2019 Subscriber Posted October 31, 2019 'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded Insects and spiders are declining in forests and grasslands across Germany, according to new research. Scientists have described the findings as "alarming", saying the losses are driven by intensive agriculture. They are calling for a "paradigm shift" in land-use policy to preserve habitat for the likes of butterflies, bugs and flying insects Recent studies have reported widespread declines in insect populations around the world. The latest analysis, published in the journal, Nature, confirms that some insect species are being pushed down the path to extinction. It is becoming clearer and clearer that the drivers of insect decline are related to farming practices, said Dr Sebastian Seibold of the Technical University of Munich in Freising, Germany. "Our study confirms that insect decline is real - it might be even more widespread than previously thought considering, for example, that also forests are experiencing declines in insect populations," he told BBC News. "I think it's alarming to see that such a decline happens not only in intensively-managed areas but also in protected areas - so the sites that we think are safeguarding our biodiversity are not really working anymore." The research team recorded data on more than a million individual insects and spiders (2,700 different species) at hundreds of grassland and forest sites in three regions of Germany between 2008 and 2017. They found that a marked decline in abundance and the number of species in both grasslands and forests, with the main drivers (at least for grasslands) associated with intensive agriculture. Many other studies in recent years have shown that individual species of insects, such as bees, have suffered huge declines, particularly in developed economies. However, some insect species, such as houseflies and cockroaches, appear to be on the up. Insect decline may see 'plague of pests' Alarm over decline in flying insects Pesticides put bees at risk, says watchdog The general insect decline is linked to intensive agriculture, pesticides and climate change. The loss of insects has far-reaching consequences for entire ecosystems. Insects provide a food source for many birds, amphibians, bats and reptiles, while plants rely on insects for pollination. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50226367 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 10, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 10, 2019 Beluga whale seen playing catch in viral video ‘may have escaped Russian military spy programme' A beluga whale that was filmed “playing catch” with a group of South African rugby fans may have escaped from a Russian military spy programme, according to researchers. Experts suggest the whale could be Hvaldimir, a malnourished male beluga who is thought to be a lost “spy” animal trained by the Russian Navy. Hvaldimir was first reported in April 2019, when he was discovered near northern Norway with a harness attached to his body and a label that said “Equipment of Saint Petersburg”. The whale has been known to go up to boats to ask for food and play fetch and appears to be tame, suggesting he is used to interacting with humans. Footage of a whale chasing and returning the rugby ball to a group of men has been viewed more than 19 million times on social media. “This is likely Hvaldimir, a once captive whale who may have escaped a Russian military programme,” Ferris Jabr, a science writer for the New York Times and Scientific American, said of the video. “Alone, malnourished, and injured, [Hvaldimir] roams the seas, seeking food & attention from people.” Quad Finn, a researcher of aquatic mammals, and Darren Naish, a zoologist, both supported the theory. A man in the video can be seen wearing a jacket with the logo of a vessel called “Danah Explorer”, which is currently in Norwegian waters. However, the original source of the video is not known. The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research and the Hvaldimir Foundation, who help care for the whale, have not yet responded to a request to verify the theory. Mr Finn has said he believed the animal in the video was Hvaldimir and that the filmed behaviour was “not natural”. “Hvaldimir was taken from the ocean & trained by humans to do tricks like fetching objects in exchange for food,” he said. “That he's malnourished & still dependent on humans for food are likely reasons for what appears to be ‘playful’ behaviour.” Earlier this year, another viral video showed Hvaldimir helping to retrieve an iPhone that was dropped into the water near him. The whale may have become dependent on humans due to hand-feeding and does not appear to be able to successfully hunt and feed for itself, according to the Hvaldimir Foundation. When he was spotted in early September off the Norwegian coast, the whale also showed signs of injuries from boat propellers. Both the United States and Russia are known to have military training programmes for aquatic mammals, such as dolphins and whales, who are sometimes trained to detect sea mines and recover inert torpedoes. A Russian military spokesperson denied in April that Hvaldimir was connected to a training programme but acknowledged that dolphins are sometimes used for military roles. Morten Vikeby, a former Norwegian consul in Murmansk, has offered an alternative theory that Hvaldimir is a therapy animal from a programme for disabled children near the Russian-Norwegian border. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/beluga-whale-seen-playing-catch-in-viral-video-may-have-escaped-russian-military-spy-programme/ar-BBWxZVt?ocid=chromentp 1 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 11, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 11, 2019 ‘I am scared all the time’: Chimps and people are clashing in rural Uganda SLIDES - 1/11 Editor's note: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence that may be upsetting to some readers. Life was already hard enough for Ntegeka Semata and her family, scratching out a subsistence on their little patch of garden land along a ridgeline in western Uganda. They could barely grow food for themselves, and now a group of desperate, bold, crop-raiding chimpanzees threatened their livelihood, maybe even their safety. The chimps had been coming closer for a year or two, prowling all throughout Kyamajaka village, searching for food, ripping bananas from the trees, grabbing mangoes and papayas and whatever else tempted them. They had helped themselves to jackfruit from a tree near the Semata house. But on July 20, 2014, scary tribulations gave way to horror—a form of horror that has struck other Ugandan families as well. That was the day when a single big chimp, probably an adult male, snatched the Semata family’s toddler son, Mujuni, and killed him FULL REPORT Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 11, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 11, 2019 (edited) Vietnam deer rediscovered after nearly 30 years © - A still from a remote camera shows the Silver-backed Chevrotain -- long considered to be near-extinct -- in a forest in central Vietnam A very rare species of small, deer-like animal thought to be on the verge of extinction has been spotted in the northwestern jungle of Vietnam for the first time in nearly 30 years. Known as the Silver-backed Chevrotain or Mouse deer, a specimen was last recorded in 1990, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. The species, Tragulus Versicolor, was first described in 1910 based on several animals found near Nha Trang, about 450 kilometres (280 miles) northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. With no confirmed sightings since 1990, experts assumed the species must have been pushed to the brink of extinction by hunting. However Vietnamese biologist An Nguyen, who works with Global Wildlife Conservation and is a PhD student at the Leibnitze Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, had been wondering for years whether the Silver-backed Chevrotain might still be holding on somewhere. Gallery: Polar bears and 50 other species threatened by climate change (Stacker) SLIDES - 1/52 Working with colleagues Barney Long and Andrew Tilker, the experts got together with local villagers to sift through reported sightings. Some were consistent enough with the Silver-backed Chevrotain to justify putting up more than 30 motion-activated cameras in nearby forested habitats. "The results were amazing. I was overjoyed when we checked the camera traps and saw photographs of a chevrotain with silver flanks," said Nguyen. Tilker cautioned in a blog post however that "just because we found this species relatively easily doesn't mean it is not threatened". Forests in Southeast Asia are under tremendous pressure from growing populations and development "so we need to get ahead of the curve" on conservation, Tilker added. In May, a United Nations body of biodiversity experts, known as IPBES, issued a landmark report warning that up to one million species face the risk of extinction due to humanity's impact on the planet. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/vietnam-deer-rediscovered-after-nearly-30-years/ar-BBWB6Xk?ocid=chromentp Edited November 11, 2019 by CaaC (John) Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 12, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 12, 2019 Endangered hoiho penguin wins New Zealand's bird of the year poll © Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images NEW ZEALAND - 2008/12/16: A Yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) on a slope on Enderby Island, a sub-Antarctic Island in the Auckland Island group, New Zealand. An antisocial penguin that communicates by screaming has won New Zealand’s hotly contested bird of the year poll. But the victory of the hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, has served to underscore the threat to its existence: it received more votes than there are hoiho remaining on the planet. The birds are charismatic and gorgeous, “a magnificent version of a penguin”, said Yolanda van Heezik, an associate professor of zoology at the University of Otago. She added that the penguins – the world’s rarest – could become extinct on mainland New Zealand within 30 years without drastic action by conservation authorities. Monday’s result was the first time a seabird has won the title since the competition began 14 years ago, and it was something of an underdog victory: the hoiho placed 12th in 2018. At final count, the hoiho won 12,022 out of 43,460 verified votes, said Forest and Bird, the independent conservation group that runs the poll. Only 225 pairs of hoiho remain on mainland New Zealand, with 1,700 pairs left when populations on the sub-Antarctic islands are included. The annual poll is taken so seriously in New Zealand that full-size billboards were commissioned by rival campaigns in the major cities, and voters were forced to validate their identities for the first time. Past voting scandals have involved foreign actors – in 2018, Australians – attempting to hack the election (in the Australians’ case, to favour the shag). Unlike the huddled penguins of wildlife documentaries, yellow-eyed penguins are reclusive, said Thor Elley, a campaign spokesman and a zoology student. “They’re a very antisocial species,” he said. “They don’t nest within sight of other penguins.” But when mates do return home to each other, they stand upright, flipper to flipper, and begin what Dr van Heezik called “an ecstatic ceremony”. “They are screamingly happy to see each other again,” she said. The hoiho is just one of many endangered New Zealand species with bleak prospects, said Dr van Heezink, and were under threat from climate change, fisheries, and disease. She said the government had conservation plans in place for the birds but could be doing more, and she hoped the publicity generated by the bird of the year win would spur greater action. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/offbeat/endangered-hoiho-penguin-wins-new-zealands-bird-of-the-year-poll/ar-BBWAZfd?li=AAg17eQ#image=BBzYCtr|1 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 13, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 13, 2019 SLIDES - 1/20 The annual Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards highlight hilarious photos of animals in the wild. The contest aims to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. The overall winning photo, entitled "Grab life by the..." and taken by Sarah Skinner, shows a young lion cub in a poorly aimed pounce. Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 17, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 17, 2019 The grandsons love the wife's jellies she makes so she bought a few around with her to our daughters yesterday when she paid a visit, the daughter has just sent these by text photo Messanger saying her 3 pet rats love the wife's jellies too. Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 19, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 19, 2019 New hope for one of world's most endangered reptiles Baby crocodiles found living in a remote region of Nepal give hope for the future of one of the rarest and strangest reptiles on earth. With its distinctive long thin snout, the gharial is unique but critically endangered, with fewer than a thousand adults remaining in the wild. The discovery of 100 hatchlings is a boost for the potential recovery of the species, according to scientists. The crocodile is clinging to survival in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Revealing details of the find, researcher Rikki Gumbs of ZSL (Zoological Society of London) said it was amazing to find the baby crocodiles basking on a sandbank in Bardia National Park. "Given the species is limited to around five populations across its entire range, this is such a positive discovery, and a critical step for the long-term recovery of the species in Nepal," he said. "After trekking through the jungle for hours to sit on a ridge and finally catch a glimpse of the hatchlings below us - it was an incredible moment to capture," said Ashish Bashyal, who leads the conservation project in Nepal. "At around 30cm in size, they look exactly like miniature versions of adult gharials - so incredibly cute," he said. 'Extinction risk' to sharks and rays Rare sharks found living off Wales The snail that 'came back from the dead'. The 100 baby crocs, together with three adult females and one adult male, were discovered in June, but details are only now being revealed to aid conservation efforts. The crocodile has not been sighted in the area in 30 years. There is encouraging news in that the hatchlings have recently been spotted again after the monsoon rain. "They've made it through the first big hurdle," Rikki Gumbs told BBC News. "Especially with the threats that are impacting the species, it's very important that these hatchlings can make it to adulthood." Once present across much of the Indian subcontinent, the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is virtually extinct across much of its former range, with fewer than 100 adult crocodiles remaining in Nepal and several fragmented populations in India. Only one other breeding population is known in Nepal, at Chitwan National Park. The crocodile poses little danger to humans. Hunting and egg collection are now prohibited, but severe pressures remain, including loss of habitat due to the construction of dams, as well as pollution, fishing, agriculture and predation from another species of crocodile found in Nepal. Adult gharials are large, with males reaching over 5 metres in length and 250kg in weight. Males develop a lump on the end of their snouts, known as a gharas, which gives the species its name. The gharial is ranked at number 17 on ZSL's EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence programme Reptiles list. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50464471 1 Quote
Subscriber CaaC (John)+ Posted November 25, 2019 Subscriber Posted November 25, 2019 Malaysia's last known Sumatran rhino dies The Sumatran rhino is now officially extinct in Malaysia, with the death of the last known specimen. The 25-year-old female named Iman died on Saturday on the island of Borneo, officials say. She had cancer. Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year. The Sumatran rhino once roamed across Asia but has now almost disappeared from the wild, with fewer than 100 animals believed to exist. The species is now critically endangered. Last male Sumatran rhino in Malaysia dies Iman died at 17:35 local time (09:35 GMT) on Saturday, Malaysia's officials said. "Its death was a natural one, and the immediate cause has been categorised as a shock," Sabah State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Christine Liew is quoted as saying. "Iman was given the very best care and attention since her capture in March 2014 right up to the moment she passed," she added. Sumatran rhinos have been hard hit by poaching and habitat loss, but the biggest threat facing the species today is the fragmented nature of their populations. Efforts to breed the species in Malaysia have so far failed. Facts about the Sumatran rhino Five rhino species can be found today, two in Africa and three in Asia The Asian species include the Sumatran rhino, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, which is the smallest living rhino species The animal is closely related to the woolly rhinoceros, which became extinct about 10,000 years ago No more than 100 Sumatran rhinos remain in the wild (some estimates put the number as low as 30), scattered on the islands of Sumatra, Indonesia https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50531208 Quote
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