Animals Library: August 2013

Gains made in Giant African Land Snail battle

MIAMI (AP) — Officials are making great strides in their effort to vanquish the Giant African Land Snail, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Thursday. But authorities urged the public to remain on the lookout for the brown, fist-sized pests that can chew through stucco walls.

Since the snails appeared in 2011, state and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials have collected more than 120,000 of the mollusks, but Putnam refused to speculate on when his department might declare victory.

Source: Here

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How whooping crane youngsters learn from their elders

That is the implication of a new study exploring the migration patterns of these majestic but endangered birds.

Such studies are important, researchers say, not only in shedding light on how large groups of animals migrate over long distances generally. Successful migration trips also help determine a species' breeding success, since the migrations take place between summer breeding grounds and winter locations where the animals can find food.

Source: Here

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Die-off of bottlenose dolphins, linked to virus, is worst in 25 years

A widespread die-off of bottlenose dolphins off the Mid-Atlantic Coast — the worst of its kind in more than a quarter-century — almost certainly is the work of a virus that killed more than 740 dolphins in the same region in 1987 and 1988, marine scientists said Tuesday.

Since the beginning of July, 357 dead or dying dolphins have washed ashore from New York to North Carolina — 186 of them in Virginia. Authorities have received numerous additional reports of carcasses floating in the ocean, said Teri Rowles, director of the marine mammal health and stranding response program for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries service. The actual number of deaths is certainly greater, she said.

Source: Here

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Sea otter return boosts ailing seagrass in California

The return of sea otters to an estuary on the central Californian coast has significantly improved the health of seagrass, new research has found.

Seagrass was deemed to be heading for extinction in this region before the otters returned.

Source: Here

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Bulldog Sitting Upright Watching TV Like a Boss!

You think you know how to relax infront of the TV? You don't know nothing this bulldog says!

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Bison transferred to reservation from Yellowstone

FORT BELKNAP, Mont. (AP) — Bison once helped sustain Native Americans on the plains of Montana. Now, Indians on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation say it's time they returned the favor.

About 150 people gathered Thursday to watch as 34 genetically pure bison from Yellowstone National Park were released on the reservation about 16 miles south of Fort Belknap, the Great Falls Tribune (http://gftrib.com/1dad0eH ) reported.

Source: Here

FORT BELKNAP, Mont. (AP) — Bison once helped sustain Native Americans on the plains of Montana. Now, Indians on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation say it's time they returned the favor.
About 150 people gathered Thursday to watch as 34 genetically pure bison from Yellowstone National Park were released on the reservation about 16 miles south of Fort Belknap, the Great Falls Tribune (http://gftrib.com/1dad0eH ) reported.
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/Bison_transferred_to_reservation_from_Yellowstone.html#sthash.27yi14PA.dpuf

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Dung Beetles Clean Air

Dairy farms and cattle ranches are a major source of greenhouse gases, especially methane, which has a significant warming impact in the environment.

It's primarily released from both ends of cows as they chew their cud, but some is also emitted from their manure. Researchers from the University of Helskinki have found that dung beetles living in these so-called cow patties may reduce those emissions.

Source: Here

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'Dragon' corpse washes ashore in Spain

Dragon, Loch Ness Monster or really strange fish? Photos of a mystery creature washed ashore on the beaches of Andalusia in Spain have beach goers crying mutant fish.

"We have no idea what it could be," Civil Protection coordinator Maria Sanchez told Spanish newspaper Levante. "A woman found a piece [of the animal] and we helped her get the rest."

Source: Here

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Wolves’ Howling Linked To Social Structure, According To New Research Findings

Wolves have long been a source of fascination among humans for their complicated social structures, but new research into their howling may help to unlock some of the nuances in social behavior within packs.

A new study conducted by international researchers suggests that wolf howling is more a signifier of high level emotional bonds between wolves than of emotional stress, as many researchers previously believed.

Source: Here

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Rhino Calf Born At Zoo Atlanta

ATLANTA — Zoo Atlanta officials say they're celebrating the birth of the zoo's first-ever eastern black rhinoceros calf.

Zoo spokeswoman Keisha Hines says 7-year-old Andazi gave birth to the first eastern black rhino to be born in Zoo Atlanta's 124-year history on Saturday.

Source: Here

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Endangered Species List Updated for 1st Time in 17 Years

The Department of Natural Resources is updating its endangered species list for the first time since 1996.

Some animals, including the bald eagle, were taken off the list. Other animals like the purple martin were added.

Source: Here

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'Killer bees' could solve population crisis

Bee populations in Britain, Europe and America are being decimated by Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a term for the sudden disappearance of entire colonies which has left up to a quarter of hives in some countries empty.

The main culprit behind CCD in the northern hemisphere is thought to be a mite known as Varroa destructor, which leaves bees vulnerable to deformed wing virus.

Source: Here

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In turtle season, resorts get in on the action

Each year, roughly from May through October, sea turtles visit the shores of Florida and Caribbean beaches to lay their eggs. The mother turtles can be seen laying scores of golf-ball-sized eggs in a hole they make and cover with sand. And when their tiny babies hatch several weeks later (incubation time varies with species, from 45 to 70 days, and occurs mostly in the summer), the babies can be spotted slowly making their way to the sea.

Here are some hotels that have features to appeal to turtle-loving families:

Source: Here

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Female Frogs Prefer Males That Can Multitask, Have More Impressive Mating Calls: Study

A new study found that female frogs choose their mates based on a characteristic that many humans also find desirable in a partner-being efficient and good at multitasking.

After studying the mating calls that male gray tree frogs use to woo their mates, researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered that female gray tree frogs prefer to mate with males that can effectively multitask by producing long, rapidly pulsating mating calls at a frequent rate, reports HNGN.

Source: Here

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