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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comASBURY PARK, N.J., Aug 18 (Reuters) - Dogs frolic in the sand, jump from plastic pool to pool, and lap from a sprinkler while their owners enjoy drinks of their own outside the Wonder Bar, a hangout and music venue in New Jersey's famed Asbury Park beach town.It's Yappy Hour.A dog frolics at Yappy Hour, a dog-friendly happy hour at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S., August 12, 2022. REUTERS/Roselle ChenThree days a week, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the owners let their pets off the leash and grab drinks from an outdoor bar. The canines dig in the sand, run on a deck and cool off in the pools, watched by "doggy bouncers" who step in if a pooch becomes aggressive. A $10 entrance fee supports animal welfare groups.The Wonder Bar, across the street from Asbury Park's boardwalk, has just one of the performance spaces in this Jersey Shore town known for rock singing greats like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.During Yappy Hour, it's the dogs' turn to howl.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Roselle Chen; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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AnimalsThese endangered big cats are expanding north from Mexico, but remain constrained by the border wall and other barriers.When biologist Ganesh Marin first observed a jaguar on a preserve in northern Sonora, Mexico, in 2020, he was elated. The feline continued showing up on Marin’s grid of camera traps along the Arizona border, which indicated he was making the region his home. Marin nicknamed the jaguar El Bonito, Spanish for “the beautiful.”But in 2021, Marin, a National Geographic Explorer, noticed something odd about the photos. The spot patterns appeared to vary ever so slightly from one picture to the next. Further examination confirmed that he was indeed seeing not one, but two young male jaguars.It had been thrilling enough to watch Bonito develop on camera, “growing up, getting bigger, growing a thicker neck and bigger head,” Marin says. But realizing it was more than one: “That was pretty exciting.”The presence of a second jaguar a couple miles south of the Arizona border provides yet more evidence that the big cats are moving north to reclaim old territory, says John Koprowski, a biologist and dean at the University of Wyoming and Marin’s Ph.D. advisor. (Related: Why a new jaguar sighting near the Arizona-Mexico border gives experts hope.)As recently as the early 1900s, jaguars were found as far north as the Grand Canyon and south all the way to Argentina. But hunting, often government-sponsored, wiped them out of Arizona and New Mexico, the northern expanse of the jaguar's range, by the mid-20th century.Marin named the second jaguar Valerio, after Valer Clark, a conservationist who founded the organization Cuenca Los Ojos. This bi-national environmental organization now manages a 121,000 acre wildlife preserve along the border in Sonora, where Marin does his research as a doctoral student at the University of Arizona.The cats could expand their territory to the north if humans let them, but they face obstacles such as roads and the U.S.-Mexico border. More than 450 miles of 30-foot-tall wall were built during the Trump administration, most of it in Arizona and New Mexico, blocking off vital wildlife corridors. (Learn more: Arizona’s border wall will include openings too small for many animals.)“There are animals right there within just a few kilometers of the border that could easily be impeded from moving further north if the border becomes impermeable,” Koprowski says, due to extension of the border wall and expansion of highways.“But more than anything, the [finding] provides great hope that this connectivity can be maintained,” he says—and even, possibly, improved.Ancient homeland The borderlands of Arizona and New Mexico, and its series of mountain ranges, known as Sky Islands, represent one of the most biodiverse areas of North America. Interspersed with mountains are the dry plains of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts and assorted grasslands and riparian areas, collectively home to tens of thousands of species of plants and animals. For eons, jaguars, mountain lions, ocelots, bears, and many other wide-ranging species have freely roamed across this contiguous biome. But barriers such as roads and fences now hamper this movement.Nevertheless, in the last 25 years, at least seven jaguars have been seen in Arizona—including one still thought to live in a mountain range in the southeastern part of the state—and about the same number have been observed across the border in Mexico.Moreover, a March 2021 study estimates that a huge swath of the region is prime jaguar habitat, and could likely support a population of a few hundred animals. Jaguars are classified as an endangered species in the United States.Somewhere around 200 jaguars live in the Mexican state of Sonora, and both cats Marin observed were likely born somewhat close to Arizona, perhaps within 60 miles, says Gerardo Ceballos, a researcher with the National Autonomous University of Mexico.Female jaguars generally do not venture very far from where they were born, and their mobility is the limiting factor to the species’ expansion. Males, however, can roam far and wide in search of territory and mates. The big cats face a variety of threats in Mexico, including poaching and retaliatory killings for their perceived role in livestock predation.“If we continue trying to protect the jaguars, maybe within about five years we could see pregnant females in the United States,” Ceballos says.But to move north, the cats need protected wildlife corridors. Any expansion of the border wall will further harm animals’ ability to move freely—and parts of the wall will need to be opened up to reduce the harm it has already caused, experts say. The Biden administration has pledged not to significantly expand the border wall, and some discussions are underway to lessen harm to wildlife, though no major changes have yet been made. “Unfortunately, now the border wall represents a new barrier for jaguars to reach the United States,” says Antonio de la Torre, a biologist with the conservation group Jaguares de la Selva Maya, who studies the cats. “It is critical to implement a mitigation measure to solve this issue if we want to ensure the natural expansion of jaguars to the north.”If you protect it, they will comeUntil recently, much of what is now northern Sonora and southeastern Arizona had plentiful wetlands, known in Spanish as cienegas. That’s why Cuenca Los Ojos is working to bring water back to the landscape, and has so far restored about 75 acres of wetlands and streams, says Jeremiah Leibowitz, the organization’s executive director.Prior to 2019, the 30 miles of Cuenca Los Ojos’s northern border, which abuts Arizona, had only short vehicle barriers and barbed wire fencing a few feet in height, which wildlife could easily cross. But now, it’s lined with 30-foot steel bollard walls, Leibowitz says. A few corridors remain devoid of such tall barriers, however, such as the southern end of the Peloncillo Mountains that straddle Arizona and New Mexico. (Learn more: An endangered wolf went in search of a mate. The border wall blocked him.)This area, like much of its surroundings, receives half or more of its rainfall during the monsoon season, from June to September. After European colonization, people modified the landscape to be much less absorbent, replacing prairies with agriculture and building impermeable structures, including asphalt. As a result, this rain can run off the land quickly, causing erosion.Cuenca reserve managers are working to restore the original permeability of the land, in part by slowing down the water with stone erosion-control structures, Leibowitz says. Beavers, whose dams also control water flow, have also recently recolonized many of the streams on the preserve. Both Sonoran jaguars have been seen near a stream on the reserve that runs year-round.Establishing a range Valerio and Bonito sometimes frequented the same area within a few days of each other, according to the camera trap data. As they’ve gotten bigger, Marin figured one would push out the other—upon reaching reproductive age, male jaguars try to establish their own territory.Sure enough, Valerio, who is ever so slightly bigger, has stuck around—he was last seen in March—while Bonito has not been observed since October 22, 2021. Marin suspects he is somewhere nearby, but since the animals can range so widely, it’s anybody’s guess. Besides looking for wildlife using cameras, Marin worked with biologists Melissa Merrick, Katie Benson, and Matt Valente to sample environmental DNA from some of the streams, which turned up evidence of jaguars, black bears, white-tailed deer, deer mice, and other local wildlife. The team hopes to expand their sampling and study of eDNA to learn more about the presence of terrestrial wildlife, a practice that remains in its infancy, Benson says.In the meantime, the research shows the area is home to a bevy of important species, and that habitat restoration can increase an area’s biodiversity.“The fact that the animals are using this area over and over again—all of that speaks to the quality of the habitat and the need to increase that connectivity” with surrounding areas of Mexico and the United States, Koprowski says.
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Researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev discovered that goldfish can navigate over land using a special 'Fish Operated Vehicle' (FOV)In the animal kingdom, it is essential to be able to find your way around the environment in order to survive. Skilled navigation can be beneficial in a wide range of situations; think of things like finding a hiding spot, looking for food, and finding a mate. A team of scientists decided to find out whether navigation mechanisms are reliant on things like ecosystems and species or whether some traits are shared universally among different species. One method to find universal traits is to transfer a specific animal into an ecosystem of a different animal with which it has no familiarity. Scientists call this 'domain transfer methodology.'The researchers came up with the idea to see whether fish (in this case goldish) are capable of navigating in a terrestrial environment (on land). In order to find out, they mounted a fishbowl on a chassis with four so-called Omni wheels, which ensured that the cart could easily drive in all directions. The vehicle was equipped with specialized remote sensing technology to determine the vehicle's position as well as the location of the fish in the bowl. This technology allowed the fish to take control of the vehicle, as demonstrated in the tweet below from Neuroscientist Ronen Segev: To prevent collisions with the walls of the experiment room, the researchers had also equipped the fish cart with a light sensor (lidar) that engaged when a Fish Operated Vehicle neared walls at a proximity of less than eight inches.To the scientists' surprise, it didn't take long for the fish to control the vehicle. The fish acted a bit surprised at first, and the first few driving sessions resulted in aimless laps around the room. But the goldfish soon realized that there was a connection between their movement and the movement of the vehicle they were in. Six goldfish received a total of ten 'driving lessons' with the Fish Operated Vehicle and were rewarded with food by the researchers when they completed particular tasks, such as driving straight ahead. As the fish realized that driving towards a particular pink panel delivered a reward, the fish started heading straight for their target more and more often with increased speed.Akin to humans, not every goldfish was equally good at driving a vehicle. The team observed fish that performed flawlessly, but also some test subjects had control of the vehicle but were less capable of steering it in the right direction.The study results show that fish have the cognitive skills to navigate outside their natural habitat, hinting that some aspects of the ability to navigate in animals are universal rather than specific to a particular environment or ecosystem. The research also goes to show that goldfish are not the primitive creatures that some might make them out to be. Sources and further reading:From fish out of water to new insights on navigation mechanisms in animals (Behavioural Brain Research)
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BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. All products were independently selected by our editors, and the prices were accurate and items in stock at the time of publication.I was thrilled when I was able to work remotely from Montauk, a beach community at the tip of Long Island, for most of June. I knew my dog, Dolly, would love the chance to experience walks in nature as opposed to the New York City streets.Little did we know that this picturesque environment would introduce a new stressor that we were both unprepared for: ticks. By the end of my first week in Montauk, we had found close to a dozen ticks nestled in Dolly’s thick, dark fur, and my mom returned from a hike with three small ticks burrowed into the skin around her ankles.If you feel like you’re hearing more about ticks and Lyme disease now than ever before, that’s because they’ve both become increasingly common in the United States. Changes in habitat, land use, and climate, among other factors, are thought to contribute to the ongoing rise of ticks and tick-borne diseases. In 2017, a record number of 42,743 Lyme disease cases were reported to the CDC, making it the sixth most common of all the reported infectious diseases and conditions.I quickly had to come up with a game plan to protect my dog and myself from ticks this summer, which included finding the right products to avoid ticks as well as remove them.What you need to know about ticksThe first thing to know about ticks is they aren’t all the same — the risk of catching a germ from one varies by the species, your location, and how long the tick is attached to your body, said Thomas Mather, an entomologist and director of the TickEncounter resource center at the University of Rhode Island.Blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are the most likely to be carrying Lyme disease. They are found in the eastern US; however, only about 1 in 4, depending on your location, are thought to carry the bacterium that causes Lyme.In comparison, about 1 in 10 or 1 in 15 lone star ticks carries a germ that causes ehrlichiosis, which triggers fever, chill, headache, and other symptoms. (Lone star ticks are found in the southeastern or eastern US and can have a prominent white spot on them.) The American dog tick, which is found east of the Rocky Mountains and some parts of the Pacific Coast, can carry bacteria that cause potentially dangerous Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but less than 1 in 100 are thought to be carrying them.“The first thing not to do [if you pull a tick off your body] is to panic and throw it away, because then you’re not likely to ever find out what type of tick it is and you’re going to make assumptions,” Mather said. “Your next assumption is that you're going to get Lyme disease. You're going to worry about it until you go to the doctor, and then the doctor isn't going to see the tick because you threw it away.”If you upload a picture of the tick to TickSpotters, Mather said, you can get help identifying the species and information that will help with next steps.If you are bitten by a blacklegged tick, your doctor may prescribe you a prophylactic round of antibiotics (the standard treatment is 14 days of doxycycline). However, if it’s not a blacklegged tick, there’s no approved strategy to prevent any type of infection, Mather said.How to remove a tickThe natural reaction upon finding a tick on a human or animal is to pull it off as quickly as possible, but it’s important to know how to remove it properly. The front end of a tick — where the mouthparts are attached to your body — is basically a little straw that can allow germs inside the tick to travel into your body. If you squeeze the back end in an attempt to extract the tick, you could end up pushing the germs through that straw.“The germs are in the back part of the tick,” Mather said. “They come from the stomach of the tick into the salivary glands and then out through the mouthpart.”That’s why Mather said it’s essential to come in horizontally with a very pointy pair of tweezers and grasp the tick just behind the head or mouthparts before pulling it out. That way, you won’t squeeze the back of the tick, increasing your chances of removing the body of the tick and all the germs still inside it.If you pull the tick off and the mouth stays embedded, it’s not the end of the world. You can disinfect the area to avoid any minor skin infections and wait.“The mouthpart will work itself out, a little like a splinter, in a reasonably short period of time,” Mather said.The quicker you remove the tick the better, since it takes time — usually hours — for germs to travel from the tick into your body.Tips for tick preventionThe way to avoid getting sick from a tick is to avoid getting bit in the first place. Unfortunately, as much as everyone likes to use “natural” products, they’re simply not as effective as the heavier-duty options to repel insects and arachnids (which ticks are). Mather and his team have done extensive testing on more than 30 natural options, and most of them had disappointing results compared to traditional bug repellants.“People should focus on things that are effective when it comes to ticks because the tick is potentially going to give you something that could make you sick,” he said. “Just because they like to use natural products doesn't mean that they're going to be effective for them.”The most effective active ingredient to repel ticks is an insecticide called permethrin. It’s safe to use directly on dogs, but not cats. (If you’re worried about your cat, there are collars and other topical flea and tick repelling treatments that are safe to use on them.)Since it can cause irritation when applied directly to human skin, the best course of action is to treat your shoes, clothing, and gear with permethrin before wearing or using them. (If you have a cat, make sure to keep the chemical away from them and that clothing is completely dry before coming into contact with your pet.)Once the insecticide has been applied properly and dried onto your clothing, you should be able to put everything through the wash and retain the protective effects. If you don’t trust yourself to do it properly, Mather suggested sending your clothes to a company called Insect Shield to treat them for you. You can also buy pretreated clothing and equipment directly from retailers like REI and L.L.Bean.“Definitely wearing permethrin-treated clothing when you get ready to step outside for an adventure is the way to go,” Mather said. “You have to think about it a little bit in advance, but if it’s treated on the inside as well as the outside, it will slow them [ticks] down even if they get trapped in clothing. It’s really a strategy that we think would benefit a lot of people, but unfortunately not a lot of people use it right now.”The permethrin route, as well as wearing light-colored clothing (so you can see the ticks), long sleeves, leg-protecting pants, and high socks can help. You should also avoid high grass and brush, walk in the center of a trail, tuck in your shirt to increase the chance of a tick falling off or you seeing it before it’s able to bite you, check yourself (and your pets and children) for ticks, and shower after spending time outdoors.Also keep in mind that certain products, like chewable medicine for dogs that your vet can prescribe, don’t help prevent a tick bite; the tick has to actually bite the dog in order to get a dose of the poison that will kill it.“It’s not like it's emitted through the skin or anything like that,” Mather said. “Many of those products now are very fast acting, but it still requires a tick bite to happen for it to work.”For those who are thinking ahead, these are some products you can use to help both you and your dog avoid ticks and tick-borne diseases. If you would prefer to treat your existing materials rather than send them off to Insect Shield or buy new pretreated items, this permethrin spray can be used on any clothing, gear, and tents that you may be bringing into a tick-infested area. It bonds to fabric fibers for up to six weeks or through six washes — whichever comes first. It won't stain or damage any fabrics or materials, and it’s odorless once it dries. Sawyer says that it reduces the likelihood of a tick bite by over 73% and is effective against more than 55 other types of bugs.Promising review: “I was in a tick infested area and received not one bite, was highly recommended by my woodcraft group as well.” —Craig BrickelYou can buy a six-pack of Sawyer Premium Insect Repellant from Amazon for around $18. When I asked Mather about the little plastic tools I bought at the pet store to remove ticks from my dog, he told me that they were not the best move, particularly for small ticks. Instead, he suggested this TickEase tool that can be used on both pets and humans. One side is a pointy tweezer for human tick removal, and the other is a narrow slotted scoop to get them off of pets. It’s affordable and multifunctional, so it’s really the best tool to keep on hand in case of tick bites.Promising review: “Okay, ticks gross me out! Especially the fat deer ticks. My dog hates me pulling them off with regular tweezers. This thing popped them off so easily! She and I were both relieved at how well this worked!” —Joy L.You can buy the TickEase Dual-Tipped Tick Remover Tool from Amazon for around $10. It makes sense that the ankles would be the easiest place for ticks to latch onto humans, and after my mom’s experience hiking in Montauk, my ankles will not be the first place I think to protect. While any high socks are helpful, especially if they enclose the bottoms of your pants, this pair from Insect Shield is also treated with permethrin for an extra preventive measure. They also have built-in cushions for comfort so you can keep them on all day long.Promising review: “We live near the Lyme of “Lyme disease,” so we are particularly aware of increasing tick borne illnesses. These socks are comfortable and seem to be effective at repelling ticks. My husband particularly appreciates their height up his calves.” —Cathy via Insect ShieldYou can buy Insect Shield Sport Crew Sock from Amazon for around $10. I’m very into the sporty wide brim sun hat right now, and it doesn’t hurt that they also protect you from the sun. This one is also treated with permethrin to keep bugs out of your face along with those UV rays, making it the perfect hat for all of your summer adventures. There’s an interior sweatband to wick away moisture and keep things breathable, with adjustable snaps and a drawstring cord to make sure it’s comfortable and secure.Promising review: “This hat is awesome. Lightweight, stays on, keeps mosquitoes away, protects from the sun, what more could you ask for? My husband and I each wore one our entire trip to Hawaii and while other tourists lost hats in the constant breeze, we were all set.” —Deb S. via L.L.BeanYou can buy the Adults' No Fly Zone Boonie Hat from L.L.Bean for around $35. Personally, I’m the most paranoid about a tick finding its way into my hair since that would make it particularly hard to find. I also know that I’m more likely to keep accessories on hand for hiking or camping trips rather than a whole separate wardrobe, so this permethrin-treated bandana felt like a great extra preventive option. I would probably fold it up and tie it around my head like a headband, but you could also wear it around your neck if you’d prefer. It promises to remain effective through 70 washes and comes in five different colors to suit your style.Promising review: “I hate ticks, especially in my hair. Also seems to keep the flying bugs out of my face. A must have for outdoors women.” —SueYou can buy the Insect Shield Womens Bandana from Amazon for around $10. Sure, you could put any old bandana around your dog’s neck, but why do that when you can get them a special dog bandana that also helps keep ticks away? It’s affordable and is treated with permethrin, just like the human version. It’s designed to fit a wide range of breeds but can also be cut down for the little guys. Necks are a common place for ticks to burrow in dogs, so this targeted protection may give you some extra peace of mind.Promising review: “I don’t use flea or tick medications on my dog. This is his second one of these bandanas and when he wears it on our walks in the woods, he never gets ticks!” —CristinYou can buy the Insect Shield Repellent Dog Bandana from Amazon for around $6. Since Dolly and I spend most of our time in a city where ticks are not a major threat, she did not have a tick collar until we went to Montauk. It was an easy and highly recommended product to help keep her safe, given that it works continuously for eight months. Unlike the chewable options, it’s supposed to work through contact, so the tick does not have to bite for it to be effective. It’ll start to repel and kill fleas and ticks within 24 hours of application. Just make sure you get one that’s appropriate for your pup’s size.Promising review: “This collar works great. You just put it on your dog and don’t worry about fleas or ticks getting on your dog for 9 months. Doesn’t smell or leave any residue. My dog got fleas from the neighbors and I put this on my dog and the following day all were dead and gone. Also never had a tick after putting it on.” —Vegan LewYou can buy the Seresto Flea and Tick Collar for Dogs from Amazon for around $47. It may be unnecessary to have multiple preventive measures on a dog, but I panicked after finding so many ticks on Dolly that first week and got everything I could find, including this topical Frontline treatment. It’s a little liquid capsule that you apply onto your dog’s skin every month, and it gets stored in their oil glands for nonstop flea and tick protection. I can’t say exactly what helped, but after getting the Seresto collar and using this treatment, we were finding significantly fewer ticks on Dolly, and the ones we did find were usually dead.Promising review: “I live in a mid-Atlantic state where there is a high tick population. I have used Frontline for years and highly recommend using it to deter ticks and fleas. It’s easy to apply and gives you peace of mind.” —SukeYou can buy a three-pack of Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Treatment for Dogs from Amazon for around $37.
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Vets fear people may be giving “dangerous doses” of paracetamol to their pets as fears grow that the cost of living crisis is impinging on animal owners’ ability to pay for medical help.The RSPCA recently discovered that Google searches for “can I give my dog paracetamol” have almost tripled since January 2020, and that in May the number of searches for the same phrase was 28% higher than even at the height of lockdown, in April 2020, when vets were heavily restricting access to their clinics.“Whenever you get a situation where people are genuinely short of money or are worried they are going to be, there will inevitably be pet owners who either delay seeking attention from a vet or even, sadly, don’t seek attention at all,” said vet Robin Hargreaves, former president of the British Veterinary Association.He added that he fears that these searches may reflect “a reluctance to go and see a vet because people are worried about costs and whether they can afford it”.While vets do sometimes prescribe paracetamol for dogs, the medicine is “dangerous” if given in the wrong dose, Hargreaves said, and pain relief can hide the cause of the problem.“If somebody rang me up to say: ‘My dog’s in pain – how much paracetamol should I give it?’ I would never tell them. Because we need to know why the dog’s in pain. You would never advise using pain relief before you knew what you were trying to treat.”The vet charity for pets in need, PDSA, also warned pet owners never to give paracetamol to cats. “It is extremely toxic to them and can be fatal,” said PDSA vet Claire Roberts. “If you feel your pet is in need of pain relief, you must seek advice from your vet – never give them human pain relief unless your vet has asked you to.”Earlier this month, a YouGov survey of 4,388 adults for the Dogs Trust charity found that 68% of dog owners in the UK feel worried about how they will care for their dog in the next year.By far their greatest worry was how they would manage to pay vet bills, which almost half named as their main concern. Their second biggest worry was not being able to afford dog food, followed by concerns about insurance costs.At Ashford in Kent, the RSPCA has just opened its latest pet food bank for dog and cat owners who need pet food and are on benefits or have been referred there by a charity or a vet. Animal care assistant Rachel Sinden said many of the pet owners who visit love their pets but can no longer afford to buy food for them.“By offering these people food for their pet, it means the pets aren’t being given up or abandoned. If they were, we’d be feeding them anyway,” she said. “This way, the animals can stay in a loving home.”The RSPCA says that 44 of its branches have started providing such pet food banks over the past year as it attempts to break the cycle of pets being given up or abandoned for financial reasons.In the first five months of 2022, the charity took in 49% more rabbits, 14% more cats and 3% more dogs than in the same period in 2021. As a result, it is currently being forced to put some animals needing to be rehomed into private boarding – paid for by the RSPCA – because there is not enough space in RSPCA centres to look after them.Some 50 dogs, 90 cats, 50 rabbits, 60 farm animals and 20 exotic pets in the UK are currently in this position, living out their lives on “waiting lists” for spaces in RSPCA centres.
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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. dog lovers, say “benvenuto” to the bracco Italiano.The ancient Italian bird-hunting dog is the 200th member of the American Kennel Club’s roster of recognized breeds, the organization announced Wednesday. That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year.The bracco (pronounced BRAH’-koh) goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn’t brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It’s sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog.The ideal bracco should be “tough and adapted to all types of hunting, reliable, docile and intelligent,” while also friendly and neither shy nor aggressive, according to the AKC’s standard for the medium-to-large breed.“They’re very easy to live with and be around, and yet it’s like a light switch — when it’s time to jump in the back of the truck and go hunting, and they’ve got a job, they just light up like a Christmas tree,” said owner and breeder Lisa Moller of Portage, Wisconsin.She and husband Dale relied on Labrador retrievers as pheasant-hunting helpers before a friend introduced them to a bracco about five years ago. The couple was quickly struck by the dog’s methodical hunting style in the field and affectionate nature at home: “They’re very Velcro,” Lisa Moller said.The dogs — the proper plural is “bracchi Italiani” — have a deep bark and readily deploy it on spotting backyard wildlife, so “they may not be the right dog for everybody,” she noted.AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo called the bracco a great companion for active families who can provide “the love and attention it needs.”The AKC opened the nation’s oldest dog registry with a mere nine breeds in 1878. In the last decade alone, the club has added over 20 breeds, ranging from the teeny Russian toy to the powerful dogo Argentino. Criteria involve the total number and generations of registered dogs nationwide, their geographical distribution and other factors.There remain many breeds that are registered elsewhere but not by the AKC, or aren’t formally recognized at all. Some aficionados eschew, or are torn about, the exposure that AKC recognition brings to a breed.Animal rights activists denounce dog breeding, and they say that adding more breeds just exacerbates faddish demand for purebred pets and fuels puppy mills that feed it.The AKC says it promotes responsible breeding aimed at preserving characteristics that equip dogs for various tasks and ease owners’ search for a pup they can live with and commit to.
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A group gathered Wednesday morning at a Southland nature spot to culminate a yearlong project that brought together representatives from Cook and DuPage counties, the Shedd Aquarium, and state and federal officials.But it could be 15 years before they know if they were successful.A contingent of small turtles was at the heart of the effort, offspring of a Blanding’s turtle that surprised naturalists when it was found last summer near Park Ridge, an area where its species hadn’t been spotted in decades.Rare enough to have landed on the endangered list in Illinois in 2009, Blanding’s turtles are among the region’s more lovable amphibians.“They’re pretty adorable,” said Matt O’Connor, a senior staff veterinarian with the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. “Blanding’s are beautiful turtles. They have this everlasting smile, the way the yellow pattern is on their skin.”A Forest Preserves of Cook County worker holds one of the 11 baby Blanding's turtles released into the wild Wednesday at a preserve in south Cook County. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)It’s a charisma that adds another pressure to their population, to go along with habitat loss and inordinately large populations of animals that love to eat their eggs and young, such as raccoons, opossums and skunks.“They’re highly sought after in the pet trade and get illegally collected,” O’Connor said. “Due to their personality and the beauty of their shells, they’re sought after by poachers.”Chris Anchor, a longtime wildlife biologist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County, said there are only two viable, breeding populations of Blanding’s turtles left in Cook County. They can be found in other areas, but in groups of one to three.“Most are very old — 40 to 60 years, and have come to the end of their reproductive life,” he said. “They’re just waiting to die. It’s really sad. That’s how populations wink out.“I’m entering my 41st year with the district. In that time, I’ve seen four populations disappear.”That includes several in the northern reaches of the county and one formerly viable group in the Orland Park area.Steph Goehring, an aquarist from the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, releases a baby Blanding's turtle into a marsh last week as part of an effort to boost the endangered species population in Cook County. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)Because of their hard shells and amphibious nature, adults are relatively safe from predators. But their eggs have a 90% mortality rate, O’Connor said. Besides unethical collectors, invasive shrubbery and urban mammals such as opossums, skunks and raccoons contribute to that hardship.“Turtles have to leave the water to dig a hole and lay their eggs, and then cover them up and not be detected, and it has to be in full sun,” Anchor said. “Many of our areas look like a jungle, covered by European buckthorn and European honeysuckle. The turtles are all funneled into the same areas that have light.”Unwitting humans play a role as well.“Where do we have light all the time? By the roads. So we see these turtles get whacked on the roads all the time,” Anchor said. “They’re trying to lay eggs in the gravel by the side of the road. They all go to the same spot and the predators know where they’re going, so they walk the paths by the roadways, and the turtles are getting hit by cars. It’s a double whammy.”That’s what made last year’s discovery of a female Blanding’s turtle along the Des Plaines River near Park Ridge all the more surprising.“All the habitat has been destroyed,” Anchor said. “They need a specific, shallow, highly vegetated marsh to survive, and we have so few of those left in Cook County.”It turned out the turtle was gravid with fertilized eggs, which didn’t necessarily mean the father was nearby. For one thing, male Blanding’s turtles work a circuit of sorts, ranging miles on a regular “milk run” where they’ve found willing female partners before, he said. Also, female amphibians have an ability to store “sperm sacks” for a period of time, which is weird.Several baby Blanding's turtles await delivery to their new home Wednesday as part of an effort to boost their population at a preserve in south Cook County. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)In any case, the area where she was found was “no place for a mother to survive, or for the babies to survive,” Anchor said. So county officials received state permission to move her “where other turtles were still hanging on, and there was a possibility of them adding to the population.”That turned out to be at a preserve in the Southland where volunteers have been working to clear vegetation from the shoreline of a marshy area and otherwise enhance the area for the benefit of Blanding’s.That suited O’Connor, the Shedd veterinarian. He said the aquarium is active in conservation projects all over the world, but his favorite projects are those close to home.“I’ve always been most passionate about work done here around Chicago,” he said. “Who are we to go to other countries and tell them how to protect their wildlife if we don’t practice what we preach?”A Forest Preserves of Cook County worker holds one of the 11 baby Blanding's turtles that were released last week at a preserve in south Cook County. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)The gravid turtle was brought to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County — which has had a “head start” program for Blanding’s turtles for years — where the eggs could be safely laid and hatched. Then the baby turtles were taken in by the Shedd last August so they could “get to the size where it was less likely a skunk or raccoon would eat them and they’d stand a better chance of surviving in the wild,” O’Connor said.On Wednesday, they got that chance, to the delight of a crowd that had been working for a year to make it happen, including some of the volunteers who had helped clear out invasive plants at the release site.“One of the perks of being involved with the project is getting to see them grow up from tiny quarter-sized hatchlings to being able to be released,” O’Connor said.Shedd has been involved with DuPage County’s head start program for five years, but O’Connor said this first effort in Cook County was extra special.“It’s a huge boost to get to see the fruits of our labor,” he said.Still, he knows the results of Wednesday’s release won’t be known for years, as Blanding’s turtles are an especially long-lived species, and many take up to 15 years to reach reproduction age.“We’re literally in year one,” he said. “Talk to us in 14 years and ask us how it’s going. You really have to have an organization like the Shedd or Cook County that’s invested in the long term, because it’s never a quick fix.”Daily SouthtownTwice-weeklyNews updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and WednesdayFor Anchor, it’s another step toward maintaining the diversity of species in the state’s most populated county.“Cook County is unique in that it’s not only the most populous county, but generally, it’s No. 1 or No. 2 in biodiversity,” he said. “You’d think it was somewhere down in the Shawnee (in southern Illinois), but it’s not. Typically, it’s us. … We have so many habitat types that come together around Lake Michigan.”Anchor is monitoring transmitters attached to more than 20 species in Cook County, including this new batch of 11 Blanding’s turtles, named for William Blanding, a pioneering American naturalist from the 1800s.The last and smallest of 11 baby Blanding's turtles is released into the wild last week as part of a joint effort by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and the Shedd Aquarium. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)But even for a veteran wildlife biologist like Anchor, Wednesday’s release made for “a real feel-good kind of day.”“Normally we get involved with projects because we know in the end it will be a good thing, but we don’t actually get to see it,” he said.“This was one of those rare times when you get to complete the circle, and have a little baby turtle in your hands and let it go into a properly managed and rehabilitated habitat. It was a wonderful time.”Landmarks is a weekly column by Paul Eisenberg exploring the people, places and things that have left an indelible mark on the Southland. He can be reached at peisenberg@tribpub.com.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials killed a young bear — that they rescued nearly a year ago — after it wandered into a Teller County home in search of food, an agency spokesman said in a release.
No people were injured, but the bear’s actions left Parks and Wildlife officials “no choice,” spokesman Bill Vogrin said.
After their mother was shot and killed south of Woodland Park last July, likely by poachers, state officials took in two bear cubs, Vogrin said. They sent both cubs to “rehab,” fed them natural foods like acorns, nuts and berries, and taught them to avoid humans.
In January they sent both bears to an artificial den on the slopes of Pikes Peak, hoping they’d emerge in the spring “as wild bears again,” Vogrin said. One bear roamed the area, eventually returning to the artificial den. But the other wandered into a Teller County home through an unlocked door, Vogrin said.
Nobody was home at the time and when the homeowners returned to find a bear in their kitchen, the animal left on its own, Tim Kroening, area wildlife manager, said.
Still, the bear had to be euthanized, Kroening said. The animal wouldn’t be able to unlearn that human homes were sources of food, possibly putting people at risk in the future.
“Colorado has become so densely populated that it is difficult to find a place to take a bear so that it won’t encounter human homes,” Kroening said.
Vogrin said officials killed the bear on June 13, nearly two weeks before a different bear scratched a woman as she camped near Trinidad with her husband and two-year-old daughter. Wildlife officials hunted for the bear, intending to kill it too, but called off the search after looking for several days and failing to find it. Recent drought and other harsh weather conditions across Colorado reduced the natural food supply available for bears, leaving them to take more risks to fill their bellies. Plus, experts said the animals are growing more brazen in their search for food, especially because many of them are losing their fear of humans.
State officials kill or relocate scores of bears every year, though euthanasia is the more common option. Between 2015 and 2021, Colorado Parks and Wildlife killed 775 bears and captured and relocated another 402.
Bears are generally killed after they come into contact with humans, even if nobody is injured. The best way to avoid the situation is for people to become more “bear aware” Vogrin said. That means minimizing the amount of food the bears can find and keeping ground-level doors and windows locked.
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This Fourth of July, we’re honoring the creatures that make the United States rich—in biodiversity, that is.To date, scientists have identified more than 32,000 distinct animal species living in the country, from thousands of species of beetles to just one marsupial (it’s the Virginia opossum).According to NatureServe, an organization that keeps tabs on North American flora and fauna, more than 7,000 of those species are endemic, meaning they’re native to the U.S. and nowhere else—and researchers are certain that’s an underestimate. (Learn more about July 4th and its history.)Discover breathtaking landscapes and wildlife in National Geographic's new six-part series America The Beautiful, streaming July 4 on Disney+. We’re proud to call these animals our neighbors, whether the U.S. is their only home in the world or just a stopover on a grand migration. From the mountainsWhether it’s the alpine slopes of Washington State or the mesas of the Mojave Desert, the bighorn sheep makes scaling sheer cliffs look like a walk in the park.With their enormous, curved horns, the bighorn ram is a symbol of stubbornness and persistence. To establish pecking order during mating season, rams spend half the year running headlong into their rivals.While a deer’s antlers are solid bone, the bighorn sheep’s headgear is composed of a bony core covered by keratin, the same protein that makes up our hair and fingernails. And since the sheep never shed their horns, dark stripes on the horns called annuli can be counted to determine a ram’s age—just like the rings of a tree. (Read how bighorn sheep are bouncing back in California.)To the prairiesTipping the scales at as much as 2,200 pounds, the American bison was the king of the plains until overhunting by settlers pushed them to the brink of extinction. By 1889, only a few hundred survived of the more than 50 million that Plains Indians had hunted sustainably for centuries.Captive breeding programs and reintroduction in national parks and refuges have bolstered the wild population to more than 20,000 bison in the U.S. If you’re lucky enough to see one roaming free, keep a respectful distance. They may seem like big, lumbering beasts, but American bison have been clocked at speeds up to 35 miles an hour. (See beautiful photos of bison.)Today, bison share the grasslands with the prairie chicken, a critically endangered member of the grouse family that knows how to put on a show. When it’s time to wow the ladies, the male prairie chicken stages a complicated courtship display: He inflates bright yellow air sacs on either side of his neck to create low, resonant hoots called “booms” and slaps his feet on the ground in what looks like a frantic tap dance. Irresistible.To the oceans, white with foamNative Hawaiians call it Ilio holo I ka uaua, meaning “dog that runs in rough water,” while 18th century scientists saw a friar’s habit in its rounded head and smooth, dark pelt.The Hawaiian monk seal made international headlines back in 2018 when a handful of juveniles were spotted with eels stuck up their noses. Native only to the Hawaiian archipelago, the Hawaiian monk seal makes a living by cruising coral reefs. Surprisingly, this slippery predator has only 16 teeth, half as many as the average human—though that probably seems like plenty to the fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods that make up the monk seal’s diet.Our home, sweet homeScroll through the gallery below to learn more about the animals that share our country, from the Gila monster—who needs a new public relations strategy—to the vernal pool fairy shrimp.
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A three-legged tortoise called Hope, who uses wheels to get around, could help save its critically endangered species from extinction.The animal was rescued from smugglers after being found in a suitcase with 56 other tortoises by customs officials in Hong Kong in 2019.
The owner, a would-be wildlife trader travelling from the Comoro Islands, was later jailed for two years.Ploughshare tortoise Hope is now settled in at Chester Zoo and uses a set of rollers designed by experts to help move around.Conservationists are now aiming for Hope to live up to its nickname by joining a European conservation-breeding programme and helping save the species from extinction. Read more: Zoo battles to save dozens of species from extinction by cryogenically freezing genetic samples
Curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates at Chester Zoo, Dr Gerardo Garcia, said: "Hope is an incredibly special tortoise, for many reasons. More from UK Politics live: 'Pathetic spectacle' of Boris Johnson at PMQs as 21 resignations leave his government in chaos Boris Johnson vows to 'keep going' despite more than 20 resignations from government Sajid Javid says 'enough is enough' and 'problem starts at the top' in first Commons statement since quitting "Firstly, ploughshare tortoises are exceptionally rare. It's not just the world's most threatened species of tortoise, it's one of the most threatened animals on the planet, full stop."Fewer than 300 now remain in the wild, mostly due to their overexploitation by illegal wildlife traders - leaving them functionally extinct in their home of Madagascar."In addition Hope has a remarkable life story, having been rescued from smugglers, discovered to have a missing leg and then having a prosthetic mobility support specially fitted to help him get around."It works wonderfully well - he moves even quicker than his three neighbours."He's settling in nicely to his new home and hopefully, in several years' time once he's more developed, he'll go on to produce offspring and contribute to the survival of the species thanks to the vital insurance population in conservation zoos." In the wild, the ploughshare tortoise is only found on a small remote stretch of sand, rock and bamboo on Madagascar.Just 63 of the animals live legally outside Madagascar as part of the conservation breeding programmes.The happy news about Hope comes as 109 live animals including 35 turtles were found in luggage as two women tried to board a Thai Airways flight to India in an unrelated case.
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This story was originally published in our March/April 2022 issue as "From Combat to Conservation." Click here to subscribe to read more stories like this one.Deep in the Colombian Amazon rainforest, dozens of sweat-soaked men and women weave through a maze of ceiba and rubber trees. Armed with machetes, they hack through vines as thick as saplings. They move in utter silence, eyes squinting in the dim light. They approach their mission — cataloging and protecting endangered species — with intent focus. A few years ago, these former members of the guerilla group FARC might have been tracking enemy soldiers or preparing to kidnap a political prisoner. Now their targets are far more elusive: giant river otters, nimble brown spider monkeys, Dracula orchids with black petals and fanglike protrusions, the riotously colored Flor de Mayo.Socratea exhorriza, or the walking palm, is native to tropical
rainforests in Central and South America. (Credit: Jaime Gongora) In 2016, after half a century of armed conflict, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (in Spanish, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC) signed a peace treaty with the Colombian government. Emerging from the rainforest they had occupied for decades, the former guerrilla fighters were suddenly confronted with the question: “What now?” Part of the peace agreement stipulated that the Colombian government support the 14,000 ex-FARC members financially for several years; after that, they must live independently.So far, former combatants have faced enormous hardship on the road back to civilian life, and COVID hasn’t helped. In mid-2020, Colombia’s urban unemployment rate surged to 15.4 percent. It’s difficult for anyone to find a job, but for former guerillas, it’s particularly challenging. Colombian citizens often still regard them with suspicion, and many have been out of the workforce for decades.“It’s hard,” says Hugo Ramirez, who joined FARC in 2001 at the age of 17. “There is an abysmal amount of absolute poverty, and we still witness children dying of starvation.”But where so many saw a problem, Jaime Gongora, a wildlife geneticist at the University of Sydney, saw an opportunity. Colombia is the second most biodiverse nation on the planet; rainforests play an integral part in this, with more than 56,000 species that call it home. But, until recently, researchers haven’t been able to study it in person due to FARC’s occupation. Teeming with rare specimens, from the pink river dolphin to the critically endangered Magdalena River turtle, alongside countless undiscovered plants, the Colombian rainforest is a naturalist’s dream. Who better to explore that terrain than the people who had once lived there?So, in 2017, Gongora created Peace With Nature, a series of workshops in the Guaviare region of Colombia to train past combatants in conservation science. The hope is that they’ll later apply those skills to ecotourism initiatives, like creating new nature trails, and become citizen scientists themselves. The workshops are led by a multidisciplinary team of teachers, including conservationists and biologists. These experts have guided over 100 former soldiers through brainstorming sessions on combining their lived knowledge of the jungle with the rigors of the scientific method. They learn how to take plant samples, how to handle binoculars and the best techniques for observing wildlife. For the participants, the program aims to provide both a new purpose and a promising path forward. “The idea was to empower these combatants with knowledge [of] biodiversity,” explains Gongora. “This [work] could be incorporated into activities that will allow them to incorporate into society.”Today, he returns to Colombia between three and four times a year to hold these sessions, which each last about a week. The homecomings are a joy for Gongora, who grew up in the Colombian countryside. He speaks of a youth spent playing in nature, creating makeshift huts with friends and observing the jungle’s magnificent wildlife. Gongora carried that passion for wildlife into adulthood; in 1999, he left Colombia to pursue a doctorate in animal genetics in Australia. However, the war continuously loomed in the background of his childhood — a conflict with a complex history spanning nearly 70 years before the peace accord.Wildlife geneticist Jaime Gongora shows off an armadillo found during a biodiversity survey. (Credit: Jaime Gongora)A Prolonged Conflict FARC was founded in 1964, six years after Colombia’s bloody civil war — known as La Violencia — came to a close. The conflict erupted in 1948, when Jorge Gaitán, a popular presidential candidate for the country’s center-left Liberal party, was assassinated. His death ignited riots and, eventually, a decade of armed conflict between the Liberals and the country’s Conservative party. After 10 years and 200,000 deaths, the two parties agreed to the establishment of a bipartisan political system, known as the National Front, in 1957. Though it put an end to La Violencia, the system was overwhelmingly bipartisan and excluded participation by political leaders identified as heads of guerrilla groups.One such group was the Colombian Communist Party, or Partido Comunista Colombiano (PCC). Communists first became active in Colombia after World War I, a reaction against the enormous wealth disparities between the working classes and large landowners. Many of these individuals established communes throughout rural Colombia that the government initially ignored. The guerrillas called for land reform and better conditions for peasants, and vowed to defend the defenseless against the government’s intrusions. But in 1964, the Colombian military began invading and destroying the communes. Members were forced to flee into the jungles, eventually regrouping to form FARC.In the decades that followed, FARC’s numbers grew and shrank before settling at 15,000 members at the dawn of the 21st century. It was during this period that Ramirez, a current participant in Gongora’s program, joined FARC. At the time, FARC was an extremely powerful organization. The group’s members were still fighting for communist causes, but the organization was also heavily involved in drug-trafficking, illegal gold-mining, kidnapping and extortion. The guerilla fighters caught the attention of other countries whose political and financial interests the group threatened, including the U.S. Between 2000 and 2015, the U.S. provided 10 billion dollars in military aid to help the Colombian government fight the drug-trafficking and terrorism that were FARC’s cash cow.Ramirez’s description of his time living with the guerillas is two-pronged: a time of learning in the splendor of the Colombian rainforest, but also a period of profound loss and trauma. Living under the constant threat of enemy fire takes its toll, no matter the beauty of one’s surroundings. Ramirez says he watched friends die in horrific ways, torn apart by aviation bombs or shot out of trees by the Colombian army. He was also taught to kill — an aspect of his time in FARC that he speaks about only in vague, simple terms.Former guerrillas use binoculars to spot birds in the Colombian jungle. (Credit: Jaime Gongora)Still, Ramirez insists that bloodshed composed only a small fraction of his life in FARC. When not patrolling, he and his comrades would study the works of communist scholars and learn new skills like medicine and cartography. In rare, non-regimented moments, they’d enjoy one another’s company.Above all, Ramirez remembers the moments that he shared with local people, including Indigenous communities. Because his regiment remained constantly on the move to avoid government surveillance, he often encountered neglected pockets of the Colombian diaspora. Ramirez says the guerillas would share sustainable ways of living with the locals, such as teaching them medicinal practices, as well as how to live in an ecologically responsible manner. Many of these practices were taught to the former FARC members by the Indigenous communities they encountered, who have a long history of protecting biodiversity and countering deforestation through traditional, sustainable farming practices. “The true goal of FARC was to make a positive social change,” adds Ramirez.Soldiers to ScientistsA member of the Colombian police accompanies one of the group’s fieldwork activities. (Credit: Jaime Gongora) When the fighting finally ceased, Gongora, the wildlife geneticist at the University of Sydney, was halfway across the world in Australia. But shortly after the signing of the peace accord, Federica Di Palma, an evolutionary genomicist at the University of East Anglia and director of GROW Colombia, invited him to partner in the program, funded by the U.K. government, alongside various Colombian research, academic and government institutions. The initiative fosters bioscience and biodiversity in Colombia, while a sister organization, ECOMUN, promotes ecotourism. One of GROW Colombia’s main goals is establishing a “bioeconomy” for citizens by creating new businesses involved in monitoring and conserving local flora and fauna.Gongora agreed, but identified a missing element: the former FARC members. The Colombian government’s reincorporation initiative found that around 40 percent of the former guerillas had previous experience in environmental conservation. Gongora believed that this population could be vital to creating a bioeconomy in Colombia. As a naturalist, he’d long yearned to study the jungles of his home country. Now, there was a veritable army of people ready to help.Peace With Nature gives participants a crash course in an array of conservation practices. They learn direct observation techniques, how to conduct indirect surveys and track animals using footprints and feces, as well as ways to collect specimens in a non-invasive manner. They’re also taught how to set up and use tracking cameras and can access taxonomic identification resources. Many are particularly interested in learning how to make inventories of plants and animals, says Gongora.Known as pusui, this plant is sometimes used to make fences and animal shelters. (Credit: Jaime Gongora)By learning these skills, the former combatants can aid researchers in their canvassing efforts while brainstorming their own ecotourism initiatives. In one session, the participants speculated about how much an avid birdwatcher might pay to spot one of the Colombian rainforest’s countless rare species. In another, they identified areas where new nature trails, on which they could serve as specialized guides, might be created.And after decades living in the jungle, former FARC members can share their own knowledge, like how to easily identify medicinal plants. Take the yoco, for instance, a tropical vine whose sap can be used against fever, nausea and vomiting. Former FARC members also inform researchers on the behavior of rarely observed wildlife. “Some of them also learned animal tracking from Indigenous communities,” says Gongora, explaining how several participants taught him how to observe animals undetected.Building on this already extensive knowledge of the jungle, Gongora immerses his students in the intricate science of biodiversity: They learn technical terms and scientific names for the different species they came to know in the wild, while unraveling the subtle, natural connections integral to keeping ecosystems alive. In other words, the former guerillas are given the tools to study and analyze, scientifically, what they simply observed during the years they spent in the Amazon. “I have learned to have a deeper understanding,” says Ramirez, “to value and love [the jungle] more.”Saving the ForestWith that love, however, comes fear — specifically, of losing the rainforest they once knew intimately. When FARC occupied the Colombian Amazon, those areas were still protected from unsustainable farming practices and recent development initiatives like oil drilling and palm oil plantations. “We maintained the ecosystem with the mentality that the jungle was our house, our protector,” says Ramirez. If their company had to fell a tree, they planted 10 more. Beyond that, he says, they responsibly eradicated all waste, and the bush they camped in was tamed with machetes as non-invasively as possible.The Amazonian umbrellabird, named for its umbrella-shaped crest, can be found foraging in the rainforest canopy. (Credit: Cesar Arredondo)Today, just four years after the peace treaty, the once-occupied areas of the jungle have already seen significant deforestation. FARC’s speedy exit from the area has left a lawless vacuum in its wake, which the Colombian government has done little to fill. Loggers cut down trees en masse, while other areas are razed to make room for unsustainable cattle ranching. Meanwhile, illegal gold miners ravage once-pristine habitats. In 2017, deforestation in Colombia rose 65 percent compared to the previous year; by 2018, nearly 500,000 acres of jungle had disappeared. Previously lush hubs of biodiversity now resemble ashen planes littered with the skeletal white remains of ancient trees. Ramirez aptly calls these areas tumbas, or graves.But Gongora hopes that Peace With Nature’s efforts will help safeguard the rapidly dwindling Colombian rainforest. For example, participants can present their ecotourism ideas to major Colombian research institutions and agencies. At these forums, the program’s members apply for project funding, potentially providing them with a new livelihood — and pathway to reintegrate into society — while identifying which areas of the increasingly threatened jungle to protect.In the long term, Gongora aims to expand his program beyond helping former FARC soldiers get back on their feet. He hopes participants will also share the techniques they’ve learned with local communities so that, together, they can work to protect the at-risk areas they call home —and extend the efforts of Indigenous groups already fighting to preserve the Colombian Amazon. “They can use these techniques and collaborate with local and national institutions in Colombia to protect biodiversity,” says Gongora.There are more than 60 species of cicada in the Colombian rainforest. (Credit: Jaime Gongora)Participants in Gongora’s program will hopefully go on to become part of the Amazon’s army of citizen scientists, spreading interest in conservation efforts throughout Colombia and to visitors through their ecotourism initiatives. For Ramirez, the only way to save the rainforest is to inspire the same deep love he feels for it in others. “We need to instill it in people from childhood,” he says. “That care [and] love that one should have towards biodiversity.” Addison Nugent is a freelance writer based in Paris.
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Dog or cat owners, listen up. No pets, but have children who love to play in public parks? Keep reading.The nation's top health protection agency said a parasitic disease in people, known as toxocariasis, can be caused by an infection with a roundworm found in canines and felines. It's classified into a group of five parasitic diseases that have been targeted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health action. An infection can cause serious illness, including organ damage and eye disease.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TVAnd while these types of infections are often associated with tropical areas, they are currently present in the U.S.Eggs of the tiny worm which are found in pets' fecal matter have been widely detected in New York City public spaces, with evidence of significant levels of contamination in all five boroughs, according to pediatric infectious disease specialist Donna Tyungu who authored a 2020 study tracing the parasite throughout the city."The Bronx had the highest contamination rate (66.7%), while Manhattan had the lowest contamination rate (29.6%)," the study states. "Moreover, infective eggs were only found in the Bronx playgrounds … all other boroughs had eggs in the pre-infectious, unembronyated form."ARE YOU KITTEN ME? WHY SPRING, SUMMER MEANS ANIMAL SHELTERS ARE EXTRA BUSY A dog owner bends down to pick up his dog's mess in a park. (In Pictures Ltd./Corbis / Getty Images)Nearly 14% of the U.S. population has been already been exposed, the CDC states. And every year an estimated 70 people – mostly children – are blinded by the disease.THESE 5 PESTS PESTER YOUR PETS MORE DURING WARMER WEATHERDogs and cats with the parasitic disease will shed toxocara eggs in their feces. Humans then become infected by accidentally swallowing any contaminated dirt. Although it is rare, the CDC said people can also become infected from eating undercooked meat containing toxocara larvae.It’s important to note that the disease is not spread by person-to-person contact like a cold or the flu, the CDC reports.What are the symptoms?Symptoms can range from mild muscle aches to severe asthma.And while many will never experience symptoms, some people -- usually children -- may get sick and have spike a fever along with damage to organs in their body. Problems with breathing, stomach pain and eye pain or redness are other symptoms to look for, the CDC said.5 DOG-THEMED STORIES THAT'LL REMIND YOU WHY THEY'RE MAN'S BEST FRIENDIf you think a family member has toxocariasis, it is advised they seek medical treatment where blood testing can further determine a plan of action. Toxocariasis is the parasitic disease caused by the larvae of two species of Toxocara roundworms: Toxocara canis from dogs and, less commonly, Toxocara cati from cats.The easiest way to prevent the disease, according to the CDC, is to teach your kids to wash their hands after playing and not to eat dirt. Covering sandboxes and restricting animal access to play areas can also help stop the spread.When walking your pet, it’s always important to dispose of dog and cat feces promptly and wash your hands after handling pet waste. Your veterinarian can help test for the disease and recommend a treatment plan for deworming.GET THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE FOX WEATHER UPDATE PODCASTBe sure to download the FOX Weather app to track any storms in your area and receive potentially life-saving weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service. The free FOX Weather livestream is also available 24/7 on the website and app and on your favorite streaming platform. The FOX Weather Update podcast also provides weather information for the entire country.
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A mother koala named Kali and her joey are seen in their natural habitat in an area affected by bushfires, in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, near Jenolan, Australia, September 14, 2020. REUTERS/Loren ElliottRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJune 21 (Reuters) - U.N. negotiators began talks Tuesday in Nairobi toward reaching a new global pact for protecting nature and wildlife, after a previous round of talks in March failed to make progress.With scientists warning that an estimated 1 million species are at risk of extinction, the United Nations is asking countries to designate 30% of their land and sea areas for conservation by 2030.Meeting this "30-by-30" goal would help protect the world’s environments against poaching, pollution or encroaching human development, scientists say.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comEarth has seen five mass extinction events and scientists believe we are now in the sixth, with animal and plant species going extinct at a rate not seen in 10 million years.Only 17% of the Earth's land areas and 7% of the ocean currently fall under some form of protection.The talks Tuesday were buoyed by a sense of progress after organizers announced the U.N. Biodiversity summit, or "COP15," would be moved to Montreal, Canada, after being postponed four times in China due to the COVID-19 pandemic. read more "We have every reason to be fully confident that the global biodiversity framework will be adopted", said China's environment minister, Huang Runqiu, who is also the COP15 president.Already, more than 90 countries, including the United States, have committed to the 30-by-30 target, according to the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People.The head of the U.N. Environment Programme implored delegates on Tuesday to reach a final draft agreement during the Nairobi talks this week. That draft would then be voted on at COP15 in December."Here today and these days, it is imperative that you make significant progress to ensure success at COP15 and thereafter," UNEP Executive Secretary Inger Andersen said during Tuesday’s opening plenary in the Kenyan capital.But several sticking points remain, with the draft text currently riddled with square brackets that indicate a lack of agreement on issues such as goals for reducing pesticide use."Without numbers, the framework will remain aspirational and will be set up to fail," Andersen said.Funding remains another area of contention. A coalition of environmental groups, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund, are calling for wealthy nations to contribute $60 billion per year of the $700 billion needed annually to address the biodiversity crisis. read more "Much of the global loss of biodiversity is driven by high levels of consumption in wealthy nations," said Brian O'Donnell, director of conservation non-profit Campaign for Nature.Another $500 billion could be achieved by slashing harmful subsidies for fossil fuels and agriculture, green groups said.The U.N. also urged delegates to address how they would plan for and report progress on each of the targets. The world's previous conservation targets - known as the Aichi targets - expired in 2020 without a single one being fully achieved.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Gloria Dickie; Editing by Katy DaigleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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It seems to be summer vacation for San Francisco's coyotes, as one was spotted ditching the woods and taking to the city's streets for a downtown stroll.The coyote was captured on video in the city’s Laurel Heights neighborhood by Christian Calderon, who saw the animal on Euclid Avenue near Iris Avenue, according to ABC News affiliate, KGO.The coyote was seen walking along a sidewalk and crosswalk for several minutes in Calderon’s video.No reports of human or animal injuries have been made in connection to this coyote sighting.This video may be shocking for some Americans, but for San Francisco, coyote sightings have become increasingly common.According to Camilla Fox of Project Coyote, a national nonprofit organization based in Marin County that promotes coexistence between people and wildlife, coyotes live throughout San Francisco, and most of the city’s green spaces are likely to have coyotes within them.A coyote was spotted wandering the Laurel Heights neighborhood of San Francisco neighborhood on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.Christian Calderon“What’s most remarkable is that we don’t often see them, though we are coexisting with them. We only hear when there is a sighting or conflict,” Fox said in an interview with the San Francisco Department of Environment. According to the department, coyotes maintain an important role in the area’s ecosystem, particularly by preying on different rodent species in the area.This, Fox explained to the department, means that there are less rodenticides and other deadly poisons that kill “non-target animals.”Nonetheless, spotting a coyote can be scary for the average person, and can pose a risk to pets.In April, two pet owners lost their dogs to coyote attacks, both in the Corona Heights Park area, just a couple of miles from where a coyote was spotted in Laurel Heights on Wednesday.The two attacks, happening a couple of weeks apart in the same area, happened quickly, while the owners were close to their animal, the San Francisco Chronicle said. “It’s heartbreaking, and all the time it’s very similar stories of how it happened,” Deb Campbell, a spokesperson for San Francisco Animal Care and Control told the San Francisco Chronicle.“A dog will be off-leash, or someone will let a dog out to pee off-leash, and there’s a coyote in the vicinity that will take it. It’s heartbreaking and preventable and we certainly wish that these things never happened,” Campbell added.San Francisco Animal Care and Control has more information on how to avoid altercations with coyotes on their website.
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Deb Rogers is a diversity consultant and freelance writer in St. Augustine, Florida. She was previously the Pop Culture editor of SheKnows, national producer of the Listen to Your Mother Show storytelling series, and LGBTQ Community Leader for BlogHer, where she was the host of the annual Queerosphere gathering. She tweets at @debontherocks, and you can also find her on Instagram.Deb RogersPhoto by Zach Thomas, Monarch StudioIn this post, Deb discusses how her inspiring surroundings helped write her new literary fiction novel, Florida Woman, the collaborative nature of the publishing process, and more!Name: Deb RogersLiterary agent: Hannah Brattesani, The Friedrich AgencyBook title: Florida WomanPublisher: Hanover Square PressRelease date: July 5, 2022Genre/category: Fiction/LiteraryElevator pitch for the book: When Jamie gets the chance to escape viral infamy and jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys in the palmetto woods of Central Florida, it seems like just the fresh start she needs to finally get her life on track—until it’s not. As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could’ve imagined.IndieBound | Bookshop | Amazon[WD uses affiliate links.]What prompted you to write this book?My debut novel grew out of an essay. I wanted to explore preconceptions about the rural American South and how the truth is more complex—both more wicked and more tender—than stereotypes show. My characters found me, pushed the essay to the side, and demanded that I write Florida Woman instead. I’m glad they did. Beyond that, I’m lucky to live in Florida because I’m surrounded by fascinating people. There’s something about the heat and the ocean that entices people to live out loud here. Maybe it’s that we’re aware that the land beneath us is rapidly sinking, so what’s the point in hiding our true selves? I also love my state’s history and the fact that Florida maintains an odd relationship with animal-related tourist attractions—everything from marine wildlife, to alligators, to exotic rescues have always thrived here. I’ve spent decades obsessed with roadside attractions and the macaques that were accidently habituated here by a tour boat operator in the 1930s. When I mixed that obsession with the ragtag, lively, and somewhat desperate characters who found me and asked me to tell their stories, Florida Woman emerged.How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?It took about five years from first draft to publication, including querying for an agent. The core ideas stayed the same, but a lot of the novel’s structure changed during the revision process. I merged two characters into one, for example, a subplot bit the dust, and so did a prologue. The most important structural tweak concerned point-of-view. The first drafts were written entirely in first person, but the novel finally felt fully realized when I added chapters from the shared viewpoint of the Atlas refuge center staff as they bungle and fight their way through their lofty plans. Having both types of chapters allowed me to have fun with voice, group dynamics, and mysteries that are withheld from my protagonist while being slowly revealed to the reader. Most of those chapters were added in the fourth draft. Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?I was delighted by the collaborative nature of the publication process. My agent Hannah Brattesani guided me with thoughtful developmental edits, and then positioned me with the perfect editor to take my book all the way. Grace Towery at Hanover Square Press taught me so much through her edits about carefully evoking and protecting character arcs, and then she brilliantly coordinated Florida Woman’s team. I wish every book had extensive end credits the way that films do, because by the time a book launches it has benefited from a powerful creative village of people I’ll probably never meet, including an entire audiobook production team. It was even more fun than I thought it would be!Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?I was amazed again and again by how sometimes a word you draft on page three might end up being a crucial detail in a plot twist by the end of the book or just as easily might be a throwaway easily deleted—and you’ll never know which until you write it out. What do you hope readers will get out of your book?I hope they walk away a little more in touch with the Florida Man or Florida Woman hidden inside of them, and I hope they feel less alone in this big, weird world. I would never ask a writer for advice about anything, let alone writing. Writer’s bluff. Listen to your editor, of course, but before that try a landscaper, a person running the register at a convenience store, a nurse—they’ll tell you straight up how to stick with it or cut to the chase or fine-tune a character. You know who gives good advice about writing? The dudes who smoke cigars at the fishing pier. I once listened to a tile guy describe how he starts from the middle of the room when mapping out a complicated pattern, and boom, I knew how to fix a certain vexing plot flaw. Are you ready to take the next step toward a final draft of your novel? This course is for you! Join Mark Spencer in an intensive 16-week coaching session focused entirely on your novel in progress. You'll work with Mark on your choice of up to 60,000 words of your novel or two drafts of up to 30,000 words each. You'll also have the opportunity to speak to Mark directly about your work during two one-on-one phone calls or Zoom sessions.Click to continue.
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Dog attacks are leaving postal workers with permanent and disabling injuries, with figures showing more than 1,600 incidents in the last year.A total of 1,673 attacks were recorded, an average of 32 every week across the UK, according to Royal Mail.
Sheffield had the most incidents reported during the year to March 31 2022, with 51 posties suffering dog attacks, closely followed by Belfast, with 50, and Tunbridge Wells with 44.The BN (Brighton), NG (Nottingham), and SA (Swansea) postcode areas each saw 37 dog attacks on Royal Mail's delivery staff, while the NE (Newcastle) and OX (Oxford) postcode areas saw 35 each.The majority of dog attacks, 654 (39%), took place at the front door. A further 498 (30%) took place in the garden, driveway or yard, while 134 (8%) took place in the street or road.
There were also 387 injuries suffered through letterboxes - accounting for 23% of attacks on postal workers. More from UK 'Serious disruption' to roads including M4 and M5 as protesters use go-slow roadblocks to target motorways over fuel duty Fuel protesters filmed on M4 'go slow' - though one might regret video Army's Twitter and YouTube accounts hacked and flooded with crypto spam and images of Elon Musk Julie Mundy, based in Nantwich, Cheshire, spent five days in hospital, was off work for three months, and suffered from post-traumatic stress after her ordeal in 2019.A postwoman for 19 years, she said a customer tried to hold the dog back but it got away and jumped at her, causing her to stumble backwards and fall on the ground, breaking her hip.She said: "By then the dog was on top of me but I couldn't move - but I didn't realise at that point I had broken my hip. The customer came and dragged the dog off me and another neighbour from across the road came over to help."My arm was bleeding where the dog had bitten me because I had been trying to cover my face. The neighbour from across the road cleaned me up and bandaged my arm and called an ambulance. I had to remain on the floor in the garden as I couldn't walk."She said she suffered from post-traumatic stress after the attack. Tim Murray, a Parcelforce Worldwide delivery driver from Plymouth, was left afraid of his own dog after being bitten on the hand when a customer's pet escaped through a fence in 2020.He said: "The owner called his name. But it was too late. The dog had already bitten my hand. I was in a world of pain and shock, attempting to defend myself with my steel-capped boots, trying to keep the dog at bay. But the damage was done."I was the owner of a playful puppy at the time. I began avoiding him in fear of him jumping up or nibbling me. He would try and cuddle into me, bring me his toys and not leave my side. It's taken me over a year to enjoy the sight of another dog."I had an operation on the tendon in my hand and was in hospital for several days. I was told to avoid work for a week and only undertake light duties for six weeks."Letterbox attacks were the subject of a 2020 High Court ruling that stated dog owners can be prosecuted if their pets have free access to the letterbox and cause injury, whether the owner is at home or not.The year 2020/2021 saw a 31% decline in attacks which is thought to have been a result of contact-free deliveries during the pandemic.However, postal workers reverted back to pre-pandemic delivery methods after the data had been collected for 2021/2022.The figures are published as Royal Mail launches Dog Awareness week, to help promote dog safety.A special Dog Awareness Week postmark will be applied to all stamped items from 4 July to 8 July.
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Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A Tokyo clothing maker has teamed up with veterinarians to create a wearable fan for pets, hoping to attract the anxious owners of dogs - or cats - that can't shed their fur coats in Japan's blistering summer weather.The device consists of a battery-operated, 80-gramme (3-ounce) fan that is attached to a mesh outfit and blows air around an animal's body.Rei Uzawa, president of maternity clothing maker Sweet Mommy, says she was motivated to create it after seeing her own pet chihuahua exhausted every time it was taken out for a walk in the scorching summer heat.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"There was almost no rainy season this year, so the hot days came early, and in that sense, I think we developed a product that is right for the market," she said.A 5-y-o Scottish Fold cat named Sun wears a battery-powered fan outfit for pets, developed by Japanese maternity clothing maker "Sweet Mommy", during the copmany's promotional event in Tokyo, Japan July 28, 2022. REUTERS/Issei KatoAfter the rainy season in Tokyo ended in late June, the Japanese capital suffered the longest heatwave on record with temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) for nine days."I usually use dry ice packs (to keep the dog cool). But I think it's easier to walk my dog if we have this fan," said Mami Kumamoto, 48, owner of a miniature poodle named Pudding and a terrier named Maco.The device debuted in early July and Sweet Mommy has received around 100 orders for the product, Uzawa said. It comes in five different sizes and is priced at 9,900 yen ($74).($1 = 133.1900 yen)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Irene Wang
Writing by Daniel Leussink
Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Published July 6, 2022 9:23PM article Bracco Italiano dog and its owner on day four at Crufts Dog Show at National Exhibition Centre on March 13, 2022 in Birmingham, England. Crufts returns this year after it was cancelled last year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. dog lovers, say "benvenuto" to the bracco Italiano. The ancient Italian bird-hunting dog is the 200th member of the American Kennel Club's roster of recognized breeds, the organization announced Wednesday. That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year. The bracco (pronounced BRAH'-koh) goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn't brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It's sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog. The ideal bracco should be "tough and adapted to all types of hunting, reliable, docile and intelligent," while also friendly and neither shy nor aggressive, according to the AKC's standard for the medium-to-large breed. "They’re very easy to live with and be around, and yet it’s like a light switch — when it’s time to jump in the back of the truck and go hunting, and they’ve got a job, they just light up like a Christmas tree," said owner and breeder Lisa Moller of Portage, Wisconsin. She and husband Dale relied on Labrador retrievers as pheasant-hunting helpers before a friend introduced them to a bracco about five years ago. The couple was quickly struck by the dog's methodical hunting style in the field and affectionate nature at home: "They're very Velcro," Lisa Moller said. Bracco Italiano dogs on day four at Crufts Dog Show at National Exhibition Centre on March 13, 2022 in Birmingham, England. The dogs — the proper plural is "bracchi Italiani" — have a deep bark and readily deploy it on spotting backyard wildlife, so "they may not be the right dog for everybody," she noted. AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo called the bracco a great companion for active families who can provide "the love and attention it needs." The AKC opened the nation's oldest dog registry with a mere nine breeds in 1878. In the last decade alone, the club has added over 20 breeds, ranging from the teeny Russian toy to the powerful dogo Argentino. Criteria involve the total number and generations of registered dogs nationwide, their geographical distribution and other factors. There remain many breeds that are registered elsewhere but not by the AKC, or aren't formally recognized at all. Some aficionados eschew, or are torn about, the exposure that AKC recognition brings to a breed. Animal rights activists denounce dog breeding, and they say that adding more breeds just exacerbates faddish demand for purebred pets and fuels puppy mills that feed it. The AKC says it promotes responsible breeding aimed at preserving characteristics that equip dogs for various tasks and ease owners' search for a pup they can live with and commit to.
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Uplift June 14, 2022 / 1:00 PM / CBS News Remembering Ruby the rescue dog Remembering Ruby, a K9 trooper who made a life-saving rescue 03:44 Ruby was a beloved K-9 trooper with the Rhode Island State Police, but she didn't always work with them. Ruby was once a rambunctious rescue who was was in and out of the shelter – returned five times by five different families, her longtime handler Corporal Daniel O'Neil told CBS News."She was deemed un-adoptable, because of her high energy and she was just unmanageable," O'Neil said. "[The shelter workers] looked at her and just saw that she had a ton of energy that just needed to be focused and maybe put to work." Corporal Daniel O'Neil believes that he and Ruby were destined to be paired together when she joined the Rhode Island State Police. Daniel O'Neil/Rhode Island State Police They reached out to the state police, who wanted to give Ruby a second chance and decided to try her out as a search and rescue dog. O'Neil was picked to be her handler. "We were kind of parallel. Because when I was younger, I was kind of a mess. I couldn't focus and I wasn't good at school. But no one really ever gave up on me. They said, 'Hey, he's a hard worker and he can really make a difference,'" he said. "And I think that's what they saw in Ruby and that's why we were destined to be together."A normal dog could be trained in months. For Ruby, it took a year and a half, but O'Neil didn't want to give up on her. Finally, in 2011, she was a certified K-9 trooper. Six years later, she became even more than that – a hero. Before she died from cancer in 2022, Ruby received many honors for her heroic rescue of a missing boy. Rhode Island State Police "We got a call from Glocester Police Department stating there was a missing boy," O'Neil said. "And we just went out and started searching." About eight hours into their search, Ruby bolted away from O'Neil down a hill. "I looked over the hill and I saw a pair of boots on the ground, and there was a young boy laying face down and he hit his head and he had a huge laceration on his head and he was all stiff and it looked like he was deceased," O'Neil recalled. "You know, as a father, I was emotional. But as a trooper and a handler and the love I had for Ruby, I was so happy, because she had done exactly what I had trained her to do for the last six years," he said. The boy was in critical condition, and Ruby saved his life. O'Neil went to tell his mother that he was found alive and told her a K-9 trooper helped save her son. That's when they realized a serendipitous connection. The boy's mom once worked at an animal shelter. "And she goes, 'Yeah, there was a dog back in 2011, that I absolutely loved, that I heard became a state trooper back a few years ago,'" O'Neil said. "And I said, 'What?'"The mother told O'Neil her name was Pat Inman, and the dog she remembered from the shelter was named was Ruby. "I loved her, she was the sweetest thing," she told him. "I said, are you kidding?" O'Neil said. "And I said, 'Pat, that dog that you helped for all those times to get adopted and then become a trooper, just saved your son's life.' And she of course starts crying, then I start crying." After Ruby saved the boy's life, his mother, Pat Inman, realized they had serendipitous connection. Inman knew Ruby when she was at the animal shelter years earlier. Rhode Island State Police Ruby was honored for her hard work – winning the American Humane Hero Dog Award in 2018, appearing on the cover of Rhode Island Monthly magazine and being celebrated by the state troopers. But unfortunately, Ruby was diagnosed with cancer and died in May 2022.Before she passed, a Netflix movie about her called "Rescued by Ruby" premiered. Ruby's story will live on and continue to inspire countless people. "She was the poster child for shelter dogs. I'm hoping she's a symbol for shelter dogs that, hey, just because they're in a shelter doesn't mean they're bad dogs," O'Neil said. "They just need a chance, they need your patience, they just need your compassion and your love, and they can truly change the world." Caitlin O'Kane Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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U.S. June 24, 2022 / 7:59 PM / CBS News A black bear in Sevierville, Tennessee, died after getting stuck inside a hot parked car where it was possibly rummaging for food, authorities said Thursday.The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said in a statement posted to Facebook that a bear entered a car parked at a Sevierville rental cabin on Wednesday after the car's owner left the cabin at 10 a.m. The owner returned at 6:45 p.m and found the bear dead inside the vehicle, the statement said. Wildlife officials say they believe the bear used its teeth or paws to open the unlocked door and then got trapped inside after the door shut behind it. Once stuck inside, the bear likely died due to the extreme heat. Temperatures that day exceeded 95 degrees, which meant the interior of the car "possibly reached over 140 degrees," wildlife officials said. A photo of the bear who officials said died after it was trapped in a hot car. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said the incident is "a good example of how garbage kills," writing that the bear was most likely lured into the car by left behind food. The agency posted a series of photos showing the bear slumped over the center console of the vehicle surrounded by trash, including a can of soda on the floor of the backseat. Wildlife officials implored that people do their best not to leave any candy wrappers, fast food bags or empty food containers in their vehicles. "Notice the empty soda can and food package on the floorboard," the agency said in the post. "Bears have noses 7 times better than a bloodhound and can smell even the faintest odor of food inside a vehicle.""Lock your doors, roll up your windows, and never leave food or anything that smells like food inside!" the agency added.
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One of the puppies died after they were found at the side of the road in Peterborough among a pile of flytipped rubbish covered in cuts and missing an earThe male puppy died as a result of his injuries after he was found with his ear "chewed off"A couple of newborn puppies were found with cuts and body parts "chewed off" as they were rescued from a pile of rubbish dumped at the roadside. The two pups who are thought to be just three days old had lacerations on their bodies and one was missing an ear as they were rushed to the vets. The RSPCA are investigating the horrifying discovery, after the male puppy, who had lost his ear, died despite all efforts to save him. The surviving female pup, now named Billie, is said to be doing well by her foster carer but still has to be hand-fed. The RSPCA are sharing the tragic story of this brother and sister, who were found among flytipped rubbish in Peterborough on July 2, to launch their Cancel Out Cruelty campaign. It is not clear how the lacerations on the puppies' bodies were caused (
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RSPCA) RSPCA Inspector Justin Stubbs, who is investigating the incident said: “We are grateful to everyone who was involved in helping these puppies. “We would also like to thank the dedicated foster carer who is hand-rearing the female puppy - Billie. “I’m keen to hear from anyone who may know who is responsible for abandoning these puppies in such an irresponsible way. They were so young and vulnerable." Investigators are now appealing for information to help catch the callous culprit who left these puppies to die. It is not yet clear what breed the puppies are, but Billie will remain in RSPCA care until she is fit and well enough for a forever home. Mr Stubbs pleaded with people to ask for help if they are struggling financially with their pets as he highlighted the cost of living was not an excuse for abandoning animals. He said: “We know it is a difficult time for lots of families at the moment and we understand that many are struggling to cope, particularly given the rising cost of living. “But abandoning tiny puppies like this is so irresponsible. Please, please never abandon your pet but ask for help before things get so desperate.” Read More Read More
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Deza Empson, 31, from Redcar, Yorkshire, bought six Braddock-White Clarence Court eggs at Morrisons and put them in an incubator she bought on Amazon to breed budgiesDeza Empson is smitten after three eggs she bought from Morrisons hatched into ducklings A mum is smitten after three eggs she bought from Morrisons hatched - and now she has pet ducklings. Deza Empson, 31, bought six Braddock-White Clarence Court eggs at the supermarket and on a whim put them in an incubator she bought on Amazon to breed budgies. She was shocked when just five days later she shone a light and could see little ducklings developing inside some of the eggs. The little chicks began pecking their way out of their shells three weeks later - with River and Dusk arriving first, followed by Daisy a day later. The trio love nothing more than a splash in the bath, and Daisy has grown so attached to Deza she follows her around, snuggling on her shoulder. Deza bought the incubator from Amazon and the eggs from Morrisons (
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Deza Empson / SWNS) She plans to keep Daisy, but River and Dusk will go to live with her cousin. Mum-of-three Deza from Redcar, Yorkshire, said: "They're lovely. It's so crazy. They just follow me everywhere. "When I first saw them move I could hardly believe it. I was like, 'oh my god. I'm getting ducks!' My bond with Daisy is really special. Deza said the ducklings follow her round her home (
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Deza Empson / SWNS) "She cries for me all the time. I think she's so attached to me because I had to help her and she hatched last. "I can't imagine now that somebody else could have bought and eaten her." Deza was testing her new incubator to ensure the temperature was constant, and to check she could see inside the eggs, before using it to help her breeding budgies. The ducklings hatched on June 11 and 12 and are growing quickly (
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Lee McLean/SWNS) She had seen a TikTok video where someone tested an incubator with supermarket duck eggs, so used five, discarding one which was cracked. Deza saw veins developing in four of the duck eggs after five days, and then began to see the little shapes of ducklings growing - and beginning to move. One of the developing chicks failed after a couple of weeks, so Deza took it out of the artificial nest. The ducklings sleep upstairs now and call out when they want Deza (
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Lee McLean/SWNS) They hatched on June 11 and 12. The hatchlings now all sleep upstairs and Deza has to pop her hand over the little cage when the duckling calls out. She said Daisy squeaks and wiggles her tail whenever she sees her human 'mum'. Daisy nestles in Deza's hair (
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Deza Empson / SWNS) Deza plans to keep Daisy but River and Dusk will go to live with her cousin (
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Lee McLean/SWNS) Daisy snuggles on Deza's neck, nibbling her hair while she is watching TV or cooking. Deza believes her new little yellow pets are Aylesbury ducks and will turn white. But as much as she loves the ducks, Deza admitted the constant cleaning up of duckling poo is a bit of a challenge. Deza said: "They're so lovely, but it just wasn't what I expected at all. "Eggs you buy from the supermarket just shouldn't be fertile. "My nan loves duck eggs and she won't touch them any more now she knows they might be alive, and friends I've told don't ever want to eat eggs again." Read More Read More
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Officials in Michigan are trying to identify an illness that has killed dozens of dogs in the last month in the northern and central parts of the state's Lower Peninsula.The illness has killed more than 20 dogs in Otsego County alone, usually within days of them presenting symptoms of vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite, the county animal shelter in Gaylord, a 60-mile drive northeast of Traverse City, said Friday on Facebook.More than 30 dogs died of similar symptoms this month in Michigan's Clare County, three counties to the south, that county's animal control director told county officials last week, according to the Clare County Cleaver. Similar reports have been made around northern and central Michigan.SEE ALSO | Nearly 200 neglected dogs seized from Illinois propertyThose are symptoms that can be caused by canine parvovirus, known as "parvo," a highly contagious virus that most often infects unvaccinated dogs and puppies younger than 4 months, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.Details about whether parvo is involved in the Michigan cases conflict. Affected dogs tested negative for parvo during initial screening by veterinarians, the Otsego County shelter and the Clare County animal control director have said.But some of the first samples submitted to Michigan State University's veterinary diagnostic laboratory were positive for parvovirus, the lab and the state agriculture department said Monday."However, there are more results pending and more to be learned," state veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland said in an agriculture department news release.The agriculture department called it a "canine parvovirus-like illness" and said it and the MSU diagnostic lab are helping to investigate the cases.The affected dogs in Otsego County have generally been dogs under 2 years old or elderly, the county shelter said."We have not seen any dogs ... die that are PROPERLY vaccinated," the shelter's Facebook post reads.Routine canine vaccinations include those against parvovirus, and dog owners should make sure their pets have the vaccine, the agriculture department says.Canine parvovirus is spread by dog-to-dog contact and contact with contaminated feces and environments, the veterinary medical association says. It is not contagious to people or other types of animals, the state agriculture department said.No drug will kill parvovirus in infected dogs, so treatment for that virus focuses on supporting the body's systems -- including by replacing electrolyte, protein and fluid losses -- so the immune system can fight the infection, the veterinary medical association says.Survival rates for parvovirus "can approach 90%" with proper treatment, though when death happens, it usually occurs 48 to 72 hours after symptoms start, the association saysThe Otsego County shelter highlighted a challenge that the initial negative tests may have posed in the recent cases."Because there (are) numerous diseases that are similar the vet may treat differently," the shelter's post reads.The-CNN-Wire& 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
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When red kites were reintroduced in England more than 30 years ago, young birds were brought over from thriving populations in Spain. Now the carrion-feeding raptor is doing so well that English chicks – with distant Spanish ancestry – are being flown back to Spain to boost ailing numbers there.Fed on culled grey squirrels and meticulously checked by vets, 15 chicks collected from nests in Northamptonshire are this week travelling to southern Spain where they will be held in special aviaries in the countryside until they are mature enough to be set free.“When we went to Spain in the late 1980s and said: ‘Can we have some kites?’, the Spanish conservationists were really enthusiastic,” said Ian Evans of Natural England, who was involved in the original English reintroduction and is helping with the translocation of birds to Spain today. “The amount of effort to find nests, monitor them and collect chicks is considerable. That’s turned a full circle and we’re doing the same, using the knowledge we built up in the 1990s to help the Spanish.”Reintroducing red kites to England has been the most successful raptor restoration project in Europe. In 1989 there were just 42 breeding pairs of red kites, struggling in upland Wales. Today there are estimated to be more than 6,000 breeding pairs across Britain, the second-highest national population in Europe after Germany, and 17% of the global population.The British population is still increasing and there is such a surplus of red kites that chicks have been taken from nests in Forestry England woods in the east Midlands for other translocation projects in Cumbria and Aberdeen, as well as Spain.Karl Ivens, right, RSPB field officer Simon Dudhill and vet Sophie Common prepare the red kite chicks for Spain. Photograph: John Robertson/The GuardianNests are monitored and a single chick is taken only from nests with multiple chicks, so the wild birds continue to rear offspring and don’t abandon their nest. The birds are taken at between four and six weeks old, so there is no risk they will become tame or “imprinted” upon humans.Thirty birds will be taken to Spain every summer for three years in the project, funded by the EU’s Life programme and supported in Britain by organisations including the RSPB and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.Karl Ivens, wildlife ranger manager for Forestry England, said: “I joked to the Spanish ecologist in the 1990s that ‘one day I’ll bring them back to you’, never expecting it to be true. Kites to Spain sounds a bit like coals to Newcastle but they’ve become endangered there after problems with persecution.”“From a genetic point of view, these birds are really close to the Iberian birds still living here,” said Alfonso Godino, the project manager of Acción por el Mundo Salvaje (Amus), one of the reintroduction partners in Spain, where the population has slumped to fewer than 10 breeding pairs in the south-west. “It’s really amazing that this one action – the reintroduction in England – can get a lovely reaction even three decades later.”The carrion-feeding red kite has declined in Spain because of the poisoning of animal carcasses, sometimes to protect lambs from foxes. But according to Godino, the Spanish kites can thrive again because tough measures – including prison sentences for illegal poisoning – have now reduced red kite mortality.Two six-week old red kite chicks that are being transported from the UK to Spain. Photograph: John Robertson/The Guardian“Illegal poisoning will never disappear but the level has decreased a lot over the last decade.”This was the experience in England after the Spanish red kites were reintroduced. The red kite thrived because illegal persecution fell alongside a rise in the understanding that the carrion-feeder does not threaten the viability of pheasant shoots or other rural businesses.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST“Nobody knew if they would leave the pheasants and partridges alone but over time the gamekeepers found out for themselves – red kites don’t eat pheasants and partridges,” said Evans. “A lot of the keepers really got into the kites.”The RSPB’s Duncan Orr-Ewing, who masterminded the first red kite reintroduction programme in Scotland and is advising the latest project, said: “It’s about conserving biodiversity and we can never be complacent about it. The Spanish population of red kites was almost revered but it shows how things can take a turn for the worse without any protection. We’ve got to keep our eyes on the ball and make a positive contribution wherever we can.”
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The Colorado man had an injury to his arm. The park warns visitors to stay more than 25 yards away from bison.June 29, 2022, 6:47 AM UTCA 34-year-old man was injured Monday when he was gored by a bison at Yellowstone National Park, officials said. The man was walking with his family on a boardwalk near the Giant Geyser at Old Faithful when a bull bison charged the group, according to the park. The family members did not leave the area and the bison continued to charge and gore the man, the park said. A bison walks past people in Yellowstone National Park last week. George Frey / Getty ImagesThe man, from Colorado, was taken to an Idaho hospital with an injury to his arm, officials said. No information was released about his condition. The incident is the second this year that Yellowstone said involved a visitor "getting too close to the animal and the bison responding to the perceived threat by goring the individual.”On May 30, a bison gored a 25-year-old Ohio woman and tossed her 10 feet in the air after she approached the animal while it walked north of Old Faithful. The woman had puncture wound and other injuries, according to the park. Yellowstone says visitors should stay more than 25 yards away from all large animals — including bison, elk, and moose — and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Bison are unpredictable and and can run three times faster than humans, the park said. Yellowstone closed for a little more than a week earlier this month after severe flooding washed away roads and destroyed bridges. The south loop, where Old Faithful is, reopened June 22, but the north loop remains closed. Claire CardonaClaire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital based in Texas.
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Alison Eastwood grew up watching her father play a hero on the big screen – now, she wants to be a heroine for animals in need.The retired actress, who is the daughter of Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson, spends much of her time rescuing animals at risk of being euthanized in Southern California’s overcrowded shelters. In 2012, the 50-year-old founded the Eastwood Ranch Foundation, which aims to reduce pet overpopulation and increase adoptions through spay/neuter programs, rescue partnerships, and local education. Eastwood told us that when she is not overseeing her passion project, she is spending more time than ever with the legendary actor/director, who has been savoring his golden years kicking back with his family and playing golf with close pals. Alison Eastwood is the daughter of Clint Eastwood and Maggie Johnson. (Photo by Michael Tran/Getty Images)Eastwood spoke to Fox News Digital about growing up outside of Hollywood, what it was really like being directed by her dad and how others can take part in her rescue efforts.RONALD REAGAN AND JANE WYMAN’S SON MICHAEL RECALLS HEARTFELT MOMENT WITH PRESIDENT: ‘I STILL GET EMOTIONAL’Fox News: When did you first realize that your father was different from other days?Alison Eastwood: I would say when I was seven or eight years old – somewhere around there. I was pretty young, and I remember seeing this movie poster on the side of a bus with my father’s face on it. I thought, "That’s kind of weird." *laughs*.But I think it goes even further back. I grew up in Carmel, which is a pretty small, sleepy town in California. We would have family dinners and people would approach him during our family time to shake hands, and get an autograph or a photo. It really annoyed my dad, but that’s the price of being famous. Clint Eastwood and his wife, Maggie Johnson, play with two pet budgerigars in their home, October 1, 1959. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)You don’t get a lot of boundaries when you’re out in public. People think, "Well, he’s a public celebrity figure, and we want to go up and say hello." I remember as a kid that we wouldn’t get a lot of uninterrupted, quality family time with him in public. People always wanted to engage with him. I guess that was my real first time noticing that people seemed only interested in him. And of course, seeing his face on the side of buses or buildings. I learned very quickly that other people’s parents weren’t garnering that same kind of attention.Fox News: What was it like growing up in Carmel? You probably didn’t have the typical Hollywood upbringing.Eastwood: Carmel is a beautiful place and I think my parents really wanted to get out of Hollywood to raise their kids. When my dad was in the army, he was stationed in the Monterey peninsula, so he loved the area. And my mom fell in love with it too. They both lived in LA, but when it came time to raise a family, they felt it was important to get out of the Hollywood scene.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERI’m glad they did because it was a very magical upbringing. We lived surrounded by the forest where we had baby deer, raccoons – all sorts of wildlife. And we were right on the ocean. My brother and I would just go outside and enjoy nature. I think that’s why I love animals and nature so much because I grew up in that kind of environment. It’s hard not to appreciate it on a very deep level. Maggie Johnson at her Pebble Beach home with her daughter Alison Eastwood, son Kyle Eastwood, and Dutch Velvet, their pet rabbit. (Photo by © Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/VCG via Getty Images)Fox News: How much of an influence did your upbringing have on you?Eastwood: It had an amazing impact on me. I remember my mom and dad took in a baby deer that had been orphaned. The mother had been hit by a car. We were able to care for it. And we were always surrounded by animals. My parents were both very conscious about exposing us to nature. But unfortunately, my dad is allergic to cats and some dogs. So is my brother Kyle *laughs*.So I ended up taking care of the animals and I just loved it. My earliest memories of my childhood were helping these animals in need and it was wonderful. I also had lots of pets – birds, fish, a hermit crab – anything that wasn’t an allergen *laughs*. I was just very fortunate to be surrounded by nature and this beautiful sea life.Fox News: Your parents divorced in 1984. Did that affect you in any way?Eastwood: You know, I’m so thankful that both of them are friends. We all celebrate Thanksgiving together. Usually, my dad and his girlfriend will come over to my mom’s house. And my parents only live like a mile away from each other up in the Carmel area. They still have some businesses together. PRINCE ALBERT OF MONACO ON GRACE KELLY’S FIRST MEETING WITH PRINCE RAINIER: ‘MY FATHER LET HIS CHARM WORK’Their lives are intertwined, and it’s been great. And they’ve always gotten along really well… I give my mom a lot of credit for being somebody who said, "We have a family together, regardless of whether we’re married or not. We want the kids to know that we get along, and we’re friends still." That was especially important to both of my parents. Family came first.Fox News: You must have many, but what’s one memory involving your father that makes you smile whenever you think about it?Eastwood: My parents separated when I was pretty young – I was six. But we spent a lot of time with him on set while he worked. I think one of my fondest memories involved my brother Kyle and me getting to be part of the crew. I got to use the clapperboard and everyone was just so sweet about it *laughs*.Fox News: That’s one way to do "Take your Child to Work Day."Eastwood: I know! And the cool thing was that it wasn’t just one day a year. We were on set all the time spending time with him. My dad has a very tight-knit group of people he frequently works with, so it felt like family. I grew up with them and saw them all the time. They were always very welcoming and looked out for us kids. And my dad made it even more fun for us. He would put us in a scene, even if it was in the background or whatever. We got to be involved in his work, too. Actor Clint Eastwood with his daughter actress Alison Eastwood, and actress Jenny Beck, on the set of ‘Tightrope'. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)Fox News: You went on to pursue acting. Did your parents give you any advice on navigating the film industry?Eastwood: No. My dad was never encouraging any of us kids to be actors. But he certainly didn’t deter us. He just simply told us that we could do whatever we wanted as long as it made us happy. At first, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but when I reached high school, I was told I had to go to college for eight years. At the time, I didn’t want to do that. So I ended up getting into the film world, not just with acting, but also working behind the scenes. My dad would simply say, "If this makes you happy, go for it."SON OF 'HAPPY DAYS' STAR MARION ROSS RECALLS WORKING WITH RON HOWARD: 'I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN AWE'Fox News: Your father ended up directing you. What was that like?Eastwood: Oh, he directed me multiple times *laughs*. I worked with him as a kid, and then I worked with him as a young adult. I last worked with him in 2018, which is when I retired from acting. It felt appropriate to start my acting career with him and then end it with him as well. They were all great experiences, but different ones. But he always looked after me.In 2018, I played his daughter in "The Mule." It wasn’t a big role, but I played a character that didn’t speak to her father. They had a very strained relationship, which is the complete opposite of what we have. It was tough to play someone who had such negativity and resentment towards him. So when we were done shooting, I would go have a beer with him or something, so we could end the day completely happy and laughing. He’s an amazing director and there’s a reason why people love working with him.Fox News: What inspired you to launch the Eastwood Ranch Foundation?Eastwood: I have always been an animal lover, but I wasn’t really involved in the rescue community, per se. In 2012, I co-created a TV show called "Animal Intervention" and we sold it to National Geographic Wild. It only lasted one season, but we still wanted to find a way to bring attention to animal welfare and rescue. That prompted me to do something locally after the show ended.Looking back, I’m kind of grateful the show didn’t end up going on. It spurred me to go back to Southern California where I live and act locally. I wanted to do something in my community. I was becoming painfully aware of our overcrowding in California and our overpopulation problems, and the euthanasia problems. We decided to focus on domestic and shelter pets. It’s been over 10 years now, and we’ve helped save thousands of animals.'I LOVE LUCY' STARS LUCILLE BALL, DESI ARNAZ REVEALED THESE FINAL WORDS TO EACH OTHER, DAUGHTER SAYSFox News: What’s a misconception you feel the public still has about animals in shelters?Eastwood: That they’re damaged. You know, how could they end up here? Lots of animals that end up in shelters are wonderful and show how grateful they are when they finally get adopted or rescued. When it comes to shelters, it’s hard for an animal to show its true personality. Clint Eastwood directed his daughter Alison Eastwood in several films. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)You’re in a chaotic environment. Shelters can feel a bit like a prison. There’s concrete, metal gates, and lots of noise. Even if you have good volunteers and people working there, animals can sense their environment… California is a very affluent, wealthy state, and we could be doing a lot more, such as mandatory spaying and neutering. We have a responsibility as humans to care for animals.Some shelters, when they reach over capacity, end up having to euthanize. It’s a hard, sad situation. You can feel unsure about how exactly to solve it. But I think changing laws, enforcing laws and raising awareness to encourage people to do the right thing are important. You know, not to breed animals and not allow animals to accidentally get pregnant. It’s been a horrible summer already.Kittens right now at our shelters [in California] have reached over capacity. It’s a heartbreaking situation. There has to be something that comes from a higher level, whether it be government or county – a more civil issue. Mere rescue isn’t enough. We’re trying to do those things. I work with a lot of different nonprofits that have been trying to implement stricter laws to help alleviate some of that. We want to educate the public more and empower them to know that we could do so much more.LIZA MINNELLI RECALLS HOW JUDY GARLAND HELPED HER COPE WITH STAGE FRIGHT: 'SHE WOULD CALM ME DOWN' Alison Eastwood attends Eastwood Ranch Foundation and PAWS For Hope and Faith Kick Off 'No Pet Left Behind' adoption event at San Bernardino City Animal Shelter on February 4, 2014. (Photo by Jerod Harris/WireImage)Fox News: What is your foundation currently working on?Eastwood: We are working on building a facility that will have a ranch-like structure. Our goal is to one day have an animal sanctuary where unwanted, neglected, abused animals can live out their lives in peace. We are building our first rescue facility and adoption center here in LA county. We are an animal rescue and welfare organization. We not only rescue animals from high-kill shelters, but we also work on behalf of other nonprofits trying to help raise money and raise awareness on those already doing the work, as well as educate the public on how they can also get involved in their communities.Fox News: What does your dad think of the Eastwood Ranch Foundation?Eastwood: Both my parents have always been big supporters. They always knew from the time that I was very young that I had a deep appreciation and love for animals. And with my dad, I do see him all the time. He’s 92 and not working all the time like he used to. He’s enjoying his life. He spends time with the kids and playing golf with his friends. I cherish every moment that I spend time with him, especially now when he’s not working as much and on location.Fox News: What’s next for you?Eastwood: We’re in the middle of fundraising for our facility. We’re almost halfway there. We’ve been a little behind schedule due to [the pandemic], but we’re busy and determined. My goal is to ultimately open rescue facilities in other states and serve as a model for other rescues beyond Southern California. I know with the way things are concerning the economy, it’s not always easy to give monetarily.But there are plenty of other ways you can help animals. Just sharing on social media is wonderful. Donating old sheets and towels to local shelters is great. Offering volunteer time to a local rescue, whether it’s helping to feed the animals, cleaning, or even transporting to and from the vet. I encourage people to reach out to their local rescues and shelters and offer their help. And that help doesn’t always have to be writing a check. It could simply be donating your time or skills. There is always something you can do to support your local rescues. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
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AnimalsExplainerCenturies after it ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, plague remains endemic in the western U.S. Here’s why—and the risk it poses to humans today.Summer is here—and with it, scientists predict an uptick of plague outbreaks in rural parts of the western United States among local wildlife that can spread to humans.Yes, you read that right: plague. The disease that killed as many as 200 million people from Central Asia to Mesopotamia and Italy—wiping out half of Europe’s population in the mid-1300s—doesn’t just loom large in history, it still exists. And it’s not even that unusual.Plague was never eradicated and still circulates among mammals such as prairie dogs, jackrabbits, coyotes, black-footed ferrets, and even domestic pets. It’s found on every continent except Oceania and Antarctica, and is particularly common in Madagascar, Peru, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In the U.S. most cases occur from late spring to early fall in the West, particularly in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Nevada. In August 2021, California officials had to close parts of Lake Tahoe after a dead chipmunk tested positive for the bubonic plague. Later that month, a New Mexico resident was diagnosed with plague, likely from a flea brought home by a pet.Outbreaks of one of history’s deadliest diseases may sound scary, but thanks to antibiotics, plague is typically not deadly if treated. Today the U.S. sees an average of seven human cases a year, mostly bubonic plague, which is contracted from flea bites and is marked by the development of swollen, painful lymph nodes called buboes.“It’s an extremely rare infection,” says Dave Wagner, director of the Biodefense and Disease Ecology Center at Northern Arizona University’s Pathogen & Microbiome Institute. “I always tell people, look both ways before you cross the street before you worry about plague.”What drives these rare plague outbreaks—and how serious is the risk to humans today? Here’s what you need to know.What animals can spread plague?Caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, plague is a zoonotic disease, which means animals can pass it to humans. In addition to bubonic plague, other forms include septicemic plague, which travels in the bloodstream, and pneumonic plague, which develops in the lungs and is the only form that humans can transmit to one another.Black rats—your average house rat—have been blamed for history’s most horrific plague pandemics. But, Wagner says, they’re far from the only culprits. “It’s primarily a disease of rodents and their fleas,” he says.Fleas live off the blood of mammals, and they especially love attaching themselves to rodents—not just black rats. When a rodent gets infected with Y. pestis, it promptly passes the pathogen to its fleas. And when the rodent dies, the fleas jump to their next host—which may be a human. A 2018 study concluded that plague spread widely in Europe not through rats, but via fleas and lice that lived on humans.(Here’s how infections jump from animals to people.)Scientists aren’t certain what makes rodents such good hosts for Y. pestis. Wagner says it likely has something to do with their tendency to live in burrows where fleas are plentiful. Rodents also likely have a high density of the bacteria in their blood, at least compared to other mammals. Wagner points out that fleas can only sip very small amounts of blood so there has to be a lot of bacteria in that sip for a host to infect the flea.The species that carry the plague vary by region. In Madagascar, for example, black rats are still the most common host. In North America, however, plague is most commonly seen in prairie dogs, as well as other native rodents such as wood rats and squirrels.Scientists also have found evidence of plague among wild animals other than rodents, including rabbits, deer, black-footed ferrets, mountain lions, coyotes—and even among domestic cats and dogs. Some may contract the disease from eating an infected animal, while others may simply be in the wrong place at the wrong time when an infected flea is looking for a new host.“Imagine what a dog is going to do if all the prairie dogs have died [of plague] down in their burrows and it smells delicious,” Wagner says. “They’re going to go dig around in the burrow.”But scientists say that it’s difficult to unravel whether these wild animals have simply contracted plague from rodents—or whether they’re also responsible for keeping plague alive. Perhaps prairie dogs just get the blame because it’s particularly obvious when plague has infected their typically active, dense colonies.“If the prairie dogs disappear, the number one suspect is going to be plague,” Wagner says.Where do plague outbreaks in the U.S. typically occur?Black rats likely brought the plague to North America in 1900, when the continent’s first case was recorded in San Francisco. Historical records and genetic studies of that specific Y. pestis strain suggest that stowaway rats arrived in the port aboard a steamship from Hong Kong, then scurried into the city where they mingled with the local rodents.The bacteria spread throughout the western U.S., where it began to circulate among small native rodents. But it never spread much farther than that. Today, cases are typically recorded west of the 100th meridian, the longitudinal line stretching from North Dakota to Texas at the edge of the Great Plains.It’s not clear why. Paul Mead, chief of the bacterial diseases branch of the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, points out that there were early outbreaks in eastern port cities. Florida and other parts of the South also had outbreaks, but plague never managed to establish itself there long-term. Scientists suspect it might be related to the differences in the soil in the West combined with the burrowing lifestyles of local rodents.“The hypothesis is that … these provide an ecologic niche in which [plague] can persist and exist,” Mead says. It’s possible that the arid western soil makes for a better home for plague or for the amoebae that help it replicate and survive. But he and other experts say it’s ultimately still a mystery why plague is only seen in the western U.S.Modern outbreaks are mostly seen in rural areas, where rodent colonies tend to be larger, Mead says. Improved sanitation and building codes in cities have also helped urban rates decrease. Outbreaks in cities do still occur, however—including a 2007 outbreak among tree squirrels in Denver’s City Park.There are typically a dozen or so reports of plague in animals each year, typically during the summer, according to Mead. But it’s not clear what drives infections. There seems to be “some sort of environmental cue where the conditions are right that it erupts from the reservoir, whatever that is, into these more conspicuous species,” Wagner says.How risky is plague to humans?It’s highly unlikely for humans to fall ill with plague, but if they do, the disease is no longer a death sentence for those who have access to the wide variety of antibiotics that treat it. Although some worry about the potential for antibiotic-resistant strains to change that calculus, scientists say that the current risk remains low.(Plague was one of history’s deadliest diseases—until we found a cure.)Plague also poses a low risk to people living in Western countries like the U.S. because they typically don’t spend a lot of time in flea-infested areas. Most flea species have a preferred species to feed off. Once they’ve found a host of that species, they’re unlikely to jump to another animal until that host dies.You therefore might face some risk of being bitten by an infected flea if you happen to walk through a prairie dog colony with individuals that have recently died from plague. But “unless you’re living next to a prairie dog colony in the western U.S., I think your risk is essentially zero,” Wagner says.There are some very rare circumstances in which humans can be infected by an intermediary animal. Dogs, for example, can bring infected fleas back to their humans. Domestic cats, which are especially susceptible to the respiratory form of plague, can infect people around them through sneezes and other respiratory droplets, much like how colds, the flu, and COVID-19 are spread.To prevent infection, Mead says it’s important for people who live in rural parts of western states to be aware of their surroundings. Report large prairie dog die-offs to local health authorities. Always give pets flea prevention treatments, and don’t allow them to roam in areas with prairie dog colonies.Why haven’t we tried to eliminate plague?While risk to humans is low, it’s more of a danger to certain at-risk species—particularly the endangered black-footed ferret. Plague is one of the major threats to the survival of the species, which feeds on prairie dogs. In recent years, conservationists have launched pioneering efforts to save these ferrets by vaccinating them against plague.But Mead says that the U.S. is unlikely expand vaccination efforts and attempt to eradicate plague. Such efforts might not be worthwhile anyway, he says, because to eradicate a disease, there needs to be a thorough understanding of how it spreads. Plague is endemic now in the western U.S., and scientists still don’t know how it persists during times when there aren’t any outbreaks. It could be living in the soil or perhaps being passed around among wildlife whose outbreaks are more difficult to detect. You might suppress plague in one area through vaccination only for it to pop up somewhere else.“It’s a little bit like grassfires,” Mead says. “The bottom line is that we in the West will have plague around as a low-level risk probably for quite some time.”
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Seabirds, which perished due to what the Canadian Wildlife Service suspect is avian flu, wash up on the shores of Point Lance, Newfoundland, Canada July 25, 2022. REUTERS/Greg LockeRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comTORONTO, July 28 (Reuters) - The carcasses of thousands of migrant seabirds have washed up on the shores of eastern Canada this week and preliminary findings showed that the birds died of avian flu.Since May 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed 13 positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the eastern Canadian province of Newfoundland.Environment and Climate Change Canada is conducting more investigations to confirm that the seabirds deaths are linked to avian flu, Peter Thomas, wildlife biologist for the center said.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comDead herring gulls, Iceland gulls, common ravens, and American crows are the among the most affected by the influenza, Thomas added.According to the Canadian Wildlife Service, the avian influenza virus is contagious and can affect domestic and wild birds throughout the world.Canadian Wildlife Service is working closely with the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative to contain the spread.The highly pathogenic avian influenza has also beenspreading rapidly in Vancouver Island, the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said, infecting birds like great horned owls, bald eagles, great blue herons, ducks and geese, and even crows."Every day I receive phone calls saying 10 are dead," Elizabeth Melnick, of Elizabeth's Wildlife Center, BC, said."Wildlife centers in the country usually choose to save the dying ones as dead ones are picked up by the city," she said.According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, avian influenza is a respiratory pathogen that causes a high degree of mortality and becomes a serious threat to the poultry industry. It is naturally spread among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species.According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, pet birds can be infected by avian influenza and spread the disease to humans, so wild birds should not be handled when they are sick or dead.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Shreya Jain;
Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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A newly-born white rhinoceros is seen beside its mother at the National Zoo in Havana, Cuba, June 24, 2022. REUTERS/Alexandre MeneghiniRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comHAVANA, June 24 (Reuters) - The zookeepers at Cuba's National Zoo are especially proud of Ale, a pudgy, gray-brown baby white rhinoceros born earlier this month on the outskirts of capital Havana.For starters, he's cute. Baby rhinos look similar to adults, but have a stub in place of the horn and thus, are more docile in appearance.But the white rhino is also a threatened species, and zoos the world across have been asked to reproduce them in captivity in the hope of creating a gene bank that will help preserve the species should it go extinct in the wild.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com"It is a great privilege for us to be able to contribute to the rescue of a species as threatened as the white rhinoceros," said Alexander Arango, a Cuban zoo specialist in exotic wildlife, as he watched the newborn graze on a patch of grass beside his mother, Katherine.Cuba, says Arango, now has the second largest population of white rhinos of any zoo in Latin America - a total of 8 - thanks to Ale and the birth of his sister, Mel, in 2019. Before that, it had been nearly two decades since the previous birth.In a Caribbean island nation with limited resources and far from Africa, the increasing success in reproduction is a point of pride, the zookeepers told Reuters.White rhinos, among the largest land mammals, have suffered in recent years as poaching has increased across their home range, primarily across southern Africa. That has put more pressure on zoos to maintain the species, the zookeepers said.Cuba's National Zoo is a favorite attraction for Cubans, with 1,473 specimens of more than 120 species, including large animals such as elephants, rhinos and giraffes.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Reuters TV; writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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U.S. June 25, 2022 / 2:26 PM / CBS News A person died after an alligator dragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, police said Friday. The victim has not been identified.The situation began when authorities responded to a "water call" Friday morning. When they arrived, investigators determined that an alligator had grabbed ahold of the victim and dragged them into a nearby pond, the Horry County Police Department said in a statement.The victim's body was recovered from the pond. The alligator was euthanized, in accordance with advice from a biologist from the wildlife section of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, as well as a contracted alligator removal service, police said.The incident remains under investigation. Last year, an alligator attacked a woman a few hours away in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and seriously injured her, prompting a neighbor to rescue her using a shovel. In: South Carolina Alligator Sophie Reardon Sophie Reardon is a News Editor at CBS News. Reach her at sophie.reardon@viacomcbs.com
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Owner is reunited with her beloved 11-year-old spaniel SEVEN years after the dog was stolen and used for breedingFlash the sprocker spaniel was reunited with heartbroken owner Emma DrewettThe 49-year-old gamekeeper had her pup, 11, stolen from the family in 2015A woman bought Flash from a local breeder to find its chip showed other owners Published: 06:16 EDT, 4 August 2022 | Updated: 06:22 EDT, 4 August 2022 A beloved sprocker spaniel dog has finally been returned to her owner after going missing for seven years while being used for breeding.Emma Drewett, 49, from Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, was reunited with pup Flash, 11, after she was stolen from the family by criminal breeders in 2015, who made her work until her old age.Gamekeeper Emma and her teenage son Luke feared they would never see their dog again as on average, sprocker spaniels live to 12-15 years.A nationwide appeal proved fruitless and the family's hopes waned over the following seven years, with 'thousands' of people helping share the missing posts all over social media - but to no avail.But incredibly Flash was found by a dog-lover almost 200 miles away from Emma's home. Michelle Burrow, who lived in South Wales, contacted Emma after having bought Flash from a local breeder. Beloved sprocker spaniel pup Flash, 11, has finally been returned to her owner Emma Drewett, 49, from Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, pictured at home together, after going missing for seven years while being used for breedingAfter a check-up at the vets, Michelle discovered the elderly dog was microchipped and belonged to Emma and her family. Michelle and Flash had been living together for seven months already, and had forged a close bond, but handed back the dog to her original owners last weekend.Unbelievably, before the microchip scan revealed all, a friend of Emma's had stumbled upon Michelle with Flash, and alerted Emma of the dog who bore a striking resemblance to her friend's missing pup.Dog thefts in the UK jumped to a seven-year high of 2,760 last year, the equivalent of eight pets being snatched every day and a 16 per cent rise from 2015.A total of 45 French Bulldogs were stolen last year, up 29 per cent on the previous year, while a further 24 Jack Russells were also taken - a 140 per cent rise on the ten recorded in 2020.Other smaller breeds such as Chihahuas, Pugs and American Bulldogs were also highly sought after among criminals, according to new figures revealed under a Freedom of Information request and compiled by Direct Line Pet Insurance.Staffordshire Bull Terriers were previously the most popular target breed for thieves, but dropped to seventh last year following an 88 per cent fall. London was the UK's hotspot for dog thefts, with 422 incidents reported to The Metropolitan Police last year, more than double the next highest areas of West Yorkshire and Kent. A nationwide appeal proved fruitless and the family's hopes waned over the following seven years, with 'thousands' of people helping share the missing posts all over social media - but to no avail. But incredibly Flash was found by a dog-lover almost 200 miles away from EmmaEmma said: 'It's quite unbelievable that after seven years Flash is back home with us.'At first she just stared at me and my partner, but then the manic tail wagging started and she was jumping all over us.'There have thousands and thousands of shared posts by people on social media and I wish I could thank each of you personally.'It's the end of a weird chapter, seven years of living hell not knowing where she was or what had happened, but she's home now.'I would really like to thank Michelle Burrow who bought Flash not knowing she'd been stolen and gave her a loving home for seven months.'It was really difficult for her to hand Flash back as they had developed a close bond.'If it wasn't for Michelle we'd still be searching.'She added: 'Flash was only found because she was microchipped and this case shows how vital it is for owners to get their dogs chipped and keep information updated.'In May, data revealed that the price of a puppy dropped by 40 per cent after hitting record highs during the pandemic as families across the country rushed to get lockdown companions.The puppy mania fuelled by multiple Covid lockdowns in the UK drove average prices up to £2,237 last year but the demand for puppies has started to recede, according to figures from pet experts Pets4Homes.One of the main reasons for the drop in price is the surge in the number of hobby breeders who are meeting the demand, fuelled by people now working from home and having more time to tend to litters, Pets4Homes found. The average price between January and April this year has fallen by almost £1,000 and now sits at £1,329 as the country returns to normal following months of strict Covid measures, while the price of cats has declined by just 20 per cent. Advertisement
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The Spix’s little blue macaw — extinct in the wild for 22 years — now flies free again in its natural habitat in Brazil, thanks to decades of research and effort by hundreds of scientists, conservation biologists, veterinarians, aviculturists and indigenous peoples © Copyright by GrrlScientist | @GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes Allopreening adult Spix's little blue macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii). This species, which is now listed ... [+] as Extinct-In-The-Wild, was a habitat specialist that was endemic to the semi-arid region in Brazil known as the Caatinga. (Image courtesy of Jamie Love) Image courtesy of Jamie Love The Spix’s little blue macaw, Cyanopsitta spixii, went extinct in the wild when the species’ lone wild representative suddenly disappeared in October of 2019 (more here, also; ref & ref). Despite the presence of several very small populations that had been secreted away in cages around the world, the future looked bleak for this highly desired, incredibly rare parrot. However, things may be improving for this species, thanks to a global collaboration between scientists, conservation biologists, veterinarians, aviculturists and local Indigenous peoples. After decades of planning and work, eight adult captive-bred little blue macaws were released back into their former range in Brazil on 11 June 2022, and another 12 individuals are being prepared for release in December 2022. These parrots are the first wave in a captive breeding and reintroduction program that is set to take place over the next 20 years. A dazzling blue parrot
In real life, this parrot is actually quite small for a macaw, weighing only 300 grams (11 ounces). In addition to being notably smaller than the more familiar large macaw species, little blue macaws have significant physical differences that distinguish them from all other macaws, so they were classified into their own genus, Cyanopsitta — ‘blue parrot’. Profile of a captive adult Spix's little blue macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii). This species is officially ... [+] listed as Extinct in the Wild. (Image courtesy of Jamie Love.) Image courtesy of Jamie Love Although they aren’t the most brilliantly colorful parrots, little blue macaws are highly desired as pets because people really like looking at blue birds. And blue they are: they have slender dark blue tails that are longer than their bodies, brilliant dark blue wings and upperparts, turquoise-blue underparts, a pale grey-blue head and neck, a black decurved beak, dark grey feet and a dark grey patch of bare skin located between their pale straw-colored eyes and upper mandible. Adult males and females are identical in appearance, although females are somewhat smaller. Juveniles can be visually identified by the contrasting pale pink stripe atop their black upper mandible and by the patch of pale bare skin between their uniformly dark eyes and beaks. A juvenile Spix's little blue macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) tests the suitability of a piece of wood ... [+] for chewing into bits. Juveniles can be distinguished by the pale pink stripe atop their dark upper mandible and the pale patch of bare skin around their dark eyes that reaches to their beak. (Image courtesy of Jamie Love.) Image courtesy of Jamie Love Spix’s little blue macaws reach sexual maturity at the age of seven years old although, strangely, captive-bred specimens experience delayed sexual maturity, where the youngest pairs to lay fertile eggs are typically ten years of age. Have Spix’s little blue macaws always been rare?
Spix’s little blue macaw was originally discovered in 1638 in the State of Pernambuco, by German naturalist Georg Marcgrave, and was later named in honor of another German, Johann Baptist von Spix, who conducted an extensive expedition of the region and shot the first specimen in 1819. In his original description, published in 1824, von Spix noted that the species was “very rare” (as cited here: ref) when compared to other parrot species he was seeing in the region. Considering that this parrot is relatively large and quite conspicuous, this is good evidence that its population was already small and scattered at the start of the nineteenth century.
It has been proposed that Spix’s little blue macaws’ rarity stems the limited size of its range, which was thought to be 50 km (30 mile) wide and 150-200 km (93-125 miles) long along the banks the São Francisco river between the cities of Juazeiro and Abaré, with the south side of its range located in Bahia state and the north side in Pernambuco state (as cited here: ref). This region is part of the Rio São Francisco drainage basin and is located within a semi-arid tropical shrubland and thorn forest, known as the caatinga, that covers around 10% of Brazil (olive green patch on Figure 1). F I G U R E 1 | Main biome types in northeastern Brazil. (Credit: NASA / public domain license) NASA The caatinga is a unique ecosystem found nowhere else in the world. In the short and intense rainy season, the caatinga is green and lush but this quickly disappears during the dry season because it doesn’t rain for approximately nine months of every year. During the dry season, vegetation replaces its green finery with shades of white, hence its name, ‘caatinga’, which comes from the Indigenous Tupi language and translates as ‘white forest’ or ‘white vegetation’.
“The caatinga is an arid, semi-desert region. Its rainfall occurs over very short periods of time in the year, so you’ll have three to four months with rain — thunderstorms and very heavy rain — then it will go months without rain”, said Cromwell Purchase, a veterinarian who is the Scientific and Field Project Coordinator for the conservation and reintroduction project in Brazil.
As a result of these extreme changes in precipitation, the caatinga is very fragile and vulnerable to desertification, particularly from livestock grazing as well as land clearing.
“About three hundred years ago, farming started in the region. As the number of people in the region grew, so the livestock also increased”, Dr Purchase said. “Goats and sheep are the main livestock there. Livestock, especially goats, destroyed everything — they eat absolutely everything — and that has caused a major problem with the habitat for the Spix’s macaws because they are niche species.”
Other parrot species, particularly blue-fronted amazons and blue-winged macaws, also live in the caatinga, but they are generalists aso they live across a wider range of habitats and thus, they managed to survive the habitat devastation caused by people and their livestock.
“Spix’s macaws specifically live in the creek systems of the caatinga, which are very few and far between”, Dr Purchase explained. “The problem with these creek systems is that as soon as you have erosion, that’s where all the water rushes through and takes away everything.”
Without the native vegetation to hold the soil in place and to retain scarce water in the soil, this area has been undergoing extensive erosion and desertification ever since people and their livestock moved in. This situation is being made more dire by the accelerating effects of climate change, which has intensified desertification throughout large areas of the caatinga and has permanently reduced the potential reclaimable habitat (ref). The São Francisco River is the home of the Extinct In The Wild Spix's little blue macaw ... [+] (Cyanopsitta spixii). As it flows towards the Atlantic Ocean, this river forms a natural border between the Brazilian states of Bahia, Pernambuco and Alagoas. (Credit: Rcacaubotelho / CC BY-SA 3.0) Rcacaubotelho via a Creative Commons license There are large trees in the caatinga, but they only grow in the creek systems and in gallery forest because that’s where the water is, even in the dry season. (Gallery forests grow along rivers or wetlands and push into landscapes that otherwise only have sparse numbers of trees, such as savannas, grasslands, or deserts.)
The caraibeira tree, Tabebuia aurea, is a relatively small seasonally deciduous tree that is critically important to Spix’s little blue macaws. These trees grow very slowly and most are 200–300 years old. Thanks to destruction by goats and human land-clearing practices, there has not been any regenerative growth of these trees for the last 50 years. Wild little blue macaws depended upon these trees for nest hollows as well as for seeds and nuts and for shade on blazing hot days.
But habitat destruction was not the only problem facing wild little blue macaws. In 1957, Africanized honeybees escaped a Brazilian research facility and spread quickly. These exotic and invasive insects occupy the same tree cavities that Spix’s little blue macaws nest in, and ended up competing with the parrots for this scarce resource. Further, Africanized honeybees are extremely aggressive and readily attack both humans and animals. In addition to habitat destruction and invasive bees, wild little blue macaws experienced a gradual but inexorable decline due to capture for the illegal wildlife and pet trade. For example, illegal trapping led to a rapid population decline so that, by 1986, the entire wild population consisted of just three birds. Trappers then returned to poach two more parrots so by 1990, only one bird, a lone ageing male, remained. Ten years later, he died and along with him, his entire species was gone: extinct in the wild. Caatinga. (Credit: ACTP / image courtesy of Jamie Love.) ACTP / image courtesy of Jamie Love It’s interesting to note that there was a freak sighting of one free-flying individual in 2016 that was captured on a smartphone video that got the world talking about this species again — was it an escaped pet? (More here).
“Immediately after the sighting, we went to the area to scan the entire habitat and found nothing”, Dr Purchase told me in email.
“We’re unsure of whether it was a captive bird that escaped, or if it was a hoax”, Dr Purchase speculated. “The call of the bird in the footage wasn’t the call of a Spix’s Macaw”, Dr Purchase continued in email. “To me, it sounds like a Lear’s Macaw. Unfortunately, the footage wasn’t good enough to identify the bird correctly and it was never seen again.”
And yet .. not all hope was lost. Several tiny populations of these parrots still survived in captivity in Brazil, the Middle East and Europe, and were estimated at the time to number somewhere around 55 individuals. In the 1990s — even before this species went extinct in the wild — the Brazilian government had already launched an effort to encourage reproduction of these parrots and to negotiate for the species’ repatriation. Could these widely dispersed captive birds form the basis of a massive recovery effort? Would secretive, possessive owners willingly give up their precious companion birds to a conservation program?
The timing couldn’t have been better because two computer animated adventure films, Rio (2011) and Rio 2 (2014), suddenly exploded onto the scene. These films were inspired by a captive male Spix’s little blue macaw, named Presley, who was a human-imprinted pet discovered in the state of Colorado in 2002. The Rio films, which earned a combined $1 billion, accomplished the impossible by introducing the general public to the Spix’s little blue macaw whilst also highlighting the growing severity of the global extinction crisis. The first Rio film was released eleven years after the last free-flying Spix’s little blue macaw was spotted in the wild, and shortly before the species was officially declared Extinct in the Wild.
Further, to ensure that any of the repatriated macaws had a home to return to, then-President of Brazil, Michel Temer, signed a decree during World Environment Day on 5 June 2018 that established the Blue Macaw Wildlife Refuge and the Blue Macaw Environmental Protection Area. Together, these refuges encompass 120,000 square hectares (463 square miles) in the municipalities of Juazeiro and Curaçá in Bahia, Brazil. This was first optimistic step in an ambitious restoration effort that will also help protect a great diversity of plants, fish, animals and birds — and human communities.
Everything seemed to be falling into place, but the clock was ticking. If there was to be a serious reintroduction effort for Spix’s little blue macaws, it had to begin soon, before the entire captive population had died of old age — their life span is between 20-35 years — or had become so inbred that they were incapable of breeding and surviving in the wild or in captivity.
Disease and Inbreeding: the two great enemies of conservation
Keeping animals in captivity poses problems because they can become exposed to each other’s diseases. In the case of Spix’s little blue macaws, that disease was nasty and incurable: proventricular dilatation disease. This virus was first recognized in 1978 and given a name that would strike terror in the hearts of any aviculturist or pet owner: macaw wasting syndrome. It was later identified as a novel member of a group of bornaviruses that cause brain disease in horses and sheep. The parrot bornavirus infects the nerves of the gastrointestinal tract and causes them to slowly waste away. Eventually, its victim dies of starvation.
But fortunately, a DNA test was developed and all Spix’s little blue macaws were tested. Those that were infected were separated from the breeding population, which eventually eliminated this threat. The Spix’s little blue macaw population currently numbers 261 healthy parrots, but this leads us to the second big problem: they all are descendants of just seven founders, and this has created a genetic bottleneck for the species.
I’ve written about these inbreeding problems before (here, here, here, here and here) and how this creates a genetic bottleneck due to a severe restriction of genetic diversity. A lack of genetic diversity decreases fertility and reduces hatching success, results in behavioral and cognitive problems such as the loss of song, decreases lifespans, increases health problems as well as susceptibility to diseases, and leads to other unexpected effects. The worst aspect is that after a population’s genetic diversity has been lost, there is no easy or quick way to regain it. That said, some species have managed to survive a genetic bottleneck, such as kakapos (more here).
“The Spix’s macaws, in particular, are not great at getting through that bottleneck, but we do the best we can by pairing the birds as far as possible with the best genetic combinations, using microsatellite genetic analysis”, Dr Purchase told me in email. To address the inbreeding problem, Dr Purchase and his team have been collaborating with a number of scientists around the world.
“We received data and research from Sao Paolo University, combined with genetic profiling from Cornell University to get [microsatellite genetic analyses]. Of course, if we could have more, we would take it”, Dr Purchase added in email.
But parrots are notoriously choosy when selecting a mate, and this can easily derail any conservation effort’s first goal: to ‘grow the population’. One technique that the Spix’s macaw team adopted to ‘grow the population’ was artificial insemination, and they also used this technique to simultaneously increase representation of rare genetics in future offspring.
“We use artificial insemination in this program to help build a sustainable healthy population of Spix’s Macaws. We didn’t develop the science behind the program, but we utilised it, and developed it to make it suitable for Spix’s Macaws”, Dr Purchase told me in email. “The technology is now suitable for species of birds that haven’t been bred before.”
After Presley, the former pet Spix’s little blue macaw, was repatriated to Brazil, did he ever produce any offspring?
“Presley was imprinted on massively by humans before he went to Brazil”, Dr Purchase replied in email. “The problem is that he was too heavily imprinted, meaning that when he was paired with a female, he wasn’t able to reproduce.”
After he died at the age of 34 years old, were Presley’s testes removed and frozen in the hope he might father some offspring in the future?
“Semen was never extracted from him, but his testes were stored for use later on”, Dr Purchase replied in email. “His genetics are stored for future use as the scientific innovation in this field improves.” A flock of adult and juvenile captive-bred Spix's little blue macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii). This ... [+] species is listed as Extinct in the Wild. (Credit: ACTP, image courtesy of Jamie Love.) ACTP, image courtesy of Jamie Love We know that parrots are picky about whom they form a pair bond with, but do parrots bond for life? Doesn’t this create a problem with their genetics since all their offspring are, well, close relatives?
“In actual fact, most birds don’t bond for life”, Dr Purchase said. “We thought about this and realized it doesn’t make sense for birds to pair up and keep producing offspring with the same genetics for life.”
“A couple years back, research in parrots and passerines and quite a few of species of birds found they divorce, just like humans, and marry up with someone else” [ref, ref & ref] Dr Purchase elaborated. “Even hyacinth macaws — which is sort of the parrot of the parrot world — will bond for a couple years and then one season, they’ll just split up and pick new partners, which, genetically, makes sense.”
In the case of humans, who live a long time and, in most circumstances, don’t have many children, it doesn’t matter if a person stays with the same person their entire life and only have children with that one person. “But parrots lay two to five eggs eggs and passerines will lay up to six or seven eggs every year, so if that one pair keeps going for eight years, you’ve got a massive number of offspring from the same genetic line. So it doesn’t make sense that they stay together forever.” A flock of juvenile captive-bred Spix's little blue macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii) in a large flight ... [+] cage where they learn how to flock. This species is listed as Extinct in the Wild. (Credit: ACTP / image courtesy of Jamie Love.) ACTP, Image courtesy of Jamie Love But breeding birds in captivity, growing the population and retaining as much genetic diversity in the population as possible are only the first steps on a long and difficult road to getting these parrots back into the wild. I say this because most parrot reintroductions have not gone well because newly released parrots must learn how to thrive in the wild from their parents and flock mates — and this is a complicated process that takes years for a wild-born parrot to master.
Are parrot reintroduction programs doomed?
Probably the best known example of a parrot reintroduction effort was the attempt to return the thick-billed parrot, Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha, to its former range in Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains. This Endangered parrot, which still exists in small numbers in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range, was the United States’ other native parrot — the Extinct Carolina parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis, is the most familiar of North American parrot species, possibly because it was only found along the east coast of the United States (read more here and here). Endangered thick-billed parrots (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire, ... [+] England. A juvenile (pale beak, dark eye) is in front of the adult (dark beak, straw-colored eye, more extensive red area on its head), perching on a rope in an aviary. (Credit: Paul Reynolds / CC BY 2.0) Paul Reynolds via a Creative Commons license Historically, the thick-billed parrot’s range included alpine regions of Mexico as well as Arizona, New Mexico and likely even the far western reaches of Texas. These parrots live in mature temperate zone conifer forests at elevations of 1200–3600 meters (4,000-12,000 feet) throughout their range, where they nest in abandoned woodpecker cavities and primarily consume pinecone nuts. After European colonizers moved in, these parrots were enthusiastically shot into extinction in the United States. The last thick-billed parrots were seen in Arizona in 1938. Between 1986 and 1993, 88 thick-billed parrots that had been confiscated by the USFWS were released into their former range in Arizona as an attempted reintroduction. Most of these parrots had been trapped illegally in the wilds of Mexico and smuggled into the United States so presumably, they knew how to live in the wild. But this controversial reintroduction effort failed — spectacularly. Although extremely intelligent, the confiscated parrots had lost their culture: the parrots did not know to forage in their new land and had forgotten (or never learned) how to flock to avoid predators. Within two months, one-third of them had been killed by hawks or by free-roaming cats — or they simply starved to death. The situation didn’t improve over time. Tragically, the last of these reintroduced thick-billed parrots was seen in 1995.
Based on this unpleasant experience, conservation biologists became convinced that parrot reintroductions are doomed to failure — parrots are just too behaviorally and intellectually complex! They have a long childhood and need their wild parents and other wild teachers to instruct them on how to live in the wild!
Despite this pessimism, there are brilliant flashes of hope. For example, the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican parrot, Amazona vittata, is one current example of an intentional reintroduction effort that appears to be holding its own despite a variety of seemingly insurmountable challenges (more here and here).
And of course, not to be overlooked, there are many examples of accidental introductions of parrots. As a result, an abundance of parrot species are naturalized in at least 23 states in the USA (more here) and a dozen or so species have been breeding well for decades in major cities throughout much of the world (more here and here). Even the Mexican red-crowned parrot, Amazona viridigenalis (another accidental introduction), an Endangered species, is thriving in urban areas of southern California (more here and here). Red-crowned Amazon parrot (Amazona viridigenalis), also known as green-cheeked Amazon, Red-crowned ... [+] parrot, or Mexican red-headed parrot. (Credit: Leonhard F / CC BY-SA 3.0) Leonhard F via a Creative Commons license So it would appear that reintroducing parrots into the wild presents long-term commitments and special challenges for research scientists, conservation biologists, avian behaviorists and aviculturists, but knowing what these challenges are and how to address them means better outcomes for future reintroduction efforts for parrots and other birds, especially corvids.
Wild parrots as teachers
Releasing Spix’s little blue macaws into the wild after the species has been Extinct in the Wild for more than 22 years means there are no birds alive today who can teach the new arrivals how to be a proper wild parrot. There are no protective parents, friendly older siblings or other relatives to show them the best places to forage and find water, where to shelter from the midday sun, how to flock and — possibly most important — how to avoid different sorts of predators.
To address this situation, a massive facility was constructed in Bahia, at a cost of $1.4 million. This facility functions as a parrot school where young Spix’s macaws learn about wild parrot culture as well as building their flight muscles.
“Before the birds arrived in Brazil on March 3rd 2020, they were prepared in flocking cages to help build up their muscle mass. We needed to encourage them to interact with one another, so they were kept in these flocking cages for a matter of months”, Dr Purchase told me in email.
“Once they arrived in Brazil, they entered the quarantine process to ensure they were carrying no diseases. We had already ensured they were safe to enter Brazil by testing them before leaving [the main breeding facility in] Germany, and they were tested again before being moved into another set of flocking cages.”
The core group of Spix’s little blue macaws that were chosen to be released first were selected based on those which looked most likely to survive in the wild: the strongest fliers, with strongest ties to the group, who seemed healthier, and appeared more capable of identifying predators.
Eight Illiger’s blue-winged macaws, Primolius maracana, that had been captured in the area, were introduced into the flocking flights alongside the core group of eight Spix’s little blue macaws so these parrots could bond in preparation for the first release. Illiger’s blue-winged macaws are another small macaw species that still live in the area and that have similar habits to Spix’s macaws and did loosely flock with them but live in a much wider variety of environments. It’s hoped they will continue to flock after release so the blue-winged macaws can act as teachers to help educate the naive little blue macaws. Two captive Illiger’s blue-winged macaws (Primolius maracana). This species, whose large natural ... [+] range overlaps with Spix's little blue macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii) much smaller range, is being used as "teachers" to help naive Spix's macaws learn wild ways. (Credit: TJ Lin / CC BY-SA 2.0) TJ Lin via a Creative Commons license But releasing eight parrots is really a tiny number and, for this reason, could doom the project to failure. Why are there so few Spix’s little blue macaws in this first release?
“The reason we’re releasing so few is that this is a first!” Dr Purchase replied to me in email. “All other projects have wild birds to integrate populations into; with the Spix’s Macaws, we don’t have that.”
“We have to face this with some caution. Because of this, the group has been split into two, with another release happening later this year. We chose eight because it’s a number we can use statistics on, and it’s not too big a number if there are any losses. If this wasn’t such a novel occurrence, we probably would have released all 20 in one go.”
“The actual release is 16 birds: 8 Spix’s and 8 lliger’s”, Dr Purchase elaborated. “For the past 6 months, their necks have been collared for them to get used to wearing the transmitters. They have been checked today (9th June), equipped with their transmitters and are ready for the release on Saturday (11th June).”
The released macaws are marked with leg rings and will be tracked by radio transmitters for at least three months. The team will use this as an opportunity to observe the behavior of the newly introduced macaws in the wild — the places they visit, what they eat, and which habitats they are exploring.
“The first two releases contain adult birds. They are not too old, as the longer they are in captivity, the less likely they are to adapt to new environments”, Dr Purchase told me in email. “After this year, all the releases beyond this point will include one-year-olds, straight after the breeding season.”
This is a soft release, or mild release — where the parrots can come and go as they please. Doors on the side of the large flocking flights are opened and the birds simply release themselves by walking or flying out the door. These doors will be kept open during the day and closed at night to protect any macaws returning to captivity for the night from being killed by predators.
“We have feeding stations both inside and outside the aviary so they are not limited to finding food”, Dr Purchase told me. “We know that as time goes by and we transition into the dry season, food will be scarce, which is why we will have the food stations available; if they don’t learn quickly enough, they can have sustenance to help keep themselves maintained.”
Supplementary food will be offered for a year, so they can visit the enclosure and will hopefully remain nearby instead of flying long distances in search of food. There are other measures in place to keep the newly released parrots from roaming too far away and getting lost, too. For example, twenty of the Spix’s little blue macaws have already been forming pair bonds, so some of these developing pairs have been split up.
“In doing so, we’re creating a social magnet at the release site. This stops the birds from immediately flying into the middle of nowhere. We want birds to stay and build territories and — only as they multiply — to expand their territories. Hence, this is why the breeding facility is there; to keep them in that area.”
In the two years that the Spix’s little blue macaws have been in Brazil, three more macaws have been born, increasing the population now in Curaçá to 55 birds. No estimates have been made for the numbers that will be released after 2023, but the idea is to keep some of these macaws in captivity at this facility, where they will serve as a reserve population to ensure the survival of the species, and also to serve as a source of new individuals for upcoming releases, and to replace the expected losses amongst the released parrots.
The macaws were successfully released on Saturday, 11 June 2022, in the municipality of Curaçá, the northernmost city in the Brazilian state of Bahia. These macaws included five females and three males. An additional 12 captive-bred Spix’s little blue macaws are scheduled to be released in December 2022 (ref).
The Spix’s project is remarkable and unique because it is a massive collaboration between hundreds of people who are working to reintroduce a species back into the wild that is currently extinct, and has been extinct in the wild for over two decades. There’s very few reintroduction programs around the world that have done something like that, and none have done this with parrots. If this experiment is successful, the Spix’s little blue macaw will be the first Extinct in the Wild parrot species returned to the wild by humans.
“Finally, the Spix’s voice is being brought back to Caatinga.” Adult Spix's little blue macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) in flight. Credit: Tim Flach, image use by ... [+] permission Tim Flach, image use by permission 26a8b4067816acd2da72f558fddc8dcfd5bed0cef52b4ee7357f679776e6c25d
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan Cops Give Warning No Pups on the Pier!!! 7/19/2022 4:49 PM PT Cesar Milan found himself in the doghouse for having his pooches on a beach pier ... and now cops are using the celeb animal trainer as an example of what NOT to do when visiting the area. The Redondo Beach PD took to Instagram to let followers know Cesar was recently given a warning for having his dogs on the pier. Lucky for all involved, cops say Cesar was quick to comply ... even snapping a smiley pic with officers, which they included in the post. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The caption continues with a warning for anyone else who might wanna take their pets for a stroll in the area, "We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that dogs are not allowed on the Redondo Beach Pier! Not even the dog whisperer." Redondo Beach PD thanked Cesar for his understanding, and you gotta imagine, the post will likely lead to fewer people bringing their animals on the pier. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. So the lesson ... no dogs on the pier, celeb animal trainer or not!!!
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pets_animals_wildlife
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FOUNTAIN VALLE — Authorities are searching for a coyote that attacked a 2-year-old child at a Southern California park this week, police said Thursday.
The attack happened Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. at Mile Square Park in the city of Fountain Valley southeast of Los Angeles, police said in a statement.
“The attack was not immediately reported and initial efforts to locate the coyote were unsuccessful,” the statement said.
Officials didn’t say whether the child was injured. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is leading the investigation and “is currently conducting operations in the area to locate and euthanize the coyote,” the police statement said.
In late April, a coyote bit a 2-year-old girl on Huntington Beach, just a few miles south of Fountain Valley. That coyote was later shot dead.
Coyotes are found almost everywhere in California, including cities, and authorities have long warned that small children and pets can be at risk, even though attacks are rare.
Last year, Fish and Wildlife began workshops to help communities deal with coyotes because of an increase in the number conflicts with people.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Outbreaks of diseases that travelled from animals to humans in Africa have risen by 63% in the past decade, according to the latest World Health Organization figures. The spike in transmissions, recorded between 2012 and 2022, could mean the world faces increased animal-borne illnesses including Ebola, monkeypox and COVID - which is "likely" to have originated from a bat, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published last year.
A particular increase was observed between 2019 and 2020, when diseases which originated in animals before spreading to humans accounted for half of all significant public health events in Africa.Diseases including Ebola and other infectious illnesses were responsible for around 70% of those events, together with conditions such as monkeypox, anthrax and plague, the WHO said in a statement on Thursday.WHO Africa director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said we must act now to contain zoonotic diseases - which occur when pathogens including viruses spread from animals to humans - before they cause "widespread infections". She called on world leaders to stop "Africa from becoming a hotspot for emerging infectious diseases".
Intercontinental travel has made it easier for viruses to cross borders, Dr Moeti warned. More on Africa Ukraine war: 'Mass death' of children if no global aid as conflict exacerbates worst drought in 40 years Africa Cup of Nations: At least eight people dead in stampede outside football game in Cameroon Chimps learn tool use from others and may be more similar to humans than first thought, research says Africa has the world's fastest growing population, leading to increased urbanisation and less space for wildlife to roam.Scientists fear this means outbreaks once contained in distant rural areas could spread more rapidly to large African cities with international travel links - leading to the diseases being spread across the globe.Wildlife charities and academics earlier warned the widespread destruction of natural habitats is increasing the risk of further pandemics.Dr Mike Barrett, executive director of science and conservation at the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF), warned deforestation is bringing humans into closer contact with animals, increasing the risk of zoonotic illness being transmitted."We have created the perfect petri dish for pathogen spread," he said."At the heart of this problem is the conversion of more and more habitat to produce agricultural commodities for international supply chains."As we decimate forests like the Amazon so we increase the risk of the next pandemic."Meanwhile, cat owners with COVID or who have displayed symptoms were last year warned against cuddling their pets after scientists found people can infect their animals.The warning came after two separate cases of human to cat transmission of the virus were identified in a screening programme of the UK's feline population at the University of Glasgow.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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A monarch butterfly in the butterfly pavilion at the LA County Natural History museum Wednesday, June 1, 2022.David Crane | MediaNews Group | Los Angeles Daily News via Getty ImagesThe iconic black and orange monarch butterfly is threatened with extinction because of habitat destruction and climate change, international conservationists said on Thursday.The monarch butterfly, known for its annual migration across the country, was placed in the endangered category of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Every Autumn, millions of the butterflies undertake the longest known migration of any insect, flying thousands of miles from breeding grounds in the eastern U.S. and Canada to spend the winter months in Mexico and California. The monarch population has declined between 22% and 72% over the past decade, scientists said. The western population is at the greatest risk of extinction, declining by 99.9% from an estimated 10 million butterflies to just 1,914 butterflies between the 1980s and 2021. More than 40,000 species are now threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN, as scientists warn that the Earth is undergoing a sixth mass exinction event driven by human activity. Legal and illegal logging and deforestation have destroyed large swaths of the butterflies' winter shelter in Mexico and California. Pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture have also killed butterflies and the milkweed plants that the larvae feed on. High temperatures fueled by climate change have also triggered earlier migrations before milkweed is available. "Today's Red List update highlights the fragility of nature's wonders," IUCN Director General Bruno Oberle said in a statement. "To preserve the rich diversity of nature we need effective, fairly governed protected and conserved areas, alongside decisive action to tackle climate change and restore ecosystems." Scientists are concerned over whether enough monarch butterflies will survive in order to maintain the population and avoid extinction. Conservationists are urging people and organizations to help protect the species, from planting milkweed to reducing pesticide use. "It's heartbreaking that monarch butterflies are now classified as endangered by the IUCN Red List, the preeminent international scientific body on extinction," said Stephanie Kurose, senior endangered species policy specialist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "The Fish and Wildlife Service must stop sitting on its hands and protect the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act right now, instead of hiding behind bureaucratic excuses," Kurose said.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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AnimalsWildlife WatchThe ruling rejected an effort to move the Bronx Zoo elephant to a sanctuary—and ended the furthest-advancing animal rights case in U.S. judicial history.Happy, a 51-year-old Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo, is not a “person,” New York’s highest court has decided, bringing to a close a case that forced the courts and the public to reflect on what rights human society owes highly intelligent animals. The court’s 5-2 ruling on June 14 means Happy is not entitled to the fundamental right of bodily liberty, or freedom from imprisonment.Last year, the New York Court of Appeals agreed to hear the case brought by the Nonhuman Rights Project, a Florida-based animal civil rights organization. The group argued on May 18 that Happy should be recognized as a legal person and sent to a sanctuary. This was the fourth court the NhRP has argued before on Happy’s behalf, and it’s the highest court an animal rights case has reached in the United States.Personhood is a legal designation that indicates an entity has the capacity for rights or responsibilities. Corporations, bodies of water, and other animals in countries around the world have been recognized as persons. In the U.S., no specific designation exists for nonhuman animals. In the U.S., animals are things. (Read: A person or a thing? Inside the fight for animal personhood.)Today’s ruling maintains that viewpoint, explaining that regardless of an elephant’s intelligence, habeas corpus—or the right to freedom from unlawful detention—applies only to human beings. “While no one disputes the impressive capabilities of elephants, we reject petitioner’s arguments that it is entitled to seek the remedy of habeas corpus on Happy’s behalf,” chief judge Janet DiFiore wrote. “Habeas corpus is a procedural vehicle intended to secure the liberty rights of human beings who are unlawfully restrained, not nonhuman animals.”In a dissenting opinion, Judge Rowan Wilson disputed the notion that habeas corpus applies only to humans, arguing that the writ was “vigorously used to challenge the detention of slaves when, under law, they were deemed chattel.”In a statement, the Nonhuman Rights Project applauded “the powerful dissents” as a “tremendous victory” in the fight for animal rights, but the group lamented the fact that Happy will not be transferred to a sanctuary. “This is not just a loss for Happy, whose freedom was at stake in this case and who remains imprisoned in a Bronx Zoo exhibit. It’s also a loss for everyone who cares about upholding and strengthening our most cherished values and principles of justice—autonomy, liberty, equality, and fairness—and ensuring our legal system is free of arbitrary reasoning and that no one is denied basic rights simply because of who they are.”Representatives of Bronx Zoo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Steven Wise, NhRP’s founder and president, told National Geographic last year that Happy is a “depressed elephant,” adding that “elephants are evolved to move—Happy just stands there.” He argues that Happy should be sent to an accredited sanctuary to be with other elephants in a larger, more natural-setting than her current one-acre enclosure, where she lives alone. As social and intelligent creatures, elephants need companionship, he says—not “solitary confinement.”Happy has lived at Bronx Zoo, which is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, for more than 40 years. In an email to NhRP supporters in 2019, zoo director James Breheny wrote, “Happy is not languishing. She is quite content and evaluated frequently by the people that know her best including the veterinarians that have cared for her for years as well as the keepers who interact with Happy for hours every day.”The zoo also counters that Happy isn’t alone because she lives alongside Patty, the zoo’s other elephant, who’s separated from her by a fence. They have “contact,” the zoo said in a 2020 statement. The two elephants can see and occasionally even touch each other from their separate enclosures. But attempts to house them together haven’t been successful. “Neither animal was comfortable in the company of the other, and both elephants experienced different, yet obvious, levels of stress,” Breheny wrote in 2019. He later told a reporter the two were “like sisters who don’t want to share the same room.”Though there are a handful of solitary elephants in the U.S., the NhRP chose to represent Happy in part because of her pivotal role in helping scientists understand elephant cognition. In 2005, she became the first elephant to pass the mirror test for animal intelligence. Researchers marked a white “X” on Happy’s forehead, and when she spotted herself in the mirror, she repeatedly touched the mark with her trunk, indicating that she recognized the reflection in the mirror as herself, something very few species can do. (Read: ‘Nothing to do, nowhere to go’: What happens when elephants live alone.)The National Geographic Society supports Wildlife Watch, our investigative reporting project focused on wildlife crime and exploitation. Read more Wildlife Watch stories here, and send tips, feedback, and story ideas to NGP.WildlifeWatch@natgeo.com. Learn about the National Geographic Society’s nonprofit mission at natgeo.com/impact.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Caribou in the mountains of Alaska are vulnerable to attack by hungry grizzly bears on “America the Beautiful.”National Geographic for Disney+ In the premiere episode of the stunningly beautiful National Geographic documentary series “America the Beautiful” on Disney+, the narration of the actor Michael B. Jordan accompanies some amazing footage of a caribou mother and its newborn calf, making their way through a valley in the mountains of Alaska.“He’s the last-born youngster of this calving season,” says Jordan in the kind of soothing, friendly voice that would have the little ones paying rapt attention in class. “It’s going to take a heroic effort for Mom to keep him safe. [The calf is just] an hour old, [and] she pushes him to get moving. They’re vulnerable alone. Way ahead, the herd offers safety in numbers.”I’m telling you, this baby caribou with his big sad eyes and gangly little walk is just about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen — like a live-action Pixar character.But wait, what’s that on the horizon? Grizzly bears, “recently emerged from hibernation and very hungry,” says Jordan. We watch as the seemingly omnipresent yet totally unintrusive cameras capture a mama grizzly bear with three young cubs in tow, chasing down the newborn caribou as its mother looks back, helpless.And then: Pounce!“Some battles can’t be won,” says Jordan.In other words, that baby caribou will never see a second sunrise.Geeeeeez. It’s a sobering reminder that nature is awe-inspiring and filled with wonder — and also brutal and unforgiving, and the sooner you kids learn that, the more prepared you’ll be for your own journey of survival! Now, let’s catch up to the rest of the herd … An alligator looks for deer and other prey on “America the Beautiful.”National Geographic for Disney+ Moments of confrontation like this are sprinkled throughout the series, whether it’s a pack of wolves chasing a gang of elk, a fidgety little squirrel trying its best to ward off a “freeloading black bear” over its harvest of pine cones or an alligator eyeing a deer that has wandered a bit too close to the water, and they serve as reminders that we’re not in a Disney animated story — though not every animal makes it out of a Disney cartoon, either, come to think of it.Even then, though, “America the Beautiful” is a celebration of the vast diversity in animal life, landscape and climate in the North American continent. Even though we’re all aware of video drone technology and tiny cameras that can be hidden deep in the woods, not to mention the incredibly skilled camera operators who can chronicle animal life on land, sea and in the air, time and again I found myself thinking: How in the world did they capture that?!?With all six episodes debuting Monday, this is one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous nature documentary series you’ll ever see. “Welcome to North America, the most diverse continent on Earth,” says Jordan. “The only place where you can find every landscape, from polar ice cap to baking desert and everything in between. Whatever the neighborhood, there’s a hero who can make it a home.”In the second episode, titled “Brave New World,” we meet ecologists from American Prairie, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a huge wildlife reserve in Montana, re-wilding the grasslands and bringing back grizzly bears, wolves and bison. We also learn about a teenage girl named Alex Weber who discovered a blanket of golf balls tumbling along the floor of the Pacific Ocean right next door to the Pebble Beach Golf Club. Turns out there were at least a million golf balls creating all sorts of environmental havoc, but with Alex leading the charge for reform, the Pebble Beach Co. now has a commitment to conduct some 200 underwater clean-ups every year.Subsequent episodes take us back to Alaska, where we observe grizzly bears, beavers, musk oxen, sea lions and bald eagles; the Grand Canyon, where mountain lions patrol certain crevices; the coast of Baja California, where a baby gray whale has been born weighing a solid ton and will put on 200 pounds a day as its mother leads it on a 6,000-mile journey to the Arctic feeding grounds, and the Badlands of South Dakota, where it takes nine wolves to bring down a single bison. A coyote surveys the city lights of Los Angeles on “America the Beautiful.”National Geographic for Disney+ And Griffith Park in Hollywood, home of “the world’s most famous mountain lion,” aka P-22, who somehow made it from the Santa Monica Mountains by crossing the 405 and 101 freeways, and the wetlands of the Southeast, where a mother black bear carries its two cubs, one at a time, across a swamp as an alligator watches on high alert, waiting and hoping for the mama bear to drop one of those cubs.Spoiler alert: The bear cubs fare better than that baby caribou we briefly met at the top of this story. So it goes in “America the Beautiful.” Some creatures are more fortunate than others.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Alan Wells, 62, rescued a large vulture named Gilbert - who has a 1.5m wingspan - a year ago after the bird was headed for a life at Prague Zoo - which then closed during lockdownAlan Wells adopted Gilbert a year ago Neighbours are in a flap after a man adopted a large vulture - which visits local homes and gardens and interrupts tea parties. Alan Wells, 62, rescued Gilbert a year ago after the bird was headed for a life at Prague Zoo - which then closed during lockdown. Gilbert - who has a 1.5m wingspan - now lives at Alan’s home in Somerset but regularly flies off to visit locals in their gardens. The large avian can fly up to ten miles and some neighbours have kicked up a stink. One described Gilbert as looking like he’s from ‘the pits of hell’ saying having it land in the garden was the ‘scariest experience of my life’. But Alan, who runs Pitcombe Rock Falconry, says Gilbert is harmless, tame - and just ‘saying hello’. He said: “When I trained Gilbert a year ago my intention was to allow him to fly as free as I could. “The thought of him landing in people’s gardens never entered my head. “People have been in the back garden, in their patio, having afternoon tea, and he’s come right up, looking around the table, investigating the crumbs on the floor. Alan says the vulture is 'inquisitive' (
Image:
Tom Wren / SWNS) “It’s not every day you get a vulture come and land in your garden. “My message to those who complain about Gilbert is that he’s inquisitive. “I can’t really predict where he’s gonna go. He’ll go quite a distance and come home when he’s finished. “He’s coming into your gardens because there’s something of interest in there to draw him in. “That interest isn’t in the small children playing or the small pets, it will be a smell - usually from a dustbin or food waste bin. “That’s what has drawn him in, but he won’t want a meal. “He’s fed before he goes out flying, but it’s nice for him to be able to do what he does in the wild - investigate smells. “As soon as he’s had an investigation and discovered that there’s nothing there for him, he’ll fly away. “I would say to people that it’s a privilege to have Gilbert in your garden - enjoy him, see a little bit of nature you wouldn’t normally see. “You wouldn’t get this closed to a turkey vulture in a zoo or at a wildlife park. “Don’t feed him, don’t attempt to pick him up, let him do what he wants. “If he’s being a nuisance, call me and I will collect him - he has a GPS tag, so I know where he is all the time. “A turkey vulture only eats dead stuff so if your pet, guinea pig or rabbits are running around your garden, they are perfectly safe.” Not all the neighbours have been welcoming to the new resident. One said: “It’s probably one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. “Walk out the front door, turn around and there’s this creature, almost like it’s come from the pits of hell and I find out it’s a bird named called Gilbert, so it’s quite an exciting experience really.” Another said: “He’s not pretty, he sits on my bins and frankly, he flutters around and it’s pretty scary.” Alan, of Bruton, Somerset, runs a falconry at home where he keeps a number of birds of prey, owls and even a family of ferrets. Alan said it was a “golden opportunity” to add a vulture to his falconry, a not-for-profit organisation that makes regular trips to schools and offers education visits. Alan socialised Gilbert with other birds and allowed him to roam free in the falconry - spending time with his small dog Buster. He said: “We keep ferrets here, and he’s not interested in them because they’re moving and they’re alive. “My very small dog Buster, who’s Jack Russell-size, is smaller than a lamb - again, he’s not interested in him. “He’ll go alongside him and preen him with his break and Buster will get up and look at him with distaste and move on. “His diet consists of day-old chicks, which are male birds supplied by the egg industry, he also enjoys rats, quail, chickens, pheasant, and sometimes lamb. “He only eats dead stuff. There are a few vultures within the 22 species in the world that do actually kill their food, but he’s not one of them and he’s not interested in anything that’s that alive.” Alan says Gilbert hasn’t got sharp talons to do any damage saying pets and children aren’t at risk. Gilbert had been bound for Prague Zoo but when the attraction closed to visitors during the pandemic he was taken in by Mr Wells. Read More Read More
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pets_animals_wildlife
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This is member-exclusive contentOpinionFILE - This Dec. 12, 2019, file photo provided by the National Park Service shows a mountain lion, newly dubbed P-79 with a new tracking collar, following its capture in Simi Valley, Calif. California wildlife regulators voted in 2020 to move forward on a proposal to give state Endangered Species Act protections to certain mountain lion populations that have become vulnerable because of development and other human activities. No such protections exist in Texas.(Uncredited)A group of landowners and biologists is lobbying the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to manage mountain lion populations in the state. We hope Texans for Mountain Lions succeeds.There is no closed season on mountain lions in Texas, and no limit on how many can be hunted or trapped. Of 16 U.S. states with breeding mountain lion populations, Texas is the only state without regulated management.Even more concerning, the chief way mountain lions are killed in Texas is not by hunters, but by trappers, often with bear traps. Also called footholds, these are inhumane, spring-loaded, metal-toothed claws that snap closed on an animal’s leg. Since there’s no requirement for trappers to check their traps, a mountain lion may spend days in a trap before it dies of thirst or exposure.A TPWD study in 1999 monitored 16 mountain lions in the Big Bend area. All 16 were killed by humans; 15 in footholds. A more recent study, soon to be published in the scientific journal Wildlife Society Bulletin, records a nearly 50% mortality rate among mountain lions in the Davis Mountains, almost entirely due to trapping.This week, Texans for Mountain Lions submitted a petition to TPWD, asking for six conservation reforms. While all six are worth pursuing, four are no-brainers:Conduct research to identify the population size, status and distribution of mountain lions in Texas.Require anyone who kills a mountain lion to report it to TPWD, just the way harvest reports are required for deer or other game animals.Require 36-hour trap check times, so that trapped animals can either be euthanized humanely or transported.Limit harvests to five or fewer mountain lions annually until TPWD can determine the population size and status and establish sustainable hunting limits.Those are a good start but we would go further and outlaw footholds altogether. There is simply no good reason to allow them, and plenty of reasons to restrict them.Related:Kids got sick after playing at a splash pad in Rockwall County. What happened?If opposition arises to this proposal, it will likely come from the livestock industry. To be sure, ranchers have the right to protect their herds, but they can do so with open hunting seasons or live traps just as easily as with footholds. According to a TPWD publication on mountain lions, they prefer wild game to cattle anyway, mostly hunting deer, antelope and hogs, as well as smaller animals.We asked TPWD about footholds. Officials were hesitant to advocate for any position, but TPWD spokesperson Cory Chandler acknowledged that protecting mountain lions is good conservation.“Predators are critical to maintaining a sustainable, healthy ecosystem for all wildlife, so our goal is to manage for sustainable and healthy predator populations in Texas while providing flexibility for landowners to manage their depredation and recreational opportunities to the public,” Chandler wrote in a statement.Filmmaker Ben Masters is part of the group petitioning. He told us he became aware of this problem while filming a documentary.“We were filming the mountain lion sequence and all of a sudden, the star cat showed up missing all his toes,” he said. “There aren’t naturally occurring deaths of mountain lions in Texas. They all get trapped. There’s a mountain lion somewhere right now stuck in a trap.”We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here.Get smart opinionsEditorial and commentary from op-ed columnists, the editorial board and contributing writers from The Dallas Morning News, delivered three days a week.By signing up you agree to our privacy policyMost Popular on DallasNews.com123456
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Have you ever wondered why your Spot’s ears perk up when it’s perfectly quiet? Or why Fido barks a minute before the delivery person appears with a package at your front door? Well, it’s quite simple. In addition to some dogs being able to smell people or objects as far as 12-miles away, dogs have much more sensitive hearing than humans.
Although my dog Sueshi sometimes acts like she doesn’t hear me at all when I am giving her a command, in fact dogs can hear sounds four times farther away than we can. Dogs can hear higher frequencies, can differentiate sounds (such as the sound of your car versus other cars), and are good at pinpointing the exact location of sounds.
With such superior hearing, you can imagine it might be hard for dogs to tune out distracting noises.
Perhaps that’s why studies show that music, particularly classical music, helps reduce stress levels in shelter dogs as measured by their heart rate and observable behaviors. Dogs who listened to classical music were more likely to lay with their heads down in their kennels compared to other dogs who were more likely to vocalize, pant and put their legs up on the kennel door. While on the surface this may seem like just an interesting finding, I assure you it has more significant implications. Not only is a reduction in stress beneficial for shelter dogs’ mental and physical well-being, but it also translates directly into how quickly pets are adopted from a shelter. Dogs who appear calm and quiet find homes more quickly. Plus, a calm kennel environment is less stressful for all the animals and more welcoming for prospective adopters.
At Pasadena Humane, we take these findings seriously. To help reduce stress and anxiety, the dogs at the shelter enjoy twice-daily music therapy: “Symphony Hour” in the morning and “Lullaby Musical Hour” in the evening. During this time, classical music is piped through speakers in the kennels helping the dogs relax.
Nine-year-old Daenerys has a calm and relaxed vibe, but loves to go for walks and enjoys a toy when she’s in play mode. She’s extremely affectionate and loves back rubs. (Photo courtesy of Pasadena Humane)
And while many dogs prefer classical music, that’s not always the case, as discovered by our friends at the Scottish SPCA. Dogs in their care showed a lower stress response to soft rock and reggae over pop, classical and Motown.
Although there has been less research on the effects of music outside of a shelter environment, I know many dog owners leave music or the radio on when they go out. If you’d like to try playing some music for your pooch, it’s now easier than ever. Major streaming services like Spotify and Amazon Music offer customized playlists for dogs, as well as access to old favorites “Through a Dog’s Ear,” “Canine Lullabies” and many more.
There’s no harm in experimenting if you aren’t sure what kind of music your dog likes best! Keep an eye on their body language and go with what seems to bring them the most Zen. Happy listening! Dia DuVernet is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. pasadenahumane.org
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Barking mad! Dog-sitters are charging more than £100 a night for their services after surge in pandemic puppies has driven up demandDog-sitting website Rover.com has seen a 246% rise in demand since 2020The site said most of its enquiries are coming from metropolitan areasOne dog-sitter listed on Rover.com charges £115 a night for her services Published: 06:09 EDT, 8 August 2022 | Updated: 06:09 EDT, 8 August 2022 Dog-sitters in the UK are charging more than £100 a night to look after one dog after a huge rise in demand caused prices to soar.A combination of 3.2 million new pets bought during the pandemic and a shortage of dog walkers and sitters has led to the enormous price rise as dog owners are desperate to find people to watch their pooches.Another factor contributing to the squeeze is that lots of kennels were forced to close down during the Covid lockdowns.Dog-sitting website Rover.com told FEMAIL they had seen a 246% global rise in bookings since the beginning of the pandemic. Dog-sitting website Rover.com said there has been an increase in demand of 246% since the pandemic began in 2020Between 2021 and 2022 alone the service saw an 81% increase in new and repeat bookings.In particular, the rise has most commonly stemmed from metropolitan areas.One dog-sitter based in south London, who lists her services on Rover.com, charges £115 minimum per night to dog-sit.She charges significantly less for house-sitting (where she looks after the pooch in their own home). However, another woman on the site, based in the same area, charges £104 for a night of dog-sitting both in her own home and in the pooch's home.Claiming to have 10 years' experience looking after pets, she describes herself as an animal lover and has two stellar reviews singing her praises. In March 2021, just before the third Covid lockdown came to an end, UK supermarkets warned of a potential shortage in supplies of cat and dog food due to a rise in demand as the number of pandemic pets soared.Figures released by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association revealed that 56% of new animal owners were under the age of 35, while 59% of the new owners had children at home.Nicole Paley, deputy chief executive of the PFMA, said: 'With millions working from home or furloughed from their jobs, many have clearly considered the numerous benefits of pet ownership. 'Now, more than ever, we know that the companionship and joy pets can bring to people’s lives shouldn’t be under-estimated.'She added that, amid the huge increase in dog ownership, people should think about the 'long-term responsibilities' of bringing a pet into your life and how your working situation may change in the future, meaning you're not working from home as much. It is thought that summer holiday season has spiked the demand for dog-sitting services even more, as many pet owners are planning to jet off abroad for weeks at a time. Advertisement
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A team of biologists recently hauled in the heaviest Burmese python ever captured in Florida, officials said. The discovery was part of the state’s python removal program.The female python weighed in at 215 pounds (98 kg), was nearly 18ft long (5 metres) and had 122 developing eggs, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said in a news release.The team used radio transmitters implanted into male “scout” snakes to study python movements, breeding behaviors and habitat use, said Ian Bartoszek, wildlife biologist and environmental science project manager for the conservancy’s program.“How do you find the needle in the haystack? You could use a magnet, and in a similar way our male scout snakes are attracted to the biggest females around,” Bartoszek said.The team used a scout snake named Dionysus – or Dion for short – in an area of the western Everglades.“We knew he was there for a reason, and the team found him with the largest female we have seen to date.”Biologist Ian Easterling and intern Kyle Findley helped capture the female snake and haul it through the woods to the field truck.A necropsy also found hoof cores in the snake’s digest system, meaning that an adult white-tailed deer was its last meal.National Geographic documented the discovery, highlighting the continued impact of the invasive pythons, which are known for rapid reproduction and depletion of surrounding native wildlife.Bartoszek said removal of female pythons plays a critical role in disrupting the breeding cycle.“This is the wildlife issue of our time for southern Florida,” he said.Since the conservancy’s python program began in 2013, they’ve removed more than 1,000 pythons from approximately 100 sq miles (258 km) in south-west Florida.Over that stretch, necropsies have found dozens of white-tailed deer inside Burmese pythons. Data researchers at the University of Florida have documented 24 species of mammals, 47 species of birds and two reptile species from pythons’ stomachs.Prior to the recent discovery, the largest female removed through the conservancy’s program weighed 185 pounds (84 kg) and was the heaviest python captured at the time in Florida, officials said.The state’s python removal program runs for two weeks in August. Participants compete for prizes, including $2,500 for capturing the most pythons.Last year’s challenge involved more than 600 people from 25 states.
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By Nicola BryanBBC NewsImage source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, A puffin is instantly recognisable from its brightly coloured, parrot-like billPuffin breeding season on Pembrokeshire's Skomer Island is drawing to a close and the birds will soon return to sea once more.More than 38,000 Atlantic puffins began to arrive on the 720-acre island in late March and will leave towards the end of July. For landscape and wildlife photographer Drew Buckley, who has been capturing their stay, it can feel "a bit all over at once". "You're there every day and then suddenly you're not going to see them for nine months or whatnot but it's all part of the cycle," he said.Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Drew said capturing this puffin in silhouette against the sunset was one of his highlights this seasonThe brevity of their stay makes it more precious: "If it was the same every day then it wouldn't be as special - it's this sort of fleeting glimpse and then you look forward to next season."Drew, 36, from Pembroke, grew up spending his pocket money and birthday money on cameras.He had a career as a 3D computer games artist but gave it up to become a professional photographer in 2010.He now spends his time taking photographs for the likes of National Trust and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), writes magazine articles and books, runs photography workshops and recently worked with the BBC's Natural History Unit to create time-lapse photography for the TV series A Wild Year: The Pembrokeshire Coast."Anything with a camera and I'm happy, " he said. Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Every year Drew spends a few months with Skomer's puffinsMost of his time over the past few months has been spent taking photographs of puffins on Skomer, which is owned by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. With no land predators the seabirds are at ease and happy to put on a show for the camera. "They're very comical, very inquisitive," he said."They'll look at you and try to work you out. They're a little clumsy as well, so they're quite funny characters to watch really."He said he often got his best shots just before sundown.Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Puffins live for an average of 20 years"You get the sunsets and the birds are more relaxed because all the day-trippers have gone home and it's just a totally different place in the evening," he said. "They walk up to your feet, they'll climb over your camera bag, pull your shoe laces."Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Atlantic puffins eat small fish such as sand eels, herring, hake and capelinOne of his favourite shots from recent months is of a puffin in silhouette against a golden sky."The weather can be a bit fickle so a lot of things have to come together for that and not too many clouds to spoil the show."He said taking photos of the birds flying was good fun but challenging because "they're quick little things"."Sometimes they're a bit ungainly and other times they're a bit more charismatic with their landings."Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Drew captured the moment a scrap broke out between a puffin and a gullSeveral of his photos capture gulls trying to steal fish from the puffins when in mid-flight: "You have to be even quicker for those because it's a blink of an eye and you'll miss it."But he makes sure he finds time to pause and just enjoy the island."Sometimes it's important to just put the camera down and watch [the puffins] and experience it because it's such a unique environment."We're very lucky to have this on our doorstep. You are stepping into the puffins' realm as it were... it's a such a magical place."Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Skomer Island is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West WalesImage source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Puffins usually reach breeding age at between five and six years oldWhen can I see puffins on Skomer?Puffins begin to arrive on Skomer and neighbouring island Skokholm from March to April. They start by building nests but still spend much of their time out at sea.Puffins are loyal to one another, each year mating with the same bird and producing one chick. Both parents incubate their egg for between 36 and 45 days. It is after this point things get busy."That's when you see all the shots of birds coming back in with beaks full of sand eels and feeding the hungry chicks," said Drew.Both parents share the feeding duties until the chick is ready to fledge. Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Drew says Skomer Island is a magical placeAdult birds desert their young shortly before they are ready to leave the nest and head back out to all corners of the Atlantic.The timing of the breeding in puffin colonies is highly synchronised, so the departure of all adults takes place within a few days.Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, Drew enjoys photographing the seabirds at sunsetThe young birds leave their nest burrow and make their way to the sea, normally under cover of darkness to avoid predators.The adults will be back again next April to start the cycle all over again. Image source, Drew BuckleyImage caption, The departure of all adults puffins from Skomer will take place within a few daysWhat is the future for Atlantic puffins?The largest breeding populations of Atlantic puffins are found in Iceland and Norway and the British Isles hold about 10% of the world's puffins.Atlantic puffins are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species for birds, meaning they are at risk of extinction.But on Skomer the seabirds are thriving. At the start of this year's breeding season WTSWW reported record numbers of the birds - 38,896, a 240% increase on the past 10 years.ConservationNatural Resources WalesPhotographySeabirdsWildlifeNatureBirdsPuffinsWildlife photographyUplifting storiesPembroke
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Malaysian customs officials said Monday they seized a stash of rare animal parts worth $18 million thought to have come from Africa, including elephant tusks, rhino horns and pangolin scales.The Southeast Asian nation is a hub for wildlife trafficking, with animal parts shipped through the country to lucrative regional markets.Authorities foiled a smuggling attempt on July 10 when they uncovered the illicit cargo in Port Klang, on Malaysia's west coast, hidden in a container along with timber.The shipment included an estimated 6,000 kilograms (13,200 pounds) of elephant tusks — Malaysia's biggest single seizure of elephant ivory, said customs department chief Zazuli Johan.Video: Indonesia foils attempt to smuggle endangered birdsThere were also 29 kilograms of rhino horns, 100 kilos of pangolin scales, and 300 kilos of animal skulls and other bones, he told a press conference.The seizure had an estimated value of 80 million ringgit ($18 million), he said, adding it was believed to have come from Africa, without giving more details.Zazuli said Malaysia was not the shipment's final destination, but did not say where it was heading.Animal parts such as elephant tusks and pangolin scales are popular in countries where they are used in traditional medicine, including China and Vietnam.There have been no arrests over the seizure.Kanitha Krishnasamy — Southeast Asia director at wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic — hailed the "significant seizure"."This medley of threatened species in a single seizure is concerning, and it certainly verifies the suspicion that criminals continue to use Malaysian ports to move contraband wildlife," she said.pl-sr/dva
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Tiger King star Bhagavan “Doc” Antle felt the bite of a 10-count indictment from a South Carolina grand jury for alleged wildlife trafficking and money laundering, prosecutors announced Thursday. Antle, 62, who owns the wildlife tropical preserve Myrtle Beach Safari, faces up to 20 years behind bars for the money laundering charges and five for the wildlife trafficking charges, according to the Justice Department. TIGER KING'S JOE EXOTIC RESENTENCED TO 21 YEARS IN PRISON “Kudos to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for doing what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has refused to do for years: crack down on ‘Doc’ Antle’s endangered-animal exploitation outfit,” PETA said in a statement. “PETA will keep pushing the USDA to do its job, revoke Antle’s license, and stop letting him profit from animals’ misery.” FBI agents and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case. In addition to Antle, four other individuals were hit with related indictments from the grand jury, including Andrew Sawyer, 52, Meredith Bybee, 51, Charles Sammut, 61, and Jason Clay, 42. Bybee, Sammut, and Clay are accused of participating in the wildlife trafficking operations with Antle in violation of the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act. Wildlife such as cheetahs, lemurs, and a chimpanzee were allegedly trafficked in those operations. The trio is also accused of making false statements about that activity to law enforcement. The indictment also includes money laundering charges, adding to a previously filed federal complaint announced earlier this month that also charged him for the alleged money laundering scheme. Antle is accused of conspiring with Sawyer to launder $505,000 from an alleged "operation to smuggle illegal immigrants across the Mexican border into the United States." Both Antle and Saywer wrote checks with that money falsely claiming to be remitted for construction work at Myrtle Beach Safari, according to the Justice Department. This system was used as a guise for a "legitimate income," but Antle and Sawyer reaped a 15% fee on the money sent, prosecutors alleged. On Monday, a judge set a $250,000 bond for Antle and ordered him confined to his Myrtle Beach Safari for the money laundering charges in the prior federal complaint. The bond was paid and he was released from a South Carolina jail Tuesday, WBTW reported. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Antle gained fame for his appearance in the 2020 hit Tiger King documentary series, which told the story of tiger breeders and private zoos. He was also featured in the follow-up documentary Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story. In addition to the grand jury indictment, he is also facing charges in Virginia for wildlife trafficking, animal cruelty, and more, the Hill reported. He has had over 35 Department of Agriculture violations filed against him for his treatment of animals, according to the outlet.
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LIVE OAK — A squirrel was euthanized after a resident discovered the rodent flailing with two different miniature steal traps clamped onto his limbs Sunday evening.
The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is seeking information on the individual who set illegal steel rodent traps in the Live Oak area. (Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter — Contributed)
Now, a nonprofit wildlife emergency response group has put up a cash reward for the arrest and conviction of whoever set the illegal steel hold leg traps. Wildlife Emergency Services is offering an initial $1,000 reward and is soliciting support to increase its reward offering.
The squirrel, found by Live Oak resident Alysa Rowe, was still mobile and able to climb fences and trees at the time she was able to corral it and bring it to Native Animal Rescue for care and trap removal. Rowe said she solicited family and neighbors’ help to surround the squirrel and detain it in a box as it tangled itself in a nearby tree. Ignoring the suffering animal, she said, was just not an option.
“It was rolling instead of walking, it really couldn’t walk at all. I thought, at first, that it had a broken leg,” Rowe said. “But, then I saw the two traps, which on this squirrel looked quite large.” The traps, with approximately 3-inch-wide crescent mouths, are believed to have been set within the area of Felt Street, Corcoran Street, Paget Avenue or 24th Avenue in Live Oak. Todd Stosuy, field services manager in animal control for Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, said such traps are banned in the state of California, and many other states, “because they cause so much pain and suffering.” Those found guilty of setting such traps could face fines of not less than $300-$2,000 or one year in county jail, in addition to animal cruelty punishments, Stosuy said. After the squirrel was brought to the attention of animal control, Stosuy said an officer was dispatched to the neighborhood to knock on doors and check out backyards for similar traps. The officer was unable to locate the owner of the traps, however, he said. Stosuy said that, beyond the traps’ illegality and threat to wildlife, they could potentially injure and maim household pets or small children, as well. He described the unanchored traps as having clamped onto the squirrel’s front and back left paws and severing the flesh down to the bone.
Due to the extent of the squirrel’s injuries, officials opted to humanely euthanize the rodent, Stosuy said.
Wildlife Emergency Services founder Rebecca Dmytryk said the steel leg traps were different than other types of quick-killing rodent “snap traps” commonly seen on the market.
“Nobody, not even a licensed trapper, is allowed to set traps for wildlife like squirrels without following the fairly strict California trapping regulations, which would actually prohibit anybody setting trap within 150 yards of another person’s house without their written consent,” Dmytryk said. “There’s ways of dealing with nuisance wildlife without taking lethal measures.” Dmytryk, who also operates a private pest control company, said the basic principle of effective rodent control is to remove or reduction of the attraction to residents’ yards. Killing one troublemaking rodent only opens the door to the next, she said.
Community members with information related to the case are asked to contact Stosuy, the Santa Cruz County Animal Control officer, at Todd.Stosuy@santacruzcounty.us.
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By Malcolm PriorBBC News Rural affairs producerImage source, PA MediaImage caption, Beavers reintroduced into Britain could be protected in law from OctoberPlans to give beavers legal protection from being captured, killed, injured or disturbed without a licence in England have been delayed.Legislation was due to be introduced on Tuesday but the government instead said it would come "in due course".The Wildlife Trusts said the decision to delay put the reintroduction of beavers to the wild "in jeopardy".The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has raised concerns over the future management of beaver populations.Eurasian beavers, which were once widespread but hunted to extinction 400 years ago, have been reintroduced at sites across Britain.The first wild beavers were released in Scotland in 2009, where the species was granted legal protection 10 years later.In England, the government is hoping to introduce an amendment to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 that would protect beavers from October.'Extremely disappointing'The proposed amendment comes as the wider release of beavers into the wild is currently being considered.This month, the Wildlife Trusts, which have overseen the release of Eurasian beavers across Britain, have seen beaver kits born in Cheshire, Derbyshire and Dorset and they have highlighted the work beavers do in holding water on the land during the current heatwave. They are now calling for an explanation about why the move was delayed.Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: "Clarity around legal protections for beavers are crucial if populations are to recover and thrive long term - it is extremely disappointing that this legislation has been brought to a juddering holt, with no explanation why. "We need to see the widespread return of wild beavers to create vital wetland habitats and restore rivers, many of which have been damaged by centuries of dredging and being cut off from floodplains. As England grapples with a nature and climate emergency, we need our beavers back."Trials in England and Wales have been assessing the impact of beavers on the environment, with studies showing that the semi-aquatic mammals can slow river flows with their dams, which can protect land from flooding and create habitats for other native species.If it comes in, the new legislation would allow Natural England to grant wildlife management licences for landowners to control beaver populations in places where they are having a negative impact.But the NFU, which is concerned about the effect beavers can have on farmland - particularly flooding - called for Defra to ensure farmers were still able to manage populations where necessary.Richard Bramley, the NFU's environment forum chair, said: "The potential impacts that beavers can have on agricultural land are of concern to the NFU; undermining riverbanks, damaging trees, impeding farmland drainage, and causing low-lying fields to flood."Before beavers become a protected species, the NFU calls on Defra to ensure there is an effective and bureaucracy-free management framework in place. This needs to be accessible to farmers to enable them to maintain their productive capacity." Related Internet LinksThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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DEAR JOAN: I once rescued a white dove from the streets of Berkeley, and we ended up keeping him until he died, 23 years later. At one point we got him a mate. Their nest usually consisted of twisty ties, dropped randomly in a little basket in the cage.
Both parents did share in the parenting. What amazed me was how the female, normally a very timid and scared bird, would defend her nest and the young.
For the very first brood, both parents rarely left the nest until the youngsters fledged. They were very protective and concerned. With the second brood, as soon as they hatched, both parents were out and about, leaving the youngsters unattended. It called to mind how the first child often is photographed continuously and the second child less so.
Michael Babcock, Oakland DEAR MICHAEL: Doves are very good parents, even if they aren’t as attentive to every brood.
I suspect your rescued dove may have been part of a ceremonial release of white doves. They are supposed to fly back to their coop, but some of them never make it, either getting lost or preyed upon. Glad he had a good home for so long. DEAR JOAN: Just thought I’d share two strange things that Aramis, one of our 7-year-old cats, does, as I thought you’d enjoy hearing about them.
He’ll come get one of us (usually my husband, Gene) to follow him outside and walk with him to the edge of the side yard. We call this “going to the bricks,” and it actually started with another cat who used to do this with Gene. Gene taught Aramis to do it.
The other thing started a few years ago. He’ll want of of us (usually me) to follow him to the room where his bed is, watch him get settled and give him a few pets. I started calling this “tucking” him in. He does it several times a day now. It’s cute, but can get a bit annoying. His brother is a big orange cat who loves to be cuddled. We love our quirky boys!
Chris del Pilar, San Jose DEAR CHRIS: Your letter reminds me of why I love cats so much. They can be so quirky. And Aramis is adept at training his humans.
Hey readers, what are some of the quirky, endearing or infuriating things your cats do?
DEAR JOAN: Could you or your experts educate me and my neighbor?
Mysterious jawbone found beneath a Dublin hedge. (Courtesy of Constance Shanti)
We found this partial jawbone with some teeth. It was underneath a hedge that separates our properties. There were no other bones. What animal is it from and could you speculate on how just this one fragment was under the hedge? We are near open space, and we have coyotes, foxes, deer, skunks, opossums and more as neighbors.
Connie, Dublin
DEAR CONNIE: Wildlife expert Michael Marchiano says because the bone has been gnawed by squirrels or other rodents, and isn’t complete, he can’t be positive, but believes it is from a Columbian white-tailed deer.
That particular deer is not common in California, although it is in Washington and Oregon. The bone likely is from a skull that was brought into the area and then scavenged by rodents.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Have a question for Joan?
Use this form to submit questions. Photos should be mailed separately to jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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Crime Updated on: July 24, 2022 / 8:36 PM / CBS News A Texas man is facing felony charges after police said seven dogs that he owned mauled a 71-year-old man to death in an unprovoked attack. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's office charged 47-year-old Samuel Cartwright with attack by dog resulting in death after his seven pit bull mix dogs allegedly attacked and killed Freddy Garcia during a store run in Fresno, Texas, on July 18, police said in a statement. Emergency personnel airlifted Garcia to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston where he was pronounced dead, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said Tuesday during a press conference. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's office charged 47-year-old Samuel Cartwright with attack by dog resulting in death The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office Police initially captured four of the seven dogs one day after the attack and by Friday all seven dogs were captured by sheriff's deputies and animal control, police said. Cartwright is currently being held in the Fort Bend County Jail on $100,000 bond, police said. "This devastating tragedy didn't have to happen. I extend my deepest condolences to the Garcia family and his neighbors as they adjust to the loss of Mr. Garcia," Fort Bend County Sheriff Fagan said. "Special thanks go out to our deputies, Fort Bend Animal Services Director Rene Vasquez, and Fort Bend District Attorney Brian Middleton for the collaborative work of capturing the dogs and making an arrest." During Tuesday's press conference District Attorney Brian Middleton said that Garcia needlessly lost his life in the "tragic" incident and warned dog owners to control their pets. "If you have a dangerous dog it is your responsibility to keep that dog secure to keep the members of our community safe," he said. "If you fail to do that you will be held accountable."
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A Mexican gray wolf leaves cover at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro County, N.M.Jim Clark | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via APA California federal judge on Tuesday threw out Trump-era changes to the landmark Endangered Species Act, voiding regulations that made it harder to protect wildlife from the effects of human development and climate change.The ruling by U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar restores protections for hundreds of species and comes in response to a lawsuit that EarthJustice, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council and other environmental groups filed in 2019 against the Trump administration.The Trump administration had made it easier to remove protections for threatened animals and plants, and allowed federal agencies to conduct economic assessments when deciding whether to protect a species from things like construction projects in critical habitats. It also removed tools that scientists used to forecast future damage to species from climate change.The administration had argued the changes would make the law more efficient while easing burdens on landowners and corporations.In 2021, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, filed a motion to remand the rules voluntarily in response to the environmental groups' lawsuit.The federal agencies asked the court to let them partially rewrite the Endangered Species Act regulations while keeping them in place, so that the agencies could conduct a review process of the changes before taking action. Such a process could take months or years to complete, according to environmental groups.The court ruled to instead void the Trump-era changes altogether, arguing there was no reason to keep rules that were going to be changed anyway."Regardless of whether this Court vacates the 2019 [Endangered Species Act] Rules, they will not remain in effect in their current form," wrote judge Tigar in his ruling."The court spoke for species desperately in need of comprehensive federal protections without compromise," Kristen Boyles, an attorney at Earthjustice, said in a statement. "Threatened and endangered species do not have the luxury of waiting under rules that do not protect them."The Endangered Species Act has been credited with helping rescue species like the bald eagle, grizzly bear, Florida manatee and humpback whale since President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1973. The legislation currently protects more than 1,600 species across the country."Trump's gutting of endangered species protections should have been rescinded on day one of the Biden presidency," Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. "With this court ruling, the Services can finally get on with the business of protecting and recovering imperiled species."
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Lynne Mishele, a woman who was renting a home that was destroyed in Anne Heche's fiery car crash on Friday, is "devastated" following the incident."Ms. Mishele is devastated by what happened to her on Friday — not only because she and her pets almost lost their lives, but because all of her property, including items of profound sentimental value, were destroyed," Shawn Holley, the tenant's attorney, told Fox News Digital on Monday. "She asks for privacy at this incredibly difficult time."Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this report Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
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This story is part of I'm So Obsessed (subscribe here), our podcast featuring interviews with actors, artists, celebrities and creative types about their work, career and current obsessions. The new animated film DC League of Super-Pets follows Superman's dog Krypto, who has powers just like his guardian, as he takes charge to help the Man of Steel and the rest of the Justice League when they are kidnapped. For assistance Krypto recruits a bunch of shelter pets who through an accident gain superpowers of their own. The film features the voice work of John Krasinski, Dwayne Johnson, Vanessa Bayer, Kate McKinnon, Diego Luna, Keanu Reeves among others.While star power, and a thrilling plot are enough to hook most of us, DC League of Super-Pets also has a touching origin story. Jared Stern, who wrote, directed and produced the film shared that he got the idea for the movie while volunteering at an animal rescue with his wife when they were still dating. In the front of the shelter was a room filled with a bunch of adorable kittens. But there was also a back room at the rescue which had all the "lifers" who'd likely never get adopted."Some of them are older. Some of them were dealing with various issues. And I thought, 'oh, it's going to be tougher for these ones to get adopted. And I have no idea why.' But I thought, 'what if they got superpowers?' And maybe because they seemed so powerless. I wanted them to be powerful." said Stern on CNET's I'm So Obsessed podcast. "That was the seed of the idea from that one day at the pet shelter and then thinking about the various DC Super-Pets and smashing it all together."Stern, who also created the Netflix animated series Green Eggs and Ham, co-wrote The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie and had access to different Warner Brothers DC superhero properties.In the comics, Superman has a dog named Krypto who has all the same powers as Superman like heat vision and the ability to fly. But there are actually a bunch of superhero pets that are part of DC comics like Ace the Bat-Hound who in DC League of Super-Pets is voiced by Kevin Hart. One of Stern's favorites was a turtle.
"There's a pet that comes from a classic old school DC comic called Merton McSnurtle the turtle. This turtle ended up becoming the Flash's turtle and gets super speed," said Stern.Merton is portrayed by Natasha Leone in the movie.You can listen to my entire conversation with Stern in the podcast player above. He discussed directing Keanu Reeves via video chat who was filming John Wick 4, what he learned working at Disney and his love of trail running.Subscribe to I'm So Obsessed on your favorite podcast app. In each episode, Connie Guglielmo and I catch up with an artist, actor or creator to learn about their work, career and current obsessions. Movies Coming in 2022 From Marvel, Netflix, DC and More See all photos
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Owner's emotional video of her final hours with her beloved dog Baxter goes viral - showing how she gave him cuddles, a McDonald's breakfast and 'naughty' chocolate before he was put to sleepEllie Buckler, 21, from Blackpool, shared a video of her dog Baxter's final day She showered her beloved pets with love, hugs and treats like his first chocolateShe explained Baxter the Shar Pei had been suffering and had to be put down Published: 16:01 EDT, 28 July 2022 | Updated: 16:01 EDT, 28 July 2022 An owner has gone viral with a moving video showing her final hours with her dog before he was put down. Ellie Buckler, 21, from Blackpool, wanted to give Baxter the Shar Pei a send-off to remember and arranged for him to enjoy special treats like chocolate, McDonald's and a cup of tea. 'He was 12 years old, he had started to really struggle with walking and struggled to breath too, Ellie explains in the caption of her TikTok video, which has more than 11million views. A tender farewell: Ellie Buckler, 21, from Blackpool, wanted to give Baxter the Shar Pei a send-off to remember and arranged for him to enjoy special treats like chocolate, McDonald's and a cup of tea 'He was 12 years old, he had started to really struggle with walking and struggled to breath too, Ellie explains in the caption of her TikTok video , which has more than 11million views. Baxter's day started with a McDonald's breakfast The family pet tucked into his very first McDonald's in the final hours before he was put down. His last day was captured on film by his loving owner Ellie, pictured together'He was on lots of painkillers and it wasn’t fair to watch him suffer anymore, it would have been selfish of us to let him carry on in that state. 'He had never eaten a McDs [McDonald's] or choc before, the past few months he’s only been able to have dry food so we thought we’d let him have all the nice things.'Ellie added that deciding to put him down was the 'hardest decision of their lives but the kindest thing to do'. Baxter's day started with his first McDonald's breakfast followed by a slow walk to the shop to buy a packet of ham. Baxter's day started with his first McDonald's breakfast followed by a slow walk to the shop to buy a packet of ham, pictured Ellie and her family showered her beloved dog with hugs and cuddles as he relaxed on the floor. Their other dog also curled up with Baxter The much loved pet was treated to a bite of chocolate and a few sips of tea before the family had to say goodbyeEllie showered her beloved dog with hugs and cuddles as he relaxed on the floor. Their other dog also curled up with Baxter. The much loved pet was treated to a bite of chocolate and a few sips of tea before the family had to say goodbye. The post was met with an outpouring of support from viewers. One wrote: 'It’s horrible when you lose your dog, when I think about mine now I still have a tear in my eye hope you’re alright.'Another posted: 'Wow this broke my heart. I lost one of my pugs a week ago and still struggling now.'A third added: 'I’m dreading the day this happens to me my dog is my world.' Ellie added that deciding to put him down was the 'hardest decision of their lives but the kindest thing to do'. Pictured, Baxter on his final car trip Advertisement
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Trash collection in Yosemite National Park during a government shutdown in 2019. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle (AP)You’re hiking through glorious nature when you see it—a dirty, squished plastic water bottle along the trail. Instead of picking it up and impotently cursing the litterer, you can now take another small helpful step—you can report the trash to a new data project that aims to inspire policy change. Environmental nonprofit 5 Gyres is asking national park visitors in the U.S. to log trash they see through a new site called TrashBlitz.The organization, which is dedicated to reducing plastic pollution, created TrashBlitz to gather data on how much, and what kind, of plastic and other litter is clogging our parks. They want to encourage realistic plastic pollution reduction plans for all 63 national parks.Once registered on the TrashBlitz website, park visitors can specify the types of trash that they’ve spotted, such as if the discarded item was used for food packaging. According to 5 Gyres, the data will contribute to a report to be published this fall on the top items discarded, the materials, and the brands that have created the most waste across national parks. A 5 Gyres spokesperson said people have registered so far in a variety of parks “including Yellowstone, Sequoia, Zion, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Great Smoky Mountains, Channel Islands, Denali, Acadia, Joshua Tree, and more.”Screenshot: GizmodoThe TrashBlitz initiative is set to run from early July through September. This call-to-action comes about a month after the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it’s going to phase out the sale and distribution of single-use plastic items on public lands and national parks. But it doesn’t plan on completing that phase-out until 2032.“While we applaud Secretary Deb Haaland for her leadership and commitment to reducing plastic waste on public lands, a 10-year timeline is far too long,” Alison Waliszewski, policy and outreach manager at 5 Gyres, said in a statement. “We hope that the data from Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz can help to identify the top items and brands that are polluting national parks to determine where we need to shift our focus first.”5 Gyres hopes the data can help the National Parks Service and the Department of the Interior focus on the worst offenders, 5 Gyres wrote in an online post about the initiative.There’s a huge need to reduce the more than 70 million tons of waste that is managed in parks every year. And most Americans do want to get rid of single-use plastics on public lands: According to a poll from Oceana, an ocean conservation group and one of several 5 Gyres partners, 82% of Americans support a phase-out of disposable plastic in our national parks.Hundreds of millions of people visit national parks throughout the U.S. every year. Without an aggressive plastic mitigation plan, there will be more opportunities for trash to end up in waterways and other habitats, harming wildlife.
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Published June 13, 2022 10:04PM Dallas Animal Services unveils plan to manage coyotes Dallas Animal Services unveiled its plan to better track coyotes in the city. It asked for input from people living in Lake Highlands, where a 2-year-old was attacked by a coyote in May. DALLAS - Dallas Animal Services unveiled its plan to better track coyotes in the city. It asked for input from people living in Lake Highlands, where a 2-year-old was attacked by a coyote in May. MORE: Search underway for 'extremely dangerous' coyote that attacked Dallas 2-year-old In the month since a coyote attacked and injured a 2-year-old boy on the front porch of his family's Lake Highlands home, wildlife officials identified and killed four aggressive coyotes and set up a hotline for people to report aggressive coyotes. Now DAS has released its 30-page coyote management plan. Its goal is to help residents safely coexist with coyotes while prioritizing human safety. "We want to be able to utilize all of the tools at our disposal to make sure that we are not attracting any coyotes," said DAS Director MeLissa Webber. In addition to neighborhood meetings and flyers on coyote behavior, DAS Asst. Director Whitney Bollinger says District 10 residents can expect new warning signs in areas where coyotes are commonly sighted and handouts on deterring coyotes using hazing techniques. But the heart of the plan focuses on matching the right response to different coyote behaviors. They’re broken down into seven levels including observations, sightings, encounters, pet attacks and attacks on humans. "The seven levels that we came up for where actually produced out of a scientific study on coyote management," Webber said. The plan includes tips about deterrence that residents may have heard before like not feeding pets outside, not composting meat or dairy, cleaning up your bird feeders, removing fallen fruit from the ground and making sure there aren’t places around your house where coyotes could hide. Many residents seemed pleased to hear that the city is also working on an anti-feeding ordinance aimed at reducing food that could attract the animals towards homes. "The point is that we really want compliance," Webber said. "We’re not looking to prosecute anybody's grandmother. And it’s education." The anti-feeding ordinance will be presented to the Quality of Life, Culture and Arts Committee on June 21 before going to the full council for a vote.
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Dry land surrounds Antelope Island where there used to be water in the Great Salt Lake, in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S., July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 14 (Reuters) - Utah's Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest recorded level this month amid a two-decade drought, a grim milestone as researchers and politicians point to grave threats to wildlife and people along its receding shores.The nearby metropolis of Salt Lake City is already subject to dust storms that experts fears could get worse."To save the Great Salt Lake, so that we don't become Dust Lake City, is to make a conscious choice that the lake is valuable and that the lake needs to have water put into it," said atmospheric scientist Kevin Perry, who has biked across dried-out lakebed since 2016 to study its composition.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comFor years, water that would otherwise end up in the lake has been diverted for human consumption, industry and agriculture. Combined with the ongoing drought, which has been exacerbated by climate change, that has exposed ever more lakebed.On July 3, the surface of the lake fell to the lowest level since records began in 1847, to an average of 4,190 feet (1,277 meters) above sea level, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It is expected to decrease further until fall or early winter, when incoming water equals or exceeds evaporation.The lake contains little more than one-fourth the volume of water now as it did at its high point in 1987, USGS said.The lake has lost nearly half its surface area from the historic average, exposing some 800 square miles (2,000 square km) of lakebed - an area larger than the Hawaiian island of Maui.Layers of earth that were formerly underwater have swirled into dust clouds laced with calcium, sulphur and arsenic, a naturally occurring element linked to cancer and birth defects. Exposed lakebed is also contaminated with residue from copper and silver mining."If you breathe that dust over an extended period of time, like decades or longer, then it can lead to increases in different types of cancer, like lung cancer, bladder cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and such," Perry, from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, told Reuters on a recent morning on Farmington Bay.More than just humans are endangered. Underwater reef-like structures host a micro-organism that is food for brine shrimp, in turn an important food for birds, but the structures dry out and turn gray when exposed.Alvin Sihapanya, a researcher at the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College, cupped his hands in the water and showed off two palms full of water teeming with tiny shrimp."It's super sad and devastating that these guys are exposed," Sihapanya said, referring to the structures. "It wasn't like this last year."An estimated 10 million birds from more than 330 species migrate through or live at the lake each year, said Max Malmquist of the National Audubon Society's Saline Lakes Program.Half of the North American continent's ruddy ducks stage here while half of its redheads nest here, according to the Great Salt Lake Audubon. Some 90% of the world's eared grebe population stage here, feasting on the brine shrimp.The shrimp are also harvested in a multimillion-dollar brine industry, forming part of a lake-generated economy that officials estimate to be worth up to $2 billion annually.With public awareness and pressure to act growing, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed into law 11 bills related to water conservation and policy in the last legislative session. Longer-term solutions will require the major consumers - agriculture, industry, municipalities - to consume less water and give more to the lake."As we hit these new record lows, we start to run the risk that those all of those values that we derive from the Great Salt Lake could be at risk," said Utah State Representative Tim Hawkes. "And that's what's driving this political pressure to do something."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Nathan Frandino; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Donna BrysonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Police charge 12 people with burglary after activists break into beagle breeding facility and free five dogs in protest against animal testingOfficers called to reports of burglary at MBR Acres in Wyton at 5am on SundayCalled again at 3am on Monday to reports of a burglary and dogs being takenThe force said that the dogs taken from the facility have yet to be recovered MBR Acres reportedly breeds around 2,000 beagles a year for research Published: 13:24 EDT, 21 June 2022 | Updated: 13:55 EDT, 21 June 2022 Twelve people have been charged with burglary after activists broke into a beagle breeding facility and freed five dogs in protest against animal testing. Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called to reports of a burglary at MBR Acres in Wyton at 5am on Sunday, then again at 3am on Monday to reports of a burglary and dogs being taken.The force said that the dogs taken from the facility, which breeds animals for research, have yet to be recovered.Twelve people, aged between 20 and 52, have been charged with burglary and are due to appear at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, police said.A barrister representing MBR Acres gave details of the alleged incident during a hearing in relation to a separate matter at the High Court on Monday.Caroline Bolton said that five dogs had been taken after a number of protesters broke into a site. Caroline Bolton said that five dogs (pictured) had been taken after a number of protesters broke into a site A group of 25 protestors wearing white overalls sat inside the MBR Acres facility near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on SundayMBR Acres has taken High Court action in the wake of anti-vivisection protests at the Wyton site and a judge has made an injunction preventing protesters entering an exclusion zone.Protests at the site hit the headlines in November after singer Will Young was involved in a demonstration.The centre reportedly breeds around 2,000 beagles a year to supply universities and private laboratories where experiments are conducted for research.Beagles are often used in the experiments because they are gentle, kind-natured animals.Marshall BioResources' told MailOnline: '19 people have been arrested during the past two days in connection with trespass onto our facility and the theft of our dogs.'It is clear that the protestors' claim that all of the protests occurring against our activities are peaceful are untrue. Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called to reports of a burglary at MBR Acres in Wyton at 5am on Sunday, then again at 3am on Monday to reports of a burglary and dogs being taken. Pictured: Animal Freedom Movement supporters free five beagles'Extremist elements have been harassing and threatening our staff for almost a year now as they come to work to carry out their small but vital part in the discovery and development of new medicines for humans and animals. 'Our staff’s homes and cars have been damaged and now our dogs have been stolen.'We are concerned that the police will need to continue diverting resources to protect our staff and third-party suppliers who want to perform their lawful work.'Our work forms part of the nationally important infrastructure that allows potential new medicines to be safety tested before they are given to humans or pet animals.'The law does not allow animals to be used in UK medical or veterinary research if there's an alternative. 'Animals are only used when alternatives are not presently available. Animals are never used to test tobacco, cosmetics, or household cleaners. The centre reportedly breeds around 2,000 beagles a year to supply universities and private laboratories where experiments are conducted for research. Pictured: Beagles inside the facility A spokesperson for the protest group said on Facebook on Sunday that police had arrested activists. Pictured: Protestors wearing white overalls sat at the MBR Acres facility'Rather, animals are critical to developing, manufacturing, and testing almost all human and animal medicines from vaccines to cancer treatments to asthma inhalers to worming tablets.'The UK is already committed to replacing animals wherever possible and is home to the world's foremost centre for making alternatives fit-for-purpose. 'Until alternatives that can replace the use of dogs in legally required safety testing exist, under current UK legislation animal experiments are necessary for preventing greater suffering from occurring. 'Contrary to certain protestors’ comments that the UK population are opposed to the use of animals in research, opinion polls show that the majority of people in Britain can accept the use of animals in research. 'In 2020, 73% said they could accept the use of animals such as dogs, mice and monkeys in the development of vaccines for Covid. 'We are confident that our democracy will not allow a small minority to jeopardise the possibility of new treatments for Alzheimer’s, cancer, motor neuron disease or any of the other conditions that continue to blight the lives of so many.' Advertisement
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U.S. Updated on: June 22, 2022 / 5:32 PM / AP It's time for the annual Python Challenge It's time for the annual Python Challenge 02:36 A team of biologists recently hauled in the heaviest Burmese python ever captured in Florida, officials said.The female python weighed in at 215 pounds, was nearly 18 feet long and had 122 developing eggs, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said in a news release. This Dec. 2021 photo provided by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida shows biologists Ian Bartoszek, right, and Ian Easterling, center, with intern Kyle Findley and a 17.7-foot, 215-pound female Burmese python captured by tracking a male scout snake in Picayune Strand State Forest. Conservancy of Southwest Florida via AP The team used radio transmitters transplanted in male "scout" snakes to study python movements, breeding behaviors and habitat use, said Ian Bartoszek, wildlife biologist and environmental science project manager for the conservancy's program. "How do you find the needle in the haystack? You could use a magnet, and in a similar way our male scout snakes are attracted to the biggest females around," Bartoszek said.The team used a scout snake named Dionysus — or Dion for short — in an area of the western Everglades. "We knew he was there for a reason, and the team found him with the largest female we have seen to date." A record-breaking Burmese python caught in Florida. @ConservancySWFL Biologist Ian Easterling and intern Kyle Findley helped capture the female snake and haul it through the woods to the field truck.A necropsy also found hoof cores in the snake's digest system, meaning that an adult white-tailed deer was its last meal.National Geographic documented the discovery, highlighting the continued impact of the invasive pythons, which are known for rapid reproduction and depletion of surrounding native wildlife. Bartoszek said removal of female pythons plays a critical role in disrupting the breeding cycle."This is the wildlife issue of our time for southern Florida," he said.Since the conservancy's python program began in 2013, they've removed over 1,000 pythons from approximately 100 square miles in southwest Florida. The record-breaking Burmese python is displayed on a table for a news conference. @ConservancySWFL Over that stretch, necropsies have found dozens of white-tailed deer inside Burmese pythons. Data researchers at the University of Florida have documented 24 species of mammals, 47 species of birds and 2 reptile species from pythons' stomachs.Prior to the recent discovery, the largest female removed through the conservancy's program weighed 185 pounds (84 kilograms) and was the heaviest python captured at the time in Florida, officials said.The state's python removal program runs for two weeks in August. Participants compete for prizes, including $2,500 for capturing the most pythons.Last year's challenge involved more than 600 people from 25 states. Burmese python invasion: Fighting invasive species 26:43 In: snake Florida Burmese python Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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pets_animals_wildlife
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What the quack! Mother now has three pet ducklings who 'follow her everywhere' after hatching eggs she bought from MorrisonsDeza Empson, 31, hatched three ducklings after putting eggs in an incubatorMum-of-three, from Redcar, was testing her Amazon incubator to breed budgiesHowever, her Braddock-White Clarence Court eggs from Morrisons hatched three ducklings, who she has named Daisy, River and Dusk Published: 09:06 EDT, 5 July 2022 | Updated: 09:47 EDT, 5 July 2022 A mum is smitten after three eggs she bought from Morrisons hatched - and now she has pet ducklings.Deza Empson, 31, from Redcar, Yorkshire, bought six Braddock-White Clarence Court eggs at the supermarket and on a whim put them in an incubator she bought on Amazon to breed budgies.She was shocked when just five days later she shone a light and could see little ducklings developing inside some of the eggs.The little chicks began pecking their way out of their shells three weeks later - with River and Dusk arriving first, followed by Daisy a day later.The trio love nothing more than a splash in the bath, and Daisy has grown so attached to Deza she follows her around, snuggling on her shoulder. Deza Empson, 31, (pictured) was surprised when her supermarket bought eggs hatched three ducklingsShe plans to keep Daisy, but River and Dusk will go to live with her cousin.Mum-of-three Deza said: 'They're lovely. It's so crazy. They just follow me everywhere.'When I first saw them move I could hardly believe it. I was like, "Oh my god. I'm getting ducks". My bond with Daisy is really special.'She cries for me all the time. I think she's so attached to me because I had to help her and she hatched last. The mum-of-three from Redcar, Yorkshire, was testing her new incubator, and was surprised to see the ducklings growing Deza has named her three ducklings Daisy, River and Dusk and has become very attached to Daisy'I can't imagine now that somebody else could have bought and eaten her.'Deza was testing her new incubator to ensure the temperature was constant, and to check she could see inside the eggs, before using it to help her breeding budgies.She had seen a TikTok video where someone tested an incubator with supermarket duck eggs, so used five, discarding one which was cracked. She had bought six Braddock-White Clarence Court eggs at Morrisons and on a whim decided to place them in an incubator Deza (pictured here) says that the ducklings love nothing more than splashing about in the bath and and snuggling into her shoulder Deza saw veins developing in four of the duck eggs after five days, and then began to see the little shapes of ducklings growing - and beginning to move.One of the developing chicks failed after a couple of weeks, so Deza took it out of the artificial nest.They hatched on June 11 and 12.The hatchlings now all sleep upstairs and Deza has to pop her hand over the little cage when the duckling calls out.She said Daisy squeaks and wiggles her tail whenever she sees her human 'mum'. Daisy in particular enjoys sitting on Deza's neck and nibbling her hair while she is watching TV or cooking As much as she enjoys the ducklings being around Deza says that she struggles with constantly clearing up after themDaisy snuggles on Deza's neck, nibbling her hair while she is watching TV or cooking.Deza believes her new little yellow pets are Aylesbury ducks and will turn white.But as much as she loves the ducks, Deza admitted the constant cleaning up of duckling poop is a bit of a challenge.Deza said: 'They're so lovely, but it just wasn't what I expected at all. Eggs you buy from the supermarket just shouldn't be fertile.'My nan loves duck eggs and she won't touch them any more now she knows they might be alive, and friends I've told don't ever want to eat eggs again.' She will keep Daisy but River and Dusk are going to live at her cousins. She says that she is surprised that the eggs from Morrisons were fertile Advertisement
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The RSPCA has shared pictures of "one of the worst cases of matting ever seen" after a dog was left with fur like a "hardened shell".Moses, a nine-year-old Shih Tzu, was found in a house near Derby last month, with a coat that was covered in faeces and soaked in urine, RSPCA officer Pamela Bird said.
The charity believes it would have taken "a good couple of years" for Moses to get into such a state, adding his fur was so badly matted, his tail stuck out at a right angle to his body and a cocktail stick was found lodged near his skin.Once into the RSPCA's care, it took three vets two hours to shave off all of his fur, which ended up weighing more than half a kilogram."The scale of what we were dealing with became apparent once the veterinary team had started work on Moses' coat; it was caked in urine and faeces and smelt awful," Ms Bird said. "We all became more and more shocked by what we were seeing and the realisation at what this poor little dog had endured.
"He was sedated in a way that was sensitive to his age, which is why it took the team a long time to slowly shave off his fur - particularly as there were a few sore patches underneath, but they did an absolutely fantastic job. More on Rspca RSPCA issues warning over exotic pets after seven snakes abandoned at home Spearmint the seal taken into rehab after being fed sandwiches and doughnuts by people in Plymouth Frog takes giant leap across continents by taking 6,000-mile trip from Africa to Northumberland in bag of fresh mint "It's one of the worst cases of matting I've ever seen, but despite this hardened shell of foul-smelling fur which he was carrying around - which must have been incredibly uncomfortable for him - Moses was one of the most lovely natured dogs you could ever meet."Moses was signed into the RSPCA's care last month, and was alerted to him after he was seen roaming the streets alone.It was discovered he had an elderly owner who was suffering from a serious health problem, and allowed the charity to take him in - something Ms Bird described as "the right thing".Animal care manager, Lucy Bell, added: "It's taken Moses a little while to get used to having so little fur, and his skin was hypersensitive where it had been pinched underneath - even gently touching his back would irritate him at first."But now he realises he can finally move around properly without his coat weighing him down, he's getting happier and happier every day and we all think he's so handsome.""We think he's going to make someone a wonderful, loving pet."The charity is warning about the cost of living crisis, saying it is worried that the strain being placed on people's finances could mean more animals are handed over into its care over the next few months.
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A 300kg sea cow that only eats lettuce is costing Sea Life Sydney Aquarium an eyewatering sum of $18,000 a month.As the cost of living crisis worsens, lettuce has become a hot commodity, but while soaring prices have forced some fast food outlets to ditch the leafy green -one animal is chomping through thousands of dollars’ worth of it.Sydney Sea Life Aquarium’s resident dugong ‘Pig’ eats 35kg of cos lettuce every single day – attracting a grocery bill of $18,000 per month.“We were once upon a time paying $7,200 we are now currently paying $18,000 a month,” Senior Dugong Keeper Dayna Plater told Sky News Australia’s Chris Kenny.Stream the latest news on COVID-19 with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022.“We did go through a trial-and-error process when he first came into care and unfortunately this animal here only likes the most expensive lettuce we have.”Lettuce prices have skyrocketed in recent months due to flooding in New South Wales and Queensland making a range of lettuce crops unviable.A combination of rising fuel costs, wage increases, and inflation have also contributed to the rise in cost.Ms Plater said keepers feed Pig one tray of the leafy green vegetable every ten minutes, allowing the 300kg dugong to graze throughout day.In the wild, dugongs usually feed on massive amounts of sea grass, however, Ms Plater said the aquarium was forced to put Pig on a substitute diet.“The dugong naturally eats what we call sea grass but unfortunately it is critically endangered in Australia and it means our dugong has to live on a substitute diet of cos lettuce,” she said.Despite skyrocketing lettuce prices Ms Plater said the aquarium isn’t looking into switch to any alternatives.“We are not looking for an alternative here we are always going to try the best opportunity to give this animal what is required and what he needs,” Ms Plater said.“Pig is a VIP – a very important pig, so he’s always going to get the best of the best.”
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Bees are, in many ways, the darlings of the insect world. Not only do they play a crucial role in thriving ecosystems, but they’re also harbingers of the worsening consequences of climate change.
To bolster our knowledge of bee biology and behavior, a new effort dubbed the “Beenome100 Project” is building a first-of-its-kind library of dozens of different bee genomes. Researchers can use that information to tackle big picture questions like how to protect these tiny creatures, and how they’ve evolved alongside us over time.
Beenome is just one of the many initiatives affiliated with the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), an ambitious international effort to sequence the genomes of nearly 2 million named eukaryotic species. Eukaryotes have cells that contain nuclei and other organelles, setting them apart from other life forms like bacteria. This domain covers all plants, fungi, and animals, including bees.
READ MORE: World isn’t meeting biodiversity goals, U.N. report finds
First launched in 2018, EBP aims to sequence the genomes of those species over the course of 10 years, housing them in a public database so that all researchers can have unfettered access to this extensive, unprecedented data. The sweeping project is largely made possible thanks to advancements in the field of genomic sequencing technology, which has made this work faster, cheaper and more accessible in recent years.
Bees face myriad threats in a warming world, including population decline, a loss of synchronicity with the flowers they pollinate and increased susceptibility to disease. In general, insects are vulnerable to climate change because being coldblooded makes them uniquely sensitive to temperature fluctuations, said Michael Branstetter, a research entomologist at the United States Department of Agriculture.
The extinction rate of insect species is eight times faster compared to mammals, birds and reptiles, according to the United Nations Environment Program, and if the total mass of insects continues to drop at its current annual rate, these creatures could “vanish within a century.” Bees are no exception – to our own peril. Around a third of the crops we eat rely on animal pollinators, according to the USDA. Without bees, birds and other creatures, our pantries and refrigerators would look dramatically different.
“If you picked any insect group to disappear, you wouldn’t want to start with bees, because we would feel the effects for sure,” Branstetter said.
The United States is home to approximately 4,000 native bee species, and the aim of Beenome is to help researchers answer such questions as the genetic underpinnings that make different species susceptible to climate change. The project has a goal of unlocking the “blueprint” for at least 100 species, and eventually sequencing more over time, said Jay Evans, a research entomologist at the USDA and co-lead of the project.
The broader Earth BioGenome Project will help map a massive branch on the tree of life, with many potential uses, like significantly improving our understanding of evolution and ecology. It will also inform research in fields like agriculture, medicine, biotechnology and more. But the reality of climate change is putting researchers’ feet to the fire.
Around 1 million animal and plant species face extinction, several potentially within the next few decades, due to forces like habitat loss and rising global temperatures, the United Nations estimates. That means Earth could lose up to 50 percent of its total biodiversity by 2100 without human intervention, according to the University of California, Davis.
For pollinator species, shifting temperatures and weather patterns shift also affect the natural timetables long adhered to by flowering plants – a serious disadvantage to both the plant and the insects.
There are many reasons why genomes are useful tools for scientific research, Branstetter said, including assessing the genetic diversity of a species and identifying potential “genomic signatures” of sociality that underpin some species’ hive mentality. But the very real threat of losing entire species to environmental changes is also a consideration.
Should a species go extinct, “it’s at least nice to know that we’ve documented the genome of that species,” Branstetter added. Anna Childers co-leads the USDA’s Ag100Pest Initiative sequencing arthropods like ticks, flies and weevils. She noted that it’s crucial to understand how bees, as “sentinel insects of climate change,” may be responding to fluctuating temperatures and seasons in order for us to protect potentially endangered species.
“We kind of need to know how climate change might affect them, and having their genome is one way of learning this,” she said.
What does it take to put together a genome?
So how does genetic code, gibberish to the untrained eye, help answer major questions?
Childers knows that people’s eyes tend to glaze over once you get into the alphabet soup (adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine — or A, G, T and C) that comprises genomes. That’s why she likes to use the metaphor of a map.
Genomes are like the most bare-boned map, where the basic geographic features are laid out but not much else. With a little more information, Childers said, you can start to add details like the locations of homes and businesses, or the traffic patterns of the busiest neighborhoods that differ depending on the time of day.
“By bringing it all together in one place and having that map on which to place [other information,] it allows us to have a much more intricate understanding of what’s happening,” Childers said.
So far, members of 40 species are on their way to having their genomes sequenced. These bees were picked out of their natural environments, then frozen and sent to Hawaii-based labs tasked with extracting their DNA. It may sound counterintuitive to sacrifice the bees scientists aim to preserve, but don’t worry — they don’t take enough individuals to harm the species as a whole.
Sample collection can be tricky — first researchers have to actually find a member of the bee species they’re seeking to sample in the wild. For larger bees, a single part of their body — like the thorax — is usually enough to get a whole genome. But the tinier the bee, the more you need to retrieve genetic code.
WATCH: As bee populations decline, can technology help fill the gap?
“For the small bees, there’s only enough DNA if you do the whole bee. We just grind up wings, everything all together,” Evans said.
Sometimes researchers can also take multiple bees from the same colony or location and pool them together to generate a genome, Branstetter noted.
Once DNA is extracted from Beenome bees in Hawaii, researchers there or in Mississippi (both locations have the technology) feed it to a sequencing machine in smaller portions.
“You break that DNA down a little bit to maybe 20,000 base pair chunks. Then you put tags on the ends of each of those chunks, and then those are what go into this sequencing machine,” Evans said.
After that, those sequenced chunks get stitched together in a process called assembly. The annotation phase comes next. That’s when a combination of researchers and automated analyses interpret stretches of genetic code to figure out which genes they correspond to.
The process, which concerns about a tenth of the total genome, cross references the genomes of other species to identify the genes that are shared across different forms of life. Other parts of the genome are assessed as well, including non-coding RNA and sites that regulate how genes are turned on.
The process of annotating is akin to noting those traffic patterns or key landmarks on a map. Once it’s complete, the seemingly endless series of four letters is transformed into a key that connects an organism’s DNA to what researchers can observe about how a living member of the species’ goes about its daily life.
What researchers are learning
Bees captivate researchers for almost as many reasons as there are kinds of bees. For one, their behavior varies wildly across species. Some are social — like the famously hive-minded honeybees and bumblebees — but the majority lead solitary lives. There’s even variation within the same species in terms of living a social or solo life depending on external factors, noted Branstetter, who is involved with Beenome.
In the U.S., the Mojave poppy bee is native to a small, arid range across parts of Utah, Nevada and California. This tiny, solitary bee — which belongs to a family that had not been sequenced previously— specializes in pollinating local poppies that really only grow in certain conditions, and bloom for a short period during the spring.
Perdita meconis, otherwise known as the Mojave poppy bee, is pictured beside a dime to indicate its small size. Photo by Chelsey Ritner/USDA-ARS.
Their symbiosis is a prime example of how specialized the relationship between certain bees and plants can become, and just how crucial their mutual survival is. Both the bee and one of the flowers it frequents are under consideration for the endangered species list and face the threats of urbanization in their native habitat.
When Branstetter’s team sent the bee’s genome for sequencing, he said the result was one of the best genomes of a solitary bee generated thus far. He noted that the species’ unique biology and habitat “checks a lot of boxes” when it comes to the study of bees and their conservation.
“It’s a really tiny bee, so it was sort of challenging methodologically to see, ‘Can we get a good genome from it?'” he said. “And it’s from the desert Southwest, so it covers a geographic region and a habitat that we don’t have many representatives of for bees.”
The researchers intend to collect more Mojave poppy bees in order to improve their understanding of the population’s genetic diversity, but last year they didn’t find a single specimen, illustrating just how tricky that field work can be. Branstetter hopes that’s an example of “bet hedging,” when bees skip a season of poor, dry weather conditions so that they can reappear the following year.
Can bee genomes help save us?
Bee genomes can also help us map humans’ shared history with the rest of the natural world. Margarita López-Uribe, an associate professor of entomology at Penn State University, worked with her team to sequence the squash bee genome, a species that specializes in the pollination of members of the cucurbita genus, including squash and pumpkins.
Although squash bees can be found across the U.S. today, they were originally native to southwestern parts of the country, plus modern-day Mexico. They happily feasted on wild cucurbita plants that Indigenous populations in those regions began domesticating 10,000 years ago. But as people migrated away from that region and the scale of agriculture increased over the course of millennia, they brought their cultivated “cucurbits” with them, and the squash bees followed suit.
“This bee had been moving with the cultivation of crops and the movement of humans throughout North America,” López-Uribe said.
Squash bees are pictured collecting nectar inside a squash blossom. Photo courtesy Laura Jones.
By using a combination of different genomic information, she and her team estimated when geographically separated squash bees split off from each other. The squash bees that now live in the Northeast are genetically “highly divergent,” López-Uribe said, compared to the ancestral populations that still live in the southwest and Mexico. That means that squash bees have gone through “major adaptive processes” in their journey across land and time.
It’s clear that genomes can help us solve mysteries of evolution and ecology. But we can also call on them to help solve some of the most pressing crises facing humanity. Childers pointed to a beetle whose genomic sequence allowed researchers to understand how it’s able to break down wood. That kind of information, she noted, could help us identify more efficient ways to do the same thing in order to develop alternate fuels, or clean up environmental damage caused by catastrophes like oil spills.
“It’s hard to know what species we’re going to pluck out of the environment” that lead us to the innovations that will transform the future, Childers said. Having a bank of genomes at our fingertips is key to unlocking that wealth.
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By Helen BriggsEnvironment correspondentImage source, Science Photo LibraryImage caption, The UK is now home to more than 10% of the world population of red kitesBritish-born red kites are being flown abroad in a mission to help rescue the dwindling Spanish population.The birds of prey are threatened in parts of Spain by factors including poisoning and a lack of food.Experts have been given special permission to take 30 red kites from England and release them in the remote mountains of south western Spain.It's hoped the birds will thrive and breed there, rescuing the population. In the UK, the red kite has had a remarkable turnaround after almost being wiped out.A reintroduction programme in the 1980s and 1990s proved so successful that the population is now considered stable enough to support this vital conservation work.Image source, DefraImage caption, The birds were brought to the UK from Spain and SwedenDr Ian Evans of Natural England went out to Spain in the 1990s to collect wild red kites for release in the Chiltern Hills. He said the ones returning this week may be of Spanish descent."Those birds we took from Spain in the '90s have done really well in Britain - we're talking 4,000-plus pairs in the UK now, which is an incredible success story," he told BBC News.In the 1990s, red kites in Spain were doing well in comparison to the UK, where years of human persecution, including egg collecting, poisoning and shooting, had pushed the bird to near extinction.While red kites in the UK have since boomed, populations in some parts of southern Spain have gone the other way due to a number of factors.Dr Evans said the reason to take the birds back to Spain and release them in the wild was to "secure the future of kites globally".Media caption, Watch: Two of the red kites that will be sent to Spain for conservation purposesThis week 15 red kites are being flown to Madrid to be released in Extremadura and Andalusia.The juveniles are only a few weeks old, but already have most of their feathers and can feed independently.The red kite is one of Britain's largest birds of prey, known for its reddish-brown body, long wings, forked tail and distinctive "mewing" calls.Once considered a threat to game birds and domestic animals like cats and dogs, the red kite was hunted close to extinction in the UK and at one point there were just a few breeding pairs in central Wales.Red kites are largely scavengers, feeding on carrion and small prey such as rabbits.A first batch of 15 birds has already been flown out, with the project kept under wraps until now.The birds will perfect their flight in aviaries before being released fitted with the latest technology for monitoring how they adapt to their new habitat.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The red kite is protected under UK lawThe RSPB's Duncan Orr-Ewing said 30 birds will be released this year, with plans to release 30 more birds in each of the next two years."You need to find 90 to 100 birds to create a sustainable population in a given area," he said. "That should be sufficient to create a new breeding nucleus of the birds."Red kites are found across Europe and numbers have increased overall in recent years, although there are still drastic declines in southern Spain, Portugal, and locally in Germany. The UK is now home to more than 10% of the world population of red kites.The birds being sent to Spain hail from forests in Northamptonshire. Karl Ivans, wildlife ranger manager for Forestry England, which cares for the woodlands, was involved in the original efforts to rescue British red kites."It's a great honour to have been involved in the project right from the start," he said. "You feel really proud to do something good for the environment and for such a marvellous species." The project brings together a number of conservation groups, including the RSPB, Forestry England, Natural England, Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation and Accion por el Mundom Salvaje (Amus) in Spain.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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World June 28, 2022 / 9:50 AM / CBS News Two women were arrested in Thailand after they were caught with 109 live animals in their luggage at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Department of National Parks said in a press release. The airport's X-ray machines found two suspicious objects in their bags and authorities found two white porcupines, two armadillos, 35 turtles, 50 chameleons and 20 snakes, according to the news release. The women, who were traveling to Chennai Airport in India, were arrested. Investigators found 2 white porcupines, 2 armadillos, 35 turtles, 50 chameleons and 20 snakes, according to the press release. Thailand DNP The two women were identified as Nithya Raja, 38, and Zakia Sulthana Ebrahim, 24, according to the Bangkok Post. They were charged with violating Thailand's Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 2019, the Animal Disease Act of 2015 and the Customs Act of 2017. An X-ray of the luggage shows the items that were investigated – and turned out to be live animals. Thailand DNP Wildlife trafficking around the world hurts animal populations and is a multi-billion dollar effort effort that fuels criminal networks, according to the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. The U.S. embassy has several agencies working to help Thailand and other countries in the region fight wildlife trafficking and has several efforts to deter wildlife crime, protect endangered species from extinction and reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products, United States Agency for International Development said last year. "Wildlife trafficking threatens security, hinders economic development, and undermines the rule of law," the United States Department of Justice says. "The illicit trade in wildlife is decimating many species worldwide and threatens iconic species such as rhinoceroses, elephants, and tigers with extinction." Caitlin O'Kane Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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pets_animals_wildlife
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How complex are the personalities of donkeys? Find out by going to Palo Alto’s Cornelis Bol Park and visiting Perry, a miniature Jerusalem donkey who – true story – was the model for Eddie Murphy’s “Donkey” character in “Shrek.”
“He is very feisty, quite opinionated and holds grudges, if he gets mad at you. It will be a while before he pays attention to you again,” says Jenny Kiratli, lead handler for the Barron Park Donkey Project. “But then he’ll get over it – he’s very sweet and lets me pet him now.”
Those who value this kind of exclusive animal insight are lucky to live in the Bay Area, where close-up interactions abound from sheep to bunnies to goats to, uh, crabs. Here are five such places to get personal with animals.
Perry and Buddy graze in a corral at Cornelis Bol Park in Palo Alto. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Cornelis Bol Park
The donkeys at this small park reside in a pasture along the bike path. Visitors can’t enter the pasture but the donkeys are “very pet-able, if they are at the gate,” says Kiratli. Aside from Perry, there’s Buddy. The two have a sort of “Odd Couple” rivalry going on, with challenges to alpha-maleness that occasionally get physical. But in their hearts they’re good eggs. Buddy is “very sweet” and “pretty easygoing,” Kiratli says.
On Sundays between 10 and 11 a.m., handlers walk the donkeys around the park and stop at the play structure. And at 5 p.m. on those days, the donkeys are fed at their gate, and you can hear donkey facts and stories about their lives and help hold their food bowl. (Visitors themselves should never feed the donkeys, though, as they are on a special diet and even carrots and apples can harm them.)
Details: 3590 Laguna Ave., Palo Alto; barronparkdonkeys.org
A young girl picks up one of the ducklings in the pen at Berkeley’s Tilden Little Farm. (Laura A. Oda/Bay Area News Group)
Tilden Little Farm
Children and animal-loving adults are encouraged to interact with the denizens of this working farm, which is devoted to the preservation of rare crops and livestock. Depending on the time of year, visitors can watch shorthorn cattle getting milked or a sow tending to piglets. Or they can channel Lennie from “Of Mice and Men” and pet fluffy Dutch rabbits, while learning surprising facts like rabbits eat their own poop for nutrients and have digestive systems that make up 40 percent of their body.
The farm holds a variety of kid-friendly activities, such as tending to the chickens and story time with classic barnyard tales. Best of all, you can feed most of the animals with celery and lettuce, if you bring it yourself. Details: Inside Tilden Regional Park at the north end of Central Park Drive, Berkeley; 510-544-2233, ebparks.org/parks/tilden-nature-area
A barred surfperch swims by an aquarium window during the Crab Cove Visitor Center’s Holiday Traditions Open House in Alameda. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Crab Cove Visitor Center
Who says eels don’t deserve love, too? At this small but charming establishment, visitors can ogle marine creatures in an 800-gallon aquarium and engage in activities like building a “crab from the inside out” or getting a “lug worm’s view of the mudflats.” There are feeding times on weekends to watch crabs and fish scrabble for goodies, and educational programs with themes like “Amazing Jellies” and “Tern Time.”
The fun continues outside at the Crab Cove Marine Protected Area where, if the tide is right, you can observe a variety of shoreline critters going about their important duties. No disturbing or collecting them, though.
Details: 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda; 510-544-3187, ebparks.org/parks/visitor-centers/crab-cove
Ardenwood Historic Farm
Want to know what East Bay farming was like 100-plus years ago? Ardenwood satisfies with a simulacrum of life from that time, including a blacksmith shop, volunteers in historic costumes and tons of farm animals. The composition of the menagerie regularly changes but has included goats, cows, sheep, rabbits, turkeys and free-roaming peacocks.
On certain days, visitors can feed the animals and check the chickens for eggs. Parents looking to drain their kids’ energy for an easy bedtime might enroll them in a physical activity like hand-cracking corn for animal feed, say, or harvesting fresh hay to pile into a giant stack. (Note there is a small fee for entry.)
Details: 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont; 510-544-2797, ebparks.org/parks/ardenwood
Owner Dee Harley pets her goats at Harley Farms in Pescadero. Harley raises a herd of American Alpine goats which produce award-winning cheeses, goat-milk products and the farm offers tours and classes. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Harley Farms Goat Dairy
Goats. Goats. More goats. Folks who love these mischievous, rectangular-pupiled animals will thoroughly enjoy Pescadero’s Harley Farms, where you can drop by any day to observe them chowing down in their pasture.
Enthusiasts might consider paying $55 for a longer tour that goes deep into the farm with its milking goats, Anatolian-shepherd guardian dogs and an alpaca named “Gentleman Jim.” During the spring, you’re sure to see bounding baby kids – both of the goat and human variety. And at the end, there’s the farm shop with its abundance of goat-derived products, from body lotions and soap to cheesecake and chevre.
Details: 205 North St., Pescadero; harleyfarms.com
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Green Man festival, which rises up each August from the parkland and rolling countryside of the Usk Valley in mid-Wales, is facing accusations that its plans for a sustainable future will threaten some of the most vulnerable and protected wildlife and habitats in the country.The Welsh government is under pressure over its decision to spend £4.25m of public money to buy a farm in Talybont-on-Usk for the Green Man owners to use as a base for its expansion.The 240 acres of Gilestone Farm are within one of 12 important areas identified by the Welsh government for curlews, which are on the brink of extinction, as well as being home to protected lesser horseshoe bats, which have suffered widespread population decline, and adjacent to the sensitive and protected banks of the Usk itself.Amid the cries of environmental threats, the Welsh government is defending its actions, saying they fulfil its policies to support rural communities, create sustainable jobs and support culture, tourism and the arts.The festival’s owner, Fiona Stewart, has said everything she does on the farm will put the environment at its core. There is no question of the festival moving to Gilestone Farm; instead it will be used to hold two or three smaller events up to 3,000-strong, as well as regenerative farming, a brewery and climate-focused work.The festival, which this year will feature acts such as Kraftwerk, Beach House and Kae Tempest, has long had strong green credentials and a reputation for an environmentally friendly approach. But tensions are running high in the Usk Valley as Green Man prepares to hold its 2022 event over four days from 18 August. Villagers, many of whom are retired, have set up a new organisation, the Usk Valley Conservation Group, to highlight what they say are their environmental concerns.Those close to the project suggest there is more than an element of nimbyism involved and argue Green Man’s sustainable reputation has been clear for the more than 16 years it has been run on its current site on the nearby Glanusk estate.Green Man festivalgoers in 2013. Photograph: Tom Watkins/ShutterstockFor Andy King, the official bird recorder for Brecknockshire, any development or business on the farm has to be sensitive to the opportunities to help the curlew recover. In its action plan for curlews, the Welsh government said the wading bird was predicted to be on the brink of extinction as a viable breeding species in Wales by 2033. The plan aims to conserve breeding curlews over a 10-year programme of focused conservation action in the 12 identified areas.“The part of Gilestone Farm that they wish to use for events is the area that lends itself to providing a habitat for curlews,” said King. “I have walked that area for 30 years; the birdlife is rich there because of the River Usk running along its edge. There are more than 100 species of birds in and around the farm. There are curlews on neighbouring land, so we know they love that valley.”In a session in the Welsh parliament, Mark Isherwood, the chair of the public accounts and public administration committee, challenged officials on whether they considered the environmental issues at all before buying the farm for a private business.“This is a very environmentally sensitive site,” he said. “The farm is known to be home to protected wildlife, bats, endangered curlews, and is next to a special area of conservation … so what consideration was given to any pre-existing or potential planning limitations?”Andrew Slade, the director general for economy, treasury and constitution in the Welsh government, said the decision was made based on the need to secure a future for the Green Man festival in Wales.Slade said officials had been working with the festival owner since 2019 to try to find a property as a permanent base to secure its future in Wales to stop it being bought out by a multinational company and taken out of the principality. The festival had insufficient funds to buy the farm, he said, so after considering an outline business plan last year, the Welsh government bought it for the organisers to pursue objectives of supporting economic development, tourism and the arts.“The festival is the jewel in Wales’s crown,” he said. “We have been talking about how to preserve both the potential of the festival but also the brand. It attracts 25,000 people and generates £10m annually for the Welsh economy, and has a social media reach of a quarter of a million people.”A full business plan, which was commercially sensitive and would not be made public, was being analysed by officials and that was the point at which environmental issues and constraints on the land would be examined, he said.Stewart met the community in Talybont on Usk in May, attending a meeting at which she answered concerns about her plans.Stewart said her festival had a record of creating jobs and was keen to set up partnerships and training opportunities for young people in the community. The farm would remain a working farm, she said, but would also include green and sustainable projects.Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BSTBut Peter Seaman, founder of the Usk Valley Conservation Group, said there were environmental concerns around at-risk species, pollution of the River Usk – which routinely flooded on the farm – and the impact of the business on the small community nestled in the south of the Usk Valley.“The western end of the farm is the feeding ground for lesser horseshoe bats – exactly the area the festival wants to use for events. There needs to be no light and no noise; having hundreds or thousands of people on site is a no-go for these bats, which are the most protected species.”The river was also at risk, he said. “Like many rivers the Usk suffers from high levels of nitrate and phosphate pollution … at the moment there’s a biodigester dealing with sewage but the more activities there are, the more likelihood there is for pollution of the Usk.”The Welsh government said: “Green Man is a major employer in mid-Wales, making a significant contribution to the local economy and employing a large number of people both in its main festival business and in an increasing number of related ventures, which place a strong emphasis on sustainable development.“As a fast-paced growing industry in Wales, it is important that the Welsh government is able to continue to invest in effective interventions and provide support both direct to business and to activities that contribute to the development of a nurturing and supportive environment for the creative sector in Wales.”Green Man festival declined to comment.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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PETALUMA, Calif. -- The Petaluma Wildlife Museum, located on the Petaluma High School campus, is an academic program that immerses students in lessons on wildlife conservation and preservation."It's the nation's only high school student-run natural history museum," Director of Classes Phil Tacata shares with a smile. "I have 64 kids that I teach how to run a museum.""The concepts that I teach my kids reflect more of the modern-day conservation issues we are dealing with, things like habitat loss, things like poaching, things like climate change," Tacata says."There are aspects of animal husbandry that have to occur with this, there are aspects of building and exhibit maintenance that have to come with, there are aspects of public speaking and giving tours that come with this," Tacata adds.During the academic year, the museum is open to the public on Saturdays to share lessons of conversation."We have really cool animals and really cool taxidermy, and then, after we get them with that hook, we tell them about the animal, and we tell them what they can do to help conserve them and what other people are doing to help conserve them," student Bailey Moeller says."We're teaching kids about conservation stories and really showing them animals, getting them inspired about protecting animals," says student Zoey Haines."Our goal is to influence the next generation of conservationists through ecological education, and I think this is a great place to start," said student Arwinder Singh.Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the museum continues to build on the vision of its founder, Ron Head."This was all for kids and community to learn, to be mystified, to be inspired by wildlife both in the past like our T-Rex, and the present like our snakes," Tacata says. In addition to more than 150 taxidermy animals, the museum also houses about 40 live animals. Recently, Tacata started a "Zoo Haul" program that brings students and animals to local elementary schools to spread the conservation message. The museum also hosts a summer camp designed for children 5 to 12 years old."We can correct our mistakes, we can teach and we can influence the next generation to take action and do the right thing," said Sign.To learn more and support, visit here.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The oldest Magellanic penguin at the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens — one of the oldest penguins living under human care anywhere in the world — died Wednesday at the age of 40, the zoo reported.The estimated age of the male, called Captain Eo, was well over the species’ average life expectancy of 20 to 30 years, the zoo said in a statement.Captain Eo was named for a 1980s Michael Jackson short film that was a Disneyland attraction and he was the last remaining founding member of the zoo’s Magellanic penguin colony.The aging animal had lost much of his eyesight and hearing and needed special feeding techniques, the zoo said.Magellanic penguin are native to South America. They can grow more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall and weight as much as 14 pounds (6.4 kilograms).Captain Eo arrived at the zoo in 1984 when 52 wild Magellanic penguins were brought in to found a colony on Penguin Island, a habitat that includes a large outdoor pool along with burrows and rocky landscapes to mimic their native habitat, the zoo said.The oldest Magellanic penguin at the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens — one of the oldest penguins living under human care anywhere in the world — died Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at the age of 40, the zoo reported. (San Francisco Zoo & Garden via AP)via Associated PressCaptin Eo had the personality of “an older sophisticated gentleman,” Quinn Brown, the zoo’s assistant curator of birds, said in the statement.“He did not partake in the usual shenanigans of stealing fish from others, or pushing his way through the crowd for fish. Instead, he would quietly and politely sit on the rocky beach and wait his turn for his meal, then go out for a swim or home,” Brown said. “He was one-of-a-kind.“Captain Eo had 26 children, 31 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, the zoo said. Many are in other zoos and institutions around the country.“While we will never have the honor of embracing and connecting with Captain in this way again, he will always have a monumental place in our hearts,” Brown said. “He represented a part of San Francisco Zoo history and the penguin world that cannot ever be forgotten.”
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Oral contraceptives for squirrels are working, research has found, and the government hopes they can be used to keep populations down in the UK.Grey squirrels are an invasive species in the UK, introduced from North America in the 1870s. They pose a problem for wildlife including endangered red squirrels, which they outcompete. They also carry a disease called squirrelpox that does not affect them but can kill reds.They were originally used as an ornamental species to decorate the gardens of stately homes, before the damage they caused was realised and their release was banned in the 1930s.Grey squirrels are also a menace to trees, stripping their bark and weakening them. They are a particular problem for broadleaf varieties including oak, which are ecologically important because they support so many other species. It is estimated that the UK is home to around 3 million of the invasive rodents.Scientists have been trying to find ways to keep the grey population down, and now positive results have been released by the UK Squirrel Accord after a trial of oral contraceptives, which could be used to stop the mammals breeding.The contraceptive is in production by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha), with further tests being carried out to ensure it is safe and effective.To stop other species ingesting the medication, scientists have designed a special feeding hopper. It has a weighted door that will exclude most other species of wildlife while allowing more than 70% of local grey squirrel populations to access and eat from them.Apha is testing different methods of keeping red squirrels out of the feeders so that the contraceptives can be put in place in areas where there are both types of squirrel. So far, research suggests that body weight could be used to distinguish between greys and reds. No oral contraceptive has been used in the field at this stage of the research.The environment minister Richard Benyon said: “The grey squirrel is an invasive species that is causing untold damage in the British countryside, where these pests continue to wreck our fledgling broadleaf trees like oak by stripping bark and disrupting the delicate balance of nature and biodiversity, whilst diminishing our ability to tackle climate change.“That’s why we continue to support the UK Squirrel Accord and Apha as this important research on oral contraception shows promising signs that could help to eradicate the grey squirrel in the UK in a nonlethal way, as well as helping to recover our beloved red squirrel.”Other methods that have been used to attempt to reduce grey squirrel numbers include the release of pine martens into certain woodlands. These predators scare off and eat grey squirrels. However, the shy martens would not colonise the urban areas that are grey squirrel strongholds, so as long as woodlands continue to be topped up by grey squirrels from the city, other methods – including contraceptives – will be needed to keep populations down.Gideon Henderson, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “Fertility control can be an effective method complementing other approaches to wildlife management. This … study aims to produce an immunocontraceptive that can be orally administered to grey squirrels through a species-specific delivery mechanism.“This innovative research has great potential to provide an effective, easily applied and nonlethal method for managing grey squirrel populations. It will help red squirrels – native to the UK – expand back into their natural habitats, as well as protecting UK woodland and increasing biodiversity.”
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Rachel Casey, Director of Behaviour at Dogs Trust, will be sharing top tips and invaluable advice to solve your doggy dilemmas every week in a new Mirror column called Pet ClubPeople's Pets Awards 2021 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in central LondonDo you love your pet? Then a brilliant new Mirror column is just for you. We’ve teamed up with the Mirror People’s Pet Awards to launch Pet Club, packed with heartwarming stories and gorgeous pics of your favourite furry friends. It will also feature expert advice from our Wagony Aunt, Rachel Casey. Rachel is Director of Behaviour at Dogs Trust, the official charity partner of the People’s Pet Awards. She will be sharing top tips and invaluable advice to solve your doggy dilemmas every week, so whether your faithful friend can’t stop barking at night, or your new puppy keeps chewing your slippers, she’ll have all the answers you need. The new column will include heartwarming stories and pics of pets Pet Club is coming soon, and is set to be an unmissable weekly treat for animal lovers. There is also still time to nominate for the People’s Pet Awards, which will honour amazing animals at a star-studded red carpet event in London. Last year’s winners included gentle giant Galahad, who at 100kg and the size of a baby elephant, was the biggest pooch Dogs Trust had ever cared for. Read More Read More
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pets_animals_wildlife
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The Kangaroo Island dunnart isn't one of the most well-known marsupials (like koalas, opossums or kangaroos), but it's one of the rarest. The cute, mouse-size animal lives on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia. Experts estimate that only 500 of the little critters still exist, and that number is under threat from feral cats.The IUCN Red List, a catalog of threatened species, lists the island dunnart as critically endangered, a status one step removed from being extinct in the wild. Massive bushfires spread across the island in 2019 and 2020 and burned 98% of the rare mammal's habitat. A study published in the journal Scientific Reports on Thursday investigated the danger that cats pose to the small remaining population of Kangaroo Island dunnarts. The researchers examined the stomachs and digestive tracts of 86 feral cats collected from conservation areas on the island between February and August 2020. Seven of those cats had the remains of eight different Kangaroo Island dunnarts in their systems, pointing to what could be a much larger problem. "Our results confirm for the first time that feral cats do predate on KI dunnart and that they were efficient hunters of this species directly after the fire," the research team reported. The study highlights the importance of controlling feral cats on the island. "The combined pressures of a small, isolated population, natural disasters like bushfires, and predation from introduced predators such as feral cats could lead to the extinction of this vulnerable species," Scientific Reports publisher Springer said in a statement.The team also found the remains of an endangered bandicoot, highlighting the pressures feral cats place on other threatened species. The Kangaroo Island feral cat eradication project is part of a government effort to reduce the impact of invasive cats on native wildlife. Cats are captured and euthanized. Said the KI Landscape Board in an explainer, "Should the eradication program succeed, Kangaroo Island will become the largest inhabited island to be free of feral cats — generating enormous benefits to the island's ecosystems and economy."
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Huge numbers of octopus have been seen along Cornwall's coastline this month in what experts are describing as a 'bumper year' for sightings. Conservation officers now believe this could be evidence of an octopus population boom – an event last recorded along England’s south coast more than 70 years ago. Divers and snorkellers have reported an increase of common octopus in Cornwall, particularly around the Lizard peninsula. Despite its name, this large species of octopus is rarely seen in UK waters and has been recorded by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust just twice a year on average ‘Population explosion’: octopus boom prompts joy and concern in Cornwall
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pets_animals_wildlife
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A whale entangled in ropes and a buoy is pictured, in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea, Norway, June 29, 2022. Norwegian Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comOSLO, July 1 (Reuters) - Norwegian coastguards rescued a whale entangled in ropes off the coast of northern Europe before the animal swam away to freedom, flipping its tail, footage showed.The mammal was floating listlessly on the surface of the Barents Sea on Wednesday, its tail trapped in ropes and a buoy, when the KV Bison coastguard ship approached it after receiving a tip from the crew of the local ferry company."We could see the whale was exhausted, it was completely still," said Lieutenant Captain Raymond Isehaug, speaking on Friday by phone from on board the KV Bison.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comIsehaug sent a four-man crew in a light boat to help the animal."We approached it very slowly so as not to stress it ... It was scared and was behaving aggressively," said Isehaug, who said he believed the animal was a humpback whale.The footage, posted on the coastguard's Twitter account, shows a crew member reaching down from the light boat with a knife towards the whale. He can be heard on the video saying in Norwegian: "Are you holding my feet?""I initially thought about sending some divers to cut the rope that was underneath the whale but I thought against it given the whale's behaviour," said Isehaug.It took some 10 to 15 minutes for the coastguards to disentangle most of the ropes from around the whale, which were tied to a buoy from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, Isehaug said.The whale then dived and flipped its tail, splashing and spraying water before swimming away."We were happy for the whale," Isehaug said. "It was a good deed."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Gwladys Fouche; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Americans are familiar with wrenching images and tragic stories of civilians killed or forced to flee war-torn Ukraine during Russia’s on-going invasion, but many overlook the pets left behind who must fend for themselves while navigating streets that are constantly under attack. That’s why tech entrepreneur Dan Fine founded Ukrainian Animals War Relief Fund (ARF), a nonprofit that is on a mission to save displaced Ukraine pets using cutting-edge technology, along with old-fashioned love and care. Fine, who has focused on his passion for animals since retiring from a successful career in tech, traveled to a Polish town alongside the Ukraine border earlier this year and volunteered to walk dogs and feed cats that suddenly became homeless following Russia’s invasion. He was close enough to hear missiles explode in Lviv and, along the way, saw devastating injuries to beloved animals that will haunt him forever. "I got a dog out of the hospital, and I'm taking him for a walk, and he lifts his leg to take a pee and his guts were hanging out. His guts were hanging out," Fine told Fox News Digital. "And so I'm like, ‘Oh, my gosh,’ I took him back, and I'm trying to talk to the vet who doesn't speak English, and I just point them in, and he looks down, and he grabs the dog and takes him up into surgery… we had dogs that had been shot eight times and lost the ability to walk." Tech entrepreneur Dan Fine founded Ukrainian Animals War Relief Fund (ARF), a nonprofit that is on a mission to save displaced Ukraine pets. (Fox News)FLORIDA-BASED DOG RESCUE GROUP HEADS TO EUROPE TO SAVE UKRAINE PETS DISPLACED DURING RUSSIAN INVASIONOne dog named Pablo was shot eight times and needed surgery to have bullets removed from him. The heartbreaking stories are endless. "There was another dog a friend of mine wanted to adopt that I was willing to bring home. But then the veterinarian showed me his X-ray and he had shrapnel throughout his spine and he had to be operated on," Fine said. "This is a horrific, horrific situation that, you know, needs attention." Fine even found himself making wheelchairs out of pipe and Velcro to help transport injured dogs. An early internet pioneer who developed websites for hundreds of major corporations, Fine launched ARF to help dogs and cats that are victims of the war in Ukraine."While I was there, I saw the kind of efforts that went towards humans. And I believe in that, right? I'm not saying animals over people, but, you know, the Red Cross, their World Central Kitchen is there. They have tons of technology. The military is there. They've got busses, they've got all kinds of things because we're used to doing this. We do it in Syria, we do it in Libya. We do it in Afghanistan. We take care of people," Fine said. "But what I found out, and I did the research on this, animals have no rights." Two stray puppies look up at the camera in an image given to Fox News Digital from the Ukrainian Animals War Relief Fund. (Ukrainian Animals War Relief)He then helped put together a portal to connect independent volunteers with warehouses and shelters to bring some order to the Ukrainian shelter system. "The shelters are all throwing their hands up, going, ‘Send me stuff,’ and then volunteers just go in and deliver it at great risk and then, we don't know, some shelters are not getting anything and some shelters are getting too much," he said. "So we approached Microsoft and we put together a portal that gives visibility to all the shelters, all the drivers, all the warehouses, so we know that this is a real warehouse. They got 600 dogs and 100 cats and this is how much food they need, and then we can start using like predictive technology to figure out what the supply chain should be fixed for that." RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR FORCES INDIA TO ADJUST ENTRY RULES FOR CITIZENS FLEEING WITH PETS Fine also used his background and connections to establish a technology platform powered by Microsoft’s not-for-profit social initiative to help catalog abandoned pets to help reunite them with Ukrainians who were forced to flee the nation. "There's easily a million stray animals right now, if not two million wandering around Ukraine looking for food, and they're going to start mating, and they're in shelters that don't have protection because they don't have enough cages. You're going to have a huge problem," Fine said. "So we said, we need to set up mobile units to go over there and spay, neuter, vaccinate these animals. And then we thought about, and we said, ‘Well, let's work that with Microsoft and put in a chip or read their chips and try to reunite them with their owners,'" he continued. "So we decided to... create kind of the largest blockchain in a record of Ukrainian animals so that when people can go back to their homes or if they're set up a new home in Italy or Spain or France, they'll be able to connect and reconnect with their dog or cat." A dog in a wheelchair looks up at another dog in a picture given to Fox News Digital by the Ukrainian Animals War Relief. (Ukrainian Animals War Relief)Fine doesn’t want anyone across the world to think the pets were abandoned because dogs and cats simply aren’t beloved in Ukraine. He explained that panicked civilians made a beeline, often with children in hand, to exit the country as roads and bridges were being destroyed by Russian troops. But often, so many people were attempting to cram into busses or trains that there wasn’t room for luggage, let alone pets. The tragic circumstance didn’t provide much of a choice for Ukrainian pet owners who needed to get out of harm’s way before it was too late. "I can’t even imagine leaving my baby behind, and they’re forced to do that," he said. "I couldn’t imagine the heartbreak… it’s like having a five-year old child and I just can’t imagine leaving them alone to try to figure this thing out on their own and feed themselves." UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY VISITS FRONT LINES IN SOUTH AS RUSSIAN FORCES POUND STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT CITY IN EASTFine said the need for animal rights during wartime – which he plans to lobby the government to assist with – came to light when Feldman EcoPark, a zoo located near the city of Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, was devastated by Russian forces. "A Russian sniper had killed the zookeeper and stuffed him in the bathroom… then the Russians came in 48 hours [later] and, this is documented, they used the rest of the animals as target practice. Now, this is where I've got a rub. This is where I've got a problem," he said. "They have zero rights, and so the Russians can come over and just shoot as many as they want. And there's zero accountability. There's no accountability for that, and that's completely wrong. These are people's pets. We domesticated them," he said. "We owe them the right to take care of them and to look after them… so one of the things that our Ukrainian War Animal Relief fund wants to do is lobby the government to try to get rights for animals during war." Fine hopes major animal charities across the globe work with ARF and employ the technology the foundation has developed to help as many animals as possible, such as Ukraine zoo animals who've been affected in the war. In the meantime, he hopes to bring awareness and raise money to help the displaced pets in Ukraine. RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE COULD DRAG ON FOR 'YEARS,' NATO CHIEF SAYS"It's kind of a cool project because it's not just a rescue and relief fund. It really is thinking proactively about the future by using technology and adding intelligence and kind of smarts into the system. And, you know, if you care about animals, it's more than just going in and walking dogs. I mean, I found that really beneficial for me, but it's a drop in the bucket," he said. "We have to affect a lot more animals, millions. And the only way to do that, to be smart about it, is using technology. So one of the things we want to do is if people do donate to us and share our information about our Go Fund Me, we're going to create an NFT for them of one of those animals. An NFT is a non-fungible token up on the blockchain," Fine continued. "Our hope is to have, you know, the most complete blockchain database of Ukrainian animals that people will be able to search, either if they want to adopt or if they want to buy an NFT and invest into the crypto world, or if they want to be able to just reunite with their animals." "The Elephant Whisperer," written by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence, inspired Dan Fine. (Lawrence Anthony/Graham Spence)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFine’s first trip to help the animals of Ukraine was motivated by Lawrence Anthony's work about an elephant sanctuary, "The Elephant Whisperer," and the journey resulted in the creation of ARF. "At the back of the book he talks about during the Iraq war, he and his son went to the Baghdad Zoo to take care of the animals… the distress, the PTSD that they suffer from bombs being dropped around you are so sad," Fine said. "So, he went over to help, and I thought, ‘Hey, I could do this.’" Brian Flood is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to brian.flood@fox.com and on Twitter: @briansflood.
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A third of people do not know what to do if their dog has heatstroke, research has found, and the RSPCA says could be “a matter of life or death” if owners do not take extreme caution with their pets this weekend.The pet charity has appealed to owners to take every possible precaution to keep their animals safe during the intense heat, including familiarising themselves with the signs of heatstroke in animals and swotting up on how to make frozen treats.Esme Wheeler, a dog welfare expert at the RSPCA, said: “The hot weather has gone from glorious to extreme, and we can’t stress enough how vital it is that pet owners take the situation seriously. We’re urging anyone with a pet – whether it’s a dog or cat, a rabbit or guinea pig, and even chickens, horses and exotic animals – to put aside some time today to read up and make plans.” DogsThe signs of heatstroke include excessive panting, unusual breathing noise, lethargy or change in behaviour, stumbling, and a blue/grey tinge to the gums or tongue. Owners should contact their vet immediately if they spot any of these signs.Move the dog into the shade or a cool space and offer water, although only in small amounts. Lie them in cool but not very cold water and/or pour water over them. A soaked, cool towel could be placed over the dog’s side, and replaced if it becomes warm.To avoid getting to that stage, skip walks and travel, keep dogs indoors out of the heat and leave water available at all times. Owners could also consider making frozen treats to encourage their pets to keep hydrated.If you must exercise your dog, aim to keep to gentle, slow walks on the lead, and do this in the very early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler. If in doubt, don’t go out.Cats, small furries, fish and pet chickensThe RSPCA has prepared a video on how to keep cats cool in hot weather, with tips such as laying down a cool damp towel in case your cat chooses to lie on it, and using pet-safe suncream on ears and other exposed areas if necessary.Small animals, poultry and other pets should be checked twice a day for flystrike (when flies lay their eggs on another animal, which then hatch into maggots). Guinea pigs can be kept cool and hydrated by making them a fresh vegetable treat.“Ensure rabbits and guinea pigs have constant access to shade and fresh drinking water at all times, and remember that as the sun moves during the day so too does the shade,” said Wheeler. “Somewhere that was shaded in the morning could be in full sun by the afternoon.”Owners could also freeze a semi-full plastic bottle of water and wrap it in a towel so their pets can lie against it. People with pet chickens can encourage them to stay in shaded areas by hanging up a homemade vegetable garland. Fish tanks should be kept out of direct sunlight.Horses and farm animalsOwners need to know the signs of dehydration in horses so they can contact a vet if needed.Farm animals need their water troughs checked regularly to make sure they are working properly and any algae or debris has been removed.With exercise and travel planned for either end of the day when temperatures are lower, horses stabled during the day might appreciate a “boredom buster” treat.A non-toxic fly repellent spray and a fly mask can help keep horses protected from bugs, and pet-safe sunscreen can be used on horses’ muzzles if necessary.Make sure pigs have plenty of wet mud to wallow in, as well as shade.WildlifeLeave a bowl of fresh drinking water in your garden for birds and other wildlife. Top up water levels of ponds, and keep an eye out for wildlife when using lawnmowers or strimmers.
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The wild bison have been released in two locations near Canterbury in Kent where further animals will follow including Exmoor ponies, Longhorn cattle and Iron Age pigsOne of four bison explores her surroundings as they are released into West Blean and Thornden Woods in KentA herd of wild bison have been released into the British countryside for the first time in thousands of years. Three gentle giants were reintroduced to the wild in a £1 million project to tackle climate change and promote nature. The mum and two young females were taken to West Blean and Thornden Woods near Canterbury, Kent shortly before 7am on Monday. It is hoped that the animals will offer a sustainable, nature-led approach to restoring old eco systems and lost species. The bison are the closest living relatives to the ancient steppe bison which roamed Britain before hunting and changes in habitat led to its global extinction. They will soon be joined by other grazing animals, including Exmoor ponies, Iron Age pigs, and Longhorn cattle, whose natural behaviours compliment the beasts and will help to manage the landscape. The herd were released as part of a £1 million project to restore natural biodiversity (
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PA) It comes two years into a five-year project by the wildlife charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust. Director of conservation Paul Hadaway said: "This morning, we saw the matriarch bison leading the two young females out of the corral into the Blean exactly as we hoped in front of assembled press and emotional staff, marking the beginning of a new era of UK conservation." The pioneering initiative comes amid a scorching heatwave in the UK, on what is predicted to be the hottest day of the year so far. With temperatures expected to reach highs of 41 degrees this week, rangers hope that the bison - who are known as "eco-system engineers" - will create a more climate resilient landscape and combat nature crises. Experts said the matriarch bison led the herd into the wild "exactly as hoped" (
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PA) Their natural behaviours, such as grazing, eating bark, felling trees and taking dust baths, will open the canopy - creating light and new spaces for wildlife and previously missing species to thrive. And by creating layers within the forest, the woodland will move away from being a monoculture. The herd of mega-herbivores will also create wetter areas to store carbon and reduce flood risk. Evan Bowen-Jones, Chief Executive Officer at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: "The restoration of naturally functioning ecosystems is a vital and inexpensive tool in tackling the climate crisis. "The bison will help to create climate resistant landscapes which can adapt to the challenges presented by the crisis we face. The magnificent beasts went extinct thousands of years ago (
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PA) "We want Wilder Blean to mark the beginning of a new era for conservation in the UK. We need to revolutionise the way we restore natural landscapes, relying less on human intervention and more on natural engineers like bison, boar and beaver. "Equally important, is that the Wilder Blean project will connect people with nature in a way that hasn't been possible before in the UK because we haven't had big wild animals present in our landscapes. "We hope that those who visit the woodland and learn about the project will be inspired by what we are doing and become champions for nature too." Bison numbers have recovered but they still remain an endangered species (
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PA) The ground-breaking project will also help to restore bison numbers in the wild after the species almost became extinct in Europe at the end of the Second World War. Numbers have recovered in the following years but they still remain an endangered species. Paul Whitfield Director General of Wildwood Trust said: "Today heralds a new dawn for conservation and the fight against climate change. "As well as helping the biodiversity crisis, one of the fantastic things about this ground-breaking project is that its going to demonstrate the very real impact nature based solutions can have in solving the climate crisis. The bison are the closest living relatives to the ancient steppe bison (
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PA) "The two are intrinsically linked and we can't solve one without the other. "With this project, we are going to prove the impact bison in the wild can have on the environment. They will create an explosion of biodiversity and build habitat resilience; locking in carbon to help reduce global temperature rise. "This will act as a huge catalyst for change, with the project being replicated on scale across the country. It will make a phenomenal difference. Its great news in these worrying times. "Not only this but we're giving people in the UK, for the first time in over a thousand years, the chance to experience bison in the wild. The project aims to prove the impact wild bison can have on the environment (
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PA) "It's a really powerful emotional, visceral experience and its something we've lost in this country. It's an absolute privilege to be part of the team that's bringing that back." The bison's impact on biodiversity and the landscape will be closely monitored in a long-term survey programme led by Kent Wildlife Trust. This includes monitoring multiple ecological parameters to detect changes over time - from soil sampling and worm counts to collecting data on vegetation structure. The team will also be monitoring several different groups of species including, invertebrates, birds and mammals. Read More Read More
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BREAKING NEWSAccuTrack Radar Live ViewABC7 New York 24/7 Eyewitness News StreamTHE LOOP | Live NYC weather and traffic camsWATCH LIVEWelcome, Your AccountLog OutBe it a dog, cat, cow or llama, Drs. Ben and Erin Schroeder see just about every type of animal in their rural Nebraska veterinary practice. The husband and wife team are featured on the National Geographic show Heartland Docs DVM."We have farms around us. We have ranches and so we see cattle, horses and pigs sometimes," said Dr. Ben Schroeder. "Then we have the other side of our practice where we see pets.""It's never the same day twice," said Dr. Erin Schroeder. "A great thing for all of us to do during National Pet Month is help someone else find that love for pets, whether it's fostering or volunteering at your local animal shelter."It's really important that we protect those animals providing vaccinations with the help of your veterinarian is really crucial to making sure that each our our animals live a long, happy life," said Dr. Erin Schroeder.Website:https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/heartland-docs-dvm
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U.S. July 7, 2022 / 7:52 AM / CBS/AP Nature: Bears in Alaska Nature: Bears in Alaska 03:19 Alaska wildlife officials have killed four black bears in a campground recently reserved for people in Anchorage who are homeless after the city's largest shelter was closed.Employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday killed a sow and her two cubs and another adult bear that was acting separately, stealing food from tents inside Centennial Park, which is managed by the city, officials said.Anchorage is Alaska's biggest city, with nearly 300,000 residents, but it is also bear country. Tents are shown Wednesday, July 6, 2022, inside Centennial Park in Anchorage, Alaska. Mark Thiessen / AP The park is located in east Anchorage, nestled between Chugach State Park and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, which state wildlife officials describe as a vast bear habitat. The Department of Fish and Game said Anchorage residents share the municipality with up to 350 American black bears and up to 65 brown bears."Certainly it's a busy bear time for us all across Anchorage," said department spokesperson Cynthia Wardlow. This part of Anchorage "does tend to be a pretty active bear area because of the high density housing," she said.The city closed its pandemic mass shelter at Sullivan Arena on June 30. The arena had housed hundreds of homeless people throughout the last two years, Alaska Public Media reported.When the shelter closed, some people who are homeless moved to Centennial Park, grabbing the 84 available spots after the campground stopped taking reservations from the public.Corey Allen Young, a spokesperson for Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, said there are 210 people living at Centennial Park, and the city has provided enhanced security for camp users. The city "has also brought in 60 bear proof food storage containers, 20 bear proof 32 gallon containers and is doing hourly clean up efforts to mitigate the trash and food. We also continue to inspect camps and educate campers about bear safe practices," Young said in an email.The campground, just off the Glenn Highway, is "an ideal jumping-off point for Alaska travelers," the city's website says. But it also warns campers not to store food inside tents or outside in coolers so bears are not attracted to campsites.Wildlife officials said before the bears were killed, they were entering tents to get food, personal hygiene items and trash.When bears go inside tents or structures, they pose a risk to human life and are considered a public safety threat, and they may be killed."Centennial Campground staff are doing the best they can to manage the campground and minimize attractants, but there are still a lot of tents with food in them," Dave Battle, the Fish and Game department area biologist in Anchorage, said in a statement. "Until that changes, more bears are going to come into the campground and get into tents."He said this is a safety issue for campers."Killing any particular bear is a very temporary solution," Battle said. "There are always going to be more bears in that vicinity because of its location, and we can't teach bears not to eat what they can find." Predatory maulings by black bears are extremely rare. But in 2017, there were back-to-back fatal maulings of people by black bears. A worker at a remote gold exploration site was mauled to death, and a second worker was injured by the same bear. In another attack, a black bear killed a 16-year-old runner Sunday who got lost competing in a mountain race south of Anchorage. According to the Fish and Game department website, there are an estimated 100,000 black bears in Alaska. "When it comes to food, black bears are creatures of opportunity," the department says. In: Black Bear Alaska Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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An elephant named Happy is pictured in the Bronx Zoo, in New York City, New York, U.S., in this undated social media photo. Gigi Glendinning/via REUTERS Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comNEW YORK, June 14 (Reuters) - Happy the elephant will stay at the Bronx Zoo after New York state's highest court on Tuesday ruled against an animal rights group that said she deserved some of the same rights as humans and should be freed.In a 5-2 decision, the Albany-based Court of Appeals said the writ of habeas corpus, which allows people to be released from illegal custody, did not apply to Happy despite claims that the 51-year-old elephant shared many of the same cognitive abilities as humans. read more "While no one disputes that elephants are intelligent beings deserving of proper care and compassion," Chief Judge Janet DiFiore wrote, "Happy, as a nonhuman animal, does not have a legally cognizable right to be at liberty under New York law."Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comDiFiore also said granting freedom to Happy would have "an enormous destabilizing impact on modern society" and could generate a "flood" of petitions to free animals, perhaps including pets and service animals.She said it should be up to the legislature to decide whether to grant nonhuman animals the same legal rights as people.Tuesday's decision is a defeat for the Nonhuman Rights Project, which began asking New York courts four years ago to release Happy to one of two U.S. elephant sanctuaries.The Florida-based group had objected to what it considered Happy's imprisonment in a one-acre (0.4 hectare) enclosure at the zoo, segregated from other elephants.Neither the Nonhuman Rights Project nor the Bronx Zoo immediately replied to requests for comment.Two lower courts had previously sided with the zoo, which maintains that Happy is well cared for.In spirited dissents, the dissenting judges empathized with Happy."When the majority answers, 'No, animals cannot have rights,' I worry for that animal, but I worry even more greatly about how that answer denies and denigrates the human capacity for understanding, empathy and compassion," Judge Rowan Wilson wrote.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comReporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Wildlife biologists in Connecticut had to rescue a bear cub that got its head stuck in a plastic containerThis photo combination, provided by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection - Wildlife Division, shows a bear cub with a plastic container stuck on its head, in Harwinton, Conn., Thursday, June 23, 2022. After waiting for the cub to come down from the tree, it was successfully tranquilized, and the container removed. Once freed, the cub and its mother were reunited, state wildlife officials said. (Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection - Wildlife Division via AP)The Associated PressHARWINTON, Conn. -- Wildlife biologists in Connecticut had to rescue a bear cub that got its head stuck in a plastic container, state wildlife officials said.The misadventure happened June 23 when a mother bear with three cubs knocked over a garbage can in the town of Harwinton in Litchfield County, and one of the cubs stuck its head in a clear plastic jar that had spilled out.“Given the warm weather and tight fit of the container, it was important to try and free the cub quickly,” the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Fish and Wildlife Division posted on Facebook. Wildlife biologists waited for the cub to come down from the tree it was perched in and then tranquilized it and removed the container. The bear was unhurt and quickly found its mother waiting nearby, the wildlife officials said.DEEP spokesperson Will Healey said the incident shows why residents should make sure their garbage is property disposed of and secured. “We all need to do our part to keep bears and other wildlife safe and wild,” he said.
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U.S. June 30, 2022 / 12:56 PM / CBS News The reappearance of an invasive snail species forced state officials to enact a quarantine order last week for residents of Florida's Pasco County, an area north of Tampa along the gulf coast. Authorities took action after confirming that a notoriously destructive breed of mollusk, known as the giant African land snail, was identified by a community gardener in the city of Port Richey. A division of Florida's department of agriculture that manages pest control began to survey the region for additional snail sightings once the quarantine mandate was in place, according to the agency. The control unit started to treat the land with baited pesticide on Tuesday.Florida's agriculture department has called the giant African snail "one of the most damaging" mollusk subtypes in the world. Its unusually large size and ability to procreate in vast quantities allows the creature to infiltrate surrounding areas quickly, posing threats to vegetation and infrastructure because of its appetite for at least 500 different plants as well as paint and stucco. At four months old, a single snail can lay thousands of eggs at a time and each can grow to be 8 inches long as an adult. Scientist Mary Yong Cong holds one of the Giant African Snails she keeps in her lab in Miami, Florida, on July 17, 2015. KERRY SHERIDAN/AFP/Getty Images The snails are mobile — experts warn that they "cling to vehicles and machinery," plus trash, to "move long distances" — and resilient, with the capacity to survive for a year while "inactive" and buried in soil to shield itself from unfavorable weather. They also present serious health risks to humans, as the snails carry a parasite called rat lungworm that can cause meningitis. People are advised to wear protective gear, like gloves, when handling them. Giant African land snails have wreaked havoc on parts of Florida before. Although they are not native inhabitants of the state, officials have traced infestations dating back to the 1960s to escaped house pets and illegal importations by religious groups, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Owning and importing giant African land snails without a permit is against the law in the U.S. Any attempt to move the snails after a sighting is also illegal without proper documentation.Florida's agriculture department has recorded two instances where the snail was fully eradicated. The most recent was just last year, a decade after one of the giant snails was initially spotted in Miami-Dade County. Officials say a live snail was last found in that area in 2017, prior to the most recent sighting last week. Detailed information about giant African land snails and Florida's response to the latest sighting is available on the department's website. In: Florida Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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The animals found included porcupines, armadillos, turtles, chameleons & snakes.LONDON -- Two women have been arrested in Thailand for allegedly attempting to smuggle at least 109 live animals in their luggage -- including porcupines, armadillos, turtles, chameleons and snakes -- as they tried to board a flight to India.The incident occurred on Monday at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as two Indian women tried to make their way through airport security when officials spotted a couple of suspicious items in their suitcases following a routine x-ray inspection, according to a statement released by Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.Upon further investigation, authorities discovered a total of at least 109 animals including “two white porcupines, two armadillos, 35 turtles, 50 chameleons and 20 snakes,” read the statement.This handout photo taken on June 27, 2022, shows a white porcupine rescued after being found in a passenger's luggage at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.Dept. of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation/AFP via Getty Images
The two women were arrested, taken into custody and charged under Thailand’s Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, The Animal Epidemic Act of 2015, and the Customs Act.In March 2022, TRAFFIC -- a wildlife and plant trafficking watchdog group -- released a report on wildlife trafficking through India’s airports and said the issue is the “fourth largest illegal trade worldwide after arms, drugs and human trafficking, and frequently links with other forms of serious crime such as fraud, money laundering, and corruption.”This handout photo taken on June 27, 2022, shows an armadillo rescued after being found in a passenger's luggage at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.Dept. of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation/AFP via Getty ImagesIn fact, from 2011 to 2020, the report says that there were 141 wildlife seizure incidents involving 146 different wildlife species at 18 of India’s major airports.“Over 70,000 wild animals including their body parts or derivatives, were found during the study period,” the report says. “Wildlife derivatives weighing over 4000 kg (approximately four-and-a-half tons) were also seized at airports in India.”India passed the Wildlife (Protection) Act 50 years ago in 1972 but, according to TRAFFIC, wildlife trafficking is still a big issue in India.This handout photo taken on June 27, 2022, shows an official with turtles rescued after being found in a passenger's luggage at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.Dept. of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation/AFP via Getty Images“Despite the restrictions, wildlife trafficking continues. TRAFFIC’s study highlights the increasing misuse of airports for smuggling wildlife and its contrabands within India and across the regions,” the report continued. “The study’s findings reflect the ongoing trafficking and not an actual representation as most of the illegal wildlife trade goes unchecked and unreported.”An earlier statement from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said that the surviving animals would be sent to wildlife rescue centers or breeding stations around the country.This handout photo taken on June 27, 2022, shows an official with an armadillo rescued after being found in a passenger's luggage at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.Dept. of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation/AFP via Getty Images
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NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — A team of biologists recently hauled in the heaviest Burmese python ever captured in Florida, officials said.The female python weighed in at 215 pounds (98 kilograms), was nearly 18 feet long (5 meters) and had 122 developing eggs, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said in a news release.The team used radio transmitters transplanted in male “scout” snakes to study python movements, breeding behaviors and habitat use, said Ian Bartoszek, wildlife biologist and environmental science project manager for the conservancy’s program.“How do you find the needle in the haystack? You could use a magnet, and in a similar way our male scout snakes are attracted to the biggest females around,” Bartoszek said.The team used a scout snake named Dionysus — or Dion for short — in an area of the western Everglades.“We knew he was there for a reason, and the team found him with the largest female we have seen to date.” Biologist Ian Easterling and intern Kyle Findley helped capture the female snake and haul it through the woods to the field truck.A necropsy also found hoof cores in the snake’s digest system, meaning that an adult white-tailed deer was its last meal.National Geographic documented the discovery, highlighting the continued impact of the invasive pythons, which are known for rapid reproduction and depletion of surrounding native wildlife. Bartoszek said removal of female pythons plays a critical role in disrupting the breeding cycle. “This is the wildlife issue of our time for southern Florida,” he said.Since the conservancy’s python program began in 2013, they’ve removed over 1,000 pythons from approximately 100 square miles (25,900 hectares) in southwest Florida.Over that stretch, necropsies have found dozens of white-tailed deer inside Burmese pythons. Data researchers at the University of Florida have documented 24 species of mammals, 47 species of birds and 2 reptile species from pythons’ stomachs.Prior to the recent discovery, the largest female removed through the conservancy’s program weighed 185 pounds (84 kilograms) and was the heaviest python captured at the time in Florida, officials said.The state’s python removal program runs for two weeks in August. Participants compete for prizes, including $2,500 for capturing the most pythons.Last year’s challenge involved more than 600 people from 25 states.
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Giant 15ft crocodile stalks frightened Britons in Mexico: Tourists 'run screaming' from the sea as predator circles yards from popular beachPaul Purdy and fiancée Caroline Morris said they first saw the beast last SaturdayAfter that, they told The Sun it was seen three more times in the resort's watersDespite the repeated sightings of the huge crocodile, the beach was not closedCrocodiles are dangerous to swimmers, and Mexico has a history of attacks Published: 03:37 EDT, 17 June 2022 | Updated: 04:05 EDT, 17 June 2022 A giant crocodile stalked a frightened British couple holidaying at a resort in Mexico.The 15-foot beast was seen in the coastal waters four times in a week, causing tourists to scream and flee from the ocean as it circled yards from the beach.Paul Purdy and fiancée Caroline Morris told The Sun newspaper that they first saw the huge creature in the Pacific waters last Saturday.The pair were staying at Hotel Riu Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta, on Mexico's western coast - around 120 miles from Guadalajara.Paul, an ex-firefighter, told the newspaper that a lifeguard blew his whistle to alert people on the beach to the danger as the crocodile swam close to the shore.Scroll down for video A gigantic crocodile stalked a terrified British couple holidaying at a resort in Mexico. Pictured: The crocodile is seen floating in the pacific waters off Mexico's western coast 'It was terrifying, like a scene from the movie Jaws,' Mr Purdy, 55, said. 'We'd only just been in the sea ourselves a few minutes earlier. People were screaming and began to run out of water, there was panic.'Video from the beach showed tourists looking out over the waters trying to catch a glimpse of the croc. Its long dark form could be seen below the waves, as a police officer riding a quadbike patrolled the sands.Many tourists seen in the video appeared to have recently been in the water.Mr Purdy and Ms Morris, 57, said the predator was seen three more times after the first sighting, and red flags were raised to warn people not to go swimming.'They should close the beach,' the father of three told The Sun. Instead, he said, the couple were told it was the responsibility beach-goers to stay safe. 'It's nuts,' he said.In Mexico, there are established populations of saltwater crocodiles - that can grow up to 20ft in length - in the region where the hotel is located.The beasts are often displaced from nearby nature reserves by storm surges, and can stray to nearby beaches frequented by tourists.The British travellers have criticising both the hotel and their travel firm Tui for not closing access to the beach sooner after the crocodile was first spotted. Paul Purdy and fiancée Caroline Morris told The Sun newspaper that they first saw the huge creature in the Pacific waters last Saturday. They pair were staying at Hotel Riu Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta, Pacific coast Tourists are seen looking out over the beach as the crocodile swims close to the shoreMr Purdy, who is still on holiday, said he and his fiancée would remain on the look-out for more sightings of the dangerous creatures.Tui told the newspaper that encounters with wildlife are out of their control. 'The hotel team followed all the correct safety measures,' the firm said.Last year, US teenager Kiana Hummel fought off a 12-foot-long crocodile while swimming at another resort nearby. The 18-year-old miraculously survived, but was hospitalised in the attack.In another incident earlier in 2021 - and further south in Mexico - a British woman saved her twin sister when she was attacked by crocodile.Melissa Laurie, 28, suffered horrific injuries after she was dragged under water and put into a death grip by the ten-foot predator. Melissa (left), who narrowly survived being attacked and dragged to the bottom of a lake by a crocodile before her twin Georgia (right), 28, saved her, has been released from hospitalBut she was rescued by her twin Georgia who fought off three vicious attacks by punching the reptile repeatedly in the snout.The sisters had been taken to an unsafe part of the Manialtepec Lagoon - a coastal lagoon about 18 km west of Puerto Escondido in the State of Oaxaca - where crocodiles were nesting by an unlicensed tourist guide on June 6, 2021. He had assured them it was safe and the sisters were swimming with two friends when Georgia spotted the crocodile. The sisters tried to swim to safety but the predator caught Melissa. Advertisement
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pets_animals_wildlife
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As cases of monkeypox in the US grow, it isn’t totally unreasonable to wonder what risks, if any, our furry friends face as they hunker down at home with their infected owners.Until recently, it wasn’t clear if any dogs or cats had contracted monkeypox from people, but humans can spread the virus to animals in general via petting, cuddling, sharing sleeping areas and food, and kissing.Now, a case report published Aug. 10 in The Lancet suggests that human-to-dog transmission is possible, with the first documented infection occurring in Paris.Twelve days after its owners started showing monkeypox symptoms, including skin lesions and rashes, a healthy 4-year-old Italian greyhound developed its own lesions on its abdomen and anus. Skin swabs proved the dog was positive for monkeypox, according to the report, and that it likely contracted the virus while sleeping in its owners' bed.It's unclear if the dog has since recovered, but the researchers said more study is needed to better understand how this virus might affect pets and what isolation protocols are necessary to keep pets safe from infection altogether.Dogs and cats can contract other orthopoxviruses, too, such as the vaccinia virus, which is used in the smallpox/monkeypox vaccines, but this isn’t a concern at the moment.It’s unknown if less conventional pets like gerbils, guinea pigs, and hamsters can become infected with the virus. The CDC says domestic adult rabbits can “possibly” be infected, as well as mice and rats. Chinchillas and hedgehogs, other less popular pets, can catch monkeypox.Monkeypox is not endemic in the US, meaning it doesn’t naturally circulate in animals such as rodents like it does in Africa, where the virus occasionally jumps to humans who are bitten or scratched by them.The last time pets caught monkeypox in the US was in 2003 when domesticated prairie dogs were housed with imported rats and dormice that had the virus; about 70 people got sick in the Midwestern US as a result.Before the new case report was published, Dr. Katherine Quesenberry, chief medical officer at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, had said there was no evidence that suggested dogs and cats are susceptible to monkeypox "or could even serve as a reservoir." However, "that doesn't mean that the risk is zero, but it just is very unlikely that that would happen.”Carlos Romero, a professor emeritus in the department of infectious disease and immunology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, said it’s highly unlikely if not impossible that your pet could get monkeypox while out on a walk or stroll through the park.Still, infected people are better off taking precautions around their pets to minimize potential spread because it’s not clear how common human-to-dog (or cat) transmission could become.“The information we have on what monkeypox does to pets in this country is not there,” Romero said. “It’s a big question mark but it’s a cause of concern, and potentially it is possible because of what we have seen in the past with other species.”What to do with your pets if you get monkeypoxTo err on the side of caution, people with monkeypox should avoid contact with pets, as well as wildlife, to prevent spreading the virus, the CDC and experts we spoke to said. You should also keep them away from any of your bandages or body fluids if you have monkeypox.If you are the only one available to care for your pets, it’s best to wash your hands before and after touching them. To be extra careful, you can cover any rashes or lesions with long sleeves, long pants, or gloves. The CDC also suggests wearing a mask around your pets; although the virus spreads primarily via skin-to-skin contact, it can also be found in respiratory droplets and saliva.Pets should stay in another home if possible until you recover in the event you didn’t have close contact with them.Before welcoming your pet back home, make sure to disinfect any laundry, bedding, towels, toys, or food bowls you may have touched that they will come into contact with.Romero said monkeypox is a very “hardy virus,” and that it’s difficult to destroy because it’s particularly resistant in different environmental conditions. “It could lie on the ground protected for weeks, different from the coronavirus which in a matter of minutes is destroyed.”The CDC says researchers have found that live monkeypox virus survived inside an infected person’s home for 15 days after they left. Studies also show that other related orthopoxviruses can survive in homelike settings for weeks or months, and that the viruses can live longer on porous materials like bedding and clothing than nonporous ones like plastic, glass, and metal.With that said, the virus is sensitive to soaps, disinfectants, detergents, and other cleaning products, the CDC says. So a simple wipe down or wash in the laundry should destroy it.What to do if your pet is exposed to monkeypoxIf your pet is exposed to monkeypox, the CDC advises they stay home and away from other people and animals for at least 21 days.Some people, including those who are pregnant, immunocompromised, caregivers to young children, or have a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema, should not care for an animal that was exposed to monkeypox because they have a high risk of severe disease.And if it wasn’t already obvious, don’t wipe or bathe your potentially infected pet with chemical disinfectants, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, hand sanitizer, wipes, or other potentially dangerous cleaners not intended for animals.Experts aren’t sure what monkeypox looks like in dogs and cats, but they suspect symptoms are similar to those in humans and of other infectious diseases, such as:Low energyLack of appetiteBloatingSecretions or crust from the nose or eyesLesions or rashes that look like pimples or blistersFlulike symptoms like cough, runny nose, fever, and red eyesIf you think your pet has monkeypox, you should call your veterinarian or local health officials so they can investigate the source of infection (if it wasn’t you).Can humans or pets spread monkeypox to other animals?We’ve learned during the ongoing COVID pandemic that people can spread the coronavirus to domesticated and wild animals, including lions, deer, tigers, dogs, cats, otters, hyenas, and hippos, in what scientists call “reverse zoonoses.”Thankfully, human-to-animal COVID spread, as well as animal-to-animal transmission, has not, as far as we know, led to a whole new reservoir where the coronavirus can circulate. However it is logical to at least consider the chances of that happening with monkeypox.Luckily, experts aren’t convinced we should worry about that.“That's so remote at this point,” Romero said. “Somebody would have to do something very, very crazy in order to infect wild rodents, and I cannot think of what.”Quesenberry said she wouldn’t say there’s no risk at all, but there’s no evidence that’s likely to happen in the event monkeypox skyrockets out of control.As of Aug. 11, there are more than 10,700 monkeypox cases in the US, and 31,700 globally. UPDATE Aug. 12, 2022, at 14:44 PM This story has been updated to reflect a new confirmed case of human-to-pet monkeypox transmission.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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By David KnoxBBC Scotland SelkirkImage caption, Scott Barden's signs have become a familiar sight across the BordersOver the past five years eco-artist Scott Barden been cycling thousands of miles across his native Scottish Borders to remind drivers and pedestrians of the importance of protecting wildlife habitats.Armed with his colourful home-made signs, the 50-year-old pedals across almost the entire region to erect his environmental messages at the entrances to towns and villages, as well as busy junctions.His labour of love has led to support and a change of policy from various organisations, including the local authority, housing associations and even the emergency services.Mr Barden, who also works part-time as a hospital porter and historic tour guide, began his sign-making and campaigning after discovering the damage to wildlife habitats on his doorstep.Image caption, The signs used to be taken down quickly but are now staying up for much longer"I was doing a few small gardening projects and just learning as I went along about habitats - it slowly became clear how bad land management had become around where I lived," he said."The more I looked, the more I saw where we were going wrong and I was seeing how much damage we were doing to the wildlife around us."I felt I needed to make people aware of the situation, while protesting at the same time."Mr Barden said that while some progress had been made he believed that a lot more needed to be done locally, as well as nationally and internationally.Image caption, Scottish Borders Council's leader said the signs had got their message across"People often stop to tell me they are changing their habits and attitudes towards their own green spaces," he said."Wildlife corridors are also being created by the council to connect green spaces, both in urban areas as well as rural areas, but leaving grass to grow isn't universally popular."But people also tell me to mind my own business and there is often criticism against organisations who leave areas alone for the benefit of insects and other wildlife." Mr Barden is currently working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in his hometown of Kelso to create a wildlife meadow around the station.He is also involved in a project with Scottish Borders Housing Association to make grass areas more wildlife-friendly.But, perhaps, it is the hundred or so colourful signs - depicting everything from bees and hedgehogs to hares and frogs - that are having the biggest effect in the Borders.Image caption, Mr Barden is now working with local groups on a range of environmental projects"The signs used to be taken down fairly quickly by people cutting the verges and green spaces, but they are certainly staying up a lot longer now," he said."People are taking notice of what they say."But my work is far from done - as long as there is destruction to the environment I can't see myself stopping my protest."Scottish Borders Council has declared a climate emergency and work is ongoing to make the area more environmentally-friendly.A sustainability committee was formed which oversees almost every decision now made by the Newtown St Boswells-based local authority.Image caption, Mr Barden said that although some progress had been made there was still work to be doneLeader Euan Jardine admitted Mr Barden's signs had played their part in focusing attention on the creation of more wildlife habitats."I have seen the signs all over the Borders for the past few years," he said."At first you don't think too much about them, but as time passes you start asking yourself: 'Why are they there?'."As a council, we are already adapting to meet the climate challenges but we have also continued to ask ourselves: 'Why are those signs by every road, telling us not to cut the grass and leave the wildflowers alone?'."It is important that we don't cut grass in every area we are responsible for - we need to create and leave habitats for insects and other creatures - and this is something we are now doing."Related Internet LinksThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Installing a pet door can make pet ownership less of a chore by eliminating the need to constantly have to let them outside for bathroom breaks and then back in again after, and the Petvation wants to make sure it’s only your dog or cat (or naked mole rat, we don’t judge) coming back in by leveraging the same facial recognition tech that’s in your phone.To the best of our knowledge (assuming movies haven’t lied to us) velociraptors are the only non-human creatures capable of learning how to open and close doors secured with knobs or handles. As a result, pet doors usually rely on just a swinging flap to give pets unfettered access to the outside and back in again. The only real security against break-ins is that the doors are too small for a human to squeeze through, but other bandits, including racoons, can easily sneak inside and cause more problems than just a missing VCR.Smart pet doors are far from a new idea, and typically rely on either reading a RFID microchip embedded in a pet (that’s already there to make them easier to identify and find when lost) or a special electronic collar that gives the animal a unique form of digital identification. Given just how many smart pet doors are now available proves that both approaches work well enough, but the creators of the Petvation think they can be made even smarter.Instead of a wireless chip reader, the Petvation uses an array of infrared cameras on either side of the door with a 120-degree field-of-view and IR-boosting illumination to read and identify your pet based on its appearance, the same way your smartphone reads and identifies your face to provide instant access to your device. Machine learning processing running locally allows the Petvation to learn to recognize when your dog or cat is at the door wanting to go out, while it’s creators are working to improve the system to differentiate between multiple dogs and cats in the same home.The AI powering the system does come pre-trained to recognize other types of animals—including racoons, squirrels, and skunks—and to send alerts to a wirelessly connected mobile app that other wannabe intruders are lurking around.Petvation promises that, unlike Apple’s Face ID, your pet doesn’t need to be trained to look directly into the camera that’s on either side of the door for it to be recognized and granted access—potentially creating an opportunity for your cat’s doppelgänger or evil twin to circumvent its built-in security. G/O Media may get a commissionAnother concern is that the door might close on your animal as its going through, but the smart pet door’s creators have apparently eliminated the risk of an animals’ paw or tail getting pinched in the door through motion sensors and a downward-facing camera that ensures the door’s access panel doesn’t slide down into the closed position until the animal is completely clear.The Petvation smart pet door does sound like it could be a potentially more convenient alternative to a special battery-powered collar, but as anyone who’s occasionally had Face ID just not work for some unknown reason, it remains to be seen how more useful facial scanning will be as a way to identify a pet over simply detecting a unique wireless microchip. The other issue facing the Petvation is that it’s technically not available to consumers just yet, but is being launched through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that’s already surpassed its funding goal.The cheapest way to pre-order the Petvation fir when it potentially starts shipping out to backers in October is with a $129 “early bird” contribution to the campaign. You’ll just want to be mindful of the very real risks of backing a product that’s not actually in production yet, and especially one reliant on electronics that are subject to the ongoing supply chain issues around the world. A delivery delay is a very real possibility, as is the Petvation never actually materializing and backers not seeing a dime refunded. Backer beware!
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pets_animals_wildlife
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The 14-year-old girl murdered in a small Maine town was a middle school student who loved her family, her bearded dragon lizard, and the outdoor life, her family wrote in an online obituary.The body of Brooke D. McLaughlin was discovered by a woman returning to her family home around dinner time Monday in Mount Vernon, a Kennebec County town of 1,700 people, officials said. The relationship between the woman and McLaughlin has not been made public.“Brooke was a kind, loving, very thoughtful, big hearted, strong person who loved her family and friends that she had so much joy spending time [with]‚’’ her family wrote in the obituary posted by the Augusta funeral home handling arrangements.“She enjoyed campfires, music, shopping, swimming, animals, four wheeling, ice fishing, hiking, and hanging out with her friends,’' the obituary posted by the Knowlton Hewins and Roberts Funeral Home reads.McLaughlin was a seventh-grader at the Maranacook Community Middle School in Readfield, Maine, the regional school system’s superintendent posted on social media.“It is with a very heavy heart that I share the news that Brooke McLaughlin, a 7th grade student from Maranacook Community Middle School and resident of Mount Vernon has passed away,” Superintendent Jay Charette wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family in their time of need as we mourn the loss of their child.”Rick Sirois, dean of students at Maranacook Community Middle School, told the Kennebec Journal that McLaughlin was “just firm and confident in her beliefs” and that she was “super protective” of her family and seemed “mature beyond her years.”She was also very fond of animals, particularly her bearded dragon, Ziggy.“She’d talk about trips to the pet store to get crickets or taking Ziggy to the vet,” Sirois told the newspaper, “and I’d commend her on the bearded dragon and the great care she provided for it.”Maine State Police said the search for those responsible for the child’s death is ongoing. Earlier this week, they said they were looking for anyone who saw a 2010 red Chevrolet Impala on the state’s roads Monday or Tuesday.The Impala with Maine Support Wildlife License Plate 510-AVW had been stolen from the victim’s home Monday afternoon, police said. It was recovered Tuesday parked in Wayne, a town about 15 miles north in central Maine, State Police said.A cause of death was not released by authorities. A motive has also not been disclosed.No arrests have been made and the investigation is continuing, officials said.This is a developing story and will be updated.John R. Ellement can be reached at john.ellement@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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AnimalsRecent studies suggest the duck-billed mammal is not as widespread as thought, in part due to centuries of hunting and habitat loss.The platypus is one of Australia’s most beloved species—and, seemingly, one of its most resilient. Even as many of the continent’s native fauna declined or disappeared throughout the 20th century, the quirky duck-billed mammal with webbed feet was seen regularly enough that there was little urgency to monitor the animal’s populations. That is, until biologists began to realize the freshwater dwellers weren’t ok, and they probably weren’t all along.“The platypus has declined right in front of our noses,” says Tahneal Hawke, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of New South Wales and a researcher with the Platypus Conservation Initiative.“We have a huge area across the range of the platypus where we literally don't know if they're even there or in what numbers if they are.”Hawke co-authored a new study that surveyed centuries of historical data and suggests the platypus—found in rivers and streams throughout eastern Australia and Tasmania—has been plummeting in number, due to hunting, habitat loss, and climate change.Some scientists started sounding alarms of the platypus’ decline as early as the 1980s, but their warnings fell on deaf ears. Then, as more and more data from long-term monitoring programs set up in the 1980s and ‘90s trickled in, the perception of the ever-stalwart platypus began to dim. (Read more about how the venomous, egg-laying platypus evolved.)“We’ve been monitoring platypus since 1995,” explains Tiana Preston, an environmental water resources planner for the Victoria state agency Melbourne Water, “and the decline is certainly evident.”When the IUCN reassessed the platypus in 2016, the group estimated that populations have dropped by about 30 percent on average overall since Europeans arrived—enough to elevate the animal’s status to “near threatened.”Now, some scientists think that’s an understatement. “There isn't a ton of great data, but the data we have suggests that our estimate of where that baseline is wrong,” says co-author Gilad Bino, a research fellow at the University of New South Wales. “I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers have halved or even more.”How did such losses slip below the radar? Part of the reason is platypuses are shy, nocturnal creatures that are difficult to find and count, so not seeing them doesn’t stand out as strange. But mostly, declines seem to have missed because the animals were considered common enough that no one kept tabs on them. Over time, everyone forgot how many there used to be, so they just assumed the numbers hadn’t changed much—a phenomenon known in ecology as a shifting baseline.Not only is the platypus an important freshwater carnivore, it is an evolutionary gem, one of the last remaining monotremes—or egg-laying mammals—left on Earth. And we’ve only begun to discover its wealth of secrets, from life-saving antibiotics in its milk to potential diabetes cures in its venom.Furry favoriteWhen Europeans came to Australia in the 17th century, platypuses became a favorite of fur traders for their soft, waterproof skins, and business boomed for centuries until hunting was outlawed in the early 20th century.“There was one particular record that we found that suggested a single furrier had sold 29,000 platypus skins,” Hawke says.The animals continued to be seen in the same watersheds, with the exception of severe losses in South Australia. That’s why, in that state, the platypus is listed as endangered, but it’s not covered under any federal threatened species legislation.Though it may seem surprising that such intense hunting didn’t seem to lead to drastic declines, Hawke says we weren’t getting the full picture.For one, it’s hard to say how much a species has declined without a solid idea of how many animals there used to be. And rigorous research into platypus populations is spotty both geographically and historically. (Related: "Platypus genome reveals secrets of mammalian evolution.")Part of that is logistical. “Platypus are notoriously difficult to study,” says Preston. They’re shy and nocturnal, so daytime surveys tend to miss them. And other methods for tracking species—like track or scat examination—don’t work because the animals spend most of their time in the water. (Explore the overlooked world of freshwater animals.)Now, researchers are tapping into technologies like environmental DNA testing to pick up their presence in the water and acoustic tagging to follow their movements. There’s even an app called PlatypusSpot that allows citizen scientists to record sightings. But none of that can tell researchers what their populations were like before 1980—or 1780, for that matter.Each spring, snowmelt raises Grüner See (“green lake”) by around 30 feet, flooding its surroundings and creating an underwater park. When diving over benches and trees, writes Henauer, “you cross the border of a magic world.”AustriaEach spring, snowmelt raises Grüner See (“green lake”) by around 30 feet, flooding its surroundings and creating an underwater park. When diving over benches and trees, writes Henauer, “you cross the border of a magic world.”Photograph by MARC HENAUER, National Geographic Your ShotFor the study, Hawke and colleagues dug through 258 years’ worth of historical documents—over 11,000 records in all—to piece together what she could about the animals’ past numbers and distribution, and then compared that with all the modern data they could find, including reports of sightings through PlatypusSPOT.Though she couldn’t calculate firm numbers from such variable data, the trend was clear—there are a lot fewer platypuses now than there once were. Places where, a century ago, a dozen or two of the animals could be caught in a day now yield less than a handful after exhaustive nighttime surveying, if researchers are lucky.Delving into history“For species like platypus, whose population declines happened before ecologists started studying them, these types of historical observations are extremely valuable,” says Loren McClenachan, a historical ecologist with Maine's Colby College who was not involved in the study. “It is an excellent use of historical data to understand the population dynamics of an iconic species.”But not everyone agrees. Peter Temple-Smith and Frank Carrick are among a group of platypus researchers who think the historical sources are just too unreliable to make claims about past populations. They say more robust surveys are needed to determine if areas with fewer reported sightings really have fewer animals.“Historical reports can be very important to understanding current ecology, but do require considerable care in interpretation,” says Carrick.Bino agrees that it’s tough to reconcile such disparate types of data, but says the team’s goal was never to put some exact number on how much the animals have declined.“There's value and merit in reporting old observations, even if they didn't follow any systematic surveys,” he says, and in this case especially, such work “highlights significant knowledge gaps.”Uncertain futureIn general, though, experts are on the same page that platypuses are struggling and will continue to decline if nothing changes.For instance, Hawke and colleagues are researching how large dams impact platypuses; if managed poorly, a single dam can essentially wipe out the platypuses living above and below it, according to their preliminary data.Understanding the nuances of threats like this will help researchers determine the best ways to protect the animals. (Read more about threats to freshwater wildlife.)“We are all concerned that it continues to be conserved as a flagship species for eastern Australian waterways after 160 million years of evolution—especially since it is the last extant species of its evolutionary line,” says Temple-Smith.And the odd-looking creatures aren’t just loved by scientists.“Everyone that you meet, they have this story about when they've seen a platypus in the wild,” says Preston. “And when they tell the story, they light up…[but] it’s becoming rarer and rarer for kids to have that.”
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pets_animals_wildlife
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MoneyWatch June 15, 2022 / 5:33 PM / MoneyWatch The popular Seresto flea-and-tick collar should be recalled following research showing the roughly $70 device poses risks to pets and their owners, according to a new congressional report. The findings link the collar to almost 100,000 incidents and 2,500 pet deaths. Almost 34 million of the collars have been sold to American pet owners, who have been attracted by the product's pledge to ward off ticks and fleas for up to eight months, compared with other treatments that must be applied monthly. But the collar, made by Elanco Animal Health, is linked to a higher number of death and injury reports than competing products, claims the report from the Committee on Oversight and Reform's subcommittee on economic and consumer policy.The report may prompt some pet owners to question if they want to buy or continue using the product, part of the $232 billion pet-care industry. During the pandemic, more Americans adopted pets, while spending on pet-related items have surged during the health crisis, according to Grand View Research. The subcommittee's report highlighted the number of reports of injury or death that owners linked to the collar, as well as Canada's decision to bar sales of the Seresto collar because its review of U.S. incidents and toxicology studies found it "posed too great a risk to pets and their owners to be sold in Canada."During a hearing before the committee on Wednesday, Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeffrey Simmons said the collar is safe and had been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, undergoing more than 80 safety, toxicity and efficacy studies. "Adverse event reports aren't proof of causation," Simmons said in the hearing. "We haven't found a single death due to the ingredients in the collar."Elanco didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Symptoms: Skin lesions, lethargyThe report cited findings from Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), which Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois and the chairman of the committee, said is akin to the EPA in the U.S.The PMRA's analysis of symptoms experienced by hundreds of pets included skin lesions and irritated skin, which sometimes covered large areas of a pet's body and didn't resolve after the collar was removed, the report said. Other symptoms include lethargy, abnormal behavior, excessive grooming and vocalization, vomiting, diarrhea and anorexia, according to the panel. "These troubling symptoms appeared shortly after use of the Seresto collar began, mostly within the first month," according to the report. "Many pet owners reacted by removing their pets' collars early," it said. Some pet owners also reportedly experienced side effects, the report added. These included skin and immune disorders, as well as respiratory, neurological and digestive impacts such as throat irritation, dizziness and nausea, it said.The report included several recommendations, including a voluntary recall of the collars by Elanco. It also suggested that the EPA revamp its review process for products with pesticides. In: Pets Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Published June 29, 2022 6:45AM Updated 7:35AM Yellowstone historic flooding: New details on the ground | LiveNOW from FOX Access to Yellowstone National Park is indefinitely closed after major flooding washed away roads and isolated communities in southern Montana. National Park Service rangers closed off all entrances to the park Monday due to "heavy flooding, rockslides (and) extremely hazardous conditions." YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. - A Colorado man was hospitalized after being gored by a bull bison at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, officials said. The 34-year-old man from Colorado Springs on Monday was walking with his family on a boardwalk near the Giant Geyser at Old Faithful, a popular tourist attraction located in the park, when the bull bison charged the group, according to a news release from park officials. When family members did not leave the area, the animal "continued to charge and gored the male." The man’s arm was injured, and he was taken by ambulance to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, officials said. The incident remains under investigation. Yellowstone National Park had recently reopened to visitors after destructive floods hit the area. It was also the second reported incident this year of a visitor getting too close to the animal, and the bison "responding to the perceived threat" by goring the individual, officials said. On May 30, a 25-year-old Ohio woman was gored by a bison after getting within 10 feet of the animal, park officials said. The woman approached the bison as it was walking near a boardwalk at Black Sand Basin, just north of Old Faithful, and it "gored her and tossed her 10 feet into the air." Park regulations require visitors to stay more than 25 yards away from the bison. "Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans," officials said in the statement. FILE IMAGE - An American Bison grazes in front of a steaming Old Faithful Geyser with the Old Faithful Inn behind. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Yellowstone wildlife 'dangerous when approached’ Yellowstone National Park, located in mostly Wyoming, as well as parts of Montana and Idaho, has over 10,000 hydrothermal sites and half the world's active geysers, according to NPS. It also has abundant wildlife, including 67 species of mammals — such as bison, elk, bears, wolves and more. "Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached," park officials said. "When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space." Visitors should stay more than 25 yards away from all large animals, including elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes, and at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves. With many scenic wonders to enjoy, Yellowstone visitors are also warned to always stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas. All of Yellowstone National Park is bear habitat, including tourist areas like the boardwalks around Old Faithful. "If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in proximity," officials added. This story was reported from Cincinnati.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Zoo keeper saves drowning Orangutan and revives him with CPR after it slipped into moat while trying to fetch food thrown by touristsVideo shows the orangutan falling into moat at Vinpearl Safari Park in VietnamThe animal is seen flailing its arms in the air before it sinks below water's surfaceBut a zoo keeper reacted quickly and jumped into the water and rescued animal Published: 11:57 EDT, 29 June 2022 | Updated: 12:03 EDT, 29 June 2022 A hero zoo keeper jumped into a moat to rescue a drowning orangutan before dragging the animal to shore and reviving him with CPR.Video shows the orangutan falling into the body of water surrounding its cage after trying to reach food thrown into the moat by a visitor at the Vinpearl Safari Park on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc.The animal is seen flailing its arms in the air before it sinks below the water's surface, as another orangutan rushes to the edge of the moat in an apparent bid to help him in a harrowing scene. But the zoo keeper reacted quickly and, fully clothed, jumped into the water from a nearby path whilst carrying a lifebuoy ring. The animal is seen flailing its arms in the air before it sinks below the water's surface, as another orangutan rushes to the edge of the moat in an apparent bid to help him in a harrowing sceneBut the zoo keeper reacted quickly and, fully clothed, jumped into the water (left) from a nearby path whilst carrying a lifebuoy ring. The man is seen diving under the water a few times as he frantically searches for the orangutan in the depths of the moat. Finally, the zookeeper finds the orangutan and pulls the animal's unconscious body up to the surface - making sure to keep its head above the water (right)The man is seen diving under the water a few times as he frantically searches for the orangutan in the depths of the moat. Finally, the zookeeper finds the orangutan and pulls the animal's unconscious body up to the surface - making sure to keep its head above the water. As onlookers watched the rescue unfolding before them, the zookeeper is seen swimming with the ape in his arms - with some difficulty - towards the shore. He struggles to lift the orangutan onto the concrete ramp - but manages to heave the animal onto land and drags him up the hill. As onlookers watched the rescue unfolding before them, the zookeeper is seen swimming with the ape in his arms - with some difficulty - towards the shore He struggles to lift the orangutan onto the concrete ramp - but manages to heave the animal onto land and drags him up the hill The zoo keeper is seen reviving the orangutan with CPR. Extraordinarily, thanks to the keeper's efforts, the ape survived the ordeal and is currently in a stable condition, the zoo saidOther footage shows the zoo keeper reviving the orangutan with CPR - as the animal gasps for air.Extraordinarily, thanks to the keeper's efforts, the ape survived the ordeal and is currently in a stable condition, the zoo said. A zoo spokesperson said they display signs advising visitors not to feed the animals unless specifically allowed, however many people ignore the warnings and offer them snacks regardless. Advertisement
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Temperatures reached upwards of 95 degrees in the area that day A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper recently rescued a dog collapsed on the side of a highway in the sweltering summer heat, but little did he know that it would be the beginning of a special friendship. Trooper Pumpy Tudors was alerted by a good Samaritan to the small dog on June 15, located on the side of Interstate 75 "parched and desperately needing water and shelter from the heat," according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TV Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Pumpy Tudors is pictured holding Princess, alongside an image of them on June 15, 2022. (Tennessee Highway Patrol)Tudors stepped in to offer water, the shade from an umbrella, and some snacks he had on hand. Tudors set up a chair beside the dog and worked to establish trust before eventually taking the panting pup to an animal shelter in Cleveland, Tennessee, to receive further care. PERFECT PUPCATION: TOP 10 PET-FRIENDLY ROAD TRIP DESTINATIONS REVEALEDTemperatures reached upwards of 95 degrees in the area that day. "Pet owners, please make sure your pets are safe from the heat and have plenty of water," the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a Facebook post. 7 WAYS TO KEEP DOGS SAFE FROM FIREWORKS DURING THE 4TH OF JULYThe highway patrol post received hundreds of comments from people commending the trooper’s actions. "Trooper Tudors you are a hero! Thank you for so compassionately and skillfully helping one of the most helpless creatures. I hope you do get to adopt her," one person wrote. 5 DOG-THEMED STORIES THAT'LL REMIND YOU WHY THEY'RE MAN'S BEST FRIEND"Thanks to everyone that helps take care of those in need. It breaks my heart to see these things but makes my heart happy to know some people are so kind to care for anyone or animal in need," another added.After no one claimed the dog, Tudors officially adopted the dog and named her Princess, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a follow-up post. "She is still receiving treatment at the facility until she can go to her #ForeverHome," the highway patrol wrote in an update on June 24. A Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesperson told FOX Television Stations on Wednesday that Princess had officially gone to live at her new home with Tudors. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX WEATHER UPDATE PODCASTBe sure to download the FOX Weather app to track any storms in your area and receive potentially life-saving weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service. The free FOX Weather livestream is also available 24/7 on the website and app and on your favorite streaming platform. The FOX Weather Update podcast also provides weather information for the entire country.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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The RSPCA has recorded a 24% increase in pets being dumped this year as shelters report they are “drowning in animals” amid the cost of living crisis.Workers are being inundated with calls from owners struggling to feed and care for their pets. Between January and July this year, the charity received 22,098 animal abandonment reports, up from 18,375 in the same period last year, while in the first five months of 2022, 49% more rabbits, 14% more cats and 3% more dogs were abandoned.One animal shelter in Worcestershire said it was “absolutely rammed with animals” while bills were soaring. In July, the centre’s busiest month so far this year, total running costs amounted to £7,500, double its average monthly bill.“I’ve worked in animal rescue for 12 years and we’re always busy, but this is different. It’s like our nose is just above water and you just feel like: god, this is almost too much,” said Ned Cotton, manager of The Holdings rescue centre in Kempsey.“We’re now really seeing the issue of the cost of living crisis. People are having to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their pets. It’s a horrible situation for a lot of people to be in.”The charity has seen a 9% increase in calls to its emergency helpline this year, many from people struggling with vet bills, and their latest survey found 19% of pet owners were worried about how they would afford to feed their pets.“I get multiple phone calls a day from members of the public who are struggling and now I am definitely hearing money as a big factor,” said Cotton. “And it is difficult from our perspective because sometimes we can help, but often we haven’t got the space.”He added: “There is a huge backlog, we’ve got animals in private boarding facilities waiting for spaces to become available at rescue centres like ours. Right now we have two cat spaces, but they will be filled in the next couple of days.”In just one day in August, the shelter took in nine cats and three rabbits that had been abandoned.Claire Wood, a volunteer at the centre, said: “At times we feel like we are drowning and battling to rescue, care and rehome the endless stream of animals we are seeing.”While abandoned animals are rising, the number of people coming forward to rehome has slowed. In 2019 the charity rehomed an average of 753 animals a week. This dropped to 518 a week in 2021, and rates are still slow.“Due to the cost of living crisis, people are going to make judgments, they’re going to make calls on how their money is spent. We noticed rehoming slowed in July, and people aren’t donating, either; so many people just can’t afford to any more,” Cotton said.The RSPCA recently launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign to help raise funds for stretched rescue teams saving animals on the frontline.The charity is also concerned the cost of living crisis is leading to more pets being left unneutered, not microchipped, and not receiving medical care when they need it.“We’re seeing people are not buying pet insurance, and we have seen a trend over the last few months where people haven’t been giving their pets prompt care. We had a dog who had to have its whole ear canal removed, probably because it got a seed in it and it got progressively worse because it wasn’t treated,” said Cotton.His main concern was how the shelter was going to cope over the next few months as energy bills are expected to soar even higher.“Often people think ‘how can people abandon their pet, how could someone do that?’” he said. “But often there are very genuine reasons behind it and I think with the cost of living crisis, I dread to think what is going to happen over the next few months.”
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pets_animals_wildlife
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NEW YORK — U.S. dog lovers, say “benvenuto” to the bracco Italiano.The ancient Italian bird-hunting dog is the 200th member of the American Kennel Club’s roster of recognized breeds, the organization announced Wednesday. That means the handsome, powerful but amiable pointers can now go for best in show at many U.S. dog shows, including the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club event next year.The bracco (pronounced BRAH’-koh) goes back more than two millennia in Europe but wasn’t brought to the U.S. until the mid-1990s, according to the AKC. It’s sometimes called the Italian pointer or Italian pointing dog.The ideal bracco should be “tough and adapted to all types of hunting, reliable, docile and intelligent,” while also friendly and neither shy nor aggressive, according to the AKC’s standard for the medium-to-large breed.“They’re very easy to live with and be around, and yet it’s like a light switch — when it’s time to jump in the back of the truck and go hunting, and they’ve got a job, they just light up like a Christmas tree,” said owner and breeder Lisa Moller of Portage, Wisconsin.She and husband Dale relied on Labrador retrievers as pheasant-hunting helpers before a friend introduced them to a bracco about five years ago. The couple was quickly struck by the dog’s methodical hunting style in the field and affectionate nature at home: “They’re very Velcro,” Lisa Moller said.The dogs — the proper plural is “bracchi Italiani” — have a deep bark and readily deploy it on spotting backyard wildlife, so “they may not be the right dog for everybody,” she noted.AKC Executive Secretary Gina DiNardo called the bracco a great companion for active families who can provide “the love and attention it needs.”The AKC opened the nation’s oldest dog registry with a mere nine breeds in 1878. In the last decade alone, the club has added over 20 breeds, ranging from the teeny Russian toy to the powerful dogo Argentino. Criteria involve the total number and generations of registered dogs nationwide, their geographical distribution and other factors.There remain many breeds that are registered elsewhere but not by the AKC, or aren’t formally recognized at all. Some aficionados eschew, or are torn about, the exposure that AKC recognition brings to a breed.Animal rights activists denounce dog breeding, and they say that adding more breeds just exacerbates faddish demand for purebred pets and fuels puppy mills that feed it.The AKC says it promotes responsible breeding aimed at preserving characteristics that equip dogs for various tasks and ease owners’ search for a pup they can live with and commit to.
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan Cops Give Warning No Pups on the Pier!!! 7/19/2022 4:49 PM PT Cesar Millan found himself in the doghouse for having his pooches on a beach pier ... and now cops are using the celeb animal trainer as an example of what NOT to do when visiting the area. The Redondo Beach PD took to Instagram to let followers know Cesar was recently given a warning for having his dogs on the pier. Lucky for all involved, cops say Cesar was quick to comply ... even snapping a smiley pic with officers, which they included in the post. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The caption continues with a warning for anyone else who might wanna take their pets for a stroll in the area, "We would like to take this opportunity to remind you that dogs are not allowed on the Redondo Beach Pier! Not even the dog whisperer." Redondo Beach PD thanked Cesar for his understanding, and you gotta imagine, the post will likely lead to fewer people bringing their animals on the pier. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. So the lesson ... no dogs on the pier, celeb animal trainer or not!!!
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pets_animals_wildlife
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By Victoria GillScience correspondent, BBC NewsImage source, ReutersImage caption, There is a "strong association" between the early outbreak and the sale of live animals in a market, scientists sayResearchers say there is "compelling evidence" that Wuhan's Huanan seafood and wildlife market was at the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak. In two peer-reviewed studies published on Tuesday they re-examined scientific information from the initial outbreak of Covid-19 in the Chinese city.One of the studies shows that the earliest known cases were clustered around that market.The other uses genetic information to track the timing of the outbreak. It suggests there were two variants introduced into humans in November or early December 2019. Together, the researchers say this evidence paints a picture that Sars-Cov-2 was present in live mammals that were sold at Huanan market in late 2019. They say it was transmitted into people who were working or shopping there in two separate "spillover events", where a human contracted the virus from an animal.One of the researchers involved, virologist Prof David Robertson from the University of Glasgow, told BBC News that he hoped the studies would "correct the false record that the virus came from a lab". Pandemic epicentreTwo years of scientific effort to understand the virus that causes Covid-19 have provided these researchers with a more informed perspective. This has enabled them to address a key conundrum in the earliest patient data: That out of hundreds of people who were hospitalised with Covid-19 in Wuhan, only about 50 had a direct, traceable link to the market. "That was really puzzling that most cases could not be linked to the market," said Prof Robertson. "But knowing what we know about the virus now, it's exactly what we would expect - because many people only get very mildly ill, so they would be out in the community transmitting the virus to others and the severe cases would be hard to link to each other." This Covid-19 case-mapping research found that a large percentage of early patients - with no known connection to the market, meaning they neither worked nor shopped there - did turn out to live near it. This supports the idea that the market was the epicentre of the epidemic, said Prof Michael Worobey, lead author and biologist from the University of Arizona, with sellers getting infected first and setting off a "chain of infections among community members in the surrounding area"."In a city covering more than 3,000 sq miles (7,770 sq km), the area with the highest probability of containing the home of someone who had one of the earliest Covid-19 cases in the world was an area of a few city blocks, with the Huanan market smack dab inside it," said Prof Worobey.That study also zoomed in on the market itself. The scientists created a map of the samples - swabs of fluid from drains and on market stalls - that tested positive for the virus. "Most of the positive samples clustered around the south-western side of the market," explained Prof Robertson. "And that's the location where we report species like raccoon dogs being sold." So we have confirmation of animals we now know are susceptible [to Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19] were sold there in late 2019." The lab leak theory Over the last two years, the search for the origin of the deadly pandemic turned from a scientific investigation into a toxic political row. Viewers in the UK can watch this BBC documentary on the hunt for Covid-19's origins.One of the subjects of a fierce international blame game - primarily between politicians in the US and China - was a theory that the virus could have been leaked from a Wuhan laboratory, the Wuhan Institute of Virology. But that hypothesis, said Prof Stuart Neil from Kings College, "can't explain the data". "We're now as sure as we can be, based on the fragmentary evidence we do have, that this was a spillover event that happened in the market." Crowded, live animal markets, many scientists agree, provide an ideal transmission hotspot for new diseases to "spill over" from animals. And in the 18 months up to the beginning of the pandemic, a separate study showed that nearly 50,000 animals - of 38 different species - were sold at markets in Wuhan.Prof Neil said the pandemic was very likely to have been a consequence of an "unhealthy, cruel and unhygienic practice that Chinese authorities had been warned about".The major risk of being distracted by looking for someone in a laboratory to blame for all this, he added, "is that we run the risk of letting this happen again because we've focused on the wrong problem."Media caption, Scientists believe another pandemic will happen during our lifetime
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pets_animals_wildlife
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Felicity Peden, 2, suffered injuries after being attacked by her family's four puppies on June 3, 2022 in California. The girl underwent three hours of plastic surgery and was recovering Wednesday, June 15, 2022.A California toddler is recovering after her family's pack of puppies mauled the girl this month, gravely injuring her, family members say.On the day of the attack, 2-year-old Felicity Peden was outside with the family's four 12-week-old puppies and her parents as the family prepared for a party, the child's mother, Sierra Michele Peden, told USA TODAY Wednesday night.Peden said the family adopted the mixed-breed pups in May after moving to a new home in Onyx, about 60 miles northeast of Bakersfield. She said she was told they were "some sort of Labrador, Red Heeler, Pit Bull mix.""We had them for weeks and they'd never given us any issues with the children," Peden said.The mauling took place June 3, Peden said, while the girl's father was working in the yard and her three older sisters were inside watching the family's baby.Warning: Graphic image belowPeden said after leaving the backyard, she left their home to run an errand while her husband stayed home with Felicity and her older sisters, ages 13, 11, and her 1-year-old brother. Minutes later, she got a call and learned her husband was racing Felicity to a hospital."He said, 'I found Felicity unconscious laying under a tree! I think she's missing an eye!' Peden recalled.Felicity, who suffered injuries to her face, neck and upper body, was taken by medical helicopter to Valley Children's Hospital in Madara where she underwent three hours of surgery.The dogs also ate Felicity's ear, her mother said.She said Kern County Sheriff's Office Deputies responded to their home after being alerted about the attack."The cops sat out here for 15 minutes with us trying to find it," she said. "Even the doctors told us they thought it was puppy play because if they were really attacking her there would be chunks missing from her, but they were just scratches and bite marks."Pet product recall: Congressional subcommittee: EPA must cancel popular Seresto collar over link to pet deathsMilwaukee boy found dead: Milwaukee search finds body of 10-year-old boy swept into drainage ditch after severe stormFelicity Peden, 2, suffered injuries after being attacked by her family's four puppies on June 3, 2022 in California. The girl underwent three hours of plastic surgery and was recovering Wednesday, June 15, 2022.Peden said Felicity was recovering at a quick pace."She's doing great. She's super. She's a wild child" her mother told USA TODAY Wednesday. "CPS (child protectives services) came by today and were surprised how fast she is healing."Is 'littermate syndrome' to blame?In a post on a fundraiser page created earlier this month by Felicity's grandmother, Linnea Hooker of Las Vegas, Felicity's family blamed "littermate syndrome” on the attack, which refers to a "host of behavioral issues that tend to present when canine siblings (littermates) are raised in the same household beyond the normal 8 to 10 weeks of age, when puppies are usually placed in separate homes."Her mother said she learned about "littermate syndrome" online before the family surrendered the puppies to animal control."I heard from someone on Facebook about littermate syndrome and I had never heard of it so I looked it up on Google and then when animal control came out she was explaining that sometimes when more then one puppy is in the home they start to exhibit pack like behaviors," Peden said. "I asked my follow up questions and told her everything that happened and that I researched it and... she agreed. They didn’t diagnose the animals with it they just explained what can sometimes happen when they aren’t separated to bond with their owners."However, some veterinarians on Wednesday pushed back, saying the so-called syndrome is probably not the cause of the attack."This situation is very sad – but the puppies’ reasons for attacking the little girl are not likely to be as simple as a littermate “syndrome," Veterinarian Liz Stenlow, chief of behavior service at University of California, Davis told USA TODAY on Wednesday.Reisner Veterinary Behavior & Consulting Services, a veterinary behavior specialty practice that works with to pet owners and veterinarians in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware regions, posted on Facebook Wednesday that "whoever coined 'littermate syndrome' as its own disorder with unique, abnormal characteristics' was very imaginative.""It doesn't exist in behavioral reality," the practice posted, adding there are more grounded explanations for what might have happened."I’ve found no literature to support “Littermate Syndrome," Stenlow said Wednesday. "Nothing I’ve read precludes this from being a play interaction that became either overly rough or predatory in nature. This is a reasonable possibility for the behavior of four puppies acting together."Stenlow said she has personally had littermates as patients that became aggressive toward each other – but it happens with equal regularity in households with unrelated dogs living together. She also said she has not seen sibling relationship between dogs affect interactions with people in the home.Felicity Peden, 2, suffered injuries after being attacked by her family's four puppies on June 3, 2022 in California. The girl underwent three hours of plastic surgery and was recovering Wednesday, June 15, 2022.Another thing to consider about the concept is the puppies were reportedly only 12 weeks of age – too young to be exhibiting any stress from being kept together, Stenlow said.Many dog owners aren’t aware of the body-language signals that their dogs display, Stenlow said, making them fairly unreliable when they say things like the puppies gave them no reason not to let the children play with them."These parents very obviously did not mean to leave their toddler unsupervised with these puppies – but this sad situation is a prime example of why not to," Stenlow said.Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealundThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California toddler hospitalized after being mauled by pack of puppies
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pets_animals_wildlife
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News | 7/29/2022 7:49 AM PT Per police, the man left the dog in the car for almost 2 hours ... so he could gamble inside a Vegas casino. A California man was arrested in Las Vegas last week after he allegedly left a puppy inside a locked vehicle, taping its mouth shut while he went to gamble. On Thursday, July 28, Las Vegas Police Department released bodycam footage of the July 20 arrest, after the department got a call from security at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. Security spotted a puppy inside a vehicle on the top floor of the hotel's parking garage around 3pm, with its mouth taped shut with electrical tape. The high temp for the day was 113 degrees. "Security got the dog out of the car through the vehicle's sunroof," said police, who tweeted, "Through our investigation, we discovered the dog had been in the car for nearly 2 hours without air conditioning, food, or water while the vehicle's owner went inside to gamble." WHAT NOT TO DO IN VEGAS:On July 20, we got a call from security from a hotel & casino at 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (The high temperature that day was 113)Security spotted a puppy inside a locked vehicle on the top floor of the parking garage with its mouth taped shut around 3 pm pic.twitter.com/kmZJ9CcQyU— LVMPD (@LVMPD) July 28, 2022 @LVMPD According to the arrest report, per The Los Angeles Times, the top floor of the parking lot provides "no protection from the sun and is in direct sunlight" and the temp inside the vehicle was around 108 degrees when animal control arrived. Footage released of his arrest shows officers first checking in on the Husky puppy, before the car's owner -- Raul Carbajal, 50 -- walks over to authorities. He's immediately cuffed and placed into a patrol vehicle, as the arresting officer says, "You realize how hot it is outside? You had the vehicle off, windows up and you had tape around your dog's mouth." Carbajal was arrested for willful, malicious torture of an animal. Getty Daycare Owner Shoots Husband Over Allegations He Abused Children Under Her Care, Cops Say View Story On Thursday night, after releasing the footage, LVPD gave an update on the 3-month old puppy -- saying it was still with animal control and receiving medical treatment. The department added, "NOTE: *DO NOT LEAVE PEOPLE OR ANIMALS IN HOT CARS. PERIOD.*" "The safety and wellness of our employees and guests is always a top priority — pets included," a spokesperson for MGM Resorts, which owns the Bellagio, said in a statement to 8NewsNow. "We commend our guest for taking action and notifying the Bellagio security team, who was quick to respond and make the rescue." Carbajal is reportedly out on bond and has a preliminary hearing on October 25, 2022. WBTV Woman Tries to Arson Ex-Boyfriend's House, But Gets Address Wrong: Police Report View Story
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pets_animals_wildlife
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