ASPCA-Sponsored Petition Regarding Horse Roundups

Yesterday, I posted about horse roundups being conducted by the United States government (Bureau of Land Management, BLM).  I was hoping to have a link to an online petition at the time I wrote the post but I didn't.  Well, I've got one now.

If you'd like to sign the ASPCA sponsored petition you can do so here:  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/517/697/713/.

Horses vs. Helicopters: Roundup in the US West

In ten of the fifty United States there is a showdown going on.  It's between some 40,000 wild horses and the cowboys who are trying to round them up.  But this isn't the kind of showdown we've all read about or seen in movies depicting the Old West.  The cowboys aren't riding horses wrangling the animals to where they want them to go.  The cowboys doing this roundup are swooping down on the horses in helicopters in this high-tech showdown.  For the past month, the cowboys have been working in the states of California and Nevada and have caught over 1,200 wild horses. 

Just how do the roundups work?  Horses are spotted from helicopters then driven toward the trap site through a funnel shaped opening into a temporary corral.  Once in there, a "judas horse" is released to lead the wild horses into the trap where they must become accustomed to their new lives.  ("Judas horses" are animals specially trained to lead other horses into these traps.)  Sometimes the horses manage to outsmart the helicopters and can escape.  Most of the time, however, they do not.

Government-Endorsed Wolf Killings in the United States

Some twenty years ago, the Endangered Species Act began protecting gray wolves in the United states.  The animals had been poisoned to near extinction and the U.S. government took swift action to protect the animals.  The wolves began making a recovery.  Currently, at least 1,700 wolves inhabitat Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.  Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have a population of more than 4,000 gray wolves.  Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Utah and the New England states are seeing a rise in wolf populations as well.  Recent court actions have set the gray wolf as an endangered species in every state in America with the exception of Alaska and Minnesota.

That should be good news, right?  One would think.  The purpose of protecting an animal under the Endangered Species Act is to protect the animals on the list from being slaughtered.  However, the gray wolf is finding themselves in the sites again and the government is looking through the sites.

Government agencies are seeking authority to conduct "conservation" and "research" hunts, gas pups in their dens and surgically sterilize adult wolves.  Officials claim that the hunts and public wolf hunting is a necessity to prevent packs of wolves from forming and causing problems.  The most shocking of all the governments proposals is to bury wolf pups in their dens and poison them with carbon monoxide gas.  They say this method would be used only when the rest of the pack has already been killed.  Idaho has proposed one method of controlling wolves by surgically sterilizing them then tagging the wolves to monitor them.

Hunts have already been held in Idaho and Montana in 2009.  A court ruling in August of this year nixed plans for a hunt for this year.  The usual method of controlling problem wolves is shooting them from the air or ground.

Democratic Senator Max Bacus from Montana wants ranchers in his state to have the freedom to shoot and kill wolves harassing their livestock.  Montana and Idaho want to re-instate wolf hunting seasons giving them more politically correct and less-barbaric sounding names such as "conservation hunting" or "researching hunting". 

The Center for Biological Diversity is none too happy about the plans to kill the wolves.  They feel that recent court rulings underscore the importance of protecting the wolves.

You can read much more about this situation here.  For more information on the Center for Biological Diversity, including any current actions they have may have underway to help protect the wolves, you can visit their website:  Center for Biological Diversity.

Gulf Oil Spill Threatened Sea Turtle Hatchlings Getting a New Chance at Life?

Scientists released hundreds of Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings onto a beach at Padre Island National Seashore in Texas on Monday, July 26, 2010.  The tiny, days-old turtles headed into the Gulf of Mexico in an area 400 miles from the oil spill.  The little guys have got a lot of danger ahead of them that, sadly, a good many will not survive.  Not only must they contend with the threats in nature, they must also deal with the dangers presented by the oil spill.

Loggerhead turtles from Florida were moved to safer eastern Florida waters but the Kemp's ridley turtles were released into the coasts of Texas and Mexico as originally planned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service.  Since June, between seven and eight thousand Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings have been released.  Biologists are hoping that by time the Kemp's make their way to the spill zone, the mess will have been cleaned up.

Releasing the baby turtles was a move made not without some controversy.  The biologists believe that keeping the turtles in captivity until the oil is cleaned up would cause them greater harm than good.  Some fear that releasing the fragile and highly endangered turtles into the tainted waters will deal them a major setback.

Kemp's ridley sea turtles are the smallest living sea turtle species.  Fully mature, they reach lengths of only 2-3 feet and weight around 100 pounds.  They have been on the endangered list since 1973.  By 1985 their numbers had dwindled to a dangerously low 7,702.  Since the oil spill, 638 sea turtles have been found dead.  A staggering 524 of those turtles were Kemp's ridleys.

For more information on the Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and other sea turtles being cared for by conservationists, you can read these articles:
Oily Future for Sea Turtle Hatchlings?
Despite Oil, Baby Turtles Being Released to Gulf

Rare Otter Sighted in Malaysia

A photograph taken in Malaysia's Sabah state in the latter part of 2008 has given scientists a glimmer of hope.  The photograph was of a hairy-nosed otter.  The animal is often thought to be the rarest otter in Asia because it has been hunted for meat and its fur and due to development of its habitat.

The otter was photographed by a remote-controlled camera being used by researchers in a forest reserve.  After studying the photograph for two years the researchers are hopeful they truly do have an image of a hairy-nosed otter.  The otter, once believed to be extinct, has been sighted in Vietnam and Cambodia. 

It has been more than 100 years since this species of otter has been seen in Malaysia.

Hopefully, the sightings and the photograph means this cute little guy truly is still alive and kicking and will be for a long time!

For more information and to see a photo of the otter, you can read this article.

Sea Turtles Recovering After Gulf Rescue

More than one hundred sea turtles are on the road to recovery after having been rescued from the devastation in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana is caring for the sea turtles that include four Kemp's Ridley turtles that were completely covered in oil.  Employees of the Aquarium meticulously cleaned the turtles, gave them antibiotics and fluids so the endangered reptiles could start working their way back to perfect health.

Visitors to the Audubon Aquarium can see the turtles.  The reptiles will be living in their new, clean homes until the Gulf is perfectly safe for them to return to.

We are three months into this oil spill.   Between April 30, 2010 and June 28, 2010 a total of 583 sea turtles were stranded in the spill.  Four hundred and thirty two of those turtles were found dead.  An additional four died after being rescued.  A grand total of 136 sea turtles have been rescued and sent to various rehabilitation centers.  The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is currently working on removing some 70,000 sea turtle eggs from beaches that are at-risk from the oil.

For more information and to see a video of the turtles see this article.  Check out "Little Dude".  He's a shy one!  They all look pretty happy and feisty in their new home, don't they?

Lonesome George: The World's Rarest Animal

He calls the Darwin Research center on the Galapagos Islands home.  Researchers have tried, without success, for years to find another of his kind.  He's Lonesome George, the only Pinta Island Turtle left. 

The area George calls home was once full of the turtles but they, like so many other animals, were killed off throughout the years.  Conservationists are trying to restore the animals and ecosystem in the area but it isn't always easy, especially in the case of George. 

Local fishermen, angry that the conservationists have moved in and are trying to save the animals and ecosystem in the area, have been protesting.  They have even gone so far as to barricade the researchers inside the Darwin Research Center and threatened to kill Lonesome George.

The fishermen aren't the only obstacle they have faced.  Researchers have been trying, without success, to get the 80 year-old George to mate.  When sperm collection proved unsuccessful, female tortoises were brought in.  That was fourteen years ago.  George seemed reluctant to mate despite having two beautiful ladies living with him.  Finally, in 2008, after 36 years in captivity, George shocked conservationists by mating for the first time.  However, the eggs laid by one of his female companions turned out to be infertile.

So, George has made progress!  Hopefully, we will shortly have the excellent news that George has once again decided to strike up a courtship with one of the ladies he lives with and there will be some little George's running around at the Darwin Research Center.  Go, George!!!

For more information:
Lonesome George, The Last Galápagos Giant Tortoise, May Become a Dad, July 22, 2009
Galápagos Giant Tortoise Saved From Extinction By Breeding Programme, June 27, 2010

A short video by BBC Worldwide about Lonesome George:

Are Humans Destined to Be Extinct Within 100 Years?

Ninety-five year-old Australian microbiologist Professor Frank Fenner is world renown for bringing the myxomatosis virus to rabbits in Australia to control their population in the 1950's.  He's also the man who announced to the World Health Assembly in 1980 that smallpox had been eradicated.  Now, Professor Fenner has made another startling announcement.

In an interview with The Australian, Professor Fenner has revealed his fears that "we're going to become extinct" and that "whatever we do now is too late."

According to Fenner, "Homo sapiens will become extinct, perhaps within 100 years.  A lot of other animals will, too.  It's an irreversible situation.  I think it's too late.  I try not to express that because people are trying to do something but they keep putting it off."

Fenner feels that despite efforts to control global warming and overpopulation issues the fate of humans is already sealed.

Gulf Sea Turtles Getting Some Much-Needed Survival Help

Yesterday, I had a small update for you about Kevin Costner's "dream machines" going to work in the Gulf oil spill.  Today, I have another update relating to the Gulf oil spill.  This one is about the sea turtles that have been affected by the spill.

There are five species of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico and all five are protected as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has documented some 278 sea turtles that have been stranded by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Sadly, many of those turtles died.  Federal officials have unfortunately found more dead than living sea turtles in the Gulf.  Forty turtles that have managed to survive the spill are being washed up and given special care at the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Now, the staff of the National Aquarium and the Maryland state's veterinarian are preparing to lend a hand to help the endangered sea turtles from the Gulf.  The National Aquarium is already housing four turtles from the New England area that they are hoping to be able to release some time this month to make room for turtles from the Gulf.

The National Aquarium works to "rescue, rehabilitate and release".  They want the injured animals back in their natural habitats so they can flourish there rather than in captivity.  They are capable of caring for six to ten animals at a time and are ready to help when they get the call.

Pneumonia from inhaling fumes, ulcerations from ingesting oil, starvation and fouled nesting areas are some of the problems the turtles face because of the disaster in the Gulf.

If you would like to read more about this development, please check out the article appearing on The Baltimore Sun web site.

Rare Oryx Born at the National Zoo in the United States

The National Zoo's Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia recently welcomed a new and extremely rare, and I must say undeniably adorable, addition to their family.

A female oryx calf was born on April 9, 2010 to 3-year old Jena and 13 year-old Dr. Bob. This is the first birth of its kind at the National Zoo in 13 years.

Oryx are extinct in the wild. The National Zoo is working to breed the oryx to help the numbers grow. The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute currently has 16 and there is one at the zoo in Washington.

You can see a photo of the new calf here. You can read a bit more about the calf at the web site of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

Another Outrage in the Gulf: Sea Turtle Deaths

I really, really had no intention of blogging about the oil spill in the Gulf because, love them or hate them, I feel the news agencies have been doing a splendid job keeping us up to date on the situation there.

I don't think anyone, regardless of how they feel about the welfare and conservation of the environment, can say that the situation in the Gulf isn't extraordinarily serious. When you have thousands of gallons of oil spilling out into the waters endangering the plant and animal life there are few other words to describe it other than extraordinarily serious. It's an environmental disaster.

The clean up crews certainly have their hands full with the monumental job that is ahead of them.

But, this post isn't about the clean up crews, the oil companies or the economy. It's about sea turtles.

As of right now, at least 35 endangered sea turtles have washed up dead onto the shores in the Gulf coast. Yes, you read that right, a whopping 35! Necropsies have shown that the turtles are not ingesting the oil that is spilling into the waters they call home. They aren't sure what is killing them but they do have one possible suspect that they are investigating: the nets of "aggressive shrimpers or other fisherman".

The shrimp beds off the Gulf coast are currently in eminent danger from the oil spill. Shrimpers have been working overtime on "emergency shrimping sessions" to harvest as much of the shrimp as they can before the oil spill potentially wipes most or all of it out.

Investigators are currently looking into whether or not shrimpers and fishermen have removed the turtle excluder device built into their nets in their hurry to grab as much from the sea as they can before the oil puts a damper on them.

Kemp's Ridley sea turtles are some of the most endangered sea turtles in the world and they are being found dead. Investigators are gathering tissue samples and other evidence and holding in it "the chain of evidence" in the event this issue ends up in court. Marine investigators as well as state and federal investigators are working on this mystery.

There is some speculation that the turtles have possibly eaten fish that were tainted by the oil spill.

Seeing as how there isn't any solid proof the shrimpers and fishermen are responsible for the sea turtle deaths I don't want to jump to any conclusions. If time does prove the fishing industry is the culprit, I feel they have no defense. Shrimp harvesting or fishing for the seafood industry is no excuse for the deaths of these gorgeous and endangered turtles. The plants and animals in the Gulf have enough working against them as it is without even more human interference in their lives.

For more information on this you can check out the following articles: MSNBC.com & CBSNews.com. Onearth.org also has a write up about this issue. (Please note that these articles contain photos of deceased sea turtles.)

New Killer Whale Species Proposed

There have been several stories in the news lately about new species that have been
discovered. I personally would love to see a new story like this in the news every single day of the week.

The latest news is that scientists have proposed a new species of killer whale.

In the North Pacific, three distinct types of killer whales are recognized: resident orcas, transient orcas and offshore orcas. The three different types seem to live in the oceans surrounding Antarctica as well: type-A, type-B and type-c.

Using a fairly new method called highly parallel sequencing scientists have been able to "see clear differences among the species" according to Phillip Morin, a geneticist at NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California.

As of now, it is unclear whether the resident, offshore, type-A Antarctic and North
Atlantic types of Orcas are a single species, separate species or separate subspecies. Researchers would like more samples for further analysis but collecting information on killer whales in the wild isn't always the easiest thing to do.

Concrete information on the species of killer whales is important because not only does it help us understand them better but it will also help in conservation efforts.

Orcas, or killer whales as they are commonly known, aren't really whales at all. They're actually the largest of all dolphins. Orcas are intelligent and powerful animals that have the capability of hunting and killing anything including the much feared great white shark. Orcas are probably most widely known and recognizable for their appearances in the "Free Willy" movies and for their performances at marine parks such as Sea World.

For more information and a graphic check out this article.

New Species Discovered in Borneo

What better news could we receive for Earth Day than the discovery of a new species? How about the discovery of a whopping 123 new species! Now that is some seriously good news, isn't it?

The species live in the remote forests of Borneo and include such interesting finds as a frog that can glide through the air, numerous orchids, a gorgeous snake called the Kopstein's Bronzeback and a greenish-yellow slug that shoots "love darts" at would-be mates.

For more information and to download the report of these amazing finds visit the website WWF.

You can view a photo slide show of some of the new species here and read an e-mail exchange between MSNBC.com and Christoper Greenwood, WWF Initiative's international communications manager here.

Giant Lizard Species Found in the Philippines

All too often we are hearing about how yet another species of animal is dangerously close to extinction so I really love reading news like this.

While he is nothing new to residents of the Philippine islands Western scientists have found a giant lizard species that is new to them.

It's a brilliantly colored, 6 ft. (1.8m) relative of the Komodo dragon named Varanus bitatawa. It has huge, curved claws that it uses to climb trees and has a diet of the fruit of the Pandanus trees.

For the past 10 years scientists had heard rumors of the giant lizard and even saw photographs of the animal being carried by hunters in 2001. In 2005, two different groups obtained young Varanus bitatawas but, for some reason, didn't collect genetic samples. In July of 2009, scientists embarked on a two month expedition to find the lizard they'd only heard stories of. Near the end of their expedition, they finally found an adult male that had been captured in the snares of a tribal hunter.

Genetic analysis, along with it's coloring, scales, body size and reproductive anatomy has confirmed the Varanus bitatawa as a new species.

You can read further about this exciting new find, and see photographs of the Varanus bitatawa here and here.

This is the sort of news I'd love to see every day when I check the headlines!