Jan 12, 8:07 AM EST
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) -- A hippo escaped from a flooded private zoo in Montenegro on Tuesday, shocking villagers who found her strolling near their homes.
Even more shocking, the zoo owner plans to wait a bit before trying to recapture the 2-ton hippo named Nikica.
Nikica escaped as heavy rains sent water flooding through the zoo, raising the water level in her pen and allowing her to swim over the top of the cage surrounding it. The 11-year-old hippo made her way to the hamlet of Plavnica on Skadar Lake in southern Montenegro, where she was still walking around Tuesday afternoon.
"When I got out from my house to feed my cow, I saw a hippo standing in front of the stall," said villager Nikola Radovic. "I thought I was going mad."
The massive animals, which spend much of their days submerged in water, are considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
Hippos, native to Africa, are the third-largest land animals, after elephants and white rhinos. They can weigh up to 3 1/2 tons and are plant eaters. They are also intelligent, fiercely territorial, can run faster than the average human over short distances, and have powerful teeth and jaws.
But zoo owner Dragan Pejovic said he plans to wait until the water levels drops before he attempts to recapture Nikica.
"Of course, we will not be able to bring her back until the water recedes," he said, without further explanation. "There is no reason for panic."
"Our hippo is a peaceful and tame animal," Pejovic said, adding that she had lived in his zoo for nine years without causing any trouble to villagers.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MONTENEGRO_HIPPO_ESCAPES?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(Submitted by D.R. Shoop)
Showing posts with label aquatic animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aquatic animals. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Deadly octopus turns up in girl's bath
January 12, 2010
A six-year-old Melbourne girl's weekend hobby has almost turned deadly.
Holly Smith was washing a shell she'd collected at Point Lonsdale beach on Sunday when a blue-ringed octopus fell into her bathtub.
The Geelong Advertiser reports the girl was washing a large, curled periwinkle shell when the deadly octopus fell into the bath.
The blue-ringed octopus is recognised as one of the world's most venomous animals and can cause paralysis in humans within minutes.
The girl's father, Justin Smith, was understandably alarmed by the incident.
"It was just a complete surprise that my daughter's hobby, which I'd been watching in a relaxed manner, turned out to be one that in future I'll need to be watching much more carefully," he told the Geelong Advertiser.
Holly told Channel Seven, "The octopus just plopped out."
"It would have poisoned us," she said.
Holly says she'll keep collecting shells but will be more careful, and is taking the preserved octopus into school for 'show and tell'.
Her mum reiterated that it's a good warning.
Blue-ringed octopuses are common throughout Australia and rest in quiet places before feeding at night.
A bite from the octopus is often relatively painless and may go unnoticed.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/queensland/a/-/latest/6670257/deadly-octopus-turns-up-in-girls-bath/
A six-year-old Melbourne girl's weekend hobby has almost turned deadly.
Holly Smith was washing a shell she'd collected at Point Lonsdale beach on Sunday when a blue-ringed octopus fell into her bathtub.
The Geelong Advertiser reports the girl was washing a large, curled periwinkle shell when the deadly octopus fell into the bath.
The blue-ringed octopus is recognised as one of the world's most venomous animals and can cause paralysis in humans within minutes.
The girl's father, Justin Smith, was understandably alarmed by the incident.
"It was just a complete surprise that my daughter's hobby, which I'd been watching in a relaxed manner, turned out to be one that in future I'll need to be watching much more carefully," he told the Geelong Advertiser.
Holly told Channel Seven, "The octopus just plopped out."
"It would have poisoned us," she said.
Holly says she'll keep collecting shells but will be more careful, and is taking the preserved octopus into school for 'show and tell'.
Her mum reiterated that it's a good warning.
Blue-ringed octopuses are common throughout Australia and rest in quiet places before feeding at night.
A bite from the octopus is often relatively painless and may go unnoticed.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/queensland/a/-/latest/6670257/deadly-octopus-turns-up-in-girls-bath/
Monday, 11 January 2010
Deadly Portuguese Man O' War jellyfish 'likely' off NI
Monday, 11 January 2010
Sightings of whales, dolphins and basking sharks off the Northern Ireland coast are becoming more common.
But a new visitor to the Irish Sea has been raising eyebrows in the Republic of Ireland, and it is also quite likely to be in waters nearer home.
The potentially deadly Portuguese Man O' War (physalia physalis), has been seen off the coast of County Louth, with 30 sightings reported to marine researchers last year, stretching from Wexford to the more northerly county.
In 2007, a swarm of Mauve Stinger jellyfish wiped out 100,000 salmon when they swamped a fish farm off Glenarm in County Antrim.
Since then, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency has been working with Queen's University, Belfast, to carry out small scale surveys of jellyfish activity, concentrating on the Mauve Stingers.
The stinger and Man O' War are normally found further offshore and researchers believe it is likely that a combination of warmer seas and prevailing winds, are responsible for both 'stingers' being in the Irish Sea during the autumn of 2009.
"To date, there have been no confirmed sightings of the potentially lethal Portuguese Man O' War jellyfish around Northern Ireland," an NIEA spokesperson said.
"However, during the latter part of 2009 there were several reported sightings from the Isle of Man and County Louth suggesting that it is likely that small numbers have also been in Northern Ireland waters.
"These sightings peaked during September and October with further reports during November and December."
The Mauve Stinger is a very small orange or purple jellyfish, while the Portuguese Man O' War has a very distinctive shape, including a bottle shaped gas bladder and stinging tentacles that can be several metres long.
The Portuguese Man O' War is not a true jellyfish as such, but a siphonophore - a single creature made up of a colony of organisms.
Both have powerful stings that can potentially produce a severe reaction and the NIEA said people should avoid touching them and seek medical advice if stung.
There are at least eight species of jellyfish which are regularly recorded in Northern Ireland waters, including Moon, Lion's Mane, Compass, Root Mouth, By-the-Wind-Sailor, Blue, Portuguese Man O' War and Mauve Stinger.
Half of the species produce powerful stings.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8451544.stm
Sightings of whales, dolphins and basking sharks off the Northern Ireland coast are becoming more common.
But a new visitor to the Irish Sea has been raising eyebrows in the Republic of Ireland, and it is also quite likely to be in waters nearer home.
The potentially deadly Portuguese Man O' War (physalia physalis), has been seen off the coast of County Louth, with 30 sightings reported to marine researchers last year, stretching from Wexford to the more northerly county.
In 2007, a swarm of Mauve Stinger jellyfish wiped out 100,000 salmon when they swamped a fish farm off Glenarm in County Antrim.
Since then, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency has been working with Queen's University, Belfast, to carry out small scale surveys of jellyfish activity, concentrating on the Mauve Stingers.
The stinger and Man O' War are normally found further offshore and researchers believe it is likely that a combination of warmer seas and prevailing winds, are responsible for both 'stingers' being in the Irish Sea during the autumn of 2009.
"To date, there have been no confirmed sightings of the potentially lethal Portuguese Man O' War jellyfish around Northern Ireland," an NIEA spokesperson said.
"However, during the latter part of 2009 there were several reported sightings from the Isle of Man and County Louth suggesting that it is likely that small numbers have also been in Northern Ireland waters.
"These sightings peaked during September and October with further reports during November and December."
The Mauve Stinger is a very small orange or purple jellyfish, while the Portuguese Man O' War has a very distinctive shape, including a bottle shaped gas bladder and stinging tentacles that can be several metres long.
The Portuguese Man O' War is not a true jellyfish as such, but a siphonophore - a single creature made up of a colony of organisms.
Both have powerful stings that can potentially produce a severe reaction and the NIEA said people should avoid touching them and seek medical advice if stung.
There are at least eight species of jellyfish which are regularly recorded in Northern Ireland waters, including Moon, Lion's Mane, Compass, Root Mouth, By-the-Wind-Sailor, Blue, Portuguese Man O' War and Mauve Stinger.
Half of the species produce powerful stings.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8451544.stm
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Fish 'acts like Lord Sugar when dealing with subordinates'
A species of fish exhibits traits similar to Lord Sugar when dealing with subordinates who fail in a task, new research has shown.
Published: 7:30AM GMT 08 Jan 2010
Cleaner wrasse, which live on reefs, provide a valuable service by feeding on the parasites of ''client'' fish.
Males are in charge in communities of cleaner wrasse and the new research shows they have much in common with their ''Lord Sugar'' style human counterparts.
Like the belligerent Amstrad founder and boss on the television show The Apprentice, male cleaner wrasse will not tolerate failure.
When the females fall down on the job by offending a client, they are chased aggressively by the angry males.
The behaviour is an unusual example of animals delivering a ''third-party punishment'' for misdeeds that do not directly affect them.
Although cleaner fish pick parasites off their larger reef-mates, they can get a bigger meal by taking a bite of the mucus on a client's skin. However this is seen as an offensive ''cheating'' act, and likely to drive the ''customer'' away.
Any female spotted committing such a flagrant breach of the rules provokes a sharp reaction from the boss.
The boss/employee relationship between male and female cleaner fish was investigated in the laboratory by scientists led by a team from the Zoological Society of London.
A plate full of ordinary food and more tempting prawns was offered to the fish, but removed whenever one of them ate a prawn.
Researchers quickly saw that males would chase females who could not resist the prawns, thereby causing the food plate to be lost. After being punished, the females were less likely to eat a prawn again.
The study, reported in the journal Science, shed light on what occurred between the fish and their ''clients'' in nature.
Dr Nichola Raihani, from the Zoological Society of London, said: ''Clients will leave if they are cheated at a cleaning station. That means the male's dinner leaves if the female cheats. By punishing cheating females, the males are not really sticking up for the clients but are making sure that they get a decent meal.''
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6947717/Fish-acts-like-Lord-Sugar-when-dealing-with-subordinates.html
Published: 7:30AM GMT 08 Jan 2010
Cleaner wrasse, which live on reefs, provide a valuable service by feeding on the parasites of ''client'' fish.
Males are in charge in communities of cleaner wrasse and the new research shows they have much in common with their ''Lord Sugar'' style human counterparts.
Like the belligerent Amstrad founder and boss on the television show The Apprentice, male cleaner wrasse will not tolerate failure.
When the females fall down on the job by offending a client, they are chased aggressively by the angry males.
The behaviour is an unusual example of animals delivering a ''third-party punishment'' for misdeeds that do not directly affect them.
Although cleaner fish pick parasites off their larger reef-mates, they can get a bigger meal by taking a bite of the mucus on a client's skin. However this is seen as an offensive ''cheating'' act, and likely to drive the ''customer'' away.
Any female spotted committing such a flagrant breach of the rules provokes a sharp reaction from the boss.
The boss/employee relationship between male and female cleaner fish was investigated in the laboratory by scientists led by a team from the Zoological Society of London.
A plate full of ordinary food and more tempting prawns was offered to the fish, but removed whenever one of them ate a prawn.
Researchers quickly saw that males would chase females who could not resist the prawns, thereby causing the food plate to be lost. After being punished, the females were less likely to eat a prawn again.
The study, reported in the journal Science, shed light on what occurred between the fish and their ''clients'' in nature.
Dr Nichola Raihani, from the Zoological Society of London, said: ''Clients will leave if they are cheated at a cleaning station. That means the male's dinner leaves if the female cheats. By punishing cheating females, the males are not really sticking up for the clients but are making sure that they get a decent meal.''
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6947717/Fish-acts-like-Lord-Sugar-when-dealing-with-subordinates.html
Japanese fisherman catches 22-pound bass
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DANIA BEACH, Fla. - A Japanese man is being credited with tying the 77-year-old world record for catching the biggest largemouth bass.
The International Game Fish Association announced Friday that it had confirmed the 22-pound, 4-ounce fish caught by Manabu Kurita. The Florida-based group said Kurita caught the fish July 2 on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake.
Kurita's fish tied the record of George Perry, who caught his bass on Georgia's Montgomery Lake on June 2, 1932.
Kurita used 25-pound test line and a live blue gill as bait.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2010/01/08/12397761-ap.html
DANIA BEACH, Fla. - A Japanese man is being credited with tying the 77-year-old world record for catching the biggest largemouth bass.
The International Game Fish Association announced Friday that it had confirmed the 22-pound, 4-ounce fish caught by Manabu Kurita. The Florida-based group said Kurita caught the fish July 2 on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake.
Kurita's fish tied the record of George Perry, who caught his bass on Georgia's Montgomery Lake on June 2, 1932.
Kurita used 25-pound test line and a live blue gill as bait.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2010/01/08/12397761-ap.html
Electric ray gives birth to 16 babies
A rare electric ray has given birth to 16 babies at a sealife centre.
Published: 8:00AM GMT 09 Jan 2010
It is believed to be the first time the marbled electric ray - which can give a shock almost as strong as mains power - has given birth in captivity in Britain.
The baby rays are in good health and feeding happily on slivers of squid in a nursery tank at Brighton Sealife Centre in Brighton, East Sussex.
The mother was delivered to the centre in September by a local fisherman who was surprised to find the ray among his catch.
Marbled electric rays, or Torpedo marmorata, are usually found in the Mediterranean.
Curator Alex Gerrard said: "She settled in well, but started to go off her food mid-way through December.
"We were worried she might be ill but realise now it was because she was ready to go into labour."
The mum is the size of a large dinner plate and her babies are each as big as the bottom of a coffee cup.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6953481/Electric-ray-gives-birth-to-16-babies.html
Published: 8:00AM GMT 09 Jan 2010
It is believed to be the first time the marbled electric ray - which can give a shock almost as strong as mains power - has given birth in captivity in Britain.
The baby rays are in good health and feeding happily on slivers of squid in a nursery tank at Brighton Sealife Centre in Brighton, East Sussex.
The mother was delivered to the centre in September by a local fisherman who was surprised to find the ray among his catch.
Marbled electric rays, or Torpedo marmorata, are usually found in the Mediterranean.
Curator Alex Gerrard said: "She settled in well, but started to go off her food mid-way through December.
"We were worried she might be ill but realise now it was because she was ready to go into labour."
The mum is the size of a large dinner plate and her babies are each as big as the bottom of a coffee cup.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6953481/Electric-ray-gives-birth-to-16-babies.html
Man-Eater Shark Spines 'To Be Severed'
7:03am UK, Sunday January 10, 2010
Huw Borland, Sky News Online
Sharks that attack swimmers will be hunted down, shot in the head and sawed apart until their spines are severed, according to reports.
Perth's Sunday Times revealed the gruesome methods for dealing with man-eaters approved by the Government of Western Australia.
A shark that attacked a swimmer would be slaughtered if it continued to pose a threat to beachgoers, WA Department of Fisheries's Tina Thorne was quoted by the paper as saying.
But the kill order would only be given in "extreme circumstances", as a last resort where there was an immediate danger to the public.
Ms Thorne said fisheries officers would first use a baited drumline and put "attractant" in the water to try to hook the shark.
The creature would then be hauled aboard a boat where officers would "have to use a large firearm to dispatch the animal".
"That is not an easy task, as sharks have very small brains," she said.
Once shot through the head, officers would ensure the creature was dead by "severing the spinal cord and bleeding it out".
"Even if you hook it, you can't just fly over in a chopper and shoot it because of refraction (of the bullets) in the water," Ms Thorne said.
But great whites - the species responsible for most fatal attacks - are protected and a special exemption from the law is required to kill one.
Six people have been killed by sharks in Western Australia in the past 20 years, the paper added.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Sharks-Man-Eaters-To-Be-Shot-And-Sawed-Apart-Until-Spines-Are-Severed-Australian-Reports-Claim/Article/201001215518144?f=rss
Huw Borland, Sky News Online
Sharks that attack swimmers will be hunted down, shot in the head and sawed apart until their spines are severed, according to reports.
Perth's Sunday Times revealed the gruesome methods for dealing with man-eaters approved by the Government of Western Australia.
A shark that attacked a swimmer would be slaughtered if it continued to pose a threat to beachgoers, WA Department of Fisheries's Tina Thorne was quoted by the paper as saying.
But the kill order would only be given in "extreme circumstances", as a last resort where there was an immediate danger to the public.
Ms Thorne said fisheries officers would first use a baited drumline and put "attractant" in the water to try to hook the shark.
The creature would then be hauled aboard a boat where officers would "have to use a large firearm to dispatch the animal".
"That is not an easy task, as sharks have very small brains," she said.
Once shot through the head, officers would ensure the creature was dead by "severing the spinal cord and bleeding it out".
"Even if you hook it, you can't just fly over in a chopper and shoot it because of refraction (of the bullets) in the water," Ms Thorne said.
But great whites - the species responsible for most fatal attacks - are protected and a special exemption from the law is required to kill one.
Six people have been killed by sharks in Western Australia in the past 20 years, the paper added.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Sharks-Man-Eaters-To-Be-Shot-And-Sawed-Apart-Until-Spines-Are-Severed-Australian-Reports-Claim/Article/201001215518144?f=rss
Thursday, 7 January 2010
Taiwan scientist discovers 'strawberry' crab
5 January 2010TAIPEI — A Taiwanese marine biologist said Tuesday he had found a new species of crab which is coloured like a polka-dotted strawberry.
Professor Ho Ping-ho of National Taiwan Ocean University said he made the discovery while carrying out research on the environmental impact from a shipwreck last year on the beaches of southern Kenting National Park.
"One was dead while the other was dying when they were found on a beach of Chialoshui," Ho told AFP, referring to a scenic coastal village in the national park.
The two female crabs, with the bigger one measuring 2.5 centimetres (one inch) in size, have been made into specimens.
"Luckily the oil leak from the shipwreck was not serious, otherwise the two crabs might have been polluted and escaped our eyes," Ho said.
The professor said he was writing an essay on the new species.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j-55UkNcr2A2-bnLhsbnuPt473xw
(Submitted by Chad Arment)
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Loch Ness monster death rumours denied
The head of the Loch Ness monster's fan club has denied suggestions that the animal is dead following just one credible sighting last year.
Published: 6:25AM GMT 06 Jan 2010
A new documentary examines the possibility that the monster might be extinct as its reported appearances become increasingly rare.
Gary Campbell, president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, said only one sighting, made just off the Clansman Hotel on 6th June, 2009, was judged by him to have been a credible report.
And according to Mr Campbell such reports are increasingly rare.
He said: ""That's why were so relieved to have heard about this sighting.
"In June, when it was reported, nobody had seen anything for a year. If it hadn't been for that one, we would have been really, really worried.
"There is an embarrassment factor to seeing Nessie. The first thing people say to you is, 'Had you had a drink?'
"Ten years ago we had a lot of good sightings, but in the last two or three years, they have tailed off."
He added: "What we regard as a dependable sighting is very much down to the person who sees it.
"This was a local chap who knows the things that Nessie isn't - boat wakes, debris on the loch or seals in the summer. A local person will know what these things look like."
However, there were a number of "more dubious" sightings over the course of 2009. These included a sonar contact witnessed by "'Allo,'Allo" star Vicki Michelle and other cast members from the stage version of the popular BBC sit-com when they took a pleasure cruise on Loch Ness in May during the play's week-long run at Eden Court.
Their boat, the Jacobite Queen, picked up five mysterious arch shapes on its sonar between Dores and Urquhart Castle.
Also claiming a possible Nessie picture was data analyst Ian Monckton from Solihull who used his car headlights and the flash from his camera, to take a picture of what he thought could be the elusive monster while driving to Invermoriston late at night.
The 2009 episode "Death at Loch Ness" of the documentary series "MonsterQuest" looked at the theory that the Loch Ness Monster might be extinct.
In this programme researcher Robert Rhines' claim that Nessie, if it existed, may now in fact be dead and its corpse is lying somewhere at the bottom of Loch Ness is investigated.
To prove this theory wrong, Mr Campbell hopes new witnesses might come forward.
"If people start to believe this, it might start to affect tourist numbers.
"Whether you believe in Nessie or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of the most important tourist attractions we have.
"Perhaps, though, the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the loch's surface.
"Unknown sonar contacts happen all the time.
"Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6936872/Loch-Ness-monster-death-rumours-denied.html
Published: 6:25AM GMT 06 Jan 2010
A new documentary examines the possibility that the monster might be extinct as its reported appearances become increasingly rare.
Gary Campbell, president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, said only one sighting, made just off the Clansman Hotel on 6th June, 2009, was judged by him to have been a credible report.
And according to Mr Campbell such reports are increasingly rare.
He said: ""That's why were so relieved to have heard about this sighting.
"In June, when it was reported, nobody had seen anything for a year. If it hadn't been for that one, we would have been really, really worried.
"There is an embarrassment factor to seeing Nessie. The first thing people say to you is, 'Had you had a drink?'
"Ten years ago we had a lot of good sightings, but in the last two or three years, they have tailed off."
He added: "What we regard as a dependable sighting is very much down to the person who sees it.
"This was a local chap who knows the things that Nessie isn't - boat wakes, debris on the loch or seals in the summer. A local person will know what these things look like."
However, there were a number of "more dubious" sightings over the course of 2009. These included a sonar contact witnessed by "'Allo,'Allo" star Vicki Michelle and other cast members from the stage version of the popular BBC sit-com when they took a pleasure cruise on Loch Ness in May during the play's week-long run at Eden Court.
Their boat, the Jacobite Queen, picked up five mysterious arch shapes on its sonar between Dores and Urquhart Castle.
Also claiming a possible Nessie picture was data analyst Ian Monckton from Solihull who used his car headlights and the flash from his camera, to take a picture of what he thought could be the elusive monster while driving to Invermoriston late at night.
The 2009 episode "Death at Loch Ness" of the documentary series "MonsterQuest" looked at the theory that the Loch Ness Monster might be extinct.
In this programme researcher Robert Rhines' claim that Nessie, if it existed, may now in fact be dead and its corpse is lying somewhere at the bottom of Loch Ness is investigated.
To prove this theory wrong, Mr Campbell hopes new witnesses might come forward.
"If people start to believe this, it might start to affect tourist numbers.
"Whether you believe in Nessie or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of the most important tourist attractions we have.
"Perhaps, though, the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the loch's surface.
"Unknown sonar contacts happen all the time.
"Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6936872/Loch-Ness-monster-death-rumours-denied.html
Loch Ness Monster 'is not extinct'
Wednesday, January 6 2010, 11:47 GMT
By Mayer Nissim, Entertainment Reporter
The president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club has said that reports of the creature's death have been greatly exaggerated.
Gary Campbell said that he was concerned until Nessie was spotted near the Clansman Hotel on June 6 last year, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Campbell said: "That's why were so relieved to have heard about this sighting. In June, when it was reported, nobody had seen anything for a year. If it hadn't been for that one, we would have been really, really worried.
"Ten years ago we had a lot of good sightings, but in the last two or three years, they have tailed off. What we regard as a dependable sighting is very much down to the person who sees it."
Of the suggestions that the famed monster had died, he continued: "If people start to believe this, it might start to affect tourist numbers.
"Whether you believe in Nessie or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of the most important tourist attractions we have."
He added: "Perhaps, though, the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the loch's surface.
"Unknown sonar contacts happen all the time. Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down."
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a194293/loch-ness-monster-is-not-extinct.html
By Mayer Nissim, Entertainment Reporter
The president of the Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club has said that reports of the creature's death have been greatly exaggerated.
Gary Campbell said that he was concerned until Nessie was spotted near the Clansman Hotel on June 6 last year, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Campbell said: "That's why were so relieved to have heard about this sighting. In June, when it was reported, nobody had seen anything for a year. If it hadn't been for that one, we would have been really, really worried.
"Ten years ago we had a lot of good sightings, but in the last two or three years, they have tailed off. What we regard as a dependable sighting is very much down to the person who sees it."
Of the suggestions that the famed monster had died, he continued: "If people start to believe this, it might start to affect tourist numbers.
"Whether you believe in Nessie or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of the most important tourist attractions we have."
He added: "Perhaps, though, the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the loch's surface.
"Unknown sonar contacts happen all the time. Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down."
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a194293/loch-ness-monster-is-not-extinct.html
Two killer whale types found in UK waters
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
By Jody Bourton
Earth News reporter
Scientists have revealed that there is not one but two types of killer whale living in UK waters.
Each differs in its appearance and diet, with males of one type being almost two metres longer than the other.
The killer whales could be at an early stage of becoming two separate species, the researchers say.
The international group of scientists has published its results in the journal Molecular Ecology.
"It's exciting to think about two very different types of killer whale in the waters around Britain," says Dr Andy Foote from the University of Aberdeen, UK, who undertook the study.
"Killer whales aren't really a species that we think of as being a regular visitor to Britain, but in fact we have two forms of these killer whales in our waters," he told the BBC.
Scientists have found different forms of killer whale that occupy particular niches in the Pacific and the Antarctic, but this is the first time that they have been described in the North Atlantic.
Dr Andy Foote undertook the study along with colleagues from universities and museums in Denmark and the UK.
Killer whales (Orcinus orca), otherwise called orcas, live in family groups called pods.
As the largest member of the dolphin family, killer whales are known for their intelligence and range of hunting behaviours.
Tooth work
There was very little prior to this study to suggest that different types of killer whale would be found in the North Atlantic.
However, Dr Foote and colleagues studied teeth from remains of killer whales stranded over the past 200 years and found a difference in tooth wear.
"We found that one form, which we call 'type 1' had severely worn teeth in all adult specimens," explains Dr Foote.
"The other form, 'type 2', had virtually no tooth wear even in the largest adults."
In the wild, killer whales that "suck up" herring and mackerel display this tooth wear.
Knowing this, the researchers suspected a difference in diet and ecological niche between the two groups.
Dolphin predator
Using stable isotope analysis that gives clues to the orcas' diet, the scientists found that type 1 is a generalist feeder, consuming fish and seals.
Type 2, on the other hand, is a specialist feeder that scientists suspect exclusively feeds on marine mammals such as small dolphins and whales.
This specialisation for alternative ecological niches has also resulted in a difference in shape and appearance.
"The two types also differed in length, with type 2 adult males being almost two metres larger than types 1 males," Dr Foote says.
The researchers also found that colour, pattern and number of teeth vary between the groups.
Dr Foote says the fish feeding type 1 killer whales are found across the North East Atlantic and around Britain.
The cetacean hunting type 2 killer whales are regularly seen off the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.
New species
Genetic analysis indicates the two types belong to two different populations.
"Type 1 specimens were from closely related populations, but the type 2 whales were more closely related to a group of Antarctic killer whales," Dr Foote explains.
Comparing the findings with studies on killer whales around the world shows that killer whales have radiated to fill different ecological niches.
"It's similar to how Darwin's finches have adapted to different ecological roles in the Galapagos, but on a larger scale," Dr Foote notes.
He suggests this could be an important discovery for the future of the animals.
"They seem to have occupied completely different ecological niches and have started to diverge morphologically. This divergence may eventually lead to the two types becoming different species."
He also recommends the two types be considered "evolutionary significant units" and monitored separately in order to more effectively conserve one of the oceans most charismatic animals.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8440000/8440002.stm
(Submitted by Liz R)
By Jody Bourton
Earth News reporter
Scientists have revealed that there is not one but two types of killer whale living in UK waters.
Each differs in its appearance and diet, with males of one type being almost two metres longer than the other.
The killer whales could be at an early stage of becoming two separate species, the researchers say.
The international group of scientists has published its results in the journal Molecular Ecology.
"It's exciting to think about two very different types of killer whale in the waters around Britain," says Dr Andy Foote from the University of Aberdeen, UK, who undertook the study.
"Killer whales aren't really a species that we think of as being a regular visitor to Britain, but in fact we have two forms of these killer whales in our waters," he told the BBC.
Scientists have found different forms of killer whale that occupy particular niches in the Pacific and the Antarctic, but this is the first time that they have been described in the North Atlantic.
Dr Andy Foote undertook the study along with colleagues from universities and museums in Denmark and the UK.
Killer whales (Orcinus orca), otherwise called orcas, live in family groups called pods.
As the largest member of the dolphin family, killer whales are known for their intelligence and range of hunting behaviours.
Tooth work
There was very little prior to this study to suggest that different types of killer whale would be found in the North Atlantic.
However, Dr Foote and colleagues studied teeth from remains of killer whales stranded over the past 200 years and found a difference in tooth wear.
"We found that one form, which we call 'type 1' had severely worn teeth in all adult specimens," explains Dr Foote.
"The other form, 'type 2', had virtually no tooth wear even in the largest adults."
In the wild, killer whales that "suck up" herring and mackerel display this tooth wear.
Knowing this, the researchers suspected a difference in diet and ecological niche between the two groups.
Dolphin predator
Using stable isotope analysis that gives clues to the orcas' diet, the scientists found that type 1 is a generalist feeder, consuming fish and seals.
Type 2, on the other hand, is a specialist feeder that scientists suspect exclusively feeds on marine mammals such as small dolphins and whales.
This specialisation for alternative ecological niches has also resulted in a difference in shape and appearance.
"The two types also differed in length, with type 2 adult males being almost two metres larger than types 1 males," Dr Foote says.
The researchers also found that colour, pattern and number of teeth vary between the groups.
Dr Foote says the fish feeding type 1 killer whales are found across the North East Atlantic and around Britain.
The cetacean hunting type 2 killer whales are regularly seen off the west coast of Scotland and Ireland.
New species
Genetic analysis indicates the two types belong to two different populations.
"Type 1 specimens were from closely related populations, but the type 2 whales were more closely related to a group of Antarctic killer whales," Dr Foote explains.
Comparing the findings with studies on killer whales around the world shows that killer whales have radiated to fill different ecological niches.
"It's similar to how Darwin's finches have adapted to different ecological roles in the Galapagos, but on a larger scale," Dr Foote notes.
He suggests this could be an important discovery for the future of the animals.
"They seem to have occupied completely different ecological niches and have started to diverge morphologically. This divergence may eventually lead to the two types becoming different species."
He also recommends the two types be considered "evolutionary significant units" and monitored separately in order to more effectively conserve one of the oceans most charismatic animals.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8440000/8440002.stm
(Submitted by Liz R)
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
The giant Amazon arapaima fish is 'under threat'
By Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News
The arapaima, a giant species of fish that lurks in the Amazon river, may be threatened by overfishing.
Studies reveal that errors in the classification of the species could mean that it is being pushed closer to the edge of extinction than thought.
The arapaima is the largest freshwater fish with scales in the world.
But there may actually be four species rather than one, say scientists, and a lack of research and management may allow some to be fished to extinction.
The threat to the future of these fish has been revealed in research conducted by Dr Leandro Castello of the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, Massachusetts, US, and Professor Donald Stewart of the State University of New York in Syracuse, US.
They have reviewed what is known about populations of the arapaima, and conducted detailed investigations into the status of the fish in the wild.
Previously, it was thought there was one species of arapaima (Arapaima gigas), which also goes by the common names pirarucu or paiche.
This perspective is based on a taxonomic review done over 160 years ago.
Adults grow to almost 3m in length and can weigh more than 200kg, making the fish the largest with scales living in freshwater anywhere in the world.
They are also air-breathers, coming to the surface every 5 to 15 minutes to gulp air, a behaviour which allows them to colonise muddy oxygen-poor rivers and lakes within the Amazonian basin and prey on other fish that find it difficult to move in such conditions.
However, in an ongoing study, Prof Stewart has analysed nearly all preserved specimens of supposed arapaima available in museums in the world.
So far he has only found one specimen of Arapaima gigas.
The others are suspected to be closely related species, including some as yet unreported.
"Our new analyses indicate that there are at least four species of arapaima," says Dr Castello.
"So, until further field surveys of appropriate areas are completed, we will not know if Arapaima gigas is extinct or still swimming about."
Concern about the fish's numbers comes from other work done by Dr Castello and Prof Stewart.
That suggests that arapaima sexually mature relatively late, and need very specific habitats to both live and reproduce.
Their research also shows that populations of the fish are being put under severe pressure by fishermen.
Because of the fish's huge size and habit of coming to the surface, it has long been a favoured fish to catch, with fisherman using harpoons and gill nets to land their prey.
"They have the curse of being tasty and of having to breathe air," says Dr Castello.
Fishermen have been catching large numbers of arapaima in this way since the 1800s.
But now, while a few populations are increasing, others are being overfished, say the researchers, who have published a paper warning of the fish's fate in the Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
And while Brazil implemented regulations to manage arapaima fisheries some 20 years ago, most fishermen do not follow the regulations, say the authors.
"Arapaima can be viewed as badly overexploited and under some level of threat of extinction," says Dr Castello.
One solution, they say, is to encourage community-based schemes for fisheries, and there is much need for additional action on the part of the government.
For example, their research shows that fishermen who specialise in hunting arapaima with harpoons can accurately count the fish, due to the fish's habit of breaching the surface for air.
The fishermen can then select a sustainable proportion of the population to hunt.
"Populations of arapaima managed with this system increased about 50% annually, while yielding increasing catches and hence economic profits to the fishermen," says Dr Castello.
Around 100 such community schemes are in place, and some previously overexploited populations have recovered.
"Such results are extremely rare in wildlife conservation, especially in tropical countries where wildlife conservation challenges are greater than elsewhere," says Dr Castello.
But much more needs to be done to research these fish in more detail and prevent overfishing, the scientists warn.
In particular, "the present situation may be one in which one species of arapaima is recovering in certain areas, while unrecognised species are going extinct," they say.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8428000/8428949.stm
(Submitted by Lidsay Selby)
Editor, Earth News
The arapaima, a giant species of fish that lurks in the Amazon river, may be threatened by overfishing.
Studies reveal that errors in the classification of the species could mean that it is being pushed closer to the edge of extinction than thought.
The arapaima is the largest freshwater fish with scales in the world.
But there may actually be four species rather than one, say scientists, and a lack of research and management may allow some to be fished to extinction.
The threat to the future of these fish has been revealed in research conducted by Dr Leandro Castello of the Woods Hole Research Center in Falmouth, Massachusetts, US, and Professor Donald Stewart of the State University of New York in Syracuse, US.
They have reviewed what is known about populations of the arapaima, and conducted detailed investigations into the status of the fish in the wild.
Previously, it was thought there was one species of arapaima (Arapaima gigas), which also goes by the common names pirarucu or paiche.
This perspective is based on a taxonomic review done over 160 years ago.
Adults grow to almost 3m in length and can weigh more than 200kg, making the fish the largest with scales living in freshwater anywhere in the world.
They are also air-breathers, coming to the surface every 5 to 15 minutes to gulp air, a behaviour which allows them to colonise muddy oxygen-poor rivers and lakes within the Amazonian basin and prey on other fish that find it difficult to move in such conditions.
However, in an ongoing study, Prof Stewart has analysed nearly all preserved specimens of supposed arapaima available in museums in the world.
So far he has only found one specimen of Arapaima gigas.
The others are suspected to be closely related species, including some as yet unreported.
"Our new analyses indicate that there are at least four species of arapaima," says Dr Castello.
"So, until further field surveys of appropriate areas are completed, we will not know if Arapaima gigas is extinct or still swimming about."
Concern about the fish's numbers comes from other work done by Dr Castello and Prof Stewart.
That suggests that arapaima sexually mature relatively late, and need very specific habitats to both live and reproduce.
Their research also shows that populations of the fish are being put under severe pressure by fishermen.
Because of the fish's huge size and habit of coming to the surface, it has long been a favoured fish to catch, with fisherman using harpoons and gill nets to land their prey.
"They have the curse of being tasty and of having to breathe air," says Dr Castello.
Fishermen have been catching large numbers of arapaima in this way since the 1800s.
But now, while a few populations are increasing, others are being overfished, say the researchers, who have published a paper warning of the fish's fate in the Journal of Applied Ichthyology.
And while Brazil implemented regulations to manage arapaima fisheries some 20 years ago, most fishermen do not follow the regulations, say the authors.
"Arapaima can be viewed as badly overexploited and under some level of threat of extinction," says Dr Castello.
One solution, they say, is to encourage community-based schemes for fisheries, and there is much need for additional action on the part of the government.
For example, their research shows that fishermen who specialise in hunting arapaima with harpoons can accurately count the fish, due to the fish's habit of breaching the surface for air.
The fishermen can then select a sustainable proportion of the population to hunt.
"Populations of arapaima managed with this system increased about 50% annually, while yielding increasing catches and hence economic profits to the fishermen," says Dr Castello.
Around 100 such community schemes are in place, and some previously overexploited populations have recovered.
"Such results are extremely rare in wildlife conservation, especially in tropical countries where wildlife conservation challenges are greater than elsewhere," says Dr Castello.
But much more needs to be done to research these fish in more detail and prevent overfishing, the scientists warn.
In particular, "the present situation may be one in which one species of arapaima is recovering in certain areas, while unrecognised species are going extinct," they say.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8428000/8428949.stm
(Submitted by Lidsay Selby)
Dolphins Are 'Non-Human Persons'
Scientists agree on this amazing statement
By Tudor Vieru, Science Editor
5th of January 2010, 09:20 GMT
The scientific community has finally come to a consensus regarding dolphins. Experts believe that the marine animals are the second most intelligent species on the planet after humans. The creatures are so smart and bright, that they should be referred to as non-human persons, they add. Recent research has demonstrated that their brains are similar to our own in many key features that denote high intelligence. Other tests have also shown that dolphins can learn basic language, and also that they are a lot smarter than chimpanzees. The primates have been considered for a long time the second most intelligent species, but the new work disproves that, Times Online reports.
“Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size. The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions,” zoologist Lori Marino, from the Atlanta, Georgia-based Emory University, explains. The expert scanned the brains of many dolphins using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and also conducted a number of comparative tests between the brains of the marine animals and those of primates.
Previous investigations in dolphins' routines showed that each of the animals had a unique personality that was shaped by the society it lived in, exactly as was the case with humans. They also communicate with each other via a complex language, even if not articulated. They have the ability to recognize themselves in the mirror, which makes them one of a handful of species capable of doing this. Some specialists say that a fully developed dolphin can reach the level of intelligence of a three-year-old human being, which is no small feat.
The animals also have the ability to teach each other various tricks. For example, a formerly captive dolphin that was taught to tail-walk in an aquarium, was seen teaching others to do the same thing, after it was released. Needless to say, the researchers were amazed to see this happening right before their eyes. The feat denotes a high degree of intelligence, trust and cooperation on the animals' part, which is very rare to come by in species other than humans. “The scientific research […] suggests that dolphins are ‘non-human persons’ who qualify for moral standing as individuals,” Loyola Marymount University Ethics Professor Thomas White says.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dolphins-Are-Non-Human-Persons-131113.shtml
By Tudor Vieru, Science Editor
5th of January 2010, 09:20 GMT
The scientific community has finally come to a consensus regarding dolphins. Experts believe that the marine animals are the second most intelligent species on the planet after humans. The creatures are so smart and bright, that they should be referred to as non-human persons, they add. Recent research has demonstrated that their brains are similar to our own in many key features that denote high intelligence. Other tests have also shown that dolphins can learn basic language, and also that they are a lot smarter than chimpanzees. The primates have been considered for a long time the second most intelligent species, but the new work disproves that, Times Online reports.
“Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size. The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions,” zoologist Lori Marino, from the Atlanta, Georgia-based Emory University, explains. The expert scanned the brains of many dolphins using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and also conducted a number of comparative tests between the brains of the marine animals and those of primates.
Previous investigations in dolphins' routines showed that each of the animals had a unique personality that was shaped by the society it lived in, exactly as was the case with humans. They also communicate with each other via a complex language, even if not articulated. They have the ability to recognize themselves in the mirror, which makes them one of a handful of species capable of doing this. Some specialists say that a fully developed dolphin can reach the level of intelligence of a three-year-old human being, which is no small feat.
The animals also have the ability to teach each other various tricks. For example, a formerly captive dolphin that was taught to tail-walk in an aquarium, was seen teaching others to do the same thing, after it was released. Needless to say, the researchers were amazed to see this happening right before their eyes. The feat denotes a high degree of intelligence, trust and cooperation on the animals' part, which is very rare to come by in species other than humans. “The scientific research […] suggests that dolphins are ‘non-human persons’ who qualify for moral standing as individuals,” Loyola Marymount University Ethics Professor Thomas White says.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Dolphins-Are-Non-Human-Persons-131113.shtml
Sharks need friends
By danielclark, YourNews contributor
Posted January 4, 2010
SEBASTIAN — Sharks - demons of the sea - or a diverse group of animals that deserves an image makeover?
Marine biologist Hannah Mead will change your perception of them in "Even Sharks Need Friends," a presentation of the Turtle Coast Sierra Club at the Library in Sebastian on Jan. 19, at 7 p.m.
Mead will show you what makes a shark a shark, and how those traits make them susceptible to overfishing. Emerging evidence suggests that the use of unsustainable fishing practices, like long lining and a profitable market for shark fins, are causing the depletion of local and global shark populations.
Mead earned dual degrees in Marine Biology and Ecology from Florida Tech. She recently returned from living in South Africa, where she earned a Master's degree in Zoology from the Marine Biology Research Institute at the University of Cape Town. All of her free time was spent at sea with white sharks, either tagging/observing them for governmental and PhD projects, or as an onboard scientist for a commercial cage diving company, promoting education and conservation among the clients.
Her free time was also spent catching shy sharks for research or cruising with the cow sharks off the Cape peninsula and the whale sharks of Mozambique. Being immersed in such a "sharky" community solidified her commitment to research, and their conservation.
Admission to this program is free and open to the public. A social hour with refreshments begins at 6:30 p.m. The North Indian River County Library is located three miles west of U.S. 1 on Sebastian Boulevard. Call (772) 589-1355 for more information.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/jan/04/sharks-need-friends-1281/
Posted January 4, 2010
SEBASTIAN — Sharks - demons of the sea - or a diverse group of animals that deserves an image makeover?
Marine biologist Hannah Mead will change your perception of them in "Even Sharks Need Friends," a presentation of the Turtle Coast Sierra Club at the Library in Sebastian on Jan. 19, at 7 p.m.
Mead will show you what makes a shark a shark, and how those traits make them susceptible to overfishing. Emerging evidence suggests that the use of unsustainable fishing practices, like long lining and a profitable market for shark fins, are causing the depletion of local and global shark populations.
Mead earned dual degrees in Marine Biology and Ecology from Florida Tech. She recently returned from living in South Africa, where she earned a Master's degree in Zoology from the Marine Biology Research Institute at the University of Cape Town. All of her free time was spent at sea with white sharks, either tagging/observing them for governmental and PhD projects, or as an onboard scientist for a commercial cage diving company, promoting education and conservation among the clients.
Her free time was also spent catching shy sharks for research or cruising with the cow sharks off the Cape peninsula and the whale sharks of Mozambique. Being immersed in such a "sharky" community solidified her commitment to research, and their conservation.
Admission to this program is free and open to the public. A social hour with refreshments begins at 6:30 p.m. The North Indian River County Library is located three miles west of U.S. 1 on Sebastian Boulevard. Call (772) 589-1355 for more information.
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/jan/04/sharks-need-friends-1281/
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Tropical wildlife washed-up on Dorset beaches
3:00pm Saturday 19th December 2009
WILD and windy weather has washed up some rare and unusual visitors to Dorset’s beaches.
Tropical crabs, birds blown off course and rare barnacles are among the wildlife reported by Dorset Wildlife Trust after storms and strong south-westerlies.
Six rare types of goose barnacle have reached the coast in recent weeks, including one, Conchoderma virgatum, which trust staff have nicknamed the “pyjama barnacle” because of its stripy skin.
“These animals usually spend their lives in warmer waters, drifting around the oceans of the world, hitching a lift on any floating debris, whether it be mats of seaweed, bird feathers or plastic bottles,” said Julie Hatcher, marine officer.
Very rarely, other oceanic hitch-hikers find their way to the coastline, including a tropical Columbus crab, found by local marine expert Lin Baldock on Ringstead beach.
This is only the second time in 100 years that Columbus crabs have been found here. They hit the headlines in 2006 when around 30 were discovered on the beaches, following extremely stormy conditions.
Among birds driven by the storms was a grey phalarope, a wading bird blown off course as it headed for the southern oceans from its Arctic breeding grounds.
It was seen surfing the waves and picking tiny bugs from the water just below the trust’s Fine Foundation Marine Centre, at Kimmeridge.
Birds including puffins and petrels, that are normally far out to sea at this time of year, have been washed up dead, battered by the wind and waves and unable to feed.
“Now is the time to get out on the beach and search among the strandline,” said Julie. “After such a stormy period you never know what creatures you may turn up, and it may even be something never recorded in Dorset before.
“Take photos and send them to Dorset Wildlife Trust for recording. The more we know about what’s out there, the better we will be able to protect it,” she said.
Send marine sightings to kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01929 481044.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4805552.Tropical_wildlife_washed_up_on_Dorset_beaches/
(Submitted by Mark North)
WILD and windy weather has washed up some rare and unusual visitors to Dorset’s beaches.Tropical crabs, birds blown off course and rare barnacles are among the wildlife reported by Dorset Wildlife Trust after storms and strong south-westerlies.
Six rare types of goose barnacle have reached the coast in recent weeks, including one, Conchoderma virgatum, which trust staff have nicknamed the “pyjama barnacle” because of its stripy skin.
“These animals usually spend their lives in warmer waters, drifting around the oceans of the world, hitching a lift on any floating debris, whether it be mats of seaweed, bird feathers or plastic bottles,” said Julie Hatcher, marine officer.
Very rarely, other oceanic hitch-hikers find their way to the coastline, including a tropical Columbus crab, found by local marine expert Lin Baldock on Ringstead beach.
This is only the second time in 100 years that Columbus crabs have been found here. They hit the headlines in 2006 when around 30 were discovered on the beaches, following extremely stormy conditions.
Among birds driven by the storms was a grey phalarope, a wading bird blown off course as it headed for the southern oceans from its Arctic breeding grounds.
It was seen surfing the waves and picking tiny bugs from the water just below the trust’s Fine Foundation Marine Centre, at Kimmeridge.
Birds including puffins and petrels, that are normally far out to sea at this time of year, have been washed up dead, battered by the wind and waves and unable to feed.
“Now is the time to get out on the beach and search among the strandline,” said Julie. “After such a stormy period you never know what creatures you may turn up, and it may even be something never recorded in Dorset before.
“Take photos and send them to Dorset Wildlife Trust for recording. The more we know about what’s out there, the better we will be able to protect it,” she said.
Send marine sightings to kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or call 01929 481044.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4805552.Tropical_wildlife_washed_up_on_Dorset_beaches/
(Submitted by Mark North)
Weymouth Sea Life 'dragons' fall for mistletoe
9:40am Tuesday 29th December 2009By Martin Lea
MISTLETOE has tricked leafy seadragon creatures at the Sea Life Park in Weymouth into a mating frenzy after they confused the Christmas plant for a love-rival.
The odd-looking marine creatures bear a striking resemblance to the Christmas kissing plant.
So when the males were a little slow in getting to know the female seadragons at an aquarium, staff decided to decorate their tank with sprigs of mistletoe.
And it had the desired effect as it apparently sparked jealousy in the male seadragons who now see the plant as a love rival.
Fiona Smith, display supervisor at the Sea Life Park, said: “The males have suddenly started engaging in heated courtship with the females.
“It seems the males view the Christmas decorations as potential rivals and they are making sure they don’t lose out.
“We knew the seadragons looked like mistletoe and at first we decorated the tank as a bit of fun but it has had the desired effect.
“It looks like mistletoe can fire underwater passions so we may keep it in the tank year round.
”The Sea Life Park hopes to be the first place in Europe to breed the animals that are usually found around Australia.
The attraction has only recently taken delivery of the creatures, but were not encouraged with their initial lack of courtship.
Seadragons – phycodurus eques in Latin – are close relatives of seahorses and like them, it is the male that looks after the eggs by carrying them in a clump on his belly.
The Sea Life Park is one of the world’s most successful seahorse breeding facilities and its marine experts hope their expertise will guide them to similar success with the seadragons.
http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/4822560.Weymouth_Sea_Life__dragons__fall_for_mistletoe/
(Submitted by Mark North)
Saturday, 2 January 2010
Bass Strait barnacle 300 million-year-old king of species
December 30, 2009
A RARE barnacle found only in Bass Strait is the oldest of the species, as well as one of its most unique members, according to researchers who came across the crustacean by a lucky accident.
The tiny ibliform barnacle, which is just 2.5 millimetres long, dates back to the Paleozoic era, about 300 million years ago.
That means the ibliform barnacle pre-dates all other types of barnacles and gives researchers a clue as to how the species evolved.
''Their earliest forms evolved from Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea,'' said John Buckeridge, professor of natural resources engineering at RMIT University.
And unlike most barnacles, which rely on shells and camouflage to protect them from predators, Professor Buckeridge said the cream-coloured barnacle used the toxic substance bromine, collected from sea water, to make itself unpalatable to predators such as carnivorous snails, small fish and crustaceans.
The ibliform, however, has an incomplete shell that does not cover the barnacle's lower, vulnerable areas where the bromine-heavy parts are mostly concentrated.
Professor Buckeridge's research with RMIT research fellow Jessica Reeves, published this month in the journal Integrative Zoology, found up to 7 per cent of some parts of its body is bromine.
''That's a remarkably high percentage,'' Professor Buckeridge said. ''It's much higher than anything else I've ever seen apart from an algae, also found in Bass Strait. It would be more than unpalatable, it would be poisonous.''
He said there was only one other type of barnacle, the deep sea tetrachaelasma found in waters off Madagascar, which had bromine in its body.
''The shells of these ibliform are made of the same stuff as our teeth. It's a primitive feature not found in modern barnacles,'' Professor Buckeridge said.
The ibliform barnacle, which was recognised as a new species in 2006, is so rare that scientists have only six specimens.
It was found by accident after fishermen delivered a coral-like substance to Museum Victoria, not realising there was a barnacle attached.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/bass-strait-barnacle-300-millionyearold-king-of-species-20091229-lisj.html
A RARE barnacle found only in Bass Strait is the oldest of the species, as well as one of its most unique members, according to researchers who came across the crustacean by a lucky accident.
The tiny ibliform barnacle, which is just 2.5 millimetres long, dates back to the Paleozoic era, about 300 million years ago.
That means the ibliform barnacle pre-dates all other types of barnacles and gives researchers a clue as to how the species evolved.
''Their earliest forms evolved from Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea,'' said John Buckeridge, professor of natural resources engineering at RMIT University.
And unlike most barnacles, which rely on shells and camouflage to protect them from predators, Professor Buckeridge said the cream-coloured barnacle used the toxic substance bromine, collected from sea water, to make itself unpalatable to predators such as carnivorous snails, small fish and crustaceans.
The ibliform, however, has an incomplete shell that does not cover the barnacle's lower, vulnerable areas where the bromine-heavy parts are mostly concentrated.
Professor Buckeridge's research with RMIT research fellow Jessica Reeves, published this month in the journal Integrative Zoology, found up to 7 per cent of some parts of its body is bromine.
''That's a remarkably high percentage,'' Professor Buckeridge said. ''It's much higher than anything else I've ever seen apart from an algae, also found in Bass Strait. It would be more than unpalatable, it would be poisonous.''
He said there was only one other type of barnacle, the deep sea tetrachaelasma found in waters off Madagascar, which had bromine in its body.
''The shells of these ibliform are made of the same stuff as our teeth. It's a primitive feature not found in modern barnacles,'' Professor Buckeridge said.
The ibliform barnacle, which was recognised as a new species in 2006, is so rare that scientists have only six specimens.
It was found by accident after fishermen delivered a coral-like substance to Museum Victoria, not realising there was a barnacle attached.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/bass-strait-barnacle-300-millionyearold-king-of-species-20091229-lisj.html
Thursday, 31 December 2009
'Best Job' winner stung by deadly jellyfish
December 30, 2009
Ben Southall - the winner of a competition for the best job in the world - has been stung by a deadly jellyfish.
The 34-year-old Brit was just days away from the end of his six month stint at "caretaker" of Hamilton Island in Queensland when he was stung by a deadly Irukandji jellyfish.
Though tiny (they measure just 2cm) the Irukandji are extremely venomous and stings can often result in people being hospitalised, and are sometimes fatal.
Ben had been on a 'hard-earned break' from his £75,000, six-month job when he was stung while jetsking.
Given that his normal duties include scuba-diving to check on marine life and writing a blog about his experiences we are finding it a bit hard to feel sorry for him.
Speaking of the jellyfish sting Ben said: "I’ve spent nearly six months here in the tropical paradise that is Queensland and so far I thought I’d done particularly well at avoiding any contact with any of the dangerous critters that consider this part of the world their home.
"I was enjoying a post Christmas jetski session with some friends at a quiet beach on Hamilton Island and as I climbed off the back of the ski and onto the beach felt a small bee-like sting on my forearm."
Feeling hot, sweaty, sick and having a headache Ben went to see a doctor who knew instantly what it was and straight away put him on a course of treatment.
" I had a couple of injections which immediately took away the uncomfortable pain I was feeling and I slipped into a comfortable sleep," Ben added.
"I’d had a minor brush with what can be a very serious jellyfish and has led to people being hospitalised for a number of days, my slight knock was enough to tell me that it’s not something to be messed around with and I really should have been wearing a full stinger suit."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/30/best-job-winner-stung-by-deadl.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Ben Southall - the winner of a competition for the best job in the world - has been stung by a deadly jellyfish.
The 34-year-old Brit was just days away from the end of his six month stint at "caretaker" of Hamilton Island in Queensland when he was stung by a deadly Irukandji jellyfish.
Though tiny (they measure just 2cm) the Irukandji are extremely venomous and stings can often result in people being hospitalised, and are sometimes fatal.
Ben had been on a 'hard-earned break' from his £75,000, six-month job when he was stung while jetsking.
Given that his normal duties include scuba-diving to check on marine life and writing a blog about his experiences we are finding it a bit hard to feel sorry for him.
Speaking of the jellyfish sting Ben said: "I’ve spent nearly six months here in the tropical paradise that is Queensland and so far I thought I’d done particularly well at avoiding any contact with any of the dangerous critters that consider this part of the world their home.
"I was enjoying a post Christmas jetski session with some friends at a quiet beach on Hamilton Island and as I climbed off the back of the ski and onto the beach felt a small bee-like sting on my forearm."
Feeling hot, sweaty, sick and having a headache Ben went to see a doctor who knew instantly what it was and straight away put him on a course of treatment.
" I had a couple of injections which immediately took away the uncomfortable pain I was feeling and I slipped into a comfortable sleep," Ben added.
"I’d had a minor brush with what can be a very serious jellyfish and has led to people being hospitalised for a number of days, my slight knock was enough to tell me that it’s not something to be messed around with and I really should have been wearing a full stinger suit."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/30/best-job-winner-stung-by-deadl.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Lifeguards to get texts from approaching sharks
December 31, 2009 7:52 AM
Australian lifeguards will soon get text messages when Great White sharks swim near the beaches they are patrolling.
Researchers are electronically tagging the man-eating predators with GPS units which will constantly monitor their movements.
If the sharks then get too near to a beach a satellite receiver will automatically send out emails and text messages to wildlife officials and lifeguards.
Currently 74 white sharks have been tagged and there are 20 communications-equipped monitoring stations have been installed off the Perth coast.
Bosses say they hope the network will "provide timely alerts of tagged sharks' presence close to beaches" -- obviously this is unless the lifeguard is busy playing a game on his phone at the time. Australian Department of Fisheries’ Senior Research Scientist Dr Rory McAuley said: "With more monitors installed we have improved chances of hearing from tagged sharks, when they are around.
"Although sharks are being tagged to improve our understanding of the risk of attacks, it is also important that beachgoers are advised of detections."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/31/lifeguards-to-get-texts-from-a.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Australian lifeguards will soon get text messages when Great White sharks swim near the beaches they are patrolling.
Researchers are electronically tagging the man-eating predators with GPS units which will constantly monitor their movements.
If the sharks then get too near to a beach a satellite receiver will automatically send out emails and text messages to wildlife officials and lifeguards.
Currently 74 white sharks have been tagged and there are 20 communications-equipped monitoring stations have been installed off the Perth coast.
Bosses say they hope the network will "provide timely alerts of tagged sharks' presence close to beaches" -- obviously this is unless the lifeguard is busy playing a game on his phone at the time. Australian Department of Fisheries’ Senior Research Scientist Dr Rory McAuley said: "With more monitors installed we have improved chances of hearing from tagged sharks, when they are around.
"Although sharks are being tagged to improve our understanding of the risk of attacks, it is also important that beachgoers are advised of detections."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/31/lifeguards-to-get-texts-from-a.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
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