In this issue of Wildlife News Round-Up, we find out how rooks are teaming up to solve problems, how the Bush Administration is under pressure to evaluate a backlog of candidate endangered species, and how humpback whale calves communicate with their mothers. There is also news of the rediscovery of the Beck's Petrel after a 79-year absence and of the surprisingly rapid evolution rate experienced by tuataras, a group of reptiles from New Zealand.
Rooks Team Up to Solve Problems (BBC News)—March 31, 2008. A study has revealed that Rooks are adept at cooperating to perform tasks and solve problems.
'Living Dinosaur' Is Fastest-Evolving Animal (National Geographic)—March 31, 2008. Scientists have recently discovered that the genetic make-up of the Tuatara, a New Zealand reptile, is evolving at an astonishing rate. This is unexpected since the Tuatara's appearance has remained relatively static for millions of years.
Wading Through an Endangered Species Backlog (NPR)—March 29, 2008. The Bush Administration has added very few species to the Endangered Species List and is now considering a backlog of petitions for candidate species.
Zoologists Unlock New Secrets About Frog Deaths (Science Daily)—March 28, 2008. Scientist from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale Illinois have delved deeper into the mechanisms behind the spread of a deadly fungus that is threatening amphibians in Central and South America and is now spreading to North America and Europe.
Bear Spray A Viable Alternative To Guns For Deterring Bears (Science Daily)—March 26, 2008. Analysis of two decades of bear spray incidents in Alaska have revealed that the bear pepper spray stopped angry bears 92 percent of the time. Out of the 175 attacks studied, only three involved injuries and none required hospitalization of the victims.
'Cool' Elephants Caught on Film (BBC News)—March 26, 2008. BBC filmmakers have for the first time captured elephants on film spraying themselves with water that was stored in their throats. The rare behavior was performed by elephants that inhabit Namibia's Namib Desert.
US Abusing Law to Get Species Off Protected List? (National Geographic)—March 25, 2008. The de-listing of a species from the US Endangred Species Act should be reason for celebration, but some scientists question whether de-listing is happening prematurely and whether de-listed species are falling short of being adequately recovered to lose protection under the law.
Humpback Whale Calves Make Sounds, Group Says (National Geographic)—March 18, 2008. The Cetos Research Organization has been studying humpback whales in the waters around the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kauai. Their findings show for the first time that humpback whale calves are capable of making sounds to communicate with their mothers.
Short-Tailed Albatross Chicks Moved Out of the Shadow of the Volcano (Birdlife International)—March 12, 2008. Conservationists have relocated ten Short-Tailed Albatross chicks to a safer location. The birds were transported by helicopter, 350 kilometers to the southeast on Torishima Island.
Beck's Petrel Flies Back from Extinction (Birdlife International)—March 6, 2008. After a 79-year-absence, the thought-to-be extinct Beck's Petrel has been rediscovered. Scientists photographed more than 30 of the critically endangered petrels on an expedition to the Bismark Archipelago in Papua New Guinea.
About Wildlife News Round-Up
Wildlife News Round-Up is a monthly digest featuring animals and wildlife headlines from around the web. It includes headlines from well-established sources such as the World Wildlife Fund, BBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio, National Geographic, and Birdlife International. The sources are selected with care and include only those that archive articles for many years, offer top-notch science writing, and follow stories as they develop over time.
In this issue of Wildlife News Round-Up, we find out how rooks are teaming up to solve problems, how the Bush Administration is under pressure to evaluate a backlog of candidate endangered species, and how humpback whale calves communicate with their mothers. There is also news of the rediscovery of the Beck's Petrel after a 79-year absence and of the surprisingly rapid evolution rate experienced by tuataras, a group of reptiles from New Zealand.
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