Wildlife News Roundup - October 2008
In this issue of Wildlife News Roundup, we find out about the evolutionary origins of bats, the social life of sabertooth cats, and the purpose of the first feathers. There's news that climate change poses grave threats to penguin populations in the Antarctic and that as many as one quarter of all mammal species in in danger of extinction. This month has also brought news of the effects hurricanes have on ants and the natural high zebra finches get from singing.
- Taking Wing: Uncovering the Evolutionary Origins of Bats (Scientific American) — October 31, 2008. The evolutionary origins of bats has been shrouded in mystery until recently when researchers discovered the most primitive bat known to scientists, a species now known as Onychonycteris finneyi.
- Extinct Sabertooth Cats Were Social, Found Strength In Numbers (Science Daily) — October 31, 2008. The sabertooth cat, named after its long saber-like canine teeth, is thought to have been a social cat, much like present day lions.
- Inland Ants Crave Salt, and Hurricanes May Help (National Geographic) — October 28, 2008. Scientists studying ants that live in coastal regions affected by hurricanes have found that those ants living between 6 and 60 miles from the water's edge have optimal access to salt. When hurricanes bring saltwater inland, it deposits it on the ground. Ants living too close to the sea are over-saturated with salt while those further than 60 miles do not have enough salt.
- First Dinosaur Feathers for Show, Not Flight? (National Geographic) — October 22, 2008. The evolution of feathers and flight has long captivated the attention of scientists. Now research suggests that the earliest feathers may have developed for display purposes, not for their use in flight.
- How Snails Walk on Water Is a Small Miracle (National Geographic) — October 20, 2008. Aquatic snails are capable of walking along the water's surface, a feat that has perplexed scientists until recently. That they can suspend themselves from the surface is not surprising, as they are buoyant and small enough to do so. But until now it was a mystery as to how they could acquire traction necessary to move along the surface.
- Fish With First Neck Evolved Into Land Animal - Slowly (National Geographic) — October 15, 2008. The fossil fish unearthed from the Canadian Arctic in 2004, known as Tiktaalik roseae, has lent new clues to the evolution of the first land animals.
- Climate Change Likely To Imperil Penguin Populations (WWF) — October 10, 2008. In a recent report, the WWF warns that half to three-quarters of Antarctic penguin colonies could experience significant declines and possibly disappear due to climate change.
- Audubon’s Species: Bird Art, in All Its Glory (New York Times) — October 6, 2008. John James Audubon is perhaps the most famous of all bird artists, but he is only one of many naturalists who have turned to art to express their understanding of and love for birds. The act of depicting bird life through fine art drawings, paintings, and photographs is alive and well today.
- Male Songbirds Are High on Love (National Geographic) — October 3, 2008. Scientists have found that male zebra finches may experience a natural high when singing to females.
- One Quarter of World's Mammals Face Extinction (Scientific American) — October 6, 2008. Biologists warn that a quarter of all mammals are at risk of extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, illegal poaching, and other threats.
About Wildlife News Roundup
Wildlife News Roundup 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.
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