Wildlife News Roundup - December 2008

In this issue of Wildlife News Roundup, we find out about rising atmospheric carbon dioxide and its effects on large marine animals, the northward expansion of European butterfly populations, and the Old World origins of large cats. There is also news of a surprising tendency for snowy owls to spend their winter on Arctic sea ice and the disturbing news of poaching and habitat destruction in Zimbabwe.

• To Find Way Home, Some Crabs Find It’s All in the Stride (New York Times) — December 29, 2008. Scientists investigating fiddler crabs reveal that these creatures use their own strides to measure the distance they wander and use their measurements to find their way home.
• Ancient Cheetah Fossil Points to Old World Roots? (National Geographic) — December 29, 2008. A new study provides evidence that large cats first evolved in the Old World, not North America, as competing opinions suggest.
• Bigger Sea Creatures, Like Squid, May Feel Effects of Higher CO2 (New York Times) — December 22, 2008. As atmospheric carbon dioxide rises, more of the gas is absorbed into the world's oceans. The dissolved carbon dioxide causes a rise in the acidity of the sea water and this could affect many marine species, including larger organisms such as squid.
• Microscopic Plankton Get the Big Picture (Times Online) — December 22, 2008. Richard Kirby of the University of Plymouth shares close-up images of a variety of plankton in an exhibition that will tour aquariums around Great Britain.
• Snowy Owl - A Marine Species? (Science Daily) — December 24, 2008. Satellite tracking has revealed that six adult female snowy owls spent much of their time last winter out on the Arctic sea ice.
• Whistling Orangutan May Hint at Language Evolution (National Geographic) — December 22, 2008. The whistles of an orangutan from the National Zoo in Washington DC has captured the attention of scientists studying the origins of human language.
• New York City Beaver Returns (Science Daily) — December 20, 2008. Jose the beaver returned to the Bronx Zoo for the second time and is in the process of constructing a lodge on the Bronx River.
• 'Sexy' Tusks Led to New Whale Species? (National Geographic) — December 19, 2008. Scientists revealed that the unique tusk-like teeth of male beaked whales evolved to attract females as well as for use in battling other rival males.
• Zimbabwe: Extinction Looms in a Paradise Lost to Guns, Greed and Hunger (Times Online) — December 18, 2008. Poaching and habitat destruction are rampant in Zimbabwe, threatening the regions rare wildlife with extinction.
• Exotic Butterflies Seek Sanctuary in Britain (Times Online) — December 11, 2008. More than 60 species of butterflies have moved into Britain from regions to the south, as they follow a changing climate.

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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Photo © Graeme Purdy / iStockphoto. Snowy owl.