Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced today that the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is to be granted protection under the US Endangered Species Act. The long overdue listing decision classifies the species as 'threatened' and represents the culmination of more than three years of petitions, law suits, scientific evaluation, and controversy.

In his announcement, Kempthorne revealed that the Bush Administration would hold a tight rein on the listing. It was clear the Bush Administration has no intention of allowing the Polar Bear's status under the ESA to impose any restraints on industry. Kempthorne stated:

"I am also announcing that this listing decision will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact my decision will have, in order to protect the polar bear while limiting the unintended harm to the society and economy of the United States."

Kempthorne's conditions did not end there, he continued to add:

"While the legal standards under the ESA compel me to list the polar bear as threatened, I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting. Any real solution requires action by all major economies for it to be effective. That is why I am taking administrative and regulatory action to make certain the ESA isn’t abused to make global warming policies."

It is encouraging that the Bush Administration listed the Polar Bear under the ESA in light of the significant amount of scientific evidence illustrating the need to do so. But it remains to be seen if the listing will result in any real protection for the species or if the Bush Administration will succeed in crippling any real conservation efforts by eroding the effectiveness of the ESA.

Find out more:

• Secretary Kempthorne Announces Decision to Protect Polar Bears under Endangered Species Act (DOI)
• Overdue Decision Makes Polar Bears a 'Threatened Species' (Science News)

Photo © John Pitcher / iStockphoto.

An international team of scientists has decoded the genome of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) and in doing so, expects to gain valuable insights into the evolution of mammals. Platypuses represent an ancient branch of mammals that today retains features of both mammals and reptiles. Now that the genome of platypuses has been sequenced, scientists can investigate the species' genetic constitution to gain a better understanding of the relationship between platypuses and their reptilian and mammalian cousins.

Like all mammals, platypuses produce milk to feed their young and their body is covered in a coat of fur. Beyond that, the similarities between platypuses and most other mammals quickly wane.

The platypus belongs to a unique group of mammals known as the monotremes. The platypus shares this group with four species of echidnas, small spiny mammals that bear superficial resemblance to hedgehogs and porcupines. Together, the platypus and echidnas represent the only group of mammals that lay eggs—a manner of reproduction associated with reptiles—instead of giving birth to live young, like all other mammals.

Until now, little information was available to discern the evolutionary history of the platypus. Few montreme fossils have been discovered and scientists could do little more than establish that the lineage was present in Australia during the Mesozoic Era, a time when Australia was still part of the super-continent Gondwana.

The platypus has a number of unique characteristics that made it an ideal candidate for genetic study. It has a bill which consists of broad horny plates attached to its upper and lower jaw. Unlike a bird's beak which is hard, the bill of a platypus is leathery and flexible except at the base where it is hard and ridged, allowing the platypus to crush and chew their food (aquatic insects, crustaceans, and plants).

Males have venomous spurs on their hind ankles that they use as weaponry against competing males when vieing for territory or mates. Their feet resemble the feet of otters. They have broad, webbed feet with strong claws enabling them to burrown into the banks of lakes and rivers.

Find out more:

• Platypus Genome Decoded (NSF)
• Platypus Genome Explains Animal's Peculiar Features (Washington University)
• Family Ornithorhynchidae (Animal Diversity Web)

Photo © Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia.

The California Sea Hare (Aplysia californica) is among the world's largest gastropods and grows to lengths of about 41cm (16in). It has ruffled flaps along its back and two pairs of antennae. The color of an individual Aplysia californica is determined by the color of the algae (or other plant matter) on which it feeds, but in general can be shades of red, brown, or green.

When disturbed, Aplysia californica secretes a purple dye from glands under its mantle (see photo, courtesy Genevieve Anderson). The purpose of the dye secretion is not fully understood. Some researchers have proposed that the dye acts as an 'inky' screen or decoy to deter predators.

A rain shadow is an area of dry land that lies on the leeward (or downwind) side of a mountain. Winds carry air masses up and over the mountain range and as the air is driven upward over the mountain, falling temperatures cause the air to lose much of its moisture as precipitation. Upon reaching the leeward side of the mountain, the dry air descends and picks up any available moisture from the landscape below.

While at the Natural History Museum in London last weekend, I picked up a copy of Lost Worlds Vanished Lives, a four-part series on fossils and paleontology written and presented by Sir David Attenborough. This series, originally released in 1989 somehow slipped under the radar for me. I had not heard of it before and was happily surprised to discover the DVD (released in 2004) on the shelf at the museum gift shop—it's a rare thing to come across a natural history series by the BBC that I haven't seen before.

The series consists of four episodes:

• Episode 1: Magic in the Rocks
• Episode 2: Putting Flesh on Bone
• Episode 3: Dinosaur
• Episode 4: The Rare Glimpses

This weekend I visited the Natural History Museum in London, one of the world's top natural history museums and home to a vast collection of life science specimens important to scientific areas such as botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology.

The museum houses more than 70 million specimens collected over a period of four centuries. The huge sampling of fossil plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates at the museum document important periods throughout evolutionary history. Among the museums notable attractions are Dippy, a 105-foot replica Diplodocus carnegii skeleton located in the main entry hall of the museum and Architeuthis dux, a giant squid measuring 8.62m long.

The Natural History Museum is housed in the Romanesque-style Waterhouse building which opened in 1881. The original collections were moved there from the British Museum and the link between the two museums remained intact for many years after the Natural History Museum opened. In fact, it wasn't until the passing of the Museums and Galleries Act of 1992 that the Natural History Museum became truly independent of the British Museum.

In the past two decades or so, the museum has continued to grow. In 1986, it annexed the British Geological Survey's Geological Museum (located adjacent to the Natural History Museum). And in 2009, the new Darwin Centre is scheduled to open to the public. The new facility will hold the museums vast collection of preserved specimens and will also provide laboratory space for the museum's scientific staff.

The Natural History Museum offers a wealth of information at their website so you don't have to travel to London to enjoy the museum and learn more about natural history. The museum presents a daily program called Nature Live, which gives both visitors and online viewers the opportunity to learn about natural history from the scientists who know it best. The lectures are presented as live webcasts and are also recorded and archived on the museum's website (view list of past lectures). In addition to these lectures, you can find a range of articles about the latest research and events at the museum.

Find out more:

• The Science of Natural History
• Why Conserve Biodiversity?
• Wildlife Photographer of the Year
• Collections at the Museum
• Antarctic Conservation Blog
• The Oldest Fossil Insect in the World

Photos © Laura Klappenbach. Top: Entrance to the museum. Middle: Fossil frog (Rana pueyai), 8-6 million years old (Late Miocene), discovered in Teruel Spain. Bottom: Trilobite (Ogygiocaris) Ordovician, discovered in Builth Wales.

An extensive collection of Charles Darwin's private manuscripts is now available online. Previously, this collection of handwritten notes—penned by the naturalist who forever changed the way we would interpret the natural world—was only available to scholars at Cambridge University Library. Now Darwin's extensive writing can be viewed freely by the public.

The writings that are available online include the first draft of Darwin's theory of natural selection and the original notes from the voyage of the Beagle. The collection consists of over 20,000 items and 90,000 images.

In the 1940s, the Darwin family and the Pilgrim Trust (a charitable trust based in London) presented the manuscripts to the Cambridge University Library for preservation and study. In the decades that followed the manuscripts were organized into volumes and carefully preserved. In the 1990s, the writings were copied to microfilms. These images were later scanned and digitally enhanced to optimize contrast for online viewing. The images you can view online are not full-color reproductions of the originals.

Find out more:

• The Complete Works of Charles Darwin Online
• Browse Darwin's Papers
• The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle
• On the Origin of Species
• The Descent of Man

Image: Portrait of Charles Darwin, painted by George Richmond.

The Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) is a colorful bird that occurs throughout many parts of Europe. Their range extends northward as far as southern Scotland, the Baltic states, and southern Scandinavia. In these northern areas of their range, Kingfishers are summer visitors, since the species is particularly vulnerable to harsh winters. In more southerly regions throughout Europe and the British Isles, Kingfishers are year-round residents. In winter months when inland lakes and ponds freeze over, Kingfishers will often move to coastal waters and salt marshes.

Kingfishers inhabit a variety of freshwater habitats including ponds, streams, canals, wetlands, lakes. They rely on these habitats for food—their diet consists of small aquatic invertebrates, fish, and amphibians. When feeding, Kingfishers will often perch on a low branch or other vantage point above the water's surface. When they spot their prey, the Kingfisher dives into the water to capture their prey and often return to their perch to eat their prey.

Kingfishers have bright metallic turquoise wings and a vibrant streak of cobalt blue feathers running down their back. Kingfishers have a rusty orange-chestnut colored belly, bright-red legs, a white cheek patch, and a white chin. Male Kingfishers have black bills and females have black bills with a red base.

Kingfishers are shy birds so spotting them may be rather difficult. Despite their vibrant coloration, they can blend very well with their surroundings. Kingfishers are small birds with a wingspan of 24—26cm and a length of 16—17cm.

To construct a nest, Kingfishers burrow into a vertical bank or a cliff that overhangs the water. They line the tunnel leading to the nest with fish bones.

Top: Photo © Glen Huntly / iStockphoto. Bottom: Photo © Andrew Howe / iStockphoto.

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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A research team studying the genetic diversity of giraffes has shown that there may be more than just one species of giraffe. The team, lead by David M. Brown from the University of California, Los Angeles, examined the mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from wild giraffes from various populations throughout Africa.

The classification of giraffes into various species and subspecies has been the subject of ongoing debate for many decades. Previous schemes defined one or two species of giraffes with up to ten subspecies. The most widely accepted current classification scheme—the one that could well be overturned by the Brown team's findings—consists of a single species (Giraffa camelopardalis) and five subspecies (G. c. giraffa, G. c. reticulata, G. c. rothschildi, G. c. thorncrofti, and G. c. tippelskirchi).

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