Animals
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Question

Terror grips Bhaktapur folk as birds drop dead in Nepal

Ishworkaji Khaiju
The Himalayan Times
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 13:50 UTC
No need to conduct avian flu tests: Official

Bird flu fear has gripped Bhaktapur people, again. The ominous signs started haunting the locals after crows and pigeons on flight dropped dead at Chnwaga Ganesh of Bhaktapur Municipality-17.

The Bhaktapur Bird Flu Control Section has asked locals to bury dead pigeons and crows well, without bothering to conduct avian influenza tests on the samples.

Who will be responsible if they catch 'bird flu' after burying the birds? This is the question local people like Tulasha Shrestha are asking.

Shrestha says the section's instruction to locals - to bury the birds on their own - has terrified the locals further. According to Shrestha, a crow dropped dead in front of her house yesterday evening. She says pigeons have died in her neighbour Indrabhakta Rajlabat's house.
Locals fear that bird flu will make inroads into Bhaktapur, again.
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Eye 2

Pet snakes becoming a danger to humans and wildlife in USA


wildlifeextra.com
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 13:37 UTC
Born Free USA calls for national crackdown; reports growing numbers of pet snake incidents and inconsistent regulation on ownership, seriously endangering public and environment
Image
Apart from being a danger to humans, snakes have become a major threat to native wildlife. In Florida, Burmese pythons (like this one, one of the largest caught) that were released have been breeding and are now considered a pest.

Incidents involving "pet" snakes in the USA causing injury or death to humans, or escaping and putting communities and the environment in danger, are on the rise, according to Born Free USA, a leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. On the heels of the latest incident reported this week in Florida where a 60 pound family dog was killed by a 10 foot long snake - the 58th snake incident tracked by Born Free USA this year - the organization is calling for a nationwide crackdown on keeping of snakes as pets.

Born Free USA's exotic animal incidents database (www.bornfreeusa.org/database) has tracked more than 600 incidents involving reptiles in less than a decade and an astounding number of them, nearly 75%, involved snakes. The organization has been monitoring incidents involving exotic and wild animal escapes and attacks including reptiles, big cats, and primates and sees a steady rise in snake ownership - particularly deadly boa constrictors and pythons.
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Bizarro Earth

Study: Rare condors harmed by DDT


The Associated Press
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 00:25 UTC
In the coastal redwoods of central California, scientists trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the reproductive problems of dozens of endangered condors think they have uncovered the culprit: the long-banned pesticide DDT.

Kelly Sorenson, executive director of Ventana Wildlife Society and a co-author of a new study on Big Sur-area condors, says researchers who spent six years studying their reproductive problems have "established a strong link" to DDT in the birds' food: dead sea lions.

The peer-reviewed paper is being published this month in the University of California journal The Condor.

The soaring scavengers were reintroduced to Big Sur in 1997 after a century-long absence and quickly started eating dead marine mammals, whose blubber often has high levels of DDT, a pesticide banned in 1972.
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Bizarro Earth

Bacterial outbreak roils Massachusetts oyster industry

Jay Lindsay
Associated Press
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 00:37 UTC
Oysters
© AP Photo/Stephan Savoia
Boston - A mystery of sorts threatens to stunt Massachusetts' small but growing oyster industry after illnesses linked to bacterial contamination forced the state to shut down beds for the first time ever.

The culprit is the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacterium, which has occurred in state waters since the 1960s. Theories abound about the recent increase in illnesses linked to Massachusetts - but those are only theories.

"Honestly, I'm confused by the whole thing," said Don Merry, an oyster grower from Duxbury, where oyster beds have been closed.

Average monthly daytime water temperatures in the region rarely approach the 81 degrees believed to be the threshold that triggers dangerous Vibrio growth. Rising average water temperatures locally, while not reaching that threshold, could be causing environmental changes that cause strains of Vibrio to thrive, said Suzanne Condon, associate commissioner of the Department of Health.

In addition, virulent Vibrio strains that aren't as temperature-sensitive may have been carried from overseas in ships' ballast water in the past decade, said the state's chief shellfish biologist, Michael Hickey.

Meanwhile, it has been only six years since states were required to federally report Vibrio illnesses. So testing for it is relatively slow and underdeveloped and can't yet predict, for instance, if outbreaks are coming, Hickey said.

The bacterium causes gastrointestinal problems, including vomiting and cramping, but the illness is generally severe only in people with weakened immune systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the U.S. has about 4,500 cases of Vibrio infection annually.
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Question

10 Dead whales found along Chukotka Coast, Russia


RIA Novosti
Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:38 UTC
Image
© Varvara Semyonova10 Dead Whales Found Along Chukotka Coast
A team of Russian scientists has found the remains of 10 gray whales washed ashore in Russia's most northeasterly region Chukotka, the Marine Mammal Council said Friday.

The remains were discovered during an aerial survey of Chukotka's Arctic coast between September 1 and 8.

Stanislav Belikov, head of marine wildlife conservation at the All-Russian Research Institute for Nature Protection, said the 10 marine mammals had washed up on the 800-kilometer (500-mile) stretch of the coast.

"This is quite a few, especially considering that six of these whales were washed ashore within a coastal area of 120 kilometers. They were possibly wounded by hunters or attacked by killer whales. We also shouldn't rule out the possibility of a disease. In any case, reasons for this incident should be investigated," Belikov said.

According to the Marine Mammal Council, the number of recently deceased gray whales could be higher because not all dead whales wash up on shore.
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Bizarro Earth

Rare deepwater whale found on Irish beach dies - Alarming rise in strandings continues


Independent, Ireland
Sat, 14 Sep 2013 23:51 UTC
Image
© BBC
A rare deepwater whale found beached on the north Antrim coast has died as fears emerged over the high rate of strandings on coasts around the island of Ireland.

An Irish whale and dolphin expert has described the number of strandings as "truly shocking".

The juvenile Sei whale, which was some nine metres in length, was stranded on a beach beside Red Bay pier near Waterfoot early yesterday.

The animal was thought to be too weak to refloat.

Ian Enlander from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group was called to the scene yesterday morning to examine the whale.

He told the BBC that the Sei whale that was found stranded was "incredibly rare in this part of the world".
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Bizarro Earth

South Dakota deer die off occurring again this year


Bennett County Booster
Fri, 13 Sep 2013 23:42 UTC
WhiteTail Deer
© Wikimedia Commons
A whitetail deer die off is occurring again this year in Bennett County. At this point there have only been a few reports of dead deer, and all have been from the eastern part of the county.

The most likely cause of the die off is epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), which was the cause of the die off in 2012. At this point all of the deer reported dead in this area have been whitetails, but one mule deer was confirmed to have died of the disease in a different county.

Other counties north of us are also reporting losing whitetails. There are several strains of EHD, with some of the strains affecting whitetail deer, mule deer, antelope and elk. The strain that was present last year did kill some mule deer and some elk, although the primary loss was whitetails.

There were also some reports last year of cattle being infected in the area. Prior to last year, it was assumed that while cattle can carry the disease, they did not show any symptoms.

Weather conditions more than anything else will determine if the die off becomes severe again this year or whether the die off is limited. If the conditions remain hot and dry, the conditions are right for the breeding of the black gnats and midges, which carry the disease. If it turns cool, the breeding cycle may slow and the die off may not be as severe.

Hemorrhagic disease may kill deer within 72 hours of infection. Some deer will survive but will show signs of lameness, loss of appetite, and much reduced activity. A smaller proportion of animals may be disabled for weeks or months by lameness or emaciation.

We are monitoring the die off again this year and encourage anyone finding dead or sick deer in Bennett, Jackson, or Shannon Counties to report them to Conservation Officer Tom Beck at 685-6335.
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Arrow Down

New Zealand police sickened by attack on lambs

Katrina Tanirau
Stuff.co.nz
Sat, 14 Sep 2013 23:19 UTC
Pet Lamb
© Fairfax NZShocking Cruelty: Chocky the pet lamb survived having his throat slashed in what appears to have been an attack.
A pair of pet lambs have been mutilated - one so badly it had to be put down - in what appears to have been an attack by a drunken party-goer.

The attack, which happened sometime on Thursday night at a property in Matamata, has sickened police and traumatised two children who were planning to enter the lambs in their school's agricultural day. On the night of the attack, Jamie and Karen Nicholls had noticed the lambs were more unsettled than usual, because of a party happening next door.

"We really didn't think anything of it," Mrs Nicholls said.

It wasn't until the morning, when the children went out to feed Raspberry and Chocky that they realised something was wrong.

"Our kids came running in saying Raspberry had blood all over him," she said.

"We thought a dog might have got into their enclosure, but the vet confirmed the lambs had been attacked by a person."

Raspberry had been stabbed half a dozen times. His right thigh bone was broken and the skin around his mouth had been ripped from the bone. He was so severely injured, he had to be put down. The other lamb, Chocky, had his throat cut, but was able to be stitched up by the vet.

Matamata Veterinary Services veterinarian Chris Hutchings, tended to the lambs and said it was obvious that the injuries sustained were not from a dog attack.

"Dogs tend to tear and rip. It was very clear that the lambs were stabbed and cut with a sharp object," he said.

He said he had never seen such cruelty inflicted on an animal in his 30-year career.
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Eye 2

Birmingham woman's shock as snake slides out of her armchair


Birmingham Mail
Fri, 13 Sep 2013 14:43 UTC
Image
PCSO Sam Woollaston holds the snake found in Erdington, pictured with Bronya Worrall, of Birmingham Reptile & Pets, and PCSO Carolyn Oates.
A Birmingham woman had the shock of her life when a snake began sliding out of the side of her armchair.

The woman, who has not been named, was enjoying afternoon tea with a friend at her home in New Street, Erdington, when the two-foot long rat snake was spotted.

How the snake came to be at the property remains a mystery that has left everyone baffled.

To the resident's relief PCSO Sam Wollaston was patrolling nearby and she was able to call to him for help.

Sam said: "When we're patrolling the high street we often get shoppers and local residents people approaching us to speak about any concerns they have, but this is certainly the first time I've been approached to deal with a snake on the loose.

"When I got to the property the resident pointed to where the snake had been spotted.
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Bizarro Earth

Zoo blames idiot mom for death of her 2-year old son mauled by wild dogs

Jonathan Vankin
Opposing Views
Thu, 12 Sep 2013 21:04 UTC
Image
The Pittsburgh Zoo where a two-year-old toddler was torn apart last Nov. 4 when his mother accidentally dropped him into a pit of wild dogs is saying the boy's death was the mother's fault and that the zoo did nothing wrong.

Maddox Derkosh was killed when his mother, Elizabeth Derkosh, lifted him up over a railing designed to keep zoo patrons from stumbling into an exhibit of Lycaon pictus (the so-called "Painted Dogs").

Because the boy had poor vision, she raised him over the four-foot high railing where he could see the dogs better. But she lost her grip on the child. Maddox slipped out her hands and over the rail, fell 14 feet, bounced off the protective netting over the African dog exhibit and into the pit.

Eleven of the dogs descended on the toddler, mauling him to death.
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