Animals
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Fish

Health defects found in fish exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil spill, three years later


ScienceDaily.com
Wed, 01 May 2013 09:29 UTC
Crude oil toxicity continued to sicken a sentinel Gulf Coast fish species for at least more than a year after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to new findings from a research team that includes a University of California, Davis, scientist.
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© Benjamin DubanskyGulf killifish embryos exposed to sediments from oiled locations show developmental abnormalities, including heart defects, delayed hatching and reduced hatching success.
With researchers from Louisiana and South Carolina, the scientists found that Gulf killifish embryos exposed to sediments from oiled locations in 2010 and 2011 show developmental abnormalities, including heart defects, delayed hatching and reduced hatching success. The killifish is an environmental indicator species, or a "canary in the coal mine," used to predict broader exposures and health risks.

The findings, posted online in advance of publication in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, are part of an ongoing collaborative effort to track the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Gulf killifish populations in areas of Louisiana that received heavy amounts of oil.

Other species that share similar habitats with the Gulf killifish, such as redfish, speckled trout, flounder, blue crabs, shrimp and oysters -- may be at risk of similar effects.

"These effects are characteristic of crude oil toxicity," said co-author Andrew Whitehead, an assistant professor of environmental toxicology at UC Davis. "It's important that we observe it in the context of the Deepwater Horizon spill because it tells us it is far too early to say the effects of the oil spill are known and inconsequential. By definition, effects on reproduction and development -- effects that could impact populations -- can take time to emerge."
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Question

Scotland: Rare sighting of 14 sperm whales in Firth of Forth


BBC
Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:17 UTC
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Experts were able to identify the whales' tail flukes, dorsal fins and plumes of spray

The largest group of whales thought to have been seen travelling together in or near the Firth of Forth has been recorded from the air.

The pod of 14 sperm whales was seen on Thursday heading from the island of Fidra to the Lamb, just a mile offshore at North Berwick in East Lothian.

The whales then changed direction, heading towards Crail in Fife.

They were reported to the Scottish Seabird Centre by microlight pilots who saw them from a height of 500ft.

The whales were also spotted by Scottish Natural Heritage staff and other researchers on the Isle of May who were able to identify the whales' tail flukes, dorsal fins and plumes of spray.

Erich Hoyt, North Berwick-based marine conservationist and author, said: "Sperm whales are rarely seen in the Firth of Forth, and to see 14 of them travelling together is very special.

"The previous close sighting of sperm whales in North Berwick was exactly 10 years ago this month when a large sperm whale landed on the beach at Canty Bay, but this is certainly the largest group of living whales we've seen travelling together in or near the Firth of Forth.

"Sperm whales are usually residents of deeper waters off the north and west of Scotland where they hunt squid."
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Question

Dead birds "falling from the sky" in Port Arthur, Texas neighborhood

Adam Wright
12newsnow.com
Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:19 UTC

Port Arthur resident Lara Comeaux says over the course of just two days she and her neighbors have found at least 7 dead birds in their yards along Shady Cove Lane. "We've never had anything like this before, maybe a baby bird falling out of a nest in the front once or twice, but never birds just falling out of the sky," Comeaux told 12News Friday afternoon.
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Question

Japan: 17 crows, 1 pigeon found dead on Yokohama street


Japan Today
Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:34 UTC
Yokohama - Health authorities on Tuesday were trying to determine what killed 17 crows and one pigeon whose bodies were found on the street in Yokohama earlier in the day.

According to police, the birds were found dead at around 8 a.m. in a 200-meter radius in an entertainment district about 400 meters from JR Kannai Station. NTV quoted police as saying there were no external injuries on the birds.

Health authorities said there was no sign of bird flu and believe the birds must have ingested poison of some kind.

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Arrow Down

Central Africa elephant population down 62% in 10 years


phys.org
Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:29 UTC
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A Kenya Wildlife Services ranger stands guard in front of an illegal ivory stockpile in Nairobi on July 20, 2011. Poaching on an "industrial" scale has slashed the elephant population in the countries of central Africa by nearly two-thirds, a group of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said on Friday.
Poaching on an "industrial" scale has slashed the elephant population in the countries of central Africa by nearly two-thirds, a group of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) said on Friday.

"A recent study shows that the population of forest elephants has dropped by almost two-thirds or 62 percent in the past 10 years, victims of large-scale ivory poaching," the group of eight NGOs said in a statement.

"The situation is dramatic and worrying. It's very dangerous," Jerome Mokoko, assistant director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, told reporters at a news conference in Brazzaville.

"Nearly 5,000 elephants have been lost in the northern zone of Congo between 2009 and 2011," said Mokoko.

He added there were 80,000 elephants in the Central African Republic just 30 years ago but their number has been reduced to just a few thousand.

"The Democratic Republic of Congo alone is home to 70 percent of the elephant population of central Africa. But now there are only between 7,000 and 10,000 elephants in the DRC," Mokoko said.
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Snow Globe

Hundreds of birds die of starvation after spring snowstorm in Colorado

Reid Tulley
Middle Park Times
Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:13 UTC
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Robins

Local wildlife officials have determined an estimated one to two hundred dead robins and other similar bird species that have been found in the area died of starvation due to the recent snowstorms.

It is unclear whether the birds were resident birds of the area or early migrators that were traveling through the area and were caught in the recent snowstorms.

"It's not uncommon in robin populations to have a wide up and down, it's actually rather typical," said District Wildlife Manager Mike Crosby. "Nature always persists." The robin population should have no problem recovering from the incident, he said.

It is believed the recent snowfall covered the bird's food source and caused the birds to starve.

Robins survive mostly on insects, Crosby said. And due to the snow they were not able to get to the ground to retrieve food to keep up with their energy demands and subsequently starved to death.
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Question

Manatee deaths at Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Questions abound in mysterious deaths of manatees, pelicans

Tyler Treadway
wptv.com
Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:18 UTC
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© CHRISTOPHER ARNOLD, Scripps Treasure Coast NewspapersSince July and 2012, a total of 220 manatees have died in the lagoon in Brevard County, about 100 of them under mysterious circumstances; and since February, between 250 and 300 dead pelicans have been found in the same area.
Whatever is killing manatees and pelicans northern Indian River Lagoon remains unknown, but apparently wildlife along the Treasure Coast won't become victims.

Since July and 2012, a total of 220 manatees have died in the lagoon in Brevard County, about 100 of them under mysterious circumstances; and since February, between 250 and 300 dead pelicans have been found in the same area.

Thomas R. "Tom" Reinert, a research administrator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told members of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program Advisory Board on Wednesday that researchers have been stumped in their efforts to find the cause - or causes.

Asked if the mysterious deaths could migrate south into the lagoon along the Treasure Coast, Reinert replied, "I can't answer that. The cases seem to be localized, with the zone in Brevard County from Sebastian to Titusville being where the deaths are concentrated. And it appears it will remain that way."

In March alone, Reinert said, 56 sea cows died from unknown causes in Brevard County, where the annual manatee death count from all causes averages 111.
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Question

Minnesota man watches as waxwings began 'dropping out of the sky'

Sam Cook
Duluth News Tribune
Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:39 UTC
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Two off-course flights into downtown buildings this week resulted in the deaths of almost 30 Bohemian waxwings and the injury of several others.Wildwoods, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Duluth, is caring for three Bohemian waxwings that were injured downtown in the past two days, said Peggy Farr, a Wildwoods rehabilitator and board member. Five other Bohemian waxwings died in that incident, Farr said.

"We're on a major migration route," said Farr. "This is a good time of year to close the blinds so the birds don't get faked out by the windows."

Separately, about 25 Bohemian waxwings were found dead Monday, April 22, in the plaza area adjacent to the Minnesota Power building in downtown Duluth, said Amy Rutledge, manager of corporate communications for Minnesota Power. The birds apparently had flown into tinted glass partitions adjacent to the building as the birds were flying up to trees.

Rutledge said Minnesota Power plans to put stickers on the glass panels that the waxwings hit so birds will be more likely to see the panels.

"Something like this has never happened before," Rutledge said. "It seems to be an anomaly."
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Snow Globe

UK: Hedgehogs emerging from hibernation very late in 2013


wildlifeextra.com
Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:11 UTC
Hedgehogs emerging a month later than usual

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Hedgehog emergence is a month behind where it was in 2011 and 2012, suggesting that it is likely to have been a particularly difficult winter for this declining species.
April 2013. Latest results from the BTO Garden BirdWatch survey have revealed that British Hedgehogs are emerging from hibernation very late this spring. This weekly survey, which covers mammals as well as birds, shows that Hedgehog emergence is roughly a month behind what was seen in 2011 and 2012. The long winter may also have led to increased levels of overwinter mortality.

Difficult winter

The latest results from the British Trust for Ornithology's (BTO) Garden BirdWatch show that Hedgehog emergence is a month behind where it was in 2011 and 2012, suggesting that it is likely to have been a particularly difficult winter for this declining species. The weekly 'reporting rate' graph (below) shows how the cold weather of February and March held emergence back, underlining that Hedgehogs are only now emerging from hibernation.
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Fish

Hawaii: Kaua'i coral disease worsening, says doctor

Chris D'Angelo
thegardenisland.com
Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:48 UTC
USGS specialist: 'The reefs are dying'

Lihu'e - The outbreak of deadly coral disease along Kaua'i's North Shore may be targeting more than one species of Montipora coral

The spread of the disease was described as an "epidemic" in a November 2012 report by the U.S. Geological Survey

Until recently, the cyanobacterial disease was thought to be exclusive to the common rice coral. But after returning to Kaua'i this week, Dr. Thierry Work, head of infectious disease for USGS, said the blue rice coral species is also in trouble.

"The blue rice coral definitely has lesions on it," he said. "Of course, we'll have to do the analysis to see if it's the same (disease)."

He said the lesions look similar to what he saw at 'Anini and Tunnels beaches.

Work spent Monday and Tuesday diving at several locations along Kauai's North Shore, including reefs near Ha'ena, Wainiha and Waipa. He collected 30 coral tissue samples, which he took back to the lab in Honolulu for DNA testing.
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© Terry Lilley/Contributed photo Dr. Thierry Work, a wildlife disease specialist at the U.S. Geological Survey, collects tissue samples Monday from a diseased blue rice coral at Wainiha on Kaua‘i’s North Shore.
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