HERP NEWS 021/2010
THE TELEGRAM (St John’s, Newfoundland) 21 January
10 Things
that go slither in the night
(Glenn Redmond
is an animal trainer and behaviourist, animal wrangler and stunt man. He lives
in C.B.S. with his wife Tasha and cats Lou-Lou and Bluey.)
Lately, snakes
have been on my mind. I'm gearing up to go to Australia in March, and though I
am looking forward to a break from winter's freeze, I am a little concerned
about putting myself on a continent that houses some of the most dangerous
snakes in the world.
You see, ever
since I can remember, I have had an irrational fear of snakes. Irrational,
since a snake has never caused me a moment's harm in my entire life. In fact, I
have only had two encounters with snakes. Both, though no fault of the snakes,
only exasperated me more and raised my phobia to new heights.
The first
occurred when I was 13 years old on a Scout's Canada jamboree in P.E.I. My
carefree attitude and general contentment of camping and roughing it in the
woods came to an abrupt halt one morning when my tentmates decided to wake me
by throwing a garter snake into my sleeping bag.
It is safe to
say that the only thing that kept me from a world speed record was the absence
of a clock. I ran from that tent seemingly taking steps without my feet ever
touching the ground. I didn't stop until I was sure that no earthly creature
could ever have caught up with me.
With my heart
beating from my chest, I fought the conflict between being alone in the woods
in my heightened state of anxiety, or returning to the perceived safety of the
group not knowing who could be trusted. The notion of "better the devil
you know" won out, and I cautiously returned to the campsite.
The scout
troop was left with a lot of laughs and a great story to tell at my expense. I
was left sleeping with one eye open and with uncontrollable hallucinations that
every stick on the ground was a snake lying in wait for me.
The second
infamous encounter occurred seven years ago when Tasha and I went to Australia
to spend Christmas with her mom. It was my first time in the land Down Under,
and I was excited to see the country where Tasha grew up.
We sat outside
her mom's house in 30-degree heat, talking of all the places that would be fun
to visit during our stay.
Then, without
warning, it happened.
Tasha's mom,
harbouring no concern or ill intent, informed us that there was a snake living
under the house located directly under our bedroom. I had been in the country
one hour, and already felt the need to find the highest hotel building
possible, and rent a room at the very top. I communicated this desire to both
Tasha and her mom, and was met with laughter and a complete lack of sympathy
that I found disturbing.
After a couple
of stubby bottles of the finest Australian inspiration, I started to buy into
the notion that our guest was truly harmless. Still, I was well aware that my
newfound bravado may only exist as long as the stubbies kept coming my way.
I never did
see even one inch of the scaly serpent, but he was never far from my mind. I
established a routine of rolling down the bed sheets every night and checking
all corners of the room before I would lie in bed.
Still, there
were times I would wake up expecting to see him slithering across the floor,
laughing just like my scoutmates all those years ago.
So, in
preparation for my upcoming trip, I have taken to educating myself as much as I
can on the "way of the snake." I am studying their behaviour, likes,
dislikes and habitat, devouring any information I can find, feeling like a
general preparing to do battle with an enemy.
The bite
statistics are encouraging. Most snake bites occur in the outback, though there
is still the reality that some Australians have been bitten while gardening.
Suffice it to say, no seeds will be sown.
THE STARPHOENIX (Saskatoon, Sakatchewan) 21
January 10 Geckos now big business for
Indonesian villagers
Jakarta
(Reuters): A tiny Indonesian lizard has
become big business for impoverished villagers in Indonesia, where growing
Asian demand for reptile-based traditional medicines has driven a boom in gecko
farming.
Geckos -- the
pale, soft-skinned lizard with a distinctive call -- are abundant in Indonesia
and are believed by Chinese and Korean traditional medicine devotees to help
cure cancer as well as skin and respiratory diseases.
In rural
Banjarsawah village, on the eastern half of Java island, struggling farmers
have discovered geckos make a surprisingly lucrative commodity.
Tohasyim, 32,
a farmhand who earns 10,000 rupiah (about $1 US) a day feeding other people's
cattle, now makes one million rupiah or about $110 US a month hunting geckos in
a local forest.
"I start
hunting the geckos in the evening after I finish my job, feeding other people's
cattle. I normally start hunting the geckos at 6 in the evening until 5 in the
morning," said Tohasyim, who, like many Indonesians, has only one name.
The industry
began four years ago when one villager, Abdurrahman, began drying geckos at
home and selling them to an exporter. Now, more than 100 hunters scour the
forest nightly catching the skittering lizards and delivering them to
Abdurrahman, 40, who delivers them to the exporter.
FIJI TIMES (Suva) 21 January 10 Islanders
wants reptile destroyed (Theresa Ralogaivau)
The vanua of
Cakaudrove has pleaded for State intervention to contain and destroy a reptile
that has stirred alarm on the two islands in the province.
The reptile,
which is thought to be a type of iguana smuggled into the country by a tourist,
is said to be prevalent on Qamea Island and was recently spotted on Taveuni.
Tui Cakau's
spokesperson, Epeli Matata, said the children were frightened of the creature
and were staying away from beaches and plantations.
"They're
afraid because when it was spotted in Somosomo Village last month it chased
children who threw sticks at it to chase it off," he said.
"The
children are staying away from the waterfront, even some adults.
"When
they're sent to bring firewood and coconuts from the plantation they make
excuses because they are scared."
Agriculture
permanent secretary Colonel Mason Smith has called on islanders to remain calm
as help was on the way.
A team of
three - a quarantine official, a paravet and the ministry's Chief Veterinary
Officer, Dr Robin Archari, will be on Taveuni today to investigate.
The team has
been tasked with determining the reptile's habits, species, nesting sites,
location and an estimate of its numbers.
"This
team will supplement the team already in place at Waiyevo," Colonel Smith
said.
"We need
to determine the species, what it eats and whether or not it is a threat to the
natural flora and fauna or wildlife.
"Based on
the findings and with further consultation, we will decide on a suitable
eradication program."
Meanwhile, the
creature that Lovonivonu villagers captured remains caged in the agricultural
compound at Waiyevo.
A Lovonivonu
villager said the creature, about 1.6 meters long, was caught on Monday and was
placed in a parrot cage.
"When it
was on the village grounds, everyone just stood around and it looked too scared
to move," the villager said.
"It's
scales changed colour when it climbed up the trees and people just couldn't
stop staring at it."
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=137935
METRO (Londonm, UK) 20 January 10 Escaped
snake found sssnug and warm in supermarket
By George,
he's alive!
George, a
foot-long corn snake, was found five months after he slithered away from his
Highland home.
He was
discovered coiled around a heating pipe of a Spar shop below his owner's flat
in Mallaig by a shopworker on Saturday.
It is thought
he escaped from his tank and slid down to the ground floor, where he took up
residence among the central heating pipes.
Owner Rosemary
Leckie said she had given up hope on seeing her pet alive. He was just two
months old when he vanished and had not been able to eat during his stay in the
pipes.
She said:
"We're delighted to have George back with us, I thought he was dead.
"My son
keeps him in his room and he managed to escape through a tiny wee gap in the
lid of his tank. Apparently corn snakes are good escape artists, so we'll be
keeping a close eye on him now."
George was
plucked to safety by officers from the Scottish SPCA, who reunited him with his
owners.
Inspector
Dawna Connolly said: "It's quite remarkable because George was only two
months old when he disappeared and he survived on his own for five months,
probably without eating anything at all.
"He was
very thin when we collected him, so he would definitely have been ready for a
welcome home meal."
Let's hope he
doesn't ssslip out again...
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/809829-escaped-snake-found-sssnug-and-warm-in-supermarket?
MERCURY NEWS (California) 20 January 10 Calif
weighs new protections for mountain frog
Fresno,
California (AP): The California Fish and
Game Commission is weighing additional protections for mountain yellow-legged
frogs, a native amphibian whose numbers are dwindling.
The U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service lists the Southern California frog population as an endangered
species. Federal officials say populations in the Sierra Nevada should be
listed too, but the agency doesn't have the money or time to complete the
process.
The yellow-legged frog was once the most
abundant frog in the Sierra Nevada, but recent surveys found it has disappeared
from 70 to 90 percent of its former habitat.
The Center for
Biological Diversity filed a petition for the additional protections this week.
The state
commission now has 90 days to rule whether to conduct a yearlong review for a
possible listing under the state Endangered Species Act.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14280178?
NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS (Darwin,
Australia) 18 January 10 Hopping mad over
sneaky snake snack (Annie Sanson)
It sounds like
a scene from a grisly horror movie - a defenceless victim eaten alive in his
own home.
One-year-old
Oscar the rabbit had no chance of survival when his biggest and most feared
predator - a huge python - worked its way into the furry Katherine resident's
home, leaving him on death row with no way to escape.
Oscar's owner
James Gorman was at work when his wife Kate rang with the tragic news.
"She said 'you'd better come home immediately, this is not a joke',"
Mr Gorman said.
"Kate had
gone into the back yard to check on him, but there was no Oscar any more - an
olive python had replaced our little rabbit in his little cage."
It was two
days before Christmas when the Gormans had to explain to their two-year-old
daughter, Lily, that her dwarf-cross rabbit had been taken by a snake - and
that the snake had settled into the rabbit's former home.
"Lily is
at the age where she just starts to understand what's going on and when we
explained to her that Oscar had been taken by a snake, she said 'So we don't
have a pet rabbit any more, we have a pet snake now, right?'," Mr Gorman
said.
"I'm glad
she didn't take it too hard - she was pretty excited about the fact that the
snake was trapped in Oscar's cage."
Mr Gorman, 35,
said he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the 2.5m olive python curled up
in the rabbit's hutch. "We had a second look and saw the snake had bent
the cages wires open to get into Oscar's cage," he said.
"The poor
thing would have been sitting there, knowing there was no way out for him ...
and the snake was coming. I hope he died from a heart attack before the snake
ate him."
Mr Gorman said
he had never ruled out the possibility of an incident like this in his back
yard, but he had been caught by surprise when it happened.
"We had
mesh around the cage and an extra shade structure and then the cage's wires.
It's unbelievable how the snake got through it all," he said.
"It must
have had a brilliant feed on our little Oscar but obviously afterwards it
couldn't go anywhere any more, so it curled up in Oscar's hutch. We left it
there for 24 hours and then took it a few kilometres away and set it free -
hopefully it doesn't come back."
As a
precautionary measure the family's guinea pigs were now allowed to move into
the house every night, Mr Gorman said.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/01/18/116351_ntnews.html?
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 18
January 10 Researchers hope worm will turn toad fight
A parasitic
worm has become the latest weapon in the fight against the spread of the cane
toad.
Researchers
have discovered the presence of lung worm in dozens of cane toads recently
caught along the West Australian-Northern Territory border.
The naturally
occuring parasite slows the development of adult toads and reduces their number
of offspring by about 30 per cent.
John Cugley
from the Kimberley Toad Busters says the worm will help to delay the toad's
advance into WA.
"It's
providing a solution and it's just complimenting with the hand-catching that
we've done and the control that the Kimberley Toad Busters have done with the
tadpoles and metamorphs," he said.
Mr Cugley says
the worm has become the latest chink in the cane toad armour.
"The last
cane toad that we picked up in WA was only 20 kilometres from Kununurra so with
the lung worm so close to the front worm, it affects all the metamorphs, so all
the colonising cane toads have been broken up and there aren't as many as there
used to be."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/18/2794288.htm?site=news
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 18
January 10 Cane toad parasite fails to
excite Frogwatch (Emma Masters)
A lung
parasite in cane toads will not be effective in slowing the westward march of
the pests in north Australia, a Northern Territory frog protection group says.
Toad
researchers in the Kimberley are hoping the lung parasite can be used to delay
the progress of cane toads across Western Australia.
But Frogwatch
coordinator, Graeme Sawyer, says the parasite has been known for a few years
and it has done nothing to stop cane toad populations booming in the Territory.
"The
general feeling is that parasites like that are not really all that helpful in
combating cane toads and that that specific parasite has been in the cane toad
population as long as cane toads have been in Australia and it hasn't managed
to do anything significant," he said.
"So, the
fact it's a parasite and the fact that it's been here that long would tend to
make us think it's not going to help much."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/18/2795200.htm?
THE ARGUS (Brighton, UK) 18 January 10 Terrapin
and turtle warning in Sussex
Wildlife
enthusiasts across Sussex should keep their eyes open for disruptive species of
turtles and terrapins, according to conservationists.
Red-eared
terrapins and other species of reptile are regularly found across the UK in
urban ponds and parks, leading to the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC)
Trust to post the warning on their website.
John Baker, of
the ARC Trust, told The Argus that the problem is “generally an urban phenomenon”
that is affecting areas across the county.
Paul
Pendlebury, 53, of Hailsham, has been hired to trap and re-home exotic turtles
and terrapins for the past ten years and has so far caught more than 100
reptiles. He is currently studying for a biosciences degree at the University
of Brighton.
He said: “We
find them mainly around built up areas, such as Eastbourne, Hastings and
Brighton but I have found them as far out as Pevensey Marshes."
Any terrapin
or turtle sightings should be reported to the website
www.alienencounters.org.uk
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4854376.Terrapin_and_turtle_warning_in_Sussex/?
THE ADVERTISER (Adelaide, Australia) 18
January 10 Labrador shocks owner Deborah Allen by bringing home deadly snake (Kelly
Ryan)
He's never had
a nose for trouble before but black labrador Bronson sure knows how to turn
heads with his retrieving tricks.
The champion
obedience dog stunned his Victorian owners when he recently returned to them to
proudly show off his latest find.
Locked firmly
in his jaws and coiled around his snout was a long, live snake, believed to be
a deadly copperhead.
"He's
normally an excellent duck dog but he'll pick up absolutely anything and return
it to us, hanging on to it until we say 'give'," Deborah Allen said.
"My
husband Peter didn't know he'd lost his mobile phone out in a paddock recently
until Bronson returned with it in his mouth."
The couple
were lucky to be at home together at their property at Yarragon on January 4
when Mr Allen called out to his wife: "Hey, come and look at this."
"There
was Bronson with the snake hanging out of his mouth and the snake's body
wrapped around his nose," Ms Allen said.
"We
weren't sure if it was alive or not and we touched its head which was down at
ground level and it moved - it appeared slightly stunned."
As they
grappled with a plan to deal with the snake, Mr Allen told his wife to quickly
take a photo first.
"He
didn't reckon anyone would believe it," she said.
With a camera
always by her side, Ms Allen captured the stunning sight as perfectly obedient
Bronson, 11, remained totally rigid, trained not to move his head while
carrying anything he had retrieved.
"But he
had a real forlorn look on his face like he was saying 'Hurry up and take this
thing'," Ms Allen said.
Ms Allen said
their second labrador, Madeline, usually tried to steal anything Bronson was
carrying.
"But this
is the first time ever she wouldn't have a bar of him. She kept well
away."
Ms Allen found
a chaff bag and lowered it to the ground, pulling the bag up and over the snake
while at the same time releasing its body which remained wrapped around
Bronson's snout.
"And as
soon I said 'Give' he dropped it right into the bag and we sealed up the
ends."
With the snake
safely stored, the pair rushed Bronson to the West Gippsland Veterinary Centre
where a coagulation blood test confirmed Bronson had copped a bite.
Four days in
hospital followed on a drip, but Bronson is now happily at home.
Australian
Veterinary Association president Peter Gibbs said an alarming number of pets
had been brought to clinics this summer for treatment of snake bites.
"Snakes
tend to be at their most active towards the end of day, with snake bites
usually happening in late afternoon or early evening," Dr Gibbs said.
"Dog
owners should avoid snake-prone areas."
Symptoms of
snakebite include seizures, vomiting, bleeding around the bite, weakness in the
limb and paralysis. The animal will collapse with laboured breathing.
Urgent
treatment is needed but call ahead so they have antivenene on standby.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26600760-911,00.html?
NEW KERALA (India) 16 January 10 Rare
python rescued in Hooghly district
Hooghly (West
Bengal): A rare endangered reticulated
python, rescued recently, is being treated by an NGO in Hooghly district.
People, who
were trying to catch fish, caught the python, aged 15-16 years and around 15.8
feet long, from a pond.
Bishal Sautra,
an NGO member, said that they were shocked to find a reticulated python here,
which was very rare.
"We were
shocked to find a reticulated python and as you know that reticulated pythons
are very rare and they are endangered. We find reticulated pythons in very few
parts of northeastern India and as per the confirmed reports reticulated
pythons are there in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands," said Sautra.
"So the
python has been treated here and has been given a medical check up and the
veterinary surgeon here has suggested that the python should be kept here for
seven more days," he added.
The veterinary
surgeon here has recommended for at least seven days hospitalization for the
injured python.
Reticulated
python is a species of python found in Southeast Asia.
Like all
pythons, they are non-venomous constrictors and normally not considered
dangerous to humans, even though large specimens are powerful enough to kill an
adult and attacks are occasionally reported.
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-31795.html
THE OBSERVER (Sarnia, Ontario) 15 January 10 Saving
endangered turtles Sarnia couple's mission (Tyler Kula)
Massaging and
flattening clumps of clay, the students shape them into sculptures of
leatherback turtles.
Teacher Sheri
Rowe's Grade 6/7 classroom is one of 14 at Bright's Grove Public School engaged
in workshops with Mike and Stephanie Smalls.
Mike Smalls
works to protect endangered leatherbacks. For the past two years, from March to
June, he has patrolled the beaches of Parismina, Costa Rica, where the turtles
lay their eggs.
"All
we're doing is acting as a deterrent on the beaches so that the eggs are
protected," he said.
The turtles
lay about 100 eggs at a time, which are valuable to poachers.
Smalls founded
Tortuga Norte, or Turtle North in Spanish.
In addition to
raising money for the small town of Parismina, Smalls goes into schools to
explain why leatherbacks need protection.
The largest
turtle in the world, leatherbacks can grow to two metres (six feet) and weigh
600 kilograms (1,300 pounds).
But they're
endangered because of poaching and fishing.
"The
numbers are just really, really starting to drop, really, really quickly,"
Smalls said.
Even in ideal
conditions, only about half of the eggs hatch and of those one in 1,000 will
live to adulthood, he said.
Following a
video presentation to students, Smalls conducts the workshops with his wife, a
local artist.
Grade 2
teacher and school literacy coach Kelly Marks said the program fits well into
the writing curriculum.
"We're
all using it as a springboard," she said, covering migration, endangered
species, Costa Rica and, of course, the turtles.
"It
covers geography, history, science, conservation, ecology — It just seems to
fit into the curriculum really, really well for these schools," Smalls
said.
He has already
been to St. Anne and Queen Elizabeth II schools and will soon visit King
George, London Road and Errol Village, before heading south again in March.
While he
doesn't expect everyone to become as impassioned by leatherback turtles, he
hopes to make a small difference, he said.
"If I can
initiate one person in a classroom, or two or three in a school, to just change
their ways and think about how they can make a difference in the world, then I
consider the program a success," he said.
More about
Tortuga Norte is available at www.turtlenorth.ca.
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=2263668
FIJI TIMES (Suva) 17 January 10 Terrestrial
iguanas thrive on Qamea Island (Jone Luvenitoga)
The alien
reptile discovered on Qamea Island is not a marine iguana as reported in the
media, but it is the biggest species among terrestrial iguanas. It is commonly
known as the green iguana and it survives in tropical forests similar to the
country of its origin, in South America. It is also known to lay eggs in the
ground.
This was
confirmed by Curator-South Pacific Regional Herbarium Marika Tuiwawa.
A 13-page
report, prepared by a team of USP conservation researches who recently visited
the island, stated there are two known threats green iguanas pose to human
lives. "The first is there are reported cases of the green iguana becoming
aggressive and attacking humans the moment they lose their fear of
humans," Mr Tuinawawa said. Like any other wild animal that is attracted
to human food, he said continuous interaction with humans when frequently fed
will annul that fear and it will become abundant. "They tend to get
aggressive and there are reported cases of green iguanas which can grow up to
almost two metres in length chasing people from their eating tables in open cafeterias,
for food," he said. People he said are bitten, scratched and injured in
those incidents.
The second
threat is a plague that can be spread by free roaming iguanas. Reports mention
that 'free roaming iguanas mean free roaming salmonella bacteria which should
be avoided at all cost'.
According to
the Wikipedia World Wide Encyclopedia, salmonellosis is an infection with a
bacteria called salmonella. People infected with salmonella develop diarrhea,
fever, and abdominal cramps that takes effect in the bodies of human beings
within 12 to 72 hours after infection. "But that cannot be taken for
granted because different types of illnesses can cause diarrhea, fever or
abdominal cramps, therefore all diseases such as these cannot be all connected
to salmonella bacteria unless proven through laboratory tests," he said.
The illness
usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most people recover without treatment. However,
in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be
hospitalised. In these patients, the salmonella infection may spread from the
intestines to the blood stream, and then to other parts of the body and can
cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The
elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to
have a severe illness. It lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other
animals, including birds and are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods
contaminated with animal feces. Contaminated foods are often of animal origin,
such as beef, poultry, milk, or eggs. Only vegetables that come into contact
with reptile or bird feces carrying the salmonella bacteria can become
contaminated.
Thorough
cooking kills salmonella. Food may also become contaminated by the hands of an
infected food handler who did not wash hands with soap after using the
bathroom. Reptiles, such as turtles, lizards, and snakes, are particularly
likely to harbor Salmonella bacteria. People should always wash their hands
immediately after handling a reptile or bird, even if the animal is healthy.
Adults should also ensure that children wash their hands after handling a
reptile or bird, or after touching its environment.
The reports
were also presented with recommendations such as;
Fiji
Government (Quarantine Section, MAFF and DOE) should contact the man who is
believed to have brought in the reptiles and establish how they were brought in
and carry out legal action if needed;
An awareness
program targeted for the people of Qamea, Laucala, Matagi, Taveuni and eastern
Vanua Levu (Natewa Bay and Buca Bay, Rabi and Kioa) about this new species with
an emphasis on what locals need to know about the species, how to handle it,
and on how they can help in eradicating or controlling the iguana;
A follow-on
survey on Qamea, Laucala and Matagi is recommended to estimate the population
and map out their distribution;
The issue of
whether and how to eradicate or control this species so it does not spread to
other parts of Fiji, needs to be discussed by the relevant authorities. This
needs to be carried out as soon as possble;
A baseline
biodiversity survey on Qamea, Laucala and Matagi Island, should be conducted
and a monitoring program be designed to study the effects of this species on
the native biodiversity in the long term;
Whether the
species is present on Taveuni Island, Kioa, Rabi Island, northern Vanua Levu
and other nearby islands, needs to be established.
The green
iguana are able to reproduce after a period of three years where they can lay
up to 45 eggs in a clutch. They are good swimmers which could be the reason for
the extent of their sightings from the main island of Qamea to neighbouring
Matagi and Laucala.
Rumours
suggesting the green iguana's new taste for blood, eating fish and crabs, he
said needs to be clearly checked.
"If it's
any consolation, the green iguana is a known herbovire and at times feeds only
on small insects and gastropods such as snails and slugs."
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=137675
FREE PRESS (London, Ontario) 16 January 10 Time
Ottawa, province stepped into exotic pets battle (Joe Belanger)
It was a great
battle won by Norman Buwalda.
I wonder what
he'd say today? Buwalda was the Southwold man who in 2006 won a battle against
a new township bylaw banning exotic pets after his tiger mauled a boy two years
earlier.
The
294-kilogram tiger he kept on his property near Shedden mauled the 66-year-old
man to death, attacking him when he entered the cage to feed the animal last
Sunday.
The debate in
court wasn't about the danger these animals pose to their owners and the
public. No, Superior Court Justice John Kennedy quashed the Southwold bylaw
because it was an "abuse of power," hastily prepared in a
"flawed" process because it did not take into account Buwalda's right
to maintain "present use of his property."
Kennedy was
right, of course. But the real issue here is why Kennedy was ever put in a
position to have to rule on the bylaw.
The real issue
is: Where are the federal and provincial governments?
To become an
exotic pet owner you first must get the animal into a country, then into a
province and, finally, into a municipality.
Any level of
government could enact laws to prevent entry of these animals into their
jurisdictions.
One of my
oldest and best friends once owned two Siberian tigers he and his wife kept on
a rural property near Hamilton. They'd always had an interest in exotic
animals, including large snakes, turtles and who knows what else. And they were
responsible owners, keeping their animals in secure enclosures, diligently
caring for them, despite the cost and time.
They loved
their animals. And their animals loved them, perhaps even feeling affection for
their owners. But I always suspected it was because the animals, especially the
tigers, always viewed them as potential dinner. "Go ahead, make a slip . .
. make my day."
Then my buddy
and his wife decided to move to Prince Edward Island. Well, they got as far as
Nova Scotia before the island put a stop to that plan. The tigers were donated
to a public zoo on the mainland.
I never
understood their desire and affection for exotic pets. I instinctively felt it
was wrong to keep wild animals caged simply to feed curiosity, ego or
stupidity. It never occurred to me it was about the "right" to keep
exotic pets.
Now, I'm
certainly not an animal rights activist. I eat meat, including the flesh of
wild animals. I still fish. I even used to hunt and would have continued
carrying a gun if I hadn't grown tired of getting lost in the bush. And I will
take my grandchildren to the zoo to see caged animals of the world.
But keeping
large, exotic animals in cages at your home just seems selfish and cruel, an
excess of humankind's ability to dominate the wild.
And there are
larger issues that are becoming increasingly significant including public
safety and the environment.
I have
absolutely no doubt Buwalda was an outstanding, responsible exotic animal
owner. But there are others out there who aren't. They eventually tire of the
work involved, or can't keep up with the expense. Or, worse, they haven't built
proper enclosures. Their animals are either donated to zoos, killed, set free,
or escape. While I'm unaware of anyone willfully releasing a tiger, there are
cases where pet cougars were released.
Then there is
the issue of exotic species of animals affecting our ecosystems and health,
such as monkeys that carry human viruses and fish (Asian carp) that threaten
our fisheries and waterways.
Observing wild
animals is now the fastest growing recreational activity in North America.
Observing, not capturing or owning.
The vast
majority of the public couldn't care less about an individual's right to
dominate species. Yes, they still enjoy the zoo, but that's about as much as
the general public will tolerate.
It's time governments
at all levels catch up to public opinion and put an end to this cruel, selfish
and, I'd suggest, ridiculous right of the dominant species.
http://www.lfpress.com/comment/columnists/joe_belanger/2010/01/15/12483581.html
VANCOUVER SUN (British Columbia) 16 January
10 Everglades
face threat from potential 'super snake'
(Andy Reid)
Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. (McClatchy-Tribune):
Fears of a new "super snake" emerging in the Everglades grew
this week during a hunt to track South Florida's invasive python population.
A three-day,
state-coordinated hunt that started Tuesday had, by Wednesday, netted at least
five African rock pythons -- including a 14-foot female -- in a targeted area
in Miami-Dade County.
Those findings
add to concerns that the rock python is a new breeding population in the
Everglades and not just the result of a few overgrown pets released into the
wild, according to the South Florida Water Management District.
In addition,
state environmental officials worry that the rock python could breed with the
Burmese python, which already has an established foothold in the Everglades.
That could lead to a new "super snake," said George Horne, the water
district's deputy executive director.
In Africa, the
rock python eats everything from goats to crocodiles. There have been cases of
the snakes killing children.
"They are
bigger and meaner than the Burmese python. It's not good news," said
Deborah Drum, deputy director of the district's restoration sciences
department.
The concern is
that a hybrid python could pose even more risk of large constrictor snakes
overwhelming the Everglades -- where they thrive without a natural predator.
The state
estimates that thousands of Burmese pythons have spread through the Everglades.
Some came from people releasing exotic pets they no longer wished to care for.
Others are thought to have escaped during hurricanes and then bred new
generations in the wild.
The string of
unusually cold temperatures in South Florida flushed more of the snakes out of
the wild and onto flood control levees.
The snake hunt
targets an area near the intersection of Tamiami Trail and Krome Avenue in
Miami-Dade County.
It includes
representatives from the water management district, the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission and Everglades National Park.
Three of the
African rock pythons found this week were captured, and two got away.
One had a
circumference of 31 inches.
Another was
bearing eggs.
The African
rock python typically has a "nastier disposition" than the Burmese
python, said LeRoy Rodgers, a water district scientist.
"These
are animals that are hot predators, and now there are two species to worry
about," she said.
THE AUSTRALIAN (Sydney, Australia) 16 January
10 Healing
in a serpent's tooth: snake venom (Derek Parker)
Snakes aren't
usually considered a national asset, especially those dangerous enough to kill.
But that could change if the push to utilise snake venom for a range of medical
purposes proves as effective as experts predict.
The process
recently took an important step forward with an Australian company called
Venomics on-licensing the rights to commercialise two product candidates,
textilinin and HaempatchTM, both derived from Australian snake venom. Venomics
is a spin-off from QRxPharma, established in 2002 to commercialise therapeutics
research from the University of Queensland.
The products
were developed by UQ researchers John de Jersey and Martin Lavin, along with
Paul Masci who's studied Australian snake venoms for more than 20 years in
search of drug candidates.
Textilinin has
the potential to reduce blood loss in surgery by helping to maintain blood
clots in place once they've formed. So far, it compares favourably with other
so-called antifibrinolytic drugs, showing reduced blood loss and less potential
for side effects.
HaempatchTM
clots blood effectively and is being developed as a topical clotting agent to
stop blood flow from surgical or trauma wounds. It has shown promising results
in pre-clinical testing, including the ability to form clots faster and with
less blood loss than comparable drugs now in use.
Both products
are moving through testing, with clinical trials likely in two or three years.
Venomics was
created as part of a joint venture with Liaoning Nuokang Medicines, a leading
biopharmaceutical company based in Shenyang, China. Nuokang's flagship product,
Baquting, is used in China for treatment of bleeding in surgery. It contains an
enzyme obtained from the venom of a South American snake, the common lancehead.
Under the
joint venture, the Chinese rights for both products have been licensed to a
Nuokang subsidiary. Venomics has the right to use developmental data generated
by Nuokang to seek licensing and development deals in the rest of the world.
"There is
a sense of escalating interest in the potential of venom-derived pharmaceutical
products," says Stephen Earl, manager of research and development for Venomics.
"QRxPharma and now Venomics have partnered with researchers from UQ to
comprehensively screen Australian snake venoms for further drug candidates.
This project began in 2004 and we have already screened the venom of 20
Australian snakes, so we are building a database," Earl says of the work,
funded by two Australian Research Council Linkage grants totalling more than
$2.7 million.
Earl, a
toxinologist, has long been fascinated by snake venom, as well as the potential
for development of new drugs. "Whether a snake is defending itself or
hunting for food, the purpose of venom is to alter biological functions,"
he says. "That is the basic purpose of medicine, too. As a researcher, you
observe the action of the venom and look for ways to apply it in a therapeutic
context.".
Worldwide,
there are about 650 species of venomous snakes. Ten of the most deadly live in
Australia, including tiger snakes, brown snakes, death adders and taipans.
Significantly, Australia's snakes have evolved so their venom is targeted at
mammals, making them a rich source of venom components compared with the snakes
of other countries.
"Textilinin
and HaempatchTM are both derived from venom from the Australian common brown
snake," Earl says. "And there is another product coming through the
process, also based on common brown snake venom, which has a lot of
potential."
Called CoVase,
it shows promise as a systemic clotting agent, useful in the treatment of
internal bleeding, trauma and haemorrhagic stroke. Unlike many other clotting agents,
which can only be delivered as a topical treatment, Earl claims it could be
delivered intravenously, which expands the therapeutic options greatly.
Several drugs
based on venom components are already in clinical use and others are in
clinical trials. One recent success story is the development of ACE inhibitors,
a class of blood pressure medication originally derived from the venom of a
Brazilian snake.
There's also a
range of diagnostic tests that use snake venom. The common brown snake venom is
used in a diagnostic test for lupus anticoagulants, a condition that can lead
to miscarriage, stroke or other cardiovascular conditions.
A problem for
researchers looking for possible medical uses is the complex makeup of venoms.
To find the component of interest, the venom must be separated by the different
molecular weight of its constituent proteins, a process known as column
fractionating. Once the target agent is found, it can be manufactured by
culturing in a bacterial medium.
Aside from
Venomics and UQ, a key research agency is the Venoms Research Group at the
school of pharmacy and medical sciences in the University of South Australia.
"Venom research is currently moving in quite a few directions,"
Michael Venning, head of the VRG, says. "We are looking at the use of
death adder venom as a means of controlling high blood pressure, for example.
All Australian snakes are from the elapid class, so their venom is rich in
neurotoxins . . . But there are also antibacterial properties with the
potential for the targeting of specific infections."
Venning, a
pharmacologist, says one of the most interesting avenues of research is into
the effect of a compound in death adder venom that disrupts endothelial cells,
lining the inner surface of blood vessels. Called the antiangiogenic effect, it
could be useful in the treatment of cancer, preventing the growth of tumours by
cutting off the blood supply.
Virtually all
the venoms used in Australian medical research originate from Venom Supplies in
SA's Barossa Valley. "From the perspective of drug potential, Australia's
venomous snakes are like slithering pharmacies," Peter Mirtschin, managing
director of Venom Supplies, says. "We have only scratched the
surface."
Mirtschin is
an adjunct research fellow of the University of South Australia and was pivotal
in the establishment of the VRG in the mid-1990s.
His farm has
more than 500 snakes, including more taipans than any other venom farm in the
world. Venom Supplies has a long-term contract to supply taipan venom to a US
pharmaceutical company. An associated company, Venom Science, will soon begin
manufacture of a diagnostic kit for the horse-racing industry. Based on cobra
venom antibodies, the kit determines whether cobra venom -- which like many
venoms has potent analgesic properties -- has been used illegally to treat
racehorses.
Mirtschin has
discovered that taipan venom has a property that helps break down its prey for
digestion. He suspects it could lead to treatments for people who cannot make
digestive enzymes or whose pancreas is failing.
"There is
so much to explore," Mirtschin says. "Not only are the venoms of
every snake species different, there are also variations within each
species."
But he is
worried. He says successive environmental audits indicate authorities aren't
protecting native species. The tiger snake, for instance, was once abundant but
is now hard to find.
"If we
are to halt the loss of these resources, drastic changes must be made in
thinking."
He adds:
"The clock is ticking if we are going to take advantage of this resource
before it disappears."
GULF DAILY NEWS (Bahrain) 16 January 10 Snakes alive! (Aniqa Haider)
People have been
urged not to panic after an increasing number of snake sightings in private
gardens across Bahrain.
Many residents
mistakenly believe snakes do not naturally exist here and are shocked and
scared when they come across them, said Al Areen Wildlife Park and Reserve
guiding tourism head Sager Khamis.
The issue came
to light after a GDN reader forwarded a picture of a snake, which she found in
her compound in Saar.
Mr Khamis
later confirmed it was a harmless rat snake, which are common across Bahrain.
"Rat snakes
are not harmful to humans as they are not poisonous," he said.
"These
type of snakes are mostly seen in farms, gardens and in the desert.
"Everyone,
including Bahrainis and foreigners, has an impression that Bahrain has no
snakes and when they see the creatures anywhere, they panic and fear that they
will harm them.
"We urge
the public not to panic and to call us immediately.
"They can
call me on my direct number 17836113 and report such incidents.
"Our
experts will go and catch the creature and bring it to the park."
Mr Khamis said
rat snakes were often seen at Al Areen, mainly during the summer when they come
out on warm days to soak up the heat of the sun.
They are
constrictors that feed primarily on rodents and birds, with some species
exceeding 10 feet.
The other
types of snakes native to Bahrain include the Arabian sand boa, Cerastes
gasperettii, Hydrophis lapemoides, Hydrophis spiralis, Lapemis curtus, Pelamis
platurus and Thalassophina viperina.
Most are sea
snakes which are common in the waters off Bahrain.
Medium-sized
reptiles, they are not well known but some have poisonous venom.
Bahraini
farmer Yousif Yaqoob, who works in Hamad Town, said he came across snakes on a
daily basis as part of his job.
"But
these are not dangerous and when they see a human, they are scared," he
said.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=268640
LAS VEGAS SUN (Nevada) 16 January 10 Animal Planet host plans 10-day stay with
snakes on Strip (Amanda Finnegan - Courtesy of Discovery Channel)
"Wild
Recon" host Donald Schultz will be spending 10 days in a glass box filled
with 100 snakes outside O'Shea's from Jan. 17-26.
As if O'Shea's
wasn’t bizarre enough with its attractions like hypnotist Luke Jermay, its
former “Freaks” show and the leprechaun that runs around the casino floor, the
property will be adding another sideshow attraction beginning Sunday.
Animal
Planet’s Donald Schultz, host of the channel's “Wild Recon” program, will spend
10 days in a glass box filled with 100 snakes.
The spectacle
is being filmed for a TV special called “Venom in Vegas,” set to air Feb. 9 on
Animal Planet. Harrah’s Entertainment, which owns O’Shea’s, said Schultz is
doing the stunt to raise awareness for snakebite victims around the globe.
Animal Planet
is partnering with the University of Arizona’s Venom Immunochemistry,
Pharmacology and Emergency Response Institute for the event and will be on hand
in case anything goes wrong.
The 16-foot by
20-foot glass box will have a bed and bathroom. He’ll eat, sleep and do everything
else alongside snakes such as pythons, rattlesnakes and cobras, Harrah’s said.
Schultz will
start with 50 snakes and have five new ones added each day. Sounds like Indiana
Jones’ worst nightmare.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jan/16/animal-planet-host-plans-10-day-stay-snakes-strip/
BENDIGO ADVERTISER (Australia)
16 January 10 Fangs and fur don’t mix
Snakes are
posing a lethal threat to pets this summer. The situation has prompted calls
for pet owners to be careful with their loved companions as dry conditions push
more snakes into contact with pets. Dr Joanna Reilly, from the Bendigo Animal
Hospital, said that on average, four pets a week had been brought in for
treatment of snake bites. Despite this, Ms Reilly is hopeful that owners can
minimise the risk of their pets being bitten. “Avoid bush areas unless a dog’s
on a lead,” she said.
“Don’t let
them run wild in the bush.”
These views
were echoed by Dr Peter Gibbs from the Australian Veterinary Association, who
said dog owners should avoid snake-prone areas.
Dr Gibbs said
that if pets were vomiting, bleeding or having seizures, they should be tended
to as quickly as possible.
“If you spot
any of these symptoms in your pet, quickly call the nearest veterinarian so
that they can prepare for your arrival at the veterinary hospital with the
right treatment,” Dr Gibbs said.
http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/fangs-and-fur-dont-mix/1726492.aspx
DER SPIEGEL (Hamburg, Germany) 15 January 10 Ahnen
der Alligatoren atmeten wie Vögel
(DDP) Die Erfolgsgeschichte von Alligatoren begann
mit einer Katastrophe. Als vor rund 251 Millionen Jahren ein verheerendes
Naturunglück 70 Prozent des Lebens auf dem Land und 96 Prozent des Lebens im
Meer auslöschte, begann der Siegeszug ihrer Vorfahren. Was die Tiere so
erfolgreich im Kampf ums Überleben gemacht hat, beschreiben Colleen Farmer von
der University of Utah in Salt Lake City und ihre Kollegen im Fachmagazin
"Science". Ihre Entdeckung: Alligatoren atmen ähnlich wie Vögel. Ihr Lungensystem
kann sehr effektiv Sauerstoff aufnehmen.
Wenn
Säugetiere einatmen, wird die Luft in die Lunge gesogen, gelangt in die
Bronchien und über deren kleine Verästelungen zu den Lungenbläschen, wo der
Sauerstoff in das Blut übergeht. Beim Ausatmen nimmt die nun sauerstoffarme
Luft denselben Weg zurück. Dieses System funktioniert bei Säugetieren gut. Für
Vögel, die zum Teil in extremen Höhen fliegen, ist es aber nicht effektiv
genug.
Vögel atmen
völlig anders als Säugetiere. Sie nutzen
dazu ein spezielles schlaufenförmiges Röhrensystem. Dabei fließt die Luft immer
nur in eine Richtung. Sie strömt durch eine ausschließlich dem Einatmen
dienende Röhre in die Lunge ein und verlässt sie durch eine andere Röhre, die
speziell für die Ausatmung zuständig ist. Dieses System hat einen
entscheidenden Vorteil: Vögel können immerzu einatmen, ohne den
Einatmungsvorgang zum Ausatmen unterbrechen zu müssen.
Bisher
vermuteten Forscher, dass ein solches Atemsystem allein den Vögeln vorbehalten
sei. Da Vögel und Alligatoren - wie auch Dinosaurier - die gleichen Vorfahren
haben, untersuchten Colleen Farmer und ihre Kollegen jetzt, ob sich die Lungen
der Tiere ähneln. Sie kontrollierten dazu die Atmung von sechs betäubten
Alligatoren und maßen dabei Luftstromgeschwindigkeiten und -richtungen. Fünf
toten Alligatoren pumpten die Wissenschaftler zudem Luft oder fluoreszierendes
Wasser durch die Lungen, um die genauen Wege des Atems zu identifizieren. Die
Wissenschaftler konnten dabei beweisen, dass auch Alligatoren die Luft nur in
eine Richtung durch die Lunge ziehen.
Die Forscher
vermuten, dass die Atemtechnik von Vögeln und Alligatoren schon auf ihren
gemeinsamen Vorfahren zurückgeht. Einen Archosaurier, der vor mehr als 246
Millionen Jahren gelebt hat und der auch der Vorfahre der Dinosaurier war. Auch
bei Dinosauriern vermuten viele Forscher, dass sie mit einer derartigen
Einweg-Atemtechnik geatmet haben. In der Atemtechnik sieht Farmer das
Erfolgsrezept der Urahnen von Vögeln, Alligatoren und Dinosauriern, die das
Massensterben vor 251 Millionen Jahren überstanden hatten.
Vor der
Katastrophe, über deren Ursache die Forscher noch spekulieren, waren
säugetierähnliche Reptilien, die Synapsiden, die größten und erfolgreichsten
Tiere der Erde. Als sich der Planet in den zwanzig Millionen Jahren nach der
Katastrophe wieder erholte, lösten die Archosaurier die Synapsiden als
dominante Art auf der Erde ab.
Das Erdklima
hatte sich stark verändert: Die Temperatur stieg an, es wurde trockener und der
Sauerstoffgehalt der Luft sank drastisch ab. Statt wie heute circa 21 Prozent
enthielt die Luft damals vermutlich nur rund 12 Prozent Sauerstoff. An diesen
Sauerstoffmangel waren die Archosaurier besser angepasst.
http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/0,1518,672160,00.html
HAMBURGER ABENDBLATT (Germany) 13
January 10 Schlange im Badezimmer entdeckt
Uetersen
(Kol). Das 40 Zentimeter lange, rot-gefleckte Tier hatte es sich gerade auf dem
gefliesten Fußboden gemütlich gemacht, als es gestört wurde.
Die 53-jährige
Frau rief daraufhin die Polizei zu Hilfe, um den tierischen Mitbewohner zu
vertreiben. Beamte der Uetersener Wache machten kurzen Prozess und nahmen
mithilfe einer Tortenplatte und einer Dose die Schlange vorläufig fest. Statt
in der Zelle landete das Reptil im Tierheim Elmshorn. Dort wurde es als
ungiftige Kornnatter identifiziert. Diese Schlangenart wird bis zu 1,40 Meter
groß, ist als Haustier beliebt und darf ohne behördliche Genehmigung gehalten
werden. Wie die Kornnatter in die Wohnung kam, ist noch unklar.
http://www.abendblatt.de/region/pinneberg/article1340336/Schlange-im-Badezimmer-entdeckt.html
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 12
January 10 Cane Toad frontline advances rapidly
Conservationists
are warning that heavy rains have increased the breeding and movement of cane
toads in the state's far north.
The toad's
frontline has crossed the Northern Territory border and large numbers are now
located 27 kilometres east of Kununurra.
The Kimberley
toadbusters are onsite destroying as many of the animals as possible.
President Lee
Scott-Virtue says rains are helping the animals travel and breed at a rapid
rate.
"A couple
of days ago we were quite happy that it was about 27 kilometres east of
Kununurra, but a recent find of a large female only 20 kilometres east of Kununurra
means that in a couple of days at least one toad had moved at least seven odd
kilometres," she said.
The group's
aim is to prevent the toads establishing themselves in the Kimberley this wet
season.
Lee
Scott-Virtue says it is an uphill battle.
"The
colonising front is moving forward, particularly in terms of increased
breeding, so we're seeing a lot more evidence of tadpoles and metamorphs.
Fortunately these are still behind the actually colonising front," she
said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/12/2790587.htm?site=news
BANGKOK POST (Thailand) 12 January 10 Sea
turtle lays 321st egg
A rare sea
turtle has returned for a third time to lay eggs on Thailand's Andaman coast.
The
40-year-old leatherback turtle, weighing about 300kg, was found to have laid
109 eggs on Had Mai Khao in Phuket yesterday, the chief of Khao Lam Pee-Had
Thai Muang National Park in Phangnga, Wattana Pornprasert, said yesterday.
This brings
the number of eggs laid by this single turtle to 321.
On previous visits,
the turtle has laid its eggs on Had Thai Muang in Phangnga.
On the first
trip, on Jan 24 last year, the turtle laid 99 eggs.
The second
time it left 113 eggs. Mr Wattana said national park officials had moved the
latest batch of eggs to a safe place to prevent them from being stolen or
eaten. The eggs are expected to hatch in 60 days.
Leatherback
turtles had not previously laid eggs on the two beaches for 10 years because of
hotel and resort developments.
Mr Wattana
predicted that more leatherback turtles would lay eggs on Had Thai Muang this
year because of the fine weather.
However, he
expressed concern over the dwindling numbers of sea turtles.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/30849/sea-turtle-lays-321st-egg?
FOCUS (München, Germany) 12 January 10 Die
Deutschen geben Milliarden für Haustiere aus {Excerpt}
…
Insgesamt
lebten in Deutschland 23,3 Millionen Heimtiere in über einem Drittel der
Haushalte, sagte Oechsner. Fische und Terrarientiere seien dabei nicht mit
eingerechnet. Beliebtestes Haustier ist den Angaben zufolge die Katze, 8,2
Millionen dieser Tiere gibt es bundesweit. Es folgen 6,2 Millionen Kleintiere
wie Kaninchen, Meerschweinchen und Mäuse sowie 5,5 Millionen Hunde und 3,4
Millionen Vögel. Darüber hinaus tummeln sich Tausende Zierfische in 2,0
Millionen Aquarien und 2,3 Millionen Gartenteichen. In 420 000 Terrarien leben
Reptilien und Amphibien.
LOS ANDES (Mendoza, Argentina) 12 January 10
General Alvear: Se recupera la
beba que fue picada por una víbora Yarará
Un beba de 14 meses fue atendida el domingo al mediodía tras ser mordida
por una víbora en el paraje de La Mora, distante a unos 80 kilómetros al Este
de la ciudad cabecera de General Alvear, sobre la Ruta Nacional 188.
La beba llegó a la guardia a la una de la tarde trasladada en la
ambulancia del centro asistencial de Bowen y presentaba un dolor muy intenso,
vómitos y fiebre elevada. También tenía la mano muy inflamada (donde se habría
producido la picadura) a tal punto que “su tamaño se había duplicado”, según
explicaron los profesionales que la asistieron inicialmente en el hospital de
General Alvear.
Aunque los familiares no pudieron capturar a la serpiente para
identificar su variedad, en el hospital se le suministró el suero antiofídico
para la picadura de Bothrops alternatus, popularmente conocida como yarará que
es la más común en la zona (y principalmente en el noroeste argentino donde se
han registrado innumerable accidentes de este tipo pero con desenlace fatal)
tras lo cual la pequeña fue derivada a la terapia pediátrica del hospital
Teodoro J. Schestakow en la ciudad de San Rafael donde permanecía internada
hasta ayer
http://www.losandes.com.ar/notas/2010/1/12/policiales-466606.asp
DONAUKURIER (Ingolstadt, Germany) 11 January 10 Juwelen
des Regenwalds (Sascha Rettig)
(tmn) Da sie sich sowieso nicht in einen Prinzen
verwandeln können, werden Frösche besser nicht geküsst – und auch zum
Streicheln sind sie nicht geeignet. Sie als Haustiere im Terrarium zu
beobachten, kann jedoch eine äußerst spannende Angelegenheit sein. Schließlich
sind diese faszinierenden Lebewesen oft nicht nur schillernd bunt, sondern
haben auch häufig ein sehr komplexes Verhalten.
Schließlich
sind diese faszinierenden Lebewesen oft nicht nur schillernd bunt, sondern
haben auch häufig ein sehr komplexes Verhalten.
Von den mehr
als 5000 Arten von Froschlurchen, die es unter den rund 6000 Amphibienarten
gibt, werden nur wenige zum Hobby gehalten und kosten je nach Exemplar in der
Regel zwischen zehn und 250 Euro. Meistens handele es sich um sogenannte
Pfeilgiftfrösche, sagt der Biologe Stefan Lötters von der Universität Trier,
der unter anderem auf Amphibien spezialisiert ist. "Diese kleinen,
südamerikanischen Frösche sind in der Regel sehr bunt und werden deshalb gern
als Juwelen des Regenwalds bezeichnet."
Besonders
reizvoll sind Frösche, die am besten paarweise oder in der Gruppe gehalten
werden, durch ihr Revier- und Fortpflanzungsverhalten: "Sie sitzen nicht
nur an exponierten Stellen und rufen", erklärt Lötters. "Es ist
beispielsweise auch spannend, die Kämpfe zwischen zwei Männchen zu beobachten,
wenn sie sich mal zu nahe kommen und ihr Revier verteidigen."
Auch wenn es
der Name anders vermuten lässt: Die Pfeilgiftfrösche, die in Deutschland
bereits seit rund 30 Jahren nachgezüchtet werden und im Zoofachhandel oder auf
Liebhabertauschbörsen zu kaufen sind, haben ihre Giftigkeit weitestgehend
verloren. "Das liegt daran, dass das Gift in freier Wildbahn über Nahrung
aufgenommen wird, wo die Tiere Ameisen und Termiten fressen", erklärt
Katrin Hohmann, Zootierpflegemeisterin im Vivarium des Tierparks Chemnitz.
"Im Futter mit Fruchtfliegen oder kleinen Grillen fehlt der entsprechende
Stoff und die Giftigkeit wird reduziert – innerhalb eines halben Jahres bereits
um 50 Prozent", sagt Hohmann. Von Generation zu Generation nähme sie daher
weiter ab.
Neben den
Pfeilgiftfröschen gibt es auch andere Froscharten, die – wenngleich deutlich
seltener – im Terrarium gehalten werden. Die aus Südamerika oder Asien
stammenden Laubfrösche etwa, die nachtaktiv sind. "Sie haben ein sehr
bizarres Aussehen mit ihren langen Beinen und großen Augen und klettern wie
kleine Nachtgeister durch das Geäst im Terrarium", erklärt Biologe
Lötters. Wer hingegen – auch tagsüber – etwas Leben in sein Aquarium bringen
will, kann sich einen Krallenfrosch anschaffen. "Er sieht zwar lustig aus,
wie er darin herumschwimmt, ist aber nicht besonders anspruchsvoll und daher
auch gut für Anfänger geeignet."
Die braun-
oder grünmarmorierten Schmuckhornfrösche, die mit ihrem großen Maul und den
Zipfeln an den Augen ebenfalls ein sehr eigenwilliges Erscheinungsbild haben,
sind hingegen weniger aktiv. "Die etwa faustgroßen Frösche bewegen sich
nicht viel, liegen oft halb eingegraben im Boden und fressen das, was sie vors
Maul bekommen", sagt der Frosch- und Fischzüchter Herbert Nigl in
Dietzenbach (Hessen). Diese sogenannten Lauerjäger können mit Heuschrecken,
großen Regenwürmern, Fischen oder hin und wieder sogar mit Mäusen gefüttert
werden.
http://www.donaukurier.de/nachrichten/panorama/Juwelen-des-Regenwalds;art154670,2234476
THE AGE (Melbourne, Australia) 06 January
10 Sex
and natural selection: Mrs Toad gets pumped
(AFP) All puffed up with somewhere to go.
The female
cane toad can pump herself up to mega-size to throw off smaller males striving
to mate with her, Australian biologists reported today.
The unusual
tactic suggests that female anurans, as frogs and toads are called, may have
far more power to select their sex partner than thought, according to their
study, appearing in the British journal Biology Letters.
Female cane
toads (Bufo marinus) are typically
choosier than males when it comes to reproduction.
They
discriminate among potential mates by approaching the toad with the best call.
But, as they
head to a rendezvous with the hunk with the mightiest ribbit, they also have to
run the gauntlet of excited rival males.
An unwanted
suitor will seek to climb on the female's back, grasping her tightly in the
armpit or groin, waiting until she starts laying her eggs in order to fertilise
them.
This is where
the pneumatic trick comes in, say the scientists, led by Benjamin Phillips of
the University of Sydney.
By inflating
sacs in her body, the female is able to loosen the grip and the luckless male
slides off her body, defeated.
As a result,
the female is able to choose the size of her mate, a factor that is important
to the species, says the team. Fertilisation among cane toads is most
successful when males and females are similar in size.
Phillips and
his two colleagues worked on the small-to-XXXL hunch after noting that the cane
toad puffs itself up in the presence of a predator to make itself look scarier.
Female toads
likewise inflate at copulation time, but until now this was presumed to be a
reflex to being pushed, kicked and occasionally flipped over as panting males
wrestled for amorous contact.
Phillips' team
went to exceptional lengths to test their hypothesis.
They inflated
a dead anuran with a pump to measure the sacs' air pressure.
There was even
a touch of toad necrophilia. Male toads were given a jolt of sex hormones to
encourage them to mate with dead females, so that the scientists could measure
the strength of the copulatory grip.
In the final
phase, nine living females were given tracheal surgery to prevent them from
inflating their body -- and turned out to be unable to shake off even the
smallest male.
After the
experiments, the nine were killed humanely.
The paper
suggests that females in other species may similarly use a defence mechanism to
help them choose a mate.
"Many of
the traits that enable a female to repel a predator also allow her to repel
unwanted suitors, and hence facilitate mate choice," it notes.
Cane toads are
a notorious pest in Australia. The species, indigenous to Central and Latin
America, was introduced in 1935 to help control beetles that threatened
sugar-cane crops.
The creature
has now spread across most of tropical Australia, killing native carnivores,
including crocodiles, snakes and lizards, that cannot tolerate its toxins, and
devastating native frogs and toads through habitat loss.
BIELER TAGBLATT (Switzerland) 06 January 10 Frösche
mit Tiefgang
(gh) Es holpert auf der Insstrasse nach Erlach. Teerbeläge, vereinzelt
kleinere Schlaglöcher – auf den ersten Blick eine einfache Baustelle. Doch es
wird nicht nur die Strasse saniert, sondern auch ein Amphibienschutz
installiert. Vier Amphibiendurchlässe – elf Meter lange Tunnels mit einem
Querschnitt von 100 mal 70 Zentimetern – werden gebaut. An beiden
Strassenseiten entstehen 55 Zentimeter hohe Mäuerchen. Frösche und
Lurche können so die Strasse nicht mehr überqueren. Sie wandern den Mäuerchen
entlang, bis sie durch eine Umleitung in einen dieser Amphibiendurchlässe
fallen und so die Strasse einen Meter tiefer unterqueren.
Der Bau dieser Schutzanlage ist teuer. Das Tiefbauamt Biel beziffert
Kosten von 200 000 Franken. Dabei seien jedoch die Strassenbauarbeiten nicht
mit einberechnet. Baubeginn war vor gut einem Monat. Über
Weihnachten und Neujahr wurden die Bauarbeiten eingestellt. Das Tiefbauamt geht
davon aus, dass bei idealem Wetter die Firma Hirt AG den Bau am 18.Januar
wieder aufnehmen wird.
http://www.bielertagblatt.ch/News/Region/163971
DER WESTEN (Germany) 06 January 10 Krötenweibchen machen es den Männchen schwer
London
(DDP): Krötenweibchen haben eine
ungewöhnliche Strategie entwickelt, um sich vor aufdringlichen Männchen zu
schützen: Sie pumpen sich derart auf, dass auf ihrem Rücken sitzende unliebsame
Freier ihren charakteristischen Klammergriff gezwungenermaßen etwas lösen
müssen. Dadurch können sie leichter von anderen Männchen verdrängt werden. Das
hat ein niederländisch-australisches Forscherteam in Versuchen mit Aga-Kröten (Bufo marinus) herausgefunden. Der
Mechanismus des Aufpumpens war bislang nur als Verteidigungsstrategie bekannt:
Er soll Feinde abschrecken und es ihnen erschweren, die Kröten zu greifen.
Offensichtlich beeinflussen die weiblichen Kröten und andere Forschlurche auf
diese Weise aber auch die Partnerwahl, berichten Richard Shine von der
University of Sydney und sein Team im Fachmagazin «Biology Letters»
(Onlinevorabveröffentlichung, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.0938).
Ein
volltönendes Quaken zur Paarungszeit klingt in den Ohren vieler Krötenweibchen
äußerst verlockend, denn es lässt auf einen großes Männchen schließen. Das spricht
nicht nur für gute Gene, sondern hat noch einen weiteren Vorteil: Die Weibchen
sind in der Regel größer als die Männchen, der Fortpflanzungserfolg ist aber
dann am höchsten, wenn beide möglichst gleich groß sind. Doch in den dicht
besiedelten Laichgebieten haben es die Krötenweibchen schwer: Auf dem Weg zu
ihrem auserwählten Partner werden sie oft ungewollt von anderen, kleineren
Männchen angesprungen. Diese klammern sich so lange hartnäckig an die Weibchen,
bis diese entnervt resignieren und Laich abgeben, der anschließend von den
Männchen besamt wird.
Die Forscher
machten bei Feldstudien allerdings zwei Beobachtungen: Zum einen reagierten die
Weibchen häufig, indem sie sich aufpumpten. Zum anderen wurden die Männchen oft
durch Konkurrenten von den Weibchen heruntergeschoben. Bestand da ein
Zusammenhang? Um das herauszufinden, untersuchten die Wissenschaftler zunächst,
bis zu welchem Druck sich die Weibchen abhängig von ihrer Körpergröße aufblasen
können. Dazu legten sie Aga-Krötenweibchen eine Blutdruckmessmanschette um und
erhöhten den Druck solange, bis die Weibchen gezwungenermaßen ausatmeten. Dann
bastelten die Forscher Modellkröten aus toten Krötenweibchen, die sie mit Hilfe
von eingesetzen Ballons auf den ermittelten Druck aufpumpen konnten. Nun ließen
sie diese Modellkröten von Männchen umklammern. Mit Hilfe einer Federwaage
maßen sie die Kraft, die notwendig war, damit die Männchen den Klammergriff
lösten. Das Ergebnis: Waren die Weibchen aufgepumpt, ließen sich die Männchen
deutlich leichter entfernen.
Anschließend
simulierten die Forscher die Besiedelungsdichte, indem sie je ein lebendes
Krötenweibchen und drei Männchen in einen Glaskasten von einem Quadratmeter
Größe setzten. Sie erlaubten jedoch zunächst nur dem kleinsten Männchen, das
Weibchen in den Klammergriff zu nehmen. Anschließend beobachteten sie das
Verhalten der Tiere: Die anderen Männchen versuchten, den kleineren
Konkurrenten zu verdrängen, was ihnen in vier von sieben Versuchen auch gelang.
In einer zweiten Versuchsreihe hatten die Wissenschaftler die Weibchen jedoch
so manipuliert, dass diese sich nicht aufpumpen konnten. Dadurch wurde ein
entscheidender Unterschied deutlich: Hier erfolgten sogar neun
Verdrängungsversuche durch die größeren Männchen, sie führten jedoch in keinem
Fall zum Erfolg. Für die Forscher ist damit belegt, dass es sich beim
Aufpumpverhalten der Weibchen um eine passive Art der Partnerwahl handelt.
LEIPZIGER VOLKSZEITUNG (Germany) 04
January 10 Reptilienaufnahmestation neu gegründet (Kendra Reinhardt)
Markranstädt: Alles noch mal von vorn und diesmal richtig –
das ist derzeit die Devise beim Reptilienverein in Markranstädt. „Zuletzt
fehlten uns Lizenzen für die Haltung und den Tierhandel“, erläuterte
Stationsleiterin Mandy Müller.
Bereits Anfang
Juli trennte sich der Verein aus mehreren Gründen, vom damaligen ersten
Vorsitzenden Mathias Pinkert, so Müller, und formierte sich neu. Eine der
Änderungen ist, dass sich der Vorstand nun ausschließlich um die weiter
dringend benötigten Sponsoren kümmern soll, während ein anderes Team vor Ort
die Tiere versorgt. Seit 23. November ist der Verein als gemeinnützige
Vereinigung eingetragen. Neuer Vorsitzender ist Peter Wilmer, sein
Stellvertreter Steffen Gärtner.
Der
Tierbestand hat sich gegenüber den Anfangsmonaten reduziert. 14 größere
Reptilien beherbergt die Halle in der Ziegelstraße zurzeit, zwei mussten
eingeschläfert werden. „Wir halten die Zahl im Winter etwas niedriger und
wollen nun alles Stück für Stück aufbauen“, sagt Müller. Viele Schützlinge
seien auch vermittelt worden, betont sie. Die Terrarien sind bereits neu
entstanden und auch der Teich hat Fortschritte gemacht. Insgesamt 2000 Euro
seien im letzten halben Jahr in diese Anlagen aus eigenem Geld geflossen, so
Müller.
Der Verein
kooperiert unter anderem mit der Tiernotaufnahme Bad Dürrenberg. Und bleibt
flexibel genug, um im Notfall zu improvisieren. So baute die Truppe für Paul,
einen 14 Jahre alten Grünen Leguan, innerhalb eines Tages ein eigenes
Terrarium. Der Besitzer hatte angerufen, dass im Haus der Strom abgestellt
werden soll und so zog auch Paul als letzter Bewohner um – nach Markranstädt.
Unterstützt wird die Vereinigung auch von der Rattennothilfe Leipzig. Je nach
Platzlage nimmt die Station Ratten auf. Dass ihr Schützling aber im Maul einer
Schlange landet, müssen Tierfreunde nicht befürchten. „Wir haben eine eigene
Futtertierzucht“, versichert Müller.
Zu erreichen
ist die Reptilien- und Kleintiernotaufnahme in Notfällen nicht länger über die
ehemalige Hotline 0177 7436766, sondern entweder über Mandy Müller, Telefon
0177 8375977, oder Steffen Gärtner, Telefon 0173 998957.
WASHINGTON POST (DC) 02 January 10 DC man
accused of throwing son's pet lizard
Washington
(AP): A District of Columbia man spent a
day in jail this week after police say he threw his son's pet lizard across the
street, fatally injuring the animal.
Nelson Privado
was in jail Wednesday after being arrested for the Oct. 9 incident, which his
family reported to police. Privado is set to appear in court this month.
Privado told The
Washington Post that the lizard tried to bite him and he was afraid. He
says it was his 15-year-old son's pet.
Privado faces
an animal cruelty charge. Police say that carries up to 180 days in jail,
fines, or both if he's convicted.
http://www.examiner.com/a-2398917~DC_man_accused_of_throwing_son_s_pet_lizard.html?
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 31
December 09 Toad Busters fights ban on gassing pests
A group
fighting to keep cane toads out of Western Australia's Kimberley says it is
being stopped from using carbon dioxide to gas the pests because bureaucrats
have told them it is too cruel.
Kimberley Toad
Busters has labelled the Department of Environment and Conservation's (DEC)
refusal to sanction the use of carbon dioxide to kill cane toads as
"ridiculous".
Environment
Minister Donna Farragher recently overrode her department and allowed the
temporary use of carbon dioxide to euthanise the toads, but the DEC says it is
inhumane and will not support it until further tests are done.
Now Toad
Busters is stepping up its campaign to allow the permanent use of carbon
dioxide, a method already used across the border in the Northern Territory.
Toad Busters
spokeswoman Lee Scott-Virtue says if gassing is ruled out that only leaves
freezing or blunt trauma to kill the toads.
"It's
ridiculous to suggest the method of CO2 is inhumane. The toads may very well
suffocate in the end in the bags, but they are unconscious," she said.
"The
thing that worries me the most is that family groups are definitely not going
to want to become involved if we have to bludgeon toads to death.
"I
suspect that it will take a lot of the community energy out of the cane toad
fight if this ridiculous edict goes ahead."
Meanwhile the
group has secured more than $300,000 in government funding to support its fight
against the toads.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/31/2783184.htm?site=news
KÖLNER STADT-ANZEIGER (Germany) 29
December 09 Mildes Wetter weckt die
Wanderlust (Ingo Lang)
Lohmar: Nachts Frost, tagsüber Temperaturen leicht
über dem Gefrierpunkt - da kommen weder Menschen noch Molche auf die Idee, dass
Amphibien auf Wanderschaft gehen. Aber schon in wenigen Wochen könnte mildes
Wetter dazu führen, „dass Kröten, Frösche und Molche aus ihrer Winterstarre
erwachen und sich auf den Weg zu ihren Laichgewässern machen“, mahnen die
Amphibienfreunde Lohmar. Für diese Ehrenamtler beginne also jetzt schon die
Bereitschafts- und Vorbereitungszeit, um schon bald den ersten paarungswilligen
Kröten über die Straße zu helfen, sagt Cäcilia Obermierbach von den Grünen, die
sich seit langem auf diesem Gebiet engagiert.
Einsatzgebiete
der Amphibienfreunde sind die Bundesstraße 484 und die Kreisstraße 49 an
Schloss Auel bei Wahlscheid. Entlang dieser viel befahrenen Chausseen werden -
unterstützt vom Lohmarer Bauhof - Zäune aufgestellt, die den Kröten, Fröschen
und Lurchen den Weg über die Fahrbahn versperren. Diesen Ausflug würden nämlich
viele Tiere mit dem Tod bezahlen. Je wärmer und feuchter es wird, desto
heftiger der Andrang an der Barriere. Das könnten dann schon mal mehr als 100
Amphibien sein, die von den Helfern in Eimern auf die andere Straßenseite
getragen werden müssten, erklärt Obermierbach.
Dabei kämen
die Ehrenamtler ganz schön ins Schwitzen, und in der dunklen Jahreszeit sei ihr
Einsatz auch nicht ganz ungefährlich. Aber die Arbeit mache auch viel Freude.
„Denn wer sich näher mit den einheimischen Amphibien befasst, dem eröffnet sich
eine faszinierende Welt“, wirbt sie um Mitstreiter.
Bei ihren
Wanderungen zwischen Sommer- und Winterquartieren legten die Tiere oft viele
Kilometer zurück. Verhängnisvoll sei es, wenn sie dabei Straßen überqueren
müssten. Denn Frösche, Kröten und Lurche fühlten sich auf temperiertem Asphalt
derart wohl, dass sie sich gern zum Aufwärmen da ausruhten.
Hauptwanderzeit
der Amphibien sind die Wochen von Mitte Februar bis Mitte Mai. Das ist dann
auch die Hochsaison der Helfer. Die Frösche, Kröten und Lurche brächten meist
eine längere Zeit an ihren Paarungsteichen zu, erläutert Obermierbach, weil sie
sich von den Strapazen der Wanderung und des Laichens erholen müssten. Danach
nähmen sie wieder ihre Reise auf, allerdings nicht mehr im Pulk, sondern eher
vereinzelt. Gewandert werde in Amphibienkreisen also ganzjährig.
Der Lebensraum
dieser Tiere sei in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten durch Straßen- und Wohnungsbau
sowie durchs Trockenlegen von Feuchtgebieten immer mehr zerstört worden,
beklagt sie. Aber seit zwei Jahren seien im Raum Lohmar wieder Störche
beobachtet worden, die auf ihrer Durchreise einen Zwischenstopp einlegten. Was
auf ein Anwachsen der Erdkröten-, Grasfrosch-, Berg- und Teichmolchpopulation
hindeuten könnte, die hauptsächlich die Feuchtwiesen rund um Schloss Auel
bevölkern.
http://www.ksta.de/html/artikel/1260194962099.shtml