HERP NEWS
358/2009
THE BEE
(Portland, Oregon) 24 December 09 New
Woodstock resident fascinated by frogs (Merry MacKinnon)
Paying
property taxes is usually not cause for celebration.
But when
27-year-old Laura Guderyahn bought her house in Woodstock recently, and paid
her first property taxes, she was ecstatic.
“I’d been
dreaming for years about owning my first house,” says Guderyahn, who is the
City of Gresham Watershed Restoration Coordinator.
Guderyahn was
also particularly pleased when she heard the “ribbit” of a frog outside her new
home. She says she’s glad that, even in Woodstock, there are frogs nearby.
Having set up
Gresham's amphibian survey program, Guderyahn knows how to look for frogs. In
graduate school she studied malformed frogs, which is why one day in 2007 —
while working by a pond next to Gresham's Butler Creek Elementary School —
Guderyahn realized that something was odd about the way froglets were moving
through the grass next to her feet.
“I could tell
something wasn’t right,” she recalls. “The frogs were struggling to hop through
the grass.”
When she
looked closer, she saw that the young frogs were deformed — encumbered by as
many as ten legs.
She took live
specimens and shipped them off to Pieter Johnson in Colorado, an expert on frog
deformities. He told her they were some of the most malformed frogs he’d ever
seen.
After
dissecting the frogs, Johnson identified trematodes as the immediate cause of
the malformations. According to Guderyahn, Johnson’s research pointed to
run-off legacy fertilizers from old farms, and from lawns, as the likely reason
trematodes — a flatworm parasite — was proliferating in the frog pond . The
run-off created a high level of nutrients in the water, which encouraged algae
growth and trematodes.
This past
spring and summer, Guderyahn was again out searching for malformed frogs, after
being asked to do some follow-up work for Johnson, who himself toured the
Pacific Northwest years ago looking for malformed frogs. In the Portland area,
Johnson discovered such frogs in Tryon Creek, Aloha Pond, and Spy Glass Pond.
“He wanted me
to see if there were still malformed frogs, ten years later,” she explains.
She reported
back to Johnson that two of the three sites still had a high number of
malformed frogs, and the third site in Aloha had no frogs at all.
“Frogs and
amphibians are the ‘canaries in the coal mines’,” she says. “If you’ve got
frogs every year for five years and then they’re gone, you know that something
unusual is going on in the wetland.”
Meanwhile,
Guderyahn is still monitoring the pond at Butler Creek Elementary School.
And she still
doesn’t know where that frog she heard croaking near her new Woodstock home
lives. But she hopes it’s not a bullfrog, which is a pesky invasive that eats
native frogs.
“Do not put
your bullfrog in a pond,” she pleads. “Bring it to me.”
And she
invites anyone who’s interested to join her in a search for local frogs. “If
people know of frog sites in our neighborhood, I’m more than happy to take a
family out and look for frogs,” she says. “That's my idea of a good time.”
If you’re
interested in taking her up on her offer, Laura Guderyahn can be contacted via
e-mail at: lguderyahn@gmail.com.
http://www.thebeenews.com/news/story.php?story_id=126135955497879700
DAILY NEWS
(Durban, S Africa) 24 December 09 Durban's
very own crocodile hunter (Arthi Sanpath)
Durban's own
Crocodile Hunter is making a name for himself as something of a neighbourhood
hero by bravely rescuing reptiles and other creepy crawlies from the homes of
terrified residents.
Found
something slippery in your back garden that you want removed? A water monitor,
perhaps? Or a snake?
Well,
15-year-old Nick Evans is the young man up to the challenge.
The Sherwood
teenager has been rescuing wildlife from neighbourhood backyards since he was a
toddler.
"I first
caught a snake when I was three years old," Nick said proudly.
He often
catches water monitors, and once helped a game ranger grab a rock python in the
Pilanesberg.
The Westville
Boys' High School pupil, who will be in Grade 10 next year, said he was
inspired by television programmes such as The Crocodile Hunter, which taught
him some of the required skills - and gave him much of the bravado.
A big fan of
nature documentaries such as Dangerous Encounters and the Austin Stevens
Adventures - his dream is to qualify as a game ranger and one day host his own
television programme - Nick is finding his services in demand, including from
the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) in Yellowwood Park, which
calls on him to help distressed residents remove snakes from their yards.
His haul over
the years includes night adders, rock monitors and, once, a Mozambican spitting
cobra.
Two weeks ago,
Nick caught his biggest water monitor.
"It was
in the pool and the man lifted it with the pool net and then I grabbed it by
the tail and head and put it in a box," he said.
Evans said the
monitors could be quite aggressive and he had scratches on his arm to prove it.
Water monitors
are generally found along rivers and streams, but Nick believes that the recent
heavy rains could have washed them out of their normal habitat, with some
finding their way into backyards and into swimming pools.
"In the
past few weeks I have been getting many calls from people with the same problem,"
he said.
The creatures
are released into the Palmiet Nature Reserve in Westville, a place he goes to
every weekend to practise his "catching" skills.
http://www.dailynews.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=vn20091224133002485C628255
CAIRNS POST
(Australia) 24 December 09 Palm Cove
resident finds 5m python living in roof
A Palm Cove
man fed up with a 5m python living in his roof says he is going to remove the
monster serpent himself, despite warnings from experts he could end up on the
wrong end of the deal.
Electrician
and ex-footballer Peter Robins says he is fed up with finding snake skin strewn
across his roof, so the 30-year-old says it is time to remove the non-venomous
resident in time for Christmas.
Mr Robins’
only experience with the animals comes from a pet carpet snake he owned around
10 years ago, about three years before he was playing minor grade rugby league
in Brisbane.
"Because
it’s so long it wouldn’t be so hard to drag it out," said Mr Robins, who
has never removed a snake before.
"I don’t
mind snakes; they’re pretty cool.
"As an
electrician I’ve crawled through many roofs before which have been filled with
snakes."
Mr Robins’
girlfriend Amanda Belanger is against the idea, believing the snake keeps the
home’s rat population under control.
Cairns Snake
Removals owner David Walton said solo removals by novice handlers could result
in dozens of bite wounds and a minor "suffocation session".
"They do
bite… I’ve been bitten before and they do it regularly, as long as he doesn’t
mind a few holes in him," Mr Walton said.
"I had
one bite me when I gave him a poke and picked him up and it took eight strikes
at me and left 80 puncture wounds."
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/12/24/84215_local-news.html
CAPE TIMES
(Cape Town, S Africa) 24 December 09 Sssnake
tips for sssummer
As snake
sightings become more common during the summer months authorities urge the
public to call professionals instead of trying to catch the reptiles.
"As
temperatures rise don't be surprised if you see activity on your sidewalks and
driveways, particularly of the slithering variety. Not to worry, though, snakes
can be a home owner's best friends, as long as you remember a few important
tips," a joint press release by the City of Cape Town and Cape of Good
Hope SPCA states. The public announcement urges people to not interfere with
snakes, but rather heed several tips.
"Snakes
are best left alone. Most snakebites occur when a person tries to handle or
corner a snake, prompting the animal to defend itself."
It says people
should not attempt to pick up a snake, as many mimic death: "A decapitated
head of a snake can still bite and deliver venom for up to 30 minutes after
death."
If a snake is
sighted, dogs and cats are to be locked up, and children should leave the area.
"Never
try to hit it with a stick. That will just provoke a snake and force it to try
to defend itself."
The SPCA urges
people to keep a close eye on any snakes encountered to provide accurate
information. "If the snake is found indoors close the door and put a towel
under the doors and windows to prevent it from getting out until the snake
catcher arrives.
"Should
you encounter a snake, steer clear and immediately contact the Disaster Risk
Management Centre on 080 911 HELP (4357) or the SPCA on 021 700 4158 or 083 326
1604 for assistance."
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=vn20091224053046492C230839
GLOBAL TIMES
(Beijing, China) 23 December 09 Turtle
savior
Chen
Fei (left) from Kuerle, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is seen holding the
5,600 yuan ($820) turtle that he paid to rescue from a hotel restaurant where
the 13-kilogram reptile was slated to be turned into a meal in early December.
Chen said he was going to release the 50 centimeters long terrapin in the wild
but because it wouldn’t eat anything he tried to feed it in his home, he feared
for its welfare and donated it to the wild animal protection center of Urumqi
on December 13.
"Though
the turtle is not a protected wild animal, it is the largest one in Urumqi and
the center has prepared a new home for it," center head Lü Jizhou said.
http://life.globaltimes.cn/odd/2009-12/493934.html
SUN SENTINEL
(Fort Lauderdale, Florida) 23 December 09
Lake Worth reptile store owner accused of illegal sale (Erika
Pesantes)
The owner of a
Lake Worth reptile store is accused of illegally selling pythons to an
undercover Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer.
Mark Bavosa,
45, of Boynton Beach, owns Reptiles Plus Inc. He was charged with illegal sale
of a reptile of concern to an unpermitted person and improper caging.
Bavosa at his
store on Tuesday offered a reticulated python and a Burmese python to an
inquiring FWC officer and said those snakes had been dropped off by an owner who
no longer wanted them.
Despite asking
for a permit, which the undercover officer did not show, Bavosa sold the snakes
for $250.
The pythons
have since been released to a permitted captive wildlife facility.
Under an FWC
amnesty program, owners of reptiles of concern such as Nile monitors, green
anacondas and four types of pythons can turn the animals over with no questions
asked to an authorized permit holder. Those species may only be kept as pets
with a proper license.
It is unlawful
to allow one to escape or to release it into the wild
PALM BEACH
POST (Florida) 23 December 09 Boynton
Beach man charged with illegally selling pythons (Julius Whigham II)
Lake
Worth: A Boynton Beach man has been
charged with illegally selling pythons, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission said today.
Mark Bavosa,
owner of Reptiles Plus Inc. in Lake Worth, was charged with two misdemeanors —
the illegal sale of a reptile of concern to a non-permitted person and improper
caging — the FWC said in a release this afternoon.
Bavosa, 45,
also received a warning for failing to keep proper inventory of reptiles of
concern, the release said.
"We take
ROC amnesty seriously," FWC Chairman Rodney Barretto said in the
statement. "The owner of this pet store acted irresponsibly when he failed
to report to the FWC that he accepted these unwanted pets in the first place.
"Then, he
let us down by selling the pythons under the table to an non-permitted
person," Baretto said.
Two store
employees were also issued warnings for selling reptiles of concern to
non-permitted people.
According to
the release, undercover FWC investigators visited the store on Tuesday and
inquired about purchasing pythons. Bavosa told the investigators that two
pythons — a reticulated python and a Burmese python — had been dropped off at
the store and were available for sale.
Bavosa asked
an investigator if he had proper permits to possess a reptile of concern, and
the investigator replied that he did not. Bavosa sold him the pythons anyway
for $250, the release said.
The snakes
were turned over to a permitted captive wildlife facility.
WPMT
(York, Pennsylvania) 23 December 09 Local
Reptile Owners Fighting Proposed Snake Ban (Sarah Arbogast)
York County,
PA: A ban on giant snakes is slithering
through Congress. The bill, introduced by a Florida Senator, is gaining support
among lawmakers. Many reptile owners however are not in favor.
The ban would
include nine giant constrictor snakes, like Burmese pythons, anacondas, and boa
constrictors. It would stop people from being able to import the reptiles, as
well as transfer them from state to state.
Christie
Stoudt of York County has always been interested in reptiles. Her first pet was
a garter snake. She purchased a ball python just two months ago.
"I
researched for 6 months, I bought books, I did information on the computer, I
belong to forums, I talked to breeders," said Stoudt.
Stoudt, who
would eventually like to breed snakes, is concerned about the ban.
"Say you
had to move to another state, you are not allowed to take your snake with you
to another state, your choice would be to euthanize," said Stoudt.
The bill is an
effort to stop snake owners from abandoning the pets. Dr. Randon Feinsod, with
Ani-Care Animal Hospital in York County, is also against the ban, especially in
tough economic times.
"The
reptile industry draws about $3 billion a year, $1 billion of that is
considered to be revenue driven from large snakes," said Dr. Feinsod.
Dr. Feinsod
says breeders often do their best business across state lines, the ban would
prohibit that.
"There
are reptile swap meets, reptile shows, where people go to view the animals, buy
the animals, swap out breeders, things like that can draw people from several
states away," said Dr. Feinsod.
Dr. Feinsod
agrees there should be some regulations. He suggests forcing pet owners to have
permits. He also says implanting microchips in snakes would help.
Dr. Feinsod
and members of various local reptile organizations are sending letters to
several senators on board with the proposal.
The bill is
currently before the Senate.
http://www.fox43.com/news/wpmt-snakeban-dec23-2009,0,4432087.story
CAIRNS POST
(Australia) 23 December 09 Lady
crocodiles desperate for sex (Ben Blomfield)
Far Northern
female crocodiles are experiencing a man drought - with a lack of rain delaying
the breeding season and leaving single salties in a sex-starved limbo.
The
cold-blooded animals rely on rain and hot weather to jolt them out of their
sexual slumber and get them in the mating mood for the three-month romp.
But an
unusually dry and cool start to the wet season has left male crocs happy to
rest and conserve energy until weather warms up - much to the dislike of keen
females.
Mareeba's
Melaleuca Crocodile Farm manager Peter Fisher said some of his prized male
breeders felt too cold and comfortable to be out "chasing girls".
"They
don't want to got out and chase girls, it's a waste of energy," he said.
"These
are cold-blooded animals that need heat to get them going.
"When it
starts to warm up they start chasing each other ... not many of them are going
out and chasing girls at the moment."
Unseasonable
weather patterns have also affected croc sightings, with the last reported
incident in early October in Weipa when a salty lunged at woman at Rocky Point
boat ramp.
Cairns crocs
have finished up with most of their mating as coastal weather allows earlier
consummation but the dry weather has affected nesting with many eggs yet to be
hatched.
Hartley's
Creek Crocodile Adventures wildlife manager David Leyden said colder than usual
weather in Mareeba was affecting mating but said along the coast sexual
patterns were fine.
Salties
overcame the lacklustre conditions in Innisfail with Johnstone River Crocodile
Farm managing droves of successful breeders breaking through the cold weather.
The Innisfail
park has finished up with most of their mating and manager Andrew Young says
around 700 to 800 eggs are currently being incubated.
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/12/23/83995_local-news.html
KATU
(Portland, Oregon) 23 December 09 Company defends frog aquarium from PETA
attack (Dan Tilkin)
Portland,
Ore.: A children’s Christmas gift that’s
flying off store shelves is also drawing criticism from animal rights
activists, and police have also weighed into the controversy.
It’s called
the Frog-O-Sphere – a small aquarium with two aquatic frogs - and it’s marketed
nationally by the Brookstone chain of stores that are in malls across the metro
area.
But the People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shot undercover video at
Brookstone’s supplier that they say shows frogs living in dirty tanks and being
handled poorly.
The company,
Wild Creations in South Carolina, denies the accusations.
“We welcome
the chance to explain our methods and handling methods to anyone who’s willing
to listen,” said Peter Gasca of Wild Creations by phone. “We open our doors to
industry experts; we open them to police – the Myrtle Beach Police Department –
and we let them roam freely.”
In a
statement, Brookstone said: “We recognize there are those who question the
morality of having pets of any kind. We respectfully but forcefully disagree
with that position. We at Brookstone believe strongly that pets, including
frogs in a our Frog-O-Sphere aquaria, when cared for properly, offer a
rewarding experience for all involved.”
South Carolina
police officers said they found nothing that appeared to be cruelty to the
frogs during their inspection of the Wild Creations facility, and a letter from
a veterinarian, who inspected the supplier, said she “was extremely impressed
with the entire operation.”
Area shoppers
were split on the idea of the frog aquariums.
“I’m in favor
of not farming animals, not shipping animals and not containing them,” sat Pat
Nolan.
“They’re going
to get fed and loved and taken care of. [They are] going to live a long time,”
said another shopper who said she didn’t think the Frog-O-Sphere was too small.
“It’s a little frog, how much space does it need?”
http://www.katu.com/news/local/80039527.html
NEW VISION
(Kampala, Uganda) 23 December 09 Crocodile
eats Bugiri fisherman (Moses Bikala)
A 44-year-old
fisherman in Singira village, Sigulu islands, in Bugiri distinct was attacked
by a crocodile as he was bathing in the lake last Sunday night.
Residents said
they heard someone raise an alarm at around 11:30pm.
They later
found the fisherman’s head, shirt, trouser and mobile phone on the shores.
According to
the LC1 chairperson, Badru Magoola, incidents of crocodiles attacking residents
are common during the months of December and January.
Magoola said
residents believe the crocodiles are sent by witchdoctors from Tanzania.
The LC3
chairman, Gilbert Wanyama, said residents of the island had earlier been
cautioned against going to the shores of the lake in the night.
The resident
district commissioner, Margret Mwanamoiza, said over 15 people had been killed
by crocodiles in the district since the beginning of the year.
She appealed
to the Uganda Wildlife Authority to deploy more workers on the ake to help trap
the reptiles.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/17/705181
WRGB
(Alabany, New York) 23 December 09 Alleged
"turtle bombers" to appear in court (Teresa Priolo)
Five men from
Knox, accused of tying explosives to a turtle and blowing it up, are expected
to appear in an Albany County courtroom today.
The incident,
which occurred in September, was uncovered when deputies from the Albany County
Sheriff's Office began looking into Jeffery Robert, Michael Robert, Tyson
Pincher, James Pincher and Seth Pincher on suspicion of internet auction fraud.
Upon further
investigation, they found pipe bombs at the Roberts residence, an illegal
handgun, a sawed-off firearm, illegal chemicals and other bomb making
materials. They also also found a video which depicts the turtle being blown
up.
The men are
expected to appear before Judge Lamont sometime Wednesday morning. They are
currently out on bail, but Judge Lamont could remand them into the Sheriff's
custody.
http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/alleged-1269631-appear-bombers.html
AUSTRALIAN
BROADCASTING CORPORATION 23 December 09 Almost 200 crocs caught in Darwin
(Iskhandar Razak)
Rangers have
removed almost 200 saltwater crocodiles from Darwin waterways this year.
As part of the
crocodile management program in the Northern Territory, 183 of the dangerous
reptiles were taken from the Darwin region and 13 from other parts of the Top
End, making a total of 196.
"This is
slightly more than last year's tally of 190 crocodiles but is well short of the
record 274 crocodiles removed in 2004," the Director of Conservation and
Wildlife, Brett Easton, said.
Under the
management plan, saltwater crocs can be caught by trapping or harpooning by the
Parks and Wildlife Service.
They are then
transferred to crocodile farms or destroyed.
The largest
croc removed in the Top End this year was a 4.9 metre male from the Borroloola
region - one of five taken from the area in 2009.
The biggest
one taken from the Darwin region was the 4.7 metre creature found in the popular
swimming spot of Berry Springs in October.
Luckily the
springs had been closed several weeks earlier due to high levels of E.coli and
enterococci.
Four crocs
were removed from the Flora River, three from the Katherine River and one from
the Roper River near Ngukkur.
Heavy rains
and flooding during the wet season mean crocodiles can travel to unusual
places, Mr Easton said.
"Saltwater
crocodiles have been turning up in drains around Darwin's northern suburbs and
the Palmerston area and have also been known to get into swimming pools and
dams," he said.
"We urge
everyone to be extremely cautious around all waterways and to heed safety
signs."
Two
Territorians, including a young girl near Darwin, were killed in croc attacks
earlier this year.
More than
70,000 saltwater crocodiles are believed to inhabit Top End waterways.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/23/2779317.htm
THE MERCURY
(Durban, S Africa) 23 December 09 'We
don't want to create panic' (Tony
Carnie)
Ethekwini
metro officials think there may be more than one crocodile on the loose in the
Umgeni River near Durban and are working with reptile experts to set up traps
and warning signs before anyone is injured.
This follows
another sighting of a crocodile almost 2m long at the weekend, about 200m below
the N2 freeway bridge.
Officials said
there was no need for panic as no one had been injured. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
spokesman Jeff Gaisford said a crocodile of that size was unlikely to attack
adults, but he advised parents to keep their children out of the water.
The latest
sighting was made around 10am on Sunday by canoeists practising for the Dusi
Canoe Marathon.
Kingfisher
Canoe Club members Willem Deyzel and Roy Swingewood spotted the crocodile on a
sandbank between the N2 bridge and the Connaught bridge.
"The
crocodile was about 2m long and didn't move when it saw us. It seemed quite
comfortable until Roy and I paddled in closer to take a photograph with my
cellphone. Then it went into the water and just swam around very slowly,
looking at us with its eyes just above the water," said Deyzel.
Reservoir
Hills farmer Nivash Dhookran reported seeing a similar-sized croc further
upstream last month and also produced photographs taken with a cellphone.
Sibusiso
Mkhwanazi, conservation manager of the eThekwini Parks Department, said one of
his staff, Thami Kunene, spotted a small crocodile close to Blue Lagoon a few
days ago. It was next to the bridge near the Beachwood Mangroves.
"We don't
want to create a panic, but we have had a meeting to discuss a plan which will
involve our department, Ezemvelo and experts from Crocworld and Croc Creek.
"The
challenge we face is that they seem to be moving up and down the river, with
sightings over a wide area from Reservoir Hills in the north to Blue Lagoon
near the (river) mouth. We are not sure how many there are, but we think there
may be more than one."
"Looking
at the sizes reported, we can't say they are a danger, but people could
certainly be nipped. We really don't know where they might have come from, so
their origin is still speculation."
However,
Gaisford said, there had been sightings of small crocodiles in the upper
reaches of the Umgeni near Albert Falls Dam over the past few years.
"They
could be escapees from crocodile farms near Assagay or Wartburg... They are
also capable of crossing fairly long stretches of dry land.
"A croc
of that size (2m) is highly unlikely to attack an adult human being unless
provoked. It is only once they reach 3m to 5m and more that they become a real
problem... Kids must stay out of the water and even adults should steer clear
of it. We are taking it seriously."
Gaisford had
contacted experts at the Croc Centre at Lake St Lucia about the best way to
locate and trap the animals.
"Rather
than destroy a crocodile, we would try to trap it, because it is not a nuisance
yet."
Instead of
setting up cages, a better method was to use a baited, leaf-spring trap
attached to a strap, which catches the reptile around the waist.
The strap
noose is placed partly under water while the rest of the trap and trigger
mechanism is disguised with reeds and other vegetation.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=vn20091223071533212C882405
INDIAN EXPRESS
(New Delhi, India) 23 December 09 Months
after attack by villagers, crocodile succumbs to injuries (Hitarthpandya)
A crocodile,
which was examined by veterinary experts from the Anand College of Veterinary
Science and the Animal Husbandry last week, died on Tuesday following acute
infection. The postmortem report is, however, awaited.
According to
Vishal Thakur of the K9 Group, a non-government organisation, the crocodile
died of infection, which had spread in its body.
On October 14,
the volunteers, along with the Forest department staff, had rescued the
crocodile from Alva village after the villagers attacked it with sharp weapons.
The crocodile
sustained severe injuries in its eyes, forehead and the backbone.
Though the
volunteers finally did take the crocodile to the polyclinic regularly, it was
only last week that veterinarians from Anand college examined it during a
eye-camp for pets.
“When we went
to the nursery around 7.30 am today, the reptile was already dead. When we
contacted the officials of the veterinary polyclinic, we were advised to take
it to Anand college for the benefit of the student community,” said Thakur.
He added:
“According to the doctors, the infection had spread in almost every part of the
reptile’s body. They also noticed ulcer in its lungs and liver. A comprehensive
postmortem report containing the cause of the death will be handed over to the
Forest department on Tuesday.”
Veterinary
experts at Anand college said though the wound seemed to have healed from the
outside , the infection must have spread within.
“We had hoped
a fast recovery and were eager to release the reptile in its original habitat
but unfortunately it could not survive. We would like to pass on a message to
the people that it is high time to wake up and protect these reptiles which are
the unique identity of our city,” Thakur told The Indian Express.
HONOLULU
ADVERTISER (Hawaii) 23 December 09 6-foot boa constrictor caught - Big Island
resident finds reptile in his garage, calls police
A snake
measuring about 6 feet was in a Big Island neighborhood on Friday, the state
Department of Agriculture announced.
A Kea'au
resident called Hawaii County police at about 2:15 p.m. and reported that there
was a snake in his garage. Police and the Hawai'i Island Human Society captured
the reptile and the Department of Land and Natural Resources took it to the
Hilo office of the Agriculture Department.
The snake was
sent to the plant quarantine branch in Honolulu, where it was identified as a
boa constrictor.
Boa
constrictors are nonvenomous and are native to Central and South America. They
can grow up to 12 feet long and eat small mammals such as mice and rats.
Snakes have no
natural predators in Hawai'i and pose a serious threat to the environment. Many
species also prey on birds and their eggs, increasing the threat to endangered
native birds. Large snakes can also be a danger to the public and small pets.
People who
have illegal animals can turn them in under the state's amnesty program, which
provides immunity from prosecution. Illegal animals can also be turned in at
any Agriculture Department office, the Honolulu Zoo or any Humane Society
facility with no questions asked or fines assessed.
Anyone with
information on illegal animals may call the Pest Hotline at 643-7378.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091223/NEWS06/912230344/-1/localnewsfront
KHNL
(Honolulu, Hawaii) 23 December 09 Large
snake discovered on Hawaii island
Keaau: A surprise on the Big Island - a homeowner
comes home to find a boa constrictor camped out in the corner of his garage.
It's the
largest snake caught in Hawaii in at least five years. The boa measures a
whopping six feet.
A Keaau
resident called Big Island police on Friday saying he found the boa constrictor
in his garage.
Officers and
the Hawaii Island Humane Society caught it.
On Monday, the
snake flew to Honolulu where it is now under quarantine at the Department of
Agriculture's animal facility.
Boas aren't
venomous, but could pose a threat to Hawaii's environment.
"They
pose a problem to native species. They'll eat small mammals. They can consume
birds as well," said Domingo Cravalho, Inspector and Compliance Chief with
the Department of Agriculture.
That's why the
state encourages people to turn them in, no penalties, no questions asked.
"That's
the problem with these types of animals, they're very cryptic, very hard to see
in the wild, so it's best that if people have them in their possession, they
should really think about turning it in," said Cravalho.
The boa, is
the second snake turned in this year.
Because of its
size, Cravalho says it may have been a pet.
Someone either
let it go, or the boa may have escaped.
For now, this
reptile will stay in quarantine where the state keeps other confiscated illegal
animals, including a piranha and tarantulas.
The Department
of Agriculture will take it to the Honolulu Zoo to find out if its a boy or
girl.
If it's a boy,
it may issue the zoo a permit to let it stay there, if the zoo wants it.
If it's a girl
-
"Eventually
ship it out to a clearinghouse on the mainland where the animal wouldn't suffer
or be put down," said Cravalho.
That's because
the zoo already has two male snakes, so the state doesn't want to risk
reproduction.
Anyone caught
possessing an illegal animal, can face a $200,000 fine and three years in
prison.
To avoid that,
you can turn them in by calling the PEST HOTLINE at 643-PEST.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=11718466
HERALD-TRIBUNE
(Sarasota, Florida) 23 December 09 Trial
set over gohper tortoises (Kate Spinner)
Charlotte
County: A Gasparilla Island property
owner is scheduled for trial in February on 12 felony counts of killing or
wounding gopher tortoises, a Florida threatened species.
Hesam Oddin
Mirani was arrested by state officers in June on charges that he destroyed 12
gopher tortoise burrows on a vacant Gasparilla Island lot he bought in 2005 for
$512,500.
Samantha
Syoen, communications director for the State Attorney's Office in Fort Myers,
which is prosecuting the case, said Mirani wanted to built a home, but the
property allegedly had tortoise burrows.
"Then
they were no longer there, and that's the basis of the case," Syoen said.
The case is
set for a jury trial in Punta Gorda on Feb. 1. The maximum sentence for
conviction on the charges is 60 years in prison, Syoen said.
Mirani was
released on $30,000 bail, according to records with the Charlotte County Clerk
of Court.
Fort Myers
attorney Charles Harris is representing Mirani, who entered a written plea of
not guilty in June. Harris did not return messages left at his office.
Mirani, a
former engineer for Parsons Brinckerhoff and owner of a business called Mirtek
Engineering & Development Corp. with postal boxes in Orlando and Boca
Grande, could not be reached.
"We
believe there is an egregious issue here, which is why we've taken this to the
State Attorney's Office," said Gary Morse, a spokesman for the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Gopher
tortoises are protected as a threatened species under state laws. Their burrows
provide habitat for a number of other imperilled species, including the gopher
mouse and the indigo snake.
"They're
a keystone species, and they're extremely important in the environment of
Florida," Morse said.
For years,
some Florida counties allowed developers to bury the tortoises alive for a fee.
The state outlawed that practice in 2007. Property owners are now required to
keep the tortoises on their property or relocate them to a suitable site.
Mirani's
alleged offense occurred in 2008, Syoen said. She said the commission asked for
a warrant to arrest Mirani last year. He turned himself in in Orlando, Syoen
said.
Neither the
commission nor the State Attorney's Office would release further information.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20091223/ARTICLE/912231025/-1/NEWSSITEMAP
INDIAN EXPRESS
(New Delhi, India) 23 December 09 Sensing
trouble
To dream of a
snake is generally perceived to be a warning against betrayal or danger
It is believed
that snakes are generous, charming and appealing. According to mythology snakes
symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva. The three curls around the neck of
Lord portend past, present and future. Generally, snakes are a symbol of horror
in real life. Of all the animal dreams, the snake is probably the most common,
substantial and complex. It symbolizes instincts and an unconscious state of
mind, nevertheless possessing an almost supernatural and unique wisdom. To
dream of a snake is generally perceived to be a warning against betrayal or
danger. Often believed to be a sign of treachery and evil, they also signify
new beginnings and strength. They suggest us to be cautious of silent danger or
enemy which may take us by surprise giving little time to recuperate. It is the
most common example of creatures which terrify us in our awaken state also.
Therefore, their dreams generate concern and curiosity in our minds. At times,
they also hint at transformation or the need for it. Snake is a reptile which
implies various meanings to a dream which are vital in our life. Their accurate
analysis therefore becomes necessary.
If you dream
of:
a snake
basking under the sun, it implies that outside forces are governing your life.
a snake
shedding its skin, it indicates that it is the time for fresh beginnings in
your life for good.
a mass of
snakes, it denotes you coming to terms with regret over the wrong decisions
taken in your life.
killing a
snake, it is a sign of victory over enemies.
a snake
coiling around you in its grip, it indicates control of your enemies over you
or a warning of harm to your health.
a snake being
efficiently controlled by a friend, it signifies your friend’s protectiveness
for you.
stepping over
a snake, it means that you may face a narrow escape in an accident.
a snake biting
your friend, it implies that you may intentionally or unintentionally hurt your
friend.
a small snake
or child playing with a snake, it is a warning against trusting a hypocrite.
a brief flash
of a snake, it is a warning against deceit or conspiracy being plotted against
you or a close one being ignorant towards your feelings.
two snakes
intertwined with each other, it means overcoming of any loss or pain with the
help of a loved one.
a dead snake
coming back to life, it indicates discord between relatives.
different
kinds of snake, it signifies that your love and affection will not be required
by the person you desire especially in case of a woman.
Astro-Advice
To Mitigate Ill-Effects
Offer milk on
Shivlingham.
Recite the
mantra for 108 times: Aum Nameh Shivaye
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sensing-trouble/558098/
AUSTRALIAN
BROADCASTING CORPORATION 23 December 09 Search on for frog poison shamans
(AFP) A search is underway in Chile for two shamans
who performed a ritual using poison extracted from an Amazonian frog that left
one "patient" dead.
The healers -
Chilean Carlos Molina and Brazilian Edson do Santos Katukina - conducted a
massive healing ritual on Friday during which participant Daniel Lara died
shortly after being inoculated with a substance known as kambo, a venom
secreted by a small Amazonian tree frog.
The substance,
which tribes use in healing rituals, was applied to treat a spinal disc
ailment.
The incident
took place in the town of Pichidegua, 150 kilometres south of the capital
Santiago.
"The
examination revealed that the deceased had a severely enlarged heart, pulmonary
oedema and liver dysfunction, but drug tests will be necessary to determine if
the poison accelerated these pathologies," prosecutor Aquiles Cubillos
said.
Police
investigators issued a border alert to prevent the accused shamans from leaving
the country.
Shamans are
part of a tradition rooted in the indigenous communities of Africa, the
Americas, Asia and Oceania who are credited with wisdom, the ability to heal
through rituals and communicate with spirits.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/23/2779342.htm
NEWS SHOPPER
(Petts Wood, UK) 23 December 09 Pond
in Jubilee Country Park to be home for newts
If you take a
walk through Jubilee Country Park today, you may come across a large hole in
the ground.
A pond in the
park off Blackbrook Lane, Petts Wood, has been restored in order to provide a
home for the site’s population of great crested newts.
It has been
dug out and lined with a pond liner to prevent it from drying out in the summer
and is now being left to fill up naturally.
The project
work included removing silt and tree roots, reducing scrub at the pond’s edge
and landscaping the pond bed.
Fencing has
also been put up to protect the new pond from dogs.
Volunteers
from the Friends of Jubilee Country Park have helped to provide additional
habitats for other amphibians by creating log piles.
The pond will
be called Ray’s Pond in memory of Ray Millard, a former member of the friends.
Funds for the
project have come from Bromley Council and the Veolia Environmental Trust
(VET), which was awarded a £4,500 grant through the Government’s Landfill
Communities Fund.
VET executive
director Margaret Cobbold said: “The trust supports community and environmental
projects across the UK.
“We are
pleased to be supporting this one, with its objective of creating a habitat
where one of our most important species can live and thrive.
“I look
forward to seeing the completed pond.”
Site manager
for the council Jenny Price said: “Ponds of all sizes are a fantastic resource
for wildlife.
“They can
contain as many as 1,000 different species.
“Come and
visit the new pond in the spring to see how many you can spot.”
Once the pond
has filled, plants will be put in and final works will take place in order to
be ready for a launch day in the spring.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/4814506.ENVIRONMENT__Home_dug_for_greater_crested_newts/
ASBURY PARK
PRESS (New Jersey) 23 December 09
Welcome ruling on pine snakes
The northern
pine snake will remain on the state's threatened species list, thanks to a
decision this week by the state Department of Environmental Protection to
reject a New Jersey Builders Association petition to have the snake removed
from it.
The pine snake
has caused problems for developers in the past. In 2006, the DEP rejected plans
for a Walmart in Manchester because a pine snake was found on the property. And
in the past few years, sightings of the snake have held up projects in
Stafford, Jackson and elsewhere.
Nevertheless,
the decision to leave the reptile on the threatened species list was proper.
While pine snakes are found throughout the southeastern United States, the Pine
Barrens is home to a particularly isolated population of them.
The pine snake
has a distinctive black-and-white pattern on its scaly hide, but the issue is
not always black and white. Too often, disagreements over protected species are
seen as pitched battles between loopy tree-huggers and greedy, rapacious
developers.
That sort of
caricature does little to further rational discussion, which should be based on
good science and common sense. The focus should be on seeking to balance
ecological stability with an atmosphere for development unencumbered by so much
red tape that growth in New Jersey becomes an endangered species.
The builders
had wanted the DEP to conduct a comprehensive pine snake population survey. But
the DEP maintained that the habitat modeling it employed was a scientifically
justified alternative for counting snakes and one used by other wildlife
agencies that monitor pine snakes.
DEP officials
also said they sought the advice of independent researchers and academics. Once
again, the question is how to strike a balance between good science and
bureaucratic nightmares. After Gov.-elect Chris Christie gets the state's
budget under control, he may want to satisfy himself that the proper balance
has been struck.
There are good
reasons to do what can be done to preserve threatened species, chief among them
the importance of biological diversity and maintaining an ecological balance.
Pine snakes do what most snakes do to help the environment: They eat rodents
and insects, and they are food for raccoons, opossums, coyotes, other snakes,
hawks and owls.
Open space
purchases have saved up to 60 percent of the northern pine snake's habitat in
New Jersey. And its listing as a protected species grants it certain legal
protections. But it is subject to other threats. Remaining habitat is being
developed, and pine snakes even in protected areas are being lost to road kill,
poaching and loss of breeding dens.
Given the
facts, this particular pinelands snake deserves protection as a threatened
species.
http://www.app.com/article/20091223/OPINION01/912240314/1029/OPINION
STAR-TELEGRAM
(Fort Worth, Texas) 22 December 09 Facility
where animals were seized should be demolished, witness says (Susan
Schrock)
Arlington: A health specialist testified Tuesday that
U.S. Global Exports is so contaminated by pests, parasites and illness-causing
pathogens that it should be demolished or completely gutted and sterilized
before housing animals again.
Clifford
Warwick, a reptile and public health specialist from England, was one of
several experts brought in to help Arlington Animal Services assess the health
of more than 26,000 animals removed last week from the Internet-based exotic
animal dealer. The north Arlington company is accused by the city of inhumanely
housing animals and denying them food, water and medical care.
During an
ongoing administrative hearing to determine whether the owners should regain
custody of the seized animals, Warwick testified about the unsanitary
conditions he saw during the Dec. 15 raid that have the potential to spread
fatal diseases not only to animals but to humans. Warwick cited cages and
floors covered in animal feces and vomit from sick animals, a roach infestation
and hundreds of uncaged animals roaming freely about.
"It’s my
firm view as a health specialist these animals could not be returned to that
facility," Warwick said. "It is a rampant reservoir of potential
infection."
Warwick said
he found no evidence of disease control at the business, which he said reeked
"of death and decay on a mammoth and overwhelming scale" the day of
the raid.
U.S. Global
Exotics’ owners, Jasen and Vanessa Shaw, have not attended the custody hearing,
which has lasted three days so far and will continue Monday.
Lance Evans,
an attorney representing the pet dealer, said the animal cruelty allegations
were drummed up by PETA. Arlington authorities were tipped to conditions at
U.S. Global Exotics by Howard Goldman, an employee who was working undercover
for the animal rights group.
"PETA is
an organization with a stated goal to end the commercial sale of exotic
animals. PETA has at least temporarily achieved that goal in regard to U.S.
Global," Evans told the Star-Telegram.
Evans said the
Shaws will determine their next legal move after Arlington Municipal Judge
Michael Smith determines custody of the animals. The seized animals, which are
being cared for at an undisclosed location by animal welfare organizations, are
valued between $150,000 and $200,000, Evans said.
On Wednesday,
Goldman testified that he applied for a job at U.S. Global at PETA’s request
and was paid $135 a day by the animal rights group for documenting and
reporting conditions there.
Some of
Goldman’s videos secretly taken during his seven months of employment were
shown in court on Wednesday, including footage of an employee violently shaking
a plastic soda bottle up and down to get tree frogs out of the bottle’s narrow
opening.
The tree frogs
were shipped to the company in the plastic bottles and kept stored in them for
weeks at a time without food and water until they were sold, Goldman testified.
Evans has
argued that the containers animals were shipped and stored in met industry
standards and served only as temporary housing.
Goldman also
testified about other incidents he witnessed at the company, such as sick
animals being placed in a freezer to die instead of being taken to a vet to be
humanely euthanized.
http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1849165.html
AUSTRALIAN
BROADCASTING CORPORATION 22 December 09 Solomon Islands crocodile worry
Crocodiles
have now become numerous in Solomon Islands and are a constant threat to human
lives in many parts of the country. The frequency of people being attacked or
killed by the salt-water crocodiles is becoming a concern. There are also
concerns that the normal livelihood of coastal dwellers in Solomon Islands has
been disturbed because of this threat.
The population
of crocodiles in Solomon Islands started to increase after the trade in
crocodile skin is banned in the country in the 1980s. And the situation had
gotten worse after the country has become gun-free since the deployment of the
Regional Assistance Mission in 2003.
RAMSI police
personnel are the only ones now allowed to have firearms in Solomon Islands -
and can shoot crocodiles that are a threat to humans. The latest victim of
crocodile attacks in the country was seven year old by who was killed last week
in the Vonavona lagoon in the Western Province.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200912/s2778775.htm
HERALD SUN
(Melbourne, Australia) 22 December 09 Cranky
Santa crocodile snaps at festive sentiment (Peter Michael)
Santa Claus, a
monster 4m-plus crocodile, has been a little snappy in the build-up to
Christmas this year.
So there has
been an effort to bring some festive cheer to the less than jolly old fellow.
"(He) has
to be the most dangerous Christmas decoration job on Earth," Doug Leoni,
of Johnstone River crocodile farm in Innisfail, said yesterday.
"He
hasn't eaten for four months and has been as grumpy as hell."
Two of Santa's
brave helpers were delegated to add some sparkle to his home as part of a kids'
charity day with the Endeavour Foundation this week.
"The kids
brought in the decorations and told the helpers where to put it," said Mr
Leoni.
"But it
took one handler to lure Santa, so the other could safely hang up the tinsel.
"We need
him to cheer up so he can start mating and eating."
Santa Claus
was named after he was caught terrorising a Tully River boat ramp on Christmas
Day 10 years ago.
His enclosure
is festooned with decorations and even a shiny green Christmas tree despite
fears the 50-odd-year-old male might eat it.
His Christmas
has also come early with the introduction of a breeding female croc yesterday.
MANLY DAILY
(Australia) 22 December 09 Cane toad
a `gift’ we don’t want (John Morcombe)
Another cane
toad has been found on the northern beaches the second in six weeks.
North
Narrabeen resident Lee Gardner found the unwanted visitor in her Narroy Rd
backyard early yesterday morning and managed to trap it and put it in a fish
bowl.
It was
collected by a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger late yesterday and
euthanised.
Just last
month a cane toad was found near bins in Foamcrest Ave at Newport, prompting
calls from the NPWS for greater community awareness and vigilance against the
environmental threat that they pose.
The NPWS is
asking all residents returning from the north coast or Queensland to check that
no cane toads have hitch-hiked to Sydney under their cars or trailers.
The toad’s
toxin is lethal to native animals and they compete for food with bandicoots,
owls and local frogs.
While handling
the toads poses little threat to humans, the milky toxin they secrete when they
are stressed can be lethal if ingested.
The cane toad
found by Mrs Gardner is the fourth in this area in the past decade.
The NPWS says
cane toads are occasionally found in produce trucks carrying fruit and
vegetables from Queensland or the north coast of NSW.
So far cane
toads have spread as far south as Port Macquarie but their distribution is
continuing and could reach Sydney, where the NPWS believes they could adapt to
survive a Sydney winter.
Each female
cane toad can lay as many as 35,000 eggs at a time and produce two clutches a
year, leading to a population explosion. Despite the cane toads’ reputation as
an environmental disaster, Mrs Gardner said the toad has “quite beautiful
colours”.
But despite
being an avowed animal lover, she couldn’t quite bring herself to pick it up
with her bare hands.
“I rescued a
baby possum near our pool about 11pm and went out to check it at 1am,” she
said.
“That’s when I
saw the toad, although I thought it was a frog at first but it was so big - it
was the size of a man’s hand.
“As soon as I
saw the colour and thickness of its skin I realised it was a cane toad.
“I love any
creature and it’s sad it has to be put down but I understand why. It makes you
wonder how many more are out there.”
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/gift-we-don-t-want/
ASBURY PARK
PRESS (New Jersey) 22 December 09
Builders object, but pine snake still a protected species - New
assessment finds Pine Barrens natives facing challenges (Kirk Moore)
Open space
purchases have saved up to 60 percent of the northern pine snake's habitat in
New Jersey, but because of other threats the Pine Barrens native should remain
a protected species, according to a state agency.
The remaining
habitat is being developed, and pine snakes even in protected areas are being
lost to road kill, poaching and loss of breeding dens, the state Department of
Environmental Protection said this week.
DEP wildlife
experts completed a new assessment of the pine snake days before the agency
rejected a petition from the New Jersey Builders Association to have the
reptile removed from the threatened and endangered species list.
Generally,
species on the list enjoy certain legal protections, such as preservation of
habitats. The pine snake is considered a threatened species, defined by the DEP
as possibly becoming in danger of extinction if conditions surrounding it begin
to or continue to deteriorate. Endangered species are defined as those whose
prospects for survival in New Jersey are in immediate danger.
"Our
analysis shows that within New Jersey a wide range of threats exist, and many
of these threats are increasing," wrote authors of the new DEP pine snake
assessment, undertaken in response to the builders' challenge.
Builders
association representatives declined to comment.
Environmental
groups opposed the petition, and had worried about its prospects under both the
Corzine administration and incoming Gov.-elect Chris Christie, when the DEP in
October extended its time period for considering the request.
The period was
extended, in part, so the assessment could be prepared, according to DEP
documents. Part of that work included a survey of other states — the closest
pine snake population outside New Jersey is 400 miles south in North Carolina —
and all except South Carolina reported declines.
"It
should be a threatened species. There's a combination of impacts," said
Robert T. Zappalorti, executive director and founder of Herpetological
Associates, an environmental consulting firm in Jackson that for more than 30
years has done work for landowners and government agencies in the Pine Barrens.
"We don't
have any evidence the pine snakes are increasing," said professor Joanna
Burger, a wildlife science expert at Rutgers University.
The builders
made a point that Pinelands regulations strictly control development on nearly
a million acres in the heart of the snakes' home turf, effectively maintaining
a refuge for the reptiles. But long-term changes to the Pinelands landscape
means there's less suitable breeding habitat for the snakes, Burger said.
"Female
pine snakes require relatively open areas to build their nests," Burger
said. "It's the sun that's incubating the eggs."
For much of
their history, frequent wildfires kept the forest floor open to sunlight, but
now "we suppress fires so they don't have the same open areas" after
scrub oak and brush fills in, she said.
One reason New
Jersey is the northern limit for pine snakes is the limited time that
hatchlings have to leave the nest, feed and grow, and then go in search of
winter dens, Burger said.
"Pine
snakes have a very big range, and sometimes that takes them across roads,"
said Zappalorti, who did pioneering radio tracking studies of pine snakes in
the 1980s to map their feeding and breeding habits in Ocean County. "Even
if they are only crossing sand roads, there are so many people running around
out there on trucks and quads and dirt bikes that they get run over."
Methodology
debated
The Builders
Association petition filed six months ago questioned how pine snakes could be
considered threatened without a comprehensive population survey and criticized
the DEP's periodic reviews of species status for not seeking out more outside
expertise.
In its
response, the agency maintains that habitat modeling is a scientifically
justified proxy for counting snakes and one used by other wildlife agencies
that monitor pine snakes.
DEP officials
also defend their reviews of species status over the years, saying they have
sought the advice of independent researchers and academics. While some of those
reviewers were not pine snake specialists, they were familiar with reptiles and
principles of wildlife conservation biology, the agency said.
The DEP
acknowledged snakes are protected by Pinelands rules, but even there they are
subject to depredations from a growing human population, including illegal
collecting for sale to reptile enthusiasts.
"They
have a really lovely black and white pattern. . . . Hobbyists who collect
snakes really want New Jersey pine snakes," Burger said. "Bob
(Zappalorti) and I have found a lot of nests raided over the years. The
pressure is greater on gravid (egg-bearing) females.
"Just
because it's in protected areas doesn't mean it's protected," she added.
"So the remaing areas become much more important."
PUNE MIRROR
(India) 22 December 09 Turtle neck
saved (Manoj Bidkar)
The turtle
which was rescued by activists may be the Black Softshell turtle. It is a
species of freshwater turtles found exclusively in India Wildlife activists
again came to the rescue of a rare species of animal on Sunday.
Animal
activists averted a plan to sell a schedule I turtle to tantriks for a whopping
sum of Rs 60 lakh. The seized animal was later handed over to the forest
department.
Members of the
Wild Animals and Snake Protection Society (WASPS) got a tip-off about a week
ago about the possible sale of a turtle from some unidentified persons.
Santosh
Kharat, president of WASPS told Pune Mirror, “We went to Nasrapur, in the divison Velhe, about 75 kms from Pune
to look out for the men. We constantly visited the place for three days but
without success. Before leaving for the village, we called the forest officials
who promised us help.”
The team
trapped the dealers on fourth day, Dec 13 at 7 pm with the help of Ravi Lohire,
who is a resident of village. There was a scuffle between the three men who had
come there to sell and buy the turtle. In the scuffle, Harish Jawale and
Santosh Kalaje got injured.
However, the
four-member team managed to seize the turtle from the three men, who ran away
fearing police action.
“We learned
that two of the men were ready to pay Rs 60 lakh for that turtle. We tried to
contact forest officials and the police but there was no mobile reception,”
Thorat said.
The turtle
happens to resemble the Black Softshell Turtle (nilssonia nigricans) but none
of the activists could name the exact species. This turtle is almost extinct in
the wild and according to Thorat, it is included in schedule I list of
endangered species.
Dilip Bhurke,
forest range officer, Pune said, “These turtles are used by tantriks and are
coveted by superstitious people. They believe that the turtles bring money and
hence are ready to pay any amount. The activists rescued the animal and
contacted me. Once the turtle is in my custody, I will contact Bhor police to
investigate further.”
RADIO NEW
ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL (Wellington) 22 December 09 Police in Solomon Islands cull 15 more
crocodiles
The
Participating Police force and RAMSI have culled 15 more crocodiles in the
Solomon Islands after killing one that’s believed to have taken the life of a
seven year old.
The team was
deployed after the boy, who was swimming in Vonavona Lagoon in the Western
Province last week was dragged away.
A spokeswoman
for the PPF, Amanda Hardy says the officers remain in the area under the
instruction of village chiefs in case there are sightings of other crocodiles.
“There is a
population problem with crocodiles in the area and that they have been
encroaching on parts where the villages are. So what they decided to do was to
go out yesterday afternoon and look for more crocodiles. And they dispatched
seven crocodiles during the afternoon and a further eight crocodiles through
spotlighting last night.”.
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=51098
RADIO NEW
ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL (Wellington) 22 December 09 Crocodile harvesting suggested in Solomons
after boy killed
A Solomon
Islands environmentalist says controlled harvesting and selling of crocodile
products may help control the country’s problem with the reptiles.
The suggestion
comes after last week’s fatal crocodile attack on a seven-year-old boy who was
swimming in a lagoon on Vonavona Island in Western Province.
An
environmentalist from the Environmental Concerns Action Network, Dr Morgan
Wairiu, says people have been unable to defend themselves against the reptiles
because of the disarmament seven years ago to curb lawlessness.
He says the
crocodile population has been growing and the government must initiate a plan
to control the numbers.
“Maybe lifting
the ban on the export of crocodiles again so that some can be harvested and be
put into the crocodile export trade again so that they can control the
increasing population of the crocodiles in the country.”
Dr Morgan
Wairiu believes the system could work if it’s managed properly or there’s a
quota for the number of crocodiles killed for trade purposes.
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=51081
LA NACIÓN
(Asunción, Paraguay) 22 December 09 Chile:
buscan a chamanes por muerte de paciente que recibió veneno de rana
Santiago
(AFP): Los curanderos Carlos Molina,
chileno, y Edson do Santos Katukina, brasileño, realizaron el último viernes un
ritual de sanación masivo en el que participó Daniel Lara, quien falleció poco
después de que le inocularan una sustancia conocida como Kambo, veneno que secreta
una pequeña rana amazónica.
Según informó
la prensa local, la sustancia, que se usa en rituales de sanación de la tribu
Katukina de donde proviene Edson, fue aplicada a Lara para tratarle una
dolencia en los discos de la columna. Minutos después, el paciente falleció.
El hecho se
produjo en la localidad de Pichidegua (150 km al sur de Santiago), en la región
Libertador Bernardo O`Higgins.
"El
examen reveló que el fallecido presentaba una severa dilatación del corazón,
edema pulmonar y disfunción hepática, pero habrá que esperar el examen
toxicológico para determinar si el veneno aplicado aceleró estas patologías de
base", dijo a la prensa el fiscal Aquiles Cubillos.
La Policía de
Investigaciones emitió una alerta fronteriza para evitar que los chamanes
implicados salgan del país.
El chamán es
un personaje que tiene su origen en las comunidades nativas de África, América,
Asia y Oceanía, a quien se le atribuye sabiduría, capacidad de sanar mediante
rituales y de comunicarse con los espíritus.
http://www.lanacion.com.py/noticias_um-283829.htm
HAMBURGER
ABENDBLATT (Germany) 21 December 09 Siam-Krokodil doch nicht ausgestorben
1992 schienen
die Tage des Siam-Krokodils endgültig gezählt. Die Rote Liste führte das Tier
in der Kategorie "in der Wildnis ausgestorben", dabei lebte das
Reptil einst in ganz Südostasien. Ein Jahrzehnt später gab es plötzlich bessere
Nachrichten: Ein von der kambodschanischen Regierung unterstütztes Team aus
Naturschützern entdeckte einige wild lebende Exemplare. 250 sind derzeit
bekannt, die meisten in der Region der Cardamom-Berge im Süden Kambodschas.
Jetzt gab es
weitere gute Nachrichten: DNA-Tests in einem Zentrum für Wildtiere in der Nähe
der Hauptstadt Phnom Penh zeigten, dass dort weitere reinrassige Siam-Krokodile
leben. Bislang hatten die Wissenschaftler gefürchtet, dass es sich um
Mischformen anderer Krokodile handelt. "Das ist wirklich ermutigend",
sagte Adam Starr von der Umweltschutzgruppe Fauna & Flora International,
der das Erhaltungsprogramm für die Krokodile leitet.
Diese
Resultate erhöhen die Chancen auf das Überleben der Art, die von der
Weltnaturschutz-Union (IUCN) den Status "kritisch bedroht" bekommt.
Es gibt schon Pläne, was mit dem Fund in der Station passieren soll. Starr:
"Sechs Tiere können Brutpaare bilden, 29 lassen sich auswildern."
"Dies könnte sich als eine Rettungsleine für den Langzeit-Erhalt dieser
Art erweisen", heißt es bei Nhek Ratanapech, dem Koordinator des
kambodschanischen Programms zum Erhalt der Krokodile.
Die sechs
Tiere seien ausweislich des DNA-Tests nicht miteinander verwandt - damit drohe
keine Inzucht.
Siam-Krokodile
(Crocodylus siamensis) lebten einst in Laos, Kambodscha, Thailand,
Vietnam und Indonesien. Sie sind in 99 Prozent des ursprünglichen
Verbreitungsgebietes ausgerottet. In den vergangenen 100 Jahren wurden viele
Feuchtgebiete in Reisfelder umgewandelt. Damit verschwand der angestammte
Lebensraum der Echsen.
"Die Art
wurde aus der Landschaft vertrieben - bis auf die Krokodilfarmen." In den
nächsten fünf Jahren soll ein Zuchtprogramm die Zahl der Tiere - in Wildnis und
Gefangenschaft - auf 450 steigern.
Sobald es 500
Exemplare gibt, würde die Art den Status "kritisch bedroht"
verlassen. Ratanapech kündigte an, die Jungen erst mit zwei Jahren
auszuwildern. Dieses Alter erhöhe die Überlebenschancen, wenngleich die
Gefahren noch immer zahlreich seien. Die Reptilien werden mit 15 Jahren
geschlechtsreif.(dpa)
http://www.abendblatt.de/ratgeber/wissen/article1316056/Siam-Krokodil-doch-nicht-ausgestorben.html
DIARIO DE CUYO
(San Juan, Argentina) 21 December 09 Un
argentino encontró un cocodrilo prehistórico en Bolivia
Buenos Aires
(Telam): El Yacarerani boliviensis
(“primer yacaré de Bolivia”, en guaraní) fue descubierto por el paleontólogo
argentino Fernando Novas. El hallazgo confirma que los cocodrilos prehistóricos
fueron mucho más variados y extraños que sus parientes actuales.
El
descubrimiento, efectuado en rocas de unos 80 millones de años aflorantes en la
zona central de Bolivia, fue realizado por Novas en compañía de su esposa
Roxana Lo Coco y del paleontólogo uruguayo Alvaro Mones cuando exploraban
afloramientos cretácicos en el Parque Nacional Amboró, ubicado a unos 50
kilómetros al oeste de la ciudad de Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Los fósiles
encontrados incluyen dos esqueletos de cocodrilo con sus cráneos y cinco
huevitos que formarían parte de un nido.
Novas contó a
Télam que “el hallazgo del Yacarerani fue increíble”. Era agosto de 2002 y el
paleontólogo se encontraba de viaje en plena selva amazónica. Debido a la
espesa cubierta vegetal, “era casi imposible identificar allí algún fósil en
las rocas”, contó el especialista.
“Pero en un
momento nuestro paseo atravesó el cauce seco de un arroyo en el que podía verse
la capa de areniscas rojas que subyacía al resto de la selva. El tipo de roca
me recordaba a las famosas ‘Capas con Dinosaurios’ de la provincia de Neuquén,
con la diferencia de que a ambos lados del cauce del arroyo se encontraba la
espesura de la selva”, relató Novas.
Su colega
Alvaro Mones lo alentó a sacar una foto del paisaje que se apreciaba desde ese
punto y al dejar su mochila en el suelo vio una pequeña mandíbula repleta de
dientes que yacía empotrada en la roca.
“Los huesos
eran de color crema, por lo que resaltaban nítidamente de la matriz rojiza que
los contenía. Al arrodillarnos para apreciar más de cerca de qué se trataba,
nos percatamos de que había más huesos alrededor. No podíamos creer la suerte
que habíamos tenido: descubrir los huesos y dientes de una criatura
prehistórica en plena selva, un sitio que, acostumbrado a la árida estepa
patagónica, jamás hubiera elegido para buscar fósiles”, explicó.
El nuevo
cocodrilo es un representante de los notosuquios, un linaje extinguido de
cocodrilos que prosperó en América del Sur, Africa y Madagascar a fines de la
era de los dinosaurios.
A diferencia
de los cocodrilos vivientes -todos ellos de hábitos acuáticos-, los notosuquios
poseían cabezas altas con los ojos orientados lateralmente y las fosas nasales
proyectadas hacia delante, rasgos que revelan que se trataba de reptiles que
llevaban una vida en tierra firme.
Los
Yacareranis adultos no superaban los 80 centímetros de largo y, aparentemente,
vivían en grupos. Es muy probable que construyeran galerías para refugiarse y
depositar sus huevos.
Lo más
llamativo de su anatomía era su dentición, formada por dientes de forma y
disposición muy compleja, muy diferentes de los dientes cónicos y sencillos de
los cocodrilos vivientes. El Yacarerani poseía en el extremo de su hocico un
grupo de dientes puntiagudos y proyectados hacia adelante que recuerdan a los
incisivos de un conejo. Hacia atrás, su boca estaba equipada con dientes
parecidos a muelas, provistos de tubérculos aptos para cortar y triturar. Se
ignora si se alimentaba sólo de pequeños animales (por ejemplo, artrópodos y
crías de otros vertebrados) o si en su dieta también incluía vegetales.
Según Novas,
está muy difundida la idea de que los cocodrilos son “fósiles vivientes” cuyo
aspecto y costumbres variaron muy poco a lo largo de su evolución. Sin embargo,
la paleontología demuestra que hacia fines de la era de los dinosaurios los
cocodrilos fueron muy abundantes en tierra firme y cumplieron roles ecológicos
muy dispares. Algunos fueron carnívoros que compitieron con los dinosaurios por
conseguir alimento, en tanto otros tuvieron el aspecto de corpulentos
armadillos.
La importancia
del Yacarerani es que amplía todavía más el abanico de adaptaciones de los
cocodrilos, al demostrar que también eran pequeños animales con dientes muy
raros y complejos cuyas costumbres resultan difíciles de dilucidar.
http://www.diariodecuyo.com.ar/home/new_noticia.php?noticia_id=377903
ULSTER STAR
(Lisburn, Northern Ireland) 17 December 09
Warners prepare for the last crusade to find giant snake (Mary Magee)
Lisburn men
Greg and Mike Warner are going back into the Amazon jungle in search for DNA
and photographic evidence to prove the existence of a type of giant snake
related to the anaconda.
The tracks of
the supposed giant snake in the Amazon.
The father and son team want to dispel any suggestion that their aerial
expedition in March this year, which showed the existence of a giant snake, was
inconclusive.
They already
have reams of footage taken from the air of trench marks up to five metres wide
believed to have been made by the snake, but now the team want bone, tissue and
possibly photographic evidence too.
They have been
encouraged by recent evidence from Juan Pablo on the edge of the jungle city of
Iquitos, in the Amazon close to their earlier expedition, of large trenches in
November.
Their
researcher took pictures and got eye witness accounts that the giant snake had
been in the jungle.
This follows
eye witness accounts from a woman in June who saw a giant boa drag a floating
island across a lake to destroy a house just over 1km away.
This time the
Warners will conduct much of their research on foot. Cameras will be placed in
key locations for a month to try to capture footage of the snake and their team
will be include a television crew and up to 20 others including locals as well
as other scientists.
"This
will be our last crusade," said Greg. "It will be dangerous and we
are working towards a very detailed plan without getting ourselves killed but
we want to go and finish the job. "
Their earlier
research has attracted interest across the globe from television crews and
leading scientists.
They noticed
many of the large snake sightings come after electrical storms."We don't
know if it awakens them but they seem to come out from the ground after the
storms," said Greg. "These latest discoveries in November are
significant finds, which will have cooberated our theory. The giant black snake
is known for its burrowing behaviour and propensity to leave large channels and
trenches in its habitat."
"If we do
get pictures that this snake does exist then we will have drawn a definite
conclusion. We are hopeful" he added.
http://www.lisburntoday.co.uk/news/Warners-prepare-for-the-last.5919935.jp
KRISTELIGT
DAGBLAD (Copenhagen, Denmark) 17 December 09 Hellige krokodiller vogter over klimaet
(Birthe B. Pedersen)
Burkina
Faso: Omgivelserne er så idylliske, som
tænkes kan. En slags uventet, afrikansk udgave af Monets åkande-scenerier. En
pibekrave af poetiske, hvide blomsterhoveder omkranser søen, som glimter i
sollyset og kvæger breddernes grønne bevoksning.
Men så snart
Kuilga Bon-kouna begynder at fløjte dæmpet og svinge med den døde høne, som
hænger for enden af en snor, kommer der foruroligende krusninger på vandet. Og
så begynder de imponerende reptiler at kravle op på bredden. Snart er Kuilga
omgivet af fire store bæster, som grådigt snapper efter fjerkræet og smækker
kæberne sammen med et smæld, der får det til at gibbe i turisterne.
Bliver
krokodillerne for ivrige og begynder at løbe lidt for frimodigt rundt på
bredden, giver han nogle afdæmpede, men bestemte ordrer, og bæsterne dækker sig
lydigt, som var det veldresserede hunde.
De lytter til
mig, og de kunne ikke drømme om at gøre mig ondt, for vi er beslægtede,
forklarer Kuilga Bonkouna.
Krokodillerne
i Sabou-søen godt 100 km vest for hovedstaden Ouagadougou i Burkina Faso er
blevet en turistattraktion.
De er nemlig
hellige og ifølge den lokale overlevering efterkommere af den krokodille, som i
tidernes morgen reddede en forfader til beboerne i Sabou ved at skovle vand fra
vandhullet på hans ansigt med halen, da han var besvimet og risikerede at dø
under den ubarmhjertige afrikanske sol.
Siden har
indbyggerne i Sabou hædret krokodillerne, fodret dem med høns og vedligeholdt
søen ved Sabou, så den ikke tørrer ud som mange andre søer, når regntiden er
forsinket. Eller tømmes, hvis diget brister under særligt voldsomme regnskyl,
som det stadig oftere er sket de senere år.
Var det ikke
for krokodillerne, var søen i Sabou måske allerede forsvundet.
For tørken og
klimaændringerne truer med at udrydde de søer, som umiddelbart efter regntiden
gør Burkino Faso og de andre lande i den såkaldte Sahel-zone - en stribe land
syd for Sahara, der går hele vejen fra Senegal i vest til Eritrea i øst - til
et forbigående, frodigt paradis.
Udviklingen
bekymrer FN's udviklingsorganisation, UNDP, der har visse vanskeligheder ved at
forklare lokalbefolkningen om miljøhensyn og klimatilpasning i et område, hvor
omkring 60 procent af befolkningen er anafabeter, og fattigdommen er så enorm,
at det kan vise sig svært at være bæredygtig. Men her er gammel overtro og
traditioner blevet en vigtig allieret.
Århundredgamle
traditioner for at betragte visse skove og visse søer som hellige bidrager
faktisk til at beskytte miljøet. Befolkningen vedligeholder vandhullerne og
undlader at fælde træerne til brændsel og dermed bidrage til skovdød og
erosion. Men disse traditioner er i forfald, og det eliminerer nogle af
befolkningens ubevidste miljøbeskyttelsesreflekser, beklager UNDP's
miljøekspert i Burkina Faso, Sylvestre Ouedrago.
Om det nu
skyldes overtroen eller turistindtægterne, vil befolkningen i Sabou formentlig
sørge for, at søen overlever, så længe der kommer gæster og turister for at få
sig et godt gys.
Til
krokodillernes og miljøets bedste.
http://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/artikel/349940:Danmark--Hellige-krokodiller-vogter-over-klimaet
BRISBANE TIMES
(Australia) 16 December 09 Cane toads
'the great hitchhikers' (Daniel Hurst)
It may seem to
be the stuff of legends - a cane toad hitching a ride from Queensland to
Victoria on a palm tree shipment.
But experts
say the discovery of the unlikely visitor to Melbourne last week shows why the
reviled creatures deserve to be known as "the great hitchhikers".
Victorian
authorities issued a statewide biosecurity alert after a 14-year-old frog
enthusiast found the toad on a palm tree at a local Kmart store.
The Victorian
Department of Primary Industries suspects the toad grabbed a ride on a shipment
of 7000 assorted palms from a wholesaler based in the Sunshine State.
A spokeswoman
for Queensland's Department of Primary Industries said the long journey was
unsurprising.
"Cane
toads are the great hitchhikers," she told brisbanetimes.com.au.
"They
like dark and damp places."
She said cane
toads were not a "declared" species in Queensland so no action could
be taken against people for moving them around, but urged common sense and
check items before moving them.
James Cook
University cane toad expert Ross Alford agreed.
"They're
pretty good at hitching rides," he said.
"It's
basically things like the bases of pot plants, they get rolled up in people's
swags or when they pack away tents.
"They
also sometimes get carried around in the underside of pallets because that hide
under there and get taken away."
Professor
Alford said cane toads had spread south from Queensland into northern New South
Wales, but most experts believed they could not survive in Victoria because of
the colder climate.
The Victorian
DPI's landscape protection manager, Brendan Roughead, said the chance of toads
establishing there was low.
Investigations
by Kmart staff and DPI officers had found no trace of any other cane toads, he
said.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/cane-toads-the-great-hitchhikers-20091216-kw6v.html
CHRISTIAN POST
(Washington, DC) 14 December 09 Jewish
mythology- The Salamander (Eli Dahan, Biblical teacher at
ClassicalHebrew.com)
There are many
stories about mysterious monsters and creatures in Hebrew Scriptures. One of
the most fascinating creatures is the Salamander.
According to
the Rabbi Abuhu in the name of Raabi Eliezer , the Salamander emerges from fire
and If one smears his hand or any other part of his body with its blood, the
spot is proof against fire as mentioned in the Talmud Hagiga 27a:.
" תלמידי חכמים אין אור של גיהנם שולטת בהן, קל וחומר מסלמנדרא; ומה סלמנדרא שתולדת אש היא - הסך מדמה אין אור שולטת בו, תלמידי חכמים, שכל גופן אש, דכתיב 'הלוא כה דברי כאש נאם ה' - על אחת כמה וכמה"
" As to
the scholars, the flame of Gehenna has no power over them. For this is shown by
an a fortiori argument drawn from the salamander. As only the creature of fire,
and still he that anoints himself with its blood, flame has no power over him,
how much more then that the flames have no power over the scholars, whose whole
body is fire, as it is written".
The Salamander
cannot survive at all outside of fire. The Salamander in the Talmud is most
often depicted like a typical salamander in shape, with a lizard-like form.
Rashi (in
Sandrine 63a) describes the salamander as one which is produced by burning a
fire in the same place for seven days, seven years or seventy years.
Main phrases
of the post + transcription + translation
Hebrew Transcription Translation
סָלָמַנְדְּרָה sālāmanderāh
Salamander
לְטָאָה Letā'āh Lizard
גֵּיהִנֹּם gêhenōm Hell
מָרַח mārah Smeared
מִפְלֶצֶת mipletset Monster
http://www.christianpost.com/blogs/hebrew/2009/12/jewish-mythology-the-salamander-14/
MUMBAI MIRROR
(India) 11 December 09 Charmed by
creepie-crawlies - Unlike most people, Varad Giri doesn't run away from
reptiles and amphibians; he is drawn towards them (Purnima Goswami Sharma)
Reptiles fascinate
him; he not only conducts research on them, but also clicks them and spends
long hours studying them in the wild. Varad Giri, curator of BNHS (Bombay
Natural History Society) has also discovered some very rare species of animals.
Giri has
discovered two new species of caecilians (limbless amphibians; e.g. one species
of frog called Nyctibatrachus minimus) and three species of lizards. “Apart
from this, we have also reported first ‘live bearing’ amphibian from Asia,”
states the herpologist.
Giri discovered
new species of caecilians (limbless amphibians) in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.
According to Giri, there are about 16 types of caecilians in the Western Ghats
– and 50 worldwide – but these are mostly found in Kerala and Karnataka. His
discovery was the product of collaboration with experts Dr Mark Wilkinson and
Dr David Gower from the Natural History Museum of London in the UK. Giri says
that the new addition to the previously recorded species of caecilian in India
is ecologically significant. "Caecilians are not charismatic
animals," he admits, "but it is important to study them because
amphibians in the Western Ghats are poorly documented so far, and many species
may even become extinct before they have been recorded. Caecilians are the least
known of the three kinds of amphibians (the other two are frogs and
salamanders)."
They are good
indicators of ecology and biodiversity since they only survive in forests with
good rainfall and rich loamy soil. “Not many people are doing work on them as
they not beautiful like birds and butterflies,” states Giri, who is passionate
about creepy creatures.
Giri, an M.Sc.
in Entomology (study of insects) from Kolhapur, relates the story of how he
entered this interesting profession. He says, “During this period one of my
friends, Anil Shingare, rescued snakes and I started taking photos of those
snakes. This was my first exposure to herpetology. This led me to Bombay
Natural History Society where I joined as Research Assistant in the herpetology
section in 1999. Here, I realized that this is a wonderful world and under the
guidance of. J.C. Daniel and Ashok Captain, I started doing serious research in
herpetology.”
“My work is
mainly related to the taxonomy of herpetofauna of the northern Western Ghats,
mainly caecilians and lizards” besides research he also clicks them. His
photographs have appeared on the cover pages of magazines/journals like Hornbill,
Defending Wild India, Sanctuary Cub, Tiger Paper, and Bombay
Natural History Society and has bagged many awards for them.
Besides this
he has won the SSB International Award (Scholarship and travel) from Society of
Systematic Biologists in 2008 and the Sarpa Mitra award for outstanding work in
conservation and research of reptiles from ‘Bhartiya Sarp Vidynana Santha’,
Pune.
In
collaboration with Satpura Foundation, Amaravati and Department of Zoology,
Amaravati University, he has conducted a Reptile Training Workshop in Melghat
Tiger Reserve for the forest department personnel and students. Giri is also
involved in different awareness campaigns and has given lectures on amphibians
and reptiles at BNHS, in schools and colleges, and for participants of
different courses and camps at the Conservation Education Centre (BNHS).
Regards
inculcating in children the love for nature he says, “Children are the future
saviours of our ecosystem. The present generation is alert and is well informed
about the natural history, mainly due to media and TV channels like National
Geographic, Animal Planet and Discovery. Unfortunately, they are aware of the
‘non Indian’ species. This makes them feel that there is nothing in India
except tigers and elephants. So this is the high time we should come forward
and show them about our biodiversity also. Though, natural history is an essential
component of most of the curriculum, it is mainly related to pollution and
deforestation etc. We are not making any efforts to teach them, from the
beginning, about the biological wealth we have. Apart from this, the schools on
regular should organize nature trails under the guidance of experts “
Currently he
is working of the taxonomy of geckos of the genus Hemidactylus. Besides
conducting studies on the status of herpetofauna in different wildlife
corridors in Maharashtra which is a collaborative effort between local NGOs
like Malabar Nature Conservation Club of Amboli, ARISE and Green Guards of
Kolhapur to conserve the local biodiversity. “The Western Ghats is known as a
bio-diversity hotspot. Many species of reptiles and amphibians here are unknown
to science to this very day—it is so rich in wildlife and so little explored.
To me, my work is my passion and I enjoy it immensely,” concludes Giri.
THE HINDU
(Chennai, India) 07 December 09 Two
held for trying to sell star tortoise
Mangalore: The special squad constituted by the
Superintendent of Police arrested two persons late on Saturday for attempting
to sell a star tortoise, which is in great demand in the international pet
market. Each of these rare and endangered species can fetch up to Rs. 5 lakh in
the international market.
These
tortoises are prized for the radiating “star” pattern on their shell and are
hugely in demand in markets of South East Asia and Europe.
Their trade
and captivity is banned in India.
The arrested
were identified as Mohammed Masood (20) and Puttumonu (34), residents of
Manjotti, near Addoor. They were arrested near Polali Dwara on the
Mangalore-Moodbidri road. The police said that they got information that a sale
of the star tortoise was on for a price of Rs. 2 lakh each.
During the
initial interrogation, the accused had allegedly told the police that Masood
found the tortoise in the Gurupur river. However, this claim of the accused was
being seen as suspect since star tortoises are not aquatic creatures and are
usually found in dry areas and scrub forests. Police suspect that the animal
might have somehow escaped while being smuggled out of the country. The accused
and the tortoise are in the custody of Bajpe police and a case has been
registered.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/07/stories/2009120758490300.htm
ΈΘΝΟΣ
/ ETHNOS (Greece) 04 December 09 Υπό
εξαφάνιση λόγω
αυτοκινητοδρόμου
Ο
μικρός αυτός
βάτραχος είναι
ένας από τους
πολλούς
κατοίκους του
εθνικού δρυμου
Μάριο Χαβιέ
στην ζούγκλα
του Αμαζονίου.
Ιδεά της
κυβέρνησης
ήταν η πλευρά
αυτή να είναι
αποκία ευκαλύπτων
και σταθμός
ερευνών.
Αργότερα
όμως περιήλθε
στα χέρια
ιδιωτιών, και
το δάσος των 493
εκταρίων έχασε
το σκοπό του
και άρχισε να
υποαναπτύσσεται
η βλάστησή του.
Οταν
υπερφορτώθηκε
το σύστημα
αποχέτευσης,
δημιουργήθηκαν
νέες λίμνες. Οι
αλλαγές αυτές
οδήγησαν στο
να γίνει το
δάσος
καταφύγιο ζώων
που
εκτοπίστηκαν
από την
ανάπτυξη γύρω
από την πανεπιστημιούπολη
της
Σεροπέντικα
της Βραζιλίας.
Στις
αρχές του 2009 η
κυβέρνηση της
Βραζιλίας
εξουσιοδότησε
τον περιορσμό
της επέκτασης
του δάσους προκειμένου
να περνά από
εκεί ο κύριος
αυτοκινητόδρομος.
Το
τόξο αυτό θα
εκτρέψει την
μεγάλη
εμπορική κίνηση
από το Ρίο ντε
Ζανέιρο και θα
δημιουργήσει
μία καινούρια
πορεία για τις
εξαγωγές της
βραζιλίας.
Η
επισκευή και
επαναλειτουργία
της εθνικής
οδού άρχισε το 2009.
Ενα κέρδος
όμως για τους
βραζιλιάνους
οδηγούς, είναι
μία μεγάλη
απώλεια για τη
βιοποικιλότητα
της Βραζιλίας.
Αυτό
που πολλοί δεν
γνωρίζουν
είναι ότι ο
εθνικός δρυμός
Μάριο Χαβιέ
είναι το σπίτι
ενός βατράχου, τόσο
σπάνιου, που
δεν υπάρχει
πουθενά αλλού
στον κόσμο και
τώρα τον
αναγκάζουν σε
εξαφανιση.
http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=11900&subid=2&pubid=8722921
NORTHERN
RIVERS ECHO (Lismore, Australia) 03 December 09 Respect speaks with forked tongue
(Rudi Maxwell)
The venomous
snake is over 7ft long, weighs just under two kilos and is called Mr Brown by
his rehabilitator, Tony Kilmurray, who says he has a lot of respect for his
charge.
“Ooooh yeah,
and he’s earned every bit of it,” Tony said.
Mr Brown is
one of 13 brown snakes that have been in Tony’s care and were used in a WIRES
training course for snake-handlers. Over the next few days they will all be
released near where they were found.
Tony is a
WIRES reptile carer who specialises in looking after poisonous snakes. He has
built outdoor snake enclosures on his Teven property and indoor heated
enclosures. He says you can’t take too much care when you’re dealing with
poisonous snakes. He should know; in 10 years of caring for snakes Tony has
never been bitten.
“I check every
time I go into one of the enclosures; I’ve seen them in the boxes, trees – you
have to be aware of where they are,” he said. “They’re that quick. All they
want to do is hide but they’re like you or me – if they feel attacked then
they’ll defend themselves. If you stir them up that’s what will happen and
they’re lightning quick.”
So why care
for a creature many people find downright scary?
“I’ve liked
snakes all my life, they’re awesome,” Tony said. “I’d rather talk to a brown
snake than most people, to tell the truth.
“I’d certainly
rather catch one than a goanna. With a snake all you have to worry about is the
pointy end but with goannas they’re so hard to catch because you have to worry
about the claws, the tail and the mouth.
“No-one else
likes them and they’re really smart. I get real satisfaction when I’ve been
rehabbing them for months and can finally let them go.”
Julie Curtis,
a reptile specialist with Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers, also loves snakes.
“They’re
underdogs, they get a really hard time from humans and I go for the underdogs,”
Julie said. “Humans are very quick to kill a snake; they like the cute and
cuddly animals but snakes terrify them and bring fear because they don’t
understand. The reaction from a fear base is to kill without asking questions.
“Snake season
is upon us, all snakes come out of hibernation and they are looking for their
mates, or they’ve come out and mated, and they’re looking for water or feed.
“In February
or March babies are usually hatched and born around that time.
“I’m a more
emotional person and I do have an attachment if an animal is in care for a long
time. If it’s short term then you get them in and out back to the wild and try
not bond but if you’re giving them intensive care for a long time you do form
an attachment.
“It’s all in
your heart, all the things you’ve done for an animal to heal it and help it
live on.
“Snakes have a
place in this world and have every right to be here.”
Tony gets
calls to come and pick up injured snakes for all sorts of reasons but the main
ones are dog and cat attacks, orchard netting (they get part of the way in and
then get caught in the wire and twist and turn) and being run over by a car.
“Snakes that
have been run over don’t have a good chance and usually have to be euthanased.
We think Mr Brown was attacked by a dog – lucky dog,” he said. “If someone
calls with an injured snake, I’m in there with bells on, I love it.
“I’ve rescued
a green tree snake from a toilet, because they chase green tree frogs in there.
“Snakes turn
up in the oddest places, anywhere you can think of.”
Julie said she
has a healthy respect for all reptiles.
“Every time I
catch a brown my heart pumps, my adrenaline goes sky high,” she said. “Once
I’ve caught the snake and bagged it, everything settles down. If you lose the
fear when catching snakes that’s when you’ll get bitten.
“They’re the
second deadliest snake in the world – one slight wrong move and you’re in
trouble.
“Even though
they’re not venomous I’ve been bitten by a carpet python, they’ve got needle-sharp
teeth and it means a lot of blood.”
After Tony has
captured an injured serpent, he does an assessment with the help of WIRES
reptile co-ordinator Michael McGrath to see whether he needs to get the vet.
Tony has worked closely with Lennox Head vet Evan Kosack for the time he has
been working with reptiles. If the snake has an open wound then it is put into
the heated enclosures until it has shed its skin so Tony can see that the
damage has healed. After healing the snake is moved to the outdoor enclosure
until it is time to release it.
Tony gives the
snakes their injections of antibiotics himself, with a little help from Michael
sometimes.
“I do have a
grid reference here by the phone so if I have to call the helicopter they’ll
know where to come and I keep compression bandages with me all the time. If you
get bitten you’ve got to move quick,” he said.
Julie said
there are important protocols if you find an injured reptile.
“Do not give
any injured animal water or food,” she said. “If you see a snake, leave it
alone. Given the chance to escape, all snakes will – but if they feel
threatened in any way they will stick up for themselves in the only way they
know, that’s to bite. Most people bitten by snakes are trying to catch them or
corner them.
“Leave them
be. They do us a favour by eating rats and mice. Have some respect, keep your
distance, we are all God’s creatures.”
Tony has
learned an enormous amount about snakes in the time he’s been caring for them.
He says colour is not necessarily a good indicator of species.
“Recently I
saw a black brown snake, it was glossy black all over, only the head was brown,
so you could have easily thought it was a black snake,” he said. “They come in
all flavours – they’re awesome.
“Birds and
possums and all that fuzzy stuff, that’s great, but this is full-on. You’ve go
to be prepared and if you get bitten deal with it straight away.”
Both WIRES and
NR Wildlife Carers are always looking for volunteers. For more information
email the Northern Rivers branch of WIRES on wiresnr@wiresnr.org. For Northern
Rivers Wildlife Carers call 6628 1866.
If you find an
injured animal check the emergency numbers in The Echo classifieds or call the
WIRES hotline on 6628 1898.
http://www.echonews.com.au/story/2009/12/03/care-and-respect-speaks/
LOS ANGELES
TIMES (California) 28 November 09
Catalina Island rattlesnake may be a new subspecies (Louis
Sahagun)
Could the
rattlesnakes on Santa Catalina Island be a subspecies new to science?
DNA studies
underway on five specimens -- four females and a male -- at Loma Linda
University's Department of Earth and Biological Sciences aim to determine if
they are distinguishable from the Southern Pacific rattlesnakes found in
Southern California.
Naturalists
have long suspected that the island's rattlesnakes behave differently,
suggesting adaptations to evolving in isolation 22 miles from the Southern
California coast.
For example,
they are stouter and require more provocation to coil up and strike, said
Carlos de la Rosa, chief conservation and education officer for the Santa
Catalina Island Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that manages 88% of the
76-square-mile island as wilderness.
"In
addition, the scale patterns on their heads are different, possibly indicating
that they arrived thousands of years ago," he said. "Perhaps these
differences are enough to justify declaring the Catalina rattlesnakes a new
subspecies."
The rattler is
the only venomous reptile on the island.
Conservancy
naturalists suspect that the island also has several still-unclassified insect
subspecies that adjusted to the peculiar landscape.
So far,
scientists have identified 60 plant and animal species found on Catalina and
nowhere else, including a tiny flowering rock cress and the Catalina Island
fox.
That number is
expected to grow.
"We've
barely scratched the surface in terms of the variety of endemic species living
on the island," De la Rosa said. "There's a lot of depth on this
island left to explore."
Of particular
interest is a species of Jerusalem cricket that is distinct from those on the
mainland.
It hasn't yet
been scientifically described -- or even named.
A year ago,
researchers at USC examined genetic material extracted from Jerusalem crickets
collected on the island and discovered two distinct groups within that
subspecies, said Suzanne Edmands, an associate professor of biological sciences
at the university.
"While
finding a new subspecies of insect wouldn't be a huge surprise," she said,
"finding two subspecies within 22 miles of the mainland is unusual."
A final
determination will require studies of the "songs" the insects make
when searching for a mate.
"Jerusalem
crickets drum the ground with their legs," Edmands said. "So we
really want to get more song data to see if they are drumming differently than
those on the mainland, which would argue in favor of reproductive
isolation."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-species28-2009nov28,0,7185950.story
CORRIERE DELLA
SERA (Rome, Italy) 25 November 09 Ostia, nuova caccia al serpente a
sonagli - Avvistato un terzo rettile dopo i due catturati in settembre e
ottobre. Si rafforza l'ipotesi nidiata (A. Ful)
Roma: E' di nuovo allarme crotalo sul litorale di
Ostia. Un terzo serpente a sonagli - dopo i ritrovamenti di altri due pericolosi
rettili il 29 settembre e il 20 ottobre scorsi - è stato avvistato nella Pineta
di Castelfusano. Questa volta vicino alla zona abitata. Lo ha visto ieri
pomeriggio un podista che ha subito dato l’allarme al Corpo Forestale. Nessun
dubbio che il rettile che strisciava tra i cespugli fosse quello
pericolosissimo proveniente dal Nord America: i campanellini ossei in fondo al
coda suonavano in modo sinistro «inoltre – ha raccontato l’uomo agli agenti –
di recente ho visto le fotografie dei vostri ritrovamenti effettuati proprio
qui, in pineta».
Squadre di
guardie forestali sono al lavoro per individuare e catturare il velenoso
animale. In ottobre il secondo crotalo era stato trovato in viale della Villa
di Plinio, la strada all’interno del parco che la domenica si riempie di
podisti, ciclisti e famiglie a spasso con i bambini.
Timori Per La
Popolazione - Il nuovo avvistamento preoccupa gli esperti: il terzo rettile
sarebbe stato visto in una zona vicina a quella urbanizzata. Il rettile è stato
visto nella parte del parco adiacente viale Mediterraneo, una zona molto
frequentata da podisti, ciclisti e famiglie che vogliono trascorrere un po’ di
tempo all’aria aperta. Le precedenti catture erano avvenute a un paio di
chilometri di distanza, nella stessa radura oltre la Cristoforo Colombo.
Si teme per
l'incolumità dei residenti: il sospetto è che tra i cespugli di Castelfusano si
nasconda una nidiata pericolosissima. Uno degli agenti che da martedì sta
cercando il serpente a sonagli non nasconde la preoccupazione: «Inizialmente
pensavamo a una nidiata. Ma non si può nemmeno escludere che ci sia qualcuno
che getta deliberatamente i rettili nel parco».
Il primo
serpente era stato catturato dal Corpo forestale dopo una battuta di caccia
durata un paio di giorni, a fine settembre. Ma da subito gli agenti
dell’ufficio Cites (gli «007» che indagano sull’introduzione di specie animali
vietate) erano parsi preoccupati dall’ipotesi che l’esemplare individuato non
fosse l’unico.
THE HINDU
(Chennai, India) 20 November 09 Star
tortoise strays into house
Thanjavur: A star tortoise, weighing nearly three kg,
was found at Thanjavur.
Nirmala, a
resident of Seethanagar on Nanjikottai Road stumbled upon the protected species
at the entrance of her house on Tuesday morning.
People
gathered in large numbers to look at the tortoise which had some painting on
its shell.
After the
Forest Department was informed, Parthasarathy, a Forest guard, took the animal
to the Forest office.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/20/stories/2009112056370200.htm
THE HINDU
(Chennai, India) 14 November 09 Smuggled
tortoises seized on Bangladesh border (Ananya Dutta)
Kolkata: Border Security Force (BSF) jawans seized a
consignment of 670 tortoises at the Kalandi border post in the Sundarbans in
the early hours of Friday. The reptiles were being smuggled across the border
into Bangladesh.
“The guards on
duty spotted a group trying to cross the river that demarcates the border, but
they managed to escape,” said Vikas Chandra, DIG (South) of the BSF Border
Security Force.
They left
behind about 15 sacks. Of the tortoises seized, more than 500 were Indian Star
tortoises commonly found in South India, said S.B. Mondal, the State’s
principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife).
Officials of
the forest department are still trying to identify the remaining 150 tortoises.
“A number of
people keep these tortoises as pets, which is why they are poached even though
they don’t fetch very high prices.”
This species
is distinct for the pattern of yellow lines resembling stars on its green
carapace.
The carapace
is highly convex, which is believed to help it return to its natural stance if
overturned.
Illegal trade
in these tortoises is rampant though they are commonly bred in captivity.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/14/stories/2009111462332400.htm