Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

THE WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: "Symbolic Of Humanity's Shocking Disregard For Marine Life" - Massive Whales Found Stranded Around The North Sea Had Stomachs Full Of Plastic Debris!


April 26, 2016 - NORTH SEA - The whales' deaths are symbolic of humanity's shocking disregard for marine life.

In January, 29 sperm whales were found stranded on shores around the North Sea, an area that is too shallow for the marine wildlife. Only recently were details of the animals' necropsy released. However, scientists were deeply disturbed by what they found in the animals' stomachs.

According to a press release from Wadden Sea National Park in Schleswig-Holstein, many of the whales had stomachs FULL of plastic debris, including a 13-meter-long fishing net, a 70 cm piece of plastic from a car and other pieces of plastic litter.

Some suggest that the animals thought the items were food, such as squid, which is their main staple. Others, however, believe that the travesty is largely a result of humanity's shocking disregard for marine life, which has resulted in an overabundance of plastic in the oceans.

Said Robert Habeck, environment minister for the state of Schleswig-Holstein:
"These findings show us the results of our plastic-oriented society. Animals inadvertently consume plastic and plastic waste, which causes them to suffer, and at worst, causes them to starve with full stomachs."
Nicola Hodgkins of Whale and Dolphin Conservation echoed that statement. She stated:
"Although the large pieces will cause obvious problems and block the gut, we shouldn't dismiss the smaller bits that could cause a more chronic problem for all species of cetacean - not just those who suction feed."
This isn't the first time a sperm whale has been found dead with innards full of inedible contents. In 2011, a young whale was found floating dead off the Greek island of Mykonos. Its stomach was so distended, biologists thought the animal swallowed a giant squid. However, when its four stomachs were dissected, nearly 100 plastic bags and other pieces of debris were found.

It should be noted that the plastic is not what killed the young male sperm whales. According to National Geographic, they died of heart failure. This was a result of mistakenly swimming into the North Sea, likely in search of squid, and then not being able to support their own body weights in the shallow water. As a result, their internal organs collapsed.

Regardless, the fact that many of their stomachs were full of pollution is a horrible indictment of humans. As has been reported in the past, 80% of the plastic which is discarded on land ends up in the oceans, where it is consumed by wildlife or swirls for years in great garbage patches. The fact that mankind - a species with a smaller brain than a whale - is responsible for such a travesty is ironic and saddening.

Until humans learn the value of living sustainably while respecting all life forms, travesties such as this one will continue to take place.

- Natural Blaze.





 

Monday, March 28, 2016

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - Deaths Of Bald Eagles In Delaware, Maryland Baffle Investigators?!

This eagle is one of 13 found dead on a farm in Maryland in mid-February, raising big questions. Photo: Maryland Natural Resources Police

March 28, 2016 - MARYLAND, UNITED STATES - A single bald eagle found dead in southern Delaware last Saturday didn’t raise red flags for state wildlife officials.

But then a few hours later and a mile away, a startling scene unfolded: Eight bald eagles — distressed and disoriented — were discovered on the ground, barely moving on a fallow farm field.

“Seeing one in a field wouldn’t be irregular, but then so many of them — and they weren’t sitting up,” said Sgt. John McDerby of Delaware’s Fish and Wildlife Natural Resources Police. “It was a devastating sight.”

Three of the eagles died, two were rescued and the rest flew away, officials said. The following day, another dead bird was found during a sweep.

The cluster of deaths comes just a month after 13 bald eagles died about 35 miles away on the Eastern Shore of Maryland — the largest single die-off of bald eagles in the state in three decades.

This mystery surrounding the bird species that has soared back from the brink of extinction has investigators and wildlife advocates asking: Is someone poisoning or intentionally harming these national symbols?

At this point, investigators can’t say, but they aren’t ruling out a criminal act.

In Maryland, necropsies indicated the birds did not die from natural causes, meaning diseases such as avian influenza can be ruled out. But they did not pinpoint a cause of death.

Poison is a popular theory since landowners use it to kill rats, foxes and other nuisances that tear up crops. Eagles, in turn, can eat the poisoned carrion.

But Bob Edgell, who owns the Maryland farm where the eagles were found, told NBC News on Friday that he doesn’t use poison on his property and isn’t sure if anyone else in the area does.

“Our investigation is now focused on human causes,” Catherine Hibbard, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Agency, said in an earlier statement.

McDerby said test results of the eagle carcasses in Delaware could be made available early this week. In the meantime, he added, there is no evidence of a serial eagle killer on the prowl or any direct connection between the Delaware and Maryland cases.

The two birds rescued by the nonprofit Tri-State Bird Rescue of Newark, Delaware, are still under the group’s care. Staff declined to provide information about their recovery because the investigation is ongoing, but said that if the creatures fully recuperate, they’ll be released into the wild.

Edgell said he’s not sure what took down the eagles on his land in Maryland. He found no evidence of tracks, after first thinking someone may have dumped the recognizable white-headed birds of prey on purpose.

He also saw no indications they had been shot or had other signs of trauma.

“I was dumbfounded, shocked and everything else,” Edgell said. “I had never seen that many at one time, especially on my property.”


Spelling his female mate, a male Bald Eagle lands on his nest containing two eggs at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC on March 11, 2016.
Photo: Linda Davidson/The Washington Post/Getty

Anyone convicted of causing the death of the federally protected bald eagle could be fined as much as $100,000 and sentenced to up to a year in prison.

Wildlife groups have banded together with the government to offer a reward for information leading to anyone who contributed to the birds’ deaths.

The Virginia-based American Bird Conservancy added another $5,000 to the pot last week, boosting the total to $30,000.

Mike Parr, vice president and chief conservation officer for the group, said he’s “completely baffled” as to what happened.

“I can’t see any possible explanation of any sort why anyone would deliberately do something like that. It’s outrageous,” Parr said.

The deaths come as bald eagles have made an impressive resurgence in the past five decades. They were nearly killed off after losing habitat and being threatened by the pesticide DDT. Federal protection status as an endangered species in 1967, however, helped to ensure their survival.

Even into the 1970s, bald eagles were shot fairly regularly, said Kevin McGowan, an ornithologist at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology.

“The decrease in shooting was part of the reason the eagles have recovered so spectacularly (but just one part),” McGowan said in an email. “Populations are probably at a 100-year high. Growth of the eastern population over the last 20 years alone has been impressive.”

Nationwide, the birds went from fewer than 500 breeding pairs in the Lower 48 in 1963 to over 11,000 pairs in 2007, when they were taken off the endangered species list, federal figures show.

Now, bald eagles — beloved as a national symbol of the United States — are celebrated. A pair of babies born at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., took the Internet by storm this month thanks to a live cam.

But the sudden loss of so many under strange circumstances should serve as a warning that the magnificent birds still need protection, experts say.

“This is a significantly bad and unusual event,” McGowan said. - MSNBC.





 

Saturday, March 26, 2016

WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Human Devolution And Vampirism - Poland Approves Logging Europe's Last Primeval Forest?!


March 26, 2016 - POLAND - Poland on Friday gave the go ahead for large-scale logging in the Bialowieza forest intended to combat a spruce bark beetle infestation, despite scientists, ecologists and the EU protesting the move in Europe's last primeval woodland.

"We're acting to curb the degradation of important habitats, to curb the disappearance and migration of important species from this site," Jan Szyszko, environment minister with Poland's right-wing government told journalists.

Szyszko vowed that the logging plans would not apply to strictly protected areas of the primeval forest that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

But under the new plan, loggers will harvest more than 180,000 cubic metres (6.4 million cubic feet) of wood from other areas of the forest over a decade, dwarfing previous plans to harvest 40,000 cubic metres over the same period.

Vowing to protect the forest, Greenpeace accused Szyszko of "ignoring the voices of citizens and scientists, the European Commission, UNESCO and conservation organisations."

Along with other environmental groups protesting the move, Greenpeace also said the logging could trigger the EU to launch punitive procedures against Poland for violating its Natura 2000 program.

Sprawling across 150,000 hectares, the Bialowieza forest reaches across the Polish border with Belarus, where it is entirely protected as a nature park.

It is home to 20,000 animal species, including 250 types of bird and 62 species of mammals—among them Europe's largest, the bison.

Europe's tallest trees, firs towering 50 metres high (164 feet), and oaks and ashes of 40 metres, also flourish here, in an ecosystem unspoiled for more than 10 millennia. - PHYS.





 

Friday, March 25, 2016

WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Human Devolution And Vampirism - 23 Bald Eagles Have Been Killed By Americans So Far This Year; And Japanese "Scientific" Expedition Kills 333 Whales, Including 200 Pregnant Females?!

This eagle was one of five found dead or dying in Delaware this month, after apparently being poisoned. © Delaware Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
March 25, 2016 - EARTH - Here are two stunning cases of mankind's relentless war on Mother Nature: Americans have killed at least 23 bald eagles since the start of this year and Japan's latest 'scientific' whaling expedition has ended with more than 300 animals slaughtered.

23 bald eagles killed by Americans so far this year

I discovered that stunning number while working on a story about the dietary habits of eagles in coastal Alabama. (They like turtles! Watch for the story next week.) Doing some research online, stories about dead eagles just kept popping up.

Someone shot one in Kentucky around New Year's Day. Two more were shot with a high-powered rifle along the shores of a lake in Idaho. Another was killed in Missouri, again with a rifle. And someone killed one early this month near Rome, Georgia.

Then comes the most distressing story. Thirteen eagles have been found dead or dying in Maryland within the last month. Authorities are still unsure what sort of poison was used to kill them, but they have ruled out natural causes. Meanwhile, five more eagles were found dead in Delaware in March.

In 17 years of covering the environment, I can recall a single story about a teen who shot an eagle with a new gun he got for Christmas back in 2008. I remember the photos of the bird, its white feathers soaked in red blood. The kid shot it just to try out his new gun. The whole episode was so depressing.

But 23 eagles in less than three months! That is a lot of dead birds, and puts 2016 on pace to have more eagle killings than any year in decades.


These stories of dead eagles are particularly troubling for anyone who lived through the 1950s, 60s, or 70s, when eagles were so rare that few Americans had ever seen one. At one point, there were fewer than 500 pairs of eagles in the entire country, mostly in remote areas. I was 20 years old before I laid eyes on a bald eagle, and that was in Canada. I didn't see a bald eagle in Alabama until the year 2,000.

Like many birds, eagles were pushed to the brink of extinction by a combination of hunting, habitat loss and DDt, a pesticide that caused the thinning of egg shells, particularly of fish-eating birds, such as eagles, or pelicans. Their recovery since DDt was banned has been dramatic.

The most recent national survey suggests there are at least 10,000 breeding pairs of eagles in the nation. More than 100 of those pairs are here in Alabama. I know of five nests within 10 miles of my home, scattered around Mobile Bay, Weeks Bay and in the coastal rivers. North Alabama is home to many more eagles. I saw three eagles on Monday in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, parents with their young eaglet, who was nearly as large as mom and dad but still couldn't fly.

For anyone who has seen a bald eagle soaring overhead, or crashing down on a fish, it is hard to understand the reasoning behind shooting one. Or poisoning more than a dozen. For those dead birds found around Chesapeake Bay, I suppose someone poisoned them because they had become a nuisance. Perhaps eating catfish out of a farm pond, or stealing chickens from one of the giant commercial chicken farms in Maryland.

Maybe the message to take from all the killings isn't that there are a lot of crummy people out there. Maybe the better message is that there are so many eagles flying around today that they can be sometimes considered a nuisance. Consider this: When I was born in 1970, there were perhaps 500 pairs in the nation. Today, there are about 1,300 pairs in Florida and Alabama alone.

That's a pretty remarkable recovery. Give some credit to the Endangered Species Act, and some to the ban on DDt. But most of the credit goes to the fact that most of us - whether we are hunters, farmers, birders, nature buffs or people who rarely walk on anything but a city street -- are simply awestruck when we see on of these giant, gorgeous birds soaring through the air.

And the last thing we can imagine doing is killing one. - AL.


Japanese 'scientific' expedition kills 333 whales, including 200 pregnant females

Crew of a whaling ship check a whaling gun or harpoon before departure at Ayukawa port
in Ishinomaki City on April 26, 2014. 
© Getty Images

In total, 333 minke whales - including 200 pregnant females - were killed, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research confirmed.

Despite international criticism of the country's whaling activities, Japan sent four ships to the Antarctic region for 115 days on December 1.

In 2014, the UN ruled that the activity in the Southern Ocean, south east of Australia and New Zealand, was a front for commercial hunts.

But the practice has resumed, with Mr Kindleysides urging the Australian government to take action.

Darren Kindleysides, director of the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the 2014/15 summer was the first time in 70 years Japan stopped its whaling activities.

He said: 'That puts the onus on the Australian government to make sure this is the first and the last season of Japan's new so-called scientific program.'

In December, the Australian government said Japan's decision to continue whaling was 'deeply disappointing'.

But conservation group Sea Shepherd said the Japanese fleet had faced little or no scrutiny over the summer and Australia and New Zealand seemed unwilling to send a ship to intercept them.

Sea Shepherd Australia's managing director Jeff Hansen said: 'Once again false promises from the Australian and New Zealand governments have resulted in whales being killed illegally in the Australian Whale Sanctuary.

'The majority of Australians wanted the Australian government to send a vessel to oppose the slaughter. They did not.'

Australian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson accused the government of doing little to prevent the 'sickening' illegal activity.

'Not in 40 years has an Australian government done so little to prevent whaling on our watch and in our waters,' he said.

Japan claims it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to sustain a return to commercial hunting. - Metro.






 

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

MASS BIRD DIE-OFF: Disaster Precursors - Several Hundred Dead Crows Found Along Michigan Railroad!

Mary Lutzke stopped to see for herself after hearing reports of dead crows in Springfield© Trace Christenson/The Enquirer

March 15, 2016 - MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES - Officials were trying to determine why several hundred crows are dead along a section of railroad tracks.

The crows were reported Tuesday near Helmer Road in Springfield.

Most were on the east side of the roadway, stretching at least 200 yards. Some people estimated as many as 300 of the birds were dead.

Mary Lutzke and her daughter, Kristin Jordan, stopped to see the dead birds and had questions about how and why they all died.

"I love crows," Lutzke said. "Their sound brings me back to my childhood. They are smart and intelligent."

Springfield City Manager Nathan Henne also stopped along the tracks after receiving calls about the bird kill. Henne said he would contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources about the birds. - Battle Creek Enquirer.





Friday, March 11, 2016

WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: 25 MILLION Migrant Birds Are Illegally Killed In The Mediterranean Every Year - New Research!

Two European turtledoves, whose numbers are plummeting across the Mediterranean.© ALAMY

March 11, 2016 - MEDITERRANEAN - Researchers find that the animals are being shot and trapped for food and the pet trade, with the majority of the deaths occurring at just 20 sites.

A new study finds that an estimated 25 million migrating birds are killed as they fly over Mediterranean countries each year. The deaths—by gun, net, or glue-covered traps—include several threatened species. Most of the birds end up being eaten as delicacies. Some are shot for sport, while others are captured alive and sold in the caged-bird trade.

Many bird species living in the Mediterranean are in decline owing to habitat loss, said Stuart Butchart, head of science at BirdLife International and a coauthor of the study. This mass killing could further threaten many species while also affecting the region's environment.

"Birds play an integral role in ecosystems, from pollinating plants and dispersing their seeds to controlling populations of insect pests," Butchart said. "Disturbing the balance of ecosystems by substantially changing bird abundance through illegal killing and other impacts will certainly have impacts beyond the birds themselves."

He cited the example of India, where some vulture species have declined by 99 percent or more because of poisoning by the veterinary drug diclofenac. The drug is used to treat livestock and contaminates vultures when they feed on dead animals. "This has led to a rapid increase in the feral dog population, as vultures no longer dispose of animal carcasses, and consequent increases in rabies cases among people," Butchart said.

The pet trade in the Mediterranean affects more than 450 species, according to the study. Some birds—such as the blackcap, the European turtledove, and the song thrush—are being taken from the wild in numbers approaching 1 million or 2 million each.

Butchart said the trade puts several species at risk. The Eurasian curlew and the ferruginous duck, for example, are both considered "near threatened," while the European turtledove is "vulnerable," meaning it is close to being endangered. "All are taken in numbers that are of concern given the size of their populations," Butchart said.

The killings and trade appear to exist throughout the Mediterranean region, including in five European Union nations. The country with the highest number of bird deaths was Italy, with at least 3 million killings. Malta, Cyprus, and Lebanon had the highest density of bird deaths—as many as 667 birds per square kilometer. The bird trade in Cyprus became infamous after a 2010 New Yorker report by Jonathan Franzen.

Cyprus, according to the researchers, was one of the four worst countries for Mediterranean bird deaths. Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria also appeared on that list. The researchers found that just 20 sites in those four countries were responsible for the bulk of the killings—as many as 8 million birds a year. Syria may be on the list because of the political unrest in that country. "It is difficult to know, of course, but the breakdown in security may well have made things worse in terms of illegal killing of birds," Butchart said.

Identifying these sites may be critical to saving the birds. "The fact that 40 percent [of the deaths] come from just 20 locations is quite significant," Butchart said. "It actually presents a conservation opportunity, because it possibly makes it easier to focus efforts to try and address the problem."

Indeed, plans developed by BirdLife and other conservation groups in Egypt, Libya, and Cyprus aim to reduce the number of birds killed in those countries. BirdLife said the goal is improved regulations and better monitoring, as well as actions to help specific species.

Butchart said it's too early to know if the plans are doing any good, "but we hope that they will help. The major challenge is to raise awareness so that people realize the much wider consequences of their illegal actions, often beyond their national borders."

That's going to take some effort. Previous surveys have revealed that the people of Cyprus don't see bird trapping as an issue, perhaps because they do not see the broader impact. BirdLife has spent the past few years campaigning there to change public perception, including making presentations at schools in the hope that the next generation of Cypriots will help to make a difference for the birds flying over the country's killing fields. - Takepart.





 

WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Record Numbers Of Rhinos Poached In Africa In 2015 - Report!

A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that at least 1,338 rhinos (stock image) were murdered across Africa in the past year.

March 11, 2016 - AFRICA - The number of African rhinos killed by poachers in 2015 increased for the sixth year in a row.

A report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) revealed that at least 1,338 rhinos were murdered across the continent in the past year.

This is the highest its been since 2008 when South Africa banned trade in rhino horns, leading conservation body IUCN said on Wednesday.

The slaughter has been driven by demand for their horn in countries such as China and Vietnam, where they are prized for their purported medicinal properties.

The horn is composed mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails, but it is sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases.

Trade in rhino horns was banned in 1977 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

The international treaty was set up in 1973 to protect wildlife against over-exploitation, and ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

However, the practice was only banned in 2008 in South Africa, which is said to be home to 20,000 rhinos or 80 per cent of the world's rhino population.

IUCN Director General Inger Andersen said despite stepped up surveillance by field rangers there had been 'alarming increases in poaching over the past year in other vitally important range states, such as Namibia and Zimbabwe' both of which adjoin South Africa.

Demand for rhino horn from South East Asia is being illegally supplied by sophisticated transnational organised crime networks, the IUCN said.

They are sold for about $60,000 a kilo on the black market, making it more expensive than cocaine.

'The extensive poaching for the illegal trade in horn continues to undermine the rhino conservation successes made in Africa over the last two decades,' said IUCN expert Mike Knight.

On the plus side, poaching in Kenya decreased over the past two years and went down for the first time in South Africa in 2015.

According to experts, there were between 19,000 and 21,000 white rhinos in Africa last year and between 5,000 and 5,500 black ones. - Daily Mail.






 

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

OMEN: Hong Kong Beaches Turn BLOOD RED - Beach-Goers Advised Not To Swim?!

 Photo: SCMP Pictures

March 8, 2016 - HONG KONG - Beach-goers advised not to swim at Clear Water Bay Second Beach and Silver Mine Bay Beach, while brown foam appears on Cheung Chau shoreline

Several parts of Hong Kong were hit by suspected red tides over the weekend, with swathes of the Cheung Chau shoreline caked with a putrid, foamy discharge that put off many beach-goers.

Pictures taken by local islanders and tourists on Saturday and Sunday showed parts of the island's Tung Wan Beach covered in the light brown froth.


Red tide found in Sam Mun Tsai in 2014. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Red tides, or algal blooms, are areas of seawater discoloured - brown, pink or red - by large concentrations of micro-organisms that may deplete levels of dissolved oxygen. Sightings usually peak in the spring. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the Environmental Protection Department was taking water samples.

On Saturday, beach-goers were advised not to swim at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung and Silver Mine Bay Beach on Lantau Island.


A reader photo showing the foamy waters at Cheung Chau over the weekend. Photo: SCMP Pictures


The government's inter-departmental red tide working group reported six red tides in Hong Kong waters last week in Silverstrand Beach and Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung, Junk Bay, Sham Wan, Lo Tik Wan, the Sok Kwu Wan and Cheung Sha Wan fish culture zones, and the east and west Lamma channels.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has stepped up monitoring of the fish culture zones in close vicinity of the red tides. - South China Morning Post.







Sunday, March 6, 2016

OMEN: Lagoon Turns BLOOD RED In Huatalco, Mexico - Several Days After Giant Fissure Opened Up And Swallowed A River In Veracruz?!

Red lagoon in Mexico.

March 6, 2016 - MEXICO - This lagoon situated in Huatalco, Mexico has turned blood red within the last 10 days.

The reddish water of 'La Salina' lagoon impacts residents' life and kills wildlife in the area.

After the mysterious overnight disappearance of a river near Veracruz, Mexico, it's now a lagoon that has unexpectedly turned color from green to red.


Scientists believe the color is a result of a red tide, a phenomenon in which estuarine, marine, or fresh water algae accumulate rapidly in the water column, which changes the color of the surface water.



Add caption



The production of natural toxins and depletion of dissolved oxygen could be responsible for wildlife mortalities of marine and coastal species of fish, birds, marine mammals, and other organisms around the lagoon.

Although red tides appear to be natural in some locations, residents believe that this algae blloom is the result of increased nutrient loading from human activities and low precipitation.

Indeed, the 'La Salina' lagoon is known for being highly polluted and the sewage plant is not working properly.And there is the biblical explanation...

Is the apocalypse near? - Strange Sounds.








Sunday, February 28, 2016

WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Rare Breed Of Giraffe Hunted To The Brink Of EXTINCTION In The Congo - With Just 38 Left In Reserve!

The Congolese giraffe has been hunted to the brink of extinction because of its high price. Getty

February 28, 2016 - CONGO - The Kordofan giraffe is teetering on the edge of extinction because its meat commands such a high price, according to conservationists.


A single giraffe can produce up to 270 kilograms of meat, enough to feed an army of poachers for weeks, experts have said.

The distinctive spotted skin is used for luxury goods and carries a high price tag in a country where per capita income is less than $230.

Aimé Balimbaki, the head of research and monitoring at Garamba National Park, says that just 34 adult giraffes survive split between two herds, with four young calves between them.

He told the Times: “At the moment the ratio is one male to 2.4 females, which is still sustainable.

"But if we have bad luck or if there is a serious menace – even if we lose just five giraffes – then the population may no longer be viable”.

Balimaki added that desperate refugees fleeing the bloody conflict in South Sudan often resorted to killing the giraffes for food.


A giraffe can produce up to 270 kilograms of meat, enough to feed an army of poachers for weeks. Getty

Just 34 adult giraffes survive split between two herds, with four young calves between them. Getty

He said: “If more refugees arrive, or if there are political problems here and people come into the park to destroy the giraffe then we will lose them completely”.

Park officials have warned that if they lose just five more giraffes, the population may no longer be sustainable on its own.

Noëlle Kümpel of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said: “Giraffes – like elephants, rhinos, and the like –have been picked off by poachers to feed the illegal wildlife trade and impoverished local people.

“At the same time, their habitat has been severely and, in many areas, irreparably degraded, leaving very few trees left to sustain even this small population of giraffe.”

She said that the remaining giraffes – which live in two small herds – are forced to to travel “incredibly long distances” to find food.

African parks with assistance of the Giraffes Conservation Foundation have now fitted eight of the animals with GPS radio collars to keep track of their whereabouts.

The UK based Charity Spots and Stripes, are in contact with both African Parks and The Giraffe Foundation with the intention of assisting.

A spokeswoman said: "t is heartbreaking that this has not gained the media attention it so deserves. To have a population of only 38 Giraffe's remaining in the Congo is a disaster for both the species and for conservation." - Express.








Tuesday, February 23, 2016

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - 26 Dead Gannets Found At Ormond Beach, Florida?!

One of many dead gannets washed ashore on Ormond Beach on Feb. 19. © J. Walker Fischer

February 23, 2016 - FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - Twenty-six dead Northern Gannets have been brought in to the center since Valentine's Day.

While Ormond Beach resident Walker Fischer was taking a stroll on the beach this past Friday, he counted four dead Northern Gannets and a pelican within a mile's walk.

The Volusia County Beach Patrol said the increase was not uncommon for this time of year.

Due to migration patterns, there is an increase in the amount birds in the area, and they find a few dead birds every day. They believe the recent death are mostly like of natural causes.

However, the Marine Science Center reported a significant number of dead Northern Gannets this past week. Since Feb. 14, they've received 26 gannets and a few other types of sea birds.

"At the present time, we do not have a definitive answer on the cause of these numbers," said Michael Brothers of the science center. "We are getting additional information and hope to have a more complete picture soon." - Ormond Beach Observer.




MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - 13 Bald Eagles Die In Baltimore, Maryland; Federal Officials Investigating?!

  This eagle is one of 13 found dead on a farm in Maryland Saturday, raising big questions. Photograph by Maryland Natural Resources Police

February 23, 2016 - MARYLAND, UNITED STATES - It's a whodunit for the animal kingdom: State and federal wildlife officials are trying to find out what happened to 13 bald eagles that were discovered dead on Maryland's Eastern Shore on Saturday.

The birds of prey were found on a farm in rural Caroline County, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Washington, D.C. and just west of the 3,800-acre Idylwild Natural Area. A man looking for shed deer antlers found some of the birds and phoned state officials, who then found several more.

"We don't know the cause of death yet and are asking the public for help with information," says Catherine Hibbard, a spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is investigating the case along with the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

Investigators are working the scene and are sending the bird carcasses to the federal forensic ornithology lab in Ashland, Oregon, to determine cause of death. Hibbard says it's too early to speculate on how the birds died but says its highly unusual for that many eagles to be found dead in such a small area.

"Our special agent has never seen this many dead eagles in eight years on the job," says Hibbard.

In recent years, officials have found a few eagles killed on the Eastern Shore from poisons that were put out by landowners to kill foxes or other animals, she adds. Eagles that scavenge on the poisoned carcasses can take up the poisons themselves, sometimes to lethal effect.

"Never have we seen this many eagles involved," Hibbard says, stressing that the investigation is ongoing.

The national symbol of the U.S., bald eagles were nearly wiped out by hunting, pesticides, and habitat loss in the 20th century. However, they have rebounded in recent decades thanks to strict protections and banning of DDT, which caused their eggshells to be too thin. Bald eagles were officially removed from endangered and threatened status in the U.S. in 2007, although they are still enjoy protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

If people are ultimately convicted of causing the death of the eagles, they could face a fine as high as $100,000 and prison time up to one year as a result of those acts.

Anyone with information about the eagles is being asked to call the USFWS at 410-228-2476 or Maryland's investigators at 800-628-9944. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to a conviction. - National Geographic.





Sunday, February 21, 2016

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors - Dozens Of Dead Birds Found Along Highway In Youngstown, Ohio?!

Dead birds.

February 21, 2016 - OHIO, UNITED STATES - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is investigating the death of dozens of birds found Saturday along Interstate 680 in Youngstown.

Passers-by spotted the carcasses of large black birds along the north bound lane near Midlothian Boulevard.

ODNR Wildlife Officer Jesse Janosik told 21 News that he would take photographs of the dead birds and collect samples for testing.

Janosik says he expects it will take a couple of days before it is determined what caused the animals to die.

According to the Division of Wildlife website, ODNR actively follows up on reports of any wildlife diseases in Ohio and monitors the health of wildlife populations to ensure their long-term conservation.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife website lists several diseases affecting birds including Avian Flu, West Nile Virus and Conjunctivitis.

There is no indication if any of those diseases played a part in the death of these birds.

- WFMJ.







Sunday, February 7, 2016

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: "This Is An EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT,... We're ALARMED,..." - 35 Brown Pelicans Found Dead On Grand Isle, Louisiana?!

The brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird.
© Times-Picayune

February 7, 2016 - LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES - As many as 35 brown pelicans have been found dead on Grand Isle in the past two weeks, prompting an investigation by scientists with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. They've dismissed suspicions that the birds were shot but have yet to determine the cause of death.

The dead pelicans were first reported to the Grand Isle Police Department, which asked state officials to investigate. "In the wintertime, we always get some calls about dead pelicans, but this seems to be an extraordinary amount," said Cheryl McCormack, secretary to Police Chief Euris DuBois. "We're alarmed about the number of them."

The brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird, was removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened species in 2009, but it is still protected under federal law. The birds had largely vanished from Louisiana's coast by the mid-1960s, after exposure to the pesticide DDT resulted in too-fragile eggshells.

More than 1,200 pelicans were imported from Florida in 1968. But the time of delisting, there were more than 12,000 breeding pairs in Texas and Louisiana.

Several dead brown pelicans collected by the Grand Isle Police Department in recent days have been turned over to wildlife officials, and others were being collected on Wednesday (Feb. 3) for testing, said Michael Seymour, a non-game ornithologist with Wildlife and Fisheries.

He said there have been several estimates of the number of dead birds, including 14 along several miles of beaches and 20 in a single mile of beach. A survey by a Wildlife and Fisheries employee found 15 or more birds over several miles.


Seymour said officials already have dismissed early reports that some of the pelicans might have been shot. A veterinarian with the department will conduct a necropsy, an animal version of an autopsy, on better-preserved carcasses, he said.

"Hopefully, we'll have an answer in the next few days, but we're not entirely sure," Seymour said. If the necropsies are unsuccessful, bird carcasses might be sent to a federal wildlife disease research center out of state for a more comprehensive review.

Seymour said it's not unusual to find dead pelicans washing up on beaches or elsewhere during cold, winter months, especially juvenile birds that starved to death before learning the best hunting skills. Some winter pelican deaths are the result of parasites, he said. Still others can die in the aftermath of winter storms, the result of being caught in cold rain, having their feathers become waterlogged then succumbing to hypothermia.

"It's not necessarily unusual to see pelicans dying in the winter," he said. "What may or may not be unusual is the number of dead birds. We don't have a baseline of what to expect each year; we don't have anybody counting dead birds every year." - NOLA.





Saturday, December 5, 2015

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: Plagues & Pestilences - 80 Birds Die At Hasties Swamp, Australia?!

Magpie geese

December 5, 2015 - AUSTRALIA
- Authorities are investigating after about 80 birds were found dead at Hasties Swamp near Atherton.

Tully man David Clarke was showing friends around the Tablelands on Wednesday when they came across the gruesome scene.

"We could see a big flock of birds on the edge of the lagoon," he said.

"When we were driving out, we discovered a sick bird on the road.

"There was no injury to it, so we released it back into the water.

"Then we saw the dead bodies of dozens of birds and ­others in a dying state, that's when we realised something drastic was going on.

"It was distressing to see birds flapping around dying."


Mr Clarke reported the deaths and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and Biosecurity Queensland are now investigating.

A QPWS spokeswoman said rangers found about 80 dead birds, mainly magpie geese, which may have been killed by avian botulism.

The paralytic disease is caused by ingestion of a toxin produced by the bacteria, Clostridium botulinum.

It can be present in the birds' food sources such as insect larvae.

"Bird deaths from botulism are annual events in Northern Australia at this time of year," she said.

"Samples are being taken at Hasties Swamp on Friday to determine if botulism or some other cause is responsible.

"Results should be known in about a week.

"QPWS has erected signage at the park to warn visitors." - The Cairns Post.




 

Friday, December 4, 2015

EXTREME WEATHER: Wildfire Rages In Southern Australia - At Least 2 People Killed, Others Injured; Many Homes And Vehicles Damaged; EXTRAORDINARY LOSSES Of Livestock And Wildlife!

Two people are confirmed dead as a major bushfire continues to burn in remote rural areas of South Australia.

December 4, 2015 - AUSTRALIA
- A clock frozen in time in the local bowls club destroyed by fire in the mid-north town of Wasleys in South Australia.

Firefighters spent yesterday searching burnt-out cars and homes after the blaze raged across a 40km front.

The Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill, took to Twitter to offer condolences to the families affected and thanked the hundreds of firefighters deployed in the area.

"We also know that there have been extraordinary losses of livestock and wildlife", the ABC quoted Weatherill as saying.

The South Australian deaths come after a blaze in the Esperence area of WA last week claimed the lives of three tourists and a local farmer.

"We can't be entirely sure we have identified every single person within the fire ground", Mr Weatherill said.

Country Fire Service chief office Greg Nettleton said crews had contained about 60 per cent of the fire perimeter which measured about 210 kilometres.

George Hooker has captured the moment he drove into a raging South Australian bushfire.

He said it was important that people in and around the fire zone didn't become complacent to avoid further deaths or injuries.

Meanwhile in NSW, a total fire ban is in place due to very hot conditions and a watch and act alert is now in place for a fire burning at Turlinjah in the state's south.

An expert on fire management at Melbourne University, Professor Kevin Tolhurst, said Australia was "one of the best prepared nations in the world for fires - but that is still pretty poor".

"There's been complete destruction of some of these vehicles".

"Until we get really substantial rainfall across the state, we're in a risky fire situation for the summer", he said.

"I cannot believe it, I still cannot fathom that she is gone", she said.

It was heading our way but it didn't get there.

Janet Hughes, 56, from Hamley Bridge also died as the fire swept across the lower northern region of the state, north of Adelaide, while 19 people have been injured.

That blaze, sparked by lightning around Esperance, 750km southeast of Perth, was finally brought under control late on Wednesday after tearing through nearly 130,000ha of bush land and farmland.

Another 42 homes have been damaged while crop and stock losses are expected to be significant. - The Oceanside Post.



 

Friday, November 27, 2015

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: "Really Unusual" - Scientists Unable To Explain Mysterious Mass Drownings Of Starlings In Britain?!

Two starlings bathing: the songbirds are a stocky species that bathe and drink together in groups. © blickwinkel/Alamy

November 27, 2015 - BRITAIN
- Behaviour could be one cause of the unusual drownings of the birds in large groups in England and Wales

Starlings have been consistently drowning in large groups in a phenomenon yet to be fully explained by scientists, according to new research led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

In 12 separate incidents recorded between 1993 and 2013 in England and Wales, starlings were found drowned in groups of two to 80. In 10 cases, at least 10 starlings were found drowned at a time, the research published in the journal Scientific Reports on Wednesday shows.

One expert said that the mass mortalities were "really unusual", with drowning considered a rare cause of death among wild bird populations and normally only recorded as affecting individual birds.

Records since 1909 of 800,000 ringed birds from 79 species reveal that drowning was more commonly recorded as a probable cause of death in starlings than in any other species.

Post mortems revealed no evidence that underlying disease had been a factor in the incidents which all occurred during the summer and spring months and concerned juvenile birds in most cases.

Dr Becki Lawson, lead author and wildlife veterinarian at ZSL told the Guardian that the cause is therefore likely to be behavioural. The stocky songbirds are a flocking species that bathe and drink together in groups, where the starlings may then be unable to exit a confined space or their plumage may become waterlogged. The inexperience of juveniles in recognising water hazards could also be a factor, she added.

"It does seem to be something related to that species being vulnerable or predisposed to these drowning events. It is really unusual," she said.

Starlings are listed as a threatened bird species in the UK, with numbers falling by 45 million since the 1980s and the current population recorded as 3.4 million during the breeding season. It is thought that a lack of nesting sites and and insect food sources is to blame.

Although Lawson said that the incidents are likely to be only a proportion of those that have occurred, she said there is no evidence to suggest the drownings are happening on a very wide scale. The researchers do not consider the incidents to be a conservation issue.

Scientists ask members of the public to report incidents at Garden Wildlife Health, a project that monitors the health of British wildlife.

"Members of the public from around Great Britain have been instrumental in bringing this unexpected cause of starling mortality to our attention by reporting these incidents," said Lawson. - The Guardian.





Thursday, April 16, 2015

GLOBAL AWAKENING: Embracing Of Mother Nature And Detaching From European Vampirism - Costa Rica Passes Law Banning Hunting Of Animals As A Sport!

Hunters, many of them European foreigners, have been the plague of animals across the globe.

April 16, 2015 - COSTA RICA
- Costa Rica on Monday became the first Latin American country to ban hunting as a sport, following an unanimous and final vote from Congress.

Lawmakers had provisionally approved a reform to its Wildlife Conservation law back in October. With a population of 4.5 million people, Costa Rica is one of the world's most biodiverse nations.

The Central American country is already known for its environmental mindset, with some 25 percent of its land protected as national parks or reserves.

Under the new law, those caught hunting can face up to four months in prison or fines of up to $3,000.

Smaller penalties for people who steal wild animals or keep them as pets were also included in the reform. Jaguars, pumas and sea turtles are among Costa Rica's most treasured species.

"There is no data on how much money hunting generates in the country, but we do know there are currently clandestine hunting tours that go for about $5,000 per person," said Arturo Carballo, deputy director at Apreflofas, an environmentalist organization who spearheaded the reform.

Foreign hunters come to Costa Rica in search of exotic felines while others look to obtain rare and colorful parrots as pets.

This is also Costa Rica's first proposal that came to Congress by popular initiative, with 177,000 signatures calling for the ban submitted two years ago. - Reuters.



Thursday, March 19, 2015

MASS BIRD DIE-OFFS: The Plague Of Avian Cholera - Thousands Of Snow Geese Fall Dead From The Sky In Idaho?!

This Nov 3, 1996 file photo shows thousands of snow geese descending on a harvested soybean field near Letcher, S.D. The South Dakota Game, Fish and
Parks Commission is taking steps to reduce the goose population in the state, which is well over the state's objectives. The commissioners met
Tuesday, July 8, 2014, in Fort Pierre to set hunting quotas for most geese seasons. (AP Photo/Argus Leader, Greg Latza, File)

March 19, 2015 - IDAHO, UNITED STATES
- Avian cholera is suspected in the deaths of at least 2,000 snow geese that fell dead from the sky in Idaho while migrating to nesting grounds on the northern coast of Alaska, wildlife managers said Monday.

Dozens of Idaho Department of Fish and Game workers and volunteers at the weekend retrieved and incinerated carcasses of snow geese found near bodies of water and a wildlife management area in the eastern part of the state, said agency spokesman Gregg Losinski.

Avian cholera is believed to be the culprit in the deaths mostly because of the way the birds died, he said.

"Basically, they just fell out of the sky," said Losinski.

He said biologists were awaiting results from a state wildlife lab to confirm the birds died of the highly contagious disease, which is caused by bacteria that can survive in soil and water for up to four months.

Humans face a small risk of contracting the disease but the more immediate threat is to wildlife in the vicinity of contaminated carcasses, Losinski said.

About 20 bald eagles were seen near areas where snow geese carcasses littered the ground but a lengthy incubation period makes it unclear if the eagles were infected and would carry the ailment elsewhere, said Losinski.

It was not known where the snow geese - named for their white plumage and for breeding in the far northern corners of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Siberia - contracted avian cholera during a migration that saw them wing north from wintering grounds in the American Southwest and Mexico, he said.

Outbreaks like the one found affecting the migrating snow geese in Idaho occur periodically in the United States and elsewhere, Losinski said.

Avian cholera is the most important infectious disease affecting wild waterfowl in North America, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  - Yahoo.




Wednesday, March 11, 2015

MASS ANIMAL DIE-OFFS: Disaster Precursors And Warnings From Mother Nature – The Latest Incidents Of Strange Animal Behavior, Migratory Patterns, Attacks, Deaths, And Appearance Of Rare Creatures!

March 11, 2015 - EARTH - The following constitutes the latest reports of unusual and symbolic animal behavior, mass die-offs, beaching and stranding of mammals, and the appearance of rare creatures.


Thousands of dead fish wash up in new die off in Lim Chu Kang, Singapore

Thousands of fish were found washed up on shore at Lim Chu Kang jetty on Saturday in the latest in a series of mass deaths. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Thousands of fish were found washed up on shore at Lim Chu Kang jetty on Saturday in the latest in a series of mass deaths.

Breeds big and small, including catfish and mullets, were discovered on the beach near where several fish farms are situated in the Strait of Johor.

Both sea and farm fish were affected.

Farmer Ong Kim Pit, 65, told The Sunday Times that he first saw fish jumping out of the water on Friday night, adding that his baby mullets were worst hit.





"It happened within minutes," he said. "My fish were jumping and jumping in the water. I don't know why."

Cleaners were seen removing bags of dead fish on Saturday.

It is not yet known what caused the mass deaths, but they came a week after a deadly wave of plankton bloom wiped out almost all of some Changi farmers' stocks.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said the bloom had killed an estimated 500 to 600 tonnes of fish as of last Wednesday, and affected 55 out of 63 farms in the East Johor Strait.

The AVA's preliminary findings showed elevated levels of Karlodinium veneficum in seawater samples, which has been associated with fish deaths worldwide.Meanwhile, photos of dead fish at Kranji Reservoir Park and Sungeh Buloh Wetland Reserve also surfaced online on Saturday. - Straits Times.


Dozens of dead birds found in Cincinnati, Ohio

Dead robins


Nearly a dozen dead robins could be seen Tuesday around Paul Brown Stadium. On the walkway off Central Avenue and West Pete Rose Way five lifeless birds could easily be spotted, just below the expressway.

"Carbon-monoxide poisoning, maybe the trucks and stuff coming across and it builds up," said Wild Birds Unlimited General Manager, Chris Sweigard. He said the birds most likely roost in pockets of the expressway to protect themselves from the weather and to stay warm.

Bird experts at the Cincinnati Zoo said the robins are also victims of the harsh winter, and the stress of the weather and lack of food can kill them.

"Right now there would be a lot of flocking birds because they help each other find food this time of year. They won't separate for a few weeks for nesting, but right now they are forging together staying together," said Sweigard.

Jeffrey Kennedy, who works downtown, walks the pathway routinely and said he sees the birds almost every day.

"It's disgusting," he said. Kennedy wishes the city would clean the birds up.

City officials said they do have a department to clear dead animals from roadways, but they wouldn't know about the birds unless they were called. Usually, city officials said, crews are only called for large animals on main roads. - FOX19.


Brutal winter takes toll on wildlife around New York

A screech owl that lost a lot of body weight
because of the harsh winter. © Loraine Izzo
Wildlife rehabilitators say that animals - mainly waterfowl, owls, hawks and some mammals - are under serious stress due to the cold winter.

Two months of snow cover and brutal bouts of arctic air are endangering wildlife.

Wildlife rehabilitators say that animals — mainly waterfowl, owls, hawks and some mammals — are under serious stress. Many have starved because their food sources have been covered with snow and ice and the water they need to survive has been frozen.


"It's been a really hard, long, cold, desperate and brutal winter for wildlife," said Taffy Williams, a wildlife rehabilitator from Yonkers. "A lot of raptors, hawks and owls are being found dead."

Animals have been foraging in places they usually don't — risky places such as urban streets or sun-warmed banks along parkways.
"Anything that's looking to graze, that includes deer, they're having a hard time," Williams said. "The winter's been really hard on shore birds and birds of prey and also song birds. They look on the ground for seeds and any kind of grazing material."

A screech owl injured by a car in Pleasantville was also emaciated, said Loraine Izzo, a rehabilitator from Bronxville. She recently cared for a goose and mallard duck found starving near the mostly frozen Bronx River. A redtail hawk, now on the mend, was found near the reservoir in Yonkers.

"His feet were dug into the snow and his tail was frozen into the snow," Izzo said. "It was horrible."

A turkey vulture that almost starved to death
is recuperating in the back yard of Marilyn Leybra, a rehabilitator, of Pomona. She said a wide range of animals have been affected.

"The Canada geese are also catching the devil," Leybra said. "I see them day after day, just sitting ... They look like statues. They're trying to conserve every bit of energy."

'It's hard for all wildlife'

A red-tailed hawk being nursed back to
health after getting frozen into icy snow
near a reservoir in Yonkers. © Loraine Izzo
Lori Severino, a public information officer with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said field staff have seen signs that deer have been "pawing down" through the snow to find food and that turkeys are seeking food at areas with "spring seep," where groundwater keeps the area open for foraging. Ducks and geese, she said, seek out open water and keep moving if they can't find it.

"As the cold weather is prolonged and if we get heavy snow or ice cover on the snow, then things become more problematic," Severino wrote last week in an email. But, she added, "DEC has not received any reports of winter kill so far this winter and animals that have been observed seem to be healthy. Energy reserves are diminishing in the animals but nothing 'drastic' as of now."

Kevin Hynes, a wildlife biologist in the department's Delmar office, recently sent out a notice asking for carcasses of hawks and owls.

"We're getting more calls about dead hawks and owls and I wanted to confirm it was snow cover and the weather rather than some other potential disease," Hynes said.

He said hawks and owls depend on voles, a kind of small rodent, to stay alive and that the voles have been able to hide under all the snow.

As fat deposits get depleted in the hunting birds, it gets harder for them to regulate their heat.

He said the birds impacted have mostly been redtail hawks, screech owls and barn owls.

Walter Chadwick, of the Hudson River Audubon Society of Westchester, said feeders and a warmed drinking water dispenser for birds at Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers have been swarmed.

"The birds flock to the feeders," Chadwick said. "It's hard for all wildlife. They can't get through that ice and there's been constant cold weather."

He said people wanting to help birds should put out black oil sunflower seeds and suet, which provide a lot of energy, and a pie pan with water.


A view of a turkey vulture, photographed March 3, 2015 and being cared for by wildlife rehabilitator Marilyn Leybra
at her home in Pomona.  © Joe Larese/The Journal News


Migrating birds 'are probably doomed'


Snow has been covering the ground since mid-January across much of the Northeast. The National Weather Service said February was the coldest on record in many places in the region.

AccuWeather meteorologist Evan Duffey said that temperatures this time of year should be in the 40s, but as of Friday, only five days had cracked 40 in 2015.

Chadwick said many resident birds have learned to adapt to the cold, but those flying up from the south this time of year could be in peril, including redwing blackbirds and snow geese.

Joanne Dreeben, a rehabilitator from Yonkers, noted the American woodcock usually shows up this time of year.

"The early arrivals are probably doomed," she said. "They eat almost exclusively earthworms."


Canada geese are seen huddling in the snow at the Willow Tree Park in Monsey. Wildlife rehabilitator Marilyn
Leybra says this brutal winter has been especially hard on wildlife.   © Joe Larese/The Journal News


Hynes said birds that come this time of year time their trip by hours of daylight.

"They have no idea what the temperature is up here," Hynes said.

Dreeben said starvation is not the only problem. Birds typically have parasites in their systems that aren't a problem when healthy.

"But when a bird gets debilitated, there's a bloom of internal parasites," Dreeben said. "It's a very difficult thing for them to survive." - IOHUD.


Yet another child mauled to death by a pack of dogs in India

Feral dogs in India
In a chilling replay of dogs attacking children in Bareilly, which has become a serious menace in the district, a 10-year-old was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs here on Sunday, police said.

The child, Mohd Kaif, was playing with his friend, 11-year-old Ayaan, in a park near his house in Gulistaan colony in Jalalabad kasba at 8am when the incident occurred. Residents said they heard the children shouting and rushed to their aid, but it was already too late. Kaif was killed on the spot while his Ayaan escaped with minor injuries.

Zeeshan Ali, a resident of the colony, said the dogs were from a nearby plywood factory. The residents of the colony protested outside the factory and blocked traffic, before police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.

Speaking on the issue, Satyaveer Singh, station officer, Najibabad Kotwali police station, said, "We have investigated the incident and found that the dogs were not from the plywood factory. The family has not filed a complaint and the body has been buried."

Bareilly has seen a spate of dog attacks recently, with as many as five people being attacked in a span of 40 days earlier this year. On March 2, a pack of four dogs attacked a pregnant woman in Pareva village of Baheri on Sunday while she was working in the fields. - The Times of India.


Pit bull terrier kills man trying to help owner in East Wheeling, West Virginia

A pit bull terrier
A pit bull attacked and killed a man who was trying to help the dog's ill owner in a home in East Wheeling, W.Va., authorities said.

Wheeling police and other emergency responders were called to the home late Sunday night regarding a dog attack and had to force their way into the residence, where they found both victims.

One victim was badly injured; the other person was unconscious. Both were taken to local hospitals, where they were pronounced dead, police said. Their names have not been released.

Wheeling police Lt. Phil Redford says police believe the dog's owner suffered a heart attack and that the other man was attacked by the dog as he tried to resuscitate the owner.

Animal control officers removed the pit bull from the home and it has been quarantined.

No further information was released. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.


Kicked dog gets revenge on driver by attacking his car with friends, China

You don't kick this dog and get away with it.

An angry stray that was struck by a motorist decided to get revenge by damaging his most prized possession - his car.

The man kicked the dog because it was lying in his parking spot.

The dog then vanished but came back later with a few of his pack and damaged the car.


The stray dog got its revenge. © Rex

He brought a few friends. © Rex

The owner wouldn’t have been pleased with the state the car was left in. © Rex


He was pictured biting at the wheel trims and windscreen wipers outside the flats in southwest China's Chongqing.

A neighbour took pictures of the incident last week, which he later showed to the driver.

Needless to say, the dog hasn't been seen since. - Metro.


104 TONS of dead fish wash ashore along the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay

Cleanup activities culminated in the capital, while in Ciudad de la Costa will continue throughout the day.
Still he could not establish the causes of the phenomenon


The Municipality of Montevideo (IMM) completed the cleanup on the coast after the appearance of dead fish on Wednesday. In total, 104 tons rose. In Canelones, tasks continue during the day and so far collected 95 tons lead. It is the fish known as menhaden, whose scientific name is Brevoortia Pectinata.

The director of the IMM Environmental Development, Juan Canessa, told The Observer that are not programmed new cleanings, "unless more fish appear".

On the other hand, the director of the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (Dinara), Daniel Giraldoni said that they are investigating the causes and that none of the hypotheses discarded. One of the strongest is that it would discard that made fishing vessels of this species, others, however, point to contamination or a physical change in water conditions.

He said Giraldoni, striking the large volume of fish and that the phenomenon has also resulted in Argentine coast. In this sense, Dinara is in communication with the Fisheries Research Institute in the country and in the course of the week will learn a technical report.

Nauseating Beaches in Canelones

In some spas Canelones as Shangrilá, there are still mountains of dead fish that generated a foul smell on the beaches. From the Administration of Canelones is expected that the cleanup, which began the weekend next to the Emergency Committee was completed on Monday.

Worked 70 workers, seven backhoes, ten trucks and four tractors to clear 60 kilometers of coastline, told The Observer director of Environmental Management Canaria Commune, Leonardo Herou. When lifted carried over 95 tonnes, being disposed at the site of final disposal of the commune.

"The most complicated area, which gave us more work was El Pinar, by characteristics. The mouth of the stream Carrasco was left for last because the beach is there disqualified bathroom and put emphasis on the rest of the coast if it is. Today we're reviewing and re-pick, because in some areas the tide made out again, "he said.

Discard fishing

The director explained that discarding Dinara is a common practice since this species have no great commercial value. "It is an operative that is prohibited, so fishing from the point of view is fine," he said.

"It's an important issue that all countries want to correct. The European Union last year began to gradually implement a regulation to reduce discards, but has a big opposition from many countries because it directly affects the profitability of enterprises and employment. In Uruguay is discussing the issue with employers and workers, there is consensus among all which is a theme solve ".

Lacha

Uruguay exports about 1700 tons of these fish per year, according to the Dinara, but as it is a species that is in abundance, has little commercial value and is rapidly deteriorating, if you are fishing in the early days of work at sea, Boats prefer discard. - El Observador. [Translated]


250,000 birds killed due to avian flu in Monywa, Myanmar


Mon State farmers are trying to prevent the spread of bird flu.
Photo: Staff
Poultry farmers in Mon State were called to an urgent meeting on March 6 to discuss measures to prevent the spread of the deadly H5N1 bird flu to the state. The Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department called the distributors in after an avian flu outbreak in Monywa, Sagaing Region, led to the death of hundreds of thousands of diseased birds.

About 15 people, representing the four big poultry distributors in Mawlamyine, attended the meeting. Each owner has more than 10,000 chickens.

Dr Chit Thein, Mawlamyine township chief officer, said after the meeting, “The best way to prevent infection is get all the distributors from this area together and provide guidelines to prevent further infection in Mon State.” Outbreaks of H5N1 also occurred in 2006 and 2011.

He said the authorities had advised poultry dealers to go to the markets with municipal experts to inspect the birds on sale, and to apply pesticide on their farms.

U Hla Than, owner of the U Noe Din family farm, told The Myanmar Times that some chickens had died in his area, but only because of high temperatures. “The flu is not here yet, so we are trying to prevent infection by requiring that chickens bought from outside Mon State be accompanied by a letter guaranteeing its good health. And we also isolate the runs of any culled chickens for 20 days for cleansing,” he said.

Farm owner Arkar Min confirmed that any chickens bought out-of-state would have to be guaranteed healthy by the local Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department. “That is the only way we can prevent infection from unhealthy chickens being imported to Mawlamyine,” he said.

The Ministry of Livestock. Fisheries and Rural Development has confirmed the deaths of chickens and quail in Monywa because of bird flu. As of March 1, about 250,000 birds had been destroyed there.The chief officer of Mawlamyine Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Dr Ni Ni Maw, told the meeting that everyone shared a responsibility to prevent infection because the flu was dangerous not only to birds, but also to humans, who had not yet been infected in an H5N1 outbreak in Myanmar. - MM Times.


19 dead turtles found on Pulau Tiga Island in Malaysia

Mystery surrounds the discovery of 19 dead turtles on an island within the proposed Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Kudat.

Acting on public information, officers from the State Wildlife department together with rangers from Sabah Parks, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Marine police recovered the carcasses on Pulau Tiga on March 5.

Post mortem will be carried out by the State wildlife department here to determine how the endangered Green turtles ended up dead on the island which is located about three hours by speed boat from Kudat town.

West Coast wildlife Officer, Roland Nuin said the discovery indicate that there could be a huge market for parts from the turtle species.






“I highly suspect that they are meant to be smuggled out alive to foreign countries but failed because of the heavy presence of MMEA and Marine police vessels patrolling the sea,” he added.

Roland said the case looked similar to discovery of 50 turtle carcasses last year on the same island which is believed to be used as a transit point for smugglers because of its proximity to the border.The area where the turtle carcasses were found is within the proposed park which measures almost one million hectares. - NST.


100+ cattle have died 'due to suspected grass poisoning' in Gujarat, India

Representational photo (Photo: Pixabay)
Over 100 cattle have died due to suspected grass poisoning here in the last three days, causing concern among live-stock authorities and cow protection activists.

While 41 cattle died in Drjipura area on Friday, another 61 deaths were reported in the city on Sunday, Joint Commissioner of Police D J Patel said.

The deaths were suspected to have been caused by poisoning of grass sourced from outside areas to feed the animals but exact cause will be known after analysis of the liver samples of the dead animals, he said.

Samples have been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Surat for detailed analysis after conducting post-mortem on the carcasses.

"Veterinarians and live-stock officials are awaiting the report from the laboratory. Only then we will be able to say the exact cause of the death of these cattle," the police official said.

Meanwhile, Viha Bharwad, an activist of Gauraksha Samiti, demanded an inquiry into the death of the cattle and wanted the authorities to take urgent preventive steps to save the remaining animals kept in the shelters here.Rajiv Shah, an official of an animal shelter at Panjrapol area, said it had been decided to feed the cattle with hay fodder for the time being as contaminated grass was suspected to be the cause of the death. - Deccan Chronicle.


550 dead animals (mainly deer) found, 'due to snow and cold' in Leon, Spain

Remains of a dead deer and mutilated near Riano, in the province of León. / ILEON.COM

More than 500 animals have been found dead around Riano, in Leon slope of the Cantabrian mountain range, following heavy snowfall and extreme cold this winter. The guards of the reserve, guarding him, have already started their transportation to areas where the bodies within the reach of scavengers that may feed on them, especially the vultures and bears soon leave the perido hibernation, according to the newspaper ileon.com.

The Regional Hunting Reserves are spaces that aim to preserve and promote certain species and achieved adequate levels of density, rationally use the rich hunting "for maximum social and recreational satisfaction, trying to head the regions affected a strong cash flow that will improve their economic and social conditions. " He explains the Board holds these lands, specifically, manages the Department of Development and Environment.

The province of León has three of the ten community reserves and Riano, with 78,995 hectares, more than double the sum of the other two: Ancares Leoneses (36,342 hectares) and Mampodre (31,400 hectares). Most of its surface, which borders Palencia, Asturias and Cantabria, is included in the Regional Park Picos de Europa. To meet the Reserve directed by Juan Carlos Peral, the Ministry has, on the ground, with a group of 13 environmental zealots, the front of which is, as you save more, Felipe Campo.

The wide and varied catalog of work of these professionals is marked by nature activities brand for different seasons and also for the unexpected. In fire season conducted surveillance are also fishing authority but in that forest officials focus. It is also responsible for developing the censuses of different species that inhabit the reserve, as chamois, roe deer, wild boar, bears and (most listed) montess goats.

Surveillance hunting


Hunting accounts for much of the time they spend working, shortly pending a schedule that exceeds every day and whose excesses only resists a resounding vocation. They are in charge of accompanying hunters in the beatings and tell them what animals can kill. Also placed jobs in collective hunts and are responsible, for example, to monitor the bear habitats for the shots are not made in places that may disturb the plantígrados. When the animal is killed -pelos collect samples, blood or part of the jaw that are sent to the Regional Agricultural Laboratory Villaquilambre. They also collaborate with the University of Barcelona and the Atapuerca Foundation.

Monitor and review the Reserve damage caused by animals in farms and herds is another of its missions. The wolf attacks on cattle, sheep or horses and boars hozaduras in individual enclosures also takes them many hours, says Felipe Campo. Furthermore, as a good knowledge of the area, are required by the Civil Guard when a person disappears and even in some mountain rescue. For all these works have a fleet of vehicles that would like to renovate and a kit also capable of being improved or expanded given the intense wear and tear that make it.

"Almost none of which we meet a specific schedule. It is impossible, you all day," he says, but adds that his team does not skimp on dedication, what is especially proud. Pedro Martinez, one of the guards, recognizes that in his previous post worked a lot less time but says he does not miss. The partnership between the group, he stresses, is the best reward. That does not stop mourn, with some bitterness, some criticism they receive.

Severe winter


"It's hard to get people to give everything in their power without saying that not touch him do that, or has not rested and here it happens, we are a bit like a family, everyone wanting and pulling the boat forward. What is hard is that when you take too long without rest and all pending day and doing things, above say we do things wrong. That will crush ... with what we are doing and we are shaking up, "laments Field .

Refers to complaints arising in some villages in the area following the snowfall that lived for weeks in the mountainous areas of the province and resulted in the death of hundreds of animals. The guards dehorned corpses with the intent to prevent poaching who denied the headman of the area, even questioning the fate of them. The more saved notes that the controversy is already settled and explains that the horns are sent to Leon and can be claimed by the neighborhood councils.

To date, over 550 have been found dead animals and many others are expected to become available. The bodies move, if deemed advisable, to areas where they can be fed to vultures, "which once fed up of eating need space to fly" or where they are to be bears, to come out of hibernation , very fond of the carrion. "In a month will skins and bones," says Field.

Mortal stretch


Death, mainly deer still frequently appear at the roadside in a route between Builth Wells and Harbour Pandetrave, cold and weakness is due accumulated during weeks of snow. "The deer eat much, heavy and easily digs into the snow. When the snow is too tight fail to walk through it," sums.

The snowfall, this exceptional year, has given much work and still "have some work because you have to work with snowshoes or skis, there are a lot of ground and you have to enter more than once because still overnight you find animals, still dying bugs and it is important to know the casualties we have. "

With an average of five feet thick at heights between 800 and 1000 meters and more from there, many animals were trapped and were and continue to suffer from cold and lack of food. The guards continue to carry grass some points that are close but for some specimens survival is excluded. They also assist those who are 'locked' by walls of snow on the road formed in the wake of the machines.

Peter and Philip coindicen that what happened can not be considered more than a tough selection of nature itself. We discussed while, binoculars or telescope in hand, locate a skill that causes admiration some deer, chamois and ibex grazing or resting on a sunny day in mountains released in fall of snow but still inaccessible valleys near the end a particularly harsh winter.  - Asturias 24. [Translated]


Massive die off of prawns, 'cause unknown' in Aroor, India

Prawn farmers in Aroor constituency have landed in trouble after prawns in their fields were found dead in large numbers this week. However, the exact reason for the death of prawns has not been determined. The prawns were found dead in fields at Pallithode, Valiyathadam, Kochuvavakad and western parts of Thuravoor. Udayabhanu, a farmer from Pattanakkad panchayat, said that he had suffered a loss of more than Rs 10 lakh. He had deposited 1.75 lakh seedlings in his 12 acre paddy field.

Satheesan, another prawn farmer said, the prawns afflicted with the unknown disease are 70 -days- old.

“We were about to conduct the harvesting of the prawns. But, we are in trouble now as majority of our prawns have started to die out in large numbers. Though news about the prawn’s mass death has come out, no authorities concerned have come forward and tried to understand our situation,’’ he said.

The chemical waste dumping from the various industrial units are believed to be the main reason for the sudden death of prawns.

According to Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies Vice-Chancellor B Madhusoodana Kurup, when the industrial waste reaches the fields through canals, the level of oxygen will come down drastically resulting in the death of prawns.In a rough estimate of loss prepared by the farmers in the Kari land in Thuravoor, Ezhupunna and other panchayats in the Cherthala taluk shows that more than Rs 50 lakh loss was incurred due to the death of prawns. - New Indian Express.


10,000+ cattle dead due to flooding of the river Ebro in Spain



It is not yet known how long the Ebro to return to normal, low water slowly and then rise to the surface problems. Remove mud, recover the supply of drinking water and, most painfully, recover the bodies of all the dead cattle lying in the fields: over 10,000 cattle to be removed. Already have withdrawn more than 4,000 days and even take on the rest. - Cuatro. [Translated]


Weasel attacks heron in Kent, UK

'Excuse me sir, please let go of my beak’  © SWNS/Jonathan Forgham

Warning: This article contains content animals lovers may find upsetting


The world went crazy for a weasel riding a woodpecker last week, but it seems not all weasel/bird relationships are as harmonious as that one.

One weasel received a much colder reception when he tried to jump on and attack the beak of a heron, which ended up eating the furry little rodent for dinner.

First the understandably annoyed heron grabbed the angry weasel in it's beak before dunking him in the water several times, drowning him.

After making sure his nemesis was dead the bird swallowed him in one mouthful.

Bird watcher Jonathan Forgham captured the horrifying moment in the Elmley Mature Reserve in Kent.

‘OK. Now I’m getting angry.’  © SWNS/Jonathan Forgham

© SWNS/Jonathan Forgham


He said: 'The heron wasn't trying to eat it, it was just trying to get rid of it. But the weasel attacked its beak again and the heron picked it up and flew off to the pond.

'I drove the car round there in time to see the heron try to drown the weasel. It lifted it out of the water and then dunked it again to make sure it was dead.

'When the weasel was quite motionless the heron swallowed it. Afterwards it didn't do much, it just stood there looking quite smug.'

Jonathan admitted that the weasel was fighting a losing battle from the outset, but said they are 'aggressive, never give up and fight to the death'.

Clearly.

We think it's about time ambassadors from the both the weasel and avian kingdoms meet to try and rebuild the peaceful and mutually beneficial relationship the two species once had.

Of course in reality the weasel was trying to kill the woodpecker.  © Martin LeMay

Of course in reality the weasel was trying to kill the woodpecker

But hey, even if weasels and birds don't get along most of the time, that one precious moment when they did has now been immortalised in the most British way possible - with a sign.

The amazing photo has brought such a massive amount of attention to the Hornchurch Country Park in Essex where it was taken that someone has decided to remind all visitors to that park that they walk upon sacred ground.

Never forget. © Julia Kenny

Of course, the sign wasn't put up by the council, and is thought to have been placed by a prankster who wants to park to become listed as a 'historical site' due to the picture. - Metro.