New, Large Species of Elephant Shrew Discovered

The Zoological Society of London recently announced its discovery of a new species of elephant shrew. A DNA analysis to be performed to verify that the creature is indeed its own, heretofore unknown species. Those who have seen the above photograph of the new animal believe that it is indeed an independent creature, from the photo alone, simply because of its large size and coloring. Camera traps were set after a zoologist failed to recognize the unique looking animal in a north-eastern Kenyan forest. If this proves to be a unique species of elephant shrew, it will be only the eighteenth type of the strange animals to have been discovered.

Elephant shrews are found only in Africa, spread among various types of African landscapes, from mountains to forests to deserts. Elephant shrews, also known as sengis, are known most notably for their long snouts and small size. They are, interestingly, not actually related to shrews at all, but are instead more closely related to elephants, aardvarks, and hyraxes. They are very active during the daytime, but are not particularly social, aside from their monogamous relationships. They mostly eat worms and insects, and the occasional plant matter, using their nose to locate the food, and their tongue and teeth to take in pieces of their small prey. They have short life spans, living only up to four years.

The large elephant shrews are almost all considered to be vulnerable or endangered. The species are threatened by forest clearing and other forms of habitat destruction, as well as by being targeted as food. Conservation efforts have not been focused on the elephant shrews in particular, but some action has been done to protect the areas where they live.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Red Panda Cub Born at Smithsonian Zoo

The first Red Panda cub to be born to the Smithsonian National Zoo in the last fifteen years came into the world on June 16, 2010. It was love at first sight for the cub's parents, who began breeding behavior almost immediately after introduction. Neither of them had previously birthed children. The Red Panda exhibit is currently closed to give the first-time mom and her new cub ample time to bond.

Red Pandas, unlike the panda bears they are named after, are not a type of bear at all. Their closest relatives are actually raccoons and weasels, although there has been ongoing controversy over their correct scientific classification. They are found in the forests of the Himalayas, from Nepal to China, and in India and Myanmar. They primarily eat bamboo and their bodies have evolved to better adapt to foraging for their food of choice. They have retractable claws curving inwards to better grasp bamboo and narrow tree branches.

Because of their beautiful coloration, Red Pandas have been victim to hunting and poaching. As with most, if not all tree-dwelling species, the Red Panda has also been suffering from habitat loss and deforestation. While they are currently only deemed to be vulnerable by the IUCN, but other organizations estimate that the population is smaller than the IUCN has calculated, and believe that the Red Panda should be considered endangered. Despite the fact that it is not technically considered to be endangered, the Red Panda is protected in every country that it dwells. Some areas where they reside have also found conservation status, hoping to protect the population, but the areas can be hard to police. Continued captive breeding programs are recommended by conservationists to keep a healthy strain of the animal alive, as fewer Red Pandas in the wild have led to some inbreeding. Protecting larger areas of land and properly enforcing existing legal protections are also recommended to rescue the Red Panda.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Growing Concern Over Status of African Birds

Three African birds recently had their species survival outlooks lowered. The African Penguin changed from vulnerable to endangered. The Ludwig's Bustard changed from least concern to endangered. The Southern Ground Hornbill was moved from least concern to vulnerable. All three live primarily in southern Africa, where habitats are growing smaller for these and other birds.

The Southern Ground Hornbill (above) is losing its nesting habitat, as large areas in South Africa are cleared naturally by African elephants, and unnaturally for agricultural use. It is the largest species of hornbill, most noted for the large red patches of skin on the face and throat.

African penguins, also called Jackass Penguins for their donkey-like braying, have seen a 60% decrease in population over their last three generations. Their numbers have dwindled for a variety of reasons. Their eggs have long been considered a delicacy, and into the mid-nineteenth century, eggs were smashed after a few days to ensure that only fresh ones reached the public. When the iron ore tanker, MV Treasure, sank in 2000, 19,000 adult penguins were covered in oil. While almost all were rehabilitated and released, the year's breeding season was largely unsuccessful. African penguins are facing even more strife, as nearly 500 individuals have died because of the cold winter weather in South Africa in the last few days.

Ludwig's Bustard has been shown to have a particular problem with South Africa's development. Because of their large size, they are prone to collide with power lines and a solution has not yet been proposed. Visual deterrents have been added to some power lines, but have so far proven unsuccessful.

via BirdLife International and AFP

Cute Spotlight: Bilby

The bilby is a vulnerable marsupial, indigenous to Australia. As they are a member of the bandicoot family, they are sometimes known as Rabbit-Eared Bandicoots. They are omnivores, eating a variety of fruits, insects, and seeds every night. They obtain nearly all of their water through their food and do not have to regularly drink. They have excellent hearing and smelling senses, but cannot see well. This serves them well though, as they spend most of their time in their burrows.

Through the 1980s and the early 1990s, bilbies were considered to be an endangered species, but since 1994, they have bumped their numbers up to the "vulnerable" level instead. The proliferation of rabbit populations throughout Australia has been a significant factor in bilby decline. Rabbits eat some similar foods as bilbies and live and burrow in similar areas. Foxes, dingos and feral cats are also threats to the bilbies, as are shrinking habitats and the danger of vehicles.

Save the Bilby campaigns and Easter Bilby advertising have brought this critter back from the brink of extinction. The Easter Bilby campaign has been established to raise awareness and appreciation of of the bilby. Because of the effort, bilby-shaped chocolates have become an Australian Easter staple, oftentime with chocolate bilby profits going towards the animal's conservation. Bilbies are still a protected animal all throughout Australia.

Great Bustard Chicks Born in UK

Four great bustard chicks were recently spotted in the UK wild. This is an important event for conservationists, who began reintroducing this bird to Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, six years ago. The Great Bustard Group has been taking eggs from Russia, breeding them, and releasing their young in the UK. This is the second year that the group has seen chicks being hatched in the wild. 

Great bustards are currently deemed to be vulnerable to eradication, with approximately 35,000 birds calculated to exist. Most bustard species are considered either endangered, or at least with populations dwindling in size. They had been hunted to extinction in the UK during the 1800s, partially because of the bird's enormous size-- it is the world's heaviest flying bird, weighing up to 45 pounds. They also make beautiful trophy birds, with their colorful, large plumage. They are omnivores, eating a diet of seeds, insects, frogs, and beetles. The great bustard is the national bird of Hungary.

Hunting is no longer as dangerous to the species as it once had been. Now, as with most birds, their real threat comes from  habitat loss and development. In particular, electricity lines pose a risk to the birds, who despite their size can fly quite quickly, becoming entangled and electrocuted by wires. 

via BBC News

Two White-Naped Crane Chicks Hatched

It was recently announced that two White-naped Cranes chicks hatched on May 12 and May 14, 2010. They were born under a crane species survival program at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The genes in the two new chicks are incredibly important to the survival of the species. The chicks were conceived via artificial insemination. The chicks' parents were cranes who had been unable to reproduce in captivity before because of behavioral or physical impairments. While this may seem like a bane to the genetic strength of the birds, the diversity that these unused genes can bring to the species is invaluable. There are so few cranes in these breeding programs, having new blood in the mix is a necessity.

White-naped Cranes are currently considered to be vulnerable by IUCN due to their dwindling population. Estimates place the White-naped Crane population to be between 5,000 and 6,500 birds. These cranes are native to much of Asia, inhabiting Japan, China, Russia, Mongolia, and North and South Korea. White-naped Cranes are known for their digging abilities and their dancing during courtship. They are omnivores, living off vegetation and small animals in wetland areas. It is because of the development of the wetlands and the creation of dams that the cranes are thought to be dying. Current conservation efforts include artificially feeding the birds and working to give them protected status in the countries they habituate.

via Zoo and Aquarium Visitor

Russian Scientists Foster Moon Bear Orphans

Three Moon Bear cubs were found by scientists, probably orphaned because of the legal hunting of the bears in Russia. The adult bears' skins are sought for the attractive moon markings on their chests. Moon Bears, technically called Asiatic black bears, are considered to be a vulnerable species. They are protected throughout most of their natural habitat, but in Russia and Japan, hunting them is still legal. As National Geographic reports, "During traditional Russian bear hunts, hibernating bears are dragged from their dens and shot. If it’s a mother with cubs, the babies are often left to die."

The scientists are purposefully doing little more for the bears than give them food, for fear that they will learn to depend on and trust humans too much. The goal is to release the bear cubs back into the wild in a year or so, once they have regained their strength and have survived the winter.

Asiatic black bears are mostly herbivores, eating fruits, nuts, insects, and some smaller animals. As they climb trees, spending up to half of their time in them, the bears will bring twigs and leaves up with them, creating what appear as nests for the bears to sit in. Moon bears are associated with the mountain spirit in traditional Japanese culture, with many folklore and art pieces focused around the creatures. They are often used, unfortunately, in circus acts because of their curious nature and their intellect.

Even without the legal sport hunting of Russia and Japan, the threats to the bears still increases. In China and Southeast Asia, a large threat to the species is the bear bile trade, for use in traditional medicine. The bile is supposedly used to cure diseases.  Some people have created "bear farms," capturing bears from the wild and keeping them to occasionally drain them of bile. Bear paws are also a delicacy in these countries, with demand rising as more Asian countries come into wealth. Conservationists are hoping that tougher laws against bear bile farms and against Moon Bear hunting in general will help keep the animal's population from dwindling further.

via National Geographic

Manatees Threatened by BP Oil Spill

In addition to the sea turtles, brown pelicans, dolphins, and terns being negatively affected by the recent oil spill, the manatee may also be threatened. As Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf states move to wrestle against the encroaching oil, news reports have begun to pour in about the first wave of habitat destruction to the marshes along the coasts. The first affected animals have in some cases been rehabilitated, and in others, have been found dead. The website, Monga Bay, questions whether manatees could soon face a similar future.

Manatees are almost exclusively herbivores. It is in their quest for sustenance that they may be harmed from the oil spill. They may be hurt if they "ingest oil-damaged sea grass beds and other vegetation." Also, if they were to "come into contact with surface oil, this could irritate their eyes and mucous membranes while clogging the animals’ nostrils."

Manatees are currently classified as vulnerable to extinction by IUCN and endangered by the federal government. Their numbers have shifted drastically over time in both directions, as protection laws, accidents, and nature have affected the mammals in different ways. Manatees are mostly harmed by boaters, often maimed by their propellers. Considered slow and stupid for years, it was not a lack of intelligence that kept them from reacting to an approaching boat. Their boldness is really caused by the fact that they are intelligent, curious creatures and they do not have the ability to hear the motors coming.

via Monga Bay News

Sichuan Takin Calf Born in Minnesota Zoo

A male Sichuan takin calf was born May 8, 2010 in the Minnesota Zoo. He was such an unexpected arrival to the zoo, he has been named Jingxi, Chinese for "surprise." He is considered to be healthy and has been put on exhibit with his mother and father, and an unrelated takin friend.

 

Sichuan takin, otherwise known as the Tibetan takin, is a "goat-antelope" who resides in the Eastern Himalayas. They eat a wide variety of vegetation, standing on their hind legs at time to reach leaves from tall trees. They tend to live in herds, especially during warm months. Other than humans, the takin has few predators, because of their horns and large size. Bears and wolves are two of the few animals who would attempt to fight this furry beast.

According to IUCN, the species is considered vulnerable due to its "decline of at least 30% over the last three generations... due to over-hunting and habitat loss." Nature reserves have been created in China and Bhutan to provide safe habitats for the animals. In Bhutan, the takin is their national animal. According to Bhutani mythology, a Lama created the creature out of the bones of a cow and a goat.

via ZooBorns and Kare 11