Indonesian Authorities Rescue Baby Orangutan

 

Indonesian authorities carried out a successful raid today, rescuing a six-month old orangutan who would have been destined for the underground pet market. Three suspects were arrested, connected to the plan to illegally sell the primate. Indonesia has had many cases of illegal animal trading, but authorities have begun cracking down on suspects, arresting over 20 people for possessing or trading endangered wildlife. The baby is now being cared for by the International Animal Rescue facility in Indonesia. As with most orangutans, it is hoped that it can be reintroduced to the wild after rehabilitation.

While the type of orangutan rescued was not mentioned, all species are at least considered endangered, with the Sumatran orangutan being critically endangered. The word orangutan stems from the Malay words for "man of the forest," which is suiting considering that they live in rainforests and are the most tree-dwelling of the great apes. They are ordinarily solitary animals, coming together primarily for reproduction. They subsist mostly off of fruits, but will find and eat a variety of other foods on their foraging expeditions. Interestingly, orangutans are the only type of primate who have two separate groups of males, with different physical and social characteristics. One group grows to be the twice the size of the females, has long, dark hair, a facial disk, and are very aggressive towards other males. The others grow only to be the size of the females, and are not particularly aggressive. It is believed that they can change from the first type to the second at any point during their lifetimes, seemingly following currently unknown social cues.   

In addition to the illegal pet trade, orangutan populations are threatened by habitat destruction, both natural and man-made. Their rainforests are susceptible to forest fires, as well as being cultivated into plantations, depleting the areas of trees. Orangutans are strictly protected under Indonesian law, but conservationists hope to expand the areas where their habitat is protected. It has been documented that the majority of orangutans live outside of the borders of the protected areas.  

via World Zoo Today

Critically Endangered Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles Rehabbed and Released

Three Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles were released by the National Aquarium on June 19, 2010 after receiving six months of extensive rehabilitation. One of the turtles, later named Marshall, had been found cold-stunned in Massachusetts on December 1, 2009. It is an unfortunate, but common occurrence for turtles who have travelled too far north. After two weeks of slow warming and veterinary services, Marshall was relocated to the National Aquarium, in Baltimore, to receive further treatment. He underwent rehabilitation for pneumonia, a bacterial infection, and many scrapes and cuts. Now that he has been released, fans can still follow the adventures of Marshall, via a transmitter attached to his back, beaming the aquarium information about his current whereabouts.

The Kemp's Ridley is the smallest of the sea turtle species, weighing around 100 pounds when full-grown. They are considered to be critically endangered, the world's most endangered sea turtle, with only 1000 nesting females calculated to exist. The Kemp's Ridley Turtle is the only type of sea turtle to lay its eggs in the daylight hours, when hundreds of females bound up Mexican beaches. Shrimp trawls are the main threat to the turtles, so Turtle Excluder Devices are being put in the nets to keep them from harm's way. Their nesting beaches have been protected as sanctuaries for decades, and conservationists now use the areas as release grounds for hundreds of captive-born hatchlings.

via The National Aquarium

Hope For Beached Fin Whale

For the last three days, a fin whale has been stranded in a Danish fjord. It was thought that the young behemoth was ill and was expected to die in the near future. It had become exhausted after struggling to free itself from the shallow bank. As firemen sprayed it with water, trying to give it a less painful departure from this world, the whale began swimming again today, restoring hope for onlookers. As evening comes, rescuers will try to point the whale in the right direction, back into the high seas.

The fin whale is the second largest animal on the planet (behind only the blue whale), reaching lengths of 88 feet. A newborn weighs 4000 pounds, and an adult can grow to be 150,000 pounds. Because of their size, they, along with the blue whale, produce the lowest-frequency sounds sounds made by any animal.  They live almost exclusively off of krill, an animal similar to a tiny shrimp. Fin whales live to be approximately 100 years old.

Fin whales are currently listed as being endangered, with an estimated 40,000 individuals still remaining in the wild. Fin whale populations are primarily harmed by commercial whalers, seeking their blubber, oil and baleen. In the 1930s, over 28,000 fin whales were caught each year. Hunting of fin whales became illegal in all waters in 1987, though many countries still allow themselves a dozen or so creatures a year to hunt and market. Conservationists continue to push for zero fin whales to be hunted each year.

via AFP

301 Critically Endangered Tortoises Seized

On June 8, 2010, officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport noticed strange movements in a passenger's bag. Upon inspection, 301 tortoises were found taped inside the bag, amidst shredded paper. 285 radiated tortoises, 15 spider tortoises and one Madagascar tortoise were confiscated. In addition to the smuggled turtles, 4.5 pounds of marijuana were discovered. The perpetrator unfortunately escaped, but at least all of the tortoises are being returned to Madagascar.

All three of the species of tortoise confiscated are critically endangered species. The Madagascar tortoise is a particularly rare animal, with only 200 adults estimated in the wild. Illegal pet trade has been a primary cause of the animal's decline, and was apparently going to spirit away one more of the few remaining individuals were it not for the airport's intervention.

The radiated tortoise is known for being the breed of the oldest reptile ever recorded, Tu'i Malila, and for the beautiful star pattern on the plates of their shells. The spider tortoise has been exploited for its meat for decades, partially because of the decline of the preferred radiated tortoise. While all three of these species are protected by Madagascan law, little is done legally to keep the tortoises protected.

via The Associated Press

Loggerheads Rescued by SeaWorld Orlando

On May 6, SeaWorld Orlando rescued their 303rd sea turtle of 2010. As are many rehabilitated turtles, this large male presented itself covered in barnacles and emaciated. The Animal Rescue Team placed the 270-pound turtle on antibiotics and cleaned him of his barnacles. He has begun eating on his own and is planned to be released in the San Carlos Bay once he has fully recovered. So far (presently June), SeaWorld has rescued 304 turtles and has released 245, in 2010 alone. SeaWorld is currently the leader in endangered sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation.

Loggerhead turtles are omnivorous marine reptiles, living in almost all parts of the world where temperatures remain above 60*F. Florida is a particularly popular destination for the turtles, building up to 67,000 nests each year on the state's coasts. They are most active during the day, dividing their waking hours between resting and searching for food. Sea turtles are one of only a few animals that prey upon jellyfish, although most other marine life is also on their list of edibles (even sponges and corals). They ordinarily only stay underwater for fifteen to twenty minutes before coming to the surface for a breath, but have the ability to stay underwater for up to four hours.

Loggerheads, along with all of their sea turtle cousins, are considered to be an endangered species. Most turtles are harmed as a byproduct of fishing-- becoming entangled in nets. USA shrimpers' mandated Turtle Excluder Devices have reduced the number of sea turtles caught in fishing nets substantially, keeping turtles and other large creatures physically unable to be caught. Turtle nesting areas have also shrunk over time, as their beaches have become developed. Development of cities and the lights they produce have disrupted sea turtles' nests, as newly hatched turtles use the reflection of the moonlight over the ocean to guide them to water. Conservation campaigning has lowered the demand for turtle meat, as it is now almost globally illegal to consume.

via WINK News

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

National Aquarium Releases Rescued Harbor Seal

The National Aquarium, located in Baltimore, Maryland, released a rescued harbor seal back into the ocean May 13, 2010. The seal, named Hastings, had been in disrepair when he was picked up by the aquarium's Marine Animal Rescue Program in January. He had cuts on his fins, a slight case of pneumonia, was underweight, and severely dehydrated. Five months at the aquarium did Hastings well, enjoying his send-off into the waters of Maryland's Ocean City, even with a transmitter strapped to his back. The transmitter will inform aquarium staff about his feeding and migration patterns and hopefully will show that he has made a full recovery.

Harbor seals are not endangered animals, with a global population of around half a million. The illegalization of seal hunting across most of the world has raised the population to a healthy number. Harbor seals subsist off of numerous species of fish, with a crab, shrimp, or squid added in sporatically. They are able to stay underwater for up to ten minutes and can reach depths of 1500 feet or more.

via The Baltimore Sun