Miami Invaded By Giant, House-Eating Snails

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19 September 2011
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In southwest Miami, a small subdivision is being called ground zero of an invasion by a destructive, non-native species.

It’s us against the snails, Richard Gaskalla, head of plant industry for Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz.

That’s the Giant African Land Snail, to be precise. They can grow to be 10 inches long. They leave a slimy trail of excrement wherever they go. They harbor the microscopic rat-lung worm, which can transmit meningitis to humans. And they will literally eat your house — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Brainy molluscs evolved nervous systems four times

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19 September 2011
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Slimy and often sluggish they may be, but some molluscs deserve credit for their brains — which, it now appears, they managed to evolve independently, four times.

The mollusc family includes the most intelligent invertebrates on the planet: octopuses, squid and cuttlefish. Now, the latest and most sophisticated genetic analysis of their evolutionary history overturns our previous understanding of how they got so brainy.

The new findings expand a growing body of evidence that in very different groups of animals — molluscs and mammals, for instance — central nervous systems evolved not once, but several times, in parallel — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Wildlife

Mini Swarm / Red Wolf

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18 September 2011
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This is all that remains of the swarm of bees that took over one of the neighbouring street trees after the apiarists took it away — originally uploaded by Red Wolf

Decoding the feline conspiracy

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17 September 2011
3 min read
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If there were a way, any way, of capturing the energy spent looking at cats on the internet and turning that energy into petrol, I’ll tell you what, there’d be at least 20p off a litre of unleaded. Watching cat videos is the yin to the massive wobbling yang of porn and as such is something to be encouraged. Here’s the question though: what do the cats get out of it?

The truth is that nobody knows, and those who might – the women who dedicate their lives to studying feline habits by letting dozens of them live in their house — usually turn up dead in a pile of furballs and unopened newspapers before anyone can question them. But the issue of quite who cats are and what they want will not go away. It was brought into focus once again this week when a pet, who had disappeared mysteriously five years ago, reappeared equally mysteriously in a completely different part of the US. You know that bit in Seven where Kevin Spacey just appears in that cop shop? Well it was like that. But with fleas.

The cat, known to humans as Willow, disappeared in Boulder, Colorado in 2006 and reappeared on the streets of Manhattan two days ago. Delivered by a passerby to a cat shelter, Willow has now been returned to its owners thanks to a microchip found in its neck. Clearly overcome with emotion, one of the owners, a Jamie Squires, said: If I could, I would microchip my children. That’s the spirit. Anyway, Willow disappeared for five years and nobody knows what happened. Not only that, they’ll never know, because the cat would never tell. If it were just an isolated example, this may not even have been a matter for concern. But isolated it is not — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Birds of a feather talk together

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16 September 2011
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No need to think you’re going bird-brained if you hear mysterious voices from the trees — it’s likely just a curious cockatoo wanting a chat. Native parrots, especially cockatoos, seem to be learning the art of conversation from their previously domesticated friends — via redwolf.newsvine.com

New dolphin species discovered in Victoria

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15 September 2011
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Victorian researchers have discovered a new species of dolphin living right under their noses on Melbourne’s doorstep.

The dolphins are found in Port Phillip Bay, and the Gippsland Lakes and in waters as far afield as Tasmania and South Australia.

Their discovery is cause for much celebration as it is only the third time since the late 19th century that a new dolphin species has been recognised.

The new species will be formally named Tursiops australis — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Outrage over egg industry’s definition of free-range

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15 September 2011
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In Rights, Wildlife
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For the first time, the country’s egg industry has defined the term free-range and wants it to be legally enforceable. But free-range farmers and animal welfare groups are outraged and say the standard is not ethical.

The Australian Egg Corporation, which represents most egg farmers, this week sent new draft standards to producers, which would allow a free-range egg farm to run as many as 20,000 chickens per hectare. The industry’s current model code, which is not legally enforceable, allows 1500 chickens per hectare.

The managing director of the corporation, James Kellaway, said he wanted an agreed definition of free-range that was enshrined in legislation and enforceable to replace the loose standards that currently existed — via redwolf.newsvine.com

TARDIS Cat Fort / Astromark

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15 September 2011
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Astromark created this beautiful half-scale Tardis for his very lucky kitty, Kaylee. I’m very impressed by how precise the copy is, and how hard he worked to ensure that all of the details were just right, from the sign on the door to the the lantern on top. Head over to Tardis Builder to see more photos of the building process! I think the Doctor would be proud — via CRAFT

Jelly batteries: Safer, cheaper, smaller, more powerful

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12 September 2011
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In Technology, Wildlife
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A new polymer jelly could be the next big step forward for lithium batteries.

The jelly replaces the volatile and hazardous liquid electrolyte currently used in most lithium batteries.

Researchers from the University of Leeds hope their development leads to smaller, cheaper and safer gadgets.

Once on the market, the lithium jelly batteries could allow lighter laptop computers, and more efficient electric cars — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Glow cat: fluorescent green felines could help study of HIV

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12 September 2011
2 min read
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It is a rite of passage for any sufficiently advanced genetically modified animal: at some point scientists will insert a gene that makes you glow green. The latest addition to this ever-growing list — which includes fruit flies, mice, rabbits and pigs — is the domestic cat.

US researcher Eric Poeschla has produced three glowing GM cats by using a virus to carry a gene, called green fluorescent protein (GFP), into the eggs from which the animals eventually grew.

This method of genetic modification is simpler and more efficient than traditional cloning techniques, and results in fewer animals being needed in the process.

The GFP gene, which has its origins in jellyfish, expresses proteins that fluoresce when illuminated with certain frequencies of light. Poeschla, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reported his results in the journal Nature Methods.

This function is regularly used by scientists to monitor the activity of individual genes or cells in a wide variety of animals. The development and refinement of the GFP technique earned its scientific pioneers the Nobel prize for chemistry in 2008.

In the case of the glowing cats, the scientists hope to use the GM animals in the study of HIV/Aids — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Science, Wildlife

Fish living in dark caves still feel the rhythm of life

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11 September 2011
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A blind, cave-dwelling fish in Somalia knows what time it is, but its day is twice as long as ours.

Most animals have an internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, that lasts around 24 hours and is modified by the light-dark cycle of a day.

But an international team, whose research is published in the open access journal PloS Biology, shows that certain blind cave fish have a circadian rhythm that lasts almost two days — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Zombie Squid Hat / ObeyMyBrain

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10 September 2011
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BRRAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNSSSSSSSsssssss…….

It’s a squid… wait, it’s a hat… no, it’s a Squidhat and it wants your brains. But only a little.

Made from snuggly-warm polyester fleece this guy will hug you long into those cold nights. Also makes a wonderful decoration for the couch — via Etsy

Woman punches bear to save her dog

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9 September 2011
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Black bears in residential neighbourhoods aren’t exactly unheard of in Juneau. While many people stay inside when bears are about, one local woman says she had a different instinct when she saw her dog was in trouble.

It started out as a typical evening for 22-year-old Brooke Collins. She let her dogs out as usual but this time, she said there was a black bear outside who took hold of her dachshund Fudge. She said she feared for her pet’s life and, in an instant, ran over and punched the bear right in the face to make it let go.

It was all so fast. All I could think about was my dog was going to die, said Collins.

It was a stupid thing but I couldn’t help it, she said. I know you’re not supposed to do that but I didn’t want my dog to be killed

Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo / Woodland Park Zoo

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9 September 2011
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Woodland Park Zoo’s Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo joey is growing up fast, so here are some new photos and video to fill you in on how it is getting along in its behind-the-scenes exhibit. Now eight months old, the joey has begun to leave its mother’s pouch for short bursts, doing a little exploring and then retreating back to the pouch for naps. Keepers do not know the sex of the joey yet so for now he or she remains nameless. The joey is mostly eating leaves but also munches on greens including kale, romaine and celery. Mother Elanna is not so great at sharing, so the joey has learned to go after the food it wants for itself — via ZooBorns

Oncilla Cub / Mata Ciliar

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8 September 2011
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Oncilla Cub / Mata Ciliar

Today ZooBorns is proud to showcase our first Oncilla cub and first submission by Brazil’s Mata Ciliar conservation organisation. On 16 August, the Mata Ciliar Association received a call about an orphan Ocelot cub found near a controlled fire area (fire belt) in Brazil. Although the cub’s mother most likely escaped the fire, she did not return for her cub. When staff arrived, they realized the cub was actually an Oncilla, a smaller relative of the Ocelot, and brought the cub back to their rehabilitation facility for hand-rearing. Only two months old, the cub is a healthy male. Staff named him Tost. Controlled burns for agricultural lands are one of the main causes of injured animals throughout Brazil.

The Mata Ciliar Association operates the largest feline conservation centre in Brazil and focuses on conservation of the eight native species of felines in the region. The centre provides research, education and conservation support in Brazil and twenty other countries — via ZooBorns

California lawmakers pass bill banning shark-fin trade

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7 September 2011
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In Food, Politics, Wildlife
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California’s Legislature sent Governor Jerry Brown a bill seeking to ban the sale, trade or possession of shark fins on Tuesday, over the objections of two senators who called the measure racist because the fins are used in a soup considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures.

The bill has split the Asian delegation in the Legislature. It was introduced by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, and was supported by Senator Carol Liu, D-Pasadena, who said it is needed to protect endangered shark species — via redwolf.newsvine.com

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