Some cut the red tape, some go on the Red list

Hello world,
I have good news and bad news from Sweden. The good news is that some native species have gotten off the Swedish Red list, and the bad news is that some have gotten on. The Red list is a compilation of all the species in Sweden that are considered not viable populations. The most receint edition was published by the Swedish Species Information Centre. Happily, the wolf, lynx wolverine, wels catfish, and asp have been given a less critical standing, while the brown bear, fire bellied toad, European tree frog and the edible frog have viable populations now. Sadly, the whiting, lumpfish, burbot, eel, piked dogfish, Swedish freshwater crayfish, ash tree and elm tree are on the List. Hopefully, the conservation tactics that worked to get some species off will work for the rest.
Here's the site;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100428085845.htm

AWOOOGA! AWOOGA! Dead Zone in the making!

Hello world,
As we all know, an oil well off the coast of mexico began leaking oil recently. The oil is spreading into the gulf and wildlife conservationists are worried about the life in the area. They're especially worried about the microlife. They think the oil spill will kill it all off, creating a dead zone, where there is no life. It may also kill off the wetlands which keep america from wearing away. There's some hope for the plankton, though; the last time this happened, the plankton were back in a couple of years. The dead zone is still possible though.
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100504-science-environment-gulf-oil-spill-dead-zone/

Ripple effect

Hello world,
In 200, Miss Waldrin's Colobus monkey went extinct. Scientists fear that the death of this species is the start of a mass primate die out in Africa. The problem is that many of these monkey species live on not-well protected reservations. The rangers are not trained enough, and are not equipped to deal with armed poachers. Some of them may even be bribed. This particular species could have been saved but no one paid it any attention. We need to look at the animal world mor than ever, there are too many species at stake.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/11/001107065908.htm

Poisoned Eagles

Hello world,
It's 1998, and a graduate student has just solved the problem of what could be killing off the eagles near Duncan, British Colombia. DDT was of course the first on the culprit list, but blood tests soon ruled that out. The problem was, most of the chicks were dying off, especially in the area around the Crofton pulp and paper mill. This has been known to happen when dioxins, a biproduct of the papermaking process, get into the water. The reason that eagles were dying in such great numbers around the Crofton plant was unknown until Chris Gill studied the local eagles extensively. He realized that what was happening was that the dioxins were getting concentrated in a local bay. The Crofton factory has agreed to drop their dioxin pollution, and we can only hope that it's enought to save the eagles. These animals have had a particularly hard time of it, and it would be very embarrasing for us to let them go extinct.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/06/980608053821.htm

Ladybugs to the Rescue!

Hello world,
The Galapagos, as everyone knows, has lots of biodiversity. But because of the invasic species brought by tourism, this precious diversity has been in decline. One of the invasive species is the cottony cushion scale, which draws sap out of plants. In 2009 Mark Hoddle and his colleagues released the natural enemy of the scale onto the Galapogos, the ladybug. They went back recently to see the results. Nearly 99 percent of the invasive bug species has been eliminated from the island. There was the concern that the ladybugs would eat some of the endangered bugs of the islands, but this does not seem to be the case. I think this is a good thing, but warrants a closer look. Ladybugs could eat some of the local species into extinction.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422164635.htm
Bye!

Not boiling over?

Hello world,
Not suprisingly, caribou numbers are suffering because of global warming. What is suprising is that the reason they're dying isn't the heat itself. It's its effect on the weather. Caribou migrate for food, and global warming is making their grass grow too early. This means that all the prime food is gone before the calves can eat it. Also, the rain is drowning the lichens that the reindeer rely on in winter. This is awful, and something needs to be done about it soon. The local people rely on the animals for food, so our want to save them isn't just a want, it's a need.Every one has seen the disaster flick where global warming causes a freak thunderstorm and kills everyone. Between this article and the thunderstorm outside, I feel like building a boat in my basement.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611111008.htm

Clone the Sheep!

Hello world,
A sheep has been cloned! Back in 2001, a cloned sheep by the name of Dolly was cloned. It was a member of the European mouflon species that live on Sardinia, Corsica and Cyprus. The sheep's DNA came from the body of an ewe that was found dead at a wildlife rescue centre in Sardinia. Dolly is the first successfully cloned member of her species, let alone endangered ones. Several other attempts have been made, but they have all ended in failure. This experiment points to the possibility of being able to reinstitute a species if they're completely wiped out, if the DNA is collected in time. This sounds like a good plan to me, but it should be a last resort. Hopefully, we'll be able to keep some species from completely dieing out this way.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/1573309.stm

Drain the Lake!

Hello World,
In 2009, a project done by WWF was started to decrease the water level in Thorthormi glacial lake. The volume of water has increased over the past several years, due to global warming. It's increased so much, that the local towns and ecosystem were in danger of being flooded. This would ruin the economy of Bhutan, not to mention kill off tons of the snow leapords that live there. A team went up the mountain to the lake and rerouted some of the drainage canals. At first, they could only release one meter's worth of water because of the weather, but they plan to get rid of 5 more by 2012. Anything to save the snow leapords.
Here's the link;
http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2009/WWFPresitem14549.html
Bye!

Lion Murder!

Hello world,
Several lions in southern Kenya have died recently, supposedly poisoned by a pesticide called Furudan. The locals are getting more and more frustrated with the large predators as the recent drought wears on. The lions are eating the livestock, and this infuriates the farmers. The poisoning occured at the Olgulului Group ranch, which runs a compensation program for the locals. The pesticide used, Furudan, is not sold anymore in Kenya, but dealers have profitted off it anyway. Many conservationists are pressing for it to be banned, but the government maintains that it can control the spread of the deadly purple capsules. I think this is awful, and between the drought and the death of many cattle, a riot could ensue. Tensions are certainly high enough.
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/100412-lions-poisoned-furadan-kenya/

Dolphin Baby boom

Hello world,
The number of dolphins around the Misissippi Sound have increased in the past few years. Lance Miller of the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research attributes this to Hurricane Katrina. He believes that the decrease in fishing boats led to a spike in the food source and allowed more calves to be born than usually. Also, boat traffic kills lots of dolphins every year, so that also helps there be lots of calving mothers. Unfortunately since lots of calves died in the Hurricane, this maybe just a small spike to make up for lost time. Either way, it's nice to see the dolphin population on the rise.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/dolphin-births-hurricane-katrina.html

Disease in New York

Hello world,
Bushmeat is a regular problem in New York, but recently, an uptick in simian foamy virus has indicated an increase in bushmeat smuggling. It comes from chimpanzees, great apes, and bats. Supposedly, their meat is a delicacy. It's also a comfort food for immigrants and their families. Officals are worried that the smuggling spike will cause an AIDs style epidemic, even though flovirus and flavivirus have not been found. I think that to eat this stuff is stupid, considering the health risks and the fact that it's illegal. I hope it doesn't turn into a epidemic.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/bushmeat-diseases-entering-new-york.html

FERRETS! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Hello world,
Crisis has struck the Canary Islands. The ferrets are used by the locals to hunt rabbits. Some have escaped and are running amok on the island. The worry is that they will kill off some of the native species. The laurel pigeon and the Eurasian woodcock are in particular danger, since they breed on the ground. The lizard Gallotia galloti palmae is also in trouble. The Enviromental Ministry of the Island Council of La Palma has recommended that all ferrets be used with a muzzle and that the public be warned about the dangers of these mustelids. This is yet another sad case of an invasive species running amok. The officals should get the information out about these animals. If nothing is done, the islands will be completely overrun.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/wild-ferrets-are-spreading-on-island.html
Bye!

Time to upgrade the barometer

Hello world,
Several leaders in conservation have called for an increase in knowledge about the natural world. They advocate for more species to be researched for the Red list, to make it a true barometer of life. The writers believe that the number of species out there exceeds our knowledge by as much as 8 million. Right now, they wish to expand the list to about 160,000 species, which would cost about 60 million dollars. Unfortunately, the process would take about 20 years. I think this is too little, too slow. Humans need to act fast if we want to save the world. Biodiversity is something we simply cannot live without.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8609020.stm
There you go.

Lizards. BIG lizards.

Hello world,
A new species of moniter lizard has been found in the Philipines. It's been named the Sierra Madre Forest Lizard, and has been decided to be a keystone species. They, much like bees, spread the seeds of trees by eating their fruit. The discoverers do not think it is venomous, since it is vegetarian (except for the occasional snail). Not many people have known about this lizard until now, except for the local tribes. These people use the lizards as their main source of protein. Hopefully its not under the threat of extinction. I wonder why they haven't been discovered till now.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/giant-monitor-lizard.html

Swifts are not so swift to update nesting

Hello world,
In the UK, 80% of Swift nests are found in homes from before 1920's. A lot of homes are being remodeled, and consequently, their homes are disappearing. Many surveys are being held to figure out exactly where their nests are. People in Britain are being taught how to make replacement nests as the old ones are destroyed. Hopefully, the people of england will be able to hear the call of the swift for many years to come. I think it is sad that these old houses are being remodeled, and that one of the few things stopping the renovators are bird nest instead of the owners.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8569267.stm

Fin soup will become hard to find

Hello world,
Hammerhead sharks are often hunted for their fins, for shark fin soup. They are being over hunted, and will die out if action is not taken soon. Matt Rand is trying to prevent this. His organization, the Global Shark Conservation Pew Enviromentalist Group is trying to get them listed at CITIES. The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species has saved other animals from extinction and will hopefully do the same by outlawing the trade of shark fins. They will have a hard time doing so, for sharkfin soup is popular, and no one likes sharks. I hope that the CITIES attendees can get over the shark prejudice and save these animals.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/videos/animals-can-cites-save-hammerhead-sharks.html

NOOO! Not the tigers!

Hello world,
China, as we know, has problems controlling the illegal tiger part trade. I would suspect that the zoo in Harbin, China has been dealing in these, considering how many of these big cats were found dead. Apparently, they died of malnutrition and illness. The employees say that the reason that they starved was (at least partially) the zoo had to, for a short while, feed them chicken. They say that they changed the diet back, but then why did nearly 40 big cats die? The zoo says the animals were put on cheaper diets since they get no money from the government, which explains why the cats were buried in a big pit as opposed to being incinerated. I think China needs to shape up. These were endangered animals, and this was neglect. I hope PETA just murders them in the media.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/mass-grave-zoo.html
Bye!

A New Superhero! Enviropig!

Well, not quite.
The Canadians have made a pig that is better for the enviroment, though. The problem with pigs is that they have to eat a diet of barley or corn. These plants are very high in phosphorus, which cannot be digested by the pig. This element then is released through poop into the ocean and causes dead spots. That's why the U.S. has made a no tolerance rule against pig poop, which costs farmers because they have to spend a lot of money to contain the excrement, which hurts the economy because the farmers have to raise their prices. But hopefully, that will soon be a thing of the past thanks to the Canadians. They've made a pig that can digest phosphorus and pass this trait on to their offspring, to at least eight generations down the line. They did it by splicing the neccessary sequence onto a mouse promoter and then injecting that into the embryos of several pigs. It will take a while for these pigs to be legally farmed in this country, but it will happen. I think this is a good idea, it will stimulate the economy and save the earth. Dead spots are slowly draining the fish supplies, so any way to fill them up again sounds good to me.
Phew. Blogger wasn't working for a while, I'm glad i was able to do this.
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100330-bacon-pigs-enviropig-dead-zones/

Go around the Swallows!

Hello world,
South Africa is the main nesting site for a whole lot of European swallows for several months of the year. They come there to breed. The problem is, is that an enormous amount of humans will be flocking there for the 2010 Football World Cup. The airport that they will us is the King Shaka International airport, which is right in front of a huge nesting area. Thankfully, conservationists have been working with the developers and have come up with a solution. The nesting area is below the takeoff strip, so with a little help from a radar system, the control tower will be able to tell when the swallows are flying high enough to get caught in the planes jets. There will be plenty of time to perfect the system before the airport opens on May 1. I think it's wonderful that they worked this out instead of just killing the swallows off.
Here's the link;
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/03/african-airport-slots-bird-flights.html
Bye!

Off With Knut's Nuts!

Hello world,
Several years ago in Germany Knut the polar bear was abandoned by his mother. Now the German branch of PETA is calling for him to be castrated. They argue that otherwise Knut would mate with his cousin, Giovanna, who shares an enclosure with him. That would decrease the genetic diversity of the bear population, and cause incest depression. Supposedly, the castration would help him be able to continue to live with Giovanna. Personally, I think that if they're that worried, they should just move him.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/castrate-knut-polar-bear-peta-big-pic.html
Yay!

Transexual Frogs

Hello world,
No really, they can change genders now. The Common Reed frog has been known to do this when there aren't enough males, but that is good for the species in general. The sex change that the article talks about is a chemical induced change that is bad. It's caused by the weed killer atrazine. It decreases the level of testosterone and can make the frogs turn female or become sterile. This, along with habitat destruction, is probably helping along the frog extiction process. This is very unfortunate for frogs and their homes, for frogs help keep insects under control and provide food for many creatures. I hope they put a ban on atrazine, for if it can do this to frogs, it might do something bad to humans.

Bear competition

Hello world,
Grizzly bears have been spotted in Wapusk National Park, the bear capital of the world. Most scientists agree that the grizzly migration has more to do with a growing number of bears rather than global warming. Some even speculate that the polar bears would be making room for their cousins within the next century because of the fleeing ice. Polar/Grizzly bear fights are expected to not happen often, because most polar bears leave the area before the Grizzlies wake up from hibernation. Some even hope for grizzly/polar bear hybrids. I do think this is big in the bear world, but I think the polar bears have bigger fish to fry (so to speak)
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/02/100226-grizzly-bears-polar-bears-hybrid-canada/

Whales Are Just Awesome

Hello world,
Science has found yet another reason to save the whales. They are enormous carbon sinks. All the whaling over the past hundred years has released that carbon, since normally whales would just sink down to the bottom of the ocean at death. The whalers have released a carbon equivalent of 128,000 humvees driving continuously for 100 years. Dr. Andrew Pershing of University of Maine has suggested that in order to encourage countries to save their whales they use a carbon credit system that would help them with carbon limits set by the UN. Carbon credit systems like this are already in place with forests but this is the first time it will be attempted with whales. I can't think of why no one has thought of this before, this is genius! Countries will be falling over themselves to breed whales.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8538033.stm
Knights and away!

What! Whaling is Legitimized!

Hello world,
Not quite yet. Negotiations are still being held between the International Whaling Commision and whaling countries. A meeting in march is being held to discuss a possible comprimise between anti-whaling countries and those who do. The plan is to bring all whaling under control of IWC in the next ten years, and set quotas for how many whales each country can take. The reason that this has come up is that even though there's been a moratorium on whale hunting for the past thirty years, several countries have continued under the guise of scientific research. Many conservation groups are up in arms over this because the plan would allow the Japanese to continue to hunt whales within the newly set up South Sea Conservatory. The number of legally poached whales in that area has increased over the last decade, and this spot is perfect for whales to live. This is a good idea for controlling the amount of whales killed, but the sanctuary shouldn't be allowed to be fished by anybody, under no disguise.
Here's the link;
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/02/southern-ocean-whaling-proposed.html
Knights and away!

Diabetic Dolphins

Hello world,
Well not really. Dolphins do have a type of insulin resistance that is close to type 2 diabetes, but unlike with modern humans, their disease helps them survive. Dolphins need a certain amount of glucose in their bloodstream in order for their brain to work, but they eat a low-glucose diet. This insulin resistance keeps their blood sugar levels high. This means that dolphins shouldn't be fed high-sugar human foods, otherwise they develop the same symptoms as human diabetes patients. It is supposed that actually the disease that causes death in humans nowadays was actually an advantage during the Ice age, when humans switched to high protein diets. It seems very sad to me that the same sickness that helped us survive so long ago is one of the ones killing us off now. But it helps dolphins, which is good.
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/02/100219-health-dolphins-diabetes-switch-humans-cure-medicine/
Knights and away!

PETA and Austrailian Farmers Fight over Sheep

Hello world,
Last week, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said that they would boycott the wool industry if Austrailia refused to stop mulesing their sheep. Mulesing is a process where extra skin is removed from the area of the anus of the Merino sheep in order to prevent flystrike, which slowly and agonizingly kills the sheep. Austrailia's wool industry has promised to end the practice as a condition of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would give Austrailian wool farmers the right to sell wool in the US, Brinei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. The industry argues that a better way of preventing the disease has not been found, but PETA argues that the procedure is cruel and unnecessary. I think that if this is the best way to keep the sheep from dying, then it should be done. Why is PETA sticking their nose in it anyway?
Here's the link;
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1193006/Animal-rights-group-slams-Aussie-farmers
Knights and away!

Antibiotic resistance begins with pigs

Hello world,
Cbs news reports that all over Europe, farmers are using less antibiotic feed for their livestock. This is because a study was released that humans who eat or handle the meat are more likely to contract drug resistant strains of some diseases. The Food and Drug administration is passing a law banning the use of some antibiotics soon, despite some protests from the National Pork board. On average, removing antiobiotics from raising pigs only raises the price twenty cents. This is an excellent idea, but I would think that stopping the use of these medicines would lower the cost of the meat.
Here's the link, but it takes a while to load;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/11/animal-antibiotics-video_n_458255.html
Knights and away!

Boat Noises Distract Crabs

Hello world,
Hermit crabs actually can be distracted. The noise of the boat disturbs them from looking out for predators, and slows their reaction time down by about 20 seconds. This research, by Blumstein of UCLA, concurs with the research of Slabbekoorn of Leiden University. He says that when chaffinches are in a noisy areas they spend more time looking for predators than they do normally. Urban enviroments also have an effect on the European robin. The amount of noise pollution alters when the robins start their nocturnal songs. I think that the crabs will eventually get used to the noise, since many other species have managed to adapt to human activities. But I wonder why noise alters the timing of the European robins' song.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/hermit-crabs-noise-distraction.html
Knights and away!

Song bird Evolution

Hello world,
Evolution is popping up in North American songbirds. The reason that they're evolving is that their habitats are becoming fragmented and they need to fly longer distances to find a mate. Pointy tipped wings are best for long distance travel, and birds with these wings are showin up more often in fragmented habitats, while birds with rounder wings, which provide more manuverability, are more concentrated in reforested areas. This was discovered by looking at the wings of birds in a longterm exhibit. I don't find this surprising, since lots of other animals are adapting to human interferences. This is good, because it improves the chances that the songbird species will be able to survive in the long run.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/songbirds-wings-shape.html
Knights and away!

The Feds Won't Protect the Pika!

Hello world,
That's right, the Fish and Wildlife Service has refused to put the American pika on the endangered species list. The reason that they're disappearing is that global warming has raised the temperature in their winter homes. These animals don't hibernate during the winter, but live off of haypiles stored in their burrows. It is supposed that this is a political move to keep lots of other applications from flooding in. They do admit that global warming exists, so that isn't a factor in their descision. I don't see why this would prevent the FWS from declaring the pika endangered. I hope that this cousin of the rabbit isn't killed off by our carbon footprint.
Here's the link;
http://blogs.discovery.com/animal_news/
Knights and away!

Don't Eat the Lizard!

Hello world,
Restaurants are trying to sell lizard meat as a delicacy, but the World Health Organazation advises against it. A study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology shows that the eaters can get diseases such as trichinosis, pentastomiasis, gnathostomiasis and sparganosis. Most officals agree that whatever lizard meat that is going to be eaten should be proccesed and frozen. Nearly all of the eateries that are serving this meat are in Europe, they ship it from South Africa, as well as crocodile meat. Personally, if I'm going to eat a exotic food thats slightly disgusting, I'd much rather eat chocolate covered grasshoppers. Crunchier source of protein. I wonder why these reptiles are so full of diseases.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100209182456.htm
Knights and away!

Money Makes the World go 'round, and will save the Vaquita

Hello world,
The vaquita, or "little cow", as it's known in Spainish. This cetacean is on the Critically Endangered Species list, all because of gillnets. Like lots of marine animals, these guys are often killed when they are caught in fisherman's net. They're already in dire straits because they onlt live in the Gulf of California. The Mexican govrnment has been encouraging fisherman not to use these nets by giving or selling them different kinds, but much more needs to be done. There are only 100 indivduals left in the wild, and their prospects look bleak without proper knowledge of their physiology. A research team has been assembled to rectify this, but their budget is very small. I hope they can say the Vaquita, since many other animal depends on their existence. If enough nets are exchanged they might be saved, since it has worked before.
Here's the link;
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0211-hance_vaquita.html

Smells like water

Hello world,
I've always thought Star-nosed moles were adorable, but I never suspected that they could do anything this cool. These animals, along with the water shrew, can smell underwater. They do this by breathing out bubbles, and then sucking the air back in. This was discovered by Kenneth Ketanya at Vanderbelt University. I wonder if all moles can do this, or platypi. And why would a mole be in the water anyway?
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/videos/animals-submerged-sense-of-smell.html
Knights and away!

Deadly Snails help Neurobiologists!

Hello world,
In Germany, scientists are using the cone snail and some spiders to characterize ion channels in the brain of mice. They both produce a neurotoxin that bind to channels in the brain. These toxins don't affect just one at a time, which made it hard to study. They get around this by electrically stimulating the channels they want to look at. This research has already produced some results, the pain medication Ziconotide. Hopefully this means more powerful pain medication in the future, so that patients that have acclimated to their meds can find relief. The more variety in medications availiable the better, because pain medications can often cause hallucinations in patients.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100210101510.htm
Knights and away!

Why would you ruin perfectly good wine by putting a dead tiger in it!?

Hello,
I can't believe they actually do this. In some parts of South East Asia, people raise tigers specifically for the purpose to put their skeletons into wine. The trading of tiger parts was banned in China in 1993, but this practice continues. The female tigers are forced to produce three times their regular amount of cubs, most of which are given to "wet nurses" before they're weaned. The tigers are shoved into small cages, all for the purpose of getting their pelts and bones. Many groups advocate for the closing of these farms, but I disagree. That would increase the amount of poaching that would be done. Pelt farming I could understand, but really, WWYRPGWBPDTI?
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8487122.stm

Snails slow to escape death

Hello world,
The Irish National Biodiversity Centre reports that one third of the snails in Ireland are endangered. Ireland had 150 species of snail, two of which are extinct. Some of these snails live in very small areas of space. Most of the deaths are due to water contamination. This is caused by an increase in good production and harmful farming practices. The Kerry snail is supposed to benefit though, because of its proximity to currents. The only thing to inhibit its spread is the expansion of the territory of the rhododendron. I did not know that there were that many snails in Ireland, but I'm not surprised that they're not doing well. No animal is happy with global warming, but I thought snails were pretty resistant.

Snake Invasion!

Hello world,
The Everglades has a serious Burmese python problem. Like other invasive species, these guys have hitched rides on boats or been released by pet owners who couldn't care for them. These immigrants cause 150 million dollars of damage each year. These pythons are showing up in backyards and are eating lots of animals. Like the Peruvian rats in New Orleans, these guys are being dealt with in a creative manner. Instead of being shot by off-duty SWAT teams, its python-season. I don't care how good it is for the enviroment though, I am not eating the meat those hunters are selling.
Here's the link;
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5803720n
Knights and away!

African Sacrifice

Hello world,
South Africa has a new stadium and is hosting a football tournament this year, but trouble has come up with the blessing of the stadium. The idea of blessing the stadium with the Ukweshwama ritual was proposed by the Makhonya Royal Trust. Local animal rights groups are lobbying for a humane approach. The parliment and the Zulu royal family were to return to the debate today.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8388001.stm
Knights and away!

Mosquito noses

Hello world,
Well, maybe mosquitoes don't have noses in the same way we humans do, but researchers at Yale have found the receptors that are responsible for the insects ability to find humans. The lab there used fruit flies without olfactory senses of their own, and systematically injected them into the bugs. This paves the way for more effective ways of killing or repelling mosquitoes. This means malaria could become a disease hardly ever contracted. I only hope the bloodsuckers don't become accustomed to such things.
Here's the link;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100203131358.htm
Knights and away!

Snaring in Ireland

Hello world,
The BBC reports today a conflict between the League Against Cruel Sports and local gamekeepers. The league argues that snares are an inhumane way of controlling foxes, and wants the practice banned in the upcoming months, even though many vetrinarians argue that it is one of the kinder ways of catching these animals. According to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation the ban is unlikely to be passed, because of the snares role on protecting small game. Personally, I think that if they want to save their pheasents, they should just build fences.
Here's the link;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8494582.stm
Knights and away!

Evolution in our midst

Hello Humans
Recently, King demoiselle were discovered to be quickly evolving in the west Pacific ocean. Most fish in the area have lots of variations, from juvenile to adult color differences to sex changes. This is a genetic split though between the geographically seperated groups. This proves that diversity in the oceans is more widespread than previously thought, and that we may be destroying new species even before they form. This is suprising, that evolution could happen in a short enough time to be seen.
Here's the link;
http://news.discovery.com/animals/fish-evolution-conservation.html
Knights and away!

Tigers

Hello
2010 is the year of the tiger, and hopefully this is good luck for the big cats. According to WWF, the number of tiger in Southeast Asia's Mekong river region have dropped from 1200 to 350 since the last year of the tiger. This was mostly caused by poaching, because body parts are used in some traditional medicine. In order to stop this, the leaders in the area are meeting in Thailand to discuss what can be done. I wish all poaching would stop.
Here's the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/100126-tigers-greater-mekong-video/

goldfish and science

Hello World, Ms Monroe, and my mother.
National Geographic News has some fascinating news for us high school biology students. In Japan, a bunch of university scientists have created see-through goldfish. The transluscency is caused by errors in the genes that cause skin color. This doesn't harm the fish at all, researchers say, and is easier to look after than the see-through frog developed in 2007. While the existence of the fish may ease the hearts of Daoist biology students, reasearchers will most likely be interested in watching cancers and other diseases develop. I think that this has the potential for being a help to science, it will probably become another expensive fad pet, like the glow in the dark fish.
Here is the link;
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/100113-see-through-goldfish-picture/

Groundhog News, 1/27

Hello world
Today, the National Post released an article concerning Punxsutawney Phil, the prophetic woodchuck of America. The article contained both sides of an argument about whether Phil should be replaced with a robot. PETA thinks that the lights and crowd that gather around him on February second are harmful to him, and that it would be more humane to use a robot. The president of the Groundhog club disagrees. He says that Phil is treated nearly as well as a small middle class child, and that the results wouldn't be communicated as well with a robot. I think that the groundhog should not be replaced, since he seems to be in much better shape than his wild counterparts, considering how many fans he has.
Here is a link to the article;
www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=2491504