Revere: Wildlife Museum Frogs are Actually Canaries
Tusson Citizen
30 Nov 2006
CT Revere
Photo courtesy of Gary Gaynor/Tucson Citizen
For as long as the keepers of the castle on Gates Pass Road have been in business, they've fended off critics by insisting that wildlife conservation is their business. That's always been a tough sell, though, given all those dead critters stuffed and posed inside the International Wildlife Museum. But during a visit to the Moorish rampart west of Tucson earlier this week, the evidence was right there in slimy greenish brown. A single Tarahumara frog sat just below the surface of the water in a man-made pond outside the museum's entrance, soaking up what warmth was available on a cool autumn morning.
"A couple of months ago, you would see them lined up. But it's getting colder now and they're going to deeper water where it's warmer," said Kristine Massey, an educational curator at the museum. Down in that deeper, warmer water are about 200 of the endangered frogs, waiting to help re-establish a native Arizona species that vanished from the United States 23 years ago. The frogs, which once thrived in southern Arizona's mountain streams, were dropped off in the museum's riparian landscaping in August by state and federal wildlife officers who hope to see them flourish once again.
Anthrax Kills Record Number of Animals
WinnipegSUN
30 Nov 2006
A Clayton
A record number of animals were killed by anthrax in Manitoba this year. The disease, which can be lethal to cattle, was reported on 22 different premises in 2006 and left 148 animals dead. The outbreak was the largest documented in Manitoba since the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began keeping official records in the 1960s. Nearly all the infections took place in southern Manitoba. The most recent was reported in the Rural Municipality of Rhineland on Oct. 13. Quarantines have been lifted on all locations.
One hundred cattle died due to anthrax this year along with 45 bison, two horses and a donkey. In 2000, 44 animals died on 11 different premises while 36 died on 12 locations last year. The disease is usually found in herbivores and can't be transmitted from animal to animal. There have been only two known cases of anthrax in humans in Canada since 1990.
Last-ditch Effort to Save Tasmanian Devils for the WildThe Age
01 Dec 2006
A Darby
Photo courtesy of Peter Mathew
The first of a "Noah's Ark" collection of Tasmanian devils leaves today for mainland zoos as the disease devastating the marsupial intensifies. The 47 healthy young animals will found a captive breeding population as last-ditch insurance against extinction of the species in the wild, where they are succumbing to a form of cancer known as devil facial tumour disease. More than half of all wild devils have died in recent years from the disease, according to scientists tackling the crisis. The latest research shows the disease is forcing wild females to breed much younger, reducing these "teenage mothers" to a single litter in life before they die. Previously they would have raised three litters of offspring.
Devil facial tumour disease is a rare transmissible cancer that has no cure. It is believed to be spread through the devils' habit of biting each other, both in quarrels for food and during sex. Highly contagious but so far confined to devils, it has even appeared in a commercial wildlife park that was thought to have been secure, at Mole Creek in the state's north. "Most believe there is a possibility that devils could become extinct in Tasmania, which makes this insurance population vital," said Steven Smith, manager of the State Government's devil disease program.
Get the Lead Out: Wildlife Advocates File Suit to Replace Toxic Ammo with Safer Alternatives [Press Release]
The Center for Biological Diversity
30 Nov 2006
Simple, Practical Steps Called for to Protect Endangered California Condor
A broad coalition including hunters, Native Americans, and health and conservation organizations filed suit today against the California Fish and Game Commission and Department of Fish and Game for continuing to allow toxic lead ammunition that is poisoning rare California Condors even though safe, reliable bullets and shot are readily available. The Wishtoyo Foundation, Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Center for Biological Diversity, along with representatives from the hunting community brought suit under the federal Endangered Species Act.
“The safety of our families and healthy wildlife are important to hunters across California,” said Anthony Prieto, a hunter and plaintiff in the case. “There’s a simple solution that lets hunters hunt while protecting condors, eagles and other wildlife; it’s lead-free ammo. I know from experience that these bullets are safe and ballistically outperform bullets made from lead.”
Be on the Lookout for Dead Birds
insideToronto.com
30 Nov 2006
Torontonians are being asked to keep an eye out for dead birds. The province is taking part in a national project involving dead birds. This project will help Ontario address the risk of avian influenza. Torontonians who notice dead birds, particularly waterfowl such as ducks and geese or significant numbers of dead birds in one location, are asked to contact the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at 1-866-673-4781.
People are asked not to touch dead birds with their bare hands. Canada is monitoring the many strains of avian influenza that naturally occur in wild bird populations. One way this is tracked is through the collection and testing of dead birds. This method is only successful if there is a significant level of public participation and awareness.
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