The Berlin Zoo received a special gift last week – a baby Indian Black Rhinoceros. On February 7th, this calf which has still not been named has been a wonderful addition to the zoo.
Zimbabwean Security Forces – Poaching? – Really?
In a news conference today, the leader of a U.N. program to protect endangered species charged Zimbabwean security forces of being involved in the poaching of elephants and rhinoceros.  In the last 2 years, the rhinoceros population has decreased so dramatically that it is now on the verge of extinction in Zimbabwe.
Mark Davis, DVM travels to Zimbabwe to assist in the translocation of endangered black rhinos. He is a technical advisor for the IRF (International Rhino Foundation). Click on the play button to watch the “Horror and Hope” of the Black Rhino.
WWF has reported recently that the demand in Asia for the rhinoceros horn for medical use has spearheaded the poaching in Africa and Asia to an all time high.
Dr Susan Lieberman of WWF describes the severity of the situation by saying that:
“This is the worst rhino poaching we have seen in many years and it is critical for governments to stand up and take action to stop this deadly threat to rhinos worldwide. It is time to crack down on organized criminal elements responsible for this trade, and to vastly increase assistance to range countries in their enforcement efforts.”
US-born Giant Pandas Head Back to China
Leaving on a jet plane…Tai Shan & Mei Lan Leave USA
Mei Lan of Zoo Atlanta and Tai Shan of the National Zoo in Washington were loaded into special travel crates for their flight back to their new home in Sichuan China.
In 2006, the female panda (Mei Lan) was the first cub born at the Atlanta Zoo. She had a panda cam that was provided by EarthCam where people could watch her online.
To watch their Farewell You Tube video, click on the play button below.
Groundhog Day Predictions: Shadow or No Shadow?
Well, it’s official. The Groundhog did see it’s shadow yesterday and that means 6 more weeks of winter!
Giant Squid Invade the Southern CA Coast
For the last week, Humboldt squid, possible man eaters and one of the largest squid in the ocean, have been grouping in large numbers off the coast of Southern California. The reason, they are following the swarms of schooling bait fish which have been migrating south.
Photo found on MexFish.com's Website
Not much is known about the Humboldt Squid or Dosidicus gigas, a cephalopod and member of the Ommastrephidae Family, since it lives in depths up to 2,000 feet. They have a reputation in sailor lore as a sea monster that can drag a man overboard and to the blackest depths of the abyss. It’s a cannibal that has no reservation about eating one of its own kind, it’s eyes huge, blood is blue, it carries a cadre of deadly weapons all over it’s body and it may well be the most ruthless, cunning predators living below the surface of the water.
I’ve seen a few documentaries on the giant squid, but never encountered them in the wild. I love the light show they give off to communicate or some other still unknown purpose.
The best place to see them is the Sea of Cortez in the 25 mile area off the coast of Santa Rosalia, in the California Baja.
Unfortunately, it has been estimated that commercial fisherman annually catch over 100,000 tons of giant squid each year.
Sea Turtles of Tortuguero
The Sea Turtles of Tortuguero are absolutely the main attraction of Tortuguero National Park.
If you plan on visiting the beach at night to see the spectacular sight of these marvelous creatures laying their eggs, a guide will accompany you to the beach (no one is allowed on the beach unaccompanied after 6:00 pm).
To learn more about the different types of turtles that visit Tortuguero and their nesting schedule CLICK HERE.
Ridley Turtle Conservation in Ostional, Costa Rica
The Ostional Wildlife Refuge, which was developed by the Costa Rican government, allows villagers to harvest Olive Ridley Turtle eggs, but under strict guidelines.
Overall, the number of Olive Ridley nests have grown substantially each year due to a number of partners involved in The Egg Harvest Project (EHP).
To Read this article (CLICK HERE) or click on the photo below.
Arribada of Olive Ridley females, crawling up a beach to nest above the high tide level. (Source NOAA, Michael Jensen).
New Species Discovered in Fiji
According to Fiji Times Online, a new creature was discovered earlier this month on the islands of Taveuni and Qamea in Fiji.
The islanders thought that the newly discovered iguana would be a threat to the other indigenous species there, however it has been determined by the head Chief Veterinary Officer (Dr. Robin Archari) that this new species is a herbivore.
Iguana found by Lovonivonu villagers in Fiji. Source: Fiji Times Online
According to sources the iguana was “introduced by this foreigner who constructed ponds with the intention of breeding more. He brought in two iguanas and they’ve multiplied to about 1000.”
Loss of Plant Diversity is Linked to Decline in Honeybees
Researchers suggests in a recent BBC publication that the loss of habitat destruction and falling plant diversity is linked to the decline of honeybees in many countries.
To read this article (CLICK HERE) or click on the photo below.
This is a huge problem that needs to be addressed immediately! According to Bumblebee.Org, bees are responsible for pollinating plants that provide much of our food; in North America it is believed that 30% of food for human consumption originates from plants pollinated by bees.
Governments 'must tackle' roots of nature crisis
By Richard Black
Environment Correspondent, BBC News Website
Balinese fishing grounds have just been protected to safeguard stocks