Smallest Irish mammal 'may vanish'

GENEVIEVE CARBERY

Ireland’s smallest mammal, the protected pygmy shrew, has “completely vanished” in some areas due to the introduction of new species.

The serious threat and possible extinction which foreign species the black vole and the greater white toothed shrew cause to the native wood mouse and pygmy shrew, were the subject of a two year study by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast.

If the rate of invasion continues as at present throughout the island its native small mammals will die out in at least 80 per cent of their available habitat, researchers said

There was “local extinction” and “rapid and complete” replacement of the pygmy shrew in areas where both non-native species were present, according to the study Invasional Meltdown which is published today in journal Biological Invasions.

The researchers looked at the synergistic and combined effect of the two invasive species and showed that the one can compound the effects of another can be very strong even if no impact was expected.

The greater white toothed shrew helped to increase the abundance of the black vole but to decrease the population of wood mouse and pygmy shrew, the study found.

In areas where the black vole was longest established the wood mouse numbers have halved, the researchers found.

The black vole rodent was introduced from Germany some 80 years ago and now occupies about a third of the island to the south-west. The white toothed shrew was introduced about 15 years ago.

The pygmy shrew and the wood mouse arrived on the island some 8,000 years ago. The pygmy shrew is a protected species but the wood mouse is not, the study said.

The gradual replacement of the indigenous species with foreign species could have major consequences due to the central role of small mammals in the ecosystem for birds, mammal predators and seeds, researchers found.

The black vole feeds more on green plant material than the wood mouse while the white-toothed shrew is three times larger than the pygmy shrew.

Lead researcher Professor Ian Montgomery said the introduction of alien mammals over the past 100 years had “major detrimental effects”. He urged governments north and south to address the overall problem of invasive mammals.

“It is no longer tenable to treat each invasive species as an isolated case,” he said. !We should establish a realistic plan identifying the mammal species that are key to maintaining our unique biodiversity and ecology and those that we should eliminate or control."


Small mammals occupy central positions in food webs, so major changes in species composition which are already occurring, will have both top-down and bottom-up effects in the ecosystem affecting bird and mammal predators as well as the invertebrates, seeds and seedling that small rodents and insectivores feed on.

The study was the first of its kind to systematically analyse the cumulative effects of invasive mammal species on indigenous animals in a process known as “invasional meltdown”.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0220/breaking53.html

1,500 live turtles found crammed into suitcases

Seized at Indonesia's Mopah Airport

February 2012: Close to 1,500 live pig-nosed turtles have been seized at an airport in Indonesia.

The 1,495 turtles were concealed inside two suitcases and discovered at Mopah Airport en route to Jakarta, the nation's capital and a major hub for illicit wildlife trade.

Valued as pets, and possibly consumed as meat in some countries, pig-nosed turtles are smuggled out of Indonesia by the thousands.

Kept as pets, eaten, or used in traditional medicineSources allege that shipments such as this one are common, with dealers in Jakarta buying the turtles from hunters and agents in Papua, then selling them on to dealers and retailers abroad. Many are destined for the pet markets of East Asia, to places such as Hong Kong, where demand for this species is rising. The turtles are often concealed in shipments of tropical aquarium fish.

There are also indications that many of the turtles are bound for the kitchen table, or to be used in traditional medicines.

Although pig-nosed turtles are totally protected in Indonesia, making collection for export illegal, the trade large scale persists.

Illegal reptile trade is rife in IndonesiaClose to 3,500 pig-nosed turtles were seized in February 2010 in Jakarta, while in October last year, more than 600 seized in Hong Kong were returned to Indonesia for reintroduction to the wild. Most, however, once removed from their native habitat, never make it back.

‘The authorities involved in intercepting this shipment are to be congratulated,' said Chris Shepherd, deputy regional director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

‘However, the fact that dealers continue to smuggle shipments of this size indicates a serious problem in Indonesia, where illegal reptile trade is rife.'

The Pig-nosed turtle is threatened by habitat degradation and by illegal and unsustainable harvest for local consumption and international trade. It is listed as Vulnerable to extinction in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Many protected animals are openly for saleObservations by TRAFFIC in December 2011 of three wildlife markets and a reptile expo in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, found a host of protected and endangered turtles and tortoises openly for sale, plus other protected species of reptiles, mammals and birds.

Among them were 19 green turtles and eight Malaysian giant turtles, both listed as Endangered by IUCN and Totally Protected in Indonesia.

A host of non-native species were also seen, including a single ploughshare tortoise and ten radiated tortoises, both critically endangered species endemic to Madagascar.

‘Illegal and unsustainable trade in turtles and other reptiles in Indonesia is a serious threat to the conservation of many species. Indonesia's enforcement agencies must take firm action against traders in Indonesia flouting the law,' said Shepherd.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/turtle-trade2012.html

‘Brave’ Maltese hunters slaughtering Bee-eaters and other protected birds

CABS discovers carcasses of protected migrant birds September 2011. Members of the German-based Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) have discovered the corpses of numerous dead migrant birds shot by poachers on the Dwejra Lines, an old fortification in Malta.

CABS stated that the find consisted of 7 freshly-shot Bee-eaters, two Swifts, a Sardinian Warbler and the remains of two Marsh Harriers. All four species are strictly protected on Malta. In addition the corpses of several racing pigeons were found, one of them wearing the ring of a local racing pigeon club.

The birds were at the bottom of defensive ditch, some 5 metres deep, constructed by the British in the 19th Century. In this area hunters had been observed on several occasions in the past few days shooting at protected species. Some of these incidents were also filmed by a CABS patrol. The video material and the dead birds were handed over to the Malta environmental police unit ALE. Criminal proceedings are being initiated. "

According to CABS, some 200 metres of the densely overgrown and often almost impenetrable ditch was searched. "We believe that many more dead birds can be found in the ditch" says CABS press officer Axel Hirschfeld. "A search of the rest of the fortifications will only be possible with the help of professional climbing equipment".

6 teams
The Committee Against Bird Slaughter has been operating on Malta since 9 September in the framework of their autumn bird protection camp - Operation Safe Voyage. CABS civil liaison officer David Conlin comments: "We deploy six teams to the countryside daily, working closely with the ALE as usual".

Illegal decoys and guns
Although autumn bird migration is still far from its peak, the volunteer conservationists have already recorded numerous violations of Maltese Hunting Law and the European bird protection guidelines. These include the shooting at or killing of down of birds of prey, Swallows, Swifts, Bee-Eaters and other small song birds. Other offences registered are the use of electronic decoy devices and weapons capable of firing more than three shots in succession. Illegal hunting has also been observed taking place after 23:00 hrs and on Sunday afternoon.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/malta-holiday.html

Attack of the killer ravens: Flocks are suddenly slaughtering lambs - what is going on? (via Nick Redfern)

High in the darkening sky, a flock of enormous ravens swoop and swirl - narrow black wings stretched wide, heads protruding forward and huge hairy beaks scything through the air.
Every few minutes they let out deep, throaty, honking calls as they soar effortlessly, circling around until, finally, they spot their prey and swoop.

But forget dormice, voles or even small furry rabbits; these sinister looking birds are feasting on something far larger - newborn lambs.

And instead of hanging around for a few discarded bones or a forgotten carcass to pick and claw at, they've started killing live farm animals - by pecking them to death, in horrific scenes reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's The Birds, turned by Alfred Hitchcock into one of the most chilling movies of all time.

Throughout Britain, traumatised farmers have reported a sudden and disturbing rise in the number of livestock being attacked by ravens.

Farmer John Kirk, 50, from Nethybridge, near Aviemore, has lost more than 40 animals in the past few weeks.

"It's like something out of a horror film. They are horrible, horrible birds. They see the young lambs and just fly down and help themselves," he said.

"Sometimes you find a carcass with the eyes and tongue pecked out, but sometimes all you find is the skin. They peck away until nothing is left." And while some animals have been pecked to death, others have been left to die in agony after birds have feasted on their eyes, tongues and the soft flesh of their underbellies.

The worst-hit areas are in Scotland and Wales, but there are also reports of random attacks across the South-West and the Lake District.

The Scottish Isle of Mull has been badly hit, with one farmer losing 20 lambs in a fortnight.

Another, Robert Millar from High Catterdale, Kintyre, said: "We've had 12 to 15 lambs attacked. It's got to the stage where you have to lamb indoors, or you don't stand a chance."

And Jimmy Mills, a farmer from Stratherrick, south of Inverness, has lost seven lambs in just three days: "The lambs are born at 1pm and by four o'clock they've been taken to bits by the ravens," he says.

According to Johnny Hall, of the National Farmers Union of Scotland, it's no longer just lambs: "Raven attacks have become a huge problem across a wide area of the country.

"We have substantial evidence of them attacking adult sheep and calves, too. The attacks are so horrific that it's causing mental suffering to people who find the animals."

The worst thing is, there's not much the farmers can do about it. Ravens are protected by law, so farmers can't shoot them as they would other vermin.

They can be killed on special licence - due to a condition in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - but only if the Government deems it appropriate.

But farmers say the system is designed for the "odd rogue bird", not the huge swirling flocks of recent months, and are demanding the law is changed.

The question is, why have ravens suddenly started to attack livestock?

Experts cannot give a definitive explanation, but some believe it is simply the pressure on food resources caused by the dramatically increasing raven population.

In parts of Britain (Scotland, in particular) experts believe numbers have increased five-fold since the late Nineties, and according to the RSPB there are up to 6,000 breeding pairs in Scotland - almost half the numbers in Europe.

Davy Thomson, vice-chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, says it is not breeding birds that cause the problem, but immature birds, scavenging in large packs.

"I've seen several hundred birds roosting together, and all they do is hunt one side of the hill and then move onto their next food source.

"Raven populations have increased massively in the past ten years, and it's an absolute nonsense that we can't control them."

However, according to Dr Andre Farrar, spokesman for the Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds: "Some reports of raven attacks may be exaggerated, but they do kill things.

"They make a speciality out of scavenging and eating carrion. In many cases their prey is already dead, but they're highly capable of killing, so sometimes they'll finish it off themselves.

"But they get an unjustly bad press. Any big, black bird tends to come down from history with a load of negatives attached. So the raven has got a burden of cultural mistrust around it."

Such as its association with death, and its supposed supernatural powers of prediction.

Irish folklore has it that each raven contains three drops of the Devil's blood, and anyone who hunted them would be on the receiving end of the Devil's fury and a lifetime of bad luck.

Its status as a bird of ill omen is confirmed by a cameo appearance in Shakespeare's Macbeth - as the King nears the castle at Inverness, Lady Macbeth utters the ominous words: "The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements."

Legend has it that if anything happens to the six resident ravens at the Tower of London - attended by a Yeoman Ravenmaster, and treated to a daily feast of raw meat and blood-soaked "bird biscuit" - England will be invaded.

Aside from all the folklore, they're an impressive foe - up to 2ft long and worryingly adaptable: they can survive in Arctic, temperate and desert climates.

Research published last year in the Scientific American also showed the raven to be one of the most intelligent species on the planet - up there with dolphins and apes and, unlike most other birds and animals, capable of learning from their own actions and from observing others' behaviour.

They're thought to be one of the few birds that can count, and some have even learned to fashion leaves into special tools for extracting grubs from crevices in trees.

In Japan, they were reportedly found dropping nuts onto a dual-carriageway, then darting down to eat them once the cars had cracked them open.

Although older ravens (they live up to 25 years) mate for life and travel in pairs, young birds may form flocks of up to several hundred - collective nouns for ravens include an "unkindness", a "conspiracy", and a "murder" - which swoop on farm animals.

They were almost exterminated during the 19th century, but in the past 20 years have made their dramatic comeback, partially because they have been protected.

As Dr Farrar puts it: "A few years ago, you'd hope to see them only in Scotland, or Wales, but now they're popping up in parts of eastern England - they've even been spotted in Bedfordshire."

But he insists it's not all bad. "Ravens are truly spectacular birds, with an amazing display flight - they flip over into a half-roll and back again when they're flying - and have a deep sonorous croaking call. They're stunning to watch."

Which all sounds rather poetic, but must be scant comfort for the farmer rendered helpless as another dark, swirling, unkindness of ravens starts circling in the skies over his lambs.


By JANE FRYER
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-563931/Attack-killer-ravens-Flocks-suddenly-slaughtering-lambs--going-on.html

Sei whale spotted off Scotland

Mystery sighting intrigues international Scientists

July 2011. Aerial photos taken by a Scottish paramedic of a large whale between Islay and Gigha off the west coast of Scotland have intrigued international scientists on both sides of the Atlantic. On balance they believe the sighting is most likely to be of a very rare Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis).

Aerial photo
The story began when Danny Kerr and a team from the Scottish Ambulance Service based at Clyde Heliport were flying to Islay to pick up a patient. The pilot spotted a whale and Danny, an HEMS Paramedic, was able to pick up a camera and take a photograph of the surfacing animal as they went past. They were flying at about 500ft.

Unable to identify the animal himself, Danny contacted Sea Watch whose Research Director Dr Peter Evans was also puzzled by his description and the only picture of it from above the surface. He sought independent views from two other experts in species identification, both from the US - Dr Phil Clapham, co-author of Sea Mammals of the World, published in 2002, and Dr Tom Jefferson, co-author of another identification guide Marine Mammals of the World, published in 2008.

Danny said: "There is always excitement on board when the team spots a school of dolphins or other marine animals. This time I was lucky, there were no patients on board and I had a camera to hand and was able to get some shots. When I got home I looked at the pictures and my first impression was a humpback because I thought the pectoral fins were white but due to its body shape and broad tail, I then thought it looked more like a fin whale which is when I contacted Sea Watch."

Sei, Fin or Minke?

Dr Evans said: "This was a very important sighting and the picture has proved vital. We ruled out humpback whale because of the slim body shape and smooth back but I didn't understand how its pectoral fins could be white until Tom mentioned that from above these can appear very light. We then considered whether it could have been a fin whale (its large size - 20 metres or more ruled out Minke whale), which would itself have been unusual for the waters, but the picture showed that the dorsal fin curved backwards and was relatively large, two features that fit Sei whales but not fin whales. The three of us independently concluded it was most likely to be a Sei whale."

Not only are Sei whales extremely rare, and protected internationally, but they are one of the species that scientists know least about. They are usually spotted singly or in pairs and feed on schooling fishes, small crustaceans, other invertebrates, including squid.

8 sightings in 50 years
There have been only eight confirmed sightings in Scotland in the last 50 years, some of which may have been of the same individual: in July 1980 there was a report off Handa Island; in Aug 1993 off Out Skerries in Shetland; in Sept 2006 off Greenstone Point at the entrance to Loch Ewe; in June 2007 at St Kilda; in June and October 2008 near Gairloch; in July 2008 east of Stronsay and in July 2010 off Auskerry, Orkney. All but the July 2010 Auskerry sighting have involved single animals, the latter being a sighting of two.

13,500 Sei whales alive
It is thought there may be only around 13,500 Sei whales in all of the North Atlantic. Those in the eastern North Atlantic winter off North-west Africa, Spain and Portugal and in the Bay of Biscay, and then migrate northwards primarily to summering grounds north of Shetland, and around the Faroes, northern Norway, Bear Island and Svalbard. Their numbers were severely depleted by whaling and fishing.

National Whale and Dolphin Watch - August 5th to 7th
Sea Watch is appealing for members of the public to send in their sightings of all whales, dolphins and porpoises, particularly during National Whale and Dolphin Watch that takes place from August 5- 7. Details of how to take part in the national watch, which will occur across the Scottish, English Welsh and Northern Ireland coastlines and coastal waters, are on their web site www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk Sightings and photos can also be sent to sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk

Sea Watch is a marine conservation research and education charity that works to help develop effective conservation policies with the UK Government and other national and international bodies. Understanding the distribution, strength and diversity of cetacean populations is vital to their work.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/sei-whale.html

Landmark Agreement Moves 757 Species Toward Federal Protection

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/species_agreement/index.html

On July 12, 2011, the Center for Biological Diversity struck a historic legal settlement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, requiring the agency to make initial or final decisions on whether to add hundreds of imperiled plants and animals to the endangered species by 2018. The Endangered Species Act is America's strongest environmental law and surest way to save species threatened with extinction.

The agreement caps a decade-long effort by the Center's scientists, attorneys and activists to safeguard 1,000 of America's most imperiled, least protected species including the walrus, wolverine, Mexican grey wolf, fisher, New England cottontail rabbit, three species of sage grouse, scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper, California golden trout, Miami blue butterfly, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, 403 southeastern river-dependent species, 42 Great basin springsnails and 32 Pacific Northwest mollusks.

The Center's wrote scientific petitions and/or filed lawsuits to win federal protection for each of the 757 species.

Amphibians


Arizona treefrog,
Huachuca Canelo population

Austin blind salamander

Bay Springs salamander

Berry cave salamander

Black warrior waterdog

Chamberlain's dwarf salamander

Columbia spotted frog,
Great Basin population

Coquí llanero

Cumberland dusky salamander

Eastern hellbender

Florida bog frog

Georgetown salamander

Georgia blind salamander

Gulf hammock dwarf siren

Jemez Mountain salamander

Jollyville Plateau salamander

Neuse River waterdog

Northern leopard frog

Oklahoma salamander

One-toed amphiuma

Oregon spotted frog

Ozark hellbender

Patch-nosed Salamander

Relict leopard frog

Salado salamander

Seepage salamander

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog

Streamside salamander

Striped newt

Tehachapi slender salamander
Tennessee cave salamander

West Virginia Spring salamander

Yosemite toad

Reptiles
Alabama map turtle
Barbour's map turtle
Black-knobbed map turtle
Black pine snake
Eastern massasauga
Eastern ribbonsnake - lower Florida Keys
Escambia map turtle
Florida Keys mole skink
Florida red-bellied turtle - Florida Panhandle
Kirtland's snake
Louisiana pine snake
Mexican garter snake
Mojave fringe-toed lizard
Northern red-bellied cooter
Pascagoula map turtle
Sand dune (sagebrush) lizard
Sonoran desert tortoise
Sonoyta mud turtle
South Florida rainbow snake
Striped mud turtle - lower Florida Keys
Tucson shovel-nosed snake
Western chicken turtle

Large population of rare Bechstein’s bats found on proposed HS2 train route

Rare bats in the path of HS2 are nationally significant

July 2011. A significant population of rare Bechstein's bats has been discovered in Buckinghamshire - in ancient woodland either side of the proposed HS2 route and adjacent to the proposed site of a waste incinerator. Until 2010, only a single Bechstein's bat had been found in Bucks - in the far south of the county, at Cliveden.

65 Bechstein's bats in 1 tree
In one woodland alone, (Grendon & Doddershall Woods) an amazing count of 65 Bechstein's bats were observed emerging at dusk from their roost inside a tree. Several tree roosts have been found and Bechstein's bats are now known to occur in 10 woods within the Bernwood Forest area of Buckinghamshire.

Bechstein's bats are one of the rarest mammals in the UK and they, their roosts and their breeding sites are strictly protected under UK and European law.

The discoveries have been made by volunteers undertaking the Bernwood Forest Bechstein's Project. The Project was set up in 2011 to expand on work undertaken by the North Bucks Bat Group and the Bat Conservation Trust in 2010. Bechstein's bats were discovered in three North Bucks woodlands in 2010, with a further incidental discovery in 2011 at Finemere Wood, a Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust nature reserve.

Chris Damant, who has been co-ordinating the Bernwood study says "The discoveries in 2010 were very exciting, but we realised we knew very little about how the bats were using the woodlands and which other woods they might also be in. Three of us who had been involved in the 2010 surveys, decided to find out more and we designed and sought funding for an independent research project. Local landowners have been very supportive and allowed us access for the study."

Significant breeding population
Toby Thorne, another bat expert on the Project continues "We never expected to find Bechstein's bats in North Bucks last year; let alone the significant breeding population we've identified this year. It just goes to show you don't need to go abroad to discover rare wildlife - we've done it at home!"

Radio tracking bats
The team has also undertaken radio-tracking studies of individual bats. Tiny radio transmitters were attached to 4 female Bechstein's bats, which were then followed for up to 11 days and nights. Two bats stayed close to their tree roost in one woodland, whilst the other two were found to move up to 3km between woodlands in the area, including crossing the proposed route of HS2.

Jo Hodgkins, ecologist on the Project team says "The bats appear to be using a network of woodlands in the area and some are moving between woods. It's really important that we understand how they are using the landscape, before major infrastructure projects change it. If we don't, how can the impact of such developments be assessed? The radio-tracking work is in its early days and we plan to follow more bats in the coming months. We've still got more woods to survey as well - we're only a quarter of the way through our initial research - who knows what else we'll discover!"

10 species of bats
And it's not just Bechstein's bats being found; the Project team have so far recorded a total of 10 species of bat in these woodlands, with some species such as the protected Brown Long-eared bat being recorded in large numbers. The Bernwood Forest area appears to be an important ‘hotspot' for bats!


http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bechsteins-bats011.html#cr

Box containing 47 baby bats found dumped in Wiltshire

Forty seven baby and two adult pipistrelle bats have been found dumped in a box in Wiltshire, the RSPCA said.

The 47 baby pipistrelle bats are being hand-reared round the clock by a team of "bat workers"
The protected bats were discovered in a box at the side of a polo pitch at Perham Down near Tidworth on Wednesday.

Two females bats, one with a fractured wing, and 47 babies were taken to the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital.

An RSPCA spokesman said he had never heard of bats being "removed and dumped in this way".

Marilyn Korkis from the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital said it was one of the "most distressing sights" she had ever seen.

"They were all crawling over each other in the box, with baby bats clinging to other babies," she said.

"It's just wicked. Usually a mother will have just one baby, so 47 mothers will have flown out of the roost and come back to find all their babies gone."

'Declining species'
The baby bats, some "no bigger than a thumbnail", were all infested with mites and suffering from dehydration.

The orphan pipistrelles are currently being hand-reared, round the clock, by a team of six "bat workers".

Mrs Korkis said she was hopeful that they now have "a chance to go on and be released back out".

Pipistrelles often roost inside buildings but it is a criminal offence to intentionally kill, injure or handle a bat or damage, obstruct or destroy any place used by bats for shelter.

Anyone found guilty can be fined up to £5,000 per bat.

RSPCA Inspector Will Hendry said: "If there were 49 in the box goodness knows how many bats would be in the roost.

"Bats are a declining species and it is totally illegal to disturb them and we would urge anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to call the RSPCA."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-14088144

'Operation Spiderman' Busts Man Accused of Mailing Tarantulas

A German man has been arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly mailing more than 500 live tarantulas to the U.S., authorities said.

Special agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrested Sven Koppler when he traveled to Los Angeles to meet with an associate, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles said.

Koppler, 37, of Wachtberg, Germany, is accused of sending more than 500 live tarantulas through the mail. The spiders included 22 Mexican red-kneed tarantulas, a protected species whose formal name is Brachypelma smithi.

Authorities say Koppler was paid $300,000 for the arachnids.

If found guilty, he could serve up to 20 years in prison and pay a fine of as much $250,000.

"The entire Brachypelma genus is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) because it is being threatened by international trade," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "Specimens can only be legally traded if CITES permits first are obtained from the exporting country."

The arrest was the culmination of an investigation known as "Operation Spiderman."

Authorities began tracking Koppler in March, when they discovered about 300 live tarantulas during a routine search of an international package.

Agents then engaged Koppler in a sting operation, ordering and receiving dozens of live tarantulas, authorities said.

Hugh Collins Contributor

AOL News

'Operation Spiderman' Busts Man Accused of Mailing Tarantulas

A German man has been arrested in Los Angeles for allegedly mailing more than 500 live tarantulas to the U.S., authorities said.

Special agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrested Sven Koppler when he traveled to Los Angeles to meet with an associate, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles said.

Koppler, 37, of Wachtberg, Germany, is accused of sending more than 500 live tarantulas through the mail. The spiders included 22 Mexican red-kneed tarantulas, a protected species whose formal name is Brachypelma smithi.

Authorities say Koppler was paid $300,000 for the arachnids.

If found guilty, he could serve up to 20 years in prison and pay a fine of as much $250,000.

"The entire Brachypelma genus is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) because it is being threatened by international trade," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "Specimens can only be legally traded if CITES permits first are obtained from the exporting country."

The arrest was the culmination of an investigation known as "Operation Spiderman."

Authorities began tracking Koppler in March, when they discovered about 300 live tarantulas during a routine search of an international package.

Agents then engaged Koppler in a sting operation, ordering and receiving dozens of live tarantulas, authorities said.

Hugh Collins Contributor

AOL News

23 rare New Zealand fur seals clubbed to death at Kaikoura

Ohau Point fur seals killed

December 2010. 23 rare New Zealand fur seals have been found clubbed to death at a popular tourist viewing spot at Ohau Point near Kaikoura. New Zealand fur seals are a threatened species, protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They were previously almost wiped out by commercial sealing and have now only recovered in a fraction of their former range.

The Ohau Point fur seal colony is one of Kaikoura's leading tourist attractions, where people can safely experience wild animals from the roadside. Tourism contributes heavily to the Kaikoura economy.

Independent conservation organisation Forest & Bird is disgusted and disappointed by the brutal killings.

"The deliberate killing of our wildlife is disgusting and the people of Kaikoura and New Zealand will be outraged," said Forest & Bird Marine Conservation Advocate Kirstie Knowles. "Everyone will condemn these stupid and cruel attacks."

Forest & Bird is supporting Department of Conservation pleas for anyone with information about the cowardly attacks to come forward.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/fur-seals-ohau.html

23 rare New Zealand fur seals clubbed to death at Kaikoura

Ohau Point fur seals killed

December 2010. 23 rare New Zealand fur seals have been found clubbed to death at a popular tourist viewing spot at Ohau Point near Kaikoura. New Zealand fur seals are a threatened species, protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They were previously almost wiped out by commercial sealing and have now only recovered in a fraction of their former range.

The Ohau Point fur seal colony is one of Kaikoura's leading tourist attractions, where people can safely experience wild animals from the roadside. Tourism contributes heavily to the Kaikoura economy.

Independent conservation organisation Forest & Bird is disgusted and disappointed by the brutal killings.

"The deliberate killing of our wildlife is disgusting and the people of Kaikoura and New Zealand will be outraged," said Forest & Bird Marine Conservation Advocate Kirstie Knowles. "Everyone will condemn these stupid and cruel attacks."

Forest & Bird is supporting Department of Conservation pleas for anyone with information about the cowardly attacks to come forward.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/fur-seals-ohau.html

New Culvert Bids An Cost Savings (for wood turtles)

November 01, 2010, By LORI STABILE


PALMER - The discovery of wood turtles, a state-protected species, near a damaged culvert on Quaboag Street in Three Rivers forced a redesign of the culvert's replacement, but it turned out to be less expensive for the town in the end.

Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy said out of 10 bids submitted on Wednesday, Hammond Construction, of North Oxford, was the low bidder with $38,053.

The first time the project was advertised, the low bid was $49,000, she said.

The Town Council recently appropriated $62,000 from the stabilization fund to repair the culvert, which is near the Quaboag River. The culvert collapsed after a summer rainstorm, resulting in erosion and encroachment on a neighboring shed.While the area was stabilized with hay bales, that was only a temporary fix.

Said Acting Public Works Department Superintendent Richard P. Kaczmarczyk, "Hopefully we'll get it going in the next few weeks."

The first bid was rejected after the issues with the wood turtle were discovered by the state's natural heritage program during the review process, Kennedy said.

She said this wasn't the first time the wood turtle altered a project in the village of Three Rivers, noting the recent Springfield Street reconstruction.

A "special walkway" under Springfield Street, by the pond near the blueberry farm, was made for them so they could cross the road without getting crushed by cars.

From: HerpDigest Volume # 10 Issue # 47 11/5/10 (A Not-for-Profit Publication)

New Culvert Bids An Cost Savings (for wood turtles)

November 01, 2010, By LORI STABILE


PALMER - The discovery of wood turtles, a state-protected species, near a damaged culvert on Quaboag Street in Three Rivers forced a redesign of the culvert's replacement, but it turned out to be less expensive for the town in the end.

Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy said out of 10 bids submitted on Wednesday, Hammond Construction, of North Oxford, was the low bidder with $38,053.

The first time the project was advertised, the low bid was $49,000, she said.

The Town Council recently appropriated $62,000 from the stabilization fund to repair the culvert, which is near the Quaboag River. The culvert collapsed after a summer rainstorm, resulting in erosion and encroachment on a neighboring shed.While the area was stabilized with hay bales, that was only a temporary fix.

Said Acting Public Works Department Superintendent Richard P. Kaczmarczyk, "Hopefully we'll get it going in the next few weeks."

The first bid was rejected after the issues with the wood turtle were discovered by the state's natural heritage program during the review process, Kennedy said.

She said this wasn't the first time the wood turtle altered a project in the village of Three Rivers, noting the recent Springfield Street reconstruction.

A "special walkway" under Springfield Street, by the pond near the blueberry farm, was made for them so they could cross the road without getting crushed by cars.

From: HerpDigest Volume # 10 Issue # 47 11/5/10 (A Not-for-Profit Publication)

Species Watch: White Lions Again on the Prowl

South Africa’s Timbavati region is the only place in the world where white lions have ever appeared. White (or sometimes blond) lions are actually no different biologically from tawny African lions. Their unusual color is not albinism but a trait expressed by the offspring of two cats that both harbor a “white” recessive gene. Scientists can’t say why the trait has only surfaced in this particular location; indigenous people who attribute the mysterious appearance of white lions to divine intervention consider them sacred.


Although rare, white lions are currently classified with their tawny brethren, undistinguished, as Panthera leo krugeri. Because African lions can be legally hunted, white lions are not protected under national or international law. They’ve also long been popular attractions at zoos and circuses. By the mid-1990s, hunting and capture resulted in their complete disappearance from the wild.

In recent years, however, efforts have been made to return white lions to nature by integrating them with tawny prides -- in part to enhance the genetic diversity of future offspring. (Captive white lions are often inbred to draw out the recessive trait, but the results are seldom glamorous. A five-year study of white lion inbreeding at an Italian zoo, published in September by Veterinary Pathology online, found high rates of cranial malformation, stillbirth, and death of newborn cubs.)

In 2006, the Global White Lion Protection Trust reintroduced cats to a protected area of the Greater Timbavati. And in July 2008, a team from Shamwari Dubai World Africa Conservation released four white lions into the Sanbona game reserve near Cape Town. Both groups say their cats are proving self-sufficient -- the ultimate goal for those hoping to see a resurgence of white lions in the wild.

By Kim Tingley

http://www.onearth.org/article/species-watch-white-lions-again-on-the-prowl

Species Watch: White Lions Again on the Prowl

South Africa’s Timbavati region is the only place in the world where white lions have ever appeared. White (or sometimes blond) lions are actually no different biologically from tawny African lions. Their unusual color is not albinism but a trait expressed by the offspring of two cats that both harbor a “white” recessive gene. Scientists can’t say why the trait has only surfaced in this particular location; indigenous people who attribute the mysterious appearance of white lions to divine intervention consider them sacred.


Although rare, white lions are currently classified with their tawny brethren, undistinguished, as Panthera leo krugeri. Because African lions can be legally hunted, white lions are not protected under national or international law. They’ve also long been popular attractions at zoos and circuses. By the mid-1990s, hunting and capture resulted in their complete disappearance from the wild.

In recent years, however, efforts have been made to return white lions to nature by integrating them with tawny prides -- in part to enhance the genetic diversity of future offspring. (Captive white lions are often inbred to draw out the recessive trait, but the results are seldom glamorous. A five-year study of white lion inbreeding at an Italian zoo, published in September by Veterinary Pathology online, found high rates of cranial malformation, stillbirth, and death of newborn cubs.)

In 2006, the Global White Lion Protection Trust reintroduced cats to a protected area of the Greater Timbavati. And in July 2008, a team from Shamwari Dubai World Africa Conservation released four white lions into the Sanbona game reserve near Cape Town. Both groups say their cats are proving self-sufficient -- the ultimate goal for those hoping to see a resurgence of white lions in the wild.

By Kim Tingley

http://www.onearth.org/article/species-watch-white-lions-again-on-the-prowl

Great Gray Owl

Great gray owl research provides evidence that the Sierra Nevada is home to a genetically distinct population, compared to great gray owls outside of California.

Scientists, in 2010, documented Yosemite's great gray owl (Strix nebulosa Yosemitensis) as genetically distinct from the great gray owl in western North America (Strix nebulosa nebulosa). In addition to genetic differences, behavioral differences appear to exist in the Yosemite subspecies. These include differences in migration patterns, prey preference, and nest site selection. Each of these genetic and behavioral characteristics indicates the Sierra Nevada population of great gray owls has been isolated from other populations for an extensive period of time.

Yosemite, today, is the southernmost range and last sanctuary of almost all of California's great gray owls, listed as California State Endangered Species. Researchers estimate there are only about 200 to 300 individuals in California, and about 65% of the state's population resides in Yosemite. Great gray owls nest in the middle elevations of the park where forests and meadows meet. They can be active at any time of the day or night, preferring to hunt in open meadows and clearings within the forest.Then, in winter, they move downslope to snow-free areas where they can more easily access their rodent prey.

This rare and endangered owl is the largest North American owl but also can be found in Asia and Europe. It stands as tall as 2 feet with a 5-foot wingspan and has distinctive piercing yellow eyes accented by large facial disks.

To gain a greater understanding of Yosemite's great gray owl and its genetic make-up, Yosemite joined with the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station and geneticists from University of California, Davis to assess genetics, ecological-limiting factors, and immediate management needs of the Sierra-wide population. Great gray owls, restricted to montane meadows, are threatened from mounting resource use in the broader Sierra Nevada. Threats outside the park include timber harvest, grazing, and development pressures.

National parks like Yosemite that provide nearly intact ecosystems are critically important to both identify new species of plants and animals and to provide a laboratory in which to conduct scientific study. Yosemite's research aims to develop a predictive GIS-based habitat model of great gray owl distribution and habitat associations; and design a long-term monitoring plan to assess population trends.

Future genetic research on the great gray owl in Yosemite would help develop a technique to identify individual owls from their molted feathers. This non-invasive research method would allow scientists to study survival rates, reproduction patterns, and other important information through the DNA found in the collected feathers. Additionally, this research method would mitigate negative impacts on the sensitive great gray owl population in the park.

• Learn more about Yosemite's birds, including the park's other special status bird species.
  

Read the 2010 citation naming the Strix nebulosa Yosemitensis:
 

Hull, J.M.; Keane, J.J.; Savage, W.K.; Godwin, S.A.; Shafer, J.A.; Jepsen, E.P.; Gerhardt, R.; Stermer, C.; Ernest, H.B. (2010, July). Range-wide genetic differentiation among North American great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) reveals a distinct lineage restricted to the Sierra Nevada, California. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 56(1), 212-221, DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.02.027

 

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/great-gray-owl.htm

 

Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2010 Jul;56(1):212-21. Epub 2010 Mar 1.

Range-wide genetic differentiation among North American great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) reveals a distinct lineage restricted to the Sierra Nevada, California.

Hull JM, Keane JJ, Savage WK, Godwin SA, Shafer JA, Jepsen EP, Gerhardt R, Stermer C, Ernest HB.

Abstract
Investigations of regional genetic differentiation are essential for describing phylogeographic patterns and informing management efforts for species of conservation concern. In this context, we investigated genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) populations in western North America, which includes an allopatric range in the southern Sierra Nevada in California. Based on a total dataset consisting of 30 nuclear microsatellite DNA loci and 1938-base pairs of mitochondrial DNA, we found that Pacific Northwest sampling groups were recovered by frequency and Bayesian analyses of microsatellite data and each population sampled, except for western Canada, showed evidence of recent population bottlenecks and low effective sizes. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of sequence data indicated that the allopatric Sierra Nevada population is also a distinct lineage with respect to the larger species range in North America ; we suggest a subspecies designation for this lineage should be considered (Strix nebulosa yosemitensis). Our study underscores the importance of phylogeographic studies for identifying lineages of conservation concern, as well as the important role of Pleistocene glaciation events in driving genetic differentiation of avian fauna.

(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Great Gray Owl

Great gray owl research provides evidence that the Sierra Nevada is home to a genetically distinct population, compared to great gray owls outside of California.

Scientists, in 2010, documented Yosemite's great gray owl (Strix nebulosa Yosemitensis) as genetically distinct from the great gray owl in western North America (Strix nebulosa nebulosa). In addition to genetic differences, behavioral differences appear to exist in the Yosemite subspecies. These include differences in migration patterns, prey preference, and nest site selection. Each of these genetic and behavioral characteristics indicates the Sierra Nevada population of great gray owls has been isolated from other populations for an extensive period of time.

Yosemite, today, is the southernmost range and last sanctuary of almost all of California's great gray owls, listed as California State Endangered Species. Researchers estimate there are only about 200 to 300 individuals in California, and about 65% of the state's population resides in Yosemite. Great gray owls nest in the middle elevations of the park where forests and meadows meet. They can be active at any time of the day or night, preferring to hunt in open meadows and clearings within the forest.Then, in winter, they move downslope to snow-free areas where they can more easily access their rodent prey.

This rare and endangered owl is the largest North American owl but also can be found in Asia and Europe. It stands as tall as 2 feet with a 5-foot wingspan and has distinctive piercing yellow eyes accented by large facial disks.

To gain a greater understanding of Yosemite's great gray owl and its genetic make-up, Yosemite joined with the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Southwest Research Station and geneticists from University of California, Davis to assess genetics, ecological-limiting factors, and immediate management needs of the Sierra-wide population. Great gray owls, restricted to montane meadows, are threatened from mounting resource use in the broader Sierra Nevada. Threats outside the park include timber harvest, grazing, and development pressures.

National parks like Yosemite that provide nearly intact ecosystems are critically important to both identify new species of plants and animals and to provide a laboratory in which to conduct scientific study. Yosemite's research aims to develop a predictive GIS-based habitat model of great gray owl distribution and habitat associations; and design a long-term monitoring plan to assess population trends.

Future genetic research on the great gray owl in Yosemite would help develop a technique to identify individual owls from their molted feathers. This non-invasive research method would allow scientists to study survival rates, reproduction patterns, and other important information through the DNA found in the collected feathers. Additionally, this research method would mitigate negative impacts on the sensitive great gray owl population in the park.

• Learn more about Yosemite's birds, including the park's other special status bird species.
  

Read the 2010 citation naming the Strix nebulosa Yosemitensis:
 

Hull, J.M.; Keane, J.J.; Savage, W.K.; Godwin, S.A.; Shafer, J.A.; Jepsen, E.P.; Gerhardt, R.; Stermer, C.; Ernest, H.B. (2010, July). Range-wide genetic differentiation among North American great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) reveals a distinct lineage restricted to the Sierra Nevada, California. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 56(1), 212-221, DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2010.02.027

 

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/great-gray-owl.htm

 

Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2010 Jul;56(1):212-21. Epub 2010 Mar 1.

Range-wide genetic differentiation among North American great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) reveals a distinct lineage restricted to the Sierra Nevada, California.

Hull JM, Keane JJ, Savage WK, Godwin SA, Shafer JA, Jepsen EP, Gerhardt R, Stermer C, Ernest HB.

Abstract
Investigations of regional genetic differentiation are essential for describing phylogeographic patterns and informing management efforts for species of conservation concern. In this context, we investigated genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) populations in western North America, which includes an allopatric range in the southern Sierra Nevada in California. Based on a total dataset consisting of 30 nuclear microsatellite DNA loci and 1938-base pairs of mitochondrial DNA, we found that Pacific Northwest sampling groups were recovered by frequency and Bayesian analyses of microsatellite data and each population sampled, except for western Canada, showed evidence of recent population bottlenecks and low effective sizes. Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of sequence data indicated that the allopatric Sierra Nevada population is also a distinct lineage with respect to the larger species range in North America ; we suggest a subspecies designation for this lineage should be considered (Strix nebulosa yosemitensis). Our study underscores the importance of phylogeographic studies for identifying lineages of conservation concern, as well as the important role of Pleistocene glaciation events in driving genetic differentiation of avian fauna.

(Submitted by Chad Arment)

Weymouth nature centre is staging a kingfisher quest

12:40pm Wednesday 15th September 2010
By Ruth Meech

GRAB the opportunity to see one of our most stunning and rare birds in its natural habitat.

The RSPB at Weymouth Wetlands is hosting a Kingfisher Quest this weekend at the Radipole Lake nature reserve.

Staff and volunteers will be strategically placed as ‘spotters’ around the site, ready to radio in to HQ if there’s a good chance of seeing this exquisite bird.

The shy kingfisher is iconic and one of our most recognisable birds, with an electric blue back, crown and wings of greenish-blue, rich, orange-red underparts and cheeks, white cheek patches and throat, coral red legs and feet, and a long, dark bill.

But it has a habit of perching motionless in the dappled shade of vegetation overhanging rippling water, waiting for its prey, and the different play of light and shade can render it virtually invisible.

“Despite the harsh winter, which could have affected their numbers, we are seeing kingfishers here on an almost daily basis,” said assistant reserve warden Nick Quintrell.

“The second phase of the restoration of Weymouth Wetlands has just begun but fish populations here started to increase soon after we finished the first phase of the work last autumn and the sheer numbers of fish it now supports, including minnows and sticklebacks, is simply staggering. They’re just the right food prey for kingfishers.”

Although they are often elusive, kingfishers will occasionally perch in the open and Radipole Lake has a number of well-placed branches where you can watch the bird at close range – a breathtaking experience. If there’s no perch around, the kingfisher can hover to rival a hummingbird.

Nick added: “These birds have favourite fishing places and perches so with our ‘spotters’ on location this weekend, we have high hopes that people who come along will be lucky enough to see one.”

At around 18cm, the kingfisher is barely bigger than a house sparrow.

When it has spotted its prey, it will dive vertically from its perch, beat its wings to gain speed and then tuck them tight into its body before hitting the water like a dart and with an audible splash.

As it hits the water, protective membranes sweep across its eyes so it is effectively hunting blind. The bird then dives down to its predetermined depth and grabs the fish with its open bill. A nesting pair with a hungry brood can catch around 100 fish a day.

The kingfisher nests by excavating a tunnel up to a metre long in a sandy bank, which ends in a chamber where the young are reared.

Nick said: “Part of the first phase of the restoration of Weymouth Wetlands was to build an artificial nesting wall for sand martins, with lots of small holes. It is feasible that kingfishers could use the same site, especially if we fill in one or two of the holes so that they can excavate the nests for themselves.

“Normally after diving, the kingfisher will return to the perch, strike the fish against it to kill it and then swallow it headfirst. So a good clue as to whether birds are breeding in an area is if the fish is carried away from the perch with the head protruding from the bird’s bill. That way, they can present it headfirst, either as a courtship gift or as food for their young.

“There are between 5,000 to 8,000 breeding pairs of kingfishers in the UK but they are amber-listed across Europe, which means they are of conservation concern. So we live in hope that we can encourage them to breed here at Weymouth Wetlands.”

Weymouth Wetlands’ Kingfisher Quest is on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am until 3pm. Visit the Radipole Lake visitor centre at the Swannery or call 01305 778313.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8392185.Weymouth_nature_centre_is_staging_a_kingfisher_quest/
(Submitted by Jonathan McGowan)

Weymouth nature centre is staging a kingfisher quest

12:40pm Wednesday 15th September 2010
By Ruth Meech

GRAB the opportunity to see one of our most stunning and rare birds in its natural habitat.

The RSPB at Weymouth Wetlands is hosting a Kingfisher Quest this weekend at the Radipole Lake nature reserve.

Staff and volunteers will be strategically placed as ‘spotters’ around the site, ready to radio in to HQ if there’s a good chance of seeing this exquisite bird.

The shy kingfisher is iconic and one of our most recognisable birds, with an electric blue back, crown and wings of greenish-blue, rich, orange-red underparts and cheeks, white cheek patches and throat, coral red legs and feet, and a long, dark bill.

But it has a habit of perching motionless in the dappled shade of vegetation overhanging rippling water, waiting for its prey, and the different play of light and shade can render it virtually invisible.

“Despite the harsh winter, which could have affected their numbers, we are seeing kingfishers here on an almost daily basis,” said assistant reserve warden Nick Quintrell.

“The second phase of the restoration of Weymouth Wetlands has just begun but fish populations here started to increase soon after we finished the first phase of the work last autumn and the sheer numbers of fish it now supports, including minnows and sticklebacks, is simply staggering. They’re just the right food prey for kingfishers.”

Although they are often elusive, kingfishers will occasionally perch in the open and Radipole Lake has a number of well-placed branches where you can watch the bird at close range – a breathtaking experience. If there’s no perch around, the kingfisher can hover to rival a hummingbird.

Nick added: “These birds have favourite fishing places and perches so with our ‘spotters’ on location this weekend, we have high hopes that people who come along will be lucky enough to see one.”

At around 18cm, the kingfisher is barely bigger than a house sparrow.

When it has spotted its prey, it will dive vertically from its perch, beat its wings to gain speed and then tuck them tight into its body before hitting the water like a dart and with an audible splash.

As it hits the water, protective membranes sweep across its eyes so it is effectively hunting blind. The bird then dives down to its predetermined depth and grabs the fish with its open bill. A nesting pair with a hungry brood can catch around 100 fish a day.

The kingfisher nests by excavating a tunnel up to a metre long in a sandy bank, which ends in a chamber where the young are reared.

Nick said: “Part of the first phase of the restoration of Weymouth Wetlands was to build an artificial nesting wall for sand martins, with lots of small holes. It is feasible that kingfishers could use the same site, especially if we fill in one or two of the holes so that they can excavate the nests for themselves.

“Normally after diving, the kingfisher will return to the perch, strike the fish against it to kill it and then swallow it headfirst. So a good clue as to whether birds are breeding in an area is if the fish is carried away from the perch with the head protruding from the bird’s bill. That way, they can present it headfirst, either as a courtship gift or as food for their young.

“There are between 5,000 to 8,000 breeding pairs of kingfishers in the UK but they are amber-listed across Europe, which means they are of conservation concern. So we live in hope that we can encourage them to breed here at Weymouth Wetlands.”

Weymouth Wetlands’ Kingfisher Quest is on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am until 3pm. Visit the Radipole Lake visitor centre at the Swannery or call 01305 778313.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/8392185.Weymouth_nature_centre_is_staging_a_kingfisher_quest/
(Submitted by Jonathan McGowan)