Talk about ironic! While searching for the world’s most endangered crocodile species, conservationists discovered nearly 70 extremely rare crocodiles lounging in plain view at a wildlife rescue center in Cambodia!
A trek across a frozen lake proved to be a deadly journey for hundreds of reindeer last week. Sami herders in Sweden were leading 3,000 reindeer to “greener pastures” across a frequently-traveled route during their annual migration to their winter grazing grounds when tragedy struck.
According to reports, little Kimutai, a three-year-old child from Kenya, died hours after ingesting carbofuran, an odorless pesticide used to control insects on many crops including rice, beans, bananas, pineapple, coffee and vegetables.
But the highly toxic pesticide, sold under the name Furadan and manufactured by Farm Machinery and Chemicals Corporation (FMC), is also used by cattle herders for different reasons. Furadan is often added to carcasses in order to poison and kill lions, hyenas and other wildlife that prey on livestock.
Time is running out for the world’s smallest rhino. According to a recent press release, scientists and experts from all over the world are rushing to save the Sabah rhino, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni, from extinction. Sadly, it is estimated less than 50 of the diminutive rhinos exist today.
Although the subject matter may be a bit sensitive, there is some exciting news for fruit bats. Two-thirds of female short-nosed fruit bats, Cynopterus sphinx, regularly perform fellatio on their male partners, according to a recently released study.
Visitors at Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World sure got their money’s worth recently! Visitors at the New Zealand aquarium witnessed a shark perform an unplanned and unconventional “cesarean section” on another shark!
Acting as midwife, the smart shark apparently knew what the Auckland aquarium’s staff did not – another shark in the aquarium was pregnant. Although it is common for sharks to nip at one another, this particular shark took a great big bite out of the pregnant shark’s side.
Australia’s koalas are in trouble. Scientists from the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) have evidence of a drastic decline in Australia’s wild koala population and are requesting protection from the government.
Researchers in Malaysian Borneo have captured the world’s most elusive and endangered cat on film. The beautiful Bornean bay cat, Catopuma badia, is so rare; a live cat was not even photographed until 1998!
Officials from Iowa and the United States Department of Agriculture have confirmed a pet cat in the United States has tested positive for the H1N1 virus. This is the first time a feline has contracted the H1N1 virus in the United States, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
It appears there has been a bit of a mix-up at the North Pole. Someone better hurry up and tell Santa. Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer is not a male! According to the University of Edinburgh Professors Gerald Lincoln and David Baird, the proof is in the antlers!